My previous post exposed my inner struggle - to get new shoes, or not get new shoes. Well, after a grueling, painful saturday morning run, I finally surmised that I didn't really have a choice if I wanted to keep running (hmmmm... tempting...).
After Emelyn's Gymnastics class, she and I went to Eugene Running Company on Saturday afternoon. It is a specialized running store where they analyze your running style and recommend the best possible pair of shoes for you. They do this a number of (humiliating) ways. I wore my current shoes so I could show them what I've been running in. A very friendly employee approached me, looked over the shoes, pointed out a few things about the shoes (one of which was that they are a half size too small - oops) and asked me to first walk about ten paces in front of her, and then back. I did as requested. I then took said walk with no shoes on. She then asked me to run on their treadmill so she could see how I run. I carefully positioned Emelyn a safe distance from the treadmill, but close enough to see me, and I her. I started running and Emelyn screamed "Mommy's running on TV!" Sure enough, there I was running on TV. They video tape your feet and play it back to you in slow motion in order to find out if you're pronating or supinating (which I guess means rolling your foot one way or the other). I was glad to discover that only the bottom of my legs and my feet were on camera, as opposed to my entire backside. I know this sounds shallow, but I really don't think I could handle such footage in slow motion. I may never have run again.
In case you are wondering - my right foot (the one in constant pain) slightly pronates, which is what's causing the strain.
We then follow the extremely helpful shoe expert back to a bench. In front of us is a humongous wall of running shoes. She went straight for three pairs that she thought were suitable for my feet. I tried on each of them, walked ten paces, then ran on the treadmill, watched it in slow motion, and then did a little new-shoe-dance to see how they felt. I finally decided on a pair of Nike Zooms. I felt the least amount of foot pain while running in them, which is pretty good considering the minor injury aches constantly, not only while I'm running. Once it heals, these Nike Zooms will take pretty good care of me.
I then perused the running socks. I chose two pairs of top of the line socks with loads of cushion on the bottom, but very sheer and breathable on top. I think included in the price must be a mechanism that actually keeps your feet moving when you get sluggish.
We thanked the nice people at Eugene Running Company and left much poorer, but much happier. This morning, I put these new kicks to the test!
Today was a snow day in Eugene! It dumped several inches and we spent the morning playing in the snow. Once Emelyn took a nap, though, I left for the gym. The lady at the running store told me not to run too long for the first couple of runs in new shoes. I responded to her that none of my runs were too long, so it shouldn't be a problem.
I hopped on the treadmill with a newfound vigor. I love these shoes. They felt great and the difference in my foot was very noticeable. My feet seemed to hit the treadmill, roll right up to the toe, and then seamlessly do it all over again. It was a beautiful thing. In fact, I had been running for 15 minutes before I thought I'd better stretch a little and walk for a minute. Once I started running again, I felt distracted by something on the bottom of my left foot. It felt like a tiny air pocket. I stopped, took off my shoe, saw nothing, put shoe back on, but a little looser.
BIG mistake. After about five more minutes, my foot felt like something was nipping at my heel, right where it hits the very top of the shoe. Try as I might to adjust where my foot hits the shoe, nothing did any good. I then decide to stop completely to check it out and DOH!!! A blister! Dammit if Shoe Lady didn't know what she was talking about! I should have quit while I was ahead and stopped running when I felt the pressure on the bottom of the foot. It was probably just breaking in. Lesson Learned! There are so many of those along the way - and I've only been training for not quite a month. I ran for 25 minutes, 2.6 miles.
I stretched, did a quick ab workout, then a shoulder work out, and was on my way. My hope is to run at least a little tomorrow and a little on Tuesday. I will then rest on Wednesday AND Thursday because I'm giving blood on Tuesday evening. Hopefully by Friday my foot will have had a nice break and the soreness will be a thing of the past!
Sunday, January 27, 2008
Ran into a snag....
Well, Today is Sunday. I have many updates for you in this quest of mine.
The most important is the unofficial diagnosis for the pain in my right heel. I went to lunch with a client on Wednesday (after my 17 minute awful run) who is a track coach. She's not just any track coach, either, but has coached the male and female high school state champions for the past several years. And - she's a marathoner. I tell her I'm having problems with my right heel. Now, I am not exaggerating when I tell you that her face went from smiling to grave terror. Feeling a little nervous, I say, "Well, what do you think it is?". She says - "You need new running shoes before you seriously injure yourself and can't continue your training. There isn't enough cushion in your heel to accommodate your running style." I ask if she's certain and remind her that this is only my fourth week of training. She responds that it's even MORE important that I get new shoes asap.
Now - let me remind you all of the Gill Family Mantra: A Year Before the Gear. I knew I was eventually going to have to get shoes before the "year", but I really wanted to wait about 4-5 months - just to be sure I'm going to do this. Well, nothing like a little good-old-fashioned fear to get me ready to part with $100. I decided that if I didn't feel better after a day of rest, I'd go to The Eugene Running Company for an official diagnosis and a new pair of kicks.
So - I rested on Thursday (nice!) and cross-trained on Friday (30 minutes of cycling). Saturday morning, I had high hopes for a great run. It had been sunny and dry (and cold) all week and I was psyched to take an early morning 40 minute run.
I took heed from Nanci's post describing her run outside in 30 degree weather and bundled up, gloves and all. Now - reader - I need to caution you, just in case you find yourselves in Western Oregon on a dry winter day: It does not feel like it does back east. Dry cold is much different than cold in a humid climate. I was overheating after about 5 minutes. I'd taken off my hat and gloves, then shed my fleece and tied it around my waste.
I was running REALLY slowly. And I was still in a lot of pain, at least I think I was. At first, I really couldn't tell if the pain was coming from my knees, my lungs, or my shins. In fact, I was so distracted by nose running with all of the huffing and puffing I was doing, I couldn't keep track of how miserable I was.
After a while, I became quite used to the constant pain and suffering and began to look around. The early running crowd in Eugene is much different than that of the lunch time group. Whizzing by me were really fit looking people with shirts on that said things like "Boston Marathon, 2003", or "Portland Marathon 2006", etc, etc. Also whizzing by me (I am not kidding) were elderly speed walkers. Sure, they were coming towards me, not passing me, but they sure seemed to be moving quickly to keep up with their pint-sized doggies.
I had to take a moment to laugh at myself. Here I was in the early morning, WAY over dressed, breathing heavily, runny nose and barely keeping ahead of a pair of female speed walkers. I must have looked so pathetic that it was painful for others to watch me. Half way into my run, I was determined to get myself to Eugene Running Company to buy a new pair of shoes. I imagined myself hobbling sort of like Lurch from The Addams Family.
I ran/walked for about 40 minutes. I informed Greg of my route and he thinks I did about 4 miles. I'm not sure how far I went, but it was very entertaining getting there.
The most important is the unofficial diagnosis for the pain in my right heel. I went to lunch with a client on Wednesday (after my 17 minute awful run) who is a track coach. She's not just any track coach, either, but has coached the male and female high school state champions for the past several years. And - she's a marathoner. I tell her I'm having problems with my right heel. Now, I am not exaggerating when I tell you that her face went from smiling to grave terror. Feeling a little nervous, I say, "Well, what do you think it is?". She says - "You need new running shoes before you seriously injure yourself and can't continue your training. There isn't enough cushion in your heel to accommodate your running style." I ask if she's certain and remind her that this is only my fourth week of training. She responds that it's even MORE important that I get new shoes asap.
Now - let me remind you all of the Gill Family Mantra: A Year Before the Gear. I knew I was eventually going to have to get shoes before the "year", but I really wanted to wait about 4-5 months - just to be sure I'm going to do this. Well, nothing like a little good-old-fashioned fear to get me ready to part with $100. I decided that if I didn't feel better after a day of rest, I'd go to The Eugene Running Company for an official diagnosis and a new pair of kicks.
So - I rested on Thursday (nice!) and cross-trained on Friday (30 minutes of cycling). Saturday morning, I had high hopes for a great run. It had been sunny and dry (and cold) all week and I was psyched to take an early morning 40 minute run.
I took heed from Nanci's post describing her run outside in 30 degree weather and bundled up, gloves and all. Now - reader - I need to caution you, just in case you find yourselves in Western Oregon on a dry winter day: It does not feel like it does back east. Dry cold is much different than cold in a humid climate. I was overheating after about 5 minutes. I'd taken off my hat and gloves, then shed my fleece and tied it around my waste.
I was running REALLY slowly. And I was still in a lot of pain, at least I think I was. At first, I really couldn't tell if the pain was coming from my knees, my lungs, or my shins. In fact, I was so distracted by nose running with all of the huffing and puffing I was doing, I couldn't keep track of how miserable I was.
After a while, I became quite used to the constant pain and suffering and began to look around. The early running crowd in Eugene is much different than that of the lunch time group. Whizzing by me were really fit looking people with shirts on that said things like "Boston Marathon, 2003", or "Portland Marathon 2006", etc, etc. Also whizzing by me (I am not kidding) were elderly speed walkers. Sure, they were coming towards me, not passing me, but they sure seemed to be moving quickly to keep up with their pint-sized doggies.
I had to take a moment to laugh at myself. Here I was in the early morning, WAY over dressed, breathing heavily, runny nose and barely keeping ahead of a pair of female speed walkers. I must have looked so pathetic that it was painful for others to watch me. Half way into my run, I was determined to get myself to Eugene Running Company to buy a new pair of shoes. I imagined myself hobbling sort of like Lurch from The Addams Family.
I ran/walked for about 40 minutes. I informed Greg of my route and he thinks I did about 4 miles. I'm not sure how far I went, but it was very entertaining getting there.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Run-in with Poor Gym Ettiquette
So Today is Friday and as I look at my workout week, I must say it is an uneventful one. I did go to the gym on Wednesday and had an awful run. It was seriously the worst run I’ve had in a long, long time. It was the worst run I’ve had this entire month – even more so than my first day of training.
This is mostly due to the amount of pain radiating from my right heel. This has been going on for a about a week and a half, but usually left once I started running. Well, Wednesday was a different story. It didn’t go away and in fact became worse and worse. Add that to some minor leg pain elsewhere and, well, it’s a sad combination. I ended up spending about 17 minutes on the treadmill, which is really quite pathetic. I thought it best to just get off and not risk injury, should this be more serious that me being a complainy cry-baby.
I proceeded to the lower level in the gym for a weight workout consisting of abs, back, and biceps. Before I continue, you must know something: I hate doing abdominal workouts just about as much as I hate running. Why? I’m not certain, but I just detest it and avoid it at all costs. It wasn’t until this past weekend that I realized the more I build up my ab muscles, the less back pain I’m likely to have. So there you have it – a practical reason for doing those sit ups, crunches, etc.
