Holy - I'm a verbose little Asian lady, aren't I? Heh. Can't believe I've written a hundred posts! This blog started on a complete whim on a Friday night when I was little bored...now it's become something that I honestly can say that say I really love doing. I don't get to use the creative side of brain very often and blogging has helped me to discover how much I enjoy expressing myself and my passion for good food and good health through writing.
So...thought my 100th post calls for a little shout out to my homies for sticking with me through all my running ups and downs and my miscellaneous rants and blatherings. Thanks guys! <3.
Wheee! I went for a run at lunch today with M and I was zingzingzing all afternoon. We did a little over 7K and it was so nice to get out there during the day. I haven't been able to make morning bootcamps because of my gibbled foot, plus the morning traffic situation is so bad that I can't really make the classes without being late for work or being stuck in crazy traffic. It's too bad that I wasn't less of a sweaty monkey otherwise I'd run more during lunch - some people can work out on their lunches and they look completely fine afterwards. Not me - my hair gets stuck to my head from all the sweat and my makeup is halfway down my face so I have to take it off. Bare faced and flat hair? Egads people, look away...save yourselves! Good thing the bosses aren't here this week so I can look like a pile of poo and not have to worry.
So Day Three, dudes! I'm getting right into this shizzle. So today's topic is eight things that I can't live without...so before you guys all think I'm the most materialistic person ever, it's actual things, and not people...otherwise Hubs would, of course, be on this list (OK, you guys can stop pretending to gag now)...
Lip stuff - lip balm, lip stick, lip gloss...it's like crack. At one point I had about 100 lipsticks when I was at the height of my addiction.
Lululemon - I could wear their stuff 24/7...so comfy. And again, the whole ass thing.
Blowdryer - this little Asian is not blessed with thick, naturally voluminous hair and I do not look good with super flat hair. Air drying is my enemy, artifice is my friend.
Daytimer - yes, I still use the old fashioned paper based one that you actually write in.
Chips - gimme a big fat bag of salty, crunchy chippies and I'm a happy, happy girl.
Sushi - my absolute fave food.
Internet - if the internet is down at home, I get all snaky.
Exercise - I need to move my body! Use it or lose it.
Ooooo, I'm watching The Biggest Loser whilst I blog and Jillian is kicking some major ass. This chick is doing the squat machine and is whining, snivelling and rolling her eyes at Jillian. ROLLING HER EYES AT JILLIAN!! Has she never watched this show before? Is she insane? Does she not realize that Jillian is trying to help her? Does she not realize that she's so lucky to work with her, when so many other people would die for the opportunity? Does she not realize that Jillian is going to open up a can of whoop ass on her?? *shaking head*
Aiiight, on to the Ten Days Blogging gig! So Day Two....list nine things about yourself that most people don't know...
I always dream about toilets overflowing.
I don't like making left hand turns because I'm always worried that if I don't go at the right time, the person behind me is going to get pissed off. The pressure, the pressure!
I'm scared of dolls, especially the ones with eyes that open and close. Mannequins too. Freaky.
I failed out of first year university. I think on my Chemistry final, I got like 30% or something. I hated the courses I took and didn't care at all.
I hated running in school. I sucked at it too.
When I was younger, I wished I wasn't Chinese because I couldn't do cool eyeshadow tricks with my monolids.
I love trashy TV shows...the trashier the better. I kind of want to check out Jersey Shore. When I'm at home sick, I treat myself to Jerry Springer and Maury Povich. Don't hate, don't hate....you don't know me!
I used to be a Beatles fanatic - I still love them. I think John Lennon is the greatest musician that ever lived. I hate Paul McCartney though, his songs suck.
I still miss my CRX and look for it on the road all the time. I bought that car when I was 20 and sold it when I was 37...I cried and cried the night the buyer drove it away. So many things changed in my life but that car was always there. I love my current car but it's just not the same. OK, I'd better stop thinking about it because I'm going to start crying! Ha!
I was checking out the Goodlife Victoria Marathon site today and noticed that there's 12 days left until the race. I'm solidly into taper mode - I know I can run the half distance but haven't done any real speedwork, so over the next while I'm going to work on running between 5:15 - 5:30 pace and do some big hills to get my speed up. So I started thinking...well, I'm not doing any long runs anymore and am between races since I haven't decided on my race plan for 2011, so what am I going to blog about? What will become of me? I can only talk about food so much without boring everyone to tears.
Never fear, friends! I've seen this going around bloggie land, and thought it would be cool to fill in the 10 days until the half marathon, and it'll give a bit more insight into who I am. So what you do is blog for 10 days with the following posts:
Day One: Ten things you want to say to ten different people right now.
Day Two: Nine things about yourself that most people don't know.
Day Three: Eight things you couldn't live without.
Day Four: Seven things that cross your mind a lot.
Day Five: Six things you wish you could change or you wish you’d never done.
Day Six: Five people who mean a lot to you
Day Seven: Four turn offs.
Day Eight: Three turn ons
Day Nine: Two words that describe your life right now.
Day Ten: One confession.
Here goes for Day One:
Get over yourself. Please. Thank you.
I love you.
You can do it, keep at 'er. You always reach your goal!
You smell goooooood.
Do what feels right, listen to your gut.
I can't wait to see pictures of Paris!
Hang on...just a few more days to go and you're outta there.
Giddyup, I'm back on the Foodie Train! I forgot to mention the other day that I also bought Canadian Living's The Vegetarian Collection - I was at Chapter's and saw it while I was in the line up and had to go check it out. I generally prefer to buy cookbooks from tried and true sources like Canadian Living vs. the rando on sale cookbooks written by someone who I've never heard of...I've done that before, and the results generally aren't great. I'm not a cookbook snob, I just hate wasting my time and spending money on quality ingredients to have the results fall flat! That's not to say that all cookbooks by well known chefs are all great either - I've had a few duds too (sorry Nigella - you need to season your food more...a little salt won't kill anyone!).
