Brrrrrrrrrrrrrr....

Another run in frigid temperatures (-19C but -27C with the windchill) and another Go Girls milestone. We survived. We conquered the weather. We honoured the Canadian running adage: "there's no such thing as bad weather--only bad gear." (I must be honest, though, the gear was not fully cutting it today. I was cold!) Perhaps most importantly, we ran through the cold temperatures without any whining. We're tough and we proved it today.

We also combined running with photography today. A run in such conditions much be documented. Here is proof that we ran outside and that it was cold!

Who is that masked woman? Why it's Mariana! Note the crystals frozen (yes, frozen!) to her eyelashes.

After our run today, we can all attest to the fact that, baby, it's cold outside! And no one sings it better than Ol' Pops and Velma Middleton.


Only one thing remains to be said: Everything we need is already inside because we've got soul...

Some rules for winter running

Baby, it's cold outside. Sure, we had a bit of a January thaw. But the wind is howling again, reminding us that winter is not over yet. We'll be shivering through a few more runs before we don shorts and T-shirts.

Winter running has its own rules of etiquette. Runners are not always known for their manners. (Sweating profusely in public erodes one's sense of appropriate civic comportment.) Nevertheless, there is a Code of the Road that we runners respect. The Code includes the important principle, "what happens on the road, stays on the road", among other things. Part of the Code deals with winter running. What follows is the portion of the Runner's Code of the Road that deals specifically with winter running.

1. In no case shall any runner comment, "Eh, cold enough for you?" Runners should assume that, in fact, it is more than cold enough for everyone.

2. In some cases, it may be difficult to identify fellow runners due to the amount of apparel runners wear in the winter, including hats, neck gaitors and balaclavas. Runners should feel free to ask other runners to identify themselves and should not arbitrarily resort to calling everyone "Nanook of the North". The term "Nanook of the North" should be properly reserved for the runner who shows up wearing five layers, including a long jacket with fur trim and mukluks (ie Mariana).

3. Remember to remove one's balaclava before entering a bank or approaching a bank machine.

4. No matter how tempting it may be, runners should not lick metal poles or fences, nor should they encourage the foreigners running with them to lick metal poles or fences. (I learned this lesson the hard way when I was about four years old. My Dad let me play outside in the snow, but told me not to lick any metal poles. I immediately assumed all metal poles were made of candy and promptly affixed my tongue to the metal monkey bars outside our house. This trauma has been seared into my brain. The monkey bars were not made of candy.)

5. Runners should wipe their noses with the fuzzy part of their running gloves, typically located on the thumbs of said gloves. Runners should always remove their gloves before shaking hands, however, so as to avoid snot transfer.

6. Never, under any circumstances, eat yellow snow.

7. There is no need to point out yellow snow during the run.

8. Runners should carry water in their water belts, not coffee, tea, or rum.

9. Cold weather is no excuse for increased whining. However, surviving a run on a particularly cold day is a reason for wining and dining.

10. As a general rule, winter running tights that are being held together with duct tape should only be worn underneath wind pants and never as a single layer. Try to maintain a modicum of dignity even as one runs with frozen eyelashes, snot frozen on one's gloves, and with so many layers that the run is more of a fast waddle than a run.

11. Snowfall fights are permitted during runs. However, if you start a snowball fight, it is advisable that you be able to outrun every other runner in your pack because retaliation for unprovoked attacks is part of the MAD (Mutually Assured Destruction) defense system.

12. Runners should show deference to non-runners who look at them as though they are crazy for running in Arctic temperatures, snow storms, etc. After all, all runners are a little bit daft and those who run during the winter are particularly so.

13. No matter how a runner is feeling, she should attempt to appear to be enjoying her run when passing by non-runners. It's good to maintain the impression that all runners are daft. It keeps people from messing with us.

Top Ten Reasons to Run a Race

During the winter months, there are certainly fewer road races here in Canada. After all, with the snow and cold, it is difficult to train consistently for races. Furthermore, there are not too many people who truly enjoy racing in the deep freeze of winter. It is hard to set a PR when you are wearing three layers of gear and even harder if you have to wear YaxTraxx. Still, there are some *crazy* races for those runners who believe that the best runs take place when it is -20 or colder.

Most members of the Go Girls Running Club do not fall into the category of "winter racer". So we are looking ahead to the spring, when race season will begin. The problem is that spring seems so far away, and it is easy to let one's training slide. We must stay motivated and excited about our upcoming race season in order to be diligent in our training. For this reason, I present to you the Top Ten Reasons to Run a Race.

10. Free safety pins. Lots of them.

9. Sometimes in the race, if the moment is just right, you can pretend that you are running in Chariots of Fire.

8. All the water and Gatorade you can drink!

7. A chance to impress family and friends. Just don't tell them how you actually placed. Instead, emphasize the distance and, if appropriate, your chip time. Most people think running 5K is a big deal. Wait until they hear you finished a 10K or a 10 miler or a half marathon...or even a full marathon! They will think you are a star, albeit a bit crazy, but still a star.

