Running Secrets

Running has its ups and downs. We can be plagued with injuries or infused with victories.
After years and years of running the only true constant is the sound of my shoe as it strikes the ground.
Runners are dynamic creatures with many reasons to run. For me the reward is a sense of harmony with myself and the world around me. But lately my runs have become a battleground.

Restarting at a base training level may be a solution. 

As Jack Daniels so well put, “Training is often demanding and not necessarily fun, but it should always be rewarding!”

At the end of the run, I want to feel energized and ready to tackle the day.

Do you have any running secrets?

Image BuzzDash

Unfulfilled Potential

I love this guy’s art - Hugh Mcleod. One day he’s witty with a sarcastic edge the next, heart-felt with that all so essential human connection.
As a (self-competitive) runner this one hit home.

The Utter Terror of Unfulfilled Potential


A somewhat earthly creature as he crosses the finish line – just short of that almighty PR.

The expression:

• “I know I have it in me.”
• “I will do better in the next race.”
• “Never look back…”
• “Guilty!”
• “Keep on running!”

What expressions do see?

This post was inspired by the GapingVoid-100 people project.

No Zombies Allowed (#100ppl)

Have a great summer!
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Lost – The Zen of Running

Somewhere along the road I’ve lost my Zen of running. It was my sanctuary. A motion, a place, a time all my own. Now it feels like a chore. And I mean chore! I’m breathing heavy, my heart rate is up – I just want to stop running and walk!
This greatly saddens me as running was something simple – that I enjoyed.
It’s right up there in my top 3 things life has to offer.

Why the change?

Something wrong with the mechanics? I’ve been waking up with uneasiness that something is physically wrong with me. (The hypochondriac syndrome.). I do have an appt for a full physical soon.
Another life passage? As Gail Sheehy in Passages so honestly said;

” All changes, even the most longed for, have their melancholy; for what we leave behind is a part of ourselves; we must die to one life before we can enter into another!"

Classic case of burnout? Many days I had to force myself to do the long runs while training for the Half…

Whatever is going on; let’s pray I get over it fast. I miss my relationship with running.

I see John “the penguin” Bingham is working on a plan to get out of a slump – I hope it works for him. Finding the Rhythm

Some mindful suggestions I’ve been considering: [Thanks Donna Cardillo]

• Set intention.
• Ground yourself.
• Create good karma.
• Affirm your path.
• Aspire to new heights.
• Be mindful in everything you do.
• Tap into your life force.

Do you have any ideas? I would appreciate your feedback.
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Reward System

Galloway states, “Rewards are important at all times.”
For me, I’ve never really paid any attention to a reward system. Yes, I do buy a Starbucks coffee facsimile after a long run but don’t label it as a reward. It’s more like – “I need my coffee now!”
I don’t even revel in my mileage anymore. I want to run faster and further. I never satisfy this craving.
Perhaps it’s time I changed this minded set and began appreciating a few rewards.

“It’s best to reward yourself often the first week, and then reward yourself every week for that first month. Make sure these are good rewards that will help motivate you to stay on track.” - Leo Babauta who blogs at Zen Habits

Here is a wide open list of rewards from Managing Your Mind

• Things to Eat or Drink - This is an easy one – that can backfire. While I don’t worry about my weight. (Yet) I really don’t want to gain 50 pounds before an important race.
• Enjoyable Activities like TV - I do have plenty of shows in the Queue at Netflix, to watch instantly, but time is always an issue… Maybe I will finally watch Spirit of the Marathon.
• Relax – Sit By a Fire - I know I would love this. There is something about watching a fire, bathed in the glowing embers. Unfortunately, we have a regular fireplace that involves matches, wood, and ashes. There are lots of other ways to relax...
• Treats - Like flowers - I’m already spoiled with weekly flowers. ( Ty My FS) I can think of other treats like new a massage oil for my feet or some strongly scented aromatherapy candles.
• Time - If only I had a way to stop the clock and create more time. I do try and schedule fewer activities on long run days.
  I would love to take a day/week off and just read.

