Dog running buddies

Totally random post. My brother’s Shiba, Riley in 2008 at 12 weeks old eating snow. I just wanted to introduce two running buddies. I run with them whenever I visit my brother or if I take them on vacation.

Riley doesn’t make that good a running partner. He LOVES to run. But when HE wants to. Not when YOU want to. He often prefers to take long walks and to sit atop of large stones, on a bench or at the water’s edge and ponder life.

And then there’s Bagel the Beagle (Riley in the background). She’s the best running buddy EVER! She’ll just keep on going and going and going, kinda like the Energizer Bunny. She doesn't even care to stop for water. Running, eating and playing catch is what she lives for.

Last minute Runners' Christmas Stocking Stuffer ideas

Wowsers! SIX DAYS till Christmas! Have you finished Christmas shopping yet? I sure haven’t! I’ve been been pretty busy with work, baking and attending Christmas social get-togethers and not running enough!

Here’s a list that might help you, if you’re freaking out a bit over gifts for the runner friend in your life. You should be able to find all or most of the items listed below at your local drugstore.

• A bottle of sports drink
• Odour eaters or shoe spray for those stinky shoes you trip over at the front door
• Hair ties, bobby pins, headband 
• Bubble bath
• A tube of Arnica gel for sore muscles. 
• Talking about sore muscles how about a bottle of massage oil so you can massage those sore muscles too!
• A health magazine
• $1 knit gloves 
• A little face towel
• Travel sized shampoo, shower gel & lotion & deodorant
• That deep-cold stuff (I don’t use it but your friend might)
• Little chocolates

Anything else I should add to the list? Hope this helps! 

If all goes well you will get reactions like these little guys!

Two-minute Ab Workout

Do it! Just do it!


Track and Field Videos on Flotrack

When I'm on a good roll, I'll do this two-minute ab workout Monday to Friday.

I'll do this work out at the gym after a good run. For the toe-touches I add a medicine ball that's 8 or 12lbs depending on how I feel. I've also added Russian twists and crazy Ivans with the medicine ball to the routine.

To finish it all I do some stretches and then rolling on the foam roller.

I used to live here

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I can’t believe how fast the years have passed since I left Osaka. I always thought that I would go back. Every now and then I really miss being there and want to go “home”

What made me think of Osaka recently was a get-together for a friend's going-away.

I met him just four or five years ago. I advised my boss at my old design agency to hire him. And that was it, he became part of my agency family. Since then he's had two kids, two dogs and got married. And now he's taking his family back home, to Japan.

I'll miss you Tak!

Maybe I'll run the Osaka marathon one day and keep running all they way up towards Tokyo and come by and see you! ;-)
(I had to post a running picture in here some how - Photo by hitthatswitch on Flickr)

Glico Running Man, Minami, Osaka, Japan, a photo by hitthatswitch on Flickr.

Runners' Christmas Wish List 2011

Today happens to be Black Friday in the U.S. and did you that Christmas is ONE MONTH AWAY! Yes, ONE. Can you believe it? No? Me neither, time flies by way to fast, right? Before you know it you'll be running around Christmas Eve like a madman, with money flying out of your hands!

So, here I am to help with my Runners’ Christmas Wish List 2012 edition!!! You can thank me later.. lovely husband, er... I mean Santa. Great gift ideas (with the exception of the shoes) that fit into my Christmas stocking. They're also light and won't weigh down your sleigh. Most of the gifts listed are also less than $100!

Dear Santa,
I've been a good girl this year. I've done a lot of running, incorporated yoga and spin into my activity. I'd like some new gear for the new marathon training season.

Road ID, I still don't have one. Wouldn't you want to know if I got lost and found?

New pair of running shoes - a girl can never have enough pairs of shoes. Nice bright ones, all the better for you to see me run!

Love these shorts lululemon run: speed short. Very comfortable and a flattering fit. (Size 6)

It's time I got a watch. So I can run faster AND get home faster to make you lunch!
I got a watch!!! I got a Garmin 405CX

Cashmere socks. I have discovered the luxury and warmth of using cashmere socks as my base layer sock for skiing. Get me these and you don't have to listen me whine about my cold feet. I love nice socks and I like warm feet.

I need more socks. Nike Dry-fit size small

Spa certificates! Massage therapy at the spa. Need I say more?

