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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41215528412643861912017-08-15T16:22:25.925-07:00Run With ZahidaZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-15315222953099085702017-08-15T16:22:00.003-07:002017-08-15T16:22:25.946-07:00Running in the 3rd TrimesterWell, baby and I are now 30 weeks along and I'm pleased to say that we're still running! I did a little stats check yesterday, and my mileage in my 1st trimester was about half what I was doing pre-pregnancy, and through the 2nd and 3rd trimester to date it has been cut further to about 1/3 what I was doing pre-pregnancy. I think the cut was more to do with my taking on other activities like dance, yoga, and swimming as I would argue running was easiest in the 2nd trimester. But anyway the stats are more for perspective, I don't run often or far, relative to what I'd normally do, but I still run. Oh, and there's nothing fast about it! I am running about 2-3 times a week, around 5-8km each time (more often 5km than anything). But my expectation was never to run at the same level as I had been, but to simply run to maintain fitness and for mental and physical well-being.

I would say that little has changed since the 2nd trimester so far. But I'm only a couple weeks into this 3rd and final trimester so it's a little premature to assume it will continue to be this easy. The main difference now is that the baby is now steadily gaining weight so my tummy will be growing in both girth and weight this next while, so running should get more difficult. My attitude remains the same though, that I'll only run as long as it's comfortable and makes sense. Whether that be another day, week, or 10 weeks, only time will tell.

Yesterday I was interviewed by Christine Blanchette who manages and hosts a show about running called Run With It. I was a guest of hers in her very first season, and it was a great honour to be asked to come back as a returning guest now that Run With It is in its 5th season.

Here's the video from season 1

Christine and I bumped into one another at the BMO Vancouver Marathon in May when I crossed the finish line of the 8km race. The race was featured on the show for a brief segment and I made it into a brief soundbite (click here for the video). Christine then followed up with me to invite me to return as a featured guest in a future episode. So yesterday we met up for my interview and what a blast it was. Stay tuned for the episode which will air in September. We are talking about running through pregnancy which is a topic I'm currently journeying through and rather passionate about. Of course, there's a whole pile of stuff I wish I remembered to say in the interview, but I think I shared a lot of helpful tips. Look forward to sharing with you and getting your feedback.

Christine and I chatting and selfie-ing before the interview.

After our interview, I took advantage of being in the Coal Harbour area and ran a little 5km on the seawall before coming home.

So this weekend is a little free community event happening in Kitsilano - the KitsFest 5km - which I plan on running. I'm not planning too far ahead of that, except to continue to plan on running and to commit to at least giving it a try but with permission to walk if I wish.ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-85540870154618894332017-07-19T09:34:00.002-07:002017-07-19T09:34:36.620-07:00Getting Large, But Still in Charge!It's been approximately a month since my last post! I suppose I've had little to report on without any events or major developments in my running. I'm very pleasantly surprised to report that I am still running! I officially hit 6 months pregnant on Monday and the 3rd trimester is around the corner, starting in August.

When I first realized that running, while more difficult, is certainly possible in pregnancy, I decided to take running one month at a time. Or even one week at a time, allowing myself a pass to quit at any time. But quitting for real would always require a test of "are you sure about this?" I have indeed had a couple of bad runs here and there, but so does everyone, pregnant or not. If I quit because of one bad run, that wouldn't be very Zahida of me. So I tell myself, try one more time, and if that run also sucks, consider quitting. Or rather, taking a break from running until after baby.

I mentally set the goal to run through May. Then June came and running was still OK. I told myself, well, a hot summer is on its way and other sports might be more comfy. Now here we are in the latter half of July and I'm still showing no signs of slowing down. Sure, I do enjoy a nice cool swim and there was a week or so where I only ran a couple times, but in general, running is still fine and so is my pace.

Here I am in the sweaty afterglow of a 6km run with Monica yesterday - 6km for 6 months, bay-bee!

So with the 3rd trimester approaching, another trimester known for tiredness, baby will be growing larger and my bump will along with it. There's a lot of unknowns about how that might feel, let alone impact my running. Again, I'll take it one week at a time. If things haven't significantly changed for me already, it's hard to imagine when it will change, for real.

I have noticed one significant change the last month or so. Increased blood volume and heat leads to swelling! The two results of this have been some ulnar nerve restriction in my right arm (apparently this happens to about 12% of pregnant women) and some ankle swelling.

The arm swelling hasn't been so bad. It was when it first occurred and my entire arm went numb when I was trying to sleep. The achiness was so unbearable, I could not sleep, and I could not shake the arm back to life. For some reason, I ran the next morning, hoping that would kickstart my circulation and make my arm feel better. It didn't, and I had a really difficult run (a quit-worthy run). I didn't let it discourage me as it was only one bad run, and it came on the heels of one of my worst sleeps thus far in pregnancy. What has helped my arm is chiropractic and wearing K tape on my arm. I don't know how long I'll have to keep my arm taped, but I know it's working and I'm sleeping soundly again.

The other issue has been the swollen ankles. I have been smart to note under what circumstances they swell. Typically it's with the hot summer heat (a daily occurrence now) if I don't get enough regular exercise. What I mean with this is that one afternoon workout isn't enough any more. If I wake up and go straight to work and don't get real exercise until my afternoon workout, I'll go into it with swollen ankles. The ankles have ruined a couple of runs and a ballet class. But I think I've figured out the trick. I should run first thing in the morning to kickstart my circulation, and I'll likely be good to go the rest of the day. Or, if I have a scheduled afternoon workout, I need to make sure I get in a good walk in the morning first. So yesterday, I walked 30min before work, and so my feet and ankles felt good and fresh for my 6km afternoon run.

So when it comes to running, I'll be playing it by ear, but I know the next few months will include more swimming, more yoga, and unfortunately, no more ballet. It's getting hard to keep myself on my toes!

Thanks for reading, for encouraging, and for following my journey!

love Z

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-77200479491781146172017-06-18T13:41:00.001-07:002017-06-18T13:41:19.302-07:00Race Report: Longest Day 5K - June 16, 2017Friday evening was an awesome evening for running. For the 5th year in a row, I participated in the Longest Day 5K out at UBC. It's one of my faves because of its uniqueness, being an evening run to celebrate the arrival of summer and more daylight hours, always falling on the Friday evening before the solstice. After the race is the most epic of after parties with more food than you could possibly want, allowing for a post-race picnic with friends. And as always, the weather was simply perfect!

This was my 7th race with "baby-on-board" (the bump is rather obvious in the photo above) and I was a little unsure how I'd do as my last race was about a month ago. A month can make a difference when there's a growing belly as part of the equation. Of course, I've been running consistently 3x per week, minimum 5K at a time, but training runs are always a bit slower, even if the intention at a race is to take it slow and easy. There's something about the energy of a crowd and event that makes you go a wee bit faster, even when you're not approaching it with a racing mentality.

I set a mental goal of getting in under 35 minutes, but I didn't track pace or commit myself to the idea that I had to achieve this. At this stage, I don't really care how fast I go, as I long as I continue to just move forward and maintain some level of fitness. I kept my watch on the "distance and heart rate" screen so I'd have no idea how fast I was going, only how far I had left to go, and how hard I was working. I also decided before the race started that any uphill section, I'd shorten my stride and go easy, but gave myself permission to power walk up the one steeper hill I remembered from past years' participation. I followed the plan exactly and surprised myself crossing the finish line at 34:45. It felt good, both for the body and the ego!

I'm rather unsure about my running plans moving forward. I know of a lot of women who gave up running at around 4.5 to 5 months pregnant. Me on the other hand, at 5 months, I'm currently showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon. I imagine it will get harder as baby gets larger and heavier. But for now, at least, I'll keep on going. My goal before was to run through May with June being a question mark. Now I think I should be able to keep going through July too. Let's see though - I have permission from myself to stop anytime it starts to get uncomfortable. I ran 8K this morning, my longest run in about a month, and it was surprisingly easy, and at a good pace too. I don't feel short on energy now either so I don't think I overdid it in any way. Perhaps I'll be one who runs throughout pregnancy. Perhaps I only have a few more weeks before I stop. Whichever way it goes, I'm fine with. We'll just wait and see! :)

In terms of races, there aren't that many 5-10K races over the summer. I'm out of town when Summerfast is on next month, and it's a bit too early to commit to any of the August races. When I realized I had done 7 races with baby already, I was thinking how awesome it would be to reach 10 events. But no need to overdo it for some arbitrary statistic. If you have any suggestions on a great event I need to check out in the next little while, do let me know!

Thanks for reading :)ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-68358642079179087762017-06-07T09:45:00.000-07:002017-06-07T14:50:03.658-07:00Halfway There!So, I'm halfway through my pregnancy! Officially 20 weeks as of yesterday, and today I have my detailed ultrasound appointment.

Yesterday I posted this fun little graphic on my personal Facebook page.

It's funny but for the past 20 weeks, I feel like time has somewhat dragged on by. Now that I've reached the halfway point, the end seems very near and it's all starting to feel a bit real. A lot of it could be because I feel the baby moving around frequently. The last week or so, I feel the baby moving pretty much all the time while I'm at rest and awake to notice, including right now as I type. I hear that's normal - when I'm moving around, the natural rocking I'm causing can lull baby to sleep. When I'm at rest though, baby may want to create its own motion and because it's still rather small, there's a lot of room inside me for it to do its acrobatics. I'll find out today for certain how big it is, but it should measure about 6" from head to bum, or 10" if you include the legs :) Awww!

The moment I realized I hit the halfway point, I couldn't help but make the analogy to running. I remember in my marathoning days, that people told me the stress of a marathon is like labour, and I heard many other marathon/pregnancy analogies. The thing is though that in any race, any training run even, the moment I reach the halfway point, I manage to relax mentally and tackle the second half with confidence. The moment after the halfway point means that I'm more than halfway there. It means that whatever I have endured already is all I have to do moving forward. The second half may be harder to complete, but the successful first half is proof that I have the ability to endure. At a marathon, I celebrate at the half marathon mark - I mean one should celebrate reaching 21.1km anyway, so why not pat yourself on the back at that point in a race. But I do this at the 10.55km mark of half too, or in a 10K, 5K, or any training run too. It's my way of slicing the distance in half mentally. I just have to deal with half of the distance, and the rest after that is the home stretch.

So yesterday, in the spirit of reaching the halfway point in my pregnancy, I ran an out-and-back training run of 6km along the seawall in Vancouver. I started in Yaletown and turned around when I reached 3km on my watch, at 2nd Beach in Stanley Park. I made a point of stopping to celebrate that I'd reached my halfway point of this training run and took a few photos to mark the occasion. My pregnancy support belt has a pocket in the back just big enough for my phone :) The location and the weather couldn't have been more perfectly beautiful to take in!

Another cool thing happened the other day while I was working a shift at the Running Room. A woman came in to look at shoes and told me she's 20 weeks pregnant. I was wearing a very baggy shirt so I pointed out that I was too! Our due dates are a few days apart, but it was so lovely to have another pregnant runner to share experiences with. She too has been running consistently like I have been, and she too had been experiencing the dull achy abdominal discomfort post running. I felt like a hero by telling her about my research into this and how I discovered the pregnancy support belt. Since buying the belt, every run I have done wearing the belt has meant zero discomfort after. I recommended she consider it for herself and she was thankful. We both agreed that it seems like running this far into pregnancy has us a bit of a minority. We're both the same age and in our first pregnancy too and talked about how being active is the best thing we could be doing for our unborn children. I didn't take her name or info, but I will be thinking of her in the coming 20 weeks!

So that's all for now. Gotta get myself ready for the ultrasound :)

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-62039235941434150312017-05-27T14:50:00.000-07:002017-05-27T14:57:11.700-07:00Pregnancy, Weight Gain, and Body ImageIt's been a little while so thought I'd start with a little update, before I launch into today's topic. I'm almost 19 weeks along, so in other words, almost halfway through this pregnancy! Now it's starting to feel like time is flying and perhaps it's time to start getting organized at home, etc. But I know there's still lots of time yet. I still have time to nest and get my home ready for baby.

I certainly look pregnant now - no denying it! And I finally really feel it too because of my bump and because I feel movement from my tiny dancer too (who's not so tiny anymore at the size of a bell pepper!). I'm finally at the stage where I can enjoy being pregnant. I'm no longer exhausted all the time. I'm tired yes, but I now know my limits and have learned how to say "no" when I find myself overdoing it. And because my bump is kind of cute, I'm getting some positive attention too which doesn't hurt. I am sure that things will get challenging later on as it gets hotter outside and I get larger and more uncomfortable.

So far my discomfort comes mostly at night when I'm trying to sleep. My hips ache from lying on my side (the only position that's comfortable at this stage). I seem to be combating this now with some exercises my chiropractor gave me and from an RMT friend who recently gave me a pre-natal massage. I do the exercises before bed in hopes I go to sleep in alignment with everything limbered up. It's not perfect but it's helping. I have feared that my hips would give me issues while running as I'd had hip issues pre-pregnancy, but so far so good (touch wood). All that relaxin hormone in my body that's preparing my body for childbirth can also cause some discomforts during pregnancy! Things are moving around or looser than usual and it isn't always a good thing.

But I did mention previously about some dull achiness I'd feel in the abdomen, or round ligament pain that would sometimes last for hours after running if I either went too fast or too long. I did a bit of reading into it and learned that wearing a pregnancy support belt might help; the one most recommended for pregnant runners was the Gabrialla belt so I ordered it on Amazon. It's sort of like wearing a bra for your belly, so it helps minimize bounce while you're active. While I'm certainly not far along enough to need to wear the belt regularly, I've worn it on my last two runs and have noticed it's made running that much more comfortable and I have had no discomfort at all after running. Hopefully this means I made the right choice and this belt will continue to help me as the pregnancy progresses. I'll certainly let you know.

Alright, so onto today's topic - weight gain during pregnancy. Oh, and body image.

First of all, weight gain during pregnancy is absolutely expected, normal, and healthy. There are specific guidelines out there for how much weight a woman should gain depending on her pre-pregnancy weight and how many babies she is carrying. It takes into account that if you were overweight beforehand, you don't need to gain as much. Underweight women should gain more. And healthy-weight women should gain somewhere in the middle. The guidelines further break things down into how much weight should be gained in each trimester in order to ensure you stay on track and gain the right amount over the course of the 40 weeks. There's guidelines on how many extra calories to consume each trimester as you "eat for two"; this amount varies in each trimester too. So much math to think about. And while I have tried not to stress, it sometimes gets to me.

The thing is that I have had this story of remarkable weight loss that changed my life. After losing 130lbs, I became a runner and have maintained a healthy, active, athletic lifestyle. The journey because almost 10 years ago and the weight loss has been sustained long term.

So it's weird to somehow be OK with seeing the numbers go up on the scale. I have stayed off the scale for the most part over the years, but I started monitoring again once I realized I was pregnant. The numbers started going up almost right away and itt got to me because in the first trimester, many women don't put on any weight. Some even lose weight because of morning sickness. I on the other hand, put on about 8lbs rather quickly as I had such crazy hunger and snacking was the best way to keep my nausea away. Maybe I overdid it? But I also know that I started retaining water real fast too so it wasn't all a "food baby". And up top where I'm usually not very endowed, things got large and heavy fast in preparation for nursing. Because I didn't look pregnant and nobody really knew I was pregnant, it got to me. I was slow and tired and adding extra weight to that equation meant extra sluggishness to go with it. I looked like I had "let myself go". Truth is, I probably only felt that way, but I assumed it was visible. I made the mistake of going on some pregnancy forums (which I've now unsubscribed from!) and as women do, there was a lot of comparing going on. Perhaps there was a bit of body image induced comparing, or perhaps people just wanted to see if their experience was normal compared to others. "How much weight have you lost in the first trimester?" would be a common question. I'd roll my eyes and grumble.

It's not that I don't expect weight gain in pregnancy, I just want the gain to be healthy and have it so I can bounce back to my pre-pregnancy self shortly after I give birth. I don't want to gain too much and have a hard time losing it later.

But really, why give in to the comparison game? Do I know anything about these women who are asking the questions? And seriously, my experience doesn't have to match theirs. I am not them. When I went to my first doctor's appointment, she assured me that I was doing just fine and had no concerns. My weight gain was healthy and normal. Her opinion is what should matter.

But I didn't listen, and I kept looking at the scale and seeing the numbers creep up every week. Duh, they're supposed to go up! But it drove me crazy to see it. By my next prenatal checkup, my weight gain was exactly where it needed to be and I felt OK about things. I finally stopped getting on my scale at home. And doing so was positively reinforced at my next doctor's appointment too; my weight gain was still on track. If I am making healthy eating choices, not overdoing it at any one meal, eating based on hunger cues, giving in to cravings within moderation, and keeping active, I have nothing to worry about whatsoever. My body will do what it's designed to do.

