Blog Posts – Page 8 – RunningWell

Would you rather … ?

March 20, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

Three weeks out from my race (Around the Bay 30K) for which I’ve been training all winter, I’ve sustained an injury. Instead of a taper, I’ve come to an abrupt halt. Needless to say, I’m a bit upset. I’m still unsure how bad the injury is – it hurts to run fast, but jogging slowly is ok. All I can do is rest it and hope for the best on the start line. I am still clinging to optimistic hope. I’ve always said that over-tapering is rarely something which brings on negative results, so if I can manage to race with manageable pain there is a chance I can still hit my goal of a PB (1:56). In situations like this one, I try to remember that it could always be worse. I like to play a little game with myself called “Would you rather …” where the answer leads me to choosing the scenario I’m in.

For those who have never played it, “Would you rather … ” is a game where you’re given two bad options, and you have to choose one. It’s a fun way to mentally torture yourself.
For example: Would you rather…
a) have a hairline that starts at your eyebrows and continues up your forehead, or
b) have a nose sticking out of the back of your head?
They’ve even made it into a children’s book, so of course I bought a copy.

Fun bedtime mind games

Here is a typical choice:

Would you rather be chased by … a crab, a bull, a lion, or wolves?

There are a lot of things which could happen throughout a training cycle and race which have the potential of throwing you off course. I think about those and this is how I play my game.

Would you rather…
a) sustain an injury 3 weeks out from the race but still be able to race OR
b) sustain an injury in the middle of a big training block?
I choose a).

Would you rather…
a) sustain an injury 3 weeks out from the race but still be able to race OR
b) come down with the flu 2 days before your race?
Again – a).

Would you rather…
a) sustain an injury 3 weeks out from the race but still be able to race OR
b) have your car break down on the side of the road on the way to the race so you miss the start?
My answer: a).

Would you rather…
a) sustain an injury 3 weeks out from the race but still be able to race OR
b) have a wicked storm blow in on race morning with torrential freezing rain and fierce head-winds leaving no hope of a PB?
Totally a).

Of course any of these other things could happen as well, but in my game, I’ve already picked my choice, so option b) won’t happen. Sort of like karma. Those of you racing Around the Bay 30K can thank me for the perfect racing conditions we’ll be receiving on race day.

Running jargon for every day life

March 6, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

As someone who runs every day, is often training for a race, and coaches others to run, I find myself thinking about running a lot. In fact, even when I’m not thinking or talking about running, my running language somehow still seems to permeate my conversations. This doesn’t bother me, as I hardly notice it, but I wonder if non-runners are able to understand me perfectly. Some examples:

Bell Lap – A while ago I was attending a series of meetings over four days. It was a long and tiring week for everyone involved. On the last day as everyone was having lunch, preparing themselves for the final two-hour meeting I said “okay guys, Bell Lap!” I’m sure most people understood the term, but for me, Bell Lap means more than just the fact that we’re close to the end. It means pick up the pace and finish strong – no slogging through – you can turn a bad race around here or make a good race even better. Hearing The Bell gives you a shot of adrenaline, and you need to give it all you’ve got.

Tuck in – Sometimes in life, as in running, you just have to tuck in and let the pack and your momentum carry you. When a friend is going through a rough patch in life or work, the best advice I can give is to just “tuck in” and conserve energy. It means you don’t quit or stop, but you don’t have to be at the front charging ahead and doing all the work. Sometimes in life, as in running, you just have to tuck in until you feel ready to push again.

Bonk – I don’t bonk that often in runs as I try hard to prevent it by fueling and training smart. However, I regularly ‘bonk’ while doing other things. For instance: the five errands I was supposed to run on my way back from my meeting? I bonked after number three and just couldn’t get the rest in. The three loads of laundry I told myself I’d fold? Bonked after the first. It’s just so perfectly descriptive of my state of completely running out of energy and mojo for a task.

Kick – In running I’ve never been known for my kick, but I have managed to pull off a few well-timed finishing kicks. I hold a great kick in high regard. It’s such a dramatic and precisely planned way to come out ahead. The same is true in anything. It’s the short but effective burst of energy which brings you from behind to finishing first. Behind the rest of your class in getting your term paper in? A well timed kick the night before it’s due can fix that. It’s Christmas Eve and you haven’t done any shopping yet? Just kick it in, baby – if you’re good you may still be the hero. Hosting a dinner party in two hours and your house is a mess and you have no food? Good thing you have a great kick!

