Two Years of This

I was looking back through the archives a few days ago, and reminiscing, and suddenly realized! It's been two years since I started this blog, and started running. Happy birthday, Run Jelly Run! Frequently, I'm still amazed that, despite the lay-offs I've taken, I'm still running and writing.

In celebration of my two years, I will list and link the running magazines that keep me inspired and informed:
Runner's World: An American magazine, but it has some of the most interesting articles I read. Marc Parent's column 'the Newbie Chronicles' amuses me, the nutrition and recipes columns are interesting and delicious, and the glossy, well-coloured photos make for a very pretty read. Even the numerous ads for marathons are inspiring, and at the back, there is a list of upcoming races around the States. A monthly magazine, it's well worth getting the subscription.

Canadian Running: The main Canadian running publication, this magazine comes out twice a month. I really appreciate Canadian Running because it is all on running in Canada, and each winter, the advice for running in Canadian weather is indispensable. The nutrition section is smaller than in RW, and the articles are less blog-type/personal and more general. My favourite part of Canadian Running, apart from the Canadian focus, is the profiling of different cities in each edition in 'On the Run in...' They provide distance routes to run in a different city, and a profile of the different weathers and tourist sights and spots to visit.

Women's Running Magazine: Another American publication, this is also a bi-monthly magazine that focuses (as implied) on women who run. I found this magazine at a pre-race expo, and was thrilled. Finally, a publication that focuses on the concerns women have before, during, and after running, like sports-bra fittings, how to deal with post-run shine, and women's psychology in running. However, I find that a lot of the magazine has beautiful glossy photos of slender women who fit their running skirts like models, unlike the majority of women who I've seen running. So if you're going to subscribe to this magazine, be aware that the photos are very idealistic (and I'm betting very air-brushed) and that while running will make you fitter and happier, it may not make you look like the women in this magazine.

Running Room Magazine: This is probably the most grass-roots magazine that I read, and the very best part is that it's free. This is because it's published from the funds of the Running Room, and you can sign up for it from the Running Room. It is a multi-page ad for the Running Room's wares, but it also includes interesting stories of people who have run and raced across Canada. It's also the most photographically realistic of the four magazines, and while the paper isn't as glossy or as expensive (it's free, after all), it is still worth flipping through and giving the articles a read.

In other news, as an example of you never stop learning, I learned a very valuable trick for winter running.

Now, this trick is probably one of the most obvious ones in the book, and somehow it totally passed me: to keep from getting drafts up your shirt, tuck your shirt in. Seems so simple, doesn't it? And yet somehow, I never clued in.

Let this be a lesson! You never stop learning new tricks and tips to make running more enjoyable or challenging, or whatever you need it to be.

St. Patrick's Day Run - March 12, 2010

For the first time ever, I did a short race for fun.

Author's Note: I was just going through my old posts and noticed this never got posted! So I'll finish it here, in the past tense.

It's been about a year since I did this race, and I will do it again this year, I am sincerely hoping!

Getting to the race, at a local high school was little problem. Parking was a bit more of one. Good thing I took the bus! But the energy once getting my racing kit was high, and the grey sky and drizzle didn't dampen anyone's spirits.

A running friend lent me a green tie with shamrocks all over it for an Irish flair. I still have it and will wear it again for this year's race. I consider it my medal for the race. :) Maybe I'll see her this year and be able to return it!

The race went well, but I decided that I really wanted to try for 5k in 30 minutes. I realized that I hadn't worked up my race pace enough and was pushing myself for it, and came in at 33m45s. Not too bad!

I also had a bit of incentive in this race. Later that day, I headed out to Petawawa to help celebrate my now-boyfriend's birthday and was able to regale them with the tale of my race.

Another way this race was fun: there is absolutely no competitive tone for this race, which encourages a lot of casual runners to join. I saw a lot of friends who were not usually runners in this race, and had a lot of fun comparing times and aches and pains later.

This year will mark one year of doing the St. Patrick's Day run and one year of dating my sweetie, who is encouraging and wonderful and a delight to run with!

