Ultra Runner Girl

Rediscovering My Love of Trails

Posted on April 14, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

I’ve been out of Afghanistan now for almost four weeks and I’m finally starting to relax. Coming home has been a relief above all else. I feel that I have taken the support of my friends and family for granted a bit and it feels amazing to be next to loved ones again. I’ve been too busy laughing, socializing and running to blog lately, but here is a brief recap of my journey back to real life! I’ve also reflected on some of the benefits of trail running at the end of the post – thanks for reading!!!

Step 1: Kabul to Hong Kong

I began my post-Afghan life with some serious debauchery in Hong Kong where I was introduced to the strange and wonderful world of the Rugby Sevens. If you haven’t been before, be warned: it is impossible to be sufficiently warned! My girlfriends and I (including a couple of RacingThePlanet friends) all went as different Disney characters. Amidst the sexy and seductive Jessica Rabbit, the gorgeous Ariel, the cheeky and adorable Betty Rubble, and the mischievous Minnie Mouse, there was me – the Road Runner (beep beep!!).

Beep beep!

I have seen a lot of things in my life, but I have never seen anything like the South Stands at the Rugby Sevens. In the row in front of us was a group of half-naked 20-something year olds dressed as angels with sayings such as “a little piece of heaven” scrawled across their hair-free chests. By about 10 am, most of them had either urinated or vomited in the stands (gross). Then there were the baywatch boys, top gun crews, black swans (males and females), tarzans and janes, superstars of all varieties and even some people dressed as tesco horse meat, all in various stages of drunkenness. I am pleased to say that I made it until about 3pm before I bailed for an afternoon nap in my bird’s nest back at the Mandarin Oriental. Beep beep!

There was only one way to repair the damage of mystery meat and multiple vodka red bulls: head out on the trails surrounding Hong Kong. HK is any runner’s dream with miles and miles of accessible running trails within minutes of the city. Unfortunately, in line with the Chinese’s obsession with ‘development’, many of the trails have been covered in concrete, which makes it feel more like road running through a jungle at times. However, the scenery is so amazing that you won’t even notice most of the time.

The options for trails are endless and extremely accessible. In my opinion, the trail system in HK is perfectly set up for nature-loving workaholic urbanites. In other major cities such as London and New York, you have to take a car or a train ride before you can escape to some real trails. However, in Hong Kong, a fantastically hilly run is just a short jog or cab ride away. And the best part is that you never really have to pay attention to where you are going, nor do you have to plan out-and-back routes or loop courses. You can just run and run and run to your heart’s content. Whenever you feel like stopping, all you really need to do is find the next path downhill, which will likely lead you to a road and a cab. Awesome.

The four longest well-known trails are the MacLehose (100 km), Wilson (78 km), Lantau (75 km)and Hong Kong (50 km) trails. If you want more specific information on HK trails and you don’t know anything about the city, I found these links to be helpful!

“5 trails for virgins on Hong Kong Island” CNN Travel
“Hikes” Hong Kong Tourism Board
“HK Hiking“
“Hong Kong’s Best Hikes” TimeOut Magazine

Step 2: Hong Kong to Vancouver

Once I got my feet wet on trails again, I wanted more. After five days in Hong Kong, I flew to Vancouver to reunite with my family. I couldn’t wait to re-explore all of the beautiful beaches, trails and hikes that the city had to offer. Back in business on Canadian SOIL!!!! I thought I would look out of place running along the water grinning like an idiot, but as it turns out, everyone else was as well – Canadians are happy people, that’s for sure. I think the Canadian geese were even smiling at me.

Vancouver running and hiking

My favourite hike was with all of the ‘boys’ in my family up the Stawamus Chief (the “Chief”) outside of Squamish. It rises 2300 ft above sea level and is considered to be the second largest granite rock in the world. It has three peaks, all of which are accessible and offer seriously wicked views of Howe Sound. Of course, in order to convince my Dad to join us, I may have downplayed the steepness of the hike or the fact that we would have to use ladders and ropes in order to summit the second and third peaks, but anyway (The photo above shows him sneakily racing ahead of me to the top – unfair head start!!)

Every moment I spent outside was a pleasant sensory overload. I was overwhelmed by the fragrant smells of sea, wood and moss; stunned by the silence and and calmness of the water on the shoreline; and energized by the vibrant colours dancing in my field of vision. Gone were the browns and greys of Kabul, and in their place were greens, blues and purples of beautiful British Columbia.

After 10 days on the West Coast, it was time to head off to breathe in some cold, brisk Ontario air.

Step 3: Vancouver to the Ontario cottage

A few years ago my parents bought a cottage on a little lake about 45 north of Kingston, which I’m convinced is a little piece of heaven. I’ll let the photos speak for themselves!

BYOP drinks on the deck – Bring Your Own Parka

I can’t believe the positive effect that all of this trail running has had on me over the past couple of weeks – physically and mentally. I think I coped as well as I could have running on roads or treadmills in the compound in Kabul, but now that I’m out I realize how much I have missed!!I think no matter where we are in the world, we can all get stuck into a gym or road running routine sometimes if we aren’t careful. It is often logistically more difficult to get out to trails than to simply step outside your door and hit the road or to head to the gym around the corner. When I used to live in Manhattan, I was always pressed for time. If I had an hour free in my day, I could still fit in a workout because my gym was right next to work. In order to get to trails, I would need to arrange a car or hop on a train… I often didn’t have the time or energy to figure out how to make that happen and so the gym or road always won out.