Running jargon is just so perfectly descriptive for every day use. I may get some quizzical looks from people who don’t quite understand, but personally I can understand and describe life better through a running point of view.

This says so much to me

Dressing according to my running mood

February 27, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

Most people put a fair bit of thought into what they wear every day. Style works best when your clothing reflects your mood and what you’re trying to accomplish. For example, if you have a big meeting or presentation, you should dress sharply to remind yourself to bring your A game. On Fridays, however, when you’re a bit more relaxed, you might wear jeans as you ease into your weekend. As a runner, running clothes represent my wardrobe for a large part of each day (sometimes I linger in my running outfit a little too long before or after a run), so that is exactly how I choose which running outfit I’m going to wear each day; I mix it up depending on my mood and what type of run I’m heading out for.

When I’m doing a workout that involves speed outside in negative temps, I will always, always wear tights instead of something heavier, baggier and perhaps warmer (for example, windpants). Even if I start out a little chilly – wearing tights means I’m running fast. The tone for my workout is set from the beginning.

Hanging out pre-workout

The same goes for when I’m doing a hard tempo on the treadmill. No baggy shirt and soccer shorts – it’s my racing outfit all the way baby.

If I’m wearing this, I’m trying to run fast

I even have fast socks:

Obviously a speedwork day

Most of my runs however, do not involve speed or hills or tempos. Often times I’m just putting in mileage. For those runs I like to feel cozy and relaxed. I’ll even go as far as to wear sweatpants and a hoody for a run to remind myself that it’s an easy effort.

Not me, but the type of outfit I wear to remind myself to relax

Sometimes I need to mix it up a bit, and I’ll pull out some retro running clothes like I did for some runs to show my patriotism during the Olympics.

Heading out for a run during Olympic Fever

There are days when I feel like blending in and not have anyone look at me.

Feeling generic

Other times, I feel like dressing up a bit, and I’ll run in a tennis outfit instead of running gear (because, sometimes I like to pretend I look more like a tour tennis player than a runner – no offense meant to anyone!)

Channeling my inner tennis diva

I think you should be able to match any mood you’re in with your running outfit – it makes the most of your mood and your run. You’re a runner – you have many different sides, so let them show!

Running while hurdling the small obstacle of having kids

February 12, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

Most runners I know are resilient, optimistic people who don’t back away from a challenge. Whether they became this way because they are runners, or became runners because of these traits, I’m not sure. What I do know is that although we may like to complain the odd time (like in training through this winter – OH MY GOD!), we very rarely allow an obstacle to prevent us from running long-term. This includes the “obstacle” of having kids. Yes, they make it less convenient, but if you manage your expectations and your energy, it is entirely possible to keep up your running regimen with small people in the house. Being a competitive runner, mom of a four and six-year old and a business owner, I consider myself to be in the trenches of trying to make it all work. If you have small kids and are considering taking up running, or are a runner and are considering having kids, here are a few gleanings I’ve gained and will share so that you can be prepared when the time comes.

1. Always leave yourself a tiny bit of energy after every workout for your post-workout workout. It is not wise to run yourself into a comatose pulp, as I learned last Saturday. I had just come in from a 20 mile run in deep snow and freezing winds to two kids who had been sitting inside for the past three hours and needed fresh air and exercise. So instead of spending the rest of the day napping and reading, I spent an hour on the toboggan hill and then another two at the outdoor skating rink. While this may sound exhausting, you’ll soon find it is less tiresome than pretending to nap while WWIII erupts around you. Suck it up and go and your post-workout-workout beer will be even better deserved.

Trying to tire them out post 20-miler so we can all finally nap!

2. Don’t be surprised when your kids get all competitive and throw your “running speak” back at you. My six-year old challenged me to a skating race the other day. I was cruising along beside him when suddenly he took off for the finish catching me off guard. “Mum, I sat and kicked”. Of course. Next time I’ll remember to box him in going around the last turn.

One kicking for the finish while the other two don't know they're racing

One kicking for the finish (the other two may not know they’re in a race)

3. Be prepared to have to buy a lot of food. This applies if you’re a runner or if you have kids, so if you are in both situations you just go through a LOT of food. Somehow I’m still shocked when I notice we’ve gone through the two loaves of bread, two litres of milk and bunch of bananas I bought three days ago. Sometimes it’s just survival of the fittest. Running makes you hungry, and there are times when you’ll have to sneak the last granola bar and hide it from your kids. Just remember that they have a keen sense of smell – like hyenas, really – so don’t talk too closely to them when you’ve just finished it or all hell will break loose.

