A fresh look from a different perspective can open a lot of eyes and provide an education on something you might not know. It's also motivating to get tips and tricks from those we look up to, who inspire us. This is a reason I decided to start guest posts. I have gained many friends through sports and racing, many of which are serious competitors and have great things to share, so we can all learn from them and improve.
I met Chris Champagne almost a year ago at the Owl's Head Spartan Super/Beast/Ultra Beast. He has completed many ultra beasts (each around 50km) as well as OCR World Championships (as mentioned below!).
Being a vegetarian, I don't have much knowledge surrounding animal-based protein, however I am always open to hear other opinions, and know that many readers eat meat and can relate. Chris goes into detail about supplementation VS. diet and if shelling out cash on expensive products is really necessary. This is a great topic because eating a diet without chemicals and byproducts can do a world of good to the body, and many vitamins and nutrients that our bodies need can easily be attained through eating whole, real foods. You should always be aware of what you're ingesting and Chris provides an awesome description on this topic.
Supplements VS Real Food
Which is more optimal for your body? I tend
to see a lot of people out there posting their “POST WORKOUT SHAKE” because
they don’t want to miss out on that magical 30min life or death window… I also
see people taking BCAAs to stimulate muscle growth and improve recovery after
workouts/long runs . Folks are shelling out big $$ every year on these
supplements but are they really as good as marketed compared to a well-balanced
diet?
NOPE.
First off, supplements are not
regulated by the FDA and when reviewed by independent studies have REGULARLY
been shown to not have the ingredients listed on their labels. But I digress…
Let’s look at two products… Optimum Nutrition (ON)
Gold Standard 100% Whey & ON
Gold Standard BCAA… VS… 6oz of steak.
At first glance.. ON recommends taking
their BCAA product 2-3 times a day (pre/during and/or post training). Based on
their nutrition label you get 5g of their BCAA blend per scoop (roughly 10-15g
per day if you’re doing 2-3 scoops).
ON also recommends taking “1 rounded
scoop” of their protein powder post workout… which, based on their label,
equates to 24g of protein.
Both of these products include ingredients such as…
“Natural and Artificial Flavors” (red flag #1... when a generic “ingredient” is
listed instead of the individual compounds that are ACTUALLY in it), Sucralose
(studies have linked this artificial sweetener to cancer, diabetes, gut issues,
etc… red flag #2), “Blue 2” (what?).
Now… let’s look at a 6oz flank steak. Ingredients…
steak. One 6oz serving of steak provides 36g of (complete) protein with roughly
6.2g of BCAAs.
Doing a little math here and using myself
as an example… If I’m consuming my MINIMUM daily recommended protein, 88.5g,
with steak alone (most studies show .5-.8g of protein per lb of body weight is
ideal) … I am getting slightly more than 15g of BCAAs from about 14.75oz of
steak WITHOUT all the processed powders with harmful chemicals (where does one
find the “Red 40” & “Yellow #5” tree by the way?).
Studies have shown that supplementing with
BCAAs when you are getting adequate protein intake from complete sources is a
WASTE OF MONEY because there are ZERO additional benefits. So combining this
knowledge with knowing that your body will not cannibalize muscle until AFTER a
72hr fast… Why are we wasting our time and money with supplements that do not
provide our bodies anything, really, besides harmful chemicals?
Chris Champagne
Avid nutrition/fitness nut, Pokémon master, and outspoken New England sports fan. He started racing in 2013 at the Boston Spartan Sprint in Amesbury, MA. Ever since has completed 5 collective Spartan Race trifectas, x3 Ultra Beast finisher, & two time 5 lap block earner from F.I.T. Challenge. He is also a passionate food connoisseur and self appointed master chef.
To visit his instagram click HERE!
Side note: as I am primarily plant based, and assume some readers may be as well, click here for a post about substituting animal meat for plant based awesomeness while still getting your protein.
If you're plant based like myself, you may have heard MANY times "but, where do you get your protein?!" *Insert eye roll here*
Replacing animal protein with plant protein is way easier than it seems! Especially with all the new products becoming available daily for vegetarians and vegans. Eating a plant based diet is better for you, and can aid in preventing and treating many illness and diseases, if done right. Balance is key.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8g/kg/day for adults. For someone who's 150 pounds, for example, would have an RDA of about 55g of protein a day.
If quitting meat is something you're interested in, or you're simply wanting to keep your meals interesting, heres some simple whole foods you can swap out, while still keeping up protein intake.
1. Beans - this is a common one. Beans are so versatile, and can be eaten with basically any meal. Breakfast, lunch with wraps or fajitas, or even supper on a stirfry or in a salad.
1 cup of black beans will give you over 15g of protein.
Plus you can bake it into amazing treats, like black bean brownies!
2. Tempeh - I like to call this tofu's lesser known cousin. Tempeh has a great texture, different than tofu, and is made up of fermented whole soy beans. Its delish on its own, or even on top of a bed of rice. This means that it retains more vitamins, and protein, in fact, one cup of tempeh has over 30g!
3. Tofu - many people have a problem with tofu.. I believe that this is because they had tofu that wasn't cooked properly. Tofu is made of soy milk in block form, either soft, firm or extra firm. When done right, tofu doesn't have a spongy texture, you can actually make it firm and rich with flavour. I recommend pressing a block between heavy books for 30 mins to squeeze out water, than marinating similar to a steak. With the excess water gone, this leaves the tofu able to absorb all the amazing flavour and taste from the marinate. Tofu can be great in a scramble (replacing eggs), on top of pad Thai or stir fry, or even sliced thinly on sandwiches. In 1 cup of tofu there is about 20 g of protein.
4. Chickpeas - also known as garbanzo beans, are lentils. Most of you know, chickpeas make up hummus. That itself should convince you how yummy chickpeas are! These are great baked with spices (think cinnamon/sugar, garlic/cayenne, or just sea salt), in salads, or even a side with beans.
1 cup of chickpeas is almost 40g of protein.
5. Edamame - almost 20 g of protein in one cup, these cooked soybeans are a great snack or side dish at meals.
6. Nuts/almonds/cashews/pumpkin seeds - very protein rich in a small package. Great for snacking and easy to access. Protein depends on type of nut.
7. Broccoli - 1 cup of these little trees gives almost 3g of protein. Great as an addition to meals, if you're into broccoli ;)
8. Spinach - also great in addition to meals, have a 2 cup salad with spinach and you're adding almost 3 g of protein, while getting your veggie intake up. (Beer optional)
9. Kale - delicious in salads or baked with oil and sea salt, or even blended into a smoothie.
1 cup gives you 3 whole grams of protein, plus tons of vitamins.