As I’m lying underneath this contraption that is supposed to help support you while you roll up to do crunches (which doesn’t work, by the way, because it scoots around and I spend all of my time scooting it back into place and not really doing myself any good) I notice a person standing above me, looking at me, her lips moving. I think to myself: Could this woman be talking to me? Why would anyone talk to someone who is in the middle of humiliating herself on this ab roller thing? I determined that she must have a “gym emergency” of some kind. Perhaps I had a sticker stuck to my butt. Perhaps I looked gray and inches from death. Toilet paper hanging out of my skort – who knows. I decided to turn off my iPod and listen to her.
Here’s the conversation. I am not making this up.
Gym Woman: Are you the girl who came in wearing the cute coat?
Me: Huh?
GW: You know, the brown-ish coat with the fur collar? And where did you get your sunglasses?
Me: (in disbelief. I must be dreaming) What? My coat? Huh?
GW: Where’d you get it? Did you get it in Eugene?
Before I continue, you should know the background on these items.
THE COAT:
I bought the coat (which is quite nice) in Chicago at Nordstrom two Thankgsgivings ago. I was visiting my sister and didn’t have a heavy coat (it doesn’t get very cold here) and needed one (freezing in Chicago). When I purchased it, I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly. I liked the way it looked and it was a reasonable price. We get back to her house and someone asks: Is that coat down? I said I didn’t think so because it wasn’t very expensive and it’s not very thick. I checked the label and it was indeed down. It was at this time that I also discovered the fur is REAL. I was sort of in shock, you know? I’m opposed to fur and, like I said, it was no where near expensive. My sister immediately proclaims: “You can’t wear THAT in Eugene! They’ll flick red paint on you”. And she’s sort of right. Plus, it doesn’t get very cold here and I don’t have that many occasions to wear a down, fur coat anyway. I briefly consider returning it. I concluded that because I didn’t know the fur was real (seriously – I did not), that it was an innocent enough mistake and I won’t be wearing it much anyway (I can justify anything). Needless to say, I am not enthusiastic to give details on this coat. If someone asks me (and people do) I tell them the story and it makes me feel like less of a jerk for wearing fur. Do you think I wanted to have this conversation lying on my back, underneath the ab roller at the gym? No.
The SHADES:
These are prescription. They are a medium brown wood grain look with bling on each side. Lots of sparkle, lots of frame, too. I was going for that fun glam look. Sort of like J-Lo. What I got, however, was Elton John. I am serious. They make me look like Sir Elton, not J-Lo. Oh well. A total miss, but they are still cool. I wouldn’t say they look great on me. I wouldn’t even say they look good on me. They have that “dude looks like a lady” vibe. Needless to say, I’m not in the mood to discuss this either from the floor of the gym to someone who has zero gym etiquette.
OK – Back to the story:
As I’m lying on the ground, trying to remain polite and searching for something to say that didn’t sound rude, I seriously could not think of a single explanation that would take under 30 seconds to tell. SO, I did what any honest, hard working, dedicated gym go-er would do. I lied to get her to go away. I said they were both a gift from someone who lives in Chicago and no, I don’t know where she purchased them, and no, I’m not even certain what brand they are.
So there you have it – my first gym lie, albeit a small one and done for the sole purpose of getting on with my workout. I’m sort of shocked about it myself. I would imagine any lie I would tell in the gym would be an exaggeration of my workout. But no. It was in relation to my two apparently snazzy articles of clothing that I wore INTO the gym.
I do have more interesting info from this week, but will need to save it for my next post. Till then, dear readers!
This is mostly due to the amount of pain radiating from my right heel. This has been going on for a about a week and a half, but usually left once I started running. Well, Wednesday was a different story. It didn’t go away and in fact became worse and worse. Add that to some minor leg pain elsewhere and, well, it’s a sad combination. I ended up spending about 17 minutes on the treadmill, which is really quite pathetic. I thought it best to just get off and not risk injury, should this be more serious that me being a complainy cry-baby.
I proceeded to the lower level in the gym for a weight workout consisting of abs, back, and biceps. Before I continue, you must know something: I hate doing abdominal workouts just about as much as I hate running. Why? I’m not certain, but I just detest it and avoid it at all costs. It wasn’t until this past weekend that I realized the more I build up my ab muscles, the less back pain I’m likely to have. So there you have it – a practical reason for doing those sit ups, crunches, etc.
As I’m lying underneath this contraption that is supposed to help support you while you roll up to do crunches (which doesn’t work, by the way, because it scoots around and I spend all of my time scooting it back into place and not really doing myself any good) I notice a person standing above me, looking at me, her lips moving. I think to myself: Could this woman be talking to me? Why would anyone talk to someone who is in the middle of humiliating herself on this ab roller thing? I determined that she must have a “gym emergency” of some kind. Perhaps I had a sticker stuck to my butt. Perhaps I looked gray and inches from death. Toilet paper hanging out of my skort – who knows. I decided to turn off my iPod and listen to her.
Here’s the conversation. I am not making this up.
Gym Woman: Are you the girl who came in wearing the cute coat?
Me: Huh?
GW: You know, the brown-ish coat with the fur collar? And where did you get your sunglasses?
Me: (in disbelief. I must be dreaming) What? My coat? Huh?
GW: Where’d you get it? Did you get it in Eugene?
Before I continue, you should know the background on these items.
THE COAT:
I bought the coat (which is quite nice) in Chicago at Nordstrom two Thankgsgivings ago. I was visiting my sister and didn’t have a heavy coat (it doesn’t get very cold here) and needed one (freezing in Chicago). When I purchased it, I guess I wasn’t thinking clearly. I liked the way it looked and it was a reasonable price. We get back to her house and someone asks: Is that coat down? I said I didn’t think so because it wasn’t very expensive and it’s not very thick. I checked the label and it was indeed down. It was at this time that I also discovered the fur is REAL. I was sort of in shock, you know? I’m opposed to fur and, like I said, it was no where near expensive. My sister immediately proclaims: “You can’t wear THAT in Eugene! They’ll flick red paint on you”. And she’s sort of right. Plus, it doesn’t get very cold here and I don’t have that many occasions to wear a down, fur coat anyway. I briefly consider returning it. I concluded that because I didn’t know the fur was real (seriously – I did not), that it was an innocent enough mistake and I won’t be wearing it much anyway (I can justify anything). Needless to say, I am not enthusiastic to give details on this coat. If someone asks me (and people do) I tell them the story and it makes me feel like less of a jerk for wearing fur. Do you think I wanted to have this conversation lying on my back, underneath the ab roller at the gym? No.
The SHADES:
These are prescription. They are a medium brown wood grain look with bling on each side. Lots of sparkle, lots of frame, too. I was going for that fun glam look. Sort of like J-Lo. What I got, however, was Elton John. I am serious. They make me look like Sir Elton, not J-Lo. Oh well. A total miss, but they are still cool. I wouldn’t say they look great on me. I wouldn’t even say they look good on me. They have that “dude looks like a lady” vibe. Needless to say, I’m not in the mood to discuss this either from the floor of the gym to someone who has zero gym etiquette.
OK – Back to the story:
As I’m lying on the ground, trying to remain polite and searching for something to say that didn’t sound rude, I seriously could not think of a single explanation that would take under 30 seconds to tell. SO, I did what any honest, hard working, dedicated gym go-er would do. I lied to get her to go away. I said they were both a gift from someone who lives in Chicago and no, I don’t know where she purchased them, and no, I’m not even certain what brand they are.
So there you have it – my first gym lie, albeit a small one and done for the sole purpose of getting on with my workout. I’m sort of shocked about it myself. I would imagine any lie I would tell in the gym would be an exaggeration of my workout. But no. It was in relation to my two apparently snazzy articles of clothing that I wore INTO the gym.
I do have more interesting info from this week, but will need to save it for my next post. Till then, dear readers!
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Missed Workout On A Technicality
Well, today, I had the best intentions of running and having a great workout. Even went to the gym. I was talking with Nanci (my marathon partner in crime) on the phone as I entered the gym. We were exchanging stories of our experiences running with actual bona fide runners and how humiliating it is. How proud we are of ourselves and our progress, until we join someone who is running with us to cheer us on, but looks like they are close to injuring themselves to keep such a slow pace.
I signed up for a treadmill and went into the locker room. When I opened my gym bag, I realized I had only ONE sock! Now, I know what you're thinking - SUCK IT UP and just run anyway. Nanci even recommended I just run anyway (as if she would have done so herself - yeah, right!) Dearest readers, I am not that tough. I am not tough at all, in fact. I would no sooner run with no sock as I would run with the black dress socks I'm wearing as I write this. Sure - you may judge me, but let's not forget that I'm only pretending here. Pretending to be a runner. I'm nowhere near the status of actual TRUE runner, and therefore will skip a run with so much as a missing sock as an excuse. Besides - I already look goofy enough trying to find my running stride - just imagine if I threw black socks into the equation. I would probably be kicked out of the gym for causing a disturbance and risking injury to others as they loose focus on their respective cardio equipment of choice and fall off.
So - Today's run didn't happen, but yesterday's was great! I had a great run. 30 minutes. I went more than three miles. Ran for 10, walked for 2, ran for 8, walked for 2, ran for 8, walked for 2. I have discovered that my legs carry me best at about 6.8-7.0 miles per hour. That's about a 9 minute mile. It's tough for me to keep that pace for the entire length of time, but my intention is to work towards it as a steady pace. Anything faster seems too much for me and anything slower seems a little jarring.
Nanci and I were also discussing how even if something happens that doesn't allow us to do the marathon - medical problem, injury, etc - the fact that we have ran 5 days a week for the past three weeks is nothing short of a freaking miracle. We can already tell we've increased endurance and distance - in three short weeks! I'm glad we had that conversation because too often while I'm running, my mind goes to that horrible "How will I do this for 26.2 miles" mindset instead of the happy "look how far I've come already!" place where I need to be. It was a nice reminder to keep track of the achievements along the way while in pursuit of the final milestone!
Some of you have asked about my music of choice. Here are some of the songs that keep me going:
Only the Good Die Young
My Life
We Didn't Start the Fire
Hard to Handle
A Long December
Wide Open Spaces
Ready to Run
This One's For the Girls
Independence Day
Long Time Gone
Your Song
Tiny Dancer
Closer to Fine
Carlina in my Mind
Just Another Day in Paradise
Loads by Tim McGraw
How Do You Like Me Now
On the Road Again
I know you are probably scratching your head on some of these. For me, the songs that keep me putting one foot in front of the other either have a special meaning to me, inspire me (Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying), or just have a great beat. Any song by Billy Joel (for whatever reason) just keeps me going. Who knew?
Ok readers - I've got to run. My lunch break is over and I have a meeting! I hope to report a fabulous workout to you tomorrow!