Down to our last 4 boxes of granola bars – time to go shopping!

4. You should invest in a heavy duty washing machine. I’ve blogged about the laundry requirements of winter runners before, and if you add kids to the equation it is almost impossible to keep up. If you’re in potty-training mode, god help you. You’ll just have to get used to the piles sitting around your house. Try to think of them as modern art so as not to feel constantly behind.

Will somebody PLEASE fold this?

5. Try your hardest to coordinate sleep schedules. This is a must for me. I love my sleep. I try (with varied success) to get everyone to bed early. Warning: kids who go to be early wake up early. Therefore so will you. If they go to bed late they may sleep in, so if that works for your schedule and you can sleep in as well, great. But if your kids don’t go to bed until 10 p.m. and you have a 5 a.m. run scheduled you will be short-changed. I have no idea what happens when they turn into teenagers. Stay tuned – I’ll blog about that in ten years.

If this is happening at 9 pm, you’re probably not going to be asleep by 9:30.

None of these things are game-stoppers in terms of preventing you from running. They are just small additional obstacles, but you’re a runner – you love a challenge. If you manage your expectations properly, running and having small kids can be a delightful combination. Good luck and enjoy!

Appreciating the skills of our Olympic athletes

February 4, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

As a competitive runner I love watching other athletes compete at the top of their game. Watching top level runners is one of my favourite things because I can understand exactly how good they are relative to me, and it gives me a huge sense of awe and appreciation of their abilities. For example, in the 2012 Olympic final in the Women’s 5000m, all 15 runners ran between two and two and a half minutes faster than I ever could. Finishing place aside, I love watching that level of athleticism and think every one of those athletes are amazing. I want to take that same approach to my viewing of the winter Olympics starting this weekend. I know these athletes are the best in the world, and in order to fully appreciate just how good they are, I like to picture myself doing their sports. Luckily I have a little bit of background or experience in some of them so I have some sort of reference point.

Hockey
I actually played hockey competitively and quite seriously until University. I got as far as I did because I could skate. I could back-check like crazy and was always able to put myself in the right position at the right time. However, once the puck landed on my stick it was another story. I could never make it go where I wanted it to and often ended up giving it to the wrong team. These Olympic hockey players combine the skating skills and power of speed skaters and figure skaters with the eye-hand coordination and precision of archers. I am in awe.

Hayley Wickenheiser putting it all together

Cross-Country Skiing
This is another sport with which I have some familiarity. I cross-country ski raced for a number of years, and started to think I might be good when I came first in the City Finals in high school. However, once I made it to the Provincials, I realized that coming from an urban centre, I had just risen to the top of a very small pool by virtue of being a competitive runner who owned a pair of skis. It turned out that “real” cross-country skiers weren’t just runners who were coordinated enough to compete on skis. These were hardcore athletes who trained year-round for this sport, and reached a level of fitness and skill I’d never seen before. I went from first-place in my city to fifty-something in my province. These top level athletes deserve a huge amount of respect.

Aerobic beast Sara Renner skillfully scaling a hill

Freestyle Skiing
In terms of downhill skiing, I’ve only ever skied recreationally. However, that didn’t stop me from attempting cool-looking aerial moves over any bump I could find. I worked hard at this, and I may be dating myself to admit that my biggest feat was to pull off a Daffy. Actually, I may not have landed it. Most of the time I did Spread Eagles, and about fifty percent of those times they were by accident. Now when I watch the freestyle skiing at the Olympics I can’t even get my head around the moves they are doing. I don’t know any of the names of the moves now, but I am duly impressed.

Jennifer Heil performing … something amazing

Bobsleigh
Okay, I have no experience with bobsleigh, but I have tried to push a car stuck in the ice, and let’s just say you wouldn’t want to have to rely on me in such a situation. Also, ever since I turned 30 I have been deathly afraid of roller-coasters. Finally, my six-year old can beat me on video games that involve driving at high speeds. If those three things combined have anything to do with bobsleigh skills I am nowhere close to the Olympic competitors so I will just sit and watch in silent fascination.

Kaillie Humphries finishing a run (I would still be trying to launch my bobsleigh)

Curling
I have tried curling, and I was so bad that I could barely even finish a session even though it involved drinking beer. Hey wait – maybe those two things are related. Regardless, I would put the skills of curlers into the same category of those which I am lacking with a hockey stick. The constant mental discipline and focus required with no aspect of pushing through physical pain makes it a sport which is not suited to me. This is not to say I can’t enjoy watching it – I think just the opposite. I appreciate the different skills these athletes have, and as I watch them compete at the top level I have nothing but admiration.

