COLOR RUN WINDSOR, CANADA - AKA MY 1st 5K

COLOR RUN WINDSOR, CANADA

It was a blast! Drove there the nite before, picked up my race packet from an awesome person (THANKS KATHY!). Decided to drive down to the packet pickup to get an idea of what the run will look like and to scope out some parking for the run day. Saw some of the setup going on.

Running Flat organized the race and I must say for the largest run Windsor, ON has ever had, they did a fabulous job, over 11,000 people registered. The race course was scenic along Riverside Drive and the Riverfront path. Just one of the many things I miss from my time living in Windsor.

Scenic Route along the Detroit Riverfront.

Ren Cen. - Detroit, MI - view from Windsor, ON

Considering these are the vats they
colored powered was stored in. 

I'm happy I wasn't on the cleanup crew.  

As for being the Happiest Store on the planet, I thought that was Ikea. :) I guess this is a pretty close second.

ColorRunStore

On the way back to the car, I noticed a few people got excited to try out their color packets. It was hard not to use them. Also the parking enforcement people were out in full force giving tickets. Glad, I mooched a parking stub off the person leaving next to me.

Color Powder

Here's the view of the starting pit before people filled it.

Empty Path

My race packet.

I was number 42225. YIPPIEEE!!! I'm one of 11,000. :)

1:11000

Posing pre-color....

Goofing around.

Pre-party with some Zumba. Check out that GIANT Mountie!

Stage - Preparty

The Run-icorn leading the Conga line to the starting gate.

RUNICORN!!!!

The starting hatch.

Sea of White waiting to get this thing started. Finnaly I get to start at 9:35am.

Throughout the course they had some cool signs like this to encourage you and perhaps to stop to get a photo.

YIPPPIEE!!

Yep, you did sweat a Rainbow!

They didn't have a I Heart Turquoise. 

The run took us through the Odette Sculpture Park and many were caught posing with the sculptures. 

Chasing the naked man.

The After-party ROCKED! IT was so much fun. Got to go up on stage and see the huge crowd gathered and the beginning of the color throw after party, how cool does this look? As you can see Detroit peeking out from behind the banner.

Pre-After Party Color Bombs.

Finishing Banner photo!

Me and the Run-icorn post run.

I forgot that when you mixed all the colors of the rainbow together you got black? That's pretty much what I became. Black.





Time to head home and try to get cleaned up. I'm tired. Now that I have traveled over 10K.  Yep, that's my fancy pedometer I'm using. 10.13km or 20255 steps. Take your pick. Started about 9:35am and Finished at 10:25am. Not crazy fast, didn't run as much as I had hoped to, but with the warm weather, the occasionally stopping for a photo op and the huge crowd, I still feel accomplished for FINISHING my first 5K.

Yep I finished.
Yep, today I traveled 10K on foot
to do a 5K. 

Yes I had a FANTASTIC TIME! Thank to The Color Run Canada.  Thanks Running Flat for hosting a great event! Thanks to the new friends I made on the route.

Comfort Zone for #Juneathon

So today I went back and forth between going to my work Learn to Run group. Last time there wasn’t too many people. Which I kinda liked. I surveyed some friends on Facebook whether I should pack a bag last nite so I could go to group. And you know what? I got an outstanding verdict of YES! Pack the bag. A few of the respondents surprised me. I wasn’t expecting encouragement from them. It felt good to know I have more cheerleaders in my life than I knew. We all can use a few extra cheerleaders. So Monday morning arrived. I spent the morning being very unproductive. I wasn’t convinced about showing up to the running group. I emailed a few people who said they were in to see if they were coming this week. One yes, one no. The yes sent me a further email saying she’d run with me. I replied, no you run your time and I’ll do mine. She responded with her firm belief in “leaving no one behind when training. It keeps things more fun and supporting one another goes a long way with something new like this.” Ok, I guess we will have to differ in opinions on this one. Last minute something came up and she couldn’t make it. So I was already changed in my running clothes, couldn’t back out now and no buddy. Still sort of not really looking forward to the lunch run/walk, I made my way to the meeting place. Ok. I SHOWED UP! I pre-warned our “fearful leader” that I was probably going to exit the group run at the same place on Cheapside that I did last time. We stretched a little and were off. We were starting out running 2, walking 1 minute. I got thru the first set and OH MY! I just wasn’t feeling it today, it was hard for some reason. A beautiful day, perfect running weather. It was sunny and 60F out. So not feeling it. I ended up walking a fair chunk of the time today. I took my planned exit at the Cheapside entrance to the property and continued on my route. In the end I went 2.15km. Had I stayed with the group, I may have gone 3.8km. But I bailed at my place of comfort zone. So, perhaps next time I’ll get out of my comfort zone and stick with the group around the block. I suppose just showing up, for me is pushing me out of my comfort zone, one of these week, I promise I will make it around the block with the group.



So how have you pushed yourself out of your comfort zone with respect to #Juneathon? Or just pushed yourself out of your comfort zone in general.



Something to remember: DICIPLINE is just choosing between what you want NOW and want you want MOST.

