Physio went well today. The knot is getting smaller. Woohoo!
Last night I ran after work with db. We did a bit of hill running and maintained a good pace throughout and my calf felt fine. The office job is definitely helping me get the rest I need for my legs.
Trail River Run here I come!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
change of plans
Today I had a good run, but at around 24 k I couldn't go any longer, my calf was hurting too much and I knew I needed to stop. I wasn't too far from home and walked the rest of the distance. db had met me part way through my run so he kept going to finish off his distance. He did great and looks very ready for the event.
At about a kilometer before I stopped I made my decision. I didn't want to go into the marathon stressed about if I'd be in pain or not. I didn't want to get part way through the course and have to stop and walk the rest of the way. I didn't want to go there and not have fun. I also thought about how I love running. I love going out for a run on the quiet streets when no one else is up. I love going out even after a long day at work, when I feel like sitting on the couch, but instead I go for a run and feel energized after it. I love the solitude of it, feeling completely on my own. I also love the hard training, the speedwork, the hills, and pushing to go further. I don't want it to be too much like work and today it became a task of going out and running the distance just to get it done. So as I ran into the inlet trail I decided that if I was going to have fun at the race in Victoria I was going to have to switch to the half marathon. Relief! No longer did I have to wonder if I'd make it through or not, I felt like I'd made a solid decision. Maybe next year I'll be injury free for a full marathon.
I still plan on doing the Trail River Run next Sunday. What an opportunity to run on trail with a group in the beautiful b.c. outdoors. It's a half marathon distance as well so I'll have to do a nice easy taper after that before I go to Victoria. Once in Victoria I plan to have a good time and go for it.
Post-run I iced the calf and stretched. I also applied some healing essential oils. The calf still hurts, but I can rest it now. I've got more physio this week and I'm trying to find the time to have a massage.
Tomorrow I'm 9-5 girl for five days a week for two weeks. This is not my usual routine, but I think I'll manage. I've also got class tomorrow so I'd better get some reading done. I like to feel prepared. Actually, I tend to overly prepare. That's just the way I am.
At about a kilometer before I stopped I made my decision. I didn't want to go into the marathon stressed about if I'd be in pain or not. I didn't want to get part way through the course and have to stop and walk the rest of the way. I didn't want to go there and not have fun. I also thought about how I love running. I love going out for a run on the quiet streets when no one else is up. I love going out even after a long day at work, when I feel like sitting on the couch, but instead I go for a run and feel energized after it. I love the solitude of it, feeling completely on my own. I also love the hard training, the speedwork, the hills, and pushing to go further. I don't want it to be too much like work and today it became a task of going out and running the distance just to get it done. So as I ran into the inlet trail I decided that if I was going to have fun at the race in Victoria I was going to have to switch to the half marathon. Relief! No longer did I have to wonder if I'd make it through or not, I felt like I'd made a solid decision. Maybe next year I'll be injury free for a full marathon.
I still plan on doing the Trail River Run next Sunday. What an opportunity to run on trail with a group in the beautiful b.c. outdoors. It's a half marathon distance as well so I'll have to do a nice easy taper after that before I go to Victoria. Once in Victoria I plan to have a good time and go for it.
Post-run I iced the calf and stretched. I also applied some healing essential oils. The calf still hurts, but I can rest it now. I've got more physio this week and I'm trying to find the time to have a massage.
Tomorrow I'm 9-5 girl for five days a week for two weeks. This is not my usual routine, but I think I'll manage. I've also got class tomorrow so I'd better get some reading done. I like to feel prepared. Actually, I tend to overly prepare. That's just the way I am.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
walk, run, edit
Congratulations to my mom who completed her 10k walk at the Montreal marathon! Her time was 1:54. She took 10 minutes off of her time and is very proud (as she should be)! Walk vegan walk!
This year my mom joined the walking group at her local Running Room and has met some great people who are very supportive of each other. Mom started out at the back of the pack, but now she can keep pace with them. She's come a long way in a short time. She's always been a walker. She doesn't own a car and lives in a very walkable city, but the Running Room walking is a bit different since the focus is on distance walking, pacing, hills etc (very similar to running training).
It's made a great difference in her life. So this is very cool that she's always improving and loving it.
this photo is actually from the Ottawa 10 k.
***
Saturday I did go for a very early morning run with db. We ran for an hour and that was about all I wanted to do. I iced my calf post-run and felt pretty good about how it went.
db checked the marathon site to see what the cut-off date is for changing from one event to another. Apparently I can change my plans the day before the race when I'm at the running expo.
