By chance, Dar and I caught sight of a poster advertising the anaugural NYC Half-Marathon Presented by NIKE on Sunday, August 27, 2006.

So we decided, why not?

Dar, Jeff and myself signed up yesterday (June 21st) in the afternoon. I just check the New York Road Runners web site and it is sold out 36 hours later!

We have our tickets. We have a training schedule. All we need is a hotel room.

More updates as they become available.

 

This post is to honour my Dad, one of Canada's preeminent bicycle collectors.

I had the opportunity to attend the opening of a small exhibit featuring his collection (the majority of which is housed at the National Museum of Science & Technology in Ottawa). If you are near the St. Lawrence Market, I invite you to take a peek:

The Market Gallery, in partnership with the Community Bicycle Network, presents the fascinating history of the bicycle in Toronto from “scorchers,” the pioneering daredevils of the 1800s, to the late-night “alley cat” races of today’s bicycle messengers.

The Community Bicycle Network is a community-based bicycle organization with the goal of promoting and stimulating healthy, active, and neighbourhood-friendly sustainable transportation initiatives in the City of Toronto. Featuring items from the collections of Toronto Culture and the Toronto Public Library, the exhibit will also highlight Lorne Shields’ exceptional collection of historic bicycles, posters, memorabilia and ephemera.

Aside from the many other benefits of running, burning fat / staying fit are prime motivators to getting us (the girls and I) off our sofas and on to the pavement.

It has been a constant battle to determine which burns more fat, running at the optimal "fat burning pace" which is generally slower than the "high intensity pace."  Searching for answers, I came across the following article at Runner's World.

According to this, the numbers don't lie. You are better off running at a high intensity pace to burn more fat (yes! I am vindicated)!

"Many so-called "experts" recommend that the best way to burn more fat is to run slowly during workouts. You've probably heard advice about training in your "fat-burning zone," said to correspond to a heart rate of just 50 to 65 percent of maximum heart rate (MHR). This is equivalent to a running pace about 2 minutes per mile slower than your marathon race pace. In other words, very slow.

At first glance, such slow running seems like a great idea. A recent University of Texas study found that when athletes exercised at only 50 percent of their MHR, fat provided 90 percent of the calories burned. When the athletes sped up to 75 percent of MHR, fat provided "only" 60 percent of calories.

However, the higher-intensity session actually burned more total fat calories! This happened because the 50-percent workout burned only 7 calories per minute, while the 75-percent workout burned 14 calories per minute. A little simple math reveals that the harder workout consumed 8.4 fat calories per minute (60 percent of 14) versus just 6.3 fat calories (90 percent of 7) for the slow workout.

A study reported in last month's "Health Watch" column reached similar conclusions. In that intriguing experiment, world-famous fat researchers from Laval University in Quebec City, Quebec, reported that intense exercise led to a ninefold greater loss of body fat, per calorie burned, than less intense exercise. The scientists at Laval had earlier shown that vigorous exercisers are thinner than moderate exercisers who burn the same number of calories. From these studies, you might conclude that you should run at top speed to maximize your fat-burning potential. Not so. Above 85 percent of MHR, fat metabolism begins to drop. It appears that 75 to 85 percent of MHR is the ideal range for fat-burning."

I came and conquered!

With a head cold and a severly runny nose, I exceeded my goal of completing the Sporting Life 10K run in 55 minutes. To be exact, I came in with a chip time of 54:21.8.

Overall, I placed 2781 of 6627 runners and 170 of 576 women in my category. Ok, maybe a I had a bit of luck since I just dropped to the beginning of a new category (age 35-39).

All in all, I am very pleased. This was 2 minutes faster than last year.

Special recognition goes to Jeff Cowan who completed his first 10K running with me. Jeff finished strong with a 54:32 finish. Hope your legs are okay today!

Thanks to my friends Dorothea and Darlene for coming out. Stace - we missed ya!

