Monday Musings: December is upon us

It is hard to believe that December is finally upon us.  I guess I can no longer avoid Christmas music or decorations now that we are less than three weeks until the big day.  My husband and I checked out our first Christmas-related events this past weekend, first, I swung by the Halifax Crafters market on Saturday where I picked up a few items from Emma Fitzgerald and Jane Rovers, swoon!  I first saw Emma's work at the Timeraiser event in Halifax - I bid on one of her pieces but, unfortunately, did not win.

Last night my husband and I headed downtown to St. Paul's Anglican Church where we were treated to Wassail - hosted by the Halifax Music Co-op.  The venue was quite magical on a dark, cold December evening.  The music was beautiful and energetic and finally put me in the Christmas mood.

So, the links I have for you tonight are not at all related to Christmas and have no common theme, but I hope you still find something worth reading.

Popsugar Fitness - Stuffed from too much stuffing?  Yoga poses to ease digestion

As you are all aware I am a huge yoga fan and someone who suffers from digestive issues.  I can attest to the validity of these claims and hope that when your special Christmas pants can no longer contain your holiday indulgences that you strike a pose.

Cookin' Canuck - How to Freeze Quinoa

After accidentally making about eight cups of quinoa I had no choice but to find a way to freeze this stuff. Her methods truly work and reheat no problem, so waste not!

Momma's Gone City - Hello, World

A few weeks ago Theo and Beau captured our hearts as photos of this adorable duo spread quickly across social media.  If you have not met these two you are in for a cuteness overload!  In this post blogger, Jessica, comments on the overwhelming response to the friendship between her two babies.

Run Like a Grl - Tips for Running in the Winter

Ever since I ran the MEC 5k at Shubie Park a few months ago I have been trying to get back into running.  I have been keeping things around 3k roughly three times a week to slowly build back my leg strength.  I have also been dragging the fur baby with me on these runs.  It is clear to me that Bernese Mountain Dogs were not born to run.  Hugo's technique includes lying down in the middle of the road and refusing to move.  Or only running for treats.  And only until you give him the treat. As the weather gets colder I am adding more and more layers to my running attire and dreaming of warmer days.  Although most of these tips are pretty straight forward, I would also agree that they are pretty bang on.  Especially thumb holes - these are essential!

Monday Musings: Week 9

Over the weekend I ran my first 5k - the Run or Dye event in Halifax, Nova Scotia at Ski Martock. It was a great first race as the focus was fun and no one was worrying about time.  I ran the whole thing, stopped a few times to stretch out my shin splints thanks to some of those hills, but aside from that I did great.  Of course, being me, I managed to twist my ankle within 30 seconds of our heat because of a pothole, but kept on running.

Pre-race dye-fun (I cannot take credit for this photo - thanks to my running buddy!)

The highlight was the little boy dressed up as Spider Man just cruising past everyone. He couldn't have been more than six years old, but was clearly loving life and bringing a smile to everyone he passed on the trail! The other highlight was a successful run free of IBS intervention - which was enough for a celebratory happy dance for me!

Hope you had a great weekend, here are this week's links ...

The Unworldly Travelers - 5 Reasons I Will Make Travel a Priority for My Kids

I absolutely love this post and agree with her wholeheartedly.  Thanks to my parents, I have been lucky enough to travel in Canada and the United States throughout my childhood.  In addition to our family trips, my parents also encouraged me to learn a second language - being Canadian I obviously learned French.   Because of this recommendation I completed two degrees in French and had the opportunity to study abroad in France where I met my American husband.  The decision to learn another language has impacted my life in so many positive ways and has instilled in me a desire to travel, to understand other cultures and to learn about culture through another language.  For this reason, I think number three on her list is my favourite and I know that these will be words to live by as I continue through life.

