To run or not to run, that is the question

Posted on March 29, 2014 by torontofitmom

As a runner, I am devastated when I am sidelined by an injury or a sickness, so you can imagine what I go through when faced with a difficult decision to pull myself from a race. That is what I went through for weeks concerning the Around the Bay 30k. I signed up for it months ago and was very excited to run this event for the first time. I have heard such amazing things about it and I decided that if there was going to be a race to change my ‘no training in the dead of winter’ rule, it would be this one. Training started great. No matter how cold it was, I was bundled up and out there doing what I could, even though it was hard on the ego to slow down. Then I got sick, just a cold I thought. It would go away, and then come back and so on and so on. Then I started to sound like Kathleen Turner and I knew it was time to see the doctor because no matter how much over the counter stuff I was popping, it was not going away. Within minutes I was diagnosed with a sinus infection. Awesome. Four weeks after that first sniffle I find out that I need antibiotics to get me back to training, and then after five days after that I was finally feeling better.

I was in knots over the condition I would be in come March 30^th. I knew that I could probably just run it -yeah no biggie, it’s only 30k – which is awesome to say and makes me proud of how my running has strengthened over the past few years, but who knew how I would feel afterwards? With a couple of spring races coming up in the following weeks, I wanted to be at my best. It was a very difficult decision, but when I finally decided to sell my race bib I felt like a weight had been lifted and I knew that it was the smartest decision to make. I sold my entry not long after that and turned my focus back to training smarter for the rest of my race season.

I won’t be lining up with my runner friends on the 30^th, but I will be sending them speedy thoughts! I am looking forward to rest of my season being healthy and strong.

Have you ever had to make the difficult decision not to run a race? How did you deal with it?

I’ve got the Music in me – Part 2

Posted on March 14, 2014 by torontofitmom

When I run I have to listen to music. Like for real, I have to listen to music. Not only do I have to listen to music but I will spend hours picking the perfect songs to add to my playlist and if after a run I feel like it doesn’t fit, I delete it instantly and continue my search for more (No one is safe as even Beyonce’s Single Ladies got the axe after a 10k race). I have a wide variety of music that I like to listen to, Foo Fighters to Kanye, you name it I listen to it…..Just no country and no Taylor Swift or One Direction or Selena Gomez…..well, I think you get the idea. Below I have just a few songs that carry me on both my training runs and races. I love to get lost in my music and enjoy my day dreams…..If you’re lucky I will share some of those said day dreams in this post. For the sake of this post let’s say that I am running 10k. Oh and one more thing. Please don’t judge my taste in music, thank you.

When I start off my run, I like something upbeat, cheesy and pop-y, something like…..Pitbull!. Yep, love me some Timber. Not only is it terribly cheesy but it features Ke$ha! Hello!!! Winner! It gets me warmed up and feeling good. I like to think positive quotes and thoughts to set me off on the right foot.

athletic greatness

This takes me straight into some Avicii…really I love any Avicii at this point; I Could Be the One, Wake Me Up, or more recently Hey Brother. Now I’m getting nice and warm and my breathing has settled into a nice comfortable breathing pattern.

Are you ready for super cheese? How about some Owl City featuring good old Canadian born Carly Rae and It’s always a good time, this gets me smiling and tries to encourage me to “have a good time” – get it?? 😉

At this point I am at about 5 or 6K into my 10K, so I’m starting to pump my legs faster and harder and I need MKTO, Thank you. This song reminds me of the retreat I went on last March with an incredible group of ladies who have inspired me more than they will ever know, so this song takes me to a happy emotional place that gets my heart even more full. I’m smiling, I’m having fun and this is what I think look like:

Yeah…not quite right, in reality this is what I look like all sweaty and red in the face with flared nostrils…cute

Now is when I need to fly so this is when I need some old fashioned musical theatre. My go to song? Defying Gravity from Wicked and when this song comes on I am speeding and my legs are flying. Especially when it gets to the following part: “I’m through accepting limits ’cause someone says they’re so, some things I cannot change but till I try, I’ll never know!” It reminds me that a lot of people look at me and think I don’t look like a typical runner, so I must not be capable of achieving my race goals. I use that as motivation to keep going and prove that I can and will succeed. It is also during this song that I start to envision my success that I hope will come as a runner, and this is what I see in my mind:

As I am nearing the end of my 10k I need some angry music, queue Kanye West – “uh huh honey” and I Am A God. Enough said, no? I actually have a plethora of Kanye to listen to as I run. I need serious inspiration to get my game face on:

Some might find it a bit much to spend so much time putting together a playlist, but for me it’s a typical Monday J My music inspires me to run faster, further and stronger.

