The Cost of Fitness

I just placed an order for contact lenses since I'm down to four left. Technically I'm down to eight since it's one per eye but really, I have four contact lens days left.

This time last year I bought a box of 90 dailies and they lasted me pretty much 12 months.

I only wear contacts on days when I want to wear sunglasses so I really only use them for long runs in the sun, summer bike rides, long drives on sunny days or on golf days.

Other than that, I'm a glasses girl.

So 90 daily lenses lasted 365 days, give or take a handful.

Some fitness things last for what feels like forever. Others, not so much.

I bought my bicycle six years ago and the cycling shoes and cycling shorts I purchased that same day are still the shoes and shorts I wear. They're doing just fine so why replace them?

My cycling jerseys are also several years old. They don't have to put up with much friction however since it's my legs doing the work so they still look quite good.

My Garmin watch is so old I can't remember when I got it. At least three years ago. Probably closer to 4 but if you told me it was 5, I'd believe you. It's starting to show its age but, other than those days when it refuses to turn on, it's doing what I need it to do so I'm happy.

My running belt seems ageless but that could be because I only wear it maybe 15 times a year.

My running clothes, on the other hand, have a much shorter lifespan. One season for clothes I wear regularly, two for ones I don't. That's about how long it takes for them to a) start to develop holes in places you don't want holes or b) start to develop that deep down runner smell that no longer comes out in the wash. It's gross I know but, if you are a runner, you know what I'm talking about. If you aren't a runner, just pretend you didn't read that last paragraph and move along.

Running shoes? Well they last 4 months max. That's about how long it takes me to run 500k and, being an injury-prone runner, I don't push my luck much beyond that.

Golf clothes? I'm not sure yet. I'm just entering season two so we'll see. My golf shoes held up well through hundreds of kilometres of walking last summer and I'm hoping they last a second season. I doubt they'll see a third.

I've had the same swim goggles now for two years and they are still doing a wonderful job. Bathing suits however don't survive more than a few months in the chlorine.

All of this can get to be a little much. Even though I can get months, or years, out of my sports paraphernalia, I use so many different things that I feel like I'm always needing to replace something.

Last month it was running pants and shorts.

This week it's contact lenses.

My running shoes are next on the list since I have less than 150km left on them and am in the highest mileage part of my half-marathon training.

The price we pay for fitness eh?

I'm happy to pay it though because the price of non-fitness is much much higher.

Too Focused To Pay Attention

For the five weeks, I have been running with two goals in mind. Recover from my autumn cold and increase my weekend long runs to 15k so that I can run 90 minutes without too much difficulty.

Five weekends ago I ran 10k which was demoralizing after having been off for a few weeks. 

Four weekends ago I ran 12k which was pretty tough. 

Three weekends ago I ran 14k which was tough but a little bit less so. 

Two weekends ago I ran 15k and also went back to my much hillier route which meant added distance and difficulty. It felt surprisingly good and I was pumped. Runner girl was back! 

This past Saturday I did the same 15k hilly route again. The hills and the first 10k went quite well. Then I turned into a nasty headwind for 3k which sapped my strength and slowed me down. I persevered and finished but was exhausted by the end...and for the rest of the afternoon. I also had some foot and shin pain which seemed a little odd because I had stretched and iced right after the run and hadn't experienced any problems up to that point. 

Later that afternoon I entered my run into my online training program (Training Peaks) and I looked at how my mileage was adding up. 

That's when the first of two things hit me.

Céline, you've been so focused on getting your running fitness back that you forgot all about recovery weeks. 

I have been running for five weeks without a break - increasing the mileage every single week without slowing down to let my body recover. 

So, ready or not, this week is an easy week - 5k runs in the morning before work and 10k on Saturday. C'est tout! 

Then the second thing hit me as I limped around the house all afternoon. 

How old are your running shoes anyway? 

Because I had not been training for anything official since early September, I wasn't paying close attention to the mileage on my shoes. Thankfully, Training Peaks tracks that for me too. I did a little checkie-check and discovered that my 'new' shoes had actually been purchased in June (June!) and had 719k on them.

I usually trade them in at 500k to avoid injury. 

How does one run an extra 200k without noticing? 

My mathematical prediction? 

Easy week + new shoes = an extra little bounce in my step. 

No Rest for the Wicked

So far so good. I've had two days of rest since Sunday's race and my blood sugars have yet to go through the roof.

When I say two days off I mean two days without exercise. Not even going for a walk.

