Caylynn's Contemplations

Half-Marathon Personal Best!

2007-06-25T11:36:00.000+02:00

The short version: A new half-marathon PR: 2:31:15. (Old PR: 2:35:40). (According to the Garmin, we actually ran 13.25)

The long version:

I guess all that long, slow marathon training finally paid off!

This race was not a goal race at all. I was just planning on running it as a long run, and having fun running through the city. I did have a great 8 miler last weekend, that was a lot faster than I expected, but I had no expectations of running that same kind of pace today. For once, my bad weather luck was absent, and conditions were fairly nice. It was a little warmer and sunnier than forecast, but nothing major, and most of the run was through the Englischer Garten, a large park in the middle of Munich, so we were running along nice shady paths with lots of trees. The few times we were running directly in the sun (especially at the end of the race), you could really feel the difference. But it was still lovely weather: 16°C when we started and a high of 20°C (68°F) by the end, with just very light winds (7 km/hr / 5 mph at the most).

The race started at 8:00 am, and there were tons of people out to run. A record number of registrants: 17 000. But that was between the half, the 10K, and the 5K. So it took us about 10 minutes to cross the start line. We started in downtown Munich, at Marienplatz, and ran towards the Englischer Garten. Once in the Garten, we were running in very familiar territory. Hubby and I do most of our runs, especially our long runs, on the various paths there, and the race went along many of the same paths that we regularly run on.

The first several kilometre markers were way off, so I had no idea what kind of pace I was really running, but hubby had the Garmin on and although he kept asking me if I felt okay, he had no concerns about my pace. Turns out I was running at a good clip. Everything was feeling good though. Legs felt fine, I was breathing comfortably and talking to hubby. The only thing that told me I was running a little on the fast side was that I didn't want to take in anything other than Gatorade. Gels, bananas, etc. all held no appeal.

The course was very flat, with two exceptions: going over a bridge in the Englischer Garten to cross over major roads at one point, and then right before the 20km point, there was a hill to get out of the Isar River valley where the Englischer Garten is, back to the normal city elevation.

Kept a good, fairly even clip up until the 11 mile point. Then I started to feel a little tired. Wasn't sore, but the legs were starting to get tired and I was starting to breathe a little harder. So miles 12 and 13.1 were slower. But I had a bit of a kick at the finish, and was delighted to cross the finish line in 2:31:15, a huge PR for me!

After the race, we were given water, then made our way to where we could gets bananas, apples, Semmel (buns), Breze (Bavarian soft pretzels), and Alkoholfrei Bier (non-alcoholic beer). The banana, Breze and beer were great post-run food.

This was a Stadtlauf (City Run) so it was a little different from other races. We did have chips, and very nice technical race t-shirts, but we all had to wear the race t-shirt as part of the run (to have access to all the race stuff, including the refreshment stations during the race and after). No bibs, no personal photos, and no medals. But hubby and I took some photos of each other after the race. There were also only four refreshment stations along the route, with only water and Sprudel (carbonated mineral water) at the first two, and water along with bananas and apple juice at the last two. Hubby carried two bottles of Powerade for us, however, so that was what we drank. After the race, we slowly walked home, taking about an hour and a half. It was a nice, long cooldown, although my hamstrings were starting to complain (didn't bother me at all during the run) and they really didn't like having to climb out of the Isar River valley.

I wore one of my running skirts, along with the race shirt, and it was very comfortable. I'm sure it helped me run faster. Photos below.

So I finally had decent weather for a run, and I finally ran another PR! Now I'm actually thinking of doing a 30km run in the fall, instead of a half, and then hopefully try to break 2:30 for a half next spring.

Here are the photos we took.

Splits (some of them are really off, although my total time is close to my chip time):

1 km: 8:13
2 km: 7:20
3 km: 7:51
4 km: 5:27 (this can't be right!)
5 km: 4:54 (I'm definitely not running this fast!)
6 km: 7:14
7 km: 6:56
8 km: 6:53
9 km: 7:33 (don't think I slowed down that much)
10km: 7:06 (that's more like it)
11km: 6:33
12km: 6:59
13km: 7:13
14km: 6:58
15km: 7:12
16km: 6:56
17km: 7:22
18km: 7:14
19km: 7:36
20km: 9:40 (this seems off too - I was slowing down, but not this much! This was the hill out of the Isar River Valley)
21.1km: 7:56

Garmin splits for the miles are much more even:

Mile 1: 11:34
2: 11:33
3: 11:04
4: 11:10
5: 11:21
6: 11:35
7: 11:11
8: 11:34
9: 11:21
10: 11:32
11: 11:25
12: 11:56
13: 12:09
0.1: 1:01

Blog Blast for Peace

2007-06-06T13:22:00.000+02:00

Also visit Dragonheart's blog, for our thoughts on peace.

Photo Hunters

2007-05-12T09:11:00.000+02:00

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Five

Five photos, showing some of the various sights in Munich.

Foto Pherrets: Fly

2007-05-09T13:50:00.000+02:00

Hump Day Hunt - Week Seventy-One

Birds do it...
Bees do it...

Our word for the week is:
Fly

It's been a while since I've participated in Foto Pherrets because my husband and I were busy training for the Hamburg Marathon (which we ran) and I've been busy studying Anatomy and Physiology (I'm working on a Masters degree in physiotherapy.) Now that the marathon is over, I have time to participate in some of my favourite memes again. So here is my "Fly" photo.

When my husband and I were in Switzerland in February, we went paragliding. It was an amazing experience. We each went tandem, strapped to an experienced paragliding instructor, and we flew through the air. It was awesome to be flying, just like a bird. We took off at the top of a mountain, and just drifted under canopy.

I've skydived before, but didn't enjoy free-fall. Once the parachute opened and we were under canopy, however, I loved skydiving. So paragliding was perfect for me, since there was no free-fall and we were under canopy the entire time. It was a fabulous experience.

(Click either of the photos above for a larger image)

Hamburg Marathon Race Report

2007-05-08T10:31:00.000+02:00

The short version: Excellent race organization. Very well run. Great crowd support, even for us turtles (or penguins). A marathon PR for me by almost 7 minutes. Chip time: 5:51:11.

The good: Cooler than forecast
The bad: Windier than forecast
The ugly: I had major stomach problems, which I normally don't have.

The long version:

I had several goals heading into this race. One, simply to finish the race before the course closed (accomplished). Two: PR (accomplished). Three: Run the entire race (didn't happen because of my upset belly.) Four: Run it in 5:45 (didn't happen, again, probably largely due to the belly.)

Normally, my stomach doesn't bother me at all when I run or race. The only time I've had an upset stomach while running was on our last 20 mile training run, and as I was dealing with major endometriosis pain at the time, and had taken a painkiller before the run, I figured those two things combined contributed to my upset stomach. But then I had my stomach be very unhappy today. I'm not sure why - I didn't eat anything that I don't normally eat the night before the race, and this morning I ate my normal pre-race food. Didn't do anything new during the race - the only difference is that I was drinking Hamburg water, which I've never had before. So who knows? Anyhow, it really affected me for a while. Basically, from about the 24 km mark on, my stomach didn't let me run as fast as my legs wanted to, and really slowed me down for a while.

The race started at 9:00. Our time group (5+ hours) started at 9:15. We had to be in line at 8:35 for the race organizers to check our bibs and make sure we were in the right corral (there was a letter on your bib indicating where you should line up.) There were starts on three different streets - they converged later on with no congestion, because the elites and fast runners started first, on their street, then another group started five minutes later, then another group, then the final group. It seemed to work really well. There wasn't a crazy amount of crowding at the start and there was no crowding at all where all the start lines came together.

It was nice and cool when we started. We were running slightly uphill for about the first 5 km, through a very nice neighbourhood, then slightly downhill for the next 5 km, with a large portion of the course along the harbourfront. Just after 10 km, there was a nice, long downhill, where I just let gravity pull me down. After the harbour, we turned into the city, and started experiencing some wind. The wind wasn't too bad until the 19 km mark, where it suddenly was blowing very strong. Got through the half in a time that I was happy with.

After the halfway point, things started going downhill. The wind was really blowing, and my stomach started acting up. It just wouldn't settle down, and the pounding was making it worse. My legs wanted to run faster, but my belly was saying no way. When I ran slow enough to keep my belly happy, my quads started complaining. So finally I took a walk break, which helped to settle my stomach, and I continued to take them whenever my stomach got really bad. So I didn't make my goal of running the entire thing. But since when I tried to run with my belly, I had slowed to a crawl, I was actually faster walking and then running!

Near the end, the shade that had lined most of the course disappeared for a long while. Although it didn't get terribly hot out there today (high of about 17°C), being in the direct sun felt really hot, and that slowed me down a bit. Tried to kick it into high gear at the end of the race, but although I was running, I wasn't able to sprint as fast as I would have liked, since my stomach was holding me back.

Received our medals at the end, and then our "Verpflegung" kits, which consisted of a banana, apple, granola bar and bottle of water in a plastic bag. Went to get a glass of non-alcoholic beer, then went to the massage area, and I got a massage, which felt really good.

The race didn't run out of anything, even for the slowpokes like me! There was plenty of water, sports drink, bananas, etc. at all of the water stations, and there were still lots of spectators lining the streets, cheering us on. Because our bibs also had our first names printed on the front, we heard our names called out a lot! Mine as pronounced the German way, which threw me at first, until I realized they were calling out to me! Hubby's name (Keith) was more problematic. You see, in German, and "ei" is pronounced "eye" and they don't do the "th" combination. So those who didn't know English were pronouncing it "Kite". Cute, anyhow, especially when the little kids tried to say it!

Kilometre splits and commentary on some of them:

1 & 2: 16:15 (missed the first kilometre marker)
3: 8:17 (uphill)
4: 8:05 (slight uphill)
5: 8:03 (slight uphill)
6: 7:46 (slight downhill)
7: 7:36 (slight downhill)
8: 8:04 (fiddling with my first gel)
9: 7:41 (feeling good)
10: 7:51
11: 7:10 (big downhill)
12: 7:39
13: 8:00
14: 8:07 (a little windy here)
15: 7:56
16: 7:56
17: 8:07 (took my second gel)
18: 7:53
19: 8:26 (strong winds: 20 km/hr with gusts up to 40 km/hr )
20: 7:52
21: 8:06
22: 8:42 (more strong wind )
23: 8:31 (still windy)
24: 8:54 (stomach starting to bother me )
25: 9:26 (stomach not happy)
26: 9:36 (stomach not happy)
27: 9:51 (stomach REALLY not happy )
28: 9:21 (took walk break to try to settle stomach)
29: 8:27 (stomach happier after the walk break)
30 & 31: 16:38 (missed 30 km mark - had photo and video taken)
32: 8:32 (stomach acting up a bit again)
33: 8:05
34: 7:57
35: 8:14 (stomach not letting me run any faster )
36: 8:09
37: 8:22 (starting to get tired)
38: 9:47 (tired and hot - it's too sunny - where's my shade? )
39: 8:31
40: 8:51 (slight uphill right here)
41: 8:23 (then a little bit of a downhill - stomach still not terribly happy)
42: 8:35 (trying to turn it on, but my stomach didn't want me going faster)
0.2: 1:14

Total time (watch): 5:51:18 Chip time: 5:51:11 Clock time: 5:54:09

So, I'm happy that I have a new marathon PR, but upset that I didn't manage to run the entire thing, and didn't manage that 5:45 I had hoped for. For the next while, I think I'm going to stick with half-marathons. For someone as slow as I am, you are out there for a LONG time when running a marathon and it's probably not something I'll do again soon. The half is a nice distance. Long enough to be challenging, but the training doesn't consume your life like the marathon does (again, especially when you are as slow as I am, and an easy 5 miles takes an hour to complete.) But who knows, I may change my mind in a few days, especially since I didn't meet my goal of running the entire thing. But if I do another marathon, I'll either look for a trail one, to minimize the pounding on the asphalt, or maybe even do a 50K that's on the trails. I'm sure one of the reasons I've been able to run more since moving to Munich is due to the fact that just about all of my runs are done on dirt or gravel trails, with minimal asphalt.

In Memorium

2007-04-30T09:47:00.000+02:00

Happy Anniversary My Love

2007-04-22T12:31:00.000+02:00

3 years ago today, you made me the happiest woman on Earth. We were married on the Mayan Riviera in Mexico, and it was a perfect fairy-tale wedding.

I love you so much. You mean more to me than words could ever express. Thank you for being my best friend and my husband. I love you.

Photo Hunters

2007-04-21T09:30:00.000+02:00

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Steps

I'm not sure how many steps you take during a half-marathon, but suffice it to say, you take a LOT (13.1 miles / 21.1 km)! Here are photos of me (first photo) and my hubby (second photo) running the Prague Half-Marathon on March 24th, 2007. We'll be taking even more steps on April 29th, when we run the Hamburg Marathon (26.2 miles / 42.2 km).

(Click the photos for larger images. And apologies for the poor quality - we didn't bring our scanner with us from Canada to Germany, so I had to take photos of hard-copy photos.)

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2007-04-14T15:00:00.000+02:00

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Hobby

I know some of my friends have been wondering where I've been lately, since my blog hasn't been updated in a while. Lots going on. My husband and I are running the Hamburg Marathon on April 29th, so we've been training for that, and our highest mileage week was last week, culminating in our second 20-mile training run. (A marathon is 26.2 miles or 42.2 km.) I've also been busy studying. I have an "Anatomy and Physiology" exam to write a week after Hamburg (I'm working on a Masters degree in physiotherapy) so that has kept me busy too. During my study breaks, I've been busy acting as "secretary" for our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart. As my husband says, it's clear the cat runs the house, since his blog gets updated daily! Anyhow, that's where I've been.

On to this week's topic. I have so many hobbies, it's hard to choose just one. My husband and I don't have any children, so we have lots of time for our hobbies, and many of our hobbies we enjoy together. We run together, we lift weights together, we both enjoy reading, and we both collect and read comic books. We both enjoy some TV: Mythbusters, Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica (the new series), M*A*S*H (on DVD), and various Star Trek series (again, on DVD or in re-runs). Separately, he plays basketball and I teach group fitness (aerobics) and horseback ride (hunter seat and dressage).

Out of all of these hobbies, however, I probably enjoy Step the most. I love teaching a basic or intermediate step class, and I really enjoy taking a good advanced step class. Putting together a class is a lot of fun. Developing the choreography (putting the moves together in a logical way that makes sense), deciding how the choreography will be broken down, choosing what sequence the various combinations will be taught in, etc. Of course, in class, you always have to be prepared to change things on the fly, depending on how the class is responding. If you end up with a lot of beginners in class, you end up simplifying and doing a lot more repetition. If you have a large group of advanced members, and everything is flowing well, you have to be prepared to offer options for making things more complicated or more intense.

