O! A Daily OPI! - OPI DS Glamour

My favorite DS polish. Period.


OPI DS Glamour:

O! A Daily OPI! - OPI DS Signature

A lovely deep rose semi-holo. I call it semi-holo because I don't think it's quite there. Just a bit too little glitter. But I like it fine.

OPI DS Signature:

This weekend's Race & Run - The AVC Rabies Run & The Run for the Cure

AVC Rabies 5K Fun Run
Saturday October 3, 2009
5K

Starting Time: 10:00 a.m.
Registration: 9:00 a.m. at the Brackley Beach complex
Fee: $10.00
Fundraiser: In support of Vets without Borders annual Rabies Campaign to increase awareness about the global rabies issue and to raise funds for their international rabies prevention programs.
Contact: KristinJoudrey, AVC Class 2011 kejoudrey@upei.ca
Course Description: Out and back course on Gulf Shore Parkway in the National Park.
Special Instruction or Notice: Run, jog, walk...whatever is comfortable, and please invite your friends (both with and without fur)! Come and show your support for this worthy cause! Dogs are invited and encouraged to attend and run, (on a leash please).

AVC Run 2007 ~ AVC Run 2006

Photos from the 2006-2007 AVC Run

~*~


Run for the Cure
Sunday, October 4, 2009
5K

Confederation Landing Park, Charlottetown

10:00am Final Registration/Donation Drop-off
1:45pm Opening Ceremonies
1:55pm Warm-up
2:00pm Start of Run

***Please Support Alex's Fundraising***

Alex's Progress (September 29/09):

Fundraising Goal: $150.00

Amount Raised: $150.00

>>> Please click here to donate <<<


2008 Run For The Cure ~ 2007 Run For The Cure ~ 2006 Run For The Cure
2005 Run For The Cure ~ 2004 Run For The Cure

Photos from the Run for the Cure 2004-2008

O! A Daily OPI! - OPI Black Tie Optional

As you can see this is one of my earliest pics. An old cult favorite, BTO is. I think it's hot as hell!

OPI Black Tie Optional:

O! A Daily OPI! - OPI Hollywood and Wine

Who can resist a great deep red vampy jelly?

OPI Hollywood and Wine:

Another 36K Long Run

Another 36K Marathon training long run.
Charlottetown to Bedford on Route 2.
Bedford to Charlottetown on the Confederation Trail

More Photos

Islanders on the Run - This Weekend in Toronto and Saint John

Results

1241(Place) - GEORGE MUTCH - 54:50:00(10K) - 1:55:01(21.1K) - 2:45:05(30K) - 3:13:50(35K) - 3:44:26(40K) - 4:08:40(Gun) - 3:58:01(Chip) - 946(Gender Place) - 155 (Category Place)

Half-Marathon
6830(Place) - DOROTHY GABBEY - 2:37:04.7(Chip) - 24/58(Category Place) 3662/4532(Gender Place)

Full Marathon

9(Place) - Ken Taylor - 4/12(Category Place) - 3:27:20(Gun) - 3:27:17*(Chip)
24(Place) - Bev Walsh - 2/6(Category Place) - 3:50:32(Gun) - 3:50:27(Chip)
27(Place) - Elaine Burkholder - 1/2(Category Place) - 3:58:10(Gun) - 3:58:06*(Chip)
32(Place) - Dianne Pye - 2/2(Category Place) - 4:07:23(Gun) - 4:07:19(Chip)
34(Place) - Maureen Leard - 3/6(Category Place) - 4:08:37(Gun) - 4:08:32(Chip)
42(Place) - Cathy Vaniderstine - 5/6(Category Place) - 4:43:54(Gun) - 4:43:48(Chip)

Half Marathon

3(Place) - Chris Matters - 1/43(Category Place) - 1:24:49(Gun) - 1:24:48(Chip)
129(Place) - Carson Gill - 29/43(Category Place) - 1:58:56(Gun) - 1:58:11(Chip)
130(Place) - Kim Gill - 11/33(Category Place) - 1:58:56(Gun) - 1:58:12(Chip)
203(Place) - Kelly MacWilliams - 31/59(Category Place) - 2:11:19(Gun) - 2:10:47(Chip)

Congrats All !