This is it. My official start to race season. Registering in the Sporting Life 10K. This year, my goal is to finish in 55:00 minutes or better.

I am confident in my abilities this year. For one, we have had so much beautiful and warm weather that I have logged many more training hours then in previous years. Secondly, my move to mid-town Toronto has me running a lot more hills (Forest Hill) than previously.

And so, I invite you to check back on Sunday to see how I did....

I came across ChiRunning when I was looking at summer programs at Kripalu.

ChiRunning is self-desribed as;

"ChiRunning combines the inner focus and flow of T'ai Chi with the power and energy of running to create a revolutionary running form and philosophy that takes the pounding, pain, and potential damage out of the sport of running. The ChiRunning program increases mental clarity and focus, enhances the joy of running, and turns running into a safe and effective lifelong program for health, fitness, and well-being."

It looks interesting. Anything that can help reduce pain and increase speed sounds convincing enough for me to try. So, I registered for the Chi Running Essentials half-day workshop with a Chi Running instructor in Toronto on May 13th. 

I will try it out and let you know how it goes...
 

Ever wanted to create your own church sign?  Send someone a message from above? You can at the Church Sign Generator.

 

Yesterday I learned something interesting. Tomorrow, April 5th, the following time sequence will occur:

01:02:03:04:05:06

at two minutes and three seconds after one o'clock am on the fifth day of the fourth month in the year, 2006.

Your are Invited to the Scarborough Women’s Centre Annual Spring Event

 Friends, as you are aware I have been volunteering on the board of the Scarborough Women’s Centre.

 On May 6^th, we will be hosting our annual spring event.

This luncheon will feature acclaimed interior designer, Stephen Alessi and Feng Shui consultant, Sharon Hay.  Join us to learn how to use these techniques to bring balance and harmony to your surroundings. Bid on items for your home in our silent auction. Bring some friends or your mom as a pre-Mother’s Day present.

 Tickets are $30 regular and $65 VIP.

I look forward to seeing you there and ask that you forward this invitation to others who would be interested.

Day: Saturday, May 6^th, 2006
Time: 12:30PM- 3:30PM
Place: Ellas Banquet Hall, 35 Danforth Road, Scarborough

 For more information:
http://www.scarboroughwomenscentre.ca/Inspired%20by%20design%20flyer.pdf

 About the SWC:
Scarborough Women's Centre facilitates the empowerment of any woman who wants to leave an isolating or abusive situation, so that she can make long-term positive changes with confidence. We provide information, education and support services for women who are moving towards economic and emotional independence. With your support, women can get back on their feet, and build a brighter future for themselves and their children! If you are feeling particularly generous, online donations can be made at:
http://www.canadahelps.org/CharityProfilePage.aspx?CharityID=9804

"Remind me next time I give a guy a fake number, not to put it on the back of my business card."

- Anonymous following a drunken night at the pub.

The past week I had the opportunity to complete a life-long goal. I ran Central Park.

Running has been an ...   more »

I came across this article on a self-rehydration test from Running Free. It is good - especially for running through heat waves (like the one we have been having). Enjoy!

Hydration guidelines for endurance athletes have been set at a 1:1 ratio. That is, 1 litre lost through sweating should be replaced with 1 litre of fluids. Runners participating in races or training runs lasting longer than 1 hour, should determine in advance their fluid needs. Using the following procedure during a 1 hour training run will help prepare you for a safe enjoyable workout.

