T-5 Weeks till RACE DAY

I am now in my 7th week of post baby marathon training and I want to give you some insight on what's happened since I started...

August: 

Week 1: Was actually week 4 of my training plan and made me feel as if I had just taken a soccer ball to the stomach, taking my breath away. My lungs spent this time getting used to running again as well as my body. I cut my 6 days of running down so that I could take my time and prevent injury.

Week 2: My weekly running and pace was back on track and I had the feeling of an enthusiastic spring in my step. I was back on track with completing all my runs but I was still shortening my LSD (long slow/steady distance) runs to the training week prior.

Week 3: Was happy with my MP (marathon pace) training runs during the week but suffering on the hill training that surrounded my every run. Out where I live there is no way to avoid hills. We also had family across mixed with my husband starting pre-season leaving me with an inconsistent run schedule.

September:

Week 4: My consistency with my running took a turn for the best. My husband was on a somewhat set schedule with his teams soccer season beginning, allowing me to complete my running in the am so that Iyla had her amazing father looking after her. Another big win for me was that I was doing the correct LSD runs (no more shortening them).

Week 5: My best week yet on my training, ending with a great 20 mile LSD that was better than I expected at an 8:35 min/mile. I felt I could've easily ran another 6 miles.

Week 6: Took a turn...I completed only 2 out of 5 training runs during the week because my husbands job took him out of town. On the Wed I got a great 40km cycling ride in as my recovery versus a 5 miler at an easy pace. My LSD was upped to 22 miles, an additional 2 miles of hills compared to last week and my pace was not at where I wanted it to be (8:37 is my aim and I averaged a 9:13). The route was basically the same but I started slowing after mile 11 and felt pain in my lower back the rest of the way home.

Looking back at it now I think this could've been the result of a few things...

• Lack of sleep (Iyla started teething :( not fun for either one of us)
• The decrease of my milage/training in the week
• A miss in my protein intake, I was slacking at this all week
• Didn't wear my shin/calf sleeves

Week 7: Back on track with my weekly runs and YASSO 800's track training started. Happy with my times all week! I have another 22 LSD run tomorrow that I am looking forward to because it will give me a chance to see if the training and nutrition switches this week have helped. Also being competitive with myself and have being disappointed last weeks run, I feel I have something to prove to myself. 

YASSO 800's

Finishing my final/6th rep

My buddy Kaiser almost as tired as I am

I Choose To Be A Runner

Last Saturday was one of those busy days for me that left me feeling tired by the time it was 2pm. After our family did the Freedom Walk, Kevin had to head to practice right away so Iyla and I went for another stroll.

A few hours and miles later we were on our way back home and I knew I still had a 9 mile run I was suppose to do, 7 of those miles at MP (marathon pace). During that ride I got in my head about how tired I was and how if I run I won't get to spend much time with Kevin and how easy it would be just to skip my workout since the rest of my week I ran so good. While playing this out in my head I was already feeling guilty about this decision and was trying to figure out a new plan. Kevin could sense something was up since I wasn't so chatty, and asked what was going on.

I explained my dilemma and he agreed that if I didn't run, I'd probably wish I did. Solution time started to generate, and I had to break down what was most important about this run. The marathon pace mileage is what needed to get done. 7 miles at marathon pace, I could cut out the warm-up and cooldown mile. This would mean that I would only be running for an hour and have more family time. It's not that the warm-up and cooldown don't matter, it's not something I recommend doing all the time but for this day it worked for me and my family.

Once home I took a 30 minute catnap, to liven up a bit (I could have slept longer to be honest), got my runners on and hit the pavement.I was fortunate that the weather was nice that day and my body was already warm and I could just jump right into my stride. When I ran past the 10 minute mark my legs felt refreshed and I started feeling really good. I got home feeling GREAT and happy that I achieved my goal and ran 7 miles at marathon pace, actually faster than my marathon pace!

