I LOVE LUNGES

I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES...I LOVE LUNGES

Nope saying it a bunch of times still does not make it true. I still don’t like doing them, and today I’m not a big fan of Dr. Myles for making me do them GRRRR.  I’m trying really hard to come up with a mantra to say as I do my 150 lunges, because right now all I do is swear at my Chiropractor!  I have a great mantra for running hills that works really well, I repeat “nice ass!! Nice Ass!! NICE ASS”(it gets loader in my head as the hill gets harder) all the way up the hill and it sets my pace and takes my mind off the task at hand.  Unfortunately as I grunt, groan and struggle to complete all of the evil lunges I can’t seem to find a little saying that goes nicely with my pace.  One because at my pace it would be a whole paragraph,  and I’m not sure that could remember a whole paragraph 150times, and two for the most part after the first 100 I’m pretty much just trying not to cry, or fall over, mostly fall over I don’t normally cry in public.   I do know that it’s good for me and it will help my running, and cycling, but it HURTS DAMINT!! So that gives me the right to whine at least a little.  It’s not uncommon it for runners to have issues with there glutes not activating correctly, but it’s super important!!! Your glutes help control proper hip movement, and correct biomechanics that helps to prevent shin splints, knee problems, and other issues blah, blah.   For more info on Glute Activation here are a couple websites by people that are pros aka not me...

http://www.wellsphere.com/exercise-article/fire-up-then-shape-up-your-glutes-part-1/198865

And this one has some great exercises that I’m not yet co-ordinated enough to try yet.  I mean I’m just getting used to staying up right as I lunge along, never mind adding in arm movements.   Heck in step classes I’m normally the one in the back that’s at least 10 steps behind everyone else, and I’m still not even close.

http://www.performbetter.com/catalog/matriarch/OnePiecePage.asp_Q_PageID_E_256_A_PageName_E_articlegluteactivation

I’ve also added squats to my torture regime!!! Between those and me upping the cycling, my legs are SORE, which is satisfying because at least I know I’m literally working my ass off...ha ha. It should be interesting when I try to add running back in maybe tomorrow, we will see how my knee feels. It’s still a little sore, and with marathon training starting up soon I want to make sure it’s all healed.  On Sunday I went to the Running store I instruct my clinic at, for the group runs, it was fun to joke that I’m going straight to coffee (which many of us do after the run).  But coffee just didn’t taste the same L.  At least I had another injured friend there to keep me company.  J.  But after the run it feels like I just worked for my treat.  Oh, Running my love, how I miss thee.

I have discovered my new love though...Tropical Fruit flavoured Larabar...Oh my gawd they are soooooo good.  On top of the yummy flavour is the fact that there are 7 or so ingredients and I know what all of them are, there are all fruits or nuts.  They are high in calories, but right now I’m more concerned with eat healthy food, and staying full.  Like Pam I’ve been starving the past 3 days...So I’m worrying about filling my body with food of substance.   

PS The Monkey Hat my favorite running accessory on a cold day, and maybe one day I will post a picture with my hair as it is right now, blond, but by that time I may have changed it yet again...And maybe one day our profile picture will have all three of us...


Cheers Sabrina

A year for...."I haven't done this for at least 20 years!"

Hello peeps C-Simi is posting once again.

I hope everyone has had a happy holiday season, and that the wonderful times continue throughout the upcoming year.  I definitely enjoyed my days off, I spent my time at my folks place.  I slept in my nephew Aidan's bed for two nights.  The cutiepie let me use his brand new Star Wars blanket, that he got for Christmas, so I wouldn't be cold while I slept.  Yeah, he loves me :)
If you are wondering, I no longer have a bedroom at my folks house, but my nephews (their grandsons) have a bedroom.