Yet I still catch myself looking myself up and down in the mirror. Is my different looking body just because of the baby? If the baby wasn't there, would I look like me? How quickly will I bounce back post-partum. Why am I asking these questions? The thing is, that's what women do often. We're constantly told that even if we are slim or athletic, we need to be thinner. And because I've been the opposite, it's my biggest fear in life that I will revert to my old overweight / obese ways. I need to remind myself that I'm in no risk of this happening any time soon.

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-22257079380350452352017-05-18T15:30:00.001-07:002017-05-18T15:30:26.072-07:00Let's Set the Record Straight!One thing I've noticed reading about pregnancy and parenthood is there are a number of differing opinions about certain big issues and therefore, a lot of judgement for those who do things a little differently. I'm tired of it, and I'm barely in this game. For example, women who are unable to breast feed their child may be faced with judgement from others who say "breast is best" and the mother who desperately wants to feed their child but can't is left feeling really bad about themselves. Meanwhile the child is healthy and happy, eating formula and growing and thriving. Or those who have no option but to deliver by C-section are sometimes judged as "not having really delivered" or having the baby "the easy way". Meanwhile, they've had MAJOR surgery and there was absolutely nothing easy about it physically or emotionally. I'm tired of reading about stories like this and I'm months away from delivering or feeding my child.

The thing is that what unites us, as parents or parents-to-be, is a desire to do the best thing for our children. For the most part, every woman, every mother, is on that very same page.

So this is why I get really upset when I hear about judgement that women face for running whilst pregnant. In fact, I wonder if I'll start to get that judgement for myself. I have a feeling it might happen more from onlookers who see me running while sporting a bump, rather than from anyone who actually knows me personally. I recently ran the False Creek seawall and the way my clothes hug my preggo belly, it is pretty obvious I am pregnant if you really look at me. I was greeted with eyes looking at my belly for sure, but thankfully it usually came with a smile. It might be because the tummy makes me look possibly just pudgy rather than pregnant to those who are unsure. I hope this positivity continues while my bump becomes more obviously pregnant. And while I'm excited to rock my bump, part of me fears judgement or rude comments from those who don't get it.

For the longest time, running was considered to be harmful to women. Women were considered too weak and fragile for this sport. This was, of course, absolutely absurd and inaccurate. This is the basis for Katrine Switzer's famous first Boston Marathon where men chased after her, trying to disqualify her. You may recall this very famous image.

Women are strong. We're strong as heck. We may look small, but we're fierce. Ever wonder why in some species, the women do the hunting? Ever wonder why it's the women always who birth the children? Exactly, we are strong!

So it bugs me in when people judge a woman for running while pregnant. Is it fear that we're too weak and fragile to do two big physical tasks at once? Oh come on! Every woman I know is excellent at multi-tasking, and doing each task at high quality!

I've heard people argue that a woman who runs pregnant is doing so for vanity, because she can't handle the idea of weight gain. I will also tell those people to shut up! Every woman gains weight while pregnant. It's a fact and a natural, normal, healthy part of pregnancy.

The recent Boston Marathon had a lot of newsworthy moments including Katrine Switzer's return 50 years after her famous debut noted above, as well as the story of Julie McGivery who ran the marathon 8 months pregnant. While most were very much wowed by Julie's achievement, she also faced a lot of criticism. People on the course and the finish line were gasping in disbelief. The trolls online sure commented about how "selfish" her actions were. I didn't want to fall into the trap of judging her myself for enduring the exertion of a marathon while pregnant - as your recall, I opted out of a half marathon because of being pregnant and not wanting to exert myself over a long distance on my feet. I was looking at a half marathon, and this was a full marathon that Julie ran. So I decided to read further about her journey and think critically about my own opinion and examine why people were being such trolls!

First of all, what you do while you're pregnant has so much to do with what you were doing before you were pregnant. My most recent half marathon before my pregnancy was in October 2016. So while I was maintaining a base mileage and a high level of fitness, I would have had to train up to longer runs to be ready for my half in April. Given the low level of energy I had in my first trimester and the large amount of ice on the roads, I wasn't prepared for that. Julie on the other hand, was more than equipped for Boston.

If you read further, she completed the race in almost 7 hours. All of us know, to qualify for the elite Boston race, you need to be much much faster than that. Her qualification time was indeed much much faster (about half that time). So Julie clearly made the necessary adjustments to her pace and likely walked a bunch of the course too in order to complete the 42.2km distance. She didn't run at high intensity. She knew her limits, and distance wasn't one of them. She adapted to her condition, took it slow, and took care of her baby.

I think there are some people who assume that we run for selfish achievement reasons. Sure, Julie didn't want her Boston Marathon opportunity to go out the window after working hard to qualify. This is a race every marathoner dreams of doing at least once in their lifetime. So maybe she had a feeling of "I need to do Boston, this is my chance" and it was a little selfish. I say, WHO CARES? When we take care of ourselves, we're better at taking care of others. When we make choices for ourselves that make us happy, we're indirectly making choices for those directly in our care. A confident mother equals a confident role model for her children.

Running or exercise in general during pregnancy have nothing to do with vanity, nothing to do selfishness, and nothing to do with a fear of weight gain. In fact, it's all about a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Today, the standard medical advice that encourages pregnant women to work out is a very sharp contrast to the recommendations given to women only about 20 years ago. The idea that women should put their feet up for 9 months is outdated. Yes, we should not overexert, and yes we should limit heavy lifting and high risk activities that might involve falling. And no, we should not try anything new or start a new workout routine. But doing what we're already used to and taking the intensity down a notch, is absolutely encouraged, with the doctor's clearance of course. And for you, if you too are pregnant and unsure about being active, talk to your doctor and discuss what's safe for you:

Here are some of the benefits to staying active while pregnant. Read them and be wow'ed! For me it's incentive to keep going:

Labour and delivery may be easier (Amen to that!)

Lower risk of gestational diabetes.

Less likely to experience back pain.

More likely to gain only the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy.

Less likely to be constipated.

Exercise relieves stress and anxiety.

Exercise encourages you to be outside, get fresh air, absorb Vitamin D naturally which is essential for baby's development.

More likely to deliver a baby of healthy birth weight.

Maintain or improve flexibility and muscle strength.

More likely to avoid forceps, c-section or other intervention at delivery.

Experience that confident feeling of a hot mama rocking her bump (rather than a beached whale)!

Less likely to experience leg swelling.

Less prone to (or gain relief from) morning sickness.

Encourages healthy habits and allows easier transition to active lifestyle and loss of "baby weight" post-partum.

Improves sleep quality.

Social opportunity to meet other pregnant moms (I'd met some amazing women at my prenatal yoga classes)

Less prone to prenatal depression

Helps give you that pregnancy glow :)

Boosts your immune system.

Inspires others and gains you positive attention!

So there you have it! Fit mamas rock.

<3 Z

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-2723796367535584972017-05-16T16:41:00.002-07:002017-05-16T16:41:49.584-07:00The second trimester is here! (April 27th)
April 27th

Well, I've been there a little while (the 2nd trimester, that is) being in my 15th week. All I have heard from other moms and from my reading has indicated that energy will come back. Essentially the placenta has taken over the hormonal load, relieving me from that pressure. The baby's organs are all developed and the little one is rather complex already. Just a small lemon-sized baby, needing to grow large and strong.

In case you're wondering, there are a few logistical things I've had to contend with now to make running possible. I've always joked about how the last thing I need is more work out clothing. I have an abundance of it given how many race shirts I have and that I work at the Running Room part time. But quite quickly, I have had to re-think my running wardrobe. I have been wearing maternity running capri pants the last couple weeks as the waist bands on my regular ones are too restrictive for my new bump and I wouldn't want to stretch them out anyway (so I can wear them post-partum). I found some inexpensive ones at Old Navy (online) and they are suiting me fine. I just need to find an option for running shorts. I also have been ordering all my race shirts in a size XL to give room for a growing belly. I'm already starting to wear the larger shirts too, again for comfort over necessity. I'm wearing the same few shirts over and over again. No big deal, just laundry more often. Oh, and then there's the sports bra! Nobody told me I'd need to upsize that so quickly. I thought that would be later in pregnancy, but no, preparation for nursing happens early. I had to splurge and buy new sports bras. Now I'm kitted out. Just have to make sure I have shorts soon as it's getting warm outside!

So as for this 2nd trimester energy, I think it's coming back, but not 100% sure if it's mind over matter or not. What I've noticed so far is sleep quality is improving. Instead of waking up half a dozen times to use the bathroom, it's down to 2-3 visits. The baby is moving up in my body as it grows and taking some of the pressure off down below. Or something (I'm not a scientist). Also, I am no longer falling asleep at 8pm but can stay up until my usual 10 or 11pm like a proper grown-up. Naps in the afternoon are no longer a necessity. This is helpful since I work full time and can't exactly nap at my desk. So not feeling the afternoon fade recently has been particularly helpful to my productivity.<o:p></o:p>

I'm just kinda waiting to see if this new stage of my pregnancy has impacted my running. I think it has, but I'm not sure. The thing is, it still feels more sluggish than the normal me, but my pace seems to be a bit more respectable than it has been in recent weeks. I haven't been looking at pace while running to keep my confidence on the positive side – I don't want to see how slow I am while in action. What I have been monitoring is distance and heart rate. But regardless of what stats I choose to look at, my watch still tracks all the other stats. At the end of my run, I can scroll through my stats and I have noted that my completion times for the workouts are steadily improving. I also know that a lot of the reason for my slowness generally is that I often walk hilly sections or when I find myself out of breath. The usual me would push through that discomfort. But I'm taking it easy, knowing that when I deny myself oxygen, I also deny that of my baby. So the time spent actually running vs walking, I'm running at a pretty decent pace, and it's improving. <o:p></o:p>

So I will side-track for a moment since I mentioned heart rate above. If you google exercise while pregnant, you're bound to find a whole lot of useless outdated information in addition to the good information. One of the common myths that has been recently proven wrong is that a pregnant woman should not let her heart rate go above 140bpm. When I first read this I thought it was absolutely absurd as no two women or two hearts are the same. I'm quite fit so my resting heart rate is very low. I have trained a fair bit at high intensity so I can comfortably get my heart rate quite high as well. I max at around 200bpm, and see HRs in interval training go pretty close to that. This is high for someone my age, but because I've been running a while, my heart has a large range. Even though generally my heart rate has gone up since pregnancy, for me, 140 bpm is still the equivalent of barely moving. Sure, I'm getting exercise, but it's not at all taxing, it's like granny-jogging? <o:p></o:p>

The real truth about how hard to work running is all about your perceived level of exertion. I wear my heart rate monitor so I can see how hard I'm working, but I don't stress keeping it under a particular number as a number of variables impact heart rate. I like seeing the HR just because it's useful information on how I'm feeling that day vs how my heart responds. Running right up to 170bpm has been still quite comfortable for me even though it is a little higher than it normally would be at the pace I go these day. But some days that doesn't feel good and I slow down even slower. Some days it feels fine and I keep going at that pace or let it creep higher by going faster without stressing. The important thing is that comfy talking pace and not getting to a point where I'm gasping for air, that anerobic feeling, or being absolutely exhausted after. Recently my runs have been easier, my HR is averaging in the 150-165bpm range even though my pace is improving. So that's something! Yay for 2nd trimester. I hope soon I feel like Superwoman.<o:p></o:p>

So I'm quite excited to see how things continue to progress, although I still have minimal expectations of myself. I run 3 times a week at minimum, one longish effort, typically on the weekend (8-10km) and two shorter ones, during the week after the workday (4-6km). The weekday runs are a struggle as I'm usually rather pooped by the time I get home from work, but morning runs during the week are not an option right now as I need a hearty breakfast and don't want to run fasted. Again, it's not only my nutrition at stake. The weekends allow the extra time to eat, wait, run, eat again. I plan on running through the month of May, but will play the summer months and beyond by ear. I might not be comfy in the heat, and after the summer, well, I'll be large. I am hopeful for June, but again, no pressure.

Coming up is the BMO Vancouver Marathon on May 7th, and I'll be running the 8km. Then the following weekend is the Run For Women, where I'll be doing the 5km. Then we'll see!<o:p></o:p>
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-55950478341574055502017-05-14T14:42:00.000-07:002017-05-14T14:42:31.486-07:00A Weekend to Reflect on Womanhood and Motherhood
This weekend I did something I have never done before – run events on two consecutive days! I've often been tempted to do this, but I never have actually done this. It's likely because of my former competitive/performance mindset; how can you give one event your all, leave all of you on the course, and then turn around and do the exact same thing the next day with only 24hours recovery. No doubt one event would suffer as a result so what good would that be? So perhaps now that my mindset is about just staying active and having fun with it, trying two events back-to-back for the first time is exactly the ticket.<o:p></o:p>

I signed up for the Shoppers Drug Mart Run For Women 5K in early February. I was pregnant when I signed up but had no idea at the time. I signed up because it to me sounded like a fun even celebrating women, and it just so happens to fall on Mother's Day weekend. As a Running Room run coach (who's taking a break from coaching), I got my race entry for free and so it was a "why not" type of scenario. After realizing I was pregnant, I thought it's even more meaningful to be part of this event. I'm discovering every day how truly magnificent it is to be a woman. And now I get to experience a part of womanhood I haven't experienced before.<o:p></o:p>

Then a few days ago, my friend Karen told me about the Fairmont Mother's Day Run which takes place on Mother's Day itself. Another friend, Sara, had mentioned she was doing it a while back, but it didn't clue in at that point that it might be something I'd want to do. I guess I thought that I was already doing an event, so why would I want to do another. Then Karen told me more about the event a few days ago, and it sounded like fun and decided, hey why not. I feel that at almost 17 weeks pregnant, I am kind of like a mom, and I should absolutely celebrate in this way. And I don't know for how many more months it will be comfortable to run events anyway.<o:p></o:p>

The thing is for me, Mother's Day has always come and gone with mixed emotion. For years, it was a difficult day because I knew what it stood for. Since the invention of social media, it got even harder. I would see almost everyone I know post a message sharing their loving relationship with their mother on Facebook. I had nothing to post for myself. I have made peace with my strained relationship with my own mother. And it has become much much easier since marrying Cam 3 years ago. I feel that now I can legitimately call his mother "Mum". But you know what, it still isn't an easy day.

While we certainly tried to have a beautiful relationship, it simply never happened for my mother and me. A complex relationship like ours meant that for the longest time, I wasn't sure I ever wanted to be or was ready to be a mother myself. How could I possibly give my child the meaningful mother/child relationship they deserve when I haven't experienced firsthand an example that works? But I soon realized my own experience actually makes me very capable of doing this. I have learned through years of heartache. I know I won't be perfect, but I'm sure going to love my child and do my very best for them.<o:p></o:p>

So with this pending Mother's Day, I was feeling a bit conflicted. How do I feel about this day now? I'm not officially a mother until I give birth or am I? Cam surprised me last night with a "mom-to-be gift" so he believes I'm eligible. The outpouring of love from friends today makes me feel eligible. Next year will be my first official mother's day, but as I'm so thrilled and over the moon to be a mom-to-be, so why not start the celebration now. If I can turn my feelings about the day toward thinking of me and my own family that I have created with my husband, this shall be a beautiful day indeed. I find running gives me a positive outlet to reflect and I often somehow find a way to express myself through this sport. An event in the community where I get to celebrate what motherhood can be with other mothers sounded like exactly what I needed.<o:p></o:p>

Shopper's Drug Mart Run For Women

The Run For Women yesterday was a really fun time. It wasn't the usual kind of event I attend - more of a community fun run than a runner's run as I didn't see even one person I knew until after I finished and found my girlfriend Patti on course walking with her two daughters. It is a timed race, but no awards for time, and no competitive element whatsoever. The event is all about fun and celebrating womanhood.

I arrived to the site about 40min before the race start time, just enough to get the lay of the land, find a washroom, and see if I could locate Patti before the race. I didn't find her, so I spent the pre-race time on my own. It wasn't so bad really as I enjoyed taking in the energy of the event. When it was the 5K runners time to line up, the announcer explained the corrals and that "really fast" people, as in those who expect to finish in under 35 minutes should enter the first corral. I certainly knew I would be under 35min or around that anyway, but I felt odd lining up in the first corral with my pregnant body. So I lined up at the front of the second corral instead. But I also have never thought of 35min as a super fast finish time anyway!

The course pleasantly surprised me as I actually hadn't given the course map a look. Starting from Wesbrook Village in UBC, we went into the trails of Pacific Spirit Park, before looping back to the village. The course closely resembled that of the Canada Day Run I've done a few times. The wave start meant it never felt crowded. The weather was perfectly mild and I felt great! I wasn't sure how I'd fare as we had a late night the night before (the U2 concert!), but I slept great in the time that I did get, and all conditions were perfect to run strong.

Again, as always, I ran by feel rather than by monitoring pace on my watch. I paced myself comfortably and intentionally walked up a few of the hilly sections (not that it was super hilly but there were a couple incline sections), just because I didn't want to push and risk the abdominal discomfort I had after the BMO 8K, especially knowing I had to run the next day. I crossed the finish line in 33:25 which surprised me considering what felt like a leisurely approach. Again, something so wonderful about this second trimester. Perhaps I should have lined myself up in the first corral afterall!

