I just happened across a web page today that told me that the London marathon is only 90 days away. I nearly choked on my coffee. Can it really be that close? Where has the time gone?
In just three months I am supposed to run 26 miles and have raised at least 2,000 pounds.
What was I thinking?
I had a late start considering the marathon team didn't let me know that I had a spot until right before Christmas, but I only have about 80 pounds raised and there's no way I'm anywhere near being ready to run 26 miles. Sure, I don't have to do it tomorrow, but 90 days isn't a lot of time. But I'm committed now. Nothing left to do but buckle down and figure out some fundraising plans and get my butt training even harder, or else I'm in huge trouble.
Wish me luck or if I can be so cheeky...if you're out there reading this and can spare a pound or two please sponsor me. Your money goes to a great cause. :)
PS: I was matched with my new guide dog on Friday. The dog still has a month of training left and so if everything goes well, we'll enter team training together at the end of February. It's been six months, but good things really do come to those who wait. Another reason why I feel so compelled to raise funds for this fabulous organisation.
My fundraising page can be found at:
http://uk.virginmoneygiving.com/fundraiser-web/fundraiser/showFundraiserProfilePage.action?userUrl=flippersrunning
Showing posts with label Motivationally speaking. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Motivationally speaking. Show all posts
Sunday, January 20, 2013
Monday, November 12, 2012
The Little Things
I have a feeling that there will be other posts with very similar titles in the next year. This crazy idea of mine is really starting to take off and sometimes I think to myself,
"What the crap are you doing?!"
Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to pull it off. These are usually my thought processes after I've spent an afternoon emailing potential sponsors or corporations to see if anyone could assist me and no one replies. I've talked from the beginning about this whole thing not being about me, but rather, it being about Guide Dogs and how it will take a whole host of people to pull off. The silence is hard to swallow sometimes, but when someone brushes this challenge off as "something that we deal with every day," my faith in the chance of this being a success begins to wane. (I had one running shop tell me that! So, blind people run from one country to another every day? If so, can I speak to them so they can give me some tips)? Despite these reactions, all it takes is one person who surprises you with their kindness and support and it all seems possible again.
The last couple of days I was having a little doubt party. I had talked to a few different people about my challenge and I was greeted with indifference and suggestions of starting smaller. I've run into these attitudes before, but they were usually intermingled with votes of confidence and someone willing to lend a hand. The latter had been missing and I was getting a bit worried, but my bad attitude was beaten back this afternoon.
This afternoon Mr. K and I wandered over to our gym which has a Sweatshop-running clothing store-in its foyer. I am in desperate need of a few more running outfits and you can never have too many pairs of running socks. We also had the intentions of looking at some shoes for me as well. The guy behind the counter has been there before when we've gone in and he was incredibly friendly and helpful.
Mr. K and I meandered through the store, finding a purple and grey running t-shirt on the sale rack in the correct size and then settling for a pair of black and white running pants-trousers-that weren't so much on the sale rack. Once we had the clothes in hand, Mr. K suggested I check out the shoes. I wasn't going to initially. I figured I had a few good months out of the shoes I had now, but he convinced me by aptly pointing out that the pair I have are of a cheaper quality and really do need replacing.
The salesman spent a good part of an hour going through various brands and styles with me. Mr. K explained to him exactly what I was doing and that I'd need a shoe that was meant for a lot of miles. Originally I had tried on a pair of Nike shoes, but he had me try on a couple of more brands just to make sure I was getting what was comfortable. I'm glad he did because I walked out with a completely different pair, even though it was a close toss up between the ones I got and the Nikes.
Upon check out he seemed slightly preoccupied and then surprised us by taking ten percent off of the whole purchase which included running shoes, pants, t-shirt and two pairs of socks. He then gave me a voucher for an online 16 week training plan and then tossed in half a dozen or so power bars just for good measure. He also suggested that I contact the Sweatshop and speak to them about any assistance they could provide. He even pulled up the website and described to us where to go to contact the right people. It was so generous of him.
It was with this act of kindness my faith in my crazy idea was restored. He'll probably never know how much of an impact his gesture had.
It's going to be the little things that get me through this adventure. :)
"What the crap are you doing?!"
Sometimes I wonder if I will be able to pull it off. These are usually my thought processes after I've spent an afternoon emailing potential sponsors or corporations to see if anyone could assist me and no one replies. I've talked from the beginning about this whole thing not being about me, but rather, it being about Guide Dogs and how it will take a whole host of people to pull off. The silence is hard to swallow sometimes, but when someone brushes this challenge off as "something that we deal with every day," my faith in the chance of this being a success begins to wane. (I had one running shop tell me that! So, blind people run from one country to another every day? If so, can I speak to them so they can give me some tips)? Despite these reactions, all it takes is one person who surprises you with their kindness and support and it all seems possible again.
The last couple of days I was having a little doubt party. I had talked to a few different people about my challenge and I was greeted with indifference and suggestions of starting smaller. I've run into these attitudes before, but they were usually intermingled with votes of confidence and someone willing to lend a hand. The latter had been missing and I was getting a bit worried, but my bad attitude was beaten back this afternoon.
This afternoon Mr. K and I wandered over to our gym which has a Sweatshop-running clothing store-in its foyer. I am in desperate need of a few more running outfits and you can never have too many pairs of running socks. We also had the intentions of looking at some shoes for me as well. The guy behind the counter has been there before when we've gone in and he was incredibly friendly and helpful.
Mr. K and I meandered through the store, finding a purple and grey running t-shirt on the sale rack in the correct size and then settling for a pair of black and white running pants-trousers-that weren't so much on the sale rack. Once we had the clothes in hand, Mr. K suggested I check out the shoes. I wasn't going to initially. I figured I had a few good months out of the shoes I had now, but he convinced me by aptly pointing out that the pair I have are of a cheaper quality and really do need replacing.
The salesman spent a good part of an hour going through various brands and styles with me. Mr. K explained to him exactly what I was doing and that I'd need a shoe that was meant for a lot of miles. Originally I had tried on a pair of Nike shoes, but he had me try on a couple of more brands just to make sure I was getting what was comfortable. I'm glad he did because I walked out with a completely different pair, even though it was a close toss up between the ones I got and the Nikes.
Upon check out he seemed slightly preoccupied and then surprised us by taking ten percent off of the whole purchase which included running shoes, pants, t-shirt and two pairs of socks. He then gave me a voucher for an online 16 week training plan and then tossed in half a dozen or so power bars just for good measure. He also suggested that I contact the Sweatshop and speak to them about any assistance they could provide. He even pulled up the website and described to us where to go to contact the right people. It was so generous of him.
It was with this act of kindness my faith in my crazy idea was restored. He'll probably never know how much of an impact his gesture had.
It's going to be the little things that get me through this adventure. :)
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
A Little Insight
Pieces of this great jig saw puzzle of a plan are starting to come together. Guide Dogs are sending a fundraising pack to me, complete with t-shirts for me and my guide runners. I've had a few more volunteers step up to run different legs of the event with me and one of my other guide runners is on the mends from an Achilles tendon/ankle injury. Mr. K and I are also going to a local bike shop this afternoon to find out if they have cycle path maps that may detail routes from Edinburgh to London.
I've been trying to bounce my idea off of as many people as possible in order to get different angles on the event. The more minds working at logistics the better. It was during one of these email conversations with one of my friends, who is a four time Paralympian and multi-medal winner, that a good idea was put forward.
Why not have a website dedicated to explaining Guide Dogs and also have posts from guide dog owners and the importance of these beasties in their lives?
It makes sense.
If I am going to ask people to dig deep into their pockets to assist me raise funds for this organisation, shouldn't these people know what their money does? And what better place to highlight these experiences than right here!
That's why I'm going to be starting a series on this blog that will feature current guide dog owners' experiences, written in their own words, to demonstrate the significant roles guide dogs have in people's lives.
To be honest, I don't know a whole bunch of guide dog owners from this particular organisation as I am new to this country and just getting to know people, but never fear: I will deliver! I am going to attempt to feature various guide dog owners/staff members/puppy walkers for the next 12 months on a biweekly basis. That way, it's not just coming from me how important these dogs are.
And what about the fitness aspect you ask?
It is also my goal to present facts about access to fitness for disabled people, guest posts from disabled people themselves and much much more. Highlighting the need for better access to fitness for disabled people is also very important to me.
My minimum financial goal is to raise 5,000 pounds by next November for Guide Dogs, let me show you why. :)
I've been trying to bounce my idea off of as many people as possible in order to get different angles on the event. The more minds working at logistics the better. It was during one of these email conversations with one of my friends, who is a four time Paralympian and multi-medal winner, that a good idea was put forward.
Why not have a website dedicated to explaining Guide Dogs and also have posts from guide dog owners and the importance of these beasties in their lives?
It makes sense.
If I am going to ask people to dig deep into their pockets to assist me raise funds for this organisation, shouldn't these people know what their money does? And what better place to highlight these experiences than right here!