O! A Daily OPI - OPI Windy City Pretty

I gave this one away. I wonder why I was so dumb?

OPI Windy City Pretty:

Marathon for family - Dickson fundraising for Team Diabetes

http://www.journalpioneer.com/index.cfm?sid=289412&sc=118

Marathon for family
Dickson fundraising for Team Diabetes

	Catherine Dickson displays pictures of her sister, Clara, and her mother, Marguerite, both of whom died from complications of diabetes – Clara in January of 2008 and Marguerite in June of 2009. Dickson will be taking part in a Team Diabetes marathon in Greece in November. Mike Carson/Journal Pioneer

MIKE CARSON
The Journal Pioneer

SUMMERSIDE – The love of a family goes far beyond mere mortality and those of us lucky enough to have it have a powerful tool to make a difference.
Such is the case with Catherine Dickson.
In January 2008, Dickson lost her sister Clara to complications from diabetes. Clara was, and still is, a major influence in her life.
“The greatest gift she ever gave me, growing up she would always say ‘Never begrudge anyone anything,’ because there’s lots to go around for everyone and if somebody has something then they deserve it,” she said. “That was a real life lesson.”
Dickson decided she wanted to do something in her sister’s memory and help find a cure for the disease that claimed her older sister. She became involved with Team Diabetes of the Canadian Diabetes Association, and is preparing to take part in a marathon in Greece on Nov. 5.
Team Diabetes promotes awareness and wellness through these marathons. People who participate in them are either diabetics themselves or have diabetes in their families.
They tap into marathons that are already established and Team Diabetes sends people to them.
“She’s still largely a part of my life,” Dickson said of her sister.
“And it (marathon) was nice for my mom and I. It was something she took a big interest in my doing. She made it her mission too. She was really happy that I was doing it in Clara’s memory.”
But in June of this year, while her mother was promoting her daughter’s marathon dream, the unthinkable happened.
“She was going to go in for surgery to prepare for dialysis,” Dickson said. “She got ill. She went into kidney failure and passed away.”
“The shock of losing my mom in July, I felt like an orphan and that totally took me by surprise because I’m a grown woman,” she said. “I have two daughters in university. And I thought, why do I feel this way?
“The three people in my life who gave me unconditional love, my father (who was also diabetic and died from cancer), my sister, Clara, my mother.
“Even if they didn’t understand what I was doing they struggled with ‘Well it must be important to you’,” she said. “Now they’re gone. I have lots of people in my life that love me but people who love you like that – you don’t have to be a certain way – they just love you, hard core, no matter what.
“It brings them closer into my circle doing this with them in my mind.”
Dickson said with diabetes in the family she has a stake in her own health and in her children’s health.
“I would love for a cure to be found,” she said. It’s amazing how many people have come up and told me, ‘We have diabetes in our family; I appreciated what you’re doing.’
“My sister’s gone and she’s still making a difference in people’s lives.”

Team Diabetes Athens Classic Marathon Website

PEI Marathon News

All participants registered by October 1st, 2009
will have their first name on their race bib!!

Online registration will be available until midnight on Wednesday, October 14th, 2009. On site registration will be available at Marathon Headquarters (Confederation Centre of the Arts) on October 16th & 17th. Please remember that you must pick up your registration kit and timing chip at Marathon Headquarters during the following dates/times:

• Friday, October 16th 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm
• Saturday, October 17th 9:00 am - 9:00 pm

* Please note there will be no race kit pick up or registration available on Sunday, October 18th!
Register today!

PACE BUNNIES

We are very excited to announce that we have pace bunnies available in the following categories: MRSB Marathon, Friendly Pharmacy Half Marathon and the Confederation Bridge 10K. Pace bunnies have a set time that they will complete their race in and can help you meet your goal and provide encouragement along the way. To meet your 2009 pacers please click here! Sign up sheets will be available during registration at Marathon Headquarters (Confederation Centre of the Arts).