On boxing day, one of my cousins hosted a skating party at their house.  Lucky for all Calgarians, the weather held out, and it was sunny and warm.  Warm for Calgary in December, when a Chinook has not blown into town.  I don't own any skates, and have not strapped up laces for 20 years.    So, I watched the festivities from the snow bank, and throughly enjoyed every moment.  My dad, was feeling well enough that he showed up for a few hours.  That was incredible, as his energy has been so low that he has slept 20 hours a day for the last few weeks.  While he is awake, he has been a veritable bear, and it has been stressful, heartbreaking, and worrisome.

I bailed on the gathering and went for a 8.42km run with Pammie, as I am committed to getting in shape for our Death Run and The Ride to Conquer Cancer.  The run was amazing.  I struggled for the first 5km, but while I struggled I knew that the benefits would outweigh the torture.  Our team after all is called No Guts No Glory For The Cure.  Very appropriate, as I am a terrible runner, I don't love running, and only started running on a whim.  I haven't cycled in almost 27 years, and obviously didn't miss it, or else I would have started up sooner.  But, what I do love is how it makes me feel, and knowing that I can help people struggling for their lives.

I digress, as the point of this post was to discuss how I beat another 20 year absence.  The absence involves skating.  The last time I went skating was 20 years ago, after I polished off a couple of beers, and then we walked to the Olympic Oval.  Which, lucky enough for me, is attached to the University of Calgary, where The Den was located.  It was our hangout after class or labs, depending on the day.  So today, I went skate shopping at Play It Again Sports in Westhills Towne Centre. I purchased a pair of Softec ice skates for ladies.  I took my nephews to the local rink and strapped on my brand new skates.

For the next hour I skated, laughed, and played a little hockey.  Of course I was terrified of falling and breaking my head, so I was wearing my helmet.  I have another skating date, with Aidan and Connor,  organized for Jan 03, 2010.  I wonder what the next "I haven't done that for at least 20 years," will be.  What do you think it will involve?

Running for 1, eating for 15!

Pam is hungry. Like, for realsies.

Before I continue, I must preface this post with the obvious: my latest mild freakout is totally unfounded and ridiculous. However this increased metabolism... holy flaming bananas!

I have never felt like this in my entire life, and it is kind of weirding me out. I'm hungry a few hours after I eat! I recognize I am expending more energy so I start eating bigger meals... and still, I am hungry several hours later. I go to bed... only to wake up a few hours later - HONGRAY!! Yeesh. I suspect it might be somewhat like being a teenage boy, except without the indignities of random erections and zits. Well, ok, with a few zits but at this age it's just plain annoying.

Anyways, I find the whole thing odd. I'm not a dieter per say, however I try to eat healthily. I have never denied myself anything, however I am guilty of portion control on things that have little nutritional value but maximum pleasure value, like cake. Cookies are a separate category. :) Those I indulge in waaay too often. In any case, that crap goes straight to my thighs. I've wrapped my head around the need to eat, but old habits die hard. It just feels wrong.

At the end of it all, I am not complaining. Let's face it, some foods are just enjoyable and getting to eat more of them is not a tragedy of epic proportions. But I hope one of these days I find a way to mitigate being HONGRAY all the time!!

~Pam

Bad Start....

Today, I didn’t want to get out of bed…Not even a little bit! The only reason I went is because I was already awake, and at 4:30 in the morning there is nothing else to do, plus there was a bad song on the radio GRRRR.  I even tried to waste time this morning leaving the house, who really wants to go outside in -20.  Yikes!!! I whacked my head on the light fixture, in my tired daze @#$#$%.  There was nothing good on the radio on the way to the gym, which is how I judge if the day will go well or not, I switch between 6 stations and there was NOTHING!!!  I forgot my Water Bottle at home #$%@, forgot my work shoes (at least it’s jean day and I’m not wearing runners with a skirt suit), forgot music for spinning, and my Garmin didn’t work. I would have swore but it was more like “NOOOOO!!!! Please don’t die on me NOW!!!” it was almost complete with me dramatically falling to my knees, but I didn’t feel like scaring the people at the gym.  Dammit!!! I was sick and shocked my Garmin wouldn’t turn on, I pressed the power button about 100 times, I even shook it, how that would help I have no clue.  It wasn’t dead because I just finished charging it. My Garmin 305 that is about 30 days old didn’t turn on!!!!  In my head I ran though a Calendar trying to figure out when I bought it and if the in store warranty would still be valid, I can no longer imagine running without it, and having to send it away, then wait!!! It was a living nightmare.  It’s funny to me how attached I got to that device in such a short period.  It’s my running partner, it challenges me to go faster, and go farther.  It took me a long time to finally break down and buy it, but now the thought of running alone made me feel empty insideL.   It was happening at the worst possible time, I start Marathon Training Jan 5^th and need to do 2 weeks of long runs alone, because I’m still running with my 5km clinic.  Without my Garmin how will I know how far or fast I’m going. AHHHHHH!!! Please pinch me and wake me up…..