I need to work on a list from these above prompts. (Remembering Galloway says rewards are important!)

I would love to hear if you have a post run reward system set up and what it involves.


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Holiday Wishes

I always find this time of the year stressful... Thank God I have running to keep me grounded!
This will be my last post of the year.
I look forward to working on a fresh new blogger design
And
a new training program for my next Half Marathon!
Wishing everyone "Merry Christmas" & “Happy Times” over the holidays.
Be safe
And
Keep on Running!


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A Range of Goals

I like how some runners are now posting goals for their upcoming race.
No longer is one goal proclaimed, but two or three. (As we all know race completion expectations are not so black and white.) I like this plan - no more finish before a blank blank time pressure.


Examples

Runbulldog numbers his outcomes with #1 as the most achievable goal.
“Goal #1 — finish the marathon with a smile on my face and a happy left foot.”
And then they get harder…

Runner26 begins with a summation “My biggest goal is to remain uninjured.”
She then starts with her most ambitious goal and ends with this; "I'll take it…I trained decently, ran for fun, and had a blast!”

Runnerkara has a 10k race this Saturday. Her typical goal is to beat her last time – despite lack of training or wellness...


Possibilities:

"The best pace is a suicide pace, and today is a good day to die." - Steve Prefontaine

"What Was I Thinkin"

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How Has Your Running Changed as You've Aged?

I have been simmering over this article for the last month, and I'm still having a hard time formulating a remark. Did it make me feel better or worse?
Should I throw in the towel?
Give up doing races?


In this article in the WSJ - Older, Wiser, Slower. The writer shares his reason for slowing down. (A Cardiologist told him, “…keep your heart rate below 120.")
He gives example of athletes who have made adjustments but he did not elaborate on their happiness...

“If your have to go as fast at 50 as you did at 20, you will grind yourself into the ground.” – Mark Allen

In the article's side bar:
How has your athletic activity changed as you've aged?

Reader’s comments:

• “Trained every day - 50+ miles per week. Now I realize that this was killing my spirit to enjoy running, etc. I am more laid back and don't care if a friend beats me in a 5k”
• “…count every healthy day as a blessing.”
• “There's a middle zone you need to find, which is little beyond what's comfortable, but not miserable for you.”

My Comments:

• I can still run fast but not for the same distances.
• It takes weeks not days to recover from a race.
• I need to warm up and yes some days it takes 20 minutes.
• I feel stiff – I’m forced to warm up before I take off.
• When I push myself at the end of a race I feel horrible.
• Instead of celebrating a PR, I beat myself up for not going faster.

If this sounds like runner burn-out, you’re wrong. It’s a fact of life - unless you’ve found some magical Sports Drink.
No matter what you do - your body still has an expiry date.

How has your running changed as you've aged?

Reasons To Run

"It's only when you're flying above it that you realize how incredible the Earth really is." Philippe Perrin

There is something phenomenal about flying 25,000 ft. up in the air.
As I sit there encapsulated, I not only get a panoramic view, but an overview - of my life. Like an out of body experience, I am detached.
On this trip I felt the urgency to go for a run. You really discover your wants – when they are unavailable. (When will they provide in-flight treadmills?)

Instead of running, I focused on the Reasons To Run:

Runaway
Quite literally – you can. Not only mentally but physically. Sometimes you need to run hard and fast to get the prize – a flood of endorphins. This is the reward.

Overindulgence
You know those days when you can’t stop eating. The next day you seek absolution. Running can repair.

Grounded
Being a dynamic component of nature instead of an observer. Just the act of getting outside delivers.

Fitness
When you have nothing to say… You can brag about your slow pulse.

Connection
The thing about running – it can be solitary or a group adventure. With every race I run – I feel a kinship with my fellow man. Together we move…
But perhaps most important (to me) is the virtual connection I have with you online runners. Everyday I can witness someone supporting or cheering on another runner. We share a common passion, and because of this - we are connected.

