UNSTOPPABLE...

I am on vacation! It's great! I even forgot that I am stressed about finishing my Ph.D. and that I have no clue what I'm going to do and where I'm going to go after that! Life is a bliss ;-)

I've run 8 times since the 21st December for a total of 26.4 miles. I'm pretty happy with my mileage and the runs I did, I sure hope it prevented me from putting on a bazillion pounds from all the food and wine I had.

I'm doing the 5K Resolution Run in Montreal tomorrow. I was pretty excited to set a PR but it's been snowing (and still hasn't stopped) all morning so I'm not sure about that anymore! I forgot my Get-A-Grip for my shoes in Windsor... Oh well, a fun run will be great anyway!

I got my foot fitted at the Westmount Running Room yesterday, I should have done that 2 years ago... been running in Saucony's wide shoes while my feet are very narrow (AA).... The girl was not impressed and told me to throw my old shoes in the garbage! Well, at least I know =)

I hope everyone will have an amazing running 2008 year!

Thanks for always coming back to read my blog and leaving me comments =)

FREAKIN MONO GET OUT OF MY BODY!

So, my bloodwork shows that the mono is still active as there are enough antibodies in my blood to get a positive result back. The doctor said this was quite unusual as it has been 4 months since I was first diagnosed and it should be gone by now. But that explains why I am so tired all the time again. Also, my Iron, folic acid and Vitamin B12 are all very low. The Iron is about 5 time lower than normal, the folic acid 30X and the B12 about 3 times lower than average. She thinks that since I am still fighting the mono my body is using these ressources for that. At least, I know what I have and it should be easy to control with supplements. I will have to check back in January and see if it improved after the Holidays.

I need this vacation so bad right now!! I haven't run since last Thursday and wanted to go for a spin tonight but I ended up napping from 5-6... I think I'll have to cut a day of running. It's just too much right now. I am so tired of having these stepbacks. It's really frustrating to not being able to do more....

I CAN'T WAIT TILL SATURDAY AND GO BACK TO MONTREAL!!

(By the way, Fran, I am eligible for OHIP but since I wanted to move back to Quebec after I am done, I always kept my Quebec health card. Now, I'm not even sure I am going back there so I might switched, its a real dilemma!)

SNOWSTORM OF THE YEAR!

We rarely have lot of snow in Windsor. And we never really have snow on the ground before I leave for the Christmas vacation, let alone that much (15 cm)!! That's quite a big deal here! Rocky has snow up to his neck, he has to jump like a little Rabbit to move! It is so funny! =) At least we don't have as much as Montreal or Toronto (up to 50 cm!).

SICK =(

Yet again... 104$ of bloodwork might reveal something on Tuesday. Until then, rest and then more rest..

SPEEDWORK

Speedwork tonight, 3 miles at 5 K pace, or trying to get as close as possible to it!

3 miles @ 9:21 min/mile

with splits at:
Mile 1: 9:11 min/mile
Mile 2: 9:24 min/mile
Mile 3: 9:28 min/mile

My 5K PB is 27:33 which means 8:52 min/mile average... I pushed myslef tonight and got pretty close so, in my book, that's enough! The pooch took another injury break but his pad look better and he looked so sad when I left him! So, he's back on the road for the Fun-Run tomorrow!

Have a good night everyone!

BIG WEEK


It was the first week on the new training plan. Since I received my new hands-free leash, running with Rocky is a lot more fun! Here's pic of us getting ready for our run on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Rocky and I headed to Malden Park for hill training. We found a hill about 250 m elevation and it was hard to climb. Since, I've never done that type of training I didn't know what to expect and its a LOT harder than it seems. Rocky totally tried to make me trip on the way down of the hills and I was getting pretty annoyed with him! lol Not that he knew what he was doing but I was still pretty mad! We did 6 hill repeat. The first 2 miles to go to Malden Park were done at 10K pace (10 min/mile), 2 miles of hill repeat and 2 miles back.
Tuesday: 6 miles @ 11:33 min/mile

On Wednesday, Rocky and I tried something new. My best friend and #1 Fan, Flashy, just loss tons of weight and started running 3 months ago (apprently someone inspired her... ;-) ). She can now run 5K 3-4 times a week without problems! So, I suggested to her that we do a Fun-Run together and see how it goes. We ran 3 miles and spoke the whole time! It was great and Rocky tremendously enjoyed the slower pace! It's going to become a weekly habit =) Wednesday: 3.1 miles @ 12:55 min/mile

On Thursday, I was suppose to do speedwork, 4 miles at half-marathon pace. As soon as I started running, I knew it was going to be bad. The ground was very icy, my foot was not feeling good and Rocky was like a 14 lbs bullet to my foot. The Dude was tired and he just didn't want to go fast. I didn't notice until I went back home and he was liking his paw that he had hurt his pads =( Poor little guy, now I felt all ashamed of pushing him to run... Thursday: 4 miles @ 10:52 min/mile

On Saturday, it was a beautiful day here. Only -2 °C and an awesome sun. I wasn't in the mood for running when I had woken up but I really wanted to take advantage of the weather. So, I went for a 10 miler even though only 8 was on the schedule, better run longer in great condition we don't know what kind of winter we're going to have! Since Rocky was on the disabled list, I went by myself which hasn't happen in ages! I forget how easy it is to run without a 14 lbs resistance! I finished the 10 miles in 1:46 and I tried to do 2 miles at marathon pace near the end (10:12 and 9:48 min/mile). Saturday: 10 miles @ 10:36 min/mile

Weekly total: 23.1 miles!

Have a good week everyone =)

MY DOG IS WINTER READY!

I present you: Rocky aka "The Pimp" (my brother found the nickname!)

I'm not sure I am that ready for winter running but no choice!!

I just made my short 8 weeks training schedule, which will have 2 hard runs, 1 easy run and 1 long run. I think this should get me to the finish line with a decent time and that's all I'm asking!

DISAPPOINTED... BUT OK WITH IT

I think I've made my decision on my run this morning. I had 14 miles plan and during the first half I could only think about the work that was ahead of me today for my thesis and I just realised that my heart wasn't into this training right now... I bailed after 7 miles and thought I had put a good effort (Rocky did well too!).

