Inspired

Hello....remember me....I use to write a blog.  I have been super busy and the blog kind of got lost in the chaos that has been my life lately. Two businesses, a family and serious training have left me overwhelmed but I have missed blogging so I am going to try to get back to it, maybe not every week but as often as I can.

So where did I leave off, oh yeah, the Olympics. The Olympics seem so long ago, we won in hockey, men's and women's so the nation was happy, I was happy we won the curling gold in men's and women's, it was truly a Canadian Double Double.  

Since then, I lost my motivation, gave a talk about goals, ran a race and got inspired so I will give you a recap.  I was uninspired to train; work, winter and everything else made it hard, all I wanted to do was sleep and eat.  I did 70% of my workouts but my heart was not in it and my results showed.  My coach was great during this time, I was not the only one to feel this way and she accepted what I could do and I am grateful for her guidance and patience. 

In early March I gave a talk to the marathon group about goal setting, I was nervous and excited but I think I did a good job.  It was fun to give back and help inspire others on their running journey. Who would have thought that I would be giving a talk about goals...me, the queen of unfinished projects up to a few years ago.  Running has taught me to dream big and more importantly how to achieve those dreams.  I hope I get the chance to inspire others more in the future, it was a great feeling.   

I had signed up for the Around the Bay 30k race on March 30 in Hamilton ON.  It was the 120th anniversary of the run and Neale had run it before so I thought it would be fun.  When I signed up I wanted to get as close to 3 hours as possible but as the race approached I knew I had not trained enough.  We revised my goal to a more modest 3:13 but in my soul, I was disappointed in myself for not training harder.  I felt like I had given up and I hated it so I promised myself that I would give 100% on race day and leave it all on the roads.  I woke up on race day and  I knew it would be a good day, I just felt it, the sun was shining, it was warm and I was running with friends.  The race was tough, I had not done enough hill training and it showed, I lost 3 mins on the last 15 K due to the hills but I managed to come in within my goal, 3:13:49 and I even stopped for a selfie with the Reaper at the 28K point.

This was the photo I wanted as a metaphor for the transformation I had made to my life in the last 5 years, from over-weight couch potato to marathon runner and triathlete.  I am smiling and he is frowning, I had won, he lost and I kept on running, as I plan on doing for as long as possible.  

On April 5 I went to a ladies night at a local sport store.  One of the speakers was Sindy Hooper, at 50 she completed her first Ironman and he planned on completing her second at Ironman Canada in August 2013.  In January 2013 she was diagnosed with Pancreatic cancer and had surgery to remove half her stomach, he gall blander, part of her pancreas and small intestines.  She went on to complete Ironman Canada while undergoing chemo and this weekend completed Florida 70.3, finishing in the top 20 in her Age Group.  Her talk was inspirational and sad at the same time.  She will not live to see her grandchildren, to grow old with her husband or maybe even celebrate her next birthday.  It reinforced one again, how important it is to live each moment to the fullest, love totally and passionately and chase your dreams with determination while you can.  I plan on completing my first Ironman for my 50th birthday and I will dedicate it to Sindy when I do, a fellow Swim Bike Mom who helped me find my motivation again.  

Here is Sindy's story if you are interested

Sindy's Story

It is 10 weeks to Tremblant 70.3 and I have 2 more running race and a 70K bike ride for charity before then so training is full on.  I hope to break 60 mins for the 10K in a few weeks, the one goal I did not achieve last year and to get as close to 2 hours as possible for my half marathon in May.  I feel more inspired as I train, that I can do the work necessary to achieve these goals and have fun while doing so.  I also signed up for my fall marathon, in Toronto with my friend Barbara and a fun half marathon  in Las Vegas that I will run with another friend Anita.  I am looking forward to my training and racing, this is going to be a great year...I just feel it!

