A New Slimmer Version?

Carrying extraneous weight does impact your ability to optimize your speed. (Nitmos,)

So, I'm back, older, wiser, heavier, oh, yes a Marathoner!

I have to say, I always have a great time with my Dad. He totally exhausts me, but you know what? We always have fun! Time flies when he is here and we laugh, exchange memories, challenge one another and yes, we do exchange words but none the less, we have a great time.

The morning when he is getting ready to leave, we always say that we can't believe how fast the visit has been. This visit we had a blast and for this I am grateful. We made more memories and had a rare moment in time to be friends, not parent nor child. Why is it always easier to tell your friends and acquaintances that you love them, but between my Dad and I, it is always difficult, to the point of non-existent to tell each other we love one another. I suppose it is just one of those "too close for comfort" experiences, yet we know that we do. He is a World War II Hero, a retired Police officer and my dad.....

So, I'm back;

How do you gain weight when you train for a marathon? You run, you sweat, you take gels, you take vitamins, you sweat some more....and still you gain weight! I love my friends who say, "BUT, I thought you'd lost weight" or geez, you look better than you did!

Nope, after attending the Sports Nutrition seminar a few months ago, the professional said I was twenty pounds over weight. Well, okay, I use to weight that, but I was also twenty years younger.

When I was a flight attendant, we had to weigh in and we had grooming checks....at 5'10" I could not weigh more than 140 lbs., without fear of suspension

Well, I can no longer put this off, after seeing the photo's from the marathon, YIKES!!! I'm taking up the challenge even though I have to purchase bathroom scales!!!

Even after all the training, I do feel that I need to tone up a bit and hopefully with cross-training for the next bout of self inflicted torture, I'll achieve that.

My next run is on July 1st, a 10K run on Canada Day to support our Canadian athlete's in Beijing.

I had toyed with the idea of teaching the next half marathon clinic at our local Running Room, however, with my stay-cation and my dad being here it just wasn't the right time. With that being said, I am going to be a 2:15 - 2:30 pace person for the clinic. This will be fun meeting a whole new group of runners wanting to up their own fitness and running challenges, targeting for their first half marathon.

Tomorrow I'm off to purchase scales and start the Weight Loss Challenge!! Check it out with Viv, no joke I'm in on this......

Can you believe we are starting a new month? This year is flying by and so for everyone out there competing this weekend, be strong, be safe and have a great time!!

Life's fun if you don't weaken,

Lily

On "Stay-cation"

Thank you everyone for the wonderful congratulatory wishes for the Marathon, as well as the Birthday wishes. I really appreciate all of your kindness.

My 88 year old father is here this week while I am on Stay-cation, which is staying at home while on vacation!

He keeps me very busy so I won't have much time to be visiting with you. Dad has won many awards for his gardens in Toronto, so I'm going to put his expertise to great use while he is here. I tell you, he can run rings around me, just hope I'm still as active when I reach 88!!

Have a great week, stay safe, train hard and for everyone competing this coming weekend, have a great time!

Life's fun if you don't weaken,
Lily

Wordless Wednesday

Sun burn, blood blister & Port-a-potties ~ oh my!

Well, I’m a Marathoner! WOOOO HOOOO!

You couldn’t have asked for a nicer race to lose your Marathon virginity to!

Let’s start at the beginning of the weekend. Friday afternoon my Woo Hooo running girlfriends and I went to the Sports Expo, which is just getting better every year. Though I must admit, I was disappointed with the Marathon Jacket, I do love the funky new race kit bags they gave out when you picked up your bib number and timing chip . . . tre chic.

We of course tried on everything imaginable, I ate my way through the various booths and of course learned and saw a ton of ‘new’ racing inventions . . . yes Bob, the Tiger Tail was there although I didn't get one! Yet.

After spending a wad of dough and many hours there, we headed off to carb load at a wonderful Italian Restaurant called Capone’s. We laughed and chatted and laughed some more as we ate our dinner and swilled down a glass or two of red wine . . . We always have such a blast when we get together.

Saturday for me was busier than I had anticipated but that was okay, however, I didn’t get the chance to go back downtown to watch my Woo Hooo girlfriends and families run the 10K race Saturday evening. The weather was warm and very windy, but they all had a great run.

Saturday evening I set my alarm clock for 4:15 a.m. and headed off to snooze-ville. Luckily, I woke up at 4:15 automatically because I had forgotten to re-set the volume on the alarm . . . that could have been a disaster! Woo Hooo Anne and Dean were at my place at 5:30 sharp, we loaded up the car and headed downtown.