I want to finish my thesis and running has to take the backseat and you can't do that while training for a full. I am pretty disappointed, I feel like I am letting myself down but I registered on a rush (coup de tête in French...). I wanted to do this after I broke up with my boyfriend (yeah that Newfie guy) and thinking that I could manage it all but unfortunately it appears I am no super human so I have to deal that... I ran 2 marathons on 18 weeks training and they were both hard, not sure its a good idea to go along this journey on a 8 weeks training... anyway thanks for reading and I'll just switch to the half and be a happy runner again.

ANOTHER FAST ONE

I am kinda following the FIRST plan this week (not sure yet I'll stick with this... I'm undecided). Anyway, it called for 1 slow mile and 5 at tempo (10K +30s pace), I was aiming for 10:30 min/mile. Here are my splits:

Mile 1 @ 11:09 min/mile
Mile 2 @ 10:40 min/mile
Mile 3 @ 10:41 min/mile
Mile 4 @ 10:41 min/mile
Mile 5 @ 10:22 min/mile
Mile 6 @ 10:22 min/mile

Not the most interesting post! This was a hard run, there was strong winds again and I couldn't go faster than 10:40 with the wind in my face.... I am thinking about following the FIRST plan and add a Wedneday easy run starting with 3 miles and building up to 5 miles. I don'T think I can commit to more than 4 days of running right now... I am trying to finish this damn thesis after all!!

Thanks for stopping by everyone! Happy running! =)

SCRATCH THAT!

So, apparently I can do speedwork with my dog and in a wind advisory too! =)

Mile 1 @ 11:28 min/mile (Warm-up)
Mile 2 @ 10:28 min/mile (Close to 10K pace)
Mile 3 @ 9:40 min/mile (Close to 5K pace)
Mile 4 @ 11:08 min/mile (Cool down)

I'm pretty happy with the 9' min per mile as it was done with the wind in my face, close to 40 km/h! Somehow I thought I would avoid the wind for the 2 fast miles but it was right in my face oh well... wind resistance is good!

Have a good night all!

FULL FORCE MARATHON TRAINING!

I am still plan less, as I haven't decided which one to go with, but I am running! I run pain-free but the aftermath is not pretty... I have to ice my foot all night and the next morning is associated with intense pain and walking like an old lady for 20 mins. After that, the pain "kinda" goes away... I have my 2nd treatment of ESWT tomorrow night and I am confident this will be taken care of in a timely manner...

Rocky joined me on all my runs this week!
Tuesday 3 miles @ 10:58 min/mile
Thursday 5 miles @ 10:56 min/mile
Saturday 11 miles @ 11:15 min/mile (4.5 miles with the Dude)

I am so happy the mileage is getting to a decent level, I am planning on finding a marathon plan ASAP. It probably won't be the FIRST plan, since I want to run with my dog and he wants to smell a lot so I have to pull him a lot in the right direction! Speedwork with him is something to forget, running with a 14 lbs resistance is hard! I just ordered a stability belt to run with your dog on ebay so I should get that early next week and that'll make my runs with him much easier. =)

I've been tagged by Ken and Laurel to share 5 facts about myself on my blog, some random, some weird.

The Rules of the game: Link to your tagger, and post these rules on your blog. Share 5 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.Tag 5 people at the end of your post by their names and links to their blogs. Let them know they are TAGGED by leaving a comment on their blog.

FACT 1: I could live on a diet of chips, more chips and water =) Self control is not something that comes naturally to me! lol

FACT 2: I am not environmental friendly when it comes to kleenex... I must have some sort of nose issues because I use at least 20 kleenex per day! Let me tell you it's not pretty during my winter runs...

FACT 3: I've never taken a break from school, went from high school to cegep, then university with an undergrad in chemistry and a doctorate in environmental sciences. That's why I'll only be 27 and you will be able to call me Doctor! (Now I wish I enjoyed life a little more...)

FACT 4: I was voted Miss Analytical Chemistry the last year of my undergrad. Not it wasn't a pageant just voting for who was the most hardcore analytical chemist!

FACT 5: I refuse to use another bank than my bank to withdraw money. I know it'S only 2$ charges but it drives me insane to pay for nothing. So, I end up never carrying money on me and always paying credit... there is only 4 National Bank of Canada in Windsor!

Next up (yep I know how to count... but I tag 6 people!):

Francis

Kenny

Jelly

Shelley

Mark

Amanda

THINGS ARE LOOKING BRIGHTER

I ran 4 miles on Saturday with my dog in the misty rain. It was nice and the body hold on. I was in a lot of pain the morning after though. And could barely walk for the first 15 mins when I woke-up... On the good news side, I had an encouraging appointment at the chiropractor =) He has started some ESWT (extracorporeal shock-wave therapy) at low intensity on my heel. It's mostly not painful, unless he's hitting the spot where I have pain, which makes me cringe a little.

"Shock wave therapy is thought to work by inducing microtrauma to the tissue that is affected by plantar fasciitis. This microtrauma initiates a healing response by the body. This healing response causes blood vessel formation and increased delivery of nutrients to the affected area. The microtrauma is thought to stimulate a repair process and relieve the symptoms of plantar fasciitis." -http://orthopedics.about.com

I am going to have 5 treatments (once a week) before I leave for Christmas and that should be enough to totally heals it. That made me happy, I trust him 100%, he solved my shin splints problems in 3 treatments with Active Release Technique in the past. He said I probably won't see a full recovery until the treatment is all over but it should start feel better soon. Since I don't have any pain when I run (just the morning after) he told me I can still run =) And that I could probably do the marathon. I'll wait until we're closer to the date to decide what I am going to do.....

Ok, well that's the story of my road to recovery!!! Thanks for reading everyone and happy Running!

FIRST RUN IN 2 WEEKS!!!!!!!!


Yes a little 2 miler but oh god did it ever feel good! =) I ran with my dog and had a late start which means its pitch dark outside but the view ofthe Bridge all illuminated and Detroit skyline was really nice. I didn't have my camera but I found this picture on the web and it looks just like this (mavrinac.com).

I didn't really feel any discomfort from the heel and did my exercices when I came back + I'm icing it right as I type this. I'm going to go for a 4-5 miler this week-end and hopefully this means I can resume my training! YAY! I'm so happy!!!!!

NOTHING NEW TO REPORT....

