Cheers to the Weekend

What a fantastic Spring weekend, the first trail race of the year, an afternoon at the ball park with my spectator cup, training with D, digging deep-deep-deep into the job jar, a running family celebratory dinner and it was sunny!

Congratulations to Conny, Christine and Nicole on their 5 Peaks podium finishes, wear your medals proudly ladies.

Saturday Speak: Road Vs Trail Runners by Conny McLean

A Change of Scenery

Running the same routes can get a bit monotonous sometimes.  So today when my things to do took me outside of Ridge I took a page from D’s training log and took my runners along with me.

And after spending some quality time with my sister-in-law, who has to be the cutest pregnant lady ever (did I tell you that I was going to be an Aunt?), I ventured down to a little spot near and dear to my heart for a nice and flat 5km in the fresh air.

I wanted to include a picture from the end of the pier because it was so beautiful, how you couldn’t tell where the water ended and the sky started, but after starting to pull out the baggie (I am sure that there is a more stylish running purse out there, but this works well) from my back pocket that contained my phone, I realized how quickly that this could turn into an episode of “This Could Only Happen To Keri”.  The baggie also contained my car key, bankcard and lip-gloss.  And although it may have received strong ratings due to my highly dramatic antics, taking the chance of my life slipping through the pier and into the ocean really wasn’t something that I had time to deal with today.

You will have to take my word that it was quite lovely.

Boston Baby!

Today was the 116^th Boston Marathon and pretty special day for my running family because D and Soraiya were running it!

Live TV coverage started at 6am and the viewing party started at 7:15am. And we couldn’t let them start the race without us.

Congratulations to both of you on completing this huge accomplishment (and in 30 degree above normal temperatures).  We are so proud of you and can’t wait for your race re-cap.

Bicycle Your Way To Great Abs

Guest post: Prettyhardwork.com

My top ab exercise is a bicycle crunch done with legs in a table top position: Lying on your back, position knees directly above your hips (table top position). Hands behind your head, elbows open lift your shoulder blades off the mat, this is start position. Lift and twist right shoulder towards left hip at the same time extending your right leg, the left leg remains at table top position. Return back to start position and hold then lift and twist left shoulder up and over towards right hip, extending left leg. Repeat slowly 8 times per side, then quickly for and additional 8.

Remember to maintain tabletop position; when one leg moves the other is completely still. Keep your lower back connected to the mat and your abdominals engaged. Avoid pulling on your head/neck, instead use your abdominals to lift and lower. To make this exercise less intense extend leg towards the ceiling and to make it more intense extend the leg parallel to to mat.

Keri Cawthorne, Owner, Iron Mountain Movement

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Damn You Easter Creme Eggs!!

Ignorance can be bliss sometimes.  Whether you choose to ignore the facts or really just don’t know, sometimes it can be for the best.  But when your polarized rose coloured glasses are snatched from your face, thrown to the ground and stepped on, you are forced to face reality and more often than not an ugly truth.  This happened to me yesterday.

I love Tuesday mornings, a trail run with Conny followed by coffee and righting the world in her hot tub, a morning off doesn’t get much better than that.  Yesterday I gushed a little about the toasted shrimp, avocado, alfalfa sprout and tomato sandwich that I was going to make myself for lunch.  We discussed whether my sandwich would taste better on dark or light rye bread; Conny suggested the addition of cream cheese would be a nice touch.  Too hungry to chat any longer, I made the trek home, showered and constructed my masterpiece and it was quite delicious.  I finished my lunch with a piece, which turned into two, of chocolate, and that is when reality hit me square in the face.

I don’t have a sweet tooth, but I have a weakness for Easter crème eggs (my family will tell you that it is not a weakness rather a complete lack of self control).  The thing about Easter crème eggs is that they are available long before (and after) Easter.  I live with a couple of chocoholics, so when they happen to see them at the grocery store, gas station or wherever they go, they buy them for me, because as they see it eating a chocolate treat as a family is much more fun than when two people are eating a treat and one is eating a spinach salad preaching the importance of good nutrition.

My darling little eggs usually come as singles, but when the Easter bunny visited me on Sunday, they came in a package of three, how thoughtful that he brought two packages, as well as several singles.  As yesterday was Tuesday and two full days had passed since the Easter bunny had visited, all but one of my single eggs had been eaten and enjoyed.  So after my lunch I had that last little egg, but it wasn’t enough.  Throwing caution to the wind I opened one of the packages.  And after stuffing the first half of the egg into my mouth, I turned the package over and low and behold was the nutrition information for said egg.

Ok, I am not going to play completely innocent here.  I knew that there couldn’t possibly be any nutritional value to these bad boys, but there is no nutritional information listed on a single egg, so in a rose coloured world, that can only mean one thing “that tastes like another” (oh how that phrase gets me into trouble)!

