I am about to become a home-owner again! I can't believe it.... After a weekend in NYC with my friend Paul, the commercial broker and flipper, and paying a ton of cash in rent for the past two years, I decided to hop back into the housing market.  Well, I really did a dash. Saw one house and 24 hours later, it was mine. Check out my new digs and stayed tuned for the house-warming party!

So Fido has this new advertising campaign, called Fido DUO. You go online, upload your picture and compare yourself to a stock image of a dog. From there, site visitors can go online and vote for you (or me)....You never know, maybe you will be seeing me on TV (not).

Well today marks the completion of yet another goal in 2007!  I finished the Sporting Life 10K in 53 minutes - taking over 1:10 off of last year's time.

My ranks (for women 35-39) were:
Chip time: 53:13.5
Pace: 5:38
Category rank: 160/723
Gender rank: 907/4337

Special congratulations to Jeff who set a personal best by completing in 51:49.3 and to Dor for running Dar in at 57:56.

Tomorrow, we take on the Sporting Life 10K for the fifth year running. Jeff and I have a goal of completing sub 53 minutes and are hoping that Dorothea reaches her goal of 50 minutes.

As an aside, Jeff and I have decided that this year's "Traveling Half Marathon" will be in Boston on October 7th.  As Jeff humbly noted, "this is as close to Boston [full marathon] that we will come."

Results of Sporting Life to soon follow!

My Nike +iPod is one of my favourite things - I bought it in August of 2006 at Nike Town NYC. Sadly though, I had to retire it for about six months. As much as I loved using it, I just couldn't bare to switch to Nike runners and duct-taping the sensor to the bottom of my orthotics to use with my Ascics just wasn't working. 

Well, last month I was reading an update online from Running Free and they did a write up on a Nike +  iPod shoe pouch. I bought one yesterday and used it on my long run this am.  It is absolutely incredible!  I highly recommend this product to everyone who runs and owns an iPod. I even bought one for my sister.

Thank you so much to the people at Grantwood Technologies. 

My mom called to tell me to buy this weekend's Toronto Star and to look at the first page of the comics because it reflected my life.  So, I did. And is it true- the Mutts comic below says it all. I am glad to see there are more people than me who suffer from cat induced insomnia... Dot beware!

For the past two years, my friend Steve and I have been talking discussing taking a lifetime trip to Peru to hike Machu Picchu and see the Incan ruins.  In 2007, we will be making this dream a reality through GAP Adventure tours. They offer so many different variations that it is difficult choosing the exact program. Stay tuned for more information.

I came across this in NOW! Magazine. Kinda sums up all you need to know about the relationship-rescuer types.

"... sometimes we fall in love with people who, for whatever reason, simply aren't healthy enough to love us back. When you realize you're falling in love with a hopeless mess, you don't hang in thinking your love will cure them. It won't. Love is great, love is grand, but love ain't chemotheraphy - it's not going to magically turn some sick f^%$#@ into a healthy f^%$#@."

"Remember my Jedi apprentice: Walk. Or Run. Don't Wobble.

Either you do something with all that you have and are, or you don't do it at all."

- My old boyfriend, Robb

I am sorry this post is long overdue. Work, family, friends, and workout committments have been keeping me tied up.

I will spare the details of a disasterous flight on Air Canada, lost luggage, mice in restaurants and cut to the chase...

Pre-Race Excitement:
Jeff, Dar and I went to Nike Town in NYC first thing on Saturday morning to pick up our race kits. Nike did a GREAT job putting on the exhibition. We even got to customize our shirts. The New York Road Runners had all the little things available to make a great race - even hair elastics and bobby-pins (which is very welcome when you have no luggage).  We spent a few hours in Nike Town trying on a ton of Nike gear (and replacing all my running clothes). I even got the new Nike + iPOD though I must confess I have not had a chance to test it out yet

Race Morning:
We were staying a few blocks from the start line (which was fantastic since it started at 7am)!  The first half of the race is through Central Park which is absolutely beautiful. Just as we were leaving the Park it started to rain, and rain.

Running through Times Square was a blast. Jeff left us to try to finish in under 2 hours. Dar and I ran for fun, stopping to take pictures every once in a while.

Results:
I enjoyed running in New York. There is not this huge run 10min / walk 1 min fad that is sweeping the streets of Toronto. Because of this, you don't have to worry as much about tripping over people and sudden starts and stops.

Overall, I was pleased with my time (eventhough it was a bit longer than I had hoped) - due to picture taking, lack of sleep etc.

Time: 2:08:29
Overall place: 6,190 of 10,294
Gender place: 2,307 of 4,964
Age place: 877 of 1,937
Age gender %: 51.8%

Not too shabby, eh? You can check out our pictures.

Anyway, Jeff and I are going to give a valiant effort to complete the Toronto International Half Marathon in under 2 hours when we take to the streets on October 15, 2006.

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....