Hey Everyone! 

 

Hope everyone’s having a good unstructured holiday. I know I’ve taken a break from looking at and posting on logs – I will get back to that next week and looking forward to reading what you’ve been up to!  

 

One thing I’ve been thinking about a fair bit is the idea of maintaining Hope. Hope is such a powerful motivator. I think it’s even a superpower. I’m not talking about rose-coloured glasses or false optimism or just crossing your fingers and closing your eyes and hoping for the best. I’m talking about really believing in a potential positive outcome, and using that belief to work to make it happen. If you give up hope, you stop trying. I can definitely see how people can fall into this trap when it feels like your efforts aren’t getting you anywhere. But when what we were hoping for doesn’t happen, we have to persevere in finding hope in something else. 

 

I’m thinking in part of Sara Hall, who just ran the second fastest marathon of any American woman. This great article sums up her drive and attitude well. Basically, she failed at making the Olympics and failed again in the next round at 37 years of age. She was looking at a pandemic year with no races scheduled. So she swung her hopes from one dream to another, trained with that hope and vision in mind, found a race put together for elites, and raced to a world class personal best time (2:20:32) which was nearly an American record. 

 

It’s easy to let our hopes get dashed. But the sense of defeat and helplessness when they do is paralyzing. This is true for big and small events. I was cross country skiing the other day along a trail which started winding up. And up. And up. At each turn I thought, “the top must be at the end of this rise” so I worked my way up, and then saw that it was only winding around another incline. If I had seen the entire hill stretched out in front I probably would have lost hope and turned around. But each segment kept me buoyed with hope until I finally made it to the top.  

 

For big picture examples I think of climate change, racial injustice, economic disparity, human kindness and morality. Hope for the positive outcome in all of these areas is easily dashed, but we have to fight to hold onto it. That gives us the energy to keep working towards what we want. And eventually we’ll get to a new reality. Like Sara Hall, it may not be the reality we initially envisioned, but it will be something great! 

 

So, if I could give you all one gift for 2021 it would be the gift of hope. If hope is the flame that lights our way through a dark tunnel (which is what I read when I looked it up), then even if it is a small little flame quivering in the wind, we have to protect it from going out with all our might. And if it does happen to get extinguished, we have to struggle to light a new match, even if it’s wet and windy and our matchsticks keep breaking. It’s not always easy to hold onto hope, but it is the best way forward. That will be our superpower. I think 2021 will be a great year for all of us. 

 

Workouts for this week: 

1. 8-15 x 1 min on, 1 min off. I like this one to keep the legs spinning. 
2. Tempo option: 3 x 8 min w 3 min easy 

 

Happy New Year Everyone and looking forward to seeing y’all in 2021!!! 

 

xoxo 

 

Seanna 

 

 

Hi Gang! 

 

First up, congratulations to everyone who ran the virtual Tannenbaum 10K. It was so nice to see so many people supporting an industry which we enjoy during good times, AND as an added bonus, supporting a charity for a local community centre which relies on all of us. Thank-you!!! 

 

People ran on various days at various times, and I think most of us dealt with classic Tannenbaum conditions. Some had black ice, some had pitch darkness and cross-country puddles, and some had gale force winds. What I love is that we all went out and did it anyway and didn’t make excuses. That’s the Tannenbaum spirit! (also the fact that a number of you came away with PB’s was very impressive – I guess if you train in it, you can race in it!) 

 

So speaking of Tannenbaums, my thoughts this week have been lingering on trees. I was reminded of them again as I stumbled upon this quote by William Blake: “The tree which moves some to tears of joy is in the eyes of others only a green thing which stands in the way. As a [person] is, so [they] see”. 

 

This made me think about my relationship to trees at this time of year. 

 

I love trees in the summer with their full canopies of rustling green leaves which suggest life and energy. I feel awe looking at them in the fall with their bright reds and oranges and yellows and sometimes wonder how it’s possible that something in nature can be so eye-poppingly beautiful. When they’re blanketed in snow, they feel safe and quiet, and beautiful in a calming way. But right now, they are dark and straggly – some still with the odd withered brown leaf clinging to a skinny branch. At first glimpse, they don’t look beautiful at all. But I’ve decided I need to work harder to see it, and I’ve found when I do, I still can see a lot of beauty. If I pan out, I notice their silhouettes against the sky and the interesting shapes they make as they reach up and out together. I notice their sturdy trunks with varying geometries as they branch up to support the whole network above. I’m reminded of how strong and resilient they are and for some reason I start to feel emotional with gratitude for their dependable presence. There is sometimes a lone cluster of brown leaves clinging to a branch high up, and I realize they are providing safe, cozy homes for squirrels and other creatures. And what is more beautiful than that?   

