Share the Power of a Wish

What if it all changed tomorrow?

We Ran Van on Sunday May 6th 2012. Barry ran 42.2km and I ran 21.1km. We ran to raise money for Make-A-Wish foundation because we can. It was the first of 3 main events in our 2Dreamrunners 2012 campaign in which our goal is to raise $8000.00 to grant a wish for a child with a life threatening condition. Thank you to all who have supported us this far, but we still have a long way to go to reach our goal.

In terms of my experiences on the run, I really learned a lot of respect (again) for my health. It was not a personal best for me on the clock, but I achieved incredible gains in mental strength and was blessed with the feeling of sharing the benefits of my training with more than just me.

I will ask you now to clear your mind and go on an emotional roller coaster ride with me. Stop, and think about your family. Most of us are pretty normal. We get a cold or flu, we bump up our knees when we fall off a bike, or we strain a muscle or two when we shovel snow. What if that all changed tomorrow? Chances are you know someone who's world has been suffocated as someone they love has been hit by a wall of uncertainty that a life threatening medical condition brings.

With running, this feeling can be compared to hitting the wall, or feeling like you just can't go any further, only with running that feeling is temporary, and chances are, like I did in my recent race, you can give your mind control and fight the fight you need to gain your strength to finish the race.

Our family  at Make-A-Wish BC and Yukon

A child however, may not know how to gain this mental strength when they hit the wall. Imagine if it were your child and someone came along and gave them a hand with a boost to climb over that wall . It may be a wish to meet a celebrity, or to be a fireman, or a chef, or an ambulance attendant for a day. The wish helps to give the child's mind a boost of strength to climb or plow through the wall. It is the power of positive energy at work.

If we needed Make-A-Wish for a child in our family, they would be there for us, so because we can, we are helping to build their strength for families who need wishes now.
Thank you for helping us achieve our goal and helping us pay it forward.

To make a donation in support of 2DreamRunners 2012, Click here and choose 2DreamRunners 2012 under support a specific BC Campaign and complete the rest of the donation form.

The Delicate Taper

It is taper week for all of those registered in the Vancouver BMO Marathon and Half Marathon. It's time to slow down my friends and conserve energy.

What is your favorite thing about taper week? I like the extra time on my hands from not logging as many kilometers on the road. I love that I can spend that time with my family who have supported me throughout the training process. I have the time to sit back and celebrate the grand challenge of the training process, and enjoy that accomplishment. 

Do you get nervous? If so, what are you nervous about? 

I am so excited to be in this race! Barry and I registered for it just a few days after the new courses were unveiled last October. We were newlyweds, and had just completed the Goodlife Fitness half marathon in Victoria. I am a little nervous about Vancouver because I  have been looking forward to this race since October and have visualized it as being truly epic! I had a little knee injury this winter, so my training for Vancouver hasn't been as "by the book" as I would have liked it to be, but I am now injury and pain free and ready to race!

 
Do you have a favorite meal the night before the race?

 I like apple crisp, and whole wheat spaghetti with marinara sauce. Not all mixed together of course, but I like to get both of those in me the day before.


 Do you have an article of clothing that comes with you every time?  

I have read that some people do. I always test my clothes for race day on my longest training run. Inevidabley there will be a spot that I missed with Bodyglide and I'll be healed and know for race day. I seem to have the same hat on a lot and that's because it keeps the sweat out of my eyes and it fits my head. 

We would like to congratulate all participants in the Vancouver event, and all other events going on this coming May 6th. Trust your training, believe in yourself and enjoy every moment. The dress rehearsal is over and it is your time to shine!

Please help us grant a wish for a child this year and let's pay this incredible energy forward to a little one battling a life threatening medical condition!  To make a donation in support of 2DreamRunners 2012, Click here and choose 2DreamRunners 2012 under support a specific BC Campaign and complete the rest of the donation form.

It's About The Journey

We are currently training for our first 2DreamRunner Make-A-Wish 2012 Campaign event which is the BMO Vancouver Marathon. Barry will be running the full and I will be running the half marathon. We feel lucky to take part in "RUN VAN"!