Regardless I managed to get in a great 30min of riding, I’m sure I got my heart rate right up there, because I was sucking wind like I haven’t in a while.  I even did my 150 lunges today. Swearing at my Chiropractor the whole time #$@#.  My knee was a little sore from running last night, so I’m going to take 4-5 days off running.  I’m lucky to have great group leaders in my clinic, the fast and fearless Pam and Claudia, that are doing my Sunday run.  I’m going to hold down the fort and do coffee after though.  I know, hard work but someone has to do it…I'm also going to hunt for my camera charger and hopfully I get some pictures, heck I may even pose as a runner, even though I'm not running.  We need more pictures on our blog, and my Facebook always needs more pictures!!

Today has turned around quickly.  When I got to work someone bought me Coffee and mmmm donuts (one last one, because after Christmas I go back to eating healthy).  I Googled my Garmin not turning on, and found the answer!!! IT”S NOT BROKEN!!!   Pressing reset, mode and power all at once for 3sec and then stop and YEAH!!!!! On goes the Garmin!!! I giggled a little.  Note to self when I get home I will download the updated software to fix this problem. 

After proof reading this post all I could think about was the kids book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day which made me laugh, I think I'm going to go out and buy that book today....

Back in the Game - Claudia

Hi Folks, I just finished my first 16km ride!  Wow, it felt awesome.  However, my knee started hurting around the 8km point, Sabrina's guest speaking Chiropractor (at the run clinic) said that I need to stretch my quads more.....Hee hee hee hee, no lunges for this girl :)

Sorry Snappy, I am not laughing at your pain!  Oh, wait, yes I am!

Yesterday I managed to do a 5 km run, which was pretty impressive considering that I was so tired, had not eaten, and was dehydrated.  I was desperate to get in some kind of a run before my flight.  Turned out to be a good thing, as due to the crappy weather in Canada and minor maintenance issues we ended up being over 3.5 hours late by the last leg of our day.  So I woke up this morning, braved the cold, walked to Starbucks and enjoyed a beautiful Grande Americano.  Very scrumptious.  Followed by my 16km bike ride, and now it is time to shower and head out to Phoenix and back to Edmonton.  Tomorrow my aim is another run in the gym before work.

Yeah!

Ouch!

Stupid Sabrina Here...

