Race planning for 2014

I have spent the last month trying to figure out my race schedule for the year ahead. I didn't realise how much in advance the major races sell out. I have also learned that racing can add up. I had to sit down with my race buddies and hubby to plan out the year as there are some big races I would like to run. My best friend and running buddy is celebrating her 40th this year and we have decided to run the Athens Classic Marathon this November. I am so glad with the technology we have today where I can search on line for races and many races from around the world will pop up. It took us a long time before we could figure out a race as both my kids have fall birthdays and I would like to be home to celebrate with them. I also prefer to train in the warmer months for a Fall marathon rather than training in the winter for a Spring marathon. It can be a bit of a struggle to try to fit in all the races that you want to participate in.

Tips for planning your race calender

- Sign up for email notifications from the races that you would like to participate in as you will get all the updates for registration

-  Check with your work and the work load that you have during the year

- Talk with your spouse/partner about what and when the races are that you are planning. If you have young kids like me, you also have to take into account possible childcare arrangements

- Try to register early so you can take advantage of the early bird pricing.

- Set a budget when looking at races, you can save money by registering early

- If you are planning a destination race, the race organization usually has a page with airlines and hotels that they have arranged for the runners with a bit of a discount

- Be realistic with your year and also with your training

My last point is hard one as you never know what the  year ahead will have in store for you. It is frustrating not knowing how your body may hold up with training or what bumps in the road you may had. I suggest that if there is a race that you have you heart set on doing, you should sign up. If you happen to not be able to run the race come race day, you can always look into transferring your bib to another runner or see if the race organization will let you defer your bib to the following year.
 
Depending on the distance of your races, you can plan some of the races to fall in line with your training plan. I had hoped to run 14 races in 2014, but not sure if I will be able to do it all. I suggest choosing a goal race and then add the other races into the year around your goal race.  As of today, I have registered for 10 races. You can see them posted under my races for 2014. This will be my first time running two marathons in one year. Both of these races are said to be somewhat hilly. I'm not sure if I've expressed this before but, I HATE HILLS!!! There I said it... I will learn to love them this year and incorporate more hill training in my training.

How do you decide what races you will run?

If you could run any race in the world, which one would it be?

Have a GREAT day!

New Year's Resolutions

With the new year ahead of us, many people like to make resolutions especially after the holiday season of festive eating and possibly less exercise. The days are shorter in the winter and up here in Toronto, the weather gets much colder so it is easy to fall off the wagon. I had been looking forward to the end of year as I use it as an excuse to take a break from training. I had told myself that I would amp up my training and re-evaualte my year after the holidays. It got me thinking, what were my resolutions going to be. Firstly, I had to find out what resolutions really were.

This is the definition I found when trying to see what a New Year's Resolution was. As per Wikipedia- 

"A New Year's resolution is a secular tradition, most common in the Western Hemisphere but also found in the Eastern Hemisphere, in which a person makes a promise to do an act of self-improvement or something slightly nice, such as opening doors for people beginning from New Year's Day.^[1]"

I had never really been a person to set resolutions as I find I never really stick to them.  But after reading the definition, I realize that I have always been setting resolutions.  I always want to improve myself physically as a runner, be a positive role model to my children, be a loving and supportive wife to my husband and kids, and an all round positive person at work and in my social life. 

So with this in hand, I look forward to 2014. I am entering my 5th year of training as a runner and going into my 2nd year of marathon training. I am sure the year will have it's ups and downs but I am looking forward to the challenge. I was fortunate to be on maternity leave my first year of marathon training. I was home every night and was able to run at my convince. Now that I have returned back to work, I am still learning to juggle family life, jet lag and marathon training. I am going to aim for more personal bests and run every race with all I've got .

Cheers and here's to 2014

Do you make resolutions?

What are your resolutions for 2014?

Tips for Travelling with Kids

Happy New Year to all ! I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday.  We just returned from our 2 week Christmas holiday in Hong Kong to a frigid -30 degree Toronto. We had a fun time, but I thought I would write about travelling/flying with children. I usually check out MD Travel Website to find out what I should be aware of before travelling to any destination. It provides up to date information on what is happening around the world and what kind of vaccinations are recommended. It is a wealth of information to all travellers.

As a travel professional, I see a lot of people that travel with the young ones and have learned a lot from them and also from my own personal experience. I would always advise on buying travel insurance especially if you have children. You hope that you will never had to use it, but it is always good to have as I learned on this last trip. My entire family got sick and I had to take my little guy to see the doctor. We were fortunate to be able to find a great doctor that was able to diagnose my son and get him onto the road to recovery.

