Training program begins. I plan to follow "Marathon and Half Marathon: The complete 26-week training program (The beginner's guide)" to train for the Athen's Classic Marathon. I used this program for the half marathon in Rio and found it quite effective. The program consists of three weekly runs; two timed weekday runs and one long distance run on the weekend. Each week is classified as moderate, building or recovery. I enjoy the fact that after the building week you can look forward to an easier week following. I think that for me this is the best course of action compared to steady moderate weeks. The long runs begin with 5km the first week and "gradually" increases with a 10km run on week 6, a 21km run on week 15 and then the peak mileage of 32km on week 23. I interpret the peak mileage being dramatically under the overall distance is that you should have the last 10km in shear determination left over.

Until now I have been in "pre-training" trying to get re-accustomed to exercise. In theory I was hoping to do three runs a week during pre-training but as the record shows that didn't always happen. I am writing today to ask that you hold me accountable to my training program, no excuses.

Sudbury Rocks Race, Run or Walk for Diabetes. On Sunday May 3, 2009 I ran the 5k race at the Sudbury Rocks Marathon! I posted a chip time of 42:04 and came in 45/64 of women in my age range (20-29). 332/520 overall. Yay for being not last! And not completely terrible considering I had only 4 training runs before the race. Procrastination in my name! What was extra special is that I started the race with my friend Ching. She, however, is not into the endurance running and therefore took off like the wind finishing under 30minutes! (Which by the way is my 5km time goal - so jealous). I was doing okay for much of the run. The last kilometer I had a side stitch on my left side and ran with my fingers pressed into my side. "I can't walk now, the finish is just around the corner...sort of." Ching and Dave were waiting for me at the finish! I have another metal to add to my collection! Go figure that I would start having a collection of running metals and bibs.

Hi Body, meet exercise. You've met right? Oh exercise and I have met. We have an on again and off again relationship. And as of today (it's official) we are on the 'on again' cycle. There's nothing like a looming marathon to get your ass moving. LOL ah it's going to be terrible.

I bought a treadmill two weeks ago. I put it together about a week and a half ago. I went to use it and Dave noticed that the floor vibrated with my foot strikes. He was in a completely different room and I was only doing fast walking speed on the treadmill. I have tried to get a hold of our downstairs neighbour repeatedly to see if this is going to be an issue. It's a good thing and a bad thing I suppose. Good thing, our neighbour is never home - bad thing, I have stalled beginning my exercise program. So today I slipped a note under the door of our neighbour and used the treadmill.

The plan for the next few weeks is to reintroduce my body to exercise. 5minutes walking, 5 minutes running. I starting the run section at 5.0mph and I felt great! I was thinking "this is great maybe I haven't completely lost my endurance!" Unfortunately on my second running section I started at 5mph and then got tired and then changed it to 4.8...4.7...4.6...4.5mph and suffered for the last minute. lol nope endurance completely gone. I did the third and final running section at 4.5mph. So today I did a total of 2miles. Hopefully my body and exercise don't have a falling out too soon. Only time will tell...

Curling. Okay so I haven't even began running yet. But now I have an excuse - I'm injured!
On Saturday night I went with Dave and Robyn to her work curling tournament. I curled once in grade 12 with my gym class but that's about it. On my very first practice throw I was just about to let the rock go and I hear 'rrriiiippp.' Yes I ripped my jeans. Oh dear! On the very second throw I fall to the right and smash my knee into the ice. Ouch! I had a half inch egg on my knee for the rest of the evening. The picture just doesn't give it justice at all as I took it on monday night when most of the swelling went down.
The remainer of the night went without much incident - I continuously ripped the hole in my jeans wider and wider lol and I was probably one of the least graceful curlers as I would just flop over after a throw to avoid ice-knee contact. All and all it was a lot of fun! And sadly enough it is Tuesday and my muscles are still sore - apparently they previously knew nothing about sweeping.

I'm Back! Since I created my website at http://www.taylorshantz.com to advertise all my fundraising propaganda I haven't been posting to this blog. But I feel that this has been to my disadvantage as I didn't get to connect with other Team Diabetes members as well as other runners quite as effectively. On the reaction to a comment today on my last entry on July 09, 2007 I thought I might update my progress and start to blog again. I hope this will bring new connections with others and be a dedicated place to describe my challanges along the way, oh and there will be challanges.