Olympic Hangover

Well the Olympics are over and we are back to our regularly scheduled lives. I love the Olympics, for 2 weeks I get to watch sports I usually would not watch and to quote Jim MacKay of ABC Sports to experience the thrill of victory and the agony of defeat, the human drama of athletic competition.  I loved reading my FB friends updates how the Olympics were influence their children to work harder and dream bigger, to practice more and to want to try new things.  

Canada is a nation of hockey lovers, the country almost shut down for the women's final and the men's semi final and final game.  This was a popular post on Facebook and Twitter and was so true. 

I have been training during this period with some success and more then a few set backs, I have been sick twice since the Goofy, first the flu then a nasty cold and it has taken its toll.  I have had way too much work to do as well, it is the start of my busy season and with 2 businesses and a family, time is tight.  I have been thinking a lot about why I do this, why I push myself so hard, am I running away from something or running towards something, WHY?  

I run because it makes me feel good, usually, I swim because I love to swim, even though my swimming sucks at the moment, I cycle because it is middle and longest part of a triathlon and so I have too.  I think I have been struggling to find my passion since Goofy, I know it is in there, I just need dig it out of that snow bank it's hiding under.  I know once the snow starts to melt and spring comes, I will find my passion again, let's just say it is hibernating right now.  

I did a fun run yesterday and I had FUN!!! It was a small run, maybe 30 people and a lot of families.  It was so great to see the kids run, to see the joy they had to run fast.  At first I was chasing them and they were way ahead but eventually they ran out of speed and I kept on going.  As I ran I knew I had the endurance and if I just kept going I would catch up.  As that thought came to me I realized all my hard work had changed me as a runner, I was confident in my ability and my running, it was a wonderful feeling.  

Running has changed me, it has shaped me physically and emotionally and I am grateful for that. I am now a person who sets goals, who believes in myself and my abilities and I have done things I never though possible.  Finally it dawned on me, this is why I run...

My Olympic dream

I work with some of the brightest political minds in Canada and some of the best writers, sadly I am neither.  I am a proud Canadian, I am proud of my country and what it stands for.  I am proud that we treat people equally or at least try to.  We should not be judged by the colour of our skin, our economic position, our education level or who we love.  That last one is important to me, I have a great husband and so do many of my friends, we have wives and husbands, we are gay and straight, we love and we are loved and we are accepted.  I am outraged by the Russian governments stand on Gay rights and I am disappointed that Canadians do not seem to be.  Maybe I am wrong, that we are outraged but we are too Canadian to say too much.  We are polite, we don’t rock the boat, we are peacekeepers, or are we?    Canada has a strong history of standing up for other rights, and our own.

For the last seven years Russia has become more homophobic while the rest of the world has working at becoming less. Gay marriage acceptance is increasing, gay adoptions are more common and most countries consider violence against a gay person to be a hate crime. We were the 4^th country in the world to legal same sex marriages in 2005 and have enshrined equal rights for all in our Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms.   While I agree with the governments position that a boycott is not an option, I do not think backroom discussions are the best way either. 

So this is me, doing something.  During the Olympics, February 7-23, I will replace my profile photo with this image and I encourage you to do the same. 

I will also be wearing a rainbow ribbon every day to show my support for the LGBT community and my outrage over the Russian anti-gay laws.  If we can get every Canadian to do this, maybe just maybe we will send a strong united message. 

While the International Olympic Committee has said athletes cannot comment about the anit-gay laws while on accredited areas, they are free to do so elsewhere.  I encourage our athletes to wear a rainbow ribbon where it is safe to do so to show their feelings about this anti-gay policy.  I would love to see the Canadian contingent walk into the Olympic stadium all wearing a rainbow ribbon next to the Maple Leaf on their jacket but I know that will not happen…but I can dream. 

If you feel the same, please consider changing your profile picture during the Olympics, it’s a small step but something we can do together.  

Goofy Race Recap Part 2

Sorry for the delay, I got behind due to work and a bout of the flu but I think we were at marathon day. 

