Its amazing what a little guilt, peer pressure, and a monkey will do for ones mojo.  I was beginning to wonder if I was ever gonna get back on track again.  I guess your wondering what in the name of god I am talking about when I say monkey.....well let me introduce you to the newest member of my family, my Garmin monkey Hoe and yes its pronounced hoe.  See I was debating for a long time if I should get a running watch or not.  I mean if I did, that would mean I'm actually serious about all this running stuff.  Renee had a pretty cool one, and hers came with a pet monkey and the more exercise she did the more bananas he got and stayed happy and alive, his name was Todd.  Did I want to be responsible for killing a pet monkey?? not on your life.  BINGO challenge was on.  I debated long enough, and besides Lori also bought the watch and I didn't want to feel left out.  Shelly bought a new one as well but I don't think she's good with pets as she went with the Fitbit.  '
so the time came, I went online at Costco and ordered my brand spanking new Garmin Vivoactive and it would be scheduled to be delivered on the 21st, you guessed it, a day after the big storm.  So my watch was delayed and my monkey would be overdue.  So Friday comes and still no watch, Renee, Lori, Shelley and myself decided to go to jungle Jim's for supper.  I kept checking my email but no such luck on delivery.  Suppers over and still no email, we decide to go to tims next to jungle jims for tea, we had just sat down when the email came, BOOM, my pet monkey (watch) was delivered and waiting on my door step.  I told the girls about the email and they suggested we go and finish our tea at the house, knowing I've waited all week for this.  So we all left and I debated turning on the emergency lights but Renee didn't want to explain to a police officer if we had gotten pulled over that we were on our way cause I was gonna deliver a monkey.
We got to the house and there it was......the little box containing the most precious cargo.




Renee being the most eager just to find out the  name of my monkey decided to set my watch up .... and that's when we learned I would be running with a HOE from now on.  Hoe didn't actually come out of his box till this morning on the coffee run, at the same time I met my cute little hoe, Todd (Renee's monkey) had died ...... so now she has a new one, Liza !! where they come up with these names ill never know. 
But ya know I think this watch was just what I needed to get back on track, I had no intention on running this morning till the girls reminded me that hoe wouldn't come out of the box till I exercised.  This watch also connects to my fitness pal and map my run, so I've started again today tracking my calories, and making sure I've gotten my steps in.  Its all mind over matter you see,  I'm not gonna be the one to say I've killed my monkey, Renee and Marc already killed theirs so I want to be the one to keep mine alive.  The weight loss continues and the running just gets better. 
RIP Todd and welcome Liza and hoe
Thanks girls for being a part of the delivery !!
Paula and her hoe !!

For the new runners in LTR

So, I have done it all!!

Circuit training, kickboxing, the gym, Zumba, you name it I have done it! So last September I thought outside the box and tried something I've always assumed I couldn't do.... Attempt to learn to run or as runners call  it the LTR!!!

Okay, the hard part is over... I have just signed up to PRC online by myself no friends to run with, just me myself  and I.  You can do this Shelly!! All 240lbs of you, holy shit, I just joined a running club!! All 240lbs of me!!!!

First is first, I need to know someone, I'll post on PRC Facebook site "I'm a brand new runner and am looking for someone to run with" that should work, but wait what if I attract a fast runner or someone who I can't keep up with, oh a notification already!!! From Lori Dalton, "I'm new to PRC and will run with you!" Yay!! Someone to run with!!

Of course I creeped her Facebook! If you don't know who Lori is when I creeped her fb she is a fit woman and she had bright red hair, I knew right away she was going to be alot faster then me and she was!

The LTR hadn't started yet and I had never run a day in my life! So that night I ended up running with Lori and Shelley, and I sucked!! I was out of breath, couldn't run the length of myself and thought I wasn't going to make it, I thought I was dying!! They were so nice and kept encouraging me and said that they didn't mind pretty much walking their 5K, which is what happened 😊

So after a few weeks of dying, my LTR started, I was so scared!! I wanted to be one of those runners you see gracefully running down the road, instead I was like a new born calf, no gracefulness here!!


But as hard as it was running up and down Neil's pond every Tuesday and Thursday evening and every Saturday morning it finally got easier and easier! There was one point where I was in front and it felt amazing!! But all the other nights I was either in the middle or the back! My huge lesson from my LTR is to go at my own pace!

So, this vlog  is directed towards the new runners of the PRC! The beginning of your LTR is going to be hard, your going to hurt, there are nights you'll be in the back middle and front! Go at your own pace and do your own thing! And a huge peice of advice, the people you are running with now, will be your running buddies, hold them close because these people have huge potential and are your motivation to get to your goals and to just have fun, because once the fun is gone out of it you will loose interest!

I may not be an elite runner, and I may not run marathons, and I know that I don't look like that gracefull runner and still look like a baby calf walking for the first time but I'm having so much fun doing it, and with my best friends from my LTR!