Sick, Crank baby, then all better

In a perfect world, our flights would be during the children's nap/sleep times and they will behave themselves like angels. I have been that mother with the baby that cried for hours on end on a 15 hour flight. Sometimes, things just don't go as planned. I see countless stressed out and frantic parents on planes trying to calm their babies down, but sometimes the child just wants to scream. I completely understand how frustrating and exhausting it can be. You can try to stand up in what space is available when the flight attendants are finished with their service related duties.  I always try to reassure the parents that it is not as bad as they think. Most passengers will get over it as many are parents and have been in the same situation and are usually somewhat sympathetic.

Just be prepared with entertainment for your children whether it be an electronic gadget filled with movies and games, stickers, colouring books, small toys and whatever you think your child will like. I usually buy some new activity books/surprises for my older child so that it is something new to keep her busy on the flights. If you have smaller headphones for your little ones, they are always better as most airlines now sell earbud type headphones which usually don't stay in little ones ears.

I also recommend bringing plenty of snacks and food that your children like as they may not like what the airline is serving. There are no microwaves on planes, so keep that in mind when packing food.

Here is a standard list of things that I usually pack on trips, it may not be suitable for everyone, but a good reference.

Medication

- Tylenol/Tempra/Advil/Motrin/Panadol
- Saline nose drops
- Gravol (anti-vomiting)
- Pediatlyte/Gastrolyte (to supplement electrolyte if vomiting)
- Kaopectate/Pepto-Bismol (anti-diarrhea, mild effect)
- Glycerine Suppositories (for temporary relief of consitpation)
  Prunes also work
- Moisturizer
- Canestan cream (anti-yeast)
- Diaper rash Cream, Vaseline also helps
- Polysporin (antibiotic ointment)
- Benadryl Children Liquid (anti-allergy)
- Others: If you already use items, bring it along : puffer, Epipen, skin medication, or other medications prescribed)

First Aid

* Thermometer
* Measuring spoon
* Bandages
* Sterile Gauze/clean washcloth
* Sealed wet wipes
* Antiseptics (antibacterial soap, hydrogen peroxide), one step cleanser
* Scissors, tweezers
* Sunscreen
* Insect Repellent
* Flash light
* Batteries
* Non perishable snacks-crackers, candy
* Ziploc Bags
* Elastic Bands

Others

- Travel Insurance documents
- Separate photocopies of passports, birth certificates, credit cards, insurance cards
- Extra change of clothes for you and the kids (have you seen projectile vomit ???)
- Diapers

Do you travel with your children?

Where was your favourite destination that you have been with your family?

Any other tips for travelling and packing?

Coffee, Tea or Me

The holidays are quickly approaching and the year is coming to a close. 2013 has been a wonderful year for my family and I. We are currently in Hong Kong on a family vacation and will be spending Christmas and New Years here.

I was bitten by the travel bug many years ago when my parents took my brother and I to Hong Kong to visit my family. At the time, most of my relatives were still living in Hong Kong.It was the first time I met my grandparents and many aunts and uncles. I remember being in awe of the stewardesses and of being in an airplane so large. The flight was a dream come true except getting sick during a stop in Narita. When I got home from that trip, I remembered that I wanted to go back and ride an airplane again. My parents have a framed picture that I drew for a cover page for a class with the jobs we wanted when we grew up and the three professions I drew were 1.Nurse 2. Teacher 3. Stewardess. I laughed when my parents showed this to me as I had completely forgotten about this assignment.

I had not intended on joining the airlines, it kind of found me. It has been great and has allowed my family and I to travel the world.

I knew that when I had a family, it wouldn't stop me from traveling. I felt like a hypocrite if I didn't travel with my kids. I work in the travel industry.... how could I leave them at home? I would see people do it all the time and knew that I would do the same. I must say that it is a lot more work with kids but it's worth every bit.

We started traveling with our first child when she was 3 months old and haven't stopped. We have been fortunate to take our kids to many different places. My wish is that they will grow up to appreciate all that they have and appreciate the diversity of the world.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Do you travel with your kids?

What are your tips?

My Running Funk - Off Season

It's been almost 2 months since I ran my marathon and I feel like I've been in running limbo. At first, I had the pain in my foot that I thought may have been a stress fracture, which I still need to get checked out and then I returned back to work after a year off. I'm not sure what has caused this funk. I guess I will just have to run it out.