I signed up for a treadmill and went into the locker room. When I opened my gym bag, I realized I had only ONE sock! Now, I know what you're thinking - SUCK IT UP and just run anyway. Nanci even recommended I just run anyway (as if she would have done so herself - yeah, right!) Dearest readers, I am not that tough. I am not tough at all, in fact. I would no sooner run with no sock as I would run with the black dress socks I'm wearing as I write this. Sure - you may judge me, but let's not forget that I'm only pretending here. Pretending to be a runner. I'm nowhere near the status of actual TRUE runner, and therefore will skip a run with so much as a missing sock as an excuse. Besides - I already look goofy enough trying to find my running stride - just imagine if I threw black socks into the equation. I would probably be kicked out of the gym for causing a disturbance and risking injury to others as they loose focus on their respective cardio equipment of choice and fall off.
So - Today's run didn't happen, but yesterday's was great! I had a great run. 30 minutes. I went more than three miles. Ran for 10, walked for 2, ran for 8, walked for 2, ran for 8, walked for 2. I have discovered that my legs carry me best at about 6.8-7.0 miles per hour. That's about a 9 minute mile. It's tough for me to keep that pace for the entire length of time, but my intention is to work towards it as a steady pace. Anything faster seems too much for me and anything slower seems a little jarring.
Nanci and I were also discussing how even if something happens that doesn't allow us to do the marathon - medical problem, injury, etc - the fact that we have ran 5 days a week for the past three weeks is nothing short of a freaking miracle. We can already tell we've increased endurance and distance - in three short weeks! I'm glad we had that conversation because too often while I'm running, my mind goes to that horrible "How will I do this for 26.2 miles" mindset instead of the happy "look how far I've come already!" place where I need to be. It was a nice reminder to keep track of the achievements along the way while in pursuit of the final milestone!
Some of you have asked about my music of choice. Here are some of the songs that keep me going:
Only the Good Die Young
My Life
We Didn't Start the Fire
Hard to Handle
A Long December
Wide Open Spaces
Ready to Run
This One's For the Girls
Independence Day
Long Time Gone
Your Song
Tiny Dancer
Closer to Fine
Carlina in my Mind
Just Another Day in Paradise
Loads by Tim McGraw
How Do You Like Me Now
On the Road Again
I know you are probably scratching your head on some of these. For me, the songs that keep me putting one foot in front of the other either have a special meaning to me, inspire me (Tim McGraw's Live Like You Were Dying), or just have a great beat. Any song by Billy Joel (for whatever reason) just keeps me going. Who knew?
Ok readers - I've got to run. My lunch break is over and I have a meeting! I hope to report a fabulous workout to you tomorrow!
Sunday, January 20, 2008
"Too Much is Never Enough" -- Billy Idol
I'm not exactly sure what Billy Idol was referring to in those telling lyrics, but I'm 100% certain it was not running.
First - let me apologize to my readers! It's been an entire week since my last post. I know that you are probably thinking I have given up. This is certainly all together possible, as it's happened in the past. I've often proclaimed aloud to anyone who'd listen things like: "I'm doing a triathlon - who's in?" or "Hey - Let's all do the Eugene Marathon". 'Tis true, tis true (Dickens language influence there).
Well - You will be shocked to know that I am still running. I've had a commitment every day after work this past week and have therefore had no time to blog.
I will say, however, that the running is getting more difficult. I had a nice long run last Sunday (too long) and rested on Monday (NICE!). On Tuesday, I ran for 2.5 miles, outdoors, with my friend Tia and felt very sluggish and realized that my running honeymoon is indeed over. My body is beginning to lash out against me for the two weeks of pounding the pavement (or treadmill) and isn't going to play nice anymore.
During my Tuesday jaunt with Tia, I heard from body parts that have for the most part remained quiet: My knees, Shins, lower back, even the bottom of my right foot! My lungs also voiced their mal-content by taking in decidedly less air and making me gasp for breath the entire time. Perhaps I was running faster than normal (Tia is a lightening bolt compared to me) and I just couldn't settle into a rhythm, but I think it was my body's way of asking me to slow down the training and stop treating it like a "baby treats a diaper" (Steve Murray's line - hey gotta sight your sources!).
SO, rest I did. On Wednesday, I took the day off. Thursday, I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. The misery continued. Achy Knees, shins burning, back aching, and foot feeling like I'd hit it with a hammer. I made it through the run. Just under three miles. The good news is that the pain doesn't really linger. It goes away once I've stopped and stretched, so I think it's just the normal aches and pains of ligaments trying to repair themselves after waking from a long, long, decade long, sleep.
Friday, my intention was to cross train. Do a little weightlifting, you know, no impact exercising. Dammit if those treadmills didn't stare me down the moment I stepped into the gym. Plagued with guilt (I'm not sure why I felt guilt, but I did), I found myself running within minutes. I suppose, in theory, I felt a compulsion towards pushing through the pain and forcing my ligaments to get stronger. I allowed myself a considerable amount of leeway, sure, but nonetheless, it was another one of those "why am I doing this???" red-beet-faced runs. I only held on for about 25 minutes. I then did a quick shoulder workout and was on my way. In the end, I was glad to have done it because do you know that my knee actually felt better than before and I had much less back pain? Well there you have it. Now you know. A little bit (and I do mean a teeny bit!) of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can actually help, not hinder!
Saturday, as it turned out, was a rest day. I scheduled myself to work out, but my dog decided to eat a lethal amount of chocolate, which caused Greg and I to rearrange our day around getting him as quickly as possible to the "puppy doctor" (Emelyn speak) and not let him to succumb to the grueling demise of chocolate toxicity. I should note that it's the second time THIS WEEK that this has happened. I then needed to get about 100 things ready for Emelyn's birthday party, which is much more important than a pesky marathon training schedule. Plus, Emelyn expended more than enough energy for both of us at her party. Picture 16 (yes sixteen of them - and their parents!) 2-ish year olds taking over a gymnastics studio. They jumped and ran around until they exhausted themselves. And then, they ate pizza and cake. And so did I.
I actually give credit to the success of my run today to Emelyn's party. There are few better options for carbo-loading than the birthday-party-fare of small children. Pizza, chips, guacamole, cake, juice boxes, raisins. I know some off you out there (mother) are gasping at the menu, but rest assured, as per usual, it was mostly organic and healthful varieties of said menu choices. Well, but, I mean some things (cake) are just meant to be bad for you. Were there a cake that's good for me out there, I'd be in trouble. Cake would be on the top (or would it be the bottom?) of my food pyramid. You may think I'm joking, but go ahead and ask any of my co-workers: do I, or do I not schedule my month's appointments around the ever-so-scrumptious "cake-day"? (Once a month, KVAL buys a cake that lists all of the employees who had a birthday that month. Everyone gathers in the conference room to eat aforementioned cake. Let's just say Cake Day is my favorite day of the month.)
My point is that I ate a lot of carbs (ok - in the form of cake, but I had a piece of pizza, too) at Emelyn's party and I believe it helped my run this afternoon. 30 minutes of (wait for it........) mostly running. I ran three miles, only a smidgen of it walking. You should know that before I went to run, Emelyn had a play-date with Raechel, my good friend Lilla's daughter. Lilla was asking me how the training's going, so of course I was complaining about all of my aches and pains and how I am seriously doomed and perhaps may never walk again. She brought to light a small piece of information that I had forgotten: In Dawn Dais' beginner's marathon guide book, she mentions the third week being very difficult. The first two weeks are relatively easy, and the third comes out of nowhere to attack you mentally and physically. This helped me to put into perspective that it's not ME - it's that nasty third week! I was MEANT to have a crappy week! I CAN do this! The evil third week is history.
So - You decide, reader, if it was the cake (and pizza) from Emelyn's birthday party, or the close of the 3rd week that contributed to my good run today. I'm not taking sides, as it's anyone's guess. I do know myself, though, and I often play victim to that "mind over matter" mantra and if I had in my head that I was supposed to have a sucky week last week, and now it's over and onto the 4th week, then, well, it's time to get back to running!!!!! Not to discount my favorite food group (cake), though. Most of my wants to believe that it was the cake that pulled me through those three miles.
I hope to post more this week! As far as A Tale of Two Cities is concerned, let's just say I've started the book. I'm on page 30. It's slow-going.... My pledge is to read more this week! It's more difficult than the running!!! More on it later.
Cheers!
First - let me apologize to my readers! It's been an entire week since my last post. I know that you are probably thinking I have given up. This is certainly all together possible, as it's happened in the past. I've often proclaimed aloud to anyone who'd listen things like: "I'm doing a triathlon - who's in?" or "Hey - Let's all do the Eugene Marathon". 'Tis true, tis true (Dickens language influence there).
Well - You will be shocked to know that I am still running. I've had a commitment every day after work this past week and have therefore had no time to blog.
I will say, however, that the running is getting more difficult. I had a nice long run last Sunday (too long) and rested on Monday (NICE!). On Tuesday, I ran for 2.5 miles, outdoors, with my friend Tia and felt very sluggish and realized that my running honeymoon is indeed over. My body is beginning to lash out against me for the two weeks of pounding the pavement (or treadmill) and isn't going to play nice anymore.
During my Tuesday jaunt with Tia, I heard from body parts that have for the most part remained quiet: My knees, Shins, lower back, even the bottom of my right foot! My lungs also voiced their mal-content by taking in decidedly less air and making me gasp for breath the entire time. Perhaps I was running faster than normal (Tia is a lightening bolt compared to me) and I just couldn't settle into a rhythm, but I think it was my body's way of asking me to slow down the training and stop treating it like a "baby treats a diaper" (Steve Murray's line - hey gotta sight your sources!).
SO, rest I did. On Wednesday, I took the day off. Thursday, I did 30 minutes on the treadmill. The misery continued. Achy Knees, shins burning, back aching, and foot feeling like I'd hit it with a hammer. I made it through the run. Just under three miles. The good news is that the pain doesn't really linger. It goes away once I've stopped and stretched, so I think it's just the normal aches and pains of ligaments trying to repair themselves after waking from a long, long, decade long, sleep.
Friday, my intention was to cross train. Do a little weightlifting, you know, no impact exercising. Dammit if those treadmills didn't stare me down the moment I stepped into the gym. Plagued with guilt (I'm not sure why I felt guilt, but I did), I found myself running within minutes. I suppose, in theory, I felt a compulsion towards pushing through the pain and forcing my ligaments to get stronger. I allowed myself a considerable amount of leeway, sure, but nonetheless, it was another one of those "why am I doing this???" red-beet-faced runs. I only held on for about 25 minutes. I then did a quick shoulder workout and was on my way. In the end, I was glad to have done it because do you know that my knee actually felt better than before and I had much less back pain? Well there you have it. Now you know. A little bit (and I do mean a teeny bit!) of pushing yourself out of your comfort zone can actually help, not hinder!
Saturday, as it turned out, was a rest day. I scheduled myself to work out, but my dog decided to eat a lethal amount of chocolate, which caused Greg and I to rearrange our day around getting him as quickly as possible to the "puppy doctor" (Emelyn speak) and not let him to succumb to the grueling demise of chocolate toxicity. I should note that it's the second time THIS WEEK that this has happened. I then needed to get about 100 things ready for Emelyn's birthday party, which is much more important than a pesky marathon training schedule. Plus, Emelyn expended more than enough energy for both of us at her party. Picture 16 (yes sixteen of them - and their parents!) 2-ish year olds taking over a gymnastics studio. They jumped and ran around until they exhausted themselves. And then, they ate pizza and cake. And so did I.
