Mind, Motion & Matter

Running, Essentially . . .

Tag Archives: postaday2011


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Who has felt the wind?

With the rise in temperature, I guessed that a modest southeasterly head wind would not prove overly challenging.  So off, I went down for a 9 mile run with 3 miles along the lake.  I forgot how bitterly cold the wind coming off the frigid lake and ice can be.  My fingers were never colder this winter, than after taking my mitts off to take photos.

Can you see the wind?

My 1 minute sprints were taxing and midway, while waiting for a green light the thought of quitting trying to run fast times went off like a tiny bell rung by a more sensible me.  Aargh, ugh, egads . . . that was hard.  I don’t mind feeling spent if I’ve run pushed my body to the max, but fighting the elements is just frustrating.  I suppose it is about mental training but it is just darn hard to run fast in the cold.  I staggered into the locker room at the Y, decided to skip the planned weight work out and headed home.  WINTER, I’m officially fed up with you!

This swan was hoping I had food.

Later in the day my spirits improved as I made my way to my last photography class at Ontario College of Art and Design (OCAD).  The evening sun, boding spring and then a quick pre-class trip to the Art Gallery of Ontario where things were really hopping.  I checked out the sales at the gift shop and noticed a cordoned line-up to see artist-writer Shary Boyle.  The foyer of the gallery was quite full of visitors taking advantage of free Wednesday night admission.  Ah, Toronto, the 4th best city in the world to live.   Although, still lots of room to improve, as noted in the United Way newsletter we received today, highlighting the impact of the recession, Vertical Poverty (poverty by postal code).

Shary Boyle at the AGO

So an outing to arts central Toronto cheers me up and I spot this poster at OCAD that gives me pause to consider options other than that of winter running into headwinds.

What is your idea of fun?


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Rave Runs

Well folks I’m having a bit of writer’s block today so this is more of an outline or list than a fleshed out post.

Hiking in Snow Canyon, St. George, Utah

I really miss the fact that my husband cannot do longer runs with me when we travel. He has had a wonky knee for the past 3 years and last week got the results of his MRI, a torn meniscus. I told someone recently that I’ve found it hard to recover from my husband’s knee injury. It was a lot easier to bound out of bed for the long run when he was doing the same.

All kidding aside, it is very difficult for someone who has run nearly every day for nearly four decades to be barely running at all. He is waiting for his appointment with a knee surgeon. Sigh . . .


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Running at the YMCA on Family Day

In Ontario, the 3rd Monday in February is now a statutory holiday called Family Day.  My treadmill view at my local YMCA was the perfect vantage point to see the many families in our neighbourhood, taking advantage of a Family Day Activity event in the gym.  Staff and participants looked like they were having a ball.

February has been great for outdoor running however this morning was not.  Uncleared sidewalks and slush forced me to hit the treadmill for my 10 miler.  Once I settled in, it wasn’t SO  bad and I recognized that the quality of my run was the best of runs done over that past couple of weeks.  I did 45 minutes at marathon pace and tempo pace, which was fairly taxing but, hey, Boston 2012 beckons. Afterward, I did my weight routine and ab-tightening planks, and vowed to increase my twice a week planking to 5 times a week.

We celebrated Family Day by driving our son back to Kitchener-Waterloo and we enjoyed a dinner of leftovers while watching a BBC DVD of the Life Collection, narrated by David Attenborough.  Much of this show was about life and death races between hunter and prey.  Our son is nearly half way through his one-year internship at Research in Motion and has adjusted to his new life remarkably well.  We feel blessed to have him as our son.  Life is good.

Happy Family Day to all, in whatever shape, form or meaning that may have for you.

The future which we hold in trust for our own children will be shaped by our fairness to other people’s children. ~Marian Wright Edelman


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Boston Marathon 2012, Here I Come!

I started this blog to document  my return to marathon training after a break of almost three years.  My goal was to qualify for this years Boston Marathon.  To qualify, my plan was to run MY qualifying time at the California International Marathon, last December which I did successfully.  BUT WHOA . . . the Boston Marathon sold out in 8 hours and 3 minutes, on  October 18th, 2010, the first day of registration.  So much for the plan. A big rethink was in the works for the marathon and word was that the new plan would be unveiled in early January.  Finally on February 16th, the new plan was revealed with this headline.

