Expo Friday

Today I will be going to Mississauga to get my race kit, which will be a lot of fun. I received an email this morning with my bib number:

SARAH MACDONALD: 15347
EVENT: 5K

Someday maybe the Marathon!

So now it's time for my goals!

C Goal - 50:00 minutes: this would put me behind the rolling clear, which would mean that I would be at the mercy of the rules of the road. Plus it is a full 7 minutes slower than my personal best. If I walked the race, I would probably still be faster than this by a few minutes!

B Goal - <45:00 minutes: my training to this point has me running just under a 45 minute walk adjusted pace. I think I can do this. If my hip doesn't act up.

A Goal - <43:00 This would be under my current Personal Best, but I did run it on a local course that was measured a few hundred metres short, so while I would love to get a PB, I am not holding my breath!

Speaking of my hip, it feels ok. I have been stretching like crazy, hoping it works itself out in the next couple of days. I wish I could figure out what it is without making an expensive visit to the chiropractor or MT.

Next up: The Hazel 5K!

Three Things Thursday

1. I want to send a huge "Congratulations" out to my sister Meghan and her husband Dan and our niece Casey! Our new niece Hailey was born yesterday at 3:29 weighing in at 8 pounds 6 ounces! Mommy and Baby are doing fine! Love you Megs!
2. I was supposed to run 4.5k last night, but at about 2.5k, my right hip really started to bother me. So a took a walk break and then threw in the towel at 4k. Better to use caution at this point then to risk injury before race day. I wish I could explain what the pain is, but I can't. It's a pain in my ass is what it is!
3. Speaking of race day, trying to come up with the logistics has been a bit of a challenge, to say the least! It is a one way race, and taking the kids down is going to be a challenge as well. Plus, we want to snag a good finish line spot to get good picture of the clinic members finishing!

Tomorrow I will be publishing my A B & C goals so stay tuned!

Monday Round Up

So this weekend we decided to drive to Mount Forest so Colin could race in a local race called the Trillium 10k.
Me and the kiddies, waiting inside before the race begins out of the rain (it was about 6 degrees, winds from the north at about 25k/h and it was raining. Hard.) Notice the abundance of "stuff" the stroller has. Man, three kids and two adults leave a huge carbon footprint!

Anyways, it was a great day. Colin is preparing to run his second marathon this fall and has some big plans in the next few months. So he is fitting in as many "local" races as he can and is running as often as he can!

And here he comes, in the pouring rain and a new Personal Best of 50:54! Great job baby!

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When we arrived home, I was so inspired by my hubby's performance, I decided to head out for a run of my own. Turns out I was more inspired than I thought, because I ended up running 6k instead of my planned 4.5! But I felt good with my 10 & 1's and actually stopped running because I ran out of road and, well, it was really raining and cold out. Oh, and it started to snow. Yeah. Snow.

I have another set of 10 & 1's for 4.5k on tap for tonight and Wednesday and then 3k of 10 & 1's on Thursday. I am picking up my race kit on Friday and working on Saturday before the race. Not too smart, but I can't help that! Like I said, I will be post my goals later in the week! So stay tuned!

Foto(s) Friday

Sydney and Connor getting ready to run in their "first" race!

Sydney the blur on the left hand side. I had to run my butt off (Garmin said 4:46!) to catch her!
Hey Mama, where'd you come from?
Connor and Daddy displaying their medals! Sydney was not so interested!

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Last nights run was a success! Ran 4k in 36 minutes/9k pace! So I feel good going into next week. I think I am going to TRY and go out tonight to run my 10 & 1's for 4.5k. We are VERY busy this weekend with lots of housework and Mother's Day stuff, so I would like to be able to enjoy it and not have to worry about going out to run!

Next week a will be posting my ABC goals ala Marlene so stay tuned!

