It's Official.. I'm a Marathoner!

I'll blog about the experience later. I'm pretty incredibly tired but thought I would post a few pictures for you all to see. Today I ran the ING Ottawa Marathon. My first and only. This is me at the 9km mark. I'm feeling great and super happy. I am waving to the amazing Team Mito cheering station here.

This is me at the 38km mark. My face is EXACTLY how I felt. No longer smiling, wishing I didn't have another 4.2 kilometers to go, and a little baffled that my legs were still turning over..lol

But I made it!!! This picture is post ice bath at the hotel, shower and super strength Motrin. Yes super strength.

So....been there, done that, got the t-shirt, medal and black toenails to prove it.

If you are curious about my stats here you are:

42.2 kms

Chip time 3:49 26

Gender place 256/1456

Age cat  52/215

Overall  1473/5290

10k split  51:01  avg pace 5:10

21k split  1:49:15 avg pace 5:43  ( I will tell you later what happened) 

30k split 2:40:17 avg pace 5:40

I did NOT qualify for Boston but I'm very happy about my time. Again..I'll tell y'all about it later.



As ready as I will ever be

I've got everything figured out. My outfit, my gels, the course map. I've rested, hydrated and mentally prepared myself the last few days. I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be to run my first ever Marathon.

We leave tomorrow morning for Ottawa. There I will be picking up my race kit, watching the 5km race and having a pre race dinner with my dear friend.  Then I will take a bath and head to bed as early as possible.

Sunday morning I will wake at 5am like I prepared. Eat breakfast and all that other good stuff and head to the start line at 6:30am.

The gun goes off at 7 am.  At that moment I will take my first few steps to running my first Marathon. I've waited over 5 years for this, and have trained for months.  I have a goal time in mind but I don't really care what I come in.  By 11am it should be all over and I expect to be filled with a million emotions.

Whatever happens, will happen. I am ready and will give it everything I have. I will be running for me. I will be running for Nicholas. I will be running for the glory of God.

Yup...I'm ready. Let's bring it on. Thank you to all my friends for your support and encouragement.

Week Before Practice Run

I have 2 runs to go before the Marathon. One week from this Sunday I will be running my first Marathon and I feel ready.

Tomorrow morning is the 'practice run'.  I'm NOT a morning runner, and I'll admit that since quiting the military 9 years ago, I have NEVER been able to drag my butt out of bed and run before 8am.

Since the race next week STARTS at 7am I figure I really should practice getting up early.  You see...I am a creature of habit. I NEED to have a coffee in the morning to get my motor running, and I NEEEEEEEED to have a poop...and I will NOT poop unless I sit and have a coffee and relax while checking my email. Catch my not so subtle drift??
 There is no way I'm risking a needed portapotty stop while running.  I also need to eat something so I have energy but have it out of my stomach by the time I start running.

So that would mean a wake up time of 5am or so.  I will aim for 5am tomorrow morning and if I find that is ample time, then next week I may try 5:30am.  I'm REALLY glad I booked a hotel room that is literally across from the start line.  If I hadn't I would be looking at a 4:30am start.  That my friends is just ridiculous. 

The weather has also turned ridiculously amazing. This is probably the nicest Victoria long weekend we could have asked for. After running all winter in crazy cold,ice sleet, and rain we are now in hot humid sticky weather.  I'm positive that is WHY the race begins at 7am and I'm O.K with that. I'm actually glad I've have a good 4 runs now in the extreme heat. I've been able to try out sunscreen and new shorts.  Yes Shorts.  Wearing shorts my friends is an adventure all on its own. I am still shocked at what 4 kids and my 30's have done to my thighs. Why didn't anyone warn me that skin can look like that?  My chicken legs are another reason why I take the summer off running.  Bring on the winter Freeze Ur Buns runs in my parka and mukluks.

