Well I am pencilling in so many races to the calendar. I'm going to Fredericton in a couple weeks to run the Fredericton Half Marathon and I just signed up for the CIBC Run for the Cure in October. I used to do it every year when I was in Fredericton so I figured I'm back so I should start again!
If you'd like to support me by making a donation, click the link below and donate away!
http://www.runforthecure.com/site/TR/RunfortheCureFY15/Atlantic?px=1020187&pg=personal&fr_id=1896
Tuesday, April 22, 2014
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Dentist and a sunny run!
Today is day 10 of my Whole 30 and I am finally feeling like I have my energy back. I was up and ready to get moving early this morning so I went for a walk with my mom then I headed downtown to the dentist for a cleaning! I'm embarrassed to say it's been over two years since I've had a cleaning. I used to be a twice a year girl, but then after some bad experiences in Korea I just kinda get putting it off. It was nice to get them cleaned again finally by my dentist! I've been going to the same one since I was a kid, they are practically family down there.
After my appointment I laced up my new runnings shoes and decided to go for a run downtown since I was already there! I got my new Brooks Pure Connect 2's in the mail this morning so I was anxious to try them out.
After my appointment I laced up my new runnings shoes and decided to go for a run downtown since I was already there! I got my new Brooks Pure Connect 2's in the mail this morning so I was anxious to try them out.
I've been running in Brooks Pure Grit's for the last few months and I really like them, so I figured the Pure Connect's would be just as good. Trying them out today was fun. They felt great on, a little snug in the toe box compared to the Pure Grit's but I think they will be fine for street running. They were nice and light with just the right amount of cushioning. They definitely helped get me through the windy 8KM of hills today!
Monday, April 7, 2014
Day 7 and guess what I did?!
Good morning folks! Today is day 7 of my Whole 30 challenge and I feel like I have a bit more energy than yesterday at least. I spent the morning searching for apartments in Charlottetown and getting ready to go down to PEI next week to look for one. While I was searching apartments I also stumbled across a PEI running club and was taking a look at the races for this year. One caught my eye and something inside of me decided to sign up.
http://www.peimarathon.ca
Yup, everyone was right. When I said I'd never run another marathon again, I may have fibbed just a bit. Up until recently I really had no desire to run another one, but lately, I've been getting that tiny voice in the back of my head telling me to try. It tells me that if I train hard I can better my time. So on impulse(like many of my decisions) I signed up for the full marathon on October 19th.
Looks like it's time to get training huh? I filled out my training schedule and it will start strictly mid August, but until then I will keep running consistently and hopefully this time around I can avoid being sick and get to race day feeling strong!
http://www.peimarathon.ca
Yup, everyone was right. When I said I'd never run another marathon again, I may have fibbed just a bit. Up until recently I really had no desire to run another one, but lately, I've been getting that tiny voice in the back of my head telling me to try. It tells me that if I train hard I can better my time. So on impulse(like many of my decisions) I signed up for the full marathon on October 19th.
Looks like it's time to get training huh? I filled out my training schedule and it will start strictly mid August, but until then I will keep running consistently and hopefully this time around I can avoid being sick and get to race day feeling strong!
Sunday, April 6, 2014
Whole 30 Day 6
Since I spent the bulk of my trip in the states eating everything in sight, when I arrived home my jeans were a bit tighter and my face a bit rounder. So I decided to embark on my second round of the Whole 30 program. http://whole30.com/whole30-program-rules/
It's 30 days of pretty strict Paleo. No grains, no dairy, no added sugar. I've done the Whole 30 strictly once before and I try to eat pretty close to it most of the time (except while on vacation, obviously). The first couple days are always pretty easy for me. My body loves the fresh feeling it gets from eating clean, but after the first few days the cravings start. Specifically I have a mad sugar addiction, it is going to be worse this time I think because of how much sugar and junk I consumed in America. (Damn you Reeses Pieces!)
The lovely folks at Whole 30 came up with a timeline of how your body generally reacts to cutting everything out. http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/ Being unemployed and stuck at home most days makes this endeavour a bit harder. When cravings hit all I want to do is eat! Luckily my parents eat relatively healthy so there are not too many options in their house to slip up with, although I know there is ice cream in the freezer! Must avoid ice cream, must avoid ice cream.
It's 30 days of pretty strict Paleo. No grains, no dairy, no added sugar. I've done the Whole 30 strictly once before and I try to eat pretty close to it most of the time (except while on vacation, obviously). The first couple days are always pretty easy for me. My body loves the fresh feeling it gets from eating clean, but after the first few days the cravings start. Specifically I have a mad sugar addiction, it is going to be worse this time I think because of how much sugar and junk I consumed in America. (Damn you Reeses Pieces!)
The lovely folks at Whole 30 came up with a timeline of how your body generally reacts to cutting everything out. http://whole30.com/2013/08/revised-timeline/ Being unemployed and stuck at home most days makes this endeavour a bit harder. When cravings hit all I want to do is eat! Luckily my parents eat relatively healthy so there are not too many options in their house to slip up with, although I know there is ice cream in the freezer! Must avoid ice cream, must avoid ice cream.
I'm going to try to write my meals down to keep track and keep myself in line.