Anyways, I tried three new recipes this week - an Asian Noodle Salad (yum!) and Golden Onion Tart (made the onion filling, but will put it together when we decide to eat it) from the Canadian Living cookbook, and the Coconut Vegetable Curry from the Vij at Home cookbook. The curry really made an impression on me - really delish with clean flavours, but not complicated at all. And I'm in love with this cookbook - he does a little narrative before each recipe and they're all so interesting. The next time I'm in Vancouver, I MUST go visit his restaurant. We were going to go back when the Olympics were on, but we couldn't get there early enough...he doesn't take reservations, so basically if you're not there right when they open, you're waiting at least two hours. And best thing yet...his kitchen is all women! Check out this video about Vij:
Coconut Vegetable Curry - from Vij's at Home
1/3 cup cooking oil
1/2 tsp asafoetida
2 cups pureed tomatoes (4 medium)
1 tbsp salt
1 tbsp cumin
1 tsp coriander
1 tbsp crushed cayenne pepper
1/2 tbsp turmeric
1 cup water
2 lbs celery root, pelled and cut in 1 inch dice
1 large cauliflower, cut into medium florets
1 cup coconut milk
7 oz rapini, cut into 1/2 inch lengths
In large pain, heat oil on medium high for 45 seconds. Sprinkle in asafoetida and allow it to sizzle for 30 seconds. Carefully add tomatoes, then stir and add salt, cumin, coriander, cayenne and turmeric. Saute for 5 minutes or until oil glistens on top.
Add water, stir and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, stir in celery root, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in cauliflower, cover and cook for 5 more minutes. Pour in coconut milk, then bring back to a boil and stir in rapini. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, while stirring, then turn off the heat. Eat in big bowls over rice. Makes 6 - 8 servings, prep and cooking time 40 minutes.
My adjustments - I didn't use the asafoetida, because I didn't have any - must go get some! I've seen a really good Indian spice selection at Superstore, so will go there next time to pick some up. I also cut back on the oil, and used maybe 1 tbsp...and also cut back on the cayenne - 1 tbsp is a lot!!
A hint - when you're buying coconut milk, shake the can - you shouldn't hear the liquid sloshing around. The one that I used came highly recommended by Heidi Fink, a local chef, is the Arroy-D brand...I've used the Thai Kitchen and other store brands but this one has a lot of the hard cream on top, which adds a lot of flavour (and fat....but whatev). You can get it in your local Chinatown as it's a fairly common brand.
Last night the toe was super throbbing so I texted M to let her know of my plight...and that I'd text her in the morning to let her know if it was runnable. During the night I'd move in my sleep and brush it ever so slightly on the blanket and I'd snap awake, it was so painful. I'm soooo mad at Mr. Podiatrist Man...I curse him with all the ancient Chinese voodoo magic that I can muster. Anyways, I texted M this morning to jam, and I'm glad I did...I had to go out grocery shopping and wore flip flops as any enclosed toe was bad...and even walking in flip flops hurt. I definitely don't think I could have done a 20K run on it and I'd hate to mess up M's run again so I cancelled. Argh. Missing today's run isn't going to hurt my race - I know I can do the half distance but still...I hate not getting my exercise in!
You know...now that I think about it.... things like this are always happening to me before a race...it's like the Universe doesn't want me to run or something. Before the 10K race that I did last year, I smashed my baby toe in the door frame about 6 weeks before the race. I think that was probably the most pain I've ever felt (note however, I've never given birth) - I instantly crumpled to the ground in a heap, holding my foot with tears in my eyes. It was black and blue and hurt like crazy...luckily it healed enough for me to race, but it probably took almost three months for it to get back to normal. Then about a week before the 10K, I got a badly infected ingrown toenail. For last year's half marathon, three weeks before the race my back went out really badly - I couldn't turn my neck at all and could barely get out of bed and had to see the chiropractor multiple times a week to get it into shape so I could race. Now this year before the marathon, I caught a cold and I'm having all these stupid foot problems.
Hmmm....what to do, what to do. I think I'm going to go for some running karma of some kind...put something good out there. My thoughts - I'm going to look for volunteer work. I originally mentioned that I'd do it if the Universe let me run the marathon - but lately I've been thinking a lot about it. Life is busy (I honestly don't know how people with kids do it) and it's hard to find time to volunteer but if everyone thought that way, the world would be a pretty sucky place. I'm so very, very fortunate - I have a roof over my head, can put food on the table and have great family/friends, so I want to give back somehow. Here I go - this is going on my 2011 goals so wish me luck in finding something that fits with my values!
I couldn't decide what to post about today, so I thought I would do a variation of the "three things Thursday" that I see a lot of in bloggie land. Yes, I know...blog posts should be one topic per post...talk to the hand...
1. Beware of Mr. Podiatrist Man
I apologize in advance if any of you out there are podiatrists, or have podiatrists as family members - I don't mean to diss any of you, I'm just a little upset at Mr. Podiatrist Man. As I posted yesterday, I went to see him because my left toenail was bugging me. He trims up both toenails (I don't know why in retrospect...the right one wasn't bugging me)...now left toenail is feeling OK, right one is now red, throbbing and I believe is rapidly becoming infected. WTF, Mr. Podiatrist Man? I am soaking it in hot salt water and coddling it as I'm supposed to go for a run with M tomorrow. My feet are no end of trouble!
2. Full Moon
I don't know what is up with today...but I got into a huge fight with Hubs this morning, felt cranky at work all day, got home and cranked at Hubs as I still hadn't forgiven him for this morning and am alternating between weepy and surly tonight. I think it's a full moon or at least I hope it is, cuz otherwise I'm going crazy. I need a drink.
