Sandy’s Sandbox Ideas: Pyramid Training

          

Sandy Johnson (Vice President of NEXCareer, Career Coach, Board Member of NABS, Marathon Runner) is a Dynamic Career Management Professional with a creative flair. She combines her background in advertising with her passion for personal and professional development to help clients shape their career and build successful results.

Sandy shares her progress and anticipation to run in Egypt for Running 4 NABS Sahara Run 2011 this coming October:

Passing the Bucket

Our fundraising efforts have really started to generate results and sooo close to reaching the half way point to our goal of raising $100,000.00!  Thank you to those who have helped us reached this milestone!

I also wanted to share some great coverage we received in The Globe and Mail on the weekend!

• Click here to read the Globe and Mail article

Training Up a Sandstorm

4 ½ weeks to go before I get on the plane to Cairo!   It’s been a long summer of training.  The hot weather at 37 degrees in July was a total bonus, just to get a taste of what 50 degrees might feel like!  I’ve been carrying about 15 pounds in my pack during all my long runs and successfully completed my last two really long runs - 32 km back to back last weekend.  These I did with the company of a few of my team mates, with whom I’ll be spending non-stop time during that week in the desert.  Notwithstanding the inevitable fatigue, we shared some good laughs and I have to say I’m starting to look forward to this event.

Tackling the Big Sandbox

I’m sure I can run a marathon.  I’ve done it before.  I’m just not sure what it will be like to complete this day after day…  The conditions are difficult, if not impossible to duplicate, and I’m anxious about how my body, not to mention my mind, will react to the tough environment.

Filling in Pyramid Mold

The most important goal I set for myself for this race is to finish the race.  That’s mandatory.  And I’d like to complete it feeling good about my performance, whatever that may be.  It’s quite possible that I’ll modify my own expectations during the event.  And that’s ok.

Switching to Wading Pool

After my runs last weekend, I actually feel pleased and relieved about my progress.  I want to make sure that I don’t lose the fitness that I’ve worked so hard to gain.  I can actually start visualizing the race…and that is exciting.  I will now start to taper my mileage down, allowing myself some physical and mental recovery.  This is the fun part!

Help Fill the Bucket!

• Sponsor Sandy
• Sponsor a Runner
• NEXCareer Workshop Package for Donors

See our schedule of upcoming workshop sessions:

NEXCareer Workshop Calendar - September 2011
NEXCareer Workshop Calendar - October 2011

Your support is truly appreciated.

Images Courtesy: Microsoft Office Images

Sandy’s Sandbox Ideas: Hitting Egyptian Sand

Sandy Johnson (Vice President of NEXCareer, Career Coach, Board Member of NABS, Marathon Runner) is a Dynamic Career Management Professional with a creative flair.  She combines her background in advertising with her passion for personal and professional development to help clients shape their career and build successful results.

Sandy shares her current hot project:

Sandy Shoes:  Rising up to the challenge in October to run for 7 days in the Sahara Desert under extreme heat of 50 degrees Celsius.  It’ll be a great motivator to finish a race at the foot of the pyramids!  Less than 2 months to go!

Fun in the Sun:  At 37.5 degrees, the thermometre reached a new high in my lifetime this summer.  And you think Toronto has been HOT these past few months.  On a long training run, complete with a pack on my back, I grew more and more discouraged as I melted under the sun.  How am I going to do this in 50 degree temperatures?  Note to self – it’s going to be hot, but it’s a dry heat over there.   Positive thoughts put a different spin on things…

Treasure Digging:  My backpack is almost ready - just a few more items to collect.  Last week, I got a bivvy blanket to keep the desert animals away.  I’ve collected my gear by using the list of mandatory items provided by the race, and then enlisting the help of experienced adventure racers in the guise of MEC staff, for additional consumer guidance. 

Upgrade the Spade:  The MEC staff gave me a valuable piece of advice:  “Get a decent utility tool.  When travelling in Egypt, you need to rely on yourself to get out of trouble.”  Hmmm…

Thinking Inside the Box:  I cut up my sleeping pad in two to reduce packing space.  My backpack is 25 litres and it doesn’t look much bigger than the backpack my daughter takes to school.  Everything, and I mean everything I need for a week, has to fit into that pack.  And when it’s packed, I have to carry it myself for the entire 250 km.  Each item will be considered carefully before it passes the IN or OUT test.  Packing light has taken on a whole new meaning. 

Shaping Up:  Going for a run, has always meant going for a run.  Just that.  Not going for a walk, or a run-walk, or a sequence of running for 10 minutes, then walking for 1 minute.  Why would I do that?  Now I know.  Covering a marathon a day for 4 days straight, then running a double marathon the next day - with a heavy pack, will undoubtedly require some walking.  I never thought walking would feel so great.  Sometimes it feels so great, I think I can never get myself up to the speed of even a slow trot.  I guess we’ll see.

Finishing Thoughts:  Trained for 4 hours over 30 km this past weekend.  Next milestone is 40 km...

Help Fill the Bucket!

• Sponsor Sandy

• Sponsor a Runner

• Get Pledge Benefits

Your support is truly appreciated.

Image Courtesy:  Microsoft Office Images