That's why I'm going to be starting a series on this blog that will feature current guide dog owners' experiences, written in their own words, to demonstrate the significant roles guide dogs have in people's lives.
To be honest, I don't know a whole bunch of guide dog owners from this particular organisation as I am new to this country and just getting to know people, but never fear: I will deliver! I am going to attempt to feature various guide dog owners/staff members/puppy walkers for the next 12 months on a biweekly basis. That way, it's not just coming from me how important these dogs are.
And what about the fitness aspect you ask?
It is also my goal to present facts about access to fitness for disabled people, guest posts from disabled people themselves and much much more. Highlighting the need for better access to fitness for disabled people is also very important to me.
My minimum financial goal is to raise 5,000 pounds by next November for Guide Dogs, let me show you why. :)
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Happy Halloween
It's October 31! Do you know what that means?
Ghosts, goblins, witches and trick or treats.
We're not doing much for Halloween this year, even though it's one of my favourite holidays. School has got Mr. K and I both running around like chickens with our heads cut off...
Hmmm, that's appropriate for Halloween right? Headless chickens.
Oh, well. Not this year.
We'll carve a pumpkin, but I think that is the extent of our Halloween activities.
I normally would have had an outside run with Laura tonight, but I haven't heard from her. I'm not worried about that either as it's pouring rain here and running indoors may be more pleasant tonight anyway. Besides, running in the rain with the potential for ghouls and dancing skeletons isn't so appealing.
So, to all of you trick or treaters out there: stay safe and guard your candy from your parents.
And parents if you get into the kids' candy, or you have leftovers, remember running is a good activity to work off all of that extra energy you'll get from your sugar high. ;)
Ghosts, goblins, witches and trick or treats.
We're not doing much for Halloween this year, even though it's one of my favourite holidays. School has got Mr. K and I both running around like chickens with our heads cut off...
Hmmm, that's appropriate for Halloween right? Headless chickens.
Oh, well. Not this year.
We'll carve a pumpkin, but I think that is the extent of our Halloween activities.
I normally would have had an outside run with Laura tonight, but I haven't heard from her. I'm not worried about that either as it's pouring rain here and running indoors may be more pleasant tonight anyway. Besides, running in the rain with the potential for ghouls and dancing skeletons isn't so appealing.
So, to all of you trick or treaters out there: stay safe and guard your candy from your parents.
And parents if you get into the kids' candy, or you have leftovers, remember running is a good activity to work off all of that extra energy you'll get from your sugar high. ;)
Sunday, October 28, 2012
Mrs. Money Bags!
...well, at least that would help. ;)
Since officially announcing my crazy idea and switching it from "crazy idea" status to "having to do this" status, I've been doing a bit more research/thinking/calculating and dude! I have a lot to work towards.
I set myself the lofty goal of raising 5,000 pounds for Guide Dogs because raising/training a fully qualified guide dog costs close to 40,000 pounds. So, my little-or not so little-fundraising goal doesn't even cover one dog. If I could raise more than that, that would be fantastic, but I think 5,000 is going to be enough of a challenge; on top of training to run the 600 plus miles.
Upon calculating a whole year divided by my hoped for fundraised funds, I came to realise that I need to be making around 96.23 pounds a week.
Yikes!
There are two things that make this goal possible though.
1. I have a whole year. I know the time will go by quickly and so that is why I am starting now. If I stay vigilant I think I can make the 5 grand and hopefully more.
2. The 96.23 a week was applied only to my online "giving"
page.2 I didn't factor in any funds that could be potentially raised from other fundraising activities/events. I didn't count those because I'm not sure how much I can actually count on, but I will be working on extra small events or activities to ensure I can reach my goal.
Since Friday I've raised a total of *drum roll please*
...10 pounds!
Look at me go!
Actually, to be honest, I was shocked that I received a donation already and I am so grateful to the person who gave me that little push I needed. She will forever be remembered as the person who got me started. :)
So, that means I have a wapping 4,900 pounds to go!
Bring it on!
Since officially announcing my crazy idea and switching it from "crazy idea" status to "having to do this" status, I've been doing a bit more research/thinking/calculating and dude! I have a lot to work towards.
I set myself the lofty goal of raising 5,000 pounds for Guide Dogs because raising/training a fully qualified guide dog costs close to 40,000 pounds. So, my little-or not so little-fundraising goal doesn't even cover one dog. If I could raise more than that, that would be fantastic, but I think 5,000 is going to be enough of a challenge; on top of training to run the 600 plus miles.
Upon calculating a whole year divided by my hoped for fundraised funds, I came to realise that I need to be making around 96.23 pounds a week.
Yikes!
There are two things that make this goal possible though.
1. I have a whole year. I know the time will go by quickly and so that is why I am starting now. If I stay vigilant I think I can make the 5 grand and hopefully more.
2. The 96.23 a week was applied only to my online "giving"
page.2 I didn't factor in any funds that could be potentially raised from other fundraising activities/events. I didn't count those because I'm not sure how much I can actually count on, but I will be working on extra small events or activities to ensure I can reach my goal.
Since Friday I've raised a total of *drum roll please*
...10 pounds!
Look at me go!
Actually, to be honest, I was shocked that I received a donation already and I am so grateful to the person who gave me that little push I needed. She will forever be remembered as the person who got me started. :)
So, that means I have a wapping 4,900 pounds to go!
Bring it on!
Friday, October 26, 2012
It's Official!!!!!
I thought I had a few more days. I thought that my crazy idea was just that...an idea, but it's not just an idea anymore.
Nope.
I have just received my first donation. This first donation makes it so much more real. It means that I really have to do this, and do you know what? I am so excited about it. A little scared too, but definitely excited.
I think I'm justified in my little bit of terror though. You would be too if you had signed yourself up to run from Edinburgh to London in just over a year's time.
Yep. That's right.
Over 600 miles of running and all in the name of raising funds for Guide Dogs and also to raise some much needed awareness of the great need for accessibility to fitness/leisure activities for disabled people. (That was a lot of needs).
I'm not sure what the stats are in the UK, but over 80 percent of (just) blind/visually impaired people in Canada are obese. Not to mention, if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you will be familiar with the difficulties of accessing sports and leisure activities as a disabled person.
The guide dog affiliation is probably quite self explanatory, but the short of it is that raising and training a guide dog is an incredibly expensive endeavor. The wait lists for guides are quite long due partially to this cost. As someone who has worked with a guide dog for ten years and is currently waiting for my third working partner, I am acutely aware of the benefits of these working relationships. I'd like to bring awareness to this organisation as well as raise some needed funds.
What better way to accomplish both of these goals than to run some crazy long distance as a blind person?
There are so many things that need to be organised before I can conquer this challenge. It is going to take a lot of support from family, friends and the general public. For example, I'm going to need guide runners to train with and to run different parts of the run with me; I need to map out a route; figure out accommodation along the way; organise fundraising events; recruit support vehicles for the event. Oh, and train for approximately 21 days of extremely long distance running. So much to do!
Baby steps though, right?
The most important part is that it is now official: this challenge of running from Edinburgh to London and hopefully raising 5,000.00 pounds (or more) for Guide Dogs is under way.
Nope.
I have just received my first donation. This first donation makes it so much more real. It means that I really have to do this, and do you know what? I am so excited about it. A little scared too, but definitely excited.
I think I'm justified in my little bit of terror though. You would be too if you had signed yourself up to run from Edinburgh to London in just over a year's time.
Yep. That's right.
Over 600 miles of running and all in the name of raising funds for Guide Dogs and also to raise some much needed awareness of the great need for accessibility to fitness/leisure activities for disabled people. (That was a lot of needs).
I'm not sure what the stats are in the UK, but over 80 percent of (just) blind/visually impaired people in Canada are obese. Not to mention, if you've been reading this blog for any amount of time, you will be familiar with the difficulties of accessing sports and leisure activities as a disabled person.
The guide dog affiliation is probably quite self explanatory, but the short of it is that raising and training a guide dog is an incredibly expensive endeavor. The wait lists for guides are quite long due partially to this cost. As someone who has worked with a guide dog for ten years and is currently waiting for my third working partner, I am acutely aware of the benefits of these working relationships. I'd like to bring awareness to this organisation as well as raise some needed funds.
What better way to accomplish both of these goals than to run some crazy long distance as a blind person?
There are so many things that need to be organised before I can conquer this challenge. It is going to take a lot of support from family, friends and the general public. For example, I'm going to need guide runners to train with and to run different parts of the run with me; I need to map out a route; figure out accommodation along the way; organise fundraising events; recruit support vehicles for the event. Oh, and train for approximately 21 days of extremely long distance running. So much to do!
Baby steps though, right?
The most important part is that it is now official: this challenge of running from Edinburgh to London and hopefully raising 5,000.00 pounds (or more) for Guide Dogs is under way.
Thursday, October 25, 2012
High Tech Running
Today Laura and I headed out on a short run. It was a cool evening, but layers and a good steady pace took care of the chilliness. Since it is nearly winter here it gets dark quite early now, which makes us both a bit nervous to run on the cycling paths. You never know what lights are actually working and even though it was only 6:30 the paths were actually quite empty. Tis the season for hibernation.
