I have finally discovered exactly the words to describe the feelings my legs have had over the past few weeks: hibernation.
They feel like how I imagine bears must feel as they start to wake up as spring rolls around. Slow, grouchy, not at all willing to go out and do this 'exercise' thing. There may have been growling involved.
But I did get out twice this week for runs at work. Tuesday was cold and windy, and today was... cool and windy. I'd cautiously start making spring-time plans like walks in the park or rollerblading, but that's just taunting Mother Nature: it's supposed to snow 10cm this weekend.
My legs are sore like they haven't been in a while, but I am looking forward to getting back to shape, where my legs don't sob like whiny children going up seven flights of stairs and a couple of 5km runs are a gentle shake-out.
Most of all, I'm looking forward to sun, warm, and at least 15C so I can run in shorts again!
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Saturday, March 30, 2013
Awful Run
It is the Easter long weekend, and I went out for a run today.
I am sad to report that, despite the 6C and relatively dry paths (which is not to say that I didn't splash one foot within 50 metres of my house), the run just sucked. I felt slovenly and lazy and generally like not being out there.
It doesn't help that I finally prodded myself out of the house because I just couldn't bear Ragnar's question of "When are you going for a run?" any longer. There may be some misconception that badgering me to do something is the best way to get me to do it. This misconception could totally be eradicated if I stopped responding to the pestering by doing what he's pestering me about.
But I went out, and for about 25 minutes, I ran and I hated every laggardly step, and I'm so glad that I did it that in the end, it is worth it (which is totally different than it having been worth it, in the past because in the past, it just sucked).
In other news, it is International Tabletop Day, a day to partake in board games, video games, hopscotch games, or whatever strikes your fancy. I've been pondering the dichotomy of being at once athletic (or approaching a similarity thereof) and being a geek. Can these two peacefully co-exist? Of course they can. History can cite many examples: me, my friend who introduced me to Ragnar, Ragnar, Vin Diesel, Geeks in Running Shoes... So I think this concept requires more development.
More to come.
I am sad to report that, despite the 6C and relatively dry paths (which is not to say that I didn't splash one foot within 50 metres of my house), the run just sucked. I felt slovenly and lazy and generally like not being out there.
It doesn't help that I finally prodded myself out of the house because I just couldn't bear Ragnar's question of "When are you going for a run?" any longer. There may be some misconception that badgering me to do something is the best way to get me to do it. This misconception could totally be eradicated if I stopped responding to the pestering by doing what he's pestering me about.
But I went out, and for about 25 minutes, I ran and I hated every laggardly step, and I'm so glad that I did it that in the end, it is worth it (which is totally different than it having been worth it, in the past because in the past, it just sucked).
In other news, it is International Tabletop Day, a day to partake in board games, video games, hopscotch games, or whatever strikes your fancy. I've been pondering the dichotomy of being at once athletic (or approaching a similarity thereof) and being a geek. Can these two peacefully co-exist? Of course they can. History can cite many examples: me, my friend who introduced me to Ragnar, Ragnar, Vin Diesel, Geeks in Running Shoes... So I think this concept requires more development.
More to come.
Tuesday, March 19, 2013
While I've been lazy...
I've really been waiting for Spring to (finally) arrive. The Onion wasn't far off when it ran its article about Puxsatawney Phil being beheaded for false predictions of warmer weather.
Unfortunately in Alberta, the weather cares nothing for my fitness, or my level of spirits, or time of year. If it wants to snow in August, it will damn well snow in August.
In any case, as I had promised my running buddy at work yesterday, I would run today. And to avoid a work social event, I really really did.
I do like my coworkers. They're a very friendly lot, but while we celebrate Les rendez-vous de la Francophonie (basically, a big celebration across Canada of being Francophone), there's a lot of mixing. Today, there was singing, and my introverted self was having none of it. I was so happy to be outside with one other person, rather in a dark, boisterous and loud meeting room that I sort of feel like I won a jackpot.
The jackpot being my peace of mind.
The sun was gorgeous and bright, the route was (mostly) flat and not-mushy, and the wind was quiet. My running buddy coworker and I caught up on each other's news, and essentially enjoyed ourselves.
Then my knee complained that we hadn't done this in a while, but I ignored it in favour of not only finishing the run but staying at least half a foot ahead of my friend as we finished our run with a sprint.
All in all, it was a lovely day.
Unfortunately in Alberta, the weather cares nothing for my fitness, or my level of spirits, or time of year. If it wants to snow in August, it will damn well snow in August.
In any case, as I had promised my running buddy at work yesterday, I would run today. And to avoid a work social event, I really really did.
I do like my coworkers. They're a very friendly lot, but while we celebrate Les rendez-vous de la Francophonie (basically, a big celebration across Canada of being Francophone), there's a lot of mixing. Today, there was singing, and my introverted self was having none of it. I was so happy to be outside with one other person, rather in a dark, boisterous and loud meeting room that I sort of feel like I won a jackpot.
