You are what you think: mindful reflections on running

You know how the weather's been a bit rubbish this week? Well muggins was out and about, running  through what can only be described as North Berwick's equivalent of a monsoon, heading up a muddy slope, when I realised I was in survival mode.  My teeth were gritted, my smile had become a grimace and my head was down, eyes firmly fixed on the road in front.  Mentally and physically I'd hunkered down. I was doing a run, and that was that.  'That which doesn't kill me makes me stronger' I muttered as I turned into the wind and rain.

As I pulled myself upright physically, I smiled and my spirits lifted too.  How many times has every one of us uttered those words and how true it is that those toughest of times help us grow and strengthen.  Running in the rain is hardly the end of the world or indeed of any note at all really; as our Madeiran walking guide said to us 'it's only water' (what he didn't know was that at that very moment, the Icelandic Volcano was spewing out the ash that meant we came home by boat!).

Another favourite quote is the one from Hilary Clinton - about not wasting a good crisis.  Somehow despite the bad stuff, the seeds of hope and a better future are often closest to us when the going gets tough. And there is something very powerful about getting something good out of the hard stuff in life, it feels like somehow things even out in the end.

As I ran on, I was thinking about the tv programmes about the Olympic greats and all the studies that show that the truth of the Buddhist quote that we are what we think.  I've coped with missing my marathon and my calf injury by seeing my calf as teacher and a guide that will help me on my running journey, wherever that takes me.  I'm still being amazed by how that calf is keeping me right, reminding me that every thought has consequences. In lots of ways, it was my running equivalent of a near death experience - a serious health warning to change my ways or else - and it certainly did the trick. Maybe it's best to say it's still guiding me, there are no guarantees in life I know.

It's helped me re-write my personal rule book.  I used to have a general rule on no stopping until I finished whatever I was up to. I've seen me up ladders trying to stay awake with a paintbrush in my hand at 2am rather than leave a job unfinished. Looking at the wall in the cold light of the next morning, I could see that it hadn't been my best paint job.    From somewhere I managed to develop running rules too, like I have to run non stop, walking not allowed; and  I have to do a long run every week. Keep going 'til you drop might have its moments, but I no longer think it's the right rule to live or run by - the dropping bit can be a bit literal!

My new rules are to listen to my body and obey,  to focus on improving my running form and not to push myself hard on more than one run each week.  If I do a long run, I can't do hills. If I do a speed run, I can't do long distance.   It's strange not to get out for a good long session each week.  But  I've rather enjoyed getting that bit of time back, though I feel a bit guilty saying that.  And I return to my long run with a new vigour and energy and appreciation - absence truly does make the legs grow fonder.

There's another valuable gift that my injury is giving me - I'm learning to be disciplined and take control.  Running, and indeed life in general,  for me can sometimes be like taking a lively and enthusiastic golden retriever for a walk, my thoughts go bounding off dragging me after imaginary rabbits and interesting distractions only coming to rest when exhausted or hungry. So when I hear that little voice saying 'an extra mile? go on, go on!', I have to say 'no'.

So what if I can do 2 more miles, that's not the point, I know I can run further than is good for me. What I need to learn is discipline and control, I have to practice hard on these, it's quite a challenge for an old hippy 'go with the flow' person like me. But the deal is, when I get a better grip on things I can say 'yes' if it's the right thing to do.  They do say willpower and discipline work like a muscle, so f I can extend this discipline to cake and toast, I'm sorted!

My running journey is proof to me that I am what I think. Everyone's journey is different and it's a deeply personal experience that touches the very heart of who we are. That's so clear in the stories of the heroes and sheros we see all around us during this fabulous summer of sport and it makes their achievements even more memorable and awesome.

It's been a good running week for me despite the weather. Heavy spin class, my 5 miles and 5 hills route with my first ever series of hill sprints at the end (I only did 4 sprints, but I get the gist!). Also a fabulous sunny morning, speedy barefoot 3 miles on the beach and a long sunny 7 miler run. Distance and rigour building slowly.

North Berwick is always a beautiful place to run, but in the sun it is truly stunning - as you can see from my mid-run snap.

So onwards and upwards as they say. Raise a glass to our Tour Champion, what a great achievement. Have a great week's running and only 5 more sleeps until the Olympics!!