I will admit that I ran out and got my first ever spray tan in order to trick my mind into thinking I still have the legs of a 20 year old.  That my friends is a post all on its own.  Seriously. I felt like I was in a bad episode of Friends. 

So that is it for now. I need to try to get to bed for my early run. Please pray for snow ;)

8 days from the big Race!!

We are 8 days from my first Marathon.  I just came back from an easy 12km run at race pace and I'm now ready for the race!

The last couple of weeks have been difficult because I got a horrible energy draining cold. It was SO bad that I turned around at the 1st km and went home.  I had NOTHING in the tank.

Praise the Lord, antibiotics, fluids, amazing food, and rest have helped and I am back on track. I have to admit that I do feel weaker than I was. However there is nothing I can do about it but keep moving forward so I'm not going to spend my energy worrying about it.

I have done a few things to prepare myself this last month and ESPECIALLY now that I'm on my rest and taper week.

I'm going to blog a little more later about some of the different things I've been doing. I find I don't have a lot of time on my hands right now, and at night I've been trying to get to bed early to get some good rest.

My focus is on positive energy for the race, resting my legs, drinking lots of water, getting good nutrition, and sleep.   I've also been experimenting with my wardrobe. That post will be a funny one. At least I think so ;)

So I'll be back!!! In the meanwhile I'm a little too focused on other things to concentrate here.

Happy Running,
Alyson

Crap...I'm sick.

Two days ago I turned to my husband and said how amazed and happy I was that I've managed to keep at bay all the winter colds and flu's this year. I've pumped my diet full of vitamin packed fruits and veggies, and stayed away from sick people.  With 3 weeks to go until the Marathon I thought I was in the clear.

Two weeks ago I ran a Half Marathon hard and fast. Last Monday I ran 34km and was gearing up to run 38 tomorrow.  but... WHAM!!!!!!!!

I woke up Friday morning and felt sick. No energy, head hurt, nose dripping. Yesterday it progressed to a nasty cough with yellow flem.  NOT GOOD.

I'm trying not to panic.  I'm trying to take deep breaths and know there is nothing I can do about it.  I'm telling myself that perhaps this is God's way of forced rest. I am on the taper now anyway so maybe He is forcing me to REALLY rest for a week.  Running the 34kms a week after a hard Half Marathon was not a good idea. I should have only done 12kms and I pushed my body too hard. Perhaps if I did the 38kms this Monday I would have injured myself.

That is what I'm telling myself to feel better.  I'm also going to go on antibiotics. I'm not a drug person. I'm ALL about toughing it out to help my immune system. However, if drugs help me recover faster this time I'm all for it.

Pray for me. This is NOT good. But there is no use in panic and worry. That won't help. I just need to deal with it and move forward.

Alyson

1/2 Marathon Pace Race Complete

That's me today running the Smiths Falls Half Marathon. See that chick behind me in the red hat? I'm smiling because I passed her and held her off after she had the audacity to pass ME at the 3km mark. bahahahahahah sucka. Just kidding. Well sort of.

Anyway I had a great run today. I tried to look at it as a training run to see how my pace is coming along for the marathon.  It went just as I expected and I'm pleased with the results. I made a classic runners mistake and went out WAY too fast in the beginning.  I tried to start slow but I got swept up in the crowd and had a hard time taming my adrenalin.
The annoying part about that was getting passed by about 10 people (the lady in the red hat included), at the 3km mark. I tried to brush it off and just hold my pace.

I felt strong and decided not to take a walk break or stop and stretch. I normaly stop for a second to stretch my hamstrings. I felt like if I slowed that lady would pass me again and I just couldn't let that happen! ;) 

I also decided to hold a tiny water bottle and get the weight off my hips. It worked out really well with Adam handing me a new one around the 11k mark.

I have to say that I gave it ALL I HAD and left it out on the trail. I could not have gone any faster than I did and I'm o.k with that.  I feel pretty good right now. My hamstrings are tight but that is the extent of my aches and pains. 

