The four main components of the Chi Running form are posture, lean, heel lift and arm swing. This blog entry discusses lean.
Your lean is what engages gravity to pull you forward so that you don’t have to propel yourself by pushing off with your feet and leg muscles, thus allowing them to remain relaxed when you run.
When leaning you engage the maximum pull of gravity if your posture is completely aligned and you are only leaning forward from your ankles with your legs and feet completely relaxed from the knees down.
Try it for yourself … stand up straight and tall … then …
(1) Only bend your neck so your head is leaning forward … leave the rest of the body straight and upright … do you feel gravity pulling you forward? … Nope.
(2) Bend forward at the waist where your belly button is located … leave everything below the belly button straight and upright … do you feel gravity pulling you forward? … Nope.
(3) Bend forward at the hips … leave everything below the hips straight and upright… do you feel gravity pulling you forward? … Nope.
OK now stand up straight and tall and relax your legs, ankles and feet completely … keep your entire posture aligned and let it fall forward slightly with the only bend being at your ankles … do your feel gravity pulling you forward … You bet!
In fact the straighter your posture, the lesser lean that is required to efficiently engage the forward pull of gravity. Whenever I am running to maintain a certain pace and it starts dropping off, the first thing I do is straighten my posture. That alone is usually all that is required to bring my pace back since it increases the pull of gravity for my present angle of lean.
You want to use the component of gravity pulling you forward as much as possible so you don’t want to provide any resistance to it. Resistance comes from holding any tension in your lower legs and ankles which roots your body to the ground and impedes your forward movement. Instead you want to keep your lower legs and ankles loose, relaxed and limp when running.
Your lean is your gas pedal. The more you lean with an aligned posture the greater the component of gravity pulling your forward and the faster you go. The faster you go the more critical it is to relax your lower legs, ankles and feet to minimize resistance to the forward pull of gravity. This is a opposite to most running forms that require more muscle usage to increase speed.
As you increase your angle of lean there is a tendency to want to bend at the waist. Leveling your pelvis stops you from bending at the waist and keeps your posture aligned. The more you lean the more your lower abdominal muscles have to work to keep your pelvis level to prevent you bending at the waist.
Detailed instructions and exercises on how to properly lean are provided within the Chi Running book, video DVDs and audio CDs.
After running the Canada Day 5K last week, I got to thinking about how I don’t run the small, local races very often. In fact, I looked up the last time I ran one, and was quite shocked to see that it was in 2007.
So then I got to thinking about why that is. It’s not because I don’t enjoy them – in fact, they’re great fun! It’s nice to not have to go far and to be familiar with the area. It’s also nice not to have to go ridiculously early to stand in line forever for kit pick up. I don’t have to bring my own cheering squad because I will invariably run into someone I know.
I figure I haven’t really been avoiding the small, local races, but rather, I’ve been attracted to the larger, less local races. But why is that? Well, speed is an obvious answer. In a small race, I place much worse. Take Ottawa for example: when I ran the 5K at the end of May, I ran a full 4 minutes slower than I ran last week, but still placed under halfway in the field; last week, my personal best put me much farther back. So the moral of the story is: the bigger the bell curve, the closer I am to average (for the record, I have never claimed to be speedy, and have, in fact, had a lot of fun joking about the time I came in 4th-last in a race, just ahead of 3 girls who were only there to pass their gym class – one was wearing flip flops, and the other two stopped for a smoke at the turn-around).
Having said that, there’s that whole part about how I will invariably run into someone I know, either in the race or in the crowd. Store owners, coworkers, my Boot Camp buddy, some other lady from Boot Camp that I don’t know. The lady I see out walking every morning with her coffee cup (who placed third in her age category, thank you very much) and that guy who walks with his beautiful and well-behaved greyhound. While I make no bones about the fact that I am slow, I guess I don’t specifically have the urge to prove it to all of those people on home turf.
