tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-151406452011-11-17T15:48:02.213-07:00A space for family, friends and whoever else wants to stop by...Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.comBlogger3341100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-42269408550403133472010-04-29T09:55:00.002-06:002010-04-29T10:08:34.047-06:00

For the past 7 or 8 years I've been contemplating the relationship between leadership and language learning. I spent most of my late teens and 20s studying literature and learning other languages. Then I went on to teach Spanish for a number of years, focusing in on that one language, and learning more about Hispanic culture.During my Ph.D. I delved deep into issues of leadership and educational

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-50289789655636954092010-04-26T16:21:00.007-06:002010-04-26T16:55:29.537-06:00

First 5 km race of the year for me this past weekend! The weather was cool and damp. The crowds were energetic and charged up.We enjoyed running into Liesbeth, Zander, Karen and others we knew. We also saw Carla and Karin and Andra. It's a popular race, for sure!I was happy to be back into an event, even though I did walk some.Todd, on the other hand, had a personal best time, after training very

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-11815124073202416982010-02-10T08:24:00.002-07:002010-02-10T08:27:37.418-07:00

I've started a new blog called "Thoughts on Education and Leadership". I'm going to keep this blog for running-related posts and the new blog for professional posts.And having said that I am happy to report that I logged over 100 kms in January! It was more mileage than August, September, October and November combined. Woo hoo!I've signed up for a 10K in March and a half marathon in April, so

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-63755773166103351292010-01-24T18:36:00.000-07:002010-01-24T18:40:13.450-07:00

Urg! I just went for my best run since the half marathon in Edmonton last August. After the run I got in the car and turned off my Garmin, as I usually do for the trip home. It's a safeguard I learned to do after leaving my Garmin running while driving home. Sure, the stats look good, but my little car goes way faster than my legs! So I learned to turn it off and then turn it back on when I get

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-66248952615999913432010-01-06T22:41:00.005-07:002010-01-06T22:54:12.878-07:00

Since graduating last June, I've revitalized my consulting business and have been working with clients here in Alberta and one in Sweden. It's been a wonderful adventure and I'm looking forward to making 2010 a spectacular year!I've been trying my hand at making videos over the past few months. I've made 3 so far. You can see them all on my website at www.eatonintl.com.The newest one is called "3

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-17239899608250203982009-09-29T18:05:00.001-06:002009-09-29T18:05:48.131-06:00

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-22549752558382601192009-06-01T10:45:00.003-06:002009-06-01T11:06:28.093-06:00

Oh, boy, it's been a long time!Here's the quick update. I started a new full-time job in March, while finishing up my thesis. I successfully defended said thesis on April 6 and spent the rest of the month making revisions. It was handed in and I got the last rubber stamp (literally, a rubber stamp) of approval on April 23. I will graduate next week!I have family coming from Ontario for the big

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-77613598670265122312009-03-01T21:26:00.002-07:002009-03-01T21:34:59.152-07:00

My, oh my, how time flies!!These past couple of months have been a complete and utter blur. Let's see if I can do a quick recap for you:SchoolAs of last Tuesday, I handed my thesis in to my supervisor. We are hoping it is a final version. I will send it around to the other committee members next week. My 2-hour oral exam is scheduled for April 6. If I pass, I'll graduate in June.WorkI accepted a

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-51868459841507214112009-01-22T10:08:00.002-07:002009-01-22T10:15:34.450-07:00

Howdy y'all!Thing have been super busy here lately. I am finally back in the gym now, after a rather long hiatus. My right knee has been giving me grief, so I figured it was time to get back to squats and the like.I'm heading out for my first run in days... hoping the knee will behave.Naturally, the temperatures have dipped and it's friggin' cold out there again. Argh!In other news, this week I

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-66402664492114237072009-01-07T11:48:00.002-07:002009-01-07T11:52:05.167-07:00

Twenty seconds. That's all it took for me to realize, during my run the other day, that my water bottle belt was uncomfortably snug. I had to let ot out some.Boooooo!Too much holiday cheer I'm afraid. Well, that coupled with the stupidly freezing temperatures we had through the latter part of December, dipping down as low as -42 C (around -46 F) with wind chill on at least one occasion.It's been

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-54701982169959867142008-12-31T18:18:00.003-07:002008-12-31T18:24:00.753-07:00

I went out for my last run of the year today. I did 5 miles (8 km) in crisp, but not cold air. It was only around -5 C, just below freezing. The sun was shining bright and I thought about the year to come.So what did I do when I go home?Registered for the marathon, of course!Bring on 2009!!Happy New Year, all.