My results:

Time:  1hr 44mins 49 secs  (1:44.49)
Avg Pace: 4:59 km/min
Age Cat: 3/15
Women overall:  8/40
Overall: 20th place.

I have 2 more runs in the 30k range, and I begin to taper for the marathon. I feel like I'm doing everything I should be and I feel strong and confident at this point that I can make my goal time.

A good day overall...
Happy Running.

Alyson

Race Preperation

I am running a Half Marathon tomorrow morning, so I thought I would let you in on where my head is at and what I do to prepare for the race.

This Half is not my goal race. It is only Half of what I'm about to run at the end of May. That is important to note, because mentally I need to look at it as a training run. At this point in my training for the full a half marathon should feel relatively easy. I'm looking at this race as a way to test where I'm at. My goal is to run at my marathon goal pace or slightly faster. If I can achieve that, it will give me the boost I need going into the final weeks of training for my Marathon.  I will only have one more run in the 30km range, so knowing I can hold my marathon pace for at least half the time will boost my confidence.

The things I do are simple, but so incredibly important. Running is 80% mental and 20% physical, so to say that I've got my head in the game is an understatement.  I'm not planning on winning this thing, but if I were at that level, how I prepare would not be any different.  To make things easier to navigate and to prevent a long ramble on my part, I'll list the things I do and have been doing this past week.

1) I've tapered off my running this week to accommodate a fast and hard long run Sunday (the race). I need to taper as though this was my goal race. For me, that means I have taken Thurs,Fri,Sat off running so I am recovered and ready to go Sunday...almost feeling restless and wanting to get out there again.

2) I'm stretching every day, not doing too much physical activity, going to bed early, and trying not to strain any of my muscles.  In other words I'm resting.

3) I'm watching my diet. No alcohol, not too much caffeine, drinking plenty of water and packing in the vitamins and minerals. I also make sure I have a lot of L-glutamine in my system. For me this really helps with muscle recovery.

4) I've kept a good watch on the weather so I know what to expect that day. So far it looks like cold and rain so it is good to be prepared.

5) I've checked out the route both with the map on the Internet and in person. This way I can visualize the route and know how far I am going before I hit certain markers. This race is an out and back so it is good to know we are turning around between 10 and 11 kms.  I can visualize how I will feel at that point. I also know to expect 4 water stations that I will see twice, and that we will get to see each other as we double back on the same trail to head home.

6) I know what I am wearing, and made sure I have all my supplies. My ipod is charged, and I know where my husband and kids will meet me along the route. 

7) I also know what time I will be getting up in the morning and when we need to leave to make it there on time.  This alleviates any morning of stress.

8) Finally I will lay out ALL my gear in one pile the night before. This way, on Sunday morning when my nerves are getting the best of me I won't panic about forgetting something. I am one of those people that check and re check my gear, worrying that I've missed something.

9) The best thing I'm doing is reassuring myself that I am ready and strong. I need to remind myself to stick to what I've been doing in training and I'll be just fine. Tomorrow is not the time to not stretch my calves at the 6km mark. I need to remember to slow down in the beginning even though I will feel like a rock star.  This will prevent me from tanking near the end. I would much rather END the race feeling like a rock star.  If I go too slow in the beginning I can make it up a bit at the end and know that next time I can be confident that I can indeed go faster.  I need to be realistic as well. If I have never run 20km at a 4min/km than to expect that kind of a finish will only lead to disappointment.  I need to be optimistic, but realistic about what I am capable of.


So that is it. Simple things, but vital things for a good race.

Happy Running,
Alyson

How????

51 Days to go until the Marathon and 18 until the Half. The Half I'm ready for....The Marathon not so much.

Since When did a Half Marathon...like 21kms become NOTHING??

How did THAT happen??

One Step at a time I suppose.

