Fall Training

It's a few weeks after the 1/2 marathon and I'm still lingering with the post marathon cold symptoms....nothing great but sniffles and sore throat just lingering. It always happens, but this time the week after my marathon I took it easy with walking- nothing more than 1 hour a day and I slept for as long as possible on my days off. With these extra precautions my usual bad cold hasn't materialized but I'm still fighting the possibility of a bad cold.

The days are definately getting shorter and colder and wetter! I'm starting to break out my winter running gear and lining my runners up by the heater in the hall....a sure sign of wet weather!
Today was actually sunny and about 13 oC....so Charlie and I headed out for a great 10.5 km run...with some walk breaks. I'm finding that my running is getting better again, but sometimes I just don't want to run so we head out for a powerwalk....after all this blog is about the walking diva and her faithful companion.
In a couple weeks my husband and I are headed to Australia for 3 weeks....sunshine and heat! Beaches and swimming! And tons of walking...plus I'm bringing my running gear...who wouldn't...and will get out for a run at least 3 times a week.
Keep walking and running folks....just getting out there in this season is 1/2 the battle!

October 9th- 1/2 Marathon

Well...it's a little belated but the marathon is done. I did end up switching to the 1/2 and was happy about that in the end. I did a run/walk with Guylaine...one of the original full marathon girls...and we came in less than 3 hours. I felt great...of course I did train for the full- but walking! We ran 5 minutes and power walked 10 minutes....great combo....and I was able to run in the last 3 kms, but Guylaine couldn't....so I did get a bit better time than her but not by much. We found our walking pace was 8:30min/km's and our running pace was 7:30min/km's. Not much difference!
The weather was great and there were loads of people out there running, walking and cheering everyone on! The best sign I saw on the sidelines was 'This is the worsed parade'....too funny!
One day I still would like to run a marathon....but I think I will stick to 1/2's for now...great distance, less time comittment for training and I feel great afterwards....and can still walk around!
The best thing...my Starbuck's afterwards! Now that is worth the run!

Tapering......

It's so beautiful today...definately fall weather. It's cool at night but once the sun comes up it definately warms up! Charlie and I went out and enjoyed a 8 km run along the back roads of Cobble Hill. I have to say, Charlie is starting to show a lot of promise in a running partner. He keeps pace with me while running and keeps me at a fast clip when walking....no lolly-gagging with him along!
It's taper week and I usually have such a hard time with decreasing the milage and intensity....but I've learned the hard way...tapering works!
I've decided that if I can change to the 1/2 marathon...I'll change...if I can't....well, I'll do the full by myself. I've trained for the full and can do it...it's do I want to do it by myself...not really! So fate has a hand in my decision....I'll find out when I pick up my package next week. In the meantime, I'll continue with the full training...as I said it's tapering week anyways!
The weather is getting to be more to my liking and will suit me if it stays this way for the next few weeks. I'm working nights tonight so I'll be doing my run tomorrow afternoon after sleeping...so please no rain and not too hot please!
Keep up the running and walking everyone!

Decisions, decisions

Well....I'm the last one standing in the group of crazy chicks that are going to do a marathon....I had a sneaking suspicion that this was going to happen. I mean, for the last few weeks I've heard the groans of various injuries and one person disappeared all together without even saying a word or a good bye! So here I am the last one standing and apparently the only one that has actually being doing the training for the last 3 weeks! Bummer!
My last long walk/run was 30 km and today (2 days later) is when my legs have started to stop aching...oh...here I am starting the groaning.
I'm just in the midst of deciding if I will change to the 1/2 marathon or try to endure the whole marathon by myself. I'm leaning to the 1/2....at least I can do that distance and remain rather intact at the end and I can endure that distance by myself.
I started out this adventure with the idea that with some company and good vibes we'd do well on the marathon and have some laughs along the way. It's not my 1st marathon....I did a couple back in my 20's and thought before I hit 50 I would like another one. So it was my challenge to do this ....but I really do have a couple more years to do that in....
So, on the package pick up date I will decide what I want to do. In the meantime, I'm continuing with the training and having fun with Charlie (the dog) along the way....and isn't that what it is all about anyways?

