Caffinara|Melanie Watts, Caffinara: Wake up to life

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Thursday, July 30, 2009

I miss my ipod

Posted by Melanie at 16:54 2 comments

Three years ago I bought an original ipod shuffle to listen to podcasts while we built our house. Since then I’ve used it almost everyday: in the car, while doing mindless household tasks, gardening and my latest obsession, running. Yesterday after finishing the third coat of stain on the shed, while listening to running podcasts, I came inside and plugged it into the Mac. I wanted to refill it with more podcasts but, it did not load into itunes and when I looked on the desktop I couldn’t find it. For two annoying hours I fiddled around trying all Apples suggestions on how to fix it, to no avail. As a lost resort I phoned Apple. They said it was getting old and was probably at the end of its life.

The shuffle has been great, I can’t complain. The only thing I don’t like is its inability to rewind if you miss something the podcast host is saying or fast forward if the podcast is getting boring.

In the last month I’ve been eying the new iphone G3s because I want an ipod upgrade, I want the iphones web capabilities and most of all its GPS capabilities. The GPS, along with specific apps, will be useful for clocking my runs, the distance and the time it takes me. I can also use it when I’m out in the back country, skiing and hiking.

The only thing holding me back from getting it is its unavailability. It is not available in Canada and no one at Apple or Rogers knows when it will be.

I can’t live without my daily dose of podcast listening. Of course I can plug the Mac into my stereo and listen to them but I can’t take it with me. I ‘m looking for a cheap ipod, all I ask is that it works.

Labels: apple, iphone, ipod, ipod shuffle, Macintosh

Monday, July 27, 2009

"Old" is a state of mind

Posted by Melanie at 22:06 2 comments

Yesterday I arrived back in prince george from our backpacking trip to the Kristi Glacier feeling tired sweaty and hot. As we unloaded our stuff from Gary’s truck and into our own vehicles my cell phone rang. It was my daughter. She asked me to bring her some feminine products, Q tips and a liter of milk. All I could think about was going home and spending a long time in the shower. So I said, if you want this stuff to get ready for the baby, ( due August first) can’t it wait until tomorrow? No, she said, the baby came yesterday.

So, of course I made a big detour, first to the store, then to the home of my daughter and her boy friend.

My grandson arrived at 2.19 AM, Saturday July 25, He weighed 5lbs 14 oz and was 20.5 inches long.

Now this baby is a reality I think I’m finally come to terms with the idea of being a grandmother.

I can't believe I just said that

Labels: family

Backpacking to the Kristi Glacier

Posted by Melanie at 08:43 0 comments

The spectacular Kristi Glacier is located in the Cariboo mountains near Mcbride BC. From highway 97 we turned south onto the Dore road. It took us at least an hour to get the deactivated part of the logging road. We camped here. The next day with our packs on, we pushed our bicycles over the wooden foot-bridge and up the gradual hill, three killomtres, to where the trailhead begins. We left our bicycles here in anticipation of picking them up on the way back for a free ride down to the car.

We traveled along the river in and out of the forest for the first bit, admiring the spectacular waterfalls pouring out of glaciers on the surrounding peaks. We planned not to go to the campsite at the end of the trail since we would have to backtrack to get up to see the glacier. Instead we climbed into the alpine finding a flatish spot, covered in heather, a few trees for shelter, the river for water and plenty of firewood, after a much needed break for lunch we set up our tents.

I unclipped the lid of my pack, untucked the waist belt and tied it around my waist, much easier and lighter than carrying my pack. We clambered up, crossing bands of snow and pulling ourselves across the rocks higher and higher into the alpine until at last we were rewarded with the vast field of snow, spilling down the mountainsides of an enormous arête. We sat on the rocky slope, admiring the snow glistening in the sunlight, imagining walking out onto the glacier. Unfortunately We had none of the necessary gear to attempt such a feat.

I could have sat there for hours instead we decided to bag the peak, get a higher view of the glacier and a look over the otherside.

Update: for more photos of this trip take a look at the flickr set

Labels: backpacking, Kristi Glacier

Friday, July 24, 2009

Barefoot Running

Posted by Melanie at 12:44 0 comments

Because the pain in my leg is more annoying then painful, because I went away on holiday and because it is difficult to get a doctors appointment, since you have to book so far into the future, or phone at 7:30 AM to get one that day, I just kept putting it off.

Finally, I kept yesterdays appointment.

The doctor told me I have tendonitis in my Semimembranosus. It’s a big muscle at the back of my thigh. He said the titanium rod in my tibia, which was put in to fix the spiral fracture I incurred in a skiing accident seven years ago, is not a contributing factor. He gave me some anti-inflammatory pills and a referral to see a Sports medicine physiotherapist.