3. Porn
Ha! Made you look! Not normal porn, but food porn. I bought Vikram Vij's latest cookbook today, Vij's at Home...
Vikram Vij has a world famous restaurant named Vij's in Vancouver, with Indian cuisine that is apparently amazing. Not really fusion...I think it's more authentic but modern. I have his first cookbook and it's pretty complicated - this one is more homestyle Indian cooking. Look for some recipe posts as I work my way through this book. I'm so, so, sooooo looking forward to thumbing through it slowly tomorrow night with a nice whiskey or port in hand. There's nothing I love more than getting a cookbook and looking at each recipe, and imagining in my head what it's going to taste like. OK, I'd better stop talking about this now before I get carried away. Heh.
4. Getting My Om On
Seriously...if you haven't tried yoga, I can't say enough about it. Last night was our second class for this session, and we had to go around and say what we got out of last week's class. Everyone said they felt amazing afterwards. Some people felt calm, others had the best sleep they'd had in ages...others felt physical improvements after one class! I said that I didn't do any yoga for about three weeks and I really missed it and was so thankful to be back at it - it's become part of my routine and I truly love it. The instructor was talking to her husband about what is it about yoga that makes people feel so good after...and her husband hit it right on the head. The physical stuff, of course, makes your body feel good. But while you're practicing and focussing on your body and your breath, your mind gets a chance to rest and stop the normal hamster wheel type stuff that happens so it's a whole body experience. Even though I get stress relief with running, I find it's completely different with yoga. Namaste!
Man, lately I'm a bundle of medical issues. I've been having problems with my toenails lately, they've been feeling really tender - at first I thought it was just because I was running a lot...you know, the usual sore toenail business from all the impact on the front of my shoes. Not so! I went to go see a podiatrist today because the throbbing was waking me up in the middle of the night. Apparently due to advancing age (gah! don't remind me!), my toenails are starting to grow inward and are pinching the nail bed. Lovely. Mr. Podiatrist Man trims them up (holy EFF that hurt - if any podiatrist ever says "this won't hurt", be warned...the mofo is lying through his teeth), and starts rotating my foot and says "hmmm...your range of motion is really high on your ankles"...so I thought this was a good thing. Again...not so! The angle that my foot bends from side to side is apparently quite extreme - the most he's ever seen is 14%, I was at 12%. He then asks me to bend my wrists and fingers and I guess I'm like Elastigirl...uber-flexible. I mentioned my recent foot foibles to Mr. Podiatrist Man, and he says that with the range of motion that I have in my ankles, he's surprised I can even run as far and as much as I can...apparently the only thing that is keeping me running is that I'm not significantly overweight. Sigh...why do I have to love food so much? Well, another reason to watch what I eat and get rid of any accumulated marathon pudge!
Well, I decided to go with my gut and changed my registration from the full marathon to the half this morning. I didn't feel ready to do the full and like I'd said previously - if I'm gonna do it, I'm gonna DO it. I drafted the email this morning and sat with it unsent for awhile in my inbox...maybe I could do it...maybe. Then finally I did the deed and hit the send button...and I feel OK about it, which means I must be doing the right thing. I just finished a really hard treadmill run which felt soooo great...the thought of not being able to run for months if I injured myself at the race would kill me! My FIL was registered for the full but has a heel spur plus some other injuries so he's decided to change to the half too...so I was proposing to Hubs that we do this almost like a fun run since he's not able to go much further than 12K with his "broken bum" (what he calls his sciatica issue) bugging him. I thought about trying to do a a sub 2 hour half, but 95% of my training were long slow runs so I'm not sure if I could even hit that if I tried at this point. So I think we're just going to go out there, run for some exercise and have some fun!
I will never ignore my gut instinct again, I tell ya. Today after work, I was going to do one of my favourite things on earth - get my hair cut. I love my hairdresser...wait a sec, seems I love everyone! My RMT, my physio...hee hee. I've been seeing her for about 10 years now and we get along like a house on fire. She knows my hair super well and I just luuuuuuuv how easy it falls into place when it's freshly cut. Anyways, I stopped off at Safeway on the way home to pick up some hummus for an after work get together I'm going to Wed night...and this weird thought suddenly came into my head. I was thinking about how people by chance miss something (or something happens to them) because they happen to be somewhere where they normally aren't or shouldn't be. I then thought hmmm...maybe I shouldn't stop at Safeway, and I should just head straight to the hairdressers....cuz...I don't know...I just....
BLAMMO! Some lady rear ends me. I almost hit the lady in front of me but I slammed on my brakes and allllmost hit her but luckily didn't...but the lady hit me with enough force that my head totally snapped back in my car. We got out and exchanged numbers - and it turns out I know this lady's daughter! She was apologetic and I thought you know...why freak out...it was an accident. My car had a bit of damage but we're settling outside of ICBC. The weird thing? Hubs had the same thing happen to him two weeks ago! He just bought a new car...but luckily, no damage to his. The lady who hit him was not that nice though...when he got out and asked to see her driver's license, she refused to give it to him and snarled at him "what, are you a cop?" Beeyotch.
Anyways - my gut has never led me wrong ever and I wish I'd listened to it on more than just this occasion. So why am I blathering on about this, you ask...my gut is telling me to change to the half marathon and today's little incident was a reminder to listen to what my gut says, it's never led me astray. The last really long run I did was August 28th (32K) - I missed two weeks of working out including my 35K run because I was sick, and haven't run more than 22K since because of my foot - I'm not sure I feel ready. Space is running out in the half too, so I'm a bit under the gun to make a decision - they might be sold out by Saturday, and then I have to wait until race weekend to see if I can squeeze myself into the half as they hold some spots for injuries. Arggh, this is tough - do I go with my gut? Or do I trust in my training and hope I can pull it out - but maybe risk injury? Decisions, decisions...