10. Chia seeds - these are a protein and vitamin packed superfood, great in smoothies or added to oatmeal in the morning. 2 tbsp adds 4g of protein.
Replacing meat with plant based foods is simple and provides just as much macronutrients, without all the fat and cholesterol ;)
Now, if you're vegan/vegetarian and someone asks "but where do you get your protein?!" you can answer with a list of 10 protein packed awesome foods!
Enjoy,
The Rural Runner
Replacing animal protein with plant protein is way easier than it seems! Especially with all the new products becoming available daily for vegetarians and vegans. Eating a plant based diet is better for you, and can aid in preventing and treating many illness and diseases, if done right. Balance is key.
The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) of protein is 0.8g/kg/day for adults. For someone who's 150 pounds, for example, would have an RDA of about 55g of protein a day.
If quitting meat is something you're interested in, or you're simply wanting to keep your meals interesting, heres some simple whole foods you can swap out, while still keeping up protein intake.
1. Beans - this is a common one. Beans are so versatile, and can be eaten with basically any meal. Breakfast, lunch with wraps or fajitas, or even supper on a stirfry or in a salad.
1 cup of black beans will give you over 15g of protein.
Plus you can bake it into amazing treats, like black bean brownies!
2. Tempeh - I like to call this tofu's lesser known cousin. Tempeh has a great texture, different than tofu, and is made up of fermented whole soy beans. Its delish on its own, or even on top of a bed of rice. This means that it retains more vitamins, and protein, in fact, one cup of tempeh has over 30g!
3. Tofu - many people have a problem with tofu.. I believe that this is because they had tofu that wasn't cooked properly. Tofu is made of soy milk in block form, either soft, firm or extra firm. When done right, tofu doesn't have a spongy texture, you can actually make it firm and rich with flavour. I recommend pressing a block between heavy books for 30 mins to squeeze out water, than marinating similar to a steak. With the excess water gone, this leaves the tofu able to absorb all the amazing flavour and taste from the marinate. Tofu can be great in a scramble (replacing eggs), on top of pad Thai or stir fry, or even sliced thinly on sandwiches. In 1 cup of tofu there is about 20 g of protein.
1 cup of chickpeas is almost 40g of protein.
5. Edamame - almost 20 g of protein in one cup, these cooked soybeans are a great snack or side dish at meals.
6. Nuts/almonds/cashews/pumpkin seeds - very protein rich in a small package. Great for snacking and easy to access. Protein depends on type of nut.
7. Broccoli - 1 cup of these little trees gives almost 3g of protein. Great as an addition to meals, if you're into broccoli ;)
8. Spinach - also great in addition to meals, have a 2 cup salad with spinach and you're adding almost 3 g of protein, while getting your veggie intake up. (Beer optional)
1 cup gives you 3 whole grams of protein, plus tons of vitamins.
10. Chia seeds - these are a protein and vitamin packed superfood, great in smoothies or added to oatmeal in the morning. 2 tbsp adds 4g of protein.
Replacing meat with plant based foods is simple and provides just as much macronutrients, without all the fat and cholesterol ;)
Now, if you're vegan/vegetarian and someone asks "but where do you get your protein?!" you can answer with a list of 10 protein packed awesome foods!
Enjoy,
The Rural Runner
You are not alone. I promise there's more than a million of us. We're newbies, weekend warriors, the couch potato turned athletes. We're slow. And that's nothing to be ashamed of. We still get out there, we still wake up early. Sweat. Suffer. We still try our hardest. Even if our hardest, is a 20 minute mile. Even if our fastest, is someone else's slow. Even if your running is someone else's walking. We all start somewhere. It takes time and effort to work your way up to greatness. It takes rising with the sun, commitment, and pushing yourself into an uncomfortable place, to make yourself better. And sometimes our better is being able to run a kilometer without stopping, or climbing that hill we've been struggling on, or running a pace we originally never thought possible. Accomplishments don't have to be huge for you to be proud.
I always cheer harder for the slow runners. They're the ones who could have said, no not today, I'm going to skip this workout, I'm gonna sit at home and stay in my comfort zone... but didn't.
I am a slow runner. I know how it feels to be pushing, heart rate high, sweat dripping, struggling to breathe, only to look down and see the last km took 8 minutes. I know how it feels to cross that finish line knowing you came in last place. To feel embarassed because you took the longest at a race, and got passed by everyone out there. There have been many dark holes that I have had to mentally pull myself out of, while running. So much self-doubt, disappointment and defeat. Thinking that your best, just isn't good enough. Well guess what - it is, and you are good enough. You might have finished that marathon last, but billions have never ran one at all. You took that risk, you pushed through that pain, and yes it might have been slow, but you did it.
Someone always has to come in last, the beauty is in knowing that you still finish and put in that effort, because guess what.. One day your best is going to get better. Your current fast pace will eventually feel like an easy jog. You last place finish will turn into a top 50% win. And you can feel proud in knowing where you started from, and how far you came. Don't quit just because you run slower than someone else, don't waste your potential. You just have to keep going.
"A river cuts through rock, not because of its strength, but because of its persistence."
Keep running fellow turtles.
The Rural Runner
I always cheer harder for the slow runners. They're the ones who could have said, no not today, I'm going to skip this workout, I'm gonna sit at home and stay in my comfort zone... but didn't.
I am a slow runner. I know how it feels to be pushing, heart rate high, sweat dripping, struggling to breathe, only to look down and see the last km took 8 minutes. I know how it feels to cross that finish line knowing you came in last place. To feel embarassed because you took the longest at a race, and got passed by everyone out there. There have been many dark holes that I have had to mentally pull myself out of, while running. So much self-doubt, disappointment and defeat. Thinking that your best, just isn't good enough. Well guess what - it is, and you are good enough. You might have finished that marathon last, but billions have never ran one at all. You took that risk, you pushed through that pain, and yes it might have been slow, but you did it.
Someone always has to come in last, the beauty is in knowing that you still finish and put in that effort, because guess what.. One day your best is going to get better. Your current fast pace will eventually feel like an easy jog. You last place finish will turn into a top 50% win. And you can feel proud in knowing where you started from, and how far you came. Don't quit just because you run slower than someone else, don't waste your potential. You just have to keep going.
"A river cuts through rock, not because of its strength, but because of its persistence."
Keep running fellow turtles.
The Rural Runner
When I'm craving something salty, FAST, nothing is better than a fresh batch of kale chips. These are a great alternative to store bought potato chips, and save you the fat and calories, all while increasing your veggie intake. They're super simple and take a maximum of 20 minutes.