Do you listen to music while training and racing? What do you like to keep you going?

Reflections on a tough race day (#STWM 2013)

Posted on October 23, 2013 by torontofitmom

It has been two days since I completed the #STWM. I have been on a roller coaster of emotions ever since, from sad, to happy, to disappointment, to pride etc. I was once told that the feelings you experience after you finish running a marathon are very similar to the baby blues one may go through after giving birth. Since I have completed two marathons, and given birth I can quite honestly say, yes, yes they are similar. All day Monday I would have moments where I would spontaneously burst into tears, and staring back at me was a very confused 2 ½ year old little boy.

For months I had been training hard to get a Boston Qualifying time – for my age that would be 3:40, which was perfectly doable for me. My training had been going great. Even during the gross heat waves over the summer, I was out every morning training, and doing my long runs early Saturday mornings. When I had any aches or pains, I visited my chiropractor (AKA, the miracle worker) and I would be good to go again. Fast forward to three weeks before race day and there I was in a silly amount of pain down the entire left side of my leg. My Piriformis, IT band, TFL, all of it, was one giant mess of fascia and muscle that was just screaming out in agony. I doubled my chiropractor appointments, I added massage, I rested, I slowed down my pace, and I bought KT Tape! I did everything I could to ensure I was in the best position to succeed on race day without injuries slowing me down.

Race day 6am. I have never woken up so ready on a race day before. I had my usual nerves but I knew that I did everything that I could to prepare myself for this day, so I was ready for the challenge. My husband and I wished each other luck – he ran the half – and went into our corrals. The first 21k felt AMAZING, 21 – 32 felt GOOD, 32 – 42 felt…..like…..CRAP. All my injuries attacked me with a vengeance and I was fighting with my body the rest of the way. I cried and I had to slow to a walk at some points to try and shake it off and I came this close to calling my husband to tell him that I just couldn’t do it. I slowly watched my BQ goal slipping away as the 3:40 pace bunny went speeding past me (I had been way ahead of him until about 34k). I kept thinking, I’m just not strong enough, I’m just not fast enough, and I’m just not good enough. At 37k when a random lady who was cheering on the side told me “Lisa, you’re almost done, you can do this”. Of course I cried some more, but then I thought of my son. I thought if I quit now, what kind of example does that set for him? Mama’s no quitter! So I powered through and hobbled over the finish line at 4:11.

Motivation from my son for 42.2k

This was the first race I’ve done where I have turned off my music for the last 500m. I wanted (and needed) to hear the crowds cheering. I heard my name being yelled out at least 20 times from complete strangers, encouraging me right to the end. That is one of the great things about STWM, the support of so many people you have never even met. I can’t put into words the emotion I felt as I neared the end of a race to find huge crowds cheering with the finish line so close. I think I even managed a smile as I crossed the finish line. Weaving my way through the bagels, yogurt and bananas, I found my husband and I cried as he was telling me how proud he was of me. I continued to walk and found a friend who had come out to see me. I fell into her arms and cried even harder and through my sobs I managed to get out that I was upset because of my injuries and I didn’t qualify for Boston. She just hugged me harder and told me how amazing I did.

If you had asked me after the race on Sunday if I would run another marathon I would have said there was no way. But it is two days later and I have had time to rest (since I can’t really walk all that well) and do a lot of thinking and I will say this; I haven’t reached my Boston goal yet so yes, I will be running #STWM 2014.

In fact once I have healed my training will begin. Am I proud of myself yet? Yes I am. I ran this marathon over an hour faster than my last one, so there’s a new PB 🙂

Overall I have loved every second of my training and race day. I loved being apart of the CRS family and being a Digital Champion. I have had the opportunity to meet some pretty incredible and inspiring runners who kept me going on days I may have just wanted to crawl back under the sheets and sleep.

