Cette été, Jessica m’a contacté pour avoir quelques informations sur la course à pied. Elle voulait courir au marathon de Montréal et hésitait entre le demi et le complet. Je lui ai sagement (!) recommandée de courir le demi. Après l’événement du 5 septembre, je lui ai demandée de nous racontrer son quotidien, sa vie de coureuse concilié à sa vie professionnelle et familiale. C’est en anglais, sa langue maternelle qu’elle vous raconte sa joie de courir. Bonne lecture!
Name: Jessica Howard
Age group: 35
Kids: Two boys, age 3 and 6
Running since: on and off since age 16
Blog: I SPY Montréal – A parent’s-eye view of the city
Twitter: @ISpyMontreal
Jessica chose running for
I go crazy without regular exercise, whether it’s aerobics or running. Running is great because it’s always there for you: it’s free, you do it on your own schedule, go anywhere you like and you get to be the DJ. With two kids and no time to get to a gym or exercise classes, running is often the best option for me.
Her first race was a half marathon
I did the half-marathon of the 2010 Montreal Marathon, and it went better than I could have hoped. I finished in less than two hours and had fun *most* of the way, which was my goal. I crossed the finish line with a sore knee, but a smile on my face. It felt amazing to be part of the event.
Running is part of her balance
I love running in the spring/summer/autumn months because it’s a way to be outside, escape home and work for an hour, and come back re-energized. It’s “me” time – I listen to my music, daydream, breathe.
Between work, kids and married life, Jessica runs …
When I fit in running/exercise depends on the day. If I know that my only opportunity will be in the morning, I do my best to get up before the kids at about 5:45 a.m. and do it then. There are definitely days when sleep prevails! But 3 days of the week, I work from home, and can squeeze it in during the day.
Favorite place to run in Montreal
The waterfront in Verdun is nice, and so is Nuns’ Island. I loved running on Mount Royal when I lived downtown.
I run therefore I eat!
I haven’t changed my daily eating habits much, but during the half-marathon training I learned that it’s necessary to refuel after about an hour into the long runs. I found the best thing for that was Espresso-flavoured power gel. I actually looked forward to it!
Favorite running gear
Since this was my first half-marathon, I didn’t know how to track my distance and speed during training sessions, and didn’t want to spend $300+ on a Garmin watch. So, I used a free iPhone ap called Runkeeper, which tracks distance using GPS and monitors your pace. You can save each run on the iPhone and then log into the Runkeeper site on your computer to compare your statistics with previous runs.
My other favourite running gear is music – I like tracking down good running songs. Suggestions welcome!
Her favorite speed training is
Hmmm. I’m still not a big fan of speed training. I’ll get back to you on that.
Her boys are her greatest fan
My sons did tell me to “run fast” and kept asking me if I was going to win the half-marathon :-) My biggest fan is my husband, who had flowers and a spa gift certificate waiting for me at home after the race. I love that guy.
Jessica’s future running goals
To continue to enjoy running, and to not have injuries! I would love to try a marathon one day, if I can fit it into my family and work schedule. If a marathon isn’t possible, I would be happy to try to improve my half-marathon time. Something I learned from this experience is that training for an event doesn’t have to consume your life – it can be quite manageable and flexible. I think many people have the impression that training = running like a maniac every day. I found it very motivating to follow a targeted schedule and work toward a deadline. It’s amazing to find out what you’re capable of.