Apparently running 15k in one day when you’re not used to more than 10k is a NO NO, especially when it’s slippery outside.  I managed to hurt my knee, which seemed like a bad thing.  After a talk with my Chiropractor I guess it’s not such a bad thing, it was more of a kick in the butt thing.  My glutes aren’t firing when I run, who would have thought glute fire, I’m still curious as to what they fire, but when I asked my Dr just shook his head.  He explained that how I run when my glutes aren’t working correctly, which trust me is funny looking, I didn’t know a man could swing his hips from side to side like that.   Other than looking funny, my form is reason my calves are getting so tight all the time and now my knee is hurting.  His cure sounds simple, only 150 lunges no weights, (WHAT 150 LUNGES!!!) then ice and compression on my knee.  I’m sure my DR. is a sick sadistic man, but I can’t be any better because I keep going back to see him. Right now I will do anything to make sure that I can keep running and cycling so what’s a few lunges, if that’s all it takes.  The kicker was if my butt didn’t hurt after I was done, I was to meet him at the gym, and he would find away that they would start to work properly!!!  I was scared, and as soon as I got in my car I had a talking to my glutes and let them know, they better work there ass off, they is no way I’m letting that man torture me at a gym, 15 mins in his office is enough, granted it always feels better after(and he is the only reason I have been running for a year), but in a gym where I know he would work to torture me, NOPE I didn’t want that at all!!! So home I headed home to be a good little patient(this is rare, normally I’m the world’s worst patient and argue, and do whatever I want).  My friend Shannon was a great sport and did them with me, she is the best!! Did the lunges hurt…Ummm YEAH!  It hurt so bad, and my knee was swollen again, by the end I was almost falling over sideways, and my quads were swearing at me loudly, OUCH!! But my butt wasn’t sore, AHHHHHH, I cried a little, and I was shaking from fear, oh no what will he do to me. I thought about lying, good idea RIGHT?? WRONG that would save me from the workout, but it wouldn’t help me in the long run.  I slowly came to terms with my fate, and wondered if I should book off Wednesday, because I’m not sure that I would be able to walk after the gym.  This morning I woke up and my butt hurt YAHOOO!!! I know that’s not normally a good thing, but today it made me so happy, I danced a little!!!  And my knee, is feeling a little better too!!! Maybe this listening to the doctor thing actually may work…well maybe only to the doctors that scare me…and my Chiropractor scares me!!! Yikes.

 I’m lucky to have a Dr. Myles that cares enough to do what it takes to keep me in the game. 

Sabrina is making me feel guilty (Me = Claudia)

Oh Snappy, why oh why you make me feel so guilty. I know....it is because I haven't worked out for almost two weeks, when we ran in -37deg C weather. So my plans for the day have changed, so I won't feel like a total slacker. I just finished walking 4km with my dog, I will then go to the gym at work for my first bike ride in 27 years. Hahahahahaha, oh that is going to be fun. This is a short and sweet post, as P-Friddy is on her way to pick me up. We are heading to lunch, then she has a staff meeting and, like I promised will be hitting the gym. Wow. I will let you all know how that goes!

Why do I run

Sabrina here,

I came across this great forum on Dailymile.com, it's called I run because...It made me think, hmm do I even know why I run, so I read down the reasons and I came up with all my why I run...

I run because I can...
I run because I love the feeling.
I run because I got my friends into it.
I run because it gets me out of the house.
I run because it's a challenge.
But most of all I run because I have meet some of the most inspiring and postive people that run, and I want to be just like them.
and one last one, I run because it makes me feel like I can do so much more.

The link is http://www.dailymile.com/forums/general-running/topics/2337-i-run-because

Why do you run, or do whatever it is you do???

~Sabrina

I GOT IT

Yesterday I got my package for the Ride to Conquer Cancer, I was super excited I think I even did a little dance. Woot Woot. I'm wearing my bracelet as I type.

I'm amazed at how many people out there are supporting me in this adventure. I was at the gym yesterday walking on the treadmill and working on not being so hippy when I walk, and therefore run, so that I can run without pain. Man is it hard to keep your gut tight well you focus on your form. The trainer with the girl next to me starting chatting with me about my goals. As soon as I told him about the Death Race and the ride, he told me he was going to monitor how much I hit the gym and call me if I dropped off. It was great! The more people I have keeping an eye on me the hard it will be for me to fall off and disappear, not that I could because I'm pretty sure my teammates would come to hunt me down and whip me till I ran. Even at work, they offer to buy me a donut pillow for my office chair. Awwww how sweet!

This morning I was back at the gym again, and on the spinning bike. Surprisingly this morning it didn't take me 5 snooze buttons and 45min to get out of bed. It was a new record at 4 mins! I did 60 mins on the bike. Woot Woot. I must that I love my Garmin Forerunner 305 GPS Receiver With Heart Rate Monitor Pay the extra $20 to upgrade from the 205, to the one with the Heart Rate Monitor was so worth it!! It was a great to know what my heart rate was at and challenge myself to work harder. I only got up to 150, and averaged 146 with a low of 137 after my warm up, which wasn't pushing too hard cardio wise , but my legs were sore and like jello when I got off.