I remember the first night I ran in University like it was yesterday. I was a good 25 pound over weight. I ran at night in as much loose clothing as I could. I plugged away at 3kms. At the end  I was sweaty and tired, and was so proud of myself for getting out that door. 

I remember running for the first time after each of my babies. Overweight and feeling dumpy, running in as loose a clothing as I could find trying so hard not to be embarrassed.  I used to close my eyes every time a car passed and tried to pretend they could not see me.

I remember running after my spinal surgery. Taking one step at a time. I remember running after my knee injury and wondering if I would ever run again.

I ALSO remember....

Running 5 kms for the first time and beating my old record. Coming in second place several times in my age category. Getting faster. Getting stronger. Adjusting my nutrition. Losing the weight.

I remember pushing myself past a difficult km and glad that I did it. I remember sticking to my plan no matter what. I remember the  rush of adrenalin and the realization that I can do anything if I just stick with it. I remember the hard work and how good it feels to accomplish something for myself. I remember the sound of my breath on the silent country roads.

I remember the 1/2 Marathon last year and how strong I was at the finish. I remember surprising myself that I could do something so crazy.

So I guess that is how it happened....One Step at a time. 

That is also how the Marathon will happen...and I will hold onto that.

32 kms down...2 more crazy long runs to go..

Above is a virtual tour of the Marathon route I will be running. I have to admit that it looks rather intimidating... and LONG!!!

My marathon training is back on track. I just ran 32kms today and ended strong. My legs were very very sore, but I ran the entire last 5km and felt great considering I have just run for over 3hrs. I'm thinking the Super strength Motrin I took at hour 2 kicked in ;)

I am now running only 3 days a week. A 10km, a 12km, and a long run. In between I'm trying to rest, eat well, stretch, and visit the massage and chiro. I should be doing some core strength but I will admit that I'm not. I should also add in some cross training on the bike.

So far I'm holding up. 54 days to go, and 3 weeks until the Half Marathon race. I'm ready for the 21k. It is amazing how short 21 feels when I finish running a 32. It seriously proves that running is 80% mental.

Happy Running,
Alyson

Life is a Marathon

''It's not a sprint, It's a Marathon"

Most of you who have had the privilege of childbirth have most likely heard the above statement.
It wasn't until my Sunday long run, that I truly understood the depth of that saying. 

Birth was LONG. It is physical but it is very mental.  The anxious beginning, enduring pain hour after hour wondering when it will end. And finally. The end. Just when you give up. Just when you think you can not go on another minute it is over.  Then comes the flood of emotion. The TEARS. The tears of joy, but mostly tears of relief that it is over.

I'm not exaggerating. This is how I felt on Sunday.  I ran for 3.5hrs . I ran until I truly and deeply to the core of my soul thought I could not go on. I quit. I walked for about 5 minutes 3 kms from the end until I realized  I had no choice but to keep going. I don't know how I did it but I  mustered enough strength deep within the pit of my stomach to run again.

When I finished I cried. I seriously cried. They were tears of accomplishment but MOSTLY tears of relief that it was over.

Good God this training is difficult. It is taking everything I have.  It is taking my years of training and experience and putting it to the test. I feel that I am being tested mentally more than anything.

After giving birth to my second child, after spinal surgery and without pain medication, I felt like I could accomplish anything.  Just like that, I feel that when I cross that finish line in May I will prove to myself that anything is possible if I just believe.  After that there will be no excuses for not being able to do something. 

All I need to do is believe and put one foot in front of another. I believe that God is preparing my heart and mind for something BIG. Something that will take even more inner strength and trust in the unnatural.  I believe that after May I will be ready to take on whatever He has for me.

I can do this. By God's strength one step at a time I will do this.  How I'm not sure...but I will.
Just like in birth. Just like in running. LIFE is a Marathon.....and I'm in training for it.