Thank you Canada Running Series for an amazing race day and an amazing experience overall. 🙂

I know some of you may be wondering about how my husband did after my last post Love and Running with my Husband…….He ran his half in 1:35, a new PB. What does that mean? It means the competition is on and on like Donkey Kong. This girl needs to beat that time! And so the cycle of friendly competition continues. Who knows, maybe one day he’ll step up to the big race!

Did you run the #STWM? How do you feel? Doing it again?

Yoga For Runners

Posted on June 21, 2013 by torontofitmom

Yoga and running. These two forms of physical activity couldn’t be any further from one another on the exercise spectrum, but together they can help any runner reach new personal bests through breath and stretching that strengthen the whole body. By introducing yoga into your training, I can guarantee that you will offset the effects of running’s one- dimensional nature AND as an added bonus you and running will live happily ever after.

As a yoga instructor I can’t tell you how many times I have heard the following excuse reason why one does not have a yoga practice “I’m not flexible enough”. To anyone who says this I say “Ah, heck to the no”. Yoga is not just for people who can wrap their leg around their head, it is about the journey towards touching your toes (or wrapping your leg around your head – if that’s what you’re in to) and allowing your breath to carry you from one position to the next. As runners, we often forget about the breathing part, especially when faced with those pesky things called hills. Instead of focusing on our breathing, we often hold our breath till we reach the top. Let me ask you a question, when you do that, how do you feel once you reach the top? Tired, heart racing, and maybe like you can’t go on? Whatever you are feeling, I am sure that it falls into the negative category. With something as simple as proper breathing, you will find that you can calmly run one kilometre to the next – including hills, with ease.

As runners, we experience a ton of pounding, tightening and shortening of the muscles and not enough restorative, elongating and loosening work. The body starts to compensate to avoid injury by working around any instability, which means our body compensates by putting stress on muscles, joints and the entire skeletal system. If you’re off balance, every step you take forces the muscles to work harder. Tight muscles get tighter and weak muscles don’t have a chance to strengthen, and this is when you end up spending more time in recovery than in training.

Runners can use yoga to develop strength, increase range of motion, and train the body and mind. You learn how to coordinate your breath with each subtle movement. The result is that your body, mind, and breath are integrated in all actions. Through consistent yoga conditioning you can engage, strengthen and correct muscle imbalances which will improve posture and help with recovery. Mental focus is also extremely important for us distance runners and yoga has a meditative component that can help keep you calm and focused through any training run and/or race.

From personal experience, I can vouch that if you only run during training for a race, you are not giving yourself your best chance on race day. When I last ran the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon back in 2008, all I did was concentrate on adding miles and speed (putting my regular yoga practice on hold), and wouldn’t you know it, that failed me. At the 24km mark, I developed tremendous IT band pain and spent the rest of the race in agonizing pain. Since adding regular yoga classes (in addition to teaching) into my training routine I have become a new runner. I am more in tune with my body; I spend more time training and less time resting/recovering. I am stronger, and on race day I am not only physically ready, I am mentally ready.

Still think that the benefits to yoga for runners are overstated? How does this grab you; with a straighter spine, a stronger core and better focus — you’ll find that you will become a more efficient runner.

Check out Get Fit in the City where I take you through a short yoga flow you can do at home. You can also join me on Sunday, July 7^th at Chopra Yoga Centre, for a special Yoga for Runners Workshop, click on events and then scroll to the bottom.

**until then you can look for my name on the schedule (Lisa Davidson) and drop in for one of my other classes**

See you on the mat/pavement.

Photo Credit: Eva Redpath BCBD Retreat, Cabo San Lucas 2013

Energybits Review

Posted on June 18, 2013 by torontofitmom

Since my horrendous experience with gels a few years ago, I have been on a mission to find a product that I could stomach and give me a much needed boost during long training runs and races.