Everything A La Mode - Chocolate Covered Almonds

So, if I were to have an addiction, it would be chocolate (this may already be the case).  One of my favourite spots in Halifax is the Choco-Café - they carry a ton of beautiful chocolates in addition to their café menu. My favourites are the Almondos and the Rasberry Cheesecake - but honestly, I love them all.  They also have a discount for those who work in the area - score!  My most recent discovery there is their chocolate covered almonds - with cocoa dusting!  Absolutely delicious.  My only problem is that I go there far too often, so, the link I have for you today is something that you can do at home that may compare (minimally) to the wonders of the Choco-Café (if you are ever in Halifax - you must go).

A Well Traveled Woman - If Tomorrow Women Woke Up...

This is not necessarily a post, but rather, a nugget of wisdom.  I hope you enjoy.

Happy reading!

Lyndin

Who Am I?

Welcome to Running From the Runs.  If you have irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or have ever experienced a bout of food poisoning or the flu, you can likely relate to this blog and find humour in the awkward and uncomfortable world of digestive problems.

Who am I?  

Well, first and foremost, I am a redhead and readily acknowledge that this is an integral part of my identity.  As a redhead I have endured many a joke – both of the unsavoury and predictable variety, but have come to love this feature in spite of what others may say.  As a redhead I am fierce, fiery, passionate and sensitive in all the ways this can be interpreted.  In addition to the hair, I am a proud Nova Scotian currently living in Halifax with my American husband (who I met in France).  I have a great love for French language and French culture and adore travelling in Europe – however, not often enough! 

What can you learn by reading my blog?  Well, you can learn about functioning normally while managing your IBS.  You will often leave smiling, or even better, laughing at some of the situations I have encountered as a result of IBS. 

Is this blog only about IBS?  No – definitely not!  A key component of this blog is to create a space where IBS-sufferers can learn something and find a safe haven in the knowledge that there are other people out there experiencing similar issues.  However, not everyone wants to talk about butts all day long, including me; therefore, this blog is also a health and wellness blog where I will focus on other aspects of health including: making healthy choices in the kitchen, various forms of exercise, stress management and also my fur baby Hugo! 

What else?  As some of you who have been reading for awhile will likely know, I am extremely injury-prone.  This blog started off as a challenge to try to manage my IBS while learning how to run … until I did a number on the vast majority of my lower body; I have been icing, x-raying, massaging, foam rolling and generally making the rounds of any medical practitioner that will see me.  I had moved on from running to spinning, until I managed to injure myself doing that, too!  For now I am sticking to tame exercise including yoga, recumbent bike, elliptical, walking and swimming. 

In other news, I love reading and you will often note references to Miss Scarlett O’Hara of Gone With the Wind fame.  My iPod is packed with Bon Jovi, Ben Harper, Eminem, Mumford and Sons and Roxette.  My day job includes working as a public servant and part-time as a Justice of the Peace marrying people.  In between that I freelance write and guest blog whenever I have the opportunity.  Not too long ago I decided that my BA and MA in French were not enough and am now pursuing studies in public relations.  I can safely say I am never bored!   

I hope you enjoy reading my blog – please feel free to comment and to question.  I take great pleasure in hearing your feedback and hope that for those with IBS, that this helps you in some way.  It is high time we stopped hiding behind the bathroom stall and talked to each other. 

Please contact me here about any questions relating to freelance writing or guest blogging.

Connect with me on Twitter and Instagram. 

Happy reading!

Lyndin

Morning glory

I am not sure how others feel about this, but whenever I hear the term run (or workout) and morning in the same sentence I think - wow - committed!  I am a middle of the day kind of gal and fail to comprehend how people can be motivated enough to torture themselves so early on. Well, I became that person last Friday and will do so again tomorrow - certainly not by choice, but by circumstance.  When faced with being an extra hour early at the office (because of my husband's work schedule) I decided to get my butt to the gym to complete a run.  Last week my feet hit the treadmill at 6:30 am and to my utter shock, plenty of other people were already there.  The gym was certainly not as busy as it would be at lunch, but there was a decent sized crowd.  This was both comforting and horrifying - how can one willingly move at a faster-than-shuffle pace at such an early hour?  Looks like I was just as sadistic as the others - the difference being that my enjoyment level was zero.