Three Things Thursday

1. Best Laid Plans. I was going to try and squeeze my run in last night before Colin had to go to run club (our weekly babysitter is in Las Vegas "HI MOM") but in true Southern Ontario Fashion at 5pm, the skies opened up into a nice thunder and lightening storm. And while some of my friends (HI MARK) inform me they LIKE running in this weather, I am not one of them. So the plan is: tonight I do my set of 8 & 1's for 4k, Saturday afternoon I will do my 10 & 1's for 4.5 and Monday I will also do my 10 & 1's for 4.5. Then I will be caught up for Run Club next Wednesday! Then it's taper on Thursday, cause my race is on SATURDAY! OMG!
2. While I am loving my Adrenaline's, my left foot is still bothering me. So I ordered a pair of New Balance 760's that I am going to give a try. Meh, they may or may not work. But since my mileage has started to climb (12k a week haha) my foot has been bothering me more that just those first few minutes of each run. In fact, since my run on Sunday, it has been sore. But I did run a pretty strange route which included four different surface types (Pavement, Concrete, Gravel and Boardwalk) so that may have something to do with it.
3. I will be working an INSANE amount this month, which I could not be happier about! Our store is going to be having the travelling sidewalk sale, which generally means another whole store is opened up OUTSIDE in the parking lot. It also means that we will be having a lot of deals coming into the store. So if you are in the area you should head on over. From May 19th to the 30th at the Aurora Running Room. And while you're there, look into some of our upcoming clinics (Triathlon anyone ;) )

Have a great day everyone!

Tuesday Afternoon

........I'm just beginning to see, now I'm on my way
It doesn't matter to me, chasing the clouds away

(Gotta love the Moody Blues!)

To say I was sore after my run on Sunday might be an understatement. And working a 5 hour shift before AND a 7 hour shift yesterday probably didn't help! Buy my legs feel good today and I am anxious to get out tomorrow and get my last set done before we move on to 10 & 1's! EEK! Where does the time go? I mean, really?

After this clinic, I will be doing training for another 5k race this July: The Rebecca Run for SMA 5k. It is a nice local race that has become very popular. It is also the goal race for the next round of local clinics, so it is going to sell out very fast.

After that, who knows what might happen ;)

Almost Here

Good Monday morning everyone! Just wanted to say congrats to all my friends who ran a very humid Sporting Life 10k yesterday! Good Job Guys!

We moved on to 8 & 1's on Thursday and I am actually really liking it. My speed is SLOOOOW but that doesn't matter right? I just have to finish the race! Speaking of which, just under two weeks from now is the Hazel 5k in Mississauga! I am really looking forward to this! A 5k with a medal is a rarity, although now it is becoming a bit more common.

Yesterday after work, I decided to run my 8 & 1's. Instead of before. Not the smartest idea. And the route I chose was not ideal, although around here, many aren't! But I finished in just under 37 minutes, so I am hoping on a flatter course I can kick it's butt!

Happy Monday Everyone :)

Three Things Thursday

• I finished up my last set of 6 & 1's for 3.5k last night and it was awesome! Despite some SERIOUS winds, I ran my best yet. It felt really good to have another good run under my belt. Tonight we move up to 8 & 1's! YIKES! But seriously, I am actually not at all nervous about it. I am feeling good and I think it's going to be great! Plus our talk is about cross training, which mean one of my fav people D I will be talking! YAY!
• My schedule in May is INSANE! Which means I am working a ton. And running even more. I have been trying to come up with a plan to run one the days that I work, and I think running home from work is going to be what I end up doing. It is just under 5k door to door, and the run is nice this time of year. Just hope the nights I want to run home the weather is good
• I am already considering my late summer/fall game plan as well. I wanted to try and see about training for Chilly in March, but I think I am going to aim for a spring 1/2 instead. Maybe. We'll see ;)
  

What a Weekend

Saturday morning we celebrated hubby's birthday with a few small gifts and his favorite breakfast: Oven Stuffed Overnight French Toast! It was divine! We then headed to our nieces 4th birthday party and then out to dinner and dessert with friends. By the time Sunday, our real busy day came around, we were already tired.

Hubby ran his half marathon in under two hours, which on this hilly local course, was all he really wanted. He managed to get back in time to watch both Connor AND Sydney run in the Mini Mile (about 250 metres around some trees!). They got their own bibs and medals. And asked if they could do it again!

I ran with our run club while Colin ran his race. 3.2 in 31 minutes. The headwinds on the way back were BRUTAL. I was kicking it but up until that point too. Ugh. I hope that my goal race weather is cool, with no rain or wind lol!

I can't wait to read how everyone else's weekends were!

FOTO Friday

My boys :)

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So last night we moved on to 6 & 1's. I DID IT. It was HARD, but I did it.

An oppourtunity to do the Hartwell 5k Race has come up and I have to decide tonight if I should. It starts at 8:40am, so I can be back in plenty of time to see Connor run his first race! But then there is all the logistics of getting all the kids there, looking after them. I need to decide soon!