-Make sure you are well hydrated before this test – your urine should be fairly clear.
-Do a warm-up run to a point where you begin to perspire, than stop.
-Strip down and weigh yourself in the nude. Record your weight in pounds.
-Go out for a 1 hour run at your targeted race pace.
-During the run it is important to keep track of the exact amount of fluid you ingest in 
 ounces.
-Do not urinate during the test run.
-When returning from the run, strip down, towel off perspiration and weigh yourself using
 the same scale in step 3.
-At this point, you may urinate or drink more fluids as needed.
 Calculating your requirements
A. Enter your pre workout body weight in pounds. (Step 3)  ________
 
B. Enter your post workout body weight in pounds. (Step 7)  ________
 
C. Subtract B from A                                                                                  ________
                                                                                       X 15.3


D. Convert your total in C to fluid ounces by multiplying by 15.3                       =________
 
E. Enter the amount of fluid ounces you consumed during the run.                    +________
 
F. Add D total to E total.                                                                              =________
 
The final figure is the number of fluid ounces you must consume per hour to remain well hydrated. It is important to note that the results of this test will be accurate to the weather and intensity of your workout. For runs longer that 1 hour, electrolyte replenishment is also needed.  

 

 

Courtesy of the GlobeandMail.com Day In Pictures:



Robotic camel jockeys designed by an unidentified Swiss company are tested in action in Doha. Qatar banned the use of children in camel races following criticism that some as young as four years old were being brought in from poor countries to race the camels.

I am an ideal renter. I just sold my house and am looking for an apartment to rent. I have a good job. Am neat and clean. This is becoming the MOST frustrating experience ever.  I understand why people would rather buy than rent here.

Terrible service. No call backs. Unbelievable.

For every 10 places I call, maybe I get one return call. I am told there is excess inventory. People PAY to place ads in the Toronto Star and don't respond.  So why don't they call back? I have better luck with apartment complexes but still, they are not that consistent.

I am guessing the places are rented - nope - cause the same ads repeat continuously. 

I have been looking around Yonge & Eglinton, Avenue Rd and Chaplin, and now the Beaches. The Beaches is better - more of them return my calls.

So really people, if you want to advertise a place to rent - then call people back. If not, save our frustration and take down your signs.

Stace, Kimmy and I headed out to the Toronto Islands on Sunday, May 29th for the Nike RUN TO race. 

It was a cool (well not actually cold since it wasn't snowing) and wet race. We had signed up to run in the 55-60 minute wave but it was taking way too long to cross the start line so we jumped to the 40-50 minute wave. Seems like a lot of others did the same ... We got blocked a few times which slowed down our times. Combine that with a migraine and I did not set any personal best - but we still managed to finish in under an hour.

The best part of the race - being with my friends. The best part of the run - along the boardwalk.

We did have fun. The angels rocked - again.

Kimmy: 55:??
Stacey 59:41
Jessica 59:55

Dar - we missed you. Adam - thanks for showing and showing us up (49:43)  ;-)

Four days to find out who runs this town....

Will it be me?  Not likely. If the course is similar to the previous year then there are some tight corners which mean you need to slow down or run slower runners over.  I am not racing this for a PB - just for fun.

I think the people at Nike have done a fabulous job of marketing running and getting people active. They have a promotional budget that no other race (or many companies) have.

For those who are wanting to bring friends or family to the event. You can buy ferry tickets at Nike Town or at the docks. The only bummer is that the ferries to Centre Island are reserved for racers so your entourage will have to take the ferry to Ward's Island and walk or take a bus to meet you.

I did find the following out from the RUNTO.CA website...
* there will be 160 port-o-lets (for 10,000 runners) and 100 hand washing stations
* the race is at 2:45 PM and I am on the 10:30AM ferry (unlucky)
* there is a brunch from 10:00AM to 12:30PM
* party after the run (not me - I am heading to play ultimate)

Sounds like a fun day.... Now let's hope for sunshine!

We had our first ultimate frisbee game on Sunday at Sunnybrook Park. It was my first time ever playing and boy was it fun!  Unfortunately, we lost 10-6 to the Tossers.



Next week we will prevail.

Until then, Liam and Steve can continue playing on the sidelines....

I could write a novel on this subject - well maybe not - but atleast a few dozen posts. I came across this article in the Running Times Newsletter with some interesting facts on letting your body rest. I thought I would share it with you.