So I kind of put the marathon part of the Goofy fun in a back corner of my mind but here it was, big and scary and standing between me and my medal.  Luckily for us, a storm blew through Saturday night making ind cold (OK cool) when we headed out at 3:30am.  We got to the meeting point at 4am and waited for Lori and Barbara to arrive.  We waited and waited and my running mates did not arrive.  Finally we got a text from Barbara explaining they were stuck in traffic and they finally arrived around 5am.  We quickly headed for the start line, at least we did not have as long to wait. 

Ready to run

 We finally headed out and the first part of the course was a repeat of the half marathon course, it felt like groundhog day but it was nice to be running on familiar ground.  We each picked a character we were stopping for photos with on the run, mine was Tigger, Barbara's was Toy Story and Lori's was Monster University, we found 2 out of the 3 in the Magic Kingdom.  After the Magic Kingdom we headed to new parks, first up the Animal Kingdom.  On our way there we ran past a sewer treatment plant, not the nicest place to breath deeply.  Just after that we hit a water and banana stop.  Barbara went right, Lori and I went left and that was the last we saw of Barbara.  

We stuck around looking for her but we could not find her. Unsure what to do we decided to see if she ran ahead, all the while I was worrying.  I had promised I would run this with her and I did not want to let her down.  We ran through the Animal Kingdom and still no Barbara. We stopped for a few minutes to see if she would run by and still no Barbara.  My muscles were starting to cramp so we headed off to run our own race, one Minnie short and my brain in turmoil. Big thanks to Lori for putting up with me at this point, it went above the call of duty. We started to run on a highway and saw runners running the other way and thought maybe we would see her this way.  We did not but at least it kept my mind off the boring flat run.  Just as we turned the corner to run into the ESPN Sports Zone we ran up to Barbara.  She thought we were ahead of her and was running to catch up, she also took a few photo stops along the way.  The Minnie's were reunited and it felt so good to quote Peaches and Herb.  

I have to say, running through the ESPN zone was my least favorite part of the marathon course, it did nothing for me, it was crowded and it was starting to get hot.  Eventually we headed back out onto the highway, there was a lot of highway running, way more then parks but at least it was flat. It was fun to watch the other runners and their costumes, we saw Santa Claus running a marathon, I swear he looked just like Santa....fine don't believe me then.  We saw tons of Minnie's, lots of Mickey's and a few pirates and fairies. We came across a runner who was doing the Dopey and flying home to Ohio that night, right after the marathon.  We already though she was awesome and when she told us she had finished Chemo in March and signed up for the Dopey in part to say FU to her skin cancer.   Even though at this point we were tired and getting grumpy, she lifted our spirits and we kept on running.  

A funny thing happens in the last few miles of the marathon, you lose all reason and intelligent though is just not possible, at this point we just kept running, there was very little talking.  Finally we entered  Hollywood Studios and from the Wine and Dine in 2012, I knew the end was nearish.  We passed a chocolate and candy station, which I avoided, but we did make a quick pit stop so we would feel better for the final run.   By this time the parks were open so there were lots of people to cheer us on, it makes such a difference.  Epcot was the final destination and it was in sight.  We did not see any of the Monster University characters for Lori but we found something better, we found Dopey.  Of course a photo was necessary. 

Barbara and I promising Dopey we would be back to run his challenge too

We crossed the bridge into Epcot and the end was a few KM's away.  All I could think about was running, one foot in from of the other...don't stop because you wont be able to start again...suck it up buttercup...and all the other motivational quotes I know, anything to keep my mind busy and my feet moving. Finally we turned the last corner, the end was in sight and the finish line in front of me. Only one thing stood between me and the finish line... GOOFY!!!  So of course I stopped for a photo.  Coach, I promise not to do this at any other race, cross my heart. 