Temperature changes

I have my first 32km run EVER under my belt.  I decided to run it on the warmest spring day on record in the afternoon. It was a kick in the pants I'll tell you that much.  Our bodies really do need to adjust to different climates. Two weeks prior my water bottles were freezing as  I ran.  Yesterday, I ran out of water at the 13km mark.  Man it was HOT!!!  I was reminded why I take the summer's off running.
Other than not being adjusted to the temperature, I ran without a hat...something I never do in the summer. I turned west at the 9km mark, and that sun BEAT down on me for over an hour and a half.  It was a tough one that is for sure. I'm burnt and a little worn out.
One of my water bottles had a leak, and I ran out of water early on.  It is SO important to hydrate well during a race. At that point it was not only water but electrolytes I needed. I was losing so much salt I could FEEL it on my face.  seriously.

I thank God for two complete strangers who filled my bottles up along the way, and for my amazing friends who had a water and sponge station for me at the 23km and 26km mark.  That was wonderful. I'm pretty sure that if they did not provide me that refreshment I would have quit right there. Actually I'm pretty sure that if it wasn't for them, I COULDN'T have made it in that heat without enough water.  My body felt like it was on FIRE!!

The run was a bit of a kick in the pants, but I got it done and that is all that matters.  I just have to now switch to morning runs, which is fine because that is when the race is.  Sometimes it takes things to knock you down before you readjust....right Anita?? lol


So....32km down, and 8 weeks to go and 68 days until the marathon.  I'm positive I can do this, as long as I make a few adjustments. I'm also praying my running partner a swift recovery to help me plug along the road. I miss her.


Happy Running
Alyson

Feeling Better...

I'm happy to announce that my 29kms went much better than I expected. I think it has something to do with the arrival of my period. Oh hormones...why must you affect us all so?   My mood has also improved. Go figure.

I'll just enjoy the ride of happiness this week. I won't expect it to last, but I won't expect it to go away either. I am still going to get my cortisol levels checked for fun. I just like knowing what is going on with me. It is the Kinesiologist in me.

I am still taking the week off. I took Monday and Tuesday off after my long run. Today I will run 5km, and the same tomorrow.  I'll see how I feel Saturday, and then Sunday I am aiming for 32 kms.

I need not to become complacent with my diet though. I find when I'm feeling good I let myself slide back into bad habits. A little more chocolate here and there, an extra coffee, and an extra snack at night. Kind of sad that I need a 'bad week' to remind myself to eat well.  Silly on my part, but that is just me.

There is exactly 40 days to go before I run a Half Marathon race. I have to LAUGH that this 'race' is just a training run!!! Last year it was my Goal. This year it is just another run.  My goal is to run it at my Marathon goal pace. I'm confident I can do it. I SHOULD be the motivation I need to continue working hard with my training.

That's it for now.....

Happy Running,
Alyson

Mental Fatigue

My running is improving. Oddly enough I'm getting slower though. So although I'm now able to run 26kms without dying, my pace is slowing. (makes sense). With the increase in distance, and the numbers of miles I am logging, my body is continuously being taxed. This marathon training is certainly not for the week in mind or body. 
After tomorrow's 29km run, I am considering taking a week off completely. I think my body needs a moment to recover. I've tried to increase my protein and watch my diet, but my leg muscles are sore after a 10km run and I don't think that is right.  10km used to feel great. Now it is becoming painful near the end.  I think a week will help.


If you are ever considering training for this distance please keep a  couple things in mind.

1) running a marathon is taxing on the body. It is not for 'fitness' and weight loss. In fact, you may gain weight while training. Running 5k's and weight training will drop your weight faster.  You don't have to believe me...but it is true.

2) Only crazy people run this much ;)

3) It is not normal to head out for a run, have your family wave at you from the van on their way to church, and then wave at you again (because your still running) as they come home.  Just..NOT...O.K.