I am a normal person. I have feelings of doubt and fears of failure. I struggle with food choices from time to time. I don't always like what I see or do, but running makes me feel like all of that has no meaning. I celebrate my victories like everyone else, but I am a little shy to admit to myself when I've done good, so I certainly don't boast my successes. I acquire sheer happiness from helping others. A light bulb of warmth shoots through me when I help someone else succeed. I believe in paying it forward and always do my best to pass along helpful information when I can.

During my preparation,  I have been recalling quite a bit on my first ever race experience. Last May 29th, Barry and I ran the Abbottsford Run for Water 10k. I suppose I had a little bit of running practice under my belt; about 6 weeks to be exact. I was disappointed in myself. How could I be so slow. I was wrapped up in comparing myself to others. Some people would say that it was only my competitive nature, but I understand now that I was feeling athletically humbled for the first time in my life.

I was bound and determined that I should be able to run a 10k in under an hour because I was very fit. I clearly had not grasped the respect for the sport of running that I now have.
I remember the day I tried to run the pace I wanted to race at and I couldn't. Trying to run that speed really hurt and then I felt like quitting and I actually cried.

Wait a minute, though, when I started walking, I wasn't very fast, and when I started weightlifting, I wasn't lifting heavy, and when I started cardio kickboxing I sure couldn't keep up with my DVD buddy Chalene Johnson.  I learned how to swallow my pride (although my desire for speed still creeps up on me from time to time), and teach myself to enjoy the learning process.

Moments after we started the race, I looked down at my Garmin and realized we were running way faster than the pace I couldn't even get to in my training run. There is something very different about running in a large pack at sea level after tapering for a week and eating apple crisp the night before.

I have a deep respect for running now. I feel incredibly fortunate to participate, and it is something that Barry and I want to do for a long time. We have found something that we can do to help ourselves and the possibility of motivating others to join in the fun is indescribable. You have to try it!

If anyone asks I am always happy to share things that will help others succeed. I have a habit of trying things first the hard way so I get thrilled when I get it right and feel compelled to share. From emotions to chafing, and everything in between,  there's not much I won't discuss when it comes to running. I will be honest about the journey.

To make a donation in support of 2DreamRunners 2012, Click here and choose 2DreamRunners 2012 under support a specific BC Campaign and complete the rest of the donation form.

Join Us To Grant A Child's Wish!

We are so excited to share that we have officially launched our Make-A-Wish BC & Yukon 2DreamRunners 2012 fund raising campaign!

What is a wish?

A “wish” is a child’s personal, heartfelt answer to the question: “If you could go anywhere, meet anyone, have or be anything, what would you choose? What would you do?” 

 

Children are energized by a wish … by imagining it, describing it, planning and anticipating it. Families say that a wish can encourage a child to see a future to fight for, and then to fight on, often against tremendous odds. A wish gives courage and hope.

We are asking for pledges for three main events. The first one being The Vancouver BMO Marathon and Half Marathon. Make-A-Wish BC & Yukon has made donating super easy by adding us to their page where you can donate online to our campaign right on their website. There is no middle person so Make-A-Wish BC & Yukon gets your full donation. How cool is that?!

We are so thankful that we have such a fantastic network of support through you and we recognize the strength that comes in numbers. What a beautiful thing we can do together.

It is very exciting to realize that we will help a child with a life threatening medical condition experience a special wish.

Here are the numbers:

198 days to reach our goal of raising $8000. That is just $40 per day or 400 people donating $20 each. Is it possible that we have enough time and generosity from all of you wonderful people and your networks to double that? We are asking you to “share” our page, “like” our page and help us spread the word and reach our goal. We definitely can't do this by ourselves.

When we step out the door to train we give our time and we pay for our registration and travel to these events. We believe however that we can bring greater meaning to our efforts through the networking power of social media. Your involvement in our journey can make big things happen for others. That is the power of spreading the positive energy of health and wellness. It feels so good to help. In return for your support, we will share with you our positive experiences, pictures, stories, and our progress through the year – and share your contribution with the wish recipient. Feel free to email us if you have any specific questions about our training or fund raising events.