There has been quite a bit of chatter on twitter the last few months about Energybits. I was intrigued, so I looked into it. I have to be honest, when I first read that Energybits were algae….I almost threw up right then and there. I mean really? Algae?? I put off trying these “bits” for awhile but after a horrible 15K run, which was supposed to be longer, but I had to cut short due to hunger and a lack of energy, I finally gave in and decided to give Energybits a try.

I received my sample from the kind folks in Boston a week later. I woke up one morning for my usual training run, I got dressed, I laced up and then I opened the tin that contained the bits. First impressions….I felt I was about to pop fish food into my mouth. Following the directions, I swallowed 30 and 10 minutes later I was out the door. I was especially tired that morning. My legs were sore from a tough strength training session the day before, but as I was running I was thrilled with how my alert I was and how I was able to push myself a little bit faster as I ran. When I got home and looked at my Garmin to see my time, I was shocked and thrilled to see that I shaved 2 minutes off my usual 10K time, and I didn’t feel wiped out at all. In that moment, I knew I was hooked on these little green bits.

A little bit of information for you. Straight from the Energybits website:

Algae is no overnight success. It was the first plant life on earth 2 billion years ago and it’s thanks to algae, we have oxygen on earth. So just imagine what it can do for you and your body. They are 100% green, 100% nutrition, 100% natural and 100% carbon neutral.

Spirulina Algae has been used by Olympic athletes for over 50 years! 50 years. Heck, if it works for Olympians, and I’m a wanna be olympian..sign me up! Spirulina algae’s benefits include:

Increasing Energy – Check!
Increasing Endurance – Check!
Increasing Stamina – Check!
Increasing Mental Focus – Heck yeah check!
Increasing High Quality Protein – Check!

So will I be ordering some more for myself? Of course, and I will be frantically checking my mailbox until that little package arrives. Thank you so much to the team at Energybits, you have made me a “Bits Believer” 🙂

Curious about these little bits yet? You can receive a 10% discount on your order by entering the word “BLOG” into the website coupon box.

Have you tried Energybits yet? What did you think?

Toronto Yonge Street 10K – AKA #TYS10K

Posted on April 24, 2013 by torontofitmom

I am an athlete, I am a runner. For quite some time I didn’t see myself as these two things, but I have embraced them and I am proud to call myself both now. Back in elementary school, I was the starter on the relay team for Track and Field. I loved standing on the track, adrenaline rushing through my body while I waited for that gun to go off, and when it did I ran like I never ran before. Fast forward to 2008 when I signed up for my first marathon (the Scotiabank Waterfront Marathon) and I was completely naïve about running. At the time I was simply crossing something off my bucket list and I never thought for one second that I would be signing up for race after race, training hard and talking about things like PB’s (personal bests), Garmin watches, interval training, hill training etc. But here I am Toronto and I am here to stay.

On Sunday, April 21^st I took part in the Toronto Yonge Street 10K. I have run it in the past, and I have enjoyed it every time. This year was different. Awhile back I was asked by Canada Running Series to be a Digital Champion for the run; basically all of us who were asked were ambassadors for the run via social media. Our job was to spread the love and inspire others to sign up, a job I took seriously. As a yoga teacher, I am always striving to inspire people to reach their goals, so it was a position that came naturally to me.

Then six days before the run, the heartbreaking, senseless tragedy took place at the finish line of the Boston Marathon (a run that is a personal goal of mine to run). I sat glued to the TV devastated, not only because of just how horrible it all was, but because I felt a special connection to the site of this disaster. As a runner, I have experienced the joy and jubilation that one experiences as they sprint towards that finish line, knowing that the goal has almost been attained. Plus, Boston is one of my favourite places to visit. I love everything about the city and have walked down Bolyston St. and passed that (now) infamous finish line numerous times. I knew that I wanted to pay tribute to Boston in some way. My husband – who is a runner himself – and I decked ourselves out in blue and yellow and wore T-shirts that said “TORONTO RUNS FOR BOSTON #TYS10K” (thanks to fellow digital champion Steve Layton for the design.) We were photographed by Craig Cassar of Get Out There Magazine at the finish line and we had fellow runners asking to take our photo, smiling, or giving us thumbs up. There was a general consensus on Sunday; we were all running for Boston.