As I learned, real loss does not come until the third week of time off.

The Effect of Rest

Concerned that you've just missed some training? Or, conversely, have you been training so hard that you're feeling exhausted—or worse yet, sore—every time out? Rest is a critical component to your training plan, so break the habit of viewing a day off as a failure.

If you're feeling sore, tired, or under the weather, a rest will allow your body to heal and recover, allowing you to attack your next phase of training with renewed vigor. Even if you're feeling fine, but have been training hard for an extended period, a rest can provide a much-needed mental and physical break from the rigors of running every day.

According to Pete Pfitzinger, there's no need to worry about losing fitness during a short rest. If you're out of action for an extended period of time, though, a number of adaptations will take place. As he wrote in his Pfitzinger Lab Report, "After two weeks off, VO2 max and performance typically slip less than 2%. During the third week, however, detraining's effects kick in. By the fourth week, significant physiological changes have occurred." In addition to a decreased VO2 max, your body will begin supplying less blood to the working muscles, and your muscles' ability to store glycogen will decrease.

If you find yourself forced to take some time off for reasons other than injury, Pfitzinger recommends replacing higher volume training with some high-intensity workouts, which will help you maintain that hard-earned fitness even when you can't train every day.

I took three running programs at Running Free in Markham.  As part of any great running program, you are required to do hill sprints. Hill training helps to develop strength and endurance.

I can recall yelling "I love hills" over and over again as we ran up and down. Starting with six repeats and ending with nine.

I snipped this from the article, On the road again: Start the season out right from Active Runner and thought you might be interested. I have added some of my own comments in bold.

2. Get into hill shape: All that time on the treadmill has kept you aerobically fit (a good thing), but you haven't been on the road. While treadmills simulate running, it's important to remember that they run you -- you don't power the treadmill.

For those of you who use a heart rate monitor, this is why your heart rate will be four to eight beats lower than what you would see on a similar outdoor run. It follows then that if running outdoors means recruiting more muscles, running on rolling terrain requires putting those muscles to good use. You can spot a treadmill runner in an early-season race by watching them fade on the hills.

To avoid becoming a "fader" yourself, it's important to incorporate some hill running in your routine. Start small by doing two to three runs a week on a rolling course. Once this is comfortable, consider heading for a local hill and doing some 30" to 45" repeats (at normal pace) in the middle of a weekly run. When this is comfortable (four to six weeks), you can start to do some specific hill work. Start with 40" repetitions and build to 80" max.

Remember the three keys to hill workouts:

• Warm up well beforehand -- at least 15 minutes.
• Do not sprint up the hill -- instead, run at a normal pace up the hill then pick up the pace for the last five seconds (as you come over the top of the hill).
• Jessica's note: My second coach taught us to jog lightly down the hill - not walk - in order to flush lactic acid from our muscles. This really worked. I found myself in less pain the next day and recovered and built strength much faster.
• Recover after each hill workout -- Some light stretching and elevating your legs will help alleviate some of the additional stress that hill work entails.

As runners, we mostly compete against ourselves (at least most recreational runners) - trying for a PB (personal best). This weekend, I wanted to run the Sporting Life 10K in 55 minutes - that would have been my personal best and record.

I did not achieve this time - but I did finish in 56:13 - still a PB for me.  For my friends, Stace, Dar and Dor - you rocked as well. The angels all set personal records.  Adam, you rock!



You can click here for more pictures.

Thanks to all  my friends and Dave for being there to run and support me.
 

Just in... I have tickets to see the Boss in Cleveland on May 15th. Can't wait....

The Nike team is hosting the second RUNTO.CA race on Center Island on May 29th.  I would like to add more links but it is not user friendly that way...

They have the budget to promote and advertise it the way only Nike can.... but what were they thinking - how many people really look good in bright orange???



Looks like a really good time. My friends and co-workers are also racing.