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-30761800379066289782008-12-26T17:33:00.005-07:002008-12-26T17:45:29.959-07:00

Two and a half years ago, when I started on my fitness journey, I had a trainer who was into monitoring your heart rate while working out. I bought a Polar F4 heart rate monitor and despite the fact that the watch unit was a bit big, I loved it and I wore it all the time. This semester, I has all but given up the ghost. It is scratched beyond the point of being decent. I've dropped it one too

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-53077114529576426702008-12-23T13:41:00.002-07:002008-12-23T13:48:17.315-07:00

Well, it's been bitterly cold up here - and unusually snowy, too. Boo!Today it has warmed up. It is finally warmer than -20 C (-4 F) for the first time in about 10 days. It has been as low as -42 C (-43 F) with the wind chill. I didn't run outside that day.In fact, I have succumbed to the treadmill twice. I haven't run in 2 days. Ugh! As I write this, it is currently -15 C (5 F). Woo hoo! I will

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-52952209442233250872008-12-08T22:18:00.004-07:002008-12-08T22:34:28.658-07:00

Well, I pulled off a 15-miler (24 K) this past Saturday. It was the first time since September I've done more than 13 miles, so I'm happy. Overall, my weekly mileage is gradually increasing and I'm loving it.The downside is that I'm spending less time in the gym, but that's OK. I love running, and I'm so grateful that my legs and knees are letting me do what I love. I have learned that I have

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-48641237108928003232008-12-05T18:46:00.008-07:002008-12-05T19:18:26.699-07:00

On November 27, I turned two. On the same day in 2006 I went for my first, full 30 minute run, after having tried and been sidelined by injuries for over a year. In September 2006 I started on a walk/run program that had me running non-stop for 30 minutes on November 27.And so, that weekend (which also happened to be the weekend I celebrated my "real" birthday), I spent the day with many friends

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-29265827887599476832008-11-23T13:09:00.010-07:002008-11-23T13:29:21.428-07:00

A few weeks ago I went on a fresh veggie binge. I bought all kinds of seasonal vegetables with the intention of enjoy the harvests of fall. Then, a friend brought me over a large box of, you guessed it, vegetables. I have been eating lots of veggies ever since.But there was a bit of a problem. I'm getting down to the last of them and there remained two, now-forlorn-looking rutabaga turnips. Oh

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-46565813843201692702008-11-20T10:06:00.004-07:002008-11-20T11:22:26.126-07:00

Eep! It's been a month since my last blog post. Shame on me!Well, I've been running, of course. I did my first cross country race on October 26. It was a 3 x 4 km relay. Karen was our team captain. What a blast! I wasn't too keen on the river crossings, as the water was icy, but it was good times all around! After the race there was soup and desserts for all. What a great way to spend a weekend

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-36633090711915998632008-10-20T06:40:00.010-06:002008-10-20T13:03:56.813-06:00

Pre-race ReportAs many of you know, the main reason I came to PEI was to work with my Ph.D. supervisor, who relocated to the island this past summer. About a week prior to my departure I sent him 150 pages of draft chapters of my thesis for us to discuss during the trip. His feedback has been very valuable and has moved me forward a great deal with my study.He and his wife hosted me during my

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-78507169322618251702008-10-12T10:30:00.008-06:002008-10-12T11:15:30.707-06:00

I've been tagged by She Who Makes Waves. I need to come up with six random thing about myself and tag a few others. Here goes:My favorite candy is Smarties. When I was a kid one of my siblings told me they'd make me smart, so I ate them any chance I could get. Guess it worked. I'm doing a PhD. And I still like Smarties.I once saw Elton John perform at an outdoor concert in Madrid. That is the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-75258902175927059942008-10-09T08:58:00.004-06:002008-10-12T10:57:57.333-06:00

On October 19 I'll run in the Prince Edward Island half marathon. I'm so pumped about this I hardly have words. I don't really know why... It's not my first half. I'm not expecting it to be my fastest. My trusty friend A. won't be there to hand me a razor blade at the end to lance my blood blister. I have no idea why I'm so excited. But I am.Maybe it's the thought of being back in my beloved

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-49203003250374392882008-09-24T20:53:00.002-06:002008-09-24T21:00:46.269-06:00

Yesterday I went out for the Tuesday night speed work session with the Calgary Road Runners. I have come to look forward to Tuesday nights and I am enjoying getting to know people in the group.Last night we did 2 x 2miles, along with a warm up and cool down. I ran hard. Nearly puked my guts out. It was most excellent.Today I was too tired to run, but my yoga class started up again for the fall

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-82843484325084691342008-09-19T20:40:00.008-06:002008-09-19T21:07:07.004-06:00

Thanks for all the feedback on the heart rate monitor. I asked around at the U of C Fitness Centre, too, and I think I'm going to go with the idea that it was interference. Apparently Garmins can pick up the heart beats of people around you. So, if you are running shoulder to shoulder with someone, it can pick up both people's heart beats. Since both of you may have a heart beat at nearly the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-59131097983540226362008-09-16T21:26:00.004-06:002008-09-16T22:18:07.742-06:00

Well, folks, no sooner had I said that I'd never done 400s or 800s than I went out for a run with the Calgary Road Runners and we did -- 6 x 800s. It was great fun! I did feel like I was going to puke, but I pulled back just enough to stave that off.When I got home and plugged in my Garmin, I got a heck of a surprise though. Yes, this was the fastest I have worked this year. That's all well and

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-48707703034465542082008-09-11T18:07:00.004-06:002008-09-11T18:21:15.735-06:00

What does it take to be fast? How do you get faster?These are questions I have been asking myself lately. I've spent the year building miles - safely and injury free. I've also been thrilled this year that I haven't puked once, either in training or racing. I've come close, but I haven't crossed the line this year, so I'm getting the nutrition and hydration issues under control.My mind wanders to

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-57434991046229063582008-09-07T18:57:00.012-06:002008-09-07T20:02:33.437-06:00

Race reportWhat a fantastic race I had today! The weather had a fall crispness to it that I just love and the course was, bar none, the most breathtaking I've ever experienced.Here's me at the start line. Don't I look happy?I had previewed the course a few weeks ago and as always, that made a huge difference. I knew the second half of the course was all hills.I had two non-time related goals for