B.A.A. to Offer Fastest Qualified Runners Early Acceptance into 2012 Boston Marathon With New Registration Process

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today a change in its registration process for the Boston Marathon, allowing the fastest qualifiers to enter the earliest and with a rolling admission system while also offering all eligible runners an increased registration period. The changes in registration are a response by the B.A.A. to greater than ever demand by runners to gain entry into the Boston Marathon and culminate more than three months of analysis, including input from the running industry. Rather than accepting runners who have met the qualifying standards on a first come, first served approach, a more systematic, performance-based process will be employed. READ MORE

Personally, I’m satisfied with the new process of staggered registration dates, with those exceeding the qualifying standards in larger increments given the opportunity to register first.  Since I exceeded the qualifying time for my age-group of 4 hours and 15 minutes by 33 minutes with my December time of 3:42.  I can register on day one and day two (all those who have surpassed the standard by at least 20 minutes) and rest assured that I won’t lose an online registration race.

More from the B.A.A.

“Those who qualify by the greatest amount of time to have the longest period to enter,” said Tom Grilk, B.A.A. Executive Director. “Our new registration process takes into consideration the many comments we received from runners this past fall and winter, most of whom urged the B.A.A. to institute a system which recognizes athletic performance above all else.”

As for the 2013 race, qualifying times will be tightened by 5 minutes. I’m disappointed to miss the 2011 race but it is probably for the best, given that my big focus for the spring is the Gala.  And speaking of the Gala, some late-breaking news . . . Peter Fonseca MPP and former Olympic marathoner has agreed to be an honourary Patron for the Gala, along with his wife Christina who recently was elected to the Mississauga City Council.

I have known Peter for a number years as a generous contributor to community events that I organized including a “Breakfast of Champions” that I held as coach of school cross-country team.  Peter a 2:12 marathoner, used to do live commentary of the Boston Marathon and placed 17th as top Canadian in the 1996 Olympics.

Lynn Kobayashi, Lynn Deutscher Kobayashi, Boston Marathon

Boston Marathon 2007 – Louise Voghel, 1st place age-grouper & Canadian marathon record holder (left) and me proud to be third.


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Saturday Long Run, Saturday Night More Fun

If you were to poll marathon runners about which day they do their long run, chances are a good majority would say Sunday.  My preference is Saturday as I find that the evening is more enjoyable with the long run over and done with, as is Sunday morning.

Despite the crazily cold northwest wind of over 40 kilometres per hour, I felt pretty good today and got in a 14 miler, about 8 miles of that with company and the final 6 miles on my own.

We were sent an alert by a friend, that her husband’s son’s movie Small Town Murder Songs by Ed Gass-Donnelly was opening at  Royal Cinema .  So off we went to view what turned out to be a remarkably coherent film about faith, redemption and love, a second film for this up and coming 32 year old.  This snapshot of small town Ontario avoided, for the most part, the usual cliched depictions of rural life, and included some beautifully shot landscapes.  It seemed much longer than its 75 minutes due to the density of its slow moving storyline.

Ed Gass-Donnelly, Director of Small Town Murder Songs

The soundtrack by the band Bruce Peninsula was prominent and fairly effective.  We’ll be hoping for a soundtrack CD.  The director, son of Ken Gass, of Factory Theatre Lab fame was on hand for a post-film Q &A.  Before the show, I told my husband that if I did not enjoy the film, I would (of course) not mention that we had seen it.

If you are interested in seeing the work of a talented young Canadian filmmaker, I’d suggest you see this.


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Those Google Ads

Recently, I discovered that Google Ads are popping up when people visit my blog.  It turns out that this is the way that the WordPress people make money.  If you do not want the ads on your blog, you have to pay a small fee of $0.08 a day. I would be interested in knowing whether any offensive or ridiculous ads have shown up at your end.  WordPress blogs are not allowed to be monetarized so rest assured, I’m not making any money from the ads.

Click HERE for more information about the Google Ads.