Things are looking good - went to go see my physio today and she was happy with my run on Sat, and said that all the stuff we've been doing to rebalance my muscles seems to be working. My hips/legs, etc. are staying loose and she didn't have to do a ton of IMS today. Yay! She did some wowzers on my back but my legs are staying loose. I mentioned to her that I was considering changing to the half and she said that we still have some time to get things in shape so I'm still in the game!
After physio, I headed back to the office and my coworker M and I started talking about races, which got me thinking....what races should I do next year? The world is my oyster! One of the races that M recommended was the Seattle Marathon - Hubs and I could run the half, and this happens on the same weekend as Thanksgiving and Black Monday. So not only would we get our exercise in, we could go shopping and then nosh at some fabulous restaurants...running, eating and shopping, what could be better?
Well, I didn't quite make 32K this week. Hubs and I decided to run on one of local trails as we thought it might be easier on his sciatica and my foot. My physio had said if I could make it to 15K painfree, that I could continue on so I was crossing my fingers that the pain would stay away.
Off we went...Hubs sprinted off as he was feeling pretty good. I started off slowly - I wasn't feeling terribly energetic today, but after about 3K my body warmed up and I started trucking along. I decided to do 10 and 1's today, hoping to give my foot a bit of a break from all the hard pounding and I think it worked to some extent. I made it to 15K without any pain, but I could feel a bit of niggling in the ball of my foot which is how this whole thing started on my 32K run three weeks ago. I really wanted to do the scheduled 32K today, but thought better of it and tried for 24K...but finally decided to stop at 22K. I didn't want to inflame things too much and I was starting to feel it act up, but it was definitely not as painful as last week. Not sure if it was the running surface or what it was, but I'm happy I was able to get that far without any acute pain. It's a bit sore now, but I'm able to walk on it.
Poor Hubs though...he got to about 12K and his sciatica really started acting up. At this point, we're not sure if we're going to change our races - his from the half to the 8K, and me from the full to the half. We were talking about it and while I don't expect to have some stellar marathon time - I don't want to walk half the race, I want to run this thing. I want my first marathon to be a good experience, not one where I'm hobbling along for most of it. I'm going to see how far I can get next week - 28K scheduled - and then I'll decide what race I run...so, I'm still hoping!
Today I remembered why I love to run - stress relief. The traffic situation has been insane lately due to construction, so what used to be a busy but doable commute is pretty much unbearable. There's construction happening on one of the main arteries into town, so all the traffic that used to go that route is now being diverted to the main highway into town from up-island. That's about 12,000 cars apparently...and our little Highway 1 can't handle the extra load, esp. with all the people that are now living out in the Westshore. Victoria is an incredibly expensive place to live, so lots of people live out in the Westshore as it's much cheaper to buy a house. When we moved out there six years ago, we could have bought the same 50's bungalow that we already lived in but on a quiet street in Victoria or a brand new three level house in the Westshore. My rant isn't about the traffic though...it's the fact some people in Victoria do not know how to drive...in particular, the concept of merging. It ain't that hard people! I was trying to merge today and no one, NO ONE...would let me in. I signalled and people actually moved up to tighten the space. Grrr!
I was all hepped up but thought OK, I'll relax now and proceeded into work. I made my way into town and was at a red light, but wanted to turn right so I was looking at the traffic to my left for an opportunity to turn. I looked up at the light and noticed it had just changed green so as I started to move, the guy behind me leeeeaaanns on his horn. Not just a tap, a full out blast. As he drives by me, he gives me the finger...and then makes a racist motion at me. The horn, whatever. The finger, meh. The racist taunt? Oh no, you didn't. I'm not proud of this and it wasn't one of my finest moments, but I rolled down the window and let the expletives fly at this guy. I used every word in the book that I could come up with, and maybe even came up with a few new creative combinations. You can call me stupid. You can tell me I'm ugly. You throw an ethnic slur in my direction? It's go time, the gloves are off. I was absolutely seething. It's been years since I've had something racist happen to me and I don't take lightly to it. It was odd timing too because I had just told my MIL that I hadn't experienced any racism in years and I felt accepted and no different than anyone else...she currently lives in the U.K. and she gets it all the time unfortunately. Yes, yes...I should have turned the other cheek and not let it get to me...I know that. But that kind of ignorance is unacceptable in this day and age and I just couldn't be "the better person" today...sorry.
So tonight? I'm getting on that treadmill AND the exercise bike to work off some steam. Hope I don't burn out the motors!
Oh yayz! I am back at the yoga tonight after what feels like an interminable time away and I'm dying dying DYING to get back at 'er. I had to skip my final class in my last session and then there was a two week break until the Fall session started, so I'm feeling the need for some zen-ness in my life right now. I'm taking it with two ladies in my hood who haven't done yoga before, so should be fun - I hope they enjoy it and don't curse me under their breath as we get into our poses. I remember my first class clearly - runners are notoriously stiff so getting into downward dog or pigeon pose was not easy. Actually getting into the poses isn't too bad, it's extracting yourself out of them that is the hard part!
Foot is pretty much pain-free right now, except I'm having residual twinging in my inner knee, not sure if it's from IMS. My leg felt kind of funny today...sort of weaker, if you know what I mean. I'm getting these weird half face headaches too, after I had one of the worst headaches I've had in awhile on Monday. I'm fallin' apart! Anyways, I'm going to do a short run on the treadmill Friday and then try the old foot out on Saturday - 15K to start and we'll see how things go. I've been kind of deal-making with myself and the Universe - if I'm a better person, will she smile on me and let me run the marathon? I started to come up with a list of how I could be a better person:
I promise I will finally set up a compost box instead of throwing all my food scraps in the garbage. I always feel soooo guilty about this and keep putting it off.
I promise I will be more patient with people who are idiots. They can't help that they're idiots, so I won't hold it against them.