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-30900447507963966982008-08-29T20:59:00.010-06:002008-08-29T22:01:05.817-06:00

Well, here it is Labour Day weekend. What a fantastic summer it's been! Running, hiking, Death Racing, weddings, parties, friends, family, travel, bear sightings, camping and general mischief.Yee haw! This has been one of the best summers I've had in a long, long time.To go hand in hand with that, my thesis work ambles along at a respectable rate. My data have been collected and the interviews

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-22614659846721014052008-08-17T12:43:00.020-06:002008-08-17T13:53:06.849-06:00

The last two weeks have been nothing but fun and excitement, coupled with a feeling of accomplishment, peace and happiness.Something happened at that Death Race. Maybe it was the gruelling 22 km leg. Maybe it was being in the woods, often alone, in the dark. Maybe (and I suspect mostly) that I had no idea I was going to do it and I pulled it off with about 24 hours of prep time.I expected to feel

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-82585263920561520802008-08-06T21:05:00.017-06:002008-08-06T22:45:52.216-06:00

Canadian Death Race 2008 - Leg 5 - 22 km of trail, with 2500 feet of elevation change, includes crossing a river. All done in the dark of night.On race day, I headed into town with my brother, who was marshaling on Leg 2 of the race. He met with his team and I headed to the start line to find the team I was subbing in for. I said hello to all of them and watched their Leg 1 runner set off with

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-48322062323399996882008-08-04T23:45:00.010-06:002008-12-09T03:25:51.090-07:00

This is a long, amazing, thrilling story, so I will divide it into 2 parts.As you know, I spent the weekend in Grande Cache, Alberta, with my brother, Aaron. Our plan was to do some camping and volunteer at the Canadian Death Race, a 125 km adventure race which involves summitting 3 mountain peaks and crossing a major river. Between us, our job assignments were course marshal, course sweeper,

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-24844137493464867052008-07-21T11:20:00.009-06:002008-12-09T03:25:51.263-07:00

Here I am, back again after another long hiatus, which included a trip to England to present at a conference related to my Ph.D. program and then a short visit with family. It was fantastic and I'm thrilled I got the chance to go.But between travel and weddings, I must confess that I'm happy to return to a bit of a routine. Running has been nothing short of magnificent. I've been focussing on the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-27605528594430032762008-06-05T16:18:00.021-06:002008-12-09T03:25:51.924-07:00

So, after some prods that included lines like "I thought you might be coming to this conference, so I checked your blog, but of course it is out of date..." and "Where the hell are you? You haven't blogged in over a month!" I thought it was time to come back and let you know what I've been up to.Sorry I was out of touch. I've been busy! At the beginning of May, I went to Mexico to co-facilitate a

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-72876775920568890052008-04-27T19:42:00.008-06:002008-12-09T03:25:52.263-07:00

I ran the Calgary Police Half Marathon today! I think everyone was happy at the start line because it was the best day we've had weatherwise in a while. Yesterday was nice and much of the snow melted. By today, more of it was gone and for the most part, the race course was clear of ice and snow, except for one little patch going down quite a steep hill in a shady area of the park.Before I get to

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-23334209806675543682008-04-14T20:46:00.011-06:002008-04-14T22:15:45.385-06:00

Running on propane? Running on butane?Nope.This post is all about running on Accutane. For those of you who aren't familiar with this little powerhouse, Accutane is a medication for the treatment of moderate to severe acne, which has been unresponsive to other treatments. Acne runs in my family. I've been lucky to avoid some of the deep scarring that others have, but nevertheless, the condition

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-37065504658919213092008-04-06T21:24:00.002-06:002008-04-06T21:32:33.571-06:00

Sarah tagged me!Here are the rules:1) Write your own six word memoir2) Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want3) Link to the person that tagged you in your post, and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere4) Tag at least five more blogs with links5) Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play!My memoir:

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-38297122170322529572008-03-28T18:16:00.008-06:002008-03-28T19:04:04.814-06:00

It's not often that I write a post that is a response to another post, but sometimes the topic warrants it. Karen wrote a post on labels and what it means to be a runner, a marathoner, etc. Her post was a response to Once a runner by Jon.I had an interesting thing happen to me yesterday. As many of you know, about three years ago I set out on a journey to change my life. I started going to the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-83018836655885788182008-03-21T15:02:00.004-06:002008-03-21T20:42:06.033-06:00

One of the blogs I like to visit is Olga's Run more, talk less. The title of today's post made me thing of the title of her blog, just because of the wording. (I hope you don't feel like I'm poaching, Olga!)I always had the idea that the title of her blog meant something along the lines of "Just get on with it! Run!" I like that idea.I have never had a lot of patience with people who yip on about

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-49672108407001308102008-03-06T10:45:00.003-07:002008-03-06T11:01:27.810-07:00

One of the necessities (and joys) of being a grad student is that you read. A lot. You become a human consumer of philosophy, theory and academic articles like you've never been before.I think I mentioned in a previous blog post that I was struggling with the theoretical framework for my thesis. This is fairly major because you can't write a thesis without one. And not only do you have to believe

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-70966008453343220182008-02-25T14:01:00.022-07:002008-02-25T15:12:17.509-07:00