But if there’s anything I’ve learned over time, it’s that no one cares who came in last, except that person. In fact, at the small, local races, the crowd gets bigger for the end of the pack as all the people who are already finished are waiting for the pizza to arrive!
The final stretch down Mt Tremblant's main drag - A 58km epic adventure in some of the most technical terrain I've ever run!
The final stretch down Mt Tremblant's main drag - A 58km epic adventure in some of the most technical terrain I've ever run!
Where to begin…
I’m usually not a big fan of (my own) race reports, but figured that the Ultimate XC race in Mt Tremblant last week (June 26th) deserved one since it was such as wild adventure! So settle in, get comfy…because it’s a doozy!
Race Morning
“Ugh…That was short!” I was talking about my sleep…With a late night of equipment prep for the day’s 56km ‘adventure’, the 4hrs of restless sleep I got had left me wanting more…oh well, I’m sure it’s the same for everyone. A bowl of cereal mixed with yogurt and a banana, one last check of my gear-drop bag , a bit of pre-race socializing, some last words from the Race Director (RD) and it was GO time!
Km0 – Km14.5
As I lingered in the pack of runners, I couldn’t stop to think of my lack of preparation for this race…Would my achilles hold? Would I really drop out if I felt pain come back? Will this be another DV50? Will my stomach take in the required calories? Who are the strong runners here? Will my quads hold up to the 6,000m of +/- elev change? So many questions…
“Come on Phil!” I urged myself to stop thinking. I picked up the pace and took off after the leaders…
A quick run through Mt Tremblant Village and onto the trail we turned…After a few kilometres, the pace settled, and I found myself around 6th place, content to stay around 160-165HR, a pace I knew I could sustain over long periods. With 35km runners in the mix until the 14.5km mark, I wasn’t sure where I stood in the rankings – details for now…
Aside from my left knee cap (which I bruised hard in a photoshoot last week – fell on a sharp rock!), my body felt great. My achilles was loose and that made me smile…I was cruisin’. After a bit of climbing, the trail took a hard right onto an old ‘bush’ trail and the fun began! The RD had described it as an old guiding trail. Yeah right, this thing was barely broken in, with lots of forest litter, stumps, rocks, branches, angled terrain, bumps, jumps…Simply – It was awesome! I was moving well, focused on watching my footing and quickly caught up to a few runners that were struggling in the technical terrain – Before I knew it, I had moved into the lead, and was running with one of the 35km runners who was chasing another runner up the trail – I was content to run with him. He saw how much fun I was having and quickly pointed out: “Oh, you just wait…” Around the next corner, the trail took a sharp turn, and we found ourselves running straight into a creek!
“Time to get wet” I said. With no hesitation I jumped in expecting to sink to my knees – but kept going deeper and deeper – I sucked in my breath as the water crept up to my chest!
For the next 4km, we ran, crawled, walked and waded through varying levels of creek water, climbing over beaver dams, over/under sweepers (fallen trees in water)…and as we moved on from the creek to the river, the terrain switched from a sandy bottom to extremely slick rocks! (Note: In the pre-race meeting, the RD warned us to follow the markers and stay in the river as running on the shores would result in a 1hr penalty!) The river section seemed endless. There was not one moment to relax as the terrain required your full attention – Amidst the core wrenching workout, a few culverts and tunnels added a short lived relief to the rock-dancing juggling act to stay on your feet…Needless to say that the aid station/gear drop was a welcome site…1.5hrs and 14.5km done – ugh!
Km14.5 – Km25.6
As I changed my socks and rinsed the sand out of my Salomon Speedcross’, I noticed a runner take off on the 56km course (this Aid Station sent 56km runners up the mountain; while 35km runners continued on the main loop).
“Who’s this guy ahead of me?” I asked…thinking that he was a 35km runner.