Foot still hurt, not as much though, the doctor diagnosed the Plantar Fasciitis as Michelle mentionned in my last post. I am taking some anti-inflammatories and resting the foot for a week or two. I am thinking about doing a small run this week with the pooch and see how it feels. This does not look good upon my Miami Marathon =( I knew I was already cutting the training a bit short with only 3 months before the marathon but now it looks like I will have to transfer to the half. There is no way to do this without getting injured with only 2 months before the event now.... I'm disappointed but it's not like I did all the training and got injured at the last minute. That would be a lot more frustrating... If I recover quickly from the PF I can try to go for a half-marathon PB....

On the good news, I just finished my second scientific article (Mineralogical Approach to the Study of Biomineralization in Fish Otoliths) and it will be submitted to Mineralogical Magazine Journal tomorrow! 2 downs, 2 more to go before this thesis is done! =)

PITY PARTY AND RANT....

So, it seems that it's one thing after the other to prevent me from running. The mono, a cold and now this foot issue.... It has started about a week ago, I didn't want to write about it because I thought that the extra rest due to the cold would make it magically disappear... yeah I know stupid... so the problem is that my heel hurts when I put pressure on it. So, I just walked on the tip of my toes on this foot during the week. Yesterday, the foot felt a bit better and I got my new toy so I decided to test my heel for a 3 miler. Since the run, I can't even put my own weight on my heel without sharp pain. =( Anyway, now I'm super down and I can't run and I'm definitely throwing myself a pity party but sometimes that's what you need.... Right now, it's icing for 10 mins every hour (says Dr. Mom) and see how it feels tomorrow.

On to the next part of this post, the "Rant".... So, since my heel hurts and I can't run or really walk much on it (still have to walk the pooch). I figured I should get it checked by a doctor... Well, being an out-of-province patient totally F'ing SUCKS. That means I will have to pay from my own pocket to get any X-Ray done or any other test that a doctor ask me to do. And my government only reimburse me 50% of any bills I pay. And it takes... oh yeah maybe 6-8 months to get reimbursed!! So, I'm getting screwed. Anyway, I know it'S way worse in the States so sorry for my US friends, you must still think I'm pretty lucky but it annoys me... Ok, well sorry for this really pessimistic post I guess tomorrow will be a better day.

HAPPY OWNER OF...

A brand new Forerunner 205!!!

WOOHOO!! I'm so excited to run with it tonight =) Thanks Mom and Dad for this great B'day/Christmas present!! I just realised I never mentionned it was my B'day... on October 25th! lol A few days after the Detroit half.

HUM... THIS DOESN'T START WELL!

So, it's week 1 of marathon training and total miles ran is 0. =(

Everyone I know is sick or starting to feel sick so it's no surprise, with my super immune system that I caught that cold. I'm thinking a cold on week 1 is better than marathon week so I've been resting and waiting for it to go away. I just started to sleep better last night as my nose is not stuffed up anymore. I missed the weekday runs but I will do my long run on Saturday (9 miles). I'm still hesitating between 2 plans. Hal Higdon marathon training plan Novice 2 tweaked to run only 3 times a week and the FIRST plan. Considering that I'm starting this training late and that I'm in the middle of intense lab work and writing my thesis, running 3 times a week will be an achievement itself!

Yesterday was Halloween and although I did not dress up this year. I dressed my pooch for his nightime walk. It was only a hat but he was sooooo cute!! As you can see with this picture, Rocky does not seem too impressed....


Have a good week-end everyone! =)

NEW 2008 GOAL....

Flight -Booked
Hotel -Booked
Race -Registered

"Congratulations! You are now registered for the 2008 ING Miami Marathon"

I wanted to have a goal over the winter, I knew that without one I would get lazy... it's so hot and cosy inside! And I also wanted to make sure I would make time to train during my last few months of thesis writing. So, there we go, it's all booked and I got a cheap flight out of Detroit for 200$ I just need a dog-sitter and we're golden!!

What convinced me is that my parents will be in Miami that week-end prior to leaving for a cruise. So, I will have my cheerleading team with me again and I know that will make a whole lot difference!!! =)

See you in Florida Laurel!!

GREAT RACE PICS!

I had a great time at the race and it shows on these pictures!

DETROIT HALF-MARATHON!

I had an awesome race =)

The weather was perfect, the wind was more cooling than hard to run in I found. The best part was that I felt good and strong all long. I finished in 2:22:04 my 3rd best time out of 5 halfs.

Most of you know, I caught mono at the beginning of August and I was unable to run for more than 2 months. I started training for this race 3 weeks ago and I only did 2 long runs (8 and 10 miles). Considering all these, my goals today were to:
1-enjoy the race
2-run at a comfortable pace and
3-try to finish under 2:30.

So, 2:22 is a totally unexpected result for me and I'm pretty happy with it. =)

This is the first race I run without my ipod and I enjoyed it a lot because there was lots of people cheering on the side of the street. I don't think I would run without it in smaller races (like Forest City...) I always had tons of people around me (30-40 people!) for the duration of the half! I usually run alone in smaller races so that was a great change.

I have a “thing” for bridge, I love them! It’s hard to explain but everywhere I visit I’ll photograph them and I really feel in love with the Ambassador bridge since I moved here. So, running on it was a big highlight for me. The tunnel was HOT, I was sweating buckets, the breeze at the end felt so good. And the crowd on the Detroit side was so much bigger than on the Windsor side!

I saw my parents at the end of the tunnel, waiting for me near mile 9. It was great to see them. My dad tried to take 2 videos with his camera and ended up with nothing cause he’s technologically challenged... Lol Oh well at least he tried =) This was also the first time, my mom saw me run at a race and that made it pretty special for me.

Overall experience was awesome =) I want to come back for the full one day!

Thanks for reading everyone.


Before the race starts at 7:15 AM with my parents, it was so dark! And it wasn't super easy to get up at 4:45AM!!!

It only took me 2+ mins to cross the starting line , I was in Corral O which was in the middle of the row.

The race is over and it's bright oustide! With my folks again

1 YEAR AGO ALREADY!

That I became a marathoner! Today was the Toronto Marathon and it was and extra special run for me. I kept thinking how far I've gone with my running in a year. Lots of races: 2 marathons, 3 half-marathons, one 30K, one 10 miler, three 10K and two 5K. Ouf that is a lot!! I can say that I am as ready as I can be with only 4 weeks of training for the Detroit Half. I ran those 10 miles in 1h53 (11:20 min∕mile).

