Half Marathon Paula Lamb - #gotlegs must run!

PART TWO

Here I am folks Race # 5, 6 and 7 DONE AND DUSTED!  
147 km's of racing and over 600 km's of training later.
#killingtime

Race number 5 was my peak all I had to do was push myself over the edge, start rolling down that hill cause race number six was in clear view.  I had to dig deep to complete this race, I started with an injury and ended very very sore and was off my feet for two weeks post race.

It had not been a happy time.  The only time I think I will feel human again without aches and pains is when I have fully rested my body and not pushed myself so hard. That will have to wait I guess as I have the race of all races NUMBER 8 left to cross off the goal posts.

How did my injury occur.  One week into my trip overseas after race number three I started with a left hip ache which radiated down the left leg (ITB) and felt a pinch in my left glute crease (you know where the glute and the hamstring meet).  This concerned me and I realized why,  it was from the beds I had been sleeping in.  The mattresses were too soft and had pushed my sleeping alignment out of whack.  PLUS I aint gonna lie my body was tired yes ma'am which I think added to the stress.  I had this dull ache which worsened as time ticked on.  I still completed short runs and stretched as much as possible but the dull ache lingered this was truly concerning for me.  At that point it was only three races left and I had an injury I was not too sure how long it would take to heal or how bad I was injured.

What I will have to say before I go on is take your running shoes with you because you can capture the most awesome picture perfect moments during your runs in a city.  The best time is when the streets are quiet in the early hours of the morning - not a tourist in sight.  
                                     

Love Locks in Cologne, Germany

After running for 8-10km I climbed 298 steps to a gorgeous
view of Passau, Germany

Vienna, Austria a runner's paradise massive park available to
runners along the waterways.

Anyhow back to the serious stuff.  Five races down and I now relied on my hot yoga classes, maintaining flexibility, visits to my RMT and less time on the road to get me across the finish line!  I have to say once you have a good cardiovascular and endurance fitness base under your belt its easier to maintain the running. Hence my weekly distance has decreased somewhat so that I can finish my set goal (re-covering from an injury) for 2014. You gotta do,  what ya gotta do!

It is now October 17th and I have only started feeling relief since I started treatment with my massage therapist, hot yoga and taken some rest.  This injury has tortured the life out of me since after race four the Scotia Bank half.  And again I realize how magical our bodies are and if we don't look after them they give in or sure as hell show us the signs we are over doing it!  It is imperative we listen to our bodies or we may never be able to run again.

Yes, training for eight half marathons in one year has been gruelling on my body (gosh what does marathon training do to the ole bod!!)  and on the mind.  I enjoy my running, I miss it when I don't do it but I have had to slow down somewhat to ensure I make it to my last race in November.

Injury prevention is key to success when you are running near or far.  They creep up on us, one minute your galloping the next your limping out the gate.  I am plagued with plantar fascaitis and for those of you reading this who know what I am talking about will understand the heel pain one feels and more so after a race.  I also suffer from tight hip flexors, ITB, hamstrings, achilles and lets just stop there....

So how do I still get to run.  I have a injury healing and prevention team as I like to call it.  My magical Registered Massage Therapist Nikki works wonders painful but delightful all at once (I giggle or groan alot in her treatments but boy do I feel magical a couple of days later).  Then I visit YYOGA for my YHOT classes and flow classes (although right now I am just doing YHOT).  Its marvellous stretching out the body in the heat as the sun rises on an autumns day. #Bliss

I have at home my epsom salts baths and often soak my feet and calves in icy icy cold water (with epsom salts of course, works wonders). A foam roller with and without the knobbies is great to release tension but be careful with the knobbly one it can bruise the body.  I also have this little ball (you can use the spiky balls they have for use in tumble dryers) that I roll under my feet and heel.  This helps with my plantar and massages my tired, sore feet.

Post race I take a warm epsom salts bath (as soon as I can) and after a good soak I apply a magnesium oil to the ole leggies.  It truly helps.

I am almost at my finish line and my half marathon race day is about turning my dream, my goal into reality and astonishing myself each step of the way.

My journey is not complete - exciting really.  With race number eight set for late November with yet another three week international journey before that.  I hope and pray nothing holds me back because I can see that finish line I just have a 21km hurdle ahead to accomplish.  

  

I have more too share so please come back as my journey is not complete.  Food, Workouts and all that I have learnt along the way.