15 degrees in December = Happy Running Mommy

Going back to work has been fun but it has also put a kink in my running. I had spent the past 5 months running religiously with a plan that my coach had given me and eating quite healthy to fuel me on all my runs. I have a wonderful job as a flight attendant which allows me to travel the world. I try to fly mostly international routes as it allows me to spend more time at home with my kids. But being on the road means that I am in all sorts of different time zones and eating all sorts of junk. I try to pack some healthy meals when I'm flying, but is tough when most hotels do not have fridges or means for me to cook my meals. I have gotten quite creative with the coffee pots and iron. I am a huge foodie and love to try new foods wherever my travels will take me. Being at home while I was training was great because I didn't have the temptations that I have every time I am on a layover.

Needless to say, I have spent the last 2 months getting adjusted to my old life, but with the new addition to our family and the heavier work load at home. I am fortunate that most of the places I go have gyms, if not running routes close to the hotel. I have been thinking about the running year ahead and training plans.

I am currently blogging from Hong Kong at 4 am local time. It is one of my favourite cities. This city is like the Asian New York, there is always something going on and it seems like the city never sleeps. It is bright, loud and jam packed with people. The hotel that I am currently staying at has a 24 hour gym which allows me to run whenever I want... BONUS!!! Did I mention that I have terrible insomnia when I'm flying. I guess you could call it jet lag, but I'm never in a city long enough to adjust, so I try to stay on "home" time. Like I had said earlier, I'm getting back into not sleeping in my bed and living out of a suitcase for days at a time. 

This is what I do at 1am in Hong Kong when I can't sleep

I have been trying to keep up my mileage but seem quite unmotivated. I will consider this my off season and enjoy the time off to let me body rest up before I amp up the training for the 2014 season.

Do you have an off season?

Any suggestions to get out of my running funk?

Waiting game

The month of October seemed to have blown right by. I returned to work after my year off and ran my first marathon. Now what am I supposed to do??

After the race I had some pain on the top of my right foot. After consulting my run buddy/chiropractor, I think I may have a slight stress fracture. I am waiting for my doctor to return from his month long vacation to see if I can get it checked out. 

I have not run much because of this pain as I am terrified of making worse, but not being able to run has also been tough. I had hoped to finish off the race season with a half marathon a few weeks ago, but decided not to just in case it is a stress fracture. It was a tough decision for me as I love to race and was hoping to go for another PB, but I think it was the right decision. 

I have learned to not be so stubborn and just let it go and listen to my body. There are so more races that I would like to run one day. Running injured is not pleasant and you could make your injury worse. 

Have you had to take time off from running due to an injury?

What did you do to keep yourself active while injured?
 

Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon - Race Recap

My Garmin was charged, my playlist was set, the outfit had been picked out, hydration and fueling needs were packed and I was ready to go. 

I had spent the last five and a half months training for this day. My first marathon was only a few hours away. The alarm went off at 5 am which would give me plenty of time to pack up, do my 'business' and eat before I headed over to my friends place to head down for an 8:45am start. 

I was going to be meeting my coach and fellow iRun 42.3 runners at 8 am for a photo and then head on out to our corrals. There were many volunteers placed throughout the race area. There were approximately 25,000 people running that day between the 5K, half marathon, and full marathon distances. It was very busy with people when we arrived and thank goodness for the volunteers, we were able to drop our bags and make our way to the LONG potty lines. By the time I got into a potty, the first coral had already gone. I quickly dragged my run buddy and ran towards the start line. With the starting area and finish line in the heart of Toronto, a lot of the roads were barricaded. We had to squeeze our way to the starting area and wiggle out way through the crowds to get to our corrals. We eventually made it to the 4:20 pace bunny when the gun went off and so were we. 

At the start line

I had hoped for a 4:15 finish, but decided to slap a 4:05 pace band on my wrist just to push me a little and give me some leeway in case I had to make any pit stops. I took a quick photo with my running buddy and off we went. I was going to use the first 5 km to warm up the body as it was freezing and kept a 5:45-6:00 pace. I eventually caught up to the 4:10 pace bunny and stuck with his group for the next few kilometres. The sun eventually came up and I started to feel my fingers again. The course started in the heart of Toronto and took you north of the downtown core for a quick loop before we headed back towards to the waterfront. There were a number of spectators out cheering. I peaked down at my pace band every so often and realized that I was on pace with my 4:05 band. I was thrilled but I was only a third into the race.

