Technically it’s been a little more than a year since I first set my alarm to join the November Project YYC Tribe for a workout, but today seemed so fitting for this post. For starters, I went to my first NP San Francisco workout this morning. I drove two UC Berkeley students into the city & back as part of the East Bay carpool. It was a great morning, & Odin was a huge hit, of course. Today is also one week out from a very special Wednesday morning for NP YYC: the annual McMahon Stadium workout!
Story time! Last September, I decided to participate in a month-long a healthy living challenge to raise awareness & funds for the BC Cancer Foundation. You may recall my blog posts about the challenge around this time last year. I’d committed to eating paleo, limiting alcohol, & working out three times a week. The greatest thing that came out of the challenge, besides raising money for a good cause, was November Project.
I’d first heard about this crazy group of people back at the beginning of that summer. My friend Zoe messaged me with a link to the Calgary tribe’s information, “You need to join this. I joined the YYJ one in December & it is literally the best thing I have done ever.” Strong words, Zo. I briefly looked at the page, saw that workouts were at 6:13 am, & gave it a hard pass. I’d spent most of high school waking up before sunrise to jump in a freezing cold pool & swim laps for a couple hours. Aside from the occasional 6 am spin class, I was over the commitment of early morning workouts.
That is, until I saw the amazing support Zoe got during our SeaWheeze Half Marathon a few weeks later. There were high fives, “y’all goods”, & lots & lots of hugs throughout the course. All this because she put on a Lululemon shirt with November Project spray-painted across the front. It didn’t matter that they weren’t from the same city. It didn’t matter that they’d never worked out together before. These people were in her court, cheering her on. This was more than just an early morning sweat session. This was a community. & that was something I could get behind.
So I decided to join. They happened to doing a special Wednesday morning workout on August 31, 2016: running the McMahon Stadium stairs. This would be my first NP workout. I even recruited a few friends to come with me. I don’t remember much about that first workout except that it was hard. Like, really hard. I walked away with sore legs & a huge smile plastered on my face.
My first NP YYC Workout, McMahon Stadium 2016
My last NP YYC workout before SF!
I couldn’t walk properly for days afterwards. & the next few workouts were hard too. They were hard in a way that I loved though & throughout the course of that first month, I found myself looking more & more forward to Wednesday mornings. So much so, that I started going to the Monday morning workouts too. & after that September Challenge ended, I didn’t stop going.
Winter mornings in Olympic Plaza with Odin
I swear I’m not always carrying Odin
Although he adds a nice challenge to lunges
Over the last year, November Project has become more than just a morning workout for me. It’s become coffee dates, & socializing, & high gives when you think you can’t take one more step. While Tammara & Kyle have put us through some crazy workouts, I’ve also made some really rad friends. Better than that, I’ve become part of an amazing, supportive, welcoming community.
After a tough deck of cards workout
The test truck brings breakfast to our stair workout
Rotary Park play ground workouts
So here’s to an amazing year with the YYC Tribe, full of everything from warm sunrise runs & half marathon scavenger hunts to climbing everything in sight & frozen eyelash photo shoots. Thank you for welcoming me, Odin, my husband, & anyone else I’ve dragged along into your weird little group. We may be a small tribe, but you have the biggest hearts.
Weatherproof! We even workout when it’s -30 C & our eyelashes freeze. Thanks for the photo, Kyle!
Scavenger Hunt
Odin & I with our awesome co-leader, Kyle! (Who supplied many of these great photos!)
Since I have some serious FOMO about missing this McMahon Stadium workout, I hope you’ll all #justshowup for me, & if you were thinking of joining NP, THIS IS YOUR CHANCE. This is what started it all for me. & I’d love to see you’ve joined this fantastic crew when I get back in mid October.
As you well know at this point, I was one of the lucky 10,000 people to score tickets to this year’s SeaWheeze Half Marathon. This race is by far the fastest selling I’ve ever run. The morning tickets go on sale is always a bit stressful, & there’s always a little drama afterwards. This year was no exception.
Fortunately, I actually had a lot of friends score tickets this year, which made it really fun to share in the excitement surrounding the whole weekend. Half the race is about Lululemon (the swag, the gear, the festival that follows the race…) & the other half is about the actual run. I understand that gear is more of a factor for many people who sign up, but even as a huge lulu fan myself, it’s a little much for me.
Last year, I opted to wait in the crazy line for exclusive SeaWheeze gear, available only to registered runners. This year, I was still in Vernon, BC when the store opened & missed a lot of the pre-Wheeze stuff. I just wasn’t willing to spend the extra time & money to be in Vancouver for an extra day. Instead, I met up with my friend Zoe at the expo, did a quick lap, grabbed my race package, & headed to our hostel to drop my bags.
The only photo I took at the expo
We then decided food was more important than anything else & headed to my favourite sushi spot in Van, Kadoya, where we fueled up for the run with an obscene amount of sushi & a pitcher of beer. Not exactly your optimal pre-race meal. I was going into this race injured though so I figured I couldn’t really do much more harm. Expectations were low.
We really did order a pitcher
My sushi rolls (just mine). Salmon Sashimi not pictured.