I was given a finishers bracelet and a swag bag from Shopper's Drug Mart that is actually kind of obscenely huge - loaded with all kinds of product including full-sized (not sample sized) shampoo, antiperspirant, soaps, razors, you name it. Then after this swag, Life Brand gave us more goodies, and food vendors did the same. Around the corner was a delicious pancake breakfast complete with fruit topping! I couldn't believe how much we were spoiled. I stretched, wolfed down some pancakes, and headed to my car to unload the goods I'd collected and grab my sweater. I was then able to check my phone to see the official results and to confirm that I had not missed Patti crossing the finish line. As my car was parked on course, I stayed there (it was warm!) and watched the race.

When Patti and her daughters were in view, I hopped out and joined them to the finish line. Her eldest wanted to run but was tired so I offered her my hand and that seemed to make her want to run to the line and she grabbed my hand again stronger to make sure I came along. So I crossed the finish line a second time with them and it was a very sweet moment. I loved seeing them and being able to enjoy the post race festivities with this beautiful family and inspiring example of a loving mother. When we parted ways for the afternoon, I headed downtown to collect my package for my event the next day.

Here I am with the post-race afterglow.

Fairmont Mother's Day Run
So today was the 2nd event of the weekend, the Mother's Day Run. Like yesterday's event, there was a choice between a 10K and a 5K but I opted for the 5K given I was running back-to-back days. I was quite tired when I got up this morning, but I had a good 8.5hour sleep. I could feel yesterday's run in my abdominal region and groin. This is a common active pregnancy symptom, so I just knew in my head and heart that today I'd have to run a bit slower.

Being a point to point course, there are some logistics to sort. The start and finish only being about 3km apart though meant it was a little less stressful to navigate. The race organized shuttle buses between the start and finish so I parked near the finish and shuttled to the start. I was able to connect with both Karen (a mother of two who came to the race solo) as well as Sara who was there with her family. Here are Karen and I pre-race.

After some catching up, we checked our extra gear for pickup at the finish line and lined up at the starting area. Karen is rather speedy these days and knowing again this isn't a competitive race, placing is a real possibility here. So she lined up near the front and I joined her but kept to the side of the path to allow others to pass me as needed. This course ran from Ceperley Park in Stanley Park to Jack Poole Plaza with one loop around Lost Lagoon. It's a very flat course with only one incline area of note toward the end to get up the ramp to Jack Poole Plaza. I took only two walk breaks compared to three yesterday but still felt my pace was a lot slower than yesterday (again, I didn't track it, just did what felt comfy), and made very sure not to push myself.

The weather was perfect for the run and just started lightly raining as I neared the finish. As I walked up the ramp to Jack Poole Plaza, the sky started to open up and rain started coming down. Karen, who finished about 10min ahead of me, took this blurry photo with her wet cell phone of me crossing the finish. Notice the bump in my profile?

When I got to the finish, a volunteer wrapped a beautiful pashmina scarf around my neck, the finishing gift to all moms running. It's beautiful and kept me warm in the rain that was now pouring down. Karen and I quickly sought cover and awaited Sara's family's finish and word on whether they were giving out awards. Karen got 1st in her age category and I believe was the 2nd female to finish. I came in 10min later at 36:08 which was enough for 8th place in my own category. Not too shabby for me and the bump!

It was brilliant seeing Sara and her family there too. Sara is a new mom herself and this was her first official Mother's Day! She knew how special today was for me and surprised me with a lovely mom-to-be Mother's Day card. How very thoughtful.

I felt so much love today and yesterday and I can't wait until my first official Mother's Day when I get to spend it with my child. Until then, I will keep on gestating and keep on trying to be a healthy and fit mama.

Thanks for reading!
<3 Z
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-34054573600813606842017-05-11T08:51:00.000-07:002017-05-11T08:51:39.640-07:00Preparing for full disclosure (April 12th, 2017)
April 12th, 2017<o:p></o:p>

I'm now 12 weeks along in this pregnancy and approaching the end of the first trimester. I'm nervously anticipating this coming Easter long weekend as we will be announcing our news to our immediate family. There are a couple members we disclosed to early, but for the most part, this will be a huge surprise to all. Now I'm nervous as heck as I haven't seen the baby since our 8-week ultrasound a month ago. So how do I know things are going well and on target? Part of it is trust, faith, knowing my body, but I also have my next doctor's appointment tomorrow and hope she'll give me the confidence when she examines me and the baby. I know I'm far along enough now that she may be able to detect a heartbeat with a handheld Doppler.<o:p></o:p>

At 12 weeks, the baby is much more baby-like. I can't wait to see the ultrasound next week where I get to see him or her. Arms and legs are moving now, reflexes are developing, and it's pretty amazing to learn about how complex the little one is. I'm feeling great! In my earlier weeks, I'd wake up nauseous and had to eat breakfast right away or feel worse. Now things are more normal, and having breakfast is part of my regular getting ready for the day routine. The only thing that isn't normal about this is that I don't run in the morning as the old me would do so before breakfast (if the run was less than an hour), and I'm not going to run fasted when pregnant. I don't want to wake up at an obscene time to allow a run after digesting breakfast and still making to to work on time.

This past week I've started to tell close friends as I run with them or as I see them, just asking them to keep their mouth shut. I need the understanding when they run with me that I need to go my pace, and they need to be OK with that. And I think news of this magnitude is nice in person. I'm so close to tell family (2 days away), so why not be less deceitful with friends. <o:p></o:p>

I just re-read my other private pregnant-runner blog posts to get an idea of what I'd talked about before. I smiled a few times over what I talked about and reflected on. I feel that my peace with my "condition" has grown in the last few weeks. I think a lot has to do with the fact that I'm close to telling the world means it's easier to let go of the "what will people think?" piece, because, well if they don't suspect yet, they will find out soon enough. <o:p></o:p>

I think the other piece is that my attitude toward running has changed. I am no longer disappointed that I couldn't run the April Fool's Half Marathon, but I'm actually proud of the fact I made the best choice for myself and ran the relay instead. I no longer beat myself up if I have to turn back home early in a run, or walk up the hills, or choose a nap or a short walk over more intense exercise. I have started to really let it sink in that I'm responsible for the well-being of more than just myself. Exercise, yes, has LOADS of benefits when pregnant. It helps my health and the baby's health, and I hear it can help make labour easier too (yes please!). But growing a person itself is also hard work, plus I work full time, so if I'm tired once in a while and running doesn't feel like the right choice for my time, does it matter? Does it make me any less of a fit person? Does it mean I'm making lame excuses? The answer to all these questions is a big fat "absolutely NOT". I'm finally starting to come to grips with this.

My question is how long will I keep this sport up before I favour more comfortable activities with my ever growing body? It depends on how I feel. I have a couple events to run in May (the BMO 8K and the Run For Women5K) and I will play it by ear if I run events beyond that. I like the idea of the Shaughnessy 8K and there's a West Van event at the start of June. But I won't commit until I see how the running goes in the first part of May. The summer is up in the air because I might not like running in the heat. Walking may be a better option then. We'll just have to see. No pressure either way because we all know I'll return to running post-partum as quickly as I can and will be back to running all kinds of events for 2018. Nothing wrong with a season off to train for the marathon of motherhood!<o:p></o:p>
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-80292932050714640002017-05-09T09:05:00.004-07:002017-05-09T09:11:41.670-07:00Race Report: BMO Vancouver Marathon (8km event) - May 7th, 2017
The BMO Vancouver Marathon's 8K event yesterday was a big success. This was my 4th race as a mom-to-be, but my first being 'out' and public about it all. At 16 weeks, I have a wee little bump and as it's hard to hide now, I sported it proudly with a witty personalized bib.<o:p></o:p>

I have been part of the BMO Vancouver Marathon in some way since 2012: I ran my first marathon at this event in 2012, volunteered as a water station captain in 2013, and ran the half marathon 2014, 2015, and 2016. Oh, and I ran the kids run in 2015 with my niece and nephew. So I had done it all, literally, except the 8km. This year, I finally got to check that off my list. I registered knowing of my pregnancy and wanting to tone down the mileage and intensity and the 8km seemed like the perfect option to still participate. Literally a day or two after registering, I was surprised by my sister-in-law, Michele, who asked if she could register and join me. I was so pleased with this suggestion as I enjoy running with her and having company and conversation at a race where you're not going all competitive (i.e., and you don't need to be in your own head the whole time) can be a wonderful thing.<o:p></o:p>

As you know, my training has been going rather well. I have been able to do 8-10K as my weekend "long run" distance with relative ease throughout my pregnancy. I say relative because it's only OK if I don't do it too often. Otherwise, I exhaust myself or worse, get discouraged and have a bad run and quit early. So I've been keeping my runs to about 4-6km and only going longer about once every two weeks in order to guarantee more success. I ran 8K about 10 days prior to the race and it was one of my best training runs. I believe this energy surge one gets in the 2nd trimester is really a thing. I had heard about it but only believed it when I experienced it. Suddenly running isn't as hard as it was the first 3 months. It's all because the placenta is doing a lot of the work now and takes the toll off of me a little. Hormones are still present, but they are no longer taking over my life! Anyway, all of this had me looking ahead at the BMO 8K with excitement and confidence it would be fun and not difficult.

<o:p></o:p>

And it was indeed exactly that! It started out with a fun visit to the expo with my dear friend, Sigrid, who was running the marathon as her 6th lifetime marathon. We visited almost every booth and caught up. This is one of the draws of this event – the expo is always a great time! I always bump into people I know and have many enjoyable conversations. The running community is amazing!<o:p></o:p>

The weekend of the race couldn't have been more perfect. Spring is here in Vancouver in all its beautiful glory and the sun was shining, not too hot. Sunday morning, Michele and I drove downtown and parked near the finish line. We would have taken transit but the seabuses don't operate early enough on Sundays. A little annoying! Being a point to point course, we parked at the finish line but needed to get to the start line in Stanley Park. Driving to Stanley Park wasn't an option because all roads were closed for the race. But the race provided shuttle bus service to the start line for us 8Kers. We walked to the area and boarded a yellow school bus within minutes. It dropped us off a few blocks away from the start but there were volunteers there to guide us to where we needed to be. Easy and seamless!

We spent some time watching the half marathon runners go by, and of course, hydrating, washroom breaks, and all that pre-race prep stuff needed. This includes taking selfies, naturally :)

Goal was to get the water and some half marathon runners in the background!

At a few min before the gun would go off 9:30am, we shed our layers and lined up in our starting corral and got ourselves ready to run. It was absolutely perfect outside. Warm, but not hot, breezy and refreshing in the shade, and sunshine to light up the route and make Stanley Park absolutely spectacular.

I was very pleased with how well I ran and how energetic I felt. I didn't need to walk up any of the hills for the most part, except a small section as we left Stanley Park, less than 1km from the finish line, before turning onto Georgia Street. I never felt like my breathing was laboured, and it was nice to have Michele's encouraging self there and conversation too to keep me motivated and moving forward. Even so, I never felt like I was pushing myself. Every time Michele asked if I wanted a walk break or to slow down, the answer was always "no, I feel great!". So far during my pregnancy, I've never been shy to take the break, but on Sunday, I didn't need it.

I didn't realize until we crossed the finish line, but it was a much faster run than I thought it would be. It ended up being my fastest run in about 2 months, I think. When I think about it, it makes sense. Normally I take walk breaks, especially on hills, or just when I start to fatigue so when you combine or average out my running time with my walking time, my improved second trimester pace has been around 7:15-7:30/km. My first trimester pace was often in the 8:00/km range. But here I only walked about a 100m stretch and otherwise ran the whole way. I don't think my pace was any faster while I was actually running, but without walking mixed in, I averaged approx 6:30/km for this race. I was expecting somewhere in the 58min range for a finish time, but we crossed the line at 54:24. What a pleasant surprise!

And here we are, at the finish line, celebrating our finish.

We tried to get the finish line in the background but I think my head is blocking it!

I also received my medal from John Stanton. It's always great to meet him at races as he's so very positive!

Gosh I really look pregnant here!

The finish line festivities were also fun to check out. In previous years running the marathon and half marathon, I was just too tired and anxious for a shower and real food to stick around. But the nice thing about an 8km, if taken leisurely like we did, is you've got plenty left in the tank after. So we wandered, enjoyed some of the freebies, and when we'd seen it all, we headed back to North Van to freshen up and go out for celebratory brunch.

While I felt great during the race and immediately after, I was absolutely exhausted for the rest of the day and had a dull achy feeling in my abdomen that lasted right until I went to sleep that night. It was nothing to be alarmed about, but round ligament pain, which is when the muscles/ligaments that support the growing uterus are taxed. Drinking water to rehydrate my tired body and lying down helped, so I parked myself on my couch pretty much the rest of the day and went to sleep early. Essentially, I overdid it.

It has left me feeling a little bit of a dilemma. I don't want to feel this way after running again. But I had no idea I was overdoing it because I literally felt like Superwoman during the race! I never once thought I was pushing myself. But perhaps because I didn't take walk breaks, I actually was pushing myself (relative to most recent workouts). Maybe 8km is too far now, even though a distance I can easily complete? Maybe distance isn't the issue but I need to run/walk? Maybe it's about shortening my stride? Maybe I need to be more conscious of gravity and take it easier on downhill sections since I'm now carrying more weight in the abdominal region? I am not sure. I'll speak to my doctor and in the short term, I won't exceed 5km on any given run and will run/walk.

If you have insight for me, feel free to share.

<3 Z
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-47242726168687768522017-05-05T09:54:00.000-07:002017-05-05T09:54:35.690-07:00Running Victories and Pending April Fools Run (March 27th, 2017)
March 27th, 2017<o:p></o:p>

It's been a little while since my last honest running blog post. It's been a really good few weeks of running. I have found my groove and the majority of my runs have been good. I can still count the number of bad pregnant runs on one hand. That is good considering I'm running 3-4 times a week and I'm now into my 10th week of pregnancy. Yay for positive stats! <o:p></o:p>

By week 10, the embryo has completed its most critical period of development and it's tail has disappeared, making it look a little more human. 2 weeks ago, we had our ultrasound and found out everything is going according to plan and our little baby has a nice strong heart beat. Another very very positive set of stats!

With the positive stats, come a couple of running victories. On March 18th, I ran the St. Patrick's Day 5K with my sister-in-law, Michele. I had told her about the pregnancy the day before so she knew I had a valid reason for running slower, needing to walk up the hilliest hills, and staying away from the post-run green beer. It was a really fun day and we totally took the race easy, ran together, walked when needed, pulled aside for selfies when the scenery warranted it, and didn't look at my watch for any stat aside from my heart rate. We managed to finish in a respectable 34:37 which was faster than I was expecting considering our very leisurely approach. Sure it was a little slower than the West Van 5K, but this is a hillier course, and well, I was further along with my baby bump (which is now kinda visible!).<o:p></o:p>

My second victory was last week. Cam and I had a little holiday, thanks to a generous friend who gifted us a 2-night stay at an oceanfront resort on Vancouver Island. I was expecting to spend time swimming in the pools, but then realized the pools were well-heated spa pools and not the best environment for me to be swimming in (overheating in the first trimester can be dangerous to the embryo). So the run gear I brought was used more than I had planned. I ran two beautiful runs along the path next to the water. It was mostly flat too, so it allowed me to maintain a consistent pace and not stop for walk breaks. I ran 5K two days in a row and enjoyed the beautiful spring weather and ocean views. Spring hasn't fully sprung in Vancouver yet, so it was great to see the blossoms out. I even got to hang out with a hummingbird for a little while!

<o:p></o:p>

Next week is the April Fool's Run, the half marathon on the Sunshine Coast I run every year. I've been conflicted about this race ever since I found out I was pregnant and I found that running became that much harder. I decided early on that I wasn't going to push myself in training, and upping my mileage now isn't the time. I can stay pretty fit running in the 5-10K range for all my workouts. No need to go much higher. I think I'd assumed I could consistently run 10K on weekends for my Sunday long runs, and so then at AFR, I could run 10K and walk the remainder. I could still do a half marathon this year, like I do multiple halfs every year, but this would be my only one of the year and done slow. Well, it turns out that a plan to run 10K and walk 11K might be flawed. 2 of my 3 bad runs since becoming pregnant were runs where I attempted 10K. I've successfully run 10K a few times (once was just a week ago), but twice I had to bail and go home early because of fatigue. There's no sense in running myself exhausted when I'm trying to grow a vulnerable tiny human. We both need my energy. One of these bad 10K attempts was yesterday. I quit at 6km and walked home. it could be that I pushed myself too hard on the day before gardening. Or it could be that the torrential rain got to me. Or the fact my sleep the night before was not sound but interrupted by many a bathroom break. Or I was otherwise tired. I have every right to be.<o:p></o:p>

So this left me feeling more of a dilemma toward the pending half marathon. Luckily Teresa, the race director, posted on Facebook that a relay team was looking for another member. So I contacted the right people to see if I could join a team and run a quarter of the race, instead of the entire thing. Hopefully this works out, as it will give me a more reasonable running distance (the 5km range), and it'll take the pressure off of me. What if I sleep poorly again the night before the race? What if it's another bad day? It won't matter so much if I only have to run 5K. Fingers crossed this works out. Otherwise, I will stick with plan A and pack lots of snacks for the walking portion, and I won't feel shy to DNF if I need to.

