Music Monday

Before I start digging around in the retro music pile, I have this to offer, before she went all Disturbia...

BTW: Totally rocking the N95 respirator mask, too much has been invested to go down now...

Cheap Cheap Cheap

And no it's not Easter all this this cheaping - discount shoes though is where it is at - I think. I've ordered my ridiculously cheap running shoes and now we wait. I pay $140 approximately for my NB shoes and I normally buy 2 at a time. Let's do the math folks - that is some cash leaving my hands about every 4-5months. I buy two pairs if you are wondering - one for the gym and one for the road. So, when I saw my NB's at the Running Expo two weekends ago for 100 I just about died, and then I thought, wait a second. I paid a whole lot less for my running gear in Portland a little while ago, maybe things in general are cheaper down there. Sure enough with a little Google ingenuity I figured out my shoes come at $67 approx a piece... so if they are the real McCoy this runner will be having a high outside of the daily grind...

Website Wednesday features one such link...

Open Letter to Royal Victoria Marathon

To Whom It May Concern:

I would like to express my concern regarding some of the policies the RVM displayed during this previous race:

1. The method of package pick up provided an opportunity for anyone to pick a name, and from that time there was no attempt to verify this selection. Your website states, “If you cannot pick up your package, please arrange for someone to pick it up for you; they must have a copy of your registration confirmation email. Race numbers will be posted at Race Package Pickup.” This was not the case as addition packages were picked up for other runners without this confirmation. The full marathon may function under a stricter policy; I would hope so as it is a Boston qualifier. It concerns me that anyone could pick up a package and there was no formal attempt to verify that the person picking up the package matched with the information correlated to the package. I would like to know why picture id is not required for participants. In the end I paid $75, what would you have done if someone else took my package, because I could have easily taken someone else’s?

2. I work in the health field, and given how conscious of H1N1 and other similar related viruses and bacterial infections we are, especially presently, I was appalled that the oranges and banana were not being handed out and rather in common vessels. Participants over the course have used port-a-potty’s, placed their hands on the ground, mouths and noses, sweated and in the process picked up any number of germs, it is irresponsible to then facilitate them putting other racers at risk. If you were short on volunteers to hand them out, then may I suggest in the future that trays be used, which would have been better than the boxes. This method could cut down on the potential for contamination. As you will see this letter has been cc’d to the Health Department, I feel that this given the current fear over a pandemic was a gross oversight, and it must be addresses.

I hope that the Royal Victoria Marathon will continue to grow and mature in its policies in the future, though I have no intention of running it again.

In addition - not included in the letter I was disappointed in regards to the community support, the music stations, or more so lack there of, overall organization and in general the whole race. When you've seen it work, it becomes very obvious when it doesn't RVM was a case of that.

Correction!!

So I am in the process of sending a letter to RVM, and I thought to look at my time, my chip time was actually 2:23:27, which drum roll folks minus the LONG potty break, means I did it sub 2:20, very close to 2:15, versus my first half time of 2:40:58, yes folks I kicked off that much time. And yes if you are wondering, I am trying for a sub 2:15 possibly, just possibly a sub 2, which honestly I think is feasible... yay for me. Back to the cranky letter.

Music Monday

Fluffy toxic music is the theme for the month or something like that, I think we'll head towards the retro side of things come November/December. On an exciting note, for all those North of the Border suffering under the weight of snow and other crazy things - I am spiking my now almost dead shoes, if it works we'll take the gym shoes out of circulation and spike those, especially since I've found out that cheap and I mean cheap shoes can be found online... oy, I could have bought two for the price of one pair here - so I bought one and a pair of tights instead... I still need a watch, I think I need to research that purchase though.

Tally ho, back to the running!!

Want it and surprisingly I need it too...

I ran on Saturday during a rain warning, I opted to run in my running skirt as well. I can't tell you how fun it was to have mud up the backs of my legs and to be ringing out my skirt outside the Starbucks. The not so fun part was that my coat was useless after two miles. I kept it on for another two while I crossed the bridge and back and then tied it around my waist - I was already wet. It was funny to see the expressions on peoples faces as they saw me in a tee and skirt running past them... but in time it won't be so climate friendly to wear just the tee and skirt - I will need to have a coat, this coat would be fabulous. Oh well we can dream. While we do that here is another song for Music Monday courtesy of a throw back to my old roommate LeeLee who found a reason every week to play this song:

Core Work

I know that core work is important, it however like for many of us runners is neglected. I have another reason not to neglect it now, and my new heavy water belt isn't one of them. Pictures from the RVM are, that and a note to self to find a better combo of colors or fit or something like that. The ensemble wasn't working for me. I know that sounds horribly vain, but well I guess it is. Sometimes though we need that photographic reminder that things aren't how we see them when we look in the mirror in the morning. Things are actually loser than they appear...

Core work here I come!! And long runs too...

One More Half Completed...

On Sunday T,V and I stood at the start line, T and V ready to embark on something that I had only once before embarked upon. It wasn't easy, it wasn't hard, but it was without a doubt worth it. I managed 2:25.49, minus an approximate 5 minute potty break that the other two ladies needed to take at the 4km mark.

Lessons learned:

1. Shot Bloks - I loved them, T hated them - T liked the Chocolate Powerbar Gel

2. Water belt - Worth the money so that I could have access to it whenever I needed it

3. Attach the car key to something permanent - the key disappeared somewhere in the 13.1 miles

4. Dress with less than you could ever think you'll need - even if that means layering with clothes you'll discard later

Notes for the future:

1. Arm warmers, they are the future - as long as the future holds firmer arms for me

2. Check the quality of your shoes a week or so before your run, the morning of is not the time to have a close inspection

3. Have the guts to do it again - T and V seem ready to do it again
4. Re-evaluate the future - I am going to switch to a run 10, walk 1 format for the full marathon, lest I die.
5. Love your hills/inclines whatever you want to call them

In the end if you only consolation for the insanity is this, then embrace it - 3% of the population do what we did, even if you don't win, you kicked the asphalt of 97% of your country people, so there!

Photo:http://www.flickr.com/photos/marklamley/4006821248/

Music Monday