Feelin' HOT HOT HOT! (Couch to 5K: W3D1)

Happy Family Day! And what a lovely Family Day it is - sunny skies and above zero temperatures make it a perfect day for outdoor activities. My first activity of the day? My first week 3 run!

I felt pretty good on Friday after the last week 2 run session. I had hoped to squeeze in an extra run over the weekend, but it just didn't happen. The week 3 run schedule looked a little scary at first glance: a brisk 5 minute warm-up walk followed a 90 second run and a 90 second walk then a 3 minute run and a 3 minute walk, repeating that pattern twice. The 90 second run segments that had looked intimidating a week ago suddenly looked like a "walk in the park" since I was going to have to DOUBLE them today. Yikes!

The first 3 minute interval was tough, but I didn't look at the stop watch until about the 2:15 mark - about 45 seconds longer than my longest run interval thus far. Not too shabby. The second run interval, however, nearly killed me. I started clock watching at about 1:26 and couldn't wait for the segment to be over. I did it though, so I guess there's a small victory to be found here. I tacked on a couple of extra 90 second run intervals since I wasn't quite home yet, so I managed to find a little strength at the end which I'm guessing is a good sign. Hopefully this pattern will get a little easier as the week goes on.

On another note, the weather outside this morning was truly spectacular. The air was cool and crisp, but for the first time I actually overheated in the middle of the run. I had to take off my windbreaker so I could cool down a little. Pretty wild stuff for February 20th!!!

Run # 2 is scheduled for Wednesday and I'm hoping to kick those 3 minute intervals square in the ASS! I have to say I am impressed with my progress so far - I may not be breaking any world speed records, but I'm plugging along at my own pace and completing each run as outlined. That definitely counts for something!

Until we run again,

J :)

The Sound Of Music (Couch to 5K - W2D2)

The first part of my day kinda sucked. I was working on a particularly difficult project (on a tight deadline) and my technology picked today, of all days, to become less than co-operative. I finally got it all sorted out, but was feeling pretty frazzled by the time all was said and done. The old me would have probably spent the remainder of afternoon mindlessly surfing the net, shopping or eating chocolate to calm my frazzled nerves. But today I thought the best way to clear my head would be to go for a run! It was a proud moment.

I decided that today would be the first time that I would run with my iPod. Up until this point, I wasn't sure that I could co-ordinate the iPod (complete with dangling headphone cords), my BlackBerry/stop watch and running without falling into a ditch or tripping over my feet. Today I felt ready - bring on the tunes!!

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! I have long suspected it, but these little portable music gadgets might be the best invention of all time. I wonder if Mr. Jobs himself was a runner and he created the iPod for the sole purpose of entertaining him while he trained? With the help of my music, the running intervals seemed to fly by without me watching the clock. In fact, I actually ran longer than necessary on a few occasions. It's safe to say that the iPod will be accompanying me on all training runs from here on in.

Now I need to come up with a few running playlists. Today, I had the iPod set to shuffle on a random playlist. This worked out well most of the time, but a few times some less than "inspiring" songs popped up. Patsy, I love ya, but "Crazy" is more of a "grab a bottle of wine and a straw " song than a "Get Pumped" song. But that may just be me......

All you runners out there - what songs do YOU have on your running playlists? What keeps you going when you feel like you've hit the proverbial "Runner's Wall"?

So, all in all, a successful run today. Many thanks go out to Stevie J., my iPod and to Mother Nature as well for being so incredibly co-operative with the February weather. I'm looking forward to nailing the last run of the week on Friday and getting started on week 3 (which looks a little intimidating at the moment....but today I'm feeling like I can handle anything!)

J :)

Feeling the Burn! (Couch to 5K - W2D1)

WOW! I made it to week 2! After a less than stellar Day 3 run on Friday, I decided to squeeze in one more week 1 run on Sunday before the run intervals increased in week 2. The trail where I usually run was snow covered (I had to take a detour) and it was beyond freezing, but I still had a great run and was feeling pretty positive about week 2.

The week 2 routine is a 5 minute warm-up walk followed by 90 seconds of running and 2 minutes of walking, alternating for 20 minutes. With the run intervals only increasing by 30 seconds, I was thinking (hoping!) it was going to be a piece of cake and I couldn't wait to get started!

Seeing how it was so gorgeous outside today, I decided to run in the afternoon instead of waiting until the evening when the girls were at cheerleading. The snow had melted from my usual running trail and the sun was blazing - perfect running conditions!