Exciting News and new date for the Ben's Smart 5K Run & Walk

The Ben's Smart 5K Run & Walk has been moved to-Saturday, October 17th, 2009 at 3 pm. This event will start and finish at the UPEI Canada Games Alumni Place Track. The updated map will be available on our website on Tuesday, September 29th, 2009. We are very excited to announce that Canadian Olympic Sprinter Jared Connaughton will be present and play a major role in the Ben's Smart 5K. Jared is a double Gold Medalist in the 2005 Canada Summer Games and is the fastest male sprinter in Canada. In additional, Adrienne Power from Halifax NS, the fastest female in Canada will also be there. Jared and Ben's Smart will be presenting awards immediately following the 5K Run & Walk at the UPEI Canada Games Alumni Place Track.

www.princeedwardislandmarathon.com

Seconds - 2nd place finish, 2nd best 5K run

It was sunny and 10 degrees.

UPEI Homecoming Race at UPEI.

The 5km course has changed from last year. Out and back on ring road, trail and finish on the track.

Steve Baglole won the race and Loretta Van Ekris for the top female.

I finished in 19:12 and came in second place out of 51 runners, 2:07 behind 1st place runner and 5 seconds off my PB time of 19:07 at Deltaware last year.

Tomorrow I run another 36km long run then tapper to the PEI marathon in 3 weeks.

Official Result: 2nd out of 51
5K in 19 minutes, 12 seconds

Full Results ~*~ More Photos

UPEI Homecoming Run 2008
UPEI Homecoming Run 2007

Running For Autism

Not Against It
acceptance, inclusion, awareness

O! A Daily OPI! - OPI Lincoln Park After Dark

What better day to feature OPI Lincoln Park After Dark than today? I remembered this lighter than it is. I don't really see the point. It's only purple to me because I KNOW it's purple. It's the merest subliminal hint of purple. I might as well be wearing black.

OPI Lincoln Park After Dark:

All done in Herning, Dugrenier does it again!!!

Ok, I must admit I am exhausted right now... It has been a super hectic week yet as our fans and followers know a great one, again. Martine did it, she took it to the Russian in the finals and ended our tournament with a fall, and a world championships gold medal.
Our team tied with japan for second (yet they had two champions, and we had one) so we were officially placed third. Standing on the podium tonight for me was as always a thrill and a moment for me to sit back and reflect on what we have done over the past year.

Obviously at this tournament we had our "World Team" a great group of athletes and proven performers... I am always excited to work with this group but interestingly enough we had about 13 international camps and Tours (for women) this past year. And on every tour whether it was our number 1, 2, or 3 athletes, U24, Junior we had great success! It is so exciting...
This is a moment in time to celebrate...
Im exhausted, and spent, but feel very excited!
Excited for the present, and excited for the future!
All of Canadian Wrestling needs to be proud of our team!
Thanks again to the coaches, the training partners, loved ones, and supporters of our team (and future team) members.
I leave on a bus for the airport at 1:40 am... not much time to decompress or celebrate our victories this week.
Thanks for following and supporting our team... they definately deserve it.
Good night from Denmark...

MAC Style Black Polishes!

Okay yeah the world has had black polishes forevah! But luckily MAC brought, finally, some real thought and excitement to its polish this year. I love pretty much the whole Style Black collection, and will post about it later, but for now you need to see the polishes and buy them before they go away, and believe me these WILL go fast.

MAC Nocturnelle, glossy black jelly. No surprises here except for the fact it's a jelly not a creme. Who woke up to realize jellies exist?? A little hard to work with, and it bubbled and stained me a bit. I prefer China Glaze Liquid Leather. But this isn't a ripoff or anything, like most of the Trend Fall/Winter colors were.


MAC Seriously Hip is like they took my beloved OPI At Your Quebec & Call, made the shimmer grain larger, and dipped it in black jelly. FINALLY something new and exciting!! All is forgiven, MAC, come here and let me kiss you.