So let me show you how long it took to run those six four mouthfuls off.

And what about the eggs from Sunday to Tuesday?  Well, I think that the crew from last night’s spin class will attest to them having worked off my indiscretions.  And just as a forewarning to the rest of my classes this week, I still have another three pack in my fridge.

How To Choose Your Running Training Plan

Guest post: Theuglyfinish.com

When we chose the running training plan we used for our half marathon training we looked at a number of different options.  Most of them were similar, but a few fit our schedule and goals better than others.  For example, we felt more comfortable actually running 13.1 miles prior to race day.  So, the plan we chose scheduled that distance toward the end of the program.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a plan that is right for you.  But, the most important decision you make is the decision to stick to the plan you choose.  Learn from our experts how to choose the right running training plan for you and then execute it.

Where Preparation Meets Progress

Using a running training plan for your routine and your race preparation will not only make your workouts more organized, it will help keep your life a little less chaotic. It is also a simple way to track your weekly mileage and progression and to spot any training mistakes.

With so many training plans available it is easy to become overwhelmed with what to look for. Choose a program geared toward your level of running (beginner, intermediate or advanced), and that is specific to your training goal or race distance. Week 1 of the training program should be at a training level at which you are comfortable running. A well balanced training plan will include cross-training activities as well as strength and core training. Don’t forget that rest days are part of your training plan.

Keri Cawthorne, Owner Iron Mountain Movement

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The Three Polka Dot Pigs

Although my running partner would have rather stayed in bed this morning, and didn’t feel like talking yet, her mood certainly changed when I introduced her to my new friends, the three polka dot pigs!

I’m going to miss these country roads.

RHOV: Let the Games Begin!

This post has absolutely nothing to do with health, wellness or fitness.

I have been watching the previews and press for the last couple of months, and last night with my RHBFF watched the double episode season premiere of Real Housewives of Vancouver.  Some call RH their guilty pleasure, I don’t.  I don’t feel guilty at all about watching (now Rock of Love, yes, that was a guilty pleasure).  And I was deeply disappointed that nobody in my class this morning admitted to watching, I wanted to talk about it!  But after dishing a little about the show, whether they liked it or not, someone did finally admit to having it PVR’d, and I believe that there might be a re-screening over this long weekend by the RH of Ruskin.

So for those who didn’t watch, let me bring you up to speed on the characters thus far.

Jody, a self proclaimed Mom-preneur, and the most natural looking of the ladies, or at least from what we could see last night (she wore Randy the Macho Man sunglasses for most of the episodes). Coincidently Jody has a cookbook coming out soon (do we see a trend here?  Teresa, Kyle, Bethany…).  She also caused quite a bit of controversy last night already and has already been labeled as the bully, not super likeable so far.

Mary was a Canadian pop star (I had to Google her as well, last name Zilba), divorced and just out of another relationship, and is now the other woman to her ex-husband…drama.  So far she seems to be the prey for some of the vulture housewives, I’m not sure if she will make it through the season without a breakdown (another housewife trend).  And we saw her take off her own nail polish!

Ronnie, she has a beautiful waterfront home and yacht, blah-blah-blah in West Vancouver, 5 kids and is mean friend to Mary.  She can also knock back three glasses of wine in 45 minutes, I hope that was editing (k, no I don’t).

Reiko likes cars, especially Ferraris  (she has three) but also owns a minivan and a smart car.  The only HW that I saw eating.    I absolutely loved her Roberto Cavalli white dress and blue Alexander McQueen heels that she wore to Christina’s birthday party…not sure if that look would work in Whonnock, but it was fabulous.

Christina turned 30 (really?) in the second episode and is the gold digger of the group.  She has the greatest BFF Kevin (kind of like RHNY Jill’s BFF Brad) and a fabulous dog Napoleon (this dog could steal the show).  She didn’t get RHOC naked wasted at her party, but did end up dancing around in her underwear and heels.  So far she is my fav.

The city really showed well, lots of great shots of Yaletown, the Seawall, downtown, Whistler and Grandville Island.  And why wouldn’t it, it is the most beautiful city in the world.  We even saw the ladies in frequent a few familiar restaurants like Cactus Club and Earls.

Now of course these ladies aren’t an accurate representation of a typical Vancouver housewife, if they were would you really watch?   So will I be tuning in again next week? Abso-freaking-lutely!

What did you think?

image courtesy of Slice.ca

Our Growing Run Family

The crazy April fool’s weekend weather held off just long enough for a dry first session of the Spring Trail Running Clinic.   The trails were perfect, plenty of mud and splashy sections, so nice to be off the road.

Some familiar faces, some new faces and a few that we haven’t seen in a while.

And just when we thought our running family couldn’t get any bigger, we grew again…Connie and Stephen eloped and Sheila welcomed her first Grandchild Angelina!  Congratulations everyone.