To make a donation in support of 2DreamRunners 2012, Click here and choose 2DreamRunners 2012 under support a specific BC Campaign and complete the rest of the donation form.

Please Remember To Share This and Thank You!

Don’t we all remember our first?

I remember my first hat-trick in hockey, the first time I shot par in golf, my first free-fall skydiving, my first bungee jump – and I remember vividly my first half marathon.  In our first post, Karen related the inspiration she found at the 2011 Vancouver Half Marathon Race.  In this second post, I’m going to give you my perspective as a first time participant.  For those who have participated in a big city run – I hope this brings you fond memories of your first.  For those that haven’t yet – hopefully you find it at least amusing to hear from my perspective what it was like for me.  

I also need to be clear that my journey to this place was made possible in large measure to Steve Price, Owner of Dream Travel Inc and Shelley Beaubien, National Clinic Administrator at the Running Room.  They were my Running Room online coaches and saw me through all 18 weeks of my training with tremendous advice and support.

Registration and kit pickup

It was very exciting to walk up to the Expo tent with all the people and the realization that I am here. As I walked into the expo, it hit me that this is a really big event and I’m part of it! I felt really proud because I felt like I belonged there – right from the start. I knew I had worked hard and had earned the right to race. I was also relieved that there were no issues with registration, my chip read right and all seemed in order. When we went by the Running Room area the second time I spotted John Stanton and he saw me too and waved. I went over and said hi and he remembered me from my first 5K in Kelowna the previous fall – it was really great to introduce him to my family. He chatted with us all, signed my book and was pleased to have a picture of all of us taken with him. That was really great! I walked out of the expo supercharged and feeling terrific.

Saturday morning jog

After a somewhat interrupted night thanks to our hotel neighbours, I’m out for a 3k loosen up jog at 8 am. I plan to run part of the race start and experience the little hill on Beatty Street. Once I’m out of the hotel it feels so good to run! It is a sunny but cool morning and there is very little traffic around. I jog down the stairs to the start of the race and start down the route for the first time. I feel wonderful – my legs have been aching from not running for two days and the slow taper week. I cruise up Abbot Street and turn up the hill on Beatty – it’s nothing – I don’t feel it all – this is awesome! I am tempted to take off down the viaduct and keep running but know that would be too much this morning – I have to be patient and save my energy. I jog back to the hotel and get ready for a great day of hanging out with my family – relaxin’.

Saturday afternoon and evening

After a few hours at the Vancouver Aquarium, Karen and the kids go shopping and I went back to the hotel to rest my legs. I try to sleep but the Canucks hockey game starts in two hours and the fans are arriving outside and they are noisy. I decide to get my gear ready, pin my bib, lace my chip, place everything in a separate drawer so that I can pull it out in order in the morning and put it on. This is good therapy.

In the evening we go to the Spaghetti Factory and I have bread with butter, salad with Italian dressing and a plate of spaghetti with meat sauce. I pass on ice cream – too much fat right before the race and I’ve already had a bunch of butter. We get to bed by 11 pm and I fall right asleep. I have a great sleep. Wake up once at 4 am to go to the bathroom.

Race Day

Up at 5 am. I’m rested, not tired and not too anxious either. I hit the bathroom and then get my gear on – then have some yogurt, oat flakes, banana and water for breakfast. Two more bathroom tries and we are out the door by 6:10. My family was awesome and we’re ready to go on time! I was wearing old sweats over my running gear that I planned to take off in the line and leave – it was about 7 degrees or so. In the end, I left my bag with my stepson Jake and put the sweats in there as it wasn’t that cold and I didn’t want to have to deal with the gear check. Once we got down there I immediately got in line for the bathroom. I felt really good – not nervous at all – just ready. We made plans for meeting up after the race and then I went to get my spot in line. I jogged about 500 m or so just to get the blood moving in my legs and warm up a bit. Got set up right behind the 2hr pace bunnies. I chatted a bit with runners near me and then heard shouts from above – my daughter Cassidy, Jake and Karen up on the viaduct and taking pics. 