MAC Baby Goth Girl is another riff on the red-in-black-jelly idea, this time with a deeper more purplish wine red instead of a ruby red sequin feel. This is also a shimmer not a glitter. This makes it deeper, more sophisticated, yet no less sexy and shimmery than the ruby reds. And it was so easy to work with this is only one coat! Dunno about the name, this is not Baby anything, this is a hot woman who gets what she wants. I absolutely love it. SO Vampire. I want to see Eric wearing it.

Day three update

Another fairly busy day today. As we get ready for the last session (for us) Martine has battled her way back into the Gold medal match!

At 72kg Ohenewa started off the day with a victory over Greece. A hard fought three round decision. Ohenewa faced Stanka Zlateva of Bulgaria in her second round match. She lost to the defending World Champ 1-0, 1-1. After the match we looked at the draw and thought there was a very good chance that she would get back into the repachage. Unfortunately the athlete from China had a different idea. She defeated Zlateva in three rounds to dash Ohenewa's hope of getting back into the placings.
At 67kg Martine had a full dance card this afternoon. She managed victories versus Mongolia, Azerbijian, Ukraine, and japan to reach the Gold medal match. In the finals she will face the Russian Bartnovskaya. The Russian dodged a scare in the semi finals versus Nigeria. But had an otherwise easy road to the gold. She has a really nice right side high crotch. Yet I have a feeling they will try and wrestle Martine quite passively in hopes of going to a clinche. I might be worng but we will see. I believe Martine will be too much physically for the russian opponent. A few of the wrestlers today have tried to shut her out and too her credit she stayed focussed, didnt get frustrated and kept after it.

We are all a little worn down but we have just one more session to make it through and lets hope it will be a great one for canadian wrestling.

Wish us luck!
I

OPI Mattes and Some Ways to Salvage Your Money

I love OPI. It's a great brand. Not too daring though, and not too savvy about edgy trends. Their mattes for instance. If I wanted my nails to look like I painted them with flat finish house paint, well, I would do so. And get better colors, OPI. The matte collection is some apparent best selling colors they just happened to make matte. They didn't go the way of Zoya, ManGlaze, Nubar, no, they just said well, just make the finishes flat, that's what the others are doing right? And needless to say the Sephora by OPI mattes are just as bad, though better colors!

I haven't gotten the Suedes yet, I hope they came out because OPI realized their massive flub and corrected it. Good matte nail polish has DEPTH. Matte does not equal flat!

I did not buy all the colors. I did not get the matte You Don't Know Jacques, as I don't need dirt colored nails. But I got the others.

OPI Alpine Snow Matte. Not too terribly fail, a completely flat white is actually kinda cool. Also useful, as I will demonstrate.:


OPI Lincoln Park After Dark Matte. Almost black when gloss, a blackish mess matte:


Russian Navy Matte. Loses every bit of the beauty of the gloss formula. Why bother, this might as well be the LPAD matte, they are both almost black.:


Sephora by OPI Metro Chic. Great color, if not great texture.:


OPI La Paz-itively Hot Matte, the one real success. They left in the blurple shimmer and it lends depth and pizazz to this. I actually love this.:


Sephora by OPI What's a Tire Jack? besides the insulting name, this lackluster black couldn't lick the dirty bootsoles of ANY of the other black mattes out.:


OPI Gargantuan Green Grape Matte. Wow I have green housepaint on my nails.:


Sephora by OPI Domestic Goddess. Nice color.:


Okay so now is where I brought in the Alpine Snow. What if we mixed some Alpine Snow matte into the desperately useless Lincoln Park matte and Russian Navy matte? You might find the results worth it.

Twenty drops of Lincoln Park After Dark Matte to five drops Alpine Snow Matte gets us this: not a huge change but more wearable, kinda. Not one of the more fixable polishes, as it is highly pigmented. You'd need more white to make it lighter than I have it.


Four parts Russian Navy Matte to one part Alpine Snow Matte gets us this: I added a bit of glitter, to mediocre success. Sigh.


