Swag

This conversation that Leigh and I had recently gives you a nice little glimpse into how my training is going for the PleasePleasePlease let me qualify for The Boston Marathon Hamilton Marathon. 

 

 

 

I am using the Own It Marathon Plan from Train Like a Mother.  I'll tell you what, that plan is no joke.  And like I told Leigh , it intimidates the crap out of me.  The marathon plan that I used in the past had me doing five runs a week.  Usually one "workout" (hills, speed work on the track, tempo, race pace), one long run, and then three runs at easy pace.  This plan has me busting a gut with some weeks having 3/5 "workout" type runs, sometimes including race pace miles within my long run (think the 17 miles with the mid-12 at race pace I have on deck for this weekend).  This has served to both motivate and terrify me.  As my wise coach told me, the challenge is good, and it will effect change.  But darn it if I don't feel anxious leading up to some of these workouts.  It is work.  It usually hurts.  Most times my brain wants to quit.  Sometimes my body wants to quit.  

As luck would have it my training for Hamilton also happens to be my training for The Sears Great Canadian Run.

Also, as luck would have it being ambassadors for The Sears Great Canadian Run scored us this awesome swag from Deep Relief.  I have put it to the test after some tough workouts, and when the fatigue of a tough week of workouts catches up with me.

The "Ice Cold Spray" feels fantastic on fatigued legs.  I love that it is a spray rather then a gel because it does not feel very fantastic on your hands.  I can remember when I was playing High School sports and Rep Basketball and had terrible shin splints.  I tried using a similar product in gel form before my basketball games.  I then had to play basketball with tingly fingers. I recruited my mom to apply it to my sore shins from then on.  Having a spray means my mom doesn't have to move in with us ;)

 I did not like the "Heat Spray" on my legs AT ALL.  It feels distinctly different then the Ice Cold Spray, and made my legs feel more fatigued and uncomfortable.  I have however LOVED using it on my lower back.  Ever since Cooper made me gain 65 (pregnancy) pounds I have struggled with SI joint tightness and sciatica.  Post long run is prime time for a tight lower back.  The heat spray is very soothing, and again, the spray application is ideal.

 The last product that I tried was the "Neck, Shoulder, and Back Pain Relief."  At the end of July I worked a night shift and woke up with an awful crick in my neck.  That same day we went camping for 3 nights.  You would have thought that 3 nights sleeping on the ground would have healed that neck crick right up...It didn't.  In fact I woke up every morning with a sore neck until the end of August.  Then this little beauty arrived.  It is a cream, but has a no touch applicator.  I used it for 2 nights and FINALLY woke up with no neck pain.  So I owe the folks at Deep Relief and The Sears Great Canadian Run a HUGE thank-you for taking care of at least one of the pains in my neck.

I won't get a chance to post tomorrow, so I wanted to give one last update on THE BIG RUN on Saturday.  Our current fundraising total is $6819.26!!!!  Thank you so much to each and every one of you who has contributed!  You are the ones who have made this all possible.  You can still donate by clicking here.  

Leigh went to the captain's meeting last night, and came home all hyped up and ready to run.  He brought home all the gear for our team, and the desire to run 100km on his ow.

And last but not least!  We will be seen sporting these babies out on the course on Saturday!!!