We start

Once the race started I was happy to get going, started my watch as I crossed the start and away we went. There was adequate room in the pack – not as cramped as I felt at the start in Kelowna. The inside of the corners got jammed up and I and others jumped up on the sidewalk on the first corner. (Looking back on it – it’s ok to slow down and stay on the road). We ran the first K around 5:50 walk-adjusted (WA) pace – perfect for me. The bunnies picked it up right away after that and we settled in on about a 5:25 – 5:30 WA pace. This felt very comfortable to me – my breathing was solid and my legs felt good. An interesting phenomenon I noticed is how quiet it gets in the pack. When you start there is lots of chatter and announcers and music. Then you get out on the road there are fans cheering on the side of the road, but it’s very quiet in the pack – just footsteps. It’s quite calming to be in there surrounded by everyone and feeling comfortable. I really liked that feeling of being comfortable at the pace and kind of the camaraderie of being with so many others doing the same. I like to run in the middle of the road – no camber.  I ran past the first hydration station before I noticed it – luckily had water on board. Around 3 K I tossed my blue gloves off to the side of the road – plenty warm now. I had a GU around 4K with some water – feeling really good!

Downtown and Stanley Park

Karen and the kids were waiting at Pender and Cambie and I ran over to the side to see them. We high-fived as I went by and that was a HUGE boost for me!  Cassidy took this pic - what a great moment!  Through the downtown another kewl phenomenon – the sound of the footsteps is amplified and reverberated down at you off the high rise buildings. I got water at around 7K and that felt really good. Next we headed into Stanley Park and just held the same 5:30 pace all the way to the hill. We passed 10K around 56 minutes and half-way right on the hour. I GU at about 10K. I have had to pee since the first K and it is starting to be on my mind. I’m checking the bushes along the road and contemplating dashing in there but don’t.
 

The Hill

I now have the experience behind me and it will be easier to deal with next time. But the hill (Prospect Point) was making me very anxious. I have thought about it for months and, quite frankly, gave it too much credit. This would turn out to be a problem for me later. I kept thinking, ok, just around that corner is the hill – this happened for 3 turns and still no hill!! I can hear a lot of cheering and a loud band ahead – that must be it. (a look at my Garmin data shows my heart is racing now – so anxious about the hill). Finally, there it is. I see runners ahead of me already a ways up the hill and they look solid. I brace myself and say I can do this....
We turn the corner at the bottom around the giant cedar – it’s pretty steep but not as steep as my hill repeats hill. I slow down a bit and try to shorten my stride, pump my arms and steady my breathing (the Garmin data shows my heart rate has dropped dramatically at this point – key learning – it is easier to do it than to worry about it). The hill itself is not bad at all. I chug up there steady and pass quite a few people. I take a breather at the switchback and walk for about 15 seconds – then keep running. The bunnies are ahead of me now and so I try to keep up. They don’t really stop for water at the top – I do. I think for a moment – ok, that’s over with and wasn’t too bad. I head down the small dip after the summit and on the way up the other side I start to really feel my legs go to rubber. I notice there is a bathroom available so I quickly run in there to pee.

Hill Karma….. Really?

From 14 K to about 17 K I struggle. My legs are weak, I feel I’m very tired, I’m hot and thirsty. I found myself having to take more frequent walk breaks but I try to keep them short so that I’m not losing a lot of time. As it turns out, my Garmin data shows I kept up the same pace – but I really felt like I might not be able to make it. The cheering people along the road really did help keep me going – this was where I had to dig deep in my gut and just plow through. I had consumed all my onboard water but had planned to GU at 15K – so I did with no water. I believe I accumulated a bunch of lactic acid just prior to the hill and on it – and the effects played out in the next 3 K. There was water around 16 K and I needed it so badly – 2 cups on my head and one in my belly.