I met a French guy while running today, that totally made my day! We started talking around mile 5.5 and then chatted our way to the next 4 miles! It was great, made me completely forget about my legs being heavy and my body hurting. And I got to speak some French in Windsor so that always makes me happy!

Taper week is coming my way, Rocky and I will enjoy the lower mileage!! =)

UNDERWEAR POST

I don't usually talk about my underwear in public but it was soo ANNOYING on my run tonight! I usually wear some fancy dri-fit Nike panties but I didn't want to waste them on a 3 miler (yes I wash once a week!). Well, I did not change it and ended up wearing this stupid "loose" underwear. That underwear will slowly makes it way down to your knees making you feel very uncomfortable... It will also make you look stupid as you try to bring it back up in the middle of the street. Yeah, lesson learned... It did become a little less bothersome when the rain started and it was all wet... not the best just a little better. Anyway, enough about panties... I ran 5 miles on Tuesday and 3 miles tonight. No idea of the time as I still have no watch.

There has been a lot of heated discussion on RM.com about the use of ipods in races. I have always raced with my ipod and never saw a problem with it. I keep the level low and enjoy both the crowd (or lack thereof) and music. I had never realised before some races are banning the use of ipods (you can get disqualified). I never thought about the fact that I was not following the rules but now that it has been brought to my attention, I do not want to live in sin ;-) But I have never raced without an ipod and its almost like a security blanket at this point. I usually don't run without it. Anyway, just wanted some opinions from my fellow bloggers about the use of ipods in races that banned them.

Thanks and happy running everyone! =)

"WE'RE ON A SCHEDULE!"

That's a comment that Ken left me on my previous post! hahaha I thought it was so funny, we really are on a schedule! I wish the weather would cooperate with my schedule... I guess at least I didn't have to run a marathon in those conditions.... unlike some of my friends who were in Chicago. My maniac friend, Pat, finished the marathon in 4h58 and I am so proud of her! I cannot imagine what she went through. And to think that last year's crew were freezing out there! I am very disappointed for people who were running their first marathon and didn't get to finish. Hopefully, they will find another race and get that well deserve feeling of crossing the finish line...

So today, I felt the guilt of missing my LSD yesterday so I went for 2h of biking of about 30K. And I walked for about 2h... I hope I sweated some of that pumpkin pie! lol

Happy thanksgiving everyone =)

CHICKEN?

We've been having some crazy hot weather these days, I'm talking high 30's with humidex (100 F). I tried to wake up early today but no luck. My body just didn't want to do it. It's already 34 oC here and I'm in no desire to get out of my cool A⁄C apartment..... Yep, you can call me lazy =(

I'll see how it feels when the sun goes down and I might venture tonight. As for today, I am doing nothing! Walked for 20 mins with Rocky and I was in sweat. Thursday 4 miler was done in 44 mins and with the pooch so we're getting pretty good at this ;-)

STRONGER THAN THAT MONO!

Yep, that's how I feel right now, I nailed that 5 miler last night and I'm up for 4 tomorrow! Bring it on =)

WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT?

After that post, that I would ever found a 8 miler H-A-R-D... oh well, taking time off running really shows. My legs were still sore from Friday's 5 miler and I didn't really feel like doing 8 miles. But if it's on the schedule.... I'm the kind of person who will have a hard time backing down from the schedule (good and bad I guess). Anyhow, at mile 3, I really wanted to turn around but then Madonna's song Push came on and she told me "you push me, to go the extra mile". So, I did go the extra mile.... and at mile 4, I turned around and made my way back home. Before the turnaround, I stopped for a minute walk at mile 1, 2, 3 and 4. I had a washroom break at mile 5.5 and ran without stopping for the rest. I really wanted to go home! lol

Tuesday I am supposed to do 5 miles, I hope my legs will feel better. If not, I will do 3 miles.... I've decided to bring my dog on the weekdays runs with me. He was so good last Friday he's not out of this yet!!

I've had this crazy idea growing in me, I think it's from looking at the live broadcast of the finish line of the Scotiabank Toronto marathon yesterday. Even though the image was not the best, everytime someone would cross the finish line and hold their arms in the air, I felt all teary. It reminded me of the feeling I had when I crossed that finish line (2 times now!). Some of my friends are going to Las Vegas on December 2nd for the marathon/half-marathon and I'm thinking of tagging along. Airflight out of Detroit is only 220$ right now!! But I would really like to have someone to share a room with... so any takers????

Have a good week everyone and congrats to the week-end racers! =)

THAT SORE FEELING...

Oh I missed you! All the time, I couldn't run, I really missed that tired leg feeling you get after a nice run! Yesterday, the dog and I headed out for a slow 5 miler. No watch, no GPS, no Ipod, no fuel belt, plain simple running with the sound of my steps on the pavement. (Ok, the reason for no GPS is that it is still broken and not replaced... but that's another story itself!)

It was my longest distance in over 2 months and I felt it during and after the run. It was also a first for my little 14 lbs dog, he had never run more than 3 miles!! But that was in the middle of the summer and the humidex is pretty crazy here... He still had energy to charge other dogs at the end of our run... so I think he can do this long on a regular basis =) I was so proud of him!

I had a great time in St. John's, the weather was a lot nicer than when I was there in July. It was great to see Sunny Newfoundland =) That's a picture of Andrew and I during our hike of Signal Hill.This is a picture of me, hiking in Bay Roberts, a small village about 45 mins out of St. John's.

I HAVE A PLAN!

So, I finally sat down to make a running schedule for the time that is left before the Detroit half. I want to do 3 days a week of running so here it goes:

This week
Friday: 5 miles
Sunday 8 miles

Week 3
Tuesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 5 miles
Sunday: 9 miles

Week 2
Tuesday: 5 miles
Thursday: 5 miles
Sunday: 10 miles

Week 1
Tuesday: 4 miles
Thursday: 2 miles
Sunday: Half-marathon

This is a quick 4 week plan to a half-marahton... that seems crazy to write but I feel like my running base will come to the surface once I start running. I have only been running 3 milers since I started again so it will be challenging.... I hope the rest time in between runs will make it easier on my body. I will never know until I try so that's what I am going to do! I am really looking forward to run on the Bridge and in the Tunnel =)

Have a good running week everyone!

