The First 43: My Life Now

The 10k goal is complete. This time last week I was preparing myself mentally, more than physically, for the run. I went through different stages of emotions and physical pain during the run and I thought I'd share, since so many people asked me how it was, what the easiest parts were and what were the hardest parts. So, here I go. I've broken it down by kilometers because it's the way I remember it. Before the race : It was a cold morning, I decided on sport capris and a tshirt knowing how overheated I tend to get on runs. We met up with the rest of the people running for BTRC (picture below) and headed over to the corral. We had to wait 20 minutes before we started but, I kind of got used to the cold at that point.  Start to 1km: I was still cold, my body hadn't really warmed up yet. I felt like I was the slowest person out there, people just blowing by me. I knew the pace I had to keep to complete the race and monitor my heart rate so, I just kept at...

Well, this is it. Months of training will all come down to just about an hour on Sunday. I did my final training run this evening. I keep watching the weather and hoping that it isn't going to pour. The hourly keeps changing so, I don't think there is a way to really know.  Oh well, at worst we will get a little bit wet and at best it will be warm and sunny! This has been quite the challenging road. I can't say that running 10k is going to be something I do regularly but, I can say I am proud of my body for being able to accomplish things I never thought possible.  As Jeff pointed out, when I finished my first 5k and he said "Now, you can train for a 10!" I literally laughed at him and said "You're crazy!"... looks like I am the crazy one who's actually going to do this.  Most importantly, I want to say a big thank you to those who have donated to the run.  The proceeds are going to deserving dogs who need a little bit of TL...

10k training continues! Weeks and weeks of training and I'm so close to 10k. 8.63km is my current record and Nike+ online informed me that I ran my fasted 5k ever too. Yes!  I finally got around to buying myself a new pair of Nike+ running shoes and I can't begin to tell you what a difference it made.  My other runners were getting worn out and giving me some nice blisters from about the 3k point onward.  It made me run slower and frankly, just made me focus on pain the entire time instead of the run.  New shoes = no pain = better run pace.  They are also light weight and wonderful (Lunarglide) and really make a huge difference in my run.  I have just enough time to break them in before the full 10k. Aside from the accomplishments of running distances I never thought I'd see, I am really noticing a difference in muscle tone in my legs. Trouble zones I'd never been able to target or work on, are tightening up. This makes me happy, an added bonus....

10k training. Some days it's easy and some days it's incredibly challenging.  I was lucky enough to have one mild (ish) day last weekend to run outside. It was glorious and so much nicer than running on the treadmill which gets so boring after a kilometer or two. I really wish I could train outdoor a bit more often. Hopefully this polar vortex will loosen it's grip on us soon, give us some seasonal weather and let me hit the pavement.  Here is a photo of the lovely sunny day that gave me the one and only outdoor run I've had since October. My biggest challenge has been the stitches... oh the stitches. I have no idea why but on my left side I constantly get that shooting pain about 10 minutes into my run.  I try to run through it or walk for a moment to stretch it out.  I have no idea what causes it. I don't eat heavy meals before a run, I make sure to get lots of water to stay hydrated but without fail, it happens.  I read that sometimes i...

Time for some Greek! Iron chef challenge was to make something Greek this week and it's something that I don't make often but always enjoy.  So, I present you what I made this week! Lighter Gyro!  Whole wheat pita, lettuce, tomatoes, tzatziki (homemade!) and gyro flavoured meatballs! Here is the recipe I used for the meatballs.  I didn't have any Greek seasoning so I looked up what's in it, basically it's just dry oregano, thyme, basil, and marjoram.   Turned out really delicious, and it's quite light. The recipe makes 22 meatballs! Calorie count: 44 calories per meatball http://www.kalynskitchen.com/2012/04/recipe-for-ground-beef-gyro-meatball.html   The grocery store was out of tzatziki so, I tried my hand and making it was actually really easy and tasted way better than store bought.  Recipe: 3/4 cup plain Greek yogurt 1/3 cup grated cucumber 1 tbsp lemon juice 1 clove garlic, crushed pinch of salt Throw it all in the fo...

  Thai Chicken Wraps! As part of my personal challenge this year (52 new recipes in 52 weeks) I decided to make up my own Thai Chicken recipe based on a few I'd seen online. I changed the amount of certain ingredients and made it my own. I am quite pleased with it! Ingredients: 600 grams chicken breast, cut up into pieces 1 cup low sodium chicken broth (or Bouillon)  3 tbsp light smooth peanut butter 1.5 tbsp low sodium soy sauce 1 tbsp lemon juice 1/2 tbsp sesame oil 2 tsp brown sugar  1 tsp Thai dry seasoning (I use Epicure Selections) 6 leaves of lettuce 1/2 cup chopped red pepper 1/2 cup chopped or shaved carrots  1 clove of garlic, pressed  Note: I recommend adding a little tzatziki or sour cream to your wrap, gives it a little something extra. Directions: Heat broth until just warm (not boiling) and add garlic and Thai seasoning. At the same time, cook chicken in a frying pan.  Just before boiling, remove the liquid mixture from ...

I'm doing something I swore up and down I'd never do, Run a 10k.  The Yonge St. 10k on April 13th is coming up and the organization I volunteer with (Boston Terrier Rescue Canada) put together a team to raise money for the cutest little doggies around, Boston Terriers, and get some exercise while we're at it So, I decided why not? I've run a 5k and I have about 3 months to train and get myself up to 10k running strength.  I also won't be ashamed to walk for a few minutes here and there when I need to catch my breath. The good news, this race is 90% downhill. That's my kind of run! So, in support of my run for the little Boston Terriers that need loving homes and medical care when they come to the rescue, please support my run and make a donation. : Donation page (click here) **Charitable receipts will be issued for donations of $20 or more. If the link takes you to a login page, just click it again. It should take you right to the donate page but sometim...