Downgrade

I just sent in my request to have my race registration changed from the half to the 10k.

I know I COULD do the half, but then I'd risk actually damaging my knee/hip.

I'm sad and disappointed.

Hopefully I'll get stronger and will be able to run a half in a few months... maybe the Hypothermic Half in Feb/March.

Another thing that I'm sad and disappointed about is that I called the Salvation Army so I could volunteer with the soup kitchen or food bank, and they have no openings until late November! Which is great, for them, that they aren't wanting for volunteers, but I really wanted to get in there.

Training Recap: Week 13

Tuesday September 17

Distance: 5 km
Time: 27:57
Average Pace: 5:35/km

Splits

1 - 5:23
2 - 5:33
3 - 5:34
4 - 5:36
5 - 5:50

Thursday September 19

Distance: 5 km
Time: 27:04
Average Pace: 5:24/km

Splits

1 - 5:22
2 - 5:30
3 - 5:30
4 - 5:24
5 - 5:16

Sunday September 22

Distance: 9 km
Time: 25:08
Average Pace: 5:48/km

Had a beautiful run today, but my knee started to hurt (just a little bit) at about 7.5 k, so I'm feeling discouraged. I'm about to admit defeat and contact the PEI marathon people to ask to do the 10 k instead. but I don't want to. I don't know what to do.

Splits

1 - 5:46
2 - 5:49
3 - 6:14
4 - 5:50
5 - 5:36
6 - 5:42
7 - 5:38
8 - 5:56
9 - 5:35

Apple Picking!

On Sunday, we had a visit from our friends, A, LA, and their daughter E. LA mentioned apple picking, and I said that that was exactly what I wanted to do that day! So, off we went. Red Fox stayed home; his knee is really bothering him lately, and he didn't want to go walking that much.

Here are some pictures from our time at the Orchard. The apples are delicious! There's nothing better than an apple right off the tree. I want to go back when the Macs are ready!

Little Fox got a lift from A

A bird nest!

Trying so hard to climb that tree. 

A is up in the tree, handing apples to E.

LA getting the best apples at the top

Training recap: Weeks 11 and 12

Yeah, I missed a weekly recap. I only ran once this past week. That didn't seem to merit a blog post! So this one is a long one!

Tuesday September 3

I feel like this was forever ago. I can't even remember the run! I'm looking at the map on the Garmin Connect website thing, and I seriously can't remember doing this run!

Distance: 5 km
Time: 28:38
Average Pace: 5:38/km

Splits

1 - 5:45
2 - 5:52
3 - 5:49

4 - 5:20

5 - 5:27

Monday September 9

Sometimes, my short runs make me think "omg, I'm never going to be able to do a half marathon!" but other days, like today, make me think that I definitely can. I REALLY enjoyed my run today. Which isn't something that usually happens! I ran the River Rd and back, and then to the beach and back for a total of 6 k. 

I didn't think my body would feel great today, since I didn't drink much all day, and probably didn't eat the best things, but I felt great. I ran the 5k without stopping (also uncommon!), and even made it up TDH with no more than a bit of extra effort. Running down the slight downhill toward the beach, I pushed the pace a bit, and ran my fastest ever km (my garmin told me I had a new record: fastest mile at 8:13... I don't do miles though, so I know what that really "means"). I stopped before my last km. I wasn't sure if I was going to do 5 or 6, but I was a km away from home, so why not run it?

Distance: 6 km
Time: 33:21
Average Pace: 5:33/km

Splits

1 - 5:31
2 - 5:44
3 - 6:09 - TDH

4 - 5:32

5 - 4:27 - Whoa!

6 - 5:55

Wednesday September 11

Crappy run today. I made the mistake of deciding to do the "to-the-beach-and-back" route twice, but I should have know better! I did it once and felt terrible, so I stopped after 2.5k. If I had gone the other way toward the River Rd, I would have probably stuck it out for a full 5, but reaching my driveway after 2.5 k did me in. 