Zo & I are both members of November Project in our respective cities so when NP Van announced they were doing a pre-race Crate Escape, we knew we had to go. I’m so glad we did. It’s such a cool event! We both figured we might not have the opportunity to attend another one (although, I did manage to make it to SF’s last week!).
Crate Escape is a travelling storytelling series, hosted in different NP cities all over the world. They’re usually in the evening so it’s a great intro to NP if you’re not sure you’re ready to take that early morning plunge.
Richard starting off Crate Escape!
The next morning came pretty early. We’d laid out all our stuff for the race so we wouldn’t wake our dorm mates, but I still felt pretty guilty. They’d both had late nights. Last year, there were four of us so we could turn on the lights without fear of being terrible roommates, but this year it was just the two of us. Everyone else stayed in more adult accommodations. We’re cheap. It works. (Although we discussed that we may need to spring for a hotel room next year.) The kitchen only opened at 6 am, which was just early enough for us to quickly devour the food we’d picked up the night before & walk to the race.
Walking to the start line is always such a fun experience, as you run into different people running it as well. Generally, no one else is out wandering the streets that early except the participants & their cheering section. We got there early enough to check our gear & got in line for the port-o-potties. That lasted all of 10 seconds before we decided to try the Fairmont Pacific Rim. Best. Decision. Ever. There was a line at the main floor washrooms, but a helpful concierge told us to head upstairs & use the conference washrooms. Swankiest pre-race pee of my life. We obviously took a lot of selfies.
Swanky Pre-Race Pee at the Pac Rim
Happy Dance! Zo just straight laughing at me, but she actually felt so happy too.
We decided to pass this tip on to a few of the ladies in the port-o-potty line before heading to the corrals, where we easily found a few of our November Project friends. I can only assume it was the good karma from our washroom tip off & not the fact that Brogan is easily the tallest & loudest person I’ve ever met. 😉 (I mean that in the best way possible. It was super cool to meet one of the founders of November Project!)
Pre-race selfie
SeaWheeze Startline
As you can see, it would be really hard to spot Brogan in a crowd…
NP YYC Co-leader Kyle is ready to race!
Our corral heading out from the start
We seeded ourselves in the second corral with our friends & the 2 hour pace beavers. I was thinking this might be a bit fast for me considering my lack of training, but I went for it anyway. Zoe wanted to break 2 hours for the first time. Meanwhile, I was telling myself I needed to be happy just to finish. (Fat chance! I’m far too competitive to be happy with that!)
The start itself is always such a rush- you’re running with so many other people, everyone still feels great, there’s a crazy energy! Looking back, we took it out pretty fast. The weather was perfect for running & we were clearly feeling good. I swear sea level does wonders when you’re used to training at altitude. Thanks, Calgary. (Or maybe sushi & beer is just the perfect pre-race meal?)
Off we go!
First Cheer Station
Zoe & I were chatting on & off, enjoying the run, when we hit the Burrard Street Bridge. Zo wanted to stick to the inside, which was separated from runners making their way back across the bridge (already?! SO FAST!) by a line of traffic cones. As I was enjoying the view from the bridge, my foot caught on a piece of unmarked cone & I went down pretty hard. Luckily, I bounced back up pretty quick, but I’d scratched my dad’s Go Pro (that I was holding), ripped a hole in my new lulus, & scraped my hand pretty badly. The GU Gel in my pocked had also exploded down the side of my pants, so my other hand was a sticky mess from this discovery. Zo asked me if I wanted to stop at a first aid tent, but that was the last thing I wanted. This sounds pretty stupid in hindsight, but I was more concerned with how much time it would add to my race. There was a water station as soon as we got off the bridge where I managed to clean off my hands a bit & keep going.
I somehow managed to keep up with Zoe’s awesome pace until halfway up the bridge on the way back. I was still trying to decide how much damage running would do to my already injured knee so I opted not to push to catch up & ran my own race.
Sorry my SeaWheeze posts are always of your butt.
Go Zo Go! This is about where I lost her.
My fall ended up being a bit of a blessing though as it distracted me from the pain of the actual run. At one point, I was toying with the idea of stopping, thinking I was at 10 km & couldn’t run another 10+. I checked my phone for the first time in the race & was actually at almost 15 km! I’d zoned out for a solid 5 km. It was just the push I needed to keep going.
Fire Fighters are a pretty good distraction too
The whole course is gorgeous, but I especially love the sea wall
This race was full of firsts for me, actually. First time not checking my phone or watch for my pace, first time not walking except at water stations, first time not doing an insane sprint to the finish, first time not checking the clock at the finish.
So many great cheer stations!
These Go Pro captures honestly don’t do it justice
Amazing!
Let’s talk about that last point. I always know my finishing time. Always. This year, I crossed that finish line in a half sprint, assumed I’d run around a 2:15 or a 2:20 & went to find Zoe. When I found her, I immediately asked if she broke 2 hours & she said she did. I couldn’t have been happier for her! I gave her the biggest sweatiest hug I could muster.