Fierce, focused athleticism

I plan to watch, cheer on and be inspired by all of the athletes in the games next week. I may not have a full understanding of exactly how hard it is to do what they do or what it’s taken to reach their level in each sport, but the little I do know makes me believe that they are all incredible athletes. Go Canada!

A refreshing break in the winter running routine

January 28, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

I know I’m not the only runner who is finding this winter a little more challenging than usual for training. Convincing myself to wake up at 5 a.m. for a tough workout is one thing, but when it’s twenty below zero it takes a whole new level of dedication. I can force myself, but I know when it’s starting to wear me down more than build me up, so this past weekend I didn’t run. I did something completely different. I went with my husband, sister, brother-in-law and another couple of friends to our summer cottage which is on a lake a few hours north of Toronto. We had always wondered what it would be like in the winter, so after some planning and child-care arrangements were made, we headed up to the lake to ski and snowshoe across to the island. I had fun, I didn’t stress about running or not running the whole time, and I came back rejuvenated and ready to get back into my running routine.

I also learned a few things which I think will help me put things in perspective and get through the rest of the winter running happily:

1. You can always add more layers. I’m sure I set a record with seven (!) layers on top, but if I managed to stay warm and happy in a frozen cottage on a frozen lake where is was -26 C, I really should not complain about being cold when running if the temperature is anywhere near that. If I’m cold, I’m not wearing enough layers.

Feeling toasty

2. Going for a run in the cold is no problem when you know you have a warm house to warm-up in afterwards. That wasn’t quite the case up north, so I now have a renewed perception of what I can endure while still having fun.

Wearing less than when outside, but still toques, gloves and jackets

3. Don’t sweat if you don’t have water. We thought we’d have water all around us and all we’d have to do is melt snow, but you’d be surprised how little water a giant pot of snow makes. We were all slightly dehydrated by the end but luckily we were able to keep our sweating to a minimum.

Washing dishes while melting snow on the stove

4. When it’s cold, you need to eat (and drink) well. I’m not really sure if there is scientific backing to this, but I do find that I get more hungry when I’m cold. Now is not the time to eat salads-as-meals or try a cleanse. It’s all about hearty, delicious food. My brother-in-law devised the menu and cooked three amazing Scandinavian themed meals, and our friend decided that bringing an extra beer or two was worth the weight on his sled. We were all grateful to both of them and enjoyed great food and drink!

Precious cargo of food and drink

5. I’m glad I’m not a cross-country ski racer. We runners endure a few rough weeks (okay months) of winter. Many of us have access to a treadmill or indoor track to break up the cold training while others treat it as their less intense down-season and do a little less. Cross-country skiers train hard in this weather ALL THE TIME. This is their season! They must be some really hardy people.

Fun adventure, but glad these aren’t my year-round training grounds

6. I’m really glad I’m not a cross-country ski racer. By about 20 minutes in, as soon as my fingers started to thaw out thanks to my upper body effort, my elbow started to develop an over-use injury. I’m telling you – cross-country skiers are hardy!

Either warming my hands or resting my elbow

7. Give yourself a mental and physical break when you need it. I had just lost my excitement for running and rather than continue to grind through it, I did something else to take my mind off it. When I came back after three days off I had renewed enthusiasm and had a great run in the cold. Which somehow after last weekend, didn’t feel so cold.

The cold trek home

Excuses

January 21, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

When I was a competitive runner in high-school, there was a lot I enjoyed about running. I liked the social aspect of my training group, I liked the competition, I liked being fit. But I didn’t always like training. There were days when I would actually make the journey by public transit through the city to arrive at the track after school, and just offer an excuse to my coach as to why I couldn’t train that day. I wasn’t the only one. Invariably there was someone who had a good excuse lined up, and they got to sit and watch while the rest of us ran in circles. Most of the excuses we offered give me a new respect for my coach, looking back, for having patiently put up with teenagers for so long. Here were some of our excuses:
“I can’t run today – I brought two left shoes”. Coach’s response: “Fine. Do your run tomorrow”.
“I can’t run today – I’m too tired from swim practice this morning and we did the Terry Fox Run at lunch”. Coach’s response: “Fine. Do your run tomorrow”.
“I can’t run today – I have sour burps”. This wasn’t me, but I remember the excuse so well. How did she get out of practice for Sour Burps?!? Coach’s response (after a barely audible sigh): “Fine. Do your run tomorrow”. I don’t know where he found the patience.
“I can’t run today – I forgot my sports bra”. We used this one a lot because it was our trump card. We knew he couldn’t say “but you’re all flat-chested runners – you don’t even need a bra!” which was the truth. He just rolled his eyes and repeated his “Fine. Do your run tomorrow” line.

