Twenty Something

Hello Runners and Readers,

I haven't really gone into any personal depth with my blogs yet, but I will attempt a brief account of what's been going on in my head lately. Now that the weather is cooling off I will try to be more focused and spend more time trying to be creative and self improving. I am enjoying this outlet as it can allow the freedom of thought. Thought is something that many people may take for granted. I on the other hand have been having a very challenging time lately putting mine and keeping my thoughts together. My mind seems to wander so easily when I try to focus on something. Is this lack of focus caused by a lack of direction or drive? I find that hard to believe because I have put so much energy and effort into all that I strive to be. At times I wonder if others have the same difficulties as I do whilst they carry out their seemingly effortless(or so they make it look) tasks in their lives. Perhaps this is the norm for a twenty something trying desperately to succeed and make a name for himself in this fine city. I know for certain that everything is going to be alright, but still I worry. I understand that things take time and still I am impatient. I am ready to be stable and I want to be financially secure as well. I want to live in a clean, quiet and new place. I get frustrated when I try very hard at marketing my massage business and find myself two weeks into September with no work. I remember when I was starting Mind Body Thai Massage in White Rock with my partner at the time Terii. We had months just like this in the beginning too. Twice I had to take another job so that the business would survive and now it is thriving! I certainly hope that my efforts of self employment are not in vain and most of the time trust that they are not. However, we are but human and self doubt often accompanies hard times. Times like these are when I choose to look up and pull myself up even when the weight of the world itself threatens to crush me back down if I try again. Some past experiences have told me I'll fail, but more of those experiences have taught me to succeed and to stand up under the weight and pressures of the world around me. At times I give myself pep talks of why I need to keep going and how to do so. It's

things like this which bring my spirit to the point of invincibility.

I am not a religious person. I believe and live my life by karma and universal energies. I do however believe in angels. I have been blessed to be surrounded by many angels in human form. When my spirit breaks or gets weak, my angels always know and come to my aid. I have always been afraid to ask for help or assistance in my life as I always thought it may show weakness. Recently in my life I have been learning how to accept the kind advice or assistance from my guardian angels and it has been heaven sent. It allows me to keep my mind focussed in the right direction and on the right energy to proceed in a comfortable state. I know life can be stressful and I am glad to have so many wonderful people and friends here with me who can make this journey a great experience. I may be a great distance from the family and friends I grew up with, but my new family of friends will keep me strong on a daily basis so that I may become the best I can be. I hope I am able to be that angel figure for my friends and therein fill there life with happiness and love.

Just a short entry for today. I now feel much better and I hope there are some twen

ty somethings out there who can relate to this and see that they are not alone. Open your eyes, minds, hearts and arms and we will all get what we want out of life! Happy training. Just a note to all who are training for a marathon right now, please be extra aware of your bodies right now. If there is any pain address it immediately. Be aware of your diet and give your bodies the extra nutrients they need for a speedy recovery.

Things I hate: Being impatient and doubtful

Things I love: All of my angels

Catching up

Hello my dear friends and fellow runners,

My gosh how the summer flies by! I know it's been a long while since you've heard anything from me. I do have a few good excuses. I find it very hard to hunker down and focus on the computer when it's so darn gorgeous outside. For the last couple of weeks a lot of people (myself included) have been in denial about the changing season. The last couple of days were a good reminder of what to expect for the next few months. We must cherish all of our remaining sunny days when we can. That's exactly what I've been doing. We live in such a beautiful place and so many people do not afford themselves the luxury of actually LIVING while they are here. I could certainly die tomorrow knowing that my life was LIVED and find peace in the fact that yes, I may have been able to squeeze one more beach day in there, but Fall is here and the show (and my blog) must go on. So here we are, the leaves are changing, the kids are going back to school and the days are becoming cooler and shorter. This can mean so many different things for so many different people but to me it signifies a season of reflection, growth and preparation.

Let us reflect on the season which has passed. The Lower Mainland Road Race Series has come to an end. This year the level of competition which competed compared to last year was much stronger. It was very nice to see these races growing and more talented athletes entering them. Sure for me this meant more 4th place finishes than I would have preferred, but the benefits which I acquired from running amongst such strong people is money in the bank for next season. I managed to capture the silver medal for my age group in the series. Down one spot on the podium from last year even though I have gotten much faster. All in all, a great series.