At this point, I still hadn’t thought of looking at my time. As we walked up the ramp collecting your various swag, I texted friends & family to tell them about the fall (& the race, I guess). We ate breakfast, I got first aid, & I still hadn’t checked. It wasn’t until Zoe looked up her official time that I thought to check mine. I couldn’t even get it to work so it was her who told me I’d officially ran a 2:02. A 2:02?! What?! I guess there’s something to be said for experience.
Race Finish Line
DONE!
Burrard Street Bridge Injury
Lululemon seriously made my day by replacing the pants that I ripped with some limited edition SeaWheeze ones. THANK YOU!
I couldn’t be happier with my run this year. It was definitely an unforgettable experience, & that’s saying a lot coming from someone who got engaged at the end of a race once. Mostly, I’m in awe of what our bodies are capable of. I’m so proud of my body for accomplishing what it did. I truly didn’t do anything to help it out, besides having run several half marathons in my life. So way to go, body! You’re pretty incredible.
That’s it for my 2017 SeaWheeze Race Recap. Writing this post has me excited for SeaWheeze 2018 again – I know I’ll try to register again. Sorry, Future Alanna.
I also ran with my dad’s Go Pro. Unfortunately, I just carried it so all of my footage is terribly shaky. Until I edit it better, I created a quick video using Go Pro’s new Quik App. It’s not great, but it gives you a glimpse into my race!
I am not a very patient person. I dread waiting in lines or sitting in traffic. When I set my mind to do something, I want to do it right away.
I set a goal to start working out with November Project during my #SoberSeptember last year, & I completely fell in love with not only the workouts, but the wonderful people as well. I looked forward to Monday & Wednesday mornings all fall, & rarely missed a workout. Then, in late November, I noticed my knee was starting to bug me. It was especially bothersome when I ran stairs. I put off seeing a physio until mid December for fear of having to give up my workouts, just as they’d become a staple in weekly routine.
It turned out I had a fair bit of swelling in both my knees. My right knee had been the one giving me grief, but my left was actually weaker. My physio told me I had something called patellofemoral syndrome: the muscles around my knees don’t keep my kneecaps properly aligned, likely due to an imbalance in my quad muscles. This is causing damage to my cartilage. This damage is what’s behind the swelling & pain. Apparently, you can’t rebuild cartilage, so he suggested we start working on realigning things right away.
He warned me that it would be a long, boring process. I’d also have to take a break from some of my favourite things, namely running stairs (& running in general). Having just hit such a groove with November Project, I was pretty bummed at this news. I’ve also never truly been injured enough to have to stop any activities. I’m stubborn & impatient so I knew this wouldn’t be easy for me, but I was determined to listen to my physio. I really committed to all my exercises, & worked on them diligently.
Over the last several months, I’ve had to compromise on a lot of things I love to do, fitness-wise. I’m still going to gymnastics. I still go to November Project. I still bike to & from work, & take Odin on long walks & hikes. There are still so many things that I can do. I’m trying to focus on that. I don’t run the stairs at NP or go for runs (except this one time I did a huge scavenger hunt a couple weeks ago. Whoops!). I’m still working away at my constantly evolving slew of quad & glute exercises. & my physio was right – it’s long & boring.
I signed up to run the SeaWheeze again back in the fall, & training was set to begin this week. I was optimistic that I’d be cleared to start running again after my appointment last week, just in time to start this training & join some of the running groups I’ve been looking forward to. Unfortunately, my left knee is only at about 80%. Until there’s no more swelling, I have to keep working on more exercises & stay away from running. It was frustrating news to get, especially considering I’d been diligent with all my exercises. & I’m just not that patient. I’m not used to being sidelined.
I’m still planning to run the SeaWheeze this summer, as it’s one of my favourite races, but I’m trying to mentally prepare myself for the fact that it will likely be my slowest race to date. As a fairly competitive personality, this is also something I don’t do well with. It’s a tough pill to swallow knowing I won’t be able to push as hard as I’d like in my race. In about 6 weeks, I’ll go back to my physio, hopefully without any swelling, & be cleared to start run training (which should be really interesting over our three weeks in Europe!). For now, I’m substituting my runs with biking & strength training. It’s not quite the same, & I find spring is when I most want to be out there on the river paths, but it’s better than nothing.
I realize this injury is a tiny blip in the grand scheme of things, but it’s definitely testing my patience. I’m trying to be grateful for everything that I can do, because I truly can still do so many of the things I really love. I know I’ll be back out there soon, & I’ll appreciate it all the more.
We kicked off our 2017 hiking season with Odin’s first hike, in honour of his first birthday. We’d been told to wait until around a year before taking him up any mountains, to help prevent any future issues with hips & other joints. I think part of the fun of having a spunky pup is taking them on adventures, so we’d been looking forward to this day since we first started looking into getting a dog.
I knew I wanted to include as much of our family as we could, so we’d originally planned an easy climb up Sulfur Mountain. We’d take the gondola back down afterwards as it’s free in the off season. We’d done it a few winter’s ago with my brother in law’s dog. It was a great little season opener. Unfortunately, a few days before the hike, I found out the Banff Gondola no longer allows dogs due to some negative experiences. I turned to some other doodle owners for suggestions & we landed on Barrier Lake Lookout, also known as Prairie View. It looked like a relatively easy, rewarding climb.
