Tag Archives: yoga

The Training Begins in Earnest!

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Running behind the Museum of Civilization

January is here and the time of unstructured training is over.  It is time to get serious about the preparation for my run across The Gambia!

The question I receive most frequently from people when they here about my “summer vacation plans” is not the one that first came to my mind.  Hardly anyone has asked me: “Oh my – how do you plan to raise all that money?”  Instead, people wonder about how I will get my body ready to take on the challenge of running 30 kilometers a day for a period of two weeks in extreme heat and humidity.

Over the course of the holiday season, I ran when I felt like it, went as far or as short as I wanted to and didn’t worry much about strength training.  I also ate and drank whatever my little heart desired.  Now that the new year has begun, it’s time to buckle down.  The month of January is serving as my adaptation period to get back into a regular routine of running four times during the week, as well as running longer distances on Saturdays and Sundays.

My weekday runs will often double as my commute to or from work – a distance of about 13 kilometers.  My partner Marc and I have a great routine worked out where one of us will run to work while the other drives the car.  On the way back, we switch.  This eliminates the need to run with a heavy backpack containing winter boots, a bulky winter coat and everything else we need for a day at the office.  And commuting under our own steam helps us get a workout in, no matter how long and busy the work day gets.

Snowhoe Running in Winter Wonderland

Some of the week day runs will be replaced by cross country skiing or snowshoe running.  Gatineau Park is full of incredible trails and cross training in another sport will keep the mind and body fresh.  Not to mention that embracing winter is the only way to get through it without the winter blues.

Weekend runs will start to build this month to approximately two hours each on Saturday and Sunday.  While training plans often give detailed information about distances and pace for each workout, Ottawa winters are no time for such precision.  Icy paths, slippery roads, deep snow as well as being dressed like the Michelin man and displaying equal grace of movement do not make for fast running times!  Time on my feet and perceived effort is all I count in those conditions where distances and pace become arbitrary when we take two steps forward and slide one step back.

Yoga will remain a regular part of my workout routine, as the strength I gain from it and the stretching help keep me injury free.  Not to mention that it is great fun, as you can read in Limbering up with Yogi B.

Hill training builds strength, too!

Towards the end of the month, once my body has had a chance to adapt to being on a regular schedule again, I’ll start introducing a bit of strength training after one run per week.  This will consist of lunges, single-leg jumps, squats, as well as some core strengthening.  Throughout February, I will gradually increase my weekend long runs while continuing my strength training.  Skiing will also remain part of the program, including an annual cross-country ski weekend in Papineau Labelle in the beautiful Laurentians, where we ski from cabin to cabin along back country trails.

At the end of February, it will be time to take stock and to build the training plan for the next two months.

But how will all this training in the snow and cold temperatures get me prepared for running in high heat and extreme humidity in The Gambia this summer?  Winter training will not get my body ready for the physical challenges I’ll face during The Gambia’s rainy season, but it will sure help get me mentally prepared.  Stepping out the door to go for a two hour run on a day when the temperature is minus 20 degrees Celsius with the wind chill will toughen anybody up.  Learning to cope with extreme conditions during our winter will help me to the same during the heat in The Gambia, where the physical adaptation will take place each day I run.

For motivation during the cold months, it is also a good idea to have some interim goals and fun events to look forward to.  On my agenda for the spring is the Chocolate Race in Port Dalhousie, Ontario and the Ottawa Race Weekend, where I will run alongside members of Team Love4Gambia who will support my expedition to help kids in The Gambia.

So far the adaptation period is going very well and it feels great to be back on a regular schedule.  I will keep you informed about my progress and about the next phase of my training plan towards the end of February.  Keep active this winter and see you out on the roads and trails!

Limbering up with Yogi B.

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Every Wednesday night, I gather with a group of friends in an Ottawa basement.  We light candles, burn incense and we chant in unison, all under the watchful eye of a strange-looking cat called Yogi.   Secret society or clandestine ritualistic cult, you may wonder?  No – it’s Wednesday night yoga with Yogi B!

Yogi

My friend Barbara, a.k.a. Yogi B., spent some time in India a few years ago to study yoga.  Since her return, she generously shares what she learned with a group of her friends each week.

Yoga in Brentwood Park - Photo courtesy of Bob McAlpine

In the fall and winter, we gather in her basement/yoga studio where she guides us through an ashtanga, yin or bikram series and occasionally throws in a few kundalini exercises, just to keep us on our toes.  In the summer, we often take it outside to beautiful Brentwood Park to stretch and twist while looking out at the Rideau River.

