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!

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.

I bought this book called “The Female Triathlete” about three years ago. I had just given birth to my second daughter, Alena, and had started running again. I didn’t know when, but I knew that I eventually wanted to do a triathlon. I ran consistently for about two years, and then last spring, finally picked up the book. I read it in its entirety, made myself a training program and did my first triathlon in July 2010.

At one point, I offered it to my husband, an inexperienced swimmer, to read the technique tips and training drills for the pool. Although I can’t remember if he read it or not, I remember realizing that marketing that book to women was ridiculous. It dawned on me that the only reason it was titled “The Female Triathlete” instead of “The Triathlete” was because it had been written by a woman. The only difference between male and female athletes, when looking at training drills and techniques is the fact that women have their period to deal with. There’s usually one chapter dedicated to a combination of iron suppliments, period “stuff” (I’ll leave it vague, since if you’re a woman, I’m sure you’ve read the chapter and if you’re a man, you don’t really want to know), the importance of calcium and probably a quick blurb about pregnancy.

My favourite running book, John Stanton’s Book on Running has this chapter, so obviously a man is qualified to do research on this subject and publish it. So why is a book written by a man marketed as a unisex training guide, while the book written by a women is marketed solely to women? Because men wouldn’t buy it.

(Should I duck and cover now?)

Look, sorry if this offends anyone, but the fact is that women are STILL regarded as less than men in many, many ways. We may dominate races in numbers, we are the fastest growing group in marathons, we occupy half of the work force, half of the population, but still we can’t write a damn book and have men read it? Why is it acceptable for John Stanton* to give me (totally solid) advice about being a menstruating runner while most men wouldn’t look twice at any sort of training book written by a woman? Regardless of the fact that it was written by an elite athlete who is very likely more experienced and faster than any person reading her book would be.

This was all supposed to be an introduction into a concern I have, but I kind of got away from myself didn’t I? Anyway, as a disclaimer, if you’re not interested in reading about “The Female Runner and Her Womanly Issues” I suggest you close your browser now.

So, as we all know, one week out of every month sucks. Aside from the 3-5lbs you pack on, the Tostitos you may eat in abundance, the cramps and, if you’re like me, the seven-day headache that borders on migraine and near-constant sense of nausea, there is exhaustion. Oh, exhaustion.

Too tired to worry much about the maintenance of my life, you can usually find me laying on the couch “watching” Dora with my kids (and by watching, I mean watching it with my eyes closed). The weights are heavier, the runs are longer the hills are steeper, it’s just the way. I am in tune enough with my body that I give myself leeway that week and take it easier than usual. When I’m not training for something, I’ll even take the week off if I really need to. When your body says “Rest” then rest you should.

I had a 34k run planned today and turned around at the 8k mark. It just wasn’t happening (for all of the above stated reasons). No biggie, I’ll run 35k next week and then start my taper. It makes me a little nervous that the past three weeks have been very light on kilometres due to final exams and then vacation and then an unexpected road trip to help a friend out, but there’s nothing I can do about that now, and so I focus on the next four weeks. Which brings me to my point of concern.

Four weeks from now means three weeks of strong running and then a week of headaches and fatigue. Right in conjunction with race day. And there doesn’t seem to be a damn thing I can do about it.

Now, I’ve found, in my racing experience, that the body can do magical things on race day. For example, last year at the end of my triathlon, I ran a 24 minute 5k. I have never before and never since been able to match that pace. I have run as fast as I could with fresh legs and not come close to the time I ran it in after swimming 750 metres and biking 20k. Adrenaline is an amazing force. Maybe at the end of next month, my body will somehow find energy that is usually lacking. Maybe the (frustrating but always so effective) tapering will have my legs jittering in such an excited way that I won’t feel exhausted within the first kilometre.

Que sera sera, I suppose. But it still isn’t going to stop me from fretting about it for the next month.

*No offense to John Stanton, I’ve mentioned many times how valuable a resource his books have been to me.

The Canadian International Learning Foundation (CanILF) is putting together a fundraising team for Ottawa Race Weekend, and they’re looking for runners!  If you’re running one of the races and are looking to give back, you might want to consider this worthwhile cause.

CanILF is an Ottawa-based charity that works to provide post-secondary education in areas affected by war, illness and poverty.  One of their main successes is the financial support they have provided to Afghan School Project – the school, located in Kandahar, has provided courses in business, management, information technology and more, and has resulted in over 500 graduates obtaining employment or promotions since it began in 2007.  While the school is open to all students, there is a focus on providing educational opportunities to women, taking a grassroots approach to turning systemic poverty and discrimination on its head.  CanILF also trains mentors in Canada and abroad, provides scholarships and educational equipment, and offers online courses.

Another great thing about CanILF is that, as far as raising money for charity, it’s a pretty good bang for the buck!  The cost to provide educational opportunities in these areas is only $10-25 per student per month, so they’re hoping runners will raise about $60 each – not a huge stretch for the average fundraising amateur.  It’s also an opportunity to support our Canadian Forces mission, in a round-about way; the common goal is to support the rebuilding of Afghanistan, and CanILF’s programs are a great opportunity for the average, non-enlisted Canadian to help out.

To learn more, visit the CanILF website, and check out the press release below:

_______________________________

Join the Canadian International Learning Foundation’s Race Weekend Team!

Are you taking part in Ottawa’s Race Weekend? Would you like to help students struggling to overcome war and poverty? If so, you can join the Canadian International Learning Foundation (CanILF) Ottawa Race Weekend Team and help provide scholarships for students in Afghanistan and Uganda.

When it costs as little as $10 per month to send a student to school, you don’t have to raise a lot of money to make a big difference. We’re looking for runners to join our Team to raise money for scholarships, with the suggested goal of raising $60 per runner. We’re hoping to send at least four students to school for a year – half at the Afghan-Canadian Community Center in Kandahar, and half at the Kabira Adult Attention and School of Orphans in the Rakai District of Uganda.

CanILF is a volunteer charity that mentors educators and provides student scholarships and educational equipment at partner schools in areas affected by war, illness and poverty – to learn more, visit www.canilf.org. Ottawa Race Weekend is the perfect opportunity for runners (and walkers) of all types to get together to raise awareness about this important cause.

Want to join our Team? Then e-mail us and we’ll provide you with a fundraising and information package that you can send to family, friends and co-workers. We’ll be holding a post-Race party for Team Members – refreshments included – to thank everyone who took part.

To sign up, please contact Ryan at staff@canilf.org.