This Sunday we are going to join the Nike training run at the Beaches at 9:30am for the 8KM run. We like to run and eat (or run and grab beer and nachos). Summer fun is back. Will report back on the fun...

I cut out a little ad in NOW! magazine this weekend for discount prices off spa services. The site looks pretty interesting and serves Toronto, NYC, Chicago, San Francisco. I thought I would pass it on.

www.wayspa.com

They have discounts to the Chakra spa - which I have been interested in visiting....

We often like to grab a beer after a long summer night run.

My dad sent me this Budweiser commercial. I can't stop laughing.

Click on the attachment to play.

As a loyal Springsteen fan, I need to pass on the latest update on the Devils & Dust album news. Here is the new cover art:

More details are available at www.brucespringsteen.net.

I have been knocked down with a bad cold for the past few weeks which has slowed down my running.

My friend Dororthea told me about Cold fx. Her boyfriend is taking it on his climb to Everest (they are also a sponsor). Can I tell you how wonderful this is? I have never been so impressed -especially by a natural medicine.

My cold was gone in a day and a half. I recommended it to my friend Stacey and she said it was taking the aches away in no time.

Cold fx is used by 27 NHL teams, endorsed by Don Cherry, and the 2005 Everst expedition.

Click here to learn more.

One of my other loves (besides running and my cat, Dot), is the music of Bruce Springsteen.

Today I learned ...   more »

Cause we all know that bananas provide a good source of energy and not one wants a bruised banana.

Presenting the...

Banana Guard

We have hard-shell cases to protect your bike and skis. Now we have protection for your bananas. It is ventilated to prevent bruising and blackening. It fits 95% of bananas. Tested by Beverley. "It works"

My co-worker, Adam, passed on this to me...

The Nike Run TO 10K race has been announced. The event ...   more »

I am a marketer. We are embarking on operation re-positioning. I was doing some reach and came across a really ...   more »

Last year the Globe and Mail did a profile of this really neat outdoor skating rink in Markham called Cedarena.

Described as, "You get a sense that you've taken a step back in time as soon as you begin the short trek down the dirt trail leading to a cottage-like dwelling nestled between trees. The scent of hot chocolate and the warmth of a wood-burning stove, the only heat source in the cottage, greet you as you enter.  Just like the old days, shoes are tucked under old, scuffed wood benches and bags are hung on nails around the well-aged walls."

Never made it - combination of fluctuating weather and conflicting activities.

We thought we'd try again over the holidays but it warmed up... not good for an outdoor arena.

Anyway, I was flipping through NOW magazine and saw this article.  So Dave, you know where you will be this weekend ;-)

 

As much as I love to run outside, it is really not pleasurable in -20 degree weather. So, I go to the club and workout on the treadmill. I find treadmill running EXTREMELY boring - nothing seems to help - not the new Beastie Boys on my MP3, the TV, or my fellow clubmates. I feel like a hamster in a wheel.

The upside, however, is that I do get to continue my training.

The following article came to me through my subscription to the Running Room's weekly newsletter. I found it very interesting - especially for those of us looking to maintain our current level of training and prevent injuries. Enjoy!

"First running on a treadmill is of equal aerobic value providing you keep your heart rate in its training range. On a treadmill you can keep an exact pace and add the resistance of hills or take them away at the touch of a button. Now wouldn’t it be nice if we could just make the hills go away when running a race? You also don’t have to worry about the cold, snow, and head winds when using a treadmill. That’s the upside.

The downside is running on a treadmill is different to running outside. You do not experience air resistance as your body is not moving forward, and when your foot hits on the moving surface of a treadmill there is less breaking action so it requires less effort. As a result you feel you are running much faster on a machine, and may be disappointed on race day. You can increase the resistance by about 1 percent to help this but running outside is better for training. Also runners tend to lean forward on a treadmill to keep pace with the belt and the slight pulling motion of the belt can cause lower leg or Achilles tendon problems, so pay close attention to your running form when using a treadmill."