Running the Mercedes-Benz 10K did help me to prepare for the Ottawa Marathon in a mental-state way if not necessarily in a physical way. I realized from this experience that I can run better than I thought and it has given me a whole new level of confidence than I had before. And, as I believe that running a marathon is as much a mental game as a physical one, that should put me in a good place.
Honestly, up to the Mercedes-Benz run, I was terrified when I stopped to think too hard about the Ottawa race, but now – not so much!
I am really looking forward to it as now I just want to do it!!! Get ‘er done!!
The essence of Chi Running is the use of the momentum of the forward fall to pull you forward rather than using the muscles in your legs and feet to push you forward.
It is important to be conscious of your center when aligning your posture and leaning it forward to create the forward fall. Your center is situated between your belly button and pubic bone where the lower abdominals and pelvis are located.
You create the forward fall by aligning your posture and leaning it forward with completely relaxed ankles. The ankles serve as the hinge point between your aligned posture whenever your feet are in contact with the ground. The forward lean moves your body weight in front of your ankles to create the forward momentum. In order to ensure relaxed ankles, you must release all tension in the lower legs (balls of foot, calves, etc.).
A common mistake made when learning to lean your posture forward, is bending at the waist. Being conscious of your center is crucial to avoid this mistake.
You must be conscious of your center to engage the lower abdominals and keep the pelvis level through the different angles of lean. The greater the angle of lean, the greater the level of effort required to maintain a level pelvis. Your lower abdominals are the only muscles in the body that you intentionally engage, all other muscles should be relaxed.
When aligning your posture imagine there is a string with one end attached to your lower abdominals and the other end running up through your chin and attached to the crown of your head. Now whenever you push up the sky with the crown of the head to lengthen your spine and straighten your neck, imagine the string also pulls up on your lower abdominals to level the pelvis. This visualization helps you to align your posture in one step and to keep you constantly aware of your center.
When you bend at the waist your center actually moves backward while your upper body moves forward. To avoid this when leaning your posture forward feel your center and just focus on moving it in front of where your feet contact the ground. This will prevent you from moving your center backwards and bending at the waist.
Be conscious of your feet and ensure they only contact the ground behind your center. Ensure the lower legs and ankles are completely relaxed at all times. Use a very short stride length and ensure your feet contact the ground with a full foot strike without any push off. Visualize you are running on a bed of hot coals and you just want to only put your foot down long enough to support your body weight then immediately lift it off.
Well, guys! We did it! Laura M and I ran the Mercedes Benz 10 K Sunday morning in Oakville after being picked up in a Mercedes Benz at 6:00 AM!! Ouch!
Great to have Laura with me! Great to have a friend to share the experience with. Laura was a real trooper as she was not feeling too well this weekend and had not run since the previous Tuesday! Way to go, Laura!
Plus, having Tania there was an extra bonus! She is SO supportive and positive!
We got there at about 7:00 AM or so and the race started at 8:00 AM. We were nervous and I was feeling a bit weak (despite having eaten oatmeal with blueberries that morning).
So fast the camera can't focus!
A bright and beautiful sunny day with not a cloud in the sky. The first 3 K were warm up for me as I was stiff and a bit sore from training; looked at my watch at exactly the 3K marker and it said “8:14 AM” …great …right on track for time…let the next 4 K slide by maintaining the same pace…stopped twice because I have a bad habit of going a bit too fast all of the time and then wanting to stop to check my pace…and drink Gatorade at the two water stations.
Passed 7 K and prepared myself mentally for going really hard from 8 K to finish…..then…I basically sprinted the last 2 K…really hard on the last 1 K…..passed lots of people that had been ahead of me the whole race and a lot of them were younger men and some boys that were about 18 – 22 years of age!
THAT made me feel really great!
Finish time: 49:07!!
hahaahhahahahahhahaahhaha………………..
(indulge me my puffing and preening…I’ve earned it !!)
Aleks’ time was better than anticipated and I believe she said “I feel like I’m on cloud nine” with an official time of 49:33.3
Just to put Aleks’ time in perspective (not that we aren’t already blown away by it!), she placed 9th out of 102 in her age category, 43rd out of 622 women overall, and 214th out of 1, 128!
I’ve said it before, I’ll say it again: the way to this blogger’s heart is through her stomach and the shortcut definitely involves squash. Mr. Shuffler made this for supper on Sunday and it was quite tasty. We got it from Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian, a new addition to my bookshelf but one that we’ve been salivating over (literally and metaphorically) for several months. I kept buying copies of this for friends and family and every time I did, I would catch Mr. Shuffler leafing through it longingly. I bought this one and its omnivorous predecessor How to Cook Everything.