With that in mind, we took along a new addition to our running duo. Roscoe, Mr. K's Black Lab-guide dog-was more than happy to accompany us through the fallen leaves and for the whole 2.68 miles that we ran. A big, Black dog no matter his temperament is a sure way to feel safer.
Since Roscoe is black and therefore blends into the dark areas of the trails, I rigged his collar up with a very loud bell. That way Laura could focus on guiding me and not have to worry about looking around for Roscoe. It worked, but to be honest, running outdoors is often enjoyable because of its peace and tranquility. There is nothing tranquil about a loudly clanging bear bell. I think we may switch out Roscoe's equipment for a high visibility collar and one of those blinking lights that dogs wear when out in dense forest or the dark. Not that high vis collars or blinking lights are some amazing technological advancement, but having this however simple, equipment available to us is very helpful. It means we can still run on the wider cycling trails and feel safe as opposed to the more cramped city sidewalks that are not conducive to guide runner/guided runner teams.
Our other new addition was of the technological variety. I mentioned previously that Iphones are one of the most accessible cell phones on the market for totally blind individuals. With the Iphone comes the Nike run App and with that comes the possibility for me to keep track of distances, speeds, times and so much more. This evening's run was the first time I got to use the App and as far as I can tell it is accessible. I was even able to post my results to Facebook for my friends to see. They can even view the route from start to finish that we took. There is also a feature that saves your previous results so you can compare runs later. I was so excited when I discovered I could actually use this program on my own.
Heart rate monitors and fancy sport watches have always been equipment that has been lost on me. It's bothered me that I can't keep track of my own stats, but the Nike Run App has changed that for me. Oh, and Iphone too of course. I can even use the App while running on a treadmill, which is another bonus. Quite often, I end up running on the treadmill with no idea of how fast I'm going or how far I've gone. Again, this will no longer be the case. At every mile an announcement is spoken telling you what mile you are at and your average speed. I could probably check it while running as well, but even this little bit of information is very useful for me.
No more running for five miles without knowing how much longer I must suffer through the sweat and oxygen deprivation.
Okay, perhaps it's not that bad, but sometimes it's motivating to know that you're at mile three instead of at mile two. I haven't been able to try this out on a treadmill yet, but if it performs as well for me inside as it did outside, I will be one happy woman.
So, what have I learned today?
That although I hate technology, it actually will make this training thing a more feasible thing and probably more enjoyable in the end. It will allow me to analyse my own runs as well, which will be an incredibly valuable tool that can be utilized when training for my crazy idea. (Still can't say what it is yet).
Do you know what's even better?
The App is free. How can you complain about that?
Thank you technology for making training as a blind athlete accessible.
*Note: all of the opinions expressed here are strictly my own. I did not receive anything from Nike or Apple for the opinions expressed, nor was I approached to test these products out*.
Friday, October 12, 2012
No More Tea!
I have no idea what awful bug ha climbed into my stomach, but this has got to be one of the worst stomach flu thingies I've ever had. I'm not even sure it's a flu. There's just a lot of cramping and nausea. Well, at least the nausea has subsided. But of course this means no training. It also meant that I missed my meeting with my guide runner this morning to discuss the particulars of my big project; so disappointing. However, it's probably good I didn't go because there was no need for me to infect everyone else in the coffee shop.
I was really disappointed that this hit now. I had just downloaded the Nike Run Ap and I was so excited to give it a try. As a blind athlete a lot of those types of training devices are inaccessible and thus I can't use them. Since the Iphone talks though and the Nike Ap can be downloaded to the phone, I think I can actually use it. I won't know for sure though until I kick this nasty bug.
So, instead of pounding out the kilometres, I am squished on to my couch with my dogs, fluffy blankets and thankfully Sprite instead of tea.
Peppermint is a great natural way to assist your tummy along when it's not feeling well. I think I've consumed at least five mugs of it today and another three or four yesterday. And I'm not talking little, tiny tea cups. I'm talking the huge mug that I use for coffee in the morning. I am so peppermint tea (ed) out, I think I'd be happy if I didn't drink it for another twelve months. That said, I think it actually helped.
Along with my litres and litres of peppermint tea, I've taken an Epson salt bath complete with lavender essential oil (good for relaxation) in the hopes that I will get better very, very soon. Even when my body is trying to force me to stay still, I don't usually do well as a patient for more than 24 hours...and it's been longer than 24 hours.
Is there a moral to this story? Be a patient patient I suppose. My logical brain knows that it's important to give yourself the time you need to heal, but my illogical brain just wants to "try how it feels." I know none of that will be happening. So for now, I will be content with my puppy pile, Sprite and fluffy blankets. Please hold the peppermint tea though.
I was really disappointed that this hit now. I had just downloaded the Nike Run Ap and I was so excited to give it a try. As a blind athlete a lot of those types of training devices are inaccessible and thus I can't use them. Since the Iphone talks though and the Nike Ap can be downloaded to the phone, I think I can actually use it. I won't know for sure though until I kick this nasty bug.
So, instead of pounding out the kilometres, I am squished on to my couch with my dogs, fluffy blankets and thankfully Sprite instead of tea.
Peppermint is a great natural way to assist your tummy along when it's not feeling well. I think I've consumed at least five mugs of it today and another three or four yesterday. And I'm not talking little, tiny tea cups. I'm talking the huge mug that I use for coffee in the morning. I am so peppermint tea (ed) out, I think I'd be happy if I didn't drink it for another twelve months. That said, I think it actually helped.
Along with my litres and litres of peppermint tea, I've taken an Epson salt bath complete with lavender essential oil (good for relaxation) in the hopes that I will get better very, very soon. Even when my body is trying to force me to stay still, I don't usually do well as a patient for more than 24 hours...and it's been longer than 24 hours.
Is there a moral to this story? Be a patient patient I suppose. My logical brain knows that it's important to give yourself the time you need to heal, but my illogical brain just wants to "try how it feels." I know none of that will be happening. So for now, I will be content with my puppy pile, Sprite and fluffy blankets. Please hold the peppermint tea though.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
A Change of Plans?
So, where have I been for a whole month? That's a long story, but we'll just say that a few crazy life events have kept me from not only blogging, but my training has certainly been suffering. It's all good though because despite having run only twice in the last month, I've been making some progress on the more logistical end of things.
First of all, I've been working on scheduling a meeting with my university's Athletics team in order to have a team to train with and also to expand my pool of potential guides. I think things may move forward on Sunday morning, but we'll see.
I've also had a few meetings with another potential guide runner, who is currently working through an ankle injury, but who is keen to guide. (I've mentioned her before). We're meeting again this Friday to go over some details, including to work out a few things in regards to a crazy fundraising idea I have had.
This month's "break" of sorts had got me thinking. I really enjoy doing what I'm doing and it seems as though this whole Paralympic/triathlon thing probably won't work out. So, why not do something useful with my time?
I used to think that being in the Paralympics was the only way I could reach people. I thought it was the only means I had to implement change not only in the disability sporting world, but within the able-bodied one as well. It wasn't until recently that I realised this was the biggest reason I was holding on to this Paralympic thing. So, I asked myself what would be a different way to achieve this? And, it sort of hit me, as I sat on my couch, trapped under a puppy pile, contemplating when I would get my replacement guide dog...why not run for a charity? One that I feel is a good cause; something I can stand, or should I say run, behind. I talked to Mr. K about it because this crazy idea of mine would most certainly effect his life too. I needed him to be excited about it too, or at least believe in me because there is no way I'd be able to do this without his support. When I explained it all to him he surprised me by saying that it was a great idea. And that's when the emailing frenzy began.
I started by emailing the fundraising contact I had within the organisation that I want to support. Then an email went out to my injured guide runner asking her if she would be on board. I got a hold of a freelance journalist that I've had contact with before and then it was time to Google every thing in relation to fundraising that I could think of. This was only a week ago and so there is definitely a lot of work to be done, but I think it can be done. This fundraiser isn't going to be a small thing. If you know me, you know I don't do anything small. I jump in with both feet; literally. That said, I've given myself over a year to accomplish this very lofty goal and I think I'm going to need all of the time I can get.
So what is this crazy idea of mine?
Well, I'd love to tell you, but I can't.
A little hint?
Okay...it has to do with running.
That's it. No more.
The fundraising coordinator for the organisation that I've picked has gone on holiday until October 29th and he and I haven't been over all of the necessary details. Until that happens, I need to keep the specifics to myself.
Why did I mention it then?
Because I'm so excited and I needed to get some of it off of my chest.
I've had a few nay sayers. Two people have suggested I start smaller, but I'm not sure they realise how these things work. I was really disappointed in their reactions because I thought they'd be as excited as I was. I asked Mr. K why they reacted that way and he said,
"because they don't know what you're capable of."
I think that is probably one of the best compliments I have ever been given. That definitely boosted my confidence again and I started back at my planning with gusto.
