Thanks for a great year 2009!

Well well well...here we are on the last day of 2009...is it just me or did this year go ridiculously fast? It would appear I fell off the blogging bandwagon for the month of December...I had many posts planned and lots to talk about...and all kinds of good intentions to blog...but I was quite busy as most are this time of year. December flew by and the holidays were awesome! The past couple of days i've found myself planning out my racing season for 2010...I plan on sharing it with you guys very early in the new year...tomorrow is the opening of registration for the Death Race and whether or not I do it determines a ton of other races I'm looking into. I'll let you know tomorrow whether I signed up! :)

Anyway...I've had a really amazing year and lots to be thankful for and happy about. Work is going well...I had a fabulous year of racing...I met a really awesome guy...I got to see my family a lot more...I met a whole new group of running friends...not to forget the amazing friends I already have....what more can I ask for? More of the same...more happiness, more laughter, more adventures...I'm really excited for 2010 and I have lots to celebrate tonight! :)

Unfortunately I don't get to ring in the New Year with Andrew as he's on a ski trip in Utah...but I do get to ring it in with some really great friends of mine...looks like it's going to be a Newfie party tonight :) I'm getting ready to head out on my last run of 2009...so i'll leave you with a few pics of what i've been up to over the last few weeks...

My dad and I...after a bitterly cold run in -27 (-36 windchill)...during a week long cold snap in Calgary

Andrew and I having lunch while skiing at Lake Louise

My fabulous Christmas present from Andrew!!!

Kira and Julia on Christmas morning

Dad, opening his stocking

Steve, stuffing the turkey!

Me and Dad skiing at Silverstar in Vernon on Boxing Day

Hope you all have a very Happy New Year...stay tuned as I get back to a regular blogging routine in 2010 :)

It's Monday...and I couldn't be happier!

Well, i'm super pumped! After last sunday's long run, I finished feeling depressed as I knew my leg was bad enough that I needed to take the whole week off from running to see if that would help. I couldn't pinpoint the pain but I felt like it was IT band related...my hip was sore and achy and it radiated down the side indicating IT issues. I also had a tight upper calf and that hurt around the side of my knee and also behind my knee.

I've not been good with recovery since Boston as for some reason I just always want to get back at it as soon as possible after a race. My own fault...lesson learned!! Anyhow, my body told me to bugger off and I finally did! I took 5 days off from running, did a bit of light crosstraining, some weights and some climbing...then saturday evening I went out with a friend for a 10km run...i felt awkward at first...not running in 5 days just felt so weird. I did have to stop halfway just to stretch out my hip and IT band as they were tight...but not painful...just needing a good stretch and a good session on the foam roller after.

Sunday I woke up with no pain wahoo! I knew I wanted to do at least 32km but more around the 35km range. Well it ended up being 38km!!! This was unplanned as I ended up taking some detours and reroutes in an area i've never run before. But it was fantastic and I finished with a big smile and a great feeling of satisfaction. Ahhhh....so nice to do a long run again virtually pain free. I think I just might be able to do my first 50km in 4 weeks afterall. We'll see how the Calgary half goes first...3 weeks till that race. I've got to try and work in some speedwork as I haven't done any since before Boston. I still think it'll be a great race and I'm really looking forward to it.

I'm such a happy girl when I can run! :)

NYC?

So...somebody pointed out to me yesterday that my Boston marathon time automatically qualifies me for the NYC marathon in November. It was funny because I always thought it would be my half marathon time that would qualify me (i'm a couple of seconds off), not my marathon time! A while back I entered the lottery for this race but soon regretted it once I realized it cost $250 US...plus the whole flight down and all that. I think I have a friend of a friend I could stay with but it's still a little pricey for me...especially after I think of the money I still managed to spend in Boston even though I had a cheap flight and a free place to stay!

I have been very lucky as I just finished doing my taxes this week and discovered I actually get a good return this year...big enough to cover my race fees for Transrockies...that race is just insanely expensive and I believe the fees are due in June. Fewf, I'm lucky my new job took out too much income tax this year! I have 2 days to make the decision on NYC as apparently if you want to apply using your qualification time you have until May 1st to do so.

Anyhow, while i'd love love love to do it...I think it's probably best I hold off on that one this year...however I suppose if they pick my name out of the lottery I'll have to do it. You can defer to next year but you still have to pay your race fee for this year as well as next year! $500 US for a marathon is not worth it! Anyhow, my friend and I have big plans to run the Okanagan marathon over Thanksgiving weekend and I do think a road trip to Kelowna would be pretty fun...plus it's a fast and super flat course!

Running has been ok since the marathon...well i've only gotten out on 2 runs so far to be honest but they were ok. I decided to meet up with the RR gang and the other guys that ran Boston on sunday morning...we ended up doing 25 km...sigh. Probably not the best thing to be doing on shredded quads! They were surprisingly good for most of the run but hurting towards the end! Yesterday I got out for a light and easy 8km along the Bow and got caught in a mini snowstorm...lovely! Luckily it didn't accumulate and today is the beginning of a sunny and warming trend coming to Calgary. I'm excited for the 14 degree highs we're getting this weekend...running in shorts again for sure!

I feel like i've been super busy lately and obviously haven't posted a race report for Boston...I'm sure i'll get around to it eventually. Sunday night I rocked out to The Killers at the Saddledome and i've been exhausted ever since! But what a great concert!!

Hope everyone is having some good training and managing to avoid the Swine Flu! This dude at work just informed us today that his roommate went to Mexico and isn't back yet or something. Awesome, please catch the Swine from your stupid ass roommate and bring it to work...can't wait.

Till next time...
deb

Welcome to my blog!

I'm new to this so you'll have to bare with me as I try to figure out how to download pics etc! So what is the purpose of this blog? I'm just a girl who is very passionate about life and getting outside and enjoying herself...I guess it's a way for me to express myself, my ideas, thoughts etc. and share with everyone my adventures! First and foremost...those that know me, know i'm a runner...that's my thing...that's what I love the most and keeps me happy. I seem to think about running pretty much 24/7 and am constantly making goals for myself and planning races etc.

How did I go from hating running with a passion to it being one of the things i'm most passionate about? Good question...I blame my dad somewhere along the way :) In highschool I was a rower...if the lake was "red flag"...meaning too windy to row on (which is quite common in Newfoundland!)...then we either rowed on the erg...or went for a run...often up Signal Hill (that's in St.John's, NOT Calgary). Those who know St.John's, know that running up Signal Hill is a pretty hard and painful run. But the more we were forced to run, the more I liked it...funny how that happens.

I grew up with a dad who was/is a runner...running 6 days a week...a super FAST marathoner when he was racing...and I mean FAST! I guess part of that rubbed off on me and once I got into it, I knew I wanted to run marathons too! Now, low and behold, i've qualified for the Boston Marathon and i'm off to run that in oh...10 weeks from yesterday :) Training is going well so far...but I have had to deal with plantar fasciitis in my left foot for about 3 months now...but let's not get into that right now! Ok well that's about it for tonight...I hope everyone is having a great week as the cooler weather is coming back to Calgary. Oh how I do love those Chinooks though.....