Teaching group fitness is a lot more complicated than most people realize. You have to know how to put together a balanced class, you have to know about biomechanics and exercise safety. You have to know about proper warm-ups, cool-downs and stretching. You have to know the major muscles in the body and the most effective and safe ways to work those muscles. You have to know about class design - how to correctly increase and then decrease the intensity, and how to modify moves for various populations (beginners, pregnant women, seniors, etc.)

Aerobics music is specially created to be at the rate speed, and it is all "32 count". 32 count music means that the music is arranged in 32 count phrases. So all the choreography you design for a class is put together is chunks of 32 beats per combination (or multiples of 32, like 64.) This makes the class flow more smoothly and helps in breaking down the choreography. You don't just put on any old CD and just stand at the front of the class, shouting out moves. You have to buy the right music and put a lot of thought into planning a class.

There's nothing quite like the adrenaline rush you get when a class just flows and the room is filled with energy! There's a wonderful glow you develop when a class just "rocks". It's even better when the members come up to you after a class and compliment you on the class and tell you how much they enjoyed it. It's also wonderful to help people get fit or help them to maintain their fitness, all while having a lot of fun.

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2007-03-31T08:54:00.000+02:00

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Water

(Click photo for a larger image)

My husband and I were in Prague last weekend to run a half-marathon (13.1 miles or 21.1 km). You can read my half-marathon report here. The day before the race, we wanted to stay off our feet as much as possible, so we took a cruise along the Vltava River, the river that runs through Prague. One of Prague's famous landmarks is the Charles Bridge, a footbridge decorated with many beautiful sculptures. The construction of the Charles Bridge started in 1357 under the auspices of King Charles IV, and it was completed at the beginning of 15th century.

Prague Trip & Half-Marathon Report

2007-03-30T17:53:00.000+02:00

Somewhere along the line, I must have annoyed the race weather gods, because although I had perfect weather for my first half back in 2004, every race that I've run since then has either been: 1. extremely hot and humid (dangerously so), 2. very smoggy with poor air quality or 3. extremely windy.

The race in Prague fell into category 3.

Thank goodness this wasn't a goal race. My husband and I are in the middle of training for the Hamburg Marathon on April 29th, so this was just a race to practice pacing and it was an excuse to visit Prague. Plus hubby had 4 days of leave he had to burn before year end (new leave year starts April 1st) so we decided to head to Prague to run the half.

The race organization was top-notch. The expo was well organized, but very small (compared to the expos I've been to in Canada.) The race shirts were short-sleeve Adidas Climalite, so technical tees, and they are really nice.

Prague is a beautiful city. Globalization has definitely come to the city since the Iron Curtain fell. There are American, British, German and other European chains (both restaurants, stores and department stores) throughout the city. A lot of work has been done to restore the old buildings. It is really lovely and full of history.

Thursday, hubby and I drove to Prague, checked into our hotel, and headed for the expo. Picked up our kits, and wandered through some of Prague Old Town on the way back to our hotel. Ate dinner at a wonderful restaurant that had amazing service and incredible food. Very pricey, though, but we definitely got what we paid for.

Friday, in order to rest up for the race, we took a lunch-time cruise along the Vlatava River that runs through Prague, and saw many of the city's landmarks from the river. Also had a chance to scout out some of the race course, since a lot of it would be run along the river.

Saturday, the race didn't start until noon, so we had time to have breakfast, and slowly get ready. Our hotel was right next to the Charles Bridge along the Vlatava River, and the race starting line was just on the opposite side of the river at the Charles Bridge.

Left the hotel around 11:15, crossed over the bridge, and found our corral to line up. It was not too warm out (8°C), but overcast, and windy, around 20 km/hr. It would get windier as the race progressed.

The race started at noon, and it took us about 8 minutes to reach the starting line. Started running, crossed the chip mat, and we were off. Our first stretch of cobblestone was here along the Charles Bridge, and right after we had crossed over, before we managed to get onto asphalt.

After crossing the bridge, the first kilometre was directly into the wind. We crossed another bridge, ran along the other side of the river, again, directly into the wind. Since we were running right along the river bank, there were no buildings to shield us from the wind. So up until about the fifth kilometre we were running into a headwind.

After crossing another bridge, we change direction so we were finally running with the wind at our backs. Unfortunately, we were in a mixed industrial and residential area, so there were a lot of buildings, which meant we didn't have the wind pushing us along, except in a few places.

At the ninth kilometre, we turned and headed into Prague Old Town. From here until the 11th kilometre was the most scenic part of the route, running through Old Town and past many of the beautiful historical buildings in the city. This is also one of the busiest tourist areas, so there were lots of people along the route, whereas from the 2nd to 9th km there had been no spectators. Unfortunately, we were running on cobblestones through this area, so I had to cut my pace a bit, to keep my footing.

An hour into the race, the winds had picked up to 30 km/hr. They were mostly at right angles to us as we headed back along the river for the 11th and 12th km. Around the 12th km marker, we passed the first of three "beer refreshment points." Yes, they were serving beer on course, non-alcoholic, but still beer! Midway between kilometres 12 and 13, we headed into a residential area, and straight into a headwind. The winds were really messing with us, because when we turned around, at km 14, we were heading back into a headwind, this time with gusts of up to 40 km/hr. Not fun.

At km 16, we crossed yet another bridge, and headed into an industrial area of the city. This was the worst part of the entire course. Kilometres 16 to 19 were through and industrial area, past the Staropramen brewery (race sponsor and provider of the non-alcoholic beer on course, and the real beer at the finish) and these kilometres seemed to go on FOREVER. It didn't help that for km 16 and 17 we were running into winds of 30-40 km/hr and then for 18 and 19 we were running into winds that were gusting up to 80 km/hr! If I could change any part of the course, it would be here. Ugly, boring, and seemed to go on forever, with absolutely no crowd support. There was a beer refreshment point just before the 17th km marker and another at the 19th. Hubby had a few sips of beer at the 19 km point, just to say that he'd drank beer during a race.

At kilometre 20 we crossed another bridge, and I was feeling strong, so I picked up the pace. We ran along the river on the other side, and passed the Charles Bridge. The finish line was just before another one of the many bridges crossing the river.

Crossed the finish nice and strong, received my medal and my foil blanket, and headed across the river to the "technical area" to get out chip deposits refunded and to have a massage.

Was a little disappointed to find that by the time we finished, there was no food or sports drink left , although there was a lot of water. Fortunately, the refreshment points along the course (every 5 kilometres) had been well-stocked and didn't run out of water or sports drink (along they were serving Isostar which I've never had, so hubby carried two bottles of Powerade for us to drink in addition to the bottled water on course.)

Otherwise the race was very well-organized, and it was fairly flat, as advertised. There were only a few slight inclines leading up to the various bridges we crossed, and slight declines on the other side of the bridges. Otherwise, definitely flat. The race advertises there is only about a kilometre of cobblestone, but I would say there was a little more than that. Maybe 2 to 2.5 km of cobblestone, in total.

Now, I'm a little confused about my chip time, because hubby started his watch when we crossed the start line, and stopped it when we crossed the finish line, and it took us at least 8 minutes to cross the start line when the race started. So I have three different times for the race. Clock time: 2.48.07 Chip time: 2.44.02 Watch time: 2:40:55 (My half PR is 2:35:45 set in 2004 on a day that was perfect for me weather-wise, along on a hilly course, so not a typical PR course.) Since I know it took us at least 8 minutes to cross the start line (it was the only time I looked at my watch - hubby wore the Garmin to keep track of our pace) I'm inclined to think the watch time is correct, but have no idea why the chip time would be so off.

I'm very happy with my watch time, and with my race, despite the fact that it wasn't a PR. Given the conditions, I ran a really strong, evenly paced race (except for the kilometres running into the 80 km/hr winds for km 18 and 19) and I was able to kick it into high gear for the last kilometre and a half, after crossing the last bridge and heading to the finish line. I was never sore or tired during the race, and felt good and strong the entire way.

I also wasn't very sore after the race. My right quad and glute were a little sore on Sunday, but not sore enough to keep me from taking a tour of Prague and walking for most of the day. I'm feeling good today - went for an easy 3 mile run and the legs felt fine. So I'm confident that when I have a half as a goal race on a day with decent weather, provided I'm healthy, I will get that half PR.

So I'm of mixed feelings about the race. On the one hand, although I wasn't aiming for a PR, I was hoping to get close to it if the weather conditions had cooperated, so I'm disappointed that it was so windy and that I didn't run as fast as I could have. On the other hand, I wasn't really racing from the start, so I can't really be disappointed that I didn't PR, since that wasn't my goal. At any rate, I feel confident about Hamburg, provided the weather cooperates and I stay healthy.

No official photos yet, and I haven't uploaded my trip photos yet, but I do have a few photos of us after the race:
http://sports.webshots.com/album/558384260FQDSKy

Happy Birthday to Me!

2007-03-19T12:00:00.001+01:00

Your Birthdate: March 19

You are resilient, and no doubt your resilience has already been tested.
You've had some difficult experiences in your life, but you are wise from them.
Having had to grow up quickly, you tend to discount the advice of others.
You tend to be a loner, having learned that the only person you can depend on is yourself.

Your strength: Well developed stability and confidence

Your weakness: Suspicion of others

Your power color: Eggplant

Your power symbol: Spade

Your power month: October

What Does Your Birth Date Mean?

Runs This Past Week

2007-03-19T09:55:00.000+01:00

Had a good week of training, leading up to the taper for the Prague Half-Marathon on March 24th.

Monday: 8.5 miles total. 3 km easy jog warm-up, 5 x 1 km repeats, with 400m rest between each; 1.5 km easy jog cooldown, 1.5 miles walking cooldown.

Tuesday: 3 easy miles

Wednesday: 7.5 miles total. 2 mile warm-up, 3 tempo miles (@80% Heart Rate Reserve), 1 mile running cooldown, 1.5 miles walking cooldown.

Thursday: Scheduled Day off and Massage

Friday: 8 amazing miles with hubby, with an average pace per mile of Half-Marathon pace minus 10 seconds.

Feeling really good heading into the taper week for the race in Prague.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-03-15T09:32:00.000+01:00

My birthday is on Monday, March 19th. To celebrate my upcoming birthday, here are:

#24 - 13 Things About My Birthday

I was born on March 19, 1972.
So this year I will be 35 years old.
I was born in Selkirk, Manitoba, which is not far from Winnipeg.
My birth mother was 16 years old, and gave me up for adoption, because she wanted me to have a better life than she could give me at that point in time.
My parents were able to adopt me because they were Catholic. My birth mother was Catholic and she wanted me to go to a Catholic family.
My parents had tried to have children for many years, but were unsuccessful, and so wanted to adopt a baby. I was that baby.
My astrological sign is Pisces, although I was born just a few days before Aries begins. If you believe is astrology (I don't, but find it entertaining) I have some Pisces characteristics, and some Aries characteristics.
Throughout elementary and high school, there was about a 50-50 chance that my birthday would fall during March break.
In Grade 12, my friends threw me a surprise birthday party, the only surprise party I've ever had. And I was surprised! I thought I was going over to a friend's house to work on a school project.
Here is a list of famous people born on March 19. These include Bruce Willis and Glenn Close.
The best birthday present I ever received was for my 15th birthday. I chose a Seal Point Siamese for my present, whom I named Whiskers, because he was missing the whiskers on one side of his face when I adopted him. He had lost them playing with his brother. Whiskers went to the Rainbow Bridge on September 1, 2006, just two months shy of his 20th birthday.
Back in Canada, I would normally celebrate my birthday with my family: my husband, my parents and my sister. We all lived in the greater Ottawa region, so it was easy to get together for holidays and birthdays.
This year, I will celebrate with my husband and our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart. Hubby and I will celebrate by going out to dinner either on Saturday or Sunday. I have a massage scheduled for Monday, on my birthday.

Weekend Workouts

2007-03-12T11:39:00.000+01:00

Taught "Step and Tone" at the gym on Saturday. Once again, I had a medium-sized class. Did some simple, but intense step choreography, and the class flowed well.

After class, I lifted weights. I did a bunch of leg and core stability exercises with the stability ball, and lifted chest and back.

10 Mile Run

2007-03-10T11:37:00.000+01:00

Hubby and I ran 10 miles through the Englischer Garten when he came home from work today.

The weather was nice and warm - we were running in shorts and short-sleeved tops. It was windy in places, but we managed to avoid the worst of the wind.

Although my legs haven't been sore since Monday, they clearly still haven't totally recovered from last week's 20 miler, since they were heavy. But I ran the full 10, even though I wanted to cut it short. Good mental training, at the very least.

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2007-03-10T09:18:00.000+01:00

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Architecture

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This is the Neues Rathaus München, Munich's New City Hall. "New" being a relative term, of course. It was built from 1867 - 1909 in the Flanders Gothic style; its facade, over 300 feet in length, features strikingly elaborate stone ornamentation. The city hall features a famous Carillon/Glockenspiel (below).

(Click photo for a larger image)
This carillon was put into place in 1908. The figures of the carillon show elements of Munich's history. A joust is displayed in the upper part. This joust took place upon the marriage of Duke Wilhelm V. and Renata of Lothringen.

The lower part of the carillon shows one of Munich's famous dances, the Schäfflertanz. It was first performed during the plague (1515-1517) and since then it has been traditionally performed every 7th year in Munich.

To learn more about Munich's New City Hall, check out the following link:

Muenchen.de - Neues Rathaus

6 Mile Run

2007-03-08T11:35:00.000+01:00

Ran 6 miles today through the Englischer Garten. Kept my heart rate under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve. It was a slow run, but I got the mileage in.

The weather was lovely, although it was a little windier than I had anticipated. Still, I was only running into the wind for about a third of the run.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-03-08T05:32:00.000+01:00

In Europe, March 5-11 is Endometriosis Awareness Week. In North America, the month of March is Endometriosis Awareness Month. Here are 13 facts about this terrible disease.

Endometriosis is a painful, chronic disease that affects 5 1/2 million women and girls in the USA and Canada, and millions more worldwide.
Endometriosis occurs when tissue like that which lines the uterus (tissue called the endometrium) is found outside the uterus - usually in the abdomen on the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and ligaments that support the uterus; the area between the vagina and rectum; the outer surface of the uterus; and the lining of the pelvic cavity. Other sites for these endometrial growths may include the bladder, bowel, vagina, cervix, vulva, and in abdominal surgical scars. Less commonly they are found in the lung, arm, thigh, and other locations.
This misplaced tissue develops into growths or lesions which respond to the menstrual cycle in the same way that the tissue of the uterine lining does: each month the tissue builds up, breaks down, and sheds. Menstrual blood flows from the uterus and out of the body through the vagina, but the blood and tissue shed from endometrial growths has no way of leaving the body.
This results in internal bleeding, breakdown of the blood and tissue from the lesions, and inflammation - and can cause pain, infertility, scar tissue formation, adhesions, and bowel problems.
Symptoms of endometriosis include pain before and during periods, pain during intercourse, infertility, fatigue, painful urination during periods, painful bowel movements during periods, and other gastrointestinal upsets.
The only way to diagnose endometriosis is through laparoscopy, a surgical procedure done under anesthesia. A laparoscopy usually shows the location, size, and extent of the growths. This helps the doctor and patient make better treatment choices. Ultrasound CANNOT diagnose endometriosis.
Laparoscopy is also used to treat endometriosis. With the use of scissors, cautery, lasers, hydrodissection, or a sonic scalpel, endometriotic tissue can be ablated or removed in an attempt to restore normal anatomy. Unfortunately, endometriosis lesions frequently regrow after surgery, resulting in the return of pain and other symptoms.