BACK ON THE ROCK...

So, I am in Newfoundland, again! I got some cheap seat sales on the web and flew all the way here for a last time before Christmas. =)

The great things about being here:
1) I have a handsome running buddy
2) We ran 2 times 25 mins (3.8 Km) in the past 4 days
3) It's nicer out right now than back in July!!
4) I'm spending time with my BF

I feel much better about the running, we have another 25 mins planned tonight. I think I can do this!!!

2X5 & 3X4...

I've just started feeling a little better so I thought I would start running immediately. Getting back into running is hard... I'm struggling. I feel like I lost ALL MY FITNESS.... This is so discouraging... Tuesday I did 2 times 5 mins of running and Thursday I did 3 times 4 mins of running in the company of my lovely dog. He enjoys it a lot, I, on the other hand just think I'm slow and out of breathe... I am getting really worried about the Detroit half marathon. I think I can pull that distance even if it takes me 3h but do I really want to be that slow. I have really been looking forward to running on the Ambassador bridge and in the tunnel so I might do it just to tell people that I've done it....

San Francisco was cold and full of junkies and homeless people... at first our hotel was in Tenderloin which is apparently the biggest ghetto in SF.... oups!! That said we switched hotels and it was fine but I still didn't enjoy the trip as much as planned.... and I always wanted to visit California. I'm still shocked that I didn't like SF! When I kept complaining about the weather, people would said: "well this is Northern California, what did you expect" and "just go a few km in shore and it's 100 degrees there". Yeah well, I'm stuck in SF and it's cold and I hate it... On my last day, we rented a car and went to Muir Woods and the beach and it was A-W-E-S-O-M-E =) The water was very cold but I still swam in the Pacific Ocean and I was happy...

I dig my toes into the sand

The ocean looks like

A thousand diamonds strewn

Across a blue blanket

I lean against the wind

Pretend I am weightless

And in this moment

I am happy happy

-Incubus (I wish you were here)

Oh yeah, the conference went really well!!! I presented in front of my biggest crowd ever, about 100 people!! I was really nervous but once I was in front of the audience it did not show at all =) I even made them laugh 3 times!! I was so proud!! Who said scientist have to be boring?

I'M ALIVE!!!

And slowly getting better =) I have no longer any discomfort and symptoms left from the mono, except the extreme fatigue, but that's easier to deal with than all that I had. I've had some complications, swollen liver and spleen and had to do a series of more blood work and an ultrasound. Everything is back to normal now. But at some point, I felt like I would never get through this and that is a pretty shitty feeling....

As for running, the doctor said to get back to it slowly and take it easy. I miss it so much though, I really want to go for a run right now... But my mother who has been in town for 2 weeks now, helping me with my dog walking and house chores, is strickly forbidding me to run. I know I am 26 years old but she'S a pretty scary woman when she wants too! lol Seriously, I also think that it is better if I wait until I come back from my trip to San Francisco. I am leaving on Sunday for the AFS conference, I am giving a talk on Wednesday and I'm very stressed about it (it's not done yet...)

I kinda made peace with the idea that I will not PR at the Detroit Half. Just being healthy, running it and having fun will be enough.

Happy running to those who can =)

SURPRISE, SURPRISE...

I am still feeling very tired and I now have a sore throat so the doctor asked me to do some more bloodwork to check the difference with last week's. I had no clue what to expect when I got there and they said the nurse wanted to "talk" to me... The surprise is that the mono came out positive this time =( I still haven't talked to my doctor about it but I was quite shock to see it positive after it was negative last week. I am trying not to freak out about this and to take things slow. But it is very hard at the moment to work less, I am going to a conference in San Francisco at the end of the month and I have to prepare my talk.... One day at a time, right?

UPDATE FROM THE SICKIES...

Not our best week in the Melançon’s household. Rocky has been vomiting and has had diarrhea all week… yeah not fun! And I’ve also been pretty sick: nausea, chills, lymph nodes swollen, headache, fever, over tired and appetite loss (that one I can take! lol). The doctor thought I had mononucleosis and that really made me freak out! I mean I am trying to finish my Ph.D. here. I am leaving Windsor at the end of December and everything’s got to be done in the lab by then… so yeah pressure! I am happy to report though, that it is NOT mono =) They have no clue what I have, but whether it is viral or bacterial it should be gone in a week or so (I am on antibiotic). Phew!

But I think I just realized that this is my body giving me a sign that I am not a super human. I cannot achieve everything and there will be more opportunities for me to concentrate on running. I have to listen to my body and I think it’s telling me that I am doing too much. I wanted to go with a Half-marathon training program of 12 weeks-5 days a week of running but I think it is more reasonable for me to downgrade this to 9 weeks-3 days a week… I am taking a full week off and maybe more. I’ll see how I feel. Right now I sleep 12h a night and nap 1-2 times a day…. I am disappointed but I can’t manage everything right now.

AS I'M SITTING HERE

At home, shivering with a fever under 2 blankets, the only thing I can think about is if I'm really that sick that I can't go for my 3 miler tonight.... what is wrong with me??!!

STUPID WEEK-END... ALREADY OVER!!

I am sad that the week-end is already over... 3 days to spend with my BF was not nearly enough. For those who have ever been in long distance relationships (eh Yumke) you know how much separation sucks... Anyhow, the week-end was awesome. We had gorgeous weather and we had a great time at the wedding. We nearly missed the Mass at the Church, we got lost on the QEW/403... We got in at 5h05 as she finished walking up the aisle, phew!!! =)

The Newlyweds leaving the Church:

And here is me with my FABULOUS dress and my Man =)

We spent the week-end in Niagara Falls and visited Jackson Triggs winery in Niagara-on-the-lake.

As for running, we ended up being too busy to run! So, I did my 3 miler on Sunday night after spending 6h in the car and eating chicken wings and fries for lunch.. I was tired and it was not my best run!

I ate a bag of cheese curds for dinner at around 9 PM and still wasn't sure I was going to race that 10K the next morning. I saw that the race was at 10:30 AM and that kind of sold me up! I get to race and still sleep in: awesome!