We may not always have ready access to trails and we may not always have time to get to them. It is important, however, to MAKE time to get to trails. The benefits of trails over the road or treadmill are numerous — sure, it may be more difficult to find trails where you are, but it is worth the extra effort of getting to them, even if it is just on the weekends.

So what are the benefits of running on trails vs road? Here is a quick and dirty summary (feel free to add some of your own in the comment section!):

1. Physical Benefits

a) Less injuries

Trail running allows you to train on much softer surfaces than when you pound the pavement. Soft spongy soil covered in pine needles, muddy ground, grassy fields, loosely-packed dirt – all of these types of terrain provide much more ‘give’ underfoot than any road or treadmill would. Unsurprisingly, these surfaces provide much better protection for your joints than road, and this can help to reduce some nasty injuries. In short, better shock absorption means less damaging forces on your joints and bones.

Trail running can also help reduce your chance of injury by forcing you to vary up your routine. When you run on the road, you are repeating the same forward running motion over and over again, so any problem in technique is amplified. On trail, however, you are constantly changing where your feet land, how long your stride is, and what muscles you are using, so there is less of a chance that you are repeating bad habits.

b) Better balance

Trail running can help improve your balance. When we run on a hard surface like a road, we don’t really have to worry about balance as much. This means that we can easily target our major muscles groups – quads, hamstrings, calves – but we run the risk of letting our ‘supporting’ muscles get weak. I’m talking about all of the smaller stabilizing muscles in our ankles and calves that really only get fired up when we are running on trail. Every time we run on varied terrain and soft surfaces, we engage these ‘helper’ muscles that help us autocorrect our movements and stay upright.

c) Stronger core

While any form of running requires a strong core, this is particularly true of trail running. A strong core consisting of the abdominal and lower back muscles helps improve stability and balance, which translate into better and faster footwork on the trails. After 4-5 days back on trail, I actually pulled my stomach muscles because I simply wasn’t used to engaging my core so much on road. I’ve got some work to do to get my six pack abs back (HA, just kidding), but the stronger the abs, the faster the feet, so I’ve got an incentive!

d) Improved coordination and agility

On a road run, it is easy to zone out and go on ‘autopilot’. In many ways, it is easy and predictable. Conversely, on a trail run, you need to be quick and alert, both in mind and body. Trails force us to make constant movements diagonally and laterally, hop over tree roots and streams, climb up steep hills, descend muddy tracks and so on. The rugged and varied terrain requires us to constantly make adjustments in stride, effort, and direction, which requires a much higher degree of coordination and responsiveness. Therefore, running on trails helps keep us on our toes (literally).

2. Mental benefits

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that the benefits to trail running go beyond the physical. Getting outside and among the trees helps to clear the head, reduce stress and boost mood. This conclusion is not just intuitive – it has been scientifically proven. According to a study the University of Essex (where I did my LLM), compared with exercising indoors, “exercising in natural environments was associated with greater feelings of revitalization and positive engagement, decreases in tension, confusion, anger, and depression, and increased energy.”

Summing up

So with all of these benefits of running on trails, why would we ever run on road?! Well, there is actually a reason to do both. Trails might be TOTALLY awesome on the body and mind, but only on roads can we do our more ‘precise’ types of training, such as intervals, speed work and sprints. So don’t throw out those racing flats just yet!

I’m now in New York catching up with a few people and preparing to head to Liberia on Monday to help deliver a trial advocacy training course on behalf of Lawyers Without Borders. It’ll be my third time in the country and I’m hoping I’ll be able to see a bit of Monrovia on foot (unlike in 2007 when I was confined to hotel security and armoured cars). Then it is back in Canada near the end of the month in order to prepare for the next adventure….

KYRGYZSTAN!!! Yup, I’m moving to Kyrgyzstan. More about that in my next post when we’ll chat more about this beautiful country filled with towering mountains, nomadic people, yurts and horses. Sounds like a great place to keep up my trail runs.

Filed under: "Life" (aka misc.), Training | 6 Comments »

Saying goodbye… for now (inshallah)

Posted on March 15, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

I can’t believe that my last weekend in Afghanistan has finally arrived. In a matter of days, I will be on a flight to Hong Kong to catch up with my running buddies and RacingThePlanet family, and then onwards to Canada to reunite with my quirky and wonderfully supportive family. It’s going to be awesome, eh??? I have started to take down my Indian wall hangings, roll up my Afghan carpets, fold my head scarves and pack away my belongings. I came in with two suitcases and now I’m leaving with three… but these bags fail to represent everything that I have gained this year.

It strikes me that this past year working in Kabul has been similar in many ways to running an ultra. You can prepare as much as you can before the adventure, but you really don’t know what you are getting yourself into until you are already there – or perhaps not even until you reach the end.