Why do you run?

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Vacation Time

Fall Race Report

If the air is cool but most of the leaves are still green – Is it still Fall?

Yes, it was a spectacular day for the Fall Festival Run.
It’s a 50 mile drive to Corvallis – So we headed out early - early enough to take in the sunrise…



I felt strong and awake – might have been the illicit half cup of joe I drank.
I know one thing for sure, running a flat 5k is a whole lot easier that a hilly Trail race.



The course crossed through the Oregon State University campus. Scenic, but involved plenty of sidewalk running :0


Where's my chip?


The 5 K Winner was Benjamin True A23y M1/21m Eugene OR 14:14
That’s a 4:35 pace!
I, surprisingly, placed. (Well - there were only 400 runners in the 5k.)

Favorite Shirt Quote:
Ride High (?/?)

Race Chatter:
Runner #1 –“My IT Band burns every time I race.
Runner #2 “Why?”
Runner #1 “I don’t know…”

Post Race Snacks:
Starbucks and a shared Noah’s Blueberry Bagel.

Goody Bag:
From Strands – My dog checking it out.
(I always cut her ears off...)

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Five L's and Running

Barrie Greiff – has written about the Five L’s of Success. (Personal habits that correlate with health and happiness.) His principals can be applied to everything – even running.

LEARN

There is not a day goes by that I do not read something new or interesting in one of the many running fitness blogs I read. The internet connection has given us a way to share and learn. It might be advice from a professional runner or lessons learned from trial and error...

LABOR

When I see a fast runner competing – I realize two things:
They didn’t just wake up one day and win the race. They put in the miles! Their weekly mileage is far greater than mine.
And
I too can run faster if I put in the time.
Keep on running

LOVE

If you don’t love to run – try another activity. No, not every run day is wonderful. But when you reflect on how you love to run - the rewards are endless…

LAUGH

Ask any runner to share a funny story, and they will. The one about a clinging dryer sheet or an inside out shirt. Runners do have a sense of humor!
"Humor is the instinct for taking pain playfully." – Max Eastman

LET GO

Don’t get trapped on treadmill of serious running. Take a day off for yourself. Clear your mind of how fast, or how far - just run.
(I compare it to ~ going for a ride.) It has a very tranquil effect on your character.
Try it – no one will know but you.

Steve Prefontaine
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Recovery

Ran 5 miles at a Recovery pace. Just testing out my back. Instead of a shuffle, I was able to stretch out with some decent strides. (
O thank-you powers to be :)
I did have to watch out for the cant of the road. (That’s the tilt on paved roads that prevents rain from pooling.) But confident now I will be able to run the trail race in 2 weeks.
Life is good.

During my run - No, I’m not riding a horse!

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Quotes That Heal

As I said to myself, “No please – not my back…” my running schedule materialized; but like smoke from a Genie's bottle, it disappeared into thin air. I’ve been here before and know the routine. No running until the back pain is under control...

Quotes that helped:

“Learn to get in touch with the silence within yourself, and know that everything in life has purpose. There are no mistakes, no coincidences, all events are blessings given to us to learn from." Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
* Stop blaming myself.

"If you do what you've always done, you'll get what you've always gotten." Tony Robbins
* There is always something I can learn about my body.

"It’s human nature to start taking things for granted again when danger isn't banging loudly on the door.” David Hackworth
* I will never grumble about going for a run again!

"Everyone has been made for some particular work, and the desire for that work has been put in every heart." Rumi
* My work is running.

"Don't give up. Don't ever give up." Jim Valvano
* Looking over my race bibs and times – I’ve still got a lot to do.

"Life is about timing." Carl Lewis
* Taking some time off from running (even if it is forced) gives me time for reflection.

"Find a place inside where there's joy, and the joy will burn out the pain." Joseph Campbell
* My joy is to just be outside – whatever I do out there will carry me through the day. I’m going to attempt a very gentle run later today. And if I have to walk – that’s OK!

