All Downhill From Here

It was my year to go out trick or treating with the kiddos. Little Runner was a very cute kitty this year. By 6 pm (after a rushed spaghetti dinner) we dropped off my Grim-Reaper son (I nick named him Mort for the evening) and one of his buds in his old neighbourhood, with more buddies.

Kitty and I did a loop that covered our crescent and most of the surrounding one and then were back by shortly after 7 pm. She ran between houses, and when there were several dark ones in a row, we ran together. Nothing like the promise of sweets for motivation 🙂

She was inclined to stop at that point, so I hied her kitty-butt over to Hubby’s parents, where they could dote on her. We had a nice visit and begged at a few more houses before “Mort” called for his ride home. Hubby helped the kids sort and check their treats and then after a little gorge we all headed for bed.

Now I need to start on the Christmas cards!

We had yet another GORGEOUS weekend. All this lovely fall weather is starting to make me anxious – I’m worried that we’re using up all the good stuff now, and that we’ll end up with nasty, awful weekends the rest of the winter. Oh well, “make long runs while the sun shines”, eh?

Krista came over at 8 a.m. and we headed out the door shortly thereafter. I took her on a tour of my neighbourhood and the next one over, noting for her the well-appointed homes that struck my fancy. The first couple of miles entailed some deceivingly gradual uphill, but we took it slowly, and enjoyed a very long down after that. The weather channel had mentioned a wind chill, but the sun shone and the breeze was almost nil (temp at around freezing), so I played the mitts-on, mitts off game, depending on whether my hands were in sun or shade.

We made it back from that first loop in about an hour and 10 minutes, and I waved goodbye to Krista. She apologized for making me walk so much and slowing me down, but that was really my plan all along. I’d wanted a long, SLOW run. It had been a while since I’d done a very long run. I took a little break between loops to search for any remaining Powergels hiding in my dresser. No such luck, so I settled for a Wildberry Nutrigrain and headed out for another 45 minutes. I’m pretty sure I didn’t get in all of the 16 km I was aiming for, but I was out there for a good 2+ hours total, and that was the other goal of today’s run. In the second, shorter loop I only walked on uphills or while crossing streets on the flat parts.

I was glad to take this one “as it came”, instead of pushing myself really hard, as it was my first run longer than an hour in 3 weeks. This was just what I needed. I’m looking forward to another, more solid effort next weekend, as the next XC race isn’t until November 12th.

After the run I had brunch with the kids and checked Holly’s progress in the Marine Corps Marathon online. I cheered as I noted her half-way time. Dianne called me a little later and clued me into the maptrack function, so I was able to watch Holly’s yellow dot cross the finish line. Woohoo Holly!

Skatemom also finished MCM yesterday, too. Check out her initial Flickr pics.

We had yet another GORGEOUS weekend. All this lovely fall weather is starting to make me anxious – I’m worried that we’re using up all the good stuff now, and that we’ll end up with nasty, awful weekends the rest of the winter. Oh well, “make long runs while the sun shines”, eh?

Krista came over at 8 a.m. and we headed out the door shortly thereafter. I took her on a tour of my neighbourhood and the next one over, noting for her the well-appointed homes that struck my fancy. The first couple of miles entailed some deceivingly gradual uphill, but we took it slowly, and enjoyed a very long down after that. The weather channel had mentioned a wind chill, but the sun shone and the breeze was almost nil (temp at around freezing), so I played the mitts-on, mitts off game, depending on whether my hands were in sun or shade.

We made it back from that first loop in about an hour and 10 minutes, and I waved goodbye to Krista. She apologized for making me walk so much and slowing me down, but that was really my plan all along. I’d wanted a long, SLOW run. It had been a while since I’d done a very long run. I took a little break between loops to search for any remaining Powergels hiding in my dresser. No such luck, so I settled for a Wildberry Nutrigrain and headed out for another 45 minutes. I’m pretty sure I didn’t get in all of the 16 km I was aiming for, but I was out there for a good 2+ hours total, and that was the other goal of today’s run. In the second, shorter loop I only walked on uphills or while crossing streets on the flat parts.

I was glad to take this one “as it came”, instead of pushing myself really hard, as it was my first run longer than an hour in 3 weeks. This was just what I needed. I’m looking forward to another, more solid effort next weekend, as the next XC race isn’t until November 12th.

After the run I had brunch with the kids and checked Holly’s progress in the Marine Corps Marathon online. I cheered as I noted her half-way time. Dianne called me a little later and clued me into the maptrack function, so I was able to watch Holly’s yellow dot cross the finish line. Woohoo Holly!

Skatemom also finished MCM yesterday, too. Check out her initial Flickr pics.

