The Running Diva

Thursday, December 13, 2007

No spinning or running this morning so I got to sleep in a bit and boy, did I sleep well! I had my lesson today with Selena. We had a lot of laughs as I tried to navigate through  Caro Nome…a big stretch for me since I am no coloratura (it goes up to  high E above high C so there was a lot of pretty ugly sounds coming out of me!), but it is a good exercise.

So the latest news is that I have decided to put my application in to the University of Victoria to finish my Matser’s degree in voice performance, a degree that I started at the University of Montreal years ago. I completed all the seminar requirements while at UdeM but did not do my final recital. My teacher at that time abandoned her job and left all her students high and dry and I was too insecure at the time to not have her support. I bailed and never did my final voice exam. I have always regretted not finishing that degree. Well, now I have been offered a chance to finish it with the help of a scholarship to run for the Vikes. Brent and I met earlier this week to talk about details and it looks like it’s a go. Selena thinks it’s a great idea and said I will be the only student she has ever had who did a voice degree on a running scholarship. Ha! I have already contacted Benjamin who has agreed to be my supervisor/teacher. So as long as I get admitted, I will be a full-time student starting in the Fall of 2008…at the age of 40…good grief. Talk about a late-bloomer.

Tonight I met Paul O’Cal’s running group for that 10 miler that I did last week. I ran the course a bit too quickly last week ..too close to my half-marathon race pace. So, tonight I ran closer to marathon race pace and did it in 1:02:12. I basically ran alone for the first half since I was the only chick running again. The guys were all way ahead. Luckily, Rui was riding along on his bike and accompanied me all the way back which was a big help!  I worked the hills and took it very easy on the downhills and just kept a strong  but comfy pace. Sadly, I took two wrong turns making a right instead of a left on the way out turned around pretty quickly after Dave a Kris called out to me..grrr…My turn-over was MUCH better this week and I stayed light on my feet so I didn’t feel as wiped out at the end (the slower pace helped too). I like the distance of this run and for the most part the route with the exception of the five minute-long downhill on Amblewood Dr. on the way back. It’s too long and no matter how you get down that hill, whether you let go and fly or slow down by putting the breaks on the entire way, the stress on your legs is not really worth it. Maybe we can modify the run a bit to avoid going down Amblewood.