We crossed the finish line, hand in hand again, tears of joy mixing with the sweat and huge smiles on our faces.  We had done it, Lori had run 78.3km over 4 days and Barbara had run 68.3km over 3 days and I had run 63.3 over 2 days.  We hit the medical area and then collected our medals, 2 for Barbara and I, 3 for Lori. 

I wanted to see if Neale finished his run so we headed out to the meeting point to see.  There he was, grinning wearing his 2 medals and with our friend Susan who had run her first marathon.  I was so happy he finished, that they both finished together as planned.  Barbara had to head off to meet her family for lunch and Lori and Darryl had to meet family as well so we quickly headed for the bus back to the hotel for a shower and food.  I knew I need to walk around so we took the bus to Downtown Disney and met up with another Orleans runner Trevor.  

We eventually ended up on the patio of an Irish pub, eating and drinking, sharing stories and enjoying the sun and heat, it was the perfect way to end the day.  By 7:30, we were ready for bed and called it a day, what a great day it was.  Monday we went to the Animal Kingdom with Barbara and her family.

I had a chance to try Expedition Everest, twice and Dinosaur once.  We really enjoyed the African Safari and the wild animals there, it will have to do until I get to the real thing ( hello bucket list).

A few final thoughts on the marathon....for my second marathon it went well.  

-  I still got tired during the last 10k but I am not sure if that was a time issue or a training issue, something to work on I guess.  If anyone had told me I would be running for over 9 hour over 2 days, I would have said they were nuts, but I did it and enjoyed it.  

-  Running in Disney is crowded, we knew we would stop for photos and we did, we knew it would be crowded and it was and we knew it would be fun and it was...all in all it was a great experience. 

-  I had a great time running both days with Lori and Barbara, running buddies don't get any better then this.  I tried to say this to them during the run but Barbara told me to stop, I would make her cry and she needed the water and salt for the run.  So Barbara and Lori, I am saying it now, I could not have done all the training or the race without both of you wonderful ladies, you make running such a blessing and your friendship is the greatest gift.  

- Finally, this event capped off an amazing year for me.  I did things in 2013 I never thought I could, I grew as an athlete and a person and I surprised myself by what I accomplished.  I am so freaking proud of myself, I did it, I did things I never though possible and I survived.  The sign I saw on the run spoke to me, and it sums up my year. 

 

Goofy race recap Part 1

Well I am back and to jump to the end...I DID IT!!!!!!  Since this is a 2 day race, I will do a 2 part race recap, so settle back for the start of the story.

So most of Canada was stuck in a polar vortex last week and flights were being cancelled everyday, we began to wonder if we would actually make it to Orlando.  Most of our friends suffered through delayed or cancelled flights but by the time we headed out Thursday afternoon it was smooth sailing...or rather flying. We arrived in Orlando on time and hopped on the Magical Express to out hotel, Caribbean Beach Resort.  It was nice to be in the heat again and Disney made the experience so easy.  Friday was kit pickup day and the Expo.  I love runDisney events, they are so well organized and there is no lineups and we had our bibs and t-shirts in less then 5 mins.  A quick stop for photos and we were off to the Expo.

Neale and I with flat Goofy

Runners shopping heaven

I did a bit of shopping and then we met up with my Mom for you guessed it...more shopping.  A trip to the Premiere Outlet Mall was a nice way to spend the day.  We headed back to the hotel early to get ready for the Half Marathon.  We needed to get up real early, middle of the night early...who thought this was a good idea. I got dressed and met Lori and Barbara for the run.  Lori was running the Dopey and Barbara the Goofy with me.  

0 dark stupid- a Goofy time to get up

Barbara, Lori and I ready to run

We ran as fairies for our half marathon, so many people ran in costume, we fit right in. It was hot and humid, you could see the humidity in the air as the sun rose.  We lost Barbara at the first photo op, foreshadowing maybe but we quickly re-grouped and ran into the Magic Kingdom. It was fun to run under Cinderella's castle and through the park.  Did I mention it was humid, it was like running in a sauna.  