I promise I will nag less at Hubs. This one will be tough. No one mention this to him in case I renege on this one, he doesn't read my blog so he'll be none the wiser.
I promise I will clean up my potty mouth. I keep things clean on this blog, but I have a mouth like a trucker and sprinkle f-bombs liberally at home.
Alright...a serious one. I promise that I will start volunteering. I've been thinking about this for the last two or three years but can't get off my ass (heh....gotta get the swearing in while I can) to do it. I want to do something food-related i.e. soup kitchen or breakfast club, as I hate the thought of anyone going hungry. Or old people...I have a real soft spot for old people.
OK...not bad. Those are doable things and things I can definitely work on - even if Mr. Foot doesn't get better. Universe, deal or no deal?
Oooooch. My right leg is hurting and achy, but it's a good kind of hurting and achy. I went to see my physio last night, and filled her in on my foot woes. She wanted to see me run on the treadmill (darn, I hadn't brought my runners with me, duh) to watch my form. It was kind of funny - she had me change into this huge t-shirt and shorts, so big that she couldn't see how my body moved. I had luckily worn a tank top to work so changed into that and kept the shorts on...but as I was running, the shorts kept falling off me. Now this wouldn't have been so bad if the office was empty. But there I was, sprinting like all get out with a regular bra on so the girls were all over the place (gah) and my shorts were halfway down my bum exposing my delicate unmentionables in front of the waiting room and all the other clients. And she had to keep lifting my top so she could see how my back and hips moved so my none-too-firm midriff was exposed and jiggling somewhat violently. I didn't really realize there were so many people around until I got off the treadmill and turned around and everyone was staring at me. Like that "I can't avert my eyes it's like a train wreck" kind of staring. It's times like these I wish I was Frodo from the Lord of the Rings so I could just disappear at will. Oh, le sigh.
My physio's verdict - when I run, every third or so strike on my right leg crosses over the mid-line of my body, so she's thinking that is the issue. It's not a foot problem exactly, but the pain is showing up in the foot because I'm contacting on parts that I shouldn't be. It kind of makes sense because if I'm curling my leg across my body, I'd be hitting the outside edge of my foot where the pain is. The problem? Tight bum and inner thigh muscles, pulling my leg to the middle. The treatment? More IMS in my bum (ouch) and right in the vulnerable, delicate, sensitive upper inner thigh region. Like upperupper innermost thigh. Yeeeaaah. I didn't love getting needles there and it was painful, but I could feel the difference in flexibility immediately after. So...I'm allowed to run on Saturday up to 15K, and if I'm pain-free, I can continue on...I'm supposed to do 32K so here's hoping! If I can get myself up to the mid-twenties this weekend, I would be thrilled.
I'm keeping my fingers crossed and will be pulling out all my lucky charms and working on my karma. Marathon Quest 2010 is still a possibility. C'mon Mr. Right Leg - you can do it!
Alrighty - I'm a sucker for a good video and this one is awesome. I spotted this on another blog and had to share this with you folks. Not only does it use the best song from the best band in the world ever (Chris Martin - dump that bone rack Gwyneth and run away with me)....but it's totally inspirational what this guy has done with his life through running and exercise. This inspires me to get out there and keep putting one foot in front of another. Check out the rest of Ben's blog at http://bendoeslife.tumblr.com/. ....pretty amazing.
To all you criers out there? Go get yourself some kleenex first before you watch this video. Do it, do it now...or at least make sure you have long sleeves because you're gonna need them. Just sayin'.
Kudos to you, Ben. I think I miiiight just have a little crush on you.
OK, yeah... so yesterday was not a stellar day, but today was a great one and I'm feeling much more zen about things. The foot is still hurting a lot so I'm walking on it gingerly and popping lots of Advil to keep the edge off the pain, but the upsetedness (is that a word?) is significantly reduced today. Hubs came home yesterday after I phoned him and blubbered my face off, so he pulled out his entire routine of goofy antics to make me laugh (which worked). I then gingerly approached the subject of a "next year" IF I can't do it this year (I'm still remaining hopeful that the running gods will smile upon me) and he pretended to pass out, giggled and then said that of course he'd train with me - we get to hang together and he benefits from the extra exercise. What a good, good guy he is. And honestly - yesterday I felt like a failure and down on myself for wimping out (or rather mad at my body for giving out), but sleeping on it has put things into perspective and I'm feeling more positive. I'm going to draw on all the law of attraction vibes I can, so I'm going to start with this statement...
"I'm looking forward to crossing that finish line after the marathon on October 10th!"
Thanks Universe, do with it what you will! And you know what? If I don't end up running the marathon this Fall, well watch out because next Spring - I'm going to smash my half marathon personal best and gun for a 1:50 finish - look for that on my 2011 goals.
Anyways - on with my day. I started the morning off with an awesome visit with one of my besties B - we have a once a month Sunday morning coffee ritual and it's always so much fun when we get together. We're like two old hens, catching up on each other's lives and having a giggle or two while we're at it. After our little coffee klatch, I went off to the local SPCA's Paws for a Cause walk. R does annual fundraising for this so I joined as part of her team and I raised $630...and our team is #1 in BC - woot! It was pouring outside today, but it was fun to hang with KEW & A and it felt good to help out a cause that I care for. And how can anyone remain sad being surrounded by doggies in bandannas and little rain jackets??
After the walk, I met up with family for a nice lunch and then out for dinner with some family friends. I really didn't want to go - but you know how when you're not really wanting to go to something and it turns out fun? This is what happened - we dined like kings on some fresh crab that the host caught that morning (soooo good), had some delish Vietnamese food and some hilarious conversation with two of the most generous and genuine folks I've ever met. Awesome.
So...how can one be sad and miserable after such a great Sunday? Today - it's all good. *smiles*
Sorry for the profanity, guys....but that's how I'm feeling and...well, it's my blog and I can cry if I want to!