With this larger project comes smaller goals. In order for this long-term goal to be successful, my short-term ones need to happen. So, the first one I am setting myself is that I have to update this blog on a more regular basis. Once a month is not going to cut it. I think three times a week is realistic. If I post more that is great, but three posts must go up.
There. I've put it in writing. Since this week is almost over, I guess I better get cracking on the rest of the week's posts.
Stay tuned for more regular updates, and hopefully after the 29th, the full disclosure of my crazy idea.
First of all, I've been working on scheduling a meeting with my university's Athletics team in order to have a team to train with and also to expand my pool of potential guides. I think things may move forward on Sunday morning, but we'll see.
I've also had a few meetings with another potential guide runner, who is currently working through an ankle injury, but who is keen to guide. (I've mentioned her before). We're meeting again this Friday to go over some details, including to work out a few things in regards to a crazy fundraising idea I have had.
This month's "break" of sorts had got me thinking. I really enjoy doing what I'm doing and it seems as though this whole Paralympic/triathlon thing probably won't work out. So, why not do something useful with my time?
I used to think that being in the Paralympics was the only way I could reach people. I thought it was the only means I had to implement change not only in the disability sporting world, but within the able-bodied one as well. It wasn't until recently that I realised this was the biggest reason I was holding on to this Paralympic thing. So, I asked myself what would be a different way to achieve this? And, it sort of hit me, as I sat on my couch, trapped under a puppy pile, contemplating when I would get my replacement guide dog...why not run for a charity? One that I feel is a good cause; something I can stand, or should I say run, behind. I talked to Mr. K about it because this crazy idea of mine would most certainly effect his life too. I needed him to be excited about it too, or at least believe in me because there is no way I'd be able to do this without his support. When I explained it all to him he surprised me by saying that it was a great idea. And that's when the emailing frenzy began.
I started by emailing the fundraising contact I had within the organisation that I want to support. Then an email went out to my injured guide runner asking her if she would be on board. I got a hold of a freelance journalist that I've had contact with before and then it was time to Google every thing in relation to fundraising that I could think of. This was only a week ago and so there is definitely a lot of work to be done, but I think it can be done. This fundraiser isn't going to be a small thing. If you know me, you know I don't do anything small. I jump in with both feet; literally. That said, I've given myself over a year to accomplish this very lofty goal and I think I'm going to need all of the time I can get.
So what is this crazy idea of mine?
Well, I'd love to tell you, but I can't.
A little hint?
Okay...it has to do with running.
That's it. No more.
The fundraising coordinator for the organisation that I've picked has gone on holiday until October 29th and he and I haven't been over all of the necessary details. Until that happens, I need to keep the specifics to myself.
Why did I mention it then?
Because I'm so excited and I needed to get some of it off of my chest.
I've had a few nay sayers. Two people have suggested I start smaller, but I'm not sure they realise how these things work. I was really disappointed in their reactions because I thought they'd be as excited as I was. I asked Mr. K why they reacted that way and he said,
"because they don't know what you're capable of."
I think that is probably one of the best compliments I have ever been given. That definitely boosted my confidence again and I started back at my planning with gusto.
With this larger project comes smaller goals. In order for this long-term goal to be successful, my short-term ones need to happen. So, the first one I am setting myself is that I have to update this blog on a more regular basis. Once a month is not going to cut it. I think three times a week is realistic. If I post more that is great, but three posts must go up.
There. I've put it in writing. Since this week is almost over, I guess I better get cracking on the rest of the week's posts.
Stay tuned for more regular updates, and hopefully after the 29th, the full disclosure of my crazy idea.
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
I Will Go anyway
Some days are easier than others to get up the motivation to get a workout in. I'm not sure why, but today is one of those days where I'd rather not go anywhere. In fact, I'd be quite satisfied sitting on my couch, with a book, drinking tea, snuggled up under a blanket. It's not particularly gross out or anything; it's actually quite nice, but for some reason, my hibernation instincts have kicked in. However, succumbing to these instincts does not lend itself well to progress or improvement.
Some days you are all excited and ready to attack the day's workout. Some days I have my running shoes laced up 45 minutes before I'm even supposed to start; okay, perhaps more figuratively than literally. But my point stands. I'm chomping at the bit to get out there; especially when it's an outside run. I, and probably most other runners, prefer to run outdoors. Treadmills can get boring. Despite today's run being outside, with a supportive group of runners, I don't feel like going.
Today I won't be lacing up early; figuratively or literally. However, I will still go. Sometimes a workout isn't a struggle because you are running faster or further than you normally do. sometimes the triumph at the end of the practice is that you at least went. I know once I get there, my competitive self will kick in and I will put a good effort in. So, despite being perfectly happy, sitting on my couch, I will go anyway.
Some days you are all excited and ready to attack the day's workout. Some days I have my running shoes laced up 45 minutes before I'm even supposed to start; okay, perhaps more figuratively than literally. But my point stands. I'm chomping at the bit to get out there; especially when it's an outside run. I, and probably most other runners, prefer to run outdoors. Treadmills can get boring. Despite today's run being outside, with a supportive group of runners, I don't feel like going.
Today I won't be lacing up early; figuratively or literally. However, I will still go. Sometimes a workout isn't a struggle because you are running faster or further than you normally do. sometimes the triumph at the end of the practice is that you at least went. I know once I get there, my competitive self will kick in and I will put a good effort in. So, despite being perfectly happy, sitting on my couch, I will go anyway.
Friday, August 31, 2012
Flippers
Yesterday I hopped in the pool for a workout. It felt so good to be moving through the water. Swimming has always felt so powerful for me, unlike running, which I usually feel like a lumbering oaf. I think I've improved in running, but swimming is still where I feel at home.
My workout consisted of 1.5 kilometres, which makes me laugh because my warm-ups used to be about that long when I was competing in swimming. It felt good with a lot of kick and some "pull," which in swimming lingo means arms only swimming. I borrowed a kick board from the lifeguard and the majority of my workout became kicking. I don't know why, but kicking has always been my strong suit and I've always enjoyed it the most. maybe it's because I can hear my feet and feel how fast I'm going all at once? Either way, it's funny to see how one can fall back into old habits. I'll have to make an effort next time to focus on full stroke swimming and more pull because that is what will get me through the triathlon. My legs will need to be good to go for the bike and the run.
The one thing that did change was how often I breathed. When I used to compete, it was really easy for me to breathe every second stroke which is not conducive to going fast. This is probably why I was a sprinter because I could just keep my head down and breathe when I got to the wall. When I raced the fifty metres, I tried to breathe as little as possible and often got to the wall only breathing maybe three times. My every second stroke breathing habit was probably one of my biggest faults and coaches of all varieties tried to change it. I continued to be a one sided breather, but eventually managed to breathe every four strokes for the most part.
Since getting back into the water, it's been really easy to slip back into my over breathing. However, yesterday I forgot my cap and every time I turned my head to breathe, water sloshed into my ear. This was a very uncomfortable sensation and it forced me to breathe every four strokes instead of every two. Wy didn't we try this before? :) When I start training for the triathlon at a more competitive level, I'm going to leave my cap at home in order to force myself to have a more effective breathing pattern. That way, when I get my butt on that 2016 Paralympic team, I will have disposed of one of my bad habits that could potentially have made me less competitive.
Speaking of the Paralympics: have you been watching? I have to admit, I'm pretty riveted. I have little moments where I wish so badly I was there. This morning I looked up the heats for the women's S11-the classification I used to swim in-qualifying times and was shocked to see that I wouldn't have had to swim a personal best time to qualify. The slowest woman swims about a 1 minute .28 second 100 metre freestyle and I used to swim faster than that in practice. Of course the current world record holder from Italy goes a 1.08 with a few mila seconds added on to that, so I may have been out of the medal race, but I could have qualified. Also, who knows how much I could have improved. Maybe I would have been closer to that gold medal position. That said, hindsight's 20/20 and I hated the 100 free anyway. Plus, I retired for a reason. No point in thinking what could have been. I have new and exciting things to focus on...right?
I've talked to a few other retired athletes that I know and they are having a hard time too. Apparently, even one athlete who retired in 2004 is finding these Games particularly difficult. I think it's because London is doing such a great job with the Games. The atmosphere is just fantastic. For me, being so close makes it harder too.
Regardless of whether I could have qualified or not, I retired and that is that. I have four years to get ready for 2016 and these Games is great fuel for that fire.
My workout consisted of 1.5 kilometres, which makes me laugh because my warm-ups used to be about that long when I was competing in swimming. It felt good with a lot of kick and some "pull," which in swimming lingo means arms only swimming. I borrowed a kick board from the lifeguard and the majority of my workout became kicking. I don't know why, but kicking has always been my strong suit and I've always enjoyed it the most. maybe it's because I can hear my feet and feel how fast I'm going all at once? Either way, it's funny to see how one can fall back into old habits. I'll have to make an effort next time to focus on full stroke swimming and more pull because that is what will get me through the triathlon. My legs will need to be good to go for the bike and the run.
