The Women in my life

This Blog post is inspired by Katies's Facebook post last week. I too have inspiring and amazing women in my life. I don't know how I would have survived the last year or so without the support of these women. In support I just mean their friendship, their great listening skills and the unconditional love I felt.

I have always had female friends, I am a women's women, meaning that while I love guys, I don't hang out with them. My best friends are women. I just relate to them.

I just had a great phone conversation with Kyla, to make a long story short she has become a great friend. She walked into my studio 2 1/2 years ago and we just clicked, in fact she used to stay so long after class talking to me, my husband would question my tardy arrival at home. Kyla and I would joke that she was my Wednesday night lover. Kyla now is a teacher at my studio, from that Wednesday night class to a yoga teacher, I love that.

Kyla cares so much she is at home planning and plotting how I can build my studio and overcome what is a tremendous amount of competition in Brooklin.

Now I could be here all day talking about the women who have inspired me this year but I am "bricking" with Misty soon....bricking is not the skill of brick laying it is the arduous task of cycling a long distance, then hopping off your bike and running...a hobby of the insane according to a hilarius quote I found on the Internet (which I am going to have to find again and post).

I am sure this fall I will be in a duathalon...my first...maybe I will find one in conjunction with my approaching milestone..my 50 birthday which is in September. I have planned a great year for myself, I am heading to Thailand as a little B-Day gift to myself, as well, there are a few races I will enter...soon...my placing will get better in races. As there are fewer women in their 50's running races then women in their 40's.

So I am off to choose comfortable bricking clothes.....fill my belly with a protein shake and I will report back on my first experience transitioning from bike to road....sigh...

As a final thought, I am reminded that someone thought I was Misty's mother.... there is a 19 1/2 year age difference so bricking with Misty is a reversal of roles....I run behind her trying to keep up....as if I was the child and her the other...it is hilarious. I secretly wish she would just grab my hand and pull me along.

Craving a Run

I am craving some running today...I woke up and it was the first thing on my mind, getting outdoors and blowing off tension. Craving a run is a good thing, it means to me that I have my mojo back. Dreading a run...hmmm now so good, craving a run...makes the time out there easier.

All week long I have been having little fights with my husband. They are those unresolved kind, which to me it is like sweeping dust under the rug, still there, something that will have to be dealt with sometime. I feel a low grade resentment building, which for me is a bad thing. I try very hard to work through these things before they manifest into something big.





Running will help me sort out the stuff in my mind, am I being difficult ? Am I unappreciative as my husband claims me to be ?

Many people think runners are running from something but for me I seem to run toward something, an answer, some clear insights, peace. Running is not an escape it actually forces you to deal with life.


Over the years I have had major insights into my character while running, sometimes I am shown the good in me sometimes not. Sometimes I run purposely to explore these things.

This is what I do when I am on a "sorting out" run before I set out I set the intention of the run..such as "I need to work through the root cause of these little fights with my husband"...I ask the universe for clarity.. I then head out for the run..the steady rhythm of my feet hitting the pavement and my breathing lulls me into a quiet place, thoughts float in and out but don't seem to stay...generally something will pop into my head that will be the truth....something perhaps I was hiding from myself. I do not run with an Ipod when I am sorting out.





Osho a very famous yogi, who has passed on, claims in his book on meditation that running is one of the best forms of meditation, in fact, he writes that runners without knowing it reach a 4th level, I know I have reached this place, it is a peaceful place where the colours are vibrant and the sounds are so clear. I don't reach that place every time, but once in awhile I get a glimpse into a place so serene.

So craving a run may just be need to sort out my monkey mind one more time.

I am sore from my workouts last week still...hmmm mostly I did yoga last week with just 3 runs around 4 to 5k, yoga can be such a workout.

This week though I am on for some great cardio.

Today - cycling 25 to 40k, 4K run with run club
Tomorrow - Trail running, first with Jocelyn to mark out the trail then 4 to 5k with my beginners group.
Thursday - no running
Friday or Sunday 15k..running
Saturday 4k with group.

I will also do yoga at least twice by myself, probably Thursday..and Saturday.

Sunday is my first full day off in several weeks so I am going to try to get tickets to The Jersey Boys for Frank and I.

Tree Hugging

I loved hitting the trails this week, with the new beginner trail running clinic. What a powerful experience trail running is for me. I find that the more I am outdoors and in particular around trees the better I feel. The fact that the group is beginner is even better, I am not a hardcore runner. I love running but at an easy pace that makes me feel good, not struggling, not so out of breath I feel like barfing.

I love the energy of trees, yes I have hugged a tree once, privately, when no one was looking, and actually it felt good..if that makes me a tree hugger so be it.

I also have to admit I have felt like hugging trees lately, it must be some sort of primal need for their energy. I am not sure I am self confident enough to hug a tree where I could be seen. But I know for sure I will be hugging a tree or two soon, privately.

When looking for the picture for my blog I found instructions on how to hug a tree, as humans we must complicate everything, we have a strong need to label and sort and define, we never seem to be able to just let go and do something without thought.

Here are some tree hugging directions.

1. Find yourself a quiet park, forest, or woodland area.
2. Walk among the trees until you feel comfortable in their presence.
3. Feel the different bark textures with the palms of your hands.
4. Smell the scent of the various woods.
5. Absorb their life's energies as you look upwards to the sprawling branches overhead.
6. Find the perfect tree that fits your mood. You will know which one is right for you.
7. Vertical Tree Hug: Encircle it with your arms while gently pressing your cheek to the trunk being careful not to scratch your face. Squeeze tightly. Sigh deeply. Be one with your tree.
8. Full Body Tree Hug: Sit upon the ground wrapping your legs around the base of the tree and at the same time embracing it with your arms.
9. Up in the Air Tree Hug: Climb a tree. Sit upon a strong limb and straddle it with your legs. Bend forward and place your belly against it while wrapping your arms about it.