I will now speak of why this time of year signifies growth and preparation. Earlier this season I committed to the Victoria Marathon. This season has been a huge growth period for me. I have never completed a full marathon before and it has been looming over my head for some time. It would seem that to become an accomplished road runner one must master all distances. I am comfortable with the records I have set for myself for this year so far. I have a very specific goal at Victoria and fully intend on reaching my potential for my debut marathon. I am looking to cross the finish line in a time of 2:30-2:35. I'm not sure that I can go any faster than that at this time, but If I go any slower, something will have gone wrong. I understand that the marathon is a new beast, something of a monster which can eat runners as snacks as they cross the 20 mile mark. I will not become this monsters lunch. I must run a religious first three quarters and hit all my splits. I will not get sucked into a negative split vortex during the first half because I feel good. I have had so much great advice from so many runners and the one thing that remains the same between all of them is that the race doesn't really start until the 20th mile or the last quarter of the race. After that point, it's all about survival. The only way to survive is to ration your supplies and energy. If you burn all your fuel up before you go the distance, you will not make it to the finish line. Well this all seems pretty obvious right? Wrong. Just when you think you understand and have tamed the beast that is marathon it may still bite back. As much as I've been learning to be calm and collected before a race, I'm not sure I'll be able to stop my armour from rattling as I step up to conquer this beast. I have begun to embrace my longer training runs and still find it hard to believe how people such as Mike Palichuck or Ellie Greenwood can excel at such a tedious sport. It's one thing to run a race, It's another thing to race a race. To race a race for two and a half hours is something I am scared and excited for. I know I am ready mentally and physically. I just need to keep doing what I'm doing and safeguard my immune system from sickness and protect my body from injury. I have found that with this extra workload my immune system has been on edge. I have been battling a mildly sore throat and cold sores for some time now. Eating well is difficult on such a shoestring budget, but I have managed to remain healthy this season and will do everything in my power to remain that way. This race is going to be the icing on my running resume cake. I am serious about getting an Asics sponsorship next season and if I can do well at Victoria, they will certainly take me seriously. It's that time of year when the reps are accepting applications from the local elites and I am now ready with a winning arsenal of results. I am excited to be an ambassador for this brand and will work tirelessly to make them look as good as they make me. It has been a blessing to Have MonaVie sponsor me this year. I have been given some of the tools I need to become a better athlete. Their active juice blend really helps with my recovery time and makes me feel great. They have also purchased an entire race uniform from Forerunners and Asics and allowed me to custom design it. Once it is ready, I will have some photos done and post an entire blog about MonaVie.

This season has been very productive for me and I am very satisfied to be moving up the ranks as a runner. I look forward to the up and coming Lower Mainland Cross country series as I haven't raced cross country since high school. This will surely give me some good strength to begin the 2011 season with. Hopefully I don't lose too much speed when I go home and visit my family and friends for Christmas. I'm sure the runs will be minimal by then and the beers and scotch will be plenty. That's my mental break for the year. That is a little ways off right now so I must stay focused and finish out this year with some more solid performances. I'm off to do my tempo run now. 19 of 22km @ 3:35/km. Happy tempo Tuesday and Happy training everyone!!

Things I hate: The transition from hot and sunny to Cold and rainy.

Things I love: I love seeing results.

Squamish 10k Race report

Hello Beautiful Runners!

Another race down and another report to write. I'm pleased to announce that training is coming along nicely and I am now prepared after

today to take on a heavy training workload in the following weeks. The Squamish 10k is a flat and fast 10k course with only a small hill over a bridge. It's an out and back course on

flat pavement. I ran this course last year in 34:15, a 1 second PR over my Sun Run time and for the year. It was hotter than hell as well last year so I was hoping to have a bit of relief from that this year.

The previous night was spent enjoying less than healthy food and beverages accompanied by a great fireworks and even better friends. It seems hard for a night owl such as myself to call it an early night on these fabulous summer evenings. None the less I put a cap on my alcoholic intake and was in bed at a decent hour. It was an early morning feeling once again. I had company this morning as my best friend and his girl were in town from Calgary so I didn't have to worry about the drive. As we stopped off for our morning coffee at Davie and Denman Starbucks, I realized I had forgotten my race number and chip in my truck. I hate back tracking on race day. I must constantly remind myself to relax as I know we will get there with plenty of time for me to get organised and warm up. The weather this morning was perfect for a race. Cloud covered sky with a cool damp feel about the air made me thankful. The break in the heat was just what I needed to take advantage of this fast course.