The downtown area was already teeming with runners and well wishers by the time we parked the car and off we went to meet up with my five hour running friends, Jen and Shirley, Rick and Teena, by the time we were done with the port-a-potties, they had already played the National Anthem and the elites were off and running, which meant we had to haul ass to get to our respective corrals.

We had a chance for a quick high five and hugged all round and the gun went off and away we went.


No, I didn’t take my camera folks, there were just too many other things hanging off my belt as it was, but I do have pictures!

Anne and I headed off at a very comfortable pace, the day was bright, cool and very sunny. We could not have asked for a better race day. Truly the running gods were looking down upon us, in more ways than one!

The course took us past the Parliament Buildings, along Wellington to our War Museum then over the bridge to Quebec. This is the same route I described to you earlier so I won’t take too much time explaining it again. Heading back to Ontario over the bridge was exhilarating because we knew that we would be heading back to the throngs of spectators.

Once back to Ontario we were at the 10K plus mark and we were heading down into Rockcliffe.


As I headed up the hill, I saw my Phoenix Phenom’s standing there with a HUGE run LILY run sign!

How awesome is that?! Thanks so much my friends, you truly made my day!

As we were heading down toward the Prime Minister’s house, the elite runners were on their way back and past the 21K mark, they were flying....and so were their paparazzi, it was incredible to see the leading female fly by as I was trundling along, it was a magical moment for me.


On we went meeting up with runners that we knew along the way. With a quick pit stop, we were heading back toward downtown and the 21K mark.



When we got back to downtown Ottawa we turned left and headed down the canal, amongst a huge throng of spectators, so many so, they were choking up the race route plus the really fast half marathon runners were gaining on us. I headed over to the right-hand side of the road so the flying half’s could zip on by . . . even with doing that we were being jostled a lot by the speedy speedsters . . . one guy commented that why do they let "these old slow runners on the course," to which I replied, I’m doing the marathon chum, "leave a lung on the pavement if you wish, have a great race", aren’t I Ms. Sportsman of the Year?


I was trying to stay out of their way as well has hydrate and take my gels, I opened my pouch to get out a gel and got bumped causing all of my carb-booms to spill out onto the pavement. There were so many runners coming it would have been dangerous to try to retrieve them. Another live and learn while on the run, so to speak. Luckily I had tucked a couple of Vector Bars into my other pouch (told you I looked like a pack horse), so that was my saving grace to keep up my energy.

We finally got down along the canal to where the Half Marathon runners split off to continue along their route and we head down toward Hogs Back Falls. Off to my left I spotted a port-a-pottie tucked underneath one of the over passes, so I crossed over the roadways to, well, the obvious. Much to my surprise Anne was coming out of the pot, just as I reached for the door . . .


Once ensconced I couldn’t get out!

The door latch was stuck, oh crap, pardon the pun, I’m wasting time in the crapper!

Finally I got the freeking thing to open and I’m now looking out to the rest of the Half Marathon group and I can’t get back across the road to my route . . . well, after standing there for what seemed to be an eternity I dodged my way across through the Half runner’s and continued on my merry way. I could see Anne way a head of me at this point, I waved and kept on truck’n. The good thing about running with friends is that we start together but run our own race.

Anne was really settling into her zone and I was so happy for her. We were now heading into no man’s land, there were few to no spectator’s, lots of inclines and a few less water stations. We had to do some strange loop under an overpass and then up a huge hill, I could see quite a few of the runner’s slowing down to a walk. For me, it was perfect time to reflect upon all the training we had done, all the crappy weather we had run in, all the great friends we had made along the way and all the knowledge that was being put to the test. I was enjoying every moment! Sometimes it is just great to have to dig deep and reflect upon how lucky we are.

We were now heading toward the Experimental Farm and the Arboretum. Again we did a little loop through the Arboretum and then back out onto the road past Dow’s Lake and back along the other side of the canal.

You have to understand Ottawa is built around several water systems and is a lovely area with grand old homes with a lot of history, it is a spectacular location for a race with beautiful sights to take in as a runner and a spectator. You should run Ottawa sometime, you won’t be disappointed!

There were only about 6K to go when I, along with everyone else start to make their plan for the finish. Mine was to conserve a little energy so I could run in looking strong, upright and smiling. I met two very nice gentlemen who had the same plan, so we walked and ran together up to and over the Finish Line. Thank you so much for the wonderful company!