Take care

Sue

Running with children and animals

Thanks to 'No one is perfect but being Irish is close enough' for the photo

The joys of the long slow run! I know I'm not supposed to think about distance but I love my long runs. A long slow lope on a weekend takes my head and body to places I just can't get to any other way. So I continue my long runs though I'm supposed to be doing hills and form.

Anyway, today's sunshine meant everyone was out and about making the most of a few rain free hours.   The streets and beaches were full of manic children and dogs.  Most contacts with these strange animals are most enjoyable and I'm always intrigued by what dogs and children make of a lycra clad matron pounding round North Berwick.

To teenagers,  I am clearly invisible; they only register a very specific part of the spectrum of human life forms and the cut off is about 17, so I am well past it.  I'm also more or less invisible to collies and dogs of that ilk. Wonderful beasts, clearly more intelligent than humans, they focus on honing their innate skills and are not distracted by other species unless they need them to throw things.

Small children and most dogs are however very much aware of runners and the way they react is just fascinating. Some little humans and older dogs are startled. They don't know what to make of an over weight ninja in sunglasses and headphones bearing down on them - even worse over taking them. Some cry, some are startled, some run away. I know I don't look like a gymnast, but I must resemble something horrible - probably from a Roald Dahl book. You just know that he would have seen a middle aged running woman as an opportunity for some ghastly character.

Some children and dogs are clearly interested and look at me with a bemused but curious expression. 'Why?' I can hear them thinking. And I'm not sure I can answer.  We usually exchange a brief smile and go our separate ways.

Then there's the ones that want to join in - usually toddlers and the dog equivalent.  They don't see human or animal, they see running. Their little legs start running automatically like an innate herding response - if an adult runs, you do too,  just in case it's an attack. It takes a wee while for their heads to catch up -  they run now and think later. You can see the thought process sometimes, they get that puzzled expression wondering how on earth they started to run and how they're going to stop.

As the run goes on, I begin to ponder. Will  any of those children become runners one day? Do they have parents or family that run?  I rarely see teenagers or younger ones running unless they're playing. Bikes, roller blades, skate boards - lots of wheels, but not running.  I remember a delightful photo that John put up of himself as a young athlete and it made me smile.

I remember running once as a child - in a sports day, I was about 6. It was a deeply unpleasant experience, leaving me wheezing, snotty and in pain. I finished with the very clear message that I was not sporty, but that was fine because I liked studying and everyone knows you can't do both. So my path was set, I only dabbled in sporty type things, I was officially a book worm.

I didn't run again (except for rounders or netball) until I got to university and I didn't like it much then either, but it was good for counteracting the wild living  (though I did enjoy running on the beach). It's only in my later years that I've discovered the true joys of running and come to love it and the gifts it brings me. Not least the gift of getting to know other runners.

As I ran, I wondered what it would have been like if I'd been taught how to run as a child. What kind of runner would I be now? We got swimming lessons and cycling proficiency at school and we were taught to play games, but we never did running.   What would it have been like to have been encouraged, coached to run, to get better, to test my limits? I know now how important coaching is, what difference would it have made then?


When I was sorting Mum's house out for her move to the Abbey, I found some old medals.  They were for running with a Latin inscription, but the box was long gone so I don't know whose they were.  Somewhere in my family history, was another runner. I wonder if I'll ever find out who. I have at least 2 cousins who are runners, maybe there's a running gene in my history.

A good running week - that sports massage really got me on the straight and narrow and the yoga is keeping me there. A hard spin session;  my first 5k speed session since the injury (29.50 minutes - a long way off my 24.35 pb); a longish hilly session (1 hour, 6 miles)  and a lovely long, slow run today - 7 miles in 1.14h. I could have gone longer but I must be careful (and ASndy Murray was about to play). So my weekly mileage is creeping up - it's at 16 and a bit miles now.

The calf is doing fine, it barely twinges at all, but I got a sore hip flexor at 5 miles the other day, something I've never had problems with before.  It's linked to a lazy left hip having to do more work as I balance up. Luckily, some remedial exercises and stretches made a big difference and I was fine today. This body sensing is really working and making me take control of my running destiny. More hills next week I think, ready for August.