We arrived in good time and I changed into my race uniform and began my warm up preparations. My stomach had been giving me severe disagreements since the moment I awoke, and I spent more time than usual in the mens room. I thought for sure it was going to pass once I started moving, but it only got worse. "Hmm," I thought. "I've had this feeling before." I am currently warming up in front of my two friends sitting in their car. Moments later I am vomiting in the field in front of my friends. "Uuugggh, not feeling my warm up all that much

today." I decide. After that I ran past my friends to the start line and said jokingly, "Thats how the pro's warm up!" On my way there I bump into my team mate Graeme Wilson who wasn't set to be there. Well I guess I have a shot at 3rd place then because I knew Tristan and Graeme are currently both faster than I am. On the line I bump into Yue-Ch

ing, a guy I raced last year in a 5k who put up a good fight and I only just beat. I asked him what time he was planning on running and he said low 33's so I knew there would be a good battle.

On your marks, get set, go! As the wave of runners splash forward we file into our set order of paces. It's always great during the first few hundred meters running side by side with the race leaders. I am only able to hold their pace for a short time before settling into my pace. I pass the first km marker just behind Yue in 3:17. Slightly quick on the pace, and about a half percen

t more exerted than I'd like to be, I decide to hold back just a bit. The last time I raced Yue he went hard too early and I think he might do the same again here so I allow him to grow a bit of a gap. I could hear a runners footsteps behind me as I focused on refining my technique and relaxing my body and breath. I kept hard on the pace and felt the comfort of knowing that this was only a 10k race. The following few kms were very smooth and I felt strong. At the turnaround I was more concerned with keeping my speed up and taking the turn in the most efficient manner than I was with my 5k split time. So I don't really know what my split was. Also I hadn't written down my splits and was running on pure feeling. It seemed to me as though I was doing alright. There was a short section of road that had been torn up for construction. We were instructed before the race to run on the gravel. I was worried about this because my racing flats have gravel sized holes in the sole for breath-ability and weight reduction that may pic

k up a painful rock. It was very hard pac

ked and most of the gravel was very fine and caused no problems. The ground was a little

uneven and I thought briefly about jumping back onto the pavement. I didn't want to brea

k the rules or collide with any oncoming runners so I stayed on the gravel. This was I suppose,

a good cha

nce for the body to be relieved from the pavement pounding but I wasn't able to get the perfect grip here on the gravel. Now that the gravel is over and I'm over the bridge, I have now a section about 1km which is slightly downhill going into the eighth km. at this point I am feeling very good and strong. I haven't lost any ground on Yue, and the thought of a comeback is coming into my head. U to this point, I was waiting for him to slow down, but he showed no sign. It wa

s

now my turn to make it happen. If I have any chance of catching him, it must be done now or it will be too late. For the last two kms of this race I increased my tempo substantially. I could s

ee Yue getting closer and closer and I was getting very close with one km to go. As we entered

the finish chute I was in good shape to pour it all on and take him but he fought very hard. This was not the sam

e competitor whom I had raced last year, he had been working hard and came prepared to this race today! I was so close I could almost touch him and he out kicked me with 20 meters to go! 4th place overall by three seconds in a time of 33:41.

The award ceremony was a great success again this year as I won another sweet draw prize. This year I won a pizza party for 10 at Boston Pizza in Squamish. It was great because I had all my team mates and even a few more runners right there that I could invite out for lunch. I sure enjoyed everyone's company and to win something that I could share with so many nice people was even better.

I must now train even harder for the Richmond 10k on August 15th because I will not Be out kicked on the line and I deserve a spot on that podium and will fight until my legs blowup to get one! See you all there.

Things I hate: Working hard for 10k to be beat by 3 seconds.

Things I love: Knowing there's more in the tank next time.

Am I a minimalist?

Hello Runners!