6. Post-race celebrations. Time the race properly and you can arrive at the pub just as it becomes legal to start serving alcohol (11am in Ontario).

5. Race T-shirts. Sure you already have a dozen of them. But still, wearing a new race shirt to the gym says to all the 20 year old punks and gym divas and musclemen that you actually left the gym to compete in a real athletic event. I am Athlete, hear me roar!

4. Using Port-a-Potties will make you appreciate your own bathroom so much more, even if it hasn't been renovated in 30 years.

3. You get to wear a number without (a) being in jail; (b) being on American/Canadian Idol; or (c) having to play on a team with other kids (who never pass the ball, incidentally).

2. More magnets from that foot doctor guy.

1. That feeling you get when you cross the finish line...it's a runner's high charged exponentially!

What's Up? Well, we are a sticky group!

A Go Girls update is long overdue. What has our intrepid group of runners been doing over the past few weeks? Are the roads of Toronto still safe, at least for running? Have the Go Girls driven away all other customers at the group's de facto clubhouse at Timothy's (Sherbourne and Bloor St. East)? Read on to find out.

Early January was cold but our hearts remained warm as we continued to gather for runs. However, unfortunately, our numbers have been reduced by injury and illness. And so it was that only Olga and Theresa met one recent Saturday for a run in temperatures dipping down to -24C with the windchill. They ran nevertheless, carrying the torch for their fallen comrades. (Perhaps it would be more accurate to say that they complained a tiny bit about the absence of their fallen comrades, but the complaining was done in love, because they missed their friends.) As it turns out, both Joanne and Nana arrived for coffee after the run and the Go Girls once again took over Timothys with their raucous laughter and stories (followed by some serious discussion and yes, we are capable of this type of conversation).

That frosty morning, one thing became clear: Go Girls has come to mean something for each of us. Nana mentioned an article she had read that suggested that the success of a fitness group depends on the "stickiness" of the ties between the members of the group. Ah, social capital. The Go Girls is rich in social capital. We are a sticky group, and not just because of our gels. Over the past few months, we have bonded. As Olga commented, she runs for the company--our company, if you can believe it. We are more than a pack of women running through the streets of Toronto. We are teammates and we are friends.

Our friendship extends to the good people at Timothys. Monica greets us each week with a smile and a kind word, even though we show up in weird running clothes and return sweaty after our run for coffee and treats. She knows each of our names and she remembers our favourite coffees and snacks. Monica even risked giving a sweaty Theresa a hug! Anyone who hugs a sweaty runner is a true comrade. So, Timothys (at the corner of Sherbourne and Bloor Street East), we salute you!

The following week, there was further evidence of the Go Girls' "stickiness". The Saturday run was marked by an en route celebration of Theresa's (ie, my) birthday. We began the run by tackling Rosedale Valley Road. Alas, the path was quite icy (including treacherous black ice), so we altered our route once we all neurotically touched the sign post at the end of Rosedale Valley Road. Our alternate route led us through Cabbagetown, where the girls decided that photos should be taken to mark the occasion of my birthday. Here is one such photo:

Now this photo does not quite capture the situation. You see, it appears that Carol is assisting me. The truth is that I scrambled up that rock pile all by myself. I was quite successfully scrambling down, but we felt it would be good to have a photo that showed the group members "working together" to conquer various urban landscapes. And so Carol posed with me. Doesn't she look helpful? This is the spirit of the Go Girls: once you get yourself stuck up on a pile of rocks, one of us will come to your rescue, whether you need it or not. For the record, it was nice to have Carol there as a spotter in case I lost my footing.

About a kilometer or so later, we stopped for this photo opportunity:

Yes, that is me, gazing admirably into the eyes of this moose.
The original proposal had been for me to climb onto the moose. I vetoed that idea. I do have my career to think about!

Since this moose is located close to our Timothys, this photo was the last one taken on the road. But it was not the last photo taken. I received three awesome cat cookies from Nana to celebrate my birthday (one cat for each member of my household: me, Dave and Winston). Here are some photos of the cat cookies (and me):




Oh, I do love cookies!
I do feel the need to mark my territory by licking the cookies, however. We Go Girls are a hungry bunch and I don't think I could fight the others off if they wanted to take one of my cookies. Hopefully, spreading my germs on the cookies is a sufficient deterrent to taking them. Whatever the case, the Go Girls did not try to take my cookies. But maybe the girls were being nice because it had just been my birthday...




More recently, the Go Girls have made appearances at various public and semi-public events around the city. On Robbie Burns day, we sent a contingent of Go Girls to a Robbie Burns Day party, complete with tartan sashes and fake Scottish accents to salute the haggis. Aye, we're a multicultural group...as further evidenced by Mariana's attendance at a pub playing Brazilian music. Mariana attended with a group of Brazilians, who she later confirmed were "loud". I cannot say for certain that the Robbie Burns party-goers stayed out late, but Mariana assured us that her Brazilian evening lived up to the reputation of Brazilians: it was fun, it was loud, and it went late.

