So earlier today I was involved in Run for the Cure 2012.
It was really intense emotionally and there was over 1,800 people there. I didn't run as fast as I would have liked but there was just too many people to really go at a faster pace. I ended up staying with a lady that I run with sometimes who is a survivor and two others from my running club. We set a decent pace of 10 and 1's X however many till we finished (that's running for 10 minutes and walking a minute). I think it took us an hour, which is longer than it should have but with the amount of people there going faster and staying with the group just wasn't feasible for me. But that's okay. At the end of the day I can still say that I ran in the race and that I completed 5km (3.1 miles).
The group that I ran with was called "Breast Foot Forward". Altogether we raised over $11,000.00
Except if I'm being honest I didn't really fund raise at all. Maybe next year I will get my act together.
Sunday, September 30, 2012
Friday, September 28, 2012
New Blogger!
New blogger here!
Name's Christena (That's pronounced Christina)
Just a little about me: 24 year old Canadian, with a gluten intolerance, who with the barest of details works a desk job.
Back story to jogging:
Desk job. Sit for 8ish odd hours a day at a desk. Go home and sit. Sleep. And rinse and repeat.
I decided to try jogging in May (2012), all my previous exercise attempts after acquiring said desk job(s) have more of less failed (the gym and I are not good friends). The point of exercise is obviously to be healthy and fit (and you know, get in shape and look good and all that jazz too if that's an angle you're looking at as well), there are so many different options = that it really comes down to finding something you like, enjoy and works for you.
So far for me, that has been jogging.
I joined a learn to run clinic (its set up to get you ready to run 5km) offered at a local running club - I dragged along one of my cousins because I was too intimidated to go by myself. As far as I can tell the learn to run clinic is set up the same way as the couch to 5k just with a different name (marketing!).
It was a 10 week clinic, we met 3 times per week and ran/walked. The clinic is set up that you have to run 3 times per week otherwise you just aren't going to be where you should be at the end. Each week you run a little more. The first week was 1 and 2's X7 (which is code for running 1 minute, walking 2 minutes a total of 7 times. Every week the running would increase and then walk a minute, a certain number of times. The clinic was based off a 20 minute session. Meaning by the end of the clinic (week 10) we were running for a total of 20 minutes.
As a part of the clinic (that I had to pay for) one evening a week we met and prior to our run our instructors would talk, or have some sort of professional talk to us about different things important to running, such as: safety, clothing, shoes, stretching.
I suffer from shin splints when I run. As in, say every swear word I know shin splints. If it wasn't for this clinic I would have quit running. Also, I have learned that I do much much better running in a group than on my own (they keep me motivated). Everyone has a different running style, and some people run better/prefer on their own. I am not one of those people. Maybe at some point I will want to run more on my own, but right now I focus more on the runs with the group.
(I should possibly also point out that the running club offers two free runs per week to who ever shows up in town).
In July (2012) I ran my first 5km race (google tells me this is 3.1 miles). Except really, I ran 2.5km and walked the rest. Shin splints are the worst thing ever. But I did it. I showed up and I finished the 5km - I could of quit but I didn't. At the end of the day its a bigger deal to me to show up and do what I set out to do (this race, running) than how fast I did it or anything else. I mean, I could be sitting at home doing nothing!
I rejoined the learn to run clinic when it ended in July. I needed to build up my endurance before I set any other running goals for myself. And like I said - shin splints. I'm constantly battling to remember to stretch every day for those. The clinic just finished this week. For the most, part the club has it set up so that at the end of each clinic there is some kind of race happening. It isn't mandatory to join a race just because you did the clinic (money!) but the races are a good incentive to stick with the clinics and see the progress you have made.
On Sunday (Sept.30/12) I am going to be running in a Run for the Cure (this one is for breast cancer). It is marketed as a fun run, so you aren't being timed. You have to keep track of that yourself - if that is your thing. You can run or walk 5km or run or walk 1km. I am going to be attempting to run the full 5km (again, google tells me this is 3.1 miles).
I will make another post after the race!
Name's Christena (That's pronounced Christina)
Just a little about me: 24 year old Canadian, with a gluten intolerance, who with the barest of details works a desk job.
Back story to jogging:
Desk job. Sit for 8ish odd hours a day at a desk. Go home and sit. Sleep. And rinse and repeat.
I decided to try jogging in May (2012), all my previous exercise attempts after acquiring said desk job(s) have more of less failed (the gym and I are not good friends). The point of exercise is obviously to be healthy and fit (and you know, get in shape and look good and all that jazz too if that's an angle you're looking at as well), there are so many different options = that it really comes down to finding something you like, enjoy and works for you.
So far for me, that has been jogging.
I joined a learn to run clinic (its set up to get you ready to run 5km) offered at a local running club - I dragged along one of my cousins because I was too intimidated to go by myself. As far as I can tell the learn to run clinic is set up the same way as the couch to 5k just with a different name (marketing!).