4) Mental fatigue is real. I've been doing some research on stress induced training and how it relates to BCAA's (branch chain amino acids) and Serotonin (mood chemical).  Interesting.  I used to run to stay sane (literally).  I run for the endorphins and the anti stress properties they have. BUT  I actually think training for this marathon is dipping me into a depression because now I'm stressing it. I wonder if I had a blood test if my Cortisol levels would be elevated.   I'm now wondering if this mental depression is affecting my physical body. To quote an annoying commercial " Depression hurts".  Hmmm...


Happy Running (5 km's that is)
Alyson

I  had another post all ready to go about how to recover from the most horrific running week.  I think I'll save it for another day. Running is complicated and involves so many factors.  I ran 26kms last week and spent the last 10 kms begging God to send a friendly face to offer me a ride. I'm not joking or exaggerating. I think I would have crawled if I wasn't on a busy road.

How did I recover??
I had to assess a few things. Instead of explaining the why's of all I'll just list them here to show you how many things can affect a run.  These things don't only apply to the day before and day of your run. They apply to the week prior as well.

Sleep
hydration going into the run
hydration during a run
Glycogen stores in my muscles
shoes
clothing
vitamin and mineral stores in my body
Protein consumption prior to and post exercise
Flexibility (stretching)
Fuel while running
Weather conditions
Pace of the run
Hormones
Mental Stress
rest prior to the big run
Alcohol and coffee consumption
Physical Stress (cortisol levels)
Salt intake
Time of day I ran.
Shoes

So these are a few things I have had to take a second look at.  Since my pee was pretty much brown the day after I ran I figured something had gone wrong.

I made a few changes and I had a MUCH better run this week.  As you can see there are MANY factors that can affect your run. I just evaluated all of them and made some changes here and there.
The biggest change was my diet. At this level what I eat everyday is becoming crucial. Not only that but when I eat it.  Training this much seriously stresses my body. I need to focus on packing in the nutrients and antioxidants to help my body recover.

I will admit that I was pretty bummed all week. I had only one good run, but went into today's run better prepared to take on the challenge.  The effort I put into all the above during the week paid off because I did it, and can now move on to 29.

So if you have a bad day or week try not to sweat it. Take a couple of days off and evaluate all the factors and make changes where they are needed.  If I can do this crazy running stuff so can you ;)

Happy Running,
Alyson

A 21km Training run Haiku

I ran far today.

yes so very very far.

I am really sore.

Surprising myself...

"May last year's ceiling be this year's floor"

I'm pretty sure that is my moto for 2012 and I love it.

Goal setting is so important for so many reasons. For me this time my goals are huge, and meeting them. No, surpasing them is proving to be the best thing that has happened to me in a long time. I feel alive again. I feel like I really CAN do this!

Sometimes we just need to start over and that is o.k.  I watch that video in my last post and I tear up for so many reasons.  I have days when I fall and all I can do is lift my head and cry out for help.  
Then I have days when I muster enough courage to get back up and fight.
Running for me is and has been a very practical way for me to pick myself back up again and show myself  the race is not over. I have another chance to do something great with my life.

This Sunday I am about to run a 21km training run. I am about to surpass the longest distance I have ever ran and I feel so ready for it. This marathon training is surprising me. It is proving to me that I can do anything if I work hard and set my eyes on it. Don't get me wrong, I know the good Lord is right there with me holding off my injuries and carrying me sometimes.

I am so grateful for the journey I am on this year. Grateful that I have been able to pick myself back up and move forward one step at a time. I am grateful that I am restoring my relationship with God and feeling His presence more and more. Most of all I am glad that I got up and started over again.

One day I will win this race of life. I haven't given up and I'm certainly glad that God has not given up on me either.

Happy Running,
Alyson

Oh....and please sponsor me. I am trying to raise 1$ for every km I am running. I would love to reach 500.00 by the end of Febuary. Even 1$ will make a difference and helps me know that YOU have my back and support me.  check out my sponsor page HERE.

Plugging along...