My plan? Pick up my training schedule where I left off. This means a very long run this Sunday which will give me a good idea if I can go the distance or not.
The Trail River Run is coming up (Sept 27). I'd like to do that since I had so much fun last year. It's a soft surface which is important for me right now and it's flat. So I think I should register for that event. I'm hoping db will do the 10 k event in the same race. Also, it's a 9 am start so it's fairly late as events go so I'm all for that. We also can bike there from here and there's nice facilities for changing and storing our stuff. I think I've just convinced myself to register.
The route starts near Hyde Park and turns around just past Dominion and then goes along the Slough to a second turn around before heading back to Hyde Park.
***
Last night I went to my first continuing education course at SFU (Simon Fraser University). It's an editing course. I was pretty nervous wondering what in hell am I doing there, telling myself that I can leave, planning my escape, wondering if I can get my money back. I soon settled down and made it through the class introductions, and the group chit chat. I did not leave on the break. I made it through the whole class.
I did learn that I'm definitely not a copy editor (as you may have noticed from this blog). I rarely edit myself anyway. It did clarify that I am truly passionate about film story editing, but I recognize that I have to broaden my knowledge if I want to do any freelance work.
It does make for a long Monday when I work and then travel into Van city for the course. From work it's less than an hour to get there by skytrain, but coming home it's almost an hour and a half. Last night the bus driver shut the lights on the bus so I couldn't even read! Very frustrating. I think I'll take me book light with me next week.
This year my mom joined the walking group at her local Running Room and has met some great people who are very supportive of each other. Mom started out at the back of the pack, but now she can keep pace with them. She's come a long way in a short time. She's always been a walker. She doesn't own a car and lives in a very walkable city, but the Running Room walking is a bit different since the focus is on distance walking, pacing, hills etc (very similar to running training).
It's made a great difference in her life. So this is very cool that she's always improving and loving it.
this photo is actually from the Ottawa 10 k. ***
Saturday I did go for a very early morning run with db. We ran for an hour and that was about all I wanted to do. I iced my calf post-run and felt pretty good about how it went.
db checked the marathon site to see what the cut-off date is for changing from one event to another. Apparently I can change my plans the day before the race when I'm at the running expo.
My plan? Pick up my training schedule where I left off. This means a very long run this Sunday which will give me a good idea if I can go the distance or not.
The Trail River Run is coming up (Sept 27). I'd like to do that since I had so much fun last year. It's a soft surface which is important for me right now and it's flat. So I think I should register for that event. I'm hoping db will do the 10 k event in the same race. Also, it's a 9 am start so it's fairly late as events go so I'm all for that. We also can bike there from here and there's nice facilities for changing and storing our stuff. I think I've just convinced myself to register.
The route starts near Hyde Park and turns around just past Dominion and then goes along the Slough to a second turn around before heading back to Hyde Park. ***
Last night I went to my first continuing education course at SFU (Simon Fraser University). It's an editing course. I was pretty nervous wondering what in hell am I doing there, telling myself that I can leave, planning my escape, wondering if I can get my money back. I soon settled down and made it through the class introductions, and the group chit chat. I did not leave on the break. I made it through the whole class.
I did learn that I'm definitely not a copy editor (as you may have noticed from this blog). I rarely edit myself anyway. It did clarify that I am truly passionate about film story editing, but I recognize that I have to broaden my knowledge if I want to do any freelance work.
It does make for a long Monday when I work and then travel into Van city for the course. From work it's less than an hour to get there by skytrain, but coming home it's almost an hour and a half. Last night the bus driver shut the lights on the bus so I couldn't even read! Very frustrating. I think I'll take me book light with me next week.
Sunday, September 14, 2008
recipe for a successful saturday night vegan dinner
Start with fresh ingredients selected from the farmers' market: tomatillos, poblano peppers, cilantro, tomatoes, mixed greens (dandelion, sorrel, peppercress, escarole, and some green and red leafys that I'm not sure what they all are). Add what you have from the garden: jalapeno peppers). Find any other needed ingredients from the supermarket: cannelini beans (soaked overnight), cornmeal and limes.
Decant a little wine. Make sure to pour two glasses for the chefs.
Since this is a celebratory meal (i.e. db's birthday meal) make sure it's a fine wine pulled from the rack where the more dustier bottles rest.
While one chef makes the jalapeno cornbread...
and the chili verde (no photo available - sorry but the kitchen was a busy place), the other chef makes the cilantro lime vinaigrette, tosses the greens and bakes the vegan cheesecake with cookie crumb crust.