Moral of the story is that sometimes I don't always want to get out the door and do my training runs even though I love to run. It's a choice! I choose to be a runner! I choose to be a mom/parent that runs! I choose health for myself and for my family! When I return from my runs and from the choices I make I know I am 1000 times (maybe a bit exagerated) happier than I was when I started. I am always grateful that I decided to stick it out and get on the road and complete what I started.

I don't know the choices Iyla will make when she's older but I DO know that she will know what it is to have a choice. She will know what health and wellness is and by being part of the Souter clan, she will experience it every day!

Freedom Walk Recap

Saturday was an exciting morning with the 4th annual 'Freedom Walk' occurring from the beautiful Fairmont Royal York Hotel. My daughter Iyla, and husband Kevin joined me for this great cause that raises awareness and money for [free-them].

We've done many walks before and I have to stay this was the best organized, and most beautiful pre walk I've seen. The Fairmont generously hosted this event and the pre-event/registration took place in their gorgeous ball room. 

The registration was quick and easy...Each person registering for the walk did it over an iPad and it took only a few minutes. The ballroom had a fair trade market taking place to support many creative designers and individuals. One in particular I must shout out is, Shah Emily Noaman, my dear friend and owner of 3SHAHS jewelry.

To the left is Alicia and Shah manning the 3SHAHS table. Kevin, Iyla and I on the right.

Check out my new bracelets she created...

A well catered continental breakfast was provided to fuel the energy stores prior to our walk. Now to top that all off, there was a Kid Zone connected to the ballroom where I could go feed Iyla. Volunteers with free-them kept the kids occupied by reading books, doing crafts, watching movies and even playing guitar... SO COOL. Now for my favourite part, the speakers. Two brave women who were human trafficked gave insight to the world they were once in and also to the work free-them has done to support them to escape it. One guest speaker, Timea Nagy shared a question that she was most commonly asked, "What was it like to be a victim of human trafficking?". To answer that question she challenged the audience to step inside the life of a trafficked victim for 15 minutes at home later in the day. When taking this challenge you have to ask permission for absolutely anything you may want to do (eating, using a restroom, what clothing to wear, and/or to even moving into a different room). We then were told to be prepared for the most frequently heard answer "No", and that you may not eat for days. This was a tiny, but horrific insight into what it was like as a victim. Timea spent 15 years trapped in a world where she had no voice, no opinion, and no dignity. Thankfully, she has used this dreadful experience to warn and educate others who may not be fully aware of the risks many young women and men currently face even here in Canada.

Before the walk even started I felt educated, and grateful to be at such a moving event. Over the four years free-them have been organizing this walk, the numbers of participants have risen dramatically. This years event raised upwards of $45,000. That is testament to the countless hours of work that goes on behind the scenes to raise awareness throughout the nation. It was as recently as July 2013 that the FBI made 150 arrests throughout 76 cities while uncovering 105 children involved in sex trafficking. With the ongoing work at free-them in conjunction with Canadian Authorities, there is now talk that a trafficking task force be put in place to find and free the helpless victims and send their captors to justice.

I look forward to seeing some new faces at next years Annual Freedom Walk.

Fall Favourite Playlist

As leaves begin to fall, my milage has increased and I have chosen to seek and make new inspiration for myself. This inspiration currently shows up in the form of music. Many of you have asked me if I run with music or not. The answer to this depends on my mood and energy, right now I have chosen to use music for my LSD (long slow distance) runs on Mondays.

Here's what you can find on my current 'Fall Favourite' playlist:

1. Locked Out Of Heaven (The M Machine Remix) by Bruno Mars

2. Big Blue Wave by Hey Ocean

3. Radioactive by Imagine Dragons

4. Safe And Sound by Capital City

5. Summertime Sadness Remix by Lana Del Rey vs Cedric Gervais

6. Clarity by Zedd (feat. Foxes)

7. Everlasting Arms by Vampire Weekend

8. Counting Stars by OneRepublic

9. Applause by Lady Gaga

10. Wake Me Up by Avicii

11. Hey Girl by O.A.R.

12. Wonder by Emeli Sande 

My last long run and playlist led me to new trails that excited me OH so much, that I just had to share some pictures...