June 2- Juneathon

The stormy clouds filled the skies. Juneathon goes on. Today I found myself at the local women's only gym. I pretty much had a run of the whole place to myself. It was great to not have to wait for a machine. Having full reign of the gym, I tried out machines that I had not used in a long time. So in addition to doing the weight circuit, I walked/ran 2.5km and did my squats for the 30 day squat challenge.

Now today is Sunday and tomorrow is Monday which means my Learn to Run group meets at lunch on Mondays. Earlier today I wasn't motivated to show up to it. I put a call out on Facebook whether or not I should pack my bag for tomorrow or not. Not surprisingly, not a single person said don't pack and I received some great encouragement from unexpected sources. Thanks guys!

Now, I just need to convince myself to be on time for the group and perhaps run more than I did last week. Hoping to wake up excited for L2R group.

-M.

Reluctant to Run

I know. I know. It's not me against them or me compared to you. It's all about me. About me improving my time. About me learning to enjoy the time. To enjoy the run. But my, oh my! Do I ever come up with excuses. I've read the list that FattyMustRun came up with here. But I had already had this post started and wanted to share with you some of the ways I convince myself not to head out and go for a run.

- not feeling well
- too sore
- too tired
- just want to relax
- it's that time of month
- already home and took socks off (for some reason, once I get home and socks come off, I don't like to leave the house.)
- don't want to leave house - it's raining, it's snowing, it's too humid
- gym clothes are cold from sitting in truck all day and I forgot to bring them to front to warm them up on drive home/gym
- I can't get up before 6 to go to gym
- I don't want to go alone
- I wish I had a friend who could come
- my knee/foot/whatever hurts for unknown reasons
- it's snowing
- it's snowing in May!
- I'll go tomorrow 

Of course there is another reason. FEAR! Fear or embarrassing yourself. What onlookers may think. Fear of  hurting yourself. Recently someone I know went for a lunchtime run and fell, cut her hand and sprained her ankle in a nasty way. Now if you are running by yourself, and you fall and hurt yourself, what do you do? Lay on the ground waiting for someone to show up and come to your rescue? I know, I know, I can't live in the land of "what-if" otherwise I'd never do anything. Back to reality, it doesn't matter what others think, most people I tell I've started running or trying to run, they are encouraging. Remember, it's not about them, it's about YOU! Tell the FEAR or Frustration to go AWAY!

Juneathon Participant

It's June. You know what that means?! It's time for Junathon! Juneathon is where I may begin to drive you nuts with my excessive daily posts of my day where I share what exercise or run I did. I'll try to throw some funny or weird story in with the days events. I know some people focus on time or distance or calories burned. But I've decided to just focus on doing it getting out there and exercising each day. So today was a 20 minute walk/run around my neighbourhood along with 50 squats. Yes, I have started the 30 day Squat challenge over again from the beginning. Somehow, last month I got behind, then I got lost where I was in the challenge and wanted to give it a proper effort so back to Day One I went.

Now, I know you can do this, I know you can turn a negative into a positive. While my list of excuses, may not motivate you, check out SparkPeople's list of 50 Good Reasons to Run.

What other excuses do you tell yourself why your not working out?

-M.

Where's my Mute Button?

Where’s the Mute Button?

I walked into the gym with a plan. I was going to complete it. I changed my clothes, filled my water bottle, found a free treadmill and set it up. Choose a slow speed and a fast speed so I could do intervals and increase my running time. I turned on the music and started warming up. As I started my first interval of running it began. The thoughts were flying around my head. I realized I ought to focus on my running form. I completed the interval went back to a slower pace and that’s when it happened. My mind, thoughts were all over the place.

Oh, I like her running shoes. They are cute. Stop, focus. Distracted. Oh that guy is cute. Stop focus. Noticed next to me a young girl with Down Syndrome was standing on machine next to, just waiting  for a staff member to come over and set her up. The Young staff member set her up on the treadmill at incline 4.0, speed 2.0 and she was doing the hills program. Yes, i watched the staff Member set her Up. Don't look at her. Focus on yourself. That's who you are here for anyways. Ok, time to run again, running, I notice the fit girl next to me running faster than I was. I didn't care, I'm here for me, not to compare me to anyone else. Ok then I notice it, the girl with Down Syndrome is trying to run. But the machine isn't going fast enough for her to run. I think she is trying to copy me. Hmmm, since when am I a role model at the gym? Ok, focus, your running interval is up, you can slow down. I slowed down, so did she. Hmmm, do I say anything or just ignore it? Well I did 3 more running intervals and all 3 times she tried to mimic me and run. But her machine was still going slow so. I couldn't take it anymore, I felt bad for the girl trying to mimic me, I didn't know if I should say something to her or just ignore it. So my passive aggressive self, chose to ignore it. I decided to get off the treadmill and go to another machine for a while.