I sailed through the first running interval with little difficulty, but by the time the second one rolled around, I was watching the stop watch in eager anticipation of the walking portion. When the last running interval finally arrived, I was definitely ready for the run to be over. (So much for a "piece of cake"!) My left knee was somewhat grouchy, leaving me a bit gimpy for the final run , but I did it! Week 2, Day 1 COMPLETE!

The most interesting thing about my experience so far is that I am finding myself looking forward to the run days. Who'd have thunk it? They say it takes 3 weeks to form a habit, but here I am in Week 2 eagerly anticipating the days when I will run....wondering how I will improve compared to my last run....thinking of new trails I can try that might be more enjoyable. The whole thing is BIZARRE!!!! Who am I and what has become of the real Jenn???

It's a mystery to me......

Until we meet again on Wednesday!


J :)

Note to Self: KLEENEX! (Couch to 5K, W1D3)

BRRRR!!!!! It's pretty freakin' cold out there this morning! I decided to get my run in early since I think it is supposed to snow later this afternoon. I've gotta say, running in the cold and wind is really NO FUN! And really, it's not even that cold out there at the moment considering it is the middle of February. I don't know what I will do/wear, when/if the weather gets really cold! UGH!

The run today was difficult. I had expected it to be the easiest day of the week since it is my third time (well, really, fourth time) with this run/walk schedule. For some reason, I found this day to be the toughest. I found myself really looking at the stop watch, waiting for the run interval to be over - something I hadn't done since the very first run almost 2 weeks ago in the blizzard. I'm guessing the wind had a lot to do with it. I found a somewhat sheltered trail that runs through the middle of my neighbourhood and decided to run there to try to cut down on the wind chill factor. (Of course, I was terrified I was going to pass someone I know - I really need to get over that!) The wind was fine when running in one direction, but when I turned around to head back.....well.....not so much fun. I also learned a really valuable lesson about running in the cold - bring KLEENEX! Nuff said!!!

The good news is, the knee still seems to be holding up OK. I can't tell you how happy I am about this! On another note, I was really surprised at how many birds I saw out there during my run. I have to say, if I could fly...well, first of all I wouldn't be learning to run. Secondly, I wouldn't be "wintering" in Mississauga, no matter how mild it has been to this point.

I think I'm going to try to squeeze in an extra run over the weekend using the week 1 schedule. The pace doesn't increase drastically for next week, but since I didn't feel so great out there today I want to make sure I'm ready.

One week down, eight to go!

J :)

I Think I Can! I Think I Can! (Couch to 5K: Day 2)

Well, after getting sidelined with an illness (damn cold!) following last week's run, I hopped back on the running bandwagon on Monday and repeated day 1 of the C25K program. I have to admit, it was a lot more pleasant running without the blizzard-like conditions we had last week. I drove to the same location I had run the previous week and definitely found it much more enjoyable with the sun still up and no big, fat, fluffy snowflakes flying around. I was impressed that my left knee didn't make its' presence known until about 16 minutes into the run, instead of 45 seconds in like it did last week. All in all, I felt pretty good on Monday evening with no residual knee pain or soreness! YAY!

I had scheduled run # 2 for this afternoon and I decided to walk to nearby "Osprey Pond" for more of a scenic running route. A friend of mine runs there quite often, so I thought I'd give it a shot. The pond is about a 7 minute walk north from my place, so I got a slightly longer warm up, which I am sure is not a bad thing. The trail is a 2 km loop around Osprey Pond (aka Osprey Storm Water Drainage Reservoir), but is quite pretty compared to running around the track at the local high school. (It was also pretty deserted, which is a bonus. I still feel somewhat self-conscious running with people around). Much to my surprise, the trail had some HILLS which seemed to appear only during the running intervals. To experienced runners, these hills are probably more like speed bumps. To me, they felt kinda like Mount Everest.

I was worried about the effect the hills would have on my tricky left knee, but today I barely noticed my knee at all. I felt the odd twinge here and there, but nothing compared to the pain I felt during the very first run last week. This makes me very hopeful that as I build muscle and strength in my legs, the knee will not be a factor. Maybe I can turn myself into a runner after all!!!!

"I Think I Can!"

Looking at the calendar, it seems I will be able to complete the 9 week C25K program by April 6th. This leaves me 4 extra weeks to prepare (or to repeat weeks from the program if I am not quite ready to advance) for the Mississauga Marathon 5K run, so I've decided to set that race as my "goal race". I can honestly say I am excited and really looking forward to it! (GASP!)