Distance: 2.5 km 
Time: 14:09
Average Pace: 5:39/km

Splits

1 - 5:32
2 - 5:47
3 - 2:50

Friday September 13

Much better today than Wednesday. I decided to head out for my run before it started to rain (Gabrielle is on her way), but it was misting/sprinking the whole time. No biggie, but it was really humid!

An average -feeling run, but I was pretty speedy. A new 5k personal best of 26:06! I was pretty winded during the whole run, so I knew I was going faster than my regular pace. I paused the garmin twice: once to fix my hair at the halfway mark (I was turning around and would have a tail wind... I hate when my ponytail is blown around onto my neck and into my face), and once before TDH. 

Now, I'm "rungry". 

Distance: 5 km
Time: 26:06  -PB!
Average Pace: 5:13/km

Splits

1 - 4:55
2 - 5:22
3 - 5:28

4 - 5:20

5 - 5:01

Sunday September 15

What a beautiful day for running today! I should have gone for my run first thing this morning... Little Fox got me up at 6 am, so I would have had plenty of time... But I procrastinated until 6 pm. My goal for this run was a pain-free 8k. My phone was dead (no music) so I told Red Fox that if I wasn't back in an hour to come get me, because that would mean I'd be limping home! My plan was to run out for 4k, and the head back until I either had to stop, or until I got back home. I was 250 m from home when Red Fox came to find me! haha It had only been about 50 minutes, but I'm glad he remembered! 

It was an average run. I felt like I was a bit more out of breath than I'd like, but what can I expect, considering I've been limited for 5 or 6 k for a few weeks now. But, I made it, and my knee is just fine. 

Mini Gear Review: - I bought a Sweaty Band headband yesterday using some of the 50 dollar gift card I won. I wore it yesterday and it was great, but I thought today would be the "real" test. I felt like it was super tight, and I adjusted it at the half-way point. The top/front was fine, but the back was moving slightly. I figured out when I got home that it wasn't the headband that was tight, it was my ponytail! I'm not 100% satisfied with the headband. It DID stay in place, but it gets in the way of my glasses, and it doesn't lay flat on my head... the front of the band is, but the back part is loose, and it's only about an inch wide. I guess I need the super narrow one. Considering it's made of about 4 inches of narrow elastic, and about 16 inches of 2 types of ribbon, I don't think they are worth the 18 dollars. 

Distance: 8 km 
Time: 47:00
Average Pace: 5:52/km

Splits

1 - 5:33
2 - 5:54
3 - 6:05 

4 - 5:41

5 - 6:00

6 - 5:47
7 - 5:44
8 - 6:15 - I ran/walked TDH 

Catching up

I know, I know, I haven't posted in over a week! Honestly, nothing very exciting has been going on.

Little Fox is loving school so far. Every day we ask him what he did that day and he said "so much stuff that i can't remember", but then little details will start coming out. Like the good morning song, and the "banana". On Wednesday, the teacher sent home a classroom newsletter that said they were learning about the letter F, the letters in their names, and getting to know each other.

Last night we went to parent information night, and it was quite informative, actually. They told us about their daily schedule and school programs, and met the nurse and the counselor. They gave us some info about Beavers, which I think we'll register for. I also spoke to the gym teacher to tell her I'd love to help with the after school gymnastics program. We went to Little Fox's classroom and saw some work that he's been doing (mostly drawings). His teacher told us that he's buddies with a boy named Anderson, and that they can get pretty silly; she has to separate them during circle time! I'm not surprised, he's very social!

Here at Foxfield, we welcomed Silver Fox back to our home. We're very happy to have him here. He's been busy fighting the never-ending war against the leaves.

A few days after Silver Fox got here, we had to say goodbye to Nana Fox, as she went back home to NS. She stayed with us all summer, and was a bigger help than we can say. Little Fox loved spending his summer with her, and I really appreciated the help with Little Fox, the house and the cottages.

Red Fox is busy with work and handy-man stuff. He's got the garage cleaned up and cleared out, and is preparing to level Cottage 1... if it ever stops raining long enough. There's a lot to do around here to prepare for winter; with the house and 4 cottages, the list is long.

