Run with Carmacks

Three Days a Week

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / Leave a comment

That’s it. I feel like I can manage running three days a week right now.

I look back to previous years and can’t understand how I was training for races left, right and center…..4-5 days a week. I mean, I was fully committed to training for those races and this year I’ve only run one race and I was a pace bunny (my favourite kind of race).

Life is just busy with kids and work as I’m sure many of you can relate. Both girls have been doing swim lessons and basketball this fall, so I’m a really good chauffeur. Joking aside, I love that my girls are active and learning life long skills, but it’s exhausting.

Making sure meals are made in advance, prepping lunches days before, relying on grandparents to help out when my husband is working and I’m on be road for work.

Early morning run on the road

Somehow, I’ve been struggling to find time to run as I’m prioritizing sleep over anything else. Having shingles back in September was horrible and I’m trying to avoid THAT burnout again.

So, three days a week is what I am aiming for. Run three days, throw in a soccer game here and there, keep up with my PT exercises, a random yoga class when life permits and getting my bike back on the trainer is a top priority.

I’m already thinking about winter and spring races to run which makes me excited! For now, three days a week it what I am focusing on.

Running with Carmacks

Carmacks and I had a great 7km trail run yesterday. This is his second run this fall, he ran 3k last Wednesday morning with me. Talk about a happy dog!!

Anyone else focusing on short term goals?

Planning any winter or spring races?

What’s your number one go to when you don’t have time to run or workout as much as you want to?

Wintry Morning Runs

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 1 Comment

Never thought I’d say this but wintry morning runs seem to be my thing lately!

I like to walk my dog before my husband leaves for work so that I don’t have to walk him with my girls before they go to school, and I to work. They aren’t overly enthused in the mornings to begin with. So telling them they have to walk Carmacks with me in freezing cold temps doesn’t always go over well.

This morning I was awake around 5am for no reason. I tried desperately to fall back to sleep but when my husband’s alarm went off at 5:30am, I figured I’d just get up then too.

It took me 30 minutes to pull myself together but Carmacks and I started our run at 6am. So close to the #5at5am club but I’ll take the 6am start time. He was pumped as he always is. Running in the snow is his thing! I swear he’d live outside again if we lived outside but that’s not happening.

Off we went, only running into one other dog and it’s owner. Carmacks cried to say hello but we kept going. Up and down the slippery snowy streets in the dark of the morning. Some people still had their Christmas lights on so that was fun to see.

We finished off our run with a morning chat with my neighbour before heading inside. Carmacks is all business when he gets back….feed me, feed me and then rest. I’m more like a sloth….slowly stretching, taking off my gear, saying hi to the girls and then off to the shower before the real day starts.

Right now I’m enjoying these early morning runs even with the cold temps and snow under-footing. It also means I don’t have to run tonight after the 2nd Christmas Concert this week!

Also it’s my 7th blog-anniversary! Wow….seven years with this blog!!!

Are you all ready for the holidays?

Are you into early morning runs this winter?

Anyone else have Christmas Concerts this week?

Work, Run, Shop, Repeat

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / Leave a comment

With Christmas fast approaching, I’m feeling like I’m not ready for it yet but don’t worry I’m still getting in my running! Priorities….priorities.

Just kidding….well, I’m kinda not. With two birthdays at the beginning of December in our house, it’s hard to think past those and to Christmas sometimes. Weekends are packed with basketball games times two and soon to be ski trips to the hill. We have Christmas parties (hosting) and basketball jamborees this coming weekend – at least we got our tree up last weekend. I’m ready for Christmas break just to do nothing, ha!

As for gifts, I’m mostly done shopping but feeling like I don’t have “enough”. Not that my kids/husband need all kinds of stuff but I just don’t feel ready. Baking hasn’t even been planned though I’m pinning a tone of vegan cookie recipes lately. 

Work is still in full speed which isn’t normal this time of year for us. The good news is that I’m still running, playing soccer and hitting up yoga class when my work schedule permits. I’m really loving yoga after running early in the morning. It’s a nice change mid day!

I seem to be getting into a pattern of early morning runs on Tuesday’s. I’m not sure why. It could be the fact that my husband works that day and if he’s getting up at 5:30….I’m awake too (just can’t sleep thorough it). It’s also the best time for me to get up and walk our dog before he leaves for work. And well, since we have a retired sled dog…..he kinda loves to run! 

Carmacks and I have been running 1-2 times a week and sometimes my husband takes him on his runs. Carmacks is racking up the mileage right now. Clearly, the picture below is not in the early morning hours but after one of our muddy runs a few weeks back.

I’ve even managed one run recently with my running buddy Krystol!!!!! We can just never seem to get our schedules to align but last weekend we did. It was bitterly cold…like -11c but felt like -18c. The plan was 7-8k and I called it at 5k. You win some you lose some but at least we got out together!

Anyone else feeling not “ready” for Christmas?

COLD weather runner or not?

Any early morning runners here? Raise your hand!

Snowy Running

/ Anna @ Piper's Run / 29 Comments

This time of year usually brings lots of snow to Nova Scotia, however it can be hit or miss depending on the temperatures. At the moment we have a few cm of snow on the ground, enough to make winter running a challenge.

Depending on the roads, I either run in just my sneakers or I throw on my yak tracks like I did this weekend. There are few people that put studs (or screws) on an older pair of sneakers and that works too. I’m thinking of putting some screws on a pair when I don’t want to wear my yak tracks but want some stability on the ice and snow.

We had a busy weekend of a basketball jamboree, library for the kids and cleaning the house for me, skating and then a Christmas sock exchange party for our kids.

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I’m not ready for Christmas and feeling completely unorganized but have a plan in place to get back on track before the holidays. It’s a different one this year as my husband who’s a paramedic works ALL Christmas 😦 It sucks big time but that’s life as we know it. We’re moving a few things around and Christmas will look a little different this year but we’re making the most of it.

Saturday afternoon while my parents were visiting and had the girls at the library, I snuck out for a 45 minute run. It was just what I needed. Yak tracks, Carmacks, snowy trails and me.

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It was bloody cold out! It was -5c (23f) but felt like -11c (12f) and though I was dressed warm it was still a cold run. Eventually, I got used the the temperatures as my body warmed up but this was my first COLD run of the winter. I basically wear the same things when I run but layer up my core as the temperature drops more.

Winter running is always slower running for me and I’m just find with that. Carmacks is loving life running with us. Between Friday running with my husband (7k) and 6k with me Saturday he sure is raking up the mileage!

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We’ve been working on turning around and running back towards the location we just came from and managed it pretty smoothly this time. It’s all a learning curve for us. It’s amazing how he can remember which way we have gone when having to decided between left (haw) and right (gee). I often didn’t even have to give him the commands (for lack of better word) to tell him which way to turn, he remember through scent I guess. He does not like stopping to pose for a photo!

How was your weekend?

Anyone else running in the snow?

What’s your best tip for snowy runs?