Whatever you're up to, I hope that you to some good quality running despite the weather. Good weather for ducks as they say - and maybe also triathletes!

Happy running!

Sue

Running at the Speed of Light

When I started running round the block to help me lose weight, it never crossed my mind that  I would end up with a wardrobe full of lycra, more trainers than shoes, and a developing sports massage habit. Oh and I would have put a considerable amount of money on me not wearing pink - ever.

I never thought that I would seriously ever contemplate running a marathon, never mind start seriously training for one.

And I never ever thought I'd end up running round Arthur's Seat in a light suit and a head torch training for an event in the Edinburgh International Festival.  I could conceivably have turned up in the Fringe during my rather more flamboyant years, but the Festival proper is something rather different.

Who'd have thought it - me in the Edinburgh International Festival! Me a performer in The Speed of Light!

Well I did and I am. Next month, if I'm spared and well, I'll join hundreds of other runners in a spectacular light show on Arthur's Seat.  We'll all be running up and down and round and round Salisbury Crags lit up like Christmas trees, bringing sport and art together as we become the human components of a massive light show.  We'll be fire flys, light houses, hubs and sparks and it is going to be awesome and a bit scary.

Sunday was a rehearsal  and I spent 3 hours with two fantastic run leaders and the one and only White group knocking seven bells out of my calves as we trudged up hills, skited down mud slides and tried valiantly to get the right distance between each other. The running was like nothing I'd done before and was quite an experience.

There's one more practice next month and then the performances start. Mine is an early one. I've got a bit of hill work to do before then so I'm mugging up on my Chi Running coach Nick's advice on hills.

I know I have to be careful with hills, so this challenge is more mental than it is physical to be frank. And even though we only ran for about an hour max, my calves were a bit tight after an afternoon on the hills and I was worried I might have set my injury off. The thought of the injury got me into a cold shower (closest I could get to an ice bath!) and  I only cross trained for the rest of the week. The rest and an excellent sports massage from Lizelle set me right. I am now under strict orders to stretch at least 10 minutes for every hour I'm out there and have booked regular sports massages. I've also re started my daily yoga routine.

It's funny. A week or so ago I'd started thinking about a marathon next year. I don't have the caring responsibilities I had and have a lot more time so I don't have to rush about quite as much as before. The Speed of Light event wasn't something I'd really thought about much until last Sunday.  But I realised on Monday morning when my calves were nipping like mad and the memory of the injury loomed large, that unless I have one clear focus, I'm back on the bench and probably for longer than 3 months. Speed of Light is serious hill work for me. I need to focus on getting hill-fit for 10 August. Not distance, not speed,  hills. I've learnt the hard way to respect hills and that I must focus on one thing at a time.

Chi Running is all about going with the flow of energy when you run, being aligned and focussed on your goal. Since I stopped thinking about doing a marathon and instead focussed on my running form, things have got interesting.  Who'd have thought that a holiday run would bring me face to face with a moose? Who'd have thought that the injury that led me to shelve my marathon hopes would have me running up and down an extinct volcano lit up like a firework in front of an audience.  

I got injured because I didn't respect hills. My head pushed my body beyond its limits. My legs understand the power of hills; my head is getting there - slowly.  I've come to understand that distance is not my forte, it pushes my body and my mind much harder than speedy shorter runs do.  So if I am going to do more than a half, my head has to learn to listen to and respect my body. Hills are my big challenge and teacher on that journey.

Ever since Nick and I did my first Chi running session on North Berwick beach in March, I've been learning to follow my feet not my head. So far so unpredictable.  Since my injury, I have a little niggle in my calf to guide me.  I'll trust the wisdom in my body as I tackle the hills of Salisbury Crags and onto my next adventure! Maybe even a marathon one day.

Running this week - 3 hour hill session and then only cross train and walking until today when I did a slow and flat 8 and a bit miles in my super duper compression socks. The calf was fine and I finished with a hill and then a little sprint. Onwards and upwards!

Happy Running!

Suex

The incidental runner

Wearing my trainers to work is changing my life.  It all started when the number 22 bus got shifted to make way for the trams and I got the extra bus trip added to my daily commute.  Suddenly it wasn't just the hike up Waverley Steps, it was a walk to the distant bus stop and down to Leith. I lost about an hour a day, time I can't afford to waste.