One would think that 45 minutes would be sufficient time to complete a 2k walk/run.  Well, not if you have IBS!  This is when the gym membership becomes really worth it.  The bathrooms are in close proximity, your husband does not have to be on stand-by should you come close to losing your ... and you do not have to do the strip and dash as you waddle through the door on your way to the toilet.  The only thing you really have to plan is a treadmill with an easy exit, preferably with no one on either side should indications of your issues escape your control.  Also, you must leave the treadmill quickly enough that it looks like you are a puker (to my thinking this is the only acceptable excuse for not having time to wipe down your machine and is more socially acceptable than the truth).  You must also move with efficiency, but not enough that you pass wind in your heightened state of emergency.  Keeping this in mind, I endeavoured to complete my run.  I lasted 12 minutes - eight of those being my walking warm-up and four minutes of running.  At the 12 minute mark I ran like any good puker straight for the toilets.  Afterwards I decided to give it another go, of course, my treadmill strategy went completely out the door as more people had arrived and I lost the treadmill I had so carefully chosen.  I hopped on for the second time, feeling confident when the rumbles began to start - I pushed myself as long as I could (eight minutes of running) hoping it would go away if I just ignored it, however, that was not to be.  Off I ran for the second time to the ladies room, by the time I made my way out again it was 7:15 and time to go to work.  All of that effort for a total of 12 minutes running and 8 minutes of walking and two measly sprints to my porcelain home.  

Tomorrow I will try this again, but, I was reminded last week of one of the reasons why I hate the morning.  My IBS is at its very worst and is extremely unpredictable.  The only part that is predictable is that it will happen despite my best efforts.  So, if you are at the gym tomorrow morning and see a red-head launching herself off the treadmill and barreling toward the ladies room, please clear a path for all of our sakes!  

Update and gratitude

My apologies, I have been MIA for quite awhile now.  My husband and I just bought and moved into our first house, it happened quite by accident, but after adding some new flooring and fresh paint, we are finally moved in and life is becoming "normal".  Or, as normal as it can be leading up to Christmas amidst boxes!  I wanted to provide you with a few updates on running and the runs.

In terms of running, this has been a rollercoaster for me.  I may not be made for running, which I am finding hard to absorb after reading Born to Run (amazing book, read it even if you are not a runner).  I cannot not get injured.  Call me clumsy, but I cannot seem to get on track and go two weeks without something happening.  Ever since I received the go-ahead to start running again I am plagued with a bum knee after each run that essentially prevents me from running for approximately one week.  I promise this is not me wimping out, it involves not being able to walk up or down stairs (off and on I am that girl in the office tower who takes the elevator up or down one floor - how very embarrassing).  So, my chiropractor and I have come up with a new game plan that is essentially one last kick at the can; she very diplomatically stated that if this does not work I should find something else to occupy my time.  The plan is to walk/run (or run as things progress) 2 km approximately 3-4 times a week for two months.  The reason why we chose 2 km is because my knee starts throbbing around 3 km, so the theory is that if I stop before then and master that distance I might just build up enough muscle to increase my distance after the two month mark.  If not, at least I have a cute lulu running skirt that I can wear around the house...  So have I been doing this?  Ha!  Once.  I told myself that over the next couple of weeks I should do what I can as we try to get the house somewhat organized before Christmas and in January I will commit to at minimum three runs per week. 

Now let's talk about the runs - I had a few days in the middle of the move where I hit around 15, but aside from that I am hovering in around five, which I can deal with.  My husband and I are re-introducing vegetables after a moving hiatus filled with garlic knots, slices of pizza, wine and beer.  For anyone with IBS you can understand how unpleasant it can be to convince your body to digest fruits and vegetables, but, I seem to be doing all right at the moment.  I certainly have not added in any whole wheat items at this juncture, that would have disaster written all over it. 

