A weekend without running

Margreet, 95 & Margreet, 41

Unless you plan to fit your training into your days, it simply doesn't happen. This past weekend I had thought of doing a 10km run, and a longer, 20-ish km.

A joint run turned into a chat over coffee, while the rest of the day was also full including with a Christmas performance by a local choir that couldn't have been more Dutch (I am talking arm in arm, swinging left to right, and back again, while singing along to songs in 1,2,3-rhythm.

The choir consisted of at least 40 singers, including about 10 guys, and was accompanied by three people playing accordeon, a bass guitarist and a drummer. Aside from a few grandchildren, I was easily the youngest in the audience which had a surprising number of guys - I assume husbands of choir members, though they were happily singing along. It was a fun afternoon with my mom.

On Sunday, my 95-year-old grandmother came to visit my parents' home; I drove an hour pick her up, and back to my parents' place, where we had a great lunch and afternoon, before my mom and I drove her back home at night, another 2-1/2 hour round trip. A fantastic weekend, but no running.

As a result, my mileage for the week didn't get beyond 35km, a little short of the 60km I had had in mind. So this morning, Monday, I made sure to get out for a long-ish run. I'd used gmap pedometer to map out a square that took me from Dronten, to Biddinghuizen, and back. It's a funny thing about running in de polder to pretty much see the entire 21km lap that you're going to run. It's comforting and intimidating at the same time.

The weather was, again, surprisingly good, and it didn't take long before I put my woolen hat in the back pocket of my beautiful IMJ Coaching shirt, and my lightweight black Hema running gloves joined it soon. My iPod had run out of juice but it didn't matter. After 30 minutes I was in a rhythm that made me think of an unstoppable train so I only had to stay along for the ride.

I was back in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and had a quick shower before rushing off to get my second pedicure during this visit. She asked me if I enjoyed my break from training and was a little surprised that a 21km run was considered a break. Apparently my feet are somewhat on the mend, though she urged me to find someone back home in Squamish, too.

I can't believe it's almost time to leave the Netherlands for Canada again. It's been a great visit. Having said that, I am also looking forward to sinking my teeth in writing a new book and training for the Vancouver Marathon.