Serve everything at once and enjoy.
While taking this last photo chef #1 can be heard saying, "can we eat now?"Chile verde is from the fabulous Veganomicon
The cornbread recipe (made with spelt and quinoa) is from the Candle Cafe Cookbook.
The vegan cheesecake recipe is courtesy of my sister.
Friday, September 12, 2008
I ran down the hill to get to my physio appointment. I am notoriously late for just about everything and the only way I thought I'd get to my physio appointment on time was if I ran to the bus stop. I know it takes me 10 minutes to run to the cross streets where the physiotherapists' offices are located inside the aquatic center, but I wasn't dressed for running that far, nor did I want to run that far. Running down the hill did not seem like a good idea with a stressed out calf, but I felt fine. I've been feeling fine for a couple of days now since I've stopped running. At the bottom of the hill a bus showed up almost immediately. It doesn't always work out that way. I got lucky this time.
The appointment went well. The physiotherapist, hm, is a runner as well. She's a trail runner which is something I greatly admire. She described my calf as a ball of rubber bands that needs to be undone. I don't have the more technical breakdown for those of you who would understand such things. So sorry. So she applied heat, massaged, put the electrical stimulation pad on me and then iced. She showed me how to use the fitball (in my case it will be a tennis ball) to do pressure point release. Her advice: try not to run on concrete and pavement so much. When I do run stop as soon as I feel pain. She thinks I have a high pain threshold and probably have been running with this problem much longer than I should have (I think I knew this already, but I thought I could just stretch it out). So I go back next week for another session. She said to try and get some massage done as well if I can afford to do so (I can't).
Now I just have to find out when the cut off is for switching to the half marathon. I'm going to try running on Sunday and see how it goes.
Right now my calf is very achey. I spent a good chunk of my day off walking around picking up groceries and getting some other chores done. I probably walked more than I should have, but the weather is so so beautiful I wanted to be out in this late summer weather we're having. It's absolutely glorious. It will be just what our tomatoes need. Hopefully, we'll get some more ripening soon.
The appointment went well. The physiotherapist, hm, is a runner as well. She's a trail runner which is something I greatly admire. She described my calf as a ball of rubber bands that needs to be undone. I don't have the more technical breakdown for those of you who would understand such things. So sorry. So she applied heat, massaged, put the electrical stimulation pad on me and then iced. She showed me how to use the fitball (in my case it will be a tennis ball) to do pressure point release. Her advice: try not to run on concrete and pavement so much. When I do run stop as soon as I feel pain. She thinks I have a high pain threshold and probably have been running with this problem much longer than I should have (I think I knew this already, but I thought I could just stretch it out). So I go back next week for another session. She said to try and get some massage done as well if I can afford to do so (I can't).
Now I just have to find out when the cut off is for switching to the half marathon. I'm going to try running on Sunday and see how it goes.
Right now my calf is very achey. I spent a good chunk of my day off walking around picking up groceries and getting some other chores done. I probably walked more than I should have, but the weather is so so beautiful I wanted to be out in this late summer weather we're having. It's absolutely glorious. It will be just what our tomatoes need. Hopefully, we'll get some more ripening soon.
Monday, September 08, 2008
run?
Sunday's long run was 23k. I ran 14 on my own and then met db for the last 11. Maybe I started out too fast. My legs felt strong and I wanted to run, but I knew I needed to hold back and warm up more slowly, ease into the long distance. I was good for about 11 k until my calf started aching again. Bummer.
As I ran over a small bridge leading to the park, I noticed a small dog on the side of the road. When he saw me he started to walk towards me. He was a Shetland, but black and gray in colour. I stopped and looked around but saw no one who might own the dog. Near the park is a kennel and I thought maybe I could take the dog there while I tried to find the owner through the dog tags. I called the dog to follow me and he obeyed. He was slow and looked older. Just before we went down the ramp to the park, a voice called out. The dog perked up and started running down the road to his owner. Phew! I talked to the woman briefly. She said he'd never wandered before. I learned that his name is Caden (incidentally also my cousin's son's name) and he's 8 years old. She hugged Caden and kept making a fuss. It was so sweet. The owner and I both expressed how glad we were that dog and owner were reunited and then went our separate ways.