 

So that’s my challenge to you over the next few weeks – really look for and see the beauty in nature out there. Soak it in on your runs. There truly is a lot of beauty, and maybe if we force ourselves to see it we can flip it around to be: “as a person sees, so the person is”.  

 

I love all of you beautiful people and with that I think we should wrap up the group training for this year. 

 

I’ll continue to send a weekly note with some workout options – feel free to meet up in small groups (I know you know how to reach each other!) I will keep it to fartlek/timed efforts over the holidays, and/or hills. You don’t need to do a lot to maintain – just touch base with your fitness now and then. It is WAY easier to maintain than it is to rebuild (especially after 40 😉 ) 

Workout options for this week: 

1. Pottery Rd Hills or Beach Hill (I will be at Pottery early bird bc I have a tight sched) 
2. Fartlek: 3-2-1 min Hard, 1 min Easy – repeat 3-4 times w 3 min easy bw sets 
3. Give tempo a break this week. Y’all deserve it after Tannenbaum! 

 

xo 

 

Seanna 

 

Hi Everyone! 

 

Yay winter! It is actually beautiful out there right now. I saw lots of runners out on the boardwalk early this am, enjoying the first snowfall. Just don’t forget your lights everyone! 

 

I just realized that today is Giving Tuesday which lines up well with my thoughts for this week. It’s not about giving financially, because this is the last group I need to mention that to (I am constantly inspired by the philanthropy in this crew) but about being generous with our energy.  

 

My energy is what I find is most needed by others in my life. The energy to be present, to listen, to physically help with something or get something done, to accompany, to nurture, to participate fully. I am also very good at using up all of my energy in one go so there is nothing left for anyone else.  

 

So I came up with a number. 75%. I was thinking about this the other day when an athlete I was coaching was supposed to be doing 800’s. She stopped after one and said, not today. I said, why don’t you do 400 of every 800? So she did that and completed the workout and came back to the following workout refreshed and recharged. I did this for myself last week as I gave myself a shorter workout to save energy for a race. I came away feeling energized and recharged, not exhausted. I had the thought – why don’t I do this more often and not just for selfish reasons? Leave some energy on the table to share with others. And then really do share it.  

 

Many of us in. this crew have two settings: All or Nothing. Let me propose 75% to you. You don’t have to do every ‘Hard’ effort at 90-95%. Those are beneficial for certain things, yes, but do they leave you with the ability to be energetically generous? Why not set an intention to work at 75% sometimes. It feels good, it lessens the pressure, and it leaves you with energy. You will still gain fitness. Remember, just doing that twice will get you to 150%! (ok, made up fitness math), BUT these do keep you consistent which counts for a lot!  

 

So on to workout options for this week – remember – please keep the numbers to 10 max at each time/location. And only do what you feel comfortable doing!  

 

1. 4-5 x 1200 @half marathon pace (so like tempo) w 1:30 rec. (the path will likely be cleared as it is quite consistently ploughed and salted, but let’s really err on the side of taking it easy if it’s slippery) – 75% option – do 3 of them and go have coffee  
2. 4-5 x 4 min ON, 1:30 OFF 
3. Hills! Although might be slippery so be careful 
4. Tempo: 15 min tempo, 3 min easy, 8 min slightly faster, 3 min easy, 4 min a touch even faster 

 

Have fun! 

 

Seanna 

 

Hey Gang! 

 

What I’ve been thinking about this week is what running means to me and what I want to get out of it this winter. Sometimes it’s great to have a task master to keep you on track  – we all know when we need that. But that’s not always the role we need running to play. I decided to have a conversation with running about my goals this winter. This is completely personal, but thought I’d share it because it might be helpful to have a similar conversation with your running as to what you want from him/her.  

 

A conversation with my oldest and truest friend – Running. We love each other, but every now and then we need to sit down and have a serious talk. 

 

Me: “Hi Running. I’ve been thinking. I’m worried about this upcoming winter with all of the closures and limited social opportunities, along with the darker, colder, shorter days. I just want to let you know I think I’m going to be relying on you more than ever, so please be prepared and be there for me”. 

 

Running: “Sure, happy to help. What exactly do you think you need me for, so I can be clear?” 

 

“Well, you’ll be my social outlet for sure – that’s super important. I need to use you to be with my friends and to laugh and connect with people. I need you to be available when people in my family want to run together because I facilitate some of their access to you. I will need you for my thought clearing solitary runs. I will need you as an emotional outlet when I’m angry or stressed. I will need to use you when I just need to force myself outside for some fresh air, nature connection and mental health. And I would like you to keep me energized enough to be present and available to take on adventures and activities with my family, not drained and tired”. 