Here's what you need:
- 1 bunch of fresh kale
- Oil (olive, coconut, personal preference. Coconut gives it a nice sweet and savoury flavor)
- Sea salt
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 and cover baking sheet with tinfoil or parchment paper
- Rinse the kale and allow to dry (always wash your veggies folks! Don't know who had their hands on it at the store)
- Remove the leaves from stems of the kale and discard the stems.
- Tear leaves into bite sized pieces (keep in mind they shrink a tad when cooked)
- Put kale leaves into a large mixing bowl
- Add oil (I use about 1 tbsp per bunch of kale. It's all up to your preference
- Sprinkle on sea salt. I prefer Himalayan pink salt, and use about 2 pinches worth
- Toss mixture to evenly spread
- Spread out on pan
- Bake in oven for 10-15 minutes (depending on how crispy you like them). Be sure to keep an eye on them as they can burn fast
- Enjoy!
Happy eats!
The Rural Runner
One of my favorite sweet treat recipes for a while now have been black bean brownies. These babies are DELISH, you literally cannot even tell there is beans in there, it's amazing! I add arbonne chocolate protein powder to increase the chocolatey taste and make the macros even better. Their product is the most delicious, smooth VEGAN protein powder I have ever had. Click here to purchase a bag of this amazing stuff! It's called arbonne essentials. Ps there's vanilla too!
Really, with all the healthy, whole ingredients in them it's hardly a cheat! Plus, there's no milk, eggs, or flour!
Guilt free protein rich black bean brownies!!
Maybe keep it a secret that there's beans in them until after your friends try and LOVE them haha.
Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 9-12 depending how small you cut pieces
Ingredients:
- 1 can of black beans (about 1-1.5 cups) rinsed well
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1- 2 scoops Arbonne Essentials chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or apple sauce
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of almond/soy/non-dairy milk add to create smooth batter consistency
Directions:
- preheat over to 350
- combine all ingredients to food processor (I use my ninja blender and works like a charm) and blend until smooth.
- pour into square 8x8 greased or lined pan (they will stick if you don't!)
- bake in oven 18-20 minutes
- refrigerate and enjoy!
Happy not-so-cheat meals ;)
The Rural Runner
Really, with all the healthy, whole ingredients in them it's hardly a cheat! Plus, there's no milk, eggs, or flour!
Guilt free protein rich black bean brownies!!
Maybe keep it a secret that there's beans in them until after your friends try and LOVE them haha.
Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 9-12 depending how small you cut pieces
Ingredients:
- 1 can of black beans (about 1-1.5 cups) rinsed well
- 1 tbsp cocoa powder
- 1- 2 scoops Arbonne Essentials chocolate protein powder
- 1/2 cup quick oats
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or apple sauce
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup coconut oil
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup of almond/soy/non-dairy milk add to create smooth batter consistency
Directions:
- preheat over to 350
- combine all ingredients to food processor (I use my ninja blender and works like a charm) and blend until smooth.
- pour into square 8x8 greased or lined pan (they will stick if you don't!)
- bake in oven 18-20 minutes
- refrigerate and enjoy!
Happy not-so-cheat meals ;)
The Rural Runner
Today I ran the Hypothermic half marathon in Moncton, NB. I had been planning on attending this race since about December (without really committing to a training plan.. stupidly).
Lesson one: if you decide to run anything more than 5k without training for it.. it will more than likely end horribly. (Just for some foreshadowing).
This has been a goal race for me since 2 years ago when I watched Kirk run it in Halifax on the Chain of Lakes Trail. Last year I completely trained for it, only to end up not running on the official day (myself and Kirk ran it for fun the weekend before anyways.. and you can read why in my recap here). Anyways, long story short, I saw his beautiful medal and decided on a new goal.. to earn a medal that represents each season. I already have a fall medal from the Valley Harvest half, so the next was a winter themed one, and this snowflake/abominable snowman medal was perfect.
Kirk and I left for the 3.5-4 hour drive to Moncton, hoping to make the kit pickup at the runners room. Luckily we got there before it closed and we're able to get the race kit? Which consisted of our bibs, a magazine, some snacks, an awesome runners room backpack (that I'm totally using as a day pack in Ecuador in 2 weeks!!) And a running toque. While at the store I bought a fleece buff for the race (since there was a 25% discount, and it's MUCH colder in Moncton than it was in NS.
After we picked up our race kit, we headed straight to the hotel to unpack our things. We stayed at the Fairfield Marriott which happened to be only about 6 minutes from the race venue.
Shortly after, we found an amazing vegetarian restaurant called Calactus and ate our faces off. The Supreme nachos were delicious and then I had a black bean burrito. I would have taken a picture, but we were so hungry after a long day of driving that we ate too fast to get our cameras out! Also as per tradition, we each had a pre-race day beer.
The next day we got up early, ate some oatmeal at the hotel breakfast then headed to the race. Turns out the race is in an industrial park.. which we hadn't realized.
Lesson two: pay attention to the race route and plan accordingly.
For some dumb reason I was thinking that the route would be similar to the Halifax hypothermic half.. with it being in a trail. Boy was I wrong! Neither of us brought road shoes and we seriously suffered.
Lesson three: trail shoes DO NOT work well for road races.
The race started at 9am sharp, with the Runners room maintaining prefer timing, as usual. They're so organized and it makes race day go SO much smoother.
Anyways, we started out with a great group of people following the 2:15 pace bunny. It's a jump, considering I hardly trained for this, and my fastest half is currently 2:20. The first 8km were going very well. I felt amazing and full of energy, was keeping up no problem with the pace bunny.. on perfect pace for a new half PR!
Somewhere around 8-9km in, I started to feel a familiar pain. The dreaded awful hip pain I know too well. I have been healing a stress fracture for over a year now and in my long runs sometimes the pain comes back to torture me. I think it was a combination of not being used to the repetitive pounding on the pavement, not wearing the proper shoes and the cold weather. It was minus 20°c and that made the joints super stiff. Safe to say, my knees and hips were hurting.
At work when someone is in pain, we have them use a pain scale. 0/10 being no pain, 10/10 being the worst pain you ever felt. By the time we reached around 17km I was at an 8/10 on the pain scale. At this point 2:15 was way out of reach, and I just wanted to finish the race without an injury.
Luckily Kirk was there to distract me with conversations about timbits and summer to do lists, because I couldn't have finished strong without him.
Lesson four: when the going gets tough, the tough rely on their running buddy. What you didn't know that's how the saying goes??
Overall we weren't last, and we certainly weren't in the top half, but I worked my butt off to finish. These hard races.. where we struggle to get through, to break through our walls and ignore the pain, these are the runs that cause us to grow and become stronger.