Now that I am an adult with serious time-constraints who still loves to run, I am an excuse crusher. There is no reason why I shouldn’t be able to get out and run. Not enough time? Wake up earlier. Too cold? Wear more clothes or find a treadmill. Feeling sick, bloated, tired? Go for a short one. You get the idea.

However, this past summer I had an experience which put my excuse-crushing to the test. I was at work in an office and had about one hour for lunch. That was the only time in the day I had to run, so that was my plan. However, in looking through my bag at work I realized I had forgotten my running bra. The issue here was that I didn’t have the fall-back of wearing my regular bra because I happened to be wearing only a supportive tank-top under my shirt that day. Luckily my office was above a mall, and I was sure I could just nip down and find something – anything that would work. The only store I could find which could help me out was a lingerie store. No problem – I just needed anything, and my precious running time was being eaten away. I dashed in and grabbed a bra from the bargain bin (I wasn’t prepared to pay more than $10 for a 45 minute run) brought it back up, ripped off the tags and got changed.

And then I realized. It was WAY too small and SUPER uncomfortable. But – no excuses! I slipped my t-shirt on over top and headed out. It was the most miserable five miles of my life. My new purchase was digging in at the back, the front and the sides. For the first mile it was just very uncomfortable, but I thought I could suffer through it. Then it became painful. And by mile three it was unbearable. Metal wires were digging into my ribs and straps were rubbing my skin raw. I readjusted it every two steps trying to find some relief but there was nothing I could do. I needed to get it off me but there was no way I could wear just a thin t-shirt! So I suffered through it and regretted it the entire way. Some people say any run is better than no run, and I used to agree, but now I think otherwise. That run was not worth the pain. Next time I’m in an excuse-worthy situation, I’ll try to channel my wise, ever-calm coach, take a deep breath and say “Fine. Do your run tomorrow”.

my harmless looking torture device

From minimalist to excessive – I do the extremes

January 14, 2014/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

I’ve changed. I’m no longer a minimalist. I can very clearly recall a different time in my life when I would put on a bra top and shorts, sometimes tights and a shirt, go for a run, return, and hang them over a railing to be re-worn on the next run. Generally those were the times that I was either traveling or living on my own on a shoe-string budget and no laundry facilities close by. I back-packed for a year and I think I must have carried at least two different running outfits, but here is the only one I have documented of me wearing throughout that year (!) and I ran pretty much every day.

Finishing a race in Australia in my only documented outfit of the year – 1999

Today the running gear laundry situation in my house is a different story. It doesn’t help that the weather has been freezing cold and soaking wet, so I generally wear about four layers on top and bottom, all of which have to be washed afterwards. I think I set a dirty running laundry PB the other weekend; I had a long-run of about 17 miles on schedule, but just could not get myself up early enough to get it done before 8 a.m. (when my husband had to be out the door). So I split it into a 7 miler and a 10 miler with an hour and a half in between. Of course I didn’t stay in my wet running stuff for the ‘pause’, so within one morning of running I went through: 2 pairs of shorts, 3 pairs of tights, two bra-tops, three long-sleeved shirts, two t-shirts and two pairs of socks. At any given time, the top of my washing machine has my latest running gear on top, waiting patiently for the next load to go through.

sweaty gear from my last two runs

There is always a load in the washer, or dryer, or waiting to be folded and put away, or most often all three at once. We have four laundry baskets in rotation, but as you can see, sometimes that’s still not enough.

my dryer exploding clean clothes onto the floor

I agree this seems excessive, and the me from 1999 is rolling her eyes, but I really do not know how to get around it. Call it maturity, but I just spend too much time in my running gear to have it be smelly, wet or crusty. I will however slack in the compulsive laundering in two areas: running jackets and accessories.

Here is a combination of what I wear every day to receive some mix of sweat, snot and slush.

dirty running accessories ready to be re-worn

running jackets in varying states of cleanliness

Maybe in ten years I’ll look back and wonder how I was able to go that long without washing those things. For now though, this is all the laundry I can handle!