As for me, as my peers went out for their nights on the town, I practiced good old-fashioned Canadian peace, order, and good government. (It's in the Constitution; look it up.) Of course, my quiet evening at home was all for a good cause: preparation for my hockey game. As the others recover, I will be on the ice creating my own kind of havoc.

As you can see, the Go Girls are doing well. We have even welcomed a few new runners to our group: Jackie and Breda. Let this post be a warning to you, Jackie and Breda: this is what you are getting into when you run with the Go Girls. We're sticky. We laugh a lot. Other people at Timothys like to listen to our amusing conversations. We keep the streets of Toronto safe--at least for the members of our group because we always have each other's backs.

Farewell 2009 and Hello 2010!

Saturday, 2 January, 2010: the Toronto Go Girls log their first run of the New Year...in -27C weather. Yes, today we proved how tough the Go Girls really are by braving frigid weather conditions to run around this fair city. We layered up, wore balaclavas, put Vaseline on all exposed skin, and proved we are truly Canadian runners. As Joanne said last week as we prepared to run in a cold rain: "In this country, you cannot be deterred by bad weather because you will never run if you wait for a good day. So suck it up, buttercup, and let's get going." Okay, that last part may have been implied.

It seems that the members of the Go Girls Toronto Running Club enjoyed their Christmas break. A number of runners took trips. Nana, for example, visited family in Atlanta. She managed to log some runs while visiting Atlanta. For example, one day, Nana ran down Peach Street over to Peach Avenue, down the Peach Ravine, over to Peach Park and then along Peach Boulevard before crossing Peach Lane and returning to her parents' home on Peach Street.

Carol also took a trip. She crossed the pond to investigate running shoe stores in London, England. Carol reports that although she did not run, she did walk a great deal. She saw historic sites (i.e., pretty much all of London), waved to Her Majesty, had tea with crumpets, and will soon prepare a detailed report on the state of running shoe stores in the UK.

Joanne journeyed to Quebec City with her son and daughter-in-law to ski at Mount Ste. Anne. Joanne reports that the Quebecois living in Ville de Quebec sure do know how to dress for winter. I'm guessing this means that the Quebecois generally do not wear their children's hand-me-ups whilst out and about in town. But I cannot confirm my suspicion. Joanne apparently had a great time on the slopes, but did have a minor fall--on the flats, of course. (The cool skiers never fall on the steep hills, Joanne. We wait for those moments on the flats where we can wipe out with maximum embarrassment. Only amateurs wipe out on the big hills or around trees.)

Mariana apparently caught the traffic bug over the holidays. Not to be outdone by Nana and Carol, Mariana took a trip en route to one of our Saturday morning runs. Rather than take the TTC Bloor Line east to Sherbourne Station, she played the rebel and boarded a southbound train on the Yonge-University Line. Perhaps she believed that if she took a southbound train, she would eventually wind up somewhere warm. Once she realized that all trains on the Yonge-University Line eventually wind up in the north part of the city, she immediately aborted her plan and returned to the TTC Bloor Line. Of course, Mariana's story is that taking the southbound train was a mistake stemming from a sleep-deprived state. But we all suspect that she either had travel envy or she wanted to escape to somewhere warm. Like Museum station.

The rest of us stayed in or around Toronto. Olga enjoyed having her children visit while I enjoyed have a break from school and teaching. I also took a few moments to prepare the following year-end information and new year's resolutions.

2009: The Year in Review
Number of Go Girls Toronto Running Clubs formed: One
Number of members: somewhere between six and eight
Number of guests who have joined the Go Girls Toronto Running Club on a run: Four
Countries represented by a member or guest of the Go Girls: Canada, U.S., Brazil, and France
Number of Go Girls Toronto Running Club members who are not actually "girls": one (the "DH", or Designated Husband, Alain)
Number of operas attended by the Go Girls: one
Number of naps taken during said opera: three
Number of Go Girls Social Events held in 2009: Three official events, many post-run coffees
Number of races in which the Go Girls Toronto Running Club participated: One
Average age of Go Girls Toronto Running Club Members: we have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy
Number of BIG financial planning exams passed by Go Girls members: at least two
Number of draft dissertations completed by Go Girls: one
Number of blackberries owned by Go Girls: at least three
Number of miles run by the Go Girls in 2009: countless miles!
Number of kilometres run by the Go Girls in 2009: countless miles x 1.6!

2010: Resolutions for the Year Ahead
I cannot speak for the rest of the Go Girls, but here are a select few of my New Year's Resolutions for 2010.

(A) Wash running shorts before the summer starts.
(B) Enter a variety of races, including a half-marathon.
(C) Show up and actually run all races for which I have registered.
(D) Get faster.
(E) Get stronger.
(F) Run enough that I have to replace my running shoes...at least twice.
(G) Ensure that I know how to use all functions on my fancy running watch.
(H) Actually do hill work-outs, speed work, and tempo runs.
(I) Need to drink more water during my runs than coffee after my runs.

It's 2010. Get on your shoes and get out the door. It's time to run.