Please Place Your Seats In the Upright Position...

...because the crazy is taking off.

Remember when I said "let's run a marathon in Donegal in 2013"? Yeah, I don't either but apparently I did. I think I was too busy listening to Ciaran McMenamin's sexy, sexy voice to pay attention to what I was typing. (That man needs to start doing books on tape STAT! It's probably the only way I'd ever make it past the first four chapters of Twilight.) I also mentioned it to a few people in real life, partially in jest and partially in "wouldn't that be fun" until three of them (serious runner types) challenged me back to make it happen. And could I plan a tour of Ireland while I'm at it?

With three actual runners interested in attending the race and two friends who just want to come along to cheer* (and drink in the pubs tour the island), I've started looking into what it would take to make this a possibility. While I know that September 2013 is a looooong way off, getting people thinking about it now (and possibly saving) will hopefully make it easier to get people to commit to it when the time comes. (If the time comes, there are still no guarantees at this time.)

For the reason why I picked Donegal of all the places in Ireland to do a marathon, it's all about the beautiful pub countryside and people. Plus the run looks like a fun, low-key event with hilarious race rules. Also, the eyes of the cow medal light up. They had me at "[a]nyone consistently getting in the way of cows behind them will be be beaten!" and now they've got a light up participation medal? My heart just skipped a beat!

If this does go ahead, please understand that non-runners will also be welcome. My hope is that we can find a nice balance between a small-ish group but making it large enough to be able to work out some travel deals so I'll probably aim for 12 people. Again, this is just to get you guys thinking about it.


As for my current state: back is getting better but it's still slow going. Legs are still very smooth considering what they were like after three weeks of no shaving. I have decided to rewatch all the extended Lord of the Rings** movies because I'm a giant dork and the nights are getting dark so early. This is after I finished watching the entire Underworld trilogy (even the crappy 2nd one which I only watch because Scott Speedman - who can't act, let's be honest - runs around shirtless for most of it). Sadly, that pretty much has you up to date on my life right now!

*and this isn't counting people who've expressed interest but not an actual commitment to coming.

**that's right, extended. I'm a hard-core nerd, yo!

Random Ramblings

Random One: About two years ago, I entered my first blog giveaway (on the now defunct Get Fit Chicks). Amazingly, I won. Amazingly because a) it was the first time I ever entered a blog give away and b) I never win anything. A few days later, I received The Ultimate Workout Log  in the mail. It looked pretty awesome. I put it to the side with the idea of starting it when I started my running program.

It just ended up collecting dust.

A few months later, I dusted it off and thought that I should really start using it. You know, I'll just wait until after my birthday when I can give it a good start.

More dust.

I've taken it out and dusted it off again. This time, no waiting until I'm ready to start or I have a program in place, I'm using it right away... starting Monday. It's divided into days of the week and I hate starting things in the middle. Plus, it gives me a chance to figure out how I'm going to go about sharing it on here. See, I'm doing all this for you guys ;)

Random Two: In an attempt to pretend I haven't left Ireland, I've been rewatching season four of Primeval on Space so I can listen to the rough 'good morning sunshine' sounds of Ciarán McMeanamin's voice. It was hearing his voice while watching season four last March that started me on my 'I have to go back to Ireland' kick.

I want this man to read me bedtime stories.

Random Three: I obviously need to check out my blogger stats more often. Four of the top seven google searches which have brought people to this site have some thing to do with the Italian football (soccer) team. I don't even LIKE the Italian soccer team. I made fun of them in that post.

Random Four: In searching for races in Ireland that I might want to be a part of I came across the Mooathon in Co. Donegal. Not only can you be kicked out because you wear something other than white and black but they encourage you to wear cow bells, cow horns, and any other cow-esque items you can find. Also, it ends at a beach... in Co. Donegal! It's quite possibly the greatest race possibility I've ever come across. I know that the 2012 race is too soon for me (both fitness and money-wise), but anyone interested in joining me for 2013? You get to dress up like a cow and run a marathon!

On my feet again

I just got back from my first run in two weeks and it felt so good. Granted, I didn't go as far or as hard as I should have, but I didn't eat proper meals in those two weeks so I'm still getting my 'exercise-legs' back so to speak. I was a little apprehensive given the amount of time off, but I needn't have worried. I did lag a little in parts but that's to be expected even if I hadn't been sick. The extra bonus is that it felt so good to be running, all the little nagging doubts that crept in during my extended illness about the ability to continue towards the half-marathon in October totally evaporated. I will have to make a few adjustments to the training schedule so I can make up for the training sessions I missed without just jumping up in distance and intervals, but I can totally still make this happen. That is a great feeling.

Fröhliche Am 1. August!

Today is the national day for Switzerland, my lovely adopted country of cheese and chocolate. I am always a little sad when I can't be in Switzerland for the holiday but I couldn't be in Ireland for St. Patrick's Day either. Sometimes you just have to accept that until you hack Bill Gates' bank account and steal a few million that he'll never notice, you won't be able to just jet off for Rösti, village bonfires and fireworks. C'est la vie. The whole past week, actually, has been one big long trip down memory lane which some how ended up with me watching Swahili music videos on YouTube at 11:00pm on Friday night. I'm living the life, I can tell you that!

What I wouldn't give to walk across this bridge again...

