Saturday, July 29, 2006


HEAT ADVISORY & TORNADO SEASON IN CHICAGO!


I am still in Chicago and it is sticky hot, the fact that we have to wear pants and close-toe shoes is not helping! When I write "we" all the time it's the University of Windsor team of Scientists (Flashy, Patchy, myself Speedy and the Wise-guy)... We were at the beamline until 11 P.M. yesterday and I missed running so much that I started running around the 1.1 km beamline circle. Later on, I was telling our super beam scientist about my running and he nicely told me that running around the synchrotron ring is illegal.... oupsi!! I did feel bad, for like a second ;-) so we set a map overnight and went back to the hotel room. By the time I finally went to bed and close my eyes, it must have been close to midnight, which is really Waaaaaaaay pass my usual bed time!! I tried to wake up for 5:30 AM for an early run but I couldn't do it... I was still at the door for 6:30 AM =) I left the sleepy group to go for a planned 6 miles run but it was soooooooooo humid and hot (how do you chicago people do it.... seriously!!) so I settled for a slow 5.15 miles run at a pace of 11.28 min/miles.

Gotta go the beamline is calling my name!!!

Friday, July 28, 2006

IN CHICAGO.... WELL JUST 10 MINS AWAY IN LEMONT, ILLINOIS!

Goodmorning everybody!

I am going to be spending the next 72h working intensely at the
Argonne National Laboratory using the Synchrotron (Advance Photon Source). For those of you who have no idea what Synchrotron light is and can do, I guess it's like I'm writing in chinese right now! This is part of my Ph.D. dissertation and hopefully we'll get some good results out of this and publish in a good journal..... If you are interested to learn more about synchrotron clikch here! If not let's get to the running part!!

I had a great run just before leaving Windsor on Wednesday, 6.3 miles at an average speed of 10.48 min/miles. I had a tattoo touched-up just after that and can't run until it heals.... hopefully it will heal fast *fingers crossed* as I brought my running gear here and would like to fit 1 short run (3 miles) and 1 LSD (maybe 10 miles).


The site is really big and there is a lot of green spaces to run, it would be fun..... wondering if my garmin will catch a signal...

Ok, gotta get going here! Happy Running everyone!

Tuesday, July 25, 2006

MY FIRST ATTEMP AT BLOGGING!

Hello all,

I've been reading a lot of running blogs for a long time now.... about 3 months now! I guess it's about time I start writing something of my own. Not that my solo runs are that exciting but I'll try to come up with some stories.

For those of you who do not know me, I am a 25 year old Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Chemistry. My first language is French and so bare with me if some sentences sound funny! I started running in January 2006. At first to lose weight and now I am totally addicted to running! =)

My first goal is to participate in my first half-marathon:
- Point-Pelee/Pointe-Pelée on September 24th

I have been running a lot for the past 3 months, 4 times a week using Hal Higdon's Half-Marathon novice training as a guide and I usually do more milage than what he proposes. Considering this schedule, I am ready for my half-marathon next week-end!! It has always been in the back of my mind to join my friend, Amanda, for the Toronto half-marathon on October 15 but looking back at my progress, I just decided to register for the 2006 Toronto Full Marathon. A journey of 26.2 miles! I'm excited and scared at the same time!!! But I think I can do it! Lots of hard training and positive thinking will get me to the finish line!!

From now on, I will be following Hal Higdon's Marathon Training guide for Novice and will start at week 6 (this week). I CAN DO THIS!!

Thanks for checking my blog! =)

HAPPY RUNNING!

p-s I do use the smile symbol way too often!!! =)