Lake Ontario at Queen's Quay and Spadina

Just got back from the track where I did 36 X 150 meters with a 50 meter walk recovery. I averaged 29 seconds for the first 34 and 28 and then 26 seconds for the last two. Nobody did the circuit training because we were just beat.

Yesterday I ran with a neighbour who declined to have her photo taken on such short notice. She is the one that took this photo of me at one of my favourite turnaround points, the pier near Spadina and Queen’s Quay by the Music Garden and the Empire Sandy.

Last Thursday I ran on the new varsity track just west of the Royal Conservatory of Music (RCM) on Bloor Street.  I love that stretch of Bloor, as I have fond memories of taking my son to the RCM for piano lessons for many years.  We often had ice cream at Greg’s which used to be across the street from the RCM.  At the time my son would tell me regularly how I was ruining his life, however he plays very regularly now and much enjoys it.  I think one of the highlights of motherhood was waking from a nap to hear him play some Erik Satie.  I did feel as though I had died and gone to momma heaven.

The evening of the track workout was hideously hot.  Were I not a person who is almost pathologically stuck on keeping to promises even though others may not care.  I probably would have skipped the workout.  However, I told the coach that I was going to give it a try.  That coach as it turned out was away on vacation that day.

Masters track, with Toronto legend, Dr. Bob Moore (2:14 marathon PB)

Thankfully, that group was small and the ambiance very relaxed.  I was assigned a 10 X 200 meter workout with a 200 meter jog rest.  I had no idea what to expect and was thrilled to easily run 44-48 seconds per 200 meters at a modest effort-level.  We then moved on to the stair bounding.  Again, I was surprised to do half the workout quite comfortably, 5 times up the stadium steps, two steps at a time.  The hard part was not tripping ,due to the hypnotic visual effect of running up the stairs so quickly.  I could have done another set of 5 but did not want to overdo it the first time out.

Then came the mysterious circuit training.  Now that was tough.  I consider my upper body strength to be pretty good however there is no way in hell that I can do 25 full body push-ups.  I was told by my 45 & 55 year female workout mates that it was okay to do knee push ups.  Then a round of  planking which was about 4 times as hard as my usual plank workouts, more ab exercises and finally, push-ups with the legs raised about 20 inches.  “Isn’t that harder than regular push-ups?” I asked, incredulous.  And yes, was the answer.  Much of this was done on a wet synthetic infield that felt like plastic mesh against bare skin.  Yuck!  Finally, an exercise involving balance which I was unable to execute.  From a seated position, one leg is raised off the ground and with your arms folded in front, you use your other leg and glute muscles to rise on that one leg and then sit down.  I tried this one a few days later at home in bare feet and it was a lot easier to maintain balance.

My legs were heavy the next day but not sore.  I guess my lower leg weightlifting prepared my body for using the muscles needed for fast running.  In spite of my seeming lack of overall body fitness, I’m going back tomorrow and my goal is to do 2  full body push-ups.

Onwards and upwards!

p.s.  I’ve been to a couple of concerts at fabulous Koerner Hall in the RCM including Penderecki Plus.  Penderecki was visiting composer at U of T last year.  The acoustics at Koerner Hall have a higher rating than the Four Seasons Opera House.

Dawn on the lake, Tuesday, September 7, 2010, 6:45 a.m.

An early morning walk is a blessing for the whole day.  Henry David Thoreau

I had intended to run to my usual 6 mile turnaround, by the Empire Sandy  to take photo there for part 2, however I started a new job today and feeling pressed for time, cut back to 5 miles.  I was too early for the sunrise but a beautiful time of day, nonetheless.

I have been taking photos of the route I most often run.  However there are far too many for one post.  So, to start I’ll say that one of the things I love about my runs is that for about 9 months of the year, I get to see the lake 5-6 times a week.  I left the house around 6:25 a.m. and ran 5 miles at a very easy pace.  The halfway mark / turnaround point my 5 mile run to the lake, is pictured here, just west of the island airport ferry terminal.  As always, I stop a moment to think of all the good things in my life, the appreciation of which is heightened by the sunrise on the lake.

Sunday, September 5, 2010, 6:45 a.m. I give thanks!