The jackpot being my peace of mind.
The sun was gorgeous and bright, the route was (mostly) flat and not-mushy, and the wind was quiet. My running buddy coworker and I caught up on each other's news, and essentially enjoyed ourselves.
Then my knee complained that we hadn't done this in a while, but I ignored it in favour of not only finishing the run but staying at least half a foot ahead of my friend as we finished our run with a sprint.
All in all, it was a lovely day.
Sunday, February 10, 2013
First February Run
Yesterday, my boyfriend returned from two weeks in sunny beautiful Petawawa (where it snowed so heavily, I was afraid he wasn't coming home on time, so that's sarcasm).
Today, we went out for a casual run. I didn't bring my running watch or music because I wanted to be out there, running with my boyfriend, on a sunny, warm winter day.
It was a nice near-5k loop up to the house. At first I was a bit worried about my hamstrings because I have been really lax on the running, and they were still twinging from my Friday run at work. There was a little wind from the west that cooled everything down but once again, I chose exactly the right amount of gear: my favourite Under Armour shirt, and Running Room pants, jacket, and toque.
Quality time with me and the bee-eff.
Today, we went out for a casual run. I didn't bring my running watch or music because I wanted to be out there, running with my boyfriend, on a sunny, warm winter day.
It was a nice near-5k loop up to the house. At first I was a bit worried about my hamstrings because I have been really lax on the running, and they were still twinging from my Friday run at work. There was a little wind from the west that cooled everything down but once again, I chose exactly the right amount of gear: my favourite Under Armour shirt, and Running Room pants, jacket, and toque.
Quality time with me and the bee-eff.
Saturday, February 2, 2013
Why I Enjoy Groundhog Day (even if the premise is utterly ridiculous)
January was not the best running month for me. I started off sick, and then I became a little lazy; then it became stupidly cold, and I was very lazy, and then it got warm again and now it's February.
As we say in fond tones but with gritted teeth, only in Canada can you have -40C and +2C in the same week. Those Arctic fronts come in and wreak havoc, from snow to black ice, from stuck-solid windshield wipers to the car not starting, from having to keep various weights of coats in the front closet to trying to remember when you last saw the really warm toque.
February is deceptive. Sometimes it can be warm, but those Arctic fronts are still on the northern horizon, lying in wait for us to sigh happily in the sun, put our coats away, and think that winter is over. Then it sneaks in behind us, clocks us over the head with an icicle and refreezes everything.
The possibility of an earlier spring is incredibly enticing to any Canadian runner who has checked the weather and realized that the air is too cold to breathe properly.
Then this little rodent of various name and location is woken to pop out of the ground on February 2 and predict whether there will be six more weeks of Winter or if Spring is coming early.
In Alberta, it's Balzac Billy. Manitoba has Winnipeg Willow and Manitoba Merv, Ontario with Wiarton Willy, Shubenacadie Sam in the Atlantic provinces, and Quebec has... Fred. Since British Columbia doesn't have proper winter, they don't need predictions. Saskatchewan presumably relies on the predictive abilities of the cows (which I'd find a lot more reliable, myself).
I'm kidding, BC has plenty of winter. They call it 'rain'. (okay, so that's southern BC, sheesh, fact checkers...)
I do find the idea that a groundhog will accurately predict the oncoming of spring to be hilariously faulty. The problems with the hypothesis are fundamental: what if it's a cloudy day? What if the groundhog died the night before? What type of extrasensory perception ability does a groundhog actually possess? What if the groundhog is cranky the morning of February 2 and lies just to get these pesky humans off his back? The independent variables are so, er, independent.
They also ruin the fun of it. There's a simple amusement in waiting and hoping every February 2 for an early Spring (or six more weeks of winter, if you love cross-country skiing). If the groundhog predicts unfavourably, you get to hope he's wrong. In either case, you hope there's enough pancake breakfast (or whatever the local tradition is) for everyone and that they're still hot when you sit down to eat.
Anyways, most Canadian predictive groundhogs are calling for an early Spring. At press time, Billy had not announced whether Alberta would be lucky or not, but I'm just happy that my car will start today.
If I get a moment today or tomorrow, I may even be able to go enjoy the nice around-0C climes with a run.
As we say in fond tones but with gritted teeth, only in Canada can you have -40C and +2C in the same week. Those Arctic fronts come in and wreak havoc, from snow to black ice, from stuck-solid windshield wipers to the car not starting, from having to keep various weights of coats in the front closet to trying to remember when you last saw the really warm toque.
February is deceptive. Sometimes it can be warm, but those Arctic fronts are still on the northern horizon, lying in wait for us to sigh happily in the sun, put our coats away, and think that winter is over. Then it sneaks in behind us, clocks us over the head with an icicle and refreezes everything.
The possibility of an earlier spring is incredibly enticing to any Canadian runner who has checked the weather and realized that the air is too cold to breathe properly.
