w15 in review - part 2

Nice post from Sandrelle with a good reminder that if I want to get to my goal weight/body composition, planning my meals ahead of time and eating off my plan will help.  I will wield the chisel carefully and sculpt the new me!

For inspiration - try googling Gorgeous Triathlete

The choice is mine!

Stories from Rotterdam

Success in Rotterdam. I ran the marathon in 5:30. It was a fabulous experience. I was quite exhausted last night and spent the evening rolled in a blanket on the couch with my kids.


I will write more about the experience and post it. But I'm back at work this morning, hobbling around. Good news is no blisters or black toe nails. My right hip flexors are a little painful, and when standing I can feel a symphony of muscles, tendons and what not that hold my skeleton upright. Quite interesting to become acquainted with the miraculous body.

Running in the memory of Elham Mahdi got me through the most difficult parts of the run. I wondered if she played with dolls, if her mother dressed her for her wedding, what dreams she held - I asked her to see the Rotterdam marathon through my eyes. I thought of the three days of her suffering before she finally died of her injuries. With that in mind, the aches and pains and challenges of running a marathon were greatly diminished. I felt her anguish or what I could imagine of it. And when I had the opportunity for the TV news interviewing the last runners on the course, I explained that I wanted to raise awareness of the danger to children when they are forced into marriage -that was why I was wearing the yellow shoe lace around my neck decorated with a dozen colorful tiny plastic rabbits.

So, there's one of the many stories from Sunday. There are so many more!

Find the why

Mental strength to complete a marathon rests in the reason for running.  You must be able to dig deep in the face of difficulties and motivate yourself to continue.  I chose and trained for a marathon to explore my human capacity.  Many times I have said I run because I can.  Tomorrow I will run because I am a woman. I can run safely in my own community.    I am dedicating my run tomorrow to the girls and women of the world who are left vulnerable to gender-based violence by their communities.

I was stunned this morning to learn of the death of child bride Elham Mahdi. She died of internal bleeding following intercourse three days after an arranged marriage to a man more than twice her age.  There are many news reports. you can read a CNN report here, and a Canadian charity report here.  
I was born a woman in a time and place where many women are not safe. I grieve the loss of a spirit sister. Ms Mahdi has had her life stolen.  I grieve for the children and grandchildren she will never have.

 In the killing one person, the whole world dies.

What alarms me about Ms Mahdi's death perhaps most of all is that the political discourse has focused on child marriage rather than the right to say no to unwanted sexual intercourse.   CNN offers this quote from UNICEF regional director for the Middle East and North Africa.  "Her death is 'a painful reminder of the risks girls face when they are married too soon,' Kaag said Thursday." 


Ms Mahdi's death must not serve only as a "painful reminder", but a call to anyone with a beating heart to take action.  The issue is not just about protecting children from premature marriage but also protecting girls and women from rape.   Although Ms Mahdi's husband has been arrested following her death, he may  yet go free.  Yemen has no laws to protect women who are raped by their husbands. 

When even one of us is oppressed, no one of us is free.

I will write Ms Mahdi's name on a bright yellow shoe lace to carry during the race. May I have courage and honor her memory in my effort to be the best I can be. 


Below is the Rotterdam mosque.

T-3 City-Pier-City The Hague

T-3 to Sunday's half marathon. I did a little speed work last night for 30 minutes and everything was fine. I wish I was lighter (and faster and .... ) 

October's HM was a Big Deal. Sunday is a celebration of a year of running races for me - this race was my first 10k), and I'm barely nervous. Again, my goal is to have my time registered - that is, to finish before the time limit of 2:30. That would mean a six minute improvement on my HM time from October. The weather will be cooler so I think I can do it "without too much sweat." I'm hoping my knees agree with me. I've been very nice to them, so they aren't "talking" back to me right now.
here's hoping!
Edited to add: I checked my finish time (see the photo above) I need to cut nine minutes!

