Hood to Coast

The day I left for Quebec I received an email from the good folks over at NUUN.  In it was the information I had been waiting for: what runner position I would be and also who would be on my team!

We were asked to select our 3 top choices of running position back in April.  I got my first choice: Runner #1.  I wanted to be in van 1 and experience the race from start to finish.
Runner 1 is the "easiest" position according to the ranking of the race website.  Total mileage is 13.6 miles.

I will run leg 1, 13 and 25.

LEG 1 is one of 5 VERY HARD legs in the race. 

It is 5.64 miles of very severe downhill ( from 6000 to 4000 ft). 

I know I will be in pain after this one and I need to make sure I do everything to prepare for this.  I am doing the exercices my PT gave me for my groin.  I am already doing a lot better.  Today I went for 4 miles.  It was the first time in a while that I ran 3 days in a row and I am planning on going tomorrow as well.  I am keeping the mileage low and I keep doing the 1 min walking breaks at each mile.

LEG 13 is 4.21 miles and LEG 25 is 3.75 miles.

I am on team Team Night: AfterNuun Delight

Van 1
Caroline – Canadian Runner in Exile: Legs 1, 13, 25
Lauren – Health on the Run: Legs 2, 14, 26
Vanessa – Gourmet Runner: Legs 3, 15, 27
Shanna – Smack! Media, Nuun Partner: Legs 4, 16, 28
Susan – Nurse on the Run: Legs 5, 17, 29
Robyn - run pretty run fast: Legs 6, 18, 30

Van 2
Emily – Sweat Once a Day: Legs 7, 19, 31
Katie – Katie RUNS This: Legs 8, 20, 32
Sarah – Running Starfish: Legs 9, 21, 33
Harmony – Keep on Keeping On: Legs 10, 22, 34
Megan – Nuun Employee: Legs 11, 23, 35
Kelsey – The Go Girl Blog: Legs 12, 24, 36

I will have a Giveaway on the next post so please make sure to comeback!

I leave you with more pics from Quebec

Me and my nieces, Eve 14 and Maude 11 trying our best Top Model pose!!

And those 2...make me smile

These were taken on different days in different homes...and the kids did not see the pics.  This is my brother's youngest daughter and my youngest son and they are so much alike !

Quebec city post 7 / Welcome home!

I am back in California.
We had a really long day yesterday.  Got up at 4 am Eastern time, took two flights, second one was delayed 30 min, had to wait 30 min for the shuttle to get to our car, drove home.  It was 3:30 pm Pacific time when we got home.  By 8 pm I was ready for bed.

We had a great time in Quebec.  It is always hard to leave the people and the town but I am happy to be back in my things and my bed.  This time in Quebec I got to see 2 of my dear friends from University that I had not seen since my wedding.  We used to always be together during our years in College, I even lived with one of them after we graduated and then we all moved, one to the Turks and Caicos Islands, one to Paris and me to California.  We had not been together in over 11 years.   On July 1st we met with our spouses for a breakfast that lasted 5 hours!  It was my favorite day of our visit.  We had the best times.  Here's some pictures of that day.  Me with my 2 hilarious friends Martin and Antoine:

On the right with Antoine who was my roommate.

With our spouses!

 We went to a fabulous restaurant called "Le Graffiti" and this is what I had for breakfast:

Running:
Went to the gym for 4 miles today and when I got home this was waiting for me on the porch:

Thank you Mizuno for my brand new Nirvana 8!
I am taking them for a run tomorrow!

Quebec City post #6

Today is our last day in Quebec.  The vacations are almost over.  I am sad to leave but at the same time I am ready to be back in my home and get back to a routine for the kids.  They are showing signs of being a bit tired and same for me.  We had a great time here. I saw my family and my friends and being in this town is wonderful.  I really love my hometown.

I went for a great 4 miles run yesterday.  It was not pain free but it was better.  It was on the most perfect running path by the St-Laurent river.  Just Beautiful.  Runners here are so lucky to get to run there all summer long.  In the winter it is not doable though.

These were given by the USA  in honor of Quebec's 400th anniversary that was in 2008.

I went to see the PT this morning.  He put me on the treadmill to evaluate my gait.
He filmed me while I was running.  With my shoes and also barefoot.
He filmed my feet and also my hips (lifting my shirt to see better...using the waist band of my shorts as reference.)

He said that I am a "good" runner.  Posture good, no over pronation and I thought I did do that.
But there is a huge but.
I heel strike big time.  EVEN BAREFOOT.   I saw it, it is pretty bad.
He said that most "heel striker" will naturally correct that while running barefoot but I don't.
He told me to run with shorter steps.
He said to do jump rope exercises  before my runs at fast pace to prep for the run.
He said to do core work.
AND to get minimalist shoes........YIKES.
I am not sold  on that one.  I told him about my Pure Flow experience and how bad it went.
He said first to work on all the things he suggested and then see about getting other shoes.
So I got some work to do!