Carb loading with chicken wings and cheese the day before and barely drinking any water. I knew this was not going to be a fast race and I didn't mind much. I was very tired when I got up. I was suppose to do this as a LSD but I did not want to finish last!! Windsor races always have really fast paces with 75% of the participants finish in 60 mins or less for this 10K!!

Its the first time I race without my garmin and it felt really weird. I had no clue how fast I was going. I tried to keep it comfortable for the first 5K and push for the remaining of the race. I think its a good sign that I passed 4 people in the last half =) Final chip time 1:06:05 (10:38 min/mile) which is better than what I expected! And I am glad to say that I did not finish last! :D

I am taking a day off running tomorrow and will resume on the schedule Wednesday!

Happy running week everyone!

WEDDING WEEK-END!

Not mine.... yet ;-)

I am going to my first wedding tomorrow and it's on a Friday. Church at 5 and then reception at 7 PM. It's going to be a sticky one in Burlington (32 feeling like 39)... It's good my dress is light!

The best thing is that my BF is flying in from St. John's to be my date! =) That also means I have a running partner for my 3 miler on Saturday. I am considering doing a 10K race on Monday morning (holiday here) as I have a 5 miler plan and I don't think I can squeeze it in on Sunday... anyway we'll see (I know I said no more races, but I don't think I can do it!!)

Have a good and hot week-end everyone. I'll post some pictures when I come back, my dress is F-A-B! =)

NO GARMIN, NO MORE =(

Yes, you read right.... my Garmin died yesterday.... Or it looks like it did... Buttons are not responding, can't turn on can't turn off but then when I plug it to recharge the battery it turns on, but I can't do anyting!! So, frustrating!!!! I AM TOTALLY DEPENDANT ON THIS LITTLE THING! I feel like my puppy died....

Sonia's Garmin

R.I.P.

16 July 2006-1 August 2007

(Yes a few days after the warranty ended....)

This week's training so far:

Tuesday: 3 miles @ 11:06 min/mile

Wednesday: 5 X 500 m @ 8:15 to 9:10 min/mile (Garmin is dead I am trying to remember!)

Thursday: 3 miles @ 36 mins (First run without Garmin... SO FREAKIN HOT)

I need a new garmin of find a solution to my problem...

PREOCCUPIED

As some of you noticed, I haven't blogged in a while. I've been very busy with school, writing my second scientific article at the moment. And I've been in a sort post-marathon running blues all over again (even though the marathon was back in May!). The fact that I will not race all summer is also affecting my motivation to get out the door. Hi, my name is Sonia and I'm addicted to racing.... With no perspective of racing, my spirit is down! I'm not remotely joking!

So, I hadn't run for 10 days after the Nissan 10 miler in Toronto (finished in 1:46:03) when I finally was so crabby and so depressed that I knew a run would be the only thing to cheer me up. I did a slow 3.5 miles on Wednesday in Windsor heat. I have to say that what really pumped me to return to running was the 2 posts below by some fellow bloggers!

Michelle tagged me as a Rocking Blog Girl
Here is what she wrote: "This girl runs A LOT! I mean, I've read about her doing 20-mile training runs like it was nothing. Seriously, I am impressed!! "

And then Laurel also tagged me and said: "Like a true Canadian, this girl is as friendly as they come no matter how many miles she is running. Her laid back attitude is contagious and makes for feel-good reading. She is the kind of person you feel like you have known forever I always leave her blog with a smile on my face."

These comments made me get out of my lethargic state of mind (and body!). And there again I was this running machine. =) So, thanks to you both lovely ladies for making me smile!

Here is my turn to tag some other Super-Awesome-Blogger-Running-Girls
Jelly-Pepper: Who always makes me smile with her running stories
Amanda: Who never gives up on running
Shelley: Who inspires me the most with her 7th Ironman in 7 years!

Next week is Week 1 (out of 12) of my Detroit Half-marathon training! I've decided to go back to Hal Higdon's training schedule. It helped me get 12 mins PB when I followed it last Winter and I'm hoping it will work again this Fall.

Happy Running everyone =) And thanks for reading!

BACK FROM BEAUTIFUL NEWFOUNDLAND

This is truly a gorgeous part of our country, if you have a chance to visit do not hesitate. There is lots to do and people are really very friendly. It is definitiely not the warmest spot in Canada but you can't have everything. I was very unlucky weather wise, it was pouring rain the whole time (5/7 days). I ran once, 3.5 miles in pouring rain at 6:30 AM after a night of drinking on George Street.... so not my best run. Did I mention it is hilly there? Well, even on what they consider "flat" ground felt like a hill to me! I think this city must be full of strong runners as they are doing hill workout whether they want it or not.

I'm going over to Toronto this week-end to race the Nissan 10 miler. I was happy to see that Yumke, Fran, Amanda and Jelly will also be there and we'll try to meet for brunch after the race. I'm just hoping to run this race at a comfortable pace (10-10:30 min/mile) and enjoy myself.

This is probably my last race of the summer =( Money is so thight now that I will have to cancel some races I really wanted to do but hadn't registered (Run from Cancer organized by Shelley and Crim Road Race). Oh what kind of sacrifices you would do to travel half the country to see your BF...

100th POST!!!

"I run because it's my passion, and not just a sport. Every time I walk out the door, I know why I'm going where I'm going and I'm already focused on that special place where I find my peace and solitude. Running, to me, is more than just a physical exercise... it's a consistent reward for victory!"

-Sasha Azevedo

This sums up why I keep on running and why I will never stop.

I wasn't sure I would keep this blog after my 1st marathon training but I realized that I found lot of friends here and a great support system. Everytime I finish a nice training run or get a personal best, I want to come back here to celebrate these successes with people who understand the feeling, my fellow runner friends. Thanks for always coming back to read my blog and leaving me comments, it means a lot to me =)

Happy Running everyone!

P-S I'm off to Newfoundland for a week and will catch up with you all when I come back

A PB IS A PB...

Even if it is by a few seconds! I finished the 10K HBC Race in 1:01:10 so a big 4 sec faster than 2 weeks ago! Not the under 1h I wanted but I found myself starting too fast and missing the nice kick-ass finish I had at my last 10K. Here are the splits:

Mile 1 -9:10

Mile 2 -9:40

Mile 3 -9:39

Mile 4 -9:56

Mile 5 -10:10

Mile 6 -10:07

Mile 0.28 -12:10 (oh my god! never been so un-motivated to reach the finish line!)

