Race Report: Leuven Corrida

Joy and Patrice and their boys arrived at our house on Friday afternoon and they were still not sure if they were going to run in the Corrida on Sunday. Neither one of them had managed to do any running since Thanksgiving. So I knew I had to do some serious Jenny-izing on them to get them to do it. On Saturday afternoon I managed to convince them all to do a few loops around our lake with Stefaan to loosen up, while I took all five boys to the playground. The reward afterwards was a hot chocolate in the café there, and they all seemed pretty positive about running the next day - I actually managed to talk them back into the Corrida! (Joy says I didn't actually talk them into it, I just pinned their numbers on them.) So Sunday morning we all got into our running togs and walked downtown, to the train station where the race was going to start.

Joy was running the 4K, which started at 10:30, so we got her into the starting corral and waited with her til the gunshot went off and she was gone! I was so excited and nervous for her, knowing what it felt like to run your first race ever, not being totally sure if you are going to be able to do it or not, etc. But she is a real trooper and we knew she was going to finish.

Then Patrice and Stefaan and I had to line up for the 8K which started at 11. The start of a race is always so hard, all the jostling and people passing you and trying so hard to maintain my easy beginners pace. Patrice got ahead of us right away and Stefaan was just in front of me but I couldn't manage to catch up to him with all the people so I figured I would do it when things thinned out. He was struggling with his knee hurting him so he wasn't sure if he was going to do the whole 8 or stop at 4.

Finally we got to the first kilometer going around Saint Peters Cathedral and the runners thinned out and I could get next to him. He didn't say much so I knew his knee was really hurting. But we just kept going. It is fun to run through Leuven, so much to see and lots of people cheering you on along the sidelines.

As we came up on the first loop and back to the train station I still wasn't sure if Stefaan was going to continue with me, but he did. The clock said 26:00 as we completed the first 4 kilometers. Then we saw Joy by the side of the road cheering us on, and I was so happy to see her and know she had made it - and she still looked very perky so it must have gone well!

Going down the Bondgenotenlaan (the main drag in Leuven), my friend Linda and her whole family (her husband and kids had just run the 4) were standing cheering us on, which gave me a burst of energy. We had to keep to the right, because the fast guys were constantly passing, and we got kind of clogged up behind a group of ladies dressed like bunnies and I was thinking, I want to pass those bunnies, I do not want to get beat by a bunch of bunnies, so I pushed my speed up a bit and moved past them, which was hard, but I did it. Then we came through the city park and out to the big square where the library is, and there was Linda and her family again, cheering us on! More energy to finish the race - YAY!!

Stefaan wasn't saying a word, I was worried about him, but he kept on plugging along, and actually got ahead of me in the very last stretch to the station (I was a bit pooped at this point from pushing myself to beat the bunnies) but he turned and waited for me to catch up to him for the home stretch. (He is still hobbling around today, poor guy.) As we passed the finish line, I was ready for the camera, had a big smile on my face - because by the finish line clock, I came in at 51:18, which beat my time from last year by about 6 minutes!!! Then we got in the line to turn in our numbers, and collect our prize: a very nice bottle of wine. We searched around a bit for Joy and Patrice but we didn't see them (we didn't realize they had been right there at the finish line cheering us on as we crossed - I was too busy looking at the clock and smiling for the camera!) so we started walking home, but luckily they caught up to us and we walked the rest of the way home, so proud and happy about what we had accomplished.

Joy finished the 4 K in 34 minutes! She did great, even ran the whole first kilometer before taking a walk break. She had a man on a bike and the policeman on the motorcycle encouraging her to keep going at the end, and she made it!!! I am so proud of her. Despite the fact that she was bringing up the rear, she had a great time, and especially enjoyed the encouraging things people were saying..."Hurry up, the police are chasing you!" and "If you're nice to that policeman, maybe he'll give you a ride!" and "Every paragraph needs a period at the end!" She got the gist of the comments even though they were in Dutch (my friend the language genius!)

Patrice, who wasn't even sure he was going to do the whole 8 at the beginning of the race, managed to outclass us all, and ran the 8 in 41 minutes - wow! Joy was there to meet him at the end and says he looked terrible (but for a Dr McDreamy lookalike, his version of terrible really isn't too bad). Here are a couple of pictures of us, enjoying our victory (and our wine bottles)!