Lesson five: earned, not given.
I come out of this race, not with a new PR, or even a great story about achievement, but rather with a shiny new medal and knowing that I fought for every step to earn it.
Keep pushing for those goals friends,
The Rural Runner
Lesson one: if you decide to run anything more than 5k without training for it.. it will more than likely end horribly. (Just for some foreshadowing).
This has been a goal race for me since 2 years ago when I watched Kirk run it in Halifax on the Chain of Lakes Trail. Last year I completely trained for it, only to end up not running on the official day (myself and Kirk ran it for fun the weekend before anyways.. and you can read why in my recap here). Anyways, long story short, I saw his beautiful medal and decided on a new goal.. to earn a medal that represents each season. I already have a fall medal from the Valley Harvest half, so the next was a winter themed one, and this snowflake/abominable snowman medal was perfect.
Kirk and I left for the 3.5-4 hour drive to Moncton, hoping to make the kit pickup at the runners room. Luckily we got there before it closed and we're able to get the race kit? Which consisted of our bibs, a magazine, some snacks, an awesome runners room backpack (that I'm totally using as a day pack in Ecuador in 2 weeks!!) And a running toque. While at the store I bought a fleece buff for the race (since there was a 25% discount, and it's MUCH colder in Moncton than it was in NS.
After we picked up our race kit, we headed straight to the hotel to unpack our things. We stayed at the Fairfield Marriott which happened to be only about 6 minutes from the race venue.
Shortly after, we found an amazing vegetarian restaurant called Calactus and ate our faces off. The Supreme nachos were delicious and then I had a black bean burrito. I would have taken a picture, but we were so hungry after a long day of driving that we ate too fast to get our cameras out! Also as per tradition, we each had a pre-race day beer.
The next day we got up early, ate some oatmeal at the hotel breakfast then headed to the race. Turns out the race is in an industrial park.. which we hadn't realized.
Lesson two: pay attention to the race route and plan accordingly.
For some dumb reason I was thinking that the route would be similar to the Halifax hypothermic half.. with it being in a trail. Boy was I wrong! Neither of us brought road shoes and we seriously suffered.
Lesson three: trail shoes DO NOT work well for road races.
The race started at 9am sharp, with the Runners room maintaining prefer timing, as usual. They're so organized and it makes race day go SO much smoother.
Anyways, we started out with a great group of people following the 2:15 pace bunny. It's a jump, considering I hardly trained for this, and my fastest half is currently 2:20. The first 8km were going very well. I felt amazing and full of energy, was keeping up no problem with the pace bunny.. on perfect pace for a new half PR!
Somewhere around 8-9km in, I started to feel a familiar pain. The dreaded awful hip pain I know too well. I have been healing a stress fracture for over a year now and in my long runs sometimes the pain comes back to torture me. I think it was a combination of not being used to the repetitive pounding on the pavement, not wearing the proper shoes and the cold weather. It was minus 20°c and that made the joints super stiff. Safe to say, my knees and hips were hurting.
At work when someone is in pain, we have them use a pain scale. 0/10 being no pain, 10/10 being the worst pain you ever felt. By the time we reached around 17km I was at an 8/10 on the pain scale. At this point 2:15 was way out of reach, and I just wanted to finish the race without an injury.
Luckily Kirk was there to distract me with conversations about timbits and summer to do lists, because I couldn't have finished strong without him.
Lesson four: when the going gets tough, the tough rely on their running buddy. What you didn't know that's how the saying goes??
Overall we weren't last, and we certainly weren't in the top half, but I worked my butt off to finish. These hard races.. where we struggle to get through, to break through our walls and ignore the pain, these are the runs that cause us to grow and become stronger.
Lesson five: earned, not given.
I come out of this race, not with a new PR, or even a great story about achievement, but rather with a shiny new medal and knowing that I fought for every step to earn it.
The Rural Runner
2017 has already been pretty great!
It started out with an email before NYE, informing me that I've been accepted as a Pro Compression Ambassador! I applied for this before Christmas and then kept my fingers and toes crossed that they would consider me. Finally the big day came, and I learned that I was chosen as a #RunHundredAmbassador ! AKA one of only 100 people they chose! Im so excited to be able to represent this company that I've loved and worn for quite a while now. I started with calve sleeves for OCR races, and now progressed to being obsessed with their over the calf socks! This is a product I personally use and LOVE LOVE LOVE. Not once have I ever gotten a blister, not even in my first marathon ran in September while wearing these socks. Plus, they have beautiful designs that I've never seen on other compression products. They're so incredible and I can't wait to share my love of them with you all!
My new winter faves - The Ugly Sweater Sock!
Black and white stripes are also a go-to colour for me, since they match everything. Keep your eyes out for posts on discounts, etc!
For example, the new Sock Of The Month is beautiful.. I may have already ordered both colours ;)
Hope everyones New Year was incredible as well! For now, I will be writing new goals for the year, (click HERE for some goal setting tips) and continuing training for my first half of the year coming up in February!
Happy Trails,
The Rural Runner
It started out with an email before NYE, informing me that I've been accepted as a Pro Compression Ambassador! I applied for this before Christmas and then kept my fingers and toes crossed that they would consider me. Finally the big day came, and I learned that I was chosen as a #RunHundredAmbassador ! AKA one of only 100 people they chose! Im so excited to be able to represent this company that I've loved and worn for quite a while now. I started with calve sleeves for OCR races, and now progressed to being obsessed with their over the calf socks! This is a product I personally use and LOVE LOVE LOVE. Not once have I ever gotten a blister, not even in my first marathon ran in September while wearing these socks. Plus, they have beautiful designs that I've never seen on other compression products. They're so incredible and I can't wait to share my love of them with you all!
Black and white stripes are also a go-to colour for me, since they match everything. Keep your eyes out for posts on discounts, etc!
For example, the new Sock Of The Month is beautiful.. I may have already ordered both colours ;)
Use code "Wings" for 40% off AND free shipping (to the US, sorry Canadian friends.. but good news is shipping is only like $9!)
Second awesome thing so far is that I started off New Years GREAT by running the Johnny Miles New Years Eve Resolution run with Kirk! He came first (typical haha) and I dressed up in lights and decorations, played some music and had a BLAST! This is typically how we run races haha, he wins and I bring the excitement. (Plus I wore my awesome Christmas socks!)
Happy Trails,
The Rural Runner
Recently I ordered a pair of Icebug Spirit4 spikes online (its always a risk when you order stuff online and can't try them on! I chose Icebug, mostly because they were on sale, but also because I heard great things and needed to invest in a pair of good winter running shoes.
