Watching for Wolves

Word on the ferry is there's a wolf roaming the island. Yikes! I mean I don't know if it's true for sure but I've heard a dog was mutilated in front of its poor owner and apparently multiple deer carcasses have been found totally dismantled. Talk to some people and they say they've seen it, while others say it's a dog that looks like a wolf.  The truth is still up for debate so I'm going to assume it doesn't exist until I see pictures or literally run into it (I really hope this doesn't happen).

Escape Plan: climb tree

 Either way, this lone wolf is not getting the best of me. I'm still doing my workouts in the trails but it is funny how almost every dog, even the ones with little old ladies, look like wolves! Today I did continuous hills, I felt great by the way, and yes I counted 3 wolf-dogs. 

I don't think about the wolves during my workout, It's all business, but during warm-up and cool-down there's lots of time for your mind to play tricks. Crazy I know but  I'll admit I was planning my escape route. I was scouting out good tress with sturdy branches. Every time I heard a dog yelp or birds rumbling I could feel the adrenaline surging through my body and I considered a potential climb.

There's no controlling mother nature on this island. I made it through my workout and thankfully didn't have to use any of my escape routes documented above.At first it was a bear, then a cougar and now it's a wolf.  Until we find out if there's actual truth to this wolf matter I'm keeping my eyes open and escape routes top of mind. Happy running!

xo

Becks

Frankenstein Calves

Today's Lesson

I asked for this. I can't walk, it's my calves! I knew that doing an entire workout in spikes would make them stiff but I didn't expect this. It's ridiculous I've been crawling around the house all day and when I try to walk I look like frankenstein - I can't bend my knees. When I try to "walk" down stairs I have to turn sideways and move stiff-legged while using the handrail for balance. What a ridiculous Monday! Looking back at my weekend I should have expected this. A Saturday track workout of 600, 4x300,200,100 and then 5 hours of work, a night out dancing in heels, followed by a 70 minute Sunday run and then finally 7 hours of work. It resulted in this Monday. A Monday where I slept in until 12:30 (omg... I know and don't judge) and a necessary cross training session where I biked for an hour and did some yoga to stretch out these calves.

Stupid, I know but despite my lower limbs I'm feeling pretty good after my long sleep. I'm still totally satisfied with my workout. I finished my 600 in 1:32 followed by my 3,2,1's in in 45,30/45,30/45,31/46,31! The workout wasn't that stellar by track season standards but considering I haven't worn spikes or really been on the track since July I'll take it. This Saturday was a mental accomplishment more than anything. I felt like an inefficient brick out there but I had strength. I could dig deep and when I told myself to change pace I did, well I sort of, again no speed work.

Last season I tried so hard to run fast and I just couldn't. There is no way I could have finished a workout like this. I'm so grateful to be feeling like my old self again. I'll take these Frankenstein calves over total fatigue any day.
xo
Becks

Kicking this cold!

Today I was thinking that I'm really happy with my immune system - that's it! I realize this sounds totally preposterous but I've fighting a cold this past week and I'm winning. It started in my head and slowly began to invaded my lungs. Despite my anatomy classes I didn't realize the lungs go so far down your back until the mucus rattling in my lower lungs told me so. Anyways, as it should be I'm kicking this cold's ass and feeling better day by day. Last year and pretty much every year since I've been training at this level a cold like this would plague me for weeks.

I've been making a huge effort to push my stubborn ego aside and listen to my body. I take days off when I'm really tired and cross train when my body tells me to. I'm taking my off day runs a little easier than in the past and I've also been fouscing on two hard workouts per week instead of three. So far I'm recovering better than ever and feeling as if my body if functioning like a normal human. I have to admit that this recovery approach has been hard, resting feels like I'm slacking. It seems contradictory to think that focusing on recovery on non-practice days could make you stronger, I need to run, but feeling  strong in my workouts makes the guilt go away a bit. Recovery, what a novel concept eh?

Anyways, for now I'm not debilitatingly exhausted everyday and it's so exciting to catch a cold and quickly get better. We'll see how things pan out as the season progresses but for now I feel live I have the strength to be an active member of society!

It's weird to be a high performance athlete while describing myself as such a weakling but I it has been so long since I've noticed a substantial day-by-day improvement when fighting a cold. Appreciating the simple things and loving feeling good!
xo
Becks

Rediscovering Bowen

I'm rediscovering this island one run at a time. The snow has forced me to train on the roads so here I am. At first I was totally annoyed at the inconvenience but as it turns out I'm absolutely loving it. I'm looking at this as an amazing opportunity to re-explore places I've never been or haven't visited in years. Yesterday I ran towards Stephanie Steven's old place and let's just say I remember the island being significantly less hilly.

Running Route: start to self-named dead end beach and back

Today I ran like I was Forest Gump. Well, not totally like him but I had no idea where I was going - I was just runnin'.  I ended up trekking along Mt. Gardner road and let's just say again this island is extremely hilly! It was so unusual, I felt free, I had no plan I just wanted to explore. Around 30 minutes into my run I came across llamas yes, llamas. What are they doing on this island? New to me. Anyways, after seeing llamas my curiosity motivated me to continue. I ran all the way along Mt. Gardner and as the pavement became rocky pothole pavement which became progressively rural gravel I came to a dead end that also happened to be a beautiful beach. Amazed that I had never been to this place before I took a second to take in my beautiful surroundings then turned around and headed for home.