Great job, Patrice and Joy! It was such a festive thing to do together, who would have ever imagined we'd be running races after our days at the U of I (during which we did things that had absolutely nothing to do with running but I won't mention any of those)!

On the Road Again...

Well, actually on the treadmill again...got to the gym when they opened (which is late here, 9 a.m.) and did my 40 minutes, which ended up being 5.7 km. It wasn't fast, it wasn't anything special, but it was fine. I just feel kind of tired, not much energy today.

I find it so interesting when I am running and listening to songs, how there are so many references to running in the lyrics. I was thinking I should start writing them down for inspiration! Today's Music+Running+Inspiration:

"People who run seem to have all the fun"
- Madonna, Hung Up

Less than two weeks and I am off to Florida - I can't believe it is coming so close. It always seemd like forever. Wow!

Merry Christmas!

To everyone...

May your heart be filled with joy this Christmas

May you be with those you love

Have a happy day!

A Small Step for Mankind...

...but a big victory for little old me today! Let me explain...

Today we had to do our longest training run of the whole 16 weeks. With the adaptations I had made since being out of commission a couple of weeks ago, the goal for today was to run 12 loops around the lake. So we got up at a reasonable hour, had our usual pre-run breakfast, got our stuff together and drove out to the lake.

It was not quite as cold as last week but the lake was nearly completely frozen over except for one open spot where all the ducks, swans, geese and other water birds were all congregated. It was cool to see them all together like that, we even saw two herons. It always gives me the shivers to imagine how cold their little butts must be in that water, but they don't seem to mind.

I was a bit nervous about my leg after what happened last week so I told Stefaan that I wanted to take a walking break at the top of every loop, whether I felt like I needed it or not. The running was going fine for me, but as we finished the fifth loop, Stefaan said his knee was really bothering him and it was sharper pain than he had ever had before. So I suggested he sit out the next loop, go use the loo and walk around a bit and meet me back after I came around the sixth time. Which he did, and he decided he wanted to run the seventh loop to see how it was going, but I could hear it just by the way his feet were hitting the ground, that he was not going to be able to do five more, no way. I didn't want him to get seriously hurt and not be able to do the Corrida with us next Sunday, and after all, he doesn't really need to run 12 loops, he's not the one training for the half marathon. He felt bad pooping out on me, but he did me one huge favor...he drove back home to get my Mp3 player so I would at least have music for my last loops.

When he finally got back, I had already done three more...so I had just two to go. So I gratefully put my music on, and just that little change pumped me up and the last two loops went really fine...and here's the victory part: As I was coming around to finish the 12th, I thought, why not do another and make it 13? It would make up for all those times I had to cut back, and it would be a great mental boost to know that I have been able to run nearly the half marathon distance without killing myself...so yeah, I actually did an extra 13th loop that I was not planning to do! Woo hoo!

So I ran the 13 loops around the lake (18.2 km) in 127 minutes. I really think the regular walking breaks helped a lot to keep me feeling relatively good the whole time...and right now I am so pumped up about having done it! Two years ago when I first started running around that lake I could never have imagined that I would one day run it 13 times. And the best part is...I could have done another two. Disney, here I come!

Visible Improvements!

It was worth the wait, putting off my workout til my son got home from school...in more ways than one! First of all, he did just wonderfully on his exams, bringing home above average scores in every subject - I am so pleased for him. It's great to know that this school is such a good fit for him and that he is doing well.

So after lunch I went to the gym to do my speed workout on the treadmill. I had to do 9x 2 min plus 1 min recovery, so I got going and in no time I was really sweaty but things were going quite well. It was quiet at the gym, and the manager was there giving a couple a tour around the facilities.

Because I am a morning person I almost always hit the gym before noon, so I rarely see this manager, because I guess he is usually around in the afternoon and evening, when it is busier. But I know him because he is the guy who originally got me started when I signed up there more than three years ago.

So I am in one of the fast segments of my workout, sweating like a pig, and they are just passing by and so I wave but then he comes up to me and says something. I can't hear it too well because I have my headphones on, so he leans in and says real loud, "You have lost a LOT of weight!"

I think my smile must have cracked my face in two! I just held up my hands and said "By running!" and kept on going to avoid flying off the treadmill and hitting the wall behind me. I have to admit I felt extra encouraged after that and ended up doing 5.5 km in 36 minutes.