Gift Cards

You to come out to hold up signs and cheer for me at my races.

Because I love your support and we get to eat a big breakfast together after!

Love,
Winnie


ps. I hope you liked the cookies I baked for you and Santa, you're great!

Aggressive Time Savings Measures Act of 2010 & Ski Bum Soundtrack

I’ve got my Whistler Blackcomb EDGE card and I’m ready for winter!!!

Every other weekend, my husband, his bestfriend and I leave Vancouver early in the morning and drive up to Whistler for a day of skiing and snowboarding. The number one must-have for the drive up is a great play-list. So I'm going to be prepared! A drive-up-pre-ski playlist, a while-I-ski playlist as well as an apres-ski playlist. Time to make new playlists for the ski season!

A number two must-do for the drive is not stop to pee. Yup, you read that right, no pee breaks. No pee breaks!!! The “Aggressive Time Savings Measures Act of 2010” was enacted last year... by the guys of course. After a few weekends of stopping for a pee-stop and coffee in Squamish the guys had enough of getting up to Whistler later than they wanted. I was making them late. My small bladder was slowing things down. The Squamish stop on the way to Whistler was voted out of our journey.

So, I'm not allowed to have morning coffee anymore because I always have to stop in Squamish to use the bathroom. I like to buy snacks too since the guys don't seem to ever get hungry. If I want coffee I have to wake up extra early, drink it at home and make sure my bladder is empty before boarding the ski-bum-mobile. We must get as many hours and runs in as possible. This is the way it is for this girl if she wants to hang out with the boys. It's ok because I kick their asses on the mountain. I gotta give them something, right?

Anyway, here's some of the music I'll be adding to my playlists



Sleigh Bells - “Riot Rhythm”
MGMT - “Kids”
Foster the Kids - “Pumped Up Kicks”
Temper Trap - “Sweet Disposition” great for cruising
Yeah Yeah Yeahs = “Zero”
The Vaccines - “Wetsuit”
Arcade Fire - “Neighbourhood #1” walked around Paris listening to this
Florence + The Machine - “No Light, No Light”
Apostle of Hustle - “Chances are”
Metric - “Help I'm Alive”
Phoenix - “If I ever feel better”
Caribou - “Melody Day”
Stars - “Take me to the Riot”
Kate Nash - “Pumpkin Soup”
Metric - “Stadium Love”
Built to Spill - “Else”
M.I.A. - "“Paper Planes”
Brazilian Girls - “Good Time”

Hustle Hard

Things I see on my running journeys: Hustle Hard.
Spotted at Marinaside Crescent and Davie Street, Yaletown.

It's Sunday. Sunday long-run day. I haven't run in two weeks. Two whole weeks! I've been sick one week after another. Cold, flu, cough. Repeat. Heck, I'm not young and invincible anymore.

Woke up coughing. Probably asthma triggered by the cold & flu. Got up and got ready. Just gotta get out and run. Layered up, stuffed tissues and an inhaler into my pocket and headed out. No set distance in mind. Run.

Man, it felt good to run today. I thought I'd had to use my puffer, my legs would feel like lead and I'd have a miserable run in general. I felt light and I wanted to skip, leap and pirouette - while I ran! I did that in my imagination to save myself from tripping, falling on my face and then having to deal with the embarrassment and possibly a crowd surrounding the crazy-lady-runner star-fished face down on the seawall. BUT a lady did a dancey spin as I passed her! I got my pirouette after all - vicariously. Confession, I did do a bit of skipping. (I am young and invincible after all!!!)

It was a beautiful day for a run, snow on the mountains, clear water, crisp cold air - just perfect.

So what do I do now that I'm back running? Do I start over at week one with my training schedule? Do I skip up to week three? All I know is I'm going to have to hustle and hustle hard.

Pre-run: Gluten-free toast with warm almond butter and black currant jam. Water.
During run: A sip of water from water fountain
Post-run: A nice, hot cup of JJ Bean soy latte. Mmm mmm! Water,1000mg vitamin C & 1000 I.U. vitamin D (just in case, don't want to catch another cold) Spicy pumpkin-coconut soup & a bit of leftover rice.
Notes: A little tightness in right IT between 5 and 6 mile mark. Runny nose.