- they run very narrow. I ordered these in my normal shoe size, and they fit my feet, however if you're like me and have wide/flat feet you will probably have problems. I can feel pressure from the raised arch. After a few km my feet started to feel tired, best way I can describe it is as if my feet had a dull ache. Not good for someone with history of stress fracture on the outer aspect of my foot.
- chafing/blisters. They claim on the website that the heel cuff height has been lowered to prevent pressure on the achilles area of the foot.. but they can tell that to my bloody blisters. Note the photo below.. ouch. This happened even though I wore them around the house beforehand too. Hoping that I can work them in more and prevent this.
Overall the Icebugs are pretty good winter running shoes, if you have tiny narrow feet and can tolerate a few blisters. Most new running shoes need to be worked in regardless, so I'm hoping this is the case. I'll be wearing these a lot in the coming months as training for my next half amps up, and its nice feeling comfortable and safe running on snow/ice and knowing I'm not as likely to wipe out and break a leg.
Spikes make a world of difference and if these shoes can be worked in more they will pay off in the long run. Otherwise, if you have any different winter running shoe recommendations, I would love to hear them!
Happy Trails,
The Rural Runner
Pros:
- my feet stayed super dry and warm. Normally running on snow/slush/ice in the winter, I'll end up with freezing and wet feet by the end of it. My socks were completely dry when I was done running.
- the fabric is very sturdy and thick, also helping to keep feet dry and warm.
-they're super lightweight. I loved how it didn't feel like I was lugging around bricks on my feet. They feel light and I can move around well in them.
- their grip was AMAZING. I'm clumsy to begin with, so shoes with good tread, as well as solid spikes was a must for me. I didn't fall once and only slid around a couple times on the uphills when there was slush. I'm fairly impressed by how good the grip was on snow. So far, no black ice to test them out on, but I'm sure they will hold up.
- nice colours.. I didn't think I would from the look of the website, but I actually love the beautiful bright fuchsia colours within the shoe.
Cons:
- price. These Icebug shoes can run you up to $200+ dollars not including shipping or taxes. I got lucky and found them on sale on their website for $89, but if you're planning on buying the newer versions, expect to pay highly for them.- they run very narrow. I ordered these in my normal shoe size, and they fit my feet, however if you're like me and have wide/flat feet you will probably have problems. I can feel pressure from the raised arch. After a few km my feet started to feel tired, best way I can describe it is as if my feet had a dull ache. Not good for someone with history of stress fracture on the outer aspect of my foot.
- chafing/blisters. They claim on the website that the heel cuff height has been lowered to prevent pressure on the achilles area of the foot.. but they can tell that to my bloody blisters. Note the photo below.. ouch. This happened even though I wore them around the house beforehand too. Hoping that I can work them in more and prevent this.
Spikes make a world of difference and if these shoes can be worked in more they will pay off in the long run. Otherwise, if you have any different winter running shoe recommendations, I would love to hear them!
Happy Trails,
The Rural Runner
Today was the first day I woke up with snow on the ground.
I have a couple tricks.
Another way to keep up with winter running, is to get a running buddy. Even if its joining a running group! Nothing motivates me more than having another person relying on me showing up. Plus its great having a partner you can talk to and complain about how cold it is with!
If running isn't your thing, thats okay too! Just be sure to keep active during the winter doing different activities. I like to switch it up by going to the gym if the weather is super bad, going snowshoeing, putting ice skates on and going to a local rink for free skate, or even doing an outdoor workout with tires, sandbags, etc.
Snowshoeing is a great way to explore and get some fresh air, all while staying active. Plus they're not crazy expensive if you get a basic pair.
I know exactly what its like when you're up to your armpits in snow and don't want to go outside and be active in the winter. Motivation is at an all time low, and nobody wants to leave the warm cosy house and go freeze.. or shovel.
Another thing that motivates me to get through winter and stay active, is planning a race/vacation/trip for spring. This year, I have a couple races in my sight for early spring (Hypothermic half in February!) and want to start off the race season strong. It's hard to do that without training through the tough months.
Plus when it comes down to it, remember why you chose to live in this type of climate....
Happy trails!
The Rural Runner
Tomorrow will be December 1st and soon the snow will be sticking around for what feels like an eternity. Being Canadian, having to deal with terrible winter conditions is a common occurrence for me... and no, science hasn't yet discovered a way for humans to hibernate for winter.
So I guess that means we must come up for a solution to the Wintertime Blues, and keep our motivation up and running!
Nothing makes you stop dead in your tracks and question every life decision ever than waking up in the morning for a run during the winter months. Its still dark, its minus 16 degrees, and basically zero visibility, and every joint, muscle, and fibre of your being is frozen solid. You say to yourself, I can skip running today.. its too cold, or I'll start running again when I can see the ground. I'd be lying if I said I've never thought all of these at least 30 times.
So how can we kick ourselves in the butt, and still get out there and be active and have fun during the winter?
I have a couple tricks.
If you're like me and enjoy running, one of the most important winter running tips I can share are to dress appropriately. Now this might sound simple, "Oh I'll just wear a winter jacket and be warm!"
No. It doesn't work that way. Getting dressed for a winter run is a delicate and complex balance between wearing 1 layer too many and sweating like you're standing in a furnace, or not wearing enough and having your toes, fingers and nose turn blue.
Always open your door and feel the weather first. Just looking outside isn't enough, there can be very bitter winds in the winter. On extra cold winter days, make sure you have a snug breathable base layer that will help ventilate and not absorb sweat. On top, be sure to have a bit looser of sweater or jacket to trap the warm air and maintain heat close to your core. For bottoms, tights are always a good choice, and depending how cold it is I'll either wear compression socks or an extra layer of fleece lined pants.
Hats that cover your ears, and running gloves are a lifesaver as well. Some days its so cold that a balaclava might also be necessary (covers everything except your eyes).
Also very important while dressing, is shoes. Nothing can ruin a run faster than slipping and wiping out on ice. This will be my first year with spike shoes. Trail shoes perform okay on snow, but nothing compares to having the control and grip of spikes when running on ice.
Another way to keep up with winter running, is to get a running buddy. Even if its joining a running group! Nothing motivates me more than having another person relying on me showing up. Plus its great having a partner you can talk to and complain about how cold it is with!
If running isn't your thing, thats okay too! Just be sure to keep active during the winter doing different activities. I like to switch it up by going to the gym if the weather is super bad, going snowshoeing, putting ice skates on and going to a local rink for free skate, or even doing an outdoor workout with tires, sandbags, etc.
I know exactly what its like when you're up to your armpits in snow and don't want to go outside and be active in the winter. Motivation is at an all time low, and nobody wants to leave the warm cosy house and go freeze.. or shovel.