In the Christmas spirit, I thought I would share with you a little list of what I am grateful for in relation to the new house:

1. I have stairs.
2. Two sets to be precise.
3. I adore the wall colours and flooring we chose and it makes me feel happy.
4. It is fun living in a neighbourhood and it feels safer when I go for a walk at night.
5. The house has more than one floor which enables me to feel decidedly un-hampster-like compared to the apartment.
6. I cannot hear every move my husband makes.
7. I have a propane fireplace and I turn it on even though I know it costs me money every time I use it.
8. There are built-in bookshelves in the basement which allows me to partially live out my dream of a home library.
9. My husband was comfortable with me taking up the whole closet in our bedroom, the downside being he has his own dressing room of sorts - my closet is bigger though!
10. My closet has a tower for my shoes.
11. We have a backyard! 
12. Our barbecue is no longer sitting in our living room, it is on the deck and we are using it!
13. We finally caved and bought a microwave after three years because there was a space for one in the kitchen.  I did not think I would like this as much as I do - I no longer have to heat my Magic Bag up in the oven.
14. No fire alarms have gone off while making toast.
15. No fire alarms have gone off period.
16. No one is smoking in the building.
17. My husband thinks he is Mike Holmes and is quite busy as a result.  I call him Tim Taylor.
18. I am super excited to be in before Christmas - we are setting up our first tree ever!
19. We have a dryer that dries our clothes in less than four cycles.
20. We can hang our clothes to dry out-of-site in the utility room.
21. I really feel married now, it felt kind of pretend before and I am excited to share this milestone with my husband.

Oh my goodness - I had to come back and add one last item - I forgot the most important item of all - two toilets!  This should have been at the top of my list!

Close Calls

Not sure I should feel flattered, but it appears as though I am the unofficial office/friend guru relating to all things butt.  This was proven again last week when a friend shared this article (she thought of me immediately!) about the public washroom situation in Halifax. I felt the need to briefly comment on this article.  I agree with the statement that public washrooms are hard to come by in certain areas of the city and that in Point Pleasant Park the signage is lackluster.  Indeed, there is nothing worse than going for a run only to be overtaken by a sense of impending doom as you are trying to not-quite-walk and not-quite-run to the nearest washroom - and you have no idea where they are!  And when I say not-quite-walk and not-quite-run - I am referring to one of life's great dilemmas: is it better to run in the hopes of arriving faster - or will that only hasten the runs?  Or, do you walk to try to slow things down, but potentially not arrive fast enough?  I am stumped, someone please tell me the right answer!

For any of you with IBS, or perhaps even a bout of the flu, you can likely relate to that sinking feeling, knowing that the runs are on their way, whether you like it or not.  This often happens to me in transit (car, bus), at work, walking, running and travelling.  One of my closest calls ever was in the heat of summer, I went for a run, was feeling confident, so ran a little further, only to realize that I was in trouble.  I was near the junior high school where I grew up, so I turned in, dashing for the door, sweaty, crying and banging for someone to please open up.  Luckily, the janitor was there (which was a pure miracle considering it was summer), I yelled EMERGENCY and ran past him to the washroom.  He was kind enough to ensure he was not around when I finally surfaced.  Needless to say I walked the rest of the way home, but, ever since then, I always carry a cell phone when running, because you never know when the wave will hit you.  This may seem trivial, but, it was a traumatic event for me.  Let's be honest - no one really has a burning desire to crap their pants, let alone in public.  This is probably one of the worst things about having IBS, not knowing when it will hit and whether or not you will be prepared.  There is always the sense of dread that today will be "the day" that you do not make it.

Moments like these certainly make for funny stories after the fact ... "do you remember when I was late for our wedding?" "do you remember when you had to spend a half our in the stall with me holding up my wedding dress?" ..."remember that time on our honeymoon when..."... interesting how the big events in my life are all framed with toilet tales!  At the end of the day, all you can really do is laugh and hope that someone in urban planning has the foresight to strategically place washrooms and that Europe will someday embrace the idea of not having to pay for the toilet!

Cookies baby!

