A Brief Review of 2013

Wow! I cannot believe that 2013 has come and gone! I had such a fun year filled with running, family, friends, camping, and following Chris to his motorcycle and mountain biking races.
My year started off with lots of training for our run in Hollywood! We spent 10 great days in California where my sister, brother in law and myself ran the Hollywood Half Marathon.
Once we returned it was time to get serious as I ran my very first full Marathon here in Red Deer. I missed my goal by only 4 minutes! (I guess that is something I can aim for this year.)
The weekend after Woody's Marathon I entered a 10K in Edmonton last minute, and I won! Really! I won 1st overall in the 10K! It was my very first Gold Medal :)
At the beginning of July I was fortunate to run and camp with my family at Sinister 7 in the Crowsnest Pass, AB. Our team consisted of my sister (Kim), her husband (Erik), my husband (Chris), his brother (Matt), our friend (Theresa) and myself. The run is 147 amazing and difficult kilometres throughout the mountains of Alberta. Our team did really well and I ran the last 2 legs totalling almost 27KM. It was the first time I had ever run in the dark, and I loved it! It was during the final leg that I rolled my ankle. I had about 5 km left, I had just finished reading Eat and Run by Scott Jurek and all I could hear was the words from his book. "Sometimes we just do things".  I kept replaying his running injuries and his finishes that he discusses and it got me through,  I finished! And still felt pretty good.
It seemed like a long road, but I focused on cycling and physio for my ankle, and with great determination I was able to run Leg 4 of the Canadian Death Race on a team with my husband, 2 of my brother in laws and my athletic therapist (Thanks so much Heather for all that you do for me!). Deathrace to me was amazing and an eyeopener to what my goals for the coming year would be. Not at one point did I question what I was doing during my 38 km trail run, but rather, I enjoyed and relished in every amazing moment! The beauty, the people, the adrenalin and the excitement!
In September we did our annual run in Banff, AB. This was the first year we did it as a "Girls Weekend". It was really fun and I am so lucky to have such amazing friends! ( I also set a PB for my 10k at the run in the mountains).
In October I went home to Fernie to see my parents. It just happened to be the Fernie Half Marathon that weekend, so of course I ran it. I had just received my INKnBURN shipment so I was definitely the best dressed there! I wore my skeleton top and Robot capri pants, for the half human, half robot look. I received  compliments from at least every 2nd person, and I made the front page of the Fernie Free Press. This run and visit home also reminded me how gorgeous the Elk Valley is! I forget sometimes how pretty and well kept my home area is. I need to make it home more often!
Chris and finished off the year in Las Vegas where we both ran the Rock and Roll Half Marathon. It was Chris's official first Half! I am so proud of him and his determination!
And so 2013 comes to an end. I am so excited for what 2014 has in store for us! We have big racing plans for the coming year and I look forward to sharing every moment with you.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO EVERYONE!

Fall In Love With the INKnBURN Tech Tube and the Many Ways To Wear It

A. Neck warmer   B. Twisted toque/beanie   C. Driving Miss Daisy (to be worn to keep warm, protect you from the elements and/or under a helmet)   D. Hair tie   E. Wrist sache (to wipe away sweat)   F. Head/Face/Neck protector (for skiing, running and more)   G. Headband (folded or wrinkled) 

H. Alice Band (to pull back hair and protect the ears)   I. Bandana   J. Tied toque/beanie   K. Straight On (stops perspiration from dripping onto face and protects the neck)  L. Neck/Face mask (protects from cold, dust, etc)

My favourite INKnBURN item when asked, has always been the shorts. Or my Run or Die tank. Or my Sugar Skull long sleeve. Well, all of them, really. But when I stop to think about which item I use the most (every run), and could not live without, it is the Tech Tube.

The Tech Tube is so versatile and comfortable that I believe that every active person, whether man or woman, runner, biker, or skier should have one!

The moisture wicking technical fabric that each Tech Tube is made from appears differently depending how you fold or wear it. The Tech Tube is breathable, wind resistant and has no pressure points when worn. In warm weather it will protect you from the elements of nature (sun, wind, dust and more), all while wicking moisture away. In cold weather the Tech Tube will keep you warm still while protecting you from the elements.

The Tech Tube is very simple to use, and I had no trouble figuring out the many different ways to use and wear mine. With all of the cold weather in Alberta right now I have been using mine mostly as a toque (both knotted and twisted to create a double layer).  I also favour it as a headband to keep my ears warm and to keep hair out of my face, both while exercising and while putting my makeup on. 

I have tried other brands (The Buff and one made by Salomon) but I now prefer the beauty, comfort and versatility of the Tech Tube. I find I do not get headaches as I have with others,  it is super durable and I cannot believe how quickly it dries!

INKnBURN is made right here in North America! The Tech Tube sells for $25USD and can be found online. www.inknburn.com/gear/tech-tube.html

Gluten-Friendly Mac and Cheese

1 3/4 cups macaroni (I used the corn variety)

3 Tbsp butter

1/4 cup gluten free flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp dried mustard

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp paprika plus more to sprinkle on top

2 cups milk

2 1/2 cups cheddar cheese

1. Boil pasta until al dente. Rinse with cool water immediately to stop from cooking. Return to original pot and add a small amount of butter to stop from sticking together.