The cause of endometriosis is unknown.
There is no cure for endometriosis.
Hysterectomy is not a cure. Many women experience a recurrence of endometriosis and/or its symptoms after hysterectomy.
Pregnancy is not a cure. Some women find that their pain symptoms are reduced during pregnancy, but this is not the case for everyone. In most cases, endometriosis symptoms return after giving birth and stopping breast feeding.
Women with endometriosis are at greater risk for several other diseases, including autoimmune diseases and hypothyroidism.
Although there is no cure for endometriosis, a variety of treatment options exist. These include pain medication, hormonal therapy, surgery, and alternative treatments. These treatments seek to manage the pain and minimize the other symptoms associated with endometriosis.

I, personally, have had two laparoscopies for endometriosis. During my first surgery, the endometriosis lesions were cauterized, and I experienced pain relief for about a year, before the pain slowly starting back again, gradually increasing. For my second laparoscopy, my surgeon used laser excision. I have had a return of pain during periods after this surgery as well, but as I only have four periods a year, it is manageable. Ideally, I would take continuous birth control, and have no periods, but my body won't cooperate, and insists of having a period every 3 months or so, no matter what type of birth control I'm on (and I've tried just about every monophasic pill out there). I am, however, unable to function for two days every time I have a period, because I am in so much pain (even with prescription painkillers).

To learn more about endometriosis, visit The Endometriosis Association.

5 Miles Yesterday

2007-03-07T13:18:00.000+01:00

When hubby was home from work yesterday, we went for a run together. 5 miles. The first mile was horrible - legs felt tight and heavy. But things improved after that and it ended up being a good run.

The weather was beautiful. +12°C, sunny, with only a light wind. We ran along the Isar River, turned around after 2.5 miles and ran back.

We are lucky that it has been such a warm winter. The weather has been perfect for marathon training.

Weekend Workouts

2007-03-05T18:58:00.000+01:00

Well, the cold water and ice bath on Friday after our 20 mile run worked, because my legs weren't too sore this weekend. I was tired after the 20 miler, but not in pain or experiencing a great deal of soreness.

Taught "Step and Tone" at the gym on Saturday. I had a medium-sized class, which was nice. Used the BOSU for the sculpting/tone portion of the class for a change of pace.

Sunday I ran 3 miles, nice and easy. Legs were tired, but it felt good to stretch them out.

Hubby and I are now registered for the Hamburg Marathon on April 29th. We've both our flights, hotel and registered for the race!

Photo Hunters

2007-03-03T09:20:00.000+01:00

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Salty

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My husband and I were married on April 22, 2004, on the Mayan Riviera in Mexico. It was a beautiful location to be married and I felt like a princess! A true fairy-tale wedding. So what does this have to do with salty? Well, in that photo, behind us is the Atlantic Ocean! Lots and lots of salt water!

(For those who are interested, the rest of our wedding photos can be seen here)

20 Mile Long Run

2007-03-02T09:14:00.000+01:00

Hubby and I ran 20 miles through the Englischer Garten today.

We had a GREAT 20 miler! (Motionbased says we ran 20.34 miles to be exact. ) A run like that gives me a lot of confidence for the marathon. The first 11 miles were amazing. I was just in a groove and motoring right along. One of those days when running feels easy and everything just flows. Just totally awesome. The next 8 miles were still good. Didn't flow quite as well, probably because we were running into the wind at that point, which was blowing quite heavily (around 25 mph) plus I was starting to get a little tired. Amazingly, my legs really didn't start feeling sore until around the 17 mile point. Sure, after 12 miles or so they were tired, but not sore. I was amazed.

The last mile I had enough juice left to kick it into high gear, and so I did. Ended the run on a great note. I have no doubt that if I had been mentally prepared for it, I could have gone 26.2 miles yesterday. So that's a great feeling.

Kept my HR under 70% HRR for the first 11 miles, let it creep up to 75% for miles 11-17, then just let it rise to where it would after that. Like I said, the last mile I was just giving it, so my HR was up there.

Except for the wind, the weather cooperated. The rain stayed away, except for a few light sprinklings, and it alternated between overcast and sunny. Temperature was between 6 and 8°C (around 46°F)

You can view the full map of our run here.

6.5 Mile Run

2007-02-28T18:29:00.000+01:00

Hubby came home at lunch today, and we had a nice 6.5 mile run together. Then I took the car home (we had driven down to the Englischer Garten to run) and he ran the 2 miles home at his much faster pace. The 6.5 miles were nice and easy for me, after my 10 mile Marathon Pace run on Tuesday. The wind was blowing fairly hard, and it was easy to see the difference in pace between the miles into the wind, and the miles with the wind at my back!

Apart from the wind, the weather was lovely. It was around +12°C.

10 Miles Today

2007-02-27T17:07:00.000+01:00

Ran 10 miles today down to the Isar River and through the Englischer Garten. It was a pretty good run. My average pace for the run was about Marathon Pace - MP (the pace at which I hope to run the marathon.)

It was overcast and around 5°C, with winds around 25 km/hr. Fortunately, for most of the run, the wind was at right angles to me. I did have three miles into the wind, and my pace was slower than MP for those miles, but my other miles made up for it. My last two miles in particular were quite a bit under as I was going for a "fast finish" run.

After the 10 miles were completed, I walked another 2.5 miles home.

Weekend Workouts

2007-02-27T09:23:00.000+01:00

On Saturday I was at the gym, as usual, teaching my "Step and Tone" class. It went quite well. It was a medium-sized class, neither tiny, nor full. I seem to have developed a small, but loyal following of individuals who want simple but athletic step choreography. Here in Germany, most of the step classes involve a lot of spins and turns, and that's just not my style. I do a few more spins and turns than I would back home in Canada, since I am in Germany, but I can't totally change the way I teach.

After class, I lifted back and biceps and did some exercises with the stability ball. I need to keep my upper body and my abdominals strong for the marathon. I used the assisted pull-up machine, which is my favourite piece of strength training equipment, after the stability ball. I hope to work up to being able to do one chin-up/pull-up unassisted.

Sunday I ran 6 miles through the Englischer Garten. Did 2 miles @ 70% Heart Rate Reserve (HRR), 2 miles @ 80% HRR, then 2 miles cooldown, just running easy, trying to get my heart rate back under 70% HRR, but it stayed up around 75% HRR.

Photo Hunters

2007-02-24T10:40:00.000+01:00

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Soft

For Christmas 2005, before moving to Munich, my husband and I received this beautiful Newfoundland quilt as a gift (my husband is originally from Newfoundland.) It is very soft, and warm, and is a wonderful reminder of home (Canada.)

Friday's Feast

2007-02-23T10:02:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Thirty Two

Appetizer
Where on your body do you have a scar, and what caused it?

I have two scars in my bellybutton (along with three other scars on my abdomen) as a result of two laparoscopies for endometriosis. Sadly, this chronic disease has no cure, and I have periodically needed surgery to help control the pain.

Soup
What is something that has happened to you that you would consider a miracle?

I can't think of anything that I was truly consider a miracle. I have experienced some good fortune where I was clearly blessed, starting with my birth, but nothing that I would consider miraculous. My birth mother was a 16 year old Catholic, and fortunately for me, she did not abort me, but carried me to term as gave me up for adoption after I was born. If not for that, I wouldn't be here. But I consider that a blessing, not a miracle.

Salad
Name a television personality who really gets on your nerves.

I don't watch a lot of "regular" television. There are only four shows my husband and I don't miss: Stargate SG-1, Stargate Atlantis, Battlestar Galactica (the new series) and Smallville. Otherwise, I mostly watch Discovery, Discovery Civilization, National Geographic, and the History Channel. So I'm not familiar with television personalities.

Main Course
What was a funny word you said as a child (such as "pasketti" for "spaghetti")?

I'm sure there were some, but I don't remember any!

Dessert
Fill in the blank: I have always thought ______ was ______.

I have always thought reading was fun.

Cats on Tuesday

2007-02-20T07:06:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

Sometimes the simplest toys are the best. Although Dragonheart loves his store-bought toys, especially his wand toys and anything that has feathers, he also enjoys playing with some common household items. One of his favourite toys is the clear plastic top off a bottle of Powerade/Gatorade. I guess in some ways cats can be like children! Often the box that a toy came in can be more fun to play with than the toy itself!

It's amazing how much fun he has batting these bottle tops around! He really enjoys playing "hockey" with these bottle tops, as you can see in the video below. These tops frequently get lost under the couch or the treadmill. Fortunately, it is easy to reclaim them from underneath the furniture, plus, there is always a new supply of them, as my husband and I are training for a marathon, and therefore consuming a great deal of Gatorade/Powerade.

If you have trouble viewing the video, you can try clicking here.

Photo Hunters

2007-02-17T10:22:00.000+01:00

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Antique

From Merriam-Webster Online:
1 : existing since or belonging to earlier times : ANCIENT <antique trade routes to the Orient>
2 a : being in the style or fashion of former times <antique manners and graces> b : made in or representative of the work of an earlier period <antique mirrors>; also : being an antique

(Click photo for a larger image)

This is a tablet of hieroglyphics from Munich's Staatliches Museum Ägyptischer Kunst. It has certainly existed since, and belongs to, earlier times. It was wonderful to visit the museum and see and touch real ancient Egyptian artifacts! Ancient Egypt has always fascinated me and my husband and I hope to visit Egypt next fall and visit the pyramids and many other ancient Egyptian sites.
You can read more about Munich's Egyptian museum and see more photos here.

Friday's Feast

2007-02-16T11:13:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Thirty One

Sorry I haven't feasted in a while! My husband and I are training for the Vienna Marathon on April 29th, and we've been doing our long runs on Fridays, which makes Friday a very busy day! This week our long run is shorter (only 13 miles - just over 20km) so I have some time to participate.

Appetizer
What sound, other than the normal ringing, would you like your telephone to make?

A cat purring would make a nice ring tone!

Soup
Describe your usual disposition in meteorological terms (partly cloudy, sunny, stormy, etc.).

Mostly sunny with occasional clouds

Salad
What specific subject do you feel you know better than any other subjects?

Fitness and Exercise Science. I'm a certified group fitness (aerobics) instructor, a certified Resist-A-Ball (stability ball) instructor, I have an undergraduate degree in Biological Engineering, and I'm working towards a Masters degree in Physiotherapy. So I feel I have a good understanding of the human body and its response to exercise, and how to appropriately design and deliver and effective fitness class.

Main Course
Imagine you were given the ability to remember everything you read for one entire day. Which books/magazines/newspapers would you choose to read?

I would read all of my textbooks! As I said above, I'm working on a Masters degree in Physiotherapy, so there is a lot to know. The human body is very complicated. I'd start with my anatomy and physiology textbooks (anatomy in particular is a lot of memory work) then move on to my biomechanics and exercise science textbooks as well as some of the more specialized texts. I'd also try to read as many Physiotherapy and Physical Therapy journals as possible.

Dessert
If a popular candy maker contacted you to create their next confection, what would it be like and what would you name it?

I'd love to have a low fat chocolate bar. Although it sounds like an oxymoron, a few years back Hersey did make some lower-fat chocolate treats (called Sweet Escapes), but I guess they weren't very popular since they didn't stick around. I'd love to create a product like that. A name? Hmm, maybe Guilt-Free Pleasures?

Thursday Thirteen

2007-02-15T08:20:00.000+01:00

#22 - 13 Things About our Trip to Switzerland

My husband and I were in Château d'Oex, Switzerland, last week. Here are 13 things about our trip

We had no internet connectivity, so I was out of touch with all of my internet friends for a week. It's also the reason my blog hadn't been updated for a while, and why I wasn't able to visit all of my blogging friends. I'll get around to visiting all of you sometime today or tomorrow!
We had absolutely gorgeous weather. It was sunny and warm for most of our trip. The only day where the weather wasn't nice was Thursday, when it rained. It was still warm though.
It's a good thing neither my husband nor I are skiers. All of the ski slopes in Château D'Oex (the town where we were staying) were closed due to a lack of snow. There were some slopes open in other nearby towns, but it was mostly manufactured snow on those slopes.
Our Chalet was way up on the side of one of the mountains, with the town of Château D'Oex far below in the valley. Fortunately the weather was nice, so we didn't need chains on our car tires to get to and from the chalet. We did hike down and up the mountain a couple of times and it was a good workout!
Our Chalet was beautiful, although the bedroom had two small single beds in it! Fortunately there was a very comfortable sofa bed in the living room, so we pulled that out and used that as our bed. Not only did my husband and I want to sleep next to each other, but our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart, is accustomed to sleeping with us and we thought he would be very confused if he had to choose one of us to sleep with!
We only went running twice while we were in Switzerland. So we took a bit of a break from our marathon training. It was impossible to run anywhere without running up and down lots of hills! So we got in some hill training, which is great for leg strength.
We went horseback riding once. We had a beautiful day for a trail ride. Since I am an experienced rider, I was given the opportunity to tack up (and untack) my horse by myself. I rode a very nice horse named Cherokee. My husband, who has only ridden a handful of times, was given a very calm, easy-going horse named Nicki, who just followed the other two horses. And they tacked up and untacked the horse for him. I was very happy that we rode English (hunter seat) for the trail ride, since that is what I am used to. I ride hunter seat and also take dressage lessons.
Although the weather was warm during our trip, we still enjoyed lighting a fire in the fireplace every night. Dragonheart really enjoyed the fire, especially the warmth it gave off! He also enjoyed starting at the flames.
We spent a lot of time just relaxing in the Chalet, reading books (I'm re-reading the books in George R.R. Martin's Game of Thrones series), playing computer games (Civ IV and Neverwinter Nights 2), playing with Dragonheart, enjoying each others company, and I managed to do some crochet, making two sweaters for Dragonheart.
We had a gorgeous view of the surrounding mountains from our balcony. It was just beautiful. Since the weather was so warm, Dragonheart was able to explore the balcony in his harness one day, when the temperature climbed to +15°C.
We were in the French part of Switzerland, so I had a chance to practice my rusty French. I was considered perfectly bilingual (by the Government of Canada) before my husband and I started German language training in preparation for our posting to Munich. I quickly discovered that once we started learning German, I lost a great deal of my ability to speak French! I still understand French perfectly, and can read and write French very well, but often when I try to speak, German words come out instead of French! It's as if my brain can only handle one foreign language at a time! *grin*
Dragonheart was very well behaved throughout the trip. We had water, food, and a litter box for him in the car, but he ignored all of them, and spent most of the car ride curled up in my lap, or curled up on the seat behind me. He had his harness on, so he was restrained, and we didn't allow him into the front of the car where my husband was driving. He also seemed to really enjoy being in the Chalet. The only thing he didn't like was his smaller litter box! He used it, but would dig around in it a lot, and jump in and out of it many times before finally doing his business!
The highlight of our trip was going paragliding on Friday. Both my husband and I went paragliding. We each did a tandem flight, which meant we were strapped to an experienced instructor. It was an amazing experience! Just incredible to be flying like a bird. I've skydived once before (tandem again, strapped to an experienced jump instructor) but I didn't like the freefall - once we were under canopy I loved it, but I didn't enjoy freefall. So paragliding was perfect for me. No freefall, under canopy the entire way. Just a wonderful, amazing, incredible experience. We haven't received our photos yet (they are coming in the mail) but you can check out some photos from the company we paraglided with here.