I spent few days (maybe a bit longer) whinging about the time all this commuting takes up, but a few months on I've begun to accept it. I can tweet a bit more now and that's a plus. But to cope with the extra walking and to speed things up, I've started wearing my trainers to work and things have never been the same since. I don't just walk quicker, I've started breaking into a run and these runs are starting to get more and more frequent.

I started a bit like any new runner - running and walking, feeling uncomfortable in the wrong clothes and wrong equipment (over filled rucksack).  Gradually it all began to feel a bit more normal and I started running more often and for longer distances.

Things tipped over this week and I twigged something was going on. I ran to one meeting (downhill, but it was 2.5 miles) - I was going to be late if I didn't. I've done a couple of a serious sprints which I treated like a mini speed session-  to get the train.  I ran between back to back meetings and I caught myself running up the stairs at work thinking 'this could be a sort of hill session'. Running during the working day is starting to feel very normal. Running is so handy when you're pressed for time, over committed and hate sitting on buses.

I've started thinking I might run to work from the train station now and then, it's only 2.5 miles downhill.  I'm not up to running back up the hill yet, and I'd be slower than the bus, but maybe one day. Tomorrow I'm off to find a good rucksack for running.  And I think it's time to stop carrying loads of papers round all the time in case I get to read them - I'm motivated by the fact that they mess up my running!

I had another first this week - my first solo run at work.  And it's all thanks to Nell McAndrew. I'm very behind with my running mags, so I'm enjoying a bit of a binge. I read a great article about Nell McAndrew on Women's Running Magazine about how she trained for her marathon pb. She said that to get training into a busy life  she added it to her to do list and got it done.  Of course! That's all I have to do.

The penny dropped, a light bulb came on, I twigged.  I looked at my diary - I wanted to run the next day but none of my usual running slots worked, but I had a rare 45 minutes of meeting-free space at lunchtime.  Obvious - run at lunchtime.  I pounded the Leith streets for 30 minutes and got back to work a bit red, but run done. It's not ideal running in Edinburgh - busy streets, busy pavements and lots and lots of smokers do not make for joyous running. But it was a run, it was one of the nicest days of the week and I was out running instead of inside sitting down. Yay!

I managed 3 training runs and one long run, about 14 miles in total. I've a rehearsal tomorrow for the NVA Speed of Light event in August, so I should get a mile or two done then. I've no idea how many miles I did whilst at work, but what matters most is that I did something new and loved it.

It's been a good running week and one that makes me wonder what will happen next!

Take care

Sue

Holiday Running part 2: San Francisco

photo from goldengatebridge.org

We left Canada by boat on the Clipper from Victoria to Seattle. In Seattle we did the Needle and wandered round  Pike Place Market.  We had a great meal in Cutters Crabhouse - the most amazing sushi I have ever eaten. The next day we took the Amtrack - Coastal Starlight Train to San Francisco (well Emeryville and then the bus).  It's a 24 hour trip and what an experience - worthy of a blog in its own right. We watched the US slip past the train windows; going to sleep high in the mountains and waking up in the middle of a massive refinery in Sacramento. There's something about long train journeys that activates my inner Agatha Christie!

We arrived in San Francisco in bright sunshine at 10am.  The town was buzzing - it was Memorial Day weekend and the 75th birthday of the Golden Gate Bridge. The streets were already heaving with people of every shape, colour and size and you could hear the sealions hooting away.

But, there they were, weaving in and out of the pedestrians and dawdlers - runners. Loads and loads of runners. Tall, short, old, young, fast, slow, lean and definitely not lean. San Francisco runs! Yippee!  Cyclists too, from lycra clad cycling junkies to tentative first timers. San Francisco moves and it grooves.

I was even more delighted when we got to our delightful and rather special hotel on Fisherman's Wharf -  The Argonaut. (Thank you Andy for finding us this!). There on the desk was an offer to join the weekly running session with the fabulous Fernando (read on) and a running map in my room!  Yay! I had to run, it's mandatory here.

