Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Stripped again!!!!

I know I look constipated, but that's a pained expression!

Hope everyone had a Happy Easter!  Mine was pretty decent.  I got up and did my long run (12K) for the week.  I got to run in my happy place.  Up the Niagara Escarpment.  When I got to the top, I almost got mowed down by the Stoney Creek Running Room half marathon clinic.  I ran down the escarpment with them for about 5.5K.  It was nice to run with such a large group of people at the same pace.  We dominated the rail trail Sunday morning!  Half marathon training has officially begun!

Afterwards, we went to my in-laws for Easter dinner.  I ate more chicken breast and salad than should  be allowed.  I was hungry after my run!  I'm sure I decimated an entire population of chickens single handedly.  It was great  to spend time with family.  And Jules got to play with his cousins, so he was very happy!  I lucked out because my little guy does not like chocolate.  He likes candy, but sparingly.  He'll eat a few gummies or suck on a sucker for a few minutes, then call it a day.  What a relief!  He's also not into cookies, cakes or any baked goods.  My husband's on cloud nine.  Any chocolate that Julien gets, goes in the freezer for him to eat at his leisure.  A gentle reminder to my hubby that running does not eliminate bad eating!

Yesterday was still a holiday for me.  I had a four day weekend.  I actually slept in all four days. By sleep in, I mean I wasn't up before dawn.  I was still up by 7:30ish, but that's sleeping in for me.  I did however get up at 5:30 this morning to run in the frigid cold.  Minus 12C with the windchill!  Are you kidding me?  I thought that spring had sprung.  Even though I had put them away on Good Friday, I had to drag out the winter mitts and toques again!  I see it's supposed to be nice again by Thursday.  Fingers crossed the milder weather sticks this time.

I registered hubby and I for a bunch of races on Sunday (before the prices went up April 1st).  I'm running the Chocolate Race in Port Dalhousie on Mother's Day.  It was my first 5K ever, so it's a nostalgic race for me.  I'm running with Beverly for sure and have invited Tanya to join us.  She's still thinking on it.  The hubby and boy will come with me for the race and we can make a day of it. Niagara Falls is not much further!  I also officially registered for my next 1/2 marathon.  I'm running the Niagara Falls Women's Half Marathon on June 2nd, the day before my 43rd birthday.  I'm excited about this one because my former running coach and mentor Carol will be running the same race.  I'm aiming for the sub 2:15  finish.  My feet better be pain free by then!

Hubby and I are both running the Meredith Hagan Inspiration Run on June 22nd.  That was an awesome and very inspiring race last year.  I'm doing the 10K this year.  It's the goal race for the 10K clinic I'm co-instructing with Monica beginning the 18th of April.  And finally, hubby's registered for his first half marathon.  The Niagara Falls International Half Marathon on October 27th.  The weekend after (November 3rd), I'm running my first full marathon, the Road2Hope.  We'll also fit a shorter race in there somewhere over the summer.  But there you have it.  My running dossier for the next eight months.  I'm telling you, running is an expensive hobby to have!

I had physio tonight.  I got a week off because Graham was in Cuba, but now we're back to full force physio once again.  My hamstring is about 99% healed.  I'm doing hamstring curls on the exercise ball and a bunch of other core exercises so I can continue to strengthening my glutes and lower back.  Now the focus is on my feet and crampy toes.  I have an orthotic assessment made for the 12th of April.  It's about an hour long because my running gait and movement will be assessed once again.  My feet will also be scanned for othotics.  I'm anxious and excited all at once.  Excited that it will correct my crampy toes once and for all and anxious that it won't.

At tonight's physio appointment, Graham thought it would be fun to strip my feet.  It hurt!  A lot! Mark, my massage dude, was going to strip my feet a week and a half ago, but said he'd put it off till after The Bay race.  I'm seeing him on Friday, and he doesn't need to strip them at all now! Graham beat him to the punch!  It was extremely unpleasant, but not as bad as the time before last when Mark stripped my left calf.  And the upside was that Graham used a lot of lotion on my feet and they're super soft now!  The sh*t I do for running!

I would hate his job.  I don't like feet!