"Achievement is true glory, exhilarating to the heart and joyous to the beholder"

                                                                                                      Paula C Lamb

Race Number Six - (Spirit of the Shore, Oct 5th, 2014)

Race Six and Seven (Victoria Half Oct 12th, 2014)

See you on the road, #killingtime

Paula C

7x Half Marathoner 

Half Marathon - Paula Lamb

                                                                                       Picture courtesy of google images

PART ONE         

It's 07.00 am on a Sunday morning, I roll over to sit on the edge of my bed, slowly I flex and extend my feet.   My heels ache I suffer from Plantar Fasciatis.  Placing my feet on the hard wood floors I begin to do the runners shuffle that's what I call it these days, you know when your legs are stiff and achey,   calves ache and for me heels sore and you struggle to walk normally.  I shuffle over to the bathroom glare at myself in the mirror with a glint of a smile "morning sunshine" its that time again - run forest run.  

Time and again we read stories of grand achievement.  The challenges, courage, determination, trials and tribulations humans have faced to get to that finish line however far or close it had been. But you certainly don't have to climb Mt Everest to feel that emotional pang of delight in your heart as you cross your finish line.  

During this year of 2014 I have discovered, learnt and felt this very pang of pure delight and pride.  Not only have I met the physical challenges that I set before me, I have also discovered a whole lot about runners, people, life and myself.  

I hope this blog about my achievement will inspire you to get up off that sofa and just do it,  whatever it may be!.

My name is Paula C and I proudly share 
My 2014 story!

 Happy New Year - Whistler  01-01-2014

It's January 5th, 2014 a new year is upon us and time to set New Year Goals!   Let me set the mood about the day that changed my 2014 year ahead.  I live in North America its pretty chilly out.  Here we sit my husband and I, he a natural runner 5K, 10K easy peasy and me not an avid runner,  not a sausage BUT physically fit and a sound fitness foundation that stems back to my early 20's.  I sit with my laptop open on our kitchen counter glaring at the Internet page of The BMO Marathon,  race day May 4th, 2014.  I know your thinking how did we get here all these half marathons later.  Good question I get asked that a lot !

NEW POST COMING SOON!

The First South African Female Pilot -

If your looking for an easy, enjoyable, entertaining read this summer then this book I highly recommend.

If you have read my previous blogs you will know that I am an avid biography/memoir reader and it stems from being intrigued with other peoples lives, who they are, where they came from, their family good AND BAD!! and family photos are a must,  what they have learnt in life, what I can learn from what they have to share.  

This is why I am a huge fan of Oprah and the OWN Network where she interviews interesting people such as Condelezza Rice,  Sidney Pointier,  Maya Angelou, Jane Fonda, Jay Z,  Pharell Williams gosh the list goes on and on.   Oprah always finds an intriguing story to share.

Oprah says everyone has a story and Kucki Low; all 5 feet of her sure has a story I think you will LOVE.  Kucki in real life (yes I know this wonderful person for real) is such a loving character,  an avid yoga follower with a great sense of humour and lover of life,  you cannot help but feel intrigued to know just how this persons life had unfolded.

Kucki Low an interesting name isn't it (Cookie is how you pronounce her name) was the first female commercial pilot in Southern Africa during the 1970's.  "I have to express my wonder and joy at this knowledge.  She achieved an unforeseen goal at a time when women were often not taken too seriously.  Born in Austria and as an immigrant to Southern Africa found a passion for flying she never knew till that very first exhilarating flight.  Magic!! 

Kucki says "most of us have more than one passion,   (I have to agree with her on this kinda sounds like me)  we can be passionate about different things at different stages of our lives."  She says - "It is what we do with that passion that determines the degree of fulfillment and happiness we feel in our lives." What I have personally learned over the years of my life to-date is your passion does not have to become your vocation but passion is the driving force behind your achievements and as Kucki says life fulfillment! 

Back to Kucki and her story;  Having had a difficult relationship with her parents during her younger years of her life,  to mending the gap and sharing touching moments with her mother in her teen years,  you will love the intriguing and fun stories Kucki has to share.  She falls in love with flying, in love with a man and in love with Canada.  

Not only is her life journey interesting and worth a read,  she shares her family history, family photographs (my favourite) and history of a time and place we/I knew nothing about (intriguing). She provides us the opportunity to share in her excitement about her new adventures on a South West African farm to her relationship with her brother Axel,  working in her fathers photography store, making her way back to Europe,  Kucki leads you along an interesting life story path with twists and turns and emotional ups and downs I guarantee you cannot resist to know!

Unhappiness reigned in her life from a young age and I loved the sharing knowledge of "we are responsible for our own happiness and that once you realize this it is truly freeing!"

My understanding of this character Kucki Low was that she was an intense little creature with deep emotions and a need to belong.  I hope you too will find a connection with Kucki and her life as I did. Today I think she feels like she belongs and with a comforting, mentoring nature she shares her story as a guest speaker at many events.

Her story is touching, enlightening and thoroughly enjoyable I encourage you to add this book to your summer reading list.  You won't regret it!

