Tricotine

Running in a skirt

I have never worn a skirt for running but I am tempted to try, since I saw this video. I want the Martini at the water stop too! 

 

Making Snow

This is how people have fun in really cold weather. 
I never had the opportunity to try this (yet) or even to attend such an experiment, but I think it is really cool!

January 2009, -26F outside in Sanford, Maine. Throwing hot water into the air produces instant snow.

Now, here is a more elabored experiment conducted by Mount Washington Oservatory Staff in March 2007.

Water was boiled to a temperature of approx. 200F and then thrown into the air which was at -35F. This turned it to snow instantly. The video has shots in real time and shots in infrared to show the water leaving the objects hot then dissipating in the cold air without touching the ground.

Preparation to first "tri" - Swimming

I have always been a recreational swimmer and I never tried to be fast because never had to. Now, with my first Triathlon coming up this summer I am aware that I am going to have to seriously train on improving my swimming endurance, and my stroke and breathing techniques.

How to Breathe While Swimming -- powered by http://www.livestrong.com

I am good at neither doing the Freestyle Stroke because I am not comfortable with the bi-lateral breathing technique, nor the Butterfly Stroke, because I find it too strenuous.

I can do the Back Stroke - which doesn’t require specific breathing technique since the head is out of the water at all times - but the stroke I can sustain the longest - and my favorite - is the Breast Stroke. It is not the fastest of all but for some reasons I am more comfortable with that stroke’s breathing technique.

Getting over my fear of deep creepy dark cold waters of the Ocean is also going to be a challenge, but who said I didn’t like that? Mmmh? ;-)

2009 Running Goals

This year, I will be running my first 10-miler race (on February 1st), I will be participating for the first time in a Triathlon (swim, bike, run) and I will be running my first Half Marathon ever! I will also do a few other and smaller races on the side as part of my training - or just for the fun - but the ultimate goal of 2009 is the Halfie. It has been planned to be this way for more than a year now, just like 2010 has been expected to be my first-whole-marathon year. I like to stick to my plans...

2008 was my first year of racing and it was a gret one. I had phenomenal moments and not so great ones, but overall it was a very educational (I have learned a few lessons the hard way during the summer...) and thrilling running year. Having in mind running 5Ks and 10Ks only and not knowing exactly what my training would be over the whole year, I had set up my mileage goal at 500 miles. I am pleased to say that not only I reached my goal but also I ran 316 more miles than expected, meaning that I ended up covering a distance of 816 miles - I probably would have made it to 900 if I had not been injured at the end of the year... 

So, this year - since I am going to train on longer distances, and I don't plan to get injuried again...   - I am setting my mileage goal at 1000 miles for 2009.  The ticker here below is going to remain at the top of this blog for the rest of the year, and will update it as I go so if you are interested to see how I am doing (n'est-ce-pas, Papa2?   ) come back once in a while and check on my progress.

To this day, I have done a 5 miles Resolution Run on January 1st and ran 8 miles of my coming-up soon 10-miler course yesterday, training with my local running group.

 

Wish me luck! 

 

And to start this running year with the right foot, here is a "Daily Kick in the Butt" inspiration quote that was sent to me by Runner's World the other day and I find it very inspirational.

"When a person trains once, nothing happens. When a person forces himself to do a thing a hundred or a thousand times, then he certainly has developed in more ways than physical. Is it raining? That doesn't matter. Am I tired? That doesn't matter, either. Then willpower will be no problem."  ~ Emil Zatopek ~