The one thing that did change was how often I breathed. When I used to compete, it was really easy for me to breathe every second stroke which is not conducive to going fast. This is probably why I was a sprinter because I could just keep my head down and breathe when I got to the wall. When I raced the fifty metres, I tried to breathe as little as possible and often got to the wall only breathing maybe three times. My every second stroke breathing habit was probably one of my biggest faults and coaches of all varieties tried to change it. I continued to be a one sided breather, but eventually managed to breathe every four strokes for the most part.
Since getting back into the water, it's been really easy to slip back into my over breathing. However, yesterday I forgot my cap and every time I turned my head to breathe, water sloshed into my ear. This was a very uncomfortable sensation and it forced me to breathe every four strokes instead of every two. Wy didn't we try this before? :) When I start training for the triathlon at a more competitive level, I'm going to leave my cap at home in order to force myself to have a more effective breathing pattern. That way, when I get my butt on that 2016 Paralympic team, I will have disposed of one of my bad habits that could potentially have made me less competitive.
Speaking of the Paralympics: have you been watching? I have to admit, I'm pretty riveted. I have little moments where I wish so badly I was there. This morning I looked up the heats for the women's S11-the classification I used to swim in-qualifying times and was shocked to see that I wouldn't have had to swim a personal best time to qualify. The slowest woman swims about a 1 minute .28 second 100 metre freestyle and I used to swim faster than that in practice. Of course the current world record holder from Italy goes a 1.08 with a few mila seconds added on to that, so I may have been out of the medal race, but I could have qualified. Also, who knows how much I could have improved. Maybe I would have been closer to that gold medal position. That said, hindsight's 20/20 and I hated the 100 free anyway. Plus, I retired for a reason. No point in thinking what could have been. I have new and exciting things to focus on...right?
I've talked to a few other retired athletes that I know and they are having a hard time too. Apparently, even one athlete who retired in 2004 is finding these Games particularly difficult. I think it's because London is doing such a great job with the Games. The atmosphere is just fantastic. For me, being so close makes it harder too.
Regardless of whether I could have qualified or not, I retired and that is that. I have four years to get ready for 2016 and these Games is great fuel for that fire.
Friday, April 13, 2012
One Step at a Time
You'll have to pardon the pun that's in the title, but I thought it was kind of appropriate. After being a couch potato for the past month and a half-with the occasional visit to the gym when I felt guilty-I have managed to get in two beginner's workouts in the past two days. I feel really good about them.
Wednesday I headed to the gym, which is about a fifteen minute walk both directions. I count this as a part of my warm-up because Glacier, my guide dog, and I don't meander. When we are walking, we are on a mission and we walk at most people's jogging speed.
My workout would probably be considered a light one, considering I used to be able to run between six and seven kilometres without stopping, but I was happy with it. Just getting back into things, I didn't wan to over do it. Over training can lead to injury, fatigue and illness. I want to be healthy and ready to go on Monday when I have my first workout with the running club. So, I took things a bit easier than I would have liked to.
I started off with a 12 minute warm-up on the rowing machine. It was supposed to be 10 minutes, but the gym staff forgot me and I was left rowing for a bit longer; not necessarily a bad thing. I think I went around 3.5 kilometres and I was feeling pretty good. Then I hit the treadmill for the first time in nearly two months. Every other time I've ben to the gym recently, I've avoided the treadmill; using the bike, or the cross trainer, anything to stay away from the treadmill. Knowing that I'm going to start actually running though, motivated me enough to get back on the treadmill.
My run was only 25 minutes long, with me going 2 minutes of walking and 3 of running. I only cycled through that four times and walked the last five minutes at a very brisk pace. I had thought to push through the last five minutes, but I told myself that I had set the workout out originally with the last five minutes just being a fast walk and that I should stick to that. No point in doing it so that I wouldn't be able to come back the next day.
The intervals felt good, surprisingly, but I could tell that I was working at the same time. It's amazing how quickly you lose your fitness you've worked so hard to build up. However, I know that with a little consistent work, I'll be back there in no time. I think I'm lucky in that way: I don't know if it's because I was an elite athlete for so long or if my body is just meant for sports, but my body responds really well to physical activity and I am grateful for that.
Yesterday's workout was not at the gym and was just a very long walk. One of my friends and I walked from her flat all of the way into the down town area, which was calculated to be 2.7 miles each way; giving us a grand total of 5.4 miles. I'm sure with the extra walking we did downtown that we hit the 5.5 mark. Again, she is a fast walker and I think a long, controlled walk like that was actually beneficial at this stage. Perhaps when I'm at the point of being able to run 8 miles it won't be as beneficial, but I think it was useful at this stage. The walk was also refreshing because the sun was out and it was nice to be outdoors and not stuck in the stinky, stuffy gym, running on a machine that makes you feel like you are on a giant hamster wheel. :)
All in all, I think the last two days were a good start. I actually wish I had a pedometre as I did a lot more walking than just the 5 or so miles into town. It would be interesting to know how far I really went.
As for today, I'm not sure what the plan is, but I definitely have to get some kind of workout in. My friends and I are planning for my husband's birthday and need to do a lot of grocery shopping, so perhaps I'll have to get a gym run in before we set out for the day. Either way, I'd like to exercise today and tomorrow and take Sunday off, but we'll see how it all pans out. If I mis today, or tomorrow, I'll be going in on Sunday. I figure I can have one day off; I'm just not sure which one it will be.
Now that I've managed to figure out this whole running club thing, at least it seems I have, I have one more concern: I need to find running pants with a draw string. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but sizes here in Scotland are designed bigger and my gym pants fall down when I'm running. Do you have any idea how awkward it is to have to keep reaching around to yank your pants-or trousers as they call them here-up while you are running on the treadmill or outside with a guide? We stopped in at one running store yesterday, but all of the "trousers" they had in were much too big. Even with the draw string, which I thought I could just tighten up, the pants were sliding down. Maybe I need double sided tape or something? I may need to pick a few runners' brains to see if anyone else has this problem and if they do, how they go about fixing it; especially since I will be getting smaller if anything.
Wednesday I headed to the gym, which is about a fifteen minute walk both directions. I count this as a part of my warm-up because Glacier, my guide dog, and I don't meander. When we are walking, we are on a mission and we walk at most people's jogging speed.
My workout would probably be considered a light one, considering I used to be able to run between six and seven kilometres without stopping, but I was happy with it. Just getting back into things, I didn't wan to over do it. Over training can lead to injury, fatigue and illness. I want to be healthy and ready to go on Monday when I have my first workout with the running club. So, I took things a bit easier than I would have liked to.
I started off with a 12 minute warm-up on the rowing machine. It was supposed to be 10 minutes, but the gym staff forgot me and I was left rowing for a bit longer; not necessarily a bad thing. I think I went around 3.5 kilometres and I was feeling pretty good. Then I hit the treadmill for the first time in nearly two months. Every other time I've ben to the gym recently, I've avoided the treadmill; using the bike, or the cross trainer, anything to stay away from the treadmill. Knowing that I'm going to start actually running though, motivated me enough to get back on the treadmill.
My run was only 25 minutes long, with me going 2 minutes of walking and 3 of running. I only cycled through that four times and walked the last five minutes at a very brisk pace. I had thought to push through the last five minutes, but I told myself that I had set the workout out originally with the last five minutes just being a fast walk and that I should stick to that. No point in doing it so that I wouldn't be able to come back the next day.
The intervals felt good, surprisingly, but I could tell that I was working at the same time. It's amazing how quickly you lose your fitness you've worked so hard to build up. However, I know that with a little consistent work, I'll be back there in no time. I think I'm lucky in that way: I don't know if it's because I was an elite athlete for so long or if my body is just meant for sports, but my body responds really well to physical activity and I am grateful for that.
Yesterday's workout was not at the gym and was just a very long walk. One of my friends and I walked from her flat all of the way into the down town area, which was calculated to be 2.7 miles each way; giving us a grand total of 5.4 miles. I'm sure with the extra walking we did downtown that we hit the 5.5 mark. Again, she is a fast walker and I think a long, controlled walk like that was actually beneficial at this stage. Perhaps when I'm at the point of being able to run 8 miles it won't be as beneficial, but I think it was useful at this stage. The walk was also refreshing because the sun was out and it was nice to be outdoors and not stuck in the stinky, stuffy gym, running on a machine that makes you feel like you are on a giant hamster wheel. :)
All in all, I think the last two days were a good start. I actually wish I had a pedometre as I did a lot more walking than just the 5 or so miles into town. It would be interesting to know how far I really went.
As for today, I'm not sure what the plan is, but I definitely have to get some kind of workout in. My friends and I are planning for my husband's birthday and need to do a lot of grocery shopping, so perhaps I'll have to get a gym run in before we set out for the day. Either way, I'd like to exercise today and tomorrow and take Sunday off, but we'll see how it all pans out. If I mis today, or tomorrow, I'll be going in on Sunday. I figure I can have one day off; I'm just not sure which one it will be.
