Elements of Erin 337

I am happy to say my back is on the mend and feeling better everyday.  After 2 sessions of ART and Chiro, with a RMT Massage thrown in for good measure, I should be feeling almost 100% by next week.   I plan to stretch, spin, stretch and ice tonight.  It will be nice to have something to update in Daily Mile again. I am signed up for the Tubbs Romp Stomp on Saturday but don't want to risk a relapse of my back so I am going to miss the event.  I think it will be great and I am very sad to have to miss it.   Instead, I will be at the Vancouver Bike Show on Saturday from 10-6pm at the Shimano booth.  I hope to see some of you there.  It looks like a great opportunity to check out bikes, gear and all things outdoors. Below is a 2 for 1 admission voucher. http://www.getouttheremag.com/images/GetOutThereVancouver.gif

One of my 12 resolutions for 2012 was to stretch more.  Based on my current state, stretching more has not been enough.  I need to really incorporate a stretching routine in to my DAILY life.   In addition to my shoulder/bicep issue, I have managed to really bugger up my lower back. About 6kms into my 24km run this past Sunday, I felt my lower back tighten up.  I was wearing my Fuel Belt with all 4 bottles full, 2 packages of Gu Chomps, my iPhone and car keys.  I would estimate that the belt was about 5 lbs of extra weight that I have not been used to running with lately.  In addition, perhaps to the extra weight I have put on since Ironman.  As I was running up a short hill around the 6km mark, my back suddenly and quickly tightened up.  I stopped, leaned forward and touched my toes to stretch it out but it didn't seem to pass.   So I did what any rational athlete would do.  I kept running thinking the running would loosen it up.   Well, let me tell you, i

On Sunday February 11, 2000 I ran my first half marathon ever.  It was the Pacific Road Runners First Half.  In February 2000, I had just returned to work from maternity leave with my son who was 9 months old at the time.  I had decided in September 1999, when my son was 4 months old and I was still nursing him, that running a half marathon would be my next running goal.  I was quite over weight still and was looking for something to help take the weight off.  I also figured, since 12 hours of non-medicated labour and child birth were fresh in my mind, how bad can a half marathon be?  Piece of cake...right? Well, running a half marathon was certainly less challenging than child birth but it still was a challenge.  With just returning to work full time, nursing and trying to figure out how to balance my new life with a family, it was no easy accomplishment. To train for my first half marathon I joined a local running group, the Richmond Spirit Runners lead by Lynn Walters  where I m

The idea of family game night is a good one.  Although I am not sure if it isn't just a marketing ploy by Hasbro to revive classic board games, we really do enjoy it in our family.  We don't have a scheduled night, it usually ends up being Sunday.  By Sunday, we usually have watched all of our PVR'd shows for the week and are looking for something to do.  With the cost of going out to a movie being well over $40 for the three of us, this is a great option. Scrabble has become our game of choice.  Jamieson, Tim and I started playing Words With Friends when we both got our iPhones and were hooked.  My parents then purchased a Scrabble game that we played when we visited.  Even at Christmas, we had a wonderful brunch then played Scrabble for the rest of the afternoon.  Growing up, my family never played Scrabble so it is funny that this has become our game of choice.  In addition to ski lessons at Grouse Mountain, my parents gave Jamieson a travel Scrabble game se

On January 22 I ran my first race of the year.  I am have been successful in keeping to my one race per month in 2012 resolution.  11 more races and months to go.   I arrived on site at Creekside Community Centre one hour before the race and scored a cherry parking spot.  Finding parking is always something that causes me some stress.  I had contemplated taking Skytrain but the closest station to the race start was over 1km away and there was no bag check.   When I arrived, I sat in the car for a while and took these photos. The weather was quite windy and rainy although it was not particularly cold.  I wore a toque, capri tights, long sleeve shirt and a vest to start and ended the race holding my toque because it was warm. Maybe cause of the weather, I took off quickly (faster than my race plan) and figured I would just go until I needed to slow down.  Below are my KM splits Split Time Distance Avg Pace Summary 51:36.2 9.76 5:17 1 5:04.9 1.00