Tonight is the Running clinic and then I'm going out to dance!

Sweet Victory!!!

Sweet Victory! Ah, to be stress free, once again. I am one of those fortunate people that absolutely loves their job. I love what I do, the people I meet, and the company that I work for, and the places I get to experience while working. So the stress that I place on my self can be enormous, because I simply want to be exactly where I am. For those people who don't know me, every 6 months I am up for 'Sim' training, which in the pilot world means, one or two days of simulated emergencies followed by a PPC (pilot proficiency check), which is graded as a pass or a fail. If you fail, it is at the company's discretion if they want to send you for more training followed by another ride. In the last three days I have experienced (in the simulator): -engine failures -engine fires -a cargo fire that would not extinguish -double generator failure -pressurization failure -double engine failure with an off airfield landing, since numerous attempts to restart the engines failed. -unable to land due to terrible weather, followed by an engine failure while in the go-around (a number of times). -and other failures and weather issues. At this moment I feel stress free and absolutely blessed. I am good to fly for 6 more months, when I have to go for more training. That is the way it is, until I retire :) Needless to say, my training, for the run and the ride have been put to the side. Starting tomorrow, I will have to get back into the swing of things. But for tonight.....a glass of red and a slice of pizza. Oh, how I love life :)

Struggles

Beautiful day for a run, and seeing as it was such - I went! Thought I was in for a fantastic run - well fed, rested and eager to go. And so it was... for the first 6km. It was around this point that I had a serious case of dead legs, first I can recall. Heavy leaden things that didn't want to move. My quads had a serious case of the hates for me today. My glorious day was turning into hell.

Frustrated, I took a walking break. Then went back at it. Stopped again 4 minutes later. Took another break. Started running, made it for probably 5 minutes, and started a cycle of sorts. Boy was I MAD at myself. I've noticed this a few times in the past, but nothing as crazy as today. I got back into it again, and made it probably 6 minutes but at this point my mind was racing: What had I done to get myself in this position?

Crossing off sleep and training (I haven't pushed myself at all this week too hard), the only thing left was nutrition. Good thing I have just purchased a book on endurance nutrition! Now, that might not be it, but this a lead I intend to follow.

Something funny happened around this realization - I kept going. The dead legs seemed to resolve themselves and suddenly I'm back to running like there is no issue. What what? Awesome! Somewhere between distraction and just letting myself rest I found the energy necessary to keep going. I need to remember this and not get mad at myself for perceived failures. Which makes me wonder, why should taking a quick break be considered anything other than what it is? I still finished the run, and more importantly, I WENT for a run, instead of sitting on my bum.

Guess I need to work on my attitude as well as my nutrition. HAHA.

~Pam

Oh CRAP....

Good Day Sabrina Here...

Yesterday I was playing around with a new widget to add to our blog that counts down the days till “The Ride” and well it’s only 192 DAYS!!!! When I think about it being in June it seems so far away, but when it broken down into day( AHHHHHHHHHHHH) Let just say I start to panic a little (ok so not a little a whole lot, I'm now nervous and my heart is beating fast, can I do this???) So I guess the idea of taking a week or 2 to get used to the idea of waking up early to go to the gym was quickly changed!!! So this morning I woke up early and off to the gym I went. It really didn't go quite that quickly it only took me 20mins to get out of bed, and another 10min of wondering if I was crazy, and maybe I should just go back to bed. After stumbling into a couple walls in my tired eyes half open state I was awake for good. Off to the gym I went...50 mins on the bike, wasn't too bad, but boy do I feel out of shape. I may be able to run, but biking is a whole different story.