 

“Ok, I can do that”. 

 

“Thanks so much – love ya!” 

 

“I wasn’t finished. You often ask too much of me. If I am going to commit to this role for you, you need to let go of some of the things you normally ask of me”. 

 

“Like what?” 

 

“Don’t use me to measure your sense of accomplishment and achievement. Don’t use me to compete with yourself and judge yourself and continually try to better yourself. Protect me from getting tied up with your ego. Care for me and nurture me and love me back. Don’t abuse me”. 

 

“Do I do that?” 

 

“Seanna, I’ve been with you for over 30 years. You know I’ll always love you but yes, you do. You sometimes wring me like a wet sock to see how much you can squeeze out of me. When you don’t treat me well, I can’t guarantee I’ll be able to be there for all that you ask”. 

 

“Well, you’ve broken my heart many times too, and I always come back”. 

 

“And I always come back too. But sometimes it takes time. And you’re telling me you don’t want this winter to be that time. So let’s treat each other gently for a while and give you what you say you need”. 

 

“Ok I will do my best. And Running? I love you”. 

 

“I know”. 

 

 

Once you figure out what you want, it’s more of a mindset on how you approach things – even workouts and races. You can approach them as a chance to play, run with others, or work hard and improve! It’s totally up to you. 

 

On that note, here are some workout options for this week: 

 

1. 3 sets of 4 x 400. 3 mins between sets, 1 min rec for first set, 1:15 for second set, 1:30 for third set. (each set getting a couple of seconds faster, so start smart!) 
2. Fartlek: 3 x (4 x 1:30 on, 1min to 1:30 off) 
3. Hills – as always – throw them in sometimes! 
4. Tempo: 15 min tempo, 3 min easy, 8 min slightly faster tempo 

 

Have a great one! 

 

Seanna 

 

Hey Gang! 

 

I guess yesterday we had a little reminder of what running in the winter is like. And we managed! We’ll be able to do this. 

 

Here’s something that I was thinking about and inspired me this week. I was chatting with a friend who is a very accomplished runner. She has been a multiple national team member and elite runner, and now has a professional career and two young kids. She still loves running and working-out hard and setting goals, but was wondering how to stay motivated when she very likely won’t be setting any personal bests since she can only put so much into her running now. 

 

I thought about an interview I read with Lisa Bentley – 11-time Ironman Champion and super inspiring human. She has placed 3^rd in Kona. Lisa also has Cystic Fibrosis. One time she showed up at a race with a lung infection. And her inner monologue became, “Well, I’m going to be the best person out here today with a lung infection”. And she went on to beat many healthy competitors. 

 

This mindset can take us so far. You might not always be the best you’ve ever been, but you can be the best ….. (fill in the blank). The best competitor who is dealing with daily teen drama while also meeting deadlines and not getting the best sleep? The best competitor who is coming back from injury and hasn’t really done any speedwork? The best competitor who had too much Halloween candy and is feeling a tad tired and unmotivated? You can choose the category that works for you and be the BEST you can be in that category.  

 

I find this so inspiring and motivating because we can all define what our own success means. And we can still keep trying to be our best – regardless of what that looks like on any particular day. 

 

On that note, I know a bunch of us are registering for the Tannenbaum 10K. Here’s how it works: There are 6 categories of teams: Men’s, Ladies’, Mixed, and all of those in the 40 and over categories. Any number of people can sign up for a team, but only the top 4 will count, like in x-country. No one knows who the top 4 will be, so everyone runs their best and if someone is having a rough day a teammate will be there to fill in. So no pressure!  

   

Then we can register here: http://www.tannenbaum10k.com/ 

 

If you’re the first person on a team, just register the team name and others can join. 

Registration is $70.00 and part of the fee goes towards Centre 55  – a community centre which does a lot of good work supporting people in the Beach neighbourhood.  

 

Ok, workouts for this week: 

 

1. Pottery Rd Hills! These are great to keep in as it gets colder. Any combo of long and half hills. (anecdotally, I seem to find that after hills my tempos on that week are stronger – anyone else? Maybe the variance from speed helps every few weeks…) 
2. A workout I enjoyed last week when lower motivation: 2-4K ‘warm-up’, little strength workout (try one of Kerry’s on file!), 2-4K ‘cool down’ 
3. Tempo: 2 x 10 min tempo w 3 min easy – add 4-5 x strides at the end (seriously – do) 
4. Fartlek: 1-2-3-4-5-4-3-2-1 min Hard w 1 min easy (2 min on either side of the 5) 

Have fun! 

 

Seanna