Thursdays I squeeze in a short run between supper and Survivor. Life doesn’t give me much room for running, but I get it in somehow!

Warning, Domestic Ramble starts here:
Today immediately after work I went to my favourite Loonie store (that’s Dollar store for you Americans) in search of Halloween stuff my kids wanted. Nothing good there, so I went straight to the mall and through three more stores before finding Little Runner a cat’s headband, tail, and paw-mittens. Hubby had shopped last night for grim reaper cloaks and only came home with a mask, so I popped into the Walmart fabric section and decided that Soccer Boy would receive an instant sewing lesson. Voila, two meters of black flowing crushed velvet fabric, and some reflective tape and a jug of milk later, and I headed for home. Oh, and I picked up 6 pairs of $1.00 mitts and some glow-in-the-dark necklaces at another Loonie store on the way out.

During this spree Hubby called and asked what to defrost for dinner, and Soccer Boy called to ask why I hadn’t come home to include him in the shopping. Right. As soon as I got in the door I handed kitty kat stuff to Little Runner – success 🙂 I peeled potatoes, cut up onions, and started Soccer Boy on his costume. We pinned his hood/cloak together with 4 safety pins and it looks great. SB cut jagged edges from the hem while I cooked up chicken and LR meowed happily in front of Snow White. At supper it was determined that I would take SB to his school dance, in exchange for Hubby bringing him home later, so I wouldn’t miss Survivor.

Take boy to dance, drive home (35 minute round trip), change, suggest to Hubby that LR might need a bath, as she’s going to the in-law’s tomorrow, and head out the door for my run in the dark.

Domestic Ramble ends now – Obligatory Running Note here:
I had a good, strong run. My quads warned me earlier in the day that they were feeling tight from last weekend’s race, but I really didn’t feel it in the first mile. The second mile was flat and then down hill, and I LOVE running down hill, so that part was good, too. I felt strong. I took out some repressed frustration about having to ASK the other parent to do stuff all the time. I really needed this run.

By the bottom of the hill, I was facing UP another one. This one is steeper, but shorter. By the time I got to the top my legs were indeed complaining about having to run up the whole thing, but I told them to shut up and that we were GOING to run all the way to the bus shelter BEYOND the condo entrance at the top, so there. My legs did what I told them. I felt much better, because at least somebody had done what I told them to do the first time (unlike some kids I know).

I ran on home, and though my legs were tiring, I was happy that my lungs and heart felt just fine.

More domestic grumbling:
I walked in the door, turned off the t.v., strongly suggested that our un-bathed LR get her jammies on, and started running my bath. Hubby came upstairs and headed out for a smoke. I told him I was running the bath for myself. He nodded and carried on. The phone rang, I chatted with someone about a Sunday morning group run, and Hubby headed back down to his computer. Um, hello… is anyone going to put LR to bed? Helloooo…

I ASK Hubby to step up to the parenting plate for 15 minutes, and head for a quick bath. Survivor comes on in 30 minutes, and there are still dinner dishes on the table. Oh, for Pete’s sake… I clean up me, clean up the dishes, and whew! make it to the couch in time for a round of challenges and intrigue.

I’m tired. But I got my Thursday run in! Bet you can’t wait to hear about my Friday schedule. Hah.

Heather asked if I wear metal spikes when I race in the cross countries. While many of those who compete in our XCs wear them, I don’t wear spiked shoes for most races – don’t own a pair. I find it challenging just to keep my feet shod in fresh enough training shoes.

Here’s what I wear, and how they looked on the morning of the Confederation Park XC when I realized I’d not yet cleaned them off after the Waldorf race.

I race XCs in regular trail shoes. I’ve found them to be a good investment because when I’m between road shoes I can still use them on paved paths. When winter comes and we run on ice and hard-packed snow trails I stretch Yaktrax over top of my trail shoes and that does the trick. My first pair of Yaktrax lasted through two XC seasons, and cost me between $30-40.

I have borrowed Dianne’s spikes twice. It helps to have a friend with shoes my size :). The first time I used them on a regular dirt course to see if they made a huge difference on dirt. They did make a small difference in my confidence, but my calves turned into little bowling balls for two weeks after. Trail spikes have all the traction in the ball and toe of the foot, see, and none on the heel, and my form wasn’t quite ready for that yet.

The second time I used them was when I was looking at a very hard ice-fest of a course. The weather had snowed and partially melted and frozen several times before that race. If I hadn’t had Dianne’s spikes on that day I probably would have had to crawl over one of the really bad sloping icy sections. As it was, it was quite the challenge to remain upright without having much traction on my heels.

I will probably invest in spikes at some point, but so far am content with my Brooks Trail Addictions in most weather and Yaktrax over them on hard-packed snow and ice.