Tonight was an absolutely beyond amazing night for a run.  I did my regular pre-injury route, just at a  reduced distance.  It was slightly warm tonight but with a lovely breeze, a cusp-of-fall kind of night.  While I was away on vacation I did one run on the treadmill where I tweaked my knee a little bit, but aside from that it felt pretty good.  As I said in last night's post, we did some serious hiking on Thursday and my knees were complete jelly after we finally found our way out of the woods.  As I ran tonight I was very mindful and a little nervous of what might happen to my wimpy knees.  They are a little sore and I will certainly be icing both of them before I go to bed, but, I was able to climb the stairs in our building, so I took that as a good omen.

About a month ago I went running with a friend of mine who also happens to be my chiropractor. She is amazing and I am not quite sure what my body would do without her.  She was gracious enough to go running with me one day and critique my running form.  It was the one avenue we had not yet explored as to what might be contributing to my slew of injuries.  It was a fabulous experience.  We ran just short of 5km, with 5/1 run/walk intervals (including several hills), which we were both amazed by considering I had not done any serious running in many, many months.  I thought I might just drop dead or face-plant at the beginning due to sheer exhaustion, but my pride would not allow me to give in.  Pride - what a wonderful motivator!  The big take-away from that (aside from the post-run laser treatment due to ignoring my body) was that I am a ... heel striker! Gasp!  She explained to me that there is a higher impact on my knees when I heel strike and that could be contributing to my injuries.  Luckily, she did not notice any other issues with my form, my posture was good.  She showed me how to strike with my forefoot instead, so I have been diligently working on that ever since.

So tonight, I spent a lot of my time looking down, which I acknowledge is likely not advisable, but I am pretty much obsessed with trying to fix this.  Given my out-of-shape legs and the new (or attempt at) stride, I had bad shin splints and ended it one interval early.  I have been doing 3/1 and I was hoping to do five sets instead of four, but, I am comfortable with the results.  Another take-away lesson from my injuries is the virtue of patience, not one of my current virtues, but one I am working on, along with the heel strike!

What really got me through the run tonight were a few "power" songs, which I am throwing out there because I love to see what other people are listening to.  I kicked off the run with Carly Rae Jepsen and Call Me Maybe - I seriously adore this song and am not ashamed to say it, it is beyond catchy, as is the Sesame Street version - I am still deciding which one I like better!

The key song of the night was W.T.P by Eminem (W.T.P. = White Trash Party).  Does this make me WT for loving this song?  I hope not, but if it does, I embrace it.  This song is so wonderful that I played it twice and had a six-minute interval in there because - how can you not run while listening to this song?!  I also have to wonder if Eminem is talking to me when he says ... you got more junk in your trunk than I do in my car.

On a final note, I had a great laugh when I saw this spray-painted on the sidewalk ... did they know I was wearing my Lulus to go running?

This world has gone to the dogs...

I think it is fairly safe to say that my runs are rarely boring.  I came to this conclusion during my run yesterday evening as I headed to Point Pleasant Park in order to avoid all asphalt and sidewalks - as prescribed by my physiotherapist.  I was contemplating how nice it was to be in the park among the walkers, runners and pet owners, when I was rudely awakened from my reverie by two snarling dobermans as they came barreling at me, their owners completely oblivious to my clear discomfort.  I do realize that they were playing, albeit roughly, however, when one owns two dogs like that, you should realize that people do not take kindly to teeth-baring animals following closely at their heels, or said animals running past you over and over as they growl.  I was not particularly interested in being caught in the middle of a doberman tussle.

I would like to note that I am not a pansy when it comes to dogs; I grew up with a very large golden retriever and a bernese mountain dog - go big or go home, I say!

My little Dukey-bear!

So, with great reservation, I ran straight out of that park and broke golden rule #1 - thou shalt not run on sidewalks.  I quickly looped back into the park and onto a different path.  As I started to calm down, and my heart palpitations began to subside, I found myself face to face with the sign below.