“Oh, he’s the leader of the 56km!” A volunteer replied
“Shoot!” I grabbed a protein bar, and ran after him…
David Le Porho (I would learn after the race was over), one of Quebec’s top ranked runners, was cruisin’ about 30sec ahead…He disappeared around a corner heading uphill, and that was the last I would see of him for the next 30+ kilometres!
This next section involved the first of 3 climbs up to the summit of Mt Tremblant. I felt good and kept a steady pace, trying not to push it too much, but also trying to close the gap on David (DLP). My body felt good, my feet were happy and most important, my achilles was doing great! As I reached the summit, the views opened up, exposing the surrounding hills – I took a quick peak…Beautiful! I reached Aid Station 3 (@ 21.3km), and was told that I was 4min back of DLP…He was climbing well. I didn’t linger, took a few sips of water, a banana, a potato and took off down the slope; it was only 4.5km back down the hill to the gear-drop station. But as I left the summit, I got confused by the signage and had to double back to check my direction…an arrow pointing one way, a flag in the other…hmmm, where to go? Common sense told me to go downhill, so I took the obvious route, down it is!
What should have been a fast downhill, turned into a painful slog as my stomach started giving me issues from all the pounding. I contemplated taking a ‘pit stop’ along the way, but hesitated…”I’m losing time” I thought…”Do I stop now, or later”…I rounded the corner to find the Aid Station (@ 25.6km) and a crowd of runners – I guess it will have to wait!
“You’re 6 minutes behind the leader” I was told – ugh.
Km25.6 – Km31.2
As I started my 2nd ascent up Mt Tremblant, my stomach was really not happy with me…If it wasn’t for passing a few 35k-ers, my mind would have wandered. I wish I had been ‘fresh-er’ at this point as the sweet singletrack would have been even sweeter! Instead, I walked, ran, walked some more…Eventually, my stomach got the best of me, I deeked off the trail to take care of business…
As I plowed through a freshly cut summit ridge trail, Aid Station 6 (@ 31.2km) appeared in the middle of nowhere…a familiar face, some cheers…”How far ahead is the leader?”
“8 minutes…”
Not bad I figured, considering my pitstop. Off I went back down the mountain!
Km31.2 – Km45:Le Cauchemar [The Nightmare!]
You know it can’t be good when a section of the race course is called ‘The Nightmare’! That said, the section was hard, but not as bad as I thought it might be. I suppose that after the first creek section, I was expecting the worst, but the worst never came. Instead, a fun, freshly cut and very technical descent led us down the mountain, and out for a 14km loop in the ‘sticks’ of Tremblant’s backside. Twists, turns, dodge, jump, hop, sink…this section had it all!
The 3rd and final assault up Mt Tremblant was painfully slow – My energy was ok, but my legs were starting to feel the length of the race. I plugged away at the climb, walking some steep sections, trying to run the flatter ones. I was in no-mans land. There was nobody out there…
I hadn’t thought about my achilles in a while and it dawned on me that it was still holding very well – a bit tight – but holding nonetheless…good news! A few more corners, a little less vegetation…My only entertainment was watching my altimeter tick away at the remaining metres… 2,197m… 2,314m… 2,468m… 2,545m…
“Only 300 to 400m to go Phil – Come on!”
Through the thick bush, I reached Aid Station 8 (@ 45km), a few dazed runners sat refuelling. I knew only 10km remained…”How far is the leader” I asked.
“2 minutes…”
“Holy sh*t!” I exclaimed “…only 2 minutes?”
I chugged 3 cups of water – and took off after him…
Km45 – Km49.2:Ridge run to the final summit
“He’s cracking” I thought…For the first time in over 5hrs, I thought I could really win the race! I charged ahead, refuelling on the go. My body still had energy, and although my quads were aching, overall, I felt good. After 3 or 4kms, I caught a glimpse of DLP through the trees and knew right away – This is it. I can win!