After that little pit stop I got back on my route and continued my run. I was feeling fine except for my calves. Now both calves were starting to cramp. I'm always well hydrated so I knew that wasn't an issue. Since the Vancouver half marathon my right calf has been a concern, but it's never been more than a mild cramp. I met with db, letting him set the pace. After about 3 k with db I had to stop because my calves were so tight and I realized I couldn't run. Now I could barely walk. I lost it. I suspected that this was the end of my running season. Stretching and crying, db talked me down. We carried on. I walked and jogged when I could. The whole route was flat so that was a blessing, but nearer to home I just walked.
Once at home I consulted some websites and decided to ice my calves. I think this is a bad one. I've booked an apointment with a physiotherapist later this week so I'll see how it goes. Until then no running. Clearly I need to rest because i've don't too much too quickly. Once again I'm paying the price. Maybe it was the biking and running combo in July, it was just too much. Maybe the vacation short runs followed by really long runs once I got home. Improper training is the bottom line.
For now it's the ol' RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). I think the temporary office job will be a welcome change so I at least won't be on my feet all day.
As I ran over a small bridge leading to the park, I noticed a small dog on the side of the road. When he saw me he started to walk towards me. He was a Shetland, but black and gray in colour. I stopped and looked around but saw no one who might own the dog. Near the park is a kennel and I thought maybe I could take the dog there while I tried to find the owner through the dog tags. I called the dog to follow me and he obeyed. He was slow and looked older. Just before we went down the ramp to the park, a voice called out. The dog perked up and started running down the road to his owner. Phew! I talked to the woman briefly. She said he'd never wandered before. I learned that his name is Caden (incidentally also my cousin's son's name) and he's 8 years old. She hugged Caden and kept making a fuss. It was so sweet. The owner and I both expressed how glad we were that dog and owner were reunited and then went our separate ways.
After that little pit stop I got back on my route and continued my run. I was feeling fine except for my calves. Now both calves were starting to cramp. I'm always well hydrated so I knew that wasn't an issue. Since the Vancouver half marathon my right calf has been a concern, but it's never been more than a mild cramp. I met with db, letting him set the pace. After about 3 k with db I had to stop because my calves were so tight and I realized I couldn't run. Now I could barely walk. I lost it. I suspected that this was the end of my running season. Stretching and crying, db talked me down. We carried on. I walked and jogged when I could. The whole route was flat so that was a blessing, but nearer to home I just walked.
Once at home I consulted some websites and decided to ice my calves. I think this is a bad one. I've booked an apointment with a physiotherapist later this week so I'll see how it goes. Until then no running. Clearly I need to rest because i've don't too much too quickly. Once again I'm paying the price. Maybe it was the biking and running combo in July, it was just too much. Maybe the vacation short runs followed by really long runs once I got home. Improper training is the bottom line.
For now it's the ol' RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation). I think the temporary office job will be a welcome change so I at least won't be on my feet all day.
Friday, September 05, 2008
No training today. However, yesterday I had a good session at the track, running 5 k at as fast as I thought I could handle. I completed 5 k in 27 minutes and with my warm up and cool down I completed 11 k and felt like that was enough for one day.
I'm happy with the faster time, but I know I've been faster. It doesn't really matter in the end though, does it? I mean I just want to finish the marathon, right? Right...but I would like to have improved on my time just a little. I can't help wanting to lower my times, it's part of the fun for me. I know it's possible and it's motivating me to some extent.
Next week I'm hoping to drop in on some of the running clinics at a local independent running store. Every Tuesday night they have a drop in clinic for $2. The first clinic is intervals (this is when you run fast for a certain distance then have rest period - a slower pace - before picking up the pace again). I've been doing a little of this each week, but I think the group environment might be fun. My only concern is having to train hard after work and simply not having the energy to do so. We'll see.
On Wednesday I went to see Krazy! The Delirious World Of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
I wandered into the first room drawn in by the sketches from the Wrong Trousers. I love Wallace and Gromit and all of Nick Park's work. The depth of expression he achieves with what seems such simplicity is remarkable. The room was also playing excerpts from early animation that was accompanied by sketches, notes etc. There was one fabulous NFB piece called Black Hula. You can watch an excerpt on You Tube. It's very worth it.
I kept wandering and went in amongst the anime being projected on angled walls that led into small screening areas. I spent quite a bit of time in the anime and manga (japanese comic books) section before realizing I had started at the "end" of the exhibit. By then I was about half way through so I carried on. I took a break in the middle in a room that had shelves loaded with books to browse through. The rest of the exhibit was the printed comics that again were everything from early (Krazy Kat to Lynda Barry) to contemporary. The Lynda Barry collages were definitely a highlight. Here I had just finished One Hundred Demons and there in the exhibit are some of her collages from the books and prints that she's painted/drawn. It was fabulous. Her collages are beautiful full of fabric, paper, glitter and tiny flowers. They are wonderful to see in three dimensions.