On my way back I realized I really do live on small town island time. As I was running past the recycling depot one of the big grabage trucks pulled out and honked at me. It's not what you think, they didn't honk because I was in their way, Dylan and Louise live down the road and were cheering me on. So here I was almost an hour into my run, slogging up a big hill beside the garbage truck as Dylan and Louise are telling me to "pick up the pace."

Later that day the small town feel went one step further when my mom saw Dylan going for run. Exhausted he said, "the only reason I'm going for this run is becuase I saw Rebecca running today." Loving this small town. Happy to inspire ;)
xo
Becks

Back on track

I woke up this morning to my calves screaming. After lacing up my flats for a full 5x800-metre track workout I was just asking for it. Whatever, this pain is totally worth the ease of running without the weight of rubber boots (aka running shoes) slowing me down.

I wasn't sure what to expect from this practice, 5x800-metres. I had nothing to compare it to because we're normally on the soft Como Lake surfaces during this time of year. As we began I told myself to relax, to not go out too hard and to find a rhythm. We finished the first 800 in 2:27 and it felt nice like I could do it again and again. I rarely, actually never, finish intervals describing them as "nice" but I felt strong and the pace was ok. As I continued the workout I kind of felt a bit like shark bait. Picture that haunting, hunting music coming on as the fatigue slowly creeps in. That slowly accumulating aerobic fatigue pain - it's my weakness. I can handle the super intense and then it's over pain but for me it's that slow accumulation of lactic that tests my mental strength.

Anyways, that long-winded description described my workout but I fought off the fatigue and kept my 800's consistent 2:27, 2:25, 2:26, 2:27, 2:25. I finished feeling aerobically tested, tight in my hips but still strong. After a 20-minute cool down I felt satisfied and so grateful I was called off from work so that I could avoid standing for the next 6 hours. Recovery!
xo
Becks

Running in the AQ

Training in SFU's AQ, most people hate it. We literally pound the pavement, flying around sharp bends, of a 500-metre rectangle. I love it! Running down the halls of school makes me feel so fast and more importantly I feel like a bad ass!

Today we completed 10x400metres off of 2 minutes rest. Can you say lactic? From the start I knew this was going to hurt. Our 400s began on the mat by Images Theatre, past Renaissance my favourite coffee shop, around the corner by the cash machine and Raven's, around another corner to the 300-metre mark (3 vending machines) and down the home stretch to the sliding glass doors. This is where Brit stood with her stopwatch and perfectly placed  in front of the sensor so the doors would stay open. Thus, preventing us from going face first into the glass (as if any of us would consider slowing before the finish to avoid this;)

After the first "400" I felt great, 69 seconds was a little slow but I felt strong and I had 9 more. On the next one I picked it up to 67 seconds and by 68 for the third I was already wondering if I could finish. I told myself this normal, this is how I feel with so many hard intervals and it will get better before it gets worse. I told myself the first few will feel ok, then you're going to worry about not finishing, mid way thorough you'll find a rhythm and the last 2-3 will feel really hard. Well, this is exactly what happened!

I managed to keep my next seven 400's in 68/69. As I predicted I found my rhythm by the fifth and the last two 400's left my muscle burning and me gasping for breath. I finished the last one and was absolutely down for the count but so satisfied from the pain. Finishing workouts like this successfully feels so amazing because it was such a struggle last year! We kept a very consistent 2 minute rest, without a set break, and because we were going off of the guy's recovery it was probably closer to 1min 50.

This new found rest and recovery training approaching is leaving me feeling great so far. I'm grateful for this and I can only hope I remain confident enough to continue to listen to my body. I'm so looking forward to strong running!
xo
Becks

New Intro

Here is my most recent video! This time I added an intro montage to make clothing more interesting. I have to admit I was inspired after watching Full House re-runs on DVD (best Christmas gift ever Aaron ;). As the music played of season 4 each person had pictures merging together from the previous seasons. I took old video clips from previous lulu events and mashed them together. Is inspiration from Full House sad? Maybe a little weird? Here's the video.

Dancing with myself

Life is so much more fun in video! I was about to post my most recent montage when I realized I hadn't posted this one. Enjoy the dance!
xo
Becks

Splashing through Puddles

Sitting in Betsy, my very warm car, counting down the minutes until I had to brave the freezing rain was torture. I don't mind the rain, I live in Vancouver, it's just the thought of that first 5-10 minuets before my achey old-woman body warms up.

As always, it's worse in my mind. When Tasha arrived I forced myself out of the car and after some necessary complaining the rain stopped! The trail was still a mess but we managed to make it through the first 60 minutes of our run jumping over the muddy spots, running around puddles and avoiding the general muck. That was as long as we stayed dry. After 60 minutes the trail was impassable and to be honest we were sick of avoiding.

Left with only one option Tasha took initiative and decided to bulldozer right through the impassable. There was no turning back, she bowed her head, let out a battle cry and booked it straight through the middle. I watched in mild shock, started to laugh and then followed her lead. I let out a battle call of my own, and took the puddle head on (or feet first ;).

There we were, two debatably normal and relatively intelligent women, blond ponytails bobbing, laugh-grunting battle cries as we plowed through the puddles. It was hilarious, we gave up all hope of staying dry and had fun splashing. I finished freezing cold and soaked to the bone but it was the most fun I've ever had on a Sunday run.  I felt like a kid again. Who knew splashing in puddles could still be so much fun!
xo
Becks