2. Preheat oven to 375F.

3. Over medium heat, melt the butter. 

4. Add the flour, salt, mustard, pepper and paprika. Stir constantly over medium heat for about 3 minutes.

5. Stir in milk.

6. Whisk constantly for about 10 minutes, until it is thick.

7. Remove from heat and stir in 2 cups of cheese. Stir unit melted.

8. Pour sauce over noodles until they are well covered.

9. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top and dust lightly with paprika.

10. Bake for 25-30 minutes, until  the cheese is melted and bubbling.

Merry Christmas to Everyone! I hope that you have all been well and enjoying plenty of laughter and cheer with friends and family! I was working over Christmas, so I just enjoyed the laughter and love with family, but I am making up for the cheer this weekend :)

This was our wine choice for the evening. We paired it with prime rib roast. At only $14/bottle it is a perfect bottle to have on your shelf for an everyday wine. It would go well with just about anything, or on its own. It has a very light oak undertone, with the flavour of fruit being the forerunner.

It won't be my choice for New Year's, but I would definitely buy it again. I will be at my sisters new place in Calgary to ring in 2014. With her inlaws there and the spirit and excitement in the air I think I will splurge on my wine for the evening. 

Stay tuned for my review of that one!

Treadmill Running

Treadmill Running can be Difficult! But it is definitely better than sitting on the couch! I just had to do my run on my treadmill, due to lack of childcare, but I feel much better, and happier now that I am done! It got me back to thinking about an article I read a while back and found some helpful hints for running on the treadmill. Hope you find them useful as well :)

Watch your step. While the cushioned surface helps prevent injuries, some people report aches and pains after putting extra time on the ’mill. Be sure to run at a pace you can comfortably sustain. As you tire, lower your speed or the incline.

Just let go. If you can’t keep up with the treadmill without grabbing the handrails, you’re going too fast. Holding onto the handrails can throw off your stride and create a twisting motion, which can lead to injuries.

Step outside…carefully. If you’ve done 100 percent of your workouts on a treadmill, gradually integrate outdoor running into your routine. Too quick a transition can lead to injury. Outside, your calf muscles have to work harder to propel you forward; so do the smaller stabilizer muscles in the joints and ankles. On your first outside run, start with 10 minutes, and add five minutes the next week. Continue to build gradually.

Know your numbers. The “calories burned” readouts on treadmills—and any other exercise machines—are rarely accurate. That’s because treadmills estimate total calories burned rather than the net number—i.e., calories burned solely through exercise, above and beyond what we would have used anyway. Plus, keep in mind that most machines don’t account for body-fat percentage, gender, age, resting heart rate, or whether you’re holding onto the rails. But you don’t have to totally ignore the machine’s stats. Use the calorie readout as a barometer of your progress. If the calorie readout goes up from one session to the next for the same workout, you know you’re getting fitter.

Decipher the pacing info. How fast or slow are you going? Many treadmills show pace as miles-per-hour (MPH). Here’s a cheat sheet so you can find your minutes-per-mile pace, more commonly used by runners.

• 4.0 mph = 15:00 minutes per mile
• 4.5 mph = 13:20 minutes per mile
• 5.0 mph = 12:00 minutes per mile
• 5.5 mph = 10:55 minutes per mile
• 6.0 mph = 10:00 minutes per mile
• 6.5 mph = 9:14 minutes per mile
• 7.0 mph = 8:34 minutes per mile

Mix it up. In order to build your overall fitness, it’s a good idea to do faster workouts with no incline as well as slower-paced workouts with an incline. The slower uphill workouts build strength, while the faster flat workouts help you develop stamina, endurance, and quick footwork. Adjust both speed and incline during your workout, and you can better simulate the changing terrain of a road run.

It was much too cold to run outside today (-49 C with the Windchill, -37 C without), so I took my workout inside.

Thanks so much to Marie at the Collicutt for the great total body workout this fine Saturday morning :)

I always love running along the river! Whether it's in Ottawa, Calgary, or Fernie. But Spokane is definitely one of my favourites now! I cannot believe I had never been down to Riverfront park in the past. It is Beautiful! There is so much to see and do there.
My top 5 things I saw were the outdoor Ice Palace, the large wagon, the clock tower, Spokane Falls, and all of the friendly people I saw along the way.
I am very excited to bring my family back and actually explore the park. There are many things to see and do that include the Looff Carrousel, The Skyride, Enchanted Forest Mini Golf, The tour train, Pavilion Amusement Rides, and The IMAX theatre.
There are also Many free things to experience. Including the Centennial Trail (37.5 miles of trail that passes through Riverfront Park). There is also the sculpture walk and the Riverfront Fountain.
I would recommend visiting the park at any time of the year. It is definitely worth the trip!