I am doing this to let my legs recover from their tough run and to let my body rest a bit by sleeping in.

Two days in a row of waking up at 6:30am instead of 5:00am was pretty sweet. Especially when the blood sugars are behaving themselves.

I'm still off running for a few more days at least. The earliest I will do anything will be Saturday and that would be an easy 30 minute trot...if anything at all. There are no races looming so I'm taking my time to make sure everything has had the downtime it needs.

I am, however, going to venture back into the pool. In fact, at the time this post goes up, I'll be pulling myself up out of the pool after my regular Wednesday morning workout.

As of Tuesday night my quads were still pretty tight and sore. The stairs are easier now but I still feel it - especially on the way down.

I asked Doug last night if a week off meant a week off from everything or just from running. "I'm not a sports doctor" he said. "I know, but I want to know what Doug would do. Would he sleep in two more days and go swim on Friday? Or would he get up early on Wednesday and head to the pool?"

Get up early on Wednesday and head to the pool was the response.

The lazy part of me wanted him to say sleep in just so I could without any feelings of guilt.

His rationale was that, when he's tight and sore after a hard run, he often feels better once he starts moving again. Swimming won't put any pressure on my joints, no pounding on my feet, no stress on my quads.

It will, however, get the blood flowing and get my body loosened up a bit.

So I'm off to the pool. Sore quads and all.

In other news, here is my latest training update:

Rocking the compression pants and sexy sandals look. 

Walked around for an hour and even ventured up and down the stairs. 

There is hope yet for Saturday night!

Fancy Shoes

If I'm not training for one thing, I'm training for another.

My half marathon medal is still warm and I'm already tying on my shoes to prepare for my next challenge.

Another race you ask?

Nope.

A new sport perhaps?

Wrong again.

This time I'm training my feet for an event that is taking place in less than a week. The training program is very rushed but I had to wait until I finished my race before I started the next challenge. I didn't want to mess up one race by training too early for the next.

Any guesses yet?

That's ok. I wouldn't have believed it either except I'm the one doing it.

That's right folks. I'm wearing heels. 

Doug and I are going to a fancy fundraiser on the weekend. I am wearing an honest to goodness dress, complete with little black purse, shiny earrings and fancy bracelet. 

My running shoes, even brand new and still clean, do not match my outfit. Neither do my go to black flats that I wear when I dress up a notch for work meetings. 

I don't wear heels very often. Once every year or two at most. Putting those puppies on and surviving a night of walking around a winery while balancing a wine glass and plate of gourmet food is not something I can just wing. I must prepare. 

My training program is as follows:

Monday night - wear shoes and walk around the house for 30 minutes 

Tuesday night - wear shoes and walk around the house for 45 minutes 

Wednesday night - wear shoes for 60 minutes and go up and down the stairs at least five times
Thursday night - wear shoes for 90 minutes and go up and down the stairs at least five times
Friday night - off for curling
Saturday night - put on fancy dress, matching bracelet and silver shoes. Try not to fall, twist my ankle, spill my wine or develop a stress fracture.
Sunday - running shoes and compression socks

Wish me luck!

Confession: I Have a Crush on my Running Shirt

Relationships.

We all have them. 

With our partners, families, kids, friends, co-workers, pets, bus drivers, baristas, massage therapists...

We might not have relationships with all of the above but we all have relationships with some of the above...and more. 

We also, as far as I'm concerned, have relationships with things. And, for the running, swimming, cycling athletes out there a lot of these relationships are with sporty things. 

I have a very good relationship with a long-sleeved running shirt. It's super soft, thin, it has built-in gloves that pull back easily when my hands get too warm. I have worn it for probably four years now, perhaps five. As soon as it's cold enough for long sleeves, it's the only shirt I wear until the spring warmth returns. It fits beautifully, have NEVER caused any chafing and fits well under multiple layers on winter runs. I have a drawer of long-sleeved running shirts and this is the only one I ever pull on for an actual run. When it eventually bites the dust, there will be a mourning period. 

You have been warned. 

I have a love-hate relationship with my running belt. I love the fact that it allows me to be self-sufficient on long runs. It allows me to carry all the carbs I need, plus my glucometer, tissues and lip balm. My pump hooks on securely and never budges no matter how many kilometres I run. My running belt  keeps me safe...and hydrated. It's also heavy, it chafes, it slows me down and I dread putting it on. 