We went out for our long run this morning - Hubs and I started out at 6am for 8K, met up with M as she had a 20K run scheduled and I had a 28K run to do this week. We were heading out on this great trail in Victoria called Lochside Trail, which goes all the way up the peninsula. Very flat and very scenic. Hubs' sciatica is still an issue so he ran another 2K with us and turned around, so he got a 12K run in and M and I continued on. This was where things were still good.
At around the 14K point I could feel my foot ache a bit, but I pressed on thinking it'd be fine. By 18K, I had to start taking walks breaks as the foot was starting to hurt. By 20K, I could barely run anymore and had to finally call it quits at 21K. There's a little shopping centre at that point luckily, so I could use the phone at the restaurant to call a taxi to come get me. Note to self: if I'm going on a run like that again, I'll carry my cell phone with me. Another note to self: never darken Adrienne's Tea House again (yes, sue me if you want to, owner of Adrienne's Tea House at Mattick's Farm in Victoria, British Columbia)...I very nicely asked to use their phone and it was like I'd asked them to give me a free meal or their first born. The looks and treatment I got were NOT nice. I had to ask them for a phone book too, as I had to call a cab - the girl just grabbed the book and just handed it to me without a word. WTF? Grr.
The cab came quickly - and took me back to where I'd parked my car. Thank god, I'd taken my whole wallet with me and not just my Driver's License. I'm icing the foot now and taking an Advil - but man...it really hurts to walk and I'm limping badly. On the drive home I was pretty upset - I have 4 weeks to go and now I'm injured and not sure if I can do the marathon - there was no way I could continue on today. I've got another physio appointment booked this Tues, as a 'just in case' kind of thing so I'll be going for sure to see if there's anything I can do.
So I'm feeling down in the dumps right now and kinda weepy. "Shit" is where I'm at right now. It's been a lot of training and long hours - and I feel bad as poor Hubs has been right there with me, getting up early and sacrificing a lot of his time too. And I really, really wanted this - it's pretty much been all I've been focussing on for the last four months. I'm praying to the running gods right now for some magical foot healing but I think this marathon quest might be over...at least for this year. I'm don't mind pushing my body a bit, but I'm not willing to push and injure myself so badly that I can't run for months or at all - because that would be worse than missing out this year's marathon - and stupid. I'm not giving up though...if it doesn't happen this year, it WILL happen at some point - and it'll just mean that much more. If there's anything this little Asian lady is, it's stubborn and tenacious!
Holy shite! I can't believe it - 30 more days to go until the marathon. I'm getting really excited - I'm really hoping for a sunny, crisp day like we had last year - it was actually perfect running weather. No wind, cool, sunny - so gorgeous. I'm feeling pretty good and think I'm over this dang cold (knock on wood) - I went to my naturopath to get an immune booster shot to ward off any nasty bugs, and will get one just before the race to avoid getting sick after the race. A lot of marathoners get sick after the run - your immune system takes a hit as running really hard and long suppresses it...plus if you think about it - you're out there running with thousands of people, breathing deeply and likely inhaling a few germs here and there. Ewwww...no thanks! I've taken the week off from work to hang out and recover, so I really don't want to be sick either. My naturopath also suggested I take extra Vitamin C so I'm going to do that as well. Whatever it takes to stay healthy and injury free.
Also - I'm back on the running wagon. First time running since Aug 28th - almost two weeks ago! I did a very slow 40 minute run on the treadmill and it felt GREAT. My foot/leg isn't feeling too badly and it felt great just to move and break a sweat. Running, I miss you so very much! I admit my eating has been a bit bad the last few days - definitely when I'm not working out, my eating goes astray. Clean start - 30 days to go - clean eating, lots of sleep, hydrating, and supplements...here I come!
I was stalking perusing some blogs earlier today and noticed an interesting post that Amanda over at Run to the Finish http://runtothefinish.blogspot.com/ had written about exercise addiction. She was reading an article about it and was wondering about if she was an addict. She included some sample questions so I thought it might be interesting to see if I'm considered "an addict":
I have missed important social obligations and family events in order to exercise - no, but I will make adjustments in my schedule to fit it in i.e. get up earlier
I have given up other interests, including time with friends, in order to make more time to work out - no
Missing a workout makes me irritable and depressed - yes
I only feel content when I am exercising or within the hour after exercising - no
I like exercise better than sex, good food, or a movie -- in fact there's nothing I'd rather do - uhhh...an emphatic NO. Nothing trumps eating good food in my books!
I work out even if I'm sick, injured, or exhausted. I'll feel better when I get moving anyway - no if I'm sick or injured - yes if I'm just tired
In addition to my regular schedule, I'll exercise more if I find extra time - no
Family and friends have told me I'm too involved in exercise - ha! yes
I have a history (or a family history) of anxiety or depression - no
Hmmm, so three yes's. OK, so here is the blurb on what the quiz means:
"If you have checked three or more of these items, you may be losing your perspective on exercise. Exercise is healthy as long as it is in balance with a full life. It is recommended individuals who answer yes to three or more of the above items consult with a mental health professional or doctor for assistance."
Wow, so I need to go see a shrink for my "addiction". Ha ha! I know family and friends who aren't runners think that those of us who are training for marathons are a little insane and may see it as weird or an addiction. I definitely do make time for exercise - it's a priority for me...but as I've said before, it's all about having balance and I'm working towards that all the time. I admit - I'm addicted to endorphins and being healthy...and I'm addicted to the feeling of accomplishment when I finish a race or have a great run. I suppose there's worse things I could be addicted to! I definitely do spend a lot of time running, but it's for a specific goal - once the marathon is over, I won't be doing 3.5 hour runs for fun. At least I don't think I will...baahaaaa!