Skin in Winter Running

This is a short Public Service Announcement (think post-WWII social norms ads) on taking care of your skin while running in winter.

The subject stems from living in Canada, running in Canada's winter, and remembering a little too late that your skin needs more protection if you're going to run outside in said winter.

My problem admittedly started when I went home to Alberta for Christmas. I took my regular skin-care regime and didn't change it at all.
The thing I forgot was, Alberta's air is a lot dryer than Ontario air, and my skin wouldn't be as oily.
I noticed that the facial cleanser, Cetaphil's Oily Skin Cleanser, was actually hurting my face when I used it, and my moisturiser wasn't keeping up.

It was only after I hit New Brunswick to realize the problem. Duh. So I went out and bought a bar of Cetaphil's gentle cleanser (not a specialized facial one, just general) and used that, to help my skin rebalance.

This wasn't even from running in Alberta's air, just standing around in it.

Now I'm back in Ottawa, and subjecting my skin to around -7 to -15C temperatures, with windchills and humidity.

My usual regime needs a bit of updating. I may switch to Cetaphil's Sensitive Skin Cleanser, using a pump and a half of moisturizer, and using as much body lotion as I need. I also have the left-over gentle skin bar and may use it for the rest of me.

Key for taking care of your skin in the winter (running or not):
1. Don't be afraid to adjust your skin care routine. What worked in the summer won't necessarily work in the winter. Skin a bit dry? Try a gentler cleanser.

2. Don't over-exfoliate. You'll just irritate your skin unnecessarily.

3. Keep hydrated! Water keeps your skin healthy and looking good, and you need it for running anyway.

4. Change out of running clothes as soon as you can after a run. The cold clamminess of your clothes will leach heat from your body, and that can never be good for your skin.

5. Pat your skin dry.

6. Protect against hypothermia by covering your skin. Wear gloves, even if they're light fabric. Usually I can't stand to wear gloves while running but these days, it's just the right covering to keep my hands warm.

7. Don't forget about protecting your lips! Use a lip balm that won't dry out your lips (no alcohol), with a sunscreen in it.

8. Be sensible about temperature. If it's -25C or lower outside, find something else to stay fit, like a stationary bike, or pay for a day at the gym for a treadmill (if it's that temperature inside, pay your hydro bill!).

9. Some people can run with a scarf over their face, but I've never tried it. I have seen facial coverings to protect faces from frostbite. Give it a shot!

10. Even if you haven't had laser eye surgery, remember to hydrate your eyes too. I've noticed that my eyes get really dry on a run in the winter.

Those are my ten tips for protecting your skin while running in the winter, and I'm probably just touching the tip of the iceberg.

Woke up this morning...

Well, yesterday morning.

At 4:45 a.m. Thought, 'Dagnabbit, too early,' so I put my head back down for 30 minutes. Which became 75 minutes. At which point I woke up, cursed at the clock, and pondered running at lunch time.

Any sport will reasonably work some flexibility into its program (though I have heard of certain running coaches who are famous for NOT doing that, but then, I'm never going pro). I am famous (to myself) for allowing too much flexibility: I don't feel like running today, I can do it tomorrow, tomorrow, tomorrow...

This got me into trouble in my last half-marathon race. I didn't do enough of the work, and I ended 13 minutes later than I wanted to (though I still beat my personal best by 10 minutes!).

This time, I am buckling down. Just you watch me.

I had considered taking all my running stuff to work and going at lunchtime. Winter running gear can be cumbersome though, and it wouldn't all fit into my little gym bag! So I scrapped that plan, and decided to wait for the evening.

As previously mentioned, it's hard for me to get up and running when I get home from work. I leave after an eight-hour day (or longer), wait in the cold for the stupid bus that never seems to show on time (10-20 minutes late), trudge from bus stop to home and unwrap from winter clothes into the luxurious heat of my shared townhouse. Who would want to go back into the cold after that?

Last night, I had one thing that changed my mind: my favourite MST3K channel was showing a movie that makes even me groan and wait for the sweet, blissful end, Laserblast. Some movies, you can watch to see how bad they get, some you turn off in sheer disgust. This one chased me out of the house and into the cold to do my run. Well done, Laserblast, well done.