The next morning I was up early and ready to run San Francisco. I peeked out of the window - the streets were empty except for runners so off I went.  It was cold and cloudy but I'm well used to that! I went one way along Fisherman's Wharf down towards Pier 39 where I said 'good morning' to the San Francisco sealions. At that time of day there were no crowds but those sea lions were still putting on quite a show!

Round Pier 39 with the smell of sourdough bread making my mouth water and then back up towards Golden Gate Bridge. At the end of the wharf you go past the open air swimming club and a small beach and then up a steep hill with glimpses of the Golden Gate Bridge in the distance.  Friendly bunch too these SF runners. Not all said 'hi' but quite a few did and that was nice.

Golden Gate is a magical bridge and the longer we were there, the more I found myself wanting to look at it, to see it from every angle and in different lights. It's a bridge you really want to get to know, a bit like the Forth Rail Bridge, another iconic red/orange bridge that mesmerises you.

I ran round the park and down along the flat and then home for one of those wonderful US breakfasts. Today's treat was the Buena Vista Cafe - very probably the finest breakfast I have ever had - even without trying their famous Irish Coffee at 9am! Thank you Kathleen.

My second run in San Francisco was with Fernando from the Argonaut Hotel. Fernando's a runner who has done the San Francisco Marathon (yes it includes hills!) and takes guests out with him on his Tuesday night run. I thought it was a great idea and thoroughly enjoyed our run by the sea. I learnt so much about life in San Francisco, got some great visit and restaurant tips and I really enjoyed my time with Fernando. What a great idea for a hotel service, and one I've never come across before - more please!

We did the usual tourist stuff, Alcatraz, Nappa Valley, but the biggest thing in San Francisco really isn't the cable cars or the hills, or even Ghiradelli Chocolate, no the big thing about San Francisco is the Golden Gate Bridge - and we were there for her 75th Birthday bash - lucky or what!

We'd seen her from almost ever angle you can imagine, but this is clearly a Bridge that has to be crossed one way or another. The question was how?

My first thought was to run across it. It would mean a total run of about 12 miles from the hotel, not a ridiculous distance even without much practice. But how would my vertigo cope? What was the traffic going to be like? Would it be easy to find my way up to the bridge from the bay?  I even looked to see if there were any local running clubs, there are but nothing was happening whilst we were there. You can pay to do a running tour - in a group or on your own.  City Running Tours charge $75 for a run up to 6 miles and $25 per person for group 5k runs.  (other options are available). I think I feel a change of career coming on!

The more I thought about it, the more certain I was that what mattered was going across the Bridge with Ali, didn't matter if I ran or walked. On our last full day, we hired bikes and cycled over the Golden Gate Bridge.   It was cloudy, it was cold, we couldn't see very far, but wow, it was amazing to be on it.

As we entered a sunny and warm Marin County, we looked back on the bridge and I knew we'd made the right decision. We cycled on to Sausalito for lunch at The Bridgeway Cafe and the onto Tiberon - about 20 miles.  We had a totally wonderful local, organic and well deserved ice cream at the The Grass Shack and a wander round Tiberon. A fascinating place with nooks and crannies and houses all the way up the steep hills round the bay. The Ferry ride back gave us final views of the Bridge from the sea.

San Francisco is definitely special, and Marin County an unexpected gem. Running in a place that's full of runners is just great and runner watching is just as much fun as any other type of people watching. Everyone runs their own way; some make it look easy, others make it look painful. I got lots of food for thought about running form and I think Ali is now an expert on it! People watching for runners!

And as for the Bridge, well I might run over it in future, but what I enjoyed much more was seeing it when I was running. It is a Bridge that is better looked at that walked on!

So there you have it, 6 holiday runs.  I had a fab time and will definitely do holiday running again.  It was a long journey home, cramped but we actually got back on time for once and the plane from London was the one that brought the Olympic Flame to the UK. It was yellow with some stunning photos inside. That was an unexpected treat.

One of the good things about North Berwick though is that it's a lovely place to live and to run. So it was with a big smile on my face that I set off for my first post holiday run - barefoot on the beach. As I splashed through the surf like I was 6 years old, I relished the cool fresh air, the lush greens and the red stone and the blue sky. Everything in balance, everything in its right place.  Home Sweet Home!

Happy holidays, happy running!