1 medium-sized winter squash (e.g., acorn, butternut) and olive oil to coat
2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
½ onion, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped (we were out of carrots so we used a sweet red pepper)
2 tsps minced garlic
1 bay leaf
½ cup dry white wine
2 cups vegetable stock or water, or more as needed
1 cup dried brown lentils, washed and picked over
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Chopped parsley for garnish (I dislike parsley so we omitted this)
Peel the squash, seed it and chop it into 1- to 2-inche cubes (about 2 cups); toss it in olive oil to coat and roast in a 375°F oven on a baking sheet until tender and caramelized. (This should take about 20 minutes or so). Set aside.
Put the oil in a medium pot over medium-high heat. When hot, add the onion, celery, and carrot/red pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Add the bay leaf, wine, stock, and lentils. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and bring to boil. Turn the heat down to medium-low so that the mixture bubbles gently, cover partially, and cook, stirring occasionally and adding stock or water if necessary to keep the lentils from sticking and burning. After 15 minutes, add the squash. Continue cooking until the lentils are tender, another 10 to 15 minutes. The lentils should be saucy but not soupy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, sprinkle with parsley, and serve or store, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Aleks told us about her fascinating journey to fitness and a healthy lifestyle in her blog.
There is more to the story, as Aleks credits a very special friend for nudging and prodding her to take the next step and continue to evolve as a runner. Here is the other side of the story from Aleks’ running mentor Judy.
I have a few stories to share, as I knew Aleks before she started running, never mind running a marathon!
You see, I used to work for Aleks. And one afternoon, I popped into the store to say hello to her, and told her that I was about to embark on a trip to San Diego to run my first marathon. She then confided that she had started to run herself and that she was considering attempting a half sometime in the future.
After I ran San Diego, I had full-on marathon fever and signed myself up to run the GoodLife Toronto Marathon that fall. Aleks and I started running together on Saturday mornings, with me convincing Aleks the whole time that she could run a full if she trained for it. I managed to convince her to sign up for the half, and I switched my entry to the half and we agreed to run it together. Due to some personal circumstances, I ended up not being able to run it and she ran on her own. I was so proud of her, and surprised at the same time, as she told me that at the starting line she still felt like an imposter somehow and that any minute these people around her would realize that she wasn’t a real runner. I think at the finish line she may have changed her mind as she hasn’t looked back.
Unfortunately, because Aleks has really taken on this challenge with vigour, and I am a busy mom of two boys, we haven’t seen each other much over the winter. I do know that she has become so much more confident about her running over the past few months and that she is going to do really well in Ottawa.
I’m super proud of her, whether she breaks 4 hours or not, although I’m pretty sure she can do that and more.
I’m sad that I won’t be in Ottawa to cheer Aleks on and see her cross the finish line of her first full marathon, but I look forward to the time when the two of us can get our schedules together to run a marathon side by side, two runners. Two friends.
About Judy:
I started running after my second child was born, about 4 years ago now, and went from recreational running and 5K races to my first marathon within a year. I ran it with Team In Training. After two successive seasons as a mentor, last year I took another leap and became a coach with the team, sending participants to the Rome International marathon, and Around the Bay this past March. I am currently working towards getting myself certified, and part of that inspiration comes from my early runs with Aleks sharing with her all that I had learned from the fabulous coaches on my first marathon training program.
With less than two weeks to go until the Mississauga Marathon, my taper is underway. This, of course, means that I am subjecting my family and friends to a little bit of taper madness – to give them a break, I thought I would commiserate with you!
So here’s a video I stumbled across – should help me get my mental game on.
Golf can be a great source of cross-training on all those “off-days” of training. A nice long walk across undulating courses strengthens leg muscles, while long drives and approaches work the arms, back and core.
Immediately, I was impressed with how light the BIOM Golf shoes felt. I found myself quickly drawing comparisons to my racing flats, as the feather-light spikes are a far-cry from my dated golf pair.
Upon hitting the links, I found the shoes able to withstand a compelling durability test. As any springtime golfer will tell you, early season conditions tend to be on the soggy side. However, the BIOM shoes, with their Hydromax-treated Yak leather, were up to the challenge. Throughout the round, I felt comfortable and found the shoes took very little time to form to my feet.
If you’re an avid golfer looking for performance, the lightweight styling allows for excellent feel, while maintaining a structure that ensures a balanced approach for your swing.
Adidas outfitted the Makeover runners in technical running apparel that features CLIMACOOL ® technology to manage heat and perspiration and keep them dry and comfortable. Flowmapping is used to study how air flows across the body so that CLIMACOOL ® technology can be placed where it’s most needed. For improved comfort and efficiency, the apparel provided to the runners uses our FORMOTION ™ technology. FORMOTION ™ garments use pre-shaped 3D silhouettes that allow greater freedom of movement and move naturally with the body.