Bike it was. 5 minutes later on the bike, I was trying to forget the girl with Down Syndrome even though she was right behind me. A girl walked by, oh, she is wearing what looked like knee high socks, i think to myself, oh those must be compression socks, I wonder what the purpose of them are. You don't see too many people wearing them here. Man she must work out here alot, she quickly found the window ledge to throw her notebook while she was on the bike. I'm thinking that's a great place to store it, must remember it. Stop focus on yourself. I do for a minute, then my eyes drift to the machine next to me. It was next to an old man who seemed to be trying to keep his heart rate between 70-90. Oh wait! He is peddling faster than I am. I need to peddle faster. Ok, stop looking around, either watch your TV or focus on YOU! I peddle harder for another 20 minutes then I decide its time to go back to the treadmill and finish my interval training for the day. I make sure I choose a machine in a bank far away from the girl with Down Syndrome.

After this workout, I realized, running is not what I think it should be. Or at least not what I think it ought to be yet. I have the picture in my head from a movie. You remember the movie, "What Women Want" from 2000 with Mel Gibson and Helen Hunt? Near the end he does a pitch for Nike, check it it here on YouTube. If you remember the movie, you would remember how they make running out to be the most peaceful amazing time of day, where it is just you and the open road. 

So my question for you is, how do you get there? To a place where you turn off the rest of the world? Turn off all thoughts that are flying around your head? 

OK. Now is the Time

Ok. Now what? I got what I asked for. I'm a little scared right now. A little excited too. So I am excited to share with you that I was chosen. Chosen for what you ask? Well chosen from #FMRMC of course. Ok, I know what you are thinking, "What in the World is Michelle talking about now?" Let me explain... 

Me in March 2013 at a friends wedding.

A few weeks ago, someone I follow on twitter retweeted a call for overweight females who are up for a challenge. And not just any challenge a CRAZY HUGE challenge as I care to refer to it as. Well I had a secret goal earlier this year that I didn't even come close to achieving that I shared with maybe two people. (Please don't be offended if you weren't one of the two, it came up in a conversation which I had no intention of sharing). So onward. It now doesn't matter what it was. I didn't do it. So now I saw this challenge to spend a year preparing for a (GULP) marathon. You know those things "athletes" do? That up until I saw that tweet I had no intention of even considering. Well, I thought about it, considered it. Wondered if I could even do it. Doubted that I could do it. I read the organizers blog with some of the details, located here. I emailed for an application, still thinking I must be going Crazy to even consider this! I spent some more time thinking about why I can't do it and finally decided, to give it a go and apply. I did. Today after lunch, I discovered I was CHOSEN. AHH!!! Yippie!! AHH!! Can you see the emotions? 

So there is a group of 15 overweight female from around the world. Mostly, from the US, & the UK, one from India and Portugal and me from Canada. Who, over the course of the next year try to run our butts off. 

• So if you follow me on twitter, you may see me referencing #FMRMC. This is what I'm talking about. 
• If you want to see how it's going, I'll be posting here on this blog at least once a month to let ya know what's going on. Now, it maybe more often depending how things go.
• If you want to join me in any capacity whether cheering me on, going for a run or maybe even doing a 5K alongside me or at the same time, drop me an email or a Facebook message, I may even be willing to travel to your city to do this. 

Now, for those of you who know me well, know that this isn't exactly my "thing." Well people change.   Or perhaps people try to change. Please do me a favour, don't ask me about the "M" word (marathon which is 26.2miles or 42km) for a while. At this very moment where I am shocked I have committed to giving this my best effort, doing this, it seems so distance (in duration & length & time) and well a little un-attainable, you know one of those lofty goals people come up with. But you also know what? If you don't set crazy goals, hey, you'd still be sitting on the couch. Wait, maybe you are still on the couch… well, get up and do something!

Wow....

So, today at work, I managed to walk 12200 steps. Awesome. An excuse not to head to the gym? Hmmm,.... Tempting. Coworker said he wasn't going that urged me more than anything to go to the gym. So I showed up to the gym, thinking I would do who knows what. Slowly I developed a plan.

~ 20 min bike going 5mile and who knows how many calories.
~ 15 min elipitical thingy going 1 mile
~ 10 min treadmill going crazy slow and .5mile

Ok, I don't track the number of calories the machine gives me. I set a goal for time and try to lip sync to my distraction music so I don't just watch the clock dance on like a slow ticking time bomb.

As I was leaving the gym I noticed a sign, 2hour parking limit for the grocery store. Hmmm most of the cars parked way over here are going to the gym. And oh my, there were so many cute guys there tonite. It was a good time to go.

Remember it's not all fun and games

It's not all fun and games. Here is a tragic story of an 18 year old female dying following the completion of a Toronto Marathon. http://www.am980.ca/news/local/story.aspx?ID=1953644

I guess this for me will serve as a warning. A know your limits when you should push past them and when you NEED to stop.

2 more days to wait

In 2 days from now I find out if I was chosen to complete a year long journey to train for a marathon. I really want to be chosen I think the online community would help me stay at it and achieve this crazy goal. While I don't want to ruin the surprise, let me just say, it is further, than I've ever gone before.

Now that it is only a day and a half away, the excitement is rising. But I'm not going to make this blog pretty or fancy until I know I have been selected.

So off to the gym I go today. Perhaps to push myself further than yesterday. Hmmm... I wonder what is 42km from here?