Most of the members of our little group are runners, skiers, cyclists or otherwise active people.  Age-wise, we range from our 71-year old friend Chris, who still runs the Boston Marathon faster than many of my much younger friends, to new mom Kim, who used to bring baby Noelle for some mom-and-baby-yoga.  Involuntary comic relief is occasionally provided by our friend Simon, who stands in tree pose as if Hurricane Juan was blowing furiously around him, or by anyone to whom “wind-releasing pose” actually does what it is supposed to do.

The great thing about yoga is that no matter what your level of fitness, flexibility or balance, everyone can benefit by practising to the best of their abilities.  As a runner, I love stretching all those tight running muscles and building my core strength.

Line, one of our regular participants, has been absent from our little group for the past few months.  She took off to travel Southeast Asia and is finishing her journey with a stay in India, where she is studying at an Ashram.  We look forward to having her back in the coming weeks to hear about her adventures and to see what she will bring to our classes.

An integral part of each and every one of our sessions is the relaxation, or savasana, at the end of the class.  After 10 minutes, during which Barbara guides us through a meditation and some relax so deeply that the occasional snore is heard, we chant a few “ohms” and then head upstairs to the living room to further  deepen our relaxation with a glass of wine or a cup of herbal tea.  I love Wednesday nights.  Namaste!

Big Running Shoes

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Monday, August 1

Leybato Guest House

Ashley and I have been doing a lot of things on our one week post-run-across-the-country holiday.  We’ve been lying on the beach. We’ve been swimming, believing that the Smiling Coast’s water can cure all. We’ve been practicing yoga on the beach. We’ve been spending as much time as possible with our guys Spider, Kebba, Pa Modou and Pa’s wife Agie. We’ve been crying every morning at breakfast.  We’ve been trying to hold onto as many Love4Gambia moments as possible.

In our moment-capturing, we’ve developed this list of “roles” that each of our invaluable team members played. When we began, we had titles like “runner, logistic man, driver, nurse” but very quickly realized that we were a team that would take care of each other together.  Titles and duties weren’t necessary.

Ashley Sharpe

  • Be the nurse
  • Take care of Erin, should she need taking care of
  • Feed Erin
  • Water Erin
  • Mix the team’s Gatorade
  • Be the manager
  • Tell Erin what to do when Erin is no longer functioning at full capacity
  • Put Erin to bed
  • Sometimes wash Erin’s running gear (what a girl)
  • Sunscreen Erin
  • Lead team effort to make Erin eat more
  • Push Erin out of the truck when she doesn’t want to run
  • Run 100km across African country
  • Run farther and longer than ever before
  • Tape Erin
  • Massage Erin’s quads
  • Manage the boys
  • Try to prevent the boys from harming themselves
  • Threaten not to take care of boys should they harm themselves through stupidity and stubbornness
  • Sing special Canadian songs while running
  • Negotiate permission for Erin to have one single Julbrew on a school night
  • Participate in many giggle-fests
  • Possible contributor to Akon-conspiracy (?)
  • Monitor pathway between Erin’s brain and mouth and intervene when necessary (understanding that running 25km a day makes one emotionally labile)
  • Drive the NSGA truck through the bush after relearning a stick shift on an African dirt road
  • Manage all of the money
  • Manage our room key
  • Yell at boys “no crying in the truck” when necessary
  • Be an irreplaceable part of the team

Pa Modou Sarr

  • Run 136km across The Gambia
  • Run even when not feeling like it
  • Be DJ extraordinaire for 424FM: All Akon All the Time
  • Sing Akon when Akon is not playing
  • Develop interrogation skills for upcoming film appearance as CIA Agent Momodou M. Sarr
  • Entertain team with dramatic performance as President and continue performance much longer than a lesser skilled person could ever continue
  • Tease the Fula
  • Become brothers with the Fula
  • Arrange media appearances, electricity or no electricity
  • Hold Erin’s hand during media appearances
  • Remain at the ready to assist falling runners: “Careful Ashley!”
  • Take care of Ashley while Ashley is sick and Erin is running
  • Become Ashley (for 1 day)
  • Pack the truck
  • Unpack the truck
  • Secure location in which to unpack truck and put team to bed- sometimes requiring way more negotiation than reasonable (Soma)
  • Drive the truck
  • Operate the Flip camera, the Cannon camera, the Nissan Patrol stick shift, the gas pedal and possibly 1 of his 2 cell phones simultaneously (what a man)
  • Teach Ashley to drive the truck (while recording driving lesson, thanks Pa-parazzi!)
  • Listen to Erin’s stories and answer her questions
  • Keep Erin company by keeping in-step with Cliff Matthews’ track warm up drills
  • Celebrate each 20km and 5km accomplishment
  • Remain the push-up king (sorry, Ashley)
  • Beat Spider’s kilometer total
  • Practice yoga on demand- Namaste!
  • Yell “morfing” at kids who incessantly yell “toubab” at Erin and Ashley
  • Surprise team with full cooked breakfast on rest day
  • Cheerfully allow Erin and Ashley to talk with wife Agie every day
  • Entertain Erin with football stories while running across country
  • Share marriage stories (go Team Marriage!)
  • Make Erin feel better when she’s ill (preferred method- decorating Erin’s “presidential convoy” truck)
  • Pull Erin onto the road on mornings when she doesn’t want to run
  • Make the breakfast tapalapa sandwiches for the team while singing Akon in the front seat
  • Read the team our daily messages from Aunty Debby
  • Get Erin enough food and water
  • Locate appropriate trees for rest
  • Hold the team together with easy, caring nature
  • Be an irreplaceable part of the team

