Ottawa Marathon 2011

So you ask..... how was it?  Well I can honestly say it was one of the hardest things I have ever done.  It started off great.  I slept great the night before and the night before the night before.  I didn't sleep in, I was early, but not two early.  I wasn't nervous but I wasn't overly excited either.  The first 10k my pacing was spot on.  I was between the 3:50 and 4 hour pace bunnies. 

The factor out of my control... the weather.  It was humid and much warmer than the day before.   By the time I had ran 3k I was soaked with sweat.  And at 4k the negative self talk crept in.  I battled with those voices for another 8k.  Something else happened that had never happened to me while running - EVER!  My stomach betrayed me. I was concerned about becoming dehydrated, but decided to slow things down a bit and see how I felt.

Between 12 and 14k I wallowed in self pity and had talked myself out of the race.  Then I saw my husband.  I switched sides of the road and ran closer toward him.  Fighting back tears, I was preparing myself to tell him I was pulling out.  I couldn't do it anymore and was foolish to even consider trying.  But when he saw me he started cheering like crazy.  Yelling at me to go and telling me I looked great.  At that point I realized I couldn't quit.  I couldn't let him down and everyone else who had supported me throughout my training.

I thought of my parents and mother and father-in-law who had watched my kids on early Saturday mornings and left encouraging messages about the race.  I thought about my co-workers who wished me luck and would listen to me talk about the race and ooh and aah over my shiny medal.  I thought about the people I ran with and fought through training runs with in all kinds of horrible weather.  I thought about my husband who had woken up at 5 am that morning because I needed to eat and drink that early and a bazillion other things to support my running and then I thought about my kids and the kind of example I wanted to set for them.  And I continued on.

The 4 hour pace bunnies passed me and I let go of that goal.  I thought I would stay ahead of the 4:15 bunnies and maybe try to beat my time in Niagara Falls even if it was only by a few minutes.  Regardless of the time.. I was going to finish.  I owed it to all of the people who have supported me and most importantly I owed it to myself.

I settled into my run and enjoyed the sights and sounds of the course.  The bands were great and the crowds were better.  It started to rain about half way through the race, but people were still out there cheering for all of the runners.  Our names are on our bibs and the people in the crowd look for your name and say it to you.  I think at least 25 people said my name.  I thanked everyone of them and high fived all of the kids I could.

What I find inspiring about distance running is the comrade that happens between runners, how you move in and out of groups of people and how everyone on that course has a story as to how they got there.  You often catch a glimpse of the elite runners if the course has an out and back portion and they have incredible focus and movement but more inspiring to me are the "normal" people who are pushing themselves to overcome the pain they are feeling to complete the 42.2 distance.

I saw a man in a wheel chair - a normal wheel chair, not a racing chair at the 30k mark.  Each and every runner who paced him said "Good work" or something similar.  I watched a man watching the race offer a shoulder to a woman so she could stretch and then ran along side her yelling words of encouragement.   Someone at a water station said to me "Keep going little lady - you're going to finish this" when I was feeling down and out.  Her words moved me because at that moment being called a 'little lady' made me feel as light as a feather and my running became effortless. 

I learned from this marathon that yes - a marathon is about pushing yourself to your absolute limit to the point of mental and physical exhaustion and continuing even though you think you can't.  It is the individual running that has to put one foot in front of the other for all 42.2k.  But it is your loved ones who have supported you and are thinking of you during the race and the total strangers yelling for you to go that remind you that you can.  To all of those people I say "Thank you".

Tourists in Ottawa

We toured around in two of the places we haven't spent much time in during our previous visits to the Nation's capital. The Byward market and the Parliament buildings. In the afternoon we had a bit of a rest in the hotel and then we watched the 10k race before going out for dinner.

We were both quite the shutterbugs today.




The Byward market




Where I bought une banane actually trios




A funky little courtyard


I'm getting ready to run Parliament - hee




Some random ruining my shot




Inside Parliament








View from the Peace Tower





A few detailed shots of the building








Then we watched the race. I know it sounds hooky but I actually had chills when the runners went by.

On our way to dinner I found a lucky penny.


And at dinner I had my palms read




I'm an active person who has trouble sitting still..... she's good!

Actually she said a lot of interesting things I including that this year will bring a lot of change for me so we'll see. But for now it's time for bed - I have a very early start tomorrow.