Take care

Sue

Running Canada: Holiday Runs Part 1

I love being on holiday.  It's a time for escaping everyday worries and responsibilities and spending quality time together.  I'm very happy with my life but I really appreciate a break and the chance to spend  time doing different things in different places - seems this applies to running too!

This year was a very special holiday for us - we travelled across the Atlantic Ocean to spend quality time with family in Canada, followed by a few days in the fine city of San Francisco. We had a fantastic time; absolutely brilliant. Despite the jet lag, I feel refreshed and rejuvenated on every level and so's my running.

Now as some of you know, Ali and I live on different sides of the great divide: I run, Ali doesn't.  So usually I run very little when we're on our hols. But this year, maybe because of the enforced injury-related rest in January, maybe because of it being a once in a lifetime visit to some amazing places,  I really, really wanted to run at least a little bit whilst away. I wanted to leave this planet knowing that I had run in Canada and the US.

Holidays are special and I wanted to make the most of the rare time we actually get to be together, so I decided on 30 minute runs, not to run every day and I managed 6 runs over our 3 weeks - about 22 miles in total.

That's not many runs or many miles, but my holiday runs punched well above their weight. Every one of those short runs has left me with great memories. Each run showed me a different aspect of the places we visited as well as giving me some amazing views and experiences. I've a record forever on my Garmin and some great photos. I also used up a few of the extra calories that got taken on over the three weeks and put on less then 2lbs, despite eating well (this was a real achievement for me!). All in a total of 3 hours in 3 weeks and about 2,000 calories. And as importantly, my running has moved to another plane. Not bad return I'd say.

Here's the first batch of my runs - the Canada ones. Two runs from San Francisco to follow.....

Run 1 - Barnstorming Banff
We landed in Edmonton Alberta where we were met by Maureen and Dave who took us on the holiday of a lifetime.  They drove us through the Rockies where we saw some of the most amazing views and sights I've ever seen, including my first black bear.

Banff, venue for my first run, is great, a bit like a glammed up Aviemore. Despite all the shops, there's a great vibe about the place - it's human friendly and welcoming. The day we arrived we went up the mountain, swam in sulphur pools and walked a lot. Jet lag had me wide awake at 6am, so I headed off for a quick 3 mile run. It was cold. Very cold. The height above sea level and the high mountains surrounding Banff made it one of the coldest runs I have ever had, and I didn't warm up much either! My first run at altitude too - maybe that explains the cold!

Normally Banff buzzes, but at 6.15 it was deserted, I had the streets to myself - or so I thought. As I ran I got a glance or two of my running form in the shop windows not bad, but that bum is still sticking out too much!  By about 6.30, delicious bacon and cinnamon bagel smells emerged and my thoughts turned to breakfast. I ran along the river back into the town, catching a glimpse of one of the freight trains whose ghostly horns sounded at intervals during the night. The sound of North American trains is so evocative, it takes me back to Casey Jones and childhood tv.

On the way back, just after I'd run past the local hospital, I had an encounter. I came round the corner and found myself eye to eye with a moose. A young moose but unlike our own rather sweet and timid deer, it wasn't inclined to budge just because I'd turned up. In fact it was looking rather stroppy at having its breakfast interrupted. Despite the species barrier, I got the body language and headed off in the opposite direction - past the hospital just in case!

It was a lovely run. I saw a different side of Banff, the quiet side before the streets start to fill up and the shops open. I went to a bit that we'd missed on our walk. I saw very few people, no runners or dog walkers, only small groups of Chinese women collecting recyclables from the bins and the odd smoker standing outside the hotel. And of course I got up close and personal with that moose. 

Then off to Lake Louise for a very posh and yummy breakfast at The Lake Louise Hotel overlooking one of the most beautiful lakes I've ever seen.   We spent the rest of the day going through the Rockies stopping that evening at Kelowna.

Run 2 - Trundling on Texada

After a brief overnight stop in Kelowna, we set off early for a small island off Vancouver Island called Texada. After a brief overnighter in Vancouver (a lovely city, I loved Stanley Park and I really want to run there sometime) and several stunning ferry trips, we reached a warm and sunny Texada - home for a few days.