I am experimenting with something. The foot infection got me down, both physically and mentally. Now that I'm over the worst of it, I have been thinking about these mental effects of not running; or more precisely, of not doing something that brings you joy. That joy is hard to explain to people who don't do it, but I think that most of us - runners and non-runners alike - have things in life

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-14352297336256959202008-02-23T15:17:00.005-07:002008-02-23T15:31:39.077-07:00

Now that the cold has more or less subsided and my foot is getting better, I decided to try a few short runs this week. Nothing too taxing, just 20 minutes or so at a time, on the treadmill. I'll see what the doctor says about my foot next week. It does hurt a bit when I run, but not like before.The goal now is to not let it get re-infected. Going too hard, too soon - which I am prone to do,

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-61208734409553713802008-02-20T15:37:00.008-07:002008-02-20T16:17:57.919-07:00

I'm sure there's something significant about the whole 40 days and 40 nights of going through some deeply challenging experience, but I can't remember what it is.... Hhhm...Well folks, here we are... 40 days and 40 nights of no running. The infection, turned blood poisoning has been dealt with. The inflammation remains, but it's better than infection. The antibiotics did exactly what they were

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-92153874807483126892008-02-08T13:48:00.000-07:002008-02-09T00:58:52.107-07:00

Karen is one of those runners I admire because she can somehow manage to balance it all - family, work, life and running. Any time I talk to her she's easy going, relaxed, likes to laugh and always has an encouraging word for other runners. It's no wonder she's been hired to teach a Learn to Run course at a local running store.After having heard all about my foot situation, she e-mailed me

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-48830595897591476842008-02-05T14:08:00.002-07:002010-04-26T16:25:26.751-06:00

It's good to keep laughing when things go spinny. I went into my doctor today and when she asked how my foot was, I said (thinking of Eric), "Good news! It is still attached!"I heard her telling the nurses later and they all got a good chuckle out of it. A few weeks ago I had joked with the same nurses, saying that I was bringing new meaning to the expression "to love someone warts and all". Not

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-17805993027802770352008-01-22T21:05:00.000-07:002008-01-22T21:27:01.162-07:00

Well, life certainly zooms along!It is Day 12 of no running due to a foot infection. I finished off the oral antibiotics yesterday and saw the doctor today. I'm to continue with topical treatments until it is completely healed. I can walk on it now, which is a step forward.I'm trying my best not to go completely insane. I've been doing stationary bike workouts and weights like some kind of demon.

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-45220550169939011932008-01-13T11:44:00.000-07:002008-12-09T03:25:52.824-07:00

I may have been a bit of a bad blogger, but there's been stuff going on!Here's the quick re-cap:I did my first 20-miler! It was last week (before I got a nasty infection in my foot, that resulted in a tetanus shot and antibiotics! Argh!)The run was loooong - 4.5 hours. Ugh. I will need to speed up before the marathon, that's for sure. Anyway, I am glad to have the first 32 km run in the bag.One

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-25146189401908472262008-01-04T19:06:00.000-07:002008-01-04T22:17:52.513-07:00

Sorry I've been away from blogging for a bit. The past few months have seen some changes that put me at somewhat of a crossroads. Changes at work have led me to seek new work, which created both opportunities and stress. It has been tricky balancing it with school and training, but it has given me the chance to venture out and try something new, which is good.My running and training suffered

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-57205384539288520662007-12-24T23:42:00.000-07:002008-12-09T03:25:52.985-07:00

Merry Christmas and happy holidays to you all! I've been away from Blogger for a while, but I'll be around to visit and say hello soon.This picture was taken yesterday at my brother's place. This is Ceili, the canine snuggle machine.Here are the recipes you sent, along with a few of my own.To start, here's one from Angie:Chocolate Cream Pie2 c chocolate chips2 boxes silken tofu1 tablespoon

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-9647981808657443882007-12-08T21:42:00.000-07:002007-12-08T22:15:34.712-07:00

When I first started running I was very apprehensive about running in the winter. I'm not a big fan of the cold... or being cold. The thought of training outside in the freezing weather just did not sit well.But after asking around, it seems that prolonged treadmill sessions (longer than 90 minutes) are not that much fun. I've heard reports that it leaves you more sore than "regular" running,

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-90062902524436733962007-11-27T16:21:00.000-07:002007-11-27T16:51:06.391-07:00

On this day last year, I ran for 30 minutes straight. It was after being injured for over a year. I had done some running before that but I couldn't really call myself a runner, since injury came not long after I started.How did I celebrate my first running birthday?I ran, of course.In fact, my plan was to do my longest run of the year to date, with the goal being 30 km.When I woke up this

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-8616222112673000232007-11-18T15:34:00.000-07:002007-11-18T16:10:17.812-07:00

"M" minus six monthsSo, I've revised the marathon plan. If the conference in Europe happens, I want to go and enjoy it, not be all grumbly about the marathon I missed at home. So, instead, I'm opting for the Red Deer Marathon, slated for May 18, exactly six months from today.I went out for a five miler (8 km) today. It was one of those days when I was dragging my sorry butt along the pathways,

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-69286643689163954982007-11-11T21:05:00.000-07:002008-12-09T03:25:53.529-07:00

The conditions for today's half marathon are excellent. Partly sunny and cool. It's supposed to be between 0 and 2 Celcius (just above the freezing mark) for the duration of the run, with varying amounts of sun. Once again, my inexperience in racing shows, and I am unsure how to dress. I layer up with a tank top, long sleeved training shirt and then a fleece. I wear shorts, with long pants over