Good luck to you all, I can't wait to run with you again next week 😘

Reunited

And then there were 4 again ...... Well Shelley finally came home from her vacation.  What seemed like 3 weeks was really only 2.  I guess when she was gone it was like we had a piece missing to our group.  Well welcome back Shelley and way to go on your run tonight :)

Well after our big sign up for the Tely 10 a couple weeks ago we went and done it again today, the 4 of us, myself, Shelley, Renee and Lori will start our Tely training with the first 5k road  race of the year ..... The Flat Out 5k, and we've finally convinced Shelley to sign up too. the way I see it if one of us does it the rest of us has to suffer it out as well.....isn't that how it went Shelley when you came up with the idea for the half marathon in Halifax ???
It always seems like a good idea at the time lol
And we all have our reasons for doing these races .... Mine ?? Is to beat my flat out 5k time of 39:15 from last year, Lori's is probably to finish under 30 min, Renee's is probably to finish and Shelley's is to beat Walter and to get a finish line picture with him (blog to be written by Shelley at a later date).  Whatever the reasons, we're all gonna finish and we're all gonna do great :)
I believe we have gotten the race itch ..... I'm just gonna continue my race bib collection, and do whatever race I can ..... I'm pretty sure rock collecting is a lot easier but probably not as rewarding !!

Tely Teaser

The tely teaser really should be done before registration lol

I will admit as a hater of winter running, yesterday was near perfect conditions for the teaser.  Of course i over dressed as usual, with 2 pairs of pants, a tank, 2 long sleeve shirts, a sweater and a vest.  As i debated a cold gear hat and mittens on over my gloves i knew by the look on renees face that was probably a no, so she gave in and loaned me her buff, which lasted all of 5 minutes.  Myself along with lori and the newest member of the clan molly met renee at her house where we would complete 10k of the tely route.....at least thats what renee told us, it ended up being, 11.5k.

And although shelley was enjoying her vacation having nothing to do with fish and chips or the tely teaser she didnt forget us and kept messaging us in the group chat along the route .... O molly you need to be added to that, its motivation at its finest !!

After the run was finished me and Lori quickly drove into Donavons Irving for a big ol breakfast.....just what the doctor ordered !!

And get this, i actually got up this morning and joined the groups coffee run, and was the first one on the parking lot i might add, this is a first and probably a last for me as I'm late for everything.  Ive really run out of excuses so i just tell the girls I'm probably gonna be late because of the person i am, they don't buy the whole unicorn story anymore ... that's another blog.  So as much as i hated to get up yesterday for the teaser, i actually think it was just what i needed to get my mojo going again.  I know spring is here, it may not want to fully show itself but its there.  As i was leaving the house this morning and slipping all over the driveway from the freezing drizzle i swear i heard birds chirping.  

The bonus to getting my mojo going and joining these runs is our newest member to the clan, molly. She fit right into our little group, as soon as she said her whole reason for running was the coffee at the end i knew she would fit right in.  Welcome molly !! I think we need a group name, mmmm Renee and Shelley are good at that lol

Well congrats to everyone who finished the teaser yesterday, you rock !! 

And thanks to my running buddies Renee, Lori and molly for making me run yesterday, somehow you always seem to know just what i need !! True friends, dedicated runners, or both ..... whichever it is you guys motivate the crap outta me !! 

Happy Easter everyone

Tely 10 registration

Yip the day has finally come, its registration day for the tely 10.  Have I completely lost my mind?? Am I really gonna do this?? according to the many texts I've gotten from Shelley, Renee and Lori yes I am.  And I've been nominated to sign us all up.  11 am comes and I go in on my phone to register us and honest to god I don't think I was ever this nervous over anything before.  So I try to register myself first and BOOM they say my nlaa number isn't recognizable.  Is this a sign ??? should I just back out now ??? I could tell the girls my phone crashed, but considering Shelley wouldn't buy the fact my number wasn't recognized I don't think they would buy that either.  Well here we go, ill just start with the girls first, Lori done .... Shelley done ... Renee done ..... ugh what do I do ?? Think Paul,  just think.  The pros out weighed the cons, the fact that there was a medal got me thinking, bragging rights that I even completed the tely, and the fact that there's an after party won the decision.  Here we go, my turn.  Paula done !!! Well holy crap, me, Paula savoury is all signed up to do the tely 10. Stomach sick, I got to thinking of my running accomplishments and the turkey tea 10k came to mind.  I've never ran a whole 10k before, and that day with the help of Shelley and Renee I did it, and those same girls plus Lori will be by my side again at the tely.  With their help I can deff do this.  I can only imagine the conversations along the route and how much fun it will be crossing the finish line with them. 
I have 3 of the greatest friends, and completing something this big is just gonna be that much more exciting with them.  The photos of us crossing the finish line, with our medals and later with our beer is just gonna be more memories made and i cant think of better people to make the memories with.
After registration was complete, the PRC Facebook page lit up with everyone completing their registration.  Some for the first time and others back again, but each and everyone of the members were congratulating and encouraging each other for registering.  Made the pains in the stomach lighten a little. 
Congratulations to everyone who has signed up for this amazing race, and good luck to each and everyone of you.
Cya at the finish line.....