I took off without my Yaktrax on, believing most of my fellow suburbanites would be so kind as to shovel their sidewalks for young, industrial runners like myself. I was only half right, but as they say all too often, c'est la vie!

Also of note, I forgot to turn my Garmin on for the first kilometer. Admittedly, I already had my headphones going (not advised for evening running, though I feel safe in my neighbourhood) and didn't hear the starting beep as I pressed the button. Sometimes, my Garmin Forerunner 305 needs a bit of button-pushing emphasis to get it going.

My run ended pretty well, so I decided to go for all-you-can-eat sushi. That turned into another nightmare of waiting over an hour for our first order, but that's another story.

To the Grind

I started running with the Running Room again last night. I joined the 10K group about a week in, and did the 6k planned last night.

As I knew, and anyone with common sense would know, jumping back in from my previous gleeful status of 'running once in a while' to 6k is bound to leave some ouchie.

That was my thighs and knees today. They didn't hurt quite as much as I expected, but a chance conversation with a friend who's recovering from a knee injury reminded me to buy new ice packs.

Tomorrow's plan is for 3k. I'm going to (try to) get up early in the morning to do it then - a little solidarity with my sweetie who has to be up at 4 a.m. for work.

As I last wrote, I want to plan a bit more on the idea of an exit strategy to this 10k group, which will end March 12. It is thus: run with the half-marathoners. C'est easy, non?
I will slide in with the half-marathon group and continue my training that way.

When I hit that point, then, I'll have to decide what to do next. Probably just sign up for the group and the next race again.

Morning Running and Exit Strategies

I have been hearing the accolades of morning running for a while: doing it in the morning gets it done, you feel more awake, you make better food choices during the day, etc. Frankly, I think the first reason is the one that gets my attention the most.
The idea of doing the run I want to and having it done and out of the way by the time I get home from work is incredibly enticing. I've tried doing it after work, and even before my bus ride became a one-hour exercise in frustration, I was too lethargic to get off the couch (go ahead, call me lazy; you're not wrong).
I tried the morning run today, which I have tried before. However, in contrast to the above post, today the weather was -13C and it was still dark out. I only did 20 minutes of running, as I had gotten up a bit late and was slightly under-dressed.
The real prize, though, was coming in from the cold and having the coffee ready, a hot shower waiting, and breakfast tasting the best it had in a while. Even if it was only Cheerios.
That may just be the best reward for the morning run.

In other news, I want to talk about exit strategies, or as more people call it, maintenance plans.
These are my downfall. I perform best when I have a goal to go for - 10k, a half-marathon, the next half-marathon, etc. But when that race is finished, I give myself a week of rest, which becomes two weeks of rest, which turns into eye surgery, which becomes it's too hot out here...
But I never gave a lot of thought to the 'after-race'. I always thought, yeah, I'd maintain, I'd go do some running. This, to date, has not worked, despite the last three races.
So what's a runner-wannabe to do?
I could keep signing up for Running Room courses. Or I could move in with my running boyfriend, wherever he goes. I'll put more thought into this.

Suburban Running

My excuse for not having run or written for the past two weeks is because I was moving. Most of my time was (supposed to be) taken up by packing and cleaning.

I took my first run in my new area today, a suburban part of Ottawa. It was quite a nice run, an slow and easy 3k around the block. I started up one road, and saw a cross street and thought, "Hey, doesn't that loop around?"

Jumping on to that street, I saw a number of other walkers, some lovely houses (I admit, I'm window-house hunting, where you see a house you like and admire, but don't go in to purchase), and after the turn back, I came across... a barn! There's a red barn and a little farmhouse right in the middle of suburbia!

I want to go knock on the owners' door one day and say, "Good on you, keeping this land and your barn!" I'm sure they were under a lot of pressure to sell. The barn looks like it's in reasonably good shape, but I didn't smell any animals. We don't want to offend the delicate sensibilities of suburbanites, now, do we?

In other news, the shoes were still working great, and my knees, though stiff, were responding well by the end of the trek.