After yesterdays experiment with pseudo barefoot running the tendonitis in my Semimembranosus muscle has flared up so I’m glad I have the pills. I don’t think the flare up has anything to do with the fact I ran in non-supportive shoes.

I’m looking forward to having an interesting conversation with the physiotherapist next week about barefoot running.

Barefoot running is a recent notion suggesting that expensive running shoes may be causing rather than preventing running related injuries. I first heard about it while reading an email sent from the running site, mapmyrun. A few days later the CBC radio show, The Current. did a segment on Barefoot Running.

Since then the idea has exploded into popular consciousness, in the world of running anyway. Many running podcasts, I listen too, are talking about it, running shoe manufactures are making shoes, such as the Vibram Five Fingers to simulate barefoot running, ( shoes offer more protection then barefeet) and Christopher Mcdougalls book, Born To Run, which I haven’t read yet, has become an instant success.

Just to complicate the issue a bit more, a company called Newton advocates that most shoes force you to strike on your heels, causing more shock and injuries. Landing on the forefront of your foot, which is what you do when you run barefoot, is the natural way to run or walk, thus their shoes are designed to help you strike on the forefront of your foot.

Basically the technology in modern running shoes is the problem. Supposedly the less support a shoe has the better it is for you and the lower the chance of injury.

I just want to get rid of my tendonitis. If it means running in cheaper, less supportive shoes great. I don't know if buying any of the alternative shoes to barefoot running is worth the expensive. Maybe toughening up my feet to run on gravel and through freezing snow and ice is the answer, or maybe my injury has nothing to do with my shoes.

Labels: Running, Running problems

Monday, July 20, 2009

Did Someone Say Patience

Posted by Melanie at 17:49 0 comments

Remember when I said my vegetable garden sucked? Well I take it back because when we were in Penticton it grew. This morning I harvested a bucket of sugar snap peas, a bunch of mint, oregano, marjoram and cilantro.

There are great big yummy red radishes, flowers on some of the 5 varieties of potatoes, and even the carrots are starting to grow. The cabbages and broccoli are twice the size they were before I left. In the greenhouse there are tiny hard green tomatoes waiting to explode into great big balls of juicy redness, pink flowers on the pole beans and white flowers on the peppers.

Saturday, July 18, 2009

All Good Things Come to an End

Posted by Melanie at 09:56 0 comments

After five days of bright sunshine it is a little depressing to arrive back in cloudy, grey PG.

The first thing we did was find somewhere to change into warmer clothes then, pushing a cart around the grocery store, we wracked our brains trying to remember what food we needed. I wanted to relax when we got home, not turn around and run back out for groceries, although it seems I will have to do that anyway since I forgot the flour. After packing them into the car we went to CIMOS, which for some reason wasn’t crowded. We got a table for two by the window.

Now I’m home everywhere I look is a potential job to be done. I long to be back on holiday, browsing the bookstore cooling off in a lake, lying in the shade reading, walking or trying to run along the Kettle Valley railway trail.

We walked along the Kettle Valley railway trail, KVR to Poplar Grove winery for cheese. They make several tasty cheeses in their creamery. They also have awesome wine but they do not have the right license so you can't have lunch with a glass of their wine on their terrace. There are several wineries who let you do this. You can bring your own lunch or you can sample one of their overpriced selections. I need to make a list of wineries who allow this for future reference.

One morning we went to the gardens at the Agricultural research station outside Summerland. A section of the Kettle Valley Railway trail runs right past it and into Penticton. I thought it would be a nice easy run along the trail, about 11k. Robert was to meet me in town. I started off great, after about 3 killometres I felt too hot. I ended up alternating running and walking till I saw Robert sitting in the shade under an overpass. The view was spectacular. I met a few people, mostly cyclists or walkers and a couple of tourists from Europe. They were obsessed with cougars. I got the impression they wanted me to guarantee they would not be attacked while walking along the trail.

So, I added four books to my collection, 15 bottles of wine to our ever dwindling supply, lots of photos, some pleasant memories and the best tan I have had in years.

Now to plan for our next holiday.

Labels: Holiday, KVR, Penticton, wine

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Idiots who like too run

Posted by Melanie at 17:22 1 comments

I realize my blog has been taken over by my current obsession. Even my husband accused me of talking too much about running.

My other current obsession is Twitter. After adding some of my friends, who are also on Twitter, to my follow list, it turns out to be distressingly few, I started following runners. Some of them followed me back and before I knew it I was reporting my runs, the distance and the time it took to do them just like they were. Some of them have blogs as well as podcasts with loads of running information. I find listening to their podcasts and reading their blogs to be very inspirational.