I was a bit overwhelmed with the the price of this race (43$) but the technical t-shirt is awesome and the medal is just crazy! You would think we just ran a marathon. =) I had an awesome time and next time: " I'll get you sub-1h 10K!"

I'M A BAD BLOGGER!

Well sorry folks for not being the best blogger around.... with the marathon training over, I just don't have much of a structured training schedule right now. I ran only 2 times last week..... Wednesday (4 miles) and Sunday (7 miles) but I biked 20K again on Saturday. I can tell you that I feel pretty sore today!!

I'm going to race another 10K on Sunday, the HBC Canada Day Run. The weather is very humid here so I am not getting my hopes up on a personal best, you cannot PB at every race (although I'd love to do a sub 1h)!

A while back I was tagged by Michelle to post 6 weird facts about me.... so here we go:

1) I love perfume, I own at least 3 dozens bottles of them. I put perfume even before I go to bed.

2) Before I run, I love to eat my banana with maple syrup

3) My dad and I have been doing these unconventional Dad-Daughter activities together since I am a kid and we usually go fishing or see a hockey or a football game

4) I am not a girly girl but I will never leave the house without at least putting on some make-up

5) Before I go to bed, I have to check if my door is locked and the alarm is on, at least 3 times... sort of a compulsive thing

6) I talk to my dog in French and in English, there are commands he knows in French (assis, reste, viens ici) and other commands he knows in English (stop, let's go, NO!!, be nice, good boy)

Not sure its all "weird" but at least entertaining for you guys!! I'm hoping Yumke, Fran and Shelley will play along too! =)

Happy Running everyone!

GREAT BUSY WEEK!

I've been very busy work wise this past week. I worked all week-end too.... but there is something very nice about being able to work on my balcony and using my laptop so I'm not complaining too much =)

My goal this week was to run Tues-Thurs and Sat-Sun well I almost achieved it =)

I ran 3 miles on Tuesday and 4 miles on Wed and Thursday. There was a race in Windsor on Saturday evening which I have been eyeing for a while but wasn't sure I would do it. I had no car to drive to the race so I just decided to bike there (20K total). It was good to try the bike-run-bike as I'm looking into competing in my first duathlon at the end of the summer (run-bike-run though)!

I did the same race last year, it was my first 10K and I ran my 2nd last night. Thank god it was a lot cooler this year compared to last year. Nothing much to report about the race itself, I had a good time and a nicekick near the end. I passed 3 people in the last 0.5K so that made me feel good =) Official time is 1:01:14 so about 7 mins faster than last year! Isn't amazing what a PB can do for you spirit?

Happy running all!

BACK TO OUR REGULAR SCHEDULE.....

Okay.... I admit it, I slacked off, big time last week. Only one 3 miler on Wednesday. But this week is a new beginning, I'm commiting to run on Tuesday to Thursday and Saturday-Sunday.

I tried to get up early, like last year's 5AMs, but I can't do it this time around. So, I decided to run in the evening. By the time I finish work and walk my dog, I'm out the door for 6h30-7PM. It was hot tonight, 33 oC, but I had a great 3 mile run (3o mins). I'm pretty happy with my time considering the heat, I felt thirsty after 5 mins of running and I had 3 L of water during the day... Very important to stay hydrated in such weather!

I am so in love with my running skirt, I dunno how I ever did all summer in capris last year's. I took a pic for those who were wondering what it looks like. Sorry about the cut off head but it is hard to take a full body shot with the camera timer... :o)

Happy running everyone!

TROT TO THE BEACH: HALF-MARATHON #4!

I drove to Blenheim on Sunday for a small town race with about 50 half-marathoners total! The course was very interesting, a mix of dirt road/gravel, pavement, trail and beach/sand running. The good thing is that it was mainly FLAT! I mostly run on pavement so the first half on gravel was something new for me! Rural anf farmer roads where the smell wasn't always of nice flowers ;-) It was very hot and humid (high 30's) but at least it was overcast, I'm not sure how I would have done it with the sun over my head!

I was racing with a friend and she wanted to PB with a finish of 2:05-2:07. I said to her that I didn't think I could do it, but I would try anyway and stick with her for as long as I could. Having run only 4 times since the marathon I wasn't too optimistic! But sometimes you can really surprise yourself!

She started out way to fast for me (9:30 min/mile) so after 2 miles I was not able to keep up so I told her to go ahead. After I slowed down I started to feel better, I kept repeating to myself that time wasn't important and you can't PB at every race. So, it was hot and the bugs were eating me alive but I finished in 2:19:52! My second best half time so I'm pretty happy about that. I won a super door prize, a 32 feet extension cord... I was very excited! :P

Here is a picture of Trixiee at the finish line (after we changed)

I hadn't been able to see my "official" marathon picture as the website of the photographers were down for the past 2 weeks.... but finally they are back online! I decided to order a frame of my picture because I like it so much and it was such a hard race too for me. I should have it in the next 28 days! =)

Have a good running week everyone!

IT'S OFFICIAL

I am NOT running a fall marathon...

"Thank you for submitting your entry for the October 21, 2007 Detroit Free Press/Flagstar Marathon: Half-Marathon. ALL ENTRY FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE AND NON-TRANSFERABLE TO ANOTHER DATE, PERSON OR EVENT. NO EXCEPTIONS."

I made up my mind today... after putting all my marathon training on a calendar, I was just so overwhelmed! I wanted to try a new program from this book I read 4 months to a 4h marathon with a higher mileage per week and long runs go up to 24 miles. So, I would have to do a 21 miler when I will be in a conference in San Francisco and another 23 and 24 miler in the summer heat of Windsor.... I am not ready to commit to this with the end of my Ph.D. being so close (defense planned in December).

I really wanted to run the full but I cannot see myself devoting all that time to training when I know it is going to be hard for me to write my dissertation! I'm telling myself that there will be other opportunities to run fulls when I am 100% ready to run them. Nothing like doubting the full and getting to race day with no confidence and no desire to run the entire 26.2 miles. You gotta really want it.... I don't think I really do, not now, I think I need a break from intense training this summer!