Run #3 is scheduled for Friday. Checking the Weather Network, it seems we may have some snow in the forecast, but the temperatures are still supposed to be above zero. I'm not sure what will happen to my training schedule if we suddenly find ourselves with some REAL February weather on our hands, complete with windchill factors! I'm definitely more of a "fair weather" gal, so hopefully it won't throw me off track!

"Ready to Run"

J :)

Run Forrest, RUN!

Back in 2005, for reasons still unknown to me, I decided I would sign up for the CIBC Run for the Cure 5K Run in Toronto. Of course, I wanted to raise some money for a very worthwhile cause, but I believe there was also another reason. For as long as I can remember, I have admired people that run (Voluntarily - without being chased by a dog or a bear). Whether you run 5k, 10k, the half marathon or the full, you are one of my heroes.

S0 I enlisted the support of my long time BFF (who has running in her blood) and decided to sign up for the race. I had no idea how to train or prepare for the run and wasn't really interested in learning how to run properly. I had a goal and I was just going to jump in and do it! That's kind of the running equivalent of setting out on a cross country journey without a road map. Not overly bright. Sure, I worked out and exercised leading up to the big day, but prior to the run, I had never actually run 5K in my life.

I did complete the 5k run (I ran about 3.5 of the 5K) and had a slow but semi-respectable run time of 37 minutes, 10 seconds. While I was running I thought "Who in their right mind does this on a regular basis"? But I was determined to keep going. When I crossed the finish line that morning, I will never forget the way I felt. While I was running, I thought it was my first and last race. After I crossed the finish line, I knew I had to do it again.

In January 2011 I made a New Year's resolution to lose weight and get back onto the exercise bandwagon - a wagon I had fallen off about 4 years earlier. For quite possibly the first time ever, I actually stuck to it and here I am 13 months later - 24 pounds lighter and a regular "yogi" at my yoga studio. This year I needed a new resolution. Why not give that running thing another shot????

I had heard good things about a running program that you can follow on-line called "Couch to 5K" (C25k). Supposedly, by following their program you can go from a total couch potato to a 5K runner in 9 short weeks. All you "runners" out there would likely read it and think it sounds incredibly easy. I read it and thought "This might be a program I can stick to". What have I got to lose?? (other than HOPEFULLY the extra jiggle in my thighs and butt!)

So I decided, Monday, January 30th would be RUN DAY! (W1D1 in C25K lingo). The program consists of 3 runs per week over a 9 week period, each week becoming more difficult than the last. Today's run was a 5min brisk warm-up walk, transitioning into alternating intervals of 1 min of running and 90 seconds of brisk walking for 20 minutes, followed by a 5 minute cool down walk. Sounds easy enough, right??

Cue obstacle # 1 - semi-blizzard-like weather that began about an hour before I had scheduled my run. Thankfully I had purchased some winter running gear which I hoped would be enough to keep me warm in the snow. I planned to run during the 4 (!!!) hours that I spend at the cheer gym each Monday, but since the gym is in a deserted, poorly lit industrial area, I heard my mother's voice in my head and decided to drive to a nearby residential area with plenty of people around and lots of light.

I parked the car and began the 5 minute walk to a local park area that I knew had a running track. I'd like to tell you that the gently falling snow was beautiful and that I admired the way the trees glistened in the streetlights, but that would be a crock. To be quite honest, it sucked. I was, however, impressed with how my running gear kept me warm. With the exception of my hands, after my warm-up walk, I was pretty toasty warm.

Cue obstacle # 2 - my left knee. Within the first 45 seconds of actual running, my knee reminded me of why I don't run in the first place. It remains to be seen whether my knee will allow me to continue, but I did complete the full 30 minute Week 1 Day 1 program. In the beginning I thought "there's no way in HELL I will be able to keep this up for 20 minutes", but by the end, I was surprised at how fast the time passed. I DID IT!!

I've scheduled a hot yoga session for tomorrow morning in anticipation of needing to stretch some sore muscles and ease some aches and pains. I'm planning my next run for Wednesday morning after I drop the kids at school. I'm hoping for better weather, a happier knee and another successful 30 minute program. I have a feeling it may take longer than the 9 weeks for me to be able to run 5K without stopping, but with any luck (and a little hard work) I hope to run the 5K at the Mississauga Marathon in May. Wish me luck!

"I just felt like RUNNING"

J :)

The Naked Truth (or, Why I Love Working in Real Estate)

I'm pretty sure there's not a person out there that is 100% happy with their job every minute of every day. Even the "Professional Video Game Tester" or the "Chief Chocolate Taster" or sometimes even the "Male Underwear Model Photographer" must have moments where they say "MAN, my job SUCKS!" Probably not often, but hey, it's gotta happen!