What if we use Alpine Snow Matte with another nigh on useless OPI, Here Today, Aragon Tomorrow? I like it. Once again five drops Aline Snow Matte to twenty drops of Aragon.


Eh there's my try at it.

Tyler Durden's opinion of OPI Mattes:
You're the all-singing, all-dancing crap of the world.

O! A Daily OPI! - OPI Midnight Blue Glitter

OPI Midnight Blue Glitter is really great. It's a black jelly with very fine silver glitter in it, and fine cobalt glitter. The cobalt glitter tends to flash out with one huge chunk of light here and there on the nail, kinda like people are taking pictures on your nails, but the flash is blue. If you get me. I LOVE this. Totally red carpet.

OPI Midnight Blue Glitter:

Verbeek and Bouchard reach the Podium

Well a very fruitful last session tonight!

A couple more medals to add to the Canadian Wrestling history books. A few of the evenings matches were very tentative, tactical and safe. I was excited to see our girls commit to wrestling all day long. It is such an absolute pleasure to work with athletes who are coachable, positive, resilient and, above all things, brave. None of the actual champions of the tournament are afraid to go wrestle and compete. If you want to be the best "I believe" that you can't wait for someone to make a mistake or fall down for you. You have to generate scoring opportunities from offence or defence. Our girls trained hard coming into this competition (and more importantly over the years) and they didnt let that effort get wasted by not opening up when the time comes. It is heartbreaking for our team when things dont go the way we want and elating when it does...we have a great team! Congrats to the girls tonight. Also thanks and congratulations to all the training partners, coaches and others that support our team and sport. It was awesome tonight, our ten Canadians sounded like a hundred in the stands!!!

55kg Tonya Verbeek proved why she continues to be one of the best wrestlers in the world. She was the first to commit and hit some very nice attacks. She was able to move back and forth between her double leg and off-side single. Every time Gomis started to expect one shot Tonya changed her attack and caught her off guard. It was great to see that smile and familiar wave to the crowd we've all come to love. She is definitely one of the most respected competitors in Women's wrestling today.

59kg Katie Patroch lost to Vaselenko of Ukraine in the second round by fall. As we expected the Ukrainian worked repeatedly for her front head lock. In both rounds she was able to bring Katie down to the mat with her physical snap downs. Katie started to get a little frustrated as Vaselenko controlled most of the ties and positions and made it difficult to get her offense going. After the match we worked on the situations and talked about the great day she had. Last year 7th with two wins, this year 5th with three wins. Katie's wrestling is definately moving in the right direction. After the tears, a smile came back to her face... She had a great day.

63kg Justine Bouchard pitched a shut out against the Polish wrestler in the bronze medal match. Each round Justine hit a solid attack and kept adjusting right through to the finish. The Polish wrestler is extremely defensive and tactical. So we knew it would take quality, commited attacks to get the job done. Again I was so glad to see our athlete take the action to their opponent. Once she had the lead the Polish girl failed to really threaten any scoring actions and Justine stayed active and aggressive with her hands and actually continued to take attacks. The Polish girl has been on the podium at the Worlds and European Championships a number of times but not this year. It was a fantastic last match to a terrific day.

Tomorrow we are excited to end off the tournament with another great day. Stay tuned...

Autism the boy is Alex Bain - Autism Speaks is just so Wrong

Autism the boy is Alex Bain
Autism is happy and sad
I like Autism
Autism makes me different
from my friends
That's OK

-Alex Bain, March 2000

We strive to promote Acceptance, Inclusion and
*Positive* Autism Awareness

Some others have a very different idea about what "Autism Awareness" is.

Part of Autism Speaks Mission is
"raising public awareness about autism
and its effects on individuals, families, and society"

Their latest bit of "public awareness" is
beyond offensive.

It is dehumanizing
hateful
stigmatizing
ableist
fear-mongering
shameful
propaganda.

"The new video is so extremely anti-scientific and unethical
that in my view there is a responsibility on all and any scientists in Autism Speaks' leadership, including anywhere
on their boards, panels, committees, etc., to take a stand."

