Tag Archives: calgary

09.04.12
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Day 16: 4 mile Fartlek Run with Stroller

YAHOO! Day 16 –  4 mile Farlek run is done and it was terrific!

I wasn’t too sure what the run would be like today. I woke up feeling tired and felt like it may be a struggle to get motivated. I didn’t sleep that well last night (may have been the cappuccino I had late yesterday afternoon) and therefore, was wired until the very wee hours of the morning. However, I got up, pumped myself full of oatmeal, an apple, water and a cup of hazelnut vanilla coffee and out the door we went!

It was a gorgeous morning; the sun was shining, there was a strong breeze and I had some fantastic company: Felix. This morning (for added challenge) I took Felix with me in the stroller. It was great fun and he enjoyed himself. He was smiling and grabbing at all the bushes and trees he could along the route. At one point we were running straight into the wind and he had his head tilted back, taking in the rays, he looked so much like this photo it made me laugh out loud.

I was really thankful to have a good run day. I’m starting to get into the heavier distances and training, so I want to keep my momentum going! We didn’t see too much else on our route. I did say Good Morning to most people; and most said it back, except for the Grouch (she lives in the neighbourhood) and I wasn’t surprised when she ignored us. 🙂

 Here’s a breakdown of todays training:

  • 1.5 km warm up run
  • 2.5 km steady race pace
  • 0.25 km slow
  • 0.25 km fast
  • 0.25 km slow
  • 0.25 km fast
  • 0.25 km slow
  • 0.25 km fast
  • 0.25 km slow
  • 0.50 km steady pace
  • 0.25 km slow

I even went a little bit further than I was supposed to (not purposely, of course!) Anyway, hope everyone else is having a good week of training. Happy Trails!

09.03.12
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My September 3 workout for those who want to give it a try!

Below is a link to the workout I completed today. Additionally, I did about 30 minutes on the elliptical. I should add that I did stretching both before and after (nothing special, just the usual).  If you have a workout you want to share, please share!! 🙂 And if you have any feedback or additions you would make to the workout, I’d love any feedback!

Sept 3 RunningKatTales Workout

Happy Trails!

08.30.12
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Stroller advice: how to entertain a toddler while you run

Anyone who knows me would say it’s karma. A child that is busy 24/7 and throws down temper tantrums more often than Naomi Campbell and Mel Gibson combined. However, knowing that I have a kid who would rather be busy and on the go, I make darn sure I’ve got the necessary supplies to endure our running adventures. Plus, I love how independent and dramatic my kid is!

Here are some things to keep in mind if you plan to run with a toddler:

  1. If your kid is prone to tantrums, make sure you don’t go just before nap or prior to meal time. Always try to organize runs around a well-rested and fed child. Trust me. Learned the hard way.
  2. Make sure you have plenty of snacks. Even if your toddler isn’t hungry, bring snacks along for the run. I know you shouldn’t encourage kids to play with their food but if s/he isn’t screaming, who cares?
  3. Bring toys. Think about this for a minute. We don’t go ANYWHERE without our phones, iPods, iPads etc., so imagine that you have to sit through the most boring 1-hour lecture of your life; maybe something along the lines of public health policy. Now, imagine you have to sit through it without some form of entertainment. EXACTLY!
  4. Engage your child throughout the run. Now, I’m definitely not saying you try to carry-on a conversation, but point things out along the way. “Wow – look at the pretty trees. What colour are the trees?” etc. Nothing is more boring than hanging out with someone who (a) pretends you aren’t there, and (b) won’t talk to you
  5. Keep your stroller activity to an hour or less. Seriously people. Your child is definitely not interested in running with you for longer than an hour. Let’s remember that at this young age, their attention span is that of a hummingbird.
  6. If you want to listen to music, put it on so you can both hear. In my case, I put my iPhone in the cup holder and crank the volume. Yeah, I know it’s a little disrespectful to the people around me but it’s better than being disrespectful to my little running buddy. Plus, I NEVER listen to 50 cent in mixed company!
  7. Make sure you praise them for good behaviour throughout the running adventure; and treating where appropriate.
  8. Finally, be respectful of their age and development. Your four/five year old does not want to be pushed around in a stroller anymore. They want to run WITH you.