For anyone looking for a 10K to break into the race scene with, this is definitely the run for you. It is also perfect for the seasoned runner looking for a PB (see, there’s that runner talk again). A course that is all downhill, apart from 2 slight inclines, will certainly help that. And hey, when else can you cruise down Yonge Street without getting stuck in traffic or weaving in and out of crowds of people?? Everything from the starting line, finish line and the 10K in between was smooth, organized and FUN. I got my medal at the end and noticed that it said “Live long and prosper” on it.

I’m no Star Trek nerd, but it made me smile and to the organizers – you can count on it.

I know what some of you are wondering, did she get her PB? I did, 45min. Not only that but the Digital Champion mixed team came third and I was the top female. AND in the all women’s team competition, the Digital Champions came second, and I was top female there as well.

Overall I am happy…..well maybe not totally, I know I can shave off 2-3 min at least! 😉

Once again, thank you Canada Running Series for an amazing run, I am still on a high, and thank you for having me as a Digital Champion, I look forward to doing it again.

Transformation, Digital Champion and Chopra..oh my!

Posted on March 19, 2013 by torontofitmom

A week ago I returned from a transformation retreat with an incredible group of BCBD women. We spent a week in Cabo San Lucas, starting our days with meditation and yoga smack dab in between the ocean and pool. We followed that with a delicious breakfast, a breakfast so good that sadly I have not come close to making oatmeal that delish. We then got our butts handed to us by the lovely Eva Redpath in a BCBD bootcamp style class; I would run to lunch afterwards!

First day on the beach squatting…as you do.

A group shot of us girls after working hard!

We would enjoy some down time by the pool or lounging in a hammock before getting together for some pretty emotional coaching sessions. I may or may not have cried multiple times. Last but not least a 4K run at sunset (or sunrise one morning) on our very own private beach, and of course dinner.

This was my second year taking part in this incredible adventure, and my second year having the opportunity to share my passion of teaching yoga!

teaching yoga

It was my second year of setting and sharing goals. This year however I know that I am strong enough and in the right place to be held accountable for all the goals that I have set. Maybe it is the boost of confidence I have now after landing a teaching job at the gorgeous Chopra Yoga studio, and having an amazing opportunity to inspire people to run and join the Toronto Yonge Street 10K as a digital champion. Yoga and running are just two things that I am passionate about, and what I want to motivate and inspire people to do more of. Being where I am right now is simply amazing, and it just makes me realize how much more I want!

My days are now spent preparing classes to teach each week, and of course preparing playlists for those classes, planning my runs (both with and without my almost 2 year old son in a jogging stroller), being a mom, a wife and being honest about what I’m feeling and what I need. Life is too short to spend your days unhappy, angry and bitter. My vision board that I made on the retreat sits on my nightstand where I see it not just before I go to bed or wake up in the morning, but multiple times a day. It is a constant reminder that I am strong enough to go after what I want, need and deserve.

I have huge goals for running and yoga. I thank Chopra for bringing me on as a teacher and Canada Running Series for bringing me on as a Digital Champion for the Toronto Yonge Street 10K – anyone who follows me on twitter I’m sure has seen many tweets ending in #TYS10K….now you know why. Spread the love and join a great race, while you are at it, come on out to Chopra to stretch out 🙂 ! And of course thank you to the lovely ladies I went away with, and thank you to Eva our leader.

I know that big things are coming my way and I am 100% ready for it.

Rating Races

Posted on August 6, 2012 by torontofitmom

A big part of being a runner is taking part in the races. There are a lot of them and quite a few that take place in downtown Toronto and the GTA every year, so there really is something for everyone. I have four that I have enjoyed running since 2008. I promised a couple of months ago that I would share my opinions for each of them, so that is what this post is all about. I will be giving each race a rating out of five and since I will be talking about running, instead of your typical thumbs up or stars, I will rate each race using my own original creation. My Nike Frees.

Since I am officially in training for two upcoming races – one in August and one in October, I will rate those first. Both of these races are long distances, and if you read my post titled “My love hate relationship with running”, you would know that running long and fast is hard work with IT band issues. However I remain ever positive that with the help of my chiropractor , hard work and dedication, I will complete these races with a smile and reach my time goal for both of them.