Crazy Legs

Yesterday I ran most of my 12 kms and then today I ran just under my 25 km long walk. I killed on my run yesterday....yeah, yeah...I know this is a walking race but I do love my runs. I run really slow so I'm not out there ripping up the streets or anything. I haven't run much lately and I've been missing the feeling. So...yesterday....ran probably 2/3 of the 12 km then today I ran almost 1/2 of my 25 km.
I was suppose to go 29 km but between the running yesterday and today and that I only had 4 hours to get my walk in....had family coming over and it wasn't light out until 6:15 am and I was out the door at 6:30. We had everyone arriving around 10:30. I think I did rather well....25 km in 4 hours and I wasn't pushing either the running or the walking all that much.
I have learned to take along water/gatorade and some little thing to eat...today was some gorp. I was training for my 1/2 marathons without any water or bars and it really showed in my times and how I felt. Now if I'm out for more than 1 1/2 hours I take some water and if I'm out for more than 2 1/2 hours the gatorade is added and some little protein/carb treat.
Now back to my legs....they really hurt today...but in an interestingly good way. I know I've gone a distance and got some running in, so I'm happy how things turned out. I'm now powering back the fluids to keep up with the sweating I did on the run.
Tomorrow is a rest day so my legs should get back to normal...and maybe a little assistance of some tylenol will be needed tonight.

Working and training don't mix

Where did this week go? It seems to have gone in a blur and I haven't got all my training in!
I work 12 hour shifts and usually this doesn't cause too many problems until I do 3 days in a row...and there fore less days to train. You say there are 4 other days in the week? You are right! But on sundays are my long training days and therefore mondays are rest days. So this week I did a 12 km run/walk on tuesday...worked wed/thrus/fri and just came back from another 12 km run/walk. Today I threw in a couple hills and some running to make it the interval/hill workout. Tomorrow is my long walk and I'll try to throw in some running in there too!
Now the weather hasn't been helping either! Don't get me wrong...it's BEAUTIFUL out and sunny and hot!....but that means I have to get up early to get my workout in before the heat bogs me down. Plus, now that fall is approaching the days are definately getting shorter and I did get a 3 km walk in with the dog after work on wed but the lack of light only gave me a 40 min window to get out and walk and home again.
So this is the testing of my mettle....will I quit because it's hard to get the workout in? or that it's taking so much of my time? or I have to get up really early on my days off?....well.....I haven't quit yet and with only another month left to train....I think I'm up to it!
Walk on my friends....walk on!

Where did the summer go?

Holy Guacamole! It's September already. We've had the long weekend...and I actually had it off this year, and it was nice and sunny too. I'm starting week 12 of my marathon training....it's getting hard. No the actual training isn't as hard as I thought it might be.....but it's the amount of time I need to get it done.
With the 1/2 marathon training the longest run/walk was about 20 km....and I'm up to 29 km this week for the long walk. It's a huge amount of time committment....and I'm not sure if my husband actually truely understands that!
He is really supportive of my training but he does sound surprised when I tell him I'll be out for about 4 1/2 hours....'What?'..... no kidding!
I've been having second thoughts of doing this but then I tell myself that I only have 2 more weeks of intense training, then 2 weeks of tapering and then it's the marathon. I keep thinking about how good I'll feel when I'm done and how proud I'm going to be with myself for sticking to the training. I'm not sure if I'll have any buddies to do the marathon with by that time....I'm hearing rumblings of 'sore hips', 'sore knees', and such....at least there will be a couple hundred of us starting out on the early bird marathon time of 0630!
The days are getting shorter now and I'm having to now think about my training after work...where will I go and how light will it be? I get off work at 1915 and it takes 30 mins to drive home...then I will get out and go for at least an hour....and those are my short runs for the week...I've just completed my medium walk with Charlie. He's sleeping on the couch beside me as I type....he has fun and we even stopped to at the river so he could swim!
So here goes another week of training and another week of talking myself into staying with the program...sigh!
Happy walking or running everyone!