I actually give credit to the success of my run today to Emelyn's party. There are few better options for carbo-loading than the birthday-party-fare of small children. Pizza, chips, guacamole, cake, juice boxes, raisins. I know some off you out there (mother) are gasping at the menu, but rest assured, as per usual, it was mostly organic and healthful varieties of said menu choices. Well, but, I mean some things (cake) are just meant to be bad for you. Were there a cake that's good for me out there, I'd be in trouble. Cake would be on the top (or would it be the bottom?) of my food pyramid. You may think I'm joking, but go ahead and ask any of my co-workers: do I, or do I not schedule my month's appointments around the ever-so-scrumptious "cake-day"? (Once a month, KVAL buys a cake that lists all of the employees who had a birthday that month. Everyone gathers in the conference room to eat aforementioned cake. Let's just say Cake Day is my favorite day of the month.)
My point is that I ate a lot of carbs (ok - in the form of cake, but I had a piece of pizza, too) at Emelyn's party and I believe it helped my run this afternoon. 30 minutes of (wait for it........) mostly running. I ran three miles, only a smidgen of it walking. You should know that before I went to run, Emelyn had a play-date with Raechel, my good friend Lilla's daughter. Lilla was asking me how the training's going, so of course I was complaining about all of my aches and pains and how I am seriously doomed and perhaps may never walk again. She brought to light a small piece of information that I had forgotten: In Dawn Dais' beginner's marathon guide book, she mentions the third week being very difficult. The first two weeks are relatively easy, and the third comes out of nowhere to attack you mentally and physically. This helped me to put into perspective that it's not ME - it's that nasty third week! I was MEANT to have a crappy week! I CAN do this! The evil third week is history.
So - You decide, reader, if it was the cake (and pizza) from Emelyn's birthday party, or the close of the 3rd week that contributed to my good run today. I'm not taking sides, as it's anyone's guess. I do know myself, though, and I often play victim to that "mind over matter" mantra and if I had in my head that I was supposed to have a sucky week last week, and now it's over and onto the 4th week, then, well, it's time to get back to running!!!!! Not to discount my favorite food group (cake), though. Most of my wants to believe that it was the cake that pulled me through those three miles.
I hope to post more this week! As far as A Tale of Two Cities is concerned, let's just say I've started the book. I'm on page 30. It's slow-going.... My pledge is to read more this week! It's more difficult than the running!!! More on it later.
Cheers!
Sunday, January 13, 2008
I've seen Fire, and I've seen Pain...
January 13
Today is Sunday and I hereby mark this day as my first long run. It is also my first run outdoors.
First, let me say that yesterday's run was great. I easily ran 30 minutes on the treadmill and even stretched my time between running and walking to something like 11 and 2. This accomplishment, no matter how minor, gave me the confidence I needed to go for a longer run Today.
The weather was beautiful Today. 45 degrees and bright sun. Perfect for some quality time in the great outdoors of America's own "Track Town, USA" (for those of you who didn't know, Eugene is officially referred to as "Track Town, USA". I am unsure why this is, but my guess is the whole Prefontaine legacy, the birth of Nike, and stuff like that. You'll have to ask a proper runner for the real answer, however). I was looking forward to the outside run. I thought at the very least, it would be much cooler than on the treadmill (a prophecy which would become true).
As it turns out, I learned something before I even left the house: My iPod has designated right and left ear things. How did this useful knowledge become aware to me? I saw (by chance) the little R and L on the respective ear buds. Some of you may know this already (and may be laughing because I did not). Can I just tell you that the mystery is solved as to why they sometimes stay in place, and sometimes they do not? Sure, I wasn't feeling exactly like a genius when I began my run, but I did have some peace of mind that finally put the inconsistency issue to bed (where I would wish to be in the not-to-distant-future).
Being "Track Town, USA", Eugene doesn't disappoint in it's adequate supply of running trails, one of which is three blocks from my house. It goes for miles and miles and it's comprised of well-maintained bark mulch. I typically don't care for it because little shavings of bark get in my socks (itchy), but I decided I'd hardly notice such a minor nuisance with the ample amount of aches and pains.
I hit the trail and was running in no time. Today was the first dry day in quite some time. Probably a few weeks. This left the trail soggy and in some parts muddy. As I navigated my way around the larger sink holes, I decided to jump off the trail and head towards downtown. I hopped onto a paved bike trail, which led me to a quiet street with a nice open sidewalk. As I started, I glanced at my watch to see if it was time for a walking break and only about 5 minutes had passed. I couldn't believe it! It felt like ten. I placed the blame on the wind for this, as I was running against it. I also felt extremely slow. This was attributed to the wind as well. (In case you are wondering, the wind did not have the adverse affect when I switched directions. I had hoped to speed up by virtue of the sheer laws of physics alone, but it did not happen.)
All in all, as I ran down the street (slowly), I felt pretty good. Sure, the pavement was hard on my knees, but I had built-in ice packs on them. I chose to run in only a long-sleeved t-shirt and my running skirt. Greg encouraged me to do so and promised I'd warm up quickly. And he was right. I was very warm, except for the small oddity that my legs were cold to the touch and had goosebumps on them. I didn't FEEL cold at all. It was truly an odd sensation and I was thankful for it because of the Nature's Ice Pack it provided for my knees, calves, and shins. Gotta love it.
I planned to run for 40 minutes today. Once my watch showed that I had run for twenty minutes, I switched directions and headed home. I started to pick up a pretty good pace and (I'm not making this up) began to enjoy looking around as I trotted through a campus-area neighborhood. Dogs, Frisbees, upholstered porch furniture, and Olympia beer cans were all around.
I ran back a slightly different street, but it led me to the same mouth of the bike path I used earlier. I was already feeling a little tired and out of sorts. I'd been running for about 35 minutes at this point and the end was near. I felt good, but knew it wasn't going to last much longer. I'd began singing out loud to distract myself from the pain. You may think this is humorous, and sure it was probably a sight to behold for passers-by, but I defy you to NOT sing aloud to Toby Keith's "How do you like me now" when running to the point of exhaustion. You won't be able to avoid it.
As I was running on the bike path, I felt as though I should have veered off towards my street already. At about the same time, I look across a large creek bed, complete with swampy slope on either side, and see little figures (people at a distance) happily running on a bark mulch trail. What are they doing over there? I wondered to myself while singing to James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" (not to myself, but to everyone). Why am I going AWAY from the direction I'm supposed to be heading?
Well, in case you should ever find yourselves running this trail, let me give you a little tip: the Bike Path separates from the running trail at 24th street (a short three blocks from my house) and takes you completely in the opposite direction and doesn't give you an opportunity to meet back with the bark trail for more than a mile. You may be wondering how I could have not seen the bark mulch trail and instead followed the hard concrete bike path. I, too, am wondering this and as far as I can tell, the only plausible explanation is that I must have fallen asleep while running and had my eyes closed at the time.
I do not know how many miles I ran today. My detour added about 15 minutes to my run, so I suspect it was about a mile and a half. I believe I ran for two miles before turning back (20 minutes), so that would be 2 miles up, 2 miles back, and a 1.5 mile detour. Simple math allows us to conclude my run today was about 5.5 miles. A LOT longer than intended and much more than my body was ready to run. I actually felt OK, but I knew my out of shape legs were not ready for it. I now know that I can run for 55 minutes without collapsing. I also know that I should pay better attention to where I'm running.
I arrived home to Greg on his bike trainer, happily chatting to his parents on the phone at the same time and Emelyn napping. I stretched for a moment, took a hot shower, and collapsed on the couch to read my Non-Runners Marathon Guide for Women book while nibbling on a Lara Bar. I quickly fell asleep and the next thing I knew Greg was in the kitchen getting dinner ready and an hour and a half had gone by. I was completely dead to the world around me during my nap. It did not take too much time at all, however, for said world to come screaming back. You see, I learned something else today: Lactic Acid can actually build up within 2 hours of a run, should the runner be running outside of his/her means and foolishly over-training. I previously thought there'd be no pain for 12 hours, but I was painfully wrong.
Tomorrow is a rest and I will gladly do as little physical activity as possible!
Today is Sunday and I hereby mark this day as my first long run. It is also my first run outdoors.
First, let me say that yesterday's run was great. I easily ran 30 minutes on the treadmill and even stretched my time between running and walking to something like 11 and 2. This accomplishment, no matter how minor, gave me the confidence I needed to go for a longer run Today.
The weather was beautiful Today. 45 degrees and bright sun. Perfect for some quality time in the great outdoors of America's own "Track Town, USA" (for those of you who didn't know, Eugene is officially referred to as "Track Town, USA". I am unsure why this is, but my guess is the whole Prefontaine legacy, the birth of Nike, and stuff like that. You'll have to ask a proper runner for the real answer, however). I was looking forward to the outside run. I thought at the very least, it would be much cooler than on the treadmill (a prophecy which would become true).
As it turns out, I learned something before I even left the house: My iPod has designated right and left ear things. How did this useful knowledge become aware to me? I saw (by chance) the little R and L on the respective ear buds. Some of you may know this already (and may be laughing because I did not). Can I just tell you that the mystery is solved as to why they sometimes stay in place, and sometimes they do not? Sure, I wasn't feeling exactly like a genius when I began my run, but I did have some peace of mind that finally put the inconsistency issue to bed (where I would wish to be in the not-to-distant-future).
Being "Track Town, USA", Eugene doesn't disappoint in it's adequate supply of running trails, one of which is three blocks from my house. It goes for miles and miles and it's comprised of well-maintained bark mulch. I typically don't care for it because little shavings of bark get in my socks (itchy), but I decided I'd hardly notice such a minor nuisance with the ample amount of aches and pains.
I hit the trail and was running in no time. Today was the first dry day in quite some time. Probably a few weeks. This left the trail soggy and in some parts muddy. As I navigated my way around the larger sink holes, I decided to jump off the trail and head towards downtown. I hopped onto a paved bike trail, which led me to a quiet street with a nice open sidewalk. As I started, I glanced at my watch to see if it was time for a walking break and only about 5 minutes had passed. I couldn't believe it! It felt like ten. I placed the blame on the wind for this, as I was running against it. I also felt extremely slow. This was attributed to the wind as well. (In case you are wondering, the wind did not have the adverse affect when I switched directions. I had hoped to speed up by virtue of the sheer laws of physics alone, but it did not happen.)
All in all, as I ran down the street (slowly), I felt pretty good. Sure, the pavement was hard on my knees, but I had built-in ice packs on them. I chose to run in only a long-sleeved t-shirt and my running skirt. Greg encouraged me to do so and promised I'd warm up quickly. And he was right. I was very warm, except for the small oddity that my legs were cold to the touch and had goosebumps on them. I didn't FEEL cold at all. It was truly an odd sensation and I was thankful for it because of the Nature's Ice Pack it provided for my knees, calves, and shins. Gotta love it.