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Geese, Galas & More

I found my 9.5 mile run with speedwork, done yesterday, tough. My legs have been feeling quite heavy lately, which may well be the effects of the Maximum Strength (MS) phase of weightlifting that I am going through. I’ve done squats with 110 pounds on the Smith machine and 210 pounds on the leg press machine. My goal is to squat about 1.2 times my weight and leg press, 2.3 times my weight of 110 pounds.

Walking on Water

I stopped during the run to watch geese on Lake Ontario walk gingerly over the ice, which due to the very temperature was covered with a thin layer of water. There was quite a bit of slipping on the part of the geese, which led my husband to remark that Toronto geese are urban critters, who have lost some of their natural coordination.

The day was full and with evening plans, a post about what is keeping both my husband and I very busy seemed appropriate.  This being,  People4Kids, a Gala to Benefit AIDS Orphans in Ethiopia. The idea to create this event came out of my experience with gala events, including the Grocery Foundation SuperGala at one time the biggest gala in Canada with over 4000 guests and over $3 million in funds raised.  The Beach Boys (or what is left of the Beach Boys, post-law suits) and Nelly Furtado were the headliners during my years of involvement.

Our gala is a baby Gala and a labour of love. We were motivated to get involved with People to People AID Organization Canada as one of my husband’s workmates, who came to Canada as a refugee from Ethiopia many years ago, works tirelessly as a Board member towards the sponsorship of greater numbers of orphans.

Subaru Concept Car

In the evening we were off to attend a preview of the Auto Show as special guests, along with the 8,000 or more other special guests. This is an educated estimate as the SuperGala took place on one floor of the same venue and this crowd seemed at minimum, twice the size, using three times the area.

What a spectacle! The show is not about the legions of women wearing the most sparkling of dresses and the highest of heels, it’s about the cars, cars and more cars. The evening involves a lot of walking so by the end of it, many women were seen in stockinged feet, carrying their shoes.  One woman remarked to me, “You are doing well, you’ve still got your shoes on.”  I consider wearing heels over two inches to be something of an athletic accomplishment.  One of which I am not capable.  If those men who admire the high-heeled “look” knew what it feels like to wear high heels, I think their appreciation would be greatly diminished.

Car Painter

The event is sponsored by the Toronto Star. Throughout the Metro Toronto Convention Centre are drink and food stations. A few years ago some of the Japanese auto makers were serving sushi. The fare this year was fairly standard with one exception. Tucked away in a quieter corner, Rodney’s Oyster House was serving four different types of oysters. My dad has always loved oysters and as kids we used to have them with shoyu (Japanese soy sauce).

Thank you Rodney's Oyster House

Signs are that automakers are feeling optimistic about business and have done a big paradigm shift,  post-meltdown, adapting to the need and demand for high efficiency vehicles.  There was an area highlighting cars earning national kudos for efficiency.

Here is a photo of us in front of a sign at the Mini-Cooper display. The screen behind us was flashing various words and I was hoping for the word SPORTY.  However my eyes were closed for that one.  But at the moment the word INSPIRING makes me think of my husband, who has pushed himself very far outside his comfort zone to ask a lot of people to support the Gala with tremendous results. Well done my love!

Going the distance for the Gala!


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People4Kids, a Gala to benefit AIDS Orphans in Ethiopia

People4Kids
a Gala to Benefit AIDS-HIV Orphans in Ethiopia

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011
C5 Restaurant at the Royal Ontario Museum
6:30 PM – 9:30 PM

Tickets $150
Sponsorship details available on request

Imagine spring. The cherry trees in bloom, and an evening party in the elegant and sophisticated lounge setting of C5 at the ROM. You will enjoy artisanal cuisine, a silent auction, stunning views of the city and an internationally flavoured musical backdrop of melodious, soulful jazz-funk performed by the Ethio Fidel Jazz Band.  As the evening evolves, the sun sets over the Toronto skyline and a very special guest vocalist provides a musical flourish with an inspired rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

Over the Rainbow is our vision of how this friendly gathering of concerned individuals will contribute to improving the lives of “some” of the over one million AIDS orphans in Ethiopia.  It doesn’t take much to make a dream come true for one of these children.  We are inspired by their resilience in spite of the unthinkable circumstances of their life journey.  The simple dreams of these orphaned children are firmly rooted in very basic needs of food, clothing, shelter and education.

