Wednesday Words to Run By

You can make your running into whatever you want it to be. You can go for the gold, or you can simply set out to achieve something you never dreamed possible (even if no one else notices). 

-Amby Burfoot in the foreword to Runner's World Complete Book of Women's Running

I am still discovering what my goals will be with running. Most immediately I am gearing up for the May 12K. This weekend some of the fear dissipated when I went for a run with my sister. I continue to think about what my goals will be after the quickly approaching 12K.

Sister #3 and I are going to try to go to the Portland and Seattle Ben Does Life 5Ks this summer if it still works out in our schedules once the official dates are set. I'm trying to decide if my running lengths and typical entry length for races will be 5K, the same length from my cross country days, or if I will eventually want to train for a half marathon. There is a half marathon close to my community each fall. At this point I cannot ever imagine myself training for a marathon, but maybe some day I will get to that point.

Regardless, for now I am just basking in the great feeling that comes along with knowing that I am running again. Though there is often an internal dialogue debating about whether or not I should go, based on the weather or anything else, once I actually get to the road, I never regret it. I know that right now training for the 12K has been extra motivation, so I will have to make a conscious effort to continue running after the race.

Wednesday Words to Run By

Instead of dreading most runs, I simply went on autopilot. Running became a part of who I am, how I take care of myself. 

-From Run Like a Mother

I am far from where I would like to be as a runner. While I am proud and excited to slowly but surely be getting back into running, I know that I am still probably in the "dreading" stage, especially when it comes to thinking about moving beyond my comfort zone of 2-3 miles. Yet, when I do run, it always feels great. I have been trying to not check the time as much when I go for runs, although I do it some because anytime I do not have a pre-mapped out route by mileage, I estimate based on the mileage I want to do.

Anytime I start (or re-start) something new, shifting the focus in my life, I need to immerse myself in different ways. While reading Run Like a Mother and trying to step back into running the saying "fake it until you make it" popped into mind. I thought about how actually running is a huge piece, but doing other activities such as reading and reflecting about running and my goals have also been helpful.

I loved Run Like a Mother because of what I could transfer as being relevant to where I am at and where I want to go:

• The need to plan and prioritize in order to find a way to weave running into my life
• To not be too hard on myself when I am not able to stick 100% to a plan, realizing that sometimes I need to consider the big picture
• Understanding that it is okay to sneak out in the afternoons after getting home from work, rather than staying home with my family in order to make an investment in myself and my well-being which will transfer to me being more present when I get back home
• The benefits of pushing myself and not letting fear hold me back

Sunny, spring days are becoming more and more frequent. With my 12K getting closer and closer (May 1st), I am hoping that I will keep on approaching a day when I can say that running is just a part of my life - that I feel like I am on autopilot.

Wednesday Words to Run By

Ability is what you are capable of doing. Motivation determines what you do. Attitude determines how well you do it.

-Lou Holtz

Surprise, surprise. Monday's planned run was almost another run that almost wasn't. I walked through the door fully intending to only be inside long enough to change and then be right outside getting the job done. Yet, one thing led to another and my four year old asking me to get her something from the kitchen led to a little bit of grazing for myself. Then the thoughts started. Maybe I should just snuggle with the girls and readjust my work out plan for the week.

Instead I changed into my running clothes, laced up my sneaks and headed out the door. M's paycheck and debit card zipped securely in my pocket I set off for the bank. The sun was shining, so though there was a cool breeze, once I got going I was basking in the nice, nearly-spring air. Upon arrival at the ATM, my time estimation ended up showing that it was exactly the half point of my intended 2.5 miles for the day.

On the way home, I decided to go a different route, one not so direct and on roads with comparatively less traffic. Throughout the run my stamina was up and I was feeling great. While other events led me to stray from my plan of ab lab/zumba tonight and PT session tomorrow, I won't be missing my weekend run, and I am going to try to fit in one more run either tomorrow or Friday evening.

As I continue on with my training plans, I will keep focusing on the concept of ability, motivation, and attitude, doing everything I can to maintain a positive outlook in order to embrace all the pleasures that come with running.

Word Up...

"It's very hard in the beginning to understand that the whole idea is not to beat the other runners. Eventually you learn that the competition is against the little voice inside you that wants you to quit."