There are moments of pure exhilaration and euphoria when you realize that life is more beautiful and more grand than you ever thought possible. In an ultra, this type of feeling can brought on by delirium, a sugary snack, or exhaustion…. but here in Afghanistan, inspiration is waiting around every corner if you are willing to see it. The experiences I have had running on behalf of Women for Afghan Women, teaching and playing with the students at the School of Leadership – Afghanistan (SOLA), and witnessing the strength of female activists and politicians in this country has been more powerful than even the strongest energy gel on the 20th hour of an ultra. When I see one of the students’ eyes sparkle when telling me about her dreams of becoming an ‘international diplomat’ or a ‘doctor who delivers babies’…or when I hear an Afghan women’s rights activist stand up to a panel of bearded and turbaned men, voice filled with passion and enlightened rage… or when I feel the warmth of the Afghan sun breaking through the thick layer of pollution hanging over Kabul. In all of these moments, I have felt more blessed and connected to myself and those around me than ever before.

However, as any ultrarunner will know, these highs can be punctuated with the darkest lows imaginable. I have experienced a few of these lows in racing before and I’ve learned to expect and remind myself that they are short-lived. However, when you are in the moment experiencing them, they can be all-consuming and black. You feel alone, exhausted, and unsure if you can take another step. Sometimes you can’t even figure out which direction to take and you end up flailing around in panic and confusion in the woods, desert, or mountains. Looking back on the year in Afghanistan, I can say that I have definitely experienced some tough times here that would rival any ultrarunner’s low.

On the professional side of things, I have often been overwhelmed by a sense of complete hopelessness and futility. It is not uncommon when working for ANY international organization to feel like all we are doing is trying to legitimize our own presence. Talking amongst ourselves, meeting amongst ourselves, criticizing and praising ourselves (and for what?). Although I fully recognize I have led an extremely sheltered life while living under UN security rules, I have tried to expose myself to as much of Afghan culture – and especially the challenges faced by Afghan girls and women – as is possible in this current environment. Through this process, I’ve been angered at some of the conservative views I am meant to try to understand and respond to diplomatically when working on women’s issues. I’ve struggled with the feeling that the international community – and me included as a member – is rapidly abandoning the country. I’ve felt guilt at not trying hard enough and not staying longer.

On the personal side, I can’t deny that certain aspects of my life have suffered as a result of being here and have made me question whether it was worth it to stay…. Or whether I even could stay. Sounds of gunfire, sights of explosions and warnings of IEDs are only one aspect of the stresses that one endures here. One is physically and emotionally isolated from everyone important in one’s life, and if something goes wrong on the ‘outside’, it is not always possible to get out. More than a couple of times this year, I have been ‘stuck’ inside at times of trauma or crisis, and it is truly one of the most helpless feelings I have ever experienced.

However, I can say without a moment’s hesitation that this has been the richest, fullest and most memorable years of my entire life. The relationships I have developed here with friends and colleagues simply cannot be replicated anywhere else. Whenever I felt alone or lost in the metaphorical woods, desert or mountains, I was able to rely on them, as they have on me other times, and for that I will always be grateful. I feel as if I’m emerging with one extra suitcase of carpets and an entire warehouse of experiences that have made me stronger and more inspired to take on my next set of challenges. It is true, I am exhausted at the moment and craving good food, good company and a good night’s sleep. But these are the same feelings one gets when crossing the finish line of a 100 miler or a week-long stage race. It is exhaustion with a face-cracking smile.

I’m going to miss the girls, my colleagues, my friends, even my ‘Kompound Kilometers’. But I cannot WAIT to see my friends and loved ones on the outside and thank all of my ‘crew’ members who have supported me through the toughest checkpoints in the race that is Afghanistan…

Final Kompound Kilometers

This morning as I left SOLA, the girls threw some water at my UN vehicle when saying goodbye. Apparently in Afghan culture this is a way of wishing that someone will return soon. It was only a cupful of water, but in my mind, I will remember it as a full bucket, covering the entire back of the armoured car with the hope of future plans.

On Tuesday, I will say goodbye, but I have no doubt I will be saying hello again very soon. Inshallah.

Filed under: "Life" (aka misc.) | Tagged: Afghanistan | 7 Comments »

Interview with Stacey Ritz for the Examiner

Posted on February 28, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

Check out my interview with Stacey Ritz for the Examiner this week – copied below! (extra photos added by me) Thanks to Stacey for reaching out :)

Meet Ultra Runner Girl- Stephanie Case. Case runs ultra marathons. What is an ultra marathon you ask? An ultra marathon is a race of any distance longer than the marathon (26.2 miles). To start, Case has raced 100 mile runs. Yes, you read that right- 100 mile runs! She has gotten lost on courses, she has won races, she has raised money for important causes and most importantly she is loving every minute of her running. Below I have provided my question and answer session with Stephanie Case. To follow Case’s ongoing running adventures, be sure to visit her blog (noted at the bottom of the article).

ME: When you ran your first ultra, what obstacles did you face? What were your greatest challenges? What kept you motivated to finish?

Stephanie: I had no idea what I was doing when I started training for my first ultramarathon, RacingThePlanet’s 250 km self-supported footrace in Northern Vietnam. I ended up overtraining and spent most of my time before the race injured, hopping from one sports doctor to the next. It was a really frustrating time – it seemed like the more I tried, the worst I got! My motivation and desire to run ultra distances was way stronger than my body at that point and I simply was not patient enough to let my legs catch up with my mind.

However, all of the obstacles I faced in training seemed to disappear when I arrived in Vietnam. There is something magical about race day when all of your aches, pains and worries disappear and you are able to just focus on the trail ahead. Due to some mudslides on the course, the race organizers made day one of the race the longest stage: over 100 km! I was terrified of covering that distance, but wound up in 2nd place overall and 1st female. It was a pivotal point for me. I learned then that I could not only complete ultras, I could kick some serious butt while doing them!