I'm alive!! Busy..But alive I promise.

My marathon training is on it's way. This week I ran over 50kms!!! Can you believe it? I can't. No really...I can't believe it.  I have NEVER run that much in my entire life, and my knee doesn't even hurt!!!
I get a little bored with the drudgery, but my body is holding up and that is important.  I notice I'm even getting a little faster. This month I will continue with simple runs, continuing to build my kms.  I will add core strength and stretching so keep strong.  in MARCH, when my body is used to the long kms, I will begin to add track workouts once a week.  This will make me stronger and allow me to pick up my pace during the longer runs.

It is my HOPE, that when I run the 1/2 marathon April 22nd, that I will be able to run it at PACE... That means I will be aiming for a 145-150min time. That is 10-15 FASTER than what I ran it last year, but considering last year I only ran 3x a week and did not do much else, I think it is doable. 

This winter has been STRANGE. It has been extremely ICY.  I'm not exaggerating when I say that most of my runs are done on shear ice. I am getting a little tired of it. I'm not sure if I want to wish for snow and blizzards though.  How about cold, CLEAR weather??

I've started a little picture series called NO EXCUSES for fun.  My running partner Anita and I have been running in the craziest weather and are trying to laugh at it.  Below is an attempt at poking fun of our night runs.

NO EXCUSES ALLOWED

I can't begin to explain to you the weather outside right now. Yesterday is was ICE...as in we were worried about a SEVERE ice storm circa 1998.  This morning it was POURING rain, and then 20 minutes later snow flakes fell the size of my nose. Seriously.

I had to make an executive decision. I say executive because I have complete control over my fitness. Yesterday I made the executive decision to be EXTREMELY lazy and eat potatoes at 9pm (for which I am suffering for today )

Anyway, I was scheduled to do a 10km run today, and a 10km hill workout tomorrow. I knew that if I did not get my run today I would steer off course.  I begged any friend I had to put me on their guest list at the YMCA today so I could at least hit the treadmill.  BUT then I realized that TOMORROW is supposed to look like today BUT also be 15C COLDER. 

So out I went......... 10km in 54minutes.  ;)  No excuses.

 It made all the difference in the world having THESE PUPPIES...a gift for me from the best running partner ever ;)

The YMCA will just have to wait until tomorrow...maybe ;)

Week One Complete

I ran hills for the first time in YEARS yesterday. I was expecting not to be able to walk today but surprisingly feel great. That completes my first week of training for a FULL MARATHON.  I only have 1100kms to go.  Seems like a LOT of kms, but I'm no longer overwhelmed. One km at a time, one goal at a time, one week at a time and before I know it race day will be HERE!!

Tomorrow I run 12kms and I'm fine with that. I feel strong today.  My experience with the half taught me that I will have good weeks and terrible weeks and that is O.K. 

I'm looking forward to being able to start collecting money for TEAM MITO.  My clothing order will arrive sometimes in February, and I just purchased a new pair of running shoes.  The money I need to spend to train pales in comparison to the money my friend needs to spend to care for her son with Mitochondrial disease. This is my way of supporting her and helping her out so I'm o.k with stretching our budget for a great cause.  
Mito Canada's goal is to raise awareness for this tragic disease, raise funds to support the family's dealing with it, and raise money for research to find a cure or medicines that help these kids. I love knowing that every km I run is for Nicholas and Sarah. It is not about me. It is about them and making a difference in their lives.
Will you consider helping me help them?? 

Alyson

MAKING the time

Drove to my mother's, dropped the kids off and ran home...the long way.  When I schedule my runs, look at the week ahead and MAKE it work, I am better off.  I am day two in my marathon journey.
Yesterday I ran 2km with my daughter, and today I ran a hilly 10km route in the fluffy snow.

If I can do this so can anyone. It is about the journey. Not the destination. So take the scenic route and take a deep breath.
Happy Running,
Alyson