Hoppy Easter!

Please leave a comment below so I know you've stopped by.  :-)

Hope you had a wonderful weekend with your families. We enjoyed a delicious turkey dinner with our neighbours (and running-mates) Jill and Ryan.  My husband Will runs with Ryan as they train for the 1/2 marathon in the Bluenose and Jill started training with me for the 5km. Both our micro-families relocated to NS from Ontario and therefore we share the unfortunate circumstance of having all our extended-family far, far away. So we decided to create our own 'family' meal and it was a huge success, even with my 5-yr-old acting out!  :-)

This morning Jill and I went for our second training run/jog/walk. It was a miserable, drizzly, cold morning and once we reached the end of Lake Banook, the strong, cold wind nearly knocked us over!  Wasn't pleasant, but we kept moving and the wind settled down a bit along the side of the lake.  Our total time wasn't any better than last week, but we did go further with our first jog, so I think we're making progress. 

I'm going to research a slightly different route for next week's run that has less steep hills. They're too hard on the knees.  Also, I'm going to come up with an interval that we can try, something like 5min jog/1min walk/5min jog/1min walk, etc. so we're more aware of how long we walk. Right now we've just been jogging/walking to whatever feels right - I think we can take it up a notch now, right Jill?  We've only got 4 more weekends before the big day!!

Spring soccer starts next weekend - I sure hope the weather cooperates! Wish us luck! Swimming was more technical this past week, which is good, I can always improve, but it doesn't get my heart-rate up as much as the pure training did. Looking forward to getting more training introduced back into it. Maybe I'll stay a bit later and do more on my own after the class...

You can help me reach my goal (now at 20%! Thanks to all who have donated so far) in support of the YMCA Strong Kids by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2103855

Thanks for your support!
Corinna

The day after...

Yesterday was the 'big day' - my first run/jog/walk towards the 5km goal. Joined by my neighbour and friend Jill, we started out with a nice brisk walk up the hill. It appears that we are a good match. She's a fairly new mom and I'm still working off my second baby-belly-bulge - and neither of us had gone running/jogging outside yet this year.  Not anymore! :-)

I felt great for the first 10min jog, then we walked/jogged the rest of the way. Each time we jogged got a little harder and a little shorter.  The whole thing took us about an hour - a time I'm sure we can greatly improve on - and we will. The nice thing about running with someone is the conversation makes the time fly by, so it certainly didn't feel like an hour. 

Today - my right hip flexor hurt, my left knee was tender going down stairs and my thighs burned a bit. The joint pain reminds me that I'm getting old and I could do without, the muscle pain tells me I'm building them, so I can live with that.  My feet hurt a bit towards the end of the run, so I'm going to have my chiro check the orthotics and shoes to make sure they're going to hold out. My running shoes are at least 9 years old - I just looked above my head and saw their box - with my wedding photos in it - so they are pre-2000!!  Maybe time for a new pair?  They still look like new though - I've never been much of a runner!  But two pregnancies later - do you think my feet might have changed?

Swimming tonight was great, as usual. It's the beginning of a new session and lots of new faces! It's great to see so many people signed up. The only down-side - it looks like I'm one of the slowest in the group, and I just completed 12 weeks of this program...  Or, I just know how to pace myself better (*you keep telling yourself that Corinna*) But it's a challenge I'm looking forward to. Look out Jill and the rest of the newcomers!

You can help me reach my goal in support of the YMCA Strong Kids by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2103855

For more information on how YOU can participate in the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, please visit us at www.bluenosemarathon.com

Thanks for your support!
Corinna

The big day - training officially begins!

So tomorrow morning is the big day!  My first walk/jog of the season. So far Jill has agreed to join me. I meant to call more people but the day got away from me. Hopefully my neighbours (you know who you are!) have read the email I sent earlier this week and are able to come out. 

The route is going to be the same one we used last year - for Jill this will be new. We'll meet on our street then head to Lake Banook via Crichton Ave. Then we'll go around the lake via the trail - there were SO many people on that trail today when I was out and about - and come back home past the mall. According to www.mapmyrun.com this is about 5km.  We'll have a big hill to go up, then down, then back up and back down on the way home, but otherwise it is relatively flat.

Oh, I hope my endurance built up from swimming will translate to running! Wish me luck and an injury-free beginning...

You can help support me by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2103855

For more information on how YOU can participate in the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, please visit us at www.bluenosemarathon.com

Thanks for your support!
Corinna

Swimming and soccer - hope they help with training!

Last night I had my last swimming class before the next session starts. I really get an adrenaline rush from the sprints - trying to beat my best times. On Monday I had my best 50m time at 56 seconds. Now if only I can translate that speed to my legs for this run... wait a minute, at that rate, it would take me 93 minutes to finish 5km - oh boy do I have my work cut out for me! Did I mention I hardly kick when I swim, so my legs are in for a rude awakening when I start training on Sunday. 

Spring soccer season is starting in a couple weeks. We've been off since early Feb., waiting for the season to start - and dreading it at the same time - Mother Nature tends to discourage us as we try to kick a ball around in the rain, temperature hovering just above zero and usually a brisk breeze...  Ahhhhh spring soccer, nothing like it! (picture of me with my baby boy Feb'08 at our last indoor game of the winter season - yep, I was playing soccer again just 6 weeks after he was born!)

You can help support me by making a secure online donation using your credit card. Click on the link below: http://my.e2rm.com/personalPage.aspx?SID=2103855

For more information on how YOU can participate in the Scotiabank Blue Nose Marathon, please visit us at www.bluenosemarathon.com

Thanks for your support!
Corinna