101 Kicks in the Butt

That's the title of an article in a copy of the Runners magazine I've just picked up from the hotel gym! I appreciate a good headline and with 27 days left until the Vancouver Half Marathon I am most definetely in need of 101 kicks in the butt!!! So, eagerly I turn to page 68 for my first kick and guess what it is???

1. "Start a blog - where you post your daily mileage and then give out the web address to your friends and family. Do you really want Aunt Ellen to ask why you skipped your four-miler on Wednesday"

Well it's rather uncanny that I have just started a blog isn't it?!!! Little did I know it would help to motivate me to run!!! So my apologies in advance if I become a bit of a running bore in the next 27 days but I think I will follow this advice and tell the world what I am going to run. I don't have an Aunt Ellen to reprimand me if I don't do it so some of you will have to take her place. I am all for some tough love - as long as it is compassionate tough love!

So today I ran 5 miles on the treadmill in the hotel gym. This is good because I am tired from not sleeping very well last night (weird anxiety about today's meetings), long meetings today and I managed to resist the allure of the Westin's "Heavenly Bed" which is indeed heavenly.

It's not so good because I had to run those 5 miles to burn off the Jelly Belly jelly beans I devoured from the mini bar (i love this hotel but that is extreme temptation to the point of cruelty - why not stock the room with fruit and yoghurts to prevent weak souls like me from giving in? Seriously???) Plus, I wish I could have done more than 5 miles. In 27 days I need to run 13.5 miles!!!!!! But negative thinking won't help here - I am proud of my 5 miles, I didn't stop and I worked in some sprints. I guess the idea of this Running Magazine using a blog as a "kick in the butt" is for you to all hold me accountable so here's the plan for the week:

Tues - 2 mile fast run after my meetings before I leave for the aiport
Weds - 7 mile run - I think from my house to Kits beach and back will do it but I will have to check it out
Thurs - Rest :-)
Fri - 3 mile tempo jog
Sat - Rest :-)
Sun - The Sun Run 6.5 miles

Including today's run that will give me a weekly mileage of 23.5. I think that's what I should be doing at this stage in the game. Any experts out there please advise.

I'll end with "kick in the butt # 59 - Remember you almost always feel better after a run than before it". Very true. I'll have to remind myself of that tomorrow. I'll report back.

Got to go.. 5 am mountain time start tomorrow. Yawn.

xox