To see more photos of our trip, check our Dragonheart's Thursday Thirteen, or read his report of our trip!

Happy Valentine's Day!

2007-02-14T08:48:00.000+01:00

Happy Valentine's Day!

Our wedding, on the Mayan Riviera, Mexico, April 22, 2004.

Workouts This Week

2007-02-01T11:04:00.000+01:00

Been busy studying this week (anatomy and physiology) and prepping for our trip to Switzerland, so I haven't logged all my workouts. Here's what I've done so far this week (a cut-back week):

Monday: 2 easy miles on the treadmill; lifted back and biceps.

Tuesday: 6.5 miles total: 5 miles continuous running, walked up the steep hill out of the Isar River valley to avoid stressing my left calf, 1.5 miles easy jog home.

Wednesday: Horseback riding. Had a new horse - Napoleon! He was very nice, but a HUGE horse. 1.75 m high at the withers! (The withers is where the neck meets the shoulder on a horse. Germans measure horse height in metres, whereas in North America we use "hands" (one hand = 4 inches). So this horse is 1.75 metres tall at the base of his neck - taller than me! I'm only 1.68 metres tall (5'6").) Even with the mounting block, I still had to let the stirrup down four holes so I could get on! But he was very nice. Didn't like the whip, so I gave my dressage whip to my instructor, and he went very nice. My instructor said he can be a bit lazy without the whip, but this morning he was fine. My legs did get a good workout though! His only real fault is that he doesn't like to stand still at the halt and let you adjust your stirrups or the girth, so he had to be held while I adjusted my stirrups. So now I've found another horse that I really like.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-02-01T10:48:00.000+01:00

#21 - 13 Things About our Trip to Switzerland

My husband and I leave Saturday morning for a trip to Château d'Oex, Switzerland, here are 13 things about this trip

My husband and I (and our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart) will be spending a week in a Chalet in Château d'Oex, Switzerland.
Neither my husband nor I downhill ski, so we won't be doing any downhill skiing.
We may cross-country ski however.
We may also snowshoe.
Château d'Oex is known for its hot-air baloons, and in fact, their International Hot Air Baloon Week and Festival ended on January 29th, so we may take a hot-air balloon ride.
Parachute jumps are also available. I've already done one tandem jump (which was amazing) and my husband, as an airborne engineer in the Canadian Forces, has done more jumps than he can count.
I horseback ride (hunter seat and dressage) and since there is a riding school and bridle paths in Château d'Oex, I hope to go horseback riding at some point.
There are also sleigh rides available, which would be a lot of fun.
My husband and I will get to add another country to our list of places where we've run. We're in the middle of training for a marathon (Vienna Marathon on April 29th) so we'll have to keep training while we're on vacation.
It will be our first road trip with Dragonheart, so it will be interesting to see how he reacts. Hopefully he'll enjoy all the new sights, sounds and smells (since he is very curious and adventurous, we think he'll enjoy it.)
We won't have internet connectivity while we're away, so we'll be out of touch.
Our chalet has a fully-equipped kitchen, but we will definitely sample some of the traditional Swiss food at the local restaurants.
Our chalet has a fireplace, and we are looking forward to relaxing in front of the fire. I'm sure Dragonheart will enjoy the heat of the fireplace (well supervised of course!)

18 Mile Long Run Friday, Step and Tone Class Saturday

2007-01-27T21:41:00.000+01:00

18 long, slow miles in the books on Friday afternoon. Hubby and I managed to find enough clear paths to run through the Englischer Garten, but they weren't totally clear. They had been cleared of snow, so we weren't trying to run through a foot of snow, but there was still packed snow underfoot, and it was icy in a few places. The paths had sand/gravel over them, so the footing was okay, but I still had to alter my stride because of the uneven surface and to step carefully around the icy parts. So I was much slower than normal, even for a long run.

For the first 9 miles, I was about 30 seconds to a minute slower than normal, because of the footing, and then for the last 9 miles, I was 1-2 minutes slower, because my legs became fatigued a lot quicker, due to the change in stride and the uneven surface. Because winter arrived so suddenly, I hadn't run outside on a snowy surface at all this year - my last long run I was running in shorts and a t-shirt! I did have two short breaks in the middle of the run to strip off my soaking wet shirt and put on a new one. I sweat so much, even when properly dressed for the weather, that I needed those changes! Wicking/technical fabrics also can't keep up with the volume that I sweat!

The weather was fairly nice. It was overcast, with temperatures between -8 and -5°C, but there was very little wind, only about 4-5 km/hr. So nice enough weather for a long run.

I had a hard time keeping my heart rate in the right zone, probably because I was working so hard to keep my footing on the uneven surface. So not the best long run I've done, but I got the miles in, and that's the main thing.

Saturday, I taught my normal Step and Tone class at the gym. It went quite well. The class wasn't packed, but it wasn't small either, so that was okay. I didn't do any leg work for the sculpting portion (my legs were too sore from running 18 miles the previous day) but did a lot of upper body work and abdominals and lower back.

Photo Hunters

2007-01-27T11:06:00.000+01:00

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Silver

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The silver-coloured ring on my little finger is my Iron Ring. However, it is neither silver nor iron. Modern Iron Rings are made out of stainless steel.

The Iron Ring is the symbol of Canadian engineers. All graduates of a university engineering program in Canada have the opportunity to participate in the Iron Ring Ceremony, known as "The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer."

The Iron Ring obligation (statement of ethics) and the ceremony, were written by Rudyard Kipling.

The object of the Ritual can be stated as follows: The Ritual of the Calling of an Engineer has been instituted with the simple end of directing the newly qualified engineer toward a consciousness of the profession and its social significance and indicating to the more experienced engineer their responsibilities in welcoming and supporting the newer engineers when they are ready to enter the profession.

The Iron Ring has been registered and may be worn on the little finger of the working hand by any engineer who has been obligated at an authorized ceremony of the Ritual of the Calling of the Engineer. The ring symbolizes the pride which engineers have in their profession, while simultaneously reminding them of their humility. The ring serves as a reminder to the engineer and others of the engineer's obligation to live by a high standard of professional conduct. It is not a symbol of qualification as an engineer - this is determined by the provincial and territorial licensing bodies.

(Much of the text taken from The Iron Ring, which you can check out for more information.)

Step, Weights, Run

2007-01-24T13:39:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I did an hour of step, worked on core stability exercises (abdominals and lower back) and lifted chest and triceps. Today I ran 5 miles on the treadmill.

For step, I did a video here at home. I was able to pick up some ideas for my own step and tone class that I teach every Saturday.

Click & Comment Monday

2007-01-22T19:02:00.000+01:00

I'm participating in Click & Comment Monday. What is Click & Comment Monday? It's a day where you are encouraged to visit new blogs, find posts that you are interested in, and leave a comment. Leaving comments on other blogs helps to increase your readership and you may gain some new regular readers, or find a new regular read of your own.

What I encourage is for you to click my tenant Living with Multiple Personalities find a post that interests you, and leave a comment (please leave a real comment, not just "Happy C&C Monday"). Then, click on their tenant, or a link on their blogroll, and leave a comment there.

Please, when you visit my tenant, DO NOT JUST COMMENT "Happy Click & Comment Monday." The idea is to find a post that you are interested in, and provide an intelligent comment. If you can't find a post that you are interested in commenting upon, then just move on. Thanks.

A previous tenant, Recommended, wrote an excellent post on how to properly comment. Melissa, from Cat's Cradle Creations, also has an excellent post on proper comment etiquette.

So, let’s get started! Comment here and add your name and link below.

I really encourage you visit at least 5 different blogs and leave 5 different comments if you have ANY time at all. It will give you the joy of sharing a few of your opinions on posts and bring you future readers.

Thanks and enjoy Click & Comment Day by visting this page and adding it to your blog!

My tenant:
Are you posting Click & Comment on your blog? Add your name to the list with a link to your blog and I’ll come visit. If you do this you not only gain links but new blog-friends as well.

Enjoy! I’m going to try to do this each Monday. Why not start your week off right?

7.5 miles today

2007-01-22T16:30:00.000+01:00

Today's run was 7.5 miles through the Englisher Garten, keeping my heart rate under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve. The run was slow but good. I'm not surprised it was on the slow side, since I ran 9 miles yesterday.

The weather was decent. Overcast, with the temperature around 5°C and light winds of about 10 km/hr. The forecast is calling for rain changing to snow overnight, so we may receive our first snowfall of the winter. We'll see! I'd be happy if it didn't snow at all, since running is much nicer when the paths are clear, but I suppose we have to receive snow at some point this winter.

Weekend Workouts

2007-01-21T19:28:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I taught my "Step and Tone" class at the gym. As usual, simple step choreography combined with muscular endurance training. The class was fairly small, which was a bit of a letdown after the packed class last week, but they won't all be large classes. The gym seemed fairly quiet, so maybe it was just wasn't a busy day at the gym.

Today, hubby and I ran 9 miles through the Englischer Garten. It was warm out, between 6 and 8°C, but it was VERY windy. Winds of 30-40 km/hr, with gusts up to 50 km/hr! So we changed direction a lot, so we weren't always running into the wind. Even so, when we were running right into the wind, my pace was considerably slower, and my heart rate much higher. So instead of staying under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve (HRR) my heart rate climbed up to 75% when running into the wind. Still, a good run.

Photo Hunters

2007-01-20T11:08:00.000+01:00

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Wild

Panther at Xcaret, Mayan Riviera, Mexico

Thursday Thirteen

2007-01-18T10:15:00.000+01:00

#20 - 13 Races I've Run and Plan on Running

Terry Fox Run - I've run this race every year for as long as I can remember. Even before I was a runner, I used to walk the 5K or 10K. Back in school, we would also do the Terry Fox Run during a school day. The Terry Fox Run raises money for cancer research. For those of you who don't know who Terry Fox was, he was a Canadian single leg amputee (due to bone cancer) who set out to run across Canada, a journey called the Marathon of Hope. Sadly, the cancer spread to his lungs and he had to stop before he had finished his journey. But every year, in his memory, Canadians across the country and around the world, participate in the Terry Fox Run in his memory.
Run For The Cure - I've run this race every year since becoming a runner. The Run for the Cure is a 5K event that raises money for Breast Cancer Research.
Do It For Dad - My husband and I ran this race for the first time last year, doing the 10K run, while my mom and dad walked the 5K. This race raises money for prostate cancer research, and I wanted to do this race after my dad was diagnosed with, and treated for, prostate cancer last year.
HBC Run For Canada - Taking place on July 1st (Canada Day) my husband and I have run all of the "Run For Canada" 10K races taking place in Ottawa. The race is run early in the morning on Canada Day, before all the Canada Day celebrations start in downtown Ottawa, and has been a fabulous way to celebrate Canada's birthday. Entry fees from this race go to support local charities as well as Canadian amateur athletes.
Run For Lunch - This was my first "real" 10K race, timed, with an entrant's bib and number (the Terry Fox races, being charity events, aren't officially timed and you don't have an entry number or bib.) This entry fee from this race went to help the student food bank at the University of Ottawa, hence the name "Run For Lunch."
Ottawa Fall Colours Half-Marathon - In 2004 I ran this race as my first half-marathon. It was a great race. Small, but well organized, and the weather that day was perfect for me for running - overcast and cool. The photo in my Thursday Thirteen header this week is from this race.
National Capital Half-Marathon - My husband and I have run this race the past two years, when it has been incredibly hot and humid, so not ideal conditions for running. The course for this race is lovely, along the Rideau Canal in Ottawa, but there is little shade along the route. So with the half-marathon starting at 10 am at the end of May, it is hot out there for the runners. For 2007, they are finally moving the half start to an earlier time.
Prince Edward County Marathon - My husband and I ran this race in 2005 as our first marathon. A small, rural marathon, the route is quite nice, through rural farmland, small villages, and through Sandbanks Provincial Park. Unfortunately, the year we ran it was also a very hot day, much warmer than usual for October, and so the conditions weren't ideal for running. Still, it was an accomplishment to finish my first marathon.
20 km de Paris - My first race in Europe. I ran this race this past October, meeting a group of friends from the Runango Running Forum. The race went well, although not as well as I had hoped. There is a lot of smog in Paris and my poor lungs couldn't take it! But it was fun to see Paris on foot and to socialize with my running friends.
Vienna Marathon - My husband and I plan on running the Vienna Marathon this April. It will be our second marathon, and our goal is just to finish, running the entire race (unless the weather doesn't cooperate.) I am very fortunate - my husband runs much faster than I do (I'm very slow for a variety of reasons, including poor biomechanics due to the way my bones come together at the joints and a permanently compressed vertebra from a fracture in 1993) but he enjoys running and racing with me, so he happily runs with me for our long runs and for races. He does get runs in at his own pace when he runs at lunch at work (as an army officer, he is expected to stay fit and has time in his workday to do PT - physical training.) He is a great running coach and supporter.
Winterlaufserie 15K - My husband and I plan on doing this race as a training run on February 15th. It will be an opportunity to run through Olympiapark, where the München Frühjahrslauf will take place.
München Frühjahrslauf - My husband and I plan on running this half-marathon on April 1st of this year here in Munich. I'm hoping that the weather will be cool enough for me to have a good race.
Munich Marathon - If, after Vienna, I still have the desire to run another marathon, it will be the Munich Marathon. The course runs through many of Munich's neighbourhoods and past some of Munich's most famous monuments, buildings and sights. The highlight of the race is the finish in the Olympic Stadium.

For those who are curious about the various race distances, here are some conversions:

5K = 5km = 3.1 miles
10K = 10km = 6.2 miles
15K = 15km = 9.3 miles
20K = 20km = 12.4 miles
Half-Marathon = 21.1 km = 13.1 miles
Marathon = 42.2 km = 26.2 miles

Cutback Week

2007-01-17T10:16:00.000+01:00

This week is a cutback week in our marathon training program, which means a decrease in mileage and intensity. It gives the body a chance to recover from the increasing mileage and adapt to the demands put on it by the training.

