Last week I started the P90X program (upcoming post).  I also did the Grouse Grind, tried kayaking (post upcoming Sunday) and continued to run.  All in the summer heat.

Turns out (no surprise, right?), it was too much for my body.  This I found out on a hot, muggy run. In retrospect, I could have just sat on the deck with a Corona and thought about it, but some of us learn the hard way.

The run wasn’t hard, but the day was a boiler.  I had just finished a hill that I’ve run many, many times before with no problem. It isn’t that steep and it isn’t that long.  But this time I got to the top and had that yucky feeling I’ve only experienced once before on a run – at the end of race, that time – that yucky feeling that everything in my stomach was screaming to heave back out.

At first I didn’t take the feeling seriously so I fought it for a minute before I realized that I was actually going to throw up.  I hastily looked around and ran behind a tree.

And….well, I’ll leave the details to your imagination.

Later that day, with my Corona in hand, I Googled the whole messy situation and found out that vomiting on a run isn’t anything new.  As a matter of fact, some trainers – as well as unqualified hacks – actually encourage runners to work that hard.  (Is it just me, or is that insane?)

And I found out that regular people like me are actually wondering if they should train to puke.

I did find one race where I guess vomiting is pretty much a given (not a race I’d volunteer for clean up duties):

Tell us, have you ever thrown up after a run or workout?

Spill! (sorry)

Fitness Town Freakettes team captain, Esther, sits in front of Deep Cove, where the Innovative Fitness Canuck Place Adventure Challenge will start and finish.

So uber volunteer and all around awesome chick Esther convinced me to tackle a super-worthy event benefiting sick kids and their families that visit Canuck Place.  Canuck Place Children’s Hospice provides specialized pediatric palliative care for children living with a life-threatening illness and support for their families throughout British Columbia.  I can’t think of a cause that is more worthy to support.

The event is called the Innovative Fitness Canuck Place Adventure Challenge and it consists of a 4k kayak race, a 20k mountain bike leg and finally a 5k mountain trail run.

Last year's Adventure Challenge participants. Watch out, 'cause this year's team is going to kick some @ss!

I bumped into Esther after she did the race last year for the first time, and she sounded so pumped about the whole experience – from the emotion of seeing the kids, supporting the cause, meeting the families and kicking butt at the race – that I quickly begged agreed to be part of Dai Manual‘s Fitness Town- sponsored team she was putting together.

Am I going to be raising money for this super-worthy event?  YOU BET! Please click here for more info or to donate.

Last week marked my first on-course training for the race.  Esther and I drove to Deep Cove to hike the trail section.  It was a GORGEOUS day and we had a lot of fun (deodorant and makeup – who knew they were a topic of so many giggles, LOL?)

Here are the pics:

We started our hike at beautiful and rugged Deep Cove, taking the Baden Powell trail.

Even with the day being hot and sunny, the trail was cool and wet – with a lot of rock it made for a slippery and muddy journey.  All the more fun!

Esther celebrates at the turn around point.  If you look carefully, you can see deep cove in the background. Sorry I didn’t get close enough to the edge of the cliff to take a better pic.  But trust me, it’s gorgeous!

Yup, that’s me.  Let’s just say our photography skills are a work in progress!

We’ll be doing team training and as well, some larger group training that the race organizers put together.  I’ll keep you updated, it’s going to be a great challenge!

If you care to support us in our race – and more importantly, support the kids – please click here to donate. Any amount welcome and MOST appreciated!

Sunday was a sunny, beautiful day. It broke a long standing tradition of rain & horrible weather for the UBC Triathlon Duathlon. I participated in the Duathlon which was: 5km run, 20km bike, 5km run.

This was the first race that I’ve done that had a road bike racing component and I found myself absolutely loving it. The speed (often between 45-55km/hr), the course and the competitors made for a fantastic ride.

My race goal was to be in the top 50% of competitors and was overjoyed today to find out that I ranked 6 out of 52!

The finish line of the race was shared among all the competitors for all the races that were held on Sunday. As I approached it I saw another runner about 25m ahead of me. Not knowing if he was in my race or not, I sprinted as hard as I could. I was so close to passing him… Maybe I just can… I was putting so much effort in… My concentration was broken, just for a moment, as I sprinted down the finisher’s chute and heard the race announcer say, “And here comes 238 running as fast as sh*t!” Gotta love that introduction.

As I passed the other runner, just a couple of strides from the finish line, I glanced over at his race bib and darn it, he wasn’t even in my race! All that effort for nothing!

Or so I thought… This picture… With his reaction to me passing him.. Makes it all worthwhile:

Looks may not be able to kill but angry competitors certainly can!

This race was my last one in a tight series of four different races in four months.