I have a topic today which I'm sure is bound to ruffle a few feathers. I am not claiming to be a self proclaimed know it all on the topic of shoes or how they effect different body types and running styles. But one thing I do know as a runner, is you have to make your choices very carefully. I'm totally obsessed with shoes of all kinds, but especially runners. As a child I can remember my Mother commenting on Dad's shoe collection. "How many pairs of running shoes do you need? You just bought a pair last week!" She'd say. I remember thinking the same thing. Now I totally get it. He bought a pair of distance trainers last week but this week was in need of some light weight track shoes! I am a runner that believes that for every type of running you need a different type of shoe. Manufacturers put in a lot of time and money to make sure that their products are giving the athletes every possible advantage by using them. So for the distance runner trying to go farther they put some more cushioning underfoot to make that easier. For the 100m sprinter trying to shave that 100th of a second off, they make the shoe lighter and more responsive. They've also pretty much thought of everything else in between.

There are two extremes of this spectrum that I would like to discuss. First being the minimalist shoe, Vibram's Five Finger,Vivo, Terra Plana, Nike Free and Aqua socks are all examples of commonly used minimalist shoes. The idea behind these shoes of course is to duplicate the natural position and articulation of the naked foot. There are also a breed of runners out there doing it in bare feet alone. If you ask me, the barefoot thing has its pro's: better feel, it's natural, more efficient, it was the way we were born etc etc etc, But how many times do you have to cut, stub, grind your feet before you've got a callus big enough to

endure this sport? Not to mention glass and hypodermic needles. Therefor for wimps like me, (if I were to take it this far) shoe manufacturers invented the minimalist shoes as mentioned above. I've heard lots of great feedback about these types of shoes, but have yet to try a pair. I am not a skeptic, but I have gone so far in the last two and a half years as to not go crazy on my skis, skateboard and mountain bike as so not to injure myself. Why would I risk the chance of blowing my calf or Achilles for a revolutionary shoe/technique craze? The main argument is efficiency. The first time in which I heard anything of barefoot running was from the Kenyans. I read an article about how they trained on grass in bare feet and how much more efficient their running technique was because of it. When you remove the barriers of padding in shoes that regularly protect our feet from the ground, you are forced onto the balls of your feet. This causes your Achilles and calf muscle to work harder to absorb the shock. The

amount of time taken for someone to roll from their heel to their toe is fractionally greater than if they were striking with their mid to forefoot. Although more efficient, an increased workload will

inherently increase the potential of an injury if the workload is increased too rapidly. An example of this is here: A year and a half ago I purchased some track spikes unknowingly from a shop because they were getting rid of them dirt cheap. I ended up in a full on sprinting spike that was a full size too big. I was so excited I brought them right to the track. I ripped around a few times and could reall

y notice a

huge difference in the way the shoes were begging me to run. It felt at the time very awkward as if I were running on my toes. The next day My calves and Achilles were so tight I couldn't run for two days. This goes to show that things like this take time to ease into. Since then I have progressively focused on refining my technique and slowly easing myself into lighter and flatter shoes. I started out using a lightweight trainer for my shorter speed workouts. This was just enough for me to practice running more on the balls of my feet and to slowly build my Achilles and calf so they could grow into this new action. I also practiced cadence work on the track and treadmill to experiment where my body felt most comfortable at different stride lengths and speeds. I currently am racing half marathons in the second lightest racing flat on the market and looking at upgrading to the lightest which will have to be ordered in from Japan. I enjoy the feeling I get when I run in these shoes. I feel

a connection and response from the road when I'm laced into my racing flats. Its almost better than my new spikes for the track.

Up to this summer I enjoyed wearing a cushioned distance shoe from Adidas. The Supernova Glide. I enjoyed this shoe because I was able to go the distance and still have a

decent performance out of them. I have been doing a lot of shorter distance speed training this year which has really refined my technique and made it more efficient. This has also made this distance shoe feel awkward underfoot and quite sloppy. I feel myself going from my light shoes and running on my forefoot, to my padded shoes and being forced into my old running style of heel striking. This does not feel good at all and makes for an uncomfortable distance run. I have recently tried on a lot of different types of shoes at two local running stores and have come to the decision of choosing a light weight trainer for my long runs. My new Distance trainer will be the Asics DS Sky Speed. It felt perfect when I tried it on, which is usually a good sign. I always enjoy shopping

at Forerunners because of their knowledgeable staff and their unparalleled selection but they also let you run the shoes up the sidewalk and back. It helps me decide easier when I know what the shoe will do on a run. 100m is a great way to get into your stride and really feel the shoe out before making your purchase. Be sure to mimic the technique you will use in your runs. (ex. if it's an interval shoe, try some strides, if its your distance shoe, pretend you're running your long run when trying them on)