So Monday I walked 2 miles and lifted chest and triceps with hubby. Yesterday I ran 3.5 miles on the treadmill while watching Mythbusters. Today will be a rest day.

My New Tenant: Living with Multiple Personalities

2007-01-16T15:41:00.000+01:00

I am happy to have Living with Multiple Personalities as my tenant this week. I've visited Cat's blog on many occasions, and she is a very articulate writer.

Cat describes her blog in this fashion:

"catwithapen.com is a blog that includes my personal struggle with my journey through life while being diagnosed with Multiple Personality Disorder. I'm Cat, and although I don't write with a pen here, I do journal with one."

Cat is also the hostess for Click & Comment Monday, a fabulous idea that encourages bloggers to visit other blogs and leave a worthwhile comment.

If you are interested in learning more about Multiple Personality Disorder, or just want to be entertained, be sure to visit Cat's blog. You'll enjoy your visit. If you stop by, tell her Caylynn sent you. Thanks!

Cats on Tuesday

2007-01-16T09:49:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

Here is a video of Dragonheart enjoying one of the wand toys he received for Christmas. This was filmed just over a week ago. Yesterday, he was at the vet being neutered. He is doing well now, happily curled up asleep in my lap. You can read about the entire adventure on his blog.

If you can't see the video, try clicking here.

16 Mile Long Run

2007-01-14T17:51:00.000+01:00

Hubby and I went for our long run today through the Englischer Garten. 16 miles total. The first 11 miles I kept my heart rate under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve, and then let it drift up to under 75% of HRR for the last 5 miles or so.

It was a beautiful day for a run. The temperature was between 8 and 10°C and it was partly sunny. When we started, the winds were fairly strong, around 20 km/hr, but the winds died down as out run continued.

It was wonderful to be able to run in shorts and a short-sleeved top in January! We ran through both the Nordteil (Northern portion) and Sudteil (Southern Portion) of the Englischer Garten.

The run felt good, although the legs were getting tired and sore towards the end of the run, but that's to be expected.

Photo Hunters

2007-01-13T09:33:00.000+01:00

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Technology

These are my two favourite pieces of running technology. The top photo is my Garmin Forerunner 305. It's a running watch/GPS/heart rate monitor. I love it, because it gives me the freedom to go out and just run wherever I want, and not worry about having a distance pre-measured out. It uses a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver to measure distance and pace/speed. The 305 also includes a heart rate monitor, so I can tell how hard I'm working, and it also measures time. So it is a great training tool. I can just go out and run anywhere, and it tells me how far I've run, my pace/speed, my heart rate, and how long I've been running. At the end, it gives me my average pace/speed, the number of calories I've burned, and my average heart rate. I can also set it to give me "splits" every so often (every mile or every kilometre for instance) and it will tell me my time, average pace, and average heart rate for that split. I love mine.

The second photo is, of course, a treadmill. We have our treadmill in our living room, in front of the TV, so that we can run on it for hours and not be bored. I love running outside, but sometimes it just isn't safe to do so - usually when it is very icy out in the winter or very cold. I will run outside in temperatures down to -20°C if there's not much wind, but when there's a biting wind, or when there's ice on the roads and running paths, it's just not safe to run outside, and so I prefer to run on the treadmill. Also, in the summer, when the temperature climbs to above +30°C, it also isn't safe to run outside. Or when the temperature isn't quite that hot, but it's very humid, you also run the risk of dehydration and heat stroke. So running inside, where it's air-conditioned, is much safer. The longest run I've ever done on the treadmill is 18 miles. I've also run several 15, 14, 13 and 12 milers on the treadmill, as well as many many shorter runs, too numerous to count. With a couple of good movies on, and a partner to change the DVD when required and to supply you with fresh Gatorade, it is quite do-able. I do prefer to run outside, whenever possible, but when the weather is uncooperative, the treadmill is a great piece of technology.

Both of these pieces of technology help me to stay on schedule, when training for a marathon, half-marathon, or a shorter race, or when I'm just running for fitness. When following a training program, they help to ensure I'm running the correct distance at the right effort, for that day of the program.

Friday's Feast

2007-01-12T10:23:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Six

Appetizer
What comes to mind when you see the color orange?

Orange juice

Soup
Did you ever get in trouble while you were in school? If so, what was it for?

No, I was very much the "proper Catholic girl" (I went to Catholic schools my entire life), a "goody-two-shoes", and a straight-A student. I was also involved in so many extra-curricular activities that I didn't have time to get in trouble!

Salad
Which topping(s) make up your perfect pizza?

My perfect pizza consists of a whole wheat crust, topped with pizza sauce (naturally), double mushrooms, baby shrimp, and low-fat mozzarella cheese.

Main Course
Do you believe in UFOs/aliens/etc.? Why or why not?

I don't believe in UFOs, nor do I believe that aliens have visited the Earth. Why? Because there are logical explanations for every UFO ever reported and there is no evidence that we have ever been visited by aliens.
I do, however, believe that there is life out there in the universe. The universe is so vast that I think it would be rather arrogant of us to assume that the Earth is the only planet that supports life.

Dessert
What color is your bedspread/comforter/quilt?

A patchwork of different shades of blue

Thursday Thirteen

2007-01-11T08:50:00.000+01:00

#19 - 13 Places we Plan on Visiting While We're Posted to Germany

My husband is an engineering officer in the Canadian Forces, and he's currently working as an exchange/liaison officer with the German military engineers. Sadly, Canada doesn't have any bases in Germany any longer, so the only army postings here are either exchange postings or NATO positions. Since my husband is in an exchange/liaison position, we know we'll only be in Munich until the summer of 2009. Between now and then, here are some places we plan on visiting.

Egypt - Ancient Egyptian history fascinates me. We plan on taking a trip to Egypt next fall, starting in Cairo, taking a cruise down the Nile to Abu Simbel. I can't wait to see the Pyramids, the Valley of the Kings, the Temples at Karnak and Luxor, and the Egyptian Museum in Cairo with the treasures from King Tut's tomb.
Rome - The history of the Roman Empire also fascinates me. I'm looking forward to visiting Rome and seeing the great Coliseum and many of the other historical sites. There is so much history and culture in Rome that I am looking forward to experiencing.
Mainau Island - This is an Island in the Bodensee, which is a large lake between Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Due to the island's geography and the weather conditions, it has an almost tropical climate, with many tropical plants growing here. The island is a park and flower garden, and motorized vehicles are not permitted on the island. I'm looking forward to visiting and seeing the natural beauty of this island.
Berlin - It goes without saying that while we are living in Germany we must visit Berlin, the capital of Germany. Must-see and must-visit locations in Berlin include the Brandenburger Tor, Berliner Dom, the remnants of the Berlin Wall, the Reichstag, and many others.
Great Britain - We're not sure exactly where in Great Britain we will visit, but we will definitely travel there at some point. There is just so much to see, and so many potential places to visit, that we haven't decided exactly what we want to see yet.
Greece - Another country rich in history. We would like to take a cruise of the Greek Islands, and also visit Athens. The Acropolis of Athens would be an amazing site to see.
Herrenchiemsee - A castle here in Bavaria, built by King Ludwig II. It was modelled after Versailles, as Ludwig II was a great admirer of King Louis XIV of France. This castle was built on an island, which also features a park and waterworks.
Versailles - Speaking of Versailles, I also want to visit the real Versailles. Both the castle and the park look like amazing places to visit. Versailles is rich in history, with so much to see and learn.
The Louvre - When we were in Paris in October, we had a chance to visit a great deal of the city, but we didn't have enough time to really visit the Louvre. I want to take the time to visit a good portion of the museum, and see many of the great works of art housed here.
Château d'Oex, Switzerland - We will be spending a week here in February, at a chalet. Famous for it's hot-air balloons, there are also many other activities, such as horseback riding. Neither my husband nor I ski, but there will be plenty to keep us busy during our week's vacation.
Vienna - We will be visiting Vienna at the end of April, when we will be in the city to run the Vienna Marathon. We also plan on visiting the famous Spanish Riding School and seeing the Lippizaner Stallions.
Salzburg - Another city in Austria that is rich in history and culture. Places to visit include Mozart's birthplace and residence, Salzburg's Cathedral, St. Peter's Abbey, and a number of museums and art galleries.
Dachau - This memorial site is not far from Munich. As an army officer, my husband visited the concentration camp memorial at Auschwitz when he was in Poland, and it was a moving and disturbing experience. This will not be a pleasant trip, but is something that we want to do. It is important that we not forget, and that we pay tribute to the memory of those who were interred in these camps.

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Foto Pherrets

2007-01-10T15:52:00.000+01:00

Hump Day Hunt - Week Fifty-Four

Today is a very special Day for Mama Pherret's favorite guitarist, so...

Our word for this week is:
Cake

Feeding each other wedding cake

Our wedding on the Mayan Riviera, April 22, 2004. The uniform my husband is wearing is a Canadian Forces army officer "Mess Kit" - their formal uniform and the equivalent of a civilian tuxedo.

6 Mile Tempo Run

2007-01-09T17:43:00.000+01:00

Today's run was 6 miles in total. It consisted of a 2 mile warm-up (heart rate under 65% of heart rate reserve- HRR), 1 mile at tempo (80% of HRR), 1 mile recovery (<70% HRR), 1 mile tempo (80% HRR) and 1 mile cooldown. The cooldown mile I had to alternate running and walking to keep my heart rate down.

It was warm out, with temperatures between 10 and 12°C, but it wasn't quite as nice as it was yesterday. There was more wind, up to about 15 km/hr, and it was raining for the first mile. After that, the rain lightened up, and there was only the occasional sprinkle of precipitation.

Once again, I ran through the Englischer Garten, which is lovely for running.

Afterwards, once my husband was home from work, we lifted weights together. Today we lifted back, so we did lat pull-downs, narrow-grip pull-downs, seated rows, and straight arm pull-downs.

Cats on Tuesday

2007-01-09T09:08:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

Our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheat, loves to sit on his cat tree and watch the world go by outside his window.

He especially enjoys watching the birds fly by, or the ones perched in the trees.

His room, where the cat tree is located, gets the morning sun, so it is normally bright and warm in the mornings. The cat tree is also right in front of the radiator, which is located under the window, so it is nice and toasty warm on his cat tree in the winter.

8.5 mile run

2007-01-08T17:39:00.000+01:00

Today's run was 8.5 miles through the Englischer Garten. It was a good run - my legs felt good, and I maintained a decent pace. The weather was beautiful, with a high of 10°C. It was overcast, but the rain that was forecast stayed away, so that was great. There also wasn't much wind. So great running weather.

Kept my heart rate under 70% of heart rate reserve for the first 5 miles, then let it drift up to 75% for the last three.

Over the holidays I didn't blog any of my runs or workouts, but I was still running, horseback riding, lifting weights, and teaching step and tone classes. Just with everything else going on, I didn't have time to blog about it. But our marathon training is on track.

Photo Hunters

2007-01-06T14:50:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Memory

In Memory of my Siamese cat Whiskers, who went to the Rainbow Bridge on September 1st, 2006, I commissioned a portrait by one of my running friends, Michelle, who is also a very talented artist. You can see both the photo that she based the portrait on, and the portrait, above. Whiskers (registered name Tyann Whiskers) was a purebred Seal Point Siamese that I received for my 15th birthday. He grew up with me through the turbulent teenage years, and kept me company when I fractured my L2 vertebra back in 1993 and was confined to bed rest for a couple of months. Whiskers had a good, long life - he would have been 20 this past November, so he died just 2 months short of that milestone. For the past several years, Whiskers had been living with my sister for a couple of reasons. First of all, Whiskers grew up with my sister's cat, Princess, and as they were both senior cats, we didn't want to separate them. Second, my husband is allergic to cats (but fortunately he can tolerate Sphynx, hence our new kitten, Dragonheart.) Whiskers acquired his name because, as a kitten, he was missing the whiskers on one side of his face. He like to play rough with his brother, and the whiskers had been bitten off! I had the choice of either Whiskers or his brother, and I chose Whiskers because he came right out to meet me at the breeder's. He was always very friendly and outgoing, loved people and attention, and had the typical Siamese voice. He was a wonderful cat.

