If The Shoe Fits

There is nothing worse than starting a new fitness goal and realizing you don't have the right equipment.  I'm not one to doll myself up before I work out, but I do enjoy looking the part.  When I was prepping for my figure competition last year I would arrive at the gym in the most oversized clothes you could imagine.  I was a size large when I started training, so everything fit well, then, I started to lose the weight, by midway I was a size small and was wearing my brother's large shirt and what I dubbed my 'fat pants.' my mentality and strategy back then was to wow the crowd that came from the gym when I was up on stage, and man did I ever! no one knew what was hidden beneath all that fabric.  Once the show was done, I did enjoy working out in more fitting clothing; I am a firm believer of if you look the part you'll get the part.
For Christmas this year Mr. X and myself made a trip to the Lululemon outlet store in Burnaby to find some pants for my new adventure.  May I just say...there is nothing better in this world then an amazing pair of lululemon running pants, holy shit.  My ass...it was up, and tight, and formed...and I didn't even DO anything!  I'm thinking of speaking to a surgeon to see if there's a way to have those permenantly fused to my lower half. I picked up a pair of Run Empower Crop pants regular price $86, we paid $69+tax, not bad.  So I had the pants, I just needed a jacket, cue wonderful sister in law; she got me a Nike Thermal Dri Fit running jacket in a gorgeous eggplant colour.  I am now the proud owner of a beautiful running ensemble: 



Cute, butt-lifting pants and waist hugging jackets aside, the most important part of any runner's collection are the shoes (are we surprised?).  With all the brands and types, colours, how do you know which ones to buy?  A trip into any sporting goods store is enough to drive you to pull your hair out, but fear not! help has arrived.  As I mentioned in my first post, I joined a running group at work which is lead by a gentleman who trains triathletes, he was nice enough to start the group free of charge and in conjunction wth that we get emails twice a week with some great tips.  We recieved one on Tuesday afternoon and it was all about shoes, albeit pretty simple, but it gets the job done:

Here are the basics for a shoe that is right for your style of run; remember that it is a combination of fit and function. First identify your foot strike style, identify the shoes and brands that address your foot strike, then try on several for the one that feels best on your foot. All running stores should have a person on staff that can help you with this. Should you still have issues like sore knees etc., check in with your local physiotherapist to have the problem assessed.

I went to my local Sportchek and purchased a pair of Asics Gel Kinsei 3 Running Shoes in Marquee and outfitted them with a set of Superfeet Insoles as I found my feet overpronated.  It made a world of difference, my knees no longer feel like they're taking a beating and they're not covered in bruises after a run, on the treadmill or on the road.

Another question that comes up with new and seasoned runners alike is when do I replace my running shoe?  I found this site that provides great information on the topic. 

I own a lot of shoes, most of them being different styles (and shades) of black pumps; one thing I am certain about however, is a good solid shoe.  My motto is: If the shoe fits, wear it.

A New Day

It's been a long while since I've updated this blog, turns out the holidays were busier than I thought they would be! My partner in crime was on holidays for three...count 'em THREE weeks from the Navy and was here on the mainland for all of them! How lucky am I?!  Needless to say, blogging, running, eating healthy, normal, day-to-day boring stuff was thrown out the window; cue sleeping in, drinking wine, eating cake and grease-coated everything; I love my life! 

We did attempt a run together the third day he was here, however, drinking two cups of coffee and having half a bottle of water before starting wasn't the smartest idea I've ever had.  We were at the track in New Westminster, no toilet in sight, it was cold and crisp.  I had to blow my nose but had no Kleenex, so I resorted to sniffing so hard my brain had phlegm.  I started to run, one lap done, great, good, feeling go- wait a sec...with each step I took my bladder jiggled a little...then a little more...then a lot. I was about to burst, after 3 laps of slow running, I had already been lapped at least a dozen times by my significant other...let's call him Mr. X.  Mr. X runs like the wind, he'll never admit it, he's the most humble person I know. I stopped, and then my IPod died.  No music, full bladder, runny nose, I got PISSED! I walked fast, and with conviction, my face was contorted like a possessed Linda Blair from the Exorcist, I swear my voice was a bit raspy like her's too....Mr. X could see me a mile away, he stopped, put his arm around my shoulder and took me to a washroom, bless his heart.  That was the end of that outing...and the first and last run of the three weeks he was here. Le sigh.

However, with a new year comes new resolutions.  I still have to cross the half marathon off my list, and since I paid the registration fee last year, that counts as an OLD resolution, but it still stands none the less.  I'm excited...I swear!  So today was the first time since Mr. X came...and left that I've actually done any form of exercise.  I ran, but I cheated, one word: treadmill.  Still counts doesn't it?  It doesn't, I know, I cheated myself, but that's ok, because running on the treadmill is better than not running at all.  I'm off track, back to resolutions; this year I have decided a few things, they are as follows:

1) Be nicer to Mr. X...STOP BEING A SPAZ
2) Finish some pre-req courses and get my ass back into school!
3) Run three days a week, without fail, EVERY week. I've finally realized that since I'm not made out of sugar, I will not melt in the rain.
4) In conjunction with running, weight training is a must, thank goodness I actually like weights!

I think today's treadmill reunion was a good thing, tomorrow, I will make it better, always remember: no matter how small the activity, it's always a baby step to something bigger.  I leave you tonight with a quote that sums it all up:

"This is the beginning of a new day.  You have been given this day to use as you will.  You can waste it or use it for good.  What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it.  When tomorrow comes this day will be gone forever; in it's place is something that you have left behind...let it be something good." -unknown-

A Lofty Goal

I have a list for my life, it's long; some items are easy enough: bake something new every week; some, not so much: compete in a fitness competition (done and done!) and my most recent point to attack: Run a half marathon.  The date is set, May 1, 2011 is the Vancouver BMO 1/2 marathon and I am going to be paying my registration fee before the 14th of December.  To say that I'm scared is an understatement, I'm petrified beyond belief; I think about it and I throw up a little in my mouth. To prepare myself for this tortourous quest I have signed up for a running group at my place of employment.  A fellow coworker has started  up a training program for anyone that wanted to join and we go out every week, Tuesdays and Thursdays after work.

OH MY GOD, can I just say...WTF was I thinking? The most I have ever ran before is 5k, and that was on the track, and that was in the summer when I was slightly lighter and more well rested.  Yesterday was the first day out for the group that consists of all different running levels, now, I knew I was bad at this sport, but just how bad...I found that out last night. I felt like crying as soon as we hit a slight incline, as my boyfriend says "we're built for comfort, not speed." I'm not overweight or anything, far from it, but my cardio level is the complete shits (can I swear here...?)  When I was training for my fitness show last year, most of the focus was on weight training, bigger biceps, fantastic abs, a nice cut back, I did cardio everyday, but fast walking...or the stepper (my nemesis), never anything as intense as running for more than 4 minutes.  we ran about 10 minutes to a nearby elementry school that has a track, and then we were told "run the track for 40 minutes and see how many laps you can do."  Picture the scene, it's Vancouver, in December, and it's cold and raining.  We're on this track, running in circles, around, and around and around and arou- you get the point. 40 minutes later, after being lapped by the most shapely of butts and legs you've ever seen, I'm ready to cry and throw in the towel, I write down my 12 laps in 40 minutes count and shrug. Oh well.

I've decided to stick with it, I promised myself I would, everyone says I can do it, so here goes nothing, my new quest to run a 1/2 marathon in May, and to achieve an ass that won't quit, it can only get easier from here...right?