And if the time frame till we do the Ride wasn't enough of a scare. I got my firt week training for my Marathon, I thought we started at 10km which I can do, but no it's 13km, so now I go from running 4km 4 times a week, to a my first week, is 6k 8k and 13k. Yikes I have 20 days to up my training, because the clinic starts Jan 5^th. Last night I did my first 6k straight through no walking, it was nice even though the snow made it a little tough. You get a new perpective of shoveling snow when you have to run on sidewalks that haven't been shovel. Good side of that is that it builds stability muscles.

Got to stay positive and stay running. Tonight is another 4k and I may add another 4 in after.

~Sabrina

Just do it...

I managed to drag myself down to the gym this evening, kicking and screaming. It was indeed a sight to behold, even if it is physically impossible and really only happened in my mind.

Did. Not. Want. To. Go. The comfy chair swallowed my motivation and I was completely ensconced in my slug mode. But yet something weird happened. I stopped procrastinating. Just like that, out of nowhere. WEIRD. Ask anyone who knows me. Bizarro!

I suspect it may have had something to do with the information package that came today for the Ride to Conquer Cancer. I looked at the training program it suggested. Ah crap. I mean, AH CRAP! I have *no* freaking clue how I am going to sort this one out, throwing cycling into the mix. The DeathRace was an easy target - am running now so to continue to build endurance seems not that daunting. But with cycling - and a suggested ride of 120k by June - I feel completely out of my league.

And yet, I know beyond a shadow of a doubt it's possible. I'm going to do it, I just don't know how exactly. Yet.

Which brings me back to me going to the gym for a quick round of strength training when my bum wanted to stay put. The only way I'm going to get through this is if I don't think about it, if I just do it instead. Throw myself at the mercy of ... myself, and see just how far I go. I am going to post this to remind myself the next time I lack the motivation that I've been there, mustered the energy and managed it just fine. And felt much better for it.

And hope that in 3 months I can lift more that 1o pounds with my shoulders. HAHAHA *so embarrassed*

~Pam

Changing the way I think.

Hello Everyone,

Yesterday was a great day filled with great friends and a lot of fun, but it was the type of fun that you can turn your brain off for. I went to Edmonton to shop and play in the Waterpark. For me it was a beginning to an end, I figured that this month I would still run, but I would eat crappy food, and get it out of my system so that come January my training get serious and my eating gets healthy. So I ate CRAP oh my, there was a burger and well lets just say that was the healthier side of what I consumed, my stomach HATES me today, and on my run it showed. I really don't understand why what my mouth and nose say is great, my stomach says it's not, somehow the wiring in my head needs to be changed so that Broccoli tastes like chocolate, mmm what a great idea!!!!

Since I didn't get home till 1am running at 8:30 this morning was not fun, based on lack of sleep either!!! Then there was the Weather side of things...if running in -41 with the wind chill doesn't make me crazy I don't know what will. I had everything against me, and still Claudia, me and 7 other crazies went out for a run. I couldn't run the full 10km because my stomach was sore, but I had 2 great people stay beside me to help me in. I love the running store I run out of for that reason. The people that I have found there are the reason I stay running, and they have helped me in so many ways.

Then if that wasn't enough, I got the sit down with 2 ladies that are amazing and inspiring in so many ways after for a coffee. They did the Ride to Conquer Cancer last year, and are driving one of the sweep vehicles this years. Wow did they have stories for me. At the end of the day, I want to do the ride, but I don't have the list of family and friends I was close to that died of, or suffer through cancer, I just see what my friends go through when they have someone that they are close to, deal with cancer. But now I have my list of reason to get through that ride, for the all the people that have encouraged me to do this, and will help me to get through. I know some really great people and I don't want to let them down. Thanks Claudia for getting me into this mess, :) thank you to Pam for jumping on the Death race bandwagon and thank you to everyone else that has or will help the 3 of us get through this. We will need all the encouragement that we can get.

The Reason

Hello, it is I, Claudia, once again. Here to explain the reason why we are riding for a cure. In June 2009, my dad was not feeling well and ended up in emergency at the Rockyview Hospital. While there, the ER doctor, without ceremony proceeded to say to my dad, "So you have cancer."