Resolutions

January 5, 2014/1 Comment/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

‘Tis the season to take a look at ourselves and decide what we’d like to change or improve for the coming year. I have many many areas where I can improve, but I think it’s wise to choose resolutions which are realistic and measurable. Here are some things which I plan to do but are not resolutions: set business and running goals and work towards them based on yearly, monthly and weekly plans. These are not resolutions; these are goals, and I how I move forward in life. (for the record, my current running goal is to run the Around The Bay 30K in a personal best time of under 1:57:30).
To me, resolutions are about making a decision to change something. My resolution this year is to work on an area which I know has been part of my character for a long time. This is my absolute lack of culinary diversity.
I was reminded of this trait a while ago when a friend was recounting a time when I happened to be living in a tent in the Yukon (1996 to be exact), and she happened to be tree-planting a few hundred kilometers south of me, and came to visit me on one of her breaks. She somehow found my tent after a day or two of travel (this was before we all had cell phones or even email) and asked:”Do you have anything to eat?” I produced from my tent what had been sustaining me for weeks: puffed rice cereal and canned beans. Granted, that is not what I would find appetizing these days, but the premise is the same. I find the few ingredients which I know I like and think will work for me, and I don’t branch out.
I was reminded of this again recently when my mother was feeding dinner to my kids. She served them their dinner and they looked at their plate and said “what is that?” My mother stared at them and then gave me a funny look and said “potatoes.” Right, I guess I’ve forgotten to include potatoes in my rotation.

unrecognizable food item to my kids

What I would like to do most is broaden my vegetable repertoire. Here is a list of the vegetables I regularly buy, prepare, eat and feed my family: carrots, broccoli, cucumber, cauliflower, mushrooms, yellow pepper, onion, celery, snow-peas and sometimes frozen spinach. Nothing else – ever. The other day while grocery shopping my son wanted to buy a Chinese cabbage. Strange, I thought, but maybe it would break me out of my rut. So I bought it thinking if I had it I would eat it. But the poor sad cabbage sat in my fridge looking more and more wilted until my husband finally threw it in the green bin (lucky raccoons).

Chinese cabbage in fresher times

I’m sure there are other vegetables out there which I can create into some sort of dish which breaks me out of my rut. I have heard of a popular thing out there called kale. I’ve never tried it, as I don’t even know what it looks like, but it will factor into my resolution. Also: parsnips, bok choy, eggplant, zucchini, lettuce (I know, I know), tomatoes, potatoes, sweet potatoes, beans, peas, squash, rutabaga (I don’t know what this looks like either, but it sounds exotic). I’m sure I’m missing some vegetables, but that’s pretty much all I can think of and I think it’s a good start. I’ve already come a long way from puffed-rice and canned beans. Onward to 2014!

Learning to love winter thanks to some great role models

December 19, 2013/in Blog Posts/by RWadmin

I’ll be the first to say that as a dedicated runner who likes to train to compete at my best, the winter months have not typically been my favourite. Everything from tempo runs to long runs to intervals are just that much more difficult and uncomfortable when you’re struggling with icy footing, multiple layers of clothing, frostbitten skin that you forgot to cover and numb fingers which can’t press the buttons on your watch. However, I realize, it being only December, that we’re in for a fairly long winter, and if I don’t learn to love the snow and ice I’m destined for some frustrating months ahead. So I’ve decided to re-frame my attitude. Instead of pining for warm summer days or wishing I lived in California, I am going to enjoy this – even if it kills me! To start, I am taking a lesson from my family members.

My husband’s sport is water based. Here is a shot of him in his ideal conditions:

Hawaiian Ocean in the summer

This is what his playground looks like these days:

Lake Ontario in December

But he doesn’t complain. He goes out and enjoys his sport.

Getting in and out can be a bit tricky, but after that it's a breeze!

getting in and out are the tricky parts

Then there are my kids. To them, winter is “the most fun season of the year” (that is actually a direct quote from my 6 year-old yesterday).

Walking to school is never boring. There is always a new adventure in scaling various snowbanks.

walking to school via snowbanks instead of shoveled sidewalks

And now their weekends are spent doing this:

skating outdoors

And this:

tobogganning!

Obviously my family members have no problem getting out and enjoying themselves in this weather, so I am determined to have as much fun as anyone. It’s all about how you look at it.

So this will be my playground for the next few months, and I will appreciate the beauty and stillness, I won’t worry about my pace or times, and I’ll reap the benefits of stronger legs for bounding through snow.

My snowy running trail

Here’s to playing outside this winter!