Now, I can’t speak to #7 from experience, but I was at Sobey’s grocery shopping one day when a woman strolled in with what appeared to be a kid of AT LEAST six, maybe seven. He wanted to get out and walk; she wouldn’t let him. It was weird and creepy. At that point, I’m sure the kid could’ve kept up during the run anyway…

Anyway, hope this helps on your running journeys. It has helped me! Happy Trails!

08.30.12
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Are bananas good or bad for you?

When I first started running over ten years ago, I ate at least one banana a day. When discussing this with another runner, they cautioned me not to eat so many as it’s hard on the body and can lead to weight gain. I never thought much of this warning and continued to eat bananas at the same rate, but while running today I thought I’d check it out further (just in case.)

    

This is what I found on the website Nutrition Uncovered Bananas are:

  • high in natural sugar; researchers have found that eating just two bananas was enough to sustain a strenuous 90 minute workout
  • high in iron; good for anemic people
  • high in potassium, but low in salt; makes them good at regulating blood pressure in people. Potassium is a vital micronutrient that helps our body regulate heart beat to maintaining the body’s water balance.When under stress our metabolism increases and we tend to lose potassium faster. Having a few bananas restores your body’s potassium quickly
  • The high potassium content in bananas is also very good for the brain; in one study of 200 students, it was found that having bananas regularly during meals and breaks improved their ability to concentrate.
  • improve bowel action hugely because they are full of fiber. Many times they’re more effective than laxatives and safer too
  • People who suffer from heartburn often should include bananas with their meals. It has an antacid effect preventing heartburn
  • In one research, overweight people who snacked on sweets and chocolates often reduced weight dramatically just by switching over to bananas
  • have a chemical called tryptophan which gets converted in the body to serotonin which influences mood and makes us feel better. Although this may not be enough as a treatment for depression it is still enough to make normal people feel good
  • eating bananas daily has been found to reduce the incidence of stroke in people by up to 40%.
  • have a cooling tendency in the body and some people even believe that this cooling tendency extends to the emotions. Eating bananas regularly is supposed to have calming influence on the person
  • have curative properties dermatologically. For instance if you have warts of pimples, applying a piece of banana peel, skin side up on it and leaving it there overnight is supposed to remove them painlessly very quickly

In my experience, I always felt that bananas were natures power bar. If I had a banana before a run I always felt energized (and I still eat them either before or after a run.) Besides being cheap to buy, they’re one of the most effective fruits to eat. One banana has 4 times the protein, 2 times the carbs, 3 times the phosphorus, 5 times the Vit A and iron in comparison to Apples. Pretty cool, eh?

Finally, let’s tackle the myth that bananas make you fat. Well, that’s just BS. It’s true. Bananas are approximately 100 calories each and they aren’t empty calories either (calories from fruit are different from calories from fat). Because bananas have a low glycemic index they get broken down more slowly, leaving you feeling fuller longer.

Sadly, I can’t eat PB anymore, but I love bananas so I’ll keep eating them. What do you think?

08.30.12
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Day 11: It’s all a mental game!

Today I ran 3 miles, pushing one 27 lbs kid in a stroller. As you know I wasn’t really in the mood for a run this morning, but with all the support I’ve had and by the time I got to the Glenmore Reservoir things turned around. Now, I’m not going to sit here and tell you it was all lollipops and sunshine (well, it was actually sunny out). There were moments where I had to chant “you run because you can” in my head; tell myself not to quit etc…but I did it and I’m pleased. I wasn’t too far off my time last night and I was pushing a stroller!

Here are todays stats:

  • Distance: 4.80 km
  • Time: 30:21
  • Pace/Km: 6:19
  • Best Pace: 5:45

The trail wasn’t too busy, there were lots of people young and old running, biking and walking. The best part of the day was during cool-down when Felix & I passed by a bench with three older women on it (guessing late 70’s) – they were bubbly, smiling and wished us a good morning. Oh one thing I wanted to ask was this: do you put on perfume/cologne before your morning run? Felix and I rounded a corner and I hit a wall of Chanel Mademoiselle; much to my surprise it was a man wearing it. Then not two minutes later, we hit the smell of what can only be described as Brut. Now, I can’t be sure because the last time I would have smelled it was when my brother was in junior high – it’s nasty stuff!

Not too much more to report. Felix felt totally left out of the action, so when we got to the parking lot I let him do a lap pushing the stroller -he was loving life! I then had to bribe him with cheerios to get into the car.

On the way home he dumped 2/3 of the bag out – silly me for giving him the whole thing. However, all I could do was laugh! He’s a great little running buddy 🙂