Rock it!!

Gonna rock it, rock it, ROCK IT!!!

Haha, can you tell I am excited? I mean really, I should just go down to the nearest psychiatrist and book an appointment to get my head examined but instead, I'm going to go strap on my disco shoes and to the gym!

The disco shoes are indeed helping my foot issue, so that's a huge bonus considering I am going to give my best shot at 125km. Whether I finish or not, I am going to have a wicked good time, take awesome shots, and wreck my feet for sandals for the rest of the summer. GOOD TIMES! I'm glad Sabrina will be there with me, and I dearly hope once Claudia gets back from Florida or wherever she is today that she will join us on this new level of crazy. 'Cause really, this is INSANE.

Which is the street I live on, baby. Oh yeah!

~Pam

Death Bunnies LIVE!!!!

Sabrina Here...
So last night was a rollercoaster of up and down.  We found a complete team for the Death race, and a name Death Bunnies, and were so excited to go home and sign up, only to find out that it was full 7 days after the event opened of registration.  I felt bad one because on this blog we stated that we would be doing the Death Race, I told anyone that would listen, and because I really wanted too.  My friend Ben pointed out that we could sign up and do it solo, HA HA ya right I said, but then I thought about.  Really who finishes the Death Race the first time they do, and if I don't then I will always wonder what I could have done.  So this morning Pam and I signed up to do it Solo, but together, pushes eachother the whole way, and somewhere inside I think that it's the way it should be done.  Yes it would be cool to have a whole team, but this way we have eachother the whole step of the way. I'm going to train my heart out and make it as far as I can, but I'm not expecting to complete the whole 125km the first time, I finish my marathon training the beginning of May, so 3 months isn't enough to jump up to 125m from 42km.  But I will get my shirt and wear it proudly, knowing that I had the courage to try what so many people would never do.  Maybe I will crawl across the finish line and maybe I won't, but this way I will never wonder, "What if I tried"

A look into my life...

Sabrina here giving you an insight into our lives, so that you know more about us and where we live. 

These are the type type of winter days I love, where everything is clean and crisp and the Mountains look beautiful in the distance.

This is when I don't like winter when you are stuck in traffic.  And yes Mom I took a picture well I was in the drivers seat, but as you can see everyone is stopped, because it's crappy winter driving.  I'm so glad I'm off this week and was only headed to the gym.  I saw 4 cars in the ditch and one cop car that ended up getting stuck in the snow, after they were done clearing an accident. 

Me with Santa, and my freind Ken.

Pam showing how to do a correct bridge pose, I believe her butt was sore for 4 days after.  Dr Myles was talking to my clinic that night.  I love to hate him.  But the lunges are helping my glutes huge, so I'm greatful.

Pam demoing a side lunge!!!! and Dr Myles laughing at her pain...

P.S. these were taken in warmer days, we aren't crazy enough to wear shorts in -17

Our Halloween run with the first clinic I instructed.  I'm in the front with a shower cap on my head.  it turned out to be the best suited for the weather, it was cold, with lots of slushy snow. BRRRRR.  I was so wet after this run.

Pam doing something, but I'm not sure what and Claudia focusing on what was being said by Dr Myles.

This is what you do when one of your best friends runs with you and it's her Birthday.  I miss Running with you Shannon, I can't wait till spring when you venture outside again. 

Me being taught how to shoot a gun, I felt tough that day.  I let those clay disc know who was boss!!!

And last one me falling to my death, well not really, I was just going down a really steep water slide.

Yesterday was my very first day of my MARATHON clinic.  I was a little scared, but then I decided to put on my big girl running shoes and get ready to train for a Big girl race!!! WOOT WOOT.  My very first Marathon I'm super excited!!! It was great to have some people in my clinic that I know, and that know I'm crazy.  Really it's never fun to hunt out new people that will sing with me.  After the run Ian and I broke into the tune of Pirates of the North Saskatchwen.  It's a truely interesting Canadian Song.

Here is the link  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8G_L9tXEwmc

Warning it's Corny!!! But I get a kick out of it.