Not bad, Kananaskis, not bad.
Trail Head
We met our hiking group in the parking lot around 10:30 am & headed out. Walking along the lake at the start of the trail, it seemed like we might be in for a cold, windy day. As soon as we got into the trees though, our entire group shed most of their layers.
The trail is south facing, so I hadn’t expected to see much snow, however, it didn’t take long for us to run into some icy patches. None of us were wearing spikes, so it got challenging pretty quickly. My mom was only in runners so her & my dad had to bail about halfway up. The rest of us continued on, despite some pretty sketchy sections on the way up. Yay for spring hiking!
Icy patches on the way up
We made it to the first lookout area & stopped for a few pictures. We were pretty close to the summit at this point, & planned to continue, but a combination of congestion & a steep, slippery section caused us to re-evaluate. We decide to stop for lunch with a view, & call it a day.
Views from the first lookout
Family Photo!
Looking for scraps
Mud pup lunch stop
Lunch views
We had braced ourselves for a treacherous climb down, but were treated to a fairly easy descent. The icy sections has softened up, which made a huge difference. It’s definitely something to keep in mind if you plan to hike this in the early spring – either go later in the day or bring spikes.
Despite the early season conditions, the trail was quite busy. I imagine it’s even more so in the summer, so I think I’d stick to shoulder season unless you like hiking in crowds. We saw lots of other dogs too, many off-leash despite signs stating that dogs must be on one.
Back at the base after our hike
Overall, it was a great day. We got lots of sunshine, enjoyed some beautiful views, & great company. I’m hoping to get out to the mountains lots with Odin, so any other dog friendly hike suggestions are more than welcome. We’re on the hunt for our first real summit!
This run was a long time in the works, & I don’t just mean in the sense that we signed up almost a full year in advance. I started talking about someday running it with my friend Zoe back in 2013. We wound up setting our wedding date for the day after the 2014 race though, so it wasn’t in the cards that year. I figured that was ok though, & I’d run in 2015. Foiled again, as registration opened while we were on our honeymoon & Zoe didn’t have enough of my personal information to sign me up. Darn!
So last September, I put all my information into Eventbrite before registration opened & was lucky enough to score one of the coveted few spots in the run (if you can call 10 000 spots few). I then proceeded to forget about it until about May, when I realized I should probably start training.
I’d had grand plans to PR, given that I’d be training at altitude & racing at sea level. Summer got in the way of that goal a little bit though, & I didn’t end up training anywhere close to as well as I should have. When it came time to fly to Vancouver for the weekend, I had decided I’d just have to be happy with a finish.
Cloudy skies on my flight
Coming in to Vancouver
I’d made plans to meet my friends at the ridiculous Lululemon Showcase Store on Friday morning, so I flew out Thursday night & stayed with a girlfriend in Mount Pleasant. Hotel Sasha is my go-to accommodation when I visit. I feel pretty lucky to be able to fit in a visit with a great friend & be staying in a fantastic neighbourhood.
I’d been wanting to try Vij’s for years, so I took myself for a later dinner after I arrived. If you’ve never been, I highly recommend stopping by as it ranks high on my list of best overall meals. I arrived around 9 pm & was told there was an hour wait (yes, there’s pretty much always a wait. It’s worth it). There was space in the lounge if I wanted to enjoy a drink & some appetizers while I waited, they told me. I thought that sounded great, so I found a cozy spot in their beautiful lounge & ordered myself one of the best sours I’ve ever had.
My whole twitter feed was basically a love letter to Vij’s that night. They had me at that Cambie Sour. Every few minutes, they came around with a different snack to try. I was in heaven; sipping my cocktail & watching the kitchen prepare naan (it’s mesmerizing to watch).
the lounge at Vij’s & my cocktail
Making naan
It wasn’t long before a server came to take me to a table, or at least it didn’t feel long given my fantastic drink, the snacks, & my view of the kitchen as entertainment. I decided to get a glass of red wine to go with dinner & quickly decided on the wine marinated lamb with fenugreek cream curry. Generally if there is lamb on a menu, I’m all over it. This ranked very near the top of best things I’ve eaten. The flavours were incredible, the naan was perfect, the lamb was cooked beautifully. It was bliss. I left the restaurant smiling ear to ear.
My perfect lamb dish. I will dream about this for years.
The next morning came early. Luckily I was on Alberta time & Sasha was up early to start setting up at the expo for work so I was able to catch a ride to the convention centre. When I arrived people had been in line since the night before, & it looped around the building already. It was 5:30 am. I ended up making friends in the line (my other friends were an hour behind me & too scared to budge with me) & picked up a few nice items. I’m not sure I’d line up that early if I run again, but I’m glad to have had the experience for my first SeaWheeze. For the rest of the day, we hung out around the expo, getting temporary tattoos, having our hair braided, enjoying some great snacks, & taking fun photos together. It was one of the best expos I’ve ever been to, & the weather was fantastic.
Watching the sun rise
Expo line up at the back of the building
Showcase Store Haul
PARTY crew!