Good luck wishes to Rick and Tracey in Buffalo.

- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Welcome to Ottawa

We spent six hours driving in the rain but we're here!







We made it to the expo half an hour before it closed but I got my shirt in the size!!! Last year this was my number one complaint about this race.

We are staying at the Capital Hill - my parents stayed here when we came to Ottawa for Canada day. It's a good hotel in a great location.





Our room has a kitchenette which is great because I can bring my own snacks and keep my water cold.




For dinner we had planned to go to the parliament pub, but when we arrived we were told that their kitchen was closed so we ended up going here.






I had their only vegetarian option on the menu. A veggie burger - it was really good.


Now I'm hanging out and looking forward to heading to the Byward market and walking around the city to tomorrow.

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M-m-m-muffins

Aside from the pancakes I've also made these muffins a lot lately.  They are really quick to whip up.  I even have time to make them in the morning.  I mix the dry ingredients the night before so all I have to do in the morning is add the wet ingredients and pop in the oven.  Then by the time I'm finished getting ready from work I have freshly baked muffins for my family. Its a good thing they are so easy to make because they only last a day in my house.

Blueberry Muffins

Dry Ingredients

1 & 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup protein powder
1 tbs baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon

Whisk together in a bowl and set aside.

Wet Ingredients

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla

1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries

In another bowl, whisk oil and sugar together until smoothish.  Beat in egg.  Mix in milk and vanilla.  Pour into dry ingredients.  Stir until just moistened.  Fold blueberries into batter.

Fill greased muffin tray 3/4 full.  Bake at 375 until your hair and make up are done for about 20 minutes. Let sit in tray for 5 minutes then let cool on a rack.

Bon Appetit!

Countdown to Ottawa

This time next week I will hopefully be finished my marathon in Ottawa.  I've been reflecting quite a bit on my training over the past few days.  I'm in my last week of my taper and not feeling quite as rested as I'd like to be, but I still have the next week to take it easy and hydrate.

I've told everyone who cares to listen that I'm not really concerned about my time.  I'm hoping to run it around the time that I finished Niagara Falls.  I do have more conditioning now compared to last fall so I should be able to run better, but the weather has recently improved.  The warmer weather is generally a good thing, but I'm used to running in weather that has been no warmer than 14 degrees with no humidity. 

The Ottawa Race weekend is a huge event.  Every hotel has sold out down town.  I love the city of Ottawa and am looking forward to visiting it.  Running around it for four hours?? Maybe not.  I have found in the past I don't spend much time looking at the scenery during races.  I'm usually focused on the runners around me or the road.  Maybe this time, I'll check out what's around me.  Don't expect pictures of the course, I won't be running with a camera or my phone.  I am not that coordinated.

I'm not experiencing my normal jumble of pre-race nerves - yet.  In the past, I would be dreading next Sunday.  In truth I really just want the whole thing to be over with.  Its an odd way to feel given the fact that I have basically been training for this race since the middle of December.  I think I'm just feeling tired from the training.  When I took my 10k clinic, Matt told our class my week 7 or 8 of the training you should feel as if you really can't do anymore.  I certainly felt that way at the end of this training.  Perhaps its because of my work requirements that I'm not feeling as well rested as normal.  Who knows.  There are so many factors that can effect your outcome when it comes to running.  But this race training program was the first time I actually had to have running be my third priority rather than my second.  Family - work - running not family - running - work.

I've been lucky as well to have some great running friends to do my training runs with.  Tracey and I had some soggy and beautiful early Saturday morning runs together.  I've had a few week day runs with Katherine and yesterday Rick and I ran the last few k of our Saturday morning run together and reflected a bit on our training.  That one of the greatest things about running with others, is the friendships you form while sweating profusely and breathing hard.  Sometimes things about yourself you didn't even realize about yourself come out in conversations.  These social runs are what I am looking forward to the most at the end this training.  That being said, I'm sure within a few weeks I'll be planning my next race, but then again the people I run with probably already know that.

Race Number 3 - Guelph Lake 5k 2009

After recovering from what felt like a complete failure at the time, but in retrospect really wasn't.  I picked myself up and moved on.  I knew I was going to keep running and I was planning on taking the 10k clinic.  I also knew I wanted to run faster and push myself without being a sucky baby if a race didn't go my way.  