Possible coyote sighted in the park.  And a reminder to keep small children and pets close by.  How very comforting.  I decided it was time to assess the situation: a) deserted backwoods path b) no bystanders c) possible weapons choices ... an ipod and car keys.  Conclusion?  I could be coyote meat.  Upon completion of this assessment, I decided it was time to run like hell and make for a populated area...  where I found myself face to face with those damn dobermans again. Lovely. This called for a third path change where things remained much calmer for the remainder of my 18 minute outing.

This is what I came for!  

Despite the short time frame, I can honestly say that this was one of the most adrenaline-filled runs of all time.  It was also one of the few times in my life where I did not come close to losing my lunch.  Progress?  I'll take it.  

And ... she's back!

It has been over two months since my last run, and yesterday my physiotherapist finally announced that I was allowed to run, with the following caveats:

- thou shalt not run on pavement
- thou shalt not run up hills
- thou shalt not run down hills
- thou shalt not use the elliptical on a run day
- thou shalt not cheat on the specified program (walk 5 minutes, run 1 minute, walk 1 minute, R 1 min, W 1 min, R 1 min, W 1 min, walk 5 minutes)
- thou shalt not exceed two runs in one week

So, with Salt n' Pepa telling me to Push It, I went out for my first "run".  Honestly, it felt good to get back out there, however, it was a bit anti-climactic in the sense that I would just start to run, and then suddenly that interval would be over.  The non-running-lover in me enjoyed the fact that it was not at all taxing, and that there was no need to contemplate a shower.  What I really enjoyed was getting my butt off the couch and back in motion; I have felt chained to my yoga mat and the stationery bike, so moving at a slow trot felt rather exhilarating.  Probably the best part of the whole thing is not a sound escaped from my bootylicious bottom, not even in the confines of the stairwell. Not one rumble was heard from my stomach, no moment of panic set in, and no 100 yard dash occurred to make it to the loo on time.

The only downside to my run was my pair of Run Inspire crops from Lululemon.  I bought these running capris back in April just as I injured myself, I wore them on my last run and was less than inspired.  I have done some yoga, elliptical, walking and biking in these, and really, they should be the Stationery Capri - mostly because one must remain more or less stationery in them.  Another name for them could be Moon Run, because of the fact that I moon innocent bystanders when I wear these performance inhibiting tights.  I was extremely frustrated as even at my sub-running pace, I had to exercise my right to hike that waistband while running in public.  Lock up your children, Running from the Runs is showing her buns!

Tuning in and raising a glass

Listening to your body – this is a skill I do not possess, but one that I am scrambling to develop.  If I had only mastered this seemingly simple skill earlier on in life I could have avoided many unpleasant situations.  

As a runner, I have come to learn this lesson the hard, and expensive, way.  I am still recovering from the crushing blows to my IT bands, knees, hip flexors and hamstrings.  I have been in physio for several months and have seen improvement, but I am still in pain and still not allowed to run.  I continue be outpaced by the geriatric crowd in the row of recumbent bikes at the gym.  I am capable of taking my legs out for a spin in the evenings, but the crunching noises when I do my calf raises, quarter squats and lunges remain worrisome.  

All of this could have been avoided if I had heeded the warning signs – the limping during or post-run, the leg stiffness that never seemed to end and the searing pain throughout the upper portion of my lower body.  All of this because I was afraid of looking like a wimp.  Well, now I am the wimp who listens to her knees snap, crackle and definitely pop going down a flight of stairs, who is too sore to handle a foam roller.  Instead, I am armed with ice and a rolling pin to treat the pain.  I spend at least an hour each day doing my physio homework to atone for my sins.  

This is not the only time I have been punished for not listening to my body.  My whole existence as an IBS sufferer exemplifies this.  My biggest issue with IBS has always been tuning in early enough to what my body is trying to tell me.  Specifically, I have difficulties realizing that I am stressed and/or sick.  I never clue until I am already in the midst of a full-blown IBS episode.  

Since my last episode in late 2009 I have been trying to pay more attention to these signals.  Yoga is certainly helpful – first and foremost, by the end of a class I am utterly relaxed.  In addition, the yoga breathing has helped me through many close calls and through the pain often associated with IBS.  Yoga breathing is a small miracle, I kid you not.  Finally, yoga encourages you to pay attention to your body and to relax targeted areas.  Through yoga I am slowly but surely tuning in and trying to listen.  