Brock lives in Edmonton (also known as home of the Running Room) and therefore was thrilled to mix up his clothing options with CLIMACOOL ® and FORMOTION ™ garments in the men’s spring seasonal color – green!
Aleks only wears clothing which accentuates her style and attributes. Aleks appreciated the sleek black FORMOTION ™ tops and tights for cooler weather. But, she loved the hot pink jacket to layer over top. Additional items for the spring have been received in gorgeous yellow and blues colours each with flattering cuts and unique shape around the neckline. Aleks will be modeling some of this clothing at her first race at the Mercedes Benz 10k!
Chrystal was transformed into a slick, FORMOTION ™ running machine. She has never had the opportunity to try modern sport fabrics while running. Chrystal was truly astonished at how she felt and moved with the new clothing. She will never go back to hand-me-down soggy gear!
I’m a day late for Cinco de Mayo celebrations but I couldn’t resist. Regular iRun reader, contributor to What’s Cookin’, iRunNation and running buddy extraordinaire Renee sent in this recipe and the story that goes with it:
Last week, Michael and I lost a 60 foot spruce tree in the windstorm – and by “lost”, I mean it was uprooted and fell over, and had to be gotten rid of. It turns out disposing of a tree is a massive chore, and we spent the entire day on Sunday delimbing the tree and carting logs all over the yard. After that hard work, we both craved a fresh and filling meal, and this is what we came up with! Delicious.
2) Mix 1 1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning with the juice of half a lime, a tsp olive oil, and a small splash of water and pour over tofu. Rub paste intotofu slices.
3) After 30 minutes, turn tofu slices over and rub paste into second side. Leave for another 30 minutes. (Longer would probably be better.)
4) When ready to prepare salad, place tofu in frying pan on low heat and gently fry – about ten minutes each side.
Prepare guacamole (this makes more than enough for just this recipe):
1) Dice two avocadoes and half the tomato. Mince garlic.
2) Combine avocadoes, tomato, garlic, juice of half a lime, cilantro and a pinch of salt, and, if your partner doesn’t hate onions, a small amount of chopped red onion.
3) Place cling film on guacamole so that it is contact with the guacamole (this slows down browning) and put in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to allow flavours to mingle.
Prepare veggies:
1) Combine 1 tsp oil and 1/2 Tbsp taco seasoning and brush over peppers and mushrooms.
2) Barbecue until lightly charred.
3) Cut into bite-sized pieces.
Assemble salad:
1) Toss shredded romaine with a small amount of lime juice and a very small amount of oil.
2) Top with chopped tomato, grilled veggies, tofu strips, shredded cheese, and garnish with a dollop of guacamole and more cilantro. Eat outside if possible.
Suggested beverage pairing: I definitely wouldn’t recommend wine for this. I’m thinking some kind of lager, margaritas on ice or, failing all else, tequila.
De-tree-ing works up an appetite!
**Ever wanted to have your own food blog but didn’t feel like you had the time to update consistently? Look no further for the answer: join our What’s Cookin’, iRunNation? blogging collective and you can submit posts as frequently or occasionally as you like! Perfect for the busy foodie/runner. All reasonable posts considered. Just send them to webeditor@irun.ca or dana.menard@gmail.com**
Tania said try two training races before my big goal race. I blogged about my first, so it seems like I should share a bit about this one. It felt much better.
At my first training 5 K, I ran it in 28.42 and it was not a positive experience. I did not believe that my body would be responsive to all the training, everyone was so fast and I seemed to be slower than most. I found it a bit demoralizing really.
Tania has been providing me with speed training designed to simulate a race environment, and also gave me the dialogue that goes with it that should be going on in my head during the race. The speed training is tough for me and it pushes me to go at a pace I am not sure is healthy in aged and overweight women, but I am out there doing it. It involves running for 6 minutes at a race pace (for me that is around 6.00 per k) and then walking or jogging between each interval. I do this 6 times. For the most recent speed work out she reduced the number of 6 minute intervals to 4 and then I was to push it even faster and do 4x 2 minutes with a 4 minute rest between. Even with the walking between, I did almost 10K in 60 minutes.
So with a few more speed workouts under my belt since the last training 5 k race three weeks ago, I went into this race feeling much more confident in my ability and curious to see if the speed training would improve my time.
The course was tougher with more uphills and it was a rainy cold day, so it was not the ideal conditions of the first race. My mental conversation was more positive and I did not get discouraged by people passing me. In the end, I improve my time by 30 seconds in just 3 weeks of speed training. Amazing.
I now believe that I can get faster – its just a matter of putting in the time and getting fitter. My faith in my own ability to achieve has kicked in. Ain’t that a powerful thing. Now its just a matter of putting the time in to achieve my goal.
I can hear Tania, all the way from Toronto saying, “Its about time. I thought she never would get it.” I guess I am slow in more than one way.
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