Wednesday, December 31, 2008

AU REVOIR, GOODBYE, AUF WIEDERSEHEN 2008

Very happy to see this one go.... It has been a very hard year for me both physically & mentally.

I was hyper stressed from January to April working on finishing my Ph.D. in Environmental Chemistry. This is my proudest life accomplishment so far and something that was really hard to do. I was very hopeful for a great year after my thesis defense but it only went downward from there.

I moved back home, I struggeled to find a job, I was injured and could barely run (just enough to keep my sanity). Then 2 months and a half ago I had to stop running completely, became really depressed and started packing on the pounds (again! I had lost 60 lbs in 2006)...

I had envisoned something different for my life once I graduated from grad shool.

Now, with 2 job possibilities in front of me and a foot that is not so f*cked anymore, I am looking at 2009 with a more positive eye. Good things happen to those who wait they say... I waited long enough, it is my turn, 2009 be kind with me!

Thanks you all for always coming back to read my posts. I appreciate your support through my 'stupid foot' injury!

Happy New Year everyone!

p-s I've just started a new training plan, I'll talk about it in another post! =)

Thursday, December 25, 2008

A CHRISTMAS MIRACLE!

I just came back from my first run in 2 months 15 days and 4 hours!

It was totally BLISSFUL!!! I would go as far as saying ORGASMIC!! LOL

We had a lot of rain yesterday and there is ice all over Montreal today but it is mainly concentrated on the sidewalks. So my Dad and I went out in a mild and sunny -10°C (14 F). My foot/ankle was feeling rusty but great, I had a stupid grin on my face the whole time. =) We ran a very slow 1.6 miles in 20:21. It was my Dad first outside run since November 4th, he was being a winter wuss and doing all his runs on the treadmill. Today's run convinced him to get back outside and enjoy winter!

I feel like the old me is back, running makes me so happy. I'm hoping this is the end of my injuries. I'll be reasonable and only run 2 times 20-30 mins for a few weeks and see how it goes.

As far as yesterday's training on the bike.... I ended being unable to sleep from 3-6AM the night before (hence me posting at 4:46AM!). I went on the trainer with a 30 mins goal in mind.

-10 mins warm-up (went well)
-10 mins speed session with 30 sec hard/30 sec easy (awful!)
-10 mins cool-down (didn't get to do it)

After 5 mins of the speed session, I felt like I was going to faint or puke or both. I guess the lack of sleep and skipping breakfast wasn't working for me.... So, I decided to stop after 20 mins. Back on the bike tomorrow!

HAVE A GOOD CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

JOYEUX NOËL ~ MERRY CHRISTMAS!!
I've been a bad blogger and haven't updated my blog since I came back from Windsor on Sunday. I haven't been doing much exercice wise so I felt I had nothing to report...

But I FINALLY fixed my bike trainer (well my Dad fixed it!) so I will be able to hop back on tomorrow! I will be doing one of Leana short speed training from her coach's training schedule as she kindly sent me the info.

I will be doing my first run in 2 months tomorrow to celebrate Christmas and see where my foot is at. I don't have any plantar fasciitis pain anymore. I do feel my ankle is weird but as the doctor told me this is a normal healing process after suffering from PF for more than a year and changing my walking to put less pressure on my heel.

I won't be starting back full force, I learned my lesson with the first cortisone injection. I have a plan.... I will get back to running with 2 easy runs per week maximum, the rest will be done on the bike and back in the pool (which is close for Christmas right now).

My goal is to participate in my favorite event of the year as a relay participant (I'm not that insane, 30K is way too much coming back from an injury!). I will be doing the first 15K while my friend Pat will be doing the last 15K. I am thinking that even if I am not at a 15K long run by the end of March, I can still run as far as I can and walk the rest. This will be my comeback race!! WOOHOO!! =) Our team name will be "Footloose and fancy feet" as she also had a foot problem (stress fracture).

I've also had some great news on the job front!!! The interview where I thought I did so horribly.... well I GOT THE JOB!!!!!! I couldn't believe it when the women from the City of Montreal called me yesterday! I went to meet some of the people I would work with this morning and everyone was really nice and welcoming to me. I did tell them, I had another job offer on the table so I needed time to decide. And she told me I have until January 12 to make a decision. This is a totally different job than the post-doc in Ottawa. I would not be in the laboratory doing research, I would be working on analysing atmospheric and aquatic pollutants and changing laws accordingly. Seems very interesting but also very different than what I know (change is scary!) while the post-doc would be lab research which I have done for the last 5 years.
The position at the City of Montreal is a unionized position as a chemist at the City of Montreal. It is well paid, very flexible hours and a permanent position.... it will be very hard to decide. Very thankful this is Christmas time and I have more time to think about it.... Anyhow, I will stop here, it is 5AM and I'Ve been up since 3AM. Thinking about my job dilemma LOL Time to go back to bed!!

I wish everyone a Merry Christmas, enjoy the time with your families, they are what Holidays are all about =)

Saturday, December 13, 2008

I'M SO EXCITED!

1- I was able to embed a video here!! YIPPEE!!!
2- I'm going back to Windsor on Monday, it is my best friend 30th Birthday and I want to be there to celebrate with her!
3- Season 7 of 24 is coming up real soon, oh Jack I love you!! ;-)


Wednesday, December 10, 2008

YOU & ME GIRLFRIEND!!

I actually feel like I have something in common with Oprah now... and it is not her fortune or kick ass marathon time!!




p-s I don't know how to add a video properly so this is my lame attempt! (FIXED!!!)

I went on the trainer today, a big 20 mins, it feels weird. The chain is weird. I dunno if I set it up right. It seems very hard to pedal and mechanical... hard to explain. I need a man to take care of this shiz!

Saturday, December 06, 2008

I'M ALIVE ....

Survived the whole stomach bug, now feeling like a cold is coming my way. One day I will train again, I swear ;-)

I went to my local bike shop to get my bike tube fixes, now I know the proper way and will not let my Dad touch that again! I still have no clue how to clean my chain though... but I will go on the trainer this week-end, clean chain or not!

A while ago, I had a post where I was talking about my running 10 years ago. I mention that I participated in a few races when I was 13 and 14 years old.

I finally found the picture of the 5K I did in 1994 at the Quebec cross country on Ile Ste-Helene. And yes, you see right, I was wearing a cotton pink floyd t-shirt with thick cotton shorts to run this event LOL Now that is running in s-t-y-l-e .... let's just say coolmax wasn't common then!

I'm going to be pretty busy this week-end. My good friends from Halifax are coming to Montreal fot a 15h layover tomorrow (well today!) and we're going to hang out until I drive them to the airport at 4AM on Sunday.

Then on Sunday night, I am preparing my Dad a surprise birthday dinner! Lots, lots of yummy food to make!
Have a good week-end everybody =)

Tuesday, December 02, 2008

SICK SICK SICK.........

Urgh... my niece was sick over the week-end (stomach bug). We came back yesterday from Ste-Luce and I didn't feel super great in the evening. Turns out I was sick all night and I'm the only one of the family who caught the bug... yeah my immune system sucks!!
My Dad will bring my tire to the local bike shop this afternoon but I do not think I am going to do anything today. Just 'living' is hard.....