Kebba Suso

  • Be the King: EGWEEEE!
  • Run A LOT of kilometers next to Erin
  • Fill in all empty running shifts following team decision about Erin not running alone
  • Sing to Erin when running is hard (in English or Mandinka)
  • Listen to Erin’s stories
  • Answer Erin’s questions (sometimes with strategically shortest answer possible: ‘poverty’)
  • Be the Dalai Lama when Erin needs some extra spirit
  • Provide Erin’s anthropology lessons while running
  • Lead kids in singing
  • Lead mamas in singing
  • Mislead crowds who are gathered for the president and instead receive a running white girl and a running Gambian
  • Make Erin feel better when ill (preferred method- decorating Erin’s “presidential convoy” truck)
  • Pack the truck
  • Unpack the truck
  • Secure location to unpack truck and put team to bed
  • Drive the truck.  But frequently threaten to abandon the truck if driving the truck interferes with running quota.
  • Force Ashley to drive
  • Get our morning tapalapa (bread)
  • Cut the mangos
  • Be Ashley’s brother.  Evidence of brotherhood- much playful quarreling
  • Grow gorgeous, brave and generous sons and nephews to share the running work on a day when the team was down
  • Share sisters Bintou and Fatou with the team (we love you, sisters!)
  • Possible contributor to Akon conspiracy (?)
  • Practice yoga- Namaste!
  • Use smile to light up the truck
  • Use laugh to light up the truck
  • Get Erin enough food and water
  • Locate appropriate trees for rest
  • Exhibit patience during Fula-Serere battles
  • Pay 80Dalasi in fines for saying “I’m hot”
  • Locate and bring Ashley to the bootlegger on Erin’s birthday
  • Occasionally impress team by eating more rice than Pa Modou
  • Celebrate each 20km and 5km accomplishment
  • Be an irreplaceable part of the team

Dodou Bah/Spiderman

  • Infuse team with energy and enthusiasm on Day 12
  • Be the lead running vocalist
  • Be the lead running dancer
  • Be the lead running army chanter
  • Banter with the Serere
  • Become brothers with the Serere
  • Dance with Ashley
  • Keep mood happy at all cost
  • Guard Erin while running through insane traffic in Serrekunda
  • Lead swimming lessons for Pa Modou and the Suso kids in Bwiam
  • Engage in high stake kilometer competition with Pa Modou
  • Fit into the team like the 5th finger of a glove
  • Catch up on more than 2 weeks’ worth of team jokes
  • Playfully follow Pa Modou’s orders like a good sport
  • Lead opposition party in Pa Modou for President
  • Be the ‘Bachelor’s Team’ with Ashley
  • Happily do warm-up drills with Erin and Pa Modou on days where legs are slow to warm up to running 20km
  • Celebrate each 20km and 5km accomplishment
  • Become the 5th glue that holds the team together.  Dodou Bah: “Together we stand; united we fall; Black and White unite; together as one.”
  • Talk Erin and Ashley through their return to Canada: “the body will return home but soul will live on in The Gambia”

Erin Poirier

  • Run
  • Coach team
  • Help team take care of each other
  • Do what Ashley says

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Together

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Sunday, August 1, 2011, 1030am

Leybato Guest House, Fajara Beach

Ashley and I have been relaxing on the beach and we’ve been processing the incredible experience that we’ve just had together with Pa Modou Sarr, Kebba Suso and Spiderman Dodou Bah.

In “Running the Sahara,” Charlie insightfully states, ‘this experience was so big that I can’t fit it into my head.’ We relate to that.

Ashley and I have been keeping a list of what we’ve run through, what we’ve been through… for our own memory bank as we try to fit experience into our heads.