I planned to run for 40 minutes today. Once my watch showed that I had run for twenty minutes, I switched directions and headed home. I started to pick up a pretty good pace and (I'm not making this up) began to enjoy looking around as I trotted through a campus-area neighborhood. Dogs, Frisbees, upholstered porch furniture, and Olympia beer cans were all around.
I ran back a slightly different street, but it led me to the same mouth of the bike path I used earlier. I was already feeling a little tired and out of sorts. I'd been running for about 35 minutes at this point and the end was near. I felt good, but knew it wasn't going to last much longer. I'd began singing out loud to distract myself from the pain. You may think this is humorous, and sure it was probably a sight to behold for passers-by, but I defy you to NOT sing aloud to Toby Keith's "How do you like me now" when running to the point of exhaustion. You won't be able to avoid it.
As I was running on the bike path, I felt as though I should have veered off towards my street already. At about the same time, I look across a large creek bed, complete with swampy slope on either side, and see little figures (people at a distance) happily running on a bark mulch trail. What are they doing over there? I wondered to myself while singing to James Taylor's "Fire and Rain" (not to myself, but to everyone). Why am I going AWAY from the direction I'm supposed to be heading?
Well, in case you should ever find yourselves running this trail, let me give you a little tip: the Bike Path separates from the running trail at 24th street (a short three blocks from my house) and takes you completely in the opposite direction and doesn't give you an opportunity to meet back with the bark trail for more than a mile. You may be wondering how I could have not seen the bark mulch trail and instead followed the hard concrete bike path. I, too, am wondering this and as far as I can tell, the only plausible explanation is that I must have fallen asleep while running and had my eyes closed at the time.
I do not know how many miles I ran today. My detour added about 15 minutes to my run, so I suspect it was about a mile and a half. I believe I ran for two miles before turning back (20 minutes), so that would be 2 miles up, 2 miles back, and a 1.5 mile detour. Simple math allows us to conclude my run today was about 5.5 miles. A LOT longer than intended and much more than my body was ready to run. I actually felt OK, but I knew my out of shape legs were not ready for it. I now know that I can run for 55 minutes without collapsing. I also know that I should pay better attention to where I'm running.
I arrived home to Greg on his bike trainer, happily chatting to his parents on the phone at the same time and Emelyn napping. I stretched for a moment, took a hot shower, and collapsed on the couch to read my Non-Runners Marathon Guide for Women book while nibbling on a Lara Bar. I quickly fell asleep and the next thing I knew Greg was in the kitchen getting dinner ready and an hour and a half had gone by. I was completely dead to the world around me during my nap. It did not take too much time at all, however, for said world to come screaming back. You see, I learned something else today: Lactic Acid can actually build up within 2 hours of a run, should the runner be running outside of his/her means and foolishly over-training. I previously thought there'd be no pain for 12 hours, but I was painfully wrong.
Tomorrow is a rest and I will gladly do as little physical activity as possible!
Friday, January 11, 2008
For the Run Of It
Thursday, January 10
Today marks my first day of training with another person. I was extremely excited when my good friend Tia (who is a runner) said that she was available to run with me. I didn't quite know if she agreed to do this because:
A. She had to see the spectacle that is yours truly on the treadmill, gasping for breath, face red as a beet.
B. She needed a confidence boost. Tia is thinking of running the Eugene Marathon in 4 short months and no doubt needed to feel good about her running ability, or
C. She needed a good laugh and honestly, dear reader, there really is no better source of good old fashioned humor.
Whatever the case, Tia did join me and it was a great experience because I was able to see what was ahead for me if I just work hard at this. At first,I was a little nervous because it had been so long ago that I had a running companion. I wasn't sure if I would prefer to NOT talk at all. I had forgotten my iPod in the car and didn't go and get it because I assumed Tia and I would chat for the entire session. I quickly became uncertain, however, once I stepped into the cardio room. All of that equipment is just intimidating to me and I quickly lost confidence. Oh well, I thought. It's only 30 minutes and at least there's headline news...
But Wait! Once I got to my treadmill, feeling vulnerable enough without my iPod, a stark reality came into being: The TV was turned to a SOAP OPERA instead of headline news. I felt an overwhelming, impending sense of doom. Not only was I unsure as to my ability to hold a conversation while running, My #1 and #2 distractions were out of the picture. I decided the best policy was to (yep, you've guessed it) fake that I was confident and try to put all of those irrational fears out of my head.
I had told her the day prior of my (albeit small) victory with the run-walk, run-walk method and she looked speculative. She is a true runner, which (I'm guessing) means that when you enter a race to run, you run the entire thing. She seemed dubious as to the effectiveness, but I held my ground, maintaining that even all out marathoners swear by it, saying they improve their running times because of the recovery period that comes along throughout the race.
As we began the run, I immediately proclaimed that I would be stopping at 8 minutes to walk, lest Tia conclude that I couldn't really hack it. No, I needed to make sure she knew that while I LOOKED like I couldn't possibly run any further, I actually could (well, maybe) but planned to walk as part of a legitimate marathon method. So, once that was out of the way, I fell into a great groove. I learned that as long as I'm able to focus on things other than the stats on the treadmill, glowing in red lights at me, I am able to go for quite a while, and even at a decent pace.
Talking while running proved to be doable for me. Sure, as the conversation went on and time passed, those breaths were heavier and heavier and the words were fewer and further between; but hey - I could (for the most part) still understand most of what I was speaking. Tia is planning a wedding, so we are able to discuss at length all of the details that weddings require. We ladies will never tire of wedding talk. So, before I knew it, I'd run, walked, and was running again - and I was about 2/3 of the way done!
This was a good run for me. It still seems like an insurmountable task to run an entire marathon, but I'm quite certain that if I stick to a program and stay focused, I'll at least finish. This is still exciting and new to me, so I actually look forward to the runs and the blog entries. I'm hoping the novelty of it all sticks around.
Today marks my first day of training with another person. I was extremely excited when my good friend Tia (who is a runner) said that she was available to run with me. I didn't quite know if she agreed to do this because:
A. She had to see the spectacle that is yours truly on the treadmill, gasping for breath, face red as a beet.
B. She needed a confidence boost. Tia is thinking of running the Eugene Marathon in 4 short months and no doubt needed to feel good about her running ability, or
C. She needed a good laugh and honestly, dear reader, there really is no better source of good old fashioned humor.
Whatever the case, Tia did join me and it was a great experience because I was able to see what was ahead for me if I just work hard at this. At first,I was a little nervous because it had been so long ago that I had a running companion. I wasn't sure if I would prefer to NOT talk at all. I had forgotten my iPod in the car and didn't go and get it because I assumed Tia and I would chat for the entire session. I quickly became uncertain, however, once I stepped into the cardio room. All of that equipment is just intimidating to me and I quickly lost confidence. Oh well, I thought. It's only 30 minutes and at least there's headline news...
But Wait! Once I got to my treadmill, feeling vulnerable enough without my iPod, a stark reality came into being: The TV was turned to a SOAP OPERA instead of headline news. I felt an overwhelming, impending sense of doom. Not only was I unsure as to my ability to hold a conversation while running, My #1 and #2 distractions were out of the picture. I decided the best policy was to (yep, you've guessed it) fake that I was confident and try to put all of those irrational fears out of my head.
I had told her the day prior of my (albeit small) victory with the run-walk, run-walk method and she looked speculative. She is a true runner, which (I'm guessing) means that when you enter a race to run, you run the entire thing. She seemed dubious as to the effectiveness, but I held my ground, maintaining that even all out marathoners swear by it, saying they improve their running times because of the recovery period that comes along throughout the race.
As we began the run, I immediately proclaimed that I would be stopping at 8 minutes to walk, lest Tia conclude that I couldn't really hack it. No, I needed to make sure she knew that while I LOOKED like I couldn't possibly run any further, I actually could (well, maybe) but planned to walk as part of a legitimate marathon method. So, once that was out of the way, I fell into a great groove. I learned that as long as I'm able to focus on things other than the stats on the treadmill, glowing in red lights at me, I am able to go for quite a while, and even at a decent pace.
Talking while running proved to be doable for me. Sure, as the conversation went on and time passed, those breaths were heavier and heavier and the words were fewer and further between; but hey - I could (for the most part) still understand most of what I was speaking. Tia is planning a wedding, so we are able to discuss at length all of the details that weddings require. We ladies will never tire of wedding talk. So, before I knew it, I'd run, walked, and was running again - and I was about 2/3 of the way done!
This was a good run for me. It still seems like an insurmountable task to run an entire marathon, but I'm quite certain that if I stick to a program and stay focused, I'll at least finish. This is still exciting and new to me, so I actually look forward to the runs and the blog entries. I'm hoping the novelty of it all sticks around.
Wednesday, January 9, 2008
Let the Run Shine In
Dearest Readers -
So much has happened since my last post (three days ago). I have decided to break this down by days, so to start...
Monday, January 7th
Monday, I hit the treadmill with high hopes. In my head, I was going for a full 30 minutes of running at a decent pace. In reality, it was a 22 minute series of running spurts followed by gasps of breath and a series of side pain after side pain. I suppose I wasn't very prepared. I hadn't eaten well prior to the run and I guess I was a little dehydrated, too. I was beginning to feel as though I would never be able to do a full 26.2 miles. I mean, how in the world would I be able to complete it when I could barely run for ten minutes? I was beginning to get discouraged. What's worse, I intended to do a decent weight workout, but could only muster the energy for a few simple triceps sets.
It's funny how I'm always glad I went to run afterwards, even if I'm miserable during the run itself. I suppose this is nature's way of making one forget the pain. Sort of like how a mama has a hazy recollection of childbirth.
I did learn one thing during this run: Amy Winehouse is no running companion. I do love her (the tragic, little tart) music and I do love that beehive hairdo, but I just cannot run while listening to her. I also realized that at the beginning of each new song (by artists other than Ms. Winehouse) I feel renewed and invigorated. A literal spring enters each step. This wears off after about 20 seconds. In certain desperate moments, I immediately go from song, to song, to song. The effect wears off if I'm really reaching for it, however, and I'm back to the misery of focusing on the time, distance, and pace features of the treadmill, along with the piece of hair that keeps flapping in my face.
I really felt like all hope was lost during Monday's run. I couldn't see how I would run 26.2 miles. I could barely stand running for ten straight minutes. You may be thinking "Sure, but it's only been the first week". But I just KNOW this body and it will not keep on-a-goin til I tell it to stop.