The thing that "sold" me too, is that the half does run on the Ambassador Bridge, in the tunnel and the finish line is in Ford Field like the marathoners... so I am not missing any of the "cool" parts of the race.

I am racing a half-marathon in Blenheim on Sunday, not sure I am ready for this, but I will try to follow a fellow runner friend who is trying to PB and see if I can follow her!

***Toenail update***

It's gone! It has fallen on Tuesday and there was another smaller toenail fully grown underneath! =) I can wear sandals! YAY!

MY FIRST...

Toenail loss!!!! hahaha I feel silly just writing about how proud I am to be losing a toenail! But I really feel like the hardcore marathoner right now! It never turned black, it just hurt a lot and then started to "peel"... it's hanging by a side right now... will probably lose it very soon... ok, I will save you all the gross details (and will not include pics!).

More to come on my awesome trip to Vancouver... I definitely fell in love with the city and the green surroundings! =)

VANCOUVER!!!

Going to the West Coast! =) I will be gone for a week and will be internet-less! I'm excited to run in Stanley Park and try my new running skirt! I ran only once this week, 2 miles on Thursday, my IT band was really tight and my feet felt weird. My feet is still a bit shaky but I'm hoping this will clear up as we're going to do lots of walking in Vancouver!

Have a good running week everyone!

I DID IT AGAIN!

I ran another marathon! It took me a while to have this sink in! Sorry for the late race report but since Monday I have a visitor from out of town at my house (my Newfie) so it’s been hard to write about my experience!

I arrived by train in London on Saturday, took it easy, went to Starbucks to read and enjoy a latte. When my room was ready, almost an hour later than the official check-in time! I had no time to take a nap and chill before the Maniacs Meet and Greet. We went to a restaurant that serves pasta in giant (huge) bowls!

Here’s a pic of our table (pic taken by Brendan Reid/qmp maniac)

The night finished early and I was happy to get back to my room for 8 p.m. I watched tv all night, spoke on the phone with my BF and prepared my clothing and breakfast for the next day…. I went to bed at 10:30 and felt asleep right away… I was up around 12:30 for a bathroom break and then started getting nervous about the race! I tossed and turned for the remaining of the night, not my best sleep!! But, I was up by 5 AM, got my breakfast in 2 h before the race and relaxed. I was out the door at around 7:30, I didn’t want to wait to long outside as it was a bit chilly in the morning.

On my way to the starting line, I meet this dad and his handicap daughter (in a stroller/wheelchair), Amanda, they were racing their 9th marathon together and wanted to finish in 3:40! They had run Boston twice already together! Impressive team! I was happy to talk to them, I wished good luck and was on my way to meet some maniacs.

The time was almost up to the race so we all took our place near the starting line, I went on my own to have time to myself before the gun went off... I felt the same as I felt for my last race, a bit teary, still couldn’t believe I was about to run for that long again! I knew this race was going to be different as my dad could not be there and he was such a great help for the last one. I was thinking about him a lot. I knew my friend Flashy and her BF would try to see me around 38-39K so I was holding on to the thoughts that it would be good to see someone I know along the way, especially when things start to get hard!!

My plan was to race at a pace that would have me finish with a 4h33 time (10:26 min/mile). I didn’t want to start to fast, which is always my problem, and I was very proud when I saw that I could pace myself properly and that was going very well (for the first 8 miles anyway).

Mile 1 10:16
Mile 2 10:26
Mile 3: 10:32
Mile 4: 10:18
Mile 5: 10:38
Mile 6: 10:22
Mile 7: 10:15
Mile 8: 10:23

The end of Mile 8 and the beginning of Mile 9 was quite hilly, I slowed down a bit so I don’t exhaust myself but that’s when my hip started to “feel funny”. It started to hurt when I would climb hills and disappear when I would be on flat ground. So the next 7 miles were done trying to forget about the hip and enjoying the ride. I was thanking people on the side of the road and the awesome volunteers!

Mile 9: 11:02
Mile 10: 10:19
Mile 11: 10:41
Mile 12: 11:05
Mile 13: 11:23 (half-marathon at 2:21:26)
Mile 14: 11:15
Mile 15: 10:42
Mile 16: 11:08

That’s when I switched to Plan B, which was a 4h45 finish with average pace of 10:55. I knew I wouldn’t be able to maintain a fast pace for the remaining of the race as I could feel my hip more and more. But then my knee started to hurt too and that’s when it started going downhill… I started to take walk breaks, hoping the knee/hip would miraculously recover... I was losing time and I was in pain. I was trying to tell myself some motivating speeches: “Pain is temporary, pride is forever”, “You’ve done this before, you know you can do it again” etc. But it wasn’t working, I was losing my “mental thoughness”!!

Mile 17: 11:37
Mile 18: 11:27

Around Mile 19, I started to cry, I was exhausted and I didn’t understand why it was going so bad and why it was so hard. Even though, I kept repeating if it was easy everybody would run marathons! I tried to straighten up my act for the next few miles.

Mile 19: 13:22
Mile 20: 13:01
Mile 21: 12:49
Mile 22: 12:27

Then by Mile 23, I lost it completely, the tears, the sobs and then I had difficulty breathing… a bad sight. I was already disappointed of myself for losing it and I was beating myself up instead of taking that energy to run a bit harder. My own fault, my mental wasn’t as strong as I thought it was… I really thought I wouldn’t finish at this point… Every time I would stop to walk, my body was telling me it didn’t want to keep going and starting to run again was so painful… But I guess I was strong enough to shut these thoughts and “just keep fuc’ing Running”!

Mile 23: 13:24
Mile 24: 13:24
Mile 25: 12:49
Mile 26: 12:30
.2: 11:01

The rest of the race was hard, I knew that I was going to miss Flashy at 38-39K at this point, because I told her not to wait for me too long there, if she wanted to see me finish in 4h30. That was harder than I thought it would to not have the support from my dad like at my first marathon, I appreciate even more today that he was there for me in Toronto!!

When I turned the corner and was able to see the finish line, tears came to my eyes again, I knew my friends would be there and I was happy I made it through another marathon. I crossed the finish line and hugged my friend Flashy! I started to cry again, it was hard but I made it, I learned a lot on myself….

Thanks to everyone for reading, I am happy to have such a great bunch of people for support! I am not done with this marathon business… ;-)