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-51098966224937229532007-11-04T15:47:00.000-07:002007-11-04T15:58:31.903-07:00

We woke up to a winter wonderland here in Calgary today. It's been snowing all day and I've stayed inside, catching up on my studying.I finally got my scholarship applications in, as well as a draft of my ethics application done. My research will focus mostly on publicly available documentation from university English language programs, but if I want to interview anyone for my thesis, I need to

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-63649243440677017312007-10-29T22:32:00.000-06:002007-10-29T23:12:42.531-06:00

"Fracaso" is the Spanish word for when something flops. A common use of the word is in the phrase "un fracaso total", or "a complete flop".I can't say that last weekend's race was "un fracaso total" because I got a PR - of sorts - out of it. But there were blips.When I went to pick up the race packages for a couple of friends who were running, as well as my own package, I noticed that there were

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-7236646627595277302007-10-23T15:02:00.000-06:002007-10-23T15:37:33.492-06:00

Well, it's that time of the semester again... I'm up to my eyeballs in "stuff" - scholarship applications, conference proposals, ethics clearance application and let's not forget - my own research. I am buried, I tell you, buried in stuff!The car got fixed and now I need to start thinking about snow tires. More financial fun!The cat continues to get better. She still has her cone on, poor thing.

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-60535965242855186172007-10-11T22:25:00.000-06:002007-10-11T22:46:23.813-06:00

I am happy to report that the cat is doing much better. She still has her cone on, but the healing is progressing very well. She still hates being showered, but so would I, in her position.Having to deal with that little surprise caused a small dent in my bank account. Then, it got worse when I took the car in for an oil change and asked the mechanic (whom I trust) to check the leak under the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-10335889009727102252007-10-06T11:47:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:53.708-07:00

This week started off with a trip to the vet for Princess Cone Head (the cat formerly known as "Nimbus"). I found an abscess in her hind leg on Sunday night. It was nasty.The vet said it was about the size of a tennis ball and most of it was inside. Yummy.This week my training has included learning such tasks as:1) How to give a cat a pill (an exercise in will, strength and patience)and2)

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-34797382599174368252007-09-29T14:52:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:54.693-07:00

Happy, happy, happy! I ran my second half marathon today. My official time was 2:07:07.This means I took 11 minutes off my time from July. Yaaay! My goal was 2:10, so I was pleased.One weird thing was... I placed 294th overall. If you look at the photo, you can see that my race number was also 294. Kind of twighlight-zoney, eh? I don't know what the statisitcal probability of that is, but next

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-36376986973582822202007-09-17T21:42:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:54.958-07:00

It has arrived. The long awaited "Fixing your feet" by John Vonhof is here in my hot little hands.P. 115 "Duct tape techniques" caught my eye right away, but I want to read it all, cover to cover. And then read it again. And possibly again after that.There is so much good stuff here! Most people I've mentioned it to around here have never heard of it, so needless to say, I've been carting it

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-27866454402501236682007-09-16T04:49:00.001-06:002007-09-16T05:07:02.107-06:00

In my last post I complained about how tired I am and how much I've been sleeping lately. Tonight there was little sleep to be had. I was woken up by my neighbours' fighting again. This happens every 5-6 weeks, usually on a Saturday night/Sunday morning. They fight, they scream, they yell profanities, there's thumping (which we think might be the girl being slammed up against the wall by the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-6909243342247760302007-09-15T13:30:00.000-06:002007-09-15T13:52:18.779-06:00

They said it would happen. I knew intellectually it would happen to me, but I didn't expect it so soon. Not in the first year. Not when I'm was so fully of energy and zip and excited about every single run. Not when training was the highlight of my day.If I look back in my training log, I can see it building up... my love of training slowly dissolving as I got more and more tired.I showed my

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-76556819267752613152007-09-08T22:17:00.000-06:002007-09-09T15:05:18.651-06:00

Oooh, I've just noticed that I haven't posted in over a week. Bad Blogger! It's been a busy week. First week back at school and life at the office was particularly hectic this week, with a big grant proposal due and a one-day conference in about a month, that I'm co-organizing.I am not teaching this semester, with a view to getting my thesis research well under way. I saw the university filled

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-8524449046639302932007-08-31T22:08:00.001-06:002007-08-31T22:56:07.496-06:00

And, so with the labour day weekend upon us, and school starting up again, summer draws to a close. This last week of summer for me has been busy, but not frantic - just the way I like it.Yoga classes ended this week. They'll start up again in about a month. Until then, I'll practice on my own, probably a bit at the end of each workout.I'm debating about taking the Level 2 yoga class on Saturdays

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-85945073490191218892007-08-26T20:58:00.001-06:002008-12-09T03:25:55.551-07:00

Today I ran my first 5-mile race, the Robert Hamilton Memorial Road Race.Quick overview:Finishing time 47:23Stats:05:53 minutes per km10.2 km per hour09:29 minutes per mile6.3 miles per hourRaces that are clocked in miles are less common in Canada now. This event honours an icon of running in Calgary and that's why the distance has been kept in miles.Even though I am comfortable thinking in miles

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-25035691557111009612007-08-21T18:06:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:55.696-07:00