Tips:

1. Feel free to hug more than one tree if the mood strikes. Besides, other trees might get jealous.
2. You may like to take home a fallen leaf or nut as a keepsake from your new friend.
3. Be sure to return each season to visit your tree. And don't be afraid to talk to it as trees are good listeners.

One quick word of advice... tree hugging should not be confused with tree humping which could find you in a whole lot of trouble....LOL....

Fridays Run

So after overcoming dread and finally really wanting to go for a long slow run, I have to share with you my other secret.

I will call it sloth. I have been avoiding hills like the plague not because I can't do them..I am awesome on hills, I am physically very strong. I have been avoiding them just because I was dreading the long runs and if you add hills to the dread....sigh it just makes it too hard to get out the door.

Friday I decided no way, I was just going to run, and I chose Brawley hill as my goal hill. I told my monkey mind that the worst case scenario was that I would walk up Brawley hill, no big deal.

So off I ran, the first 3 sets of 10 and 1's were a little tough, just because I don't seem to warm up for 4 or 5k, they led me to Ashburn hill which you can see looming in front of you like a mountain, you really can't think about Ashburn Hill until you are on the hail it looks way harder than it is, I crested Ashburn Hill to a nice flat and then turned onto Brawely Rd for some great scenery and a bit of a down hill before the real test of the run...Brawley Hill, steep, long and almost like a double hill, you crest a bit and then immediately start the second half of the hill. I took a bit of a walk break at the second part but dug down deep and ran the rest. I must say it was tough but not that tough.

One of the things that helped me was my playlist, sometimes I run with music sometimes not...over the 12 years I have been running I have trained without music most of the time but sometimes I enjoy it. I carefully choose the playlists, I pick positive lyrics and music that affects my mood, there is nothing better than the new song written for the Olympics "I believe" while cresting a hill.

I was reminded on Friday that I am awesome on hills I think it is my personality that make me good on hills, I can be very determined and very focussed. I set goals and generally get there one way or another. Some people criticize me for my drive but I remind them that my journey is not theirs, sometimes I just bite my tongue and try hard not to say what I am thinking realizing that small comments can do great damage and in the end are not that important.

After Fridays hilly run I drove to Humber College and sat at a desk for 4 hours, I must admit that I felt like my body was not going to straighten as I stood up at 9:00pm to leave.

I ran 4k with run club Saturday morning, finished off a 20 hour course on the weekend and feel like a million bucks today.

I am already planning this weeks long run....17k, including Ashburn and Brawley Hills .

If you are reading this and think I do too much.......remember...your journey and mine are different for a reason...LOL

Overcoming Dread....

I have to admit to struggling with some dread on my long run days, I used to love the long slow runs but wasn't doing any real distance for years and have found increasing my distance a bit of a struggle mentally and physically. Since 80% of the problem is always in my mind I have forced myself to get out there.

This week though something changed...poof... I found myself looking forward to a planned long run, thinking of different routes, planning a few hills (Brawley Hill) and anticipating this time to myself, away from the computer, phone and my business.


Over the years I have used many methods to overcoming dread here are a few;

Arranging runs with fun people
Visualizing the route and seeing myself enjoying the run
Arranging a great new playlist (sometimes I run with my IPOD, sometimes I just run for the quiet).
Choosing a scenic route
Laying out my gear the night before with an attitude of gratitude that I can run

Those are some of the ways I have over come dread, yet this week I have had no dread and I am looking forward to a long slow run, just as soon as I feel my blood sugar stabilize.

I am hypoglycemic and wake up in the morning generally feeling drawn due to the long lack of food in my body, my blood sugar drops while I sleep and I need food to help stabilize it. Over the years as a runner I have learned to make sure my blood sugar is balanced before I head out,

I have had some pretty rough times where I have had "dummping spells" and been unable to walk or run home. For this reason I usually bring my cell phone, money and a snack on a run. Once I had to sit on the side of the road for an hour before I could walk again. Generally I am okay these days but every once in a while it seems to hit me out of the blue.

I have planned a tough route today....a huge hill I have not run before....I cycled past it last week and thought to myself...you are next HILL, I am running up you without stopping. I love the challenge of a good hill, I may not make it up the first, second or third time but I WILL make it up.


This week to my body feels like a well tuned machine, I am really fit and strong, and I love the way my body moves and functions when I am strong.

This is my workout from the Past Week;

Friday - 27K Cycle
Saturday - 5K Run
Sunday - 15k Cycle
Monday - Hot Yoga
Tuesday - Shakti Shake Yoga, 4k Run
Wednesday - Pilates, 6k Trail Run
Thursday - rest day, although I did a bit of AB work, maybe 10 or 15 minutes.
Friday - soon to head out for 14k to 16k, I may do a Ball workout later.


This weekend I am on a Can Fit Pro Course and will not be working out at all...probably a good idea and Monday I have booked a massage for myself...a well deserved one I would think.

Trail Running

I have always ran trails here and there, mostly by myself but last year I just decided no more I was risking too much by running trails by myself. So when Jocelyn approached me about a trail running clinic I was really excited.

Last night we went to Heberdown early to mark out the trail and what a great experience, I love the soft ground and the hills (up and down) and just the sheer beauty of the trails. I am not sure if there is a place I feel more connected to the universe then on trails.

It really hit me last night just as I climbed the stairs at Heberdown, I turned around to go back down and was hit with this sense of peace. The different shades of green, the trees, everything just felt so right. It was so quiet.

I am so glad I have booked Wednesday nights for trail running, it was part of my commitment to myself to do fun things I really like to do and I know I will not regret it.

I happily taught my late class last night with mud on my shins a reminder of last nights run.