I also bought compression pants.  They feel cool I will find out today how they work during a run.  But I did learn something about them.  Because they are so tight I had a hard time putting them on, for women imagine, a super tight pair of nylons that you have to pull on to get up.  When I was taking them off I almost gave myself a black eye, they didn't want to come off my ankles, but when they did my arm flew back, and well I almost gave myself a black eye.  So warning to all those out there, be careful when getting undressed. lol

But my pirates song is playing in the background and that's all I can focus on. And it's Hev, Ho, Hi, Ho, Coming down the plains la la la

I'm off to torture others with my singing.  Sabrina

I Pooped The Bed!

Not literally pooped the bed, but figuratively.  Today was supposed to be a 17km cycle day with strength training, but it has turned into my day of rest.  Which means that Sunday, which was supposed to be my rest day, will be an activity day.  

My stress level has been ridiculously high lately, and yesterday I think my managing skills were at a low point.  The tension in my upper body was vibrating, and my shoulders were starting to lock.  I was proactive and did what Brian Tracey suggests, “get the ugliest biggest baddest thing done first.”  Okay, that is obviously not a direct quote, since he is an eloquent speaker, but it was the gist of the matter.  It made a difference, and today I incorporated another gem, “just roll with the punches.”  I don’t know who came up with that, but when I arrived back home today I realized that I was short on time.  How could I get everything done that needs to be completed before I go to work.  My shoulders and neck started feeling tense, so instead I decided to just let it go.  

Will it be the end of the world if I take a moment to enjoy my lunch, finish my few errands, and relax before work?  It means I have to postpone my cycle until the following day.   Is that a disaster?  NO!!!!!!!!  Wow, that is an emphatic no, with all of those unnecessary exclamation marks.

Part of staying healthy includes the mental, spiritual,  and emotional, not just the physical.  If I want to be ready in all areas for any challenges thrown my direction, and for those challenges I choose to complete.

     -Claudia

New shoes!

After I moaned a bit in my last post, I wandered over to the Running Room near me in order to buy some gel pads. They didn't have any but the lovely folks there gave me a tidbit of info that I found totally useful - the shoes I had been using were quite low on padding in the toe area. 


Hmm. 


Since I had intentions of purchasing trail running shoes in the spring, I asked about their cushioning levels in the toe box and lo & behold: better! I've had my eye (just one) on these Nike Zoom Structure Triax+ for a bit now, I obviously like the crazy muppet look. Plus they have the built in hidey spot for my Nike+ sensor so hey, double win!


In any event, the bottom line is I took these babies out for a 6.5km test drive and all signs are pointing towards this might be a solution. Granted, I look like a muppet barfed all over me when I run, given that I have a lilac windbreaker, electric blue running jacket and now these awesome magenta babies. Wewt! But my left foot is not feeling as obviously tragic as it had been, so I have my fingers crossed that by Wednesday it will feel better enough that I will have a good baseline to judge. 


YAY!


~Pam

Analysis of an injury in the making

Am sitting at the crossroads, watching an injury form. I suppose there could be worse times for this to happen, oh let's say a few days before a race, but still am frustrated. Just started my half marathon training and am not keen on a minor sideline.


My new friend is a mouthful, metatarsalgia. Which for the billions of us who are not doctors, is pain in the balls of your feet, usually in the middle. Yay, I'm average! :D


There is no pain yet, however I am quite acutely aware of this area on my left foot for quite some time after a run. I'm still having it from my run 2 days ago, which got agitated I guess by the fast walk (I can't call that a run) yesterday. This metatarsalgia started developing around the beginning of last month, so now I am trying to figure out how to deal with my new injury friend and not piss it off so that I am incapable of running. The first answer I come up with is that I want a gait analysis. All good and well, since that was on my list of things to do anyways. It's booked. For January 26th. Gah!