Today must be my lucky day not only because of all the above which really made my day, but in addition to that, when I got back from walking the boys to school this morning, the mailman had been by while I was gone to deliver a package. Instead of leaving a slip in my mailbox so that I would have to go up to the post office on Monday to pick it up, the postman walked all the way down the driveway and around the side of our house and left the package on the window sill next to our back door. Wow. I was impressed with that. It seemed to be above and beyond the call of postman duty, and very kind.

So many things to be grateful for today!

Christmas Musings

Today I have to do a speed workout and yes, I will be doing it at the gym, on the treadmill...but I haven't left yet, because I am waiting with great excitement for my oldest son to come home from the Christmas breakfast at school with his big report card. I just can't wait to see how he did during the first big exam period.

So while I have been waiting I have been checking out everyone's blogs and reading email and I got this great newsletter from Dan Joseph (http://www.danjoseph.com/) a spiritual writer whose newsletter I just love. He was talking about the holidays being a time of giving and how we can relate that to self-care, which seems so appropriate because I have been struck lately by how hard it is sometimes, especially during stressful times like right now, to take good care of ourselves. It seems like everything else takes priority over that, especially because we are supposed to be giving at this time of year more than anytime else. Here is what Dan had to say about this:

...the holiday season is usually a time of great giving. People are encouraged to engage in acts of generosity, kindness, and goodwill toward others. This giving to others is, of course, a beautiful thing. But it needs to be balanced with equal amounts of self-care.
This holiday season, I encourage you to "work your weaknesses." If you have difficulty giving to others, then by all means engage in acts of outward kindness. There are endless amounts of people who could use your love and support.
However, if you find it natural to give to others, I encourage you to turn the tables and give to yourself. This is still giving; it is an equally beautiful and important thing. Give yourself the gift of kind thoughts and soothing self-talk. Allow yourself to appreciate some of the beautiful qualities of your soul. Treat yourself with gentleness. As you do this, you will probably find that a wonderful thing occurs: not only will you feel happier, but you'll have more love to share with others. What you give, you strengthen. This is true whether you're giving to others or to yourself.
What a beautiful system! The more kindness we give to others, the more we have for ourselves – and the more we give to ourselves, the more we have for others. There is no conflict between self-care and care for others; each side supports the other. And both are equally important.

Just some food for thought...

Be good to yourself today!

I'll update later about my run!

Cold and Misty Day

It was freezing cold and misty all day today (this is the view out back at about 4 pm this afternoon - it never warmed up enough to melt the frost off from last night). Stefaan and I took our oldest out for lunch to celebrate the end of his first big exam period and spent the whole day doing Christmas shopping...it was very cold but cheery with all the crowds of people, all marching by with festively wrapped packages. We had a delicious lunch at La Stanza, the wonderful Italian pasta place, and then a coffee at the Gambrinus, one of the oldest cafés in Leuven (the one right across from the best toy shop)! It was a tiring but fun day.

Back up to Speed!

I finally feel like I am back to working out "normally" since being sick. I guess once you get on tram no. 4, it takes your body just a little bit longer to recuperate than it did when you were in your 20's and 30's. But... happy day! I had to do 50 minutes, so I went to the gym and got on the treadmill and pounded out 7.3 km in what seemed like no time. It feels great to be back!

Chestnuts roasting on an open fire...

Jack Frost nipping at your nose...

Well, the chestnuts we don't have but Jack Frost is in DA HOUSE! Yes, it is sunny and beautiful and cold, cold, cold...the best kind of winter weather, except for a White Christmas. In the last 100 years there have only been 11 with a White Christmas here in Belgium. So most likely, it's not in the cards. I will definitely take the crisp and sunny weather as runner up. It certainly is cheery!

Our tree is looking cheery too, with all the packages piling up day by day as they are delivered or purchased. It is a very small tree by American standards, but this only endears it to us all the more.

No running today - I had a tooth filled this morning, my first cavity in ages and ages, since I was a kid, I think. What a bummer. So my running days will be Wednesday and Friday, cross training (i.e. shopping and going out to lunch and dodging through the crowded shopping streets) Thursday. My right leg is feeling much better since Sunday - I did a lot of biking yesterday and that seemed to help loosen it up.

I just hope and pray that the good weather holds out til our long run on Sunday!