What I have learned since my injury is that I should not be too proud to slow down when trying to achieve a goal.  It is certainly more worthwhile to slowly improve than to go out guns blazing and injure myself.  I have also learned that patience really is a virtue, even though I curse patience on a daily basis as I diligently stretch and roll my way to an injury-free body.  I have also learned that a glass of wine can cure a multitude of problems – like “I feel sorry for myself”, or “I cannot face doing another clamshell” or “no, I cannot go for a run, I am still injured”.   With this, I raise my glass of Nova 7 and propose a toast to being a wimp.  

Bluenose Race Day!

Today was the day that I have been planning for since I began running in February.  With great anticipation I donned the fuchsia run skirt I have been saving for this very day, along with a run singlet and sneakers and headed to the race course.  Unfortunately, I headed there as a spectator as I am still sidelined by my running injury, but that did not mean I could not look like a runner!  Because of this, my running partner had to tackle this solo, so I wanted to ensure I was there to cheer him on.  This was the first race I had ever attended as a spectator and I was surprised to see how many people were running.  I was worried I would not be able to see him, but luckily was able to cheer as he hit 2k and then later on we high-fived as he ran past at about the 8k mark.  

To be completely honest, I was a little teary on the sidelines under my sunglasses.  This race represented a lot of hard work and dedication, not being able to run was upsetting, frustrating and disappointing, especially considering that this was my first race, the goal that had jump-started my entry into this sport.  I quickly forgot my own feelings as my partner ran by, he was fulfilling his goal and I was extremely proud of him for doing so.  I also saw some of my other friends and running partners along the course and was able to enjoy being a spectator even if I could not participate. 

The day could not have been nicer; it was already hot at 8:30 when I left for the race.  It was inspiring to see people of all levels and abilities being active out in the fresh air on such a beautiful day.  I was extremely impressed to see parents running as they pushed a stroller, I only hope that I can be that hard-core if I ever become a mother.  

In terms of my own running, watching the race definitely left me with a desire to start running again as soon as possible.  Television is getting a little old; I cannot understand how people choose to lead sedentary lifestyles.  I am getting cabin fever; I could not do this long-term.  Walking more than 1k at this point (without pain) would be a real treat.  My exercise consists of bridges, ¼ one legged squats, some push-ups, other upper body exercises and additional homework from my physiotherapist.  If I want to go really wild I am allowed to ride the recumbent bike for 15 minutes on a low resistance setting. 

One advantage, and possibly disadvantage, to not being able to run is that I do not have to meticulously plan my eating around the running.  I cannot really do any cardio that would give me the runs, so, I can go a little crazy with the food!  For example, tonight, we are making my mother-in-law’s baked been recipe.  This is extremely exciting.  I never eat beans, and honestly, I may not live to tell this tale, they may just ravage me from the inside out.  But, it is a long-weekend, worst case scenario, we have one very “musical” evening and I spend tomorrow in the bathroom with several magazines.  If it really ends up being a shit-show, I pop a lot of Imodium on Tuesday before I head to work.  So, with that, I leave you for a feast of beans.  Remember, “run hard, be strong, think big”!  Congrats to all of those who ran the Bluenose today in Halifax!  

What a pain in the ... bursa?