When we made it down to the waterfront, I saw the elites coming towards me. It was amazing to see the first winner fly right by me. I was also able to see the two top female Canadian runners run right by. It is truly incredible to see how fast they are going. I took my first gel around 10km and happily trudged on. 

I have run the half marathon of this race before, so I was familiar with the first half which seemed to have gone by pretty quickly.

Then the split came, I knew there was no turning back. Most runners went left towards the half and a few of us went right towards the next 22 km's ahead. I hit the 21 km pad at 2:02 which meant I was 5:51 pace. There were a lot less runners at this point which meant there was more space for me run, but being a rookie marathoner, I wasn't quite sure if I was to push or save my legs for the later parts of the race. I decided to keep on with the pace that was comfortable. There were fewer people cheering until I entered the Beaches area where the crowds were awesome. There were people standing outside their homes and shops handing out water and fruit. I was so happy to get a banana from a little boy who was handing them out. This gave me an extra boost, but at this point I also realized I was in need of a potty right after I ran past one at 26km. I will in all future races take notes of where the toilets will be placed. I spent the next 4 kilometres looking for one and ended up using the one I had seen at kilometre 26 when I was looping around. I had not trained with a pit stop in mind, so this threw me for a bit of a loop.  I had been on pace with my 4:05 finish, but after the pit stop at 30km, I couldn't' seem to catch up. 

Around 39 km

I finally saw a friend cheering us on at at 36 km as I was entering a twisty, in and out, loop that looked like squiggly lines on the course map. It took us up and over the Don River and by the Don Valley off ramp where cars were backed up but cheerfully honking us runners. I saw my friend again around the 39 km mark where she was able to snap the picture. At this last loop where, we got to leave that crazy maze of running, I saw my run buddy. I had been looking for her throughout the course and was finally able to give her a high five and run on. I got to 40km at 3:57, I knew I wasn't going to get my 4:05 finish, but knew that my hubby and DD were going to be waiting near the finish line. I dug deep and pushed on.

My baby waiting

Seeing my family

Finish line

I finally saw my husband and daughter 400m from the finish. As you can see from the photo my husband took, I was SO relieved to see them there as well as see the finish line right ahead of me. I stopped for a quick kiss and hug and pushed as hard as I could for a strong finish. I crossed the finish line at 4:10:29. I was thrilled to see a good friend who had come down to see me finish just as I crossed the finish line. She snapped the photo below.

Finished!!

My "gold" medal

I had done it, I had just finished my first marathon. I was over the moon excited. We were give heat sheets and our medals, then entered a large exit area where we were given water, bagels, and yogurt. It was a bit difficult to get out of the finishing chute as you and to follow the crowd that filtered in Nathan's Phillips Square, where they had a large meeting area, bands and a few vendors. I quickly went to retrieve my bags and find my family. It was an amazing experience. I had a blast running this distance. This was a wonderful race and the course was beautiful. I highly recommend this race to anyone who is looking for a fun and flat course through Toronto.  

Celebrating with my family

Have you run a marathon ?

What gets you through the entire distance?

What are you post race rituals?

I am a Marathoner

I did it!!! I made it!! I am over the moon and full of all sorts of emotions after crossing the finish line of my first marathon. I had dreamed about it and trained for it over the last year. My journey started many years ago when I started running and toying with the idea of running a marathon. I remember meeting up with my 10K run clinic and always admiring all the people in the marathon clinic. When they would call out the high distances they were running on their long runs, I would laugh at how crazy and impossible it seemed, no I am one of those crazy people.

The Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon is one of the city's major races. The course is flat and takes you along the Toronto waterfront and into some beautiful pockets in Toronto. There are great bands and entertainment and awesome spectators. I chose the I headed down to the expo with my daughter in miserable overcast and rainy weather. Rain on race day is probably one of my biggest concerns.

Leaving our mark on the signing wall

Being one of the major races in Toronto, the expo was well organized with lots of exhibits and great speakers on the main stage. I was able to pick up my gels for the race and get taped by KT tape, however the guy that taped me did an awful job. I'm not sure if it was him or the tape. I have used the product before and it worked fine under the same circumstances. He even used a spray that he sells to help the adhesive of the tape and it still fell off. I must admit that I was pretty disappointed, having the owner of the booth/distributing company in Ontario tape me and the KT Tape falling right off.