We are so lucky that we ran through pretty much everything that West Africa had to offer.  You’ll see just how lucky we were, as follows.

We ran through:

  • A wedding
  • A funeral
  • A naming ceremony (remember all Muslim events, we are in a Muslim country)
  • Refugee processing near the Casamance (Senegal) conflict
  • 3 presidential convoys
    • 1 presidential convoy causing a monster traffic jam in Serrekunda requiring us to run through heart and centre of said traffic jam
    • 1 presidential convoy in Soma that caused a stampede exactly where we were standing in which a young girl got trampled.  Our guys, Kebba and Pa Modou, turned into American football players instantly, bear hugging and protecting us in a huddle.
    • Dirt road
    • Paved road
    • Partially paved road
    • Side of road
    • Road with monkeys
    • Road with bushrats
    • Road with snakes at pee stops
    • No roads with nile monitor lizards, thank God
    • Rain
    • Never enough rain
    • Sun (34-35 degrees)
    • Hotter sun (37-38 degrees)
    • Hottest sun (42 degrees)
    • Humidity- worse than hottest sun
    • Humidity and sun so hot that on the last day in Banjul, as I stood motionless next to our truck as we waited to begin, I felt cold. It was 29 degrees.  The weather was “cool” for The Gambia. In that moment, I knew that my brain’s temperature recognition was thoroughly messed up.
    • 2 pairs of melted sneakers

We ran through more than these “things:” events, roads, animals and weather.

(Dad, you may not want to continue reading this list.  Disclaimer- it’s just as safe here as anywhere else in the world.  All cities have crime pockets.  And we had a team of very protective men with us.  Ashley once said that she was scared of a guy with a stick, thinking he might like to hit her with the stick. The man was mentally ill.  If the man hit her with the stick, peaceful Kebba said very simply, “Well then I would tear him apart.”)

We ran through rice fields, ground nut fields and couscous fields.

We ran and drove through long hours together where my team’s bond and friendship turned into family. If you want to really get to know an African country and 3 African men, there’s no better way to become close with the country and its people than to run across it with them. West African societies, especially tribal relationships, are incredibly complex. I now have a wealth of knowledge stored away from conversations that our feet carried us through.

We ran more kilometers as a team than I did alone. Days 8 through 14, I didn’t run a single step solo. On Day 15, I ran 9 km solo (7 by request) and those were my last solo kms.

We enjoyed hours of laughing together.

Ashley and I sometimes giggled late at night until we cried.

We enjoyed hours of a dramatic production where Pa Modou was president and we were the people, engaged in an election campaign.  When there’s no television, internet, stereo… you entertain yourself in other ways.

We entertained ourselves with a rotating “boss:” the team member who (besides me) ran the most kilometers that day.  We laughed hysterically as the boss tried to wield their power until it expired at midnight.

We enjoyed hours of Serere vs Fula jokes until I had one hour too many and started running between Pa Modou and Spider hoping they would finally stop.  They stopped while running, continued the rest of the hours of the day.

We ran through the brief illnesses of 3 of our team members and learned that when one team member is down, we are all down.

We ran with 3 amazing groups who joined us: children, mamas in rice fields and soldiers on convoy. We loved them all equally.  While the soldiers in the Gambia National Army and the National Guard didn’t run any steps with us, they began to recognize us and would salute me from their convoy (sometimes up to 6 trucks and over 100 soldiers). I would salute them back.

We ran so long on the same road that the bush taxi drivers began to recognize us and would give us a happy beep and wave instead of an irritated “get the heck outta my way” beep and wave.

We went through a few mornings where I didn’t want to get out of the truck and run.  On these mornings Kebba always felt my fatigue and would say, “Oh, Erin.  I hate to let you out of the truck.”  Ashley would push me out and Pa would drag me onto the road.  Once pink sneakers are on the road, fatigue would be replaced with happiness.  My team just had to get the pink sneakers onto the road.

We rested for 2 hours under 15 different trees along the South Bank Road and led way more than 15 curious youth through yoga practice.

We ran through the mysterious disappearance of Akon for 3 days.

We stayed in places where our dinner was killed before us. Although in Ndemban, the 10 year-old boy entrusted with killing the rooster with a dull butter knife only managed to mortally wound the rooster and Spider had to step in to relieve the boy of this duties and finish the job.

Ashley and I peed and changed clothes in many hidden spots in the forest together. Sometimes we were only hidden from the truck and that was perfectly acceptable. Sometimes we just changed next to the truck “hidden” by my camping towel.