Then this little rodent of various name and location is woken to pop out of the ground on February 2 and predict whether there will be six more weeks of Winter or if Spring is coming early.
In Alberta, it's Balzac Billy. Manitoba has Winnipeg Willow and Manitoba Merv, Ontario with Wiarton Willy, Shubenacadie Sam in the Atlantic provinces, and Quebec has... Fred. Since British Columbia doesn't have proper winter, they don't need predictions. Saskatchewan presumably relies on the predictive abilities of the cows (which I'd find a lot more reliable, myself).
I'm kidding, BC has plenty of winter. They call it 'rain'. (okay, so that's southern BC, sheesh, fact checkers...)
I do find the idea that a groundhog will accurately predict the oncoming of spring to be hilariously faulty. The problems with the hypothesis are fundamental: what if it's a cloudy day? What if the groundhog died the night before? What type of extrasensory perception ability does a groundhog actually possess? What if the groundhog is cranky the morning of February 2 and lies just to get these pesky humans off his back? The independent variables are so, er, independent.
They also ruin the fun of it. There's a simple amusement in waiting and hoping every February 2 for an early Spring (or six more weeks of winter, if you love cross-country skiing). If the groundhog predicts unfavourably, you get to hope he's wrong. In either case, you hope there's enough pancake breakfast (or whatever the local tradition is) for everyone and that they're still hot when you sit down to eat.
Anyways, most Canadian predictive groundhogs are calling for an early Spring. At press time, Billy had not announced whether Alberta would be lucky or not, but I'm just happy that my car will start today.
If I get a moment today or tomorrow, I may even be able to go enjoy the nice around-0C climes with a run.
Friday, January 4, 2013
2013, in With a Whimper
It is now four days into the New Year, and I haven't run once yet.
This is due to the cold that has settled into my lungs, which seems intent on creating a homestead on which its grandcolds can thrive.
Of course, this coincides neatly with the beautiful 0C weather we're having, so I'm pretty bitter about this.
There is also the matter of missing a boatload of work, being up all night due to coughing, and pondering sleeping on the couch so I don't wake Ragnar.
If this continues into tomorrow, I'm going to the medical clinic. I'm sick of this shit.
This is due to the cold that has settled into my lungs, which seems intent on creating a homestead on which its grandcolds can thrive.
Of course, this coincides neatly with the beautiful 0C weather we're having, so I'm pretty bitter about this.
There is also the matter of missing a boatload of work, being up all night due to coughing, and pondering sleeping on the couch so I don't wake Ragnar.
If this continues into tomorrow, I'm going to the medical clinic. I'm sick of this shit.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Running in Winter
Remember how last winter was so moderate and snow-less? How we got our first snow on November 22?
Yeah, it's a faint memory. My beloved hometown is returning to its roots of cold winters and snow-suits under Halloween costumes; -15C being the usual daytime high, don't tell me about the evening lows.
Yet, I still went for a run at lunch today, and it was perfect. The sun shone, there was a bit of humidity in the air, and the paths were freshly plowed. Few souls dared cross our path today, if anything because we were trucking along pretty happily.
The weather was -16C, but the Weather Network announced that it 'felt like' -22C as we left. The great thing about running in winter is that you can usually dress warmly enough to beat any winter chill, especially in an environment as dry as Alberta. Enough under-padding and a good shell will beat almost any cold air.
My co-worker and I were so bold at one point that we figured that this was not the coldest we could run at, and that we could go out at at least -20C, if it felt like -25. When that day comes, we'll recalibrate from there.
The one thing that I am missing at this point are my Yaktrax. My effort in finding them has been blasé at best, but I certainly wouldn't turn them down if they were waved in front of my face.
However, I will admit that I don't miss not being exhausted by the end of the day, because my body has spent so much effort in keeping me warm at that time.
A 15 minute nap before studying sounds reasonable.
zzzzzz.
Yeah, it's a faint memory. My beloved hometown is returning to its roots of cold winters and snow-suits under Halloween costumes; -15C being the usual daytime high, don't tell me about the evening lows.
Yet, I still went for a run at lunch today, and it was perfect. The sun shone, there was a bit of humidity in the air, and the paths were freshly plowed. Few souls dared cross our path today, if anything because we were trucking along pretty happily.
The weather was -16C, but the Weather Network announced that it 'felt like' -22C as we left. The great thing about running in winter is that you can usually dress warmly enough to beat any winter chill, especially in an environment as dry as Alberta. Enough under-padding and a good shell will beat almost any cold air.
My co-worker and I were so bold at one point that we figured that this was not the coldest we could run at, and that we could go out at at least -20C, if it felt like -25. When that day comes, we'll recalibrate from there.
The one thing that I am missing at this point are my Yaktrax. My effort in finding them has been blasé at best, but I certainly wouldn't turn them down if they were waved in front of my face.
However, I will admit that I don't miss not being exhausted by the end of the day, because my body has spent so much effort in keeping me warm at that time.
A 15 minute nap before studying sounds reasonable.
zzzzzz.
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