Now that I've managed to figure out this whole running club thing, at least it seems I have, I have one more concern: I need to find running pants with a draw string. I know that doesn't sound like a big deal, but sizes here in Scotland are designed bigger and my gym pants fall down when I'm running. Do you have any idea how awkward it is to have to keep reaching around to yank your pants-or trousers as they call them here-up while you are running on the treadmill or outside with a guide? We stopped in at one running store yesterday, but all of the "trousers" they had in were much too big. Even with the draw string, which I thought I could just tighten up, the pants were sliding down. Maybe I need double sided tape or something? I may need to pick a few runners' brains to see if anyone else has this problem and if they do, how they go about fixing it; especially since I will be getting smaller if anything.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Coming Together
Isn't it funny how you go long periods of time just waiting, with nothing happening and then, suddenly, seemingly out of nowhere, things come very quickly together; almost like a snowball racing down a hill, gathering speed. It almost seems surreal and like it's happening to someone else. Plans have been made and I'll be meeting some of my potential guides on Monday. One person in particular is interested and we're going to do a light walk/jog workout to get the feel of the tether and whether or not guiding is something this person wants to do. Looking toward the future, knowing that this potential guide is going to be running the London Marathon on the 22nd, makes me hopeful that I will not only have practice partners, but people who will want to guide in a race or two as well.
We've also made plans for me to meet other runners on the 22nd, after their 8 mile run, in order to discuss the possibility of guiding. They seem like a very social group and I think that sitting down in a non-workout environment would be incredibly beneficial. It will allow us to all chat without having to worry about completing a practice, which means we can just focus on getting to know one another. This was something ERC had talked about doing, but it never actually happened. I think that because this is a part of this particular club's routine, it will be even more conducive to getting comfortable. I think this laid back attitude will translate well into finding a pool of guides.
A lot of the other clubs that I contacted were very serious and very focused on training. As much as I think that is great and want that, I come from that background and I want training to be enjoyable this time around. If I learned anything from my swimming career, it was that there is a place for being "all work and no play," but that enjoying what you're doing is just as important. I think this club may, in the long run, be a better fit. Not to mention, their laid back attitude may be what makes them more open minded and willing to try new things. Needless to say, I'm incredibly excited and also a little amazed at how open and welcoming this club has been thus far. It definitely is a breath of fresh air.
With more solid plans laid out, that means no more excuses: I need to go to the gym and increase my fitness. It's not fair of me to expect people to help me if I'm not up to par. So, it would appear that I have a date with a treadmill later this afternoon, but the difference is, I won't be dreading this workout as I have done in the past because I know that there is a point to all of the madness. I will get to train outside and eventually, I will get to race.
We've also made plans for me to meet other runners on the 22nd, after their 8 mile run, in order to discuss the possibility of guiding. They seem like a very social group and I think that sitting down in a non-workout environment would be incredibly beneficial. It will allow us to all chat without having to worry about completing a practice, which means we can just focus on getting to know one another. This was something ERC had talked about doing, but it never actually happened. I think that because this is a part of this particular club's routine, it will be even more conducive to getting comfortable. I think this laid back attitude will translate well into finding a pool of guides.
A lot of the other clubs that I contacted were very serious and very focused on training. As much as I think that is great and want that, I come from that background and I want training to be enjoyable this time around. If I learned anything from my swimming career, it was that there is a place for being "all work and no play," but that enjoying what you're doing is just as important. I think this club may, in the long run, be a better fit. Not to mention, their laid back attitude may be what makes them more open minded and willing to try new things. Needless to say, I'm incredibly excited and also a little amazed at how open and welcoming this club has been thus far. It definitely is a breath of fresh air.
With more solid plans laid out, that means no more excuses: I need to go to the gym and increase my fitness. It's not fair of me to expect people to help me if I'm not up to par. So, it would appear that I have a date with a treadmill later this afternoon, but the difference is, I won't be dreading this workout as I have done in the past because I know that there is a point to all of the madness. I will get to train outside and eventually, I will get to race.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Running On
I realise that this blog has been silent for far too long. To be honest, my triathlon/long distance running endeavors have pretty much been absent from my life basically since my last post here. I was feeling defeated and decided that perhaps competitive sport didn't have a place in my life any longer. I started thinking about how maybe that chapter in my life was closed and that I would just go to the gym three times a week just to stay healthy. I even stopped going to the gym consistently; although it shames me to admit it. :) Then, in the course of a few days, things changed very quickly.
One of the members of the Won with 1 team emailed me to see how things were going. She had heard through the grapevine that triathlon wasn't something I was actively pursuing anymore. Her email was very sweet and considerate and it got me thinking again. It didn't ignite that crazy, passionate fire in my belly, but it gave me a little push to do some more enquiring. Somewhere along the way, I found myself emailing two running clubs and I had a response from one of them within a couple of hours of sending in my enquiry. I was surprised when I went into my in-box and saw the reply email and was even more surprised when I read what it said.
Basically, the woman I contacted said that they had had a low vision runner once, but that he had his own guide. My hopes sunk when I read that line as I had explained to her that I not only needed a running club, but that I was attempting to gather a pool of guides. She went on to say, though, that it would be a new challenge for them. Her email seemed promising and it turned out to be when I received another email this morning explaining that the question of guiding had been put to a group of runners last night and there were interested people. There is even a woman who assists a blind woman to go grocery shopping and such and she was definitely interested.
I was speechless.
For months, I sent out email after email; had meeting after meeting; attempted to make connections with various sport/disability minded organisations and all it took was one email to a random running club I found on Google. I had picked them because I had liked their website and the message of inclusion they had conveyed. They welcomed beginners to the very serious marathoners and train very close to where I live. That means, getting to practices will be quite feasible.
I've been invited to come and run starting on Monday, and although I am very excited by their openness and enthusiasm, I may need to take some time at the gym to re-establish some semblance of fitness first. I am really impressed at how quickly the club has moved on this and I really hope that I may have found a new running home.
If so, that means this blog will not sit silent any longer. :)
One of the members of the Won with 1 team emailed me to see how things were going. She had heard through the grapevine that triathlon wasn't something I was actively pursuing anymore. Her email was very sweet and considerate and it got me thinking again. It didn't ignite that crazy, passionate fire in my belly, but it gave me a little push to do some more enquiring. Somewhere along the way, I found myself emailing two running clubs and I had a response from one of them within a couple of hours of sending in my enquiry. I was surprised when I went into my in-box and saw the reply email and was even more surprised when I read what it said.
Basically, the woman I contacted said that they had had a low vision runner once, but that he had his own guide. My hopes sunk when I read that line as I had explained to her that I not only needed a running club, but that I was attempting to gather a pool of guides. She went on to say, though, that it would be a new challenge for them. Her email seemed promising and it turned out to be when I received another email this morning explaining that the question of guiding had been put to a group of runners last night and there were interested people. There is even a woman who assists a blind woman to go grocery shopping and such and she was definitely interested.
I was speechless.
For months, I sent out email after email; had meeting after meeting; attempted to make connections with various sport/disability minded organisations and all it took was one email to a random running club I found on Google. I had picked them because I had liked their website and the message of inclusion they had conveyed. They welcomed beginners to the very serious marathoners and train very close to where I live. That means, getting to practices will be quite feasible.
I've been invited to come and run starting on Monday, and although I am very excited by their openness and enthusiasm, I may need to take some time at the gym to re-establish some semblance of fitness first. I am really impressed at how quickly the club has moved on this and I really hope that I may have found a new running home.
If so, that means this blog will not sit silent any longer. :)
Tuesday, February 14, 2012
A Different Angle
If you haven't noticed already, I've been MIA the last little while over on this blog. There are a few factors contributing to my absence-mostly a fundraiser I'm organising on my other blog-but also because my motivation seems to have gone out the door. My motivation to write and more importantly my motivation to train. This last part is a bit troubling. I know the main reason for my lack of motivation in the training department is due to the lack of potential guides.
Quite honestly, training day in and day out on a treadmill or stationary bike, not knowing if your efforts will even lead you to racing, gets a bit tiresome. Finding guides in the triathlon world has proven incredibly difficult in the area that I'm living in. People just aren't interested. I don't know if it is because I am approaching the wrong people or perhaps I am using the incorrect approach, but for whatever reason, I've been guideless for two months now and it is time something was done about it.
After a long chat with my husband, Mr. K, I decided that perhaps triathlon is not the way to go; at least not for this year. We both agreed that it may be more realistic to find guides for one sport as opposed to trying to find someone who is good at three. I am clearly through with competitive swimming and was just enjoying my time in the water since it was a part of the triathlon. The logistics of finding/purchasing/renting/maintaining/housing a tandem bike is way above and beyond me right now and so that left running.
I know. I actually picked running over the other two sports. Someone should take my temperature.
In order to get the process of finding long distance running guides moving, I've been in touch with a representative at Scottish Disability Sport in the hopes he will be able to reach out to his contacts and find me a few guides. An article was published on the SDS website in the hopes of attracting a few potential guides. Other emails have gone out to Scottish Athletics in the hopes that the representatives there may have more contacts who may be interested in guiding a long distance running event. There were a lot of "hopes" in those sentences.