I can't wait to see this scenery change over the next month. Aleady you can see in some of the pictures, leaves of a rusty coloured nature. 

The beautiful thing about living so far North is the trails and country roads at my fingertips. Running North allows me to bypass the stop lights that the city has so much of. Those stop lights can really interrupt a good pace, and it's nice to not have to stop even once during a run! I DID have to stop during this run because I wanted to share what I was seeing, the photos don't do it justice on how beautiful it is. I stopped once more to also figure out where I was since I got a bit lost. The result of getting lost was winding up at a beautiful golf course. This is great because I have found a new location to tee off and I had an extra few miles to do to get home.

What do you listen to while you're running and where does your playlist take you?

FREEDOM WALK

With one week to go till the 4th Annual Freedom Walk, I'm writing this post to raise awareness about this walk and the beneficiaries, free-them.

The 4KM walk is taking place next weekend, Saturday, September the 14th. The walk is hosted by 'The Fairmont Royal York Hotel' (100 Front Street W Toronto) and will begin there at 11:30am.

My first question when I heard about this walk was, what is free-them?

free-them is a non profit organization that is fighting human trafficking. Their goal is to abolish slavery!

How many of you enjoyed the movie, 'TAKEN'?

I know I did! Liam Neeson a former spy took the law into his own hands to save his daughter from human trafficking. THAT SPEECH was enough to instill terror to those bad guys in the movie and we saw justice prevail with his daughter being saved. Unfortunately not everyone has parents with former spy training and special skills. Human trafficking occurs even in this great country of Canada at a frighteningly high number that we fail to comprehend.

Here are some crazy facts about this serious issue:

• There are more people in slavery today than ever before in history!!!
• 80% of those trafficked are women and children
• 70% of those are trafficked for the purpose of sexual exploitation!
• Every minute 2 children are trafficked! 
• The average age of entry into forced prostitution is 12-14 years old!

Here are 6 Things You Can Do TODAY To Fight Human Trafficking (from free-them's website)

1. Become Aware & Educate Yourself (This is the first step to fighting and ending the injustice of human trafficking).
2. Spread The Word Become A Voice (Tell at least one person about human trafficking, what it is, and that it is happening in Canada and around the globe).
3. Support a local anti-trafficking organization (Volunteer, get involved-they always need help)
4. Stay Connected 
5. Host a Fundraiser 
6. Write To Your Local, Provincial & Fedral MPs (Create a petition, get signatures and send it to your MP, email contact@free-them.net to learn more).

If your interested in joining the walk, feel free to join my team and/or you can donate to the walk at the link below. Get out and stretch your legs for a good cause.

http://www.freethemwalk.com/participant/51485/

Let's spread this knowledge...Knowledge is POWER

IRONMAN Mont Tremblant Interview with first timers, Boris Petrov & DougLawson

I had the privilege of interviewing two of my friends, Doug Lawson and Boris Petrov after they completed their first IRONMAN. This IRONMAN took place in Mont Tremblant, Quebec on Sunday, August 18th. 

A few details about the IRONMAN Mont Tremblant:

• Both Boris and Doug registered almost a year in advance because it sells out fast
• Cost of registration is $700 CAD
• Hotel price...Expect to pay more for that weekend (hundreds for a night)
• Distances for an Ironman (swim: 2.4 miles or 3.86 km, bike: 112 miles or 180.25 km, run: 26.2 miles or 42.2 km)

The answers to the questions I asked can be found in the video clips below.

Question 1: How does it feel to have completed an Ironman?

Question 2: What were your emotions at the start of the race? 

Question 3: What were your emotions at the end of the race?

Question 4: To high-five or not to high-five?

Question 5: What did your weekly average preparation look like for this Ironman?

Question 6: How much nutrition did you have to take during the Ironman?

Question 7: What did you have as your pre-race meal?

Question 8: How did you feel in the water?

Question 9: Transition talk

Question 10:  Did you ever walk any portion of the run?

Question 11: How are you celebrating what you've accomplished?