Photo credit: RacingThePlanet / Chris Lusher (2007)

ME: What are your ultra goals for 2013 and beyond?

Stephanie: I’m always looking for new challenges, whether it is a different location, distance, or format. Over the last five years I’ve completed six multi-day, self-supported races all over the world and what I would really like to focus on now is testing my endurance in single-stage races. Last year I competed in the extremely competitive Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB) event in late August (100 miles non-stop through France, Italy and Switzerland), but unfortunately, the course was shortened to just 100 km at the last minute due to weather. I gained another lottery spot for the race again this year, and I’m hoping to complete this once-in-a-lifetime challenge. I will be starting the race on a Friday night and hopefully finishing by Sunday morning, covering 60,000 feet of elevation gain and loss. It is an epic event and a real privilege to participate amongst an elite group of runners.

Running for Women for Afghan Women

Beyond UTMB, I am still sorting out my race plan. I competed in three major ultras last year while training inside my armed compound in Afghanistan, and the experience left me pretty burnt out. I am just now starting to get back into my routine. I managed to raise $10,000 in support of a women’s organization in Afghanistan providing shelters for abused females, which was a huge motivator, and it would be great to run in support of a cause again this year.

ME: What do you think attracts runners to ultra events?

Stephanie: Ultras provide the ultimate physical and mental challenge. I think it attracts people who are searching for something ‘more’ out of life – something beyond going to work, relaxing with friends and family, and other regular day-to-day events. Anyone can finish an ultra with the right mindset and the experience is truly empowering. Ultras offer the chance for every one of us to discover what truly extraordinary abilities and strengths we carry within.

ME: Do you have a favorite ultra marathon distance?

Stephanie: So far, the 100 miler is my favourite [see my YouTube video of my Vermont 100 miler!]. It is such an epic distance to run that it truly seems impossible to complete… until you do! The human body is truly incredible. When I ran my first 100 miler in 2009, I wasn’t sure what to expect. The longest distance I had ever run before was 100 km, so I was breaking that by a good 65 km more. I can remember standing on the start line at 4am and thinking, tomorrow it will all be over – so let’s make today count. I know it was painful at the time and I went through some really dark moments that I didn’t think I would come out of. However, when I look back on the event, all I remember are the euphoric highs. Running past the 100 km mark into unknown territory, seeing the sun rise and set throughout the day as my legs kept pushing forward, and finally soaring into first place at the 93 mile mark. The sense of relief and accomplishment when I crossed the finish line was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before.

My dream is to take things to the next level and go beyond the 100 mile mark. There is a 247 km non-stop race in Greece called the Spartathlon, a 222 km non-stop race in the Himalayas called La Ultra – The High, and Tor des Geants, a 330 km non-stop race through the Italian Alps. All are on my bucket list!

ME: Have you ever gotten lost on an ultra marathon course?

Stephanie: Unfortunately, getting lost in an ultra is not uncommon! I got horribly lost during my first ultra, which was a 250 km stage race in Northern Vietnam in 2008. After the first day of racing, I was in first female and second overall and I think I let it get to my head. I took one wrong turn and ended up running about an hour and a half in the wrong direction. It was completely demoralizing and even a bit scary because I had run out of water. In a self-supported race, you have to carry your own food for a whole week, so you really don’t have the luxury of burning extra calories while getting lost. Luckily, when I realized my mistake, I turned around and ran into another competitor who was also lost. He shared his last few sips of water with me and we forged ahead. I will be forever grateful for the kindness and support he gave me that day!

Getting lost in Vietnam!

ME: What is your favorite thing about running ultra marathons?

Stephanie: Stepping into the unknown. In a marathon, the only variables you have to contend with are maybe the air temperature and the wind – you’ve trained for the distance and you pretty much know you can do it. In an ultra, all bets are off. You have no idea what your body is going to do after 50 km, 50 miles, 100 km or 100 miles. Even if you’re an experienced ultrarunner, anything can go wrong and it makes it all the more exhilarating when everything goes right!

ME: How do you find time to train long distances for ultra races? How many miles do you log each week?

Stephanie: I think everyone has time to train for an ultra, it is just a matter of making it a priority. Run to work instead of taking the bus or your car, sneak in a workout at lunch, and swap Sunday brunch for Sunday trail runs. At the same time, I do have more flexibility over my schedule than my friends who are married or have kids. Perhaps it is no surprise that the last couple of people I have dated have been runners as well!

Running is simply a part of my daily life, so I don’t really struggle with finding time. This past year while living in Afghanistan, I have really struggled with finding motivation and energy. Living in an armed compound is quite stressful and at the end of the day, all I want to do is crawl under the covers and go to sleep. However, I try to remind myself that it always feels good when you finish a run, even if it is painful at the start.

I am lucky enough to have a fabulous coach, Ray Zahab of impossible2possible.com, provide me with training plans, and I try to follow them religiously before a race. Generally speaking, I do shorter runs during the week such as hill training or intervals and then save my long runs for the weekends when I’m not at work. Sometimes I end up running at weird hours or during the middle of the night to get my workouts in, but usually it works out.