<o:p></o:p>
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-3664913105658981452017-05-04T09:38:00.000-07:002017-05-04T09:38:38.468-07:00Wonderfully Magical (March 10, 2017)
March 10, 2017<o:p></o:p>

That's how I can best describe this process of growing a human – wonderfully magical. I wake up each morning remembering there is a sweet life growing inside of me. Yes, partially because of nausea, but mostly because this is a new and awesome experience. Now my little one is only the size of a blueberry, not exactly huge, but it has made its presence known. Somehow I feel his or her presence with me all the time. We have a bond I can't describe, that will continue to grow and deepen. When I think of it, when I truly think it through, it IS wonderful and magical. How amazing it is to be a woman and be capable of having this happen in our lives. I know not all women choose this path or are able to follow this path when they want to, so I know I am truly blessed to have this journey. In fact, my husband and I had been trying a while, and for the longest time, I was discouraged and wondered if this would ever happen. But sometimes, dreams do come true.

In a few short days we have our first ultrasound and I will know how the little berry is doing. I hope to see the little heart beat nice and strong. I hope for peace of mind that everything is going as well as I believe it is going. Yet sometimes I am still in utter disbelief that it is happening at all.<o:p></o:p>

Running this past while has also become wonderful again. I'm not training hard like Zahida normally does, but I have been running consistently. I haven't had a sucky run day since the first run I tried as a pregnant lady. I imagine I might have more, or there may be days in the 3rdtrimester that I am simply too large for it to be a desirable option. I don't know if it's easier now because I know what pace is manageable and I'm no longer forcing my old pace. I am rather happy going 1min/km slower than usual. Or is it because my anxiety over whether it really was safe to run has gone away? Yes, there were days where I'd run and feel tired after and worry unnecessarily that I had done something bad for the baby. But that feeling has passed because I know in my mind and in my heart of hearts that running isn't harmful (but beneficial). I can still run a decent distance fairly easily and it's wonderfully magical that my favourite sport isn't going anywhere anytime too soon.<o:p></o:p>

And last Saturday, I ran my first race as a pregnant lady, the West Van Run 5K. Given 5K can be treated either seriously for time (the usual me) or as a fun run (the current me), I had the perfect event to just go with run method B and have some fun. I was a bit nervous about it, more that I would accidentally push myself too hard in the adrenaline and emotion of the crowd. I was also nervous about my 'followers' noticing a slow finish time. Or if I bumped into anyone there, that they would see me not doing warm-up strides, and they'd see me sneakily lining up at the back and starting out at a jog. <o:p></o:p>

But, nobody I knew noticed me. <o:p></o:p>

But someone else did. A woman about my age approached me, a complete stranger, wearing a beautifully fluorescent orange top, seeing me on my own likely pacing anxiously. She said, "today is my first ever race and I am so nervous! My kids are here to support me and everything." She was exactly what I needed. And it was wonderfully magical

I responded congratulating her on the pending achievement, telling her how fun an event this was to do as a first. I then confided in this complete stranger about my own nerve-wracking milestone, "I have been running races for a number of years but I'm also very nervous about this one as it's a first of a different kind. This is my first race as a pregnant woman, and I don't know how I am going to feel out there." My brave words were greeted with a smile. I say why not tell a stranger when I can't tell just anyone I want. She wished me well too. She also told me that pregnancy is hard and everything after that is way way better. She thought it was admirable that I was running this race pregnant. Hopefully I looked suitably pregnant for her to believe me, haha!<o:p></o:p>

I did what I alluded to above and sneakily lined myself up near the back of the pack to start the race. I set my watch screen to only show me heart rate and distance traveled, so I could monitor my effort without any indicator of pace or projected finish time. Anytime my heart rate would rise above where I wanted it, even if my legs and lungs could do it, I held them back and slowed right down.<o:p></o:p>

I saw the woman in orange lined up ahead of me and I kept my eye on her. She was running about the same pace as I was, but it appears she either later slowed down, or I sped up, as I passed her around the 3km mark. As I did so, I wished her well and told her she was doing awesome. At the finish line, I waited for her to cross the line before I went to investigate the race food. I never learned her name, or shared my own, but it was so nice to unburden myself and tell her what I was going through. It was nice to have a high five with someone who too felt a great accomplishment for completing this race.<o:p></o:p>

I ran this race with the intention of having fun and going an easy pace the whole way. I had assumed in my head, that my pregnancy pace would be a 7min/km and to expect about a 35min finish at the event. Anything near that or even longer than that would have to be fine with me. I realize this was a net-downhill course, but I kept an easy does it pace the whole way, never once feeling laboured breathing, and came in at 32:53 – enough to come in in the top half of all finishers. Much slower than a usual 5km race, but I'd say a pretty respectable finish considering my 'condition' and my approach. I hope to do about the same at St. Patty's next week. I'll use the same approach. There are a couple of hilly sections so I might be slower. But who cares – I'm not looking to win. I just want to keep running, having fun, and stay nice and healthy for the little blueberry!<o:p></o:p>

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-36754933406354755902017-05-02T10:27:00.000-07:002017-05-02T10:27:42.907-07:00Primal Running (March 3, 2017)
March 3, 2017<o:p></o:p>

Pregnancy race #1 is tomorrow, as I approach the 7-week milestone in this journey (6.5 weeks). Tomorrow is the West Van Run 5K. Or should I say it's a "race" (stressing the "quotation marks") as I'm running but not exactly as competition to anyone, let's be real! This is the one I mentioned the last post saying, "I wonder if anyone will notice [how slow I am]". I have mentioned to a few who've inquired that I plan on running this race, and the assumption is that I will be trying to go fast, maybe to figure out what I'm capable of for the next 5K, the St. Patty's. You know, because I was talking about how my track workouts were going and helping me get faster. Nope – things have changed since that conversation. I'm just going to run this at whatever pace feels comfortable and keeps my heart rate where it should be. I will keep a smile on my face and not mention finish time at all in anything I publish online. <o:p></o:p>

At 7 weeks, the baby has doubled in size since last week, but is still quite small (blueberry-sized). Little paddles for arms and legs have formed, and the baby still has a little tadpole tail. It kind of looks a little weird. I continue to be tired, pretty much all the time, but I have been lucky that my nausea is manageable and I haven't been sick from it yet.

I've kind of been wondering if anyone has noticed my lack of running posts on social media these days. I wonder if people are wondering what happened to my weekly reports from the track. I'm not running there anymore… I better post *something* tomorrow, just so the questions go away. More importantly, I want to promote this event too! But I will be focusing on the fun of the event, not my performance. This might be odd to some when I say, "West Van Run was so fun!" and I don't say anything else. They will ask, "so, how'd you do?". Or they will be nosey and look me up in the results page and be puzzled. But I have to let the world know that I'm running; I will just make sure any selfies taken do not show my bloated mid-section.<o:p></o:p>

I'm so very thankful that running is something a woman can safely do in their pregnancy (with a doctor's approval). I mean, from an evolutionary standpoint, this makes sense! I should be able to continue to flee danger and hunt for food, even with child. Actually I should be able to do that especially *because* I'm with child. But it's so wonderful in a practical sense because I don't entirely have to get into a new routine. I simply adapt the one I already have and tone down the seriousness and intensity of it. It's something that has brought me joy for years and will continue to do so at least for a little while (maybe a temporary hiatus when I get huge). It is the best stress release out there that I am aware of, or that works for me, which is wonderful for me to have in a time of rapid change and uncertainty. I always feel better after I have gone for a run, even if I didn't feel particularly bad before. <o:p></o:p>

The feeling of running has always been a primal feeling I have loved. It's the main reason why I love running; I feel alive and connected to the living being that I am. I am not just an intellectual being with a career, emotions, and opinions, but I'm a living, breathing, strong animal and a force to be reckoned with. When I'm outside and running, I am aware of my heart beat, my breathing, my muscles, my surroundings, the ever-changing view, the smell of the grass and the trees, the sounds of the birds, the warmth of the sun, the taste of my sweat, and the feel of my feet contacting the ground. Running highlights this animal instinct in such a very real way. I find it empowering and I feel fierce. I feel strong, powerful, and like I can take on anything. Whilst I am much slower these days, I still feel empowered by my ability to move freely in this way. It empowers me that this physical task of growing a human is something I can do. It, just like running, was something this woman was born to do.
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-3865401994313198132017-04-30T09:35:00.002-07:002017-04-30T09:35:52.578-07:00A New Mindset (Feb 24th, 2017)
Feb 24th, 2017

I am very pleased to report that my running has not all been awful since my first pregnancy post last week. While I was confident there'd be good days and bad days when I wrote my last post, part of me worried how many or if most of my running days would be bad ones. <o:p></o:p>

In my last post, I had mentioned how tired I was and how trying running was. I was very surprised by this reaction my body had to such a tiny little dot of a baby. I mean, if the baby is hardly a baby, but a tiny, barely visible embryo, and my body looks almost exactly the same, how can it already be hard? What I didn't know until now is that pregnancy isn't just about the baby growing inside you and the toll the physical baby body takes on the mom's body, but the increase in hormones in the mom's body that enables this growth makes a HUGE difference in her energy. Also, blood volume increases in the body dramatically in order to nurture the baby and lowers mom's blood pressure. Again, a huge yet invisible change to the body. As someone with low blood pressure to begin with, having it go even lower has been an adjustment.

I am now officially more than 5 weeks in (into week 6). That means still very new at this whole growing a human thing, and so new to it that my body shows no real signs of it. But there's a lot going on inside of me in preparation for the little one, that makes everything more difficult. It's a process my body has never gone through before, so no doubt, there's an adjustment period. I'm sleepy all the time, and while I go to bed at 8:30 or 9pm each night, I wake up like an insomniac fool, starving for a snack, and, whether I snack or not, I stay awake for 2-3 hours every single night. This usually starts somewhere around 3 or 4am. While 9pm-3am might seem like luxurious sleep, I am actually waking up during that time frame at least 4 times go to the bathroom but manage to fall asleep after each waking episode. Well...mostly. And since I'm limiting my caffeine intake, I have little outside help to perk me up and help with this lack of sleep quality. I am bloated too so one might think I'm further along than I am (but it's all water and air?). But since 99.9% of the world doesn't know my secret yet, I just have to pretend I'm tired, sick, injured, and that I've put on weight. Sigh….I'm sure people are wondering what the heck is up with me, especially if they see me later in the day when my shirts are clinging to my bloated tummy.<o:p></o:p>

But all of the above are common and normal symptoms. In fact, each day I tend to feel better than the day before. Hopefully this means I won't get all pukey and disgusting as I haven't yet. Hey, I'm allowed to dream!<o:p></o:p>

Thankfully, running has started to feel good. Again, I know I will have bad days, but since the first one, running has felt relatively good if I go nice and slow. The fresh air seems to calm me down from my nerves about all these pending life changes, I don't feel any of my symptoms at all when I'm out there, and my ability to move in a way that's so familiar and strong empowers me. I am strong and healthy and I am providing the healthiest start to my unborn child.<o:p></o:p>

Running hasn't been perfect though. I do have to go slow or it's hard. I'm sure part of it is fatigue, but also with the hormonal changes going through me, my breathing and my heart rate are impacted by that too. My heart rate shoots up pretty high with minimal effort. And my bladder has gained a mind of its own and its paired with pelvic floor muscles that aren't quite working the way they used to. After a warm up jog, I need to run inside and use the bathroom again or risk embarrassment and/or discomfort for the rest of my run. But at least I can run, and I am running. My first run, the one I wrote about last, was a mere 4-4.5km (a 5km where I walked the last bit home exhausted). My next one was actually about 6km, and I was tired and done by the end, but it was easier than the run before it. Then Weds night I ran about 7km and could have kept going and going except I didn't have the time to spare. So I'm going to try to get in a 10km this weekend if I can. If I can't, I won't stress. <o:p></o:p>

So far I've only had a few people ask me about my upcoming races. I continue to tell them what I'm signed up for. Everyone assumes I'm training just as hard as I always do. But I'm not. I fooled them all! I will have them fooled until they see my upcoming finish times, especially since I talked so big about how fast I hope to be at the St. Patty's 5K. I will run it, and I hope I will be feeling as good then as I do now and can still do it in 30-ish minutes. But that's a far cry from the fast 5km I had been hoping for before pregnancy. I know when I say "yup, it took me 30 min (or heck, it might take 35min)" I will get some people looking at me weird. But I don't care. <o:p></o:p>

Don't get me wrong – many pregnant women are able to continue to run at the same pace and even be somewhat competitive. Some train for and complete half and full marathons with a much more glorious bump than what I've got going on in my early weeks. But I'm not in my 20s, I'm 36.5 years old, and this is my first pregnancy. My child means everything to me, and running is merely a secondary goal. I just want to be healthy, not a podium-placer, and I have no need to finish another big race in 2017. So now is the perfect time to adopt a temporary alternative mindset - keeping active for fitness alone. I can resume my achievement-based mindset after. It will feel good to do so after. But right now, it feels right to be kind to myself. Right now it feels right to run as much as I want to, rather than as much as I need to. Right now it feels right to branch out, run less, relieve the pressure I place on myself, and do other active things that will give me balance, like dancing, swimming. and yoga.<o:p></o:p>

I'm a little conflicted about the April Fools Run which is, of course, a half marathon. I signed up as ambassador before I got pregnant, so I had every intention of running. I assumed that even if I did get pregnant, the race would be early enough in the pregnancy that I would be able to run it anyway. Since running has been less these days, less than I assumed (this is both because of tiredness and ice on the streets I have been avoiding), I don't know. I didn't get in my big long training runs, and I don't know that I will before the big day. And the race happens before I will be going public with my news. Right now I'm thinking I'll either run/walk it (run 10K, walk 10K, ...ish), or see if I can switch to being a relay participant if there's a team that needs someone (or find my own team). Or if I really don't think I can do the run at all, I can go to the race anyway and volunteer at an aid station or finish line, or simply make fun signs and cheer and take photos. I can still be an ambassador even if I don't run all 21.1km. I'll decide closer to.<o:p></o:p>

First race is the West Van Run. That's coming soon, and I won't be fast. Let's see if anyone notices J<o:p></o:p>

<3 Zahida<o:p></o:p>
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-39640518902064158552017-04-28T13:17:00.000-07:002017-04-28T13:17:03.425-07:00Great Expectations (Feb 17, 2017)This is the first blog post of the "secret" variety. But the secret is now out and the world all knows, there's a baby on the way :) I wrote a series of pregnancy and running blog posts while my happy news was still a secret, and I'm starting to publish these to the public now.

As you well know, running is my life. I was very pleased to learn that running through pregnancy is not only possible, but encouraged, with the clearance from one's doctor. Of course, with everything else about this new adventure of motherhood, I have been getting on google regularly to ask my questions. I was surprised at how little information there was about running pregnant. Or rather, not so much a lack of information (the science and all that is there), but there wasn't a lot of personal accounts from women who've actually done it.

While every woman and every pregnancy is unique, I thought that my own reflections of my process might be helpful for some of my readers. Or, at the very least, writing for me would help me through it all, and give me something to look back on in the future. As always, my blog is personal, is a reflection, and I hold back very little. I hope this is refreshing to you.

Hope you enjoy!
Zahida (April 2017)

---

Feb 17, 2017

For those of you who don't know me well enough to know intimate details about me, my husband and I had been trying for some time to start a family.

I am so so so very pleased to be able to type the words today, that we are pregnant!!! Or rather, I am, but you know what I mean :)

Of course, the general rule of thumb is not to go announcing it to everyone right off the bat, as the first few months are rather vulnerable. So while I want to write and share about my experience in the here and now, this will be posted at a later date when it's "safe" to go public.

Today was my very first run since knowing I am pregnant. I noticed my workouts over the last week or so had been rather hard and wondered what was going on. Seemed like my breathing / cardio fitness was going down. My 12km last weekend was uncharacteristically hard for someone of my fitness. My track workout on Monday left me exhausted for the rest of the day. I knew something was up.

Then Tuesday came, Valentine's Day, and I knew without a doubt in my heart and my intuition that I was pregnant. I took a test that day in the evening and a line appeared on the test, but so faint I dismissed it, and retested just yesterday. Yup, there's no doubting it now. I have a poppy-seed sized baby developing inside me, I'm into my 5th week now, and my body is rapidly changing to prepare for all of this. My body is raging with hormones, and I can feel things moving around. It's weird and magical at the same time. I couldn't be more excited, or terrified. It's like I have indeed taken on my next marathon!