-- M. Dawson

Watch the video: "I am Autism" (and read the comments)
Read a transcript of what is said in the video
Read a collection of the responses from the autistic & autism communities
Read another collection of responses from the autistic and autism communities
Join the Facebook Group "Protesting Autism Speaks "I am Autism" Video
Tweet using #autismspeaksfail to show your displeasure

Read Disability groups join to continue protest of Autism Speaks campaign
Read The NAS and Autism Speaks UK respond to "I am Autism"

Read the Press Release from (ASAN) condemning Autism Speaks and their video.
Read The joint letter, which carries support from 65 international, national, state, and local organizations from the cross-disability community, condemning Autism Speaks for demonizing autism in their "I Am Autism" video. Related Press Release.
Sign The petition at www.ipetitions.com/petition/AutismSpeaks/ to show your support for the joint letter.

Expect This post will be updated over time.....

"It is a grotesque travesty of a film,
filled with falsehoods, bigotry and hate.
It does not represent our views on autism and autistic people.
It vilifies autistic people, and we will not stand for it.
Autism Speaks does not speak for us."

Wrestling for Three Bronze Medals in Denmark

Forgive me if this is a bit of a ramble, we have been running ragged all afternoon!
Where to start... We knew we would be in some tough battles today and our girls here did am amazing job competing hard every point, every match. We won 9 and lost 3 matches this morning. Everyone of our losses was to someone who made the final, and they were all very close.

55kg What can i say about Tonya, she continues to amaze me. She dominated Poland, North Korea, and Kazakstan enroute to her semi final rematch with Saori Yoshida of Japan. Tonya has shown time and again she is probably the best ground wrestler in the womens game right now. Almost everytime she had an opportunity on top she turned her opponents at will in her first three matches. Extremely relaxed and composed she entered the semis on very short recovery after she had finished as the last of the quarter finals. The semi final vs Yoshida was quite close losing 3-0, 3-2, tonya hit a great double late and had Yoshida off the mat but only converted out of bounds for one point. In the Bronze medal match tonya will face old rival from France Anna Gomis who has had a very good tournament here including a win over the russian natalia Golts. It should be a very entertaining and athletic match.

59kg Katie also made the bronze medal match to improve on her performance from last years 7th place. She defeated Nigeria, China, then lost to Poland in the Quarter finals. After Poland made the finals she stepped into a repachage match vs Moldova. Katie showed great poise and focus in her matches this afternoon. She was able to come from behind in a couple of rounds late which is something she has shown great improvement on this year. She will face the Ukrainian athlete for the bronze here. The girl is quite soild defensively and has an excellent front head lock, yet in their previous meeting Katie squeezed out a close three round decision at the World cup.... Should be exciting.

63kg After defeating Dominican republic, Justine lost a razor thin three round decision to last years world Silver medalist from russia. 1-1, 2-1, 1-1 Justine actually out scored her opponent through the match but gave the last point with just seconds on the clock in a great match... She was devistated, yet two matches later the russian had made the finals and new life was blown back into her sails. She did not disappoint teching Kazakstan, and beating the American 5-1, 3-0 in the repachage rounds. Tonight she will face Poland the current European Champion for the bronze medal. These two wrestled in Austria in the semi finals this year and Bouchard won a very close three round decision...

We just finished a little meal and our girls are getting a little recovery work done by our "Team Canada medical staff" Recharging the engines and getting ready to go tonight at 7:30.

If people are not aware, at 67 Kg Martine has drawn Mongolia out of the chutes tomorrow and at 72kg Ohenewa has Greece. I am going to grab a coffee, take my shoes off and kick back for a bit... Will right later!

Go Canada...

Marathon to attract runners from across region

(Click image to enlarge & read)

www.princeedwardislandmarathon.com/

O! A Daily OPI! - OPI Give Me the Moon

OPI Give Me the Moon is a more opaque version of OPI Breathe, it's also a darker blue.

