Day 5

Ran this morning and this evening for a total of 16km - now if I could just do that all at one go!...and a bit more..:)

A Stressed Society?

Are we a society in turmoil? Are the pressures of our busy society producing a level of stress that is breaking the ethics, morals and judgment of the average citizen?

I cant help but bring up all the random shootings in the media. I have almost become desensitized to it, broken heart-ed about it  and tired of it, all at the same time.

Gun control?.., ban the reporting of the event to reduce the copy cat effect?

I don’t have the answer but have a question  that I am sure has crossed everyone’s mind…WHY?...what leads up to  individuals taking innocent random lives before they take their own? What is the mental state and what led up to this state of mind?

I think this is where we need to put our resources. What is the root cause , the common cause, if any. How can we take care of our own, watch for signs of mental distress and extend a compassionate heart to those who are going down the road  of deep despair and hate.

We, as parents, colleagues and friends need to come out of our own busy bubbles and realize our actions have an effect. From raising our children to passing someone on the street. Our actions have a rippling effect.

This might not solve the real issue but our compassion for others may help to relieve the pressure and stress our society seems to increasingly carry.

Day 4

13km around town -sore feet- maybe new socks to go with new shoes!

Day 3

5km of hill running in River Valley at lunch

Day 2

ran around town today-12km, pretty slow. need new shoes!

Day 1

Today is the first day of my 2 month plan to improve my running.
Went to Chickakoo and ran 5km through the trails.
Some steep hills I could only walk up.....MOSQUITOES..they are a great motivator to keep you moving.

Running out of Time!

Oh No!....2 months, that's all I have left, 2 months!

Last year I participated in the Canadian Death Race,(thanks to the inspiration of good people like the Regiers and Krebs).... thought to myself, how hard could it be?
Well, I am no runner and it turned out to be extremely challenging.
Being the stubborn individual I am , I arrogantly thought, OK ...this time I have a whole year to train ....no problem!

So tomorrow is June, where did the time go?

Don't get me wrong, I have been running through the winter but I would call it dabbling, in a controlled  flat surface environment.

When I looked at the calendar this morning, panic hit my chest!

Luckily, I have been getting some coaching advice from a guy at work who runs triathlons and Ironman races. He has some great advice that I have to stick to...

• First off, have a plan and stick to it. Run every second or third day
• your training should be more difficult than your race day
• you will have bad training days(runs) and good training days
• don't let the bad training days derail you from your plan
• don't compare yourself to other runners (even the guys who pass you...twice!), you don't know how long they have been training and everyone starts off the same, they were at your stage once too.
• the training you choose to do should simulate the race type...meaning if its a trail run, run trails, if its down hill runs...run down hill (makes sense but sometimes I miss the obvious!)
• The distance you run should be longer than the distance you have to race
• Dont ignore injury
• stretch!
• measure your progress and track your progress...good days and bad
• don't worry about how many kilometers are ahead of you or how many you have done, think about completing the kilometer you are running and focus on that task alone.
• Relax, don't let anxiety overtake, a race is about the mental game as much as the physical game.

I have run with him a couple times during lunch,.. actually , I ran he did a brisk walk beside me, little embarrassing! anyways, great advice and a great motivator.

I have come to realize this advice is not unlike that of preparing for your Black Belt Grading. Very much applicable!

I can do this!!