There's certainly a lot of material out there on running while pregnant, but I find there isn't much that I have found that's personal in nature, from the words of a mother. I thought my account of it could be beneficial to other readers, especially since I tend to write lots and am not afraid to make it personal. I don't know how it's going to go, to be honest. It could be the worst thing ever, for all I know. Or it could be great! What's amazing me so far is what a change being pregnant has already made to my running, already, at such an early stage. From everything I have read, there can be days where it seems like everything is the same as it always has, and days that are just HARD. This Wednesday's 6km run was normal and didn't phase me at all. But today, I felt so out of shape, could barely breathe, had to walk up hills, and quit after 4.5km. It left me a bit discouraged.

Now, a caveat for other pregnant women who may be reading this - make sure you clear your exercise program with your doctor before you proceed. My doctor has known me for years and knows my health history and about my running fitness as she's athletic herself and relates well. So she had told me that since I have been running consistently for years, it would be OK to keep going through pregnancy for as long as it's comfortable. But I will have to slow down and not push myself too hard. If you have not been running consistently, starting a brand new exercise program at pregnancy is probably not the time to start, and running especially. Brisk walking is just as effective for your fitness. I simply love running and want to continue, take my baby with me on workouts and have that time with him/her, and be able to return to my sport easier after childbirth.

I think the hardest thing about this new set of circumstances will be trying to explain to everyone why I suddenly am putting running achievements second; my competitive go-getter edge is going to disappear for a while. It was always meant to be that way; I decided long ago that running would be a secondary goal once I got pregnant. This was why I haven't been advance planning my races too many months ahead. My excuse was that I was injury prone in 2015 and wasted lots of money on race registrations, but the real reason was being hopeful I'd get pregnant any time. I know I'm likely to be able to run the races I have signed up for that fall within the next month or two, but I don't know beyond that. I also don't know if when a race day comes if I'll be having a good day, a tired day, a pukey day, so it's best I take all pressure off of myself to 'perform'. I am not going to win a race or place at this stage, so why stress. And even if I do get fast for my races that are coming up within the next month, I will slow down after that anyway. Might as well reframe my running now to be more about a way to stay active during my pregnancy, have fun, and continue to socialize in the running community.

I'm thinking my racing will be not so much "racing" but a lot of 5K events taken slower, and fun community runs I wouldn't normally do. I plan to do the other activities I reconnected with too like dance (for at least the 1st trimester, maybe not beyond that), and swimming which will feel so good when I'm huge and unable to run. Of course pre-natal yoga is something I should also consider. When I am ready, I can return to running at my previous level. I'm OK with that, and I welcome the challenge.

So there will be a lot of boldly lying going forward for a little while. I put myself out there are this serious runner, and so everyone is always asking when my next race is, which halfs I'm doing, if I am running a marathon anytime soon, what my time goals are, if they can train with me, what my track workout will be, what my pace is, etc. So for a little while, until I go public, I'll be giving a lot of lame excuses like, "I haven't decided" or "my hip is bugging me" or "I have last minute plans" or best yet "hey look, something shiny over there!". But hopefully once I am able to be honest, people will be understanding of my past deceit.

I plan to keep writing through this journey, from a runner's perspective. Hope it helps or inspires you!

All I can say is that while today left me breathless, I am hopeful it was just a bad day. I reminded myself to just relax and be OK with walking when I need to. Who cares what anyone thinks or what my ego thinks. Today I took my baby out for a walk and a run. The most important thing to me right now, is growing that baby to be healthy and happy.

<3 ZahidaZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-46176388736524504452017-04-02T21:10:00.001-07:002017-04-05T09:11:00.777-07:00Race Report: BMO Sunshine Coast April Fool's Run - April 2nd, 2017

Back home after an awesome day on the Sunshine Coast after the BMO Sunshine Coast April Fool's Run. The Coast certainly lived up to it's sunshiney name, as it was absolutely perfect out there. This was my 6th year in a row participating in this event and my 4th year in a row as blog ambassador (please note I forgot to update my bio for this year, so it's a year out of date!).

I had to approach the race a little differently this year. Normally a half marathon isn't really an issue, a challenge yes, but not an issue. I have not been able to train at the level that I would have needed to over the last several weeks, so I knew that 21.1km was not going to be realistic, or at least not a comfortable experience for me to complete. The last thing I wanted to do was not run, or to have a bad experience trying. I was thrilled when Teresa, the fabulous race director, posted on Facebook that there was a 4-person relay team looking for a 4th team member. I contacted her right away, asked if I could switch my registration, and when I had the green light, I got myself in touch with the team captain. It turned out we were a good match, and I signed up to run the last leg of the race for the team "Hill is a 4-Letter Word". Sure, a 5.4km leg isn't a challenge for me, but I knew that I wanted to be part of this event no matter what and that it'd be fun to try something different. If I took an approach that relieved the pressure of the whole distance, I could do just that, have fun. And really, that's what running is about and should be about.

One of the things I LOVE about this particular race is the community feel of the event. It's a seriously awesome race with serious competitors, and all the details you'd expect of a well-run event (it's exceptionally organized and celebrating its 40th anniversary). But the spirit of this community, those who choose to run this event, those who call the Sunshine Coast home, and everyone else, are what make this event so special. I feel like today I got to experience that more than I ever have. Deciding to run this event as a relay team member gave me a unique perspective on the race, and an experience I won't soon forget.

Soon after switching my registration over from the half to the relay, I was friended on Facebook by my team captain and part of a group chat with the other team members to plan our pre-race meet up and get clarity on who was running what leg, etc. I already felt a bit of the warm fuzzies of the awesome running community right away as my team welcomed me with open arms.

This morning, I took the 7:20am ferry with my friend Mary who returned to run the half marathon for her second year in a row after I convinced her to run with me last year. We had a great sailing, saw the beautiful sunshine warming the skies, and soon enough, we docked at the Langdale terminal with our yellow buses and the "ferry fairy" there to greet us and take us to the start line at the Gibsons Community Centre. I had the same bus driver I have every year, and great conversation with fellow bus riders, some new to the race, some veterans like myself.

At the community centre, there was plenty time to get organized, check bags, and so on. Of course, I didn't have to prep to run quite yet as I wasn't going to start running until 5.4km from the finish line. I had lots of time to spare. Instead, I snuck in some selfies and watched the start of the race.

With Mary at the bag check room

By surprise, I found and old running buddy Alexa at the start line!

BMO bear wanted a selfie too....

After the selfies, I headed beyond the start line so I could get a good look at the race as it got going. That was a lot of fun! I had a few people say "aren't you on the wrong side of the line?" which was kind of funny.

Getting ready to go!

After the race got underway, I had 20 minutes to spare while I waited for the shuttle bus to take me to my relay exchange point. It was enough time to use the washroom and relax a few min. There were later buses I could have taken, considering I was running the last leg, but I liked the idea of being able to watch the race a bit and cheer on the runners until it was my turn to run. I was going to be waiting right at the top of the hill on Marlene Rd., which I know is NOT an easy section of the race. It was sure fun to be able to tell people they killed a hill, by the time they got up to the top where I was waiting. But it also allowed me to see who was in the lead in the race. Here are blurry, zoomed in on my cell phone photos of the top finishers:

Paul Kimugal, top male and overall

Jane Murage, top female

The bus ride to the exchange was also fantastic. The bus driver was super friendly, ensuring that at every stop, runners knew where they were going, that they were given safe passage to cross the road (yay for school bus stop signs and lights!), and was quick witted and happy to chat with us on the journey. I also sat near a girl who was getting off at the same stop so we felt good knowing we would have someone to talk to while waiting for our turn to run. We had what we called "dreamboat conversation" about all kinds of topics. We got to know the other relay runners who either came on later buses or drove in, and we had a blast chatting it up and playing cheerleader to runners passing by. It was a morning characterized by "talking with strangers" and my usually introverted self was enjoying this extroverted experience. I was thrilled to hear how many of these relay participants were just getting into running, or this was there first ever race and they wanted to be part of a half marathon.

It was also so nice to be at this tough point in the race to high five and encourage Alexa and Mary as they passed. And I ended up seeing a bunch more runners I knew as well! Did they learn of this race because of ME? Maybe :) I'll just say yes!

Two of my teammates, Brianna and Emma, ended up driving to my exchange point after they finished running so they could cheer in Jasmin (our third runner) and see me off. That was awfully sweet of them! When we saw Jasmin come up the hill we cheered super loud, I gave her a quick high five, and off I was to run my 5.4km leg to the finish line.

The beauty of having run this race 5 times over is that I know it so very well, and exactly what to expect, every turn and every hill. The difference today was that I was starting a few hundred metres from the 16km mark but with fresh legs. I wasn't tired and spent, I was just starting! I was also a little cold from standing a little in the cold. Had I known better what my teammates pace was, I could have timed a warmup jog, but it was fun the way I approached. Once I got going, I warmed up plenty. The sun was sure beating down and gorgeous. I knew I had one hill to the 17km marker, another short one would come up later, but otherwise it was mostly downhill or flat to the finish.

I ran strong, and loved how quickly those km markers came by. It felt like redemption for the halfs I ran where those last kms were hard. When I turned the corner to the finish, I was very surprised to see I only took 33min to get that far (on my watch). In total, our team completed the relay in 2:25:50. Not bad at all! I was greeted by friendly volunteers at the finish, and was handed 4 medals to distribute to my team, who were all the sidelines cheering loudly!

My team Emma, Jasmin, Brianna, and me!

I found Mary at the finish line and after enjoying some of the delicious post race food (yummy soup! fruit, bagels, yogourt, loads to choose from), we watched a bit more of the race as she had a whole clan of friends (one family called the Joneses) in the event, some of whom were walking and hadn't arrived yet, we watched the kids run, and then planned our afternoon. But not before some more photo ops. Here is the Jones family and their awesome matching t-shirts!

The back of the shirts: "WTF! Where's The Finish?"

The Joneses allowed me to tag along and we enjoyed a fun social afternoon relaxing at cabins they have at Halfmoon Bay. It was a beautiful afternoon to enjoy the view of the water, and a great continuation to a very social day, getting to know new people.

So if you can't tell, this was an awesome day and I had a blast. You still wondering why I do this event every year? :)

And check out this sweet bling:

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-40998461012002379032017-03-03T14:41:00.002-08:002017-03-03T14:41:27.404-08:00The Fools Run is Coming!
In approximately 1 month, comes the 40th Annual BMO Sunshine Coast April Fools Run. This year will be my 6th year in a row participating in the event! I couldn't be more excited to be part of it again. You likely know, this is my favourite half marathon. But you might also know that the half marathon isn't always my favourite distance. So why do I keep coming back?<o:p></o:p>

Location location location! This is an excellent excuse to explore a bit more of BC. Come on, let's face it, there are only so many running routes in Vancouver we've all done 100 times. So how about something a little different? I love the feeling of running from one city to another. It's kind of badass! So how about two towns you aren't familiar with? The Fools Run starts in Gibsons and finishes at a beautiful beach location in Sechelt. Hard to beat that, if you ask me! The nice thing though is that this getaway can easily be accomplished in an affordable day trip with no car necessary because of start times chosen with ferry schedules in mind, and shuttle buses to get you where you need to be.

Accessible race entry fee – You don't have to break the bank to attend. It's not one of those races that charge everyone for the all-inclusive package. If you don't want a shirt, you don't have to buy one. In fact, if you get your act in gear and register early, you could do so for as little as $25. Talk about exceptional value. One of the factors that prevents me from running more half marathons is often the cost of events. Luckily this one is one that's affordable to all.

Small community hospitality – Perhaps this is something you have to experience to really get what I mean here. But when you run the Fools Run, you'll be thrilled with the friendliness of everyone you meet from the shuttle bus drivers, volunteers, spectators, and business owners in the community. And I have to mention that the race organizers, Teresa and Larry Nightingale are class-act, down-to-earth people who know how to organize a great event.

Something for everyone – The race is a half marathon, but there is a menu of options for being part of it. Elite runners always come to the event and it's inspiring to find out how much quicker they got to the finish line than you did (haha!). It's part of the Lower Mainland Road Race Series, if you're collecting points. You can run half marathon or opt to do an early start if you want to walk the whole event and not be pressured by time constraints. There are relay options if you want to share the experience with a team. AND, there's an adorable little kids run too for the little guys to get in on the fun.

Fun factor! Even when I've been somewhat serious about my results (I'm no elite, but my personal best half marathon from 2013 still stands from this race) I am always guaranteed to have fun. I always end up meeting someone new, whether it be on the ferry, the shuttle bus, an offered ride home, a post-race lunch I'm invited to, or at the finish line festivities. There's always great conversation with fellow runners on the course, costumes to check out, teams to cheer on, elites to be in awe of. And every year, I've managed to bring out some friends to join in the fun and introduce them to this great event.

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Will you join me this year?<o:p></o:p>

40th Annual BMO Sunshine Coast April Fools Run<o:p></o:p>

Sunday, April 2nd, 2017<o:p></o:p>

Register before March 15th to save at www.foolsrun.com <o:p></o:p>

Post AFR 2013 where I got my personal best!

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-42853125006731944212017-01-29T16:12:00.000-08:002017-01-29T16:12:29.932-08:00Race Report: YVRun - Jan 21st, 2017Last weekend I participated in the YVRun challenge that was put on by Lululemon and Vancouver Running Co. It was this fantastic event that I wouldn't have even known about if it weren't for my dear friend, Sigrid. Sigrid is one of those girls who always has her finger on the pulse and knows what's going on in town. I can rely on her to have the scoop, always. Through one of her connections in the running community, she was invited to register for this event a day before the general public, and being a team event, I then was able to sneak in as well. When registration opened the next day, as expected, the event 'sold out' that day. It was limited to 300 people (90 teams), and was 100% free! Along with the free registration came a beautiful pair of souvenir running pants with the event logo on them. They are super comfy and I loved wearing them at the event - I will get lots of use out of them and this was an unexpected perk for taking part in this event. Thank you YVRun!

I didn't really know what to expect with the event, except that it would be at least 15km, and it would be a fun event with both Sigrid and our third teammate, Lisa. Here's the event description, according to event organizers, and all the info we really had:

In teams of 2–5, you will race in an effort to complete a 15km course. The catch? There is no set route, only a start line, finish line and checkpoints along the way. No bikes, cars, ferries, planes, or horses, just your two feet and your teams knowledge of the urban landscape

Pretty sweet sounding, eh? The rest of the details we found out at the start line. But I knew it would be like an Amazing Race type thing, but all over Vancouver, without camera crews, all on foot, and without (not too) crazy challenges at each pit stop.

So given that I have a half marathon coming up at the start of Feb, this event lined up nicely as I wanted to do about 18km that day. I knew that 15km was a guideline, you know, if you traveled in the most direct route from one check point to the next. But given that we'd be finding the checkpoints ourselves based on clues, possibly getting lost or going the wrong way at some point, we would likely go over the distance. And we did!

The first challenge of the day was determining how we'd get to the start line for 12:30pm, not knowing where the finish line would be, and wanting to minimize post-race logistical challenges. Sigrid and I decided to park downtown at her office, knowing it's right by a Skytrain station, and no matter where we'd end up at the end of the day, it would be easy to get back to the car and then home. The thing was that the same day, around the same time we were making our way to the start line at Vanier Park, was the Women's March on Washington. Side note - I would have 100% been marching in solidarity had it not been for YVRun; we did find it quite entertaining how many people assumed we were part of the march given our matching outfits and that 3 of us girls were running all over town together, so we had a lot of great conversations along the way with fellow Vancouverites. But the March made the what should have been easy pre-event logistics much more challenging. Buses out of downtown were re-routed and/or well behind schedule. So we took a different bus than planned, first requiring us to get to a further bus stop than planned, then arriving several blocks further from the start line than we had hoped. The only way to get there on time was to run for it! Before the challenge had even began, we clocked over 4km.

But we made it the start line, checked in, and after some selfies, received our first clue directing us to our first of 7 checkpoints. And aren't we cute with our "team uniform" - these colourful antennae!!

With teammates Sigrid and Lisa at the start line!

We were very lucky to have had a great weather day. In fact, we only had one brief and light rain shower the whole day, and otherwise mostly sunshine. So this made it quite comfy the whole day. Running gloves not necessary, and light layers only! This is the Vancouver winter running scene I love!

We knew also that the 7 checkpoints were likely going to be some of Vancouver's points of pride, as this event was to showcase both Vancouver as a city, and the awesomeness of the Vancouver running community. But we didn't know what the checkpoints would be, what order they would be in, even if we could speculate what would be on the list, and what we'd have to do when we got to each. So that was a true thrill. I can't express how well this was organized, and how privileged I felt to be part of it.

At checkpoint #1 where we had to answer trivia about Vancouver's history. Phones were allowed, thankfully!

Our checkpoints included Terry Fox Plaza, Crab Park, Jack Poole Plaza, Robson Square, the Inukshuk at English Bay, Granville Island, and the finish line at a studio in Olympic Village. Our challenges at each station varied, from intellectual challenges such as trivia and song-writing, to physical challenges like planking and a relay race on the stairs at Robson Square. Running all over the place to get from one to another, completing the challenges, and so on, totaled just under 18km. With our 4km getting to the race, it ended up being a 22km day. Boy was I spent by the end! But here we are at the finish line!