ME: How do you train? Do you run or do you also lift weights and do other workouts?

Stephanie: I should lift weights, stretch, do yoga, and all of those other things that ‘good’ runners do… but the truth is that whenever I set out to cross-train, I end up running instead. I can’t help myself! When I’m preparing for a big race, I often try to hire a trainer to get me into a weight routine. Strengthening and conditioning workouts make a huge difference to my endurance, but I need to be forced.

ME: What has been your favorite ultra race so far in your career and why?

Stephanie: My favourite ultra so far was actually my worst in terms of my placing. Normally when I enter a race, I’m trying to do my best (and sometimes that means aiming to win, if I’m lucky!). But with RacingThePlanet’s 250 km race across the Namibian desert in 2009, even attempting to win was not an option. A few months before the race, I suffered a pelvic stress fracture during a 50 km training race. It was incredibly painful – I could barely walk or move for weeks and it was months before I could attempt running again. And as soon as I resumed training, I suffered another stress fracture in my tibia as well as tendonitis. It was a nightmare! I decided that I was just going to do the race no matter what and take each day, each kilometer as it came. I was wearing an aircast up until the day I left for the airport, so I was definitely taking a bit of a risk, but it turned out better than I could have hoped. I began day one of the seven day race intending to walk over the sand dunes and see what my legs could handle… but my brain took over and I started to run. After four months of almost no exercise, I ended up running the entire race. Without the pressure of having to compete, I could simply enjoy the scenery and end every day grateful for what I had been able to accomplish. It was perhaps my toughest race, but that is what made it the best. It is in our most humbling moments that we learn the most about ourselves, no?

Photo credit: RacingThePlanet

ME: What is the funniest moment you’ve experienced during an ultramarathon?

Stephanie: I think one of the funniest moments in ultras occurred this past September during the Grand2Grand 250 km ultramarathon in the United States. I was running the race with my boyfriend at the time and unfortunately began to experience some of the worst butt chafing of my life (glamorous, I know). I ended up having to ask my partner to help me cut the underwear out of my running tights to try to reduce the friction. One of the other competitors ran by us on the trail while I was standing there, holding my underwear in my hands with tears running down my face. The moment was so ridiculous that we all burst out in laughter.

Yes, that is diaper cream!

ME : Your favorite quote?

Stephanie: “We are not primarily put on this earth to see through one another, but to see one another through.” - Peter De Vries. For me, this quote really captures the spirit of ultras.

Filed under: Interviews | Tagged: 100 Miler, chafe, Grand to Grand, Namibia, Racing the Planet, Vermont 100, Vietnam | 8 Comments »

Rest, recuperation and running

Posted on February 26, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

“I think running is your meditation”.

I had just come back from my second long run while staying at the Kandy Samadhi Centre in Sri Lanka and Waruna, the owner, invited me to sit down for a chat while he drank his morning tea in the open dining room. I could feel him quietly study my face as I excitedly chattered away about my running, how great it was to have this break from Afghanistan and how stressful things have been over the past few weeks. He waited until I stopped bouncing around and said quite simply, “your mind is working very fast – too fast.” The birds in the trees nearby chirped in agreement. Waruna told me that I had become too attached – too attached to my job, to the women I wanted so desperately to help in Afghanistan, and to other people in my life. And all of this attachment was causing me pain.

“You can’t fix the whole world and you can’t fix other people.” Waruna commented matter-of-factly. “As soon as you let that go, you will find your balance.” He said if running was my meditation (which it is), I should keep doing it – and lots more of it.

Some people use running for exercise, others use it for competition or adventure. For me – and I think more many of you too – running is my escape. It is my ‘me’ time when I try to figure things out.

In that respect, coming to the Samadhi Centre in Sri Lanka was probably the best choice for my last R&R because I can run, run, and run until my legs hurt and my mind becomes clear. While it paints itself as a centre for yoga, meditation (the traditional kind) and writing, it clearly attracts outdoor enthusiasts and athletes as well. Shortly after I arrived, one of the other guests came up to me and asked me if the bandana he had seen me wear earlier that day was from RacingThePlanet. Olivier, from France, was a triathlete and endurance runner who had competed in UTMB a few years ago. Small world!

On my first morning at the Centre, I woke up to the sound of flowing water from the river nearby, put on my running gear and headed down for a breakfast of fresh fruits and Sri Lankan pancakes. It was a perfect way to get started and run out the Afghan stress. Rather than go forging off into the thick jungle behind the Centre, I decided to stick to the ‘road’ (really more of a dirt path in parts) where I would get a chance to see a bit more of village life.

Enjoying some King Coconut

My route began with a 30 minute uphill climb. After two months without any kind of training on hills, I kept my expectations low. I was pleasantly surprised to find a spring in my step. I shuffled along the winding road, leaving a little more of the Kabul grime behind me with each metre forward. Occasionally a rickshaw would pass, honking me along my way. The women giggled quietly as I waved and smiled, and the men raised their eyebrows for a split second before waving back. At one point, I passed two elderly men walking up the hill in saris and buttoned shirts. I don’t know if it was the sight of a foreigner on these back country roads or the sight of a female running, but their jaws dropped to the floor, completely stunned into silence.