My plan is to get involved in the sporting community via long distance running and slowly make the transition back to triathlon. Long distance runners and triathletes seem to chat and I figure somewhere along the way, I'll find someone who thinks guiding in triathlon is a good idea. Or, perhaps, one of my long distance guides will become interested in the prospect of competing in triathlon and I can convert him or her. Regardless of the outcome, I know I have to attack this lack of guide problem from another angle and long distance running is my grand idea.
Getting myself motivated again is another important aspect of my master plan. If, or should I say when, guides come along, I can't be completely out of shape because I've been sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself. To combat my lack of motivation, I've signed up for an online training log that tracks everything from times, calories burned, heart rates, distances, various sports/activities Etc. The program allows you to commit to group goals that other members have also committed to. This element of accountability will, in theory, get me back on track; or should I say, treadmill?
Tomorrow's workout has been logged as "pending"-a 3 mile run-and I intend to change its status to "completed."
Quite honestly, training day in and day out on a treadmill or stationary bike, not knowing if your efforts will even lead you to racing, gets a bit tiresome. Finding guides in the triathlon world has proven incredibly difficult in the area that I'm living in. People just aren't interested. I don't know if it is because I am approaching the wrong people or perhaps I am using the incorrect approach, but for whatever reason, I've been guideless for two months now and it is time something was done about it.
After a long chat with my husband, Mr. K, I decided that perhaps triathlon is not the way to go; at least not for this year. We both agreed that it may be more realistic to find guides for one sport as opposed to trying to find someone who is good at three. I am clearly through with competitive swimming and was just enjoying my time in the water since it was a part of the triathlon. The logistics of finding/purchasing/renting/maintaining/housing a tandem bike is way above and beyond me right now and so that left running.
I know. I actually picked running over the other two sports. Someone should take my temperature.
In order to get the process of finding long distance running guides moving, I've been in touch with a representative at Scottish Disability Sport in the hopes he will be able to reach out to his contacts and find me a few guides. An article was published on the SDS website in the hopes of attracting a few potential guides. Other emails have gone out to Scottish Athletics in the hopes that the representatives there may have more contacts who may be interested in guiding a long distance running event. There were a lot of "hopes" in those sentences.
My plan is to get involved in the sporting community via long distance running and slowly make the transition back to triathlon. Long distance runners and triathletes seem to chat and I figure somewhere along the way, I'll find someone who thinks guiding in triathlon is a good idea. Or, perhaps, one of my long distance guides will become interested in the prospect of competing in triathlon and I can convert him or her. Regardless of the outcome, I know I have to attack this lack of guide problem from another angle and long distance running is my grand idea.
Getting myself motivated again is another important aspect of my master plan. If, or should I say when, guides come along, I can't be completely out of shape because I've been sitting on the couch feeling sorry for myself. To combat my lack of motivation, I've signed up for an online training log that tracks everything from times, calories burned, heart rates, distances, various sports/activities Etc. The program allows you to commit to group goals that other members have also committed to. This element of accountability will, in theory, get me back on track; or should I say, treadmill?
Tomorrow's workout has been logged as "pending"-a 3 mile run-and I intend to change its status to "completed."
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Training With a Cause: An Introduction
Besides training for triathlons, there is something else that is very near and dear to my heart:
That's right: I'm a crazy dog lover; especially Labrador Retrievers. From the age of six, I have always had at least one Labrador in my life. Granted, two of them have been guide dogs, and another is my husband's guide dog, but Labradors are always around. So, that is why I thought it fitting that the cause I trained for was a Labrador Retriever Rescue.
is a non-profit organisation that re-homes Labradors all over Scotland. The organisation is quite active and even has a very busy and welcoming Facebook page.
With the current economy, and many other reasons, dogs are being re-homed on a regular basis. Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland (LRRS), works in conjunction with current owners in attempting to rectify issues before re-homing is considered. If a Labrador does need to be re-homed, LRRS works very hard to find the dog the perfect forever home. New owners are required to stay in contact with LRRS throughout the adopted dog's life and in return receives advice on a myriad of topics, including but not limited to: health, training and diet. Where possible LRRS likes to find homes for Labs where they can work: some have gone on to be great scent dogs. The bottom line for LRRS is, that a dog is placed in a loving, safe home whether it is to be a pet or a working dog. With my affinity for Labs and my great appreciation for working dogs, I have chosen Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland as the organisation that I want to raise funds for while attempting to attain my triathlon goals.
How will I go about this?
As of right now, a "donation" button will be added to a page I will create with all of the information pertaining to LRRS and my training goals. The donations that come in will be split between myself and Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland, with LRRS receiving 80 percent of the funds raised. The other 20 percent I will keep to pay for the necessary expenses of training as a blind triathlete. Triathlon training is expensive, but if you double those costs-blind athletes often have to purchase adaptive equipment and pay double for travel/race entry fees Etc for his/her guide-training in an already expensive sport becomes nearly impossible without a sponsorship. Labrador Retriever Rescue Scotland has agreed to the split and was more than generous.
So, today when I hit the treadmill, sweating my way through intervals, I will be thinking of all of the Labradors out there that still need rescuing, re-homing or vet bills paid for. If that isn't motivating, then I don't know what is. :)
Guide dogs need a break too.
Guide dogs need a break too.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
2.1 K
Last night I had the opportunity to join the Edinburgh Road Club for one of their evening swim sessions. It felt so good to be a part of a club atmosphere and it definitely helped me to push myself. To be honest, I haven't been swimming as often as I should the last month, but last night's session made me realise that I actually like swimming and that I need to do it if I want to be ready to compete in a triathlon this summer.
My lane had three other swimmers in it, and for most of the workout, I swam in the second position. It felt good to know that I was fast enough to be second, but it also made me push myself. I didn't want to be caught by the other two behind me: that's the competitiveness in me. We all worked hard and I was able to take a lot away from that practice. For example, I have always known that my arms are my weakness in the water, but last night I realised just how badly my arms need work. We did a pull set, which means that we only used our arms to swim through the water. I stayed in the second spot, but by the time the first 25 metres were done, the two behind me had caught up. I let them pass as I didn't want to interrupt someone else's practice, but my arms are going to definitely need some work.
I fought with the lane ropes as I always do and came out with the bruises to prove it. My left elbow is a glorious shade of green this morning and I have, what we like to call, "lane rope burn" on my upper arm, just below my shoulder. I had forgotten how much that stuff hurts. That said, I've dealt with worse. Once, while training in Brazil, I sliced my pinky finger open to the bone because the insides of the lane ropes were so sharp. I constantly opened the finger back up for the whole two weeks we were there. A little bruising is nothing in comparison. :)
From everything that triathletes have told me, you use your arms for the most part in the swim portion of the race in order to save your legs for the cycle and run portions. If that is the case, I better start lifting more weights and doing a lot of pull during my water practices.
I realised that my legs are a lot stronger than I thought. Maybe it's from all of the running I've been doing, but whatever the cause, if we did just kick, I blew everyone out of the water. Both of these things are good to know.
I also realised that I am faster than I thought when swimming full stroke. Part of our workout was to do 4 200 metres on 3.30. This means, that we had to swim 200 metres faster than 3 minutes and 30 seconds, four times through. My 200 metres were well below the 3.30 mark, which excited me a lot. The best part was that I was able to maintain that time all the way through the 800 metres; very encouraging.
After the practice I sat down with L, the coach I've spoken about before, and M, another coach. We discussed our options for finding me a guide, or more precisely, a pool of guides. With a pool of guides, the time commitments would be spread out amongst people, which would mean that I would probably have a guide for most days of the week and I could stop primarily training in the gym. I still don't have a problem supplementing workouts by training in the gym, but if I could get some time out on the road running and cycling, my times, technique and endurance would improve very quickly.
M sent me a bunch of questions that people have asked about training with me and I sent an email back with my answers this morning. He will circulate my answers, we'll have a social gathering for those people interested and then hopefully have a few different guides after that.
I felt like last night was very productive both during practice and in finding me a guide or two. I've run into a few road blocks, but I think eventually things will get worked out.
Scratch that.
Things WILL get worked out.
My lane had three other swimmers in it, and for most of the workout, I swam in the second position. It felt good to know that I was fast enough to be second, but it also made me push myself. I didn't want to be caught by the other two behind me: that's the competitiveness in me. We all worked hard and I was able to take a lot away from that practice. For example, I have always known that my arms are my weakness in the water, but last night I realised just how badly my arms need work. We did a pull set, which means that we only used our arms to swim through the water. I stayed in the second spot, but by the time the first 25 metres were done, the two behind me had caught up. I let them pass as I didn't want to interrupt someone else's practice, but my arms are going to definitely need some work.