Second Wind

I could see the Burrard bridge in the distance and thought – oh man, that’s a long way off, then there’s Granville, and still a long way to go...can I do this? Then something happened – the GU kicked in, the lactic acid cleared, I cooled down...I’m not sure, but it’s almost like I woke up. And there in front of me was the little hill under the Granville bridge. It looked like about 200m and pretty steep. Ok, dig in, shorten the stride, pump the arms, breath...near the top I started to walk – my legs are VERY tired – but not dead.   There is a God – as I turn the corner at the top of the hill with lots of people cheering, the road goes slightly downhill and there’s a water station!!! After another cup of water on my head and two in I start to run again. My legs are so heavy again! But I have new resolve. I’m almost at 2 hrs elapsed time and I know I will not make my goal time – I need to be smart. So I take a full 1 minute walk break, gather my composure and get ready to run it out.   A minute gone by, OK – start running. I feel much better – I’m sore but my legs feel lighter and I have renewed confidence. I can see the stadium and I can hear the distant cheering is very loud. I CAN DO THIS! I’m close now – its only a couple of K! I settle into a nice steady run pace and resolve to just hold it – just keep running this pace till I’m there – no more stopping! I’m able to settle in and am really buoyed by the cheering supporters. 

I hear screaming from above me.  Looking up I see my family hanging over the overpass cheering wildly for me. I wave, give a big smile – they give me another big boost – wow that was GREAT! I can see the end now, just keep running steady pace – smile – yes, I’m almost there. As I approach the finish I put my hands in the air – not because I want a good photo – but because I DID IT!! I did not give in, I gave it my all, and I finished!

I collect my medal and revel in the fact I’m done – oh how good that feels!! More water and the best quad stretching of my life! 

I feel like I have really accomplished something big – this was big for me – wow!

Have you ever stood at the finish line of a long race and watched everyone come in?

If I were to go back 10 years, Karen and athlete would not be in the same sentence. If I could go back just 1 year from today, I definitely would have never called myself a runner. I have been an aerobic, kickboxing, weightlifting, and walking enthusiast. That is how I transformed myself from unhealthy heavy sadness to a fit, confident woman.

Over the years, I have learned to mix my routines up to keep them interesting, and maintain the lifestyle I've grown addicted to, but I didn't think I'd ever choose running.
It looks hard, it feels hard, and I was scared to face the fact that I wasn't as fit as I could become. I might not be good at it. People may laugh at me when they see how slow I am. Wow, suddenly the fears of my youth resurface.

Barry started running in the winter of 2010/2011. He was training for the BMO Vancouver half marathon. I was inspired watching him train. I watched him get faster, stronger, and I got to celebrate with him as he reached personal best marks with distance and time. He looked amazing and was (and still is) so happy.   While he was training, we decided to sign up for a 10k run together that fell 1 month after Vancouver. I didn't think I had to train to run a 10k.I clearly did not have a true understanding of the sport.Thankfully, Barry's persistent encouragement for me to at least train a little bit paid off.

I started running mid April 2011. It was hard. I learned very quickly, that I wouldn't be great at it just because I was fit. So what was interesting was that even though I didn't like that I wasn't good at it, I grew increasingly inspired to get better. As I saw with Barry, practice makes your body respond. So I began practising.

The most inspiring time for me was Barry's race day. He had been present for all his rehearsals. He knew exactly what his race plans were, and this was his time to shine. His celebration of his fitness. This was his performance. I felt so proud of him.  As our two teenagers and I found a superb viewing area, I couldn't help to notice all the people. They were lining up by the thousands. They were all ages, sizes, heights, widths, elite, and regular folk, and they were all celebrating their fitness together.The streets were closed to traffic, and musicians and volunteers were plentiful, all in honour of the runners. And all of the runners were having their personal victories of the journeys they had discovered on their paths to this celebratory day. The energy was unstoppable excitement. I remember feeling envious that I wasn't in the lineup. I wanted to be part of that. I wanted to celebrate my fitness too! 

When we were eagerly awaiting Barry's arrival at the finish line, I noticed something else incredible. All shapes and sizes and ages and regular folk were crossing at the same time. The same thing was in their eyes. Pride! Well deserved pride and victory when the finish line is there, and their loved ones are there to greet them.

Then we spotted Barry and he spotted us too, and an overwhelming sense of pride wooshed over me, as my eyes welled up with tears. We cheered him in like the superstar he was!  I craved the victory that Barry and so many others felt that day, and that was stronger than my fear, so that's when I decided to practice running more.

Karen