More on Paleo Nutrition & grouse

I have been feeling very blue lately and figured that maybe VLC was to blame for low serotonin. Maybe it is slacking on my exercise in the winter darkness.  Or working some very long hours in January and February.  Regardless, I have been eating more carbs this week, and I feel a little better, particularly with some major deadlines behind me. But still worried that it's not the right direction. Grabbing m&m's by the handful just isn't a long-term solution.  Nor is snacking on the pastries at work, which call to me when I'm in the right mood.

But I am still (1) wanting to lighten up (mood & body fat); (2) maintain good health and avoid the  shark swimming in my gene pool, Type II diabetes.

The PaNu blog I like included a link to this new forum, PaleoHacks. I thought I'd share (and mostly keep track of it for myself by putting it into a post).  I will start writing down my food again and keeping good records.

My legs are wanting to go for a run. My knee is crunchy & coach says walk. I stretched today and did some bending exercises to lubricate the joint. Standing in the kitchen made me "aware" of my knee. It didn't hurt. But it felt a little swollen or puffy or something. So I am taking the nastiest supplement of collagen derivative, gelatin and glucosamine, plus highly refined fish oil.    And trying to figure out how many slacking bad habits I can repent.

The slack started when at the beginning of this year, I felt like I had reached my #1 and ONLY goal for 2009 (regain my fitness and lose weight) and I should now deal with finances and other aspects of my life.  My brain took that as "Instead" of health, not In Addition to health.  When the weather turned icy, I stopped riding my bike to work and started skipping mid-week runs.  And after Odie bit me I started asking my son to walk him in the evenings.  Now I have a crunchy knee.

I have bigger plans in my life than being sidelined due to a crunchy knee.  I found a goofy body weight training program that is so silly I won't name it. But it looks like a good program, even though I am a sucker for the Point-N-Click Download it now.  Looking at the materials, I keep thinking, I could do this.  So I will be sure to take before-n-after photos so I can create a cash-cow someday a la 4HWW.   Or maybe this guy has a better idea about work.

Even better, what to do with your unique talents and why I like what I do for a living. It's not work, it's a calling. So here's the plan. Do the PaNu 12 steps. Take Notes. Post here.  Live big. Start my new body weight exercise mission.  And take the dog for a long therapeutic walk tomorrow. And maybe run a tiny bit?  I'll check with the knee first.

mid-week make up

I enjoyed a luscious 10k on the beach in fresh snow and sunshine against a brilliant blue sky.  I induldged myself in over-work this week so I didn't run mid-week, choosing instead to read my son his bedtime story when I got home. I went on strike and didn't walk Odie in the evenings after he bit me.  We made up today, I think. But there is a plan afoot to "fix" the problem relating to his dominant behaviour.

I'm annoyed with my lack of self-discipline. So, this morning's run was "owed" on Thursday. And I owe the coach LSD 33k tomorrow.

I've decided I really enjoy 90 minute runs. I got to the estatic part of running after 45 minutes. My legs shed their heavy Clydesdale feeling, the muscles in my arms woke up and decided to participate, I ran taller and straighter.  (keeping in mind always that a lot of my "running" shows up on the pace log as "fast walking"  ratz!).  Scores of gulls took to wing in rapture.  I was mildly alarmed by the thought they were on a bombing run and I was below them.  I need to bring my camera with me. This photo I grabbed from the internet captures some of the feeling, but doesn't do it justice.

I have something like 29 more training runs remaining until the marathon (10 weeks, 3x each).  Every one of them counts, I tell myself.   I can do this.

I thought about the week and my routine. I have so many windows of opportunity - No excuses.  There's a shower in my building I can use.  So I can run:

• before work, 
• on the way to work, 
• during lunch, 
• in the late afternoon if I don't take a lunch break, 
• on my way home from the office, 
• in the evening (before/after) dinner, 
• when I walk the god in the evening.

Of course, I mean the Dog. But given his view of Himself lately, maybe I am walking the god.  Now I'm sunk. Joan Osborne's tune has been unleashed in my head. What if God was one of us? How would I recognise her? May I greet all beings, Namaste.