Treats while waiting in line!
A messy braid that actually stayed for the whole race
That night, after we’d checked into our hostel, we headed down to Kadoya Sushi for dinner. Sushi is probably my favourite pre-race meal, & Vancouver has some of the best. Afterwards, we were pretty tired from our day in the sun, so we headed to bed pretty early. That 5 am wakeup call comes pretty quick.
pre-race sashimi
We were staying at the Samesun Hostel on Granville, which was only about a 15 minute walk from the start line, so we all walked down together with a few new friends who were also staying the hostel. Most people in the SeaWheeze facebook group were staying in nice hotels near the start, but we decided the hostel price was right for us. We had a private room & significantly more money to spend in Vancouver.
For the race, Zoe & I felt we would be running around the same pace & would stick together, at least in the beginning. If you’ve ever run Seawheeze, you know how epic the cheering stations are. I’d heard rumours about them, but they far exceeded my expectations. My friend, Sasha, was on the Burrard Street bridge with Clearly, & when she saw me, she gave me the biggest hug & ran a few steps with me. It was definitely one of the highlights of the race for me.
Morning walk to the start
race ready!
Start Line
Sea wall
Sea wall (& amazing photos while running! 😉 )
Zoe & I ran together until about 18 km, when I had to walk for longer than expected & we lost each other. Not only was my training not quite there, but it was also really hot, so I had to slow down. There isn’t a whole lot of shade along the route, & even though I felt like I drank a lot of water, I was really struggling by the end. I ended up finishing with a time of 2:08, which isn’t as far off my personal best as I was expecting. I guess training at altitude really does work wonders. The competitive side of me is really wishing I’d training better so I could have really taken advantage of altitude training.
Zoe pulling me along the seawall
Thanks for keeping me going, friend!
I found Zoe at the finish line afterwards & we weaved through the finishers stations to get our swag. I swear this stuff is half the reason a lot of people run this race. Not only is the medal sweet, but Sage was there with cooling & pain oils, there are some great snacks, a finishers hat, & lots of other cool things. The runners brunch after was a delicious breakfast sandwich, & we were lucky to have finished before they ran out of water (I can’t imagine that’ll be a repeat mistake by lulu. Big oops!).
FINISHERS!
We eventually found the rest of our crew & headed back towards our hotel in search of some drinks. We were all pretty ready for a drink after our run, & it was shaping up to be a gorgeous day! We found a pub & had a few before heading back to the hostel to change & shower.
A few weeks before the race, I’d started a twitter convo with the Seawheeze account & wound up telling them our proposal story. They thought it was so cute & wanted to give us something special during the race, but since N wasn’t coming, they treated me & the girls to pedicures. It was such a lovely surprise! Thanks again, Lululemon!
Pedicures. Thanks, Lululemon!
The sunset festival was that evening, but beforehand, we headed over to Gringo in Gastown for dinner. It’s this little spot (in a slightly sketchy alley) where the waiters learn your names, the drinks are delicious, & the food is awesome. I would go back in a heartbeat. I wish we could have stayed longer, but we had a festival to get to. The shuttle picked us up from the convention center & took us to the festival, where we joined the Clearly girls on the grass for some drinks & music. The festival was really fun, especially once we found a system for getting more than a single beer at a time. I really hope they change that rule for next year. The last thing you want to do after running a half marathon is wait in a really long line for a single beer.
Gringo tacos!
Sunset Festival
Yoga mats for miles
Courageous Blondes & fresh pedis
Tomorrow is registration for Seawheeze & you can bet I’ll be trying to get in. It’s one of the most intense processes to get into a race I’ve ever experienced, but we’re all going for it again. Wish us luck, & hopefully we’ll see you at the start line next year.
Home stretch! The final week is more or less over, & I think it’s been a pretty successful month for everyone. Some of the girls set some pretty lofty fundraiser & health goals, which I totally respect. Go big or go home, right?
As for me, I’m feeling pretty awesome. It’s been a pretty successful month & I’m really pleased with some of the side effects I’ve experienced from #SoberSeptember (& paleo). So pleased, in facet, that I’m thinking of continuing it a little longer. I’d like to commit to a mostly Sober October as well. I’m out of town the first two weekends, so I know they won’t be perfect, but I’d like to make a conscious effort to continue eating pretty strict paleo & staying away from alcohol. I’ll allow myself a couple cheats, but N will be away again so it seems like a good opportunity to keep working hard. We’ve decided that if it goes well, we’ll go for pizza & oysters at a new (to us) spot to celebrate a great fall. Seems like a fair trade off to me.
Snacks with hubs: Duck Liver Mousse from Peasant Cheese (the best), homemade pickled carrots, & olives.
I sometimes forget just how great I feel when I eat paleo. I generally average under 8 hours of sleep per night. With morning workouts & evening commitments, I’ve been getting less sleep lately, but have way more energy. It’s my favourite side-effect. (I’m sure the extra workouts have been helping too.) I’d also normally break out at some point this month, but my skin showed no real signs of a breakout. Even my psoriasis seems to be laying low. It’s been a great reminder that I should make more of an effort to eat this way more consistently.