Thursday Thirteen

2007-01-04T08:50:00.000+01:00

#18 - 13 of Caylynn's Favourite Hobbies

Running - it will come as no surprise to any regular visitor that running is one of my favourite hobbies. I usually run between 3 and 5 times a week, and I'm currently training for a spring marathon (the Vienna Marathon) so my long runs are increasing - last week my long run was 14 miles, and the next several will be 16, 18, 20 and 20 miles. I've run numerous races, including several 10Ks (6.2 miles), three half-marathons (13.1 miles or 21.1 km), one 20K, and one marathon (26.2 miles or 42.2 km). I'm very slow, but I can run forever. After fracturing my L2 vertebra falling off a horse while jumping back in 1993, I'm just happy to be able to run at all!
Horseback riding - Yep, even though I fractured a vertebra while riding, I still love it! There's nothing like the connection between a horse and a rider when it works. I ride English-style, and in the past I've mostly ridden hunter seat. Since my riding accident I have jumped again (mostly for psychological reasons, to prove to myself that I wasn't afraid) but I currently take dressage lessons.
Teaching Group Fitness - Many of you will know group fitness as "aerobics" but those of us in the industry don't use that term anymore, since group fitness classes encompass so much more than traditional aerobics. When we were living in Canada, I was teaching between 4 and 6 group fitness classes a week. Here in Munich, I only teach once a week. I love it! I'm a certified group fitness instructor with CanFitPro, and I also have a Resist-A-Ball Level I certification. My favourite classes to teach are Step and Stability Ball. I can also teach High-Low (traditional floor aerobics), Body Sculpting/Muscle Conditioning (strength training/weights in a group setting), and any combination of the previous classes. The class I currently teach is Step and Tone - step choreography alternating with muscle conditioning.
Taking Group Fitness Classes - I also enjoy taking classes from other instructors, especially formats that I don't teach, such as Pilates, or Advanced Step. (I teach basic to intermediate step.)
Strength Training - I love lifting weights. I love the way it makes me feel and the way it makes me look. I like being strong! I lift heavy weights, because that is the most effective way to develop strength, and most women won't bulk up, even when lifting very heavy weights. I only know a few women who , due to their genetics, actually develop large, bulky muscles when lifting heavy. For most women, lifting heavy will just help them develop strength, acquire sculpted muscles, and burn fat. By the way, most women, unless they are genetically blessed, cannot develop "six pack" abs unless they get their body fat down to an extremely unhealthy level.
Reading - I'm a voracious reader. I read every night before bed - it's my way of relaxing and unwinding at the end of the day. I read mostly fantasy and historical fiction. I also enjoy reading non-fiction (history, science, running, horseback riding, etc.) but now that I'm a student again (working towards a Masters degree in Physiotherapy) I don't read as much non-fiction. I get enough of it in my studies! Some of my favourite authors are L.E. Modesitt Jr., Katherine Kurtz, Kate Elliott, R.A. Salvatore, George R.R. Martin, Robert Jordan, J.R.R. Tolkien, Isaac Asimov, Diana Gabaldon, Lindsey Davis, Dick Francis, and many others, too numerous to mention.
Comic Books - My husband is a long-time comic book collector and reader, and he introduced me to the hobby. I now enjoy reading comic books almost as much as I enjoy reading regular books. My favourite comic book creators include George Pérez, Gail Simone, Brian K. Vaughn, Greg Land, Greg Rucka, Brian Michael Bendis. Titles that I'm enjoying at the moment include Birds of Prey, 52, Civil War, Ex Machina, Fables, Jack of Fables, Knights of the Dinner Table, Queen and Country, Rex Mundi, Runaways, Artesia, Ultimate Spiderman, Y: The Last Man, Age of Bronze. Favourite past runs include George Pérez' re-launch of Wonder Woman, Marv Wolfman and George Pérez' New Teen Titans, and CrossGen's Sojourn.
Watching TV - Yes, I also enjoy watching TV. I mostly enjoy watching shows on Discovery, National Geographic and History channels, although my husband and I also enjoyed watching regular T.V. My all-time favourite TV show is M*A*S*H. The best show ever made, in my opinion. Shows that we currently watch include Mythbusters, Stargate SG-1, Stargate: Atlantis, Smallville, Battlestar Gallactica (the new one) and the various Law & Orders.
Computer Games - I enjoy playing role-playing games(RPGs) such as Neverwinter Nights (1 & 2), Knights of the Old Republic (1 & 2), Oblivion, Baldur's Gate (1 & 2) and similar RPGs. I also enjoy turn-based Strategy Games such as Civilization III & IV, and City-Building Games such as Caesar IV.
Playing with our Sphynx Kitten, Dragonheart - Drake LOVES playing with wand toys, so we obviously need to play with him. He especially enjoys chasing anything that has feathers on the end. Of course, doing anything with Dragonheart is fun.
Blogging - It goes without saying, but blogging has become one of my favourite hobbies very quickly! I started a family blog first to keep in touch with our friends and family back home in Canada, then I started a blog to record my training runs, and now it has expanded from there. But I've met a lot of wonderful, friendly people through blogging, so I'm glad I started!
Writing - Unlike many bloggers out there, I'm not a writer, and I don't have any desire to write short stories or novels, or to ever be published, but I do participate in an interactive fiction/role-playing group called alt.starfleet.rpg. I currently have two characters that I write, a Chief Medical Officer, LCDR StarSong to-Ennien, MD, PhD; and an Operations Officer, LT Catharina Ledoux. It's a lot of fun, and I really enjoy writing with a diverse group of people to create our own adventures in the Star Trek universe.
Doing anything with my husband - We enjoy spending time together. Whether we're running, lifting weights, watching TV, or just doing ordinary, everyday things such as grocery shopping, we just enjoy being together. We are truly best friends and have a great time together, no matter what we're doing.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Cats on Tuesday

2007-01-02T09:45:00.000+01:00

Welcome to this week's Cats on Tuesday. Gattina asked me to host Cats on Tuesday while she is on vacation. I hope you all continue to take part!

This week, I thought I'd share some more photos of Dragonheart on Christmas morning. He really enjoyed playing with his new toys. He also enjoyed playing with all the ribbon!

(Click on the image above for a larger version)

Here is a short video of Dragonheart playing with his ball track. It's one of his favourite new toys, along with the new wand toys he received for Christmas.

(If you can't see the video, click here.)

Are you participating in Cats on Tuesday? If so, leave your link below, visit the other participants, and come back later to see who else is participating.

Happy New Year!

2006-12-31T08:45:00.001+01:00

Wishing all my blogging friends and their families a Happy New Year! Frohes neues Jahr! Bonne Année !

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2006-12-30T08:21:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

New

Here are a couple of photos of our new Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart, enjoying the new toys he received for Christmas.

Thursday Thirteen

2006-12-28T08:14:00.000+01:00

#17- 13 Items Caylynn received for Christmas

2 x Shock Absorber B109 Sports Bras - These are wonderful, full support bras that really lift and support, instead of smushing. My favourite running bra.
Gore Running Wear Windstopper Tights - windproof running tights - very comfortable!
Gore Running Wear Windstopper Top - windproof running top - also very comfortable!
Neverwinter Nights 2 (Computer Role-Playing Game) - I've started playing this, and it's great! I'm playing a Paladin.
Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham and Todd Klein
Knife of Dream by Robert Jordan
A Feast for Crows by George R.R. Martin
A Small Cat Painting
Beeswax Candles
An assortment of Lindt Chocolates

Cranberry Shower Gel (from The Body Shop)
Vanilla Spice Shower Gel (from The Body Shop)
The New Teen Titans - Issues 21-50 - by Marv Wolfman and George Pérez

Cats on Tuesday

2006-12-26T15:27:00.000+01:00

Welcome to this week's Cats on Tuesday. Gattina asked me to host Cats on Tuesday while she is on vacation. I hope you all continue to take part!

I hope everyone who celebrates Christmas had a very Merry Christmas and that everyone is enjoying the holiday season.

This was the first Christmas for our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart. He enjoyed all the ribbon that was available for him to play with, but I think he was a little overwhelmed and confused at what was happening. He quite enjoyed his new toys, however, including a ball track and a rustle tunnel, as well as several wand toys (his favourite) and some catnip mice.

We took some video of him playing with some of his new toys, that I will share during a future Cats on Tuesday, once I've edited the video.

Are you participating in Cats on Tuesday? If so, leave your link below. Thanks!

Merry Christmas!

2006-12-24T16:03:00.000+01:00

(Click either card for a larger version of that card)

Merry Christmas!
Joyeux Nöel!
Fröhliche Weihnachten!

Wishing all my blogging friends and their families a very Merry Christmas!

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2006-12-23T10:01:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Lines

The finish lines of the 2005 and 2006 National Capital Half-Marathon in Ottawa, Ontario. (Don't have any shots of the finish line from our full marathon. Hopefully we'll get one when we run the Vienna Marathon in the spring.)

Friday's Feast

2006-12-22T08:24:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Three

Appetizer
What is one of your Christmas traditions?

Going to Mass on Christmas Eve, then coming home and opening one gift. This is related to the French Canadian tradition of Réveillon, which I discussed in a previous Friday's Feast.

Soup
Who is the easiest person on your list to buy presents for?

My husband. He collects comic books, so I can always buy him something off his want list, since I know what he's looking for, and what faults in a comic book he considers acceptable and unacceptable. This year I'll be giving him four comic books. It's fun to search for, and find, old comics.

Salad
What is your favorite Christmas scent?

I don't know that I have a favourite scent. We've never had a real tree, because my sister is severely allergic to them, and if she spends any amount of time in a home that has a real tree, she has a severe asthma attack - one time she had to be taken to the hospital because she couldn't breathe!
The smell of turkey roasting in the oven is always nice, as is the smell of bread or baked goods baking, but I don't necessarily associate either one just with Christmas.

Main Course
If you could give a fellow blogger a Christmas gift, who would it be and what would you give them?

It's impossible to choose just one person. So my Christmas wish is for all my blogging friends and their families to be happy and healthy in the coming year.

Dessert
What's something on your Christmas wish list this year that you need (not just want)?

I don't think there's anything on my list that I truly need. Some of the items are practical (supportive sports bra, running clothes) but I already have at least one of each, it's just handy to have more (and the old stuff will eventually wear out).

Happy Holidays and Merry Christmas to all those celebrating! Fröhliche Weihnachten! Joyeux Nöel!

Thursday Thirteen

2006-12-21T07:59:00.000+01:00

#16- 13 German "Weihnachten" (Christmas) Traditions

My husband and I are Canadian, and this year we will celebrate our first Christmas in Germany. Here are some ways we've found that the German Christmas traditions differ from what we are used to back in Canada.

Nikolaustag - On the evening of December 5th, German children leave their shoes or boots outside the front door. That evening, St. Nikolaus, visits and fills them with chocolates, oranges and nuts if they’ve been good. His servant, Knecht Ruprecht, leaves bundles of twigs in the shoes if the children have been naughty and are listed in his ‘black book’. On December 6th, St. Nicholas Day, children discover what they've received in their boots.
Christmas Markets - Nearly every town in Germany has their own Christkindlmarkt, which is a market-fest, where people gather to enjoy the Christmas time. These markets offer baked goods, sweets and toys and feature local and regional specialties. Larger cities like Munich, Frankfurt or Nuremberg have large markets, and attract many tourists, both local and foreign. They open before the first Sunday of Advent, and usually continue until December 24th at 12 noon. You can check out a live webcam of the Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz here in Munich here.
Glühwein - German hot mulled wine. Served at the Christmas markets. On long winter nights of the 18th- and 19th centuries, it was customary to share a few glasses of the hot, spiced drink in the company of good friends. You can find a recipe for Glühwein, along with a non-alcoholic version for children, here.
Weihnachtspyramide - The German Christmas pyramid (Weihnachtspyramide) was first developed in the Erzgebirge (Erz Mountains) in the German state of Saxony (Sachsen) as a low-cost substitute for a real Christmas tree in the late 1700s. A traditional pyramid is made of wood and may have two to five levels (Etagen). The heat from burning candles turns a windmill-like rotor at the top of the pyramid, making the pyramid revolve and ring its chimes.
Advent Wreaths - My husband and I are Catholic, so we are accustomed to lighting the Advent Wreath at Mass during the Sundays throughout Advent (the month leading up to Christmas). In the Catholic tradition, in Canada, there are three purple candles, and one pink candle (which is lit on the third Sunday in Advent). In Germany, however, traditionally Germans have Advent wreaths in their homes, and the candles are typically red or gold.
Christmas Dinner - A traditional German Christmas dinner consists of roast goose, potato dumplings, red cabbage, and baked apples for dessert. Recipes for this meal can be found here. Roasted pig and white sausages are also traditional foods for Christmas dinner. Other German Christmas foods include Christstollen, long loaves of bread with nuts, raisins, lemon and dried fruit; Lebkuchen, ginger spice bars/gingerbread; Marzipan and Stollen, a moist, heavy bread filled with fruit.
Christmas Eve - Heiligabend, Christmas Eve is the most important time of the Germanic celebration. No waiting for Santa Claus to come down the chimney. The presents (from the Christkindl, Christ Child) are opened under the tree that night (an event known as die Bescherung). Christmas dinner usually comes after that. In religious families, attending midnight Christmas mass (Christmette) is also a part of the celebration. In Canada, we traditionally attend Mass on Christmas Eve, but the opening of the presents, and Christmas dinner, are usually held on Christmas Day.
Krampus Run - The traditional "Krampus Run" recalls the Christian legend of bishop Saint Nicholas and his dark-faced companion, Krampus. Young men wearing deer horns, masks with red eyes, huge fangs, bushy coats of sheep's fur, and brandishing birchwood rods storm down the streets, confronting spectators. Anyone who doesn't dodge or run away fast enough might get swatted (although not hard) with the rod.
Brides Tree - This is a Bavarian Christmas tradition. 12 ornaments are hung upon a tree to help bring good fortune to a newly married couple. The 12 ornaments symbolize the following: angel (God's guidance), bird (joy), fish (Christ's blessing), flower basket (good wishes), fruit basket (generosity), heart (true love), house (protection), pine cone (fruitfulness), rabbit (hope), rose (affection), Santa (goodwill), and teapot (hospitality).
Epiphany - Heilige Drei Könige, January 6th is the day the three Magi came to visit the Christ Child. This is a holiday in Germany and it marks the end of the month and a half long Christmas celebration. As a Catholic, I am used to celebrating the Feast of the Epiphany, however, it is not a holiday in Canada.
Barbarazweig - In Catholic regions of Germany, such as Bavaria, the tradition of Barbarazweig begins on the feast day of die heilige Barbara. A small cherry branch or sprig is cut off and placed in water on December 4th, Barbaratag (St. Barbara's Day). Sometimes a twig from some other flowering plant or tree may be used: apple, forsythia, plum, lilac, or similar blossoms. The cherry branch (Kirschzweig) or other cutting is then placed in water and kept in a warm room. If all goes well, on Christmas day the sprig will display blossoms. If it blooms precisely on December 25th, this is regarded as a particularly good sign for the future.
December 26th, der zweite Weihnachtstag - As in Canada, December 26th is a holiday. Whereas in Canada we celebrate Boxing Day on the 26th, in Germany, the 26th is a day reserved for visiting friends and family.
Christmas Tree - The Tannenbaum or Christbaum originated in Germany. Although many Germans now decorated their Christmas trees with electric lights, many Germans still use candles to light their trees. Germans use special candle holders and have learned how to do this safely; the candles are not left to burn for a long time or without someone in the room.

Foto Pherrets

2006-12-20T14:47:00.000+01:00

Hump Day Hunt - Week Fifty-Two

Wow! It's hump day hunt #52! One whole year of pherretting!

In honor of this fact, our word for this week is:
Celebrate

Here, my husband and I celebrate the successful completion of my first half-marathon (his second) in October 2004 at the Ottawa Fall Colours Races. That's 13.1 mile or 21.1 km. At the time, it was the farthest I had ever run (my long training runs went up to 11 miles). Since then I've run two more half-marathons, one 20km race and one full marathon (26.2 miles or 41.1 km)! We plan to run another full and another half in the spring (München Frühjahrslauf for the half and the Vienna Marathon for the full.)

Cats on Tuesday

2006-12-19T08:17:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

Click for a larger image

Our Sphynx kitten Dragonheart discovered a new toy last night. He had a toy that was a tube, with a toy mouse at either end. The mice have feathers for tails, and make a squeaking sound when they are moved. Well, Dragonheart ripped one of the mice off the tube, and proceeded to play with it. He really enjoyed having the mouse free of the tube to play with! You can see some of the photos I took of him playing with it above. He was attacking it, pouncing on it, biting it, and having a great time. I think I'll have to see if I can find some more "squeaky mice" at the pet store for him.

Weekend Workouts

2006-12-18T17:04:00.000+01:00

Saturday: Taught my Step and Tone class at the gym. The class was smaller than it was last week. People were probably out shopping (there's no Sunday shopping here in Munich, and I'm sure plenty of people were out Christmas shopping) plus the weather was gorgeous. Whereas last week, when I had lots of people in class, it was rainy out.

Sunday: 3 easy miles on the treadmill. My left calf was really tight, so although I was supposed to do my long run Sunday, I cut my run short, and decided to try the long run on Monday.