I am briefly going to touch on the other extreme of this shoe spectrum. My head is just spinning after researching so many different sources about this topic. It seems to be getting quite a lot of press recently and I guess that is why it sparked my interest. I've discussed the different types of Minimalist shoes and their benefits and potential hazards. Now I'll quickly discuss structured and cushioned shoes. These shoes have been designed by shoe companies with the customers comfort in mind. Over the years shoe companies have experimented with all kinds of different materials and layouts for making their shoes more comfortable. They have used; foams of different densities, hexagonal patterns, shox, gels, Waves, padding and rubbers to displace our weight and make for a low impact experience. This is all fine and dandy and we appreciate the care that they've taken, but has all this come at a cost?? Recent studies have shown that severely padded shoes may actually hinder the body's natural ability to absorb shock and increase the risk of injuries to the knees and lower back. In any case, this whole topic could be disputed until I am blue in the face! Pro's of cushioned shoes; they are comfortable, help soften the longer distances are good for heavier runners and beginners. Cons; They force a heel strike or an un-natural foot strike, are heavier, less efficient.

The truth of the whole matter is this and may it also be the conclusion of this blog entry, no matter what kind of running technique you currently have you must be completely conscious of the changes that need to take place when you are slimming down your shoe padding and changing your technique. There are different strengthening exercises which must be done before changing techniques to ensure an injury free transition. These changes must be done gradually. Listen to your body and research proper running techniques. I would be happy to consult with anyone one on one about proper running techniques and injury prevention for runners. If you are making the switch to minimalist shoes or even barefoot running consider the risks and benefits, and whether or not you even need explore this new trend before fully submersing yourself into the new culture. (or ancient culture considering where we all started off) As for myself, I am happy with the new speed found in my new forefoot running technique. I look forward to further refining it and balancing out the muscles in my legs for an injury free fall. I have noticed the my inner quads have become weaker than my outer ones due to an added bike workload. I must return to the gym to balance them out as to prevent any knee issues during my increased marathon training. Stay tuned for My Race report from the Squamish Days 10k. I haven't got time today as I'm racing 1500m at Swangard tonight, But will have it out by noon tomorrow. Thanks for reading.

Happy training!

Things I hate: Doubting myself

Things I love: Believing in myself

Peninsula Runners Fort Langley Half Marathon Race report

It was an early morning this past Sunday as my alarm chimed at 4:20AM. I woke up feeling hazy and slightly groggy after a sun soaked day of race organizing and grilling/drinking all afternoon with my team. I walked across my room and pulled the curtain back to reveal the cool blue sky of a perfect day. I had a guest and fellow runner visiting from Seattle who stayed the night after running our Summerfast 10k so that he could check out the Race I was doing. I prepared a basic smoothie comprised of greens, frozen fruit and a banana and threw on a pot of coffee. I knew there would be no Starbucks open at this early hour and we were set to be on site for the race at 6am. So I pulled out my home brew Pike Place instead. It worked like a charm but I didn't have any honey and was forced to consume white sugar. So with my smoothie down the hatch and my coffee to go, we were on the road in Kevin's old VW wagon that runs on Vegetable oil! The thing hauls for an old beater and he drives for free. He actually makes money with that thing, sweet! I always enjoy driving at this hour because there is no one on the road. Even better on race morning is not driving. I had approached this race with only one goal in mind, try to beat K.O's course record of 1:15:47. I knew that Drew would be there and I was sure that if he was in good shape that he could certainly give me a good run after my time off and his recent hard work and comeback. I did not put any emphasis on my diet or taking it easy on the beers at the barbecue, because I knew this race wouldn't be too serious. On our way there, we saw the sun pushing itself up from behind the mountains. The sun's rays shot out from behind the range sending streaks of light up into the sky. What an inviting morning. Before seeing this I actually had a brief anxious moment about this race. Glad it was brief and quickly passed. We arrived almost first on the scene. Great parking. There wasn't much going on until right before the start. It was great to see Paul, Phil, Ryan, Lorne and Lisa from The White Rock Peninsula Runners store. They used to be my team when I was living in White Rock. Peninsula Runners has fantastic staff with amazing product knowledge and a superior product selection. I recommend this store for anyone who is into running and serious about getting great running gear and expert advice.