More pictures:

Jonathan lost 3 teeth while we were here!

Quebec City post 5

Went running today. Just 3 miles.  First time since I am here that I go 2 days in a row.  I had less pain so that is good.  It is very humid here and I forgot to bring water and that was NOT good.  I got dehydrated.  3 little miles....that is how bad it is here. Hot and holly humid!


I signed up for another race...because that is what one does while they are having groin pain.
The Awesome 80's Run!

I will run the 10k.  Cannot pass this.  It is in Pasadena and I love running there.  It looks like a lot of fun, I am a kid of the 80s.  The medal is in cassette tape shape ! 80s cover band entertainment!

My brother arrives tomorrow!  Looking forward to seeing him and my nieces!

We are having a party for Will's birthday at an indoor climbing place, should be interesting!

Last couple of days have been busy seeing friends.

I saw my close friends from High School last night for a gals only dinner.  That was nice, I never get to do that at home.  Bill was nice and he stayed home with the boys so I could speak just French and be with my girlfriends for a few hours.  We have been friends for 31 years!

Today I met Marie-Christine and her kids at a beautiful park.
Yep she is taller than me! 

Also today my cousin Genevieve arrived in town from Toronto!

She has 3 kids and they speak English so it is a perfect fit with my boys!!

The Cousins!!

I managed to loose 3 lbs since I have been here...who does that on vacation...someone with a terrible stomach that's who.

Happy Oh Canada Day to my Canadian friends!!!

Here in Quebec it is moving day!

Everyone who rents a place to live and wants to move does that on the 1st of July.  Yes It is nuts.

Quebec City post 4 - Visit to the awesome PT

First the most important part of today:My fantastic son Will turned 8 today!
He wanted to go to the Aquarium so that's what we did!
The weather has been terrible the last couple of days, lots of rain and cool. 

Here we are at the Quebec Aquarium.  In the back are the 2 bridges,  The one closer to us is The Quebec Bridge.  The bridge opened in 1919.  Constructions started in 1904 but the bridge collapsed twice before it opened.  "Construction was ultimately completed in August 1917, at a total cost of $25 million and 89 bridgeworkers' lives. On December 3, 1919, the Quebec Bridge opened for rail traffic, after almost two decades of construction. Its centre span of 549 metres (1800 ft) remains the longest cantilevered bridge span in the world and is considered a major engineering feat."

Last night we went to dinner with a group of gals I coached 14 yrs ago when they were in High School.  They were the best team I ever had.  I call them the "dream team".  We won everything that year including the Provincial Championship.  I had not seen them in 10 years and now most of them are moms!  They are now the age I was when I was their coach!  We had a blast at that dinner, I am so happy I got to see them.

Running:
First I want to appologize, I am behind on blog reading...I will catch up tomorrow!

I ran 4 miles yesterday.  It went OK.  Still feel the pain at each step.
In the afternoon I was lucky to get an appointment with the best PT for runners in Quebec.
His name is Blaise Dubois.  You can find his website The Running Clinic here.
He was great.  I got an evaluation and the diagnostic is: adductor tendinopathy.

He told me that I have to:

• 1. Reduce my mileage.  Already done that.
• 2. Walk 1 min every mile.  I can do that.
• 3. No need to reduce the number of days per week that I go running.  I like that.
• 4. No HILLS.  Fine by me.
• 5. Need to do some exercice using resistance tube.  All good.

I am going back to see him next week and he will evaluate my gait.  So I am optimistic!
I am just happy he did not say those words : "No running"!
He is a pro minimalist so I am expecting him to talk to me about my current shoes :)

Quebec City post 3

Went for 4 miles yesterday.  My longest run in over a week.  I still have pain in my groin,  it is not getting worst but also not better.  Today I rested.  I am so over all this extra rest.
Tomorrow I will know when I will see the PT.

We took the kids on a boat excursion.  They loved it.  It is a great way to see the city and get beautiful pictures.

1. Waiting to get on the boat.

2. We had a tour guide dressed as Louis Riel.

3. At Orleans Island and Montmorency Falls.  Those falls are actually 98 feet higher than Niagara falls.

After the boat ride we walked in Place Royale and Petit Champlain an historical area in Quebec where there's a lot of shops and restaurants.  Also many stairs and hills.

1. Place Royale.  Notre-Dame des Victoires Church is considered the oldest stone church in North America, was built in 1688.

Quebec is a HILLY town.