More Inspiration from Mark

Yesterday Mark finished his marathon in Jacksonville in 3:21...just 25 seconds short of the time he needed to qualify to run Boston, which has been his big long term goal this year. I felt so bad for him, what a bummer. But then I read his blog this morning and when I felt the positive attitude that he had about his race, I was inspired!

Just like Don Miguel says in the Four Agreements, always do your best. Mark went out there and did his best. He had a good race and felt good when he finished. The Boston qualifier will come, for sure, one of these days, and in the meantime, he will gain more marathon experience and become a better runner.

The lesson is, if you simply do your best then you can be truly happy with the outcome, whatever it is.

Great Weather, Hard Run

To put this all in perspective right from the outset, my brother-in-law and coach Mark is running the Jacksonville marathon today, trying for a PR and a qualifying time for Boston. Go Mark! I can't wait to hear how he did, I'll check in in another hour or so with Jenny.

That said...today was to be ten loops around the lake. Well, we did the ten loops (14 km) but it didn't go as well as I had expected and at one point I wasn't even sure if I would be able to finish. We started out, well dressed for the cold (I wore long silk underwear under my running tights!), enjoying the sunny, crisp and bright weather. The first three loops went great, we were doing them in about 8 minutes. I kept waiting for loop three to feel hard, which in the past it always has, but it never did. It only felt hard at the end of loop four, actually, which I hope is a good sign!

But I got past the hard part, as always, just remembering that there is always that one loop that feels hard, where you don't think you can keep going, but you get past it, and you are fine.

Loops 5 and 6 were fine, great even, and we were still keeping our same bouncy pace. Then about halfway through loop 7 my right upper leg muscle started to hurt, like a sharp pain. I didn't think much of it at first, until it just kept getting worse. Why oh why??? Was it the cold weather? Lack of biking the last few weeks? Not enough water yesterday? Being lazy about stretching and yoga?

I realized it was going to be hard to finish three more loops with that pain in my leg. But I really did not want to go home without having done the distance I came to do. That happened to us last week, and the previous weeks I missed two long runs due to being sick. Mentally probably more than physically, today I really needed to achieve what I set out to do.

That's when I started thinking about Jenny and all those side stitches she has had to suffer through. If she can run with some pain, I can too, I thought. Plus, I know that I will not want some muscle pain to stop me finishing the half, so I figured this would be good practice in sucking up and just doing it. A small part of me was scared that if I kept running I might do some serious damage that would mess me up for the next few weeks, but honestly, it simply felt like a really tight, sore muscle, and I don't think that was a huge risk.

So I kept going. I took some longer walk breaks, then ran some more til it started hurting too much. Then I would stretch for a minute, take some more walking, and run a bit more. Stefaan was just ahead of me all the way (and he has his own pain issues), keeping me going. We finally finished the tenth loop! I was so relieved to have done it. It took us 100 minutes (the last three loops really slowed us down), which isn't even such a bad time, but the main thing is that we did it. Hallelujah! Now it's ibuprofen time!

Weather report

I have been very inspired by all the runners who did Nancy's 8 on the 8th in unbelievable weather conditions! When I saw the pictures on Amy at Runner's Lounge's blog, I couldn't even imagine running in all that snow and cold! Wow.

I have two more big runs to do before the Disney half: 14 km this Sunday and about 18 km the following week. The weather report says cold (1°C) and sunny for this Sunday, so with the perspective of what the Midwest is getting this week, I am delighted!

Today no cross training as I had my friends Christina and Wim dropping by this morning, which was a treat. They live in London but whenever they are in Belgium they make an effort to see us, which I always appreciate! But I did get my half hour walk to school this morning.

Misty Thursday

It was misty and very cold out today and I had to do hill repeats, so I went to the gym because I had ugly visions of myself slipping and falling on the down part of the sidewalks when I contemplated doing it outside. Hill repeats are much safer on a treadmill! I had to do 50 minutes, and I managed to do 6.5 km while alternating the incline every two minutes.

In case you're interested, I won my wrestling match yesterday (see photo below)! We ended up making two pumpkin cakes and pumpkin custard and freezing a whole bunch of pumpkin puree for future enjoyement. And I've still got some fresh pumpkin that didn't even fit in my oven, so I'll be making pumpkin soup today or tomorrow. Or maybe I'll try pumpkin beer, if Nancy will give me the recipe! :)

Pumpkin Wrestling

Today I got a 30 minute walk in, taking the boys to school, but my real exercise today is going to be pumpkin wrestling.

