2 things I could not run without

Reading a friends blog recently, I was inspired when she wrote about three things that she could not live without. That inspired me to add a post about 2 things I could not live without and run without. These are only two items, there are many more things and people I could not live without (like my parents,  my wonderful girlfriend and my friends), but, here we go with the material goods.

Two things I could not live without:

1) My Mac Book Pro - I use this every single day to do research, plan lessons, edit pictures, create training journals, surf the internet, watch movies, edit videos. I would be lost without my computer, it is absolutely indispensable.

2) Flip Flops - I wear flip flops whenever I can. Lately it has been when I go to the mall or for groceries. In the summer I am never without them. Many people know me for wearing flip flops when a person should not wear flip flops. They are the most comfortable footwear available and I love them. I had my last pair for 6 years and they were held together only by duct tape. 

Two things I could not run without:

 This was a little bit trickier as there are the necessary items like shoes, shorts, socks, etc. So I gave it a good stab in the dark.

1) A watch of GPS system - i cannot stand running without knowing how long or how far I have gone. This comes from running track for so many years and being required to catalogue our training times. Now I use a Garmin Forerunner to track how far I have gone and I could not un without this. I need to know what I have accomplished, it keeps me sane. Some friends of mine run without watches, but they are nuts. Even on established routes I still bring my Garmin.

2) No music - I am not a huge fan of running with music. I will do it occasionally on long, slow runs, but I prefer to hear what is going on around me and also have time to think about things. I get some of my best thinking done while running or in the shower. Music distracts me and also prevents me from hearing the sounds of the environment I am running in. Especially when I am in the forest or on trails I love to listen to the sound of nature, not Kanye or the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

So that is what i enjoy running with. I have my favourite brands and other delightful idiosyncrasies, but these are two important facets of my running I thought I would share with you.

Running around Stanley

Why is Stanley Park in Vancouver one of the best places to go for a run? That is a good question.

First of all it is February 20 and I ran in shorts and a t-shirt today while doing a 12km loop. Only in Vancouver is it comfortable enough to do that in February.

Second, it is a run that is only 20 minutes by train from my apartment, but, when you start running it feels like your are totally separated from the city lifestyle. You get views of the forest on one side and the ocean, mountains and beach on the other side. I just love running around Stanley Park.

Today was week three of my re-entry into running and it was the second long run of my program. Today was a 12 km loop and it was magnificent. I felt great the whole time and could have kept going, but that could have brought on injury. I kept up 6 min/km pace and felt great the whole way through. I feel much better now than I did starting out three weeks ago. My legs feel better and my lungs seem capable of handling longer distances.

When running on the seawall it is always an adventure. Today it was extremely busy so it was fun dodging strollers, dogs and bikes on the wrong path. It makes a run much more interesting. I don't have much to say other than get yourself to Vancouver and experience running the Stanley Park seawall.

It was a great weekend of running and relaxation and I look forward to a challenging week ahead. I hope everyone out there enjoys there week and finds time to go on a run or two.

Breakfast

I am starving right no. It is 8 o clock in the morning, I have not had anything to eat all day, minus one blueberry from a co-worker. In the chaos of the week — waking up early for my work as a student teacher — I managed to skip breakfast this morning. Not a wise choice I know, but I have not been grocery shopping at all this week (I was sick and went out for dinner last night, being Valentines Day).

Typically, I find myself not hungry at 5 a.m. when I wake up but starving by the time I start teaching at 8:30. Usually, I grab some oatmeal or granola in the staff room, but this morning no such luck. Instead, as I sit waiting for the school bell to ring I thought I would write about breakfast.

Weekends are great because I get to sleep in and then devour a massive breakfast. Take this weekend for example, I had pancakes, sausage, eggs and fruit on my long run day and I had tons of energy. 

When I was running track I would usually have toast or cereal for breakfast. As I have become older I prefer granola, yogurt and fruit. I remember when I was in Thailand we had the biggest fruit bowls with granola and yogurt for breakfast, yummy.

So without further ado, my thought for the day is:

What is your favourite breakfast food on training day? What are some excellent quick breakfast recipes for the runner? Is breakfast as important as snacking throughout the day?

Leave a comment and let me know. Or just think about it any maybe reflect on your breakfast habits. I am always on the look out for new and interesting granola or oatmeal recipes. So drop me a line if you know any.

Cheers,

Chris

Long run #1

Today was the first Sunday run of my training program. It was also a rain free day in Vancouver (we have actually had many lately) and I took full advantage. I skipped all the Olympic celebration activity downtown and went running. I ran around the Langara golf course today. It is a nice 3km loop, very flat but often crowded. So I have to constantly dodge walkers and dogs pooping in the middle of the trail. But, it is close to my house and a pretty place to run. 

While it may not sound impressive I have adopted a baby steps program. I gradually increase the mileage every week until I reach maximum mileage right before the big races. I do not want injuries so I am starting out small and working my way up. I went for a nice leisurely 6 km run today at 6:00/km pace. That will be my pace for Sunday long runs, which will slowly work up to 32 km. I remember when I was running track I would never have believed that 6km would be a short-long run. But that is the shortest Sunday run I will ever run, from now on.

My breakfast of champions today was blueberry pancakes, orange juice and water. Basic recipe of Aunt Jemima mix, eggs and mil. Nothing like carbs and fruit to start the day off right. Around midday I had a bagel and some tortilla shells and by the time I went on my run at 3:30 I felt great. I had tons of energy and could have done another 6km, but my program is there for a reason.

Enjoy your Monday and I will report back later. Cheers.

Welcome to the start of my adventure

This blog is the place to be if you want to read about running, adventure and anything running or outdoors related. This blog will focus on my running adventures, trials and tribulations but from time to time I will report about any other adventures and general nonsense. So enjoy everything that has to do with running, trail running and adventure.

My name is Chris and I live in Vancouver, British Columbia, the most beautiful city in the world. If you don't believe me come check it out, you will not be disappointed. I moved here in Sept. 2010 from Calgary to begin my second degree, this one is in education.

I am going to allow you to live vicariously through me by means of this blog. On this site, I will post all my amazing training stories, race stories, sometimes life stories, amazing running recipes I find, tips, tricks, interesting information and places I enjoy running. As I explore the West looking for places to run I hope to have you along for the journey.

To get to the point, my training program will culminate near the end of this summer with two major trail runs and a marathon in the fall. Along the way I have entered two short trail races to wt my appetite. The longer trail runs this summer will consist of the Chilkoot Trail and the Juan de Fuca trail. All my training will go towards completing these marathon and ultra-marathon length events.

So, with all that said I hope that you enjoy the stories that will be brought to life through this blog. And, if any other runners out there have some amazing stories, tips, recipes, trails or just fun comments drop me a line. I always look forward to hearing from people.