Well, I've declared war on the squishy little things that are dragging me down on my runs. In case you haven't been following, I'm talking about the blisters.I've ordered the book, Fixing Your Feet. It's due to arrive mid-September. Thanks to Michelle and Sarah for suggesting it.I asked the chiropractor, the trainer and just about anyone else who would listen.I ran today on the treadmill. Feet

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-44923778365200605112007-08-18T14:05:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:56.092-07:00

Usually I try to keep my running posts anecdotal, relatively positive and at the very least, readable. But today, I just need to rant. If you're not up for it, I'll understand if you pass on this post and come back later.As I was thinking about this post before my run, I thought a good title might be "Fun with duct tape". But it turned out not to be so fun after all.My two main issues with

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-89584200457836231522007-08-14T22:31:00.000-06:002007-08-14T23:32:49.496-06:00

So, a friend told me today that now that I am finally chilling out, exams over, half marathon done, home from the family vacation and I'm in serious take-a-break mode, that my defenses are down and that's why I have this nasty cold. She's probably right.But it didn't feel like my defenses were down on Sunday, I tell you. I woke up sniffly and miserable. Everything ached. I couldn't decide if I

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-69845150547537221952007-08-07T22:39:00.000-06:002007-08-07T23:01:16.743-06:00

These past few days have been wonderful. Instead of diving back into my school work like a madwoman, I decided to extend the break a bit and enjoy summer. So far, I don't regret it a bit. I know that when I get back into it, I'll be full on until it's done (a year? maybe two? or even three?) so I figure that it is sensible to recharge the batteries for now.I have been doing things like going

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-6307244746745507752007-08-02T22:59:00.000-06:002007-08-02T23:36:28.979-06:00

This week things are getting back to normal - whatever that is. I'm in a most bizarre state of mind lately... taking a break from school and not stressing about it; happy to just chill out and yet itching for new challenges; going from moments of doing a great deal of reflecting or just sitting happily with a book to wanting to get out and be extraordinarily social. The weird thing is that I feel

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-30070574975461675862007-07-27T07:12:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:57.174-07:00

Back home!I arrived home yesterday after a loooooooong 9-hour flight. Since a picture says a thousand words, here's a little photo journal of the trip.Here's a picture of my cousin Elaine, sister Tracy, other cousin, Jean with Claire and Alistair (Jean's son) on the far right. We are at Basildon, a historic house that was used in the filming of Jean's favorite movie, "Pride and Prejudice".After

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-71921345466145446172007-07-18T11:06:00.000-06:002007-07-27T08:34:26.143-06:00

Ramble #1We spent a few days up at my cousin Jean's house in the peak district. She said that lots of people go jogging there and I wouldn't look at all out of place. So, I did, following the route (more or less) that she'd showed me. I did get a bit lost one morning and when I saw an older gentleman say "Hello!" and wave, I waved back and said, "Morning!"He gave me a bit of a funny look and I

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-23984629004675591332007-07-15T18:01:00.000-06:002007-07-27T08:34:40.302-06:00

I've been in England almost a week now, having left two days after running the half marathon. I've been planning the trip for almost two years and it is great to finally be here, visiting with family I haven't seen in a long time.My sister, Tracy, who lives near Toronto is also here visiting we are getting the chance to see each other, as well.I've been out running every day, except for today (

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-51013634958512216032007-07-06T21:37:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:58.025-07:00

Quick overviewOfficial chip time: 2:18:06Splits:mile - pace (minutes / mile)1 - 28:432 - 10:023 - 10:024 - 12:345 - 9:436 - 8:467 - 10:028 - 10:149 - 10:2410 - 6:3211 - 7:5812 - 8:3113 - 10:11Finish line pace - 6:32Pre-race reportThe week before the race was up and down, full of doubt and fear, as well as anticipation and giddiness.A couple of days before the race, I went to Dr. Mike for a

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1195634506965643602007-07-03T22:48:00.001-06:002007-07-27T08:35:42.468-06:00

So, I'm tapering for this half marathon... following instructions to shorten the runs and avoid hill training and speed training. My chiropractor said, "Just get out there and have some fun with your run!"I looked at him and said, "Fun?"What I like about training is that it makes me hurt (in a good way), and feel raw and powerful - even if I am not.Nevertheless, I have been cutting back.My knee

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-39584796711590124522007-06-27T15:32:00.000-06:002007-07-27T08:36:04.838-06:00

Medical advice on the knee has been sought from 2 professionals.They agreed.I listened.The taper has begun.

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-67787268430720336662007-06-20T22:00:00.000-06:002007-06-20T22:07:37.622-06:00

OK, I think I am crazy. And after reading Olga's latest race report, I also think I am a huge wimp.This half marathon on July 8 - what the hell was I thinking signing up? I mean... This time last year I was not running at all... Started the walk/run program in the fall and did my first 30 minute run on Nov. 27 last year. Since then, I've added hill training, speed training and distance

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-67128566241171011472007-06-18T16:44:00.000-06:002007-06-18T19:06:59.885-06:00

It's done. I passed!The two hour oral exam was this morning. I fretted about it, of course... I fretted about what to wear, what to say, how to say it, how not to seem like an idiot, how not to ramble on... but mostly how not to sound like an idiot.My supervisor gave me strict instructions:I'd be required to give an introduction of myself and I was not to go over 10 minutes. Do not bore the