Last night was our weekly Group Run night. Dawn didn’t feel terribly well so she didn’t come out running. Krista’s leg had given her trouble after the relay, so she skipped the run to go pick up wedding pictures instead. Yolanda’s knee was giving her trouble, and she only showed up because she owed Krista money. Linda had a sore knee too, so Yolanda and Linda joined Dawn’s newbie Chris with her tightly wrapped knee and they made quite a trio. We decided that next year, if they go together as a relay team, they will call themselves “Tightly Wound”.

I ? *I* had WAY too much energy. Boing, boing boing…

*I* had not gone for a long run in over two weeks, and the 4k race on the weekend was just not enough. I had a slightly tight hamstring that needed a good, solid run and I wanted it NOW. Linda and Yolanda took turns running with me and we looped back for Chris and either Y or L frequently. When we ran down the Holly Park Hill in front of the Ukranian church I zipped down with a big “wheeeeee” and then ran up and down it again, while the mummy-knees carefully descended.

It was dark, so we stuck together as we crossed the Langevin bridge by the homeless drop-in centre. Once we cleared that long block, I decided it was fartlek time for me and ran ahead in small bits and then loop back. Gord Himself joined us somewhere around Prince’s Island, and we chatted as we surged ahead and looped back, surged and looped. I told him if I didn’t loop back the girls would gossip, but that wasn’t true. I just didn’t want them to think I was showing off or forgetting about them.

I didn’t really push the pace (because I wasn’t showing off, see), just kept it at a decent pace for conversation and Gord and I chatted about kids and Halloween and what the Penguins are up to. I was breathless by the top of the Curling Club stairs, but recovered quickly and then we headed back to the store.

It was absolutely gorgeous out. Warmer than it had been for a lot of our June runs. Even after dark, we all hung around outside in our shorts. I had taken off my jacket before the run and forgot it there.

So there’s my boring ol’ Tuesday training run post. Now, if you’d like to read about some fantastic Penguin Athletes’ recent efforts, go read Ellie’s and Linae’s accounts of their triathlons!

Last night was our weekly Group Run night. Dawn didn’t feel terribly well so she didn’t come out running. Krista’s leg had given her trouble after the relay, so she skipped the run to go pick up wedding pictures instead. Yolanda’s knee was giving her trouble, and she only showed up because she owed Krista money. Linda had a sore knee too, so Yolanda and Linda joined Dawn’s newbie Chris with her tightly wrapped knee and they made quite a trio. We decided that next year, if they go together as a relay team, they will call themselves “Tightly Wound”.

I ? *I* had WAY too much energy. Boing, boing boing…

*I* had not gone for a long run in over two weeks, and the 4k race on the weekend was just not enough. I had a slightly tight hamstring that needed a good, solid run and I wanted it NOW. Linda and Yolanda took turns running with me and we looped back for Chris and either Y or L frequently. When we ran down the Holly Park Hill in front of the Ukranian church I zipped down with a big “wheeeeee” and then ran up and down it again, while the mummy-knees carefully descended.

It was dark, so we stuck together as we crossed the Langevin bridge by the homeless drop-in centre. Once we cleared that long block, I decided it was fartlek time for me and ran ahead in small bits and then loop back. Gord Himself joined us somewhere around Prince’s Island, and we chatted as we surged ahead and looped back, surged and looped. I told him if I didn’t loop back the girls would gossip, but that wasn’t true. I just didn’t want them to think I was showing off or forgetting about them.

I didn’t really push the pace (because I wasn’t showing off, see), just kept it at a decent pace for conversation and Gord and I chatted about kids and Halloween and what the Penguins are up to. I was breathless by the top of the Curling Club stairs, but recovered quickly and then we headed back to the store.

It was absolutely gorgeous out. Warmer than it had been for a lot of our June runs. Even after dark, we all hung around outside in our shorts. I had taken off my jacket before the run and forgot it there.

So there’s my boring ol’ Tuesday training run post. Now, if you’d like to read about some fantastic Penguin Athletes’ recent efforts, go read Ellie’s and Linae’s accounts of their triathlons!

It’s my Blogaversary today! One year since I started blogging. One year since Mark and Aaron set me up with this great place to share about my running and life. It’s kind of like a front yard, or a living room, where neighbors drop by and we chat over the fence about stuff. One of my favourite parts of the day is when I get to visit everyone else’s blogs, too. Thanks, Yolanda, for introducing me to this great way to make friends!

I know you’re anxiously awaiting that Confederation Park Relay race report, but I’ll have that up hopefully later today. I have more pics of that for you, too, but if you want, head over to Dawn’s for her great write up and pictures while you’re waiting.

(checks watch)

(ohwhattheheck)

This shot can’t wait for the race report 🙂