mother runner

Spring Running

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 1 Comment

HELLO!!!!

Thought I’d pop in to say hi! Blogging has become non-essential….ha ha, I mean non-existent for me this year which means I’m moving closed to closing down the blog. Covid has us in another lockdown for the last 3-4 weeks. I don’t know how long exactly as I just don’t care to count anymore how long since we’ve been able to travel within our Province, see our families or gather in groups outside of our household. This extrovert is DONE with the lockdown!

I haven’t been running much but trying to stay active. Without looking, I run maybe 2-3 times a week. The weather is starting to get nice here and apple blossoms are out in full force. We’ve been biking with our girls most evenings which has been fun.

When I have been running, it’s been early mornings…. 6am ish and I’m loving it. My subdivision is so quiet at that time of day, just shift workers heading to their job or coming home. There is this older couple I see as well, we always chat when we pass each other- sometimes 2-3 times during my run and their walks.

I convinced my daughters last weekend to bike while I ran and we all had fun. I’d catch up to them and want a walking break and they’d take off saying “good job mama”.

I did get my covid shot 3 weeks ago and happy I did as my husband, being a paramedic is exposed to it. I got the AZ shot which our Province stopped giving out just over a week after I had it. I then had a week of “did I do the right thing?” and freaked out a few times. And yes, yes I did do the right thing for me and my family. I did have a rough few days post shot with chills, body aches, headaches and an increase of fatigue but it went away after a few days (5) and LOTS of hydration. I’ve been tested about 4 times, all negative and will likely continue to be tested weekly or bi-weekly cause you never know, right!

Spring running has been slow going but I’m more focused on just getting out the door, getting in a run, taking a break from bring at home …. cause I’m working full time from home while our girls are “learning” from home for school. They’ll be home until the end of the school year (June 30th-ish) and then summer break starts. I genuinely miss having meetings in person and value that time with my colleagues. Speaking of which, I got a new (term) job and loving the change. Same type of work, same people, just different work.

I am planning to run as few virtual races this summer….maybe 10k and a half marathon. My fingers and toes are crossed for a fall in person race, likely another half marathon but we’ll see what happens. That’s really about it!

I post often on my Instagram account, (pipersrun), so as I wind down this blog over the coming months, you can follow me over there.

How’s your spring going?

Anyone else in lockdown just done with it all? (But completely respect the decisions around it)? Me.

Are you racing in person yet?

November 30th Already!

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 4 Comments

I can’t believe tomorrow is December 1st….and I’ve barely wrote any blog posts this year. 🤷‍♀️

I’ve been spending most of my social media time on Instagram at “pipersrun”….if you want to see more daily posts, since I suck a blogging this year.

I did however, finish the Run Across Nova Scotia team relay back in mid August. Three of us ran 264km to run the distance of Nova Scotia during wave 1 of this crazy pandemic. It kept me motivated to keep running and getting outsize more.

I got to enjoy some beautiful longer rides this fall with my husband….who is way more of a hard core cyclist than I am. It was fun to be on the road with him. We also did some fall trail running together at Cape Split and Keppoch….both beautiful places we’ll run again. Cape Split is close by and we’ve run it before but Keppoch was so beautiful, I can’t wait to go back!

This fall I’ve been trying to hit 100km a month to reach my yearly goal of 1000km….as of writing this, I’m 4km away from my monthly goal. Yes, you guess it…I’m heading out to get in those 4km today.

I still have 115km in December to hit my yearly goal and I’ve made a plan to get there. I’m also close to my 1000km of cycling goal for the year but it’s time to put my bike on the trianer….sad day.

Yesterday I enjoyed a 13km run in the sunshine. However, it was super cold in the shade. Can’t win them all!

Okay, I’ll off to get a 4km easy run and finish my 100km for the month.

Anyone else going for a monthly goal today?

How about yearly goals?

Are you planning for 2021 yet?

Run or Ride!?!