Wishes Really Do Come True

Well I guess since this is my first blog I should start by introducing myself.  My name is Paula and I've been sober for, o wait wrong group.  My name is Paula and I've been with PRC since October.  Like everyone else, I found my little group within our large group to run with. Renee, Shelley, and Lori have been the reason I've stuck with running over the winter, mainly because Shelley convinced us to sign up for the half marathon.  See I hate winter and I hate winter running even more, call it the winter blues if you wish.  But after running outside a couple  of days last week with Lori I see now there is a light at the end of the tunnel and spring must be just around the corner.  But in the meantime winter managed to creep its way back and I'm back to hating winter and winter running.  So for the past 3 months we've been going to the gym to get us through the winter, only now were in a rut where we don't want to go and come up with every excuse not to.  When we hear Lori say, "well I got to do something" we know we better haul our self to the gym.  She's the motivator.  Me, Shelley and Renee are motivated too just in other ways.  Shelley found us a new race to do, its the 1st annual couch potato .00010k, I personally think were a shoe in for this one, and that's how we motivate each other.
               So our gym nights have kinda been all over the place but Mondays have always been one of the nights we went later because my son has guitar from 6-630.  Well like every other Monday I came home, exhausted, cooked supper, put my phone on charge for the gym and left for guitar.  I'm sitting in the waiting area while Bradley is in his lessons praying to God I didn't have to go to the gym tonight. What I wouldn't give to get home and get a message saying they weren't going.  But I knew Lori's parents visited the week and she hasn't done much running so she's deff gonna pull the " well I got to do something" bit and I'll have to go.  I wish I didn't have to go to the gym, I wish I didn't have to go to the gym, I wish I didn't have to go to they gym.  I get home, and message the girls to say I'm gonna be late which is nothing unusual for me, and realize there's been a full conversation going on in the group chat while I was gone.  So they come back and say OK.  But as I'm reading up, Lori, the motivator don't forget, is suggesting we go for tea.  Am I dreaming, are we really skipping the gym ????  yes we are, were going to coffee matters for tea.  And it was really Lori suggesting the tea and not me stealing her phone as Shelley suspected.  We would have gotten away with lying and telling everyone we were at the gym but Todd and Sharon were there enjoying tea or coffee as well.  Todd may be on our side though, as him and Sharon were leaving he yelled back at us, " enjoy the rest of your workout."
                 I have no doubt spring is just around the corner and I will like running again, there's a ton of race bibs to collect and I've already got my eye on some new bling to collect.  This will be my first telly 10, and of course my first half marathon in Halifax.  Lots of PB's this year for me, and I can't think of a better club to represent during those accomplishments.  Keep an eye out for those famous finisher pictures.  Cya all the spring !!!

What a difference, hey?!

Some days it is extremely hard to get up and exercise.  Some days it is easy peasy. Most days are hard! I miss getting up or getting off work and going for a run (when there are no kid activities to partake in) but those days will soon be here again. I can't wait for the warmer weather. 

When training gets hard and all you want to do it give up, just flip through your older pictures and see how far you have come. The first picture was taken at work on February 25, 2015 and the second picture was taken today, February 24, 2016. What a difference, hey?! 

Saturday was a busy day! We had an awesome Snow and Ice run for our very own Paradise Running Club member, Diane Coffin who has been diagnosed with breast cancer! It was such an awesome turnout!  

I went to the gym that Saturday night, not a soul on the treadmills! 

It was great.  So I jumped on the treadmill and sent a selfie to Shelley, Paula and Lori to prove that I went by myself. Paula said that she wished she had gone, I told her it wasn’t too late! She showed up! I ran 5 km's and then walked for 30 minutes. While I was walking on the treadmill next to Paula I could tell that she had enough and just wanted to stop. So what did I do? I motivated her to keep going…by increasing the speed.  She wanted to be finished the 5 km’s so I made her run faster to get there faster! Smart hey?! Not really because Karma…well Karma knows who I am. 

I get all kinds of energy and go to the gym and then for a few days later I am a ZOMBIE! I can hardly open my eyes. My whole body is tired! Marc wanted to go to the gym with me the other day, I just wanted to sleep. Marc won and off we went. 

So he drove us to the gym.

Shelley wanted to know if I wanted to run outside. 

I didn't. I could hardly run the length of myself, let alone run outside where I HAVE to run back to my car. See, I just realized a pro for running on the treadmill. When you don't want to run anymore, just get off the treadmill and proceed downstairs to Canteen Matters and have a tea. BRILLIANT!

As much as I don't like going to the gym some days, I do like how I feel when I finish an awesome work out or accomplish another 5 km on the treadmill.  But it is a bit discouraging when you get to the gym and you find it hard to lift your feet to get ON the treadmill! Hopefully by the time spring rolls around I will have more energy or find out why I don't have any energy. Well, I will have to suck it up because the Half Marathon is just around the corner!