On the start line it was easy to see that my prediction of this race was correct. It was going to be a race against the clock only today for me. And of course the ghost of Gramps' past. Once the gun went off I was immediately out front. Drew quickly matched me and began to quicken the pace. I thought this might be a bit ambitious for us but I went along for the ride at least to the first km mark. We went through the first km in 3:19, perfect first flat km. I knew it was a bit fast but first k's usually are. I started to relax into my pace and focus on my technique and my cadence. I find it challenging sometimes to race with someone like Drew. His legs are much longer than mine and so we have to utilize different cadences to maintain the same speed. He likes to lead and so do I. It's nice to have a clear view, but it's also nice to conserve energy and have a draft from the wind. "I guess I'll let Drew set the pace today" I thought as I enjoyed the perfect temperature and peaceful country setting. Shortly after settling into my pace, Kevin rode up from behind on my bike that I had lent him. It's nice to have a lead cyclist, but it's even better to have a

coach along side as well. We went through 3k and I felt as if Drew was

slowing. I passed him and took the lead, not adding anything

except1/2 a percent. I knew my legs could comfortably move a little bit quicker. Drew pushed ahead once again only to slow me down once more. I passed him again and wondered what this battle was about so early in the race. I knew my cadence allowed me to be slightly faster than Drew today and I felt light and comfortable as I added 1 more percent of effort. We cruised through 6 k and a water station and the the string began to grow very taunt. It was a very short time later on this long flat straight away where I could feel the string break. So long as I can keep this effort up, I know I can prevent that string from connecting again.

I was new on this course and had been warned several times about a monster hill around the 8k mark. I knew that this was probably going to be the make or break point of the course and was careful not to overexert myself before then. The lead cyclist and I approached the base of the hill. It was very steep and not too long. I pumped my arms and picked up my cadence breathing deep to fuel the need for more oxygen. We crested and I worked on regaining my breath and cadence. There was still a very slight incline. I asked the cyclist if that was it for the hill, but he wasn't very chatty at all. At this point Kevin had fallen back with Drew and I had taken a significant lead on them as I worked towards my recovery. The trees along the roadway gave way to another tier of the hill which was longer but not quite as steep. After this was a shorter recovery flat and the final tier was long and sunny with rough pavement. What a tough

son of a mountain that hill was!! I felt strong and was very happy with myself at this point, but my breathing was heavily labored and I was having a long hard time returning it back to normal. We twisted and winded until a very short and extremely steep downhill shook the wits out of me. One right turn and we were on a very straight shaded and slightly downhill section of road. The pavement was nice and flat and smooth and I knew this was the break I needed to recover for the final sections of this race.

From here to km 19.5 was very comfortable and I was only thinking about keeping my legs moving the same speed so that I could get to the line for the course record. After that though, was extremely difficult. As I approached the last km I was having all kinds of nasty thoughts. Even though I had already won the race and would usually be so high on adrenaline from being so close to the finish, I could barely move my legs. I'm glad Kevin was there to coach me into the finish because I was really feeling it. I knew that I had run out of the good nutrients from this morning's smoothie and was now running on garbage food left in my system from the day before. Diet is so crucial to the last moments in a race. In any event I crossed the line in 1:14:46 for first place and the new course record. A couple of minutes went by and I started to worry. I hadn't seen Drew (nor had Kevin) since the hill and I was starting to think that the worst had happened. "Hopefully he just ran out of gas and bonked or something." I thought. Eight, then Nine minutes go by and still no Drew. I'm sure he's in trouble now. Just then, I can see him hobble around the corner accompanied by Kevin on the bike. "Thanks god he's still running!" I thought. But it doesn't look pretty. He managed to finish but was certainly injured. We immediately went over and got him some ice and had him relax. The