Neale and I in front of Cinderella's castle

We had a great time running, it was really crowded in places and slow going but it was fun.  I enjoy people watching during races and there were lots of fun costumes to look at.  I had a great time running with Lori and Barbara, even after all the km we have run together, we never run out of things to say.   Finally we made it back to Epcot and the finish line was close.

Near the finish line at Epcot

 Lori, Barbara and I crossed the finish line together, hand in hand.  We were not doing this race for time but for fun and I had a blast. We took it slow and easy since we had to run a marathon the next day.  I felt great after the race, hot and sweaty but great.  

We finished!

We gathered out bling, our Goofy bracelet and our snacks and headed out to find Neale and Lori's husband Darryl.  Poor Neale was hurting after his run, he was not sure if he would be able to run the next day.  

Neale icing his Achilles

Lori and Darryl- 3 out of 4 races complete

We headed back to the hotel to rest and relax so we would be ready for the marathon the next day.  The weather channel said it would be cooler and I hoped it would be since running a marathon in that humidity would be awful.  Another early night...my dreams filled with thoughts of Minnie, Mickey and Goofy. 

Feeling a Little Goofy

So on New Years Eve I ran my final race of the year, a 10K in the cold.  This is the third year in a row we did this run, it is one of our favorites.  It was cold, really cold but I dressed appropriately and was nice and warm. I had the kilt from the Perth Kilt Run and since we have to miss that race again this year, I thought I would use it as an extra layer and have another chance to wear it.  The 5K and 10K runners started together so it was a bit crowded at the start but once the 5K runners turned around we were able to increase our speed.  I had hope to run this race under 60 mins but that did not happen, I did it in 62 mins which was a new PB for me at that distance and leaves me something to work for next year, to break 60 mins.

Thursday we leave for Orlando, weather permitting to run the Goofy Challenge.  When we registered for the race in March, I had never run a marathon and had only run 2 half marathons.  I thought maybe I could run half of each, run 5 mins, walk 5 mins and still finish before the time deadlines.  Well I now know I can run both if I want and I did the training.  I am running with 2 friends and we are planning on taking lots of breaks for photos and fun along the way.  Last year my second half marathon was the Disney Wine and Dine and I had a blast.  I have to say I am quite relaxed about this race, I am focusing on the fun part and less on the distance part.  I respect the distance, it is a long way but I know it will be better with friends along the way. 

Another friend is running her first marathon at Disney.  Susan has run lots of half marathons but this is her first marathon.  She was worried that she would not be able to finish, like we all are, and came up with a brilliant idea.  She asked her friends to sponsor her and make a donation to the charity of their choice if she finished her marathon.  Well everyone stepped up and she has raised almost $6300 so far and more is coming in daily.  We all struggle leading up to our first marathon, can I do it, have I trained enough, the what ifs are long and mess with our minds.  Susan has turned her worries into a positive and she will finish her marathon, she would have finished it before but now she has so much more to keep her going when things get tough. Neale is going to run with Susan which is fitting, Susan was one of Neale's sensei's when he was training in karate.  Now it is his turn to give back to her, the experienced marathoner, this is his 7th, helping another entered the marathon club.  I can't wait to see her at the finish line...and Neale.  Last year was the first year he has not completed a marathon since he started running, his injuries meant he lost 6 months of training.  This marathon will be extra special for him, it marks his comeback and I can't wait to do this challenge with him.  

I am planning on taking lots of photos and I will have a full race report next week...and hopefully a whole lot of new bling.

Goofy Challenge medals

New Year, New You

So most of us make a New Years resolution to lose a few pounds or to get fit and since you all know my story so I thought I would share the story of 2 of my friends, both of whom have lost over 100 pounds and become marathoners.  I know Katie from a group on Facebook and she is a bit of a role model for me and a source of inspiration.  Darryl was in my marathon group this summer and he and his wife Lori are leading the next marathon clinic starting at the end of January.  When I met Darryl, I though he must have always been a runner since he is so fit and fast and was surprised to discover his story and I think you will be too.  I hope their journeys provide a bit of inspiration for you in 2014. 