Pumpkin wrestling is a little known sport practiced by women in Belgium in the fall and winter. The only equipment you need is a knife and a very large ripe pumpkin that is starting to go a bit soft around the stem and urgently needs something done with it before it completely rots and falls apart in a mushy disgusting mess on your front porch. This usually happens after the temperature starts dipping below freezing at night, then you start to notice soft spots on your pumpkin and know it is time for pumpkin wrestling.

So I've got such a pumpkin, a huge one that I received from our neighbor Jos this fall, and today I will cut it up in big pieces (that's the wrestling part), roast the chunks in the oven (with the skin side down), scoop off the flesh and freeze it in little portions to use in recipes. Such as: pumpkin soup, pumpkin risotto, pumpkin cake, pumpkin custard - yes, I know, I sound like Bubba in Forrest Gump going on and on about shrimp.... But there are so many good ways to enjoy pumpkin! And pumpkin wrestling is such a great upper body workout!

"Better no stick behind the door than pure fear"

Oh my God, that translation was unbelievable (see post below). They did get the last five words right, though.

Today I had to run 45 minutes and in spite of the beautiful sunny weather I went to the gym and did it on the treadmill to escape the cold (especially the snotty nose)! I did 6.7 km, and had a really good run. I guess I am finally getting back up to speed - that is a glorious feeling!

Only four and a half weeks to go - pure fear as a major motivator!

Free translation (you get what you pay for)

Just in from brother-in-law and coach Mark:

Hi Amy,

I thought you might get a kick out of this. I pasted the text from your blog into a free web translation (http://ets.freetranslation.com/). They'll do it "professionally" for $78.95 I doubt this is anywhere near what you really said, but is quite entertaining:

Vlaanderen walks. Eagerly even, the papers inform. More men
then ever begin with jog via the popular Start to Run programs: in ten soak
your condition gradually build up until you five kilometers can walk, in one
time.,.

I am meditate against my you-Start. For the 65ste birthday of my mother has my youngest sister (oh yes, the youngest, most slender and sportievste of the four daughters) everybody persuaded to walk with our mother a half marathon together. Unfortunately everybody has onbesuisd and immediately yes said at her
proposal.

I was always allergic at sport and certainly on walk. Though that sweats over,
and that breasts that painfully and down zwierden. It was really not my
thing. Only do no escape: zusjelief had us all omgepraat and in the
bargain, registered. I knew immediately that it a lot work at the store
would be and that I myself should invest. I registered me thus for a course program for beginners and am then direct to the lingeriewinkel a sturdy sport BH will buy.
Nothing better then shoppen on to warm!

Myself to hold the training fully, I have to motivate registered myself also for a real 5K competition course. Better no stick behind the door then pure fear. My target was the whole parcours can remove moan without or to have to stop in difficulty breathing and to make myself ridiculously. No easy task as you it in the beginning no minute can endure want to stand 5000 meters walk!

The day of my first 5K, I do never want to forget. I was fearfully. I knew not had to expect what I. There were so much other women that it so strong and fast looked forward. I resolved to do me usual my best and to remain move my feet. When the starting shot went and were we left. After the first three kilometers, I stood adjusted of myself. I wanted to have it! It went! And then I 33 minutes and 26 seconds later on the end line got, saw to understand I bang red, of proud hat well. I was in it succeeded something to do that I for myself always impossibly considered had. Go along. What an ongeloofelijk feel.

On that moment am I a course star become and I remain but further do. Why? Lust? Real, of allergiën you do not come not so fast off. Well because that half marathon dreadfully nearby comes and as old of the sisters want I certainly not below do, because I me fitter and more energetically than ever feel, because one challenge remains it fully to hold, but especially because I more positive and more self-assured became and, not unimportantly, because it in the meantime eight kilos less go along.

And although I myself cannot imagine, about which men voluntarily with zoiets dreadfully begin, understand I completely all that meelopers in Flanders. We walk because we the can and that is a glorious feeling.

Exam week

It's exam week here in Belgium and all the secondary school students are slogging through the rain to get back and forth to school to take their exams and then home again to study. Whew! My oldest as well...his first exam was Latin this morning and it seems to have gone very well. Only nine more exams to go, he'll finish finally next Tuesday and then have two days off before he gets his report card.