I fought with the lane ropes as I always do and came out with the bruises to prove it. My left elbow is a glorious shade of green this morning and I have, what we like to call, "lane rope burn" on my upper arm, just below my shoulder. I had forgotten how much that stuff hurts. That said, I've dealt with worse. Once, while training in Brazil, I sliced my pinky finger open to the bone because the insides of the lane ropes were so sharp. I constantly opened the finger back up for the whole two weeks we were there. A little bruising is nothing in comparison. :)
From everything that triathletes have told me, you use your arms for the most part in the swim portion of the race in order to save your legs for the cycle and run portions. If that is the case, I better start lifting more weights and doing a lot of pull during my water practices.
I realised that my legs are a lot stronger than I thought. Maybe it's from all of the running I've been doing, but whatever the cause, if we did just kick, I blew everyone out of the water. Both of these things are good to know.
I also realised that I am faster than I thought when swimming full stroke. Part of our workout was to do 4 200 metres on 3.30. This means, that we had to swim 200 metres faster than 3 minutes and 30 seconds, four times through. My 200 metres were well below the 3.30 mark, which excited me a lot. The best part was that I was able to maintain that time all the way through the 800 metres; very encouraging.
After the practice I sat down with L, the coach I've spoken about before, and M, another coach. We discussed our options for finding me a guide, or more precisely, a pool of guides. With a pool of guides, the time commitments would be spread out amongst people, which would mean that I would probably have a guide for most days of the week and I could stop primarily training in the gym. I still don't have a problem supplementing workouts by training in the gym, but if I could get some time out on the road running and cycling, my times, technique and endurance would improve very quickly.
M sent me a bunch of questions that people have asked about training with me and I sent an email back with my answers this morning. He will circulate my answers, we'll have a social gathering for those people interested and then hopefully have a few different guides after that.
I felt like last night was very productive both during practice and in finding me a guide or two. I've run into a few road blocks, but I think eventually things will get worked out.
Scratch that.
Things WILL get worked out.
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
My First 6 K
Today was a milestone. Okay, perhaps not a milestone as it was six kilometre stones, but you get the point. It was the first time I broke the six kilometre mark and was very excited about it. I took the pace easy, focusing only on reaching six kilometres. A couple of times the personal trainer checked in and asked how I was doing. Those times, I considered picking up the pace, but held back because I was more concerned with the distance than how fast I was going. It wasn't a particularly fast run, but I completed the six kilometres in 45 minutes or so. It was slow, but steady and incredibly controlled. I could feel myself working for sure, but it was not until the last 1.5 kilometres that I started losing control of my breathing and even at that, I was able to get it back under control with a few deep, deliberate breaths.
I find I'm saying this a lot, but it is amazing to me that in just two months, I have managed to go from not running at all, to being able to hold a steady, comfortable pace all of the way to six kilometres. Who would have thought I'd call running comfortable.
Tomorrow I am back on the treadmill with the intention of running a shorter, but much faster set. It felt good reaching my "destination" of sorts-it is difficult to have a destination when running on a stationary machine-but I really need to be able to do that faster. So, tomorrow will be my "push" day; my "do it even if it hurts" day. It's supposed to be uncomfortable tomorrow.
It is important to take the little victories as they come-I.E., running six kilometres non-stop for the first time-but, if you want to get better, you need to take that momentum and "run" with it. Let it push you into the next thing and embrace it; even if it is a bit uncomfortable. :)
I find I'm saying this a lot, but it is amazing to me that in just two months, I have managed to go from not running at all, to being able to hold a steady, comfortable pace all of the way to six kilometres. Who would have thought I'd call running comfortable.
Tomorrow I am back on the treadmill with the intention of running a shorter, but much faster set. It felt good reaching my "destination" of sorts-it is difficult to have a destination when running on a stationary machine-but I really need to be able to do that faster. So, tomorrow will be my "push" day; my "do it even if it hurts" day. It's supposed to be uncomfortable tomorrow.
It is important to take the little victories as they come-I.E., running six kilometres non-stop for the first time-but, if you want to get better, you need to take that momentum and "run" with it. Let it push you into the next thing and embrace it; even if it is a bit uncomfortable. :)
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
Monday, January 9, 2012
Off to The Pool I Go
Today is the first swim of the year that I'll be doing with the Edinburgh Road Club. I had two practices with them in December to see whether or not I wanted to join and was quite happy with the club and the set up of the practices. Even though my coach from when I was swimming has agreed to give me workouts, it will be nice to practice at least once a week in a team environment. Sometimes training on your own is really nice, but I find that it's also beneficial to have days where you have other like-minded people surrounding you. It's motivating in a way and tends to keep me on track. The only glitch is getting there.
I'm battling another cold thingy I am pretty sure I picked up from the gym. Because of that, I thought I might not make it, but I'm feeling quite a bit better this morning and so will be going. It seems every time I turn around, I've been sick this winter season. I think part of it is the unpredictable weather and also that I'm in a new country with various strains of bugs that I am assuming my system has never had to fight off before. Despite my clogged head, I'll definitely be going tonight. I had a solid 12 hour sleep last night and feel quite a bit better. Not 100 percent by any stretch, but much better.
I think it's really important I go tonight for a few reasons. One of them being that L and I are going to be chatting about potential guides for me. I really need to find a guide or two in order for this whole training thing to work. Besides, when racing season rolls around, how am I suppose to race without a guide?
Aside from the cold, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get to the pool because I have no idea where it is. I'm really thankful to Tenie, my best friend, who is going to teach me how to get to the pool. The two times I've been before now, I've alwys went with a sighted person and without my guide dog, Glacier. I wasn't paying attention to the route because I assumed Emily would be coming with me every week and that would mean I wouldn't have to worry about getting there on my own. Now, though, being able to get to this particular practice independently is the only way I'll get to train with ERC on Mondays. So, Tenie has generously given up her evening tonight to teach me how to get from the bus stop to the swim centre itself.
It's these little things that make training for a sport slightly complicated and ever interesting as a blind person. You can't just look up the pool on a map and drive yourself there. Getting there has to be learned, memorized and practised. Wen learning new routes, especially longer ones like this one, there is great potential for getting lost or turned around. This could mean not making the practice at all. Thankfully, from what I remember, the route is pretty straight forward once you hop off the bus, so I think Glacier and I will get it the first time. At least, let's hope. I'd hate to have to drag Tenie out another night next week. She'd probably do it because she's awesome like that, but I'd rather not have her sitting, sweating her butt off on a pool deck for an hour if she doesn't have to. I'd also rather not get lost the next time Glacier and I venture there on our own. :)
Regardless of cold and transportation issues-now sorted out-I'll make it tonight and hopefully have a decent practice and a productive chat with L. With every little obstacle overcome, such as learning how to get to a practice venue independently, my goal to race in a triathlon this summer becomes more and more of a reality and for that I am grateful.
I read on a friend's Facebook page the other day:
"failure is not falling down, but rather failure is staying down." I couldn't agree more.
I'm battling another cold thingy I am pretty sure I picked up from the gym. Because of that, I thought I might not make it, but I'm feeling quite a bit better this morning and so will be going. It seems every time I turn around, I've been sick this winter season. I think part of it is the unpredictable weather and also that I'm in a new country with various strains of bugs that I am assuming my system has never had to fight off before. Despite my clogged head, I'll definitely be going tonight. I had a solid 12 hour sleep last night and feel quite a bit better. Not 100 percent by any stretch, but much better.
I think it's really important I go tonight for a few reasons. One of them being that L and I are going to be chatting about potential guides for me. I really need to find a guide or two in order for this whole training thing to work. Besides, when racing season rolls around, how am I suppose to race without a guide?
Aside from the cold, I was worried that I wouldn't be able to get to the pool because I have no idea where it is. I'm really thankful to Tenie, my best friend, who is going to teach me how to get to the pool. The two times I've been before now, I've alwys went with a sighted person and without my guide dog, Glacier. I wasn't paying attention to the route because I assumed Emily would be coming with me every week and that would mean I wouldn't have to worry about getting there on my own. Now, though, being able to get to this particular practice independently is the only way I'll get to train with ERC on Mondays. So, Tenie has generously given up her evening tonight to teach me how to get from the bus stop to the swim centre itself.
It's these little things that make training for a sport slightly complicated and ever interesting as a blind person. You can't just look up the pool on a map and drive yourself there. Getting there has to be learned, memorized and practised. Wen learning new routes, especially longer ones like this one, there is great potential for getting lost or turned around. This could mean not making the practice at all. Thankfully, from what I remember, the route is pretty straight forward once you hop off the bus, so I think Glacier and I will get it the first time. At least, let's hope. I'd hate to have to drag Tenie out another night next week. She'd probably do it because she's awesome like that, but I'd rather not have her sitting, sweating her butt off on a pool deck for an hour if she doesn't have to. I'd also rather not get lost the next time Glacier and I venture there on our own. :)
Regardless of cold and transportation issues-now sorted out-I'll make it tonight and hopefully have a decent practice and a productive chat with L. With every little obstacle overcome, such as learning how to get to a practice venue independently, my goal to race in a triathlon this summer becomes more and more of a reality and for that I am grateful.
I read on a friend's Facebook page the other day:
"failure is not falling down, but rather failure is staying down." I couldn't agree more.
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