We ran through forests renowned for armed robbery, although the last incidence was more than one year ago. Though such is the reputation that locals remain weary and police checks are more numerous.

We celebrated each overhead shower and each room with more than one electrical outlet.

We endured a robbery at our lodge in Janjanbureh where the thief knocked off the screen on our window and possibly entered our room.  We’re not sure; the runner was dead asleep and Ashley just rolled over in bed without noticing. We heard that he was a very unskilled thief who only made away with one wallet from a guy in another bank of rooms. We did get a lot of mileage out of this thief as he was named as a suspect in the disappearance of Akon.

We knew that we had been running and living “in the bush” a long time when we were in Ndemban, staying at a local compound next to the road leading to Senegal and site of the Casamance civil conflict. Kebba told us: “We are 3km from Casamance so if you hear gunfire overnight, don’t worry, it’s just coming from the rebels across the border.”  And we easily replied, “Yea, whatever. Is there an electrical outlet here so we can charge the Garmin?” Then Ashley and I didn’t even think to talk about this conversation for another 4 days.

We ran so long that Stephen Harper was starting to look good.

I ran so long and got called “toubab” (Mandinka word for white person) so many times that I started following Pa Modou’s lead and began calling “morfing” (Mandinka word for black person) back.

We ran so long together that I felt like we could run to the end of the world together.

When Kebba drove us back to Leybato Guest House after our victorious swim in the Atlantic Ocean, we sat in the driveway next to each other in the front seat.  We were both silent for about a full minute.  I finally looked at him and said, “Kebba, I don’t want to get out of the truck because when I get out, it feels like it’ll be over.”  Kebba nodded his head slowly.  After a few moments, he looked at me and said, “Our team will never end.”  Then we were brave enough to get out the truck.

My team’s goal was accomplished but after what we’ve travelled, experienced, endured, been through, supported each other through, run through together… being a team will never end.

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Kebba get his first 25 KM!!!!!! Banjul calling louder…Spider welcomed.

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Post by Pa Modou

Wednesday 20th July 2011, Kalagi River Site Camp

Day 12

No of kilo meters covered: 306 km!!!!!!

If there is anything I feel proud of doing at the moment that will definitely be to wake up in the morning, put on my sneakers, pack the trunk of the truck with the bags and daily necessities like water etc and be in that front seat of the truck whiles I eat my morning TAPALAPA (local bread) with peanut butter or margarine and the usual AKON keeps me singing all the way to the starting point of the day’s run.

NEWS!!!!!!

Today, the love4Gambia crew welcomes SPIDERMAN on the truck to the starting point mark and having heard a lot about Spiderman who I was made to understand defeated Erin on the beach on a race about 4 years back, I couldn’t really imagine how he (Spider) runs because having seen our runner (Erin) run 25km everyday and not only that but 31km on her birthday and looks like she needs more Kms for the day, I said to myself “let’s see what he can do…” .

We are back to the tar road and this time it will be with us all through to Banjul to the finishing line!!! Cathy we waiting on your 5km, No excuses… hahaha…

KEBBA’S 25KM AND OTHERS…

The run today was really an amazing one with series of surprises and record breakings. On the run I must say we all have our records and always thinking of breaking them and this time around it was Kebba Suso who ran all 25km of the day of course not without been stubborn like myself as I was branded by the last blog author….. :) (Erin… Shhhhhhh!) Kebba was able to break his record of 17km to get all 25km which made him crowned as the new boss for the day deposing me from the throne but not long before Ashley said “until 2400hours!!!!” . At dinner time Kebba was struggling to make sure he gets the best out of his throne before the expiry of his throne by midnight by threatening to send some of us to bed early if we go against him at any point especially the nurse Ashley…Shhhhhh! Tell you what they are like brother and sister, always on opposite ends…hahaha. Spider was amazing as I observe him closely with Erin on the road trying to see if I will see anything like a competition trying to develop on but I guess they reminded themselves that we are heading to Banjul and we need not to use ourselves too much… (NEVER MIND!!!! I will arrange another race for them after the run but to tell you the truth I will go for Erin to win. Go Erin!!!!!). Spider got his first day run and 25km and have really added up to the team, the run was all not very quiet with the clapping and dancing whiles running which was spearheaded by Spider and Kebba as the children in the community follow suit.

Yoga was on by break time and our instructor Rubbie (Erin) NAMASTE!! Took us through with some small children on the warriors… It looks like the children could do it more than the big boys, strange!!!

Focus on our runner.

Erin has been overall ok today and has been always smiling at everyone as usual. Sometimes I look at her and say to myself, she is the most daring lady on earth in running across the Gambia but again I always remember that we have to do our best and forget the rest!!!!. She hates it to be told she did it but instead we as a team did it, what a lady. Go Erin gooooo….