Being taped at KT tape booth, tape falling off before I exited expo

I did my best to try to get a good nights rest as I prepared for the race. The weather had changed from what I had planned, so I had to rethink a new race outfit as well has pack up my essentials.

My Gear for the race

Have a great week 

Are there any other brands of kinesiotape that you swear by or use?

What are you pre race rituals?

What do you bring or use for your races?

"Twas the night before Race day

It's finally come down to the big day. I am 2 sleeps away from running my first marathon. I spent most of this week working, which meant I was flying. I was lucky enough to be able to stay within Canada and only had 2 different time zones to deal with. I was able to get all the runs in that the coach had laid out for me. I am a ball of nerves at this moment. I am terrified, yet excited to have finally made it to this point. In some ways, I can't wait to get this run over with. I feel like I have been training for what seems like a lifetime.

My run in St. John's, Newfoundland

I ran my last run tonight, a quick 30 minutes easy run on the treadmill and will now start to lay out my gear and mentally try to prepare myself for the race ahead. I have spent the last few weeks trying to keep a clean diet and load up on carbs. I have put in the miles and now I will see if all the training has paid off. This race will definitely be very mental as much as physical. I have spent most of this week thinking about the race. I am happy to be running my first marathon in my hometown, where my friends and family will be waiting for me at the finish line.  If anyone would like to follow the race on race day, Sunday October 20th, here's the link

What are your pre race rituals?

Back to Work - Tips for Running while Travelling

My maternity leave has finally come to and end and I am officially back at work. It has been an amazing year off for me. I had an awesome time this year with both kids at home and having the chance to train for my first marathon. I'm not sure if I would have been able to train properly if I was working. It was a tough in the beginning trying to juggle nursing my baby and fitting all the running required, but I had a supportive family backing me up which made it a bit easier. I returned to work in the beginning of October and started flying right away. I made sure to try to fit in my runs while away.

First stop was London to visit my cousin. London is a great running city. There are always plenty of runners out and about. It's easy to get distracted with all the beautiful architecture and the surroundings. My first run here was through one of the many Royal Parks of London.

Regents Park and my new favourite drink

I am very fortunate with my job to be able to travel the world and run in many different cities. Here are some tips for running while travelling. If travelling into different time zones, I suggest switching over to the time zone of the city you are in as soon as possible, this will help with the jet lag.

- Do some research on the city/place you are visiting. You can use sites like Map My Run 
and Run the Planet
- Always pack your running gear, I highly recommend compression socks for the flight.
- Check the local weather 
- Ask the hotel concierge for running routes around the hotel, many hotels have planned running routes
- Check to see if the hotel has a gym and the equipment available. I also check the hours of the gym to help me plan my workouts accordingly. 24 hours are my favourite especially when I'm on the other side of the planet.
- Get lots of rest

Have a GREAT day !

Do you have any tips to add?

How to you stay on course when travelling?

Oral I.V Review

Since starting marathon training, I've been looking for products that would benefit me for the longer distances. As an ambassador for Fit Approach/Sweat Pink, I was given the opportunity to review Oral I.V. 

So, What is Oral I.V?

"ORAL I.V. is a revolutionary hydration aid product based on a proprietary formula of crystalloid electrolytes and purified water. ORAL I.V. does not contain any sugars, caffeine or stimulants, additives, preservatives or artificial ingredients. It can be consumed directly or added to water. Individuals can use ORAL I.V. as an addition to their existing hydration methods and to support dehydration prevention." 

According to their website it "can be used in any environment, condition, or situation where physical exertion or possibility of exertion or the possibility of dehydration exists". It is not a water substitute, but a hydration aid.  I decided to give it a try on my long run.  The package says that you can take the vial as is or add it with water. I put two into my water bottles with water and carried 2 vials with me for my 35km run.

I drank a few sips as I started my run and continued to drink throughout my run. My strategy was to drink the 2 that I had diluted first than drink the vials for the last portion of my run. There was no funky taste. It is tasteless just like water and looks just like water.  I like that the vials were small and fit in my running belt. I felt pretty good after the long distance think that these vials would work great for race day.

You can purchase them off their website. But at $12 for a package and shipping costs to Canada are pretty high, I think I may stick with other hydration methods .  For all my American friends, the shipping is much more reasonable. 

*Disclaimer : I was given this product to sample and all opinions on this blog post are my own and I was not paid or required to give a particular opinion

Have you tried Oral I.V?

What do you use for hydration?

Have a Great Day