Please note that I will be rating these races based on their course and organization, I won’t be including things like bag drop off & pick up (I never drop off a bag) or food available afterwards (I’m not a big eater immediately following a race, I generally down some Gatorade and then enjoy a celebratory brunch feast).

Acura 10 miler:10 miles, or if you are quick at calculations, 16k, is a long way to run when it is August and it is dang hot outside. This race starts in the Distillery District, and since I was married at an art gallery in this area, it holds a special place in my heart. After the first year I ran it, I swore I would never run it again. Purely for the stretch through Leslie Spit. Toronto in the summer can get pretty gross with heat, and running completely exposed to the hot blazing sun ain’t too much fun. I am probably the only person that does a rain dance before this race hoping for the heavens to open up as I hit this part of the course. I will give the organizers props for having mist stations at the start and end of Leslie Spit. I am certain that is how I have lost serious time,as I have been known to just stop and get drenched before moving forward. My personal best time has been 1:28, not bad for 16k, but not good enough for me. This year I am looking to shave off a good 5-8 min. Wish me luck. Overall the course is fairly flat, and it is a great warm up to the Scotiabank half/full marathon. I gave this race :

Scotiabank half/full marathon:I first ran this as a full marathon back in 2008. I now run it as a half. Either way the course is flat, and it runs along the water which is great because even in October one can get pretty sweaty and getting that breeze feels great. Last year the start and the finish were at a different location along University which was extremely crowded and confusing. This year it goes back to its original home, Nathan Philips Square.This year runners will also see a new course for the first 10k! How exciting. North to Queens Park, east on Wellesley, north on Church Street, west on Bloor past Toronto’s “Magnificent Mile”, south on St.George through the University of Toronto, west on College, passing Chinatown at Spadina and Kensington Market at Augusta, before running south on Bathurst to the Lakeshore, and resuming the old route. As you run through each neighborhood there are cheering sections with music playing & people holding up signs, all which give you that much needed boost to keep going. With the flat course this race is great for anyone wanting to scratch a half or full marathon off their bucket list. Hopefully this year the course changes will change my score to a perefect 5. Overall I give this race:

Oasis Zoo 10k, 5k & cub run:The first time I ran this 10k I foolishly didn’t do any hill training. I don’t advise this. I advise getting your butt to High Park for some killer hills. If you are familiar with the Metro Toronto Zoo, then you will know that it can be quite hilly, especially the Canadian Pavilion part. The second time I ran it I was 16 weeks pregnant and I was under strict doctors orders to take it easy. I somehow managed to run it faster than I did the year before, hmmmmmm. This year I am running the 5k. I have been working on speed and I think this will be a great event to see how far I have come. If you have little ones and you want them to take part in the cub run my advice would be don’t bother. My step daughter did it a couple of years ago and it was a mass of confusion. There were literally hundreds of “cubs” ranging in age with hundreds of parents, with their kids in wagons (shiver) as the kids were all dressed up in their favorite animal costume trying to out cute one another.
Positive note? When you run this race you and your cheerleaders get free admission into the zoo, so you can race and then can hang. This is not the biggest incentive for me however, since I am – confession time, not the biggest fan of the zoo! I never have been. I do love the monkeys though, as they are always great for a laugh. Overall I give this race:

Sporting Life 10k:In 2011, an agreement was reached with the City of Toronto to separate the two fall Toronto marathons. This agreement ensured that the Canada Running Series (CRS) Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon would remain in October with no competition and the Good Life Marathon would be moved to the spring on the first Sunday in May. Unfortunately, the agreement was made by CRS without the knowledge or agreement of either Sporting Life or Camp Oochigeas (the charity this race supports) and without regard as to how this would impact fundraising for the charity. The Sporting Life 10K run has been held on the first Sunday in May for the past 14 years, and 2012 was the first year with a new date. Instead of being alone in early May, the result is 3 races all vying for runners. This was the first year that Sporting Life branched off to host the very popular run down Yonge Street. This year runners ran either the Yonge Street 10k, or the Sporting Life, or both. Both take you on the same route. This race is a great run for beginners or anyone working towards a personal best. I personally achieved a PB this year with a time of 49min! While it can be overwhelming when there are literally thousands of people running around you, once you start your race and start your trek downhill, the crowd does thin out so you have your own space. I personally like that the race now takes place during the second weekend of May. It means that there is a better chance of warmer weather, instead of the chance of snow and a chill you can’t quite shake that you would experience in April, or even early May. Overall I give this race:

There you have it, my opinion on a few great races. There are plenty of others out there if none of these get you lacing up your shoes. You can check out both Canada Running Series and Running Room for a longer list. Whichever ones you choose, it’s important to remember to always take part in proper training, you don’t want to injure yourself and not make it to the start line.

So…what are you waiting for? Sign up, lace up and get running!

Performing Beautifully

Posted on July 31, 2012 by torontofitmom

At the beginning of July, I had the pleasure of being apart of Oakley’s O-Active (for women) Run Club’s first special event. Like all of their weekly runs, this event was held in High Park here in Toronto. After a 3km run I taught a special yoga for runners class to a great group of women.

When I teach, I enjoy teaching a more athletic style of yoga, and the yoga for runners that I teach fits nicely into that category. I love teaching that class because it allows me to combine three of my favourite things, yoga, teaching and running. I also love being able to challenge my students and pushing them further than they think they can go.

Oakley O-Active empowers women to perform beautifully. The community has a goal to bring together Canadian women through their passion for fitness and sports, and empower them to be active while feeling beautiful. I am fortunate to say that I already had a great group of women that I surround myself with on a regular basis, and the Oakley O-Active group has allowed me to increase my interaction to positive, strong, beautiful women. We all have good days and bad days, but with their support my bad days are few and far between, and I am thankful that I have this special community 🙂

Perform beautifully, what does that mean to me? It means making healthy eating and healthy living a constant way of life, not just a once in awhile thing. It’s about taking chances and challenging yourself, after all

“If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you”.

I know that I am performing beautifully when I am 110% focused, drenched in sweat and every inch of my body is being pushed to the limit. Like when I am on my 20^th chaturanga and my arms are shaking, but both my head and my heart fight to not collapse. I absolutely love the feeling I get when I walk home after class or after a run. My legs feel like jelly, but I’m standing taller. My triceps are pulsing, my hair is a sweaty mess, but I have a skip in my step and a smile on my face. That is me performing beautifully. That is me feeling absolutely beautiful in every way.

Thanks Oakley O-Active for allowing me to be apart of your community and having me be apart of your special event!

Me teaching at the Oakley O-Active special event.

It’s in the music

Posted on April 30, 2012 by torontofitmom

Having a good playlist to listen to while running is huge for me. I know that not everyone is super keen on having music blasting in their ears when they want to focus on their run or race, but I have to have it. I will actually start to panic (just a little) if I am on a run and my iPod dies. I like to think that I have an interesting mix; pop, pop rock, rock, hip hop. You name it, I have it….except country. Definitely, no country. I have an iPod shuffle just for running that I can clip on and not worry about having to hold anything or needing a case to hold something.

I think it is important to mix up the music you listen to while running to keep things fresh. The last thing you want is a playlist that you are bored with when you are looking for something to motivate you and give you a boost. I like to add/remove songs about every 4 weeks

At the moment, this some of the music that keeps my legs going:

Walk – Foo Fighters

(I have a lot of Foo Fighters on my shuffle, but Walk has the best beat and I always feel an extra push when it comes on)

Pearl Jam

Besides making me feel like I am 17 again, I love the power behind the music.

Jay Z & Kanye

Watch The Throne is one of my favourite concerts to date. Otis is my ultimate favourite song from these two.

Wild Ones – Flo-rida

it’s poppy, it’s dancey (is that word?), it’s fun.

Without You – David Guetta & Usher

Even though it starts off slow, once Usher gets going so do I.

Pitbull

As a general rule I am not a Pitbull fan, but for running I make an exception.

I hope to see you out there running. Just don’t sneak up on me because I won’t hear you coming 😉

TorontoFitMom

The ramblings of a yoga/fitness expert, masters runner, mother, reality TV junkie and wife, living in the city.

Category Archives: Running