I couldn't have asked for a better team. Sigrid and Lisa have to be two of the most positive people I know. I didn't know Lisa much actually before the event, but we've been Facebook friends a while because of the running community. Like me, she's all about having fun running, and so it was a natural fit. I have to say I struggled toward the end of the event. Having the flu this month, my training just wasn't able to be what it should have been to prep for this challenge. My body was tired, and I was likely a bit dehydrated. I had completed a 15km training run 2 weeks before YVRun, but hadn't done a ton the week of the event because of congestion and a very sore throat.

So late into the event, my legs were getting very sluggish and started to cramp. My teammates were patient with me, understanding, and ok with walking a little and in general slowing our pace down to get to the last checkpoint (thank you!). I didn't go into full-on leg cramps, thankfully, but I wasn't comfy either. But doing 22km with only 15km 2 weeks ago under my belt was the reason why. I was pleased I could still go on, albeit slowly!

The finish line party was fun and I enjoyed the festivities with Sigrid as Lisa had to leave. We enjoyed some drinks, eats, socializing, and of course, some more photo ops!

Thanks again Lisa and Sigrid for such a fun and memorable day!ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-61904308215145874902017-01-28T00:28:00.002-08:002017-01-28T07:38:04.671-08:00My First Love Was SwimmingI just returned home from an evening lap swim to my friend, Megan, and I feel inspired. So inspired that I plan on going shopping this weekend to replace my old crusty swim goggles. I feel like I've reconnected with my first love and I don't want that love to slip away. My first love was swimming, and I want to start seeing this love again more regularly, on the side a bit as I continue to dedicate my life to another sport, running, to which I am committed more seriously. In my current inspired state, I've decided the best thing to do before I go to sleep tonight is tell you a little story about my first love. First I need to clear the air about 2 misconceptions about me.

The first and most common misconception, for those who haven't known me long, is that running has always been my sport and the sport I've loved the most. When I mean "always", I don't mean for the 36.5 years I've been on this planet. I mean that many assume that I started running 9 years ago, back in 2008 when I started my weight loss journey. They think I lost weight through running. But no, I didn't start running until about 7 years ago, when I had already lost about 100lbs and running seemed like a reality my body could handle and like a nice new challenge to try. Little did I know that I would get hooked and the sport would become my obsession, making me forget about other sports almost entirely. I know, the title of this post gave it away already and you'd already figured it out - running was NOT my first love.

The second misconception is that I lost weight with the help of a fitness trainer at the gym. I can see that people would think this because I won a "success story" contest at a gym. I entered this because my trainer there thought my story was inspiring and that I had a good chance at winning the big prize. I did win the big prize, I got lots of free stuff including a new workout wardrobe, a trip to Mexico, free gym membership, and then my face was plastered on posters all over Vancouver (including the back of buses). But no, the gym was also not my first love. I joined the gym in the summer 2012, a few months after I completed my first marathon (here's a link to my blog post about it). I joined because I wanted to build muscle, improve my marathon performance, and have a place to use a treadmill when needed. And yes, with the help of my trainer, I built muscle and ran two more marathons. From there I was inspired to learn more about weight training and got my PT certification.

The photo I submitted in my success story contest entry with my marathon medals worn proudly.

I digress here for a bit from the point of this blog post, where I describe meeting my first love, because I feel the need to define my success. My first love allowed me to be successful. For me though, you must know, my success was never about the weight I lost. Even today, every time I say this well-known-in-public fact about me, that I was once 130lbs overweight, there's some level of shame in admitting I once let myself become so unhealthy. The success in my story isn't the weight I lost, or that number that was written on those posters, but it's the tenacity I had in me to do it on my own and to never quit until I got there. My success is my attitude. My success is my determination. My success is that despite my low self-esteem, I cared enough about myself to change my own life. It's the persistence that has allowed me to not only lose that weight and get healthy, but to maintain my good health over the years and turn myself into somewhat of an athlete. I'm not the fastest runner, but my work ethic and dedication to improving myself is unwavering. That attitude is my own and that's what sets me apart from the crowd. The posters should have read, "Zahida is badass".

That unwavering tenacity, that badassness that is synonymous with the name Zahida, was born in a swimming pool.

When I was a child, my parents put me in swimming lessons and I quit after the first level. I was terrified of the water, terrified that I would one day drown, and there was no way anyone was going to force me into this horrible and dangerous sport.

When I started university (at UBC), I finally realized enough was enough: a grown-up should know how to swim. UBC has always had a fine aquatics facility. In fact, I understand it got a major upgrade recently too! My best girlfriend, Jennifer, whom I've known since grade 8 was a trained lifeguard and an excellent swimmer. She and I attended the same university, so she took me to the pool, ensured me it was something I could do, and patiently taught me some of the basics. I would go early morning when the UBC swim team was practicing, and I would carefully watch them and pay close attention to their technique - their stroke, their breathing, their grace, and I would hang out in the shallow end of the pool and try to imitate them. I was learning and gaining confidence. When I was ready, I signed up for some adult beginner swim lessons and soon enough, I was a swimmer.

My ink drawing called "The Swimmer" - I drew this long before anything to do with running!

Swimming became my sport. I practiced it regularly and got quite efficient with it. And I lost weight, and lots of it. By the time I was about 22, I was 145lbs and for the first time in my life, I felt like I was drop-dead gorgeous. I started running and I ran two half marathons. Then life happened, and life happened real bad. I got heavy again. Real heavy.

After I graduated from UBC, I worked there for several years. One of the bonuses of being staff were the discounted rates I got at the pool, so I continued to go even with my weight gain, but not consistently, and not paired with other healthy habits. So naturally when 2008 rolled around and I said again, "enough is enough, I want to be gorgeous again!", my first instinct was to swim again. I paired swimming 3 times a week with healthy eating habits and the weight started to come off. It was easy to keep the routine going because I could incorporate a swim as part of my work day. Then in 2009, I moved to North Vancouver to the home I still live in today, and a few min walk from here, is a 25m lap pool. It made things even easier as I had the option to swim there in the evening and when I left my job at UBC, it didn't impact my routine at all because I had this well-known option near home. I became a regular at the pool, going every Mon, Wed, and Fri evening without fail. The staff at the pool all knew me, and it was a routine I very much loved and looked forward to.

It was made possible because my parents forced me to take swim lessons when I was a young child and then had the good sense to let me quit. I never forgot that I had quit and the need to redeem myself burned inside of me for years. So I must thank my friend Jennifer, who showed me the ropes once upon a time ago when I wanted to learn. I want to thank my swim instructor in the course I took at UBC. I want to thank another friend of mine, a male friend I was once enamored with who was once a competitive swimmer, and patiently helped me better my swim technique. I want to thank the lifeguards at the UBC pool who started to recognize me after a while and greeted me with a smile every time they'd see me. And same thing at the pool here in North Van, friendly lifeguards who noticed when I was there. I want to thank the triathlon coach who had a crew out at the pool and let me join in when the other lanes were busy with slower people. She told me I was one of hers, even though I wasn't paying her, because again, she'd observed my frequent attendance and my endurance matched that of her athletes. She boosted my confidence. I want to thank this one lady who was watching her son swim one day and I was in a nearby lane; when I got out of the pool, she approached me and told me she was also watching me and was amazed by my stamina as I swam solid for 45min without a break. I want to thank two lifeguards at my local pool specifically who approached me on different occasions to encourage me, and share with me that they noticed my dedication, the progress and transformation they'd seen in me over the years (bathing suits do not lie!) and how witnessing that had inspired them. I was the girl who swam alone at least 3 times a week without fail and became a fixture at that pool. But I wasn't alone, as my Cam was supportive of it all, and encouraged me to go pop over to the pool for my regular evening outing. He'd happily wish me well on my way out, and greet me excitedly when I'd return home.

Today I went back to my local pool. It had been quite a while. I am not sure how long, maybe a year? More? I'm not sure. But even then, it was maybe one visit? I don't know. Somehow today was different and inspiring and I'm determined to make it more regularly. Even if it's once a week or even once every two weeks - just for some good cross-training or a no-impact exercise I can do on off-days from running. Maybe it's because I went for an evening swim and it felt like home? Maybe it's because one of the lifeguards recognized me, even after all this time. Maybe it's because I had a dear friend there with me in the next lane. So thank you, Megan, for inviting me to go!

Why do I love swimming? For some of the same reasons I love running, I think. It's something I can do alone, and we all know, I like to be alone for my own introverted reasons. Even when you go swimming with a friend, you're still doing it on your own as they can only swim near you. When you're in the water, you're in another world; all you hear is the water around you and your breathing. I manage to silence my thoughts and have a somewhat meditative experience under water. All I think about is the lap I'm on or how many metres I've swam. I repeat the numbers in my head, recite them in poetic form, have them dance around in mathematic formulas in my head, what fraction of my workout have I achieved, how many laps to go. I forget about all else, all responsibilities I have outside the water, all to do lists, all matters of importance. The water washes it all away.

And some of those very same meditative qualities are what I love about running. I think with running though, and why I've taken that passion to obsession levels, is that it's also about athletic achievement. Sure, swimming is athletic. But back and forth, doing laps over and over, there's only so much of that I want to do in one session. 1 mile (64 lengths of the pool) is about my limit. But with running, a different distance is a different challenge, instead of more of the same. The scenery can change, the event can change, the elements I run in or the destination I run to, they can all change. But at its core is the same meditative space in my head that I first learned to love in the pool. It's time that allows me to centre myself.

So there you have it! Time to shop for some new swimming accessories, and I shall make my evening swims a more regular thing.

Thank you for reading! Up next, my intention is to write a report on my experience with the YVRun challenge last weekend. It was a blast with awesome running friends and some serious mileage :)

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-41131124605510756382017-01-15T18:51:00.001-08:002017-01-15T20:28:53.189-08:002017 Thoughts, and a Race Report for the Steveston Icebreaker 8K. Today was the first race of the year. Like the rest of 2017 so far, it did not go as expected. But somehow, I easily see the silver lining in it all.

I had really hoped to do well in this race as my biggest goal is to gain my speed back on the short distances. I had been very good about my training, not missing any workouts over a busy holiday December, etc. Speed training was a bit tricky with wintery conditions out, but I managed it anyway.

So with January approaching, I decided to come up with my goals for the year. I am choosing to keep my running goals on the short term - planning races no more than a few months ahead, to relieve some pressure on myself. I'm focusing on the short distances for speed, but still running long for fun. I have a couple half marathons already in the plans, including the BMO Sunshine Coast April Fools Run (of course) again as ambassador.

Check out my race calendar to see what I'll be up to!

Personally, I decided that my goal for 2017 would be to slow down and relax more! To devote more time to self care. To listen to myself and grant myself a break when I need it. You know, like be OK with Netflix and chill, or reading a book, or (gasp) missing a workout (more on the latter in a moment). I know, this is an odd goal. Most opt for doing MORE in the new year - get fit, lose weight, work out more, etc. I don't have a problem with working out. I rarely have to pump myself up into going out and getting sweaty. I really have a problem with knowing when to stop. I suck at relaxing. I need to relax more, lower my stress levels, take care of myself.

It's funny, because I guess at the time of setting this goal, I must have been approaching burnout, or my immune system was taxed anyway.....Like it's happened before, right when I realize I need to slow down, my body does something to force me into slowing down. It's like my body is one step faster than my stubborn brain. I have been sick for most of 2017, first with an awful stomach bug that was very gorey (too gorey to describe here), and sucked the life out of me and my appetite. When I finally started to feel human again from this and regained my ability to eat real food again (and get out running), I got sick with a bad cold. Coughing still, but starting to recover again - sinuses are clear and fever is gone. Technically, I suppose, you could argue I haven't been at full health at all this year. But I am on the mend now, for real.

I have kept my chin up through it because the moment I got my appetite back and felt like running again, it wasn't that difficult to get back into it because I had been so active in December.

But here's the thing, maybe I got back into running too soon? Is this why I got sick a second time because I pushed myself too hard and went out in the cold when my body was weakened already? I don't know. I've come to realize why I sometimes struggle. As a run coach and a motivational speaker, my mantra has been "No Excuses". This is how I transformed myself. This is how this former obese girl became a marathoner. It's by following a plan and reaching the goal, no matter what. It's about not whining when it's raining, cold out, late out, I'm tired, hungry, bored, etc., and just getting out there and getting the workouts done. So when the little voice says, "Zahida, you need a break", Zahida thinks "NO WAY! #noexcuses! Get it done, Zee!" and I go get it done, always. I need to listen critically to the little voice. Sometimes she's right. And being one who doesn't lack in motivation, chances are if I think I need a break, it's not actually an excuse. Listening once in a while might serve me well.

So coming to this realization and seeing the Steveston Icebreaker coming up today, I didn't know what to do. I had worked hard for this event; then January happened. I registered for this event and have done it the last few years and had a great time; but my body needed rest and was asking for a nice long sleep-in after a few rough nights previously. I made a call, maybe it wasn't the wisest call, but I'm happy with it anyway. I didn't want to regret missing the run so I negotiated with my "little voice of reason" and decided to simply lower my expectations and run today's race slow and for fun and completion than anything more "at my level". My training has lacked in recent weeks, my body is (relatively) weak and tired, my breathing is laboured, my cough is relentless, my appetite is small, but my legs work good! Staying at home was the ideal, so how could I be disappointed with a slow finish?

Photo credit: Shannon Banal - The finish line final push and looking a little awkward...

It was a fun morning, and great to catch up with some running friends at the startline. I took the race at an easy 6:00/km pace (averaged 6:07 actually), but the pace actually didn't feel entirely easy because of a sore inflamed throat and the cold icy air. But I didn't have to stop or slow down too significantly. I held back when I felt like I could go faster. One of the perks of this race is that it's a small field so despite running with lowered expectations, it was enough to get me 4th in my 5-year age category :) Sure, if I was feeling well and able to run my race pace, I might have got 3rd place and a medal. But I'll take 4th on a day I certainly felt sub-par.

What's next? A fun run event this weekend with some girls called YVRun and then the Hypothermic half marathon at the start of Feb. I'll take it easy this week until the event to ensure I feel good to go.

With members of West Van Run Crew at the finish line festivities.

Thanks for reading, and for your support!

<3 Z
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-64369607260127290232017-01-10T11:58:00.000-08:002017-01-10T12:09:49.454-08:00Polar M200 Review

Hi friends. I've been very bad about keeping this blog up to date this last little while. I have plenty to say all the time, but I could come up with hundreds of excuses for not committing those ideas to paper. So I apologize, and I do hope to write plenty more this 2017. In fact, I wrote this post over a month ago but as I hadn't taken any photos to complement it, or had a chance to edit the text, I kept forgetting to post it. Then Christmas busy-ness and the flu came along.....But I need to write more so I might even start my next post today and post it later when I have it edited. Wish me luck!

Anyway, I decided that I wasn't going to wait until I had a chance to edit this text before posting it. I wrote this in early Dec and so this is a bit out of date (ie., I have used it more and learned more about it since), but what is said here is still relevant. Here goes:

Product Review – Polar M200<o:p></o:p>

First of all, Polar did not ask me to write this review; it's of my own accord. Considering it's a newer product on the market, I thought I'd be a helpful running citizen and offer my opinion. I also find that much of what I have read suggests that this watch is perfect for the beginner athlete. While I agree it's great for beginners, I believe there's more to it than that. So for other "not-so-newbie" runners out there who are like me and take your running pretty seriously, perhaps you will appreciate my perspective. This watch is pretty great for you too.<o:p></o:p>

Photo credit: Polar

I can see why it's targeted to beginners; the watch shows minimal stats for running workouts and also features a 24/7 activity tracker to help motivate you to be active. I don't need the reminder to be active personally, but I don't mind a bit of a virtual high five when I've kicked ass on a particular day! And truly anyone can benefit from a watch that has wrist-based HR, accurate GPS, long battery life, and the unbeatable price-point retailing around $189. A serious yet recreational runner like myself can certainly benefit from this product too and I'm thrilled I made this purchase. In the same way that one size does not fit all for shoes, a runner's watch / activity tracker's complexity should also match a personal preference. I like that the watch itself gives me little feedback, but when I want to see more information, there's a whole bunch of stats for me to sink my teeth into on the Polar Flow app (both mobile and desktop platforms).

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Polar Flow mobile app - FYI, my heartrate was high for this workout as it was very cold outside and I was recovering from the flu.....perhaps I should have shown you other stats instead, :)

First off, a caveat: I am not an expert at the more fancy-schmancy running watches out there. No, this watch is not going to track every detail of your workouts like those high-end Garmins out there. But for me, this is an absolutely perfect attribute. I mentioned it already, but I take my running pretty seriously. So if there's any feedback, insight, or statistic that talks about my running, I am likely to obsess and stress about it. I used to run with something that told me too much info and it got to a point where that got me down, particularly when I was returning from injury and not quite as fit as I used to, and I was therefore not seeing the numbers I wanted to. I was at risk of losing the joy of the running and the ability to get lost in the meditative / thinking-of-nothing state because I kept staring at the numbers and wishing they were different. So once I could justify buying a new watch I opted for the simplest of the simple watches and got a Garmin Forerunner 10 which is a bare-bones GPS watch which I love. It tells me how far I went and how fast. Not much else (yes, I'm oversimplifying). For the most part, this is perfect!