A few things changed at that time.  A new guy named Rick started running at the open groups and I joined him. He ran at a faster pace than I was used to, but it was a good push for me.  As it turns out - Rick has been one of the biggest running influences I've met.  

I also started to get a lot of racing advice. Apparently some people can flip a switch easily which takes them from their normal selves to a savage warrior who can ignore all of the pain in their bodies and focus on winning.  Me... not so much.  In a flight or fight situation, I'm a chickadee.


Getting to the point, I started to focus differently on this race.  I began running with someone once in a while that would push me to run faster.  I also tried visualizing the race and prepared a manta. "I am fast, I am strong"  This is much better than Kara Goucher's "Fighter".


The Guelph Lake race was another small race - even smaller than Mount Forest, but I was a bit more prepared for it.  In the start line I was still a bundle of nerves, but I felt a bit better prepared.  The gun went off and I had a few fleeting thoughts about running back to the car or how I'd rather be a volunteer than racing.  But every time I had a negative thought, I used my mantra.


It actually worked.  I felt pretty good in the race, not like I was doing an easy run, but not like I wanted to die either.  I finished this race in 26:30.  A full two minutes better than my time in Mount Forest three weeks earlier.  I missed placing in my age group by 6 seconds.  (I know a small race) but  I was thrilled with my effort.  I don't have any pictures from this race because something happened to my husband's camera but the finish line shot wouldn't look that great anyway. After this race I began my 10k clinic... would the mantra hold up??? We'll see.

Pancakes

Today's run was cold, wet and windy.  I had planned on running an out and back but bailed a few kilometres short because I was tired of running into the wind.  I added two kilometres onto my run once I got back into town.  The entire run I was dreaming about pancakes or as they are called in my house pampapes.

I've decided that pancakes covered in butter and real maple syrup is this training schedule's craving.  I can relate each long distance race I've trained for with a craving.  Some are normal cravings like bagels and cream cheese to truly bizarre - dulse and cappuccinos.  Pancakes are normal as well, not exactly healthy and could explain why I feel like I've gained weight while logging 70+ km a week.

In all fairness to myself I have tried to make these healthier by adding protein powder to the mix, but the butter and maple syrup cancel any benefits - I'm sure. 

Pancakes



Yes - I am a pig with butter.... what!!?? No weight loss - hmmmm I'm beginning to see why.

 Dry Ingredients

1/2 cup protein powder (I use progressive vegan vanilla powder)
1 1/2 cups white flour
1 tbs baking powder
1 tbs sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt

Whisk together in a bowl.

Wet Ingredients

2 cups milk or diary substitute (I use Vanilla Almond milk)
2 eggs
2 tbs oil
1 tsp vanilla

Whisk wet ingredients together and add to dry mixture. Until just moistened - mixture will be lumpy.

Ladle into a hot oiled pan.  Flip when bubbles appear on the top of the pancake.

Serve with your choice of toppings.
Bon appetit!

Spring on the Trail

Today the Kissing Bridge Trailway Association held its first and hopefully annual Spring on the Trail event.  The plan was to roll out a fun filled few hours of hiking, running, dog walking, biking and bird house building.  The good news.... it was fun.  The not so good news it was soggy.



Fortunately everyone had cover.





Opening Ceremonies





Participants being piped in for the trail walk



Mike and Matt from Grand River Running came to lead a 5k run.  I can honestly say that it was the best run I've ever had on the trail.  Albeit the only run I've ever had, but still awesome nonetheless.

This trail is a great trail for a flat straight run.  The surroundings change frequently enough to keep your run interesting and there are plenty of parking sections along the course of the trail to allow you to run different sections.  Although you have to drive to the trail, there is no traffic to contend with and roads the trail crosses are not too busy.  The Kissing Bridge Trailway is 45km in length, but some of the bridges are out so you need to be ready to detour onto roads for some sections.

Below is the link for the Spring on the Trail event which occurred today and the website for the Kissing Bridge Trailway is underdevelopment and will be ready June 2011.

http://www.springonthetrail.ca 

Race Number 2 - Mount Forest Trillium Run 2009

After the success I felt from my first 5k I kept training for the 5k distance.  By the time the Trillium race rolled around I had been running the 5k distance continuously for a few weeks.  This race was different.  I was coming with an entourage.

My husband was driving me.  My parents wanted to show their support by attending a race.  Most of the people in my running group had signed up for this race as the - they were not part of the entourage, just more faces I knew.