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Keep On Running

This story has two important lessons:

• It’s never too late to take up running.
• And how important it is to keep pushing yourself.

Roy Engler took up running when he was in his fifties. He is now 86 and still running four times a week!
The magic in this story is not that he is still running; BUT that he is still competing – albeit with himself.
(There are not many runners in his age category.)

This year (at 86) he ran a 9:50 mile. WTG Roy
Here are his official USA Masters Track & Field Rankings

Keep On Running

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Where Do You Pin Your Bib?

I’ve been noticing lately – runners wearing their bib numbers lower...like on their shorts or legs. I think this has something to do with trail runners – they like to take their shirts off!
But honestly I think the bib and safety pin pre-race maneuvers are so unnecessary. Not to mention archaic! (How many years have we been doing this?) I think a slick wrist band would be sufficient in conjunction with a timing chip.

Where do you pin your bib?


Abolish running bibs

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Running is Like... Reading

This week’s theme at Runner's Lounge TIaRT is - Running is Like... I know, I know, you are dying to finish this with "...a box of chocolates." Tell us what you think running is most like in your life.
~
In the beginning you struggle. That first mile is made up of many steps – like reading, you have to start with the basics to build a foundation. You will have to repeat, practice – even read out loud so you can move forward. Just as in running – you must put in the time, the repetition – there are no shortcuts.

Your vocabulary expands and all of sudden reading becomes interesting. Just like running - when you learn about intervals, stretching and all the equipment.

But perhaps the most useful parallel is the significance of comprehension. You can read a complete book and not remember the name of a character or the color of his eyes. Just as with running – you can run blind, where the nuances of a shady path go unnoticed. You might as well be indoors on a treadmill...

Running is like reading – A process that can be enriching or just another monotonous task.

So:
Open the next chapter.
Run with a new pace.
Look, listen, and feel.

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Vacation Time

Keep on Running!

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RUN

RUN

• R is for racking up the miles. I don’t have a running total from the very beginning (of time) but since 2002, I’ve put on 5005 miles.
• U is for understanding. You will slow down eventually. SO - > “Always do whatever's next." - George Carlin
• N is for never. Never forget why you love running.

Cow

Juneathon Day 29
Running 4.53 miles (6x400s)
3x12 Sit-ups
1 cold water foot bath. (Where is the pool?)

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Not Top Secret

Like many of you, after I run, I log on and upload the details. I use Breaking the Tape but sometimes upload to Map My Run or Garmin for maps graphs and other goodies.
But is anyone looking at all that data we share? After reading an article in Wired – Living by the Numbers I find out – NIKE+ does conduct studies with OUR numbers.

“Nike has attracted the largest community of runners ever assembled more than 1.2 million runners who have collectively tracked
more than 130 million miles.” Wired

Stuff like:

• Americans run more in the winter time than Europeans.
• The average time for a run 35 mins. [?]
• Most popular Nike+ powersong – Pump it.

I want to know:

• More males or female runners?
• Most popular time to run – AM or PM?
• Any pit stops?
• How many will be still running in 5 years? [Guess we’ll have to wait for the longevity data to emerge.]

Where do you store your running stats?

Juneathon Day 24
Ran 6.3 miles listening to Trilogy Running Podcast. Laughed my way down the street – while racing a garbage truck.
If you like raunchy sweat grinding talk – Check it out!

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Running with the Wild

During my local runs, the only wildlife I see – beside birds, are squirrels. I see a lot of squirrels. They can be smart or not so smart – daredevils. They can be crazy fools, and end up as road kill.


I had a chance to run along side one today. He was on the fence; I was on the path. As I slowed to let him jump off – he slowed… He stayed right beside me till the end of the line. He must have thought I carried food, or perhaps he was eyeing my pony tail.
Anyways, my encounter doesn’t even come close to Ali’s experience.

• “Today I had one of the most incredible runs of my whole life. One of those runs where you feel like a Kenyan, sprinting in the wind