"Running takes a long time -- but you can do it forever "
~Kara Goucher
~Kara Goucher
Boston Marathon 2009
Congratulations to all who ran Boston Marathon 2009!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Friday, April 3, 2009
Can motivational quotes and mantras make you crazy?
Ok, so, after reading motivational quotes for runners last night, when J and I were planning where we'd run today, I suggested we go ahead and bump the time up to 4 minutes running. What -- was that really coming out of my mouth? Oh, but it gets better. I went on to say "what's an extra 15 seconds?" Am I nuts???
I once heard a sportscaster describe Eternity as the last two minutes of a football game - ha, it's more like that last 30 seconds of a run!
I was elated, immediately wondering what the chances were I'd feel this great throughout the entire run. About that time I heard J say she was "only doing four!" What? What happened to six? This wasn't good.
The run continued as did the transformation. Yep, things turned around about the fourth interval. It was almost at the precise moment I began struggling that I looked up to see J pass me ... with a smile on her face! How could she be smiling?
Admittedly, I wanted to suffer during this run (as if that's an option) so I could practice using mantras I'd read about last night. It worked for awhile and I understand how using them could keep your breathing and stride in check. However, since my breathing wasn't my issue today, I didn't find them useful. My struggle was with my legs; not pain so much as extreme heaviness, as if I couldn't take another step ... then the pain set in.
As I persevered, I realized that during the last three sets, as difficult as they'd been and as slow as I was moving -- though I'd contemplated quitting, I never considered it. BIG difference and huge change for me. As I ran the last set, I marveled at how I'd started out strong, yet ended exhausted, while J is the complete opposite. Thankfully we don't usually both feel horrible at the same time, which allows us to help each other along the rough spots. She put it best - we compliment one another.
During the last few seconds of today's run I felt a sudden joy. I knew I had made it. I'd finally run twice as long as I'd walked. J and I gave each other a hug as we shared our victory ... then we found a bench!
4min run/2 min walk - 8 sets
Happy running.
Go US!
I once heard a sportscaster describe Eternity as the last two minutes of a football game - ha, it's more like that last 30 seconds of a run!
Well, rest assured, I can confidently say I've not gone completely off the deep end. The proof was that I suggested we not reduce the recovery time. Being fully aware that during the recovery, those 15 seconds would seem like a gift from the heavens. They did!
The watched beeped signaling it was time to run; I was feeling GREAT, so good in fact, I was chatting away. Yeah, I know, what's new. Now, if you've been following this blog you know what it means if I'm feeling good -- that's right -- J was miserable. After what seemed to be a very short period she asked how much longer we had. Glancing at my watch I did a double take; shocked to see ONLY 40 seconds left to go. Wow, I was feeling fantastic.I was elated, immediately wondering what the chances were I'd feel this great throughout the entire run. About that time I heard J say she was "only doing four!" What? What happened to six? This wasn't good.
The run continued as did the transformation. Yep, things turned around about the fourth interval. It was almost at the precise moment I began struggling that I looked up to see J pass me ... with a smile on her face! How could she be smiling?
Admittedly, I wanted to suffer during this run (as if that's an option) so I could practice using mantras I'd read about last night. It worked for awhile and I understand how using them could keep your breathing and stride in check. However, since my breathing wasn't my issue today, I didn't find them useful. My struggle was with my legs; not pain so much as extreme heaviness, as if I couldn't take another step ... then the pain set in.
As I persevered, I realized that during the last three sets, as difficult as they'd been and as slow as I was moving -- though I'd contemplated quitting, I never considered it. BIG difference and huge change for me. As I ran the last set, I marveled at how I'd started out strong, yet ended exhausted, while J is the complete opposite. Thankfully we don't usually both feel horrible at the same time, which allows us to help each other along the rough spots. She put it best - we compliment one another.
During the last few seconds of today's run I felt a sudden joy. I knew I had made it. I'd finally run twice as long as I'd walked. J and I gave each other a hug as we shared our victory ... then we found a bench!