I had the pleasure of meeting both with my workshop partner Linda for breakfast and three of my classmate friends from my course for lunch! A big eating day! But it was all healthy, including the delicious meal at Lukemieke, the wonderful vegetarian restaurant here in Leuven. Yum! Just looking at the plate makes you feel healthy with all the colors and variety of vegetables. And it was delicious.

Voor nederlandstalige lezers!

I've been taking a writing class in Dutch and we had to write a column this week, so I decided to write about...running! I am so pleased with how it came out (thanks Stefaan for the editing!) that I am posting it here, for anybody who reads this blog and is Dutch-speaking. Enjoy!

Meeloper

Vlaanderen loopt. Gretig zelfs, berichten de kranten. Meer mensen dan ooit beginnen met joggen via de populaire Start to Run programmas: in tien weken je conditie geleidelijk opbouwen totdat je vijf kilometer kan lopen, in één keer.

Ik ben tegen mijn zin ge-Start. Voor de 65ste verjaardag van mijn moeder heeft mijn jongste zus (jawel, de jongste, slankste en sportievste van de vier dochters) iedereen overhaald om met ons moeder een halve marathon samen te lopen. Jammer genoeg heeft iedereen onbesuisd en direct ja gezegd aan haar voorstel.

Ik was altijd allergisch aan sport en zeker aan lopen. Al dat zweten, en die borsten die pijnlijk op en neer zwierden. Het was echt niet mijn ding. Maar geen ontkomen aan: zusjelief had ons allemaal omgepraat en op de koop toe, ingeschreven. Ik wist onmiddellijk dat er heel wat werk aan de winkel zou zijn en dat ik mezelf zou moeten investeren. Ik heb me dus ingeschreven voor een loopprogramma voor beginnelingen en ben dan direct naar de lingeriewinkel een stevige sport BH gaan kopen. Niets beters dan shoppen om op te warmen!

Om mezelf te motiveren om de trainingen vol te houden, heb ik me ook ingeschreven voor een echte 5K wedstrijdloop. Geen betere stok achter de deur dan pure angst. Mijn doel was het hele parcours te kunnen uitdoen zonder kreunen of in ademnood te moeten stoppen en mezelf belachelijk te maken. Geen gemakkelijke opdracht als je het in het begin geen minuut kan uithouden laat staan 5000 meter lopen!

De dag van mijn eerste 5K zal ik nooit vergeten. Ik was bang. Ik wist niet wat ik moest verwachten. Er waren zoveel andere vrouwen die er zo sterk en snel uitzagen. Ik heb me voorgenomen om gewoon mijn best te doen en mijn voeten te blijven verplaatsen. Toen ging het startschot en waren we vertrokken. Na de eerste drie kilometers stond ik versteld van mezelf. Ik kon het! Het ging! En toen ik 33 minuten en 26 seconden later de eindstreep haalde, zag ik knalrood, van fierhied wel te verstaan. Ik was erin geslagd iets te doen dat ik voor mezelf altijd onmogelijk geacht had. Meelopen. Wat een ongeloofelijk gevoel.

Op dat moment ben ik een loopster geworden en ik blijf maar verder doen. Waarom? Verslaving? Niet echt, van allergiën kom je niet zo snel af. Wel omdat die halve marathon vreselijk dichtbij komt en als oudste van de zussen wil ik zeker niet onder doen, omdat ik mij fitter en energieker dan ooit voel, omdat het een uitdaging blijft om het vol te houden, maar vooral omdat ik positiever en zelfzekerder ben geworden en, niet onbelangrijk, omdat er intussen acht kilo minder meeloopt.

En hoewel ik me niet kan inbeelden waarom mensen vrijwillig met zoiets vreselijks beginnen, begrijp ik volkomen al die meelopers in Vlaanderen. Wij lopen omdat wij het kunnen en dat is een zalig gevoel.

8 on the 8th

On Friday the weather report for the weekend was not too great - they were predicting lots of wind and rain on Sunday. So when we got up this morning and it looked quite nice out (sunny and no wind but still cold) I started thinking about how we could rearrange our day to beat the storm, and get the run in on Saturday instead of Sunday.

We were partially successful! We ended up dropping our youngest off at a birthday party at 2 pm and going straight to the lake. I felt a bit self-conscious taking my kid to a party dressed in my running togs (yes, the tights!) but no one seemed to notice. It was still dry but the skies were looking grayer and grayer.