A scary word, and scarier when there is no bedside manner, and during the wee hours of the morning when you are alone in a room of strangers.

He was sent for a number of tests during the following month, where on the morning of my 39th birthday, we discovered that it was Type 4 Non Small Cell Lung Cancer, which had metastasized to his brain. The battle for his life began.

He began radiation treatment, and as the doctors were dragging their feet, and not forthcoming with any information, and a complete sense of aloneness and uncertainty fell upon our family. My sisters and I started researching. I dragged my dad to a Chinese Doctor and a Naturopath and began reading books written by stage 4 survivors. My sister Jackie went with my dad to many of his appointments at the Cancer Hospital. Meanwhile, my sister Debbie, researched nutrition and supplementation.

After Stereotactic surgery on his brain, there was a bit of a waiting game, until his chemotherapy was to begin. To date, he has completed two of four chemo cycles, just started the third today, has fought infections, and had a battery of tests. Good news came when his bone scan came back clean (an incredibly scary appointment I went to with my dad, as my mum had a breakdown that morning). The CT scan of his brain came back without any change, the main tumor in the right lobe of his lung decreased by one quarter it's original size. Finally, the tumor on his lymph node (where they were worried it would grow and block off his airway, resolved itself (disappeared).

However, the battle rages on. This was a battle that my Uncle Tony, Zia (Aunt) Gigetta, Uncle Frank, Grandpa, and my Nonno (Italian grandpa), and Asti (my dog) all lost.

So, when my friend Tom signed up for the ride I donated money towards his fundraising, and thought, "maybe I should ride." I went to work for a few days, and when I got back home I was skyping Tom and Pam, during that conversation I signed up. Pam signed up, and I knew I could count on Sabrina to join the fun. After all it will be great training for the death race.

Defeated by a $0.30 piece of plastic

You would think that in a show-down with a two-button piece of plastic that I would win. Well, I think I should win but no, no... that's not the case. AGAIN!

I have one of these lovely Nike + SportBand. This exact one to be precise. It's great because I am nerdy and this keeps track of all my runs. As well as having access to coaching programs and other goodies, it broadcasts all my runs onto the internet for my entertainment and tortures my friends with it's inanity. I'll probably have to address a slight attention-whore syndrome in the future, but I am not entirely owning it right now.

So anyways, I have occasionally come up against the sportband by thinking that just because I pushed a button, it's working. If you are guessing that this thinking = fail, you'd be one up on me. What makes this whole thing even more embarrassing is the fact this has happened to me many times, which means I'm not exactly the sharpest tool in the box when it comes to repeat experiences. *SO* mortified.

Bottom line: Technology is only as good as it's user! HAHA. Here's hoping I won't do it again. :)

~Pam

And last but not least

Hello Everyone....So I'm the one that started this blog and yet the last to write in it.

Once in awhile people that come into your life that push you to do things that you would have never thought about doing on your own. I’m normally the type of person that comes up with those crazy ideas and goes out looking for a partner in crime only to be told I’m crazy. Luckily, or maybe unluckily I managed to find some friends that are just as crazy as me! I'm the crazy runner that started it all. A year ago started running agina after 7 years away from it, and again I fell in love with this sport!!! But alas like most love affairs it was not smooth sailing. It April after getting up to 16km I hurt myself and couldn't run for 3 months, like most other women I turned to my friends when I was heartbroken, and there may have been some eating of ice cream as well. I'm sure just to get me to shut up Pam tried it, and well in came Claudia. It killed me in May to watch the people I trained with finish their Half Marathons, when I couldn't even run 1 min without pain. But in Aug I was back in full swing, and started teaching a Beginners Running Class, with the best pacers I could have asked for(Pam, Claudia and another great friend). I was right back in love with running, I continued on to teach another class, and that's when the Death race idea came to play.