The running hit a bit of a snag on Friday night when both THR and I ended up nursing sore joints/muscles so our run turned into our recovery walk which is scheduled to happen on Sunday. "We'll run on Sunday instead," we decided. Well, today's Sunday and we didn't even walk. Of course, our completely legitimate reason for this is because we attended a friend's birthday BBQ the night before and one Palm Bay led to another and before you know it, THR and I were staggering home at 1:00am. I haven't done that in years! I also have to take a moment to say how much I love my friends. Drunk-me thinks she's funny but really she's just very, very inappropriate. My friends, however, not only still love me but they take me out in public and let me interact with other people who may potentially become very important to them. It takes a certain type of friend to be willing to do that, so I just wanted to say 'thank you' and that I love you guys.

Susan over at The Great Balancing Act wrote a fabulous blog entry about living the life you want. I thought it was great and I wanted to share it with everyone. As much as this blog is about getting healthy, it's also about setting a goal and going after it, engaging myself in my life so that I make it happen and not just let it happen to me. In the words of Danny Kaye (known to most people as 'Bing Crosby's sidekick in White Christmas but an amazing actor/dancer/singer/comedian in his own right) "Life is a great big canvas; throw all the paint you can at it."

"Beer: The Cause of and Solution to All of Life's Problems" ~Homer J. Simpson

I had plans to blog last night, but then THR just had to twist my arm after our training run to go out to Christie's for dinner and a beer... which turned into two. Upon arriving home with the realisation that I have become an incredible light-weight over the past three years, I tried to write my post then. Thankfully, I never hit 'post' because when I re-read it this morning I noticed two things: 1) It in no way related to post I wanted to write, and 2) I ramble in stories when I'm sober, I really ramble when I'm drunk. Speaking of which...

There's been an increase in these the past two weeks.

I was very thankful for the night out with THR because Friday, quite frankly, was going to end on a downer otherwise (the original title I came up with was 'F#*$ Friday' and after such a great start to the week, who wants the weekend to start like that? Drunk and giggling about challenging a friend to a claw-plach is a much better start.) because work was being, well, work. I don't know why, after seven years, this still surprises me.

Other than the work issues, the week was fine. I have been rocking the water challenge. I haven't always it 64oz, but I'm coming close enough that I'm satisfied with what I've done. I've cut down on my snacking as a result of the increased water intake and it's become second habit to reach for the water bottle while sitting at my desk. That was a good thing from this week. Today, has been a bit of a cramming session to get it all in before bed, but I've still got time, I know I can get it done!

I learned that you really appreciate exactly how far 1 mile is when you have to add one to your run-walk distance. On Monday, I rocked the two miles and felt like I could have kept going. On Friday, the three miles kicked my ass by the end. I could have gone further, but not by much and not without some sort of goal at the end to spur me on (beer, anyone?). The run, though, felt great. Having a set goal always helps spur me on that little bit more so I run a little faster and  a little further than I'd go otherwise.

Today I spent the day wandering the length of Moss St (all 1.9km one way) with a few friends for the annual Moss St. Paint-In (screw you, TD, you're late on this bandwagon so I'm not calling it by your name). Artists from all over lower Vancouver Island partake in this celebration of art in the community complete with beer garden and a large selection of food. It really is a lovely way to spend a Saturday, especially when you live close enough that you don't have to try and find parking!

Tomorrow, I'm having dinner at the Blue Nile with a friend from Ghana. The last two times I ate at the Blue Nile, I had awesome weigh-in weeks at Weight Watchers. I feel the precedent* has been set and therefore, by convention*, I will have another good week which probably means saying 'no' to this at the Blue Nile this time around:

*This is what happens when a poli sci nerd writes a blog.

Accentuate the Positive!

I have completed my first training session for the half-marathon and I rocked it, if I may say so myself. I felt almost silly making myself walk after only running for two minutes. Two minutes?!? That's nothing to me now, but if that's what the training schedule says, that is what I will do. I also like how great it felt to finish those two minute segments and remember how difficult a two minute run used to be. Sometimes I feel like I'm not moving forward with my running, that I'm just spinning my wheels, but then I think back to that first night that THR and I headed out and how much I struggled. One minute felt like an eternity... and now I'm talking about tackling a half-marathon.

I did pretty well on my water challenge today. I was a little shy of my 64oz goal, and I might still make it if I don't mind getting up to pee in the middle of the night. Oh, wait, I hate getting up in the middle of the night... 58oz for day one it is. Still, well within pissing distance of my target. (Yes, I went there.)

I also had a great experience today when I was approached about contributing an article to FOCUS, a magazine put out by the Adopted Families Association of BC. A writer friend, who is currently going through the adoption process, knew about my history with adoption and suggested that I write a piece. I have two ideas for possible pieces I'm going to put forward, and I just really hope that one of them resonates with them.

All-in-all, I've had a great weekend (Spain won the World Cup, I got to see some friends from Switzerland, had dinner with my mom, the weather was gorgeous) and this week's shaping up to be pretty awesome too. Life is pretty darn fantastic right now!

It may not be Double Rainbow All the Way, but it's Partial Triple Rainbow with Elephants.

Top that, overly excited rainbow lover!

A Water-logged Runner

The countdown is on! There are only 13 weeks until the Royal Victoria Half-Marathon which means it's time to start training. The training schedule is only 12 weeks but next week is my intensive 5 day Flamenco class and running will take a back seat so we're starting a little early. I was hoping to bust out a good run yesterday morning to start tomorrow's training feeling great but a night of very shoddy sleep and no running partner kept me in bed. Still, despite that I'm feeling awesome for today's run. Why? Well, because the running time is 2-1 to start. I can do that in my sleep.

Today I will also start the Positive Effect Water Challenge hosted by Kenz from All the Weigh and Sean from Diary of a Winning Loser. Three weeks, 64oz of water a day. It's a win-win challenge for me to join at this point. Thanks to my mom buying me a second water bottle for work because I always forget mine at home, I'm sure to knock this one out of the park!