Maureen and Dave are both active and experienced runners so I knew I was going to get a leg stretch.  Our first morning, lingering jet lag had me awake and buzzing, so I headed off early. I went round the bay, running through scented woods with tantalising glimpses of blue water and snow capped distant mountains through the trees. The roads were quiet and I ran down to Shelter Point, a caravan park down the coast. I saw a bald eagle (and loads of turkey eagles) all from a safe distance this time, and a most amazing view awaited me at my half way point, looking back on the island and across the Bay to snow capped hills.

As I headed home I bumped into Dave and Maureen out for their run - they'd been waiting for me, but I'd snuck out not wanting to wake them up! Breakfast was one of Maureen's amazing smoothies which got me and Ali all fired up for a bike ride back to Shelter Bay and beyond.  

That was my only run on Texada, but the next day we went hiking up Mount Davis with the The Texada Trekkers. It's very different to walking we usually do, not least because you can start your walk way above sea level and don't really get many views until you get to the top! More bald eagles, a rare kind of ant and lots of great company meant we learnt lots about life on Texada. And surely there is no food as good as that sarnie you eat at the top of the hill on a walk.

There's something for everyone on Texada - you can run, hike, cycle, sail, kayak and all the rest.  There's also the Texada Half and Full Marathons - not for the faint hearted and probably not a PB run either - but one you'll never forget! Registration's open now for this year's race.

Run 3 - Trotting in Tofino

We left Texada early on the Sunday and took the ferry over to Vancouver Island and headed off down to Tofino on the Pacific Rim.  Despite the wet and misty weather, the views were amazing (living in Scotland you learn to appreciate the charms of such a climate).  I loved Tofino, it's another place with lots of outdoor stuff going on and it's very laid back with fantastic scenery and amazing wildlife.  We stayed at the Weigh West hotel, right on the bay. I did a short morning run, this time I stuck to the main roads and habituated places - there's bears on them there hills as Ali and I had seen on our bear watching trip the night before.  The views made up for the lack of David Attenborough type adventures.

Again, it was great to see Tofino at a quiet time of day, before things get busy and to run accompanied by fantastic views, breathing in clean, soft air.  As we ate breakfast in the restaurant which sits right over the water, we saw sea lions and otters play below us and more bald eagles overhead. We knew the bear and her cubs were breakfasting on the islands and the wolves and whales were probably tucking in too.

Run 4 - Viewing Victoria 

My last run in Canada was in the beautiful and historic town of Victoria at the end of Vancouver Island.  It was our last day before heading to the US and so Maureen, Dave and I ran together. They have a favourite run along the bay they showed me. We started amongst hotels and very expensive apartments (there are some very rich folk in this world), then through classic North American suburbs and ended up along the coast road which goes on for miles and miles. Plenty of car free quality running paths, so civilised.

It was a great run, looking over the bay to the the distant hills of the US, and it's part of the route for the Victoria Marathon which would be a cracker I think. I could have run for miles, but stuck to my rule and headed back for breakfast getting in 4 good quality miles.  Running through the houseboat area, I was joined for a while by a four legged friend who fancied a bit of a run. This one was definitely friendly, a species I know well and she kept up beautifully until her breakfast gong went.

As I got back to the hotel, the sea planes were starting up and the town was coming to life; I returned to the world. Later that day, we drove along that bit of coast  and saw 2 adult and 3 adolescent bald eagles being mobbed by crows. It was an incredible sight to see so many of these beautiful birds so close. 

We left Canada the next day on the Clipper - a boat ride from Victoria to Seattle and then took the Amtrak onto San Francisco - more of which in the next blog.

I loved these runs. They're not just miles and minutes, but a wonderful part of my holiday experience. They added to  a trunk full of happy memories and experiences I just wouldn't have had otherwise.  

I'm finding running so much more exciting and rewarding than when I was focussed on counting miles. Now running is more varied and it's about the amazing experiences you have when you run. I want to run for years and years to come and I want to look back on a rich and diverse running filled life. I may run a marathon, but I'm finding that too narrow a focus for me just now - but of course things change....

Interestingly, I've totally changed my view that short runs are not worth the bother of getting changed.  Short runs are, as our  North American cousins would say, Awesome!  And  a welcome and handy addition to my repertoire.

Part 2 - running in San Francisco - to come. An experience I will remember forever.