Bocce Handstands
Daily bike to work. It’s getting quiet in the cage at work.
Spin with some lovely ladies!
Ready for an early morning workout!
The best part of this whole month for me was joining November Project. I’m totally hooked & can see myself continuing to attend. I’m not sure if I’ll always be able to make it both Mondays & Wednesdays, but I’d love to go as often as possible. I actually don’t have to get up too much earlier than I normally would & I just pack my bag, prep my meals, & lay out my workout clothes the night before. This week I also got back in the pool, which was a humbling experience. I hope to make it out to a practice once in a while this year – it’s such a good challenge for me.
Early morning abs
Speech time!
Group Hug!
Crab walks
Amazing sunrise after the 600s workout
Banner for our sister city, LA.
On the fundraising side, I’m at 60% of my goal for the month. I’ve added my $65 donation to the mix for the cheat meals & drinks. I’m pretty happy that I managed to mostly stick to my goal, aside from in Kelowna. I even went out a few times with friends without having more than the wine I was allowed, so I don’t feel like I missed out on too much this month. Thank you to everyone who donated to my campaign. If you would still like to donate, today’s the day. This it it! (We made it, ladies!!) Check out my campaign page for more information or to add a donation to the cause. All proceeds go to cervical cancer research at the BC Cancer Foundation.
The second week of this challenge was, as expected, more difficult. Since we’d already booked a wine tour in Kelowna & would be attending a wedding, I opted to donate $50 to the BC Cancer Foundation in order to partake in this lovely weekend away. We ate well, drank an assortment of beautiful local wines, & danced our butts off. It was more than worth the expense.
I think this tells you everything about how much fun we had at Bobby & Karla’s wedding.
Getting back into the heathy living swing of things was tough, but I managed to do pretty well. I did take advantage of my daily wine allowance a couple times last week, but I also got lots of great workouts in, & managed to stay on track with my meals. Even with N in town, enjoying ice cream, pizza, & beer a couple times this week, I resisted the urge to partake. I think the “first” full week is actually the hardest part, & I’m going into this next one feeling like I’m over the hump.
My friend Zoe recommended we make the above lettuce wraps. They don’t look like much of anything, but trust me when I say, they are amazing. Make them. They’re so easy!
L & I have been really great about biking to & from work. High five, friend!
Last week was particularly busy for me, so we didn’t make a lot of super exciting recipes. I had dinner out twice too, actually: once at the Coup & once at Van Son. Both times, I managed not to cheat, which was pretty awesome. I’d never been to the Coup before, but I really enjoyed it. The entire menu is vegetarian, & I almost didn’t miss having meat in my meal. Plus, I finally got to have what felt like a real dessert after a few days of N eating ice cream in front of me.
My salad at the Coup
Coconut Lemon “Square”
Random lunch: roasted yams, tuna salad with pickled carrots, bacon & kale chips.
Spiralized cucumber salad & dilly basa
Once again I made it to November Project on Wednesday morning. Gymnastics also started back up that nigh,t & after class, I stuck around for Open Gym & did a very handstand-centric workout with our coach, Tanis. I realized halfway through that I was getting 4 hours-worth of exercise that day. Needless to say, I was pretty sore over the weekend. I had a few Beakerhead commitments that kept me active though, & we helped friends move on Saturday morning. I think I more than fulfilled my workout obligations!
Not a bad view of the city after an early morning workout
Killer hill repeats
Tricep dips at sunrise
NP Crew
I managed to prepare two really nice meals, despite our hectic weekend. First was Gyudon from the Domestic Man. It’s such an easy recipe, but the flavour is awesome & it looks quite impressive. The second was Sunday brunch. Our friends were hosting us for football, but I didn’t want to inconvenience them or go hungry, so we ate beforehand. I prepared my favourite pumpkin pancakes & cooked some maple beef sausages from our Grazed Right stash. We topped them with some preserved peaches from family.
Gyudon
Pumpkin Pancakes, Peaches, & Sausage
I kicked off this week with November Project this morning at Shaw Millennium Park. We did a workout using our phone numbers, which was pretty fun. It was a great way to start the week. I’m on track to have a great fitness week with NP Wednesday morning, gymnastics Wednesday night, spin Thursday night, & bocce on Saturday. I’m excited!
Run!
Tricep Train
More than halfway through this challenge & I’ve raised $100. Thank you so much to everyone who’s donated to my campaign. With my (possibly growing) contribution, I’m almost halfway to my donation goal! (I MAY have some brunch plans coming to add, which will put me even closer! EEK!) I’ve love following along with the other ladies in this challenge – they’re all doing great & raising money for a great cause!
If you’d like to donate, or find out more, check out my campaign page. Otherwise, follow along on snapchat or instagram (whoalansi for both) – I’d love to see you at November Project, on a run, or at spin, so hit me up for a workout sometime! #FuckCancer
We’re one week into the FFPK Healthy Living Challenge to raise money & awareness for Cervical Cancer through the BC Cancer Foundation, & it’s been a fantastic start. I’ve been eating such healthy & delicious meals, & getting lots of activity in.