Another thing that motivates me to get through winter and stay active, is planning a race/vacation/trip for spring. This year, I have a couple races in my sight for early spring (Hypothermic half in February!) and want to start off the race season strong. It's hard to do that without training through the tough months.
Plus when it comes down to it, remember why you chose to live in this type of climate....
The Rural Runner
As we say goodbye to October, we begin to leave behind Halloween and beginning of fall excitement. It starts to be weird running in a costume..
But, it's November!
Fall is in full swing and the days are still getting shorter. Before we know it, the weather will be cold, frost will cover the ground in the mornings and eventually we're going to have snow. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about goals for the winter. Don't wait till New Years to make/update your goals, do it now! How much easier it will be, when come New Years Resolutions.. you're already 2 months ahead! Starting early, you will be so much more likely to continue and carry on with your goals.
For me, I update my goals every month. November is no different.
This month my goals are:
- Run 3-4x a week
- 2 of those runs on trails
- Go to the gym at least once a week
- Yoga 2x a week
- Try something new - thinking mixed martial arts
- Use social media less - its such a huge waste of time scrolling through a news feed all day
- Drink 1 jug of water a day (about 2 L)
- Have a smoothie every morning
- Sugar free for the month. Thats right - no sugar November! (refined fake sugars.. fruit and carbs are fine and encouraged!)
What are your goals for the month? I would love to hear them!
Cheers,
The Rural Runner
But, it's November!
Fall is in full swing and the days are still getting shorter. Before we know it, the weather will be cold, frost will cover the ground in the mornings and eventually we're going to have snow. Now is the perfect time to start thinking about goals for the winter. Don't wait till New Years to make/update your goals, do it now! How much easier it will be, when come New Years Resolutions.. you're already 2 months ahead! Starting early, you will be so much more likely to continue and carry on with your goals.
For me, I update my goals every month. November is no different.
This month my goals are:
- Run 3-4x a week
- 2 of those runs on trails
- Go to the gym at least once a week
- Yoga 2x a week
- Try something new - thinking mixed martial arts
- Use social media less - its such a huge waste of time scrolling through a news feed all day
- Drink 1 jug of water a day (about 2 L)
- Have a smoothie every morning
- Sugar free for the month. Thats right - no sugar November! (refined fake sugars.. fruit and carbs are fine and encouraged!)
What are your goals for the month? I would love to hear them!
Cheers,
The Rural Runner
Fall is officially upon us.
One of my favourite seasons, theres nothing better than taking walks in the brisk air to catch the fall leaves changing colour, or sit on the couch with a cozy sweater, book and cup of tea. Plus theres Thanksgiving and Halloween to look forward to.
This year, I've compiled a list of my five favourite things so far this season.
1. Post run baths
Theres just something about climbing into a hot bath with epsom salts and bath balls after a long hard run. Not only is it good for the muscles and joints, but good for the soul ;) and it will make your skin feel super hydrated and soft.
Recently I've been obsessed with products from a little bath shop in Mahone Bay called Sugar Bubbles. They have a great selection of scrubs, fizzes, soaps and my fave.. bath balls.
2. David's Tea
A cup of tea a day keeps the doctor away! For those of you who struggle getting your 2L of water a day.. tea is a great solution. Also a wonderful solution to coffee for you addicts ;) some has caffeine so you shouldn't withdrawal too badly if you switch, plus theres so many delicious flavours to choose from!
My current faves are the fall collection "The Great Outdoors":
- Blueberry Muffin
- Nutty Granola Crunch
- Pom Cider
- Carrot Cupcake
- Pumpkin Chai
3. Loaded Oats
Oatmeal is a fantastic food for runners. They're quick carbs that are easy to digest and provide a lot of energy for putting in miles.. plus they taste great.
Recently I've been loving a local companies apple cinnamon oats. Its all natural and local ingredients, and as it says on the back of the bag, No Weird Sh*t.
Nothing says fall more than spices and apples!
Of course I eat my oatmeal with a side of smoothie, tea and a great book.
4. Apple Cider
Like I said, to me nothing reminds me of fall more than apples and spice! (Except for maybe pumpkin too)
Thats why I'm loving a new local cider company thats come to Wolfville. They have refillable bottles for around $6-8 a refill, which is a great price. Apples are full of antioxidants and are perfect for detox (goodbye fall colds!). Plus cider is delicious and great paired with a nice pasta dinner.
The Annapolis Cider Company has $5 taste tests and my girl friends and I couldn't resist.
5. Fall Running
Let's face it, winter isn't too far away, and summer is long gone. However, fall makes for the best time for running. The air is crisp, the temperature is near perfect (you won't over heat, or freeze if you dress appropriately) and the scenery is something out of a movie. Our environment has a lot to do with how we feel, so getting outside into the fresh fall air and in the beautiful forests of gold, orange and red can be a huge mood booster. Not only will your endorphins kick in because you're being active, but your mind and body will thank you as well.
Plus it makes for some beautiful pictures!
Happy Fall!
The Rural Runner
This past year, I've been super into hot yoga, as the town I moved to has an adorable little spot called The Yoga Barn. The majority of classes are either Hot Power Vinyasa, or Warm Yin Yoga. So depending on whether or not you want a solid sweatfest of a workout, or a peaceful relaxing stretching session, those are the options. For me, it all depends where my schedule and shift work lands. Most times after a night shift, I'll stay up to attend the 9am class. Or if I am off, I'll go to which ever one is the hottest class of the day. This week, I was luckily off for all 4 days of yoga! (She has classes Monday-Thursday with some extras on weekends sometimes).
So I registered into the Hot power classes all four days. And as I'm sitting here typing, I'm realizing just how sore I am from 4/4 days of hot yoga. It's not as easy of a workout as everyone seems to think, and so I figured I would share with you all the thoughts that go through my head while I'm in class.
Okay, here we go I'm ready for a workout.
Woah, should have came earlier, its PACKED in here.
Okay there's a spot I can fit in!
Shit, it's at the front of the class..
Well I hope people behind me don't try to follow what I'm doing.
Alright, childs pose to start. I can handle this.
Deep breath in through the nose, deep breath out through the mouth.
I'm totally not a nose breather.. it sounds like I'm snoring over here..
First pose.. I got this.
Okay this isn't so bad, I'm not even really sweating yet!
Well then.. that must have just been the warm up.
Yup, now I'm sweating.
Right, focus on breathing. Opps.
Downward dog, my favourite because I can take a breathing break!
Oh, never mind we're doing another flow again.
If we do any more chaturanga's I'm gonna chaturanga on the floor.