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-23588015026911715582007-06-14T14:05:00.000-06:002007-06-14T14:52:59.305-06:00

Now that my knees, hips and legs are strong enough to take the long runs, I have encountered another challenge. I don't blog about it much because it's not exactly a lovely topic of conversation.And it's taken me a while to figure out that it just ain't normal... Other people run way further and faster than me and it doesn't happen to them. At least, not as regularly as it seems to happen to

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-37127237767396433362007-06-12T18:17:00.000-06:002007-06-12T19:01:51.203-06:00

I have not been blogging much lately because life seems rather ordinary lately. That can be a good thing... and I've been enjoying it. I have needed the break.There are, however, a number of things in the works.In less than a weekI will have my PhD oral candidacy exam. It's a two-hour exam, conducted by 5 professors and one neutral chair. After that I find out if I passed. The big paper I wrote

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-35245949721577986352007-06-11T10:26:00.000-06:002007-06-11T10:30:19.163-06:00

I'm sure I am violating copyright laws by copying this article in its entireity , but hopefully I will not get sent to jail! I read this in Canada's national newspaper (online version), the Globe and Mail today).Muscle cream blamed for death of teen runnerAssociated PressJune 9, 2007 at 9:34 PM EDTNEW YORK — A medical examiner blamed a 17-year-old track star's death on the use of too much

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-80153560655935737972007-06-06T23:38:00.000-06:002007-06-06T23:57:31.566-06:00

For those of you who have been following this blog for a while, you'll remember that last year at the end of May, I was ecstatic because I'd made it through an entire year of going to the gym on a regular basis.I really wanted to celebrate by going for a run, but I was in absolutely no shape to do so. I'd been told by the physiotherapist that I likely would not run again. That prompted me to stop

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-65346027030957381822007-06-03T19:08:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:58.972-07:00

Well, folks, it's been a while, but I'm back now. I was in Saskatoon for a conference.Here's me by the bridge close to campus.I drove out from Calgary with my friend, Christine, who's a grad student in Linguistics and was also giving a paper. It was a total girls' road trip and we had a blast. It was a long drive (about 8 hours each way, once you factor in a few breaks along the way), and it was

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-51748072200551637222007-05-24T10:05:00.001-06:002007-06-06T18:25:28.431-06:00

That's what my room mate, Gord, said to me this morning when I told him that I was done with my candidacy paper... Done as in, it's edited, in envelopes ready to be delivered to the committee members and also, done fretting.I am a "fretter extraordinaire", type A, pathological perfectionist, relentlessly driven by (usually self-imposed) goals. I'm trying to curb this somewhat, as it takes its

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-67256495718339487712007-05-18T20:29:00.000-06:002007-06-06T18:26:09.198-06:00

So, this past week has been a bit unusual. Here are some highlights:1. I got the draft of my exam paper done. Yaay! It is due next Thursday, so I'll spend a few days editing, proofing and formatting. Oh yeah... and cutting it down. It's 13 pages over the limit. Not good. Having a start-to-finish draft has decreased my anxiety levels considerably.The massage I had today also helped to decrease my

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-10692148702117682202007-05-13T14:00:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:59.116-07:00

6483. That was my number today in the Forzani's Mother's Day Run and Walk. I entered into the 5K run. I thought that would be a sensible way to start.I'd heard it was a pretty big run, but I was surprised when they announced that there were 13,000 runners and walkers! I ran into Karen with her daughter at the start line. We were separated before the race even began and though I looked for them at

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-38969417342196423462007-05-05T18:56:00.000-06:002007-05-05T19:11:33.653-06:00

The "Up" partI was going to give this post the title of "More than a perfect 10", since I'm thrilled that today I ran more than 10 miles for the first time since I started on this training journey.10.22 miles, to be exact.Or, for my fellow Canucks: 16.45 km.It took me two hours, but that's OK with me. Thanks to my handy dandy Garmin, I noted that my average running pace was 5.7 mph. Usually I run

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-57540208229499716202007-04-28T17:11:00.000-06:002007-04-28T17:24:25.547-06:00

OK, so I don't know if that's the technical term for it or not, but it's when almost everything upsets your tummy on a long run. I used to have a gut of iron, but these long training runs are killing me! If I don't eat fairly soon before running, I feel faint.But I've figured out over these past few months that my system simply will not tolerate most things within about 3 hours of running... no

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-77066800687569462632007-04-27T17:01:00.000-06:002008-12-09T03:25:59.251-07:00

Was it...- a way of celebrating spring?- a temporary loss of sanity due to exams?- a desire for a little fun?Answer: All of the above.The result?Super-uber blonde!