Too be clear I didn't think of the Death Race idea by myself, but I did run with.
I had heard about the death race years ago when I was sane and wouldn't even have come close to trying it, but deep down inside I always wanted too. I've have quickly learned that when you come up with a crazy idea it's best to recuit another egually crazy person...So off I went to call the craziest person I know....Pam! It was pretty easy to sell her on the idea, I little bit of jumping up and down and this will be so amazing will normally do :) Plus I know Pam and Claudia are a package deal, so get one and I get both, the more the merrier . Much to our surprise Claudia didn't take much convincing, and was actually was up for the idea!!! This was almost eerie, because she is the sanest out of the three of us, and no that's not saying much. Yikes what type of Monster had we created??? If she did lose her mind then that's probably a good thing, because you can't be sane to decide to do even part of a 125km run through the mountains with 17,000ft of elevation change in it. There will be 2 others on our team for that. Check out the website site for that part of our adventure. http://www.canadiandeathrace.com/schedule2010.html

And decide for yourself are we really that crazy???

I will know get to work and leave it to Claudia to explain more about the Ride to Conquer Cancer, and how 3 wmone without bike must ride for 2 days and each raise $2500. Yikes I don't know what part scares me more the raising the money, or sitting on a bike seat for 2 days. OUCH!!! I should invest in a donut cushion just so I can sit at my desk, after I start the training.

Cheers.....Sabrina

The Crew Part Deux.....or is it Part Three?

Hi everyone, you have already met Pam (the first of the three crazies), and I am sure you will meet Sabrina (crazy part deux) in no time, so that leaves me…..My name is Claudia, and I am terzina in this group of ladies.

What makes me a little nutty? As of April 30, 2008 I had not run since Junior High School (which was finished in the ‘80s), and I have not been on a bicycle since elementary (which ended in the early ‘80s).

Whilst sitting by the pool in Orlando, I decided to go to my hotel room, change, and head for the gym. It was May 1^st, and Pammie was starting her running program, so on the spur of the moment I decided to run. Luckily I had a pair of shorts and running shoes, but no other gear designed for runners.

I had noooooo intention of ever running more than 5 km, because really what for? So when Pam mentioned that I should join her and Sabrina in training for a 10k, I replied “Ah, no.”

But Sabrina is a crafty one, and suckered me into being a rogue group leader in her "learn to run class." I agreed, and that is when she dropped the bomb on poor unsuspecting Pammie and I.

Sabrina decided it would be a great idea if we signed up for the death race, she twisted Pammie’s rubber arm, and Pammie in turn twisted my rubber arm. Let me reiterate, at this point I was still running a maximum of 5k. So I headed to M.E.C and purchased some running gear J

Little did they know I would get my revenge. I signed up to cycle 200k in 2 days, Ride to Conquer Cancer, and just like dominos Pam and Sabrina joined the team. I need to point out that I don’t own anything remotely resembling a bike, or biking gear. I figured I would start safe, on a stationary bike, where I really can’t hurt myself to bad. What are the chances I will fall off, and hit my noodle on the curb? Fairly slim.

So I ask, who is the nuttiest of the nuts?

Let's get this party started!!

Hey folks, thanks for stopping by and taking a look at our little adventure! My name is Pam, and I am one of the Three Crazy Ladies (TM pending). The other two are Sabrina and Claudia, and will all be introducing themselves in short order.

The reason I call myself crazy is just this: I agreed to run the DeathRace before I had even run 10km. The DeathRace is Sabrina's venture, so I will leave that to her to describe. Then I let Claudia talk me into joining our friend Tom's team for the Alberta Ride to Conquer Cancer - neither of us own bikes, let alone ride. Since she talked Sabrina into that one as well, I'll leave that to her to describe.

Ooh, but now I have nothing to describe. Wewt! Good job passing the buck!

Meh, that's just boring. Hmmm. Well today I started weight training again, since now it's not just running muscles I need to develop. My dirty little secret is that I really like weight machines; there is just something about seeing how much you can actually lift/pull/push that is kind of titillating. Now I know my weak points - my quads are a wee bit tragic after 7 months of only running, and well, I have Kermit the Frog arms but fortunately I am not using them to do either of these events! Tomorrow is a double run day, good times. :)

~Pam