I ran smooth, making sure not to make any noise or spook him into going into a full on sprint…I was smooth and silent – like a Ninja! 😉 But the track was too narrow for me to pass and so I just waited…Eventually he caught a glimpse of me and surged – but there was no way he would drop me today. We popped out in the open on a service road to the summit where two very steep pitches remained to reach the final Aid Station (@49.2km). I pulled up beside DLP, looked at him and said:
“Belle journée, heh?” [Nice day eh?]
He shook his head: “Je suis dans le vrac…” [I’m so done!]
I pushed on the gas pedal, and ran up the final 2 pitches without looking back. At the summit, I guzzled a couple more cups of water at the aid station, stole an orange (it tasted sooo good!), and headed down the final descent – Mt Tremblant village waited for me below…
Km49.2 – Km56
As soon as I started down, my quads started cramping. My body was starting to tell me that it had had enough…A few 10-second stretch stops seemed to help, but I was running scared now, not sure how far back or how quickly DLP was running down the hill. I tried to keep a steady pace, and was encouraged by several hikers coming up the popular hiking trail – La Grande Brulée – Can’t be far now…
A few more turns and jumps down the fun track and the top of the village appeared – I could hear the music – A quick look back…nobody was in sight…
Running down Mt Tremblant village amidst the cheers of the crowd gave me goose bumps – I did it! I rounded the last corner with a bit smile, lifted my arms to celebrate! I crossed the line in 6h34:13, besting last year’s record of 7h18…
Honestly, my big goal at Ultimate XC was to test my achilles, and come out of it without aggravating it more – so all in all – mission accomplished! The fact that I was able to pull off the win was fantastic, as any win is always good ‘pour le moral’ [confidence boost]. As for the course record, well, I’ll take that as the cherry on top!
I’ve been fairly committed to running for two years now, since the birth of my second daughter. I’ve run two half marathons, one full and various 10 and 5k’s. I’ve logged hours and hours and miles and miles. Running shakes the noise from my head; it brings me peace. I run alone, by choice.
The route I choose varies on my mood that day. Trails through the park are the most peaceful, but routes beside the blue glittering ocean take my breath away. After four years of being a mom and struggling with maintaining an identity outside of my children’s lives, I can honestly and proudly say that I am a runner.
Then I went and signed myself up for a triathlon. My first bike ride was, in a word, humbling. A 20k run? Sure! A 20k bike ride? Different story entirely. 30 minute run? I’d eat that up! 30 minute swim? Oh my.
Stepping outside of your comfort zone is frightening, and I’m realizing that the older we get, the more intimidating it becomes.
Every time I think about July 25 (race day) I get butterflies in my stomach. I’m worried I’ll be last, or that (worse) I’ll make a rookie mistake and that… well, that everyone will laugh at me. I’m afraid of swimming face first into a jelly fish and I have no idea what to wear under my wet suit. The list of minor and major concerns goes on and on and on.
Last week I was considering not doing the race. I spent a lot of time thinking about exactly how important this triathlon is to me. It’s not about pride or speed or bragging rights. I realized that it’s not really about the triathlon at all. This is about finding strength in myself, physical, yes, but mostly mental. This is about confronting meekness and throwing it out the window. This is about showing my daughters that there is nothing they can’t do if they really want it.
There will be no one to swim for me, no one to bike for me, no one to run for me. I know the taste of my own sweat, the feel of my own muscles burning. I know the satisfaction that comes with the culmination of training. I know how good it feels to burst across that finish line, legs wobbling underneath me. I know that once I finish I’ll probably say that I’ll never do that again, and I know that I probably will do it again.
This is about strength and resolve and faith and determination.
This is about breaking down the walls of my comfort zone.
“You don’t have many ways to jump. You can be an athlete. Athletes are very, very big in Coos Bay. You can study, try and be an intellectual, but there aren’t many of those. Or you can go drag the Gut in your lowered Chevy with a switchblade in your pocket.” Steve Prefontaine
VICKY: Alright folks, let’s get down to business. Back to the reason why we’re writing this blog. Let’s get back to Steve Prefontaine and our current book selection…PRE.