And we have lots of stairs! Escalier Casse-Cou means "Breakneck stairs".  It is the oldest one in the city, the original structure was built in 1635. 

From top of escalier casse-cou, me and the kids going down.  Old Quebec Funicular for those who are not brave enough to use the stairs on the right, opened in 1879.  Funny T-Shirt we saw in a store where we got the "Angry Moose" shirts.

Quebec City post 2 - Hilarious Shirts-

Today we took the kids downtown
Look at the hilarious shirts we found:

Do you get it?????!!!!!!!!!

Quebec City post 1

I am home.

The trip here was long and exhausting.  We took the red eye thinking the  kids would sleep. Well that did not work as good as I had hoped.  They did not sleep much and I slept ZERO.

We arrived Wednesday am in hot and VERY humid Quebec.
I did not remember how the humidity felt....not a fan of it.
It is making us be a lot slower...

I hope it cools down soon or that we will get some rain!
We went in the town last night.  In the old part of Quebec, the most beautiful part of the town.  Very hilly there..lot's of crazy stairs everywhere.  We went down to look for my niece who was there with her class on a field trip.  Took me almost 2 hours to find her but I did!

She is just 13! For those who don't know I am 5'11"!!

I ran twice since I am here.  Two short runs.  It is hard to run in the humidity! I am in awe of all of you who have to do this all summer long.  I still have pain in my groin.  It is mild but it is there.  I will see a PT who treats runners only while I am here.  It will cost me $80 but it will be worth it to see someone who is used to work with runners and who speaks French!

In other running news I now know that I am on Team NIGHT for Hood to Coast.

I also know that I am runner #1.
I am so happy.  This was my first choice.  
These are the others on my team:

Team Night: AfterNuun Delight
Van 1
Caroline – Canadian Runner in Exile: Legs 1, 13, 25
Lauren – Health on the Run: Legs 2, 14, 26
Vanessa – Gourmet Runner: Legs 3, 15, 27
Shanna – Smack! Media, Nuun Partner: Legs 4, 16, 28
Susan – Nurse on the Run: Legs 5, 17, 29
Robyn - run pretty run fast: Legs 6, 18, 30

Van 2
Emily – Sweat Once a Day: Legs 7, 19, 31
Katie – Katie RUNS This: Legs 8, 20, 32
Sarah – Running Starfish: Legs 9, 21, 33
Harmony – Keep on Keeping On: Legs 10, 22, 34
Megan – Nuun Employee: Legs 11, 23, 35
Kelsey – The Go Girl Blog: Legs 12, 24, 36

I am so happy that I will get to be at the top of Mount Hood to start!
If you have seen the movie, leg 1 is the one leg that Katie's Dr says she absolutely cannot run and later you see her at the start ready to go down the steep hill!!!!

More on the legs in the next post!!!
Hope you are all well
I am reading your blogs...sometimes just on my phone so it is harder to comment.

I'M GOING HOME

Almost Ready

Packing for 4..not my favorite thing to do.

I am not looking forward to the travelling part (taking the Red Eye out of Los Angeles) but I am looking forward to being home.

The one negative part of us going to Quebec is that I have to leave this gal

I hate to leave her for so long even if she will be in good hands.

Next time I post here it will be from Canada!
A bientot!!!!

New favorite running skirt

Before I get to the skirt....

Happy Father's Day to all the dads reading this!

Running...
So I had to take a day off today. A non scheduled rest day.  This sucks big time.
I ended the week with just 23 miles.
I have had pain in my groin for 3 weeks now.  I ran my last half marathon with this pain.  I remember that I felt the pain with each step.  .
I ice it.  I stretch it.  I even tried to foam roll it, that was not a great success..not the easiest body part to roll.  It is not better.

Of course I don't want this to get worst...so I was VERY mature and I rested.  To make sure that I did, I set my alarm for 7:30 am  when it would be too hot to go for a run already!

Groin pain experience anyone?  Advices are welcomed as always.

Ok I found the perfect running skirt.
It has all I was looking for:

1. It is not too short.
2. It has a back pocket WITH zipper.
3. It has no shorties.
4. Best of all it has a DRAWSTRING.
5. I paid $19.97

Cannot beat that.
I ran in it twice.  It stays in place.
It is PERFECT.

Want to see?  Kim I know you want to see it...:)

NIKE Women's Tempo Unlined Running Skirt
It is made with same fabric as their tempo shorts.
I love it!

(No Nike did not pay me for this post...I wish!... and no they did not send this skirt to me, I just wanted to share with all you gals who are still looking for a running skirt they like.)

Got a notice from Blogger telling me I am at max capacity for pictures.  Now I have to delete some if I want to upload new ones.  That means the ones I delete will also be deleted from my posts .   What do you do in that situation?