So... what do I do until then? Looks like I can pick up some specialty gel products that will cushion my feeties. My shoes are still fairly new, only about 350-400km on them but perhaps I should look at new ones. No running on consecutive days for now. I also considered my running snow tires, but I still got the pain after a treadmill run so I think I can rule that one out. In any case, if these ideas end up being a giant fail bomb, I am not sure what direction to go while I wait for the magic of gait analysis. I don't want to stop running - I have many kilometres to add to my repertoire and... I kind of slacked a little over the holidays.


Such a pain! Ok, not yet but still... I don't want to be the sidelined one when my teammates are burning miles under their feet! Does that sound whiny? Because it sure does to me! :P Time to suck it up and find my new gel friends.


~Pam

Time to Get Serious

I look at Sabrina’s training and I am inspired, and worried.  My training doesn’t even begin to touch what she is accomplishing.

I finished a 7.87km run yesterday, followed by 15minutes of yoga for runners.  It was supposed to be a 6.43km run for the first run in my 1/2 marathon training, but I thought I would make it a little bit longer.  Last night I set my alarm clock, when it shrieked out an annoying noise this morning, I startled awake, my eyes felt like they were filled with sand.  I did not want to get out of bed.  So I fell out of bed, tossed on some clothes and headed out to the gym.

I completed a 16.85km run, my intention was to complete 20-22km, but my right knee began to hurt.  I incorporated a 40 minute skate this afternoon, on an outdoor pond at my folks house.  Handy, but the ice wasn’t very clean, so it was slow going.  Snow sprinkled on the ice, makes for a possible face plant, and injuries must be avoided at all costs.  I took this picture during today's adventure,  you can see the area where my sister shovelled away some of the snow, and that the paths still have some snow remaining on the trails.  

All in all, not to bad, but I haven’t incorporated strength training or started to watch what I eat.  As far as nutrition goes, not anymore than I have in the past.  I know the nutrition requirements are going to be different with all of this training than I have required in the past, so I purchased a book to help me out in that department.  It is written by Lance Armstrong’s coach, and so far it has been a fantastic read.  I will give it a review when I am finished.  I also picked up another book regarding nutrition for endurance athletes, another review will be forth coming when that is done.

Tomorrow I intend to run some errands, take my dog for a walk, run 7.5km, and take my nephews skating.  After I clean off the ice a bit more to make skating a little easier.    The shovelling will be a bit of a work out, and as far as I am concerned it all counts.   

So many things to do, and yet I am excited and look forward to the challenge.  

        

                   ---Claudia

Change of Mind

Sabrina Checking in....Yesterday was a great indoor bike ride of 49km in 1hr 40min!!! Yahoo I added onto that my 150 Lunges and 50 Squats.  It was a great workout.  Today I'm a little sore, but I think it's a great feeling when you have worked hard enough to be sore.  I've noticed a shift in myself lately.  I know that our goals are achievable, granted they are a little ambitious, but I know that we can do it.  I've done many things in my life to get in shape, but I don't think I've ever had an attitude of "I'm going to do whatever it takes" It scares me a little to look at the days left till we are going to ride, and well there is even less time till I run my first marathon.  But instead of getting scared and running away I find myself looking for ways to make it possible.  Going to gym 4 days a week to ride a bike and putting in stength training as well.  I have even started to watch what I eat.  Not so much to count calories, even though I would like to lose 30 pounds, but I make sure that the food I'm putting in my body is good for me. I figure that I have to eat more, but it needs to be good for me.  Yesterday when I figured out I burned 1500 calories from my workout, the old me would have rewarded myself with something like chocolate cake, but I found myself craving fruit and peanut butter. MMMM I like this new outlook, and how much more energy it gives me!!! I'm excited to start my Marathon training on Tuesday...I know I won't be the fastest but I will finish the solid 6km with no problem, the 13km on Sunday I can do too, but it will be a stretch.  I have learned though that as soon as I past the 30min mark if I want to make it another 30min at full speed I better put something in my stomach.  Eating a little during my ride yesterday made a huge difference in my ability to continue and the speed I maintained.  Speaking of eating I think it's time for me to eat once again.