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But I have come to realize that a heart rate watch is a benefit to me to ensure I am indeed training my long slow distance runs at zone 1, rather than zone 2 (i.e. for me the zones I speak of relate to lactate thresholds and that other sciency stuff from past assessments - I should get an updated assessment to be sure of it). I know the science behind it, so it felt like time to start monitoring this again. I wanted a watch that had both GPS and heartrate, but I want to save my running budget for things like shoes and races. I also really didn't want to have to wear an uncomfortable heart rate strap (to me it feels like wearing two sports bras; no thanks) and I was leery of wrist-based heart rate monitors and their accuracy. After reading positive reviews of the new technology behind this watch, learning of the price point, and trying the watch out for myself on a workout (thanks to my coaching gig at Running Room and thus meeting a rep from Polar), I decided it was the right choice for me and so I went for it.<o:p></o:p>

Here are some benefits of this watch:<o:p></o:p>

  Combination GPS and HR for a great price. It retails in that $189 (CAD) range, but I got an even better deal because of my work at Running Room

 Wrist-based heart rate monitor, and it turns out, this is very accurate

- Interchangeable straps, you know, to match outfits! Simply pop the watch out and load it into another strap.

So many colour options!

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  Waterproof design so you don't have to worry about rainy workouts, and so you can give it a rinse after a sweaty workout. I believe you can wear it in the pool too (don't quote me on it), although it doesn't track the stats a triathlete might want.

 What I've already shared regarding the simplicity of the watch and stats you see on screen. You can set up different screens and customize what you see when.

- Loads of additional data can be seen on your activity and workouts on the Polar Flow app (e.g, maps, heart rate charts, graphs, etc.). It is super easy to sync with your phone via Bluetooth or on a desktop computer's browser with a USB connection.<o:p></o:p>

Desktop platform

- Additional benefits of a fitness tracker, which, along with the simplicity of the watch, make this one marketed more for the entry level athlete. For me, I don't consider myself entry level (I take things pretty seriously), but simplicity and cost-effectiveness are important to me, so this watch was the right choice for me.<o:p></o:p>

All the benefits, the expected ones (mentioned above) and additional ones (which I'll get to in a moment), made the Polar M200 worthy of a blog post! So here we are. In attempts to understand how this watch works, I have worn the watch in these conditions:<o:p></o:p>

 As a watch, allowing it to track my daily activity on an "inactive days (day without a workout), days where my primary activity is going to the office to work, and a rest day from exercise

 As an outdoor GPS running watch, wearing it to track my distance, pace, heart rate zones

 Overnight to check sleep quality

 For an indoor treadmill workout (don't judge, it's winter and it was icy on the sidewalk) so I can see how it tracks my distance based on steps and continue to monitor heart rate

I have yet to try this watch for these activities

 A track workout where I want the watch to time hard run/recovery jog intervals – I am not sure what capabilities this watch has for this type of workout

 An 8-hour shift working at my running store job where I'm on my feet all day. I've always wanted to know how much walking I end up doing on one of these shifts because I always return home super hungry!

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Additional Features of the watch that I've noted in my first week with the watch:<o:p></o:p>

Activity tracking

 Bonus to the watch, thought I'd give it a try out of curiosity. This watch comes with a step counter. The concept of 10,000 steps is a popular challenge many try to get to as a daily goal. I am pleased to see that even on my "inactive days" (days without a workout), I get in this many steps or close to that anyway. Perhaps I don't need the tracker and its gentle reminders to get up and move, but it's been nice reinforcement that my already automatic tune of getting up regularly and taking the long route, or the walking route somewhere works.

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- <o:p> </o:p>24/7 tracking

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 shows time spent lying down, sitting, standing, walking, and running as well as total distance covered (based on step counting + any workouts where distance was calculated based on GPS)

- neat feedback because I thought I'd only care about my actual workouts being tracked, but it's nice seeing how much additional activity I was getting in a day. Every time I get out of my desk and walk to the office kitchen or washroom, the walk to/from the parking lot to the office, walking around at home while doing housework, out and about running errands, etc., this daily mundane activity all adds up and 'counts' but it's activity I tend to forget about

- Sleep activity – I wore it once overnight. Wasn't uncomfortable, but I don't like wearing jewelry of any kind to bed so likely won't repeat. But again, I found the feedback interesting. I happened to wear the watch on a particularly long sleep. But I did get up a couple times to use the washroom and needed a bit of time to fall back to sleep after each instance. My watch was able to tell me that I was in restful sleep for 7.5 hours and restless sleep for 1 hour. What this tells me is that maybe simply shutting my eyes for 7-8 hours isn't enough, because of periods of restlessness. <o:p></o:p>

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Activity goals<o:p></o:p>

You can set a goal for how active you wish to be daily, and the watch will suggest how to achieve it. For me, I picked a pretty high activity level as my goal. As a result, I don't get there on non-workout days, although I will still reach between 8,000 - 10,000 steps.

On a run day, I often reach 300% or more of the goal, but whatever. I move my feet a lot, but of course, stride length is longer than walking. The goal tracker knows that even though you're stepping less, when you're running, you're covering more ground so it doesn't penalize you based on steps alone. It calculates how well you've done in relation to your goal, accounting for walking steps and running steps as different types of steps. I appreciate this! You can also set an event goal (ie., complete a 10K or marathon) and the Polar Flow will suggest a training plan – haven't tinkered with this yet.
ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-11024464007168506842016-11-13T16:22:00.000-08:002016-11-14T09:04:57.670-08:00Racing 10Ks to finish off 2016Wow, I am slee-peh! After a wet and chilly morning at the Fall Classic 10K at UBC, I warmed myself up with a hot hot shower at home, some leftover pasta, my fuzzy slippers, and even turned on the gas fireplace a few minutes. A bit of overkill, but as I sit on the coach in comfy pants watching the CFL playoffs (Go Lions!), my body is melting away, thinking of a nap, but my mind is buzzing excitedly after a great run today.

10K races have never been my favourite. The distance in of itself isn't a big deal and a distance I run quite regularly. But in a race environment where you want to run it in as fast a time as you can, it's what I call "a little taste of hell". I tend to avoid these races as a result, in favour of either shorter or longer races. A 5K, one can run at quite a high intensity and push quite hard, but it's a quick and dirty distance, done only a short while after it's begun. You might feel like you're going to die, but the finish line isn't far away so you get through it. When you're done, recovery doesn't take long at all. As a result, the 5K is my favourite racing distance, and normally what I choose when given the choice between a 5K and 10K. A half marathon is much longer, but because of this, you pace yourself accordingly. The hell of this distance isn't breathing or heart rates going up and up, but the distance itself. If you train the distance, it's not a big deal to do this at the event. But a 10K is a piece of hell in between. You have still quite a ways to go to get to the finish line, yet you don't get to let up that much on pace. You are just a gear slower than a 5K pace, over twice the distance; it's both a challenge of high intensity and endurance.

My best 10K efforts were in 2013 and 2014. I actually don't even know what my personal best is because I always look at my 2013 Cunningham Seawall as my best. This race was 9.5km before it became a Rock N Roll event, and my best finish when adjusted for the extra 500m would be 51:08. But of course, I never actually ran a 51:08 10K. In 2014, I ran a 54:46 10K at Summerfast, so that's likely my actual best - it just doesn't feel that way because of that epic Cunningham result.

Then if you remember, I tore my calf in August 2014 and had a comeback to take on. It didn't take long to get my endurance back, but my speed took a hit. I won't rehash what a challenging year 2015 was for me, but since then, I've been working super hard to improve my fitness. But I also know I haven't done enough specific 10K training, you know, running longer intervals etc., as again, I prefer the short speedy stuff or the long comfy stuff and don't like the in between. I know that if I do this work, I will see the returns. I just have to decide what I want to achieve and then go after it. Don't get me wrong - I am still working hard as heck, but I could make that work more specific and see better returns in a 10K. I believe though that the work I've been doing would make for a quite good 5K. So I'm going to keep that up and try for a good 5K before 2016 comes to a close.

After registering for a few 10K races in 2015 and skipping them all due to injury and my bad year, I just ran 3 10K races since September. All went quite well and I'm thrilled.

There was that rainy rainy birthday run at the Eastside 10K, and I did quite well here, finishing in 57:38. Probably because I was eager to get out of the rain, or because I tried a new warmup routine called "hide in your car and whine about going outside" as opposed to my usual dynamic warmup + 2km jog.

Then I tried again at the Rock N Roll 10K in October, but I had a hard time after some recurring migraines leading up to the race. I was slower at this event, but was pleased with this finish considering the circumstances. I felt quite badass that I could do as well as I did considering I felt like absolute crap that week, coming in at 57:54. I originally thought I finished well over 58minutes, but it appears either I misread my watch (didn't stop it on time) or the official results were adjusted. I dunno!

I keep meaning to buy this photo and keep forgetting....

And then there was today's race, the Fall Classic 10K which was my best 10K finish since 2014, coming in at 57:05. I think I look rather cute in my blurry selfie with a combined sweaty and rainy mess of hair in my new pixie do. What an excessively large medal for running 10K, but I'll take it. I worked hard and it was a good race!

I firmly believe I am capable of a 55min 10K at this point in my fitness, again, and perhaps I could have achieved this if I had thought it through sooner and been training with longer intervals. A 5:25-5:30/km pace is pretty comfy and I held it for a good 7km. I had 2 sloggy kms after that before my 10th km wake up call. Up until that point of slogginess, I was with the 55min pacer and holding conversation comfortably. Then a hill came that I couldn't get my breathing right on and found myself playing catch up trying to find the pacer again, more and more runners getting between us. He slowly disappeared from my sight, but thankfully I quickly rid him from my mind too and focused on myself and the task at hand. Once I caught my breath and reset my pacing, I had a heckuva quick last km and finished running strong and proud.

Lesson learned today, and as I look ahead at future races, I'll be more intentional in my planning. I was a bit of a last minute planner with many of my races this year, and this was on purpose. My philosophy was built around the many missed races of 2015 that I didn't want to overly advance plan and face disappointment if I had to give a race a miss. I wanted to be spontaneous and enjoy myself at races rather than being super competitive. My attitude was "sure I'll run that one next week" rather than training for that one the whole time. But I've been injury free this year (touch wood) and my fitness is at its best in a long time so I think now I start advance planning a bit more. If I pair that with being intentional with my weekly speed sessions and how I tackle them, I can ensure they are preparing me strategically for the races I've selected. That prospect excites me. Let's see what 2017 brings!

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-35159260755753313872016-10-10T21:27:00.001-07:002016-10-10T22:33:29.347-07:00Race Report: GoodLife Fitness Victoria Half Marathon - October 9th, 2016I did it! I completed lifetime half marathon #24 yesterday at the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Marathon. It was a great day, and if you've been following along, you'll know that it was a special one for me. If you know me, you've likely figured out that at times, I can be a bit of a sentimental sap. You will also know that lately, I have not been friends with the half marathon distance, as for some unexplained reason, my legs seize into cramps. So I have been hesitant to do more half marathons this last while. I still do them, but my enthusiasm for them has been waning. I love the achievement and I love training the distance, but the pain of the cramps and the discouragement of being slowed down to a walk and to poorer and poorer finish times has been too much.

But when I realized that this half marathon was marking a milestone, I had to sign up. 5 years ago, this same half marathon was my "comeback". Crossing that finish line in 2011 was one of the biggest achievements of my life. This is despite the fact that it wasn't my first half marathon, and despite the fact that I would go on to run 3 marathons after. This was my "comeback half marathon" that would set the course for a long term, sustained, healthy lifestyle. It was so much more than just 21.1km of running.

My first half marathon in 2003.

I had run 2 half marathons previously, in 2003 and 2004, but I almost don't even count those ones. Those were when I first lost weight, about 100lbs in a year (too fast), and wasn't able to keep it off. I put it all back on, and more so still, in a short amount of time. When I was slim back then though, I for the first time in my life saw myself as beautiful and capable of athletic achievement. But none of that lasted. Even though the accomplishment of finishing those races is no less, I feel ashamed that I couldn't maintain my healthy self. All that work, and for what? Did I do my body good or more damage? I sometimes don't even mention that those races happened because I then have to explain what happened between 2004 and 2011.

When I made my comeback to health in 2008, my secret goal was that I could lose enough that running would be possible again. In 2010, I was almost at my goal weight, and running was possible again. After a few health issues I had to get past (that included two surgeries), I was ready to train seriously again, and I picked the Victoria half marathon in 2011 because of my friend Patti's recommendation. By this time, I'd lost around 120lbs, and I was the healthiest version of myself yet because I had lost the weight in a healthy, sustainable way. In the 7 years between 2004 and 2011, I had come a long long way. 5 years later, I am still running, and I'm at my healthiest weight, I keep getting fitter, (and I'd like to believe, I'm looking younger than ever)....But very importantly, I'm also no longer ashamed of my past. I embrace it, it's my story, and I've grown because of it.

At the Victoria Half Marathon in 2011

2008's health comeback was very much inspired by my father. I had just gotten to know him again after a difficult past and years apart. We lived together for 4 years, and it was the start of what I thought would be a long friendship. Unfortunately, life had other plans, and he was taken suddenly from me: a heart attack he couldn't survive. It shook our family, and it was a wake up call to me. How healthy was my own heart with my weight issues? After a year of grieving and recovering from this loss, I was ready to change my life. Initially it was about being heart healthy for my Dad, but I soon realized it was about being healthy for me.

And so you know, this blog was born, about 5 years ago, when I started training for this half marathon.

What's neat though, is that it didn't even occur to me that this race also coincides with a few other important dates. Dad's birthday is on October 6th and this race is always right around that date. The race also happens over Thanksgiving weekend too. So every year, when it comes to remembering Dad on his birthday, I'm somehow participating in this event. I wear his memory on my heart every year I run. And after I run, I spend the day with family to celebrate a holiday about giving thanks. I think about how thankful I am to have both the family I was born into, as well as the family I married into. But as I run and move my healthy body and cross the finish line, I also think of how thankful I am to be healthy, and to finally feel what it means to be alive. I am not a prisoner in an incapable body anymore. My body doesn't prevent me from experiencing my world anymore. It doesn't hold me back from confidently or boldly pursuing my dreams. It is strong and capable. It enables me to explore the world on foot and achieve greatness. Yes, any race, any training run for that matter, no matter what distance, is greatness.

And that there, this realization, is what achievement really means.

I could get all wrapped up in my personal battle with how I define "achievement" when it comes to running. My half marathons haven't gotten any faster. In fact, I have slowed down a lot. But I think I'm reconnecting with my love for the sport and with realizing that every step is a step forward. Every healthy action I take, is success.

So when asked if I had a time goal for this event, I joked and said, "somewhere between 2hours and 2.5hours, depending on if I cramp"..... I have to be mentally prepared that it might happen, that way I'm not overly disappointed if it does. I am fit enough to run it in that 2 hour range, but I took it slow yesterday, treating it the same as I would a training run, with a pace around 6:15-6:30/km. I crossed the 10km split in 1:03, so I knew I was in good form to finish in around 2:15. I did what I could to maintain this, held back when I wanted to go faster, sped up when I wanted to slow down, and checked my pace regularly on my watch in case I wasn't being a successful "body-whisperer".

My sister-in-law and niece were volunteering at the 13km aid station, so that gave me something to look forward to - some familiar faces and cheers. It helped a lot and gave me a boost at a very appropriate time. I made a silly face for a photo and kept going, and it took a while to wipe the smile off my face.

I should point out, I'm wearing my finisher shirt from 2011 here.

It was smooth sailing to the finish line, and I almost didn't believe it. Don't get me wrong, I was still uncomfortable, but there was no pain, no cramping, none of the stuff I have been experiencing in the longer races. It's like the universe was giving me what I needed to get through it positively. The stars aligned? Dad was watching over me? I did something right in my training that I didn't do before? Who knows what happened. But it was awesome. I even had the energy to laugh and socialize with fellow runners on the course. And now that I finished a half without pain, I'm hungry for more.

I know the course turn by turn, having run this race a few times now. So it gave me confidence to know for sure that the end was near. And just when I got around the final corner and could see the finish line, I knew I was there and I'd done it. Before that point, I kept thinking "don't get cocky, you could still cramp! Don't go all out, just in case" But then I could see the finish line and it was getting closer and closer. I started saying, quite out loud, "yes, you've done it!" and "Zee, you've done it!" . So when I crossed the finish line and was greeted with "congratulations Zee" (i.e. I personalized my race bib), I was almost delirious with joy. No tears though! :)

I didn't even look at the clock on the way in because I knew it had to be much better than my 3 previous half marathons of 2016. In all three of those, I cramped up. Here I didn't, and I had done a great job of pacing myself. I knew it had to be good. I crossed the line in 2:18:06, and while I still feel the need to explain that this is far slower than my best, I could not be any happier with my result.