4min run/2 min walk - 8 sets
Happy running.
Go US!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Fast is ... well, pretty damn cool!
Monday's run was at 3:45/2:15 and I did it alone. I chose to run at the greenway after 'the incident' last week at the park. Nothing serious and I'll share the story some other time.
It was another challenging run to say the least. I got through the last four sets by singing (in my head) two songs ... '1999' and 'I'm Henry the 8th' ... lord help me it was that bad!
It was the first time, after a run, where I just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep - NOW.
Pretty cool to realize I was almost running four whole minutes!!!
-----
Then came ONES, which we do on Tuesday. I ~heart~ ones. We run one minute then walk a minute - repeat 10 times. This week we decided we'd run FAST and I can honestly say it's the first time I've ran that fast since I was a kid. What a great feeling it was. I felt FREE. Coolest thing was to remember not so long ago when it took all I had to continue running for a full 60 seconds.
Is it possible that someday I'll feel that good running at 3:45???
Happy running!
ps - 3:45 = 3 mins 45 secs
It was another challenging run to say the least. I got through the last four sets by singing (in my head) two songs ... '1999' and 'I'm Henry the 8th' ... lord help me it was that bad!
It was the first time, after a run, where I just wanted to curl up in a ball and sleep - NOW.
Pretty cool to realize I was almost running four whole minutes!!!
-----
Then came ONES, which we do on Tuesday. I ~heart~ ones. We run one minute then walk a minute - repeat 10 times. This week we decided we'd run FAST and I can honestly say it's the first time I've ran that fast since I was a kid. What a great feeling it was. I felt FREE. Coolest thing was to remember not so long ago when it took all I had to continue running for a full 60 seconds.
Is it possible that someday I'll feel that good running at 3:45???
Happy running!
ps - 3:45 = 3 mins 45 secs
The good, the bad and more rain
On last week's runs ...
Thursday's run was fantastic - the second best run I’ve had! I’ve learned that one or two good runs does not mean from that point on most runs will be great. Oh how I wish. What it means is like everything else in life, you have good times and, well, not so good times.
J and I set out to run and because of the rain we’ve had this week, we decided to use the greenway - it’s asphalt, therefore much easier to push the stroller when the ground is wet than the trail at the park. Easy being a relative term.
As mentioned before, J and I seldom have good days on the same day; perhaps that’s good, it allows us to keep each other motivated. J immediately began struggling, which is amplified by pushing the stroller. Having a fixed front wheel makes it very difficult to maneuver.
It was a surprise to see J had quit within the first seconds of a run. She was a few feet behind me when I heard her say, well, I won’t repeat it; suffice it to say when I looked back I saw she’d stopped running. That never happens! I wasn’t sure what to do because she’d told me if she’s going quit it will be in the first couple intervals. Before I had a chance to decide what to do, in true J fashion, she immediately began running, as usual, refusing to give up. Go J!!!
We’ve both experienced what it’s like to have a wonderful run while the other suffers. J perhaps more than me - lol. Speaking for myself, it’s difficult to feel as good as I was, knowing someone else is suffering. I’m pretty sure she’d say the same thing. It’s also a lesson in compassion, confidence and maybe even co-dependence.
I felt strong during the run and finished feeling not necessarily like I wanted to continue, more like there’s still hope someday I’ll have more good runs than bad. I like that. J finished knowing she had another run logged ‘in the books.’
… Then there was Saturday’s run - it sucked. Rain and thunderstorms were predicted by early afternoon, so we tried to get our run in before it started. Well … at least we missed the thunder! It rained most of the run and we laughed about how crazy we must look -- soaking wet, pushing a stroller*. By the fifth interval I was dying and expressed that to J ... whose response was “we’ll only do six.” I knew better and suggested some day she really quit so I could believe her.