It is my hubby's birthday tomorrow. He is the light of our lives and I have been lucky enough to know him for over HALF of mine. I LOVE YOU XO

Three Things Thursday

1. Yesterday Connor went to school for the very first time! He was very excited! And he seemed to like it. Hopefully when he starts in the fall he will still be as enthusiastic.
2. We are moving onto 6 & 1's tonight. Holy cow, where has the time gone? I cannot believe we are in week six already. The race is just over three weeks away! I am actually really excited!
3. Yesterday was the appointment with my neurologist. We decided that a second MRI wasn't necessary. Thank you for that! She has given me a presciption that I began taking yesterday. With time, I will be taking it everyday. Hopefully it will help rid me of my headaches!
   

Tuesday Bullets

• So a friend from work is going to look at my food diary and try to help me make an affordable "healthy eating" meal plan that we can incorporate into our daily life. We all need to start eating more good and less CRAP!
• So the plan was to run home from work tonight, but my surgery site is infected and OPENED this morning. Not too badly, but running 4+k might make it worse. So I am going to try and squeeze in a run tomorrow morning while my Mom is here with the kids during my neurology appointment.
• Connor's first race is coming up this weekend (along with a 1/2 marathon for dad)! He is pretty excited about it actually. It should be a blast!
• Colin has decided NOT to run the Mississauga Marathon after all. Won't get into it, as it is his business, but he is focusing on a Fall Marathon. He thinks he has settled on this one!
• Thanks for all the ideas for my Hubby's birthday. The kids are already asking to go and get the cake lol!

Tomorrow is Wednesday! YAY!

I am nuts!

So since my 5 & 1's on Thursday night went so well, I thought I would run to work on Sunday morning, since I was working.

First, the good news: it went ok, considering it was mostly uphill. 4.1k in 41 minutes. And it felt really good, except my glutes. They hurt. Lots. But I will be running HOME from work tomorrow night which means: All downhill. Ah woohoo!

Now the bad news: did I mention it was all UPHILL. I mean seriously, who decided to live here? Who? Oh right, we did! I guess it means Mississauga will be a cake walk right?

And the ugly: Killer migraine yesterday. One of the WORST that I have had in YEARS. There was nausea, aura, dizziness and the worst pain. I left work a half hour before my shift ended, I couldn't even make it one half hour. Came home and went straight to bed until about seven. Yuck. I have my next neurologist appointment on Wednesday and I am looking forward to finally working on making these more manageable. But you know 25+ years of these things, I am a little skeptical.

Okay guys, I need some help. Hubby's birthday is this weekend and money is tight. I want to do something special for him. Any ideas? He is the best husband and father in the world and I really want him to know how important he is to us! Thanks guys!

Cheater Post Workout Brownies

So I have been trying hard not to eat "too" much processed crap. Easier said than done. I also wanted to find some sort of Power Bar/Luna Bar/ Clif Bar that doesn't cost three dollars a piece and taste like garbage. This quarters Running Room Magazine had a recipe that I just had to try:

Cheater Post Workout Brownies

The Cast of Characters:
1 Box of Brownie Mix (I used Low Fat, but it doesn't discriminate)
1/4 Cup of Vegetable Oil
2 Eggs
1/2 Cup of Chocolate or Vanilla Whey Protein Powder (I used a 1/4 cup of each)
1/4 Cup of Ground Flax Seed
2 4.5 oz Jars Sweet Potato Baby Food
1 4.5 oz Jar Strained Prune Baby Food
1 Cup Cashews (Chopped)

1) Throw everything into a bowl and mix until well moistened (about 50 strokes)
2) Pour the batter into a 8 inch square pan and bake in a 325 degree oven for about 50 minutes

3) Cool completely on wire rack in pan
Cut into twelve bars. At this point I now will freeze ten of them and package them individually to eat at a later date. They should be good for up to a month in the freezer
Mmmmmm chocolate brownie goodness!
The details

• 304 Calories
• 10g Protein
• 35 grams carbs
• 3 grams fibre
• 14 g fat
• 121 mg sodium

Enjoy!

Friday Thoughts

So Friday is here. Friday April 16th. Where is April going? Time is flying by!

So I have to admit, even though it is my fourth time around the block, I am finally feeling good in my current clinic. Sure, it helps that I LOVE my instructor. But for some reason, everything is really clicking this time.

