The Master Plan

Looong 11-hour work day yesterday that finished super late. Crawled into bed exhausted and got a wickedly short 5 1/2 hours sleep last night. Agh, that's all I got Friday night too what with DM in town ready to party.

I wish it could have slept more but I had to meet up with Turtleboy for a personal send-off. He's running the Paris Marathon on April 15 and is all excited. Understandable, since he's been training hard for the past 6+ months gearing up for it.

We met up at Mon Shing in Chinatown, one of TB's favourite haunts. As usual, we pigged out - soup of the day, crab-stuffed fried tofu, snow pea leaves with garlic, beef and green peppers chow foon, and of course, rice.


Great fun to catch up. TB chided me for my lifestyle - "lots of socialising with a little hint of work". We laughed. The funny thing is, this is mostly true. That made us laugh even harder. Yes, I do work, but given all the things I do for my living, my schedule is all over the place, so it just "looks" like I play a lot ... Alright, confession ... I do play a lot. It feeds my soul albeit not always the overhead. Well, as some people have said to me, "That's the path you've chosen." I think of these folks sometimes while enjoying a mid-afternoon coffee with another freelance friend as we ponder how their 9-5 day is going.

As I've mentioned before, it's all about choice ...

After brunch, of course, we made a pit stop at Boutique Endurance, since pretty boy TB had to pick up some new running duds and look "styling"... Just poking at you TB! xoxo

Final Destination: Roberto's on Bélanger, famous for it's gelato. I took hazelnut gelato and a café au lait since I felt like I was falling asleep and TB took chocolate and mint chocolate chip gelato. Scrumptious!

Turtleboy and I got to talking seriously about our 2007 planned athletic endeavours.

TB: So what's your next race?

SS: Well, I was thinking of doing a Half Ironman later this summer, the same one I did last year. I know what to expect this time round but maybe I'll do something before that.

TB: (raising an eyebrow) Oh, like what?

SS: I was thinking about running the Ottawa Marathon at the end of May. Do you think that would be possible? Maybe we could go back to my place and sit down and figure out a training schedule.

TB: Hey, why don't we do it here? All we need is a napkin.

So, lo and behold, yes, I am SERIOUS sometimes about training and do draw up schedules ... Lookee here ... A picture tells a thousand words and four pictures tell even more!

Beware the inner workings of Silly Sally's mind!

Can you read the napkin? Yes, yes, I am breaking the 10% weekly mileage rule ... rule, schmules ... and yes, I do realise that it is only a three day running schedule, but how else will I be able to fit in the swimming and cycling? And dancing and socialising?

But as Turtleboy says:

"The most bang for the buck! 8.25 km training for each kilometre racing."

Not a bad deal, I say!

SS: Sorry, I won't be able to give you a lift all the way home, only to the metro. I have to squeeze in a 10k run before my dance rehearsal and if
we leave now, I will JUST fit it in.

TB: No probs!

And off we went.

Got home, checked my e-mail as I waited for my gluttonous tummy to settle down. It didn't. DANG! Alright, Plan B. Go to dance rehearsal, then run afterwards. I made a quick call.

SS: Hey there, I have to run a 10k before we eat supper. Think you would want to run part of it with me? I can run two loops and you can run the first one with me.

KC: I can run all of it if you don't go fast.

SS: You sure? Don't worry, I'm real slow right now. I've only run once in the last three weeks because of this cold.

KC: See you later.

I left for dance rehearsal and exhausted and hungry afterwards, headed to Killerchop's. Did we end up running? Nooooo! Dance rehearsal finished really late and KC ended up enticing me with this!

Alright, Day#1 of my new training schedule has been thwarted! Ugh, I have no discipline. Well, at least this marathon schedule is longer than some of the other ones I've had ... I still have time to catch up!