I have broken up with two pairs of goggles because we just couldn't get along. In fact I bought one pair of prescription goggles, wore them twice, hated them twice and gave them to a girl I swim with who, as it turns out, can see very well with them and finds them really comfortable. Good riddance and I hope the two of them live happily ever after.

I have since found a pair that I am more compatible with and have bought a back up pair that sits in my bag ready to go at a moment's notice. When I find something I like, I stick to it.

I have also broken up with running shoes. With swim caps. With running pants and with cycling gloves. Sometimes I find a way to work things out, other times I send them packing. When I reach that point, no amount of relationship therapy will help. 

I have four running hats that I received at various races. They all fit well. I decide which one to wear based on my mood that day and the weather. If it's a hot sunny day, I wear the white one. If it's a cold sunny day, I wear the black one. If it's neither, I just go with what feels fun that morning. I do not have a bff hat. 

I do have a bff sports bra. And running t-shirt. Oh, and running shorts. And running pants. 

Socks - I go with whatever is at the top of the sock drawer. 

Bathing suit? I buy a different kind every time I need a new one. As long as it fits well in the change room and is chlorine resistant - I'm happy. Swim cap? I use the free ones I get at triathlons. They fit well, much better than the ones I've actually spent money on, and I think it's fun to wear something with my race number on it. It makes me feel fast! 

But when one finally rips and needs to be replaced, I grab another one out of my bag and don't think twice about it. 

Relationships with athletic clothes are kinda like relationships with family. Some you can't imagine living without. Some you're happy to see when you see them but don't miss them when they're gone. Others you put up with because, well, because they're family. And you have to. Even though they're annoying, or mean, or a pain in the ass - literally. 

Strength in Weakness

I like to think that I am a strong person. 

I'm talking physically strong here - let's leave the emotionally strong discussion for another blog entry shall we?

I look at the evidence - my calves are pretty muscular, I can cycle up big hills without needing to get off my bike and I can run for a long time.  Ergo I'm strong.

My sense of logic then tells me that, if I'm strong, it should take more to hurt me than it takes someone who is less strong.  Making sense so far??

I like to think so too.

So how is it possible that wearing recovery sandals for a few hours each evening (most of which time is actually spent sitting) may be the cause of my shin and feet flare up, my rock hard, inflexible calves and my overworked massage therapist? Seriously folks?  I personally know plenty of people who will go from wearing winter boots to flip flops without a twinge.  I'm talking paper thin bottoms with tiny straps and a hard little thing between their toes kinda flipflops. They will spend the next few months wearing these sandals with absolutely no support and not require medical intervention.

So then why the hell do I break down if I put on support sandals rather than running shoes??  I even eased into them.  Fifteen minutes one day, twenty the next.  It's not like I put them on and hiked the Great Wall.  I was sensible about it.  Sensible about the Vibrams too.  I've been easing into them at a rate that would test the patience of a sloth. It's been a month and I still haven't run a step in them.

It boggles the mind.

Really it does.

So my dear legs, I solemnly swear that I will dutifully increase my stretching and icing routine, reduce my sandal and Vibram time, do exercises to strengthen my legs. And perhaps you in return could get yourself back on track. 

DO YOU REALIZE HOW MUCH I DO TO TAKE CARE OF YOU???

I'm sorry. That was uncalled for. I know I'm asking a lot of you and I know you are trying your best. I shouldn't have yelled.

Let's look at this weakness as an opportunity for strength.  I will redouble my efforts to be strong and yet flexible, I will try to listen more to what my body is telling me and ensure that it has what it needs in order to do what I need it to do. 

And I won't for one second give in to panic when I think about all the training I will have to do this summer to be ready for October.  We'll be fine.

Just

fine.

Lucky Number Five

First run in eight days today.  Apparently when I go to Boston to see a marathon I don't actually need to run.  I can just let everyone else run for me.  I filled a travel bag with good intentions: running clothes for all weathers and I fully planned to run three times while away.  Well, life happens and sometimes running needs to take a back seat.

I'm not training for a race at the moment so that pressure was off.

Doug wasn't running either after his marathon so that motivation was gone too.

So I tossed any feelings of guilt into the ocean and enjoyed a week's vacation.

We walked a lot - does that count??

We left Cape Cod yesterday morning for the long drive back to Canada.  Ten hours it took to get home.  Just the right amount of time for legs to swell, feel full of lead and laugh hysterically at the very idea of running.

Runners' Edge at 8am helped get things back on track.  I had no idea what my legs would feel like but it was great to be back.  Great to see people, share Boston stories and feel that motivation that comes from running with friends.