Okay, yes focus on breath.
I've never sweat SO much in my life.
Warrior 2.. my shoulders are on FIRE.
Is anyone else sweating as much as me?
Like.. I'm literally DRIPPING on the floor
Chatu-friggin-ranga.. aka just do a slow motion reverse pushup until you collapse on the floor
Embrace the pain
Okay the sweat is literally in my eyes and I can't see.
Good childs pose, I'm just gonna lay here and die for a second.
Nope, no break were going again.
Damn it there I go losing focus again!
Breath in and high mountain, breath out and fold.
Maybe if I grab my towel and wipe my ENTIRE BODY no one will notice?
I think I have ADHD..
Just. Breathe.
Warrior three.
Yep and I just fell over onto the girl beside me.. SORRY.
How do some people have such good balance?
Phewf I think were slowing down.
Ah my breathing is almost normal now.
Savasana.. my favourite pose.
YES the cold compress.. ALSO my favourite.
Mmm it smells like peppermint.
I never want to move from my mat EVER.
That was amazing.
Im gonna be sore tomorrow!
When can I do that again!?
Maybe after a shower..
Ew, is that really how much I sweat?
What a GREAT workout!
Some day, I might be able to get through an entire yoga class without letting my mind wander, but today is not that day!
So I registered into the Hot power classes all four days. And as I'm sitting here typing, I'm realizing just how sore I am from 4/4 days of hot yoga. It's not as easy of a workout as everyone seems to think, and so I figured I would share with you all the thoughts that go through my head while I'm in class.
Okay, here we go I'm ready for a workout.
Woah, should have came earlier, its PACKED in here.
Okay there's a spot I can fit in!
Shit, it's at the front of the class..
Well I hope people behind me don't try to follow what I'm doing.
Alright, childs pose to start. I can handle this.
Deep breath in through the nose, deep breath out through the mouth.
I'm totally not a nose breather.. it sounds like I'm snoring over here..
First pose.. I got this.
Okay this isn't so bad, I'm not even really sweating yet!
Well then.. that must have just been the warm up.
Yup, now I'm sweating.
Right, focus on breathing. Opps.
Downward dog, my favourite because I can take a breathing break!
Oh, never mind we're doing another flow again.
If we do any more chaturanga's I'm gonna chaturanga on the floor.
Okay, yes focus on breath.
I've never sweat SO much in my life.
Warrior 2.. my shoulders are on FIRE.
Is anyone else sweating as much as me?
Like.. I'm literally DRIPPING on the floor
Chatu-friggin-ranga.. aka just do a slow motion reverse pushup until you collapse on the floor
Embrace the pain
Okay the sweat is literally in my eyes and I can't see.
Good childs pose, I'm just gonna lay here and die for a second.
Nope, no break were going again.
Damn it there I go losing focus again!
Breath in and high mountain, breath out and fold.
Maybe if I grab my towel and wipe my ENTIRE BODY no one will notice?
I think I have ADHD..
Just. Breathe.
Warrior three.
Yep and I just fell over onto the girl beside me.. SORRY.
How do some people have such good balance?
Phewf I think were slowing down.
Ah my breathing is almost normal now.
Savasana.. my favourite pose.
YES the cold compress.. ALSO my favourite.
Mmm it smells like peppermint.
I never want to move from my mat EVER.
That was amazing.
Im gonna be sore tomorrow!
When can I do that again!?
Maybe after a shower..
Ew, is that really how much I sweat?
What a GREAT workout!
Some day, I might be able to get through an entire yoga class without letting my mind wander, but today is not that day!
Peace, Love, Yoga.
Namaste,
The Rural Runner
The end of June I travelled to Toronto for the first time. Kirk and I arrived at the airport on the 30th and got picked up by his sister at the airport. We would be staying at her house for the week (thankfully, because there was no way we could afford a hotel). Once we settled in, we went for a beautiful run down on The Beaches - a great little shakeout run before race weekend.
That evening we had dinner at their house and had a couple beers before going off to bed. Travelling is exhausting!
I'm very proud to report that I completed the monkey bars for the first time in my life (yay!), completed the parallel bars that I had failed on the day before, AND did the slack line successfully! That felt great and I was completely burpee free up until the stupid rig. Yup, Burpees. Oh well, if 30 Burpees was all I had to do the entire race, I was happy!
Day 2 was definitely more muddy than the day before!
Lastly the fire jump, and Kirk was waiting for me at the finish with my medal! I love it when he does that, because he's always the first person I want to see. I finished strong with 36th.. Not much higher placement, but there was a lot of good racers that day. I'm pleased with that for my first super distance Spartan.
After the race we got a drive back with one of our racing friends and had lunch with him. We had a chill evening that day as well, all the excitement and racing had made us pretty tired.
That evening we had dinner at their house and had a couple beers before going off to bed. Travelling is exhausting!
The next morning we began our day bright and early and did all the typical tourist stuff..
Hockey hall of fame
Ripley's aquarium (my absolute favourite part of the entire trip),
and finally the CN tower.. standing on the glass freaked me out!
We had lunch at a delicious vegan restaurant called Fresh. It was YUMMY! and a great pre-race meal. We both got vegan tacos!
Then we made a pit stop for some DELISH ice cream from Sweet Jesus.
That night, we went back to the beaches to celebrate Canada day and see the fireworks, however after walking over 21 km that day, and knowing that we had to get up early and race the next day, we decided to head back and go to bed.
Hockey hall of fame
Ripley's aquarium (my absolute favourite part of the entire trip),
and finally the CN tower.. standing on the glass freaked me out!
We had lunch at a delicious vegan restaurant called Fresh. It was YUMMY! and a great pre-race meal. We both got vegan tacos!
That night, we went back to the beaches to celebrate Canada day and see the fireworks, however after walking over 21 km that day, and knowing that we had to get up early and race the next day, we decided to head back and go to bed.
Saturday morning we woke early to get ready for the race. Taped my knee with rock tape, eat a huge bowl of oatmeal, and got picked up by our HEXT teammates Fm and Jen.
The drive to Brimacomb ski was just over and hour. Before we knew it we were there, and I was pleasantly surprised at how small the ski hill was. I knew they would kill us during the race with down/up hill runs, but atleast it didn't seem too steep.
Once we were all checked in for the race everyone went to warm up and mentally prepare. Today was the sprint, so we were expecting only 6-8 km of hills, obstacles and mud. The elite heat started at 8am, with males and females leaving together. The course started directly straight up a hill. I was already gassed at 3/4 up, I completely underestimate the hills and overestimate my running ability. After walking to the top we reached our first obstacle, the 6 foot wall. I slowed to catch my breath, hesitated a bit (being a shortie, walls are a struggle for me), took a running leap, and climbed over on the first try. Surprisingly managed well. Right after that was more walls (over, under and through). Straight back down the hill after this, to the hercules hoist (I love Canada's herc hoist cause it's only a propane tank), followed directly by the 20ft rope climb. Which is brilliant and cruel.