Big Update. Since my last entry I successfully trained and ran the Rio de Janeiro Half Marathon on June 29 2008. It was quite an experience. I found out a few new helpful tips about running that day. First, training on flat treadmills doesn't help in the slightest when you are faced with hills. Second, training at room temperature is great; running a race in the high 20s is not so great. Finally, there were not enough water stations, be prepared and bring water with you. LOL if you haven't guessed I got heat stroke and dehydrated and hurled 30 minutes after crossing the finish line. I didn't do everything wrong. I had my Ipod with me. Before I left for Brazil I got friends and family to record me voice messages which I intermixed with my music. This was a great idea and I will definatlely do this again for Athens and expand the number of people.

Jog #10. Yesterday I held out on the road with a renewed sense of motivation. The last few weeks have been certainly interesting and for various reasons running hasn't hit the top of the priority list. A bad day to have this renewed motivation due to the weather - but what the hell. Before I came to sudbury I went on the google pedometer and mapped out a bunch of routes from my house to see the kms. I selected a familar area and set out. It's weird not to be jogging along the canal. I never realized how flat that path is hah.

Tonight I'm going to go check out the local Judo club to see if they'll jive with my personal philosophies regarding the art. I started martial arts in jiu jitsu but judo seems close enough. There is a brazilian jiu jitsu place in the city but they're a bit far from home.

Moving. Done and done! Oh thank goodness it's over! The morning after convocation reality was back and the task of moving all my personal possessions from Ottawa to Sudbury (about a 6 hour drive) began. A gigantic thank you goes out to all friends who came out to help in the afternoon heat. Thank you to my mum and dad for carrying boxes when they really shouldn't have (and loading up their respective vechiles to the max). Thank you to Charles, his father George, Danny, Aaron and finally Jason and his brother. Couldn't have do it without you. We managed to fill the 17' U-haul truck, a suv and a toyota corolla - just barely. Thanks to my cousin Kierstan who helped make the u-haul experience less painful than last time - not to mention the "dubblestyne discount." The newer truck with a/c was lovely! The $104 gas fill-up in Mattawa (about 2/3 the way there) sucked though.
It's been almost two weeks since everything got dropped off for me to take care of. Unpacking may just be as horrible as packing but it's almost near its completition. Next goal is to find a roommate (who isn't crazy) to fill the second bedroom.

On June 14th I walked across the stage at Carleton University and received my Bachelor of Engineering! Sure it's a lot of fuss but I think I deserve some moment for fame for the last five sometimes good sometimes brutal years. My mum, dad, Fiona and Charles came out and cheered me on for my triumphant walk (which apparently was a bit on the fast side). Mostly I was thinking something on the lines of "smile....walk....don't trip....shake hands....smile....don't trip....walk more..." After the ceremony I got a great congrats from one of my profs. Then the picture taking began. Too bad my friends and I couldn't be more organized and set a time to take a group photo. Instead I would move about 10ft, see someone, chat it up a bit and then the picture. To wrap up the day - my gang was joined by Charles' parents and my cousin Kiersten at the Greek Souvlaki House for a literal mound of food.

Crazy week.

Today I accomplished mission impossible - I found a dress for graduation. Charles picked up his graduation gown today and its open in the front in the middle about 2-3 inches so it does actually matter what I wear.

Tuesday morning Charles will be graduating with a Bachelor of Science!! Which means I'll basically get a sneak-peak at how my grad is going to go.

Wednesday my parents are coming up from Sudbury. I'm meeting up with a friend before they get into town. It's also my last full day to finish packing and cleaning the apartment. Most of everything is finished. It's just the millions of little things left.

Thursday is my graduation!! I'll receive my Bachelor's of Engineering! Very nice expensive piece of paper. It will also be nice to see all of my school friends together before everyone goes their separate ways.

Friday is moving day. Assuming U-Haul comes through with the truck they promised I hope that everything goes smoothly.

Saturday is moving day part two. Unloading the truck in Sudbury. We figured loading the truck, driving 6 hours and unloading in one day would be too much.