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Week 11 Running Plan

Tues Key Run #1 (worked late, didn't run)

10-20 minute warm-up
2*1200 (2 min RI) [7:40]
4*800 (2 min RI) [5:00]
10 minute cool-down

Thurs Key Run #2 (ran on Saturday - average 8:00 min+/km)
8K run @Mid Tempo pace [6:20]

Sat or Sun Weekend Long Run
33k @MP+28 sec : 8 min/k [4:1 r/w 7:45/10:00]

Revised Schedule - January to April 2010

In response to my report on my "crappy run," Jeff commented that they're normal occurrences.  To help with my jitters at increasing distance, he suggested a strategy for long runs - call someone every 10k. 

"They can be your motivation lines," he wrote. 

Jeff also gave me a revised schedule to consider, which I've posted on the side panel.  This schedule works a little better with upcoming deadlines at work, which will require some extra time at the office in January.

I also need to plan for a school ski trip next month. Last year, the trip interrupted my running schedule, and I felt a bit under-trained going into the CPC.  I'd like to run the CPC half, and will need to see how I can integrate it into my training schedule for Rotterdam.

Jeff's blog also offered some mental strategies for long runs, a timely post for me: Think Positive.

then again

I changed the name of my blog to remind me of my friend Rachel. She is a breast cancer survivor. I thought of Rachel every step I took during the Amsterdam Half. I ran with a rose for Rachel.   She is moving forward after finishing 20 radiation treatments. 

I think I have been psyching myself out about LSD.  Rachel was musing about how much work she faced to regain her health and physical conditioning.  A champion weight-lifter mentor shared with Rachel that while he was training for a competition, he would never have completed his training if he told himself he had a lot of work to do. He said,

"I'm not even sure I would have walked into the gym. But if I told myself why I was there and that I could do it one step at a time, one rep at a time, one set at a time, I could get it done. And so can you." 

Today's crappy run didn't have to be. I made it that way. The weather was gorgeous. Financial security is a state of mind.  I can pay that bill. I am healthy. So are my kids.  I just lost my mind for a moment.  I forgot my intention when going out for today's run. I had wanted to look for beauty.  It surrounds me, inside and out.

I can do this. One step at a time.

Time for a little LSD

I want to get leaner and stronger in order to enjoy running more. Today I've thought about diet and supporting my athletic performance. I need to be sure to eat enough even while I try to get leaner.

I'm a little nervous about tomorrow's long slow distance run. I've never run 27k before. I'm nervous about the amount of time it will take. I wish I ran faster. I suppose I have it backwards. I really enjoy running long distances. And if I ran faster, I would have a shorter run and less fun. I can change the way I think about LSD (that is, long slow distances).

Yesterday, I listened to a podcast on Two Fit Chicks and  a Microphone.  The episode featured a discussion about marathon training and running in general. One of the guests worried about getting bored while out on a training run. That's never happened to me. I have never gotten bored. Mostly I run out and back. That leads to two middles - and sometimes I get a little impatient and ready to be "done" on the way back in. But I'm never bored. I enjoy the time alone. I listen to interesting podcasts or music or my own thoughts.  Sometimes I have peak moments of transcendent joy. Sometimes I have a lot of those moments.

I felt sad for the wannabe runner who was afraid of getting bored. It could be that she's simply spent too much time on a treadmill, which is indeed mind-numbing. And running on a treadmill doesn't work all your muscles anyway.

So I am going to reframe my thinking about a five hour run.  Slow means  more time in joy.  No need to hurry. I have all the time I need.

December - where did you go

I can't believe it's been since last month that I've run. My friend Nancy's death filled me with grief. And I've been warned off some of my favourite running routes due to a serial rapist. Seriously, the police put out a warning for women to refrain from going to these certain areas alone at any time of day. The particular roads happen to be the route I take when I run home from work. So I have felt discouraged. 

Plus, last weekend I needed to prepare for a presentation on Monday. So I skipped my usual long run.  Before, I missed only due to illness. 

So I have a 6k on the schedule for this weekend. I will jump back in the saddle. I need a new pair of shoes and some go-gel for next weekend. I can get my mojo back.