SO - I go throughout the remainder of the day and something wonderful happens. Or should I saw SOMEONE wonderful. I had a dinner appointment with a client who was coming to visit Eugene for a brief spell. I knew said client was running a marathon this coming weekend, so I was of course excited to chat about it. WELL, Can I just tell you I have a renewed hope??? I do not have her permission to use her in the blog, so I'll just refer to her as Marathon Kristy, or MK. MK is an inspiration to all of us non-runners. She has been training for three months only and has an awesome technique designed by a running guru (apparently he's pretty famous, but I'd never heard of him) named Jeff Galloway. Basically, Jeff recommends running for a period of time, and then walking. resume running, walk, etc. For instance, I could run 9 minutes, walk 1. Run 9, walk 1 and so on and so on. This is awesome news. I Mean, really awesome. She even said you can tailor it to your skill level, so let's call it 8 and 2 for me and see what happens. MK helped me to realize that there is a way to accomplish this goal: Stop trying to run the whole time. DUH!!!
I left my dinner with an inspired feeling. It was like the clouds parted and the sun shone right down on me and let me in on the secret of life. Perhaps I'm exaggerating, but I really felt renewed. I (shocker!) was actually looking forward to my next run.
Tuesday, January 8:
Well, one might think that I would have tried out the new found technique on Tuesday, but no. I was back to my old slacker ways. I sort of have an excuse, but it's a poor one, albeit a motivational, inspiring one. I stopped at my house to let the dog out for a potty break before going to the gym. As I approached my front door, I noticed a package in the mailbox. In in was the book I'd been waiting for: Dawn Dais's "The Non-runners Guide to Running a Marathon". This was Nanci's guiding force and I couldn't wait to begin. It took all of five seconds to talk myself into staying home and reading the book on my lunch break instead of going to the gym to run. I was glad I did - it, too, was good insight and just hilarious. I also read it last night, and plan to do so tonight again. I'm convinced that if she could do this, than I certainly can.
What's even worse about my skipping the work-out? I was talking on the phone with Nanci as I decided to skip. We were chatting about how much fun the training and the blogging are and how glad we are to do it, and oh, isn't it motivating to have so much support, and on and on and on. And what do I do? Skip a workout! Ah well. I'm relatively sure there will be plenty more to look forward to. The arrival of the new book not only trumped a workout, but also A Tale of Two Cities. I will begin it again as soon as the marathon book is finished.
January 9:
So Today, I had really not felt well all day. I can sense a chest cold creeping in (courtesy of Emelyn) and a headache threatening to take over my previous sound, calm, cranium. I did have a lot on my mind, though. Loads of things going on. I didn't feel right just not going to the gym (I did skip yesterday after all), but I could not imagine how I'd jump on the treadmill and accomplish anything. I resolved in the end that I'd do some cross training and just ride a bike (while reading my book).
As I entered the gym and went for the cardio sign-up sheet, I started to write my name in a half-hour block for Bike #3 (which I have found to be the best bike - just in case you are interested), but something deep inside of me told me that I would RATHER run. Can you believe that? I wasn't feeling too well, I have something liquid building up in my lungs, and there I was - Choosing to run.
I have deduced that is just what we runners do. Even when we don't feel like running, we do it anyway. It is the best thing for us in the long run and we know it. It is an other-worldly force calling us to run. We run against all odds, us runners. By choosing to run today, I believe I have earned the right to call myself a runner.
It gets better. I decided to implement the run 8, walk 2, run 8, walk 2, run 8 and walk 2 plan for 30 minutes to see what happens. Can you believe that it worked miracles? it made it so much easier for me to just keep going. Knowing that I had a recovery break every 8 minutes, I had no problem running towards that goal of getting a walking break. I think I have found my groove. I owe it all to MK, without whom I would still be struggling.
So Cheers to Marathon Kristy! And may the Force be with you this Saturday in AZ as you run your first marathon!!!
So much has happened since my last post (three days ago). I have decided to break this down by days, so to start...
Monday, January 7th
Monday, I hit the treadmill with high hopes. In my head, I was going for a full 30 minutes of running at a decent pace. In reality, it was a 22 minute series of running spurts followed by gasps of breath and a series of side pain after side pain. I suppose I wasn't very prepared. I hadn't eaten well prior to the run and I guess I was a little dehydrated, too. I was beginning to feel as though I would never be able to do a full 26.2 miles. I mean, how in the world would I be able to complete it when I could barely run for ten minutes? I was beginning to get discouraged. What's worse, I intended to do a decent weight workout, but could only muster the energy for a few simple triceps sets.
It's funny how I'm always glad I went to run afterwards, even if I'm miserable during the run itself. I suppose this is nature's way of making one forget the pain. Sort of like how a mama has a hazy recollection of childbirth.
I did learn one thing during this run: Amy Winehouse is no running companion. I do love her (the tragic, little tart) music and I do love that beehive hairdo, but I just cannot run while listening to her. I also realized that at the beginning of each new song (by artists other than Ms. Winehouse) I feel renewed and invigorated. A literal spring enters each step. This wears off after about 20 seconds. In certain desperate moments, I immediately go from song, to song, to song. The effect wears off if I'm really reaching for it, however, and I'm back to the misery of focusing on the time, distance, and pace features of the treadmill, along with the piece of hair that keeps flapping in my face.
I really felt like all hope was lost during Monday's run. I couldn't see how I would run 26.2 miles. I could barely stand running for ten straight minutes. You may be thinking "Sure, but it's only been the first week". But I just KNOW this body and it will not keep on-a-goin til I tell it to stop.
SO - I go throughout the remainder of the day and something wonderful happens. Or should I saw SOMEONE wonderful. I had a dinner appointment with a client who was coming to visit Eugene for a brief spell. I knew said client was running a marathon this coming weekend, so I was of course excited to chat about it. WELL, Can I just tell you I have a renewed hope??? I do not have her permission to use her in the blog, so I'll just refer to her as Marathon Kristy, or MK. MK is an inspiration to all of us non-runners. She has been training for three months only and has an awesome technique designed by a running guru (apparently he's pretty famous, but I'd never heard of him) named Jeff Galloway. Basically, Jeff recommends running for a period of time, and then walking. resume running, walk, etc. For instance, I could run 9 minutes, walk 1. Run 9, walk 1 and so on and so on. This is awesome news. I Mean, really awesome. She even said you can tailor it to your skill level, so let's call it 8 and 2 for me and see what happens. MK helped me to realize that there is a way to accomplish this goal: Stop trying to run the whole time. DUH!!!
I left my dinner with an inspired feeling. It was like the clouds parted and the sun shone right down on me and let me in on the secret of life. Perhaps I'm exaggerating, but I really felt renewed. I (shocker!) was actually looking forward to my next run.
Tuesday, January 8:
Well, one might think that I would have tried out the new found technique on Tuesday, but no. I was back to my old slacker ways. I sort of have an excuse, but it's a poor one, albeit a motivational, inspiring one. I stopped at my house to let the dog out for a potty break before going to the gym. As I approached my front door, I noticed a package in the mailbox. In in was the book I'd been waiting for: Dawn Dais's "The Non-runners Guide to Running a Marathon". This was Nanci's guiding force and I couldn't wait to begin. It took all of five seconds to talk myself into staying home and reading the book on my lunch break instead of going to the gym to run. I was glad I did - it, too, was good insight and just hilarious. I also read it last night, and plan to do so tonight again. I'm convinced that if she could do this, than I certainly can.
What's even worse about my skipping the work-out? I was talking on the phone with Nanci as I decided to skip. We were chatting about how much fun the training and the blogging are and how glad we are to do it, and oh, isn't it motivating to have so much support, and on and on and on. And what do I do? Skip a workout! Ah well. I'm relatively sure there will be plenty more to look forward to. The arrival of the new book not only trumped a workout, but also A Tale of Two Cities. I will begin it again as soon as the marathon book is finished.
January 9:
So Today, I had really not felt well all day. I can sense a chest cold creeping in (courtesy of Emelyn) and a headache threatening to take over my previous sound, calm, cranium. I did have a lot on my mind, though. Loads of things going on. I didn't feel right just not going to the gym (I did skip yesterday after all), but I could not imagine how I'd jump on the treadmill and accomplish anything. I resolved in the end that I'd do some cross training and just ride a bike (while reading my book).
As I entered the gym and went for the cardio sign-up sheet, I started to write my name in a half-hour block for Bike #3 (which I have found to be the best bike - just in case you are interested), but something deep inside of me told me that I would RATHER run. Can you believe that? I wasn't feeling too well, I have something liquid building up in my lungs, and there I was - Choosing to run.
I have deduced that is just what we runners do. Even when we don't feel like running, we do it anyway. It is the best thing for us in the long run and we know it. It is an other-worldly force calling us to run. We run against all odds, us runners. By choosing to run today, I believe I have earned the right to call myself a runner.
It gets better. I decided to implement the run 8, walk 2, run 8, walk 2, run 8 and walk 2 plan for 30 minutes to see what happens. Can you believe that it worked miracles? it made it so much easier for me to just keep going. Knowing that I had a recovery break every 8 minutes, I had no problem running towards that goal of getting a walking break. I think I have found my groove. I owe it all to MK, without whom I would still be struggling.
So Cheers to Marathon Kristy! And may the Force be with you this Saturday in AZ as you run your first marathon!!!
Sunday, January 6, 2008
It was the Best of Runs, It Was the Worst of Runs
Since my last post, I've accomplished a lot towards my 2008 goals, first of which was my second official run. On Friday, I sandwiched in a 2 mile run and a shoulder work-out. I came to the gym well prepared with not one, not two, but three different running bottoms to try on before I left the cozy confines of the locker room into the unforgiving, mirror clad, cardio room at the gym. It was decided that I would venture out in a running skirt, which I purchased this past summer at Target, worn only (up to this point) for casual summertime outings that did not involve running in any way, shape, or form. My choice proved excellent in fact. A loose-fitting spandex lining with a forgiving skirt surrounding it. I felt comfortable throughout the entire workout and stayed cool. The running skirt has earned a place as my runwear of choice for the time being - at least until I begin those long runs.
My run itself was actually great. Treadmill #2 was again unavailable, but I was able to score #5, which is second best. It, too, is positioned directly in front of the TV (this one turned to CNN). I had my iPod back on track and ran at an even pace without too much thought to mileage and time. I determined it would be best to cover up the clock and calorie/mileage counters while running. This proved to be good for my psyche. Before I knew it, I was finished. My legs were already sore from my first run, so I was expecting to collapse as soon as I dismounted the treadmill, but I actually felt just fine. A quick stretch and shoulder workout and I was on my way. I am confident to proclaim that this run has been the best yet. (Reader should be reminded that this is my second run)
For Saturday, I did not work out or run, but I took a stride towards my goal. You should know, first, however, our family motto when beginning a new hobby or sport: A Year Before the Gear. Now, this is technically Greg's motto, as he's used it since high school, but I like it so much I began using it as soon as I learned. Basically, we have to wait an entire year to buy any new gear for a new sport or hobby. For instance, Greg bought guitar lessons for me as a Christmas gift last year. I played for a solid five months (using his guitar), after which time I have not put fingers to strings. Had I bought a guitar, it would be in the attic by now. This family policy saves money and keeps us from jumping from one proverbial "band wagon" to another. We "make do" with borrowed or rented gear until we are certain to continue the endeavor. (Hence, a Year before the Gear). SO, it was with great reservation that I purchase anything for my running goal. Sure, I'm keeping a positive attitude and not using the phrase "if I run", but rather "when I run this marathon", but it's not even been a full week. I surmised, however, that in order to be serious about this marathon, a metaphorical road map was necessary. Therefore, Emelyn and I went to an office supply store and purchased a 2008 pocket calendar for $13.49. It breaks down the year by week, and also has a "monthly" view of each month. I've entered three workouts already. After a couple of months of light training, I'll begin to write out my entire training schedule and also record my progress. This was a very exciting leap for me, as my mission has now become much more tangible. I have a lot of work to do, but I can now sort of see it ahead.