OPI Give Me the Moon:

This Saturday's Race - The UPEI Homecoming Weekend 5K Fun Run

UPEI Homecoming Weekend 5K Fun Run
Saturday September 26, 2009
5K

Starting Time: 9:00 a.m.
Registration: 8:00 a.m. at the Club House between the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place (Track) and the Soccer Field
Fee: $10.00
Fundraiser: Proceeds will go to support the UPEI Student Union & UPEI Alumni Association Leadership Bursaries.
Special Instruction or Notice: Be sure to stick around for some of the many UPEI Homecoming events taking place on campus - visit www.upei.ca/homecoming for details!
This race is a great value. Participants will recieve:
-T-shirt (to the first 100)
-One ticket to a Panther Sport home game of choice
-Finish line Nutrition
-Chance to win some great draw prizes
-Finish prizes from Source for Sports for the top 3 Males and Females
Course Description: We've changed the course this year to offer new START and FINISH lines! The start line will be at the Club House, located between the UPEI Alumni Canada Games Place (the track) and the soccer field. The course is an out and back which proceeds around the campus, out Belvedere Avenue and North on Confederation Trail. Once you return back to the Club House, runners proceed down to the track and finish their race with 2 laps around the track! Please be aware that this involves running (or walking) down a set of stairs to get to the track.
Contact: Ellen Sherren esherren@upei.ca

UPEI Homecoming Run 2008 ~ UPEI Homecoming Run 2007

Photos from the UPEI Homecoming Run (2007-2008)

P.E.I. Marathon - Cross-training, rest crucial in preparation for race

http://www.theguardian.pe.ca/index.cfm?sid=288661&sc=99

P.E.I. Marathon -
Cross-training, rest crucial in preparation for race

CHERYL PAYNTER
Special to The Guardian

Yes, I got through the dreaded and much anticipated long run last weekend.
Thank goodness for the great company of Pam and Diane. We talked, we were silent and they didn’t mind when I had to go within and put the headphones on to get the job done.
In the closing kilometres as I was fading off they were great encouragers and told me I was doing great and looking good. I knew they were lying, but I love them for it!
We even met and ran with a couple of great guys who were training on the trail section of the marathon. Two more friendly faces to see on race day. All the best Dave and Michael.
So with that monster week of training behind us, we get to take it easy this week on a recovery week.
Our mileage decreases significantly to allow us to recover and get stronger for the next big training runs.
No hard mile repeats this week, no extra long runs. A couple of good quality runs will be this week’s race specific training objectives.
It is easy as it gets close to race day to try to “cram” extra miles and speedwork in. The body doesn’t respond well to this, well mine doesn’t anyway.
Your risk for injury increases when you increase your mileage and/or speed too much at once. Gradual increases in these areas mixed with a good recovery week every month or so will see the best gains, I find.
So, what to do with yourself on a down week? I actually quite enjoy the break from the extra miles and focus my energies on cross training along with banking some extra sleep hours.
Distance runners are notoriously known for not being very flexible and being weak in the upper body, core, glute and hamstring areas.
Cross-training can allow you to work on these weaknesses and round out your weaknesses to become a stronger runner. Core strengthening will allow you to hold yourself better in the later stages of the race.
Flexibility and stretching are key in keeping injury free and loose. Personally, I hate stretching and I think it is fair to say many runners do as well.
We can log a three- or four-hour training run, but feel the need to cheat a 30-minute stretching session for some reason.
Not sure why that is, but I force myself to get it done. I bought a set of deep reaching rollers and have them stored smack dab in front of my living room TV on the carpet. It doesn’t seem bad when you can pass the time stretching while watching ‘House’!
So, as much as I dreaded the long run of last weekend, I will enjoy our well earned down week in miles and intensity.
I will enjoy the extra couple hours of sleep on Sunday morning knowing I am getting stronger and have earned the rest.

Cheryl Paynter is the co-chair of the BMO Nesbitt Burns P.E.I. Marathon weekend Oct. 16-18 and will be writing a weekly article leading up to race weekend. For further information, visit www.princeedwardislandmarathon.com.