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / Leave a comment

We’ve been enjoying the beautiful weather we are currently having in Nova Scotia.

I’m trying to take advantage of the nice weather and get outside for as many runs as I can but also rides on my bike. Since I took my bike off is trainer (and won’t be putting it back on until fall), my only option for a ride is outdoors.

Yesterday, late afternoon I managed to get in my longest road ride of 33km done. The first half was a loop I’ve never done and was great. The second loop was horrible and I thought I was going to get hike my so many cars or ride off into the ditch. It was brutal and I’ll never take that road again. Not need to put myself in that situation again.

My girls have been loving getting out on their bikes in our subdivision and local trail over the last few months. Last year we took a ride into the next town and I’m hoping to convince them to do that again soon. It’s only 8k one way but I don’t know they’d be up for the return ride. We’ll see.

Below, I’m “blinded by the light” (of the sun) post ride! Also, one of our favourite songs to dance to in our house. We’ve also got in a few evening rides which are fun and a good way to get out of the house!

On Sunday which was my daughter’s 10th birthday, I managed to get in a faster 10k. Be it the cooler temps and overcast sky, running more consistently for the last three months or losing some weight recently…I ran faster by 4-5 minutes. Not going to lie, it felt great to push my pace and see 5:48/km at one point.

I’m hoping to run a half marathon at some point this summer but I need to work up to it. I don’t seem to have the fitness/body that can just go run a half marathon whenever I want to.

Our “Three Moms on the Run” team is just under 200km into 792km “Run Across Nova Scotia”. I’ve only completed 48km so I’ve got to get running more soon! Sure wishing I was on vacation 😊. So it’s a toss up these days, do I run or ride?

What’s your go to activity? Run or ride? (Or something else)

Are you having good sunshine weather or crappy rainy weather?

Last, are you done with Covid? (Like me)

Running: Food for the Soul

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 7 Comments

Running these days is like food for the soul. It can allow you to escape reality, forget your troubles and engage you in away that nothing else can.

I’m running more now than I have in the past for many reasons (no injuries being one of them) but it’s also a great stress reliever. Working full time from home, helping my kids with “school” work and other normal life responsibilities are taking a toll.

Good sleep has become a big priority over the last few months. I actually slept-in for the first time in weeks this morning and it was lovely. I didn’t have to get up and get ready for work as it’s Victoria Day / May 2-4 long weekend. I also did my long run yesterday, so no early morning run today. I’m still in my PJ’s as I write this, also not normal for me at this time of day.

Our bubble expanded on the weekend in Nova Scotia and we got to see my parents in person for the first time in 9-10 weeks – it was just what we all needed. The weather is finally feeling like spring too – we really needed this weather.

Yesterday I participated in my second virtual run…. which should have been my 8th half marathon at the Blunose Marathon. They offered a “distance run” for free. It was so great to see all the #BN2020 over social media this weekend.

I ran the 15k distance run as I my body isn’t quite ready for a half marathon right now.

I ran 5k around my subdivision, which has some good hills, then headed out on hwy 1 (sidewalks) for 5k and returned home, another 5k. My legs felt heavy towards the last 4k but I kept going and felt great once I finished, in 1:44:19. Not an amazing time but I’m happy with that pace for now.

I’m looking at a few more virtual races over the coming months, cause why not! It will keep me running, healthy and fuel my soul, mind and body.

On a separate note, I’m barely reading lately. I had a goal of reading 20 books this year and so far I’ve finished 9. I have one book on the go but not loving it – I’ll spare you the title. Then I’m digging into “Little Fires Everywhere”. I’ve read the first few pages but want to finish my other book before getting into this one.

I’m still loving early morning runs to start my day and getting close to taking my bike off its trainer. Still hoping unclipping my shoes will be as easy outside as is inside on the trainer. We’ll see soon!

What books are you reading ?

Anyone else doing virtual runs?

What’s fueling your soul right now?