Man, it feels like I'm never going to be able to get running again! It's times like this when I can't run or work out that makes me regret kvetching about having to do a long run or blowing off a workout.
I went to physio today to get my foot checked out - thought it might be a good idea to get it looked at earlier since I only have 32 (gulp) days left to go until the race. I know I went on and on about how much I love my RMT, but if it's possible...I may just love my physiotherapist a titch more. She's helped me immensely with my back issues and she really cares how I'm doing. She's extremely personable and we have some of the best conversations, where we're laughing our heads off about stuff. And best part is...she used to be a runner! She's done one marathon and was in the midst of training for her second when she became injured two weeks before her second marathon (she hasn't run in a few years because of it) - so it seems like she is extra supportive of me with this whole marathon gig as she says she's still a runner at heart.
So I thought I'd developed some sort of plantar fasciitis or some foot problem - but turns out, she thinks it's all related to my chronic back issues. I guess when I stand, I always favour my left side so am very unbalanced which is, of course, showing up now with all the repetitive running motion. It was so interesting as she had me stand and bend over at the waist as I normally do. She then repositioned me slightly so that my hips/back were balanced...and it felt so weird. She then asked me to bend over, and I almost lost my balance...that's how out of alignment I am. Incredible. Because of all this, my muscles are shortening up in my left hip and in my right leg so I'm running with an odd gait, resulting in the sore foot. I have to work on consciously trying to rebalance how I sit, stand and run - no more zoning out when I run!
To release my muscles, we did a round of IMS, or intramuscular stimulation. Basically it's kind of like acupuncture with the needles - but instead of putting them in your energy lines, she inserts them into the muscle knots. The action of the needle causes the muscle to clamp on and tense up, and then release completely. I'm not going to lie - it can be pretty painful especially if your muscles are really tense - so if you can handle the thought of needles, I'd highly recommend this if your physio ever suggests it...it's made the world of difference with my back and neck issues. Afterwards there can be some soreness and you can't get a massage or chiropractic adjustment for a few days to give your muscles a break. Oh...and, you can't work out! Which is why I'm chomping at the bit because I really wanted to go to bootcamp Wed morning but am going to have to put off any running or working out until Thursday night. Sigh...well, bright side is - I'll be super rested for my 28K on Saturday!
I must say it one more time - man, I love long weekends. And I almost don't mind that it's grey and rainy today - sort of a good introduction to the Fall. I had planned on going for a run today, but woke up exhausted (even after a pretty good sleep) with a screamer headache and slight chills again - exactly what I felt like last Monday. Le sigh. Against my better judgement, I almost went for the run...but Hubs was not wanting to run outside in the pouring rain so he's running on the treadmill whilst I sit next to him and blog my little heart out. I seriously am feeling super guilty as there's only 33 days left to the race but seems like I'm still not really over this bug.
I emailed the running coach who designed the running program I'm following (Bruce Deacon) to see how I should rejig my running schedule to fit in the 35K run. He emailed me back quickly (awesome!) and said that he wouldn't try to make up the run or change things up, but to just return to the training schedule when I'm ready. He noted that his training plan called for two 32K runs and one 35K run, specifically as it will help on race day and also in case we have to miss one of the really long runs due to injury, illness, etc. A lot of plans I see only have one 32K run before tapering so I asked him as I was curious. He cautioned me to really ease back into things slowly as he thinks the cold is a sign that I need more recovery time...Coach's orders!
I think I've been a bit remiss in posting some of my latest recipe discoveries - I've been focussing so much on my running foibles, that I've forgotten about my other favourite subject food! I've made this yummy rice salad a few times now, as it's one of Hubs' current faves. He was so cute the other day, we were eating dinner and he was tucking into this rice salad...and he looked at me and thanked me for trying to so hard to find recipes that were less meat/more vegetarian so it would help his little cholesterol issue, but that still tasted really good. *sniff* I got a little verklempt I must admit - being healthy is so important for a whole variety of reasons, but mostly because then we can enjoy our time together fully and hopefully for a long time!
Sri Wasano's Infamous Indonesian Rice Salad - from the New Moosewood Cookbook
1. Place 2 cups brown rice and 3 cups water in a saucepan and boil until tender.
2. While the rice cooks, combine in a larger bowl:
1/3 cup peanut oil
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 orange juice
1 to 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
2 tbsp rice or cider vinegar
1 cup chopped fresh pineapple
3. Add the hot rice directly to the bowlful of dressing. Mix well when it has cooled to room temperature, cover tightly and refrigerate until cold. Shortly before serving stir in:
3 scallions, finely minced
1 stalk celery, finely minced
1 medium red pepper, thinly sliced
1 8 oz can water chesnuts, drained and thinly sliced
1/2 lb fresh mung bean sprouts
1/2 cup raisins or currants
1 cup coarsely chopped peanuts or cashews, lightly toasted
2 tbsp sesame seeds
optional - snow peas for garnish
Makes 4 - 6 servings
My changes - I omitted the pineapple (even though I'm sure it would be good) and the bean sprouts (this needed to keep for a few days so I thought these would go mushy). I also cut waaay back on the oil - 1/3 cup is a LOT, I maybe used 1 tbsp as I thought there was enough sesame oil in this.
Ahhh...love the long weekends - still another day left!
Yessss! Finally - I got more than two hours sleep last night which is making a huge difference in how I'm feeling. I woke up this morning and my cold was waayyy better. I'm still pretty tired but I'm on the road to recovery, yipppeee. I might do a quick HIIT workout tomorrow and if I'm feeling better, will do a shorter run on Monday with Hubs - probably a 10- 15K run and will save the biggie for the next Saturday. I'm still feeling guilty for not running, but I know it was the smart thing to do.
