The last couple of days have been really interesting. Well, I can't say that the weather is very interesting considering that we are currently experiencing a deep freeze that promises to keep the best of us hibernating underneath the sheets...
So why do I say the last couple of days were interesting? Because had the urge to run! You see, I have been finding renewed strength and motivation with my running lately. I often look back to the days when I used to make an excuse for not getting out there for the mileage - it's too cold... I'm tired... no time... etc... One of the things that saved me was hooking up with a great group of runners in the Greater Toronto Area. Now for me, it can be a trek to meet them, whether it be in Hamilton, Pickering, or even in Toronto. However, when the run is done, we all share our experiences, chat it up with food, and then disperse to the outside world. It is all worth it in the end.
After pool-running with Lorene on Monday night for an hour, I was looking forward to either some yoga, or some weight-training. Unfortunately, I was stuck at work late so I ended up just going home and staying there. Wednesday night, I knew I wanted to get to the gym. I wanted to catch up with Lorene for a bit. It was also quite cold and I wanted to secure a treadmill for at least 45 minutes to get an easy run in.
I really lucked out on the treadmill. As soon as I got up into the conditioning area, I was able to secure one right away. Now, the rule for signing up is that you only have 30 minutes to use the thing. Because it was 20h00, I knew that the chances of a great big line up was slim to none. With that being said, I set the treadmill for 45 minutes, which would give me 50 minutes total, including the cooldown. I set the treadmill to the "cross-country" profile, which included some hill intervals. For the entire time I was on the treadmill, I would reduce the speed on the uphills, and increase it when I was running flat. The maximum speed I was running at was 7.5 miles per hour. The run felt good and I felt like I was cruising. The total registered distance for the run was 4.54 miles (roughly just over 7km). After that run, I worked on some core work before heading home.
Thursday night, I was trying to decide - yoga, or gym... Yoga was out because timing was an issue at that point so I decided to head to the gym. Did I really want to run on the treadmill again? Hell no! My brother kind of planted the seed on running outside so I said to myself "Why Not?" The time I was outside, the temperature was between -15 and -18 degrees Celcius. At one point, there was a windchill of -23 degrees Celcius. The start was a little rough because my toes froze almost immediately. Luckily for me, I wore my wool socks so I knew that the toes would warm up, which they did. As I was running, I was feeling pretty strong. the ITB wanted a piece of the action but I was able to keep it at bay. Keeping the area warm does help it to not cease up. The run was almost meditative for me. Little things would come and go from my mind. As I ran, I welcomed the inner strength that kept me going forward. My mind was on my life, but running complemented it. Without even thinking about it, I extended the run a bit and even that felt ok.
When I got back to the gym, I realised that I was outside for just over an hour. When I later measured the route I took, I realised that I ran 10.5km. After some core work, I headed for the hot tub to warm up in before heading home to sleep and recharge for another hectic day at the office.
With the itch being scratched, I was given a feeling of satisfaction. As I strive for a balanced lifestyle, I will reflect back to what has made me happy, what has made me emotional, and what has challenged me the most. Without reflecting and learning from those experiences, how do I move forth?
So why do I say the last couple of days were interesting? Because had the urge to run! You see, I have been finding renewed strength and motivation with my running lately. I often look back to the days when I used to make an excuse for not getting out there for the mileage - it's too cold... I'm tired... no time... etc... One of the things that saved me was hooking up with a great group of runners in the Greater Toronto Area. Now for me, it can be a trek to meet them, whether it be in Hamilton, Pickering, or even in Toronto. However, when the run is done, we all share our experiences, chat it up with food, and then disperse to the outside world. It is all worth it in the end.
After pool-running with Lorene on Monday night for an hour, I was looking forward to either some yoga, or some weight-training. Unfortunately, I was stuck at work late so I ended up just going home and staying there. Wednesday night, I knew I wanted to get to the gym. I wanted to catch up with Lorene for a bit. It was also quite cold and I wanted to secure a treadmill for at least 45 minutes to get an easy run in.
I really lucked out on the treadmill. As soon as I got up into the conditioning area, I was able to secure one right away. Now, the rule for signing up is that you only have 30 minutes to use the thing. Because it was 20h00, I knew that the chances of a great big line up was slim to none. With that being said, I set the treadmill for 45 minutes, which would give me 50 minutes total, including the cooldown. I set the treadmill to the "cross-country" profile, which included some hill intervals. For the entire time I was on the treadmill, I would reduce the speed on the uphills, and increase it when I was running flat. The maximum speed I was running at was 7.5 miles per hour. The run felt good and I felt like I was cruising. The total registered distance for the run was 4.54 miles (roughly just over 7km). After that run, I worked on some core work before heading home.
Thursday night, I was trying to decide - yoga, or gym... Yoga was out because timing was an issue at that point so I decided to head to the gym. Did I really want to run on the treadmill again? Hell no! My brother kind of planted the seed on running outside so I said to myself "Why Not?" The time I was outside, the temperature was between -15 and -18 degrees Celcius. At one point, there was a windchill of -23 degrees Celcius. The start was a little rough because my toes froze almost immediately. Luckily for me, I wore my wool socks so I knew that the toes would warm up, which they did. As I was running, I was feeling pretty strong. the ITB wanted a piece of the action but I was able to keep it at bay. Keeping the area warm does help it to not cease up. The run was almost meditative for me. Little things would come and go from my mind. As I ran, I welcomed the inner strength that kept me going forward. My mind was on my life, but running complemented it. Without even thinking about it, I extended the run a bit and even that felt ok.
When I got back to the gym, I realised that I was outside for just over an hour. When I later measured the route I took, I realised that I ran 10.5km. After some core work, I headed for the hot tub to warm up in before heading home to sleep and recharge for another hectic day at the office.
With the itch being scratched, I was given a feeling of satisfaction. As I strive for a balanced lifestyle, I will reflect back to what has made me happy, what has made me emotional, and what has challenged me the most. Without reflecting and learning from those experiences, how do I move forth?
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