The One About Hypothermia

It’s kind of funny: Here I am, 7 oclock on Sunday night frustrated with journalism and the pressure of writing two articles in two days but taking my limited free time to write a blog. Perhaps even more ironic is the fact that I just registered for the Ottawa May half-marathon today after a very miserable Sunday morning run. It’s a very bittersweet day in the life of Kendra Hoskin. It all started at 7:45 am. I woke up, put on tights, a long underwear top and a zip-up. I grabbed my lulu headband and knitted mitts, stepped outside and thought it felt chilly. But I didn’t do anything about it. Then I realized I forgot my fancy watch and therefore could not follow my speed/distance. I shrugged it off in my easy going temporary state of mind. When I got to the running room I was already freezing. I knew it was going to be a cold run so I ditched my usual 2 hour group and opted for the 1:50 group hoping to cut a couple minutes off my run. Less than a kilometer in, my Ipod died. My Ipod is on the fritz and sometimes it says it has a full battery when obviously it does not. It was around this time my face started to freeze. My easy going attitude disappeared with the feeling in my hands. I started to get really numb, blowing into my mitts and moving my fingers around to try to get the feeling back. If I straightened out my arm, my elbow would get all tingly. After 12 kilometers, my face was blotchy with red and white spots. A fellow runner convinced me to turn around and head home.  It was disappointing for sure because I know I can physically run 18 kilometers. I sound like a complete wimp but to me getting hypothermia or frost-bite wasn’t worth finishing the run, even if the hypothermic half is just three weeks away. Looking back, I know I made the right decision. When I got home, I tried to unlock my front door but it was so hard to bend my fingers to get my key. I had to drop my mitts and my Ipod and use both hands, one to open my pocket and the other to grab the key. I was Rose from the Titanic cold (okay, yes, dramatic but I just wrote a story on the 100^th anniversary of the Titanic so I had to!) When I finally opened the door, my face burned as I walked inside. I changed into warm clothes and curled up on the couch under covers to warm up and watched the weather network, which I should have done before the run. It was only -12 but the wind shield made it feel like -23. I’m native to Ottawa and realize -23 isn’t an unbearable temperature to run in; but it is cold enough to avoid the open Atlantic Ocean winds and dress appropriately- I failed to do either.  This morning was definitely a learning experience for me. The days leading up to the race, you best to believe I will be checking the weather network religiously.

Other than the disappointing run today, my training has been generally on track (no pun intended): I ran 17 kilometers last Sunday, Monday I cross-trained with hot yoga, Wednesday I ran 5 kilometers and Thursday I did voluntary hill training which amounted to 8 kilometers in length. I realize it’s not die-hard training but I’m extremely busy with school so it’s good enough for now. Besides, I don’t particularly care about my time in this half marathon- I joined the clinic to keep in shape and train with my roommate Kayla for her first half marathon. Tragically, two Sundays ago, Kayla hurt her knee and the physiotherapist thinks she may have torn her cartilage.. again. Kayla has decided to drop out of the race. It is a mature decision that will allow her to heal properly. I know she is disappointed in the outcome but while training she completed a 16 kilometer treck which is the longest distance she has ever run! I think that is an accomplishment in itself and I’m proud of my little roomie. I do, however, wish her a speedy recovery because apparently I need someone to tell me how to dress!

When I started my blog, I promised to share my tales of the good, the bad and the ugly. This post lacks good in any shape or form, but I foresee my inspirational self making an appearance real soon.

At the best, learn from my mistake, go purchase some warm running clothes and GET OUT THERE!

Keep warm,

Running Romance  

The One About Inadequate Training

I had an amazing Christmas holiday but it went by way too fast. After one week in Ottawa, one week in Taiwan, and endless eating in both, I was back in Halifax wondering where the time had gone. I got home on the Monday night and gave myself until Wednesday before lacing up my running shoes. I knew it was going to be hard. After running one 16 km run in Ottawa, my second day in town, I didn’t run again. The only other training I did was sprinting across the Chicago Airport in hopes of catching my flight to Tokyo. I didn’t.  After such unsuccessful strenuous sprinting, I figured I better give myself a week to relax and eat copious amounts of rice. This is why I returned to Halifax inadequately trained. As a result, I was worried about jumping into hill training on Wednesday night. I knew I was out of shape but nothing could have prepared me for the results. The Running Room clinic was doing 9 hills. I told myself I would do 6. And I did. Barely. I’m not even being dramatic when I say I could not breathe. I’m dramatic 90% of the time (that’s probably a dramatic statistic), but I am being realistic when I tell you I actually thought I might be putting my body in physical harm. Even though I could envision my lungs shriveling up and passing out after two hills, I continued because my pride was too strong to quit. I was supposed to be running 9 hills, and here I was struggling with 6! It was a discouraging first run back. So I did what anyone in my position would do: I blamed it on the weather; my body was not used to the cold. Two days later, I did something I swore I’d never do again: I hit the treadmill. Running on a treadmill gives watching the clock a whole new meaning. Seconds feel like minutes; minutes like hours; and hours… well I don’t know because I wouldn’t let it get that far. I ran for 20 minutes at the 6^th level, 20 minutes on the 7^th level and 5 minutes on the 8^th level, all at a level 3 incline. The machine said my pace was 7:30/km. At that pace, I would be running my half marathon in 3 hours, an hour longer than my goal…. And I swear I was running faster than I normally do. After forty-five minutes I was huffing and puffing and drenched in sweat. So I stopped and did what anyone in my position would do: I blamed it on the conditions of the gym and vowed to run outside next time. I’ve never been a fan of treadmill running; I find it tedious and boring. Running is not something I have ever considered a chore, but running on a treadmill makes me wish my run away. But don’t get me wrong, I can definitely see some benefits of the treadmill: For one, you can drink water whenever you want (I never bring a water bottle with me on outside runs); You can forget about layering and just wear cute Lululemon clothes; And you can always feel your hands after your run! But, for me, the only successful part of running on the treadmill was that it made me excited to run outside tomorrow. I know I won’t be bored outside and besides, breathings overrated, right? I wouldn’t change a second of my holidays but I have made the final weeks of my training very difficult. I have a steady run tomorrow and an 18 km Running Room run scheduled for Sunday. I have to work Sunday morning, which means, I either do the 18 km solo or fall even further behind. I’ll leave you in suspense.


Until next time,

Running Romance xx