On the way to the race, as my husband drove, there was a huge thunder storm.  I was hoping it would cancel the race.  I was a bundle of nerves.  And not a good boost your adrenaline type of nerves.  The I think "I'm going to puke my guts up" or "Why am I doing this to myself?" type of nerves.  The feeling only got worse the closer I came to the start line.

This race was so much smaller than my first race.  There was a 10k inline skate race, a 10k race and a 5k race.  The inline skaters went first, then the 10k runners and finally the 5k group.  The biggest difference with this race - aside from Matt kicking my ass through the course was my lack of anonymity.  I knew a lot of people at the start line and had become friends with them.

Not to mention my husband and parents were there.  I know they are supposed to love me unconditionally, but thinking of them waiting at the finish line caused me to revert to some odd performance anxiety issues.  Really they are the last ones to be anything but proud of me for attempting to accomplish any type of running distance.  And they tell me that.

After the gun went off, I was left with nothing but negative thoughts.  "This hurts" - "Its too humid" - "Why is my ass jiggling so much?" You get the drift.  The course has quite a few turns and depending on your training level and feel a little hilly.  After a few races I can say its not the course to set a PB on.

I finished this race in 28:12 - 30 seconds better than my time for ATB.  I should have been happy, but I wasn't.  I knew I could have run faster and my time should have been better.  I gave into the negative talk in my head and couldn't pull myself out of it.  This habit has become my running biggest challenge.

Me coming into the finish line at the Trillium 5k race 2009

Happy Mother's Day & Cinnamon Buns

This morning after being "woken up" by two little voices screaming "Happy Mother's Day!!" at 7 am.  I packed up the two reasons I'm able to celebrate this day and went to help out and cheer on at a local 5k race.  I helped block traffic and one intersection and then loaded up the troops to cheer people on as they crossed the finish line.  My girls are experts at cheering and always make people smile with their enthusiasm.  I do make sure they are able to rest and have plenty of snacks available.

Taking a bit of a break between finishers

My sister's and I celebrated mother's day with our mom and our whole family yesterday.  Each of us brought a few dishes and we had a great visit with my parents and celebrated my mom.  I decided to make my Cinnamon Buns.  Typically these are reserved just for Christmas morning at our house, but since receiving a bread maker a few years ago, the recipe is much easier to make.  I've been making this recipe or a variation of it since I was in high school and it has travelled with me through my post-secondary education and my married life.

I was dreaming about these buns on my run yesterday.  I think after 32k I was justified to have 2 or 3.  Really anyone who is a mother deserves to have a few.  Heck if you have a mother have a some as well.

So without further ado - I present

Cinnamon Buns



1/2 cup warm water
1/2 cup warm milk
1/4 melted butter
1/2 white sugar
1 tsp salt
2 eggs, beaten
4 cups all purpose flour
1 tbs yeast (quick rise or for a bread machine)

Layer the ingredients in your bread machine in the order given above.  Set to dough cycle and do something else for an hour and a half.

Filling

1 cup butter
1&1/2 cups brown sugar
2 tbs cinnamon

When the dough is finished roll out on a floured counter top forming a 18x14 in rectangle.  Spread 1/4 cup of butter on the rectangle.  Leave a 1 in boarder around the rectangle.  Sprinkle the dough with 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1 tbsp cinnamon.  Beginning at the long side, roll the dough tightly.  Pinch the seam to seal.  Cover and let rise for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile melt remaining sugar.  Stir in the rest of the brown sugar and cinnamon whisking until smooth.  Pour mixture into the bottom of a large 14x18 in pan.

Using a serrated knife, cut the rolled up dough into 15-20 pieces and place cut side up in pan.  Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degree for about 30 minutes.  The buns will sound hollow when tapped.  Let stand in the pan for 5 minutes then invert onto a serving platter. Bon apetit!

Attention drivers!!

Today was my second last long run before I start my taper.  I left my house at 6:15 this morning to a sky that looked like this

Don't worry this sun did rise and it was a beautiful day.  I ran a very slow 6.5 - 7k and met up with Tracey.  Her husband, Rick drove us to the middle of nowhere and left us for dead to run back on our own.  It was around 20k.  This was a tough run for me.  I started running too soon after eating and road we ran on was quite hilly.  I started to feel better after about 16k and by the 25k mark, I felt great.  I felt so awesome by the end of my run (30k) I decided to add another 2k.