The run today was longest I have done in 2 1/2 years.  It was very tough mentally to get out the door as my usual long run pals, the “running philosophers”  are running tomorrow and our annual family gathering takes place tomorrow.  Our default day is Saturday.   I’ve tentatively named the group, “Smart Men and One Fast Woman”.  I will refrain from revealing too much about them, until they have had a chance to consult their lawyers about confidentiality and copyright issues. But I will say that they are wonderful company and I appreciate their companionship.

Route description: Start and end point is the West-End YMCA at Dovercourt and College.  Run west to High Park, enter at High Park Boulevard, up Centre Road to a path that circles the park.  Run counter-clockwise on the mainly shaded, wood chip trails and exit the Park at Colbourne Lodge drive.  Short jog south to the Martin Goodman trail and east to the end of Marilyn Bell Park, turn around and head west along the lake, over the Palace Pier bridge, through the butterfly garden.   Enter the spit-like, Humber Bay Park East on the path that goes by the monument that honours the victims of the Air India disaster.  Circle the park and then double back and run the same route to Colbourne Lodge Drive.  Enter High Park and run through the southeast quandant, exiting at High Park Boulevard and returning on the same route for the home stretch.

URL for this route is: http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=4014984

A glorious day!   More later . . .

30 years strong

https://www.terryfox.org/Run/

One of the ways to increase mileage is to run twice a day.  So, the fun part of the running day is my very, very easy 3 miler, a warm-up for the track work this evening.  My goal today, is to run a total of 9-10 miles.  Since I am off work this week, I can run later than usual and I time my run to the hours of the Crumpler bag store on Queen Street West.  With the upcoming trip, (4 stops in 9 days) I am need to be a lean and mean traveling machine.  My current bag, a Samsonite, has been a disappointment.  I viewed this purchase as a bit of an investment and the returns, well the wheels have expired after 3 years.  Warranties for luggage, rarely cover wheels as that is considered “wear and tear”.

So I did some research and read that these Crumpler bags are well-regarded but that they are not cheap and are never marked down.  Anyhow, it is easier to get out the door with a destination in mind so I thought I’d run by the store to have a look. En route, I drop off a long-overdue graduation gift to the daughter of a cousin, a book of William Blake prints, purchased at the Tate a year and a half ago.  The graduate, studied art and film and is about to enter a masters program in film criticism at U of T, a new program I hear.

IKEA stool $5 at the Royal, assembly included

Then south to Queen street where I spot an IKEA stool at a second-hand store called The Royal.  I tell the salesperson that I’ll come by on the return leg of my run to pick it up.  I have a similar IKEA stool already and it works well as a step stool, which is a useful item when you are 5 feet 1 1/2 inches.

In the past, while shopping-on-the-run  on Queen street I have had been subject to dismissive treatment  by oh-too-cool sales clerks.  In order to appear more shopper-like I wear as a “salute” to Queen street, a black running skirt and black running top with a zip front.  I’m heartened to see that many of the bags have been marked down and that the very expensive suitcase I am interested in is 40% off AND you get a $100 voucher for your next purchase.

As my son needs a bag suitable for a RIM intern, and the zipper on my backpack recently broke, one of us can use the $100 voucher, I take the plunge and buy the bag and the clerk is agrees to hold until my son or husband can pick it up today or tomorrow.

40% off & $100 voucher

I figure that the internet research and shopping-while-running has saved me at least 3-4 four hours and translates into the time it takes to run 20-30 miles.  I reverse my direction on Queen Street and stop at the Royal where I am greeted with enthusiasm.  Since they are not able to give me change for my large bill, I’m told to take the orange stool and drop the money by some other time.  I tell them that I usually run early in the morning and the guy says, “Oh, I’m sure you’ll get it to us sometime.”  I thank him and tell him that I’ll post a photo of the store on my blog.  This blog is becoming quite a conversation piece.

So I run up Dovercourt carrying a stool.  My husband would never do such a thing.  I recall the time we rented a carpet steam cleaner and I pulled the wheeled machine along with my scarf.  He found that embarrassing.  Is this related to the sock-pocket, a gender thing? (see previous blog, Fluids on the run, a tip)  I get honked at and see that it is a running buddy, I haven’t seen for awhile though we have been trying to reconnect for a run.  So we make a date for next Friday and he offers a drive, which I decline.  I take his photo and ask his permission to post it on the blog.  Making it the the third person I’ve mentioned my blog to on this very short run.

Caught running with a stool by a running buddy

I finish this 3 mile adventure at Starbuck’s with my trademark “fatty latty” and the purchase of 12 VIA instant coffee packets, which will be the first thing that gets packed into my new Crumpler suitcase.