GRANT: Finally! You finally finished it?
VICKY: No.
GRANT: For the love of gawd woman!
VICKY: Listen, I’ve been busy with life.
GRANT: Ok fair enough. Can you at least tell me what’s your first impression of the book?
VICKY: First of all, every time I pick up the book or even think of PRE, all I can see is his mustache.
GRANT: His mustache?
VICKY: Seriously, it bothers me. I know it was cool back then or even now on men over the age of 40. But honestly, no man under 40 should EVER grow a mustache. That’s all I’m saying here people. Thank goodness times have changed and today’s runners don’t have mustaches. In fact, most of them don’t have much body hair. They’re like swimmers, they shave it all off nowadays. Anyways, that’s a topic for another day.
GRANT: Tell me there’s something more to the first chapter…*sigh*
VICKY: Yes, yes. The first chapter talks a lot about his roots. At page 5 for example, the author says:
“To understand Steve Prefontaine it is necessary to know something about Coos Bay, Oregon. The town and the man find themselves similarly described: blunt, energetic, tough, agressive. Coos Bay is a mill town, a fishing town, a deepwater port. Longshoremen, fishermen, and loggers are not given to quiet introspection. Coos Bay endures its difficult life in the woods, on the boats and docks with a vociferous pride. The working men insist on a hardness in their society. Youth must be initiated, must measure up.”
GRANT: That explains a lot of his quotes about running being a pure guts race and if somebody beats him, they’ll have to bleed to do it.
VICKY: Exactly. You know how some people say you shouldn’t be defined solely by where you come from?
GRANT: Yup. And I agree with that. In fact, I believe you are the only person who can truly define yourself. Not your family, your friends and certainly not where you come from.
VICKY: Yes, except don’t ever forget where you came from. You might think that you’re smarter, richer or even better than those who still live where you have since left, but you’re not. I learned that lesson a long time ago. One thing I can say about PRE is that he was who he was because of where he grew up. He had this intensity about him that I think was ingrained in him from a young age. His high school coach, Walt McClure, says it best in the book:
“Pre was the hardest worker in running that I ever had by far. This is the whole thing, his intensity.”
GRANT: While I wait patiently for you to finish the book, I’m reading Bowerman and the Men of Oregon. It’s a lot about the Olympics and about track and field. I’m getting this feeling that track and field runners are more intense than road runners.
VICKY: I totally agree. In the book, the author gets right to the point from the beginning. There are a lot of numbers in the first chapter. If you are a serious runner, I think you’ll enjoy the book because you’ll be able to relate to his desire to conquer the two-mile record and so on. Personally, I’m not an intense runner so I feel like there is a lot of running data. I hoped that the book would be more story-like. Anyways, I will keep reading.
GRANT: What do you think? Are track and field runners more intense than road runners?
Water is an essential part of every day life, in fact every system in your body depends on it. With 60% of our weight made up of water, it plays a critical role in regulating body temperature, maintaining blood volume, cushioning joints and organs, eliminating wastes and toxins from your body, and aids in digestion. It also plays a role in weight maintenance, satiety, and managing inflammation (next blog!). However, many of us find it difficult to drink 8 glasses of water a day, and let’s face it, how would you get any work done if you did!
How much water do you really need?
Everyone’s needs are different, and vary depending on age, sex, activity level, and environmental conditions. As a general rule, the Institute of Medicine recommends that men consume 3 L (13 cups) and women consume 2.2 L (9 cups) of water from all sources per day. This includes food!!! Approximately 20% of our daily water needs come from food, and with a conscious effort, you may be able to replace a glass or two.