Monday: Long run of 12.5 miles. I massaged my left calf with "The Stick" and stretched a lot yesterday and today, and it seemed to work, because I was able to run without any problems. Ran through the Englischer Garten. The weather was fairly nice for running. Hardly any wind to speak of, and just above freezing (around 3°C), although it was overcast.

Monday Madness

2006-12-18T16:58:00.000+01:00

This week's Monday Madness Questions

I get about _______ telemarketer phone calls on a daily basis.
- one
I never call anyone after _______ at night.
- 22:00 (10 PM)
I never call anyone before _______ in the morning.
- 08:00 (8 am)
I (please choose one) DO or DON'T screen my phone calls via caller ID.
- Don't (We don't have caller ID where we live here in Munich. If we did have caller ID, I would screen my calls.)
I really should call _______ more often.
- my parents

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2006-12-16T14:22:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Annoying

When we first moved to Munich, we found it incredibly annoying that none of the homes here have closets or light fixtures! Very different from back home in Canada. So we had to buy wardrobes for all our clothes, and light fixtures to install so that we had light at night! I still find it a bit annoying not to have closets. In my opinion, wardrobes just aren't as handy as closets for storing things. (To the Germans, the lack of closets and lights is perfectly normal. Germans find it rather odd that North Americans have closets in their homes, and that most homes come with light fixtures already installed. They would rather get to choose their own style and type of light fixture, even when renting.)

6 Miles Yesterday

2006-12-15T11:33:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I had a beautiful run along the Isar River. The weather was beautiful here in Munich, sunny with hardly any wind. Temperatures around 5°C. Just beautiful running weather! Hard to believe it's December, and that Christmas is only 10 days away!

I ran 6 miles, keeping my heart rate under 70% of heart rate reserve. Since my left calf has been acting up on me a little bit (it has a tendency to get very tight, even with lots of stretching), I walked up and down the large, steep hill out of the Isar River Valley, because I didn't want to put any added stress on the calf muscle. So I ran 1 mile, walked down the hill, ran 3 miles, walked up the hill, and then ran 1 mile home.

I was very happy with my splits for the first three miles. Looks like my speed is finally starting to come back, although I'm still very slow.

Friday's Feast

2006-12-15T09:28:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Twenty Two

Appetizer
What was your very first job with a paycheck?

A page at the local public library (a page reshelves books)

Soup
Did you ever lose something really important to you?

The most important thing I've ever lost is my iron ring (graduates of an engineering program at a Canadian university can participate in the iron ring ceremony, where you receive an iron ring.) Fortunately, you can obtain a replacement for a small fee from an iron ring "camp" and these camps are in most of the cities where there are universities with engineering programs. You can read more about the iron ring ceremony here.

Salad
What is the best Christmas present you ever received?

It's hard to choose just one. So I'll go with the best present that was also the biggest surprise. The first year that we were living together in our own place, my husband bought me a beautiful black leather jacket from Eddie Bauer. It is absolutely gorgeous, and it was a huge surprise.

Main Course
Tell about a favorite "hang out" place for you and your friends when you were in high school.

One of our friends was an only child, and the basement in his parents' house was entirely his. He had a great stereo system down there, a fridge, and plenty of comfortable places to sit. So we hung out there a lot.

Dessert
Name something that always brings a smile to your face.

My husband's smile.

Thursday Thirteen

2006-12-13T20:35:00.000+01:00

#15- 13 Items on Caylynn's Christmas Wish List

Senza III Lady Running Shirt
Shock Absorber B109 Sports Bra
Neverwinter Nights 2 (Computer Role-Playing Game)
Fables 1001 Nights of Snowfall by Bill Willingham and Todd Klein
Crown of Stars by Kate Elliott
Servant of the Shard by R.A. Salvatore
Advanced Marathoning by Pete Pfitzinger
Windproof Running Shirt
Windproof Running Gloves
Group Fitness Music (music that I use when I teach Step classes) from Burntrax: Step 24

Cranberry Shower Gel (from The Body Shop)
Vanilla Spice Shower Gel (from The Body Shop)
Lots of love, hugs and kisses from my husband

Riding and Running

2006-12-13T15:17:00.000+01:00

Today I had another horseback riding lesson. I rode a very sweet mare called Anubis. She's a warmblood. I liked her very much. Her canter was very smooth and easy to sit to. I've asked to ride her again next week. We practice a lot of shoulder in today. It went fairly well.

I also ran 5 miles through the Englischer Garten. The weather was beautiful for a run. Sunny, a light wind, with a temperature around 5°C. Kept my heart rate under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve. Wasn't a very fast run, but my legs were a little heavy from my riding lesson earlier in the morning.

Foto Pherrets

2006-12-13T14:36:00.000+01:00

Hump Day Hunt - Week Fifty-One

They're coming! They're coming! And I am not ready!

Our word for this week is:
Holiday

Here is a collage of photos from our Christmas holiday celebrations last year. On the left are my husband and I, in front of my parents' Christmas tree. The other shots are from under our Christmas tree.

Cats on Tuesday

2006-12-12T09:30:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

(Click for a larger image)

Like all kittens, Dragonheart loves playing. He'll run around like a crazy kitten, full of energy, attacking his toys and pouncing. Then, when he's out of energy, he'll stop, curl up, and have a nap. His favourite times to play are in the morning, when he wakes up, and in the evening, before bed. You can see some of his favourite toys in the collage above: a peacock feather on a string; a feather, bell and ball on a ribbon, and a feather on a fleece ribbon. He likes to run, pounce, attack and chew his toys. He's a lot of fun to play with. Dragonheart doesn't seem to like "stand-alone" toys that he has to play with himself. He likes interactive toys that we dangle in front of him. Sphynx love interacting with people, so that's not too surprising.

If you'd like to learn more about Sphynx, you can check out this post: Sphynx: About the breed.

Weekend Workouts

2006-12-11T13:48:00.000+01:00

Saturday: Taught my "Step and Tone" class at the new gym. When I taught last week, the gym had just opened on the Friday, so the class was fairly small. This week, the class was full! 22 participants. We'll see how many come back next week.

Sunday: 7 miles through the Englischer Garten. It was above freezing - about 5°C - and there wasn't much of a wind. I did, however, experience all kinds of different weather conditions - sunny, overcast, rain and hail! Thankfully, the hail pellets were small, and melted as soon as they hit. Despite the wacky weather, it was a nice run.

Today: 3.1 miles (5km). An easy, recovery run, just to stretch the legs.

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2006-12-09T12:58:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Red

Click for a larger version

Here are some photos of our new Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart, wearing his red sweater. He hasn't needed it yet, because it's been warm in Munich. Sphynx get cold only if it is cold enough for a human to also be cold. If a human needs a sweater indoors, chances are Sphynx need one too, although they're also happy to find a warm human to curl up with (or another cat or even a dog if they are around).

Friday's Feast

2006-12-08T15:17:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Twenty One

Appetizer
Which language would you like to learn and why?

There's no language in particular that I would like to learn (I currently speak English, French and German), but I would like to improve my German. It's sad, but since we moved to Germany this summer, my German has actually declined, since I'm no longer studying German 7 hours a day, 5 days a week! Most of the German I use in everyday life is limited to rather narrow topics (shopping, horseback riding, etc.) so I'm actually using less German than I was back in Canada when my husband and I were on full time language training.

Soup
What's the funniest thing you've heard or read so far this week?

Darla's round up of funny holiday sites at Nichtszusagen. Hilarious! I really enjoyed "The Star Wars Christmas Album"

Salad
Which movie was so bad you couldn't watch the whole thing?

Moulin Rouge. My husband and I rented it, and we just couldn't get through it. I know many people really enjoyed this movie, and I normally enjoy musicals, but not this one!

Main Course
If there were a holiday in your honor that didn't use your actual name, what would the day be called?

Workout Wednesday. Everyone would be given time off of work or school to exercise on Workout Wednesday!

Dessert
Name one movie which is coming out soon that you would like to see.

Spiderman 3. Okay, so it's not coming out until May 2007, but I am looking forward to it. The first two Spiderman movies were great, and I have high hopes for the third movie in the installment.

Thursday Thirteen

2006-12-07T09:06:00.000+01:00

#14 - 13 Questions about Sphynx cats answered, in honour of our new Sphynx kitten Dragonheart

Can people with allergies live with Sphynx?

Some people who suffer from cat allergies can tolerate living with Sphynx cats. However, depending on the type and severity of the individual's allergic reactions, there are still people who cannot live with this breed.
My husband is allergic to cats, but fortunately he can tolerate Sphynx. Dragonheart doesn't bother his allergies at all.
Are Sphynx friendly?

You bet! Sphynx are friendly, extremely inquisitive and love to be the center of attention.
What do they feel like?

Dragonheart, our Sphynx, feels like a warm chamois to pet. According to the Cat Fanciers' Association, "The texture of the Sphynx skin has been likened to suede, a hot water bottle, or a heated chamois."
Do they get cold?

Sphynx get cold only if it is cold enough for a human to also be cold. If a human needs a sweater indoors, chances are Sphynx need one too, although they're also happy to find a warm human to curl up with (or another cat or even a dog if they are around).
Also, Sphynx have a very high natural metabolism. Because of this higher metabolism, they eat more and more often than "regular cats" do, and need to be fed very high quality pet food. Their bodies have to work harder than that of other cats to keep themselves warm, due to the lack of fur.
Are Sphynx completely hairless?

Sphynx are not always totally hairless; they can have fine down on the body. Some light hair is often present on the nose, tail and toes. Dragonheart is hairless except on the bridge of his nose.
With the lack of whiskers, do they lack the sensitivity other cats have?

Sphynx do not have any whiskers, or if they are present, they are short and sparse. Dragonheart has very short, curly whiskers. Sphynx do not seem to suffer for their lack of whiskers. As to why, no one knows! But even when it is dark out, Sphynx have no problems getting around, they get their bearings easily, don't bump into furniture, and love acrobatics of all sorts. They are very agile cats. So this is one fact about Sphynx that remains a mystery!
Are Sphynx sensitive to the sun?

It depends on the colour of their skin. White Sphynx are more sun-sensitive, and will burn if shade is not provided for them. Sphynx are very intelligent cats, however, and if they feel their skin becoming warm, they will seek shelter in a shaded area.
Do Sphynx cats clean themselves like other cats?

Sphynx do clean themselves with their tongues, like other cats do. However, because of the lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils, Sphynx need to be bathed periodically. Their self-bathing isn't sufficient to remove all the oil. Dragonheart needs to be bathed about once a week to keep him healthy.
Why are they called Sphynx?

A Cat Fanciers' Association judge, David Mare, named them in 1973. To him, these cats resembled a famous Egyptian cat statue in the Louvre in Paris. When he thought of Egypt, he thought of the many Egyptian sphinxes, including the Great Sphinx. Thus this breed of hairless cats came to be known as Sphynx.
What colours can Sphynx be?

Sphynx come in almost every colour imaginable. Cat breeders in Europe and North America have bred the Sphynx to normal coated cats and then back to hairless for more than thirty years. This produced a wider gene pool for the breed and allowed the modern Sphynx to exhibit most of the eye and color patterns available in many of today's cat breeds.
How large do Sphynx become?

The Sphynx is a medium-sized cat. On average, adult females weigh 6-8 pounds while males are 8-10 pounds. Dragonheart's breeder thinks that he will be a large Sphynx, like his grandfather, who was 15 lbs.
How old is Dragonheart?

He's currently 4 and a half months old.
Have you logged Dragonheart on Catster?

Scratch your own badge
Visit my family

He also has his own blog, which you can check out if you want to learn more about Sphynx.

If you have any other questions about Sphynx, or about Dragonheart, leave your question in your comment, and I'll try to answer them in future Thursday Thirteens.

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

Foto Pherrets

2006-12-06T16:03:00.000+01:00

Hump Day Hunt - Week Fifty

Mama pherret is frozen. Yesterday she saw a little bit of this begin to fall...

Our word for this week is:
Snow

Christmas means snow, right? At least, back in Ottawa, Canada it did. I guess all of our "snow" photos must have been put into storage back in Canada when we moved to Germany, because I could not find a single "snow" themed photo!
So, here you have a couple of Christmas trees, which say "snow" to me. The photo on the left is of our tree back in 2005, and the photo on the right is my parents' tree last year.

7 Miles Yesterday

2006-12-06T09:29:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I had a good run. 7 miles at <70% Heart Rate Reserve. I was able to keep my heart rate in the right zone for the most part, only going above 70% on the various hills.

The weather was absolutely beautiful with temps of +15°C, perfect for running in shorts and a short-sleeved top, although the Germans I saw were all bundled up!

I took advantage of the nice weather, and ran throughout the Englischer Garten. It is just beautiful there.

I also lifted back and biceps yesterday, and lifted chest and triceps on Monday.

Cats on Tuesday

2006-12-05T08:46:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

So, as I promised last week, I'm going to answer some questions about Sphynx this week. My husband and I are owned by and adorable four-and-a-half month old, black and white Sphynx kitten called Dragonheart (or Drake for short). Drake's breeder names her litters after themes, and the theme for Dragonheart's litter was "fantasy", so he's Dragonheart and his brother's name is Merlin.

Are they High Strung Cats?

They aren't high-strung, per se, but they are friendly, extremely inquisitive and love to be the center of attention.

Do they get cold?

Sphynx get cold only if it is cold enough for a human to also be cold. If a human needs a sweater, chances are a Sphynx need one too, although they are also happy to find a warm human to curl up with (or another cat or even a dog if they are around).
Sphynx also have a very high natural metabolism, higher than that of other cats. This higher metabolism helps them to stay warm.
It's been very warm in Munich this fall, so Drake hasn't needed his sweater yet. We only put it on him to make sure it fit. There have only been a couple of nights where it dipped below freezing, and it's always been above freezing during the day. At night, Drake curls up next to us in bed, where it's nice and warm.

Can people with allergies live with Sphynx?

Some people who suffer from cat allergies can tolerate living with Sphynx cats. However, depending on the type and severity of the individual's allergic reactions, there are still people who cannot live with this breed.
My husband is allergic to cats, but fortunately he can tolerate Sphynx. Dragonheart doesn't bother his allergies at all.

Does he enjoy stroking the same way hairy cats do?

Sphynx love being pet. They love human attention, and enjoy being stroked. Dragonheart loves curling up in my lap and having me pet him. He feels like a warm chamois to pet.

Do they clean themselves, like other cats?

Sphynx do clean themselves with their tongues, like other cats do. However, because of the lack of hair that would normally absorb body oils, Sphynx need to be bathed periodically. Their self-bathing isn't sufficient to remove all the oil. Drake needs to be bathed about once a week to keep him healthy.

To learn more about Sphynx, you can check out Dragonheart's blog. If you have a cat with his or her own blog, have them stop by!

Monday Madness

2006-12-04T14:44:00.000+01:00

This week's Monday Madness Questions

I wish people would just _____.

