I Run For The Bling

I decided to reflect upon last year's idea to 'begin running'. I signed up for my first 10 KM run at the end of March and jumped on the running bandwagon. I have always been athletic from High School Track and Field, years of Figure Skating and currently from joining two soccer teams. But never had I committed to doing a distance further 1500M! I trained for the Sporting Life 10 KM for just a little over a month. Not bad i'd say! And heck, if I can train for a 10 KM in a month...surely I can train for a half marathon in under 9 month's time.

I'm one of those people that run's for the bling, as I have previously stated. I literally have a OneNote file with all the dates of races, complete with prices, websites, pictures of t-shirts and pictures of finisher's medals. Call me crazy, but it's my motivator to get the bling. If i'm running 10 KM and waking up early to do it, i'm getting something materialistic out of it! Anyways, signing up for races has always helped me get my running in check. I know that if I don't finish the run, I have not only wasted my money but I also don't get that pretty medal.

My goal for running this year is to try and get a 10 KM run in each month from April onward. The ones I would like to do are:
April - Yonge Street 10 KM
May - Sporting Life 10 KM
June - Nike 10 KM in Toronto (hopefully, it's a lottery)
July - Haven't found one with a good medal yet....any suggestions?
September - Base Borden 10 KM Run

Then from July, I figured i'v be good enough to do a bit longer of a distance and I hope to sign up for the August Mid Summer's Night Run 15 KM. I thought this run would be a good 'in-betweener' before my first Half Marathon. I'd like my first Half Marathon to be the Niagara Falls Half in October. My mom is also hoping to do this run. I have to be able to do a half before February so a) I can do the Princess Half Marathon in Florida, and b) so I have a Half Marathon time for my corral.

What are your favourite 10 KM or 10 KM + race medals? Please share!

2015 Scotiabank Charity Challenge at the Mississauga Marathon

2015 Scotiabank Charity Challenge at the Mississauga Marathon

On May 2nd, I am participating in the Mississauga Marathon 5 KM run while raising funds for  Crohn's and Colitis Canada that is important to me through the Scotiabank Charity Challenge.

I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis at the age of 9. After 18 years of this disease, I have come to appreciate things in a different way. Simple things like going out for dinner, attending a concert or out for a run are manipulated by this chronic illness. I am lucky to have a mild to moderate form of Ulcerative Colitis, but so many are not as fortunate.

Please help me raise funds to support finding a cure for Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis to others do not have to suffer like myself. Thanks for your love and support!

Love Laura

Please support me by making a secure online donation:  

https://apps.facebook.com/fundraising_na/PersonalPage.aspx?RegistrationID=2699825

or here at:
https://secure.e2rm.com/registrant/FundraisingPage.aspx?EventID=153184&LangPref=en-CA&RegistrationID=2699825#&panel1-1

2015 Race Goals

2015 is now upon us. And for that it means I only have a year and a bit until my goal race of the Disney Princess Half Marathon with my mom in February, 2016! Eek! I can't wait, but I have so much training to do before then!

This year I have started off trying to eat right (no gluten for my tummy), exercise more frequently to tone up, and attempting to run more often. So far the first two are a go, however, the running bit is a bit more challenging. My stomach hasn't been the greatest (minor flare up with UC) and the weather has been SO COLD! So I have been trying to run inside in the mean time. Might I add that I hate running on a treadmill, so this will be interesting!

I have recently registered for a few races! Previously I registered for the Sporting Life 10 KM run. And the other day I registered for the Harry Spring Off 8 KM and the Yonge Street 10 KM run. Today I also registered for the Move Your Paws for the Polar Bear Cause 5 KM in February to get a head start. I love getting race medals and it's a good 'kick in the butt' kind of race to get me going for this year. It's only a 5 KM run but the zoo has been known to be hilly, so I am interested in what the route will look like!