Now to my last bit for my first blog, Ashley has been practicing some dancing moves for the finishing line and with the way she is taking it am quite sure the debriefings will be an excellent place to showcase her moves…

Love4Gambia run “YES WE CAN”

NAMASTE!!!!

With Mama Africas Banjul is Calling Louder

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Monday, July 19, 2011

Day 10. 25km run today, 231km total!

A very good day following a very bad running day.  Yalla bahna.

5:00pm. Soma TransGambia Lodge. Chillin’ in room with Ashley, Pa + Binta Jallow

A big day for my behaving body parts and a bigger day for Ashley!  Ashley started today’s run with me this morning, having beaten Pa out of the truck with shoelaces tied first. We began running incredibly long hills and realized that perhaps Pa wasn’t tying his laces on purpose.

Ashley ran 10km for the first time 2 days ago in 2 separate runs.  Starting on these long hills was good for both of us.  Working hard on the hills meant less mental focus devoted to obsessing over my gut. Working hard for Ashley meant the time passed more quickly for her. We stopped to water at 20 minutes and Ashley said that she would continue for another 20 minutes.  I was pleasantly surprised. When we stopped at 40 minutes, I told her that she was SO CLOSE to 10km, she should just continue.

At this point, 90% of run had been uphill- I kid you not.  We would get to the top of a hill and be greeted by more uphill.  The weather beginning was humid and Yalla Bahna, the sun began burning the humidity off.  I pulled Ashley with me up hill after hill. Pa +Kebba were cheering crazily in the truck, “Go Ashley, go Ashley, get to 10km!”  We reached a village and in a village, the work never feels so hard.  I was happy for Ashley, the village would help. We reached 9km.  I didn’t tell her.

Then she said she wanted to stop and I said NO!  You only have 725m left!  I began talking non-stop.  And then a beautiful thing happened.  We were approaching women walking to work at the market in Soma (next town).  An older woman saw us and began freaking out!  Laughing! Yelling!  Cheering! Waving her arms!  And she began to run with us. “Nimbarra! Nimbarra” I said meaning “hard work” in Mandinka. The mama ran more.  This beautiful woman helped Ashley finish the last 200m.  She did it, with the mama: 10km.

We were soon surrounded by grandmothers and mothers going to work.  They were so pleased with us, wanting hugs and handshakes. I love the kids out here but these Mamas, I love them the most.

I am so proud of Ashley.  Pa is so proud of Ashley. Kebba is so proud of Ashley.  She ran her 10km in 60:05 in humidity and 35+ degrees on a road that was 90% uphill.

Kebba and I continued easily from km 10-20. Kebba said he was inspired by Ashley’s 10km accomplishment.  Today was hot, topping 40.

We rested under a tree at a farm in Kaif. We soon had an audience.  Additionally, the president’s convoy was about to drive through very soon (in African time, in about 2 hours) so at 11am, the women came from the farm field and began singing and drumming for the president.

I did my own recovery thing for about an hour and then was ready to have some fun. I had said that we had to do yoga at rest so I pulled my team up from the blanket and we began our sun salutations to the wonder of our audience.  We went through 2 sun salutations and then I invited the kids to join.  I lined them up, about 12 of them, and told them to follow me.  To my great delight, they practiced with us for about 15 minutes.  Strong kids, they caught on very well! They told me that they loved it.  And told me, “we like you.”

Then it was the Mama farmers’ turn to instruct.  They made a circle and thrust their farming tools into Ashley and I’s hands and had a great time laughing at us using the hoe. They beat out a rhythm on their drum (plastic jug) for us to work to.  Perfection.

My new yoga pupils began our second run with us. I discovered a new and interesting fact about my youngest Gambian running partners yesterday.  I’m always concerned about them running too far from their home and always tell them to stop running at the outskirt of their village. Sometimes Pa or Kebba need to translate my “cease running” order.  Often the kids are barefoot and I worry about them walking more than a km home. Yesterday, 4 young boys began our second run with us and I waved goodbye to them at the outskirt of their village, 1 kilometer after we began running.  I continued to run up and over a big hill and stopped for water at the 2km mark, just over the crest of the hill.  As I stood there drinking, the 4 boys crested the hill and ran towards me.  I thought they had stopped at 1km when I waved goodbye.  They were still running after me. Gambian children will indeed run until you tell them to stop.  Maybe even all the way to Banjul, who knows?  I made sure I told the kids to stop today.