Our goal was to do 9 loops, which would have been just about 8 miles. I was a bit apprehensive with this being my first long run since being out sick. The first three loops went fine, although Jenny was right when she said it would be my speed I would lose and not my conditioning. While the running felt fine, I was definitely running at a slower pace, taking about ten minutes to do each loop instead of our previous 8 to 9 minutes we had been running this fall.

Then during our fourth loop, the wind started to pick up and a light rain began to fall. I had to put my hood on, and wrap my scarf around it to keep it from blowing off. Gradually the rain got harder, and I had to take my glasses off because they kept fogging and were really annoying. That was a bit weird to suddenly not see so well! I do run on the treadmill without my glasses, but then you don't need to watch the path to make sure you miss rocks, sticks, etc. But we just kept going, and finished loops 5 and 6.

As we were doing loop 7 the wind and rain really started to pick up. My nose was running like crazy. I was wondering to myself if it made sense to get myself soaked and frozen just to do the full long run I had planned. As we finished the 8th loop I felt that it was a nice accomplishment after being out of commission for ten days and that I would be satisfied with doing 8 and we thankfully headed for the shelter of our car. So our total time was 80 minutes for 8 loops (11.2 km or 7 miles).

I am so glad we got it done - the wind is blowing and the rain is pouring as I write this and it looks like tomorrow will be even worse. But even more than that, what a luxury it will be tomorrow morning to not have that run hanging over my head!

Thanks to Nancy for organizing this! As I was running I kept thinking of everyone else who would be running 8 today or tomorrow. And even though I wasn't able to do 8 miles, I feel like my 8 loops still connects me to the spirit of all the other runners who were also out there all over the world! Congratulations to everyone!

Sinterklaas

Yesterday it was Sinterklaas' big day here - and we kept bumping into him everywhere: at judo and badminton lessons, at the store, at school, even at the gym! Yes, as I was very sweaty and running on the treadmill, who should appear to offer everyone a clementine and some chocolate, but Sinterklaas and his faithful helper Piet. There is something that just doesn't make sense about giving sweaty people on cardio machines chocolate, but this is Belgium after all, and there are a lot of things here that don't make sense, but often in a good way, like getting two bottles of wine for running in the Corrida! Working out for chocolate and running for wine - what a lifestyle!

Running-wise, things seem to be going better for me as the week ends. I did a speed workout yesterday (5K in 36 minutes) and although I did have to modify a bit, it went fine and I felt so much better about things after having done it.

I have also been walking to boys to school each morning to build my stamina back up without knocking myself out too much right away. It seems to be working. So I am hopeful for my long run on Sunday - the goal is going to be running the km equivalent of 8 miles (to participate in Nancy's "8 on the 8th" challenge for this weekend at Runner's Lounge) and I think it should be okay as long as the weather holds out!

Next week is my last writing class and the assignement was to write a column. I was wracking my brain about what burning topic I could possibly write about and then it hit me - DUH - running! So I wrote a fun piece basically summing up my experiences these past two years as a beginning runner and what they have meant to me. Glad to have that done so I have more time to bake Christmas cookies this weekend!

Momentum

My momentum...where has it gone? I feel like I've come to a screeching halt and it is rough going to get things going again.

Yesterday I took a 30 minute walk. This morning I took another 30 minute walk (taking the boys to school), then I went to the gym and ran 4 km in 30 minutes on the treadmill, which was what I wanted to do. This afternoon I will get 30 more minutes of walking in when I go to my writing class.

I did get a lot of Christmas shopping and cards done yesterday, but I am still feeling like there is so much to be done!

Back in the saddle

Yesterday I wisely followed coach Jenny and coach Mark's advice and took a 30 minute walk. It was a pretty, sunny morning out and it felt good to get some fresh air. By the end of the walk, I was starting to feel wobbly, like I would normally feel after a long run. So I was a bit discouraged about that. But thankfully Joy reminded me of one of the Four Agreements: "Just do your best". And I decided that was all I could do and tried not to worry about today.

This morning it was very windy but not raining so Stefaan and I decided to do a short run/walk to the cemetary and back. It was more walking than jogging, but I did get some longer jogging segments in and they felt okay. By the time we got to our turn around, it had started raining, so we had to face that the rest of the way home. But I am glad we got out and it felt better than yesterday. Total time was 30 minutes.

This week will be about doing my best each day and hopefully by the end of the week I will be back to a reasonable level of working out.