The most exciting thing I've done lately is make mustard pickles for the first time. LOL I know, not that thrilling, right? But Grand Fox gave us about 10 big cucumbers from his garden, so I decided to tackle my first "canning" experience. They are pretty tasty, and all the jars sealed, so I'll call that a success. I'll be a country wife yet. Eventually...

"De-watering" the cukes in my "pickle tower"

 All Done!

I haven't been running as much as I'd like, or as much as I should be (I ran 5k this morning, though, before the storm comes). I'm quite worried about my endurance for the half in October... I'll probably have to run-walk it, and throw my time goal out the window. My outlook calendar just reminded me that tomorrow was supposed to be my 17k long run... and here I am running 6k as my long runs! arg. so frustrating. The 21st is the Four Fathers race, so I think I'll sign up for the 10k for that and see what happens.

Little Fox's First Day of School

Today was the day! The day we've been counting down to. One of the reasons we moved to PEI.

SCHOOL.

Little Fox started Kindergarten today. (Don't call it "Primary" here... people either glare at you, or stare at you, dumbfounded).

Yesterday, we decided that we'd take Little Fox out for supper. Just as we were leaving, the phone rang, and it was his bus driver! She invited us to stop in at her house on our way by (she lives at the end of River Rd, my running route)! So, of course we did, and Little Fox got to check out his bus, and try on his seat belt. Yep, that's right. His school bus seat belt. The first 2 rows of seats have 5-pt harnesses in them for the little ones. He sits in the very first seat, on the passenger side. Because of this location, we warned the driver that he is a TALKER, and we reminded him today that he can't talk to the driver the whole way.

Also, Grand Fox arrived yesterday to surprise Little Fox, and to be here on his first day of school.

This morning, we got up at 6. The bus arrives at about 7:40, so I knew this would give us plenty of time, no matter how slowly Little Fox ate his breakfast! He was ready with a lot of time to spare, so then proceeded to ask, every 2 minutes, if the bus is here yet.

Finally, it was time to get his sneakers on and go to the bus stop, with plenty of photos taken along the way, of course.

His entourage

And then we saw the bus!

Look how excited he is! He's watching the bus turn onto our road. 

All smiles as he waves goodbye to daddy.

After the bus left, Red Fox and I went to the school to meet him and help him find his classroom. 

 Getting off the bus at school.

 Meeting his teacher, and putting away his things.

 Checking everything out

Writing his name and looking around

At the end of the day, his teacher called me to tell me that Little Fox "got along just fine today, but he might be a little tired". I thought it was so nice of her to call!

 All smiles on his return home, too. 

I asked how his day went and he said "GREAT!" 

Shine On!

Courteney, author of Runner Girl (http://indyroo.blogspot.ca/) nominated me for the Shine On award. 

Courteney has been very encouraging when it comes to my running, just as she was years ago when we were in gymnastics together!

Here are the rules for this award:
1.  Visit and thank the blogger who nominated you. Check!
2.  Acknowledge that blogger on your blog and a link back. Check!
3.  Share 7 random interesting things about yourself.