Auf Wiedersehen!

An hour run down to the lake, ending at the local cheese store to buy pain au chocolat and raisin croissants.  Then we hit the road to help our son settle in to his new home in K-W.  So, I spend the day waiting for the internet installer, reassemble a futon couch and a bed and dine on cold pizza, leftover from the post-move pizza party.  With little time to think about blogging, I’ll end the day with a quote, one which I’ll have to keep in mind when I hit the track tomorrow evening.

When you run, your heart sings the freedom that surrounds you, and rejoices in the changing seasons of your fleeing life . . . When you race, you live your life to the fullest, and bring death to your inhibitions and fears.  It is in racing that you witness the rebirth of your spirit and soul.

Kamal Jabbour

p.s.  As an antidote to the cold pizza, I dined Alaskan on king crab in the evening.

So what did I buy in my 10 minute browse through the sale, thinking (mistakenly) that I’d be back the next day.  About a decade ago, I did a major book purge, and discovered that books of poetry held up very well as keepers.  So, I went straight to the poetry section and bought . . .

Balfour Books, poetry sale

• Joy Kogawa’s “A Choice of Dreams” (1974) & “Jericho Road” (1977)
• A biography of Byron by Benita Eisler
• “Curve Away from Stillness, Science Poems” by John Allman
• “HONKU, The Zen Antidote to Road Rage” by Aaron Naparstek
• “The Ancient Olympics, A History” by Nigel Spivey

I bought the book of science poems, thinking it might contain overarching, poetic expressions of my blog name.   I’d not heard of John Allman but am pleased to have been introduced to his elegant poetics of science although I’m not sure about the helix shaped text images.

“Honku” was purchased perhaps as comic relief to the mention earlier, of the impenetrable and enigmatic Japanese Death Poems.  “Honku” calls itself the Zen antidote to road rage.  While I tend to agree with my husband that this book was likely in the 50 cent bin prior to the sale, I did get a modest laugh or two for my dollar.  A couple of road rage haiku  . . .

Alaska’s melting–

hope your Yukon Denali

doubles as a boat

&

Is it you or me

victim of insanity

honker or honkee?

The Byron bio, I bought to give to the only person (other than my son) who has posted a comment on my blog.  In response to the Rumi poem I posted on my HEART page she posted her favourite Rumi poem and made reference to Byron.  Email me “D”, let’s get together soon!

As for Joy Kogawa’s poetry, first I”ll publicly confess that I have not read “Obasan”, shame on me, really, really.  I do have some personal recollections of Joy however as my parents were heavily involved in the group that worked towards Redress for Japanese Canadians.  Once I get a decent scanner, I’ll post a photo of me, my mom, an aunt, Joy Kogawa and my son at 9 months on September 22, 1988.  We had just left the House of Commons after hearing Brian Mulroney apologize for the internment of Japanese Canadians and announce Redress.

Finally, “The Ancient Olympics” has proved to be a well-researched, mini-compendium of the Olympics.  Most interesting to me and worthy of further investigation was the separate contest held to honor Hera. Possibly as old as the festivals for boys and men, foot races for unmarried girls were the only competitions. The winners of these races were entitled to dedicate images to commemorate their victories, and take part in the sacrifice of cows to honor Hera. As a big fan of running skirts, I like the image of the short tunic worn by female competitors.

Our son’s friend who lives with us just returned from a one-month trip to Vietnam.  Our son is moving out tomorrow.  Big day . . . better get to bed.

Bon soir!

I am trying to post once a day but it is not easy to find the time.  Here’s a quickie.

I’ve developed a low-tech alternative to the fluid belt.  After struggling with belts that bounce up and down and elastic that loses its stretch I decided that I prefer to run without the bouncy bottles.  Instead, I carry a zip lock bag or two filled with Gatorade powder and add the water at water fountains.  This is feasible in the winter as well, if you plan your pits stops in advance. In a pinch, duck into a laundromat for your water.  It is quite easy to drink from the bag.

Now the next tip I’m told is something “a MAN would NEVER do” by a male running buddy.  I cut off the tip of a sock and use it as a pocket by pinning it to the inside of my running shorts.  Specialty sports gear can be expensive and pockets come at a cost.

Let me know if this works for you.  And, if you are male, let me know what you think of the sock-pocket idea.  Cheers!