Fluids by Food Group
Fruits and vegetables are a great source of water. Water however does not only come from fruits and vegetables- you can get it from every food group! Water content will vary depending on the processing and preparation methods. For example, although both made from milk, yogurt has a higher water content than cheese. In preparing a bowl of oatmeal or plate of rice, one must ensure the exact amount of water is used for best results- you then eat that water! Other preparation methods, such as searing meat in a frying pan prior to baking, helps to seal in the juices (aka the water!). The followinf table has some other examples:
Grain Products
Meat & Alternative
Milk & Alternative
Oatmeal
Rice
Bread
Barley
Chicken breast
Salmon
Tofu
Kidney beans
Chick peas
Lentils
Milk
Yogurt
Cheese
Still not sold on water? Drinking fruit juices, coffee, flavored water, and sport drinks may help those of us who do not love water, and will therefore not drink enough throughout the day. Other tasty treats such as fruit smoothies are a great way to drink your daily servings of fruits and hydrating at the same time. Cold soups such as gazpacho can be a great meal and help cool us down at the same time.
With the heat of summer already upon us, here are some fun and creative ideas to help eat your way to 8 cups a day:
Fruit Smoothie:
Ingredients
Quantity
Procedure
Yogurt, low fat
Banana
Strawberries
Blueberries
Fruit juice
½ cup
½
½ cup
¼ cup
½ cup
Combine ingredients in blender, and blend until smooth consistency
Add your favorite fruit combination (melon, pineapple, kiwi, mango)
Use regular milk, soy milk, or silken tofu instead of yogurt
Use less of your favorite fruit juice to get a thicker consistency (or more to make it juicier)
Use frozen berries if your blender doesn’t crush ice cubes well to keep it cold on those hot summer days
Sneak vegetables such as spinach into the smoothie- the kids wont even taste it!
Zucchini Curry Soup:
Ingredients
Quantity
Procedure
Zucchini, cubed
Onions, yellow, chopped
Chicken or vegetable stock
Curry powder
Milk, 1% or 2%
4 medium
2 medium
2 cups
¼ tsp
½ cup
Simmer zuchinni and onion in stock for 5 minutes.
Add to blender until semi-liquified.
Add rest of ingredients and mix well
Serve hot or cold
Gazpacho:
Ingredients
Quantity
Procedure
Tomatoes, Italian (roma), fresh, washed, halved, seeds removed
Bell pepper, chopped
Jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
Cucumber
Garlic, clove, minced
Olive oil
Vinegar
Salt and pepper
6
1
1
1 large
2
90 ml (6tbsp)
60 ml (4 tbsp)
pinch
Reserve some vegetables aside for garnish.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the food processor or blender until semi-liquified texture
It passed rather anticlimactically on a Wednesday. I was doing my usual Wednesday run, only there was a raging thunderstorm outside, so I was relegated to the dreadmill and some old Friends reruns.
Maybe I expected more fanfare. I had certainly been eager with anticipation in the last two weeks leading up to it. Even as I headed to the basement that morning I remember hoping the power wouldn’t go out so I could hit the mark.
I don’t remember being excited in 2009, but the training log I used last year didn’t total my year-to-date on a weekly basis. So when I added the week’s mileage to last week’s total, I used a purple pen to write the digits: 1,022. Beyond that, of course, nothing happened.
But as I thought about it later, I thought about how lucky I am to be a runner. I know that every kilometre is a gift, because at any time, your life can change in a heartbeat. So as of Saturday, I had received 1,022 gifts in 2010.
I think that parenting is the most elaborate juggling act I’ve ever experienced. Before I had kids, I thought I was organized, thought I made dinner most nights, thought I could handle chaos. But now, other people depend on me. Small, demanding people.
Sometimes it feels like I have two choices: be organized or drown.
Now, I’d like to state that I am not a “Type A” personality. At all. And yet, it seems that my plate is, at times, overflowing in such a way that I have no choice but do things like schedule housework and obsessively write “To Do” lists.
For the past six weeks, I’ve been taking an Accounting course. It’s been, shall we say, rather intense. I’m no math genius, and though I realize accounting is mostly addition and subtraction, all those numbers is enough to make my eyes cross and writing journal entry after journal entry and trying to balance a budget that I never actually manage to balance, well, let’s just say I can’t wait until the final is over.