Today's breakfast(note I know smoothies are generally frowned upon during the whole30, this one is technically okay, but I mostly had it because I didn't feel like cooking)
Smoothie: 1/2 banana, 1/2 cup pineapple, 1/2 cup mango, 1 cup almond milk, cinnamon, ginger, organic brown rice protein powder
Small apple cut up
6 almonds, 6 cashews
Cup of chai tea
Lunch: 1/2 avocado mixed with can of white tuna in water,
4 cherry tomatoes
8 almonds
1/2 banana
Snack: Cashew Larabar
Dinner: Spaghetti squash topped with homemade tomato sauce & extra lean ground beef
Meals are typically not a hard part for me, I normally eat very healthy meals, it's snacking that gets me. Especially at night, I find I crave sugar so much! Hopefully this 30 days without it will help!
Even though there is still tons of snow on the ground I haven't biked in months so I got my mountain bike out today, tuned her up and went for a 30 minute spin. It was crazy windy which made it a pretty good, heart pumping workout! Can't wait to be able to bike again everyday!
Thursday, April 3, 2014
Life after Korea: Reverse culture shock and loneliness.
I knew that leaving Korea would be a tough thing for me to do. I'm a creature of routine. I loved Korea and everything it had to offer, the endless opportunities and adventures, friends available at a moments notice, miles and miles of running trails. It was hard to decide to leave. And when I made that decision I knew that assimilating back into life in Canada would be a hard, slow process. I didn't realize how quickly the sadness and depression would set in.
My hometown is very small, something like 12,000 people, very few jobs and not a lot going on. I've been here less than a week and I already feel trapped. I feel anxious to get out, to get moving, to a big city, any city, with noise and cars and people, lots and lots of people. I never thought that a day would come where I actually missed those things. I miss people bumping into me. I miss getting lost in the sea of Koreans on the subway into Seoul. It's easy to be invisible in Korea. I miss the independence. The ability to jump on a train or bus and be anywhere I want to be. I miss my usual Saturday plans of hashing all day. I miss my Crossfit community. I miss my hash family. I miss my kindy kids. I miss it all.
I'm finding it hard to relate to people here in Canada. No one understands what life is like in another country. And no one cares either. And why should they? Their lives are here, it's not even in their realm of knowledge. I find myself grasping on to the friendships I've made in Korea. I don't want to let go of any of them, because without them, it's like my life in Korea didn't exist. But it's difficult to maintain friendships with people you meet in a foreign country, everyone is so transient. You never know when you might see each other again. I feel desperate and out of control. My future is up in the air right now. I am waiting on paper work and loan documents to be figured out so I can hopefully go to school in May. I am tossing around the ideas of different schools, moving to Vietnam, joining the military, or just sucking it up and getting a job. I feel like I am walking around waiting for something to happen, I'm waiting for opportunities, I'm waiting for friends, I'm waiting for a relationship.
I know I have to force myself to push through. Running and going to Crossfit are the only things I do now. The only people I talk to are my parents, which is lovely after being away so long, but without friends, without my independence, I am drowning. I don't know what to do with myself. I want to make a choice for my life that is good. I want to teach, but that means more debt. The army is an easy fix, but I don't know if I'll even like it. But it means I wouldn't need to depend on/take handouts from my parents anymore. I'm almost 30 and I have to sit here and watch as my parents spend every last penny they have to try and help me, when they are struggling enough on their own. I feel like a failure. I was an honour student, smart, outgoing, I should have been successful. I should be able to support myself. Instead I am 29, lonely, broke, in debt, jobless, carless, friendless and living in my parents basement. I am lost.
My hometown is very small, something like 12,000 people, very few jobs and not a lot going on. I've been here less than a week and I already feel trapped. I feel anxious to get out, to get moving, to a big city, any city, with noise and cars and people, lots and lots of people. I never thought that a day would come where I actually missed those things. I miss people bumping into me. I miss getting lost in the sea of Koreans on the subway into Seoul. It's easy to be invisible in Korea. I miss the independence. The ability to jump on a train or bus and be anywhere I want to be. I miss my usual Saturday plans of hashing all day. I miss my Crossfit community. I miss my hash family. I miss my kindy kids. I miss it all.
I'm finding it hard to relate to people here in Canada. No one understands what life is like in another country. And no one cares either. And why should they? Their lives are here, it's not even in their realm of knowledge. I find myself grasping on to the friendships I've made in Korea. I don't want to let go of any of them, because without them, it's like my life in Korea didn't exist. But it's difficult to maintain friendships with people you meet in a foreign country, everyone is so transient. You never know when you might see each other again. I feel desperate and out of control. My future is up in the air right now. I am waiting on paper work and loan documents to be figured out so I can hopefully go to school in May. I am tossing around the ideas of different schools, moving to Vietnam, joining the military, or just sucking it up and getting a job. I feel like I am walking around waiting for something to happen, I'm waiting for opportunities, I'm waiting for friends, I'm waiting for a relationship.
I know I have to force myself to push through. Running and going to Crossfit are the only things I do now. The only people I talk to are my parents, which is lovely after being away so long, but without friends, without my independence, I am drowning. I don't know what to do with myself. I want to make a choice for my life that is good. I want to teach, but that means more debt. The army is an easy fix, but I don't know if I'll even like it. But it means I wouldn't need to depend on/take handouts from my parents anymore. I'm almost 30 and I have to sit here and watch as my parents spend every last penny they have to try and help me, when they are struggling enough on their own. I feel like a failure. I was an honour student, smart, outgoing, I should have been successful. I should be able to support myself. Instead I am 29, lonely, broke, in debt, jobless, carless, friendless and living in my parents basement. I am lost.
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