Today was a not-so-good running day. I can explain, however. A snapshot of my day is as follows:
8:30 - wake
9:30 - eat 4 mint chocolate chip cookies, two cups coffee
10:30 - one more cup of coffee
12noon - gorged myself at lunch - stuffed roasted avocado (with bacon), curried prawns in coconut sauce with vegetables and rice
2pm - eat two brownies
2:10-3:30 - nap
3:31 - wake from nap, gasp, check the time, down two glasses of water
3:45 - attempt a run at the gym.
Not exactly the day of champion. I felt pretty horrible on the treadmill, but I did do a solid 35 minutes of walking first, then running a mile, walking a little, and then running for the remainder. All in all, it was 2.7 miles. Not too bad. I also increased my pace a little for the second half of the run and it felt like a more natural pace for me. I will say, though, that this was my worst run of the three.
Thus we arrive at the title of my blog: summing up not only my previous two workouts, (it was the best of runs, it was the worst of runs) but also paraphrasing my first book: A Tale of Two Cities (It was the Best of times, it was the Worst of times). I began the book this afternoon in those ten minutes between brownies and nap, and immediately realized why I didn't read it all those years ago in the 10th grade when it was originally assigned to me. Dickens, while I certainly can recognize that he is a master of prose, tends to go ON and ON and ON and by the time I've completed a page, I can't exactly remember what I've read. I do recall recognizing a pattern among similar period literature (not just Dickens, but many of the authors from the 19th century and prior) and the noticeable stark contrast in writing styles from Today. Of course their wording is much more dense, but historical context is also a factor. It was a jolt to my brain this afternoon - I will have to practically thrust myself into a study mode while reading these books. I am looking forward to the challenge.
My run itself was actually great. Treadmill #2 was again unavailable, but I was able to score #5, which is second best. It, too, is positioned directly in front of the TV (this one turned to CNN). I had my iPod back on track and ran at an even pace without too much thought to mileage and time. I determined it would be best to cover up the clock and calorie/mileage counters while running. This proved to be good for my psyche. Before I knew it, I was finished. My legs were already sore from my first run, so I was expecting to collapse as soon as I dismounted the treadmill, but I actually felt just fine. A quick stretch and shoulder workout and I was on my way. I am confident to proclaim that this run has been the best yet. (Reader should be reminded that this is my second run)
For Saturday, I did not work out or run, but I took a stride towards my goal. You should know, first, however, our family motto when beginning a new hobby or sport: A Year Before the Gear. Now, this is technically Greg's motto, as he's used it since high school, but I like it so much I began using it as soon as I learned. Basically, we have to wait an entire year to buy any new gear for a new sport or hobby. For instance, Greg bought guitar lessons for me as a Christmas gift last year. I played for a solid five months (using his guitar), after which time I have not put fingers to strings. Had I bought a guitar, it would be in the attic by now. This family policy saves money and keeps us from jumping from one proverbial "band wagon" to another. We "make do" with borrowed or rented gear until we are certain to continue the endeavor. (Hence, a Year before the Gear). SO, it was with great reservation that I purchase anything for my running goal. Sure, I'm keeping a positive attitude and not using the phrase "if I run", but rather "when I run this marathon", but it's not even been a full week. I surmised, however, that in order to be serious about this marathon, a metaphorical road map was necessary. Therefore, Emelyn and I went to an office supply store and purchased a 2008 pocket calendar for $13.49. It breaks down the year by week, and also has a "monthly" view of each month. I've entered three workouts already. After a couple of months of light training, I'll begin to write out my entire training schedule and also record my progress. This was a very exciting leap for me, as my mission has now become much more tangible. I have a lot of work to do, but I can now sort of see it ahead.
Today was a not-so-good running day. I can explain, however. A snapshot of my day is as follows:
8:30 - wake
9:30 - eat 4 mint chocolate chip cookies, two cups coffee
10:30 - one more cup of coffee
12noon - gorged myself at lunch - stuffed roasted avocado (with bacon), curried prawns in coconut sauce with vegetables and rice
2pm - eat two brownies
2:10-3:30 - nap
3:31 - wake from nap, gasp, check the time, down two glasses of water
3:45 - attempt a run at the gym.
Not exactly the day of champion. I felt pretty horrible on the treadmill, but I did do a solid 35 minutes of walking first, then running a mile, walking a little, and then running for the remainder. All in all, it was 2.7 miles. Not too bad. I also increased my pace a little for the second half of the run and it felt like a more natural pace for me. I will say, though, that this was my worst run of the three.
Thus we arrive at the title of my blog: summing up not only my previous two workouts, (it was the best of runs, it was the worst of runs) but also paraphrasing my first book: A Tale of Two Cities (It was the Best of times, it was the Worst of times). I began the book this afternoon in those ten minutes between brownies and nap, and immediately realized why I didn't read it all those years ago in the 10th grade when it was originally assigned to me. Dickens, while I certainly can recognize that he is a master of prose, tends to go ON and ON and ON and by the time I've completed a page, I can't exactly remember what I've read. I do recall recognizing a pattern among similar period literature (not just Dickens, but many of the authors from the 19th century and prior) and the noticeable stark contrast in writing styles from Today. Of course their wording is much more dense, but historical context is also a factor. It was a jolt to my brain this afternoon - I will have to practically thrust myself into a study mode while reading these books. I am looking forward to the challenge.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
All I Wanna Do Is Have Some Run
Hello Readers!
Yesterday, I completed my first day of training, which almost didn't happen. What I mean is, I almost didn't make it out of the locker room. You see, my friend Nanci, who has far surpassed me in marathon research mentioned to me in an email that spandex is the best thing to wear for running. She even said she was buying some spandex to train. I figured she must be 100% accurate; I could not fathom Nanci deciding to wear Spandex of her own accord. So, taking cues from my good friend who would in no way lead me astray, I decided to pack a pair of running tights into my gym bag.
As I carefully folded them and placed them in the bag, I remembered, quite vividly in fact, the day (10 years ago) that I bought the tights. I lived in Evanston, IL with my sister and I was doing a lot of mountain biking. As the days drew cooler, I thought it time to do a little layering. I've worn them through the years for workouts and bike rides. Never thought much of them, really. I hadn't, dear reader, worn them since the day I learned I was pregnant (more than 2 1/2 years ago). Had this little nugget of usable information entered my brain while I was wistfully recalling my long relationship with these tights, I wouldn't have dared pack them. However, as per my luck, it did not. So there I was. In the locker room, wearing a pair of tights that so unforgivingly clung to my every inch, curve, - you get the picture. I actually gasped when I caught a look at myself. Almost didn't leave the locker room and had all but convinced myself that tomorrow would be a better day to begin. I finally resolved to bite the bullet and get my butt out there. Perhaps it would be an incentive to keep on running on that treadmill - God help us all if someone actually caught a slow-motion or static image of me in those tights.
So, as I nervously slid against the walls (forward facing) to the treadmill, I quickly started it at a fast walk. As I started to increase the pace into a run, I became painfully aware of the amount of time that has passed between this first training day and the last day I ran. I'm not even sure when it was, but judging by my clueless stride, it's been a long, long time. I felt like I was impersonating someone who was making fun of someone else running. I was in fact the proverbial elephant in the room. I discreetly looked around the room (well, as discreetly as you can standing in front a mirror that's looking back at everyone) to see if anyone was staring (and laughing) at me. No one seemed to notice or care, though, as they were all in their happy places listening to music and reading TV. Once I got over my initial awkwardness and established a decent cadence, I immediately realized the nature of my person: I am indeed a creature of habit. At my gym, you must sign-in for a piece of cardio equipment. I always sign up for treadmill #2 for one reason: It is directly in front of the television that is always turned to CNN Headline News, which I can read (closed captioning) while listening to my iPod. Since September, I've spent many hours speedwalking on treadmill #2. Today, however, #2 was not available. My first day of actual running and I was already off beat, suffering on Treadmill #3, which is in between ( Can you believe it! IN BETWEEN) TVs with CNN Headline News and ESPN. As I quickly learned, running with one's head looking left is not a good idea. Thank goodness I had faithful my iPod. I was staring ahead, happily listening to The Black Crowes "Hard to Handle" and trying to ignore the raw truth that my legs were already tired. I was running a steady, slow 10 minute mile and my legs already ached. Surely I'd gone a mile. OH NO. Only about 1/4 of a mile. Oh well. I'm in this for the long run.
As I continue looking ahead, Indigo Girls "Closer to Fine" piping in my ears, I realize that not only is Treadmill #3 in between two TV's, it's also in between two mirrors. Two giant slabs of mirror with a seam between them that is so ruthless to show you at about 175% of your normal size. I discovered this as I took a double-take at my neck, which appeared to be about a foot wide. That's creepy, I think to myself as I continue looking between the mileage counter, the time, and the mirror. For whatever reason, even though after looking at my 12 inch wide neck and knowing I should, under no circumstances glance at my hips, I look at my hips in that cruel fun-house mirror. If nothing else, after that awful feeling of fear and repulsion began to subside, at least it kept me moving - wanting to get off that treadmill as soon as possible.
All in all, my run was going reasonably well. Until, that is, I'm eagerly awaiting my next song (Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do") and it doesn't start! My iPod has chosen this inappropriate moment to malfunction. It was stuck. Wouldn't budge. Couldn't get a tune out. I spent the remainder of my run (which wasn't even half way over) Focusing on the minutia of the moment: fighting with an errant piece of hair that just wouldn't stay behind my ear, becoming increasingly aware that one shoe and sock just didn't feel right, watching the clock and mileage ticker with a hawk's eye, and of course feeling those legs become more and more and more tired. Couldn't read the news, listen to music, and certainly couldn't look in that mirror below my hairline. But I made it.
The first two miles of many hundreds weren't too bad. Sure, I had some technical difficulties. Yes, I had an unintentional, shall we say, wardrobe malfunction. And I won't discount the moronic nature of my initial running stride - but hey - I did 2 miles and actually felt pretty good afterwards, even if my legs felt like noodles. Today I do have a bit of a gingerly walk as the lactic acid continues to build-up in my quads and hamstrings. But it feels good, and all I'm out to do is have some fun and learn a lesson or two along the way.
