Bacon, Skunk & Poo

This past Sunday was our long run of 11k.  This is the second 11k that we’ve done.  From here on out our long runs are all over 10k as we only have less than 3 months of training left.

This past weekend was a hot one so on Sunday morning we wanted to get our run done bright and early before the heat set in.  Once again our 11k route went from Twin 2’s house to Twin 1’s.  This route consists of road/trail/road.  As we set out at 7 a.m. all’s we could smell in the neighbourhood was bacon.  We only had to endure this smell for about the first 2k then we were in the trail and had to deal with the smell of skunk.  We never think of meeting skunks while in the trail, just bears and coyotes but we think getting sprayed by a skunk would be worse than being chased by a coyote or bear (yes we do).

So we’ve been reading different running blogs and the topic of pooping on the run has come up.  This is always a fear of ours and yes people it’s real.  Twin 2 had an episode about 2 years ago while just running a 5k route when she only made it to 2.5k and had to stop into Tim Horton’s (we always make sure there is a bathroom stop on our routes ‘just in case’).  Twin 2 has never had any problems since that one time but as we are starting to run further distances and it’s getting warmer it is becoming a fear.  However, with proper hydration/fueling/pooping before our run it should not be a problem (fingers crossed).    

On our run on Sunday after about 6k Twin 1 was contemplating on whether or not she needed a bathroom break.  As we were nearing the trail exit to Tim’s Twin 2 told her that if she’s humming and hawing about it it’s better to stop than keep going as we had 5k more to go and we didn’t want disaster striking.  Here’s a tip: If you think you need the bathroom and are near one STOP and use it b/c you never know when the need will strike again and you may have no choice on where to go (bushes, if you are lucky).

After our stop we continued on and we met more people in the trail than what we thought we would so early in the morning.  But like us, everyone was out to beat the heat.  All in all it was a good run and even with the pit stop we were about 1.5 min faster than our last 11k.

Before pic.  Bright eyed and bushy tailed.

 Our beacon of relief.

 After pic.  Check out our new running outfits.  You know you're a runner when you go 

shopping for running clothes now as opposed to work/casual clothes.

Monday was our rest day.  We had no work on Tuesday due to it being Canada Day so on Monday night after work the Mexican Four got together and played a round of golf.  While it was a sweltering day that day after 6 p.m. it was a beautiful night to golf.  Not too hot, not cold.

As stated above, Tuesday was Canada Day and we had a 6k tempo run scheduled and as it was due to be another hot one we decided to wake up early again and hit the road at 7 a.m.  Between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. the rain started and it continued to be a torrential downpour for a ½ hour straight.  We thought thunder was coming but then all of a sudden it ended right before we were scheduled to run.  We dodged that bullet once again.

The rest of Canada Day consisted of treats and plants and relaxation. 

 Fuel for our potting of the plants.  They up sold us on the WARMED ginger molasses cookie.

Tip Tuesday

Nothing builds running strength better than hills.  Running inclines forces your muscles to work harder with each step; as you grow stronger, your stride becomes more efficient and your overall speed improves.

The Hiatus Is Over

It’s been a week or more since we last updated the blog.  We took a hiatus for a week as Twin 2 took a road trip to see BSB and Twin 1 took a road trip to NH (that’s New Harbour, not New Hampshire).

 It's been a week and I still can't sleep! I'm even more obsessed.  Never thought that possible. 

We started off this week with our Long Run, 10k.  It was the hottest longest 10k we have had to date.  Summer is here.  We weren’t worried about time as we just had a week off and it was very HOT.  We ran at Twin 1’s place and went out 5k and back 5k.  We went out at 6pm after work.  This was our usual Sunday Long Run but as we were both travelling on Sunday we moved our running schedule around from Sunday/Tuesday/Thursday to Monday/Wednesday/Friday this week.  We are glad we did because today is Thursday and as this is being written it is pouring out.  The weird part that night was that as two cars drove by us the passengers were hanging out the window yelling in bullhorns encouraging us.  Is this a new trend?  Do we need to get a bullhorn?

 

We thought we would have to run in the rain last night but it sprinkled as Twin 1 was driving to Twin 2’s but stopped when we stepped outside. Last night was our 6k tempo run.  This did not go as planned because #1 – we still aren't experts in the execution of a tempo run, and #2 it was so humid last night that we just ran the 6k without doing tempo.  Our tempo was more like a slow love ballad as opposed to an upbeat dance mix.  We were also getting irritated with each other and starting to argue while running (the only downfall of running with family).  We chalked this up to humidity / hunger / sleep deprivation.  The highlight of the run was wearing our new workout gear that Twin 2 treated us to while getting cheap deals in the good ol’ U.S of A.

 Twin 2 has her 'hunter' orange on for the trail. 

When we got back to Twin 2’s we mapped our run to make sure we did 6k as our watches keep going out of sync.  One always reaches a km before the other and we aren’t sure why this happens.  They are the same watches but different colour and Twin 1’s was $10 cheaper so that might be it.  Ya get what ya pay for.  Still the best purchases ever. 

 

The Running Tip a Day Calendar had this to say (too bad we didn’t read it before we went because of the humidity):

  

Before going for a hot run, have a slushy made with crushed ice and your favourite sports drink.  To keep drinks chilled while you run, fill a bottle halfway, freeze it, and top it off with fluid before starting.

We also reviewed our schedule for the next few months and realised we only have 12 weeks to go before Ottawa.  YIKES!

The schedule showed a few more tempo runs and then onto hill training once a week for two months.  Our week night runs are longer as well.  Are we ready???  We have to be.  We have a schedule and we have to stick to it (for realizies this time).  Its crunch time….figuratively and literally. We have to keep up on our cross training schedule as well because every bit counts.  We made a bet with each other that the Twin who doesn’t do her “workout” scheduled each day has to pay the other $5 for every day she misses.    It is pouring out and it’s a go home, get in jammies kinda day…Tonight will be the test. 

Also Twin 1 has made a bet with her husband since last Thursday that she has to stop gorging on junk/chocolate and has to pay him $5 per day when she eats the forbidden fruit and $1 per day she does not do her daily workout.  She is now poor and realises that she should have made the junk/chocolate bet AFTER her trip to NH where Mom loves to bake.  To date she has paid him $16 and it hasn’t even been a week yet.  As Twin 1 is writing this there are chocolate covered almonds and caramel bars in the work lunch room calling her name.  Someone is “fund raising” …..that is why she is writing to take her mind off the temptations…..it is not working yet as the only thing that is working is she does not want to fork over any more money to her husband.  We had set certain days aside as “treat” days (i.e. every birthday day in July – which is pretty much every day of the month) from now until Sept 21 but this does not mean we can gorge on all treats all day long on that particular day. It’s ONE treat! 

Yesterday should have been good but when work started Twin 1 received an email that cupcakes will be served in the afternoon for celebration of a fellow employee's 30 years of service.  You have to have a cupcake for that!! Shoot me if I’m still here in 21 more years.  So means a cupcake was devoured at work that meant chips after work before the run and coconut flavoured M&M’s brought back from the USA after the run.  Go Big or Go Home.  Today is day 1 of withdrawal and chewing a pack a day.

Moral of this post, we like to gamble.

Until Next Time….