Is he “the one”?😊

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You may not be able to tell by my title, but this blog is dedicated to finding the right training partner!!

Finding the right person to exercise with is almost as important to finding the right life partner!!  No really!!! It truly can make the difference  between you getting out there and exercising, and being a couch potato!

This is the time of year when I have to say that my husband/training partner really pisses me off!  (That being said, it actually challenges me which I both really need and like!😃)I find that on our Sunday trail runs, my favourite day of the week, he spends more time stopping and waiting for me to catch up (or trying to locate me as I get lost most weekends!) and that go me to thinking, “What makes a good training partner?”  The thing is, for 10 months of the year he is an awesome training partner, but when I am lagging behind on those 2 months , the competitive side of me finds him irritating as a training partner!! 😃😄 Hahahahaha😄😃!!.  For the record though, he and my brother are both up ahead waiting for me so I am really just the third wheel……in the summer…..on the trail!😆

Okay, so let’s talk about qualities for a training partner.  First off, it has to be someone you are completely comfortable with.  If you can’t be “au natural”, stinky, and feel embarrassed letting them see you in your sweaty-way then they are not right for you. You have to also make sure they are easily accessible; meaning you have to be able to get together easily.  If your partner lives farther away, you are less likely to be able to have regular times, or do short-notice work-outs when you feel the need.  Another must is that this person has to have similar interests.  You have to be able to have similar exercise goals and want to do the same kind of exercise program.  For example I wouldn’t want to train with someone on a treadmill or in a gym as I am someone who craves the outdoors and needs the fresh air as part of my exercise regime.  You also need to be at similar levels; a veteran marathon runner would not be suitable for a beginning runner.  You have to have someone who wants to do what you do and will be able to commit to you for a period of time. Lastly, it also is helpful to have someone who can challenge you! It is great to have that motivation running in front that forces you to “catch up”!!

I know that I am truly blessed to have my best friend in the world also enjoy exercising and trail running as much as I do!  But, just for the record during the winter months I kick his butt on our runs!😃😄…….I’m not competitive though!😆

I wish you all the best of luck in finding a partner of choice!  There is someone out there for all of us, so just keep those eyes and ears open and make it a goal to find just the right training partner for you!

Stay positive, and exercise on!

Your Simply Susan advice for the day! 😆

 

 

 

Rut’s wrong with me?! 😣

This summer was a tough one for me as I found myself in that dreaded “runners rut“.  It was a tough one I’ll tell ya!

I was having such a hard time with my runs, and, the problem was I wasn’t doing anything different!  I was running the same amount and the same pace as always, but man was I struggling!  It was so frustrating to me as not only was I exhausted after a short run, but my body was aching and I was feeling old!  NOooooooooo!  I had not only plateaued in my running, I had started to regress! This really took a toll on me, so I really needed to figure out what to do and how to get back on track as it was really starting to get me down.

Now, who knows maybe it was the heat of the summer and the fact that most days it was over 25 degrees Celcius when I went out.  Maybe it was the thick, humid air?  Who knows! Whatever it was I needed to take control and get back on track.

So, I analyzed my runs and decided to come up with a plan.  What did I do you ask??? I decided to make a few temporary changes and hoped these would make the difference I needed.

Firstly, I cut back on the number of runs I was doing for a few weeks.  Secondly, I decided I needed to not care at all about my pace and run a comfortable, slow speed.  I also made sure that when I started out I started SLOWLY rather than my normal faster pace.  I had to really focus on being slow and making sure that I was comfortable.  The other thing I did was to change my routes a little and do shorter, flatter routes that wouldn’t challenge or tire me as much on those hot, humid summer days. The last change I made was to  cross-train on those in-between days (see my other blogs about great cross-training ideas!!).  Cross-training, as you all should know by now, is so very important to any exercise program you are doing.

The verdict????? After 2 weeks of doing this I feel I AM BACK!!!  I did what I needed to do and I was able to beat the rut I was in and have had 2 1/2 solid weeks (so far) of good running!

What did I learn from this?  I learned that anyone can go through a rut no matter what sport you are in; running,dance, soccer, cycling, even going to the gym!  We all seem to get to a point where we are not progressing in our workouts, or worse yet, we feel as though we can’t keep up to even our regular work-outs!  It’s so frustrating and discourages the best of us!

I hope that what you have learned from this post is that if you are going through that dreaded rut, just take a moment, figure out what steps you can do to taper back for a period of time, and CROSS TRAIN!!!   This will help to not only regenerate you, but help you get back that “runners high” or whatever phrase it is your activity of choice uses!!

There you go, your Simply Susan motivational tip of the day! 😆

Keep happy and keep active!  You’ll be glad you did!

 

Natural Love🍁🍃🍁🌳❤

Have I ever told any of you just how much I love trail running?  To be out there with nature is one of my favourite things in the world to do.  I am also so fortunate to be blessed to live in a country where we get 4 different seasons and the incredible beauty that comes along with this!

Getting out there in the spring and watching the snow melt, and the trees budding their fresh leaves.  Seeing the trilliums bloom and bring the forest floor to life makes me smile.  Feeling the warm wind and the sun on your face.  Spring runs are gorgeous and invigorating.