 - George Sheehan

Like the forceful older sister I am, I 'asked' Lurvis if I could take over the post this week because I saw this quote on the Marathon Training Academy's page and it so precisely fits the place I'm at in my training I couldn't resist.

I have never been, nor will I ever be, speedy. In fact, when I sign up for a race, I always look at the prior year's results in order to answer the very important question; Will I come in last? If the answer is comfortably no, I fill out the form and it's on. 


By the time I finished training for the Worcester Half last summer, I had completed training runs up to 11.7 miles without stopping to walk. However, since I started training for the marathon, I'd yet to run further than about three miles without a 'rest'.  At first, I thought it was just the dynamic of training on my own without a team to push me, but even if that walking period was only about thirty seconds, it was still starting to annoy me. I knew that with the amount of training I'd done, there was no reason I couldn't run for more than an hour without stopping. Any fatigue and 'need' to rest was all in my head. Literally.

So, on Sunday, when I headed out for my five miler, I told myself I was running the whole thing. No questions, just running. In my head, I found myself chanting at times pick it up, put it down, pick it up, put it down and to remind myself to just take a deep breath every once in awhile. This was just for the first couple miles. After awhile, your body gets into a rhythm and if you don't break that rhythm by stopping to walk, you suddenly find that your well-trained machine of a body is doing exactly what you've worked to make it do. 

The third mile (as is almost always the case) was my slowest mile, but then I picked it back up in miles 4 and 5 and had a great run. When I walked through the door, I felt amazing. I definitely felt like I could have gone a few more miles without really needing a rest, but more than anything I had proven to myself again that I was perfectly capable of doing this if I just get out of my own head for a minute. Plus, I really, really wanted to be able to text L and tell her I'd done it. 

Now, my goal for tomorrow when I head out for 13 is to run the first 5 miles, stop for about 30 seconds to get some water and a couple honey stingers, then at miles 7, 10 and 12, I will stop for water. I just need to make it from 'water station' to 'water station' and I'll be golden.

Arming myself with not only great music to cruise by (have you added Mumford and Son's The Cave and Muse's Uprising to your queue yet? You must!), but some motivating phrases like the one my training partner uses 'Stronger, Thinner, Faster', I'm going to be able to silence that voice in my head that lures me into walking when I know it's not what I need. What I need is for the run to be d-o-n-e done so that I can walk in the door and feel good about another training run ticked off the list, and make my way to the victory that is the ice bath. 

Do you have an internal monologue that gets you past the threshold? 

Wednesday Words to Run By

Just do it!

-Nike

After my hectic week last week, where I only got in two workouts, I am looking forward to being back to a "normal" schedule. This is the time of the school year where so much is happening. Yet I am working hard to refocus and as I mentioned last week, not let one busy week throw me off so completely that it stretches into multiple weeks without working toward my goals of exercising more and thinking about nutrition.

Last night as I was commuting home from my evening classes I was completely exhausted. I thought about how I felt that way during fall semester, especially with the first couple of classes, but I had been surprised that I did not feel that way at the start of the spring semester. I had more energy. I was not as tired.

I attributed some of it to my classes typically getting out about an hour earlier this semester, but last night when I was tired even at my first class, I started to wonder. How much of the way I was feeling better could be attributed to the fact that by the time classes had started I was two weeks in to exercising regularly and eating more balanced meals? How much of a coincidence (or not) was it that the first time this semester I felt truly exhausted was after a long weekend (4 days off) and the week that I was not exercising as much and where I ate out more in between our on the go conferences?

Though I know some of it can be attributed to the time of the year, I also think that I have been feeling so great up until last night because of the benefits of working toward a healthier lifestyle. That's one more thought to motivate me to get right back into my schedule from the start of the year until last week.

I am definitely at the stage where I have to make a conscious effort to get out there and run or go to the gym because having one week off makes it so easy to have one more relaxing evening at home or to choose any other activity on my list of possibilities. Today after school I am planning on coming home and going for an outdoor run if the weather is nice or going to the gym with my Nike shoes encouraging me along the way, reminding me of their slogan.

Wednesday Words to Run By

My feeling is that any day that I am too busy to run is a day that I am too busy.

-John Bryant

This week is the most challenging for me so far this year to balance work, school, family, and exercising. Time for spring parent-teacher conferences have arrived, which means that in addition to my typical one long day a week (about 14 hours away from home for teaching and doctoral classes), I will also have two more about 12 hour days for teaching and conferences. We do, however, have Friday off in order to compensate for the two late evenings. It is usually easy to map out 4-5 days to exercise, working around my one night of classes, but with three nights in a row, I know that I am going to be drained.