award ceremony was great and I made it out of there with $150.00 to spend at Peninsula Runners. The Peninsula Runners crew put on a very well organized and clearly marked event. Their timing for the event was efficient and things (awards, race start) began when they were scheduled to. I enjoyed the challenging course and the country roads reminded me of home in rural Ontario. Drew won this race last year, and for that he was awarded the privilege of wearing the bib #1. At the awards Paul Williams (store owner and former 3X Canadian Olympic runner) Said that if I come back next year I can wear the #1 bib. Not only will I be back to wear it, but I will be back to break my record and I will frame that bib! Unless I receive a #1 bib before then. We'll see. Maybe Richmond Oval 10k??

It was a great morning and we were back in Vancouver for 11AM. Sometime early starts can be hard but it's nice to have everything wrapped up early so you still have time for a nap and the rest of the day. I had a hard time napping as I knew I had to wake up shortly and go give two 90 min massages back to back. I awoke from my nap groggy sore and tired as can be. I slept horribly the night before the run so this restless nap only seemed to compound my fatigue. I didn't have it in me to do these massages with my regular great energy so I thought it was a better idea to reschedule my clients. Thankfully they were pleased to give me the night off and said I had earned it. I know this seems weird, but as soon as I got off the phone with them I had started to get my second wind. I had two invites this afternoon and could now fully enjoy them. First, down to Kits beach with some girlfriends for a lounge and then out to play a pickup soccer game with some more friends. The beach was just the relaxation I needed, and the soccer game was a blast! I must have run another 10km in the game. I wish I had my Garmin on for the race and the game. I didn't plan on playing so hard, but there were so many good players, I couldn't resist showing off my athletic ability. It was so amazing sharing the field with so many great athletic guys and girls. And we won by 5 points. To cap off such a great day/weekend, we went over to my buddy Simon's for some burgers and beer.

Things I hate: Fallen Falcons

Things I love: When Business is great!

Finally got a Garmin

Hey Runners,

The time has come for me to move out of the stone age. For the last few years I've watched and waited (and even went as far as to try a Nike + system), as the evolution of the wrist coach evolved. One of the first reasons I took up running was because it barely cost me anything. As time went on and my running skills developed, as did my love/need for specialty running shoes, clothes and gear. Needless to say, running isn't as cheap as it used to be. Higher mileage means more shoes per year and varying training conditions call for different types of gear. I've currently got a decent shoe and clothe arsenal. For the first time since I moved to Vancouver I was able to go out and shop for things for myself that weren't currently in emergency status. Today I went out and splurged on myself. All of these days of frugal college style, budget living have made me a much more thrifty shopper. I had a gift certificate from The Paavo Nurmi run for the Running Room so I got a Garmin Forerunner 305 with a heart rate monitor and multi sport capability. This thing is like a brain surgeon for my running. I can't wait to have it all dialed in! It tells me everything I need to know. (And even some stuff I don't.)

Today, after I had read the manual, spent some time figuring out the buttons and calibrating the soft wear, I took my new running partner out for a jaunt. It was a beautiful sunny day and it felt much cooler than last week. My body felt good and I was very happy to be out running around again, especially with my new friend. The first couple of kilometers are downhill from my place as I was heading for a nice leisurely loop of False Creek. I decided to go straight down Cypress to the big totem pole and under Burrard bridge. A refreshing change from my usual warm-up over the bridge. My body felt responsive and the scenery was especially beautiful today. Vancouver has lost it's fresh blossomed flowering face and grown yet into an even more beautiful array of budding beauties. Every which way I turned my head today there was a stunning beauty. I've heard and seen things before, but today for some reason was especially tantalizing. Even the punker and emo girls had a certain pizazz and energy about them.

So much varietal and so many different beautiful kinds.

If not their brightly colored summer dresses and stylish sunglasses which provocatively hide their mysterious eyes,

perhaps it was the tease of cleavage as they cling to their handle bars and pass me by.

There are several beauties who I saw today that to an art major may resemble the Mona Lisa. To me I see these women as the pinnacle of a species. Especially the one's who are out running around the seawall looking damn fine. It's just like running through Vancouver's finest rose garden. The day will come when I can pick myself one of those roses or let one pick me, but for now I am enjoying the view as I build my empire.