One thing that did happen on my run was crazy drivers.  I need to clarify not all drivers, some (I would estimate around 30%) do move over to the left and slow down.  But a majority don't.  Tracey and I were joking that the people not moving over were so mesmerized by our beauty that they couldn't take their eyes off of us.  I know around 24k into a run I am the picture of hotness.  After I left Tracey and headed home down a road where a white line is to protect walkers, runners and cyclists from speeding vehicles my close encounters didn't end.

I am just as guilty as the next person for driving fast and by no means a perfect driver.  You can ask most people I know, I am perpetually late.  As a result I am generally speeding to get to the next place I have to be at.  As a driver, parent and all around busy person I know it sometimes feels like a race to get to the next day of work, kids activity or function.  But when I see someone running or biking I give them as much space as possible and if there is an oncoming car I slow down.

It doesn't matter if the person doesn't move over or wave in gratitude for my consideration.  Think about it.... hitting someone with your car will ruin your day.  I think the solution to the creating more considerate or conscientious drivers is for everyone to get off their asses.  That's right people  - get out and walk, run bike.  Take your life into your own hands and see what its like to have cars speeding past you at 95km/h while you teeter on the edge of a gravel shoulder and the edge of the ditch for safety.  It will be an adrenal rush you've never experienced before... or at least make you a better driver.

Ommmmmmm

I have discovered a new love for yoga.  I used to take weekly yoga classes prior to having children.  I started with Bikram's yoga and  tried kundalini yoga.  I always thought other types of yoga were too laid back or not enough of a workout.  When I started working out again a couple of years ago I would do the occasional yoga video.  Usually the Biggest Loser Yoga.  I enjoyed it, but would rather have ran or do another type of workout.

All of that type of thinking changed at the start of this year.  I had a new type of schedule for my Around the Bay race.  I was only to run three days a week, (I switched it to four days a week) with cross-training and strength training alternating running days.  At my gym yoga was offered one day a week - Wednesdays.  It was perfect that Wednesday was on the schedule to be my strength training day.  The style of yoga I do now is hatha or vinyasa yoga, its a great counter to running.  And guess what - its a workout.

My instructor knows that I run as do a lot of people in the class so she focuses on hip opening stretches.  Because I have been doing yoga regularly for over four months now I notice a huge difference in my flexibility.  My core is also much stronger.  I really believe that the reason I have been able to train for long distances for almost six months straight is because of my yoga practice.  I usually run through a quick routine everyday.  Below is a link to a YouTube video I enjoy.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgu6poYC-lk&feature=related

Is it wrong to go "Whoo who!!!" at 6:40am?

Its Monday and trying to be spring out there.  I took this picture on my way to pick up a coffee at work today.

So mother nature is attempting to make it look like spring around here.  I think it feels like a cold spring compared to last year when we had been wearing shorts and t-shirts for over a month.

Anyway enough about the weather... I am on cloud nine today.  Why??? Its Monday, its overcast, does the sun exist anymore??

That doesn't matter I received a huge and I mean HUGE compliment on my run today.  No, a car full of twenty somethings didn't catcall me.  I received a genuine compliment.

I was out running enjoying the serenity of the trail, you know when no one else is around you and you feel like you own it.  The birds were singing and it was just me.  I was about 6k into my 10k when I hear footsteps behind me.  It couldn't be... someone else on my run.  I looked over my shoulder and recognized this guy I've seen running before.  He's that type of runner that looks like they were born to run.  I knew he was trying to catch me so I thought "I'm going to make you work for this" - hee hee - Little did I know how that was going to end up.

He caught me but instead of speeding past - he matched my pace (which was far faster than I usually run) and started chatting.  I then thought to myself "Ok make small talk and hang on for as long as you can, but let him go.... soon." I told him the store where I run from, he told me his wife ran there too.  He said he was training for Ottawa.  I said "Me too! Are you doing the full?"  He said he was doing the 10k and had never done a full. 