It was a 10 week clinic, we met 3 times per week and ran/walked. The clinic is set up that you have to run 3 times per week otherwise you just aren't going to be where you should be at the end. Each week you run a little more. The first week was 1 and 2's X7 (which is code for running 1 minute, walking 2 minutes a total of 7 times. Every week the running would increase and then walk a minute, a certain number of times. The clinic was based off a 20 minute session. Meaning by the end of the clinic (week 10) we were running for a total of 20 minutes.
As a part of the clinic (that I had to pay for) one evening a week we met and prior to our run our instructors would talk, or have some sort of professional talk to us about different things important to running, such as: safety, clothing, shoes, stretching.
I suffer from shin splints when I run. As in, say every swear word I know shin splints. If it wasn't for this clinic I would have quit running. Also, I have learned that I do much much better running in a group than on my own (they keep me motivated). Everyone has a different running style, and some people run better/prefer on their own. I am not one of those people. Maybe at some point I will want to run more on my own, but right now I focus more on the runs with the group.
(I should possibly also point out that the running club offers two free runs per week to who ever shows up in town).
In July (2012) I ran my first 5km race (google tells me this is 3.1 miles). Except really, I ran 2.5km and walked the rest. Shin splints are the worst thing ever. But I did it. I showed up and I finished the 5km - I could of quit but I didn't. At the end of the day its a bigger deal to me to show up and do what I set out to do (this race, running) than how fast I did it or anything else. I mean, I could be sitting at home doing nothing!
I rejoined the learn to run clinic when it ended in July. I needed to build up my endurance before I set any other running goals for myself. And like I said - shin splints. I'm constantly battling to remember to stretch every day for those. The clinic just finished this week. For the most, part the club has it set up so that at the end of each clinic there is some kind of race happening. It isn't mandatory to join a race just because you did the clinic (money!) but the races are a good incentive to stick with the clinics and see the progress you have made.
On Sunday (Sept.30/12) I am going to be running in a Run for the Cure (this one is for breast cancer). It is marketed as a fun run, so you aren't being timed. You have to keep track of that yourself - if that is your thing. You can run or walk 5km or run or walk 1km. I am going to be attempting to run the full 5km (again, google tells me this is 3.1 miles).
I will make another post after the race!
Welcome Christena!
We now have a third co-blogger! Joining the team is Christena, a good friend of mine. I'm sure she'll begin her first intro post, but one of the things I do know is that coming up, she's running almost 3 miles for breast cancer awareness!
Thursday, September 6, 2012
A Healthy Balance of Life
As we all know, shit happens. School or work or friends takes away our time and energy and we're stuck with something missing in our lives. I've had friends post the graphic on Facebook with Work + Social Life= No Sleep or something to that effect. But why do we suffer? Why do we not seem to balance out our lives and get a good dose of everything?
It just makes me sad or makes me pity people that have not figured out some kind of balance that works for them. We as human beings need a healthy dose of physical care, mental health and a social life. If you have no friends because all you concentrate on is work and sleeping, then where are you in life? Are you actually living a fulfilled life?
I'm not saying this is easy. It most certainly is not. But what I am saying is that maybe we all need a second to take a step back and see where our energy is going. Why are you so tired in the morning? Why are you living in your dorm room on weekends instead of seeing people? Why are your grades teetering on the edge of failure?
We all have something that gets sacrificed. Truth is, maybe there isn't a 100 percent balance that's possible. However, we can at least be aware and we can try. You should never have to completely sacrifice a part of your physical, emotional or mental health to do well and succeed in life. As a senior in college who is working a full time job, a part time job and pledging a co-ed frat, I know how it goes. All my sleep is zapped after a 15 hour production day in the office. But I don't let it get me down. I know that I'll take Thursday easy, regain my energy and then Friday have some friend and frat time.
All I ask is that you take the time to evaluate where you're missing in your life. Make an honest plan to get yourself back on track. See where you can triage an hour of sleep and do more homework rather than a weekly all nighter. Shift things around and make a conscious decision to try.
It just makes me sad or makes me pity people that have not figured out some kind of balance that works for them. We as human beings need a healthy dose of physical care, mental health and a social life. If you have no friends because all you concentrate on is work and sleeping, then where are you in life? Are you actually living a fulfilled life?
I'm not saying this is easy. It most certainly is not. But what I am saying is that maybe we all need a second to take a step back and see where our energy is going. Why are you so tired in the morning? Why are you living in your dorm room on weekends instead of seeing people? Why are your grades teetering on the edge of failure?
We all have something that gets sacrificed. Truth is, maybe there isn't a 100 percent balance that's possible. However, we can at least be aware and we can try. You should never have to completely sacrifice a part of your physical, emotional or mental health to do well and succeed in life. As a senior in college who is working a full time job, a part time job and pledging a co-ed frat, I know how it goes. All my sleep is zapped after a 15 hour production day in the office. But I don't let it get me down. I know that I'll take Thursday easy, regain my energy and then Friday have some friend and frat time.
All I ask is that you take the time to evaluate where you're missing in your life. Make an honest plan to get yourself back on track. See where you can triage an hour of sleep and do more homework rather than a weekly all nighter. Shift things around and make a conscious decision to try.
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