She did it again!

So I am thrilled. I'm thankful. I'm not just thankful for this race's outcome, but for the gift of movement I have been given. I am thankful to be able to run, to be able to call myself healthy, to call myself an athlete. I am thankful and proud of who I am. I am thankful for the strength I have had to overcome all I have to get to where I am today. I am thankful of 5 years of long distance running, and many many more to come.

At the finish line I reunited with my husband and my nephew (who ran the kids run), and spent the rest of the day with family celebrating Thanksgiving. How perfect! It was such a great day.

Thank you for your love, encouragement, and support through the years

<3 Zahida

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-17062991148054737122016-10-02T14:53:00.001-07:002016-10-02T15:15:44.043-07:00For the LOVE of the Run - 5 Years and CountingOh no, I've done it again, waited too long to write....again. My excuse this time is that school is back on, so my work/life routine hit a reset at the end of August. I kept calendaring "write a blog post" but something would always get in the way. Finally, I am here.

It seems senseless, now that two weeks has passed, to write a full on race report for the Vancouver Eastside 10K that I ran on September 17th, on my birthday. But I thought I'd fill you in on that run and some other run related reflections (excuse my alliteration) from the past month-and-a-bit, and an important 5 year milestone that's around the corner for me.

And that's where the title of this post comes into play. This last while, I have certainly reconnected with my love for running. I have never stopped loving it, don't get me wrong. It's just that at times, the focus of running has been on other things - achievement, weight loss, getting faster/fitter, recovering from injury, a goal race, etc. But right now, simply LOVING to run has been enough. Here's what I mean by this.

1) Vancouver Eastside 10K
This race fell on the very same day as my birthday this year. So naturally, I chose to run this as my way to celebrate my day. If I didn't love running, I wouldn't have chosen to wake up early and do this on my special day. And to boot, I invited all my friends and some chose to run with me, others chose to just join me for brunch. At one point I realized how funny it is that I see running as a party now. The old me wouldn't believe that this is who I've become. Ha!

And to make it even that much more hardcore, we did all this in the absolute most pouring rain imaginable. If I didn't love the sport, I would have bailed! But I am so glad that I didn't, because I ran really well that day, meeting my goal for the event. Despite the rain, I had fun!

Getting drenched running with my "birthday girl" bib, and feeling hardcore.

With some girlfriends who braved the rain with me, all of us drenched at the finish line.

2) Lower Mainland Road Race Series

For the 3rd year in a row, I made the effort to participate in multiple events as part of the Lower Mainland Road Race Series, and I managed to squeak in an award too, also for the 3rd year in row. So again, when you think about it, the old me would be shaking her head - I did all kinds of races this year and ran well enough to get an award? And I chose the location of my birthday brunch to be the same location as the awards ceremony so that my friends who were also getting awards and I could collect them more easily. I am good at running? I love it enough to do it voluntarily and pay to race often? And my friends run too? Who am I?!

But really, what I love about the LMRRS is that it's about competing with oneself and with our peers. It's not about the speedy elite runners I can't ever come close to. It's about recreational runners here who are good enough and serious enough to be well above average, and for us to have incentive to do our best in multiple events. I definitely chose my events carefully, knowing which ones I could score points in, and which ones I didn't have a chance in because of the competitive field. I always ran the best I could, and am proud of my year in running. The awards are in September, culminating the races you've done so far in the year, and forcing you to reflect on how you've done. It's nice to be rewarded for all the work put into it since January, at the end of the summer season! Makes me feel good and ready to tackle my next events.

Friends posing with LMRRS awards and Eastside 10K race medals

3) Run Clinic Instructor

I have been working part time at the Running Room for about 5 years now, but had not previously ever signed on as a run instructor. A lot of it had to do with time commitments being focused elsewhere. But this summer, a 10K clinic instructor was needed and I stepped up the plate. It was a small group, but I had fun, fun enough that I have now signed up to coach the 5K and Learn To Run clinics this fall. There are many things I love about coaching. You get to share your knowledge, get in some extra workouts, etc., but the most pleasurable part of it all is the energy return you get from the participants. When I get feedback about something they learned, the improvement they've noticed in their own ability, the fun they are having in a session, how activity is impacting their life, this gives me great joy. It's incredibly rewarding and I hope that I have something to do with, some sort of lasting influence, however small, in someone remaining active and healthy, and with a long-term love for running themselves. Maybe someone I coach ends up reading this!

4) The Victoria Half Marathon - 5 years and counting!

And a week from now, I run the GoodLife Fitness Victoria Half Marathon. This is the very event, 5 years ago, that started this whole blogging adventure. I was training for this half marathon and was encouraged to start this blog. It was this event 5 years ago that I trained for after losing all that weight (the 130lbs) and getting my health on track. It was 5 years ago that I crossed that finish line and my passion / addiction for this sport was born. I can't believe it's been that long, or that it's only been that long, but you know, regardless of how long 5 years is, I have to acknowledge it. You may recall reading my post on my blogiversary - the milestone marking when I starting writing. This to me is even bigger though, because this marks when I actually DID IT!

At the finish line of the Victoria Half in 2011.

Since starting out in 2011, I have participated in this event in Victoria every year. Well, last year I didn't, although I was registered to (we were in Disneyland....). But I have run the marathon once, the half marathon twice, and the 8K once. I love the event as it's at Thanksgiving so lends itself nicely to a visit with family. It's also big, exciting, with a huge turnout, nice swag, and big expo, etc. It was a no-brainer to sign up this year, although I wasn't sure I wanted to do another half.

But when I realized that this event would mark a 5-year milestone, I had to sign up and train for it. For reasons very personal and very real, I have to mark my milestone. And now, this event will be my 24th lifetime half marathon. To me, that's pretty darn awesome, and I am very proud to acknowledge how far I've come in these 5 years. 24 halfs. 2 dozen! And when I cross the finish line this year, I have a feeling it might get emotional! :) If I remember to, I plan to wear my finisher shirt from this event in 2011.

Thank you, always for your kindness and support.

<3 Zahida

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-4121552841264386191.post-29226526909295291632016-08-25T12:06:00.001-07:002016-08-25T12:11:42.156-07:00Zahida's Tips for the Grouse GrindFor my readers outside of Vancouver, sorry for this post as it's about a very local topic. The Grouse Grind is a popular and challenging hike to the top of one of the local mountains in the Vancouver areas - Grouse Mountain, in North Vancouver, BC, often referred to as "nature's stair master". It's only about 2.9km in total distance, but this is straight up and therefore challenging with 2,830 stairs taking you up to the ~1100m summit. A novice hiker can complete it in about 2 hours, the average hiker likely takes about 90 min. A regular runner is likely to finish it in about an hour or so, as the common thinking is that the effort is similar to running 10km. The fastest ascent recorded is something crazy like 25min.... Anyway, as you can see, it's a perfect little workout with a big fitness impact!

I decided to write about the Grind because it's one of my favourite non-running workouts to do, particularly in the summer. Stair climbing certainly uses the legs yes, so it's not necessarily something to do to rest the legs entirely or to recover from running. But stairs work the legs in a different way from running and there are huge benefits to this:

Plyometric workout that builds strength and power in the legs - this is very important for both endurance and speed.

Uses stabilizer muscles such as gluteus medius which gets neglected running (and we cannot neglect this as runners). Stability is so important for injury prevention.

Improves your ability to run up hills by improving your VO2 max.

The above benefits are from an article I pulled from Runner's World. See the full article here.

Many of my runner friends agree that this workout is great for cross-training and I'm a bit of a regular on the hill. I thought I'd tell you a bit more about why that is as I outline my tips for a great experience on the Grind. These tips are numbered, but they are not truly in priority order.

Zahida's Grouse Grind Tips

1. If you want to improve your performance, go often:

If you want something to feel easier over time, practice can only help. The first time you do the Grind, you'll probably hate yourself for choosing to do the workout. Next time you do it, it will automatically feel easier and you'll hate yourself a little less. Some of that is mental (I now know I can do this), but some of that is adaptation, especially if you don't wait too long before you go again your second time. You want your body to adapt to the stresses of the workout so it can handle it more easily. Also because this workout includes lots of stairs and a bit of hiking on rocks, getting a good rhythm / cadence in your stride comes with practice and confidence. I recommend going once a week at minimum if you want to see such improvements because any longer than that, your body or muscle memory forgets any rhythm it's learned.

One of my ink drawings, this one titled "A Fine Grind"

2. Invest in a Grouse Grind local's pass:

No, this is not an ad for Grouse and they haven't asked me to endorse them. I am just all about getting the best deal. For $129, you get a full year of use of the mountain, meaning unlimited use of the Skyride plus additional perks. Each time you hike up, you need to take the Skyride to get back down the mountain and if you pay per use, this is at a cost of $10 each time. As mentioned above, if you want to make progress and improve your performance on the Grind, the best way to do that is to go often. 12 hikes later, or 3 months of going weekly, and the pass has paid for itself, and there's still the rest of the year. For a bit more, you can get a parking pass and a timing card to track your progress. There is even a 2-year pass available with more of a cost savings. These additional benefits are worth it, but I opted for the basic 1-year pass. The investment means I am prioritizing going to the hill more often (a bit of buyer's remorse doesn't hurt!). And I'm making a point of taking advantage of the additional benefits of having the pass such as using the peak chairlift (which is free with a pass but would otherwise be at a cost) to/from the very top of the mountain, taking guests up/down the hill for tourism and nature programs for 50% off, etc. And when Christmas comes around, I won't be hiking, but I'll be sure to go up the hill using the pass to enjoy the holiday-themed events and attractions such as the outdoor skating rink etc.

Birds in Motion nature program at Grouse Mountain.

3. Respect the rules of the trail

I firmly believe in following the rules. They are in place for safety and also for the maintenance of this popular trail. I never hike the Grind when it's in its off-season months. The trail closes because of climate-related safety concerns and also so maintenance work can be completed. Some people hike when the trail is closed and put themselves at risk. In the same vein, hiking down the hill is prohibited for both safety reasons (for yourself and other hikers) but some choose to do it to save $10. My thinking is that if you want to hike for free, there are literally hundreds of other options in BC for this as we're truly blessed with trails, mountains, and works of natural beauty to explore. Paying $10 for a workout is truly not a big deal when you think of what gym memberships or fitness classes can go for. Also, if you do something risky and get yourself in trouble, you put someone who has to come rescue you at risk. I know I am opinionated about this and that some will disagree with me and think I'm uptight, but to me, there's nothing more important than staying safe, both for your own well-being as well as for others.

4. Be prepared with appropriate gear

This goes along the same theme of staying safe. I think some who aren't familiar with our mountains don't realize they are hiking up a real mountain. Proper clothing will allow for a comfortable and safe experience. Or perhaps when you're at the base of the mountain, the summit doesn't look far away (it's because what you can see isn't the top of the mountain, so it doesn't look high). Or they hear it's a 90min hike, and that sounds easy, but it's 90min straight up! So you will see people in jeans or inappropriate footwear, and I can only imagine how miserable they will feel on the trail, let alone how the bad shoes could lead to poor footing and perhaps a slip or fall. The bare minimum should be a running shoe; I choose to wear trail runners so I have additional traction and a harder sole and toe guard for any steps I take that may be sloppy when I start to fatigue. Definitely wear comfortable, breathable and moisture-wicking clothing as you will sweat...a lot. I usually hike up in shorts and a tank regardless of the outside temperature because otherwise I feel too warm from the workout and elevated heartrate. I take a small waist pack (I prefer to not wear anything on my back because I get a very sweaty back) that has room for my Grouse pass, safety whistle, ID, keys, cell phone, water, and a clean shirt to change into when I get to the top. The clean shirt is a must in my books because while you're comfy hiking, once you stop and you're in a wet shirt on a windy mountain peak, you will feel cold quite quickly. I make sure to eat a good breakfast before I get to the mountain, but if I don't have the chance to eat before, I might pack a small snack with me in case I need a sugar boost.

5. Water, it's non-negotiable

I always take water or sport drink on this hike. For me, it's about an hour's workout, so I might not actually feel the need to drink water during. But it's nice to have the option should I need a sip or two along the way. Sometimes I drink none of it, and sometimes, I drink all of it and refill at the summit. Either way, it's nice having the option as staying hydrated is important and there's nowhere to get water on the trail. You don't want to be so thirsty but be stuck without. Also, it's important to remember that you are out in a natural setting and that there's always the possibility of something going wrong. Weather could change suddenly, you could get hurt and need help or extra time to get off the hill, or even though unlikely, you could get lost (it has happened before). Anyway, regardless, you're not 100% in charge when you're out in the wilderness; even though this trail is well traveled and not out in the middle of nowhere, it's still a mountain and deserves respect. A bit of water with you could be something very important if you got stuck somewhere for a bit. Or you could encounter a struggling or unprepared hiker and you could help them out by offering them a much needing swig.

6. Be aware of and encourage others

I get it, some people like to listen to music to tune the world out and get into their own zone. But I like being aware of my surroundings and aware of when a faster hiker is behind me and wanting to pass. I also like to be able to engage with and acknowledge other hikers. Some people, myself included, really care about their finish times. You could really impede or frustrate them by not letting them pass (or by not even knowing they need to pass). I like to at least say "hi", "good morning" or something like that to every hiker I see. But I will often crack a corny joke or say something encouraging along the way to those I see on the trail. You're sharing the trail, might as well contribute to it being a positive space. And as a regular, I feel I know my way around that I can genuinely offer encouragement to other hikers. I know for a fact that the first and third quarters are the hardest. I know which sections are easiest. So when I see someone struggling, I can both congratulate them for being there to start with, and offer then reassurance that something easier is around the corner.

My very first time I did the hike, I was indeed a "novice hiker" who needed 2 hours+ to finish. I was very overweight and had very little cardiovascular fitness. When I got home from the hike, I took a bath and then went straight to sleep, slept for about 15 hours, and could barely walk the next day. It was too much for me, and although I felt sorry myself, I was still very proud that I finished. It was empowering but eye-opening too, as the friends I went with had a much easier time with it. But the barrier I had of being very overweight wasn't a complete barrier - I still did it. When I see struggling hikers, I can't help but recall this old version of myself, when this hike was seemingly impossible for me. I remember fondly this one complete stranger who saw me struggling on the 4th quarter of the hike. She was super encouraging and told me she was a regular on the hill and at the point where we were, we were definitely only 10min from the summit and that I was definitely going to make it there. It was likely 10min for her and 25min for me, but regardless, this little tip filled me with a feeling of "I can do this". Now, literally every single time I hike the Grind, whenever I get to this point, I think of her and I say to myself, "just 10 more min." With this positive self-talk, I'm able to brush the sweat off my brow, smile, and put aside any feeling of fatigue or discouragement brewing.

7. Count your "kills"

I know this is seems like the opposite of encouraging others, but my advice is to not do this out loud! I like to count how many people I pass on the trail and also count how many people pass me. I make sure I pass more than I get passed. When I do pass others, I will be encouraging yes, but I might catch myself singing in my head "another one bites the dust". A group taking a rest break is great because after you say a friendly hi, you can fully break out in song in your head "and another one gone, another one gone...(keep going depending on how many there are)..... another one bites the dust". I feel a bit of competition wills me to move faster. It's not meant to sound or be disrespectful, but simply a way to keep myself honest and pushing my pace. I don't want to get too comfortable hanging out behind someone who isn't going as fast as I am capable.

8. Measure your progress

Especially if you go regularly, find a way to measure your progress. Then you see you're making change and it'll only motivate you to keep on. You can purchase a Grind timer so you can use the official timing system and track your hikes on the Grouse web site, etc. I take my own stop watch and start and stop it at the same official timing areas. What I like about that is that in addition to my completion time for the full hike, I can also see my splits for each marked quarter of the hike. This allows me to set goals during the hike and a realistic finish time. I record my splits when I finish so I'm able to compare how I do next time.

9. Don't stop! And don't look up!

If at all possible, don't stop moving when on the hill. You can easily slow yourself down when it's gets hard or your breathing gets taxed. I sometimes take a 3 second break to reset my breathing and take a swig of water, but my feet are always moving, even if slowly. I find this helps, again with keeping a rhythm, both in stride/cadence as well as with breathing and heart rate. Stopping can also make it harder to get going again in case of any pooling of lactic acid as your legs fatigue.

And while it's tempting to look up to see what's next, it can really mess with your head if you see what look like miles and miles of stairs to climb and you're feeling tired. I will look up maybe 10 feet ahead of me just so I make sure I'm staying on the trail and who's ahead of me that I might be needing to pass, but that's all. I want to stay focused and positive!

10. Celebrate your achievement

There's little to see along the journey up, so be sure to check out the view at the top once you get there. It's really breath-taking, and it is empowering to notice that you got that high up on foot. You may not be the fastest, but regardless, marking your time at this photo spot is well worth it. Go ahead and brag!

ZAHiDA MACHANhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com