I’ve also been in the middle of organizing a conference for a small group of people. It’s been a decent amount of work in itself, and since I was trying to make it a “First Annual” event, I really wanted everything to go smoothly.
Oh right, and then there was the half marathon training.
And these things were all cumulating within ten days of each other.
When I run, I always think that the way I feel at that particular moment defines the entire run. 2k in and weeee I’m flying and thinking to myself “This is the best! Run! Ever!” Fast forward to 15k and it’s more along the desperate lines of “I can’t do this anymore! What’s wrong with me? Why did I ever think this was a good idea? I’m never doing this again.”
That way of thinking infiltrates into my regular life, too. Wednesday afternoon, I had dropped the kids off with my mom and come home to finish packing. Laundry was strewn, literally, all over my bedroom. Instead of focusing on my suitcase and acknowledging that I was feeling more than a little nervous about this conference I was about to moderate, I was freaking out about the laundry. Wringing my hands and bemoaning to my husband about the state of things.
The good news is that the conference went without a hitch and I ran a PB in the Johnny Miles Half last Sunday (2h05m). The bad news is that my room’s still a mess.
We have to make priorities, and it can be a very hard choice to make. I’m not willing to sacrifice time with my kids for time to myself, or vice-versa. I know that taking the time to run, to organize conferences, to go back to school makes me a happier person and therefore a better mother. But I also know that quiet weekday mornings with my kids, some Robert Munsch books and a cup of tea is equally important and equally enjoyable.
As I stroke a satisfying check next to an item on my list, inevitably I add another.
Half Marathon PB: Check. Added: Triathlon in July.
Successful Conference: Check. Added: Coaching a 10k clinic.
I daydream of my next marathon and begin to plan my training, and then later that same day I think of a hot sandy beach, with nothing to do and a cold drinking perspiring in my hand.
The art of prioritizing is a tricky one, but sometimes I wonder if it’s not half as difficult as the art of balancing.
“Develop an attitude of gratitude, and give thanks for everything that happens to you, knowing that every step forward is a step toward achieving something bigger and better than your current situation.” Brian Tracy
VICKY: I had a dental appointment last week. So, I parked my vehicle in the pay parking lot and went about my business. When I was done, I went back to my vehicle and sat there for a few minutes. I reflected on how lucky I was to have a job, dental insurance, a vehicle and money to pay for my parking. Then I got to thinking about those who don’t have all these seemingly basic things and how they manage to still go through life flashing those pearly whites. I opened my window and drove to the entrance of the parking lot. There, I sat waiting patiently for the next vehicle to come in the parking lot. I had butterflies in my stomach I was so excited to do something nice for someone else so early in the day. After all, I’d paid for this parking until 11h00 and it was only 9h30. Then, I saw him. A nice man with an old beat up car. He started to pull in the parking lot as I frantically waved my parking ticket at him. I said:” Here you go sir, I’m done with my business here and this is good until 11h00.” He smiled like I’ve never seen anyone smile before. You know, one of those giant heartfelt grins. “Thank you so much. I really needed this. Thank you. Please accept my thanks ma’am.” And there it was. Gratitude.
GRANT: Geez Louise, all of this before 9h30 in the morning?
VICKY: Yup.
GRANT: And how is this related to running?
VICKY: Well, this encounter got me thinking about the many of the people and things I am fortunate enough to have in my life. It made me feel lucky. It also reminded me of the half-marathon we ran at the Ottawa Race Weekend.
GRANT: Oh yeah, I guess we have not written about our recent half-marathon experience at Ottawa Race Weekend yet. Tell me, why did this make you think about our run?