When I finally made it to the top, I reached the main paved road and headed right. The views were stunning. The road hugged a hillside to the left with a steep dropoff to the right, with hills and valleys of every shade of green rolling out before me. I could feel blisters forming, but they only served as a reminder that I had neglected running too long – I had let my feet get soft. I welcomed the hot spots on my feet and forged ahead.

I passed the next village, which straddled either side of a waterfall that doused me in a cool mist. I picked up dogs and small children along the way as my pacers, who, as it turned out, could easily outrun my lumbering pace. A few monkeys cheered me on along the way as they swung from tree branch to tree branch over my head.

I loved that first run. It exhausted me and energized me all at the same time, and I couldn’t wait to get back out there for my second and third (which I did). I spent my mornings at the Samadhi Centre exploring the small villages and paths nearby, and my afternoons relaxing in my wonderfully meditative room. Each room at the Samadhi Centre is individually designed and loved, filled with beautiful antiques and unique pieces of furniture. Waruna suggested for me a room that was set at one far end of the property and which used to serve as his own home, before he moved elsewhere. In true spiritual fashion, he described the space as being like a “mother’s womb”. I would probably describe it more like a sacred space, a sanctuary, an escape… It was quiet and peaceful – the perfect place to stretch, unwind and relax, especially after my long runs.

For three days, I spent my time running over the hills around Kandy, and sleeping, writing and thinking in my jungle sanctuary. If you ever need a place to run, breathe, eat (lots) and just be, I would definitely recommend the Kandy Samadhi Centre. You can do yoga, meditation, writing… or my personal fav, the the running meditation. Also, jungle trails behind the Centre lead to a beautiful waterfall, where you can spend a morning swimming and tanning on a rock in the sun.

Please, please, however, before you travel to Sri Lanka, read up on ethical tourism here. It is important to be informed about the country and the government before you book, and Sri Lanka Campaign will tell you what you need to know!

Chilling out after another meditative run

I’ve truly conquered my motivation monster and I’m back in full swing. Running feels better than it ever did before and y’know what? It was way easier to get back into running mode than I thought it would be. I don’t know what took me so long, but I’m glad I had the opportunity to find my running mojo again. Hopefully I can bring some of this energy back with me from R&R to Afghanistan, where I’ll resume my Kompound Kilometers for a few more weeks….

P.S. If you want to read a bit more about ‘running as meditation’ or ‘meditating while running’, have a peek at this Runners’ World article or this one from a Canadian Running Magazine.

Filed under: "Life" (aka misc.), Training | Tagged: hills, meditation, motivation, training | 8 Comments »

Tension, tightness, and twitches: Five physical signs you may be stressed

Posted on February 19, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

As runners and ultrarunners, we get quite adept at learning how to listen to our bodies in training (to avoid injury) and ignore our bodies in racing (to get to the finish line!). But how good are we at listening to our body while going about our day-to-day business?

I can say with certainty that I am terrible at this and I think I always have been. I tend to take a ‘race’ approach to life rather than a more sensible training approach, and I don’t realize I’m stretching myself beyond my limits until I crash and burn – hard. As a kid, I used to pop out of my bunk bed, which I shared with my slumbering older sister, the moment my eyes opened for the first time. I was eager to get a start on the day and accomplish all of the very important things that a four or five year old should – like gluing bottle caps on cardboard decorated with glitter paint (creating important art installations), pouring my own bowl of rice krispies (honing my culinary talents) or spying on the raccoons on the neighbour’s roof next door (engaging in important wildlife research). It was not uncommon to see me run around the house at 5 or 6am, even on weekends.

I’m never taking a nap, ya!

Then around 3pm, my crankiness would begin to creep out. My mom would look at me at say hopefully, “time for a nap? I think you’re tired.” But I always refused to believe her. My eyes would narrow and I would cross my arms in defiance. Tired, bah! What does she know. I still have to race around the yard on my tricycle and eat my afternoon snack. Naps are for wimps! Yes, I was a nightmare. Queue sympathy for my mother. As I continued to ignore the clear signs of fatigue, the day would inevitably end in some kind of exhausted tantrum when my tiny kid brain finally gave up.

So fast-forward to present day. I’ve recognized that I’ve been maybe ‘a bit down’ or ‘a bit stressed’ lately, but I thought I was coping rather famously. I was still focused on accomplishing all of the very important things that a 30 year old should. So when I started getting pounding headaches and weird dreams, I just ignored it. I was doing just fine. But then a couple of days ago, my chest really started to hurt. Every time I breathed in, I felt like I had a pain right in my heart. Hmm. Maybe this was something to worry about.

I went to the doctors early the next morning inside the compound. They sent me for ECG tests, which of course they had to do three times because they ALL came out abnormal. (Side note: some of you may have experienced this as well because if you’re an endurance athlete, you’ll likely have weird heart test results as a result of having an enlarged heart!). So then they sent me for blood work to figure out if I was in heart failure. Yeah, I knew I wasn’t, but it still wasn’t exactly comforting!

We’re still not really sure what it is, but it turns out that it is probably just stress. There I was in the doctor’s office and he tells me “I think you’re just stressed.” My eyes narrowed and I crossed my arms. Stressed, bah! What does he know… But upon reflection, he may be right.