I spent the long weekend in BC with my parents & we ate like kings! Their neighbour had brought over some delicious vegetables from her garden, & then we were given even more from my girlfriend’s parent’s garden too. We had fingerling potatoes, dill, mint, heirloom tomatoes, beets, kohlrabi, zucchini, black walnuts, spaghetti squash, & kale. Everything was incredible! I can’t wait for my parents to plant a garden of their own out there!
heirloom tomato
fingerling potatos
For workouts, I went for a couple extra long walks with Odin, in addition to his usual 15 minute ones. I think his favourite was going down to the lake & getting a swim in, but I really loved going out to the lookout point for the first time. It’s a gorgeous walk. I had done a huge stair workout with November Project at McMahon Stadium last Wednesday to kick things off, & I went again this morning. It was PR day so I set my first one: 10 times up & down the memorial stairs in 40 minutes. I also did some running with my dad & will be adding some more bodyweight workouts this week for a little variety. Gymnastics starts back up next Wednesday too & I can’t wait!
November Project at McMahon
Banff Hike
Lookout Point, Columbia Lake
Hikes with Odin
Laische’s first day of bike commuting!
November Project Views
I’ve been using some of my go-to recipes over this first week: chicken thighs with roasted beets, cumin spiced pork tenderloin with root vegetables, big ass salads, & egg bites (for breakfast). I’m really used to eating paleo at this point, so cutting out grains & bread isn’t something I have to wrap my mind around. I generally eat that way at home anyway, so it’s just sticking to it more closely this month. My friend, Zoe, sent me a few fantastic paleo recipes that I can’t wait to try this month so I’ll try to post how those turn out. If you follow along on instagram, I post most of my food with the hashtag, #deBoerDinners.
Paleo Pumpkin Biscuit, Eggs, Tomato, & Bacon
Egg & Red Pepper Scramble with Pumpkin biscuit.
Cumin Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Root Vegetables
Kale Chips
The hardest thing for me this week was abstaining from alcohol & dairy. My parents always put out an amazing appetizer spread at the lake. It usually includes cheese, & this time was no exception. Luckily, I came prepared with homemade pickled carrots & duck liver pâté. While I was still quite envious of their cheese selections, it helped to have some equally delicious options for myself. I also managed to hold myself to my allotment of wine over the weekend & substituted my usual patio drink with Kombucha or water. Planning ahead has always been the key to success for me.
I tested myself again a little yesterday when I picked up some fudge for N as a special surprise after his knee surgery (just a scope, nothing serious!). The smell of that fudge was almost enough to send me over the edge, but I didn’t indulge.
Pickling Carrots
This week will be a little bit different with us heading out to Kelowna for a wedding. I will be buying out on Friday for a wine tour & Saturday for the wedding. I’m glad to have this as an option so I can still participate in the rest of the month!
Thank you to everyone who has donated to my campaign so far! You guys are the best! I’ve raised $90 toward my $350 goal. Thank you!!! If you’d like to donate, or find out more, check out my campaign page. Otherwise, follow along on snapchat or instagram (whoalansi for both) – I’d love to see you at November Project, on a run, or at spin, so hit me up for a workout sometime! #FuckCancer
Last year, my girlfriend completed a no makeup challenge to raise funds & awareness for the BC Cancer Foundation. It was the inaugural fundraising challenge for the female chapter of Family Photos Kelowna. The “family” shares the same fundraising & awareness goal across all chapters.
When this years’ challenge opened, I decided I wanted to take part. This September, FFPK is committing to 30 days of healthy living. As summer is my favourite time to indulge a little more, this challenge seemed like the perfect fit. The added bonus of raising money for a good cause made it a no brainer.
There are some general guidelines for the challenge, but everyone has been encouraged to make it their own. I love reading everyone’s personal goals & outlook on what a month of healthy living means to them. You can check out all the campaigns here; there’s an awesome assortment of things going down this month.
For me, I’ve noticed I feel my best when I’m not eating gluten, soy, or dairy. I know Paleo can be a little controversial sometimes, but I’ve never felt better than when I eliminated those few things from my diet. I also find it keeps my psoriasis in check, which is an amazing side effect. I’m excited to get back on track for a full month. Although we’ve never fully gone back to our old way of eating, I’ve enjoyed a lot of cheese & a fair bit of beer over the summer.
In addition to eating Paleo this month, I’ll be severely cutting alcohol. The challenge allows for half a glass of red wine a day. There’s a penalty if we cheat on this rule so I will be donating $20 for the two days I’m in Kelowna this month for a wine tasting & a wedding. Aside from that, my goal is to stick to no drinking.
Fitness-wise, I’m endeavoring to get my sweat on 3x a week for at least 30 minutes. I’ve been meaning to check out the November Project for a while & this is the perfect opportunity to get my butt in gear. I’m kicking it off tomorrow at McMahon Stadium, & I’d love to see some of my lovely friends out there if they’re up for it. (Meet at the SE Gate at 6:13 AM!) I’ll also be biking, running, spinning, swimming, & getting my gymnastics on this month!