By the sixth interval the rain was really coming down so J said she wanted to head to the car. I was relieved; I just didn’t think I could run another minute. Surprise ... as we approached the car J suggested that since E was sleeping she'd just put him in the car and we could finish the run -- there, in the parking lot. Obviously this wasn't going to be the day we would 'only do six'. Oh, yay!
Being astounded at the difference between this run and the last, I needed answers. Why was this run so much more difficult? It wasn’t the rain, it was my legs -- they were like lead. The only significant change was I’d decided to add squats and lunges to my workout the night before. Perhaps not giving my legs time enough to recover???
Current Time:
We’re still increasing our run time every two days by 15 seconds -- alternate day, recovery time is decreased, also, by 15 seconds. At this rate by mid April we’ll be running 5 minutes and walking one. That’s the goal.
The path we ran Saturday was marked so we were happy to learn we're running four miles.
Go US!
* E is J's adorable, 15 month old son. For those that might wonder, J had the stroller set up so he was protected from the rain. Once he was in the car, we ran around it so he was never left unattended. Besides no one else was crazy enough to be out there but us!
Thursday's run was fantastic - the second best run I’ve had! I’ve learned that one or two good runs does not mean from that point on most runs will be great. Oh how I wish. What it means is like everything else in life, you have good times and, well, not so good times.
J and I set out to run and because of the rain we’ve had this week, we decided to use the greenway - it’s asphalt, therefore much easier to push the stroller when the ground is wet than the trail at the park. Easy being a relative term.
As mentioned before, J and I seldom have good days on the same day; perhaps that’s good, it allows us to keep each other motivated. J immediately began struggling, which is amplified by pushing the stroller. Having a fixed front wheel makes it very difficult to maneuver.
It was a surprise to see J had quit within the first seconds of a run. She was a few feet behind me when I heard her say, well, I won’t repeat it; suffice it to say when I looked back I saw she’d stopped running. That never happens! I wasn’t sure what to do because she’d told me if she’s going quit it will be in the first couple intervals. Before I had a chance to decide what to do, in true J fashion, she immediately began running, as usual, refusing to give up. Go J!!!
We’ve both experienced what it’s like to have a wonderful run while the other suffers. J perhaps more than me - lol. Speaking for myself, it’s difficult to feel as good as I was, knowing someone else is suffering. I’m pretty sure she’d say the same thing. It’s also a lesson in compassion, confidence and maybe even co-dependence.
I felt strong during the run and finished feeling not necessarily like I wanted to continue, more like there’s still hope someday I’ll have more good runs than bad. I like that. J finished knowing she had another run logged ‘in the books.’
… Then there was Saturday’s run - it sucked. Rain and thunderstorms were predicted by early afternoon, so we tried to get our run in before it started. Well … at least we missed the thunder! It rained most of the run and we laughed about how crazy we must look -- soaking wet, pushing a stroller*. By the fifth interval I was dying and expressed that to J ... whose response was “we’ll only do six.” I knew better and suggested some day she really quit so I could believe her.
By the sixth interval the rain was really coming down so J said she wanted to head to the car. I was relieved; I just didn’t think I could run another minute. Surprise ... as we approached the car J suggested that since E was sleeping she'd just put him in the car and we could finish the run -- there, in the parking lot. Obviously this wasn't going to be the day we would 'only do six'. Oh, yay!
Being astounded at the difference between this run and the last, I needed answers. Why was this run so much more difficult? It wasn’t the rain, it was my legs -- they were like lead. The only significant change was I’d decided to add squats and lunges to my workout the night before. Perhaps not giving my legs time enough to recover???
Current Time:
We’re still increasing our run time every two days by 15 seconds -- alternate day, recovery time is decreased, also, by 15 seconds. At this rate by mid April we’ll be running 5 minutes and walking one. That’s the goal.
The path we ran Saturday was marked so we were happy to learn we're running four miles.
Go US!
* E is J's adorable, 15 month old son. For those that might wonder, J had the stroller set up so he was protected from the rain. Once he was in the car, we ran around it so he was never left unattended. Besides no one else was crazy enough to be out there but us!
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