The exhibit was actually too much for me to take in. I would have preferred to see half, go for lunch and then go back and see the rest. I'm use to spending a couple of hours at one of the Vancouver Art Gallery's exhibits, but because so much of the work in this show was text, I wanted to spend more time reading. Maybe if I had started at the beginning and not the end I would have had more time to read. Oh well. It was engaging and cleverly displayed, each area giving you something new. It's closing this Saturday so I won't get a chance to go back, but I am glad I did see the show.
I'm happy with the faster time, but I know I've been faster. It doesn't really matter in the end though, does it? I mean I just want to finish the marathon, right? Right...but I would like to have improved on my time just a little. I can't help wanting to lower my times, it's part of the fun for me. I know it's possible and it's motivating me to some extent.
Next week I'm hoping to drop in on some of the running clinics at a local independent running store. Every Tuesday night they have a drop in clinic for $2. The first clinic is intervals (this is when you run fast for a certain distance then have rest period - a slower pace - before picking up the pace again). I've been doing a little of this each week, but I think the group environment might be fun. My only concern is having to train hard after work and simply not having the energy to do so. We'll see.
On Wednesday I went to see Krazy! The Delirious World Of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art at the Vancouver Art Gallery.
I wandered into the first room drawn in by the sketches from the Wrong Trousers. I love Wallace and Gromit and all of Nick Park's work. The depth of expression he achieves with what seems such simplicity is remarkable. The room was also playing excerpts from early animation that was accompanied by sketches, notes etc. There was one fabulous NFB piece called Black Hula. You can watch an excerpt on You Tube. It's very worth it.
I kept wandering and went in amongst the anime being projected on angled walls that led into small screening areas. I spent quite a bit of time in the anime and manga (japanese comic books) section before realizing I had started at the "end" of the exhibit. By then I was about half way through so I carried on. I took a break in the middle in a room that had shelves loaded with books to browse through. The rest of the exhibit was the printed comics that again were everything from early (Krazy Kat to Lynda Barry) to contemporary. The Lynda Barry collages were definitely a highlight. Here I had just finished One Hundred Demons and there in the exhibit are some of her collages from the books and prints that she's painted/drawn. It was fabulous. Her collages are beautiful full of fabric, paper, glitter and tiny flowers. They are wonderful to see in three dimensions.
The exhibit was actually too much for me to take in. I would have preferred to see half, go for lunch and then go back and see the rest. I'm use to spending a couple of hours at one of the Vancouver Art Gallery's exhibits, but because so much of the work in this show was text, I wanted to spend more time reading. Maybe if I had started at the beginning and not the end I would have had more time to read. Oh well. It was engaging and cleverly displayed, each area giving you something new. It's closing this Saturday so I won't get a chance to go back, but I am glad I did see the show.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
the tuesday that felt like a monday
Please feel free to bypass the blog if I go on too much about my training, but I'm focused on the goal now and I feel race day approaching. I'm excited and nervous (as always).
I ran after work today. No, I did not run home like last time. It did feel like a Monday, but then I remember that I didn't run at all yesterday so today would be a good time to get an easy run in, and I would benefit from having extra recovery time before my speedwork on Thursday.
It was so nice outside, the air had warmed up a bit and the sun was out so I found it easy to convince myself to go for a run. I'm still a little nervous running after work due to last weeks disastrous result, but I reminded myself that I only need to go as far as my body will let me and if it gets too tired then I'll consider if I need to stop or not.
I had a good run. It was tough as it always is after work, but I did 8 k and even ran up the hill at the end, which I rarely do. So it's been a good running day.
I ran after work today. No, I did not run home like last time. It did feel like a Monday, but then I remember that I didn't run at all yesterday so today would be a good time to get an easy run in, and I would benefit from having extra recovery time before my speedwork on Thursday.
It was so nice outside, the air had warmed up a bit and the sun was out so I found it easy to convince myself to go for a run. I'm still a little nervous running after work due to last weeks disastrous result, but I reminded myself that I only need to go as far as my body will let me and if it gets too tired then I'll consider if I need to stop or not.
I had a good run. It was tough as it always is after work, but I did 8 k and even ran up the hill at the end, which I rarely do. So it's been a good running day.
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