I think I've found myself a new favourite running magazine - I usually read Runner's World, but lately have been picking up Canadian Running and am really, really enjoying it. The latest Sept/Oct issue is focussed on marathons and I read it from cover to cover - lots of great information and it's kind of cool when they talk about races or people that I'm familiar with. I have a subscription to Runner's World, but think I'm going to subscribe to Canadian Running as well. Two thumbs up!
Seems that my body is trying to tell me something. First the foot, then the cold...now the cough. Over the last 24 hours, my scratchy throat has turned into a very persistent cough - I'm sure I'm driving everyone in my office insane with the hacking (sorry dudes, I can't help it). I've decided - after fighting against what I want to do vs. what I should do - to not attempt the 35K this weekend. Really long distance running stresses your immune system, so it would be stupid to even attempt it when I haven't fully recovered from my cold - worst case scenario, I could end up with pneumonia or bronchitis. I also haven't been sleeping well this past week due to my cold, so I'm also sleep deprived on top of being sick. Not good.
I was googling everything I could find to see if my decision is right to assuage my guilt from not doing the run - and it looks like I'm doing the best thing. It's now moved "below the neck" and into my chest, so I'm going to move the 35K to next weekend when I'm feeling better. In the meantime, I'm going to pump myself full of vitamins and try and get some sleep to allow my body to recuperate. There is no way that I'm going to let a cold stop me from running this race!
Silver lining? It'll give some extra time for my foot to get better. And it's the long weekend!!! I CAN SLEEP IN!!! Always gotta look at the bright side of things, right?
So today I had an appointment to see my massage therapist who I love, love, love. You know what it's like when you find a good hairdresser - you follow them to the ends of the earth, right? This is me and my RMT. She's this tiny sweet little thing, but this girl has fingers of steel. Actually more than steel - titanium. No...even better yet...adamantium. She's Wolverine of the massage world! I started seeing her a few years ago and her hands are definitely magic. I've been trying to see her at least once a month to keep my back loose and work on anything else that ails me - me and Hubs have already booked our post-race massages.
Anyways, I was so glad to have this appointment, so I could get her to work on my foot. It's not hurting as badly as it was, but I thought I'd get her to see if she could loosen up the tissues to avoid getting plantar fasciitis, which I think I may be heading towards. I'm not sure about any of you or if I'm just weird, but I hate getting the arches of my feet massaged. Like I can't even do it to myself! It makes me feel weak all over or something. So picture this - there I am on the massage bed face down, vulnerable...and she starts working away and probing crazy deep right into my arches with her adamantium fingers. This is what I was doing inside:
Seriously. I was sweating, I was clenching my fists...I was counting slowly and breathing deeply to work through the pain. We're having a conversation about what books she's read lately, and the only sounds I can muster are "oh yeah? really? cool! ah hah haha..." Allie over at Hyperbole and a Half ( http://hyperboleandahalf.blogspot.com/) summed it up best in her revised pain scale:
I was easily a 9...at moments, a 10 when she really got in there. Darn effing foot fascia!! Good news though...it's feeling better so I'm hoping to get my 35K in on Saturday. Just gotta get over this darn cold first!
PS. You need to go check out Hyperbole and a Half NOW - esp. the "Sneaky Hate Spiral" at:
and "Texas" for you runners out there (yes, she's one of us! links on the right side of her blog page) - this girl is funny. I had to stop reading her blog while eating as I kept choking on my food!
I don't know if it's just in my head or if it's actually the case, but it seems like the older I get, the worse my colds are. I've never had a cold like this - usually colds stay "above the neck" for me, but I'm achy, crazy tired and am alternating between freezing cold and boiling hot. I normally don't take stuff for colds as I seem to react the opposite to what the desired effect is - Neo Citran and night time cold meds make me all cagey and wired and I get incredibly thirsty. However...I gave in today - the throbbing in my head and the pounding in my sinuses were too much for me to handle. As soon as I got home I popped a few pills, so I'm feeling much better right now - just hope I sleep tonight.
I also stopped by the Running Room to pick up some new insoles and gel pads for the forefront of my feet to hopefully add more cushioning. Apparently, Mizunos are not heavily cushioned in that area - while I love the lightness of the shoe, that might be an area that they're lacking. I'm really hoping that the sore foot thing doesn't hold me back. As I was picking up the gel pads, I started chatting with one of the girls who worked there, and who was training on her second marathon. I asked her what advice she could pass on to this marathon noob. This got me to thinking - since I haven't been able to work out/run since Saturday due to my foot/cold, I could at least start to put some thought into my race plan.
Pre-Race Preparation:
- 1 Nuun every day for one week leading up to the race
- Hydrate min 3L/day for one week leading up to the race
- Minimum 7 hours sleep for one week leading up to race, go to bed extra early Friday night before race (apparently, the sleep you get two nights before the race is most important)
- Banana/nutella before race
- Cold F/X, echinacea, Vitamin C and oil of oregano every day for 10 days leading up to the race
Nutrition:
- Gu gels, Espresso flavour (2x caffeine) - 1 Gu 15 mins before start, 1 Gu every 6K after
- Bring one pack of Gu Chomps (just in case I need a pick me up without needing to take a full gel)
- 1 Saltstick capsule at the beginning, 1 capsule halfway through (bring one extra)
- Advil - take with me just in case but try not to take it unless I have to (hard on my stomach)
Hydration:
- Water at each aid station (approx. every 3K)
- Wear water belt (I'm going to pick up a 2 bottle belt by Nathan - the pouch for gels is much bigger than the one that I currently have)
Pace:
- Walk through each aid station, esp. at the beginning
- 6:30/km for the first 14K, 6:15/km for the next 14K, target 6:00 - 6:15/km for the last 14K
Gear:
- Lululemon running skirt (I WILL look cute in my race photos - no spandex short catastrophes this time!)
- Underarmour singlet
- iPod (very important! must work on my marathon playlist soon)
This is the plan for now anyways - I'm sure I'll change my mind over the next six weeks!