Alright then, that's my rant about women and my thoughts on them while I run. I am now at around the 7km of my 13k run and am feeling very warm but still pretty comfortable. I notice the decrease in women around Science World and can now pull myself back to reality as the full sun hits me in my face. I was using my breath and overall feeling determine the speed in which I was running today because I wasn't quite sure what to expect from my new toy. I was in a steady comfort zone, but my pace said 3:45/km. "My tempo runs are usually 3:40 when I'm in good shape so this can't be right" I thought. I tried slowing down but it felt awkward and didn't seem to make a difference. Every time I looked down, I was right in the same zone. I did 12.55 km at an avg pace of 3:48 and avg HR of 148 bpm. As far as heart rates go, I think that's OK for an easy run. If I'm wrong, Coach hill or Gramps will surely set me right again. Max bpm was 171 coming up the hill and fastest km was 2:44. (that seems very fast to me! probably going downhill) The lungs felt productive on the up hill and I didn't put it all on and still managed to catch the lights perfectly on 4th and Broadway. All in all, I think I'll be OK for this weekend's Fort Langley Half Marathon. Also my anxiety about rejoining with my team mates who haven't let off their training since I left has gone away. I am one happy healthy Falcon, ready to return to the flock.

Things I hate: Being good all the time

Things I love: Women, Girls , Ladies. Especially healthy runner ones!!

Sometimes we fall

Hey runners,

Just a short blog today and I'm sorry to keep you waiting. As you all know, I have been on a prescribed week off from running due to a chest cold that got ugly. At first I was devastated not to be able to run. I was lucky to be off the week it got really warm because it made it easier to hang out at the beach. There have been times before when I've been told or advised not to run by my Naturopathic Doctor. (An amazing man who first became a client of mine when I was working in White Rock) I usually take everything he has to say to heart because I trust his advice is in my best interest. This time I tried to stay off my feet but had to cheat a few times. I really did. I had my runners on a couple of times throughout the week for short periods and also tried testing my lungs on the bike. The verdict? Well as usual, he was right. Every time I thought I was feeling better, my lungs begged for me to stop. In reference to the title of this blog, I feel as though I have fallen. As a matter of fact I have been plagued by two silly injuries aside from my cold which have been affecting my willingness to return to the sport in which I belong. One was a slight pull in my right lateral collateral ligament which has now fully recovered. I have no idea how this may have happened other than warming up. The other was a bruised vastus medialis (left knee where the quad meets the kneecap on top) This was caused by a silly

drinking/camping/biking accident. This has been a stubborn one.

Here's where I'm at right now, I feel like I'm gaining weight and definitely getting slower. I'm sure the copious amounts of beer are not helping. Because I have not been training my mind is not healthy any more either. I am fed up with my depressed state of feeling sorry for my busted ass. I am slightly intimidated to return to workouts in fear of not performing up to my usual standards. I'm sorry to anyone whom I've razzed for not wanting to come back because they didn't feel they were fast enough yet. I know how you feel. I know I will be welcome and given a grace period to recover my form.

This morning I had a hard time dealing with the fact that I had just won and lost Platinum seasons tickets to the Canucks. I hit rock bottom. I fell and hit hard. I do not like feeling weak and vulnerable as you can recall from my last post, so this morning I had myself a little pep talk! Today I am going to make my comeback! I have scheduled a 1 hour hot yoga class with Katherine Moore at Yaletown Hot Yoga and I am going to go for a 10k medium paced run. This should have my mental back in the right state. I am putting good energy out to the universe and ask that it return in the form of healthy mind and body and great running. Also I will work tirelessly to promote myself this week and continue to build on the image that I love and am proud to put forward. I look forward to learning and reading more as well. Every time I injure myself, I learn what went wrong, how this area works and how to heal and correct/prevent it. This often opens the door to many different areas in which to learn. I'm sure over time I will be as good at healing as I will be at running.

In conclusion, There are times when we fall. It may take us a long time or a few times to get back up. It's never easy to stay up or on top when there are so many things in life which can bring you down. At times, if and when you feel bad, find comfort in knowing that everything is going to be alright, money comes frequently and easily, and if you do good things you are a good person.

Things I hate: Shitty Pranks and cops on the beach

Things I love: The ability to heal myself