Hello Friends!
Well it has been over a 3 month hiatus from the blog so I figure it is time to come back and give an update of the last 3 months and well the new goal that I am currently working on! So Cuba was absolutely AMAZING!! I had the best time with my man and so many great pals! It was an amazing reunion and witnessed a beautiful wedding! It was just a great vacation and I really hope we can all get together and do it again next year! 🙂
So When I got back from my week of utter excess of food and alcohol and good times it was time to hit the treadmill again. We got in early Wed am so we took that day to chillax eat one last pizza and rest up for the jolt back to reality. Thursday came and it was back to the gym! I did very well for coming back from a week of excess! I ran 25 min straight as opposed to my usual 30 min. And the following run on Saturday I was back up to 30 again. I continued to work out 3 times the following week, twice the next and then all went to hell as we had to prepare for another major event MOVING. Pretty much all spare time b4 work after work and everywhere in between was preparing for our move. Then the move came and it took a few weeks to paint decorate and get the apartment in full working order. SO long story short the month of May and June were shot to hell. Workouts were not regular and there was a lot of pizza and beer consumed. A LOT. We nipped this in the bud pretty much at the end of June and started moving onto the next stage of the running plan which was taking things outside!
Well let me tell you…running outside is effing HARD!! I thought all my training on the treadmill would mean running outside would be a fairly easy transition. NOT the case. My first run outside…I could not run more then 10 mins. I was discouraged and shocked! Had all my hard work been for not? Had the month of Pizza and Beer ruined me for life? I trekked on and kept at it but after running 2 or 3 times a week for 3 and half weeks I could not get myself running past 10-13mins. I complained to my friend Meghan and was like “how can I not do this?” She said to me “Well a lot of running is mind over matter. You really have to visualize it and push yourself”. While I thought this comment was not accurate at first….I thought about it for a little while later in the evening. I had done some significant training for a beginner runner…I should be able to push through outside and complete the route I have been doing. Well that Meghan was right! The next day I went out with the intention that once my 5 min warm up walk was done I was going to run my route right back to my front door. Only stopping if I passed out. As luck would have it…I did not pass out (just barely) and made it!! This was a very exciting accomplishment!! I was very very proud and for the next two weeks I did this run and made it home each time. I think Meg def had something there with “mind over matter”, however I do know that my previous training was essential. Also a major key for me with these longer runs was a new secret weapon…..
While training in the gym in the winter to complete my couch to 5k program I ran to music and watched CP24 a news channel, most mornings for my runs. If i ever did my run on a Saturday however I watched TV, usually Will and Grace, and it felt like my run was over in NO time! I was completely distracted and having a laugh at the same time. When I was pushing for my longer runs outside I was listening to an audio book in my spare time, Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows, to prepare for the movie. Before I did my first big run outside I thought maybe I would listen to that instead of my usual work out playlist. EUREKA! It was awesome I was totally listening to my book and forgetting I was pounding the pavement and had a great run! I was listening and distracted from being “too tired” or thinking “Oh no! I am only at THIS song? I have soo much longer to go!” Audio books friends. Audio books are the bomb and totally the way to go. In my mind they are a godsend to runners. I am sure everyone has their own trick of the trade but for me Audio books are my secret weapon to running!!
I did 3 major runs on this route that worked out to be 3.7 ish km. This was right before I was going home to St. John’s for a visit. I grew up there and it was always a dream of mine to run around Quidi Vidi Lake. The distance is 3.7km. It is something I have always wanted to be able to do but have never never succeeded. It is something people do everyday and maybe not such a big deal to some but for me this would be a goal of many many years if I succeeded. Thursday morning, the day after we got home, my Dad drove me down to the lake to attempt my goal. He was there for moral support (and to bird watch) and it turns out was my cheerleader and photographer ;). I DID IT! I ran the whole lake in 25 mins which I was super happy about. I am still in the stages of just accomplishing distance goals so time is not a factor for me yet. Man was I happy! So proud!! Here are a few snaps Dad captured as I ran Quidi Vidi
- Stretching it out for the big run!
When I got back to Toronto I had decided that I still need to revamp the diet part of my lifestyle. Overall I am a fairly healthy eater, but I do like to indulge in booze, treats and the finer things in life :). I am the most active I have ever been with, running, biking and playing softball but I am/was still not seeing the results I wanted or expected to see in my body. I was feeling great but not looking exactly how I wanted to look. I have revamped my eating habits majorly. I have cut out pasta, and very much limited my carb intake. I have cut down on bread and when i do eat it I try to only use one slice of a healthy grainy bread like flax seed and rye bread. Every other meal I just eat veggies with protein or just veggies sometimes! Instead of having meat/protein, veggie and rice I have nixed the carb part of meals. Just have the protein and veggies. Also trying to not eat big meals before bed, and have a salad or light meal as the last meal of the day. I am lactose intolerant so dairy is nixed from my diet except for a treat. The only other carb/ grain I eat regularly is natural oats for oatmeal in the mornings. I am have been doing this for 3 and half weeks and am feeling fantastic!! This weekend I had a not so healthy treat and man could I feel it!! It really does make a difference eating lighter and healthier! I find sometimes I am still hungry but if i need a lil something extra I will have a healthy snack like an apple with all natural peanut butter. Or have some tea. Also a huge factor that is proving hard to do especially in the summer is cutting back big time on alcohol. We are not alcoholics by any means but we do enjoy many the casual drink and it builds up. Especially when the summer drink is beer, which is unfortunately the worst. SO cut back majorly on the booze front and all things are going well! It will take a while to see results but they are becoming slightly visible. But the major point is I feel great and will continue to work hard on this healthy lifestyle always trying to do the best I can.
Also when I got back to Toronto from my vacation home, I felt I needed a new goal. I was very dedicated and committed when I had a plan and goals to stick to. When I first did the c25k I casually thought that in October of this year I would try and run 5km of the harbour front marathon. But since I have been doing so well with my outdoor running I decided I had tons of time and was going to up it to a 10k!! I did a lot of research on programs and combined two that I liked into my own personalized training schedule posted in the link below:
CT stands for Cross training.
I am now into week 3 of the training and it is going very well. It is challenging but I am sticking to it and feeling great! I love being able to cross off my workouts daily and rising to new and more intense challenges! 🙂 Now obviously I have nixed the 5k of the Harbourfront Marathon BUT I have signed up for the 10km race as part of The Niagara Falls International Marathon! I put my mula down and I am booked! Now I have to stick to my training!! It is happening October 23rd so I have lots of time in case I need to redo a week or what have you. But it will be my first 10k race and first race ever and I am super excited and a little nervous! My main goals are to A) Finish, and B) do the whole thing without walking! SO wish me luck! I will keep you guys updated with my progress.
SO that is the big update for now. I will be sticking to the schedule posted, and will change the format of my blog a little in comparison to last time and will update as much as possible! 🙂
Here’s to running, being happy and healthy!
Cheers
K
Eighty Twenty 