Next Race: Olympic Length Triathlon (1.5km swim, 40km bike, 10km run) on Saturday, August 7 in Emmett, Idaho. Come on down & I’ll buy you as many potatoes as you can eat!

-Mike

This week I joined our local (and newly-constructed) Steve Nash Sports Club. Gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous.  They’re still working out the kinks (air conditioning…what air conditioning?) but it’s only been open since the beginning of the month so I’m sure they’ll get things worked out.

It was actually a pretty big step for me to join a gym, because I love working out outdoors and hate aerobics classes.  I’ve mentioned before that I am the MOST uncoordinated person ever to attempt aerobics, all gangly and wild and dangerous.  Last time I tried, I was actually asked to leave before I hurt someone.

So you can understand my reluctance.

Recently though, I’ve discovered I actually do love spin classes (hard to hurt anyone) and the weight machines (gotta keep the jiggly parts from falling south). Combined with the fact that I keep injuring myself while running…I figure it is time to do some cross training and there is no doubt that I get pushed harder during a class than I push myself on my own.   If I can find a class with weights in it and very little cardio (since I still plan on running) and then cross train with spin class as well, then I think that will be a good balance for me.

So I bit the bullet…and today, along with Sian, I went to a class called Maxed Out.  (I actually thought we were doing a spin class, but Sian swears she told me it wasn’t.  I’m not sure if I believe her.)

I found myself staring at big roomful of skinny ladies who all look like they could kick my b*tt with little effort.  I slunk into the class and over to the far wall, at the back, behind a pole.  As unobtrusive as possible, and more unlikely that I’d hit someone.  Sian followed and set up in front of me.  Not sure that was wise…

The class started before I could have second thoughts and immediately I was plunged into some aerobic moves (hate HATE) which took my full concentration so I wouldn’t injure my neighbor. Before I knew it we’d picked up weights, then discarded them, then jumped on a bosu ball, a mat, weights again, and more cardio.  We were moving so fast I couldn’t even think about running out the door. And given that I thought my heart my actually burst through my chest, I don’t think I’d have made it out the door anyway.

I did save the tiniest little bit of energy to dart really evil glares at Sian, but for the most part she ignored me.  However, I’m sure she could feel them through the back of her head.  I hope they hurt.

The instructor kept yelling, “How are we doing…?”  which I thought was really evil of her.  I didn’t have the energy to answer her anyway because I needed every little particle of oxygen just to keep me upright.

Surprisingly, I found I absolutely loved the class. The instructor was FABULOUS and kept things moving so fast and intensely that I couldn’t get bored. To balance that, however, she also explained the moves very well which I found helpful.  Also, if a move was too complicated for me, it was soon over anyway.  I won’t say the hour flew by, because that sort of torture doesn’t pass the time faster but by the end I sure was proud I was able to walk out on two feet.

Since I love challenges that kick my butt – I find them so motivating – I think I’m hooked.  That was the first time I’d done Maxed Out, so it can only get easier, right?

But Sian, next time I’m getting our itinerary in writing.

At an average time of 8 minutes, participating in the BC Lung Association fundraiser  ‘Climb the Wall: The Stairclimb for Clean Air’, takes only 60 seconds longer than the average time couples have sex for.  And, unlike sex, you get hot, sweaty & have a great workout.

“Climb the Wall” refers to running up the fire stairs of the the Sheraton Wall Centre in Downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada.  At 48 stories, the Sheraton Wall Centre is one of the tallest buildings in Western Canada (that’s 739 stairs – not that I was counting between wincing gasps for air).

I participated for the 2^nd time in this fantastic event this past weekend. 

One of the first things that struck me when I approached the Sheraton Wall Centre was all the fire trucks and emergency vehicles there.  That’s because one of the three “classes” of climber (in addition to completive and non-competitive) is the Fire Fighter division – where our brave men & women race up the tower in full gear (including boots, heavy coats & self-contained breathing apparatus).  It’s incredible to watch them gear up and hit the stairs.

The second interesting thing I noticed was sweat.  Or my lack of it.  Sort of.

I hit the top of the tower in just over 6 minutes and thought, “Hey, I’m really not sweating”.  I took a quick elevator ride down to the lobby and then walked back to the banquet room where the event was hosted.  It was only then, and with sudden and dramatic style, did I instantly look like I was caught in my own personal rainstorm of sweat.  It was incredible.

This is a fantastic event, for a great cause and it is not nearly as hard as it sounds.  I’ve found training for the Stair Climb also gave me some motivation for hill training that I normally would have lacked.

Next year, when spring is in the air and you’re looking for something slightly longer than the ‘average 7 minutes of fun’, I’d suggest you check this race out!