I didn’t think stress could manifest itself in such a tangible physical pain like that, but I’ve looked into it a bit and it seems it actually pretty common. In fact, our bodies have pretty amazing ways of telling us we are stressed, even when we don’t want to listen. We can ignore our feelings as much as we want, but at some point, our feelings will come out in physical ways. Here is a short list of a few physical signs that you may be stressed out:

1. Chest pains

Given that this is what I’ve been feeling, I’ll start here. Of course, chest pain can be a sign of a real physical problem or illness, but in otherwise healthy people, it can be a sign of emotional stress. There is even something called “broken heart syndrome” (can you believe it?!). According to the Mayo Clinic, people who have suffered through the death of a loved one or an emotional breakup may experience sudden chest pain or even think they are having a heart attack. In broken heart syndrome, “a part of your heart temporarily enlarges and doesn’t pump well, while the remainder of the heart functions normally or with even more forceful contractions.” Thankfully, the symptoms usually go away in about a week.

2. Tight muscles

Stress can also lead us to tense up our muscles without noticing it, causing tightness and even muscle spasms. This can include jaw pain (clenching), back pain, and tension headaches.

3. Eye twitches

It has happened to all of us before – the dreaded eye twitch. It can be triggered by stress or extreme fatigue, but in my experience, it usually comes on at the most awkward and inconvenient of times. Like when you are giving an important presentation, meeting someone new or trying to put on mascara. Ha!

4. Upset stomach

One of the most annoying symptoms of stress can be stomach problems. We’re talking about diarrhea, constipation, acid stomach and yes, gas. Gee, that’s just what we need when we’re stressed out, eh? Uncontrollable flatulence. Well, if you weren’t stressed before, you will be now!

5. Weird dreams or recurring nightmares

This isn’t really a physical symptom, but it is definitely a real one that I’m sure more than a few of you have experienced. Often when we don’t want to deal with things in our waking hours, our brains try to sort it out while we are sleeping. If we are stressed out, this can often produce some strange dreams. I have one horrible dream in which I find out that it is just days before my grade 11 calculus test with Mr. Capron and I haven’t studied. I have to somehow teach myself the entire course in a matter of hours and it is terrifying. It has been 15 years since I was actually studying calculus in high school, but there have been times when the dream was so vivid that I have actually woken up and started searching for my textbooks before I realize it was all just a nightmare.

If you’ve been experiencing any of these symptoms (and there are others!), stop for a minute and ask yourself – am I stressed? If so, do yourself a favour and be kind to your body and your brain. Go for a run, do yoga, try to get to bed earlier, cut out alcohol and caffeine for a while, or read a good book. If you keep on ignoring your physical symptoms, you will only make things worse. Every once in a while, we all could use a nap (see Mom? I’m finally listening!).

Have you had a similar experience? What do you do to reduce stress? I’d love to hear about it! And if you have a chance, I’d be grateful if you’d click here to nominate my blog for top fitness blog of the year on Breaking Muscle (just post ultrarunnergirl.com in the comments section!).

Sources: Mayo Clinic, Livestrong , Medline plus , American Psychological Association , Prevention.com, Shape

Filed under: "Life" (aka misc.), Practical Advice | Tagged: headaches, stomach, stress | 1 Comment »

Bullets, Bombings and Bandanas: Guest post on Go Trail

Posted on February 18, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

Hey everyone!! Two things: one, check out my post here on Go Trail with my FAV editor, James Hallett, and two, if you’ve enjoyed reading my blog over the past year, please consider nominating ultrarunnergirl.com for best fitness blog on Breaking Muscle! All you have to do is click here and post my blog in a comment Thanks everyone and I (or James) would love to hear your feedback on my reflections of training in Afghanistan. One month to go here in the armed compound – I can’t wait to see my family again back in Canada! I’ve got trail running, mountain climbing (Mont Blanc, here I come), ultra racing (Mont Blanc, here I come again, and maybe some Himalayas too – looking for CREW so contact me if you’re interested!) and french learning ahead. Life is GOOD people!! Thanks to everyone. You matter so much, especially to this crazy ultrarunner living far away from friends and family. Get out there and enjoy your run!

: Photo Credit: Jan Brower, UNICEF

Filed under: "Life" (aka misc.) | Tagged: Afghanistan, training | 3 Comments »

Putting off Exercising? Tips for fighting procrastination

Posted on February 15, 2013 by ultrarunnergirl

I woke up this morning and 101 reasons NOT to get up for a run popped into my head. I had a bit of Delhi Belly leftover from my trip to India last week, I had a throbbing pain on the right side of my back that has been keeping me up at nights, and I had a four-pack of vanilla pudding calling my name from my freezer (my version of Kabul ice cream). What good is one little run going to do? I thought. Nah, I’ll just wait until I can do a proper run next week when I’m out on R&R. You may not be in an armed compound with a twinging back and dodgy belly, but we ALL have our own excuses for not working out. Maybe you are super busy at work, your kids/parents/in-laws are breathing down your neck, or you are feeling tired. Maybe it is raining outside or there is ice on the ground. Perhaps you can’t commit to a run because you need to “wash your hair”. Whatever the reason, it is always easier to say you’ll just do it tomorrow rather than get out there and do it today.