Halfway through run #2, Ashley and I ran behind a tree on a farm to pee. When we returned to the truck, the women working the farm were at Pa’s window.  Kebba had been telling them about my run.  They began speaking to me really rapidly in Mandinka and grabbing for my hands and trying to hug me.  Kebba translated.  They were telling me that they had very little and that their kids badly needed the education that I was running for and that they want to thank me.  The oldest woman had tears in her eyes.  So did I.

The president’s convoy caught up and passed us around the 24km mark of our day. I was happy for Kebba, I knew that he wanted them to drive by us while we were running.

Much love to everyone at home and thanks to the ones leaving us messages, you help keep us strong.

Namaste,

erin

R&R with Julbrew and Yoga: The Way Life Should Be

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Post from Ashley: Love4Gambia team Nurse and Runner-in-Training

July 15th, 2011 4:35 PM

Rest Day is so important for the team! Rest for Erin’s beaten up body is important, but I think equally important is rest for the whole team. On run days, we are all up, packed, ready to run/cheer/mix Gatorade/drive/honk our way through Gambian villages before 7AM. While this may not sound that labour intensive, it is good for us all to have a day that we need not rush.

Our rest really started last night after we lugged our things from the staff quarters where we were staying at Jakhaly Health Centre to the guest house there. It was also then Erin and I realized we must really like each other because when given the option by Kebba to stay in our own rooms instead of together… we awkwardly looked around… and finally Erin says “Umm… that’s okay” I quickly nod in agreement- we’ll share a room (Paris and Nicole don’t like to be separated).

After getting settled in, I tried to sneak off to buy the rest of Erin’s birthday present but she insisted on putting on her birthday dress and coming along. So Erin, Pa, Kebba, Fatou (Kebba’s sister that is taking such good care of us here!) and I pile in the truck and go to Brikama Ba. We drive around and luckily Erin is used to not knowing where we are going/doing so doesn’t ask any questions. Kebba and I get out at a random place and a young man leads us to the Bootleggers. I buy Erin’s birthday Julbrew (best beer EVER!) while Kebba tries to tell me to ignore the woman who has been drinking and I think wanted a hug… or maybe a dance? While I’m sneaking around buying booze, Erin is left in the truck while children play “toubab peekaboo” with her. Unfortunately, some Gambian babies, such as this one in this game, don’t like having their face shoved into the toubab’s face.  The baby cried every time the children held her up. The children thought this was quite comical… I think Erin was relieved to leave the poor baby in peace when we left.

I got a very enthusiastic hug from Erin when she asked, “Ashley, did you go to the Bootleggers?” and I replied “YES!” We had another great meal prepared by Fatou, Gambian Chicken Yassa (YUM) accompanied by some cold Julbrew. We watched “Running the Sahara” and the guys loved it so much that when it was over they wanted to run all the way to Banjul. We promptly told them that we could not run to Banjul while drinking Julbrew. We run after rest day is complete.

After a good sleep, Erin and I got up around 10:30AM this morning. It was so absolutely delightful that last night we had a cool breeze coming through our window. Even when the electricity went out, it was not too hot to sleep. What a wonderful feeling. Even if we couldn’t sleep, we knew we didn’t have to get up before 6AM =) At 10:30 Erin said to me, “I want to sleep, but I’m so hungry!” That’s when I thought, “YAY, she’s HUNGRY!” but then I remembered we didn’t prepare for waking up on rest day… hmmm… breakfast? Erin gets up and says, “I smell something good.” Our dearest Pa Modu was making us breakfast! We had a fantastic brunch of potatoes and omlettes and akara and tapalapa and COFFEE! (PS-Greg, your camping percolator gadget is the best, I’m buying one the second I get home).

After we enjoyed our breakfast, Erin (aka Ruby the yoga instructor… don’t ask) led us in our yoga practice for the day. I think Erin could have a second career as a yoga instructor. The guys LOVE their yoga lessons. I too thoroughly enjoyed the yoga. It made my legs feel happy. I’m officially a convert to the yoga cult (and it’s not because of the comfy pants). I think the yoga will be an added requirement to our schedule. There is always time for yoga. Namaste!

Our rest day today is ESPECIALLY important because tomorrow morning we start the longest running stretch we will have on this journey. It will be six straight days of running. Six straight days of trying to find time to stretch out tight muscles, perform surgery on Erin’s toes as needed, replenish our continuously disappearing water supply, find enough Vaseline to keep Erin’s skin intact, pound Erin with Gatorade, juice, water and food (Spam for emergencies), wash things that need washing, get meals as quickly as possible, and getting to bed (and sleep) promptly each night all while Erin needs to run 25km each day. And believe me the whole team needs to be present for the run. Sometimes the driver has to also be photographer, and water boy/girl, AND ensure Akon is playing. It’s a busy 25km day.