Upon crossing the finish line and having my chip removed, I headed into the recovery area, where I came upon several of the Running Room runners that I know quite well, we had our pictures taken and exchanged stories. Then I headed off to get some oranges and a recovery drink. Once I left the food tent I headed off to find my Woo Hooo friends, but found one of the gentlemen I ran the last 6K with.

We sat on the park bench and had a really nice conversation, he was headed off to get his medal engraved and I went on to meet my friends. Thanks Henk, hope we can run together again some time soon!!

When I came out of the recovery area, there they were, patiently waiting for me, all of my Woo Hooo friends with my tiara, a lovely bouquet of flowers and several congratulatory hugs, kisses and cards. What an outstanding day!

(Anne, me and Nancy (who ran the 1/2 marathon), just a few of the Woo Hoo Friends

The afternoon concluded with a big brunch at D’Arcy McGee’s with several BEvERages and of course a ton of laughs . . . tall tales, great renditions of the races and just being happy with a great group of friends.

I walked away with wonderful memories, great friends, old and new, a fantastic sunburn, a blood blister on one of my toes and a really funny port-a-pottie story. Does it get any better than this?

ING Marathon 2008 Memories!!!

Life’s fun if you don’t weaken,

Lily

Sunday May 25, 2008

Bib # 3382
(just in case you've got a lot of spare time on your hands)

Life's fun if you don't weaken,
Lily

Results are in, I'm upright and really smiling!!! And REALLY Happy with my time : check it out at http://www.ncm.ca/

or

LAUREL DAVIDGE
# 3382

Start 7:02:53

10K split 1:14:37

21K split 2:37:35

30K split 3:46:43

Gun Time 5:35:12

Chip Time 5:32:19

1071 (F)

81 (F50-54) age group....

NEW AGE Group on Wednesday......yup, 55!!!!

Report to follow in a day or so.....thanks everyone! Talk with you later.....

Life's fun if you don't weaken!

Lily

Not Long to Wait Now...

Normally I try not to start a sentence with the word or letter " I ".

Today though is going to be a little different because tomorrow I'm going to be a little different,

I'm going to be a Marathoner!

So, with that said....

I would like to thank

all of you

my face to face friends and my virtual friends for all of your

kindness,

support,

knowledge,

encouragement,

humour

and

most importantly

friendship!

This has been a very important road for me to have shared with you.

There is so much negativity in the non running community, what a blessing it has been to find so much positive energy that is so freely shared.....

Truly amazing!

For that I thank YOU!

For everyone racing, running, cycling, competing in a Tri this weekend ~ Best Wishes & Good Luck....be safe, be strong, and have fun!!

Life's fun if you don't weaken

Lily

Getting too serious??

For some reason, my competitive side is starting to raise her ugly head. Maybe it is not competitiveness, but maybe more along the lines of knowing what is entailed to get through this run on Sunday. Truly I can't call it a race when you travel along at my speed.

However, I am trying to suppress this feeling because, well, as my Wooo Hoooo girlfriends know, I can whip up a competitive challenge in just about anything.

So, here I am, making up pace bands, deciding where I should be in the race and at what particular time, deciding when I should be scarfing back carb-booms, PowerAde, Vector bars, yikes, and marking that in yellow hi-light on my pace band.

I look more like a pack horse than a marathon runner. You can always tell the back of packer's, just like me, they have multiple bottles of liquids, gels, toilet paper, cell phones, dragging a picnic table behind us, hey I should get one of those hats with an umbrella on the top....it certainly won't blow off the speed I travel at.

Now, here is my question! Do I take my camera on this run??

When I went to Phoenix in January I added an extra twenty minutes to my race time by stopping and taking pictures. Well, I had to, it may be the only Phoenix run I ever do in my life. How many times do you get to hug the Sun Devil's Mascot I might ask???

I've been doing a picumentary on most of my longs runs this winter and spring, do you really want to see more of our Parliament Buildings, the back of runner's legs, the belly-dancers that line the race route....I mean really!

A poll was going to be dropped into this post, but I'm at work so you know that every time I'm trying to set up the post, someone cruises by my desk, so, sorry no poll, just leave your answers.

Just like Triguyjt's wife, The Bride, who asks his opinion and then proceeds on her merry way, I may or may not take your suggestion!!! LMAO!!!

Life's fun if you don't weaken,
Lily