In recent weeks I have come to regard my 10k race as achievable, it is still extremely daunting, but I have acknowledged that I will be able to accomplish this.  A week or so ago I was able to fulfil my training requirements, exceed my own expectations, push through some plateaus and then bring my triumph to a screeching halt.  After two rest days it began to dawn on me that the pain I had been feeling was not, in fact, “the burn” that I attribute to exercising.  Instead, it is the pain of a premature geriatric.  You have all seen it, the hip swagger that is more of a stagger, the tentative shuffle, and … the waddle.  I injured my hip, and as a result, I no longer have the graceful run of a gazelle; I am full-on penguin.  It appears as though I have a case of bursitis, so I have been icing, stretching, and pill popping for over a week.  I can put in a valiant effort on a decent walk and I can suffer through some yoga, but I cannot run.  Yesterday I plunged into the pool for a long-overdue swim with the vain hope that it would help to calm things down, but, alas, it was not to be.  My 3.3k walk home probably did not help, and I am now wondering if the 60 flights of stairs I heaved myself up today were a bad idea.  So, as I write this I am covered in ice with pain pulsing from areas I did not know existed.  I believe this is where I make my bi-monthly emergency phone call to both my chiropractor and my massage therapist.  Every time I see my massage therapist she says “what did you do this time” and then “how did you manage to do that”.  I really have no idea.  She says I am overzealous, I say that I am trying not to wimp out; her recommendation is to strive to be about a notch below wimp so I can save myself some money.  Whenever I take up a new activity some sort of injury follows:

• pole dancing = lower back issues and bruised rib;
• running = shin splints and bursitis,
• ballroom dancing = stuck neck;
• yoga = muscle spasms;
• strawberry picking = muscle spasms in low back; and
• skiing = rotator cuff. 

Following all of these injuries my husband comes up with a new term of endearment for my injured body part, all of which appear to come from the menu at McDonald’s and/or KFC:  McRib, Chicken Wing (rotator cuff), Hoof (foot), and Drumstick (hip).  In conclusion, if you notice a lack of running-related commentary, it means I really did it this time; I finally injured my Biggie Fry. 

Turning over a new leaf...

Today I took my lazy self out for a run.  It was not a great run, total distance was 3.97 km.  Total running distance was likely 2.8 – 3.0 km.  

It was all I could do to push myself to run as much as I did.  I think my body is punishing me for not training as much as I should have, and my body is right, I do deserve it.  I was physically capable of running at any point in time but was too lazy to drag myself out there.  Given these facts, I think this week will be rather painful as I try to get myself back to my regular running self.  I am trying to turn over a new leaf in an effort to be more motivated.  This will encompass actually getting things done and doing my scheduled runs and workouts, which will definitely include one session at the pool.  I will not be hitting the pool more than once a week as I am allergic to chlorine, so until I can determine whether or not my skin is going to react badly I will keep it to a minimum.  I want to start pool training so that my endurance is back to normal in time to start swimming in the lake as soon as it is warm enough. 

Aside from the disappointing performance today, I did partially enjoy the run.  I ran in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, which was really nice for a change.  I am used to running on pavement, so running on crushed gravel and trails was a welcome change.  It is amazing how much lower impact it was!  As it is Easter Monday, there were many people out with their dogs, their children and there were a ton of runners out there.  

The squirrels were out in full force!

Halifax Harbour...

Part of the Cambridge Battery in the park.

 

The other great thing about the run was that I did not feel rushed.  I did not have to work because of the holiday, so I dropped my husband off for his shift and then hit the trails.  Now I am finishing this post and slowly getting ready for another wedding I have to perform this evening.  It appears as though wedding season has officially begun!

In terms of the IBS, I felt that familiar urge during the run but worked through it enough to do a bit more before I really felt like I might keel over from exhaustion.  I did go to the park prepared with extra Kleenex in hand in case I had to use the facilities.  I was, however, hell-bent on not using the washroom as many of the “washrooms” are actually outhouses, and quite honestly, I am a bit too prissy for that.  I can safely say, though, that I have noticed steady progress since I began running.   It is very rare that I actually stop my run to use the washroom; normally I can run through it long enough to complete my target distance.  I attribute this to the extensive amount of planning that goes into a run.  I plan my meals around the run in terms of what I eat and how far in advance I can eat it.  This is part of the reason why I do evening runs, and unfortunately, why I eat so late at night.  I cannot eat any less than 1.5 hours before a run, otherwise, I will not have enough time to digest and use the washroom before I go.  But, all of this planning is definitely better than the alternative, Princess Poopy Pants?  No thank you!