Since we had such a great rest day at the Jakhaly Health Centre, we are ready for the next six days. Just as our team slogan says, “YES WE CAN!!!”

–Ashley

Welcome 2011!

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This is going to be an amazing year! I don’t usually make New Year’s Resolutions, I prefer running goals instead. But if I were to make a New Year’s Resolution, it would be to avoid getting hit by cars while running.

Bruised/sprained elbow

I got hit by a car while running @ 7am on Dec 23… I’m fine and I’m thankful, it was pretty minor. I was running along Oxford Street, where I run at least weekly. I stepped into the Almon Street intersection where I had a green light and the crosswalk sign. A man turned left without looking at the crosswalk, right into me. I hit the backseat door, kinda went up over the roof, slid down the hood and landed on my feet. I’m like a cat. I walked away with bruises, a right elbow sprain (thanks for the great care, Candice) and sore in neck and shoulders.

I’ve been running on roads since I was 17 years old. I can’t believe a car actually hit me. I’m thankful it wasn’t worse. And would like to thank everyone who sent me kind messages.

I took 2 days off (had a very Merry Christmas!) and drove to the BLT trail where cars couldn’t get me on the 26th. Since most of the impact was on my upper body, I thought I’d be smooth of stride but underestimated the effect this had on the rest of me. I felt like I was recovering from a 10k race. It also jarred a healing SI joint issue- I’ll have to be most careful about this. This took the steam outta 2 training weeks.

Training log- weekly mileage.

week 5: 65 km
week 6: 44km * hit by car
week 7: 61 km *recovering from being hit by car

Taking care of SI joint

11 days later, I’m fully recovered and running well. So it seems time to find some humour in this. My girl Shannon pointed out that I survived 3 years of Boston drivers, only to find a “mass-hole” in Halifax. My loyal training partner McKim is calling me Jackie Chan as in “Jackie-Chan-ing” over the hood of a car. I got a new Garmin for Christmas (thanks Gemma & gang!) and was describing it’s fancy features when my sis Laura asked if it came with an oncoming traffic sensor. :)

Moving on. 15 weeks to Boston Marathon! I’m looking forward to rejoining Cliff and gang on Tuesday after a holiday & recovery break.

Run, walk and drive safely in 2011! Wishing for a 2011 PB for all you runners.

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One Month In!

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This week, I hit the one-month mark of my Love4Gambia campaign and, right now, I am feeling really grateful.  And somewhat tired now that I am back to 5-days per week of training + yoga practice.  This month has been focused on organizing campaign details.  I’m excited to confirm my first 3 corporate sponsors in the coming days… stay tuned!

NSGA has a staff of about 25 in The Gambia and I am so grateful for our Gambian team’s response to Love4Gambia.  I’ve received glowing emails from Nyakassi, our Gambian Country Director, telling me to please know that I have all of his support.   Later, he shared that he has contacted the Ministry of Education and plans to contact the Sports Council, the business community and other government bodies, as he is hopeful for an “inspiring and fruitful” campaign.  And in our last communication, he assured me “we will do our best for you to have a successful run.”  Gambian friend Baba Jallow emailed me saying how special this campaign was because “no one ever comes to The Gambia to do something like this.”  I can’t fail with this kind of Gambian love behind me.

The last 4 weeks have also marked my return to “real” training after a one-month hiatus post Valley half marathon, spent eating steak and drinking wine in Chile & Argentina (which training partner Mike says made me soft).  I’m back at the track on Tuesdays & Thursday with coach Cliff and back to the long road on Saturdays with my training boys.  With the December cold & rain, I’m pretty sure I’ve run the “soft” out of me.  I love the track and I love training hard with the boys.  And I love the amusing things that Cliff says during workouts.  Highlight of the last month (after missing a 400m split by 4 seconds): “What, did ya fall asleep on that one?!”

Training log- weekly mileage.
week 1: 43km
week 2: 56km
week 3: 53km
week 4: 57km

For now, my training is focused on Boston Marathon in April.  I’ve had one ingenious idea for preparing to run across Gambia, thanks to yoga pal Stefanie.  She suggests that I join her for hot yoga practice at Moksha Dartmouth.  I suggest that I run laps around the studio during hot yoga practice.   Yes, Stef?  I’m accepting more training ideas, comment below!

I leave you with this piece of Gambia love, straight from the Smiling Coast, friends Spiderman (Doudou) and Musicman (Cherreh) from my 2007 summer:

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