The run went fairly well actually.  My blood sugar behaved which is pretty impressive after a week of not running.  My legs held up and my body persevered in spite of the incredible wind that had us almost standing still at certain points. It felt harder than I would have liked it to feel but is was fun!

I'm now in the process of slowly, very slowly, breaking in my Vibram Five Fingers.  My goal is to build up to being able to run 5k so that I can wear them for my two shorter runs during the marathon training clinic which starts in June.  So today I'm wearing them around the house for an hour or two as I putter with laundry and other post-trip tasks.  Pretty freakin' sexy if I do say so myself.

A strange, amphibious, alien-like kinda sexy.

Poor Doug - between my five fingers, recovery socks and recovery tights - he's a brave soul indeed.

Marathon training apparently requires that we run five times per week.  I've trained for half marathons and a 30k race only ever running 3 times per week plus a Sunday bike ride.  Seemed like enough for me plus I have other things to do and fitting in three runs was enough of a challenge.  FIVE??  Plus a bike ride?  Some quick mathematical calculations tell me that I will have one, count it, one day off per week.  For four months.  Is this crazy? It sure as hell feels crazy...

Then again, so has every other running challenge I've undertaken. I've learned to just keep running as the voices in my head tell me how crazy I am.  Carry on little soldier.

So I start this week with four runs and a bike ride.  And a bit of time each day walking around in my five fingers.  Maybe next week I'll try a ten minute five fingered run to see how it goes.  Then fifteen, twenty and, soon enough, I'll be up to 5k and five runs a week.

Just in time for marathon training to begin.

Absolutely freakin' crazy.

Boston - Deuxième Journée

The marathoners are here!  Run for your lives!!

There seems to be something big happening in Boston.  Tall fit skinny runners from across the globe are walking the streets of beantown.  Stores and restaurants are triple and quadruple staffed and there is absolute gridlock near the expo because pedestrians outnumber cars 10 to 1.  Cars just can't compete.  Share the road indeed! 

This morning basically confirmed how over the top and crazy it gets on race weekend.  The expo opened at 9am. So, we waltzed over there around 8:45am to find hundreds of runners already lined up.  In the ten minutes after we arrived, hundreds and hundreds more gathered behind us.  I had a sinking feeling that it would take a long time before we got inside. And yet, when the doors opened, we were completely swallowed up by the Hynes Convention Centre.  Plenty of room for a few thousand more.   

Step one - get your race bib.  

 

We just happened to spot Jim and his wife Janice in the crowd and apparently Doug and Jim run a very similar pace because, in a race of 25,000 runners, their numbers are ridiculously close.  

Step two - get your race shirt.

I did not take pictures of this part because, to be quite honest, the pictures would be x-rated.  You should have seen it - it was bedlam.  Runners got their shirts and immediately stripped down to make sure they fit.  Bare chested men and bra-clad women filled the room.  Apparently when you're used to dashing behind a bush to pee, peeling off your clothes in front of complete strangers is no big deal. 

Once the business was done it was time for the expo. And, as expected, it was fabulous!  We spent over three hours checking out vendors, agonizing over what Boston clothes to buy, watching emotional race videos and trying out all sorts of electrolyte, high protein, high energy snacks.  How my blood sugar was 5.2 at the end of it all I'll never know.  

I went to the expo with a few goals.  Find my favourite running shoes at a fabulous price (done!), buy some recovery sandals because I hate wearing running shoes all the time (done! and they're purple!!),  buy another pair or two of recovery socks (done and they are SO comfy!!)

I also tried on the coolest, most comfortable running shoes I have ever put on my feet - Vibram Five Fingers.  They're supposed to be great at building strength in your feet and calves thereby reducing shin splints and plantar fasciitis - my two nemeses. 

Now I have to decide if I want to buy them.  Any thoughts running friends??

Running brings out all sorts of emotions.  Today had a few teary moments and plenty of awe but for the most part I just kept flip-flopping between two thoughts: "Omigod I want to be a marathoner" and "Damn it! I could totally be a marathoner!"  

I now have a new dream and several lofty goals but, in the meantime, it's pretty fabulous to just be here soaking it all in and occasionally being mistaken for someone who really could run the distance.  

This man, on the other hand, can definitely run the distance.  So on Monday morning he'll tie up his running shoes and become part of history...again.

And I'll be the one waiting at the finish line with a bottle of eload, some warm clothes and a wagon to pull him home.