Wednesday night we went out for our last set of 4 & 1's and it really BLEW. I did it and it felt great to finish. But it felt so crappy. I really can't explain it any other way. I hadn't eaten all that great during the day. And I don't think I drank enough water.

So I was pleasantly surprised last night when we moved onto our first set of 5 & 1's. Starting out I was cautious, but I kicked it up and finished up at 28:17 for 3k! WOOHOO! I know it isn't about how fast we run, but I really want to get a PB at the end of this clinic. It may or may not happen. But I want to try!

For anyone who is, has, or is thinking about running, we can all agree on one thing: those first four weeks, you have to stick with it. Because, quite frankly, it isn't all that fun. Your body is getting used to this new activity. You feel like someone is sucking the life out of you with every set. But then something happens. You run one day and everything just "clicks" into place. It is worth the effort, I promise!

Comings and Goings

Wow, time flies when your having fun!

We are SO BUSY right now. So very busy. I am back to work, and working an average of 20 hours a week. Between that and running, and doing stuff with the kids, we are swamped.

My two sets of 4 & 1's have gone alright. My second set yesterday was not too good, but I finished it. I am looking forward to moving on to the 5 & 1's on Thursday. So that means we are already on to week FIVE. Wow.

I have been thinking a lot about what my goals are going to be this year. I do want to keep running, of course.

Since I am going to be teaching the next Women's Only clinic in May (!) I am going to be keeping it slow. I will then probably go into 5k training and depending on how that goes, go into 10k training. But no Half Marathon training this year. Which I am fine with.

I feel a bit discombobulated today.......I think I need some sleep.

4 & 1's

Started!

So now it's on to 4 & 1's. Hrmmmmmm. I gotta say, this is where it get tough. Really tough. At this point I think a lot of people want to quit. But not me! I have a goal race that I want to finish in under 45 minutes!

I signed up yesterday and I am really looking forward to it. The only thing I can't figure out is if it has a medal. Anyone know?

I will be heading out early tomorrow morning to do my next run at the store. Since we can't find a sitter for Sunday mornings, Colin runs with his group. I did have some company last week though. Maybe they will join me again!

Wet Wednesday

It looks like its going to be a wet one around here. We have been spoiled with beautiful weather the past week, so we were bound to get some awful rain in our future. Well, the future is now!

I will be heading out tonight on my own for my last set of 3 & 1's. Tomorrow we move onto: 4 & 1's! I can't put anything by you guys! So far so good, hopefully I make 4 & 1's rock too!

We seem to have another runner in the family. Connor will be running in his very first race on April 25th here in Aurora! It is the Kids Mini Mile at the Run for Southlake (Daddy is running the 1/2 marathon)! He gets his own race kit and medal for finishing! He is very excited! And no, it isn't an actual mile, it is the last 500 Metres of the race course!

Three Things Thursday

I really need to NOT only post twice a week:

1. Last night at Run Club we completed our last round of 2 & 1's! Woohoo! This time around I really felt like I didn't do as poorly, and last night I ran my best so far! I always treat any run pretty much like a race. I hate leaving anything out there. So I run my little heart out.
2. This weekend is Easter. I cannot believe it. It feels like only yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas. Now that April is here, the rest of the year is going to fly by. We are having brunch tomorrow with our family, then Easter Dinner on Sunday at my Mom and Dad's. We also have tomorrow off here in Canada, so that means LONG WEEKEND!
3. I started back at work on Tuesday night and it was great to be back. I missed working, and I missed my co-workers. And April looks like I will be getting lots of great shifts, so I am very excited!

I hope everyone has an amazing Easter.

Tuesdays Gone Away

I managed to squeeze in a run this weekend while I was away and it felt pretty good. I decided to take a few days off and will be doing my last set of 2 & 1's tomorrow night at Run Club. Then it's 3 & 1's. Wow. Time flies when you're in pain.......I plan on running at least twice more over this weekend. So hopefully I will be where I want to be sooner rather than later.

Also, I head back to work tonight. Thank God. Not getting paid does not equal good times. And I have a lot of shifts coming up, so I will be back to a regular schedule in no time!

The weather this week is going to be BEAUTIFUL. So I am going to be taking the kids to the zoo tomorrow, which they always enjoy. Plus we have a membership, which is totally worth it.

Happy Tuesday everyone