Then there is summer, oh the warm and hot summer days on the trail.  The trail looks stunningly beautiful with all the different greens of the deciduous and coniferous trees, and all the various bushes and ground cover!  Beautiful!  You are forced to take more breaks, which is fine, because the heat can exhaust you!  Luckily the trails are in the forest, so you are likely to be cooler here in the shade  than doing a road run.

Then we have the beauty of the fall.  Sometimes the scenery is so breath-taking that I find myself making lots of picture-taking stops! Fine with me!  Life is too short to not stop and admire the beauty in nature!   In the fall, it is the time of year when the trees are all changing into their fall colours, and if you are blessed to live in an environment where this happens every year you are very fortunate!    I just love the smell of the fallen leaves and the much-awaited cooler air. Fall runs are spectacular!

Then we have winter trail runs.  These are actually my most favourite which many people feel is very strange!!  I love getting all bundled up in layers and getting out there on a cold winter’s day.  The leafless trees allow you to see the beautiful rolling hills covered in snow.  The challenging trail takes you up and down those hills and you get warm with all that extra effort of running through snow and ice. I love the challenge!

I truly love my trail runs and even more-so because it is something I am blessed to be able to do with my loving husband!

Have I sparked interest in any of you to give trail running a try?
I sure hope so!

Your Simply Susan fitness inspiration  of the day!😆

For the love of Reese pieces

People don’t get why I love winter running, so I need to share it with you all and hope I can get some of you to give it a try!

First of all winter running and trail running are what I like to call “Nature’s obstacle courses”.  They provide attainable challenges and keep you on your toes the whole time. That is why I love them both so much! 😆
Things you need to know and things to make sure you have before trying this type of running:

Firstly, you need to be dressed warmly enough that you can get through the first 10 minutes of your run.  You don’t want to overdo it or you will overheat! I wear layers and use zippered clothing that can be zipped down if I am too warm. I have 2 types of running shoes for all of my running, my regular road shoes, and my trail/winter running shoes. These trail shoes have more tread, and a waterproof layer (sometimes) to protect your feet a little more.  You should have mittens/gloves that have a flip back top for when/if your hands get too hot.   Lastly, you should have a balaclava or a neck warmer to cover a good portion of your face and ears, and a good thin, yet warm hat.

When I run in the winter I feel so challenged, and so very satisfied when I am done.   I don’t worry about speed or distance, because the satisfaction of the battling the ice, snow, wind, and minus zero temperatures are an exhilarating challenge.

One thing also is that winter running gives you an excuse to run slower and use shorter strides.  This is an important tip as this is what you need to focus on the whole time.  As you run, shorten your stride in the snow and ice and if you think you may slip just hop off onto the grass and/or walk.   You also need to do this as you approach corners.

Well, have I convinced any of you out there to give it a try??? I strongly encourage you to if you love running and like a challenge.  This is the main way I have learned to embrace winter.  I found an activity I thoroughly enjoy doing outside and I learned that the challenge and fun of it make me so very happy, which in turn makes me a better person.

There are few things that satisfy me as much as coming in the door after a winter run with my icicled eyelashes!

Once you’ve embraced this, you can give my other favourite a try……snowshoe running😆 Now that’s another blog😄😄😄

Please, give it a try!  There are so many nice, clear winter days that are purely gorgeous and you could learn to embrace winter too.

Your Simply Susan motivational tip of the day.

Keep  sunny, and embrace winter running. 😆

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I’m a runner

Okay, first of all everyone always assumes I have always been a runner.  But the truth is, I  didn’t  even start exercising until my mid 20’s!  Plus, I  didn’t start running until I was 30ish or start enjoying it until my mid 30’s!   🙂

Now I am a runner who runs 4-5 times a week then cross-trains 1-2 times a week.  For my cross training I do a variety of things depending on the season, the weather, and my mood!  I personally think it’s important to have variety in your workouts. It adds interest and curbs boredom! 

I vary my runs from day-to-day, but have a basic goal in mind for the number of kilometres I want to run in a week.  I am generally not training for anything, just do it to keep myself fit and healthy; also because I firmly believe it is setting a very positive example for our 2 children.

When I cross train in the summer I will often do workouts at a local place that has 2 sets of stairs and 2 hill paths leading up to a large grassed area at the top.  During these workouts I will do a certain number of stair and hill interval runs (as fast as I feel), then I will do a variety of exercises at the top.  These exercises are push-ups, the superman, squats,lunges, running backward, and anything else I can think of that only requires myself and my strength!

When I cross train at home I will do cardio using either my stationary bike, or my elliptical machine.  After cardio I generally do a variety of weight exercises using dumbbells and/or a medicine ball.  I like to do 1 set of exercises covering each muscle group.  Then after a very short break I repeat the set.  I vary the weight exercises I do every few months so my body doesn’t get too used to them, and also to keep it interesting!

Okay, so the reason I explained at the beginning how this is all relatively new to me was to show my readers that it is never to late to try something new! Who knows, give it a try, you may love it too!

Do any of my followers want to join me or need some motivation to get started?  Just ask! I already have one friend joining me on my cross-training days! Let me know, I love to help motivate others to get started😆.