Procrastination at its best

We’ve all done it (and not just with exercise!). Promises to do something later are easy to make, but they don’t get us anywhere because later will come and go while we are still sitting in the same place. What we need is a way to ensure that our promises for the future are converted into action in the present. I’ve written about my own problems battling the motivation monster before here and unfortunately the monster has come back for another appearance. I’ve been putting the “pro” in “procrastinate” for the past few weeks now. As the days went by and the excuses piled on top of one another, it just seemed harder and harder to get back into my routine. I would try every once in a while to get out for a bit of exercise, but I would quickly become discouraged as I felt my fitness levels slip away. Earlier this week, I was having coffee with a former boss at the fancy-schmancy Serena Hotel (a little pocket of heavily-guarded and sterile luxury in the middle of Kabul), and I decided to take advantage of the gym while I was there. I was shocked to find myself literally blacking out after 20 minutes on the step machine. What?!? I used to crank out Everest-sized mountains on the step machine, and now I was having trouble staying upright before I had even finished my warmup. I was so embarassed that instead of asking the gym attendant for help as my vision started to close in that I sat down on the floor and pretended to stretch until I returned to normal. Oh dear.I knew I needed a kick in the pants and fast. Thankfully, I finally snapped out of my funk today. Enough is enough! I threw on my running gear, grabbed my ipod and set out for some kompound kilometers. After my little Serena episode, I was expecting the worse. This run was going to be ugly, painful and definitely not as fun as lying in bed with my frozen vanilla pudding… But as it turns out, it was AWESOME. Having made the decision to just get out and do it, it seemed to wake up my legs, lungs and heart. I felt lighter, happier and more content pounding the same tired stretches of pavement than I had in ages. I bopped along to Kanye West (“Stronger”), Black Eyed Peas (“Shut Up”) and most appropriately, Passenger (“the Girl Running”). I looped around the helicopter, which was parked on the helipad near the top of my ‘running course’ and waved at my guards. I noticed that most of the ice had melted and maybe, just maybe, I had made it through winter. The air was thick, as usual, with smog and dust, but somehow it smelled a bit more like spring. I felt like I was right back where I was when I first arrived in the compound last April, discovering the nooks and crannies of the confined space for the first time.

My run this morning made me really stop and think, why didn’t I just get out and do this earlier? There are plenty of articles out there about how to make real changes in your fitness levels over the long-term: hire a trainer, start an exercise program, join a running club, or sign up for a race. But sometimes I think we forget how important it is to find motivation in the short-term – like TODAY! In case you find yourself in a similar motivation funk, I thought I would jot down some of my tips for getting yourself off the couch… NOW!

1. Set small goals

Sometimes the more we put off running or exercising, the more we raise our own expectations of what we want to accomplish when we do eventually get back out there. For instance, if I skip my workout today, I tell myself that I’ll just do a harder one tomorrow… And then when tomorrow arrives, suddenly a regular workout doesn’t seem good enough anymore. If I don’t have energy for that hard workout I promised myself I would do, I put it off again… You see where I’m going with this.

I’m used to doing a minimum of one hour runs, but after my lengthy period of laziness, an hour seemed insurmountable, which is why I kept putting it off. So today, instead, I told myself I would only go out for a 30 minute run. Not so scary! The reality is that once I got out there, I smashed out an hour with ease, but if I had started out with an hour as my goal, I would probably still be in bed.

Set yourself a small goal to start. It could be 30 minutes, 60 minutes, or even just a goal of getting outdoors and around the block. It is great to set high goals and try to push yourself to the limit, but if you’re in a slump, this is only going to work against you. If you set a goal you KNOW you can reach, it’ll be way easier to convince your motivation monster to get yourself out there. And once you’ve reached your goal, you may just surprise yourself and keep going. I’m so energized from this morning that I think I’m going to head out for a second run this afternoon.

Running in the Afghan sun

2. Make the workouts as easy as possible

The easier the workout is, the harder it will be to talk yourself out of it. When I’m really struggling with motivation, I will set everything up the night before so that as soon as I wake up, I can be in my running clothes and out the door before my motivation monster can really start arguing with me. I make sure my running clothes are laid out, my shoes are there in plain view, and I have a glass of water by my bed. I don’t even have to think in the morning – I just go into auto-pilot mode and before I know it, I’m already exercising. And then I have an energy boost the rest of the day!

Perhaps morning running is not your thing, but regardless of the time of day, try to set things up so that it is easy to exercise and hard to avoid it. When I lived in Vancouver and wanted to make sure that I got in a workout in the evening, I used to bring my running clothes to work with me and leave my bus tokens behind. That meant that the easiest and quickest way for me to get home at the end was to run – I didn’t leave myself any choice. Worked every time.

3. Give yourself a reward to look forward to

Whether it is frozen vanilla pudding, a cold beer, or an episode of your favourite television show, give yourself a treat that you will only get after finishing your workout. It helps to know you have something to look forward to at the end! Of course, ultimately, we all want to be internally motivated, but when it is lacking, external motivation might just do the trick!

You know you’ll feel good about yourself once the workout is over, but it is hard to remember that before the workout starts. If you have some tips of your own that have worked against your motivation monster, I would love to hear them!

This week before I head out for my last R&R, I’m looking forward to some gentle 30 min runs (tip #1), some auto-pilot mornings in the gym (tip #2) and some bubbly champagne (tip #3)…. Hopefully I’ll have some great stories in a few weeks of my fabulous jungle trekking and trail running in Sri Lanka! Thanks for reading xx

Filed under: Practical Advice, Training | Tagged: procrastination, training | 10 Comments »

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