Please visit:  www.kuckilow.com

Remember Life in all its wonder is a "tidy business"

Paula C

Flowers, Colourful, Delightful and Life

Fresh Flowers,  I am a huge huge fan.  If you think about it the gift of fresh flowers whether in a bouquet, displayed in a vase as an arrangement, or just a bunch from your local grocer (whole foods always have such a glorious choice) will bring a smile to any ladies face.  

Fresh Flowers; they are a beautiful, colourful, gratifying gift that you could give any mother, grandmother, sister, girlfriend, friend, colleague, acquaintance, client. Fresh Flowers are a true gift giving delight.  I love the look on a persons face when they receive flowers - "priceless".

What would we do without flowers?  I would certainly have an issue if they disappeared off the face of this "Big Blue Marble" in space, swoosh!!  I love flowers in my home and love to gift flowers for any reason.  Birthdays, Thank you's, I am thinking of you's and Just Because I Can.  Flowers the most appreciated gift I know.  They are so simple, so pretty, so colourful and offer a wide variety to choose from.

Roses, Geraniums, Tulips (I love Tulips), Frescia's, Hydrangeas, proteas, sunflowers oh and Orchids seriously the list can go on.  Some have a scent others don't BUT who really cares they are beautiful and I LOVE FLOWERS, who doesn't??? 

So next time you are looking for a gift idea for a lady just purchase the most gorgeous, colourful bouquet (exclude those god awful carnations) and you will be King for the Day guaranteed.

Till next time remember Fresh Flowers are a tidy gift purchase and light up any ladies life and home interior guaranteed.

Paula C

Suits - it's unstoppable

Happy New Year to you all!  Let's get on with it ey!

HBO - Suits

The new HBO series Suits is my first blog for 2014 why you ask well it is undeniably a moorish, unstoppable, awesome rainy day tele watching show.  

A must see show……

I am serious folks.  I am hooked.  Hook, line and sinker!!!! Hooookkkedddd 

So what is so kewl about SUITS let's see.  Addictive, there are good looking people, slick moves, bribery, it is comedic, quirky and some sexual activity the list goes on. 

A little background: Suits is based around a fictitious law firm "Peason and Hardman" is set in The Big Apple.  (Although this show is shot on location in Toronto sometimes if I am not mistaken).  The show filled with key players who manoeuvre, bribe and mask their every turn to glory or in Louis's case disappointment. 

Comedic and witty at times the sense of humour of some of the cast members adds a great undertone to their overall objective "to win the case".  Who caught my eye first,  well of course "The handsome and suave Harvey Specter" played by Gariel Macht.  A Senior Law Partner at Pearson and Hardman and one hell of a looker.  He is Mc Steamy and Mr Dreamy all bundled in one….although his balls are not equally spread apart sometimes - Oi head out of the gutter please,  I mean in his work space the balls that sit on the windowsill  they are not always evenly spaced I am a bit OCD…... Donna needs to talk to the office cleaners. 

Back to reality, other characters to watch, we have young Mike Ross played by Canadian Actor Patrick J Adams who never went to law school, fluked his way into Pearson and now juggles a lie in the harsh and cut throat world of law all whilst sexing the beautiful, and quirky with a dash of fire Rachel Zane played by Meghan Markle (she is cute a reason for the boys to watch).  We have the strawberry blonde with big brown expression filled eyes;   Donna Paulsen,  Harvey's right hand ally and executive assistant.  She knows the ins and outs of Pearson,  what's happening and what's not going to happen at Pearson.  She has a quirky sense of humour with adorable facial gestures you just can't stop loving her….

Then there is poor Louis Litt,  talented lawyer and Harvey's opponent at the best of times.  He seems to always be the under dog yet I find myself rooting for him to WIN LOUIS WIN!!!! and last but certainly not least important The Jessica Pearson the big kahuna mama bear of the firm who runs the show, tells it like it is and does not take any nonsense from anyone.  Played by the beautiful Gina Torres (Cuban decent), a statuesque figure,  with a wardrobe to die for (I personally love those necklaces myself).  I catch myself taking pointers from her quirky, brilliant mind.

I cannot say enough about how great this show is.  This has been my go to relaxation fest for the holidays and I am hooked - did I say that already, hooked people hooked!  

Suits can be viewed in the USA, Bravo tele in Canada and Channel 7 in Oz (according to my friend google) and what my friend google has also spilled is that it is renewed for a 4th season.  Say what!!!!! more of Mr Dreamy, Mc Steamy Harvey Specter, dashing Mike Ross, Rachel Zane oh and lets not forget the great Donna Paulsen Harvey's ever undying ally….(deep down I think she loves him) 

The New Year is beginning to look a whole lot winter tele watching awesomeness.

Have I got your attention yet.  Seriously go take a look http://www.usanetwork.com/suits

#Suits:  now that's a tidy business

Till next time

Paula C

visit: www.everythingtidy.com for my "tidy inspiration cards" available for orders.