• A few years ago, I really struggled with depression, which manifested as anger. The therapist I spoke to thought it stemmed from post postpartum depression. I was so worried about talking to my doctor about it that after I made the appointment to ask about getting help, I got an ulcer.  I started anti depressants in early December. By mid-January, I found myself smiling in my car on the way to work, and realized I felt like myself again. I weaned off of the pills a few months ago. I still struggle with my temper, but it's not on a constant basis like before.
• I can fold a fitted sheet so well that when making the beds, I have to unfold the sheets to figure out which one is the flat sheet and which one is the fitted sheet. I often guess wrong. Also, I really enjoy changing the sheets on a bed. Making the beds is my favorite part of cottage cleaning. 
• I want to run "the big" half marathon in each of the Atlantic provinces, ideally in the same year. Someday. (Anyone know what the big race is in NFLD?)
• My dream is to volunteer with kids in Africa. This is something I've wanted to do since I was a child. I can't watch the World Vision shows without crying. 
• I hate running. I mean, the actual sweaty-gasping-for-breath running part of running. But the way I feel just after running, and in between runs, makes it totally worth while. I saw something on Facebook that said "I hate every wonderful second of it" and I think that sums it up perfectly. 
• I LOVE potatoes. I don't care how they are cooked. Baked, fried, boiled, scalloped, I don't care. But, now that I think about it, I rarely make them. I usually make a pasta or rice to go with a meal. I think I'll have to change that, considering I now live in PEI!
• I've gone since July 1st without beaking a finger nail. This is HUGE for me. I've always had brittle nails, and they've always been misshapen and ugly. They break SO easily. On Canada Day, I filed them down and painted them. Since then I've filed them almost every other day, and I've been using "Healthy Hoof", which is a protein cream along with cuticle oil and strengthening nail polish. It sounds like a lot of "work" but I don't mind! I've NEVER had nice nails before! 

4. Nominate up to 15 bloggers for Shine On Award, provide a link to their blogs in your post, and notify them on their blogs.  This one is hard! All of the blogs I follow were already nominated by Courteney! I'll list them anyway. I'll go through my favorites and see if I come across any others!

http://girlgoesrunning.blogspot.ca/
http://janetcetera.blogspot.ca/
http://www.idlehide.com/


5.  Copy and paste the award somewhere on your blog. Check!

Training Recap: Week 10

Week 10 already. I didn't post a week 9 update, because I didn't run at all. Instead, I focused on physio and resting my knee. 

Monday August 26

I tried a short run today, only to the beach and back, which totaled 2.5 k. It was a good run, with no knee pain at all, during or after.

Distance: 2.5 km
Time: 14:15
Average Pace: 5:42/km

Splits

1 - 5:36
2 - 5:53
3 - 2:47 (5:32 min/km pace)

Wednesday August 28

Ran 5k today. Not a great run; no pain, but no endurance either. Lack of hydration, or lack of training lately? Probably both. I did the beach run twice. I really enjoy this out-and-back route, and I don't mind doing it twice to make the 5k. It's pretty convenient, actually. 

Anyway, yeah, not a great run. It was one of those runs that make me think "there's no way I'll be bale to do a half marathon!". I am anxious about my training schedule being so off-track. My physiotherapist told me not to run more than 5k at a time, 3 times a week... but I'm afraid that I won't get in the distance training I'll need for the half. 

Distance: 5 km
Time: 28:21
Average Pace: 5:40/km

Splits

1 - 5:43
2 - 5:56
3 - 5:43

4 - 5:33

5 - 5:24

Sunday September 1

September! For my "long run" today, I set out for 6k. Actually, I was only going to do 5k, but I felt pretty good at the 2k point so I decided to do an extra one. :)  I ran the River Rd, which I haven't run in a while because I thought that maybe the hill was causing the knee pain. I love running down TDH, so now that I know it's not the hill causing the knee pain, I figured it's fair game again. 

I wore my "old" sneakers today. These are the sneakers I bought about a year ago, just after I started running. Shortly after buying them, I got a strange pain in my foot, so I got different sneakers (given to me by my mom) and the pain went away. I really liked the old ones, thought, because they are REALLY light. But I noticed that when running down TDH, my feet went slap slap slap with each step. LOL I'm sure people a mile away could hear me! I don't think I'll wear them for every run, but it was a nice change to have nice light sneakers today. 

So, no knee pain (and no foot pain from the sneakers either). I've been doing my physio exercises every night, and am up to the maximum of 2 sets of 20 on each side. I added in a few other things, too like clamshells (thanks for that suggestion, Courteney), and planks (gotta catch up to Heather and her 3 minute plank!)

Distance: 6 km
Time: 33.17
Average Pace: 5:32/km

Splits

1 - 5:19
2 - 5:30
3 - 5:47

4 - 5:24

5 - 5:38 - I think this is the fastest I've ever run 5k (27:38)
6 - 5:36