The post about running 200K in August, red sandals and the Canadian National Exhibition

Yesterday was a much needed rest day.  I had run four days in a row for a total of 47 kilometers in 4 days. My total mileage for the month of August is 203 kilometers.  That is the most I have ever run in a month. Today was dreaded hill repeats.  I ran 6 x 500 meter hill.  I headed out to the Running Room this morning to run the McMaster overpass.  The bus driver who drives from the upper parking lot to the lower parking lot must have thought I was crazy.  She passed me at least a dozen times as I ran up and down the same hill. This week hills were much better.  Last week my pace for hills was 7:40 per kilometer, this week my average pace was 7:05.  A big improvement considering I added an extra hill.  Although I dread hills, today was a touch different.  I must be getting stronger.  They weren't as harrowing as usual.  I was just getting bored running the hill, that's the main reason why I wanted to be done with my run today.

For the anonymous reader who asked, I use
the Nike+ Running App.

It's a free download for smartphones or
iPhones. I don't have a heart rate monitor.

This afternoon I had an orthotics appointment.  I basically told the kinesiologist I deal with that the orthotics were not the answer to my crampy toes.  She had to agree with me.  I told her about my physiotherapist working with me to correct my running form and how that has been the most helpful so far.  She did advise me to get a referral from my family doctor for an ultrasound on my feet so that they can really see what's going on.  I'll make the appointment with my family doctor for the referral, but it makes me a bit nervous.  I'm sure they will either tell me I need surgery to correct the problem, or that I need to stop running.  Surgery was already suggested to me by the chiropodist.  I told him I would not go there because he told me the success rate of surgery was 50% for my condition.

Right now I'm running, and I'm running pretty comfortably.  Graham (physiotherapist) was pleased with my progress on my long run.  He told me that changing my running gait was working because even though my toes still cramped, it happened later in the run when I got tired and sloppy with my form.  When my toes cramped I was able to walk it out fairly quickly, then run 5K before cramping resumed again because I became conscious of keeping up my form again.  Makes perfect sense. Once I get used to running the new way, my toes will cramp less and less.  Fingers crossed.

I'm still working on strengthening my glutes at physio.  Graham has me working on a Pilates machine.  I was doing jumps on it which was fun and easy.  Now I'm doing leg curls.  Much harder to do and works my glutes for sure, but also my abdomen.  I can feel soreness in my abs as I write this post.  This makes me happy.  I bought a hula hoop and have been trying hoop, but have been a complete failure.  Perhaps I should watch an instructional video.  I really wanted to hula hoop because I heard good things about how it firms up your abs.  Although my abs are in pretty decent shape, they could use some toning for sure.  I will keep trying.  I have big enough hips! You would think I'd be a natural.

Although this may look fun, I assure you it is not.  The single leg lifts are
difficult, especially for me because I have no coordination.

I have become addicted to pinning fall outfits to my "Stuff I'd love to wear" board on Pinterest. Pinterest is one of those things that I didn't really get for a while.  I still don't really get it, but it is fun to see stuff that people pinned.  Especially things I'd like to have, places I'd like to go, clothes I'd like to wear or ways I'd like to do my hair.  So I guess it's like my fantasy life pinned to boards. Fun, right?  I will piece together some of the outfits I have pinned...because I can.  I still can't believe I can walk into any women's clothing store in the mall (with the exception of plus sized stores) and try on clothes.

I was in Value Village on Monday for their 50% off sale.  It was a zoo and I was looking at dresses because I don't have many.  I came across an Isaac Mizrahi dress that I really loved in size 11.  It was a shift style dress so I figured it would fit okay.  I tried it on right in the middle of the dress isle over my clothes.  Sadly it was too big for me.  I could have bought it and had it taken in, but I know how I roll.  I'd never had made it to the seamstress.  And my thrift rule is, don't buy anything that doesn't fit.  I actually made out well that day. I spent $50 and got a leather Kenneth Cole tote bag, three pairs of sandals, six tops, a brand new Calvin Klein t-shirt bra and another blazer style jacket. I'm addicted to blazers.

My $5 sandals from Value Village.

Tomorrow is an exciting day for Julien.  We're going to the CNE.  Every year when I was a girl, my mother brought us to the Ex.  It marks the end of the summer because it goes from the middle of August until Labor Day.  We've brought Julien every year for the past three summers.  Thank goodness I get cheaper tickets through work.  It's certainly not as affordable as it once was.  I remember when it celebrated it's 100th year. I was 8 years old and I remember that the midway rides were priced the same as they would have been in the beginning of the 20th century.  Rides were five cents.  When I was a girl, there used to be all kinds of free stuff at the Ex too.  Food samples at the food building.  Free candy and chocolate.  Times have changed a lot.  I mean, I definitely don't need free candy and chocolate, and neither does Julien, but it was a nice memory from my childhood.  Now we get nothing but super high prices (admission and food) and if you're not careful, food poisoning!  I'm just not sure why anyone would want to eat a cronut burger in the first place.  I'll just be sticking to my old faithful Swiss Chalet rotisserie chicken and salad.