My first book will be A Tale of Two Cities. I'm not quite ready to start, as I'm finishing the Kite Runner right now. I've also ordered a beginner's marathon guide from Amazon. Once it arrives, I'll give it a quick read and be fully ready to get the Dickens on.
Yesterday, I completed my first day of training, which almost didn't happen. What I mean is, I almost didn't make it out of the locker room. You see, my friend Nanci, who has far surpassed me in marathon research mentioned to me in an email that spandex is the best thing to wear for running. She even said she was buying some spandex to train. I figured she must be 100% accurate; I could not fathom Nanci deciding to wear Spandex of her own accord. So, taking cues from my good friend who would in no way lead me astray, I decided to pack a pair of running tights into my gym bag.
As I carefully folded them and placed them in the bag, I remembered, quite vividly in fact, the day (10 years ago) that I bought the tights. I lived in Evanston, IL with my sister and I was doing a lot of mountain biking. As the days drew cooler, I thought it time to do a little layering. I've worn them through the years for workouts and bike rides. Never thought much of them, really. I hadn't, dear reader, worn them since the day I learned I was pregnant (more than 2 1/2 years ago). Had this little nugget of usable information entered my brain while I was wistfully recalling my long relationship with these tights, I wouldn't have dared pack them. However, as per my luck, it did not. So there I was. In the locker room, wearing a pair of tights that so unforgivingly clung to my every inch, curve, - you get the picture. I actually gasped when I caught a look at myself. Almost didn't leave the locker room and had all but convinced myself that tomorrow would be a better day to begin. I finally resolved to bite the bullet and get my butt out there. Perhaps it would be an incentive to keep on running on that treadmill - God help us all if someone actually caught a slow-motion or static image of me in those tights.
So, as I nervously slid against the walls (forward facing) to the treadmill, I quickly started it at a fast walk. As I started to increase the pace into a run, I became painfully aware of the amount of time that has passed between this first training day and the last day I ran. I'm not even sure when it was, but judging by my clueless stride, it's been a long, long time. I felt like I was impersonating someone who was making fun of someone else running. I was in fact the proverbial elephant in the room. I discreetly looked around the room (well, as discreetly as you can standing in front a mirror that's looking back at everyone) to see if anyone was staring (and laughing) at me. No one seemed to notice or care, though, as they were all in their happy places listening to music and reading TV. Once I got over my initial awkwardness and established a decent cadence, I immediately realized the nature of my person: I am indeed a creature of habit. At my gym, you must sign-in for a piece of cardio equipment. I always sign up for treadmill #2 for one reason: It is directly in front of the television that is always turned to CNN Headline News, which I can read (closed captioning) while listening to my iPod. Since September, I've spent many hours speedwalking on treadmill #2. Today, however, #2 was not available. My first day of actual running and I was already off beat, suffering on Treadmill #3, which is in between ( Can you believe it! IN BETWEEN) TVs with CNN Headline News and ESPN. As I quickly learned, running with one's head looking left is not a good idea. Thank goodness I had faithful my iPod. I was staring ahead, happily listening to The Black Crowes "Hard to Handle" and trying to ignore the raw truth that my legs were already tired. I was running a steady, slow 10 minute mile and my legs already ached. Surely I'd gone a mile. OH NO. Only about 1/4 of a mile. Oh well. I'm in this for the long run.
As I continue looking ahead, Indigo Girls "Closer to Fine" piping in my ears, I realize that not only is Treadmill #3 in between two TV's, it's also in between two mirrors. Two giant slabs of mirror with a seam between them that is so ruthless to show you at about 175% of your normal size. I discovered this as I took a double-take at my neck, which appeared to be about a foot wide. That's creepy, I think to myself as I continue looking between the mileage counter, the time, and the mirror. For whatever reason, even though after looking at my 12 inch wide neck and knowing I should, under no circumstances glance at my hips, I look at my hips in that cruel fun-house mirror. If nothing else, after that awful feeling of fear and repulsion began to subside, at least it kept me moving - wanting to get off that treadmill as soon as possible.
All in all, my run was going reasonably well. Until, that is, I'm eagerly awaiting my next song (Sheryl Crow's "All I Wanna Do") and it doesn't start! My iPod has chosen this inappropriate moment to malfunction. It was stuck. Wouldn't budge. Couldn't get a tune out. I spent the remainder of my run (which wasn't even half way over) Focusing on the minutia of the moment: fighting with an errant piece of hair that just wouldn't stay behind my ear, becoming increasingly aware that one shoe and sock just didn't feel right, watching the clock and mileage ticker with a hawk's eye, and of course feeling those legs become more and more and more tired. Couldn't read the news, listen to music, and certainly couldn't look in that mirror below my hairline. But I made it.
The first two miles of many hundreds weren't too bad. Sure, I had some technical difficulties. Yes, I had an unintentional, shall we say, wardrobe malfunction. And I won't discount the moronic nature of my initial running stride - but hey - I did 2 miles and actually felt pretty good afterwards, even if my legs felt like noodles. Today I do have a bit of a gingerly walk as the lactic acid continues to build-up in my quads and hamstrings. But it feels good, and all I'm out to do is have some fun and learn a lesson or two along the way.
My first book will be A Tale of Two Cities. I'm not quite ready to start, as I'm finishing the Kite Runner right now. I've also ordered a beginner's marathon guide from Amazon. Once it arrives, I'll give it a quick read and be fully ready to get the Dickens on.
Thanks to everyone's support. Your outpouring of encouragement and enthusiasm has been amazing. I'm so excited that some of you are going to run with me, others have pledged to do the readings. I'm certainly on my way and it's nice to have some company for the journey.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
Let the "Run" Begin!
I can't believe I'm actually writing these words: In October of 2008, I will be running the Marine Corps Marathon. Yes - It's true. 2008 is the year that I will run a marathon. It has been on my "things to do before I turn 40" list for quite some time. I am certainly capable of running each of those 26.2 miles, but have never taken the steps to get there. Partially because I abhor running. I despise all things running related and avoid them at all costs, unless it is in the form of running across a parking lot to hurry out of the pouring down rain.
As I worked through the decision to run or not to run, I learned a little about myself. I realized that if something doesn't come easily to me, or if I find it boring and TOO easy, I just don't do it. Running isn't easy for me. I do exercise regularly, but running is never invited into a workout. I have coasted through the last ten years of workouts with barely any running. I can recall one race and only one. And it doesn't really count because everyone had jingle bells on their shoes and they gave you a cookie at the half-way mark. And I certainly didn't train for it.
Another example of this is a little embarrassing, but it is the main factor in my decision: I have been for a large part of my life (certainly through the bulk of my secondary and college education) a terrible student and reader. This is probably because mostly everything in school came easily to me and I did not need to work very hard to get decent grades. Some may put forth a little effort and perform extremely well, but not me. I have always championed mediocrity. So here I am admitting that I never once completed a reading assignment on any syllabus in college. Never Ever. And the kicker - I was an English Major. It gets better/worse - I always got A's. It was easy for me to just skim chapters, listen in class, and go about my merry way. I took the easy way out of college assignments without seeing how I was the one losing In The Long Run.
There it is - the title of my blog: In The Long Run. It is a symbol of my mission to do two things: Take on a challenge that I have never been able to do before - Run a Marathon. The second is to finally read all of those Classics I never read the first time around. In doing so, I hope to NOT short-change myself in the long run again.
Why the Blog? It is a simple fact that I need to be accountable to someone other than myself, my rate of success increases exponentially. The goal is to log my runs and the gamut of emotions that will no doubt ensue. I am sending this out to everyone I know in the hopes that as many of you as possible can keep me on track. My promise to you is that I will stay focused, enter a post every 2-3 days, always be relevant, and always be honest. I intend to incorporate the Classic book that I am reading into my writing as well in the hopes of continuing to draw inspiration from them.
I absolutely cannot close my first blog entry without introducing my training partner - My dear friend Nanci. She and I ran that Jingle Bell run together seven years ago in Jacksonville, NC, and as it turns out, we both had Marathons on our minds and have decided to train together, albeit long distance (Nanci is in Maryland). We will, however, run the Marine Corps Marathon together in October 2008 in Washington DC. Nanci is no runner either, but she has an amazing ability to set a goal and work towards it. Her hard work and perseverance are also a big factor in my motivation to run. Check out Nanci's blog at www.nanciruns.blogspot.com
So Here I am - Training starts tomorrow. Wish me luck. I will need it!
As I worked through the decision to run or not to run, I learned a little about myself. I realized that if something doesn't come easily to me, or if I find it boring and TOO easy, I just don't do it. Running isn't easy for me. I do exercise regularly, but running is never invited into a workout. I have coasted through the last ten years of workouts with barely any running. I can recall one race and only one. And it doesn't really count because everyone had jingle bells on their shoes and they gave you a cookie at the half-way mark. And I certainly didn't train for it.
Another example of this is a little embarrassing, but it is the main factor in my decision: I have been for a large part of my life (certainly through the bulk of my secondary and college education) a terrible student and reader. This is probably because mostly everything in school came easily to me and I did not need to work very hard to get decent grades. Some may put forth a little effort and perform extremely well, but not me. I have always championed mediocrity. So here I am admitting that I never once completed a reading assignment on any syllabus in college. Never Ever. And the kicker - I was an English Major. It gets better/worse - I always got A's. It was easy for me to just skim chapters, listen in class, and go about my merry way. I took the easy way out of college assignments without seeing how I was the one losing In The Long Run.
There it is - the title of my blog: In The Long Run. It is a symbol of my mission to do two things: Take on a challenge that I have never been able to do before - Run a Marathon. The second is to finally read all of those Classics I never read the first time around. In doing so, I hope to NOT short-change myself in the long run again.
Why the Blog? It is a simple fact that I need to be accountable to someone other than myself, my rate of success increases exponentially. The goal is to log my runs and the gamut of emotions that will no doubt ensue. I am sending this out to everyone I know in the hopes that as many of you as possible can keep me on track. My promise to you is that I will stay focused, enter a post every 2-3 days, always be relevant, and always be honest. I intend to incorporate the Classic book that I am reading into my writing as well in the hopes of continuing to draw inspiration from them.
I absolutely cannot close my first blog entry without introducing my training partner - My dear friend Nanci. She and I ran that Jingle Bell run together seven years ago in Jacksonville, NC, and as it turns out, we both had Marathons on our minds and have decided to train together, albeit long distance (Nanci is in Maryland). We will, however, run the Marine Corps Marathon together in October 2008 in Washington DC. Nanci is no runner either, but she has an amazing ability to set a goal and work towards it. Her hard work and perseverance are also a big factor in my motivation to run. Check out Nanci's blog at www.nanciruns.blogspot.com
So Here I am - Training starts tomorrow. Wish me luck. I will need it!
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