Last night as I was commuting, I came to the realization that yes, I will be too busy to run for those three days. While I will pack workout clothes in my car in the event that I get the motivation to go to the gym on the way home tonight or tomorrow, I also remember clearly that after long days I typically just want to come home, be with family and relax. I had to accept that it is okay. After all, this is not what my typical weeks look like.

Rather than lamenting the lost days of exercising or figuring out a way to cram in some workouts no matter what, I am going to focus on still eating healthy during these days, getting enough sleep, and making sure to not lose my momentum in the process. I know that come Friday it is essential that I get a workout in. I know that next week I cannot let one light workout week turn into another light workout week. I need to get back on schedule because often weeks like these are enough to throw off all my attempts at making healthy lifestyle changes. I will have to consciously remember that my extra busy work is over and it is time to go back to my previous cycle of regularly exercising. As long as I do, then I will just accept that occasionally my workout plans need to shift in order to accommodate other aspects in my life.

Wednesday Words to Run By - Options, Options, Options

I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

-Jesse Owens

Now that I am getting back into running there are so many variables - distance, route, treadmill or outdoors, whether or not to listen to music... I can stick with a comfortable path or switch it up to have new scenery. When I run outside I have been mapping out different routes with my car tripometer. Regardless if I am ready to switch up my path or not, each run is a different experience influenced by aspects such as my mindset, the weather, and the peripheral activity for the day.

With high school cross country, I always loved the ability to understand myself as a runner and to work toward personal goals. Whether it was figuring out early on in my freshman year that I always wanted to run the whole race (after one race where I walked a bit on a hill) or mentally preparing myself for a specific aspect of a course, there was always something to focus on in order to improve and push myself.

Lately I have been focusing on just getting out there again and reconnecting with myself as a runner. It has been fun realizing what works best for me and how I can keep myself motivated and moving in the right direction. Little by little I am figuring out training plans, setting up goals, and deciding on which gear I like the most. For the record, yesterday I realized that a running skirt is not as cute on as I had pictured it might be. I will try one on again later, but for now, I will definitely stick to my capris! It was all I could do to not bust up in our famous family raucous laughter right in the dressing room. Yet, that's part of the fun - having so many options to choose from.

*Just as I was joking about my skirt experience yesterday, I saw this post over at Run Like a Mother. It instantly creates visions of how cute a running skirt should be in theory!

Wednesday Words to Run By

No matter what is going on in my life, whether I’m sad, angry, frustrated, happy, bored, hungry, full, sleepy or antsy, going out for a run makes everything better. 

-From a post at Janine Does Life titled Running Makes Everything Better

Choosing to start running again in the winter months was in some ways not the best time of year to get started. Even though I loved the way it felt finally getting in an outdoor run, despite the colder weather, I only went on three outdoor runs in January. Though I did have many great shorter runs on the treadmill, when thinking over the different workouts I have been doing recently, very few are ones where I just go for a run. Even at the gym, I never go just to run on the treadmill.

In February, especially since the temperatures are warming up, I would like to commit more of my workout days to running with a special focus on getting outdoors more. I always appreciate posts such as Janine's that continue to nudge me to remember why I loved running in the first place. (I recommend that you read the full post; it was really great!) Her post also reminds me of why with so many other things that I could be doing, it is essential to continue carving out time for exercise. I have felt better. I do feel more of a sense of balance in my life.

Last night on the way home from my classes I mapped out a 2 mile run from my house to start bumping up the mileage a little bit. I plan on going tomorrow evening. I'm looking forward to posting about my progress toward my February goal of embracing the joys of running!

*On a side note, I found out about Janine Does Life from the Ben Does Life blog, which has also been a big motivation to me. I just noticed that they added Portland to their 5K tour. I will have to wait and see the date, which should be toward the end of July, but I would love to go. Maybe I can even convince Sister #3 to join in with me if it works out in our schedules.

Wednesday Words to Run By

This Wednesday's post focuses on songs, rather than a quote. When I was in cross country in high school, I never ran with music. Though that was back in the 90s, and it was not as feasible to go for a jog with a walkman or discman as it is now with modern technology. When I saw an iPod for the first time while getting my Master's degree I was mesmerized. Yet, they were still pretty expensive, so it was not until about five years after that I finally got one (and only a shuffle at that).