Be more considerate and kind to each other. If people were more considerate and thoughtful, the world would be a much nicer place.
My biggest pet peeve where other drivers are concerned, is _____.

People who talk on cell phones while driving! Even with hands-free, too often people are distracted by their cell phone conversation, and not really paying attention to the road.
I will probably spend about _____ on holidays this season.

$1000 Canadian.
I really hope to _____ by the end of this calendar year.

Build up a good following for my "Step and Tone" class at the new gym.
I make about _____ resolutions each year, and keep _____ of them.

I don't make resolutions. I prefer to set myself small, attainable, yet challenging, goals throughout the year. For example, right now I have several goals. I'm studying Anatomy and Physiology, and I hope to do well in the course; I'm training for a spring half-marathon and marathon; and I'm endeavouring to do more strength training. None of them are resolutions, but rather goals I am working towards.

Click & Comment Monday

2006-12-04T10:56:00.000+01:00

What I encourage is for you to click my tenant Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Blog find a post that interests you, and leave a comment (please leave a real comment, not just "Happy C&C Monday"). Then, click on their tenant, or a link on their blogroll, and leave a comment there.

My tenant last week, Recommended, wrote an excellent post on how to properly comment. Melissa, from Cat's Cradle Creations, also has an excellent post on proper comment etiquette.

So, let’s get started! Comment here and add your name and link below.

Thanks and enjoy Click & Comment Day by visting this page and adding it to your blog!

My tenant:
Are you posting Click & Comment on your blog? Add your name to the list with a link to your blog and I’ll come visit. If you do this you not only gain links but new blog-friends as well.

Enjoy! I’m going to try to do this each Monday. Why not start your week off right?

My New Tenant

2006-12-04T10:48:00.000+01:00

I'd like to introduce my new tenant: Fantasy & Sci-Fi Lovin' Blog. Since I am a fan of both science-fiction and fantasy, I'll happy to host them this week.

The site describes itself as:

This is a fun site for the fantasy and sci-loving person. It has everything from James Bond to Star Wars. Anything that can qualify as make believe is on this page. I have featured Gilligans Island and Aliens. I also love comics, books, movies and T.V.

So, if you are interested in science fiction and/or fantasy, head on over. You'll find plenty of interesting articles and opinions. Tell them Caylynn sent you.

Step Yesterday, Long Run Today

2006-12-03T17:27:00.000+01:00

Yesterday I taught a "Step and Tone" class at one of the new gyms that just opened in town. I will be teaching this class every Saturday. Since the club is brand new, there weren't too many people in class. The class went well. It consists of step aerobics, alternating with muscle endurance work. The class is 50 minutes in duration.

Today was my long run. 11 miles running, followed by 2 miles cooldown. I kept my heart rate under 70% of heart rate reserve for the first 7 miles, then let it creep up to under 75% for the last four.

The run went well. The weather was lovely - warm and sunny, and not much of a breeze. My legs were a little sore and heavy, since I taught step yesterday, but nothing serious. Once I warmed up, they felt better.

I tried the Jelly Belly Sport Beans for the first time on my run today. Took a handful after 5 miles, another bunch after 6, and the final bunch after 7 miles. They tasted fine, didn't bother my stomach, and were easy to chew. So they are definitely an option for fueling on long runs for me.

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2006-12-02T10:26:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Lights
During our weddingmoon in Mexico, my husband and I went on a pirate dinner cruise with my parents in Cancun Harbour. There were two pirate ships, both authentic 93 foot replicas of 18th century Spanish galleons. At one point during the evening, the pirate ships attacked each other, and a full-blown sword-fight ensued. This is a photo of the lights on the other pirate ship, that later attacked ours.

Friday's Feast

2006-12-01T10:17:00.000+01:00

Feast One Hundred & Twenty

Appetizer
Have you ever flown in a helicopter?

Yes. A few years ago, my husband and I were in Maui, for the wedding of a friend. We took a helicopter tour of the island with Blue Hawaiian. It was amazing. We saw rainforest, cliffs, and waterfalls, including Hawaii's tallest waterfall. An unforgettable experience.

Soup
What color is your warmest coat or jacket?

Forest Green. I have a warm, down parka from Eddie Bauer in Forest Green.

Salad
What is your favorite rainy day activity?

It depends. If it's the weekend, curling up on the couch with my husband, and reading or watching TV together. If he's working, then curling up with our kitten on my lap, and reading, or playing a computer game (like Civilization IV or Caesar IV).

Main Course
Describe your hands.

I have rather short, stubby fingers. In fact, I had to give up playing piano when I reached 2nd grade in the Royal Conservatory of Music, because I cannot reach an octave. It also means that small, dainty rings look best on my fingers. Large rings just look odd. On my right hand I wear my iron ring, from graduating from an engineering program at a Canadian university, on my pinkie, and a beautiful dual-tone gold diamond ring on my ring finger. On my left hand, on my ring finger, you'll find my engagement ring and wedding ring. I keep my fingernails short, and I normally don't wear nailpolish. My thumbs don't match. My right thumb is squat and stubby, shorter and fatter than my left thumb. My left thumb is longer and thinner.

Dessert
If you could eat only one nut for the rest of your life, what nut would you pick?

I typically don't eat nuts. I don't like them. I do like peanut butter, but only smooth peanut butter. I just don't like the texture of nuts, or of bits of peanut in my peanut butter. But if the peanut butter is smooth, I enjoy the flavour.

Thursday Thirteen

2006-11-30T07:08:00.000+01:00

#13 - 13 Photos of our new Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart

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Do you have any questions about Sphynx? Head on over to Dragonheart's blog, and ask your question there. He'll answer them during next week's Thursday Thirteen. Thanks!

Foto Pherrets

2006-11-29T12:48:00.000+01:00

Hump Day Hunt - Week Forty-Nine

Christmas is coming. Santa's elves are busy making these...

Our word for this week is:
Toy

These are some photos of our new Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart, playing with some of his toys. He is so cute when he pounces on the feathers.

7 miles today

2006-11-28T19:25:00.000+01:00

Today's run was an easy 7 miles. The weather has cooled right down here in Munich, so I couldn't run in shorts and a short-sleeved top. I was wearing capris, a long-sleeved shirt, and a vest. It was also overcast out, and there was a bit of a wind.

The run was okay. I was keeping my heart rate under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve, so I was running fairly slowly. Managed to keep my heart rate in the right zone, except on the various hills.

Cats on Tuesday

2006-11-28T08:59:00.000+01:00

Gattina is hosting a new meme for those of us who are owned by cats, called Cats on Tuesday. Visit her blog and join in the fun.

Dragonheart is a four month old, black and white, Sphynx kitten who just joined our family this past Saturday. You can read about his trip back to Munich with us, or about his first day with us.

Sphynx are naturally hairless. However, Sphynx are not always totally hairless; there can be a fine down on the body, which makes the cat feel like a warm peach. The bridge of the nose is normally coated and some light hair is often present on the ears, tail and toes. Dragonheart is completely hairless, and has fur only on his nose. He looks very cute with his white nose surrounded by black.

Sphynx usually have no whiskers but if whiskers are present they are short and sparse. Dragonheart has very short, curly whiskers.

Dragonheart loves being petted, and he feels like a warm chamois. He is very curious and inquisitive, and loves being cuddled. He was a wonderful rumbling purr.

The most famous Sphynx is, of course, Mr. Bigglesworth, Dr. Evil's cat in the Austin Powers movies. Contrary to what some people believe, they did not shave a poor cat for the movie. They used a Sphynx! The cat who played Mr. Bigglesworth is a Sphynx named SGC Belfry Ted Nude-gent.

Dragonheart's full name is "HairNSkin Dragonheart" since his breeder's cattery name is Hair 'N' Skin. We call him Drake or Drago for short. Another nickname he has acquired in his short time here is "Dragoncat".

Dragonheart has his own blog, that you can check out. If you own a cat with a blog, have them drop by and say "hi".

If you have any questions about Sphynx, feel free to ask them in your comment, and I will attempt to answer them next week during Cats on Tuesday.

Long Run Yesterday

2006-11-27T17:25:00.000+01:00

Had a good long run today. Ran 10 miles through the Englischer Garten, and then ran/walked another 2.5 miles home. Kept my heart rate under 70% of Heart Rate Reserve for the first 6 miles or so, then let it rise a bit, keeping it under 75% for the remaining miles.

The weather was perfect for a long run. It was sunny out, with temperatures between 10 and 15°C. I was wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt to run in. I'm sure most of the Germans out running thought I was crazy, since they were wearing tights and long-sleeved shirts or jackets! I would have been much too warm had I been dressed like them however!

Hubby stayed home with the new kitten while I was out running. He tweaked his knee a little bit last weekend, playing basketball, and so he was resting it. Which worked out well, since we didn't want to leave Dragonheart alone yet.

Once my run was finished I refueled with a nice warm mug of hot chocolate, and a bowl of cereal. After showering, I curled up with Dragonheart.

Monday Madness

2006-11-27T09:05:00.000+01:00

This week's Monday Madness Questions

Which of the holidays that you celebrate, do you feel is the most important?

Two come to mind. The first, Easter, is a traditional holiday that is important to me because I am Catholic, and we celebrate Christ's sacrifice for us on Easter. The second is a holiday that we observe. Remembrance Day is important because we honour those who have served, and who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom.
Which holiday do you most enjoy?

I enjoy Christmas. It's a wonderful celebration. Putting up the tree and decorating it, shopping for and wrapping presents, attending Mass, getting together with family, giving gifts and watching others open them, enjoying good food together.
Is there one holiday that your family tries to get together every year? If so, which one?

My family and I used to live in the same general area, so we would get together for all the major holidays. This summer my husband and I moved to Munich, so it will be just the two of us celebrating together for the next three years.
Share one special memory from a past holiday.

A few years ago I bought my husband the comic book "Avengers #1" for Christmas. He is a huge comic book reader and collector. I will never forget the expression on his face once he opened up the gift and realized what is was. He was very touched, and I was so happy to be able to surprise him.
Name one holiday coming up, that you're really looking forward to, and why.

I'm looking forward to Christmas this year. It will be our first Christmas in Germany, and I'm looking forward to experiencing many of the German and Bavarian Christmas traditions. We plan on visiting the Christkindlmarkt at Marienplatz as well as some of the other Christmas markets in Munich. We hope to try some Glühwein (hot spiced wine) and experience some of the traditional German Advent and Christmas celebrations.

Click & Comment Monday

2006-11-27T07:42:00.000+01:00

What I encourage is for you to click my tenant Ghost Works find a post that interests you, and leave a comment (please leave a real comment, not just "Happy C&C Monday"). Then, click on their tenant, or a link on their blogroll, and leave a comment there.

My tenant last week, Recommended, wrote an excellent post on how to properly comment. Melissa, from Cat's Cradle Creations, also has an excellent post on proper comment etiquette.

So, let’s get started! Comment here and add your name and link below.

Thanks and enjoy Click & Comment Day by visting this page and adding it to your blog!

My tenant:
Are you posting Click & Comment on your blog? Add your name to the list with a link to your blog and I’ll come visit. If you do this you not only gain links but new blog-friends as well.

Enjoy! I’m going to try to do this each Monday. Why not start your week off right?

Dragonheart's First Day

2006-11-26T11:50:00.000+01:00

Last night was Drake's first evening with us. He slept curled up next to me for about half an hour, and spent most of the rest of the night in his cat tree, with a fleece blanket. He really likes the cat tree - he is quite content to hang out there a lot of the time.

Today he has been quite active, exploring the room, playing with us and with his toys, and then coming to curl up in my lap for a bit before heading off again to play some more. He really enjoys playing with a peacock feather that we can dangle in front of him, as you can see in the photos.

He is very curious and a lot of fun to play with. He seems to be settling in just fine.

by Caylynn

(Click on the small photo above to see more photos.)

Our new kitten: Dragonheart

2006-11-25T18:32:00.000+01:00

We picked up our Sphynx kitten, Dragonheart, from the breeder today. Dragonheart is a Sphynx, a hairless breed of cat. I posted more about the breed here.

The breeder lives up near Frankfurt, so we drove from Munich to Frankfurt yesterday afternoon, spent the evening in a hotel, and then picked up Dragonheart this morning at the breeder's place. She provided us with some toys, food and litter for him, as well as his vaccination and ID chip papers. Once we have him neutered, we'll send her proof of the neutering, and we'll receive his pedigree.

Dragonheart slept through most of the drive back to Munich, and was quiet throughout the entire trip. Once we arrived at our place, I put him down in the room that will be "his" and that he'll be confined to for the first few days (it's our guest room/office room, and is the largest of the three bedrooms in our place). At first he was meowing quite sadly, and running around, probably looking for his older brother and sister to play with, but after about an hour he settled down. He played with us for a bit, and let us pet and cuddle him, and now he's napping. He's used the litter box once, and we have food and water out for him, so I'm sure he'll take some of that when he's ready.

Dragonheart is the name the breeder gave him - she names her litters according to themes, and this litter was "fantasy" so we have Dragonheart, and his brother was Merlin. We'll probably end up calling him Drake or Drago. (For more pictures of Drake from today, click on the small photo below.)

by Caylynn

Saturday's Photo Scavenger Hunt

2006-11-25T15:40:00.000+01:00

Grab the Scavenger Hunt code.Photo Theme. Join the blogroll. Visit participants.

Time

Garmin 305

Garmin Forerunner 305

This is my Garmin Forerunner 305. It's a running watch/GPS/heart rate monitor. So it not only tells me what time I've been running, it also tells me how far I've run, my pace, my average pace, the number of calories I've burned, my heart rate, my average heart rate, and my maximum heart rate for a given run. It's a great running tool.

Horseback Riding Wednesday, Tempo Run Thursday

2006-11-24T08:52:00.000+01:00

So yesterday I was busy with visiting all the Thursday Thirteens, as well as studying Anatomy & Physiology, so I didn't have time to update my recent activities.

Wednesday I had a horseback riding lesson. It went well, although I felt a little strange at first, since they had me riding a Haflinger Pony! I haven't ridden a pony since I was 12 or 13 years old! But she was a large pony, so I wasn't too big for her. Although I didn't need to use a mounting block to mount - something else that I haven't done since I was much younger!

The pony's name was Luna, and she was a nice enough school horse. She was a little too inclined to follow the other horses, and didn't want to leave her friends, but other than that, she was a nice ride. It did take a bit of time to get used to the shorter stride of a pony, since I haven't ridden one in so long, but I quickly adapted.

Yesterday I ran a tempo run. It felt really good to stretch my legs and run fast. I did 2 miles easy jog warm-up, 3 tempo miles @80% of Heart Rate Reserve, then 2 miles run/walk cooldown. The tempo miles felt good. They were speedier than they have been for the past couple of weeks. Not quite as fast as they were before my layoff in October, but my speed is coming back, albeit slowly.