Darryl's Story

My wife decided after one particularly delicious and overindulgent Holiday season, that enough was enough.  She told me that she was joining Weight Watchers and I was welcome to enroll if I wanted.  Having been significantly overweight my entire life, I was extremely skeptical about my chances for success.  On January 1, 2011 I weighed 245 pounds and had a 42 inch waist.  

Darryl before his weight loss

By the end of October that same year, I'd lost 100 pounds and was down to a size 29.  I have been able to maintain this weight, give or take a pound or two, for the past two years.      

                      

While I give Weight Watchers all the credit for getting me started, running has been the solution to keeping the weight off.  I ran my first 2 half marathons in 2011 and followed that up with 2 marathons in 2012.  In 2013, I ran a 30km race, 2 half marathons, and several 5 and 10km races.  I'm registered for The Dopey Challenge (a 5k, 10k, half, and full marathon on 4 consecutive days) in Florida in January 2014 and plan to run my first Ultra (50km in Niagara Falls) in the summer of 2014.  Did I mention that my wife runs as well and we do all our races together?  I am well and truly blessed.        

Darryl and Lori after Around the Bay            

Losing weight gave me the confidence to start thinking "outside the box" with regards to what I'm physically capable of.  And running has become the passion that I can't imagine living without.  Every time I lace up the sneakers, I find myself shaking my head and wondering why it took so long to make the changes I so desperately needed in my life.  But then I look down at my feet and smile...and maybe that's enough.              

Katie's story

I started running again about 4 years ago.  I had run in my youth and in University but had fallen out of the habit.  I think I spent about 10 years leading a very sedentary lifestyle.  I would see people out running and feel jealous, green and sick almost inside.  I thought that "feeling" that "awesome high" was lost to me at 258 pounds and a size 22.  

Then one day, after many many false starts, I walked into the gym.  I started with 10 min on the treadmill, and then 20, and then 30.  Soon I was training for my first 5km race.  Someone suggested I sign up for the Army Run.  I was stunned that they believed I could do it!  I got hooked at that race, running my first 5km race in 33 min 12 sec at a size 18.

Katie at her first race

I didn't look back, from there I ran a 10km race, and then came back to run the Army Run HALF MARATHON the following year.  It wasn't long before I made a lifelong dream of running a Full Marathon come true. I ran the best race of my life that day. Fuelled by emotion and messages on my ipod of my little girls saying "You can do it Mommy!,"  "Your strong Mommy." I think I cried the entire 42.2km.  It was my best race ever and my fastest at 4:17. 

Running and working out have become my safe place, my sanity saver, my identity in many ways.  As hard as training for 4 marathons, 5 half marathons and all the other stuff has been; that part has always come relatively "easy" to me.  I enjoy it and the pay off, that "high" ,is well addictive.  Let's talk about that word "addictive."

You see long before I became a size 22, I was much smaller and fought an eating disorder most of my youth.  I have an addictive personality, an extreme personality.  When I was young I was bulimic, a very addictive binge and purge cycle.  When I was a size 22 and sedentary, I was still addicted to food and binged without the purging. Then running came into my life and filled me with healthy endorphins, confidence, and a desire to perform well. That desire to perform well meant that I needed to take care of myself and I needed to eat well to fuel my body.  I can honestly say that running has played a huge role in my recovery with disordered eating.

I always say that our family lifestyle has changed now that my husband and I are active.  I love that the girls watch us race and workout and copy us.  I am also so so very thankful that see me running to the finish line of a race and not binging and hating myself.  So running is my happy place and I am so very thankful for it.  

Here is  a link to Katie's Blog Katie's Blog

Katie after her latest marathon in October