At the gym I love listening to music. I don't have to worry about potential dangers of not hearing traffic, so I am able to let the music pump through my system and push me forward. Right now my iPod is filled will upbeat Spanish music. I know that soon I will need to find some new songs for workouts, but for now these are songs that always get me going when they start playing during a workout. If you are looking to add some new songs into the mix for your runs, you might consider them. I put links to the Amazon pages where you can listen to samples.

Mentia by Miranda

Besos Faciles by Sonohra

El Amor by Tito El Bambino

Prohibida by Raúl (on Clase 406)

Y Todo Para Qué by Intocable (on Clase 406)



What are your favorite workout songs that you suggest I add to my iPod?

Wednesday Words to Run By

I also run to feel alive. To remind myself I am a corporal being, that I have a body. To feel a chilly breeze on my bare legs, to feel sweat streaking down my brow, to feel my arms pump back and forth, to feel the soles of my feet hit the pavement, to feel my lungs suck in the air. 

-Run Like a Mother (Kindle location 179).

This afternoon I came home from work, energized with a plan in mind. As I approached my house after classes last night, I clicked my tripometer to zero and started mapping out a running route for today. I am still easing into it, but I figured that instead of a one mile run I would aim for a mile and a half.

The weather was perfect this afternoon, basically spring weather, and the ice had melted away, freeing my mind from worrying about slick conditions. Aside from occasional patches of packed snow, it was going to be easy to keep my footing on sure ground.

Then came the pug. Barely after leaving my house a woman was working in her garage with the door open. The dog darted out after me, and aside from one weak attempt to call her dog back, she did not do anything. So the dog followed me and followed me. I kept on thinking that anytime the dog would turn around as it realized that it was farther from home or as it got tired, it was a wheezing pug after all!

However, the pug had other plans. Rather than getting swept up in the moment, I was worrying about what I should do ethically with this dog that the owner did not seem to concerned about to get back to her property and care. I resented the dog and the owner. It kept on darting close to my legs. Its wheezing was pestering me. I tried stopping to get down to its level and tell it to go home. The dog could have cared less. I tried to cross the road and avoid the dog, but wherever I went, it went. Though it would slow down at times, it would eventually zing back forward.

I deviated from my route thinking that if I could just make some turns and leave it behind everything would work out, but no. Frustrated, I did an alternate route and wove home earlier than I had expected as we moved farther from our neighborhood. Worried that if the dog did stop following me that maybe it would not make it back home, I looped back. When I got to my house, I decided to talk to my husband in my yard for a moment. After all, I did not want to be rude with the owner about how I did not appreciate baby sitting her dog and having to change my route plans for the day just because she was too irresponsible to keep her dog in her yard. I could recognize how that would definitely be behavior that would embarrass and was a bit irrational since having her dog run off with someone else probably was not her idea of a blissful afternoon either.

The pug poked around in my yard, and soon after, I saw the owner walking toward my house with her leash. All's well that ends well.

And the pesky pug's name? Nike.

Tomorrow will be take two. If that garage is open, I will have to run in the other direction starting from my house. I've also learned my lesson to not  continue with my run trying to ignore dogs thinking they will go away soon. I am determined to continue working running into my schedule, even when unexpected situations such as this come up. After all, as the quote from Run Like A Mother illustrates, the positive feelings from a run far weigh other obstacles that come up along the way.

Wednesday Words to Run By

I have always been a quotes person, enjoying the inspiration of words. My senior year of high school a couple of teammates and I put together a quote book for our state cross country meet. I thought it would be fun to post a weekly Words to Run By post to share some inspiring running quotes that I come across, as well as some from the past.

I'll start out my first post in the series with one by Steve Prefontaine - our quote book had many of his thoughts. This one is fitting for my phase in getting back into running:

You have to wonder at times what you're doing out there. Over the years, I've given myself a thousand reasons to keep running, but it always comes back to where it started. It comes down to self-satisfaction and a sense of achievement.

Even though it has been over ten years since I have been a regular runner, I never forgot the feeling that comes along with it. Little reminders from time to time nagging at my conscious to make time for it, reminding me of how great I would feel if I would just get back into it consistently. Here's to the joy of running (and support of my sisters) keeping me going, rather than slipping back into years of inactivity!