At that point he mistook me for a real runner. Now - its not that I think I am pretend running, but there are different classes of runners. I consider myself a serious runner, but not fast compared to a lot of people racing.  In smaller races I have placed in my age group which I am extremely proud of.  But this winter I did some track work with the Guelph Victor's and shared a track with some extremely fast people and made me realize my definition of fast is a lot different that some people.   I am by no means downplaying my accomplishments but that experience put running in a different perspective for me. I really believe that anyone who laces up their shoes and heads out the door is accomplishing something remarkable.  But there are those people who made their University track teams or can run a sub 7 minute mile.  I am not one of those people nor will I ever be. Duh - I finished university years ago.


Back to the run - as we ran he mentioned the names of people he ran with - all very fast local runners.  He talked about running on his University track team.  At this point I felt like a fly clinging to a windshield as you speed down the highway.  I didn't even try to answer his comments with more than a "Wow" or "Oh yeah".  Eventually we slowed down a bit.  Exchanged names - which I now forget.  Just before I turned to go back down my street I told him I had been running for just over 2 years.  His response "Wow - you're a natural."  Oh yeah baby!!!

Roasted Vegetable Lasanga

My posts have been a day behind because my husband's laptop quit working - again and his backup was in the shop getting fixed.  So he needed to use his back up back up which is the laptop I now use.  Since he is actually getting paid to do the work on the computer and not goofing around he takes precedence.  On the other hand I had a great afternoon cooking and baking up a storm while he worked.

I made up this lasagna (although I'm sure there are recipes out there quite similar) as an alternative to using fake meat products in a vegetarian lasagna.  I'm not sure if its the roasted vegetables or the cheese sauce that make this recipe rock but I've had many non vegetarians request this or even choose it over a traditional meat lasagna.  The recipe is below - I apologize in advance for unappealing photos. As cool as my iPhone is it does not take food magazine quality pictures.

 Roasted Vegetable Lasagna

Roasted vegetables

You can use whatever vegetables you have on hand or prefer.  I used these yesterday.

 2 medium zucchini
1/2 an eggplant
1 onion
1/2 yellow pepper
1/2 red pepper
1 carrot
1  cup mushrooms

Peel the carrot and onion.  Chop all vegetables into bite sized pieces.  Put into a bowl and toss with 2 tablespoons olive oil.  Spread vegetables on a baking sheet or Pyrex baking dish.  Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper.  Roast vegetables in oven at 375 degrees for about 45 minutes.  They will look like this when done.

Most lasagna recipes I've seen have a ricotta or cottage cheese layer.  One time while making lasagna I made a cheese sauce layer because I didn't have ricotta or cottage cheese on hand and I preferred it.  If you would rather use the ricotta or cottage cheese layer.


Cheese Sauce


2 tbs butter or margarine
2 tbs flour
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1/2 cup cream cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.
sea salt and pepper to taste


Melt butter on low heat.  Once the butter is melted add flour, whisking to blend.  "Cook" flour on medium low heat for about 2 minutes.  Whisk in milk.  Continue to whisk mixture until thickened.  Remove from heat.  Add cheeses whisking until melted. Taste and add salt and pepper.


Putting it together...


Sauce:


Add about 1/2 a jar of your favourite pasta sauce or if you make your own somewhere between 1 & 1/2 - 2 cups to the roasted vegetables.


Noodles:


9 noodles cooked (your favourite kind)


In a 10 in x 14 in pan layer your noodles, vegetable sauce and cheese sauces twice.  If you have cheese sauce left, spread it on top of the noodles.  Bake in 375 degree oven for 45 minutes.  Add shredded cheese for the last 5 minutes.  Let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Spring has Sprung - fingers crossed

This is what it looked like yesterday.  And I thought - Finally!  Its spring.  It was beautiful - sunny and 17 degrees.

Today its a different story.  Grey and rainy, but at least the temperature is in the double digits.  Its fine with me, because Sundays are my rest day.  And I'm in the mood for a lazy day with my girls.

The weather yesterday was perfect for my long run which am get up during the week.  However - I know its good for me... I need to keep telling myself that.  The marathon start time in Ottawa is 7am so I need to be used to running that early in the morning.

I the first 5k and the last 7k of my run on my own. In the middle I met up with this girl - the smiling one in the orange shirt.





Tracey is training for the Buffalo half which is the same day as Ottawa and we are doing a portion of our long runs together.  This gives me a good mix of running a part of my long run on my own and some with company.  Tracey is a good runner and has posted some great times in races in the past year.  She is speedy Gonzales on hills and speed training and always pushes me to run faster.  And as an added bonus she's great company and a good listener.