Fun Stuff Friday!

June 19, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 6 Comments

It’s FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!! I’m really looking forward to our weekend start in a few hours. We have our last swimming lesson, a birthday party, Sai is home and we’ve got the BBQ lined up! I’m trying to ignore the rain that is falling down as I write this and thinking of sunshine all weekend long.

Update on my hamstring: I had a fantastic treadmill run Wednesday night, no pain 🙂 However, my leg is still tender from the cupping – oh well…..I’m just hoping that it helps me get better…pain is temporary – right?!?!

Okay, here are some fun friday things for you:

1. For those of you who don’t live in Canada, I wanted to share this article with you!!!! Check out this article “Gorgeous places to RUN in Canada”. I’ve let to run in any of these places but might add these to my list of places and races to run at some point in my life. I *might* be able to tick off Appin Road in Prince Edward Island this summer. Fingers crossed.

2. GoodLife is challenging Canadians to stay active with a nation-wide campaign and contest called “Random Acts of Fitness”!

With the warmer weather upon us, Canadians are taking their fitness outdoors so we want to capture that enthusiasm and share it with as many people as possible. As an added incentive, we’ve created a contest element, which could land you and a friend an exciting prize.

How to enter: It couldn’t be easier….simply snap a photo of yourself doing outdoor activities and share it on Instagram or Twitter using #FitCanadian to be entered to win the following:

One person will win:

A one year GoodLife Fitness membership and a LifeChanger for you and a friend
Team Training at GoodLife Fitness for you and a friend
$500 Reebok gift card

For more details you can go here, contest ends August 31st.

In other news…..

3. Last week, ParticipACTION released the 2015 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children & Youth. Basically, we need to get children and youth OUTDOORS MORE!!!!

For those with kids, how much time do your kids spend outside?

And the Women’s World Cup has been pretty awesome. I regrettably did not purchase tickets to watch some games in Moncton…and am kicking my butt now. whomp whomp But, I have lots of friends attending some games and they are loving it! Go CANADA GO!

Canadians – have you run in any of the locations in Canadian Running Magazine’s article?

Non-Canadian Residents – any places on the list (in article) that you’d want to check out?

Do your children get enough DAILY physical activity?

As an adult – do YOU get enough DAILY physical activity?

Have a great weekend.

Cheers, Piper!

Remember When 5k Was….

June 9, 2015 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 28 Comments

Remember when running 5k was….

HARD! The hardest thing you think you could put your body through (minus giving birth). Then it got manageable and part of your weekly routine.

Five kilometres here, five kilometres there and by the end of the week you accumulated numerous 5k runs. You may even dabble in longer distances which then become your new struggle.

Remember when 5k was EASY. As you zoom pass your normal 5k loop and decide to continue on racking up the mileage, feeling strong and confident.

Then after a surprising (at the time) injury you can barely walk without pain, you can’t put your shoes on or place your child in their crib because your injury hurts too much. Five kilometres seems so long, whether you are running outside or trying to hit up a treadmill at home or gym, like GoodLife Fitness.

Resume running 5k again

Remember when 5k became HARD AGAIN! You never thought you’d return to this point. You may have even taken those EASY 5k runs for granted. Thinking you can just pop them out when ever you want, no need to stretch, no need hydrate or fuel afterwards. You’ve got this, right? You used to do it before, right.

Eventually, you realise the mistakes you made with those EASY 5k runs as you struggle to get stronger again. Running 5k is HARD again and for some reason you are loving it. You are loving the fresh air, the (slow) speed, even the amount of dirty laundry you have accumulated. You love how it makes you feel; physically and mentally.

You remember when 5k was EASY and know you will get back there. It may take a while but you are thankful you are able to pound out those 5k runs again with little to no pain.

Do you remember when 5k was EASY for you?

Do you remember when 5k was HARD for you?

How often do you run 5k in a week? or 3 miles?

Happy National Running Day!

June 4, 2014June 4, 2014 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 24 Comments

Happy National Running Day!

Yesterday, I had the day off work and had a million errands to run, one of them was a 7 – 9k run outside. I took my sweet time getting ready and took forever to get ready … procrastination was my game yesterday. It was 19 degrees celsius and only going to get warmer. I left the house a little worried I wouldn’t be able to run in the heat after all…it’s been a late start to spring/summer weather in Nova Scotia.