Imagine free-flowing goodwill, camaraderie and friendship as you meet, mingle and establish a sense of community with others who wish to enlarge the hopes and dreams of these young, resilient souls. Imagine, the hopefulness you will feel knowing that the orphan sponsorship program you are supporting makes a difference – that you are directly connected to leadership within Toronto’s Ethiopian community who have created cost-effective links between orphans and North American sponsors.

Please mark Tuesday, May 3rd in your calendar, for this first-time gala event and commit now to purchasing tickets.  The volunteer committee is hard at work and every ticket sold brings us closer to our goal of 500 orphans sponsored.  You are invited; in friendship, in hope — join us please. You are needed!

* The Ethiopian community in Toronto is the 2nd largest in North America. All funds raised go to the orphan sponsorship program of People to People AID Organization Canada, Inc.

For information, to buy tickets or to volunteer email Lynn at people4kids@bell.net


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Seen On & After the Run

I was eager to run to the lake to see the effect of warm temperatures on the ice.  The ice formations yesterday had an eerily, compelling, euw quality, similar to photos of blood platelets.

Blood doping platelets

I imagined that the ice would have an even more pronounced, rounded circular appearance. However today’s ice was not as dramatically shaped as I expected.

In the final mile of my 7 mile run, I stopped in at LIT Espresso Bar to pick up some Bolivian Buenavista coffee. I told the baristas that I have mentioned Stumptown coffee and LIT on my blog and gave them my blog address.  One of the baristas is a musician who runs.  We chatted briefly about running in snow with Yak Trax and what type of coffee my cafe owner-architect brother uses at the Baked Cafe in Whitehorse.

Stumptown Coffee from LIT Espresso Bar

It was a busy day as I had to prepare and print two photos for my photography class and demonstrate the use of various  Adobe Photoshop techniques.  Before my class I stopped at a long-time favourite concession stand, Sakura in Village By the Grange which serves homestyle Japanese cooking.  I had a large bowl of Japanese chicken noodle soup for $4.00, tax included.

Heart with a bell

Afterward, I dropped into the gift shop at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and picked up a belated Valentine’s gift for my husband and little something for my father-in-law who will turn 95 on February 24th.  A very long line-up was forming outside the gallery as the doors were about to open for the AGO’s free night.

I was a bit early for my class so I had a quick look at the student exhibit of human figure art. All this activity left me feeling somewhat young at heart, like the art student I was, several decades past, rather than the middle-aged mom, marathon runner of the present.

Check out the sampling of some of the Ontario College of Art (OCAD) student work below. I’ve tried to keep loosely to the running theme, which was not that difficult given the subject is the human body.


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Seen While Running

Ice or Art?

Temperature drops nearly 20C from one day to the other. Welcome to mid-February and the mid-point of winter! It seems to me that the contrasting temperature must explain the striking ice formations, lily-pad like, I saw while running along Lake Ontario this morning.

The colour of cold!

Another unusual sight greeted me when I approached Trinity Bellwoods Park — trees laden with hand-printed hearts. Ah, Valentine’s Day! As we age, the gift of running seems ever more precious as does a special day to celebrate love in our (hopefully) deepening wisdom.

Someone's heart's afire!

In spite of a recent diagnosis of a torn meniscus, I had never seen my husband in finer form on the dance floor this Saturday past. The highlight of the evening was Van Morrison’s, Have I Told You Lately to which I shed a tear or two.

Tell your loved ones that you love them, again and again and again, every day of the year!  Belated Valentine’s Day wishes.

With love,
Lynn

Love Poems of Rumi

A moment of happiness,
you and I sitting on the verandah,
apparently two, but one in soul, you and I.
We feel the flowing water of life here,
you and I, with the garden’s beauty
and the birds singing.
The stars will be watching us,
and we will show them
what it is to be a thin crescent moon.
You and I unselfed, will be together,
indifferent to idle speculation, you and I.
The parrots of heaven will be cracking sugar
as we laugh together, you and I.
In one form upon this earth,
and in another form in a timeless sweet land.