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-77285531150870635922007-04-23T11:48:00.000-06:002007-04-23T11:54:10.754-06:00

For those of you who may be shocked by that title, or just may not recognize the reference, it is from Star Trek. It's what Klingons say before they go into battle. For Klingons, dying in battle is honourable.That pretty much sums up how I feel about this Candidacy Exam, which starts today. The questions will be e-mailed to me and then off on my little Vision Quest I go.Yes, my stomach is in

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-37826897556227144452007-04-20T21:23:00.000-06:002007-04-20T21:33:58.475-06:00

You'd think I'd be partying my ass off, but I did that last weekend. This weekend is low key, hanging out, going to yoga, generally getting ready for what has come to be known affectionately as my "hibernation".This is appropriate since spring appears to be happening everywhere but in Calgary, where we have had a rather large dump of snow and the flannel sheets went back on the bed this week.I am

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-71340334567126195402007-04-14T16:34:00.000-06:002007-04-14T16:38:12.241-06:00

The title is for Craig. :-)The post is for everyone who's been with me on this journey. Today was a happy, happy day.I ran 13.48 km. (For my friends south of the border, that's 8.37 miles.)My knee was a bit cranky and my hip flexors were a bit grumpy, but I stretched and they became happier.It was not fast. (Michelle would zoom past me with the way she's been running lately!) But the sun was

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-51261794811018262072007-04-13T20:04:00.000-06:002007-04-13T20:06:11.020-06:00

One more week before I get my exam questions... (She writes with trembling hands.)Long run now up to 11.5 K!Signed up for my first road race! It's in May and it is only 5 K, but I am excited. It's gonna be fun!Not much else to report for the moment... Will try to visit blogs again soon.

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-84682312447802993582007-03-27T18:53:00.000-06:002007-03-27T19:04:51.901-06:00

Well, my thesis proposal was approved. Yaay!The next step is my Candidacy Exams. I get the written exam question at the end of April and submit the paper at the end of May. The oral part of the exam will be about a month later, at the end of June. Until then, I am doing preparatory reading and note-taking. I feel that I am working just as much as when I was taking classes, but it's independent

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-60754385761689611472007-02-24T10:12:00.000-07:002007-02-24T10:18:57.384-07:00

Well, things are moving along. I handed in a draft of my research proposal to my prof a couple of weeks ago. It was only 34 pages and he was looking for 40-50, so I was a bit apprehensive about there not being enough content.We met yesterday and he had scribbled on the hard copy I'd given him, making several useful comments. Most of the changes I am to make are editorial and some consistency

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-36742227949364462732007-02-13T16:16:00.000-07:002007-02-13T18:14:09.756-07:00

Some years ago when I was married, we had an old VW Beetle. This thing was truly falling apart. (Things were even taped on with duct tape.) When you wanted to stop, you had to brake with one foot and keep the gas going with the other, or it would stall out. And considering it was a stick shift, that made using the clutch quite a feat of coordination.The marriage ended (not because of the car) and

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-74827556177115576282007-02-09T15:23:00.000-07:002007-02-09T15:48:18.787-07:00

Hi all,Just a quick post to let you know I'm back. The meltdown took longer than expected to recover from, but things seem to be steadier for now. A few changes since I was last on line:Yes, I passed the Stats class.My one house-mate, Leah, has moved on. The new one, Gord, remains. All is good on the home front.I'm still debating about selling the house, but I am starting to think that maybe I'll

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1166658181609072622006-12-20T16:34:00.000-07:002006-12-22T14:40:27.646-07:00

It has been a long semester. Two deaths in the family this year (albeit people far away from me) and one diagnosis of re-curring cancer have nevertheless taken their toll. My course this semester just about did me in. (In fact, it still may...) My knee is better, but my spirit feels broken.I need a break from blogging, but I didn't want to just disappear, so I thought I'd put up a post letting

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1166251856836525902006-12-15T23:34:00.000-07:002006-12-15T23:55:21.430-07:00

I'm marginally past the meltdown point, it seems. It's funny how these things take time to pass when really, you just want it to be over.The final exam for the course I'm teaching happened this week. Now I just have to correct them and submit the final grades. There were a few issues with students, but they sorted themselves out. In one case, a student went to see the Department Head. He, bless

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1165630610064700952006-12-08T19:05:00.000-07:002006-12-08T19:33:44.136-07:00

Hey folks, sorry I've been away from Blogland for a while. I had sort of a meltdown this week.The Stats course nearly got the better of me. It came to the final paper and I thought, " I can't. I just... can't. I don't have it in me. I don't know what I'm doing. I'm going to fail..."Asked for an extension. Didn't get it.And the meltdown began.I was going to withdraw from the course. Take it next

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com19tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1165213519556954952006-12-03T23:09:00.000-07:002006-12-03T23:28:38.143-07:00

Life is moving at lightening pace around here.Gord moved in on Thursday. I've seen him twice since he moved in... and only to pass by to say hello and wave. I've dubbed him the "Stealth Roommate". I come in. I see boots at the door and a closed bedroom door. I get up in the morning. I see a bedroom door that is slightly ajar and no boots at the door. Nary a sound or sight in between.Today, Leah

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1164937933725687652006-11-30T18:35:00.000-07:002006-11-30T19:10:28.533-07:00

Part of my lower body training days involve standing on a physio ball. The one I use is pretty big: 65cm in diameter (don't ask me what that is in inches. My brain can't convert it.)After taking a few weeks to actually learn how the devil to stand on the thing, my objective was to get up on the ball, stand up straight, and then slowly lower myself down and get off the ball. Five times.So far,

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-15140645.post-1164665860281456562006-11-27T15:04:00.000-07:002006-11-27T16:15:12.493-07:00

I’ve been holding back blogging about the walk/run program. In fact, I’ve been holding back even talking about it, unless someone asks about it directly. After re-injuring twice, and being told by the physiotherapist (whom I later fired) that I would likely not run again, I was scared.Terrified, actually.So, for the most part I just tried to keep my terror to myself, occasionally sharing bits

Sarah Elainehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06165906925703092225noreply@blogger.com19