Wheeeeeeze...

Okay, fun time is over Missy! It's time to get training for the Victoria Half Marathon. Hmm, how many weeks do I have?! Someone, please assure me that I actually still have some fitness from my Ironman training and can pull this off?!

I must say, I love the Victoria half. For one, I get to go home and see my family whom I love and miss a lot. Two, the course is wonderful - it follows the waterfront. I am a true pisces, I love being near water - it gives me energy. The smell of salt water gives me goosebumps. It just smells so yummy! What can I say - I was born on the island so am completely an island girl! Needless to say, it's a given that I'm really looking forward to this race.

As for training, well, I have gotten in a couple of long runs, but I haven't quite been training for this race. I ran for two hours when I was in Penticton! That's good. Right?! My pace still isn't back to pre-IMCDA, but it's not horrible. At least I don't think it is. I don't actually wear any hardware to tell me what the heck it is, perhaps I will start to? Does it really matter? I might have to meditate on that one...

I was pondering the action of running hills tonight. Then I called up Les to see what she was up to tonight and it turns out she was running hills. (She's gearing up for the Last Chance Half in November, which I think I will be signing up for as well.) Well if that isn't a sign I don't know what is! So I told her to wait for me and I'd be over to run hills, whatever she had on her program.

I met up with her at her place and we did a nice little 15 minute warm up around the neighborhood. It was nice to get some chit chat time in, even though I still sound like a frog, as someone pointed out...

Then we headed to a wee hill near her place. It wasn't too nasty looking. Not as 'brutal' as the bonus hill up to my place. The hills in the Victoria race are mega doable, so I thought this would be a good hill to practice on. Her schedule had 3 x 2 minutes. I thought that sounded good, so would do that.

Les waited till the clock was at a whole number and off we went!

I must say, I'm glad I decided to do hills on this hill rather than the bonus hill. Holy hannah! My lungs were burning halfway up the darn thing! So much for looking easy! My running pace was a bit quick, which meant I couldn't stop at the top of this hill, but rather I had to go around the corner at the top of this hill and hit a mega nasty grade of another hill. My heart was pounding through my chest and I felt like I wasn't going anywhere!

Finally the two minutes were up. FEEL THE BURN!! No, not my legs. My legs rocked. My lungs on the other hand were on fire. Ow, ow, ow. Wheeeeeze! I hate this feeling! It always happens with the first set of hills. Urgh. This is SO not going to help my 'boy going through puberty frog' voice! Okay, someone call the paramedics so I can get me some oxygen!

I slowly jogged down praying to the running gods above that the second hill wouldn't be quite so, uhm, challenging. They listened. It wasn't easy, but the burning was a wee bit less thankfully. I didn't get as far as I did the first hill though. So you know what that means... Gotta run harder next time!

As I ran down the hill I passed this really cute house with a white picket fence. The first time I passed the house I had one wee puppy, a teeny pomeranian, chatting to me. This time there was the pomeranian and he brought his buddies the pug and the shitzu. They were all cheering me on. Or so I'd like to think.

Okay. Last hill. Gotta make this one count. Cough. Sputter. Honk. It's only two minutes. I can so do this. Time to kill the hill!

Off we went. I had a good pace. My breathing was rather raspy and rapid, but whatever. I was wishing I had my inhaler. Legs were slowing. Not good. Time to pull out the mantra!! Repeat after me, 'I am strong, I am powerful. I am strong, I am powerful'. Okay, leg cadence is picking up. Again, 'I am strong, I am powerful. I AM STRONG, I AM POWERFUL!!!'. Ya baby, this is how you friggin run hills!

By the time I reached the top my heartrate was 177 bpm and I was gasping desperately for air. Shite. When the heck was the last time my heartrate got that high?! I am SO glad we only did three hills. Yes, I'm a wimp. So sue me. At least it's a start!

My legs actually feel amazing right now. That's a gotta be a good sign. I've stopped coughing and wheezing, so I assume my lungs have stopped rebelling. Silly lungs. Do you really need THAT much oxygen?! Sheesh.

Right. So I have, what, like six weeks to get ready for this race? I can so do this. Look out Victoria - here comes Five-foot-two-of-fury-ninja-princess-she-ra-mighty-triathlete!!

Peace out my wonderful, amazing friends!