Jog #7. Yesterday I changed it up and went for a jog around the block at my boyfriend Charles' parents' house. It was one of those days where I didn't feel much motivated to go out and was plagued by side stiches for the last half for the distance. I hope tomorrow will be better.

Woah. Got ready for a run today and turned around and went back into the comfort of my air conditioned apartment. Check out the stats:

Ottawa ON
Temperature: 30C
Feels Like: 38C
Wind: 19km/h
Wind gusts: 33km/h
Relative Humidity: 55%

I'll jog in the rain, in the cold, even in the wind. Feels like 38C with a Severe Thunderstorm watch later on today. Screw that.

Money in the Mail. Today I recieved a cheque for $63.07 for recycling ink and laser cartridges with Funding Factory. I will continue to with this type of program through a Canadian Company called Think Recycle.

Jog #6. It was great weather for a jog today. Other people must of felt the same because the canal trail was packed today. Including the two large groups I must have seen about 40 joggers. Plus the people walking, roller-blading and biking it was quite an event.

I felt stronger today; my lungs and legs didn't give up on me as fast as the previous times. After the madness of graduation and moving is over I will begin to increase the distance and time of my jogs. Until then I think I will stick to short jogs, walking and stairs.

Jog #5. I jogged to the halfway point, 1.5km, without stopping today. Progressing. After I was done jogging I attempted the stairs and did all 25 flights. I rock. Endurance here I come.

Today was my 'day-off' from packing. I'm so incredibly sick of packing. It's taking longer because I've been organizing at the same time. I have been feeling a bit materialistic with all this packing - I really have way too many things. The u-haul truck is booked and I've arranged people to help with the move. Less than 2 weeks...

Week 2. The plan is to stay with small distances until I feel like my endurance is kicking in and I can jog much more than walking and having it not be to mentally painful. So in good fashion I did the usual jog from one lock to another along the Ottawa canal yesterday. A very humid day, it wasn't very busy - the way I like it but wow humid. I cooled down in the lobby of my apartment building on my return and then decided something silly - "I should walk upstairs." So I did 15 flights of stairs and then took the elevator up to my floor - the 25th. It was definitely a good workout. Now I feel determined to do all 25 flights before I move (in 2 weeks).

Jog #3. I seem to be progressing better than I thought. This is definitely better than the first time around. I'm no speed demon that's for sure but I'm moving faster than sitting on the couch so that's something.

I found this great quote on the web today:

Enthusiasm is one of the most powerful engines of success. When you do a thing, do it with your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Be active, be energetic, be enthusiastic and faithful, and you will accomplish your object. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm. -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Day Two. I kicked it into gear again and did a short jog today. I plan to take it easy for the first 2-3 weeks to build up some endurance and get into the routine. I read somewhere it takes 3 weeks to develop a habit - so that's the goal.

Out of hibernation. On Wednesday I gathered up my courage and set out my first jog in a very very long time. Okay, I admit - my first jog since well the 10km race in Iceland last August! I pretty much figured that I lost everything I gained last summer training and that I would be starting at square one. My expectations were low, very low - I remember only being able to jog only a small amount before having to stop completely out of breath. I remember the nauseous feeling associated with breathing too hard. I remember the sore muscles that follow. Yes I wasn't feeling too optimistic. Surprisingly it was okay - all things considered. I could jog much further without stopping than the first day of training and I didn't really get the feeling like my lungs may explode. I'm still a complete beginner but I'm glad that at least I retained something from last year whatever it was. Now I must summon the courage to go out again and make a lifestyle change. Oh dear.

Plans for the future. I've been accepted for a Masters in Physics at Laurentian University for the fall. I think that this is a good step for me. The research directions of the university is in line with my own personal interests. In addition the major experiments are on site in the SNOLAB. I believe I will receive excellent experience from both the theoretical and experimental components. This means that I will be moving to Sudbury for at least 2 years. I will be moving after my convocation on June 15th. I have met with all of the Particle Physics professors at Laurentian during a recent visit to Sudbury. It left me feeling very optimistic: each professor was very easy going, each seemed passionate about their research, and I didn't get a sense of the politics and ego that can sometimes be associated in an academic environment.
So that nagging question I've been getting for the last year "what are you going to do after you graduate?" has been answered - more school.