Hot run outside accomplished! Red face and all.

Why I run?

This really hasn’t changed for me in the last few years….

I run for my girls, my husband and my family. I run to escape and think about life at the same time. I run to be healthy and fit. I run for the passion of leading a healthy lifestyle. I run to be a positive role model for my young daughters. I run for me.

What I’ve learned about running:

1. The more time you invest in your running the more you benefit from it.

2. That my Garmin is a tool to help me reach my goals but my body and mind are what get me there.

My 10k PB

3. That I can challenge myself and reach my goals EVEN when I think they are lofty goals.

4. That the support I receive from my friends, my family and bloggers is something I never expected.

5. That I’m a strong person.

6. That I am a positive role model for my girls.

Me and my BIg Girl – Bluenose Kids 2k Run

7. That I can influence others with this blog (which I never really thought I would do).

8. Bad runs are good for you. Many bad runs are good for you.

9. To plan your recovery after a race – your legs will thank you.

10. Running is good for your mental health in more ways than we know it.

My 2012 & 2013 National Running Day Posts

For more National Running Day post – check out Olive to Run! A little link up love by Olive To Run.

Why do you run?

What have you learned from running? (Or walking, cycling, crossfit, zumba, dance etc)

Has physical activity/sport ever changed you?

Anna

A Week’s Vacation…

May 27, 2014 / Anna @ Piper's Run / 12 Comments

….from Running is just what I did!

A week ago Sunday, I ran in the 10k Bluenose Marathon (recap here) and really pushed myself more than I ever thought I would. It was a hard, hilly route but I managed to get a new PB/PR by 2 minutes. The next day I flew out to Toronto for a Conference…just me! I had four days on my own at the 2014 Global Summit on Physical Activity for Children in Toronto! It was the first time I’ve been away from our girls for more than one night! {crazy, eh!}.

I thought it was going to be awesome to be back in Toronto and have a little break from trying to balance it all but I totally missed my girls/hubby and thought of them all the time.

It was nice to sit for a while on the plane however my thighs were KILLING me. Every step or decline in the ground/road/steps, I would grimace in pain. Actually, I would hobble down the stairs with pain shooting through my thighs. It was brutal. Once in Toronto we missed our shuttle and decided to walk the 25 minutes to the hotel with our luggage. However it took us 35 minute because of all the people, road construction and maybe my sore legs too 😉

I knew I was going to take Monday off {day after my race} but had planned to run while at the conference with some friends.

5:45am Day 2 of Conference, I wake up and my room-mate asks if I want to run? Nope, I’m going to stay in bed. Legs still hurt and continue to hurt throughout the day 😦

6:00 Day 3 of Conference – Chose sleeping over getting up and running again. My legs are finally starting to feeling better and I no longer dread the sight of stairs.

3:45 pm Day 3 of Conference – While sitting in a session I have this idea that a run would be awesome and I felt ready to run.

Didn’t run.

6:00am Day 4 of Conference – I’m sure enjoying sleeping in 🙂 Later that day, I almost miss our flight…..3 in our group made it and three didn’t make it AND we were all together. Dam road construction and missing the ferry by 2 minutes.

Friday – Surely I’d want to run by Friday – five days after my run…and I did want to run but decided to go to bed early. Poor Hilary fell while I was away….off the bed and Grammy had to take her to the ER. She’s okay, in a soft/hard cast for a week and another x-ray to go. She was up most of the night because she couldn’t really roll over with the cast on…poor girl.

Saturday – I really wanted to run and lace up after dinner. But, I didn’t….I watched some TV.

I clearly did not take my own blog advice:

I still haven’t run yet…ha ha…but don’t worry I’m planning a return soon 🙂 I never planned on taking a FULL week off from running but those first few days I think it was necessary. Now to get back at it and start training for my next 10k at the end of June.

Oh, and I WON a pair of New Balance Running Sneakers!!!! The EPIC Canadian Run I signed up for in June sent me a little message that I won a pair – nothing like a little motivation to keep me going 🙂