You can find my personal campaign here, but a donation isn’t the only way you can support me this month. Cheerleaders are just as valuable in a challenge of this kind, so I hope at least some of you are willing to join me in a workout from time to time (or simply remind me to get my ass out of bed & to November Project). Let’s get after it, friends!
A few years ago, I stopped running with music. I know many people who cannot fathom attempting this, but I’ve come to love it. I originally stopped because N & I started training & running together more. It’s nicer to chat with him than running together in silence. (& it seems silly to run with someone if you ignore each other in favour of your iPod anyway.) Eventually, this became a habit on any run, & now running gives me a chance to think – to unplug & really listen to my body. In addition to the opportunity for self-reflection, I find myself more in tune with how my run is going, a perk I didn’t anticipate. I find I’m no longer trying to mindlessly power through my runs; I’m an active participant.
Photo by Colin Hill
I was struggling through one of my shorter training runs recently (this half marathon is gonna hurt, big time) when I started thinking about perception. I’ve spent my entire life involved in sports to some capacity. As a kid, I tried every sport available to me (ballet, gymnastics, figure skating, track, baseball, soccer…). Competitive swimming wound up being the one that stuck.
I swam with the University of Calgary Swim Club for eight years before retiring. At my peak, I was swimming laps with some of the best athletes in the country (usually desperately trying to keep up). I’d reached a level I’d mostly thought was unattainable. & even then, I will always remember thinking, “this is hard.”
Photo by Colin Hill
I find there’s a perception that once you reach a certain level, it gets easier. Things fall into place & suddenly everything clicks. In reality, it doesn’t. You can make something a habit, like running, so that it’s easier to get out the door. & if you were to continue to train at the same level, it would take less effort to get them same result. Improvement is uncomfortable though. If you remain in that effortless zone, you’re unlikely to improve. In order to get better at something, you have to push past the arbitrary limit in your mind. It’s human nature to want to be better, faster, smarter, or stronger than we were before. Personally, I get frustrated when my progress stalls.
I notice that when someone believes that you’re fit or that you excel at something, they often attribute that skill to ease. I’ve said this countless times about my husband’s running. He’s naturally built for running & makes it look easy. Whenever I hit the pool, I get comments on the effortless look of my strokes. Great athletes make their sport look easy. That’s not to say there isn’t a level of talent involved – I’ve just found that doesn’t lessen the demands.
I discovered running from a desire to find a more versatile workout. You can run anywhere! All you need are a pair of shoes! This was hugely appealing to me after years of long hours in the pool. There was just one problem small problem: I wasn’t a terribly “good” runner. I could manage maybe ten miserable minutes at a time, & I hated every minute of it. But I’m stubborn – stubborn & determined – so I stuck with it. & eventually, I got faster. I could run for longer periods of time & I didn’t look like I was going to die the whole time. In that sense, it got “easier”. I ran 10 km. & then I ran a half marathon. I was hooked.
That took a long time though, & I still frequently have what I like to call “character building runs”. The difference now is that I have a lot more confidence in my abilities & am better at coping with the mental game.
As we head into race weekend for the Calgary Half Marathon, I’m trying to keep that mental game in check. While my training has been far from stellar, I’m a smarter, more seasoned athlete, & I’m hoping that gets me across that finish line. I’m trying to remember I’m not running to beat a time (& I’m going to do my best not to let my competitive nature get the best of me).
The conclusion I came to on that difficult run was that this struggle is normal. Even when you think you’re at the top of your game, you’re going to have bad days. The more experience you have, the less it shows, but it never really goes away.
Keep that in mind next time you think you can’t. You can. Get out there & find something you want to get better at & do it. You may not be a natural on your first attempt, but we learn by doing, & sometimes by failing. It won’t be easy, but I think someone once said, “nothing worth doing is easy”.
All that will certainly be on my mind Sunday morning.
| FRANCOPHILE | OENOPHILE | LOGOPHILE | TUROPHILE |
A self-professed foodie, lover of language, & travel enthusiast, I find joy in sharing my adventures as I eat, travel, & try to find the right words to tell you about it.
International experiences are my jam, & I have some serious wanderlust. I'm cheesy, loyal, independant, & most of all, passionate; I wear my heart on my sleeve. I've been called intense, & I can't deny the label: I’m earnest & embrace my interests wholeheartedly.
My experiences abroad have fueled an appreciation for a wide variety of foods & I love watching Calgary diversify. I delight in the ongoing search for delicious fare & take great pleasure in sharing my knowledge of Calgary's food scene.
| FRANCOPHILE | OENOPHILE | LOGOPHILE | TUROPHILE |
A self-professed foodie, lover of language, & travel enthusiast, I find joy in sharing my adventures as I eat, travel, & try to find the right words to tell you about it.
International experiences are my jam, & I have some serious wanderlust. I'm cheesy, loyal, independant, & most of all, passionate; I wear my heart on my sleeve. I've been called intense, & I can't deny the label: I’m earnest & embrace my interests wholeheartedly.
My experiences abroad have fueled an appreciation for a wide variety of foods & I love watching Calgary diversify. I delight in the ongoing search for delicious fare & take great pleasure in sharing my knowledge of Calgary's food scene.
