Sweaty Sunday: No Sweat.

Yesterday was the local 10K race, the TC10K, the Times-Colonist 10K... the Times-Colonist is the local rag. It's the second largest road race in Canada with over 13,000 participants. Not bad for a wee city on an island, eh?

Photograph by Adrian Lam, Times Colonist

Last January, I signed up to 'run' the event but last week I decided that I wasn't going to participate. My knee is finally feeling good again and I simply do not want to rescrew it up.




I thought about walking the race but I know myself too well. I know I would have gotten caught up in the energy of it all and start running ('running' being running and walking). Plus, my decision to take up running was to run for it's own sake; I just want to do it. Getting my fitness back and shedding some lard are secondary (and necessary!) motivations. Participating in races is a tertiary objective. I don't think I've ever used the phrase 'tertiary objective' before, lol. So, the decision not to participate was dead easy and without any regret.

I did go pick up my t-shirt, bib and shoe timer thingy though! haha!





Next year I will enter again and hopefully I will not only participate but actually run the bugger!

Aside: the winner of the mens was a dude named Kip Kangogo. What a great name!

Sweaty Sunday: The Uniboober vs The TC10K

What have I gotten myself into? Last week, I went and registered for a local 10K race; the TC10K. In 83 days, I just might find myself in a scene similar to this:

(A photo of last year's TC10K I swiped from here.)

Insane or what?

I'm chubby.

I've spent the last year doing SFA in terms of physical exercise.

I haven't run beyond chasing after a bus in about 15 years.

I can only run for about 3 minutes at a time before I have to kick it down into a walk.

But!!!

I'm also in need of a challenge and a goal.

Desiring to shed some lard.

I have some knowledgeable support from Neil Tasker and co-learning to run buddy, Jayne.

And running is something that I've always wanted to do.

So, the insanity makes sense. Besides, it's just the 'rec' class I've entered; I'll be in good company with all of the other middle-aged, chubby, weekend warriors at the back of the pack.

Oh and an update! I received the 'holy grail' sports bra the other day and yesterday was the first test run. It's freakin' great! It took me a while to get it on. 11, yes ELEVEN, hook and eye closures all up the front. It was like trying to close an overstuffed suitcase. It was a battle but I got there. Very comfortable and it works. I love it.

Amusingly though, the bra squishes everything up, front and centre and with a t-shirt on it looks like I have one big boob in the middle of my chest; I am The Uniboober. :-)

Anyways.... (Hi Neil)

I have 83 days to attempt to achieve some better fitness for this 10K race. I don't think that I will be able to run the whole thing but I do think that I will be able to walk/run the sucker in about an hour and a half and that's my plan.

I'm going to try to keep track of my progress on my blog on Sundays; Sweaty Sunday.

Week 1 (this past week) NT's Plan was:

- 10 mins brisk walk. Followed by:

- 3 mins jog. Followed by:

- 3 mins walk.

- Repeat 3 times.

- Finish with 5 mins brisk walk.

Total workout time: 33 mins

9 mins jog
24 mins walk


I am so out of shape! Not once did I achieve the above in full, as directed, but I'm getting there and improving, which is the point. And it's been fun and enjoyable ... until the muscle soreness kicked-in. Toilet seats are soooooooo low when your quadriceps are screaming. ;-)

I'm damn proud of myself for taking those first running strides despite feeling like the whole world was watching and for actually taking up something I've wanted to for quite some time. It's going to be a lot of hard work. One week in and I'm sore and exhausted but it feels great. :-)