Whatever you're up to, enjoy your holidays if you're lucky enough to have one, enjoy your runs if you're lucky to be fit and well enough to do them and keep well and keep happy.

Take care

Sue

Reading, wRiting and Running - The 3 Rs!

I love books. Every Christmas night, my Mum and Dad would put a much wanted book under our pillow along with new pyjamas (Thunderbird one year). That book was often my absolutely best Christmas present. I can still remember finding the Tales of Narnia and the thrill of reading that first page.

As the summer approaches, another book ritual kicks in - choosing the holiday reading. I love a treat and we've got a long trip this year so I'm hoping to get a lot of reading done.

Books and reading have been a constant pleasure throughout my life.  A good book, a timely learned article or a zippy magazine piece provide insight, company, learning and great, great pleasure. I try to keep my book collection pared down and so the books that are with me have been life long friends and seen me through some tough times. Those books stay with me and tell the story of my life with remarkable accuracy. More recently I've added blogs and downloads and websites to my literary collection. My cup ranneth over when I first downloaded a book en route so I could read it there and then - wow!

So, it's not really surprising that I now have some running books in my book case. My running reading started with Women's Running Magazine and Runners World They broke me into the notion of reading about running. Then I was pointed in the direction of two of the great classics of running -  Born to Run by Chris McDougall and Chi Running by Danny Dreyer and my running has been transformed by these books. 


Some of it has been because I now have some knowledge about running, a bit of science. I now know about the importance of speed work and tempo runs; that you need to get carbs and protein in fairly quickly after a long run and certainly not after a shower, face pack, exfoliation and manicure! Useful stuff that helps you run better and stronger.

But the reading that really inspires my running and has changed me behind recognition isn't about facts and figures; it isn't about the calculations of pace and tempo. What really inspires me is runners talking about their running, their stories about how and why they run. Sure some of these can get quite technical, but the magic is when another runner lets you into what's going on in their head, sharing their experience of running.

There are times when reading the race report is like running alongside someone, without the pain and blisters. You can get a sense of what it's like to run very fast or very long; to run up hills, in the desert. You can run vicariously in every country in the world.  You can learn how to run a great race and sadly too often what not to do.

It was reading runner's blogs that I understood that running a marathon isn't just about when you finish but crossing that line with a smile. I learnt that even the greatest runners have demons to face and their own challenges to beat. I have come to know that being able to run at all is a great privilege and one that we should never take for granted.

Something magic happens when all this running stuff gets into your brain. The other day I didn't leave enough time to get to a meeting. As I charged up the road I hurried quicker and quicker and then without thinking I leant forward, The I leant a bit more and then POW! I was running! Just like Danny says on the podcast, I was leaning like a Nordic skier!  It felt remarkably good, despite (or maybe because of) the heels on my boots and a rucksack jumping about on my back.

Out of the blue the words 'born to run' came into my head.  Of course!  Suddenly it all made sense. Running to a meeting, even fully clothed, is a natural and obvious way to travel when a bit more speed is required (or just for fun).  Usually when I've had to run in work gear it's felt very uncomfortable, not quite natural, but this time it felt just right. I ran and walked all the way and got there in good time, a bit flushed but feeling good. It's actually a bit easier falling forward in high heels and the rucksack holds my shoulders back.  Not a marathon maybe but fine for a couple of miles.

Reading about running counts. It's sort of  like our continuing professional development. If we want to be better runners then we have to learn.  So yesterday when my train was delayed, instead of getting stressed, as befits my new laid back self (did I miss something? ed) I went with the flow and took the chance to catch up on my running reading. I read about Ethiopian runners in the Olympics. I saw a photo of Barefoot Ted and Christopher McDougall at the New York Barefoot Running Festival. I immersed myself in kit, supplements, the barefoot debate and runners. What a treat.

When the train started up again and the journey to work began again, I felt I'd been given a present - a little bit of the working day claimed back for reading about running.  I smiled and that smile stayed with me all day.

So thank you to all your bloggers, runners, writers for sharing your stories, your wisdom and experiences. Thank you for letting me come with you as you train for your first marathon, do a park run or the West Highland Way.  Thank you for helping me learn to be a runner.

Take care and happy running

Sue