VICKY: Well, it made me think of running and the importance of every little act committed by runners, volunteers, family and friends throughout a race. Without these little moments we share with complete strangers or with those who matter most in our lives, we just might never make it to the finish line. So thank you to the thirty-something man wearing a t-shirt with a picture of his dad and son on his back that said “This is who I’m running for”. You were an inspiration and made me realize that there are people out there who have to endure far worse things than a half marathon. You made me suck it up and keep going.
GRANT: Ah yes, now I see where you’re going with this and I agree. It seems when you run a race, there is always someone or a moment shared with one or more fellow runners that lifts up your spirits or gives you that little push you needed to run just a little farther.
VICKY: First of all, allow me the satisfaction to say that this was my first half-marathon and I think I kicked its 21.1 km ass. Yup, you heard me. My feet pounded the pavement for a total of 2:16:23 .2. Thanks for starting the race with me by the way. It was nice to cross the start line with a friend and to know you would be sticking by me for at least the first 5K.
GRANT: It was a challenging experience. My favourite part of the race was the finish line when the nightmare ended. How about you, what’s your favourite memory of Ottawa Race Weekend?
VICKY: Well, I have two actually.The first being the fact that when I had about 2 km left until the finish line and I felt I would be better off walking, I turned around and saw my friend and fellow runner Evélia! She was running the marathon and had a big smile one her face like this was the happiest day of her life. What are the odds of meeting a close friend when you’re running on a course with 10,500 half marathoners and 4,500 marathoners? It was amazing to run my first half marathon and cross the finish line with one of the best people I know. My other favourite moment was when I crossed the finish line and saw my BF waiting for me with open arms and a huge grin on his face (it was his first marathon so I am very proud of him). We had been waiting for this moment for months and now that it was finally here, it was a very special for both of us. And to wrap it all up, we walked 15 minutes down Elgin St. to the nearest Booster Juice for a post-race smoothie. It was awesome!
GRANT: I’m sure many of you have great stories and memories from your race experiences. We’d love to hear about them so tell us your story about the nicest gesture a fellow runner has ever done for you during a race. You will be entered for a chance to win a prize. Good luck!
If you’re like me, something sweet as a reward for a good run is always nice. I have just made a batch of lavender pudding with rhubarb compote. As I was making it, it struck me how easy and quick this recipe was. It would easily be made first thing in the morning and enjoyed after your afternoon run. And to boot, it has all the things you would like to have after a run. Milk protein, fruit, and as I said, just the right amount of sweet reward. Feel free to swap out the flavourings for things you have around the house. No lavender flowers, substitute vanilla. No rhubarb, substitute cherries, or raspberries. The recipe is pretty easy to change. Try out your favourite combinations and let me know how it went.
Lavender pudding:
2 cups 35% cream
1 cup full fat buttermilk
1 tbsp Lavender flowers
1/3 cup honey (wildflower or lavender honey if you have it)
1 tbsp gelatine powder (or 3 sheets)
1/4 cup water
Mix gelatine and water in a small bowl and set aside to bloom. Combine cream, buttermilk, honey and lavender in a pot and bring to a boil. As soon as it boils, remove from heat and stir gelatine mix into cream to dissolve. Strain through a fine strainer and pour into small ramekins or glasses. Allow to sit at room temp for about 1/2 hour, then cover and place in fridge till set.
Fruit compote (easily switched to fruit you have on hand)
1/2 cup orange juice
3 cups rhubarb or other fruit. Cut into 1/2″ pieces. If using berries leave whole.
3 tbsp honey (again wildflower or lavender honey)
Lemon juice to taste.
Place all ingredients in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cook down till syrupy. Taste and adjust with a little lemon juice.
This can be spooned on top of the pudding and served. It could also be spooned over ice cream or even granola, it’s that good.
I hope you go out and get ahold of some fresh rhubarb while still around. Lavender flowers can be found in most health food shops. Just be sure to buy edible lavender, even if you strain it out. Let me know what variations of this sweet treat you opt for. And enjoy a little indulgence after your next run. And remember don’t eat them all yourself.
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