I had one of those days yesterday. First of all, let me clarify: 99% of the time I really do love my job. Real Estate is one of those rare careers where you can make a fairly decent living without needing to be a Corporate Slave, chained to a desk for 8, 10 or 12 hours a day. You can often (but not always) pick and choose when you want to work, who you would like to work with and how often you would like to take a vacation. You can also pretty much control how much money you'd like to make each year. I'll admit, it's a decent gig.

It is not, however, easy. In reality, helping someone to buy or sell a home is actually a very small part of what we do. We are frequently called upon to be marriage counsellors, appliance sales people, financial advisors, interior designers, tour guides, taxi drivers, couriers, photographers and mind readers. Clients have read my bio on my website and asked: "You have a degree in Psychology and you ended up selling Real Estate?" I reply: "You'd be surprised how much it helps".

I have been working in the Real Estate industry since I was 12 years old - June 1987, to be exact. Real Estate is in my blood - it's pretty much the only thing I have ever done. I was there when the market exploded in the late 80s, worked through the awful recession in the early 90s (a Real Estate office was a mighty depressing place to work in 1991, let me tell you) and enjoyed the strength and stability of the market in the "new millennium". I have worked in reception, accounting, marketing, training and finally sales. I became licenced on May 1st, 1997. In fact, as I am typing this, I realize that today is the 14 year anniversary of the day I sold my very first house. (H-section, Brampton, $130K, multiple offer situation. They say you never forget your first.....) Every day since has truly been an adventure.

The wonderful thing about Real Estate is that no two "days at the office" are quite the same. When you wake up each morning, you often have no idea what you are going to walk into through the course of your day. I was driving to an appointment this afternoon thinking about the less-than-stellar work day I had yesterday and took a walk-down memory lane thinking about some of the more fun and interesting days this career has brought me. The following story popped into my head and I felt it needed to be shared. Enough time has passed now that I can actually laugh at a situation which, at the time, I was convinced was going to land me in therapy.

I received a call from a gentleman one day who wanted to sell his house. Let's call him "Richard". He wanted to sell his townhouse because he was buying a condo-type property at the Four Seasons Nudist Resort near Guelph. He asked me if it bothered me that he was going to be a practicing Nudist. "Of course not", I replied, "whatever floats your....ummm....boat"

I gathered the information I needed for the listing appointment and planned to meet him the following day. When I arrived at his home the next afternoon, I was surprised to discover that he wasn't "planning to become a nudist", he was already a full-fledged practicing NAKED PERSON! That's right folks, Richard greeted me at the front door wearing nothing but a SMILE. Nothing they taught me in Phase 3 quite prepared me for this moment.

What did I do then, you ask??? Well I went in and gave a kick-ass listing presentation, of course! But first, I followed him around as he gave me a tour of his home. There was not a window in the place had blinds or any sort of curtain so it was a little awkward standing in the living room looking out the HUGE picture window with a naked man at my side. I also had to try REALLY hard not to laugh when we stood at the back door and I remarked about the size of his deck. Following him up the stairs for a tour of the bedrooms was equally fun (whatever you do Jennifer...do NOT LOOK UP!!!)

It's truly amazing that no matter how hard you try not to look at IT, your eyes seem to have a mind of their own! Looking back, I am actually pretty impressed that I kept my composure long enough to survive the X-rated house tour. All I kept thinking was "Let's just get to the table so we can sit down and I won't have to see IT staring back at me any longer". We made our way to the kitchen and, wouldn't you know it, it was a FREAKIN' GLASS TABLE!!! Looked like I was going to be giving this listing presentation to Richard....and Richard Jr. At this point I began looking around the room for the film crew because this felt like a "Surprise!! You're on candid camera!!!" moment.

Of course, my husband, friends and a few colleagues enjoyed some hearty laughter at my expense over this one. Most everyone that I told the story to was quite shocked that I actually stuck around. He never did sell his house (maybe he decided he didn't have what it takes to be a nudist? I can imagine it would get awfully cold......), but he's still on my mailing list and every once in a while I'll get an email from him. If nothing else, it's a funny story that I can reflect on when I have a day like I had yesterday. Laughter is definitely the best cure for a rotten day at the office.

All in all, I love what I do for a living. It hasn't always been smooth sailing, but the good experiences definitely outweigh the bad. Real Estate may be unpredictable, stressful, draining and emotional but it is certainly not BORING! I am thankful to have had the chance to spend the last 24 years of my life in one of the most dynamic industries in the world.

But let's be honest, "Chief Chocolate Taster" would be pretty cool too!

J :)