I've somehow never failed the rope climb, partially because I'm too stubborn to stop, and partially because it's so high I'm terrified to drop. This one was a slow struggle for me, but I made my way to the top and rang that damn bell. Slowly slid down to the bottom, trying not to get rope burn, and began another ascent. At the top of the hill, there was a long row of monkey bars. The line up was long, I made it halfway and dropped off.. To my disappointment, successfully sending myself to the burpee zone, for the first of what would be MANY Burpees that day.
5 or so minutes later, I've finished my 30 Burpees and am back running. The next obstacle was the slack line. I was already pretty tired from my monkey bar Burpees from before, and approached this one way too fast, falling off at the board part, not even making the slack line. 30 more Burpees.
Back down the hill, where the 8 ish foot wall was waiting halfway. I've been known to struggle at this because it's so tall, however, after thinking about it before the race and coming up with a new strategy/technique, I aced it no problem and continued on my way. Reached the bottom of the hill and you guessed it, we went right straight back up.
I've somehow never failed the rope climb, partially because I'm too stubborn to stop, and partially because it's so high I'm terrified to drop. This one was a slow struggle for me, but I made my way to the top and rang that damn bell. Slowly slid down to the bottom, trying not to get rope burn, and began another ascent. At the top of the hill, there was a long row of monkey bars. The line up was long, I made it halfway and dropped off.. To my disappointment, successfully sending myself to the burpee zone, for the first of what would be MANY Burpees that day.
5 or so minutes later, I've finished my 30 Burpees and am back running. The next obstacle was the slack line. I was already pretty tired from my monkey bar Burpees from before, and approached this one way too fast, falling off at the board part, not even making the slack line. 30 more Burpees.
Back down the hill, where the 8 ish foot wall was waiting halfway. I've been known to struggle at this because it's so tall, however, after thinking about it before the race and coming up with a new strategy/technique, I aced it no problem and continued on my way. Reached the bottom of the hill and you guessed it, we went right straight back up.
At the top was the parallel bars. They zig zag up and down, and have a wonderful sprinkler pointed directly at them so that it's extra slippery and hard. 30 Burpees again. These ones were a struggle. And it felt like I was the only one there doing Burpees. At this point, I knew I wasn't doing well after so many Burpees and so much walking, so I decided to just have fun with it and not stress myself out over placement or time.
More ups and downs, sandbag carry,
Followed directly by jerry can carry, more running, most of it at this point was a blur.. More running through the woods (which is always fun!), lots of mud, spear throw (some how have managed to never miss this obstacle.. I credit my skills to Kirks teaching technique), barbed wire crawl,
then my arch nemesis.. The platinum rig.
Followed directly by jerry can carry, more running, most of it at this point was a blur.. More running through the woods (which is always fun!), lots of mud, spear throw (some how have managed to never miss this obstacle.. I credit my skills to Kirks teaching technique), barbed wire crawl,
The platinum rig destroys my confidence every time. I struggle hard with the rig. I've never once made it across. I like to blame it on my super short arm span and not being able to reach the rings. Of course.. 30 Burpees at this one too. I don't even want to talk about how many Burpees I had to do that day.. It was sad. Borderline pitiful.
Regardless, I climbed the rope mountain type obstacle (A-frame?), and finished strong at the fire jump, where a medal, water and shirt were waiting for me.
I finished 38th which I wasn't super pleased with, but can't complain, it wasn't my best race.
The good news is, I got to spend the day with a bunch of amazing friends/teammates!
I finished 38th which I wasn't super pleased with, but can't complain, it wasn't my best race.
The good news is, I got to spend the day with a bunch of amazing friends/teammates!
After the race, we went to the Toronto zoo with my teammates, which was an absolute blast!
By the time we got back, we were exhausted. We made supper, chilled out a bit, and went to bed early, as we would be repeating the same thing the next day.
By the time we got back, we were exhausted. We made supper, chilled out a bit, and went to bed early, as we would be repeating the same thing the next day.
Day 2, Sunday, was the super 12+km with the same obstacles as the day before, plus a few extra carries (tire, a pipe filled with water, ammo cans, and a tire drag.. My grip strength was wrote off), and a sternum checker (basically a board laying horizontally that's as tall as I am and you have to climb over. Then the other obstacles from the other day, more carries and more running.
Day 2 was definitely more muddy than the day before!
Lastly the fire jump, and Kirk was waiting for me at the finish with my medal! I love it when he does that, because he's always the first person I want to see. I finished strong with 36th.. Not much higher placement, but there was a lot of good racers that day. I'm pleased with that for my first super distance Spartan.
Monday came, and we decided a shake out run was necessary! We returned to the beaches for a nice run along the board walk.
Later on in the day, we decided to visit Casa Loma, a gorgeous castle from the 1800s in the northern part of Toronto.
We did a lot of walking around that day too, and ended our journey at Kirks brothers house. I had never met his brother Garett before, or his wife and kids, so I was very excited to be able to have dinner with them. It was the perfect end to our last day in Toronto.
Later on in the day, we decided to visit Casa Loma, a gorgeous castle from the 1800s in the northern part of Toronto.
We did a lot of walking around that day too, and ended our journey at Kirks brothers house. I had never met his brother Garett before, or his wife and kids, so I was very excited to be able to have dinner with them. It was the perfect end to our last day in Toronto.
The next morning, we grabbed an uber (our first one ever!) and got to the airport. It was Kirks birthday, so I upgraded us to first class, and for the first time ever, Kirks legs were crammed against the persons seat in front of him! Tall person probs.
Overall, I had an amazing trip to Toronto, it was very busy and jam packed with activities, but we had a blast and enjoyed our vacation. The weather was perfect the entire week so we couldn't have gotten any luckier!
Next up for races is Montreal, super and beast/ultra beast weekend.
I had been planning for the ultra beast, however after a lot of consideration, and the fact that I've never actually ran a beast before, I've decided to do the beast in the open heat with a few Nova Scotian friends. This gives my the opportunity to support and cheer on my boyfriend and teammates while they attempt the ultra beast, There will always be another ultra, and I think the smartest thing to do is a shorter race first to see how I handle 30+ km first, before jumping into the 50 k one. Especially since my furthest run so far is only 30k.
That's all for now!
Happy trails friends,
The Rural Runner