The other thing -my sister, a long time runner and triathlete, has competed in Iron Man Canada in Pentiction twice and her equally sporty husband who has also done the Iron Man twice not to mention qualified for the Boston Marathon and ran it last year, are coming to visit in August. My husband is shuddering already. Oh and the other thing my brother in law owns a running shoe store.

Labels: Running, Twitter

Wednesday, July 8, 2009

How To Accomplish Almost Anything

Posted by Melanie at 22:02 1 comments

After the initial exhilaration, heart pumping and feeling like I have wings, my body starts too feel tired, It tells me to stop running. I slow down to catch my breath. This only happens when I’m running by myself. If I’m with others they tend to run slower so I don't get that out of breath feeling. Between killometre two and kilometre five I have to convince myself to keep running. My brain is bored. (Monkey Mind) It’s looking for other stimuli. Everything I could be doing, instead of running, goes through my mind.

Eventually, my body and my brain become resigned to the fact that running is what I’m doing and I settled into my pace.

This battle with my brain starts well before I even start running. It’s easier if I’m running with other people since they expect me to show up. But without other people to motivate me I might never leave the house, so I’ve resorted to bribing myself. One such bribe is this running skirt. It's cute, (I’ve had several compliments) it’s extremely functional and technologically advanced. There are strategically placed holes and pockets to carry my ipod and to thread its head phone cord through. Other bribes are a cool glass of Gatorade and something nice to eat, waiting in the fridge or car for when I get back.

Having goals is another motivator. I have long-term goals and short-term goals. My short-term goal is to do the Fun Run on August nineteenth from the Moores Meadow parking lot, run up the long hill on Foothills Blvd. to the Chief Lake road and back again. It’s a distance of 18.81k

My long term goals are to run the Popes Peak adventure run in October. The elevation gain is 790 metres and the length is 22 k. In-between those too goals I have some shorter road-races planned. Next year I want to do the Emperors Challenge in August and maybe compete the half or full marathon next May in Vancouver.

Baby Steps are what I call the process by which I focus only on what I want to accomplish in the short term, whether it is looking at something in my middle distance, when I’m out running, and concentrating on getting past it then focusing on the next object to get past or, only thinking about what I want to accomplish on a given day or week. Visualizing the short term goals and not worrying about what I want to do in the future helps me stay focused, and not panic about whether or not I can run a marathon. At this moment the notion scares me.

Having a plan to reach a short term or long term goal is another way to be successful. There are many online running programs you can personalize for your specific goal. You can hire a coach or you can take a running clinic. The family YMCA, here in Prince George, has two clinics they run in the spring. They are geared towards running either a 5k, 10k or half marathon in the YMCA road race in early June. I highly recommend signing up for one of them as a place to start.

Lastly, keep a running diary. Surprisingly my running diary is the only diary I’ve ever had that I’ve been able to keep updated regularly. Ok, so I forget to actually write about the race or run on the day I do it but eventually it all gets written down.

Keep track of how far you run, the route you took, who you ran with, what the weather was like, what your wore and how it felt. Make special note of any aches, pains or falls. Record what you ate the night before and before you ran. All this information is useful to help you pinpoint any injures you may incur at a later date.

Obviously a running diary also helps you track your progress. The first run I ever did was a few hundred metres up to the top of my road and back again. The first time I ran the loop around my house, a distance of 3.5 kilometres I celebrated my accomplishment. I celebrated again when I completed my first 10k road race.

Slowly, bit by bit, you will improve. Surprise yourself.

Labels: Running, running goals

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Cross Training

Posted by Melanie at 21:00 0 comments

Since I started running about four months ago I stopped cross country skiing and stopped walking. Except for backcountry skiing, the occasional snowshoe trip and squash game I’ve been exclusively running. while I want to make running a part of my life I know I should do other kinds of exercise, not just for variety but to exercise a different set of muscles or the same ones in a different way.

Two months ago I overdid my training, pulling the hamstring muscle in the back of my left leg. No matter how much stretching I do the muscle still gives me a low grade, nagging, annoying stiffness, especially at the end of a run or after sitting for too long.

Yesterday in the interests of cross training and the need not to drive the car, I rode my bicycle 24 killometres to the hardware store, to buy a GFI plug for the outlet on the front deck, and back. The first thing I noticed when I got home and got off the bike was how normal and how nice my left leg felt.

I suppose I should start swimming again then maybe next year I could enter the local triathlon. One of my friends already asked me if I was doing it this year. The answer is no. At this moment I have no interest in becoming a triathlete. I’d rather run up mountains or the Grouse Grind and do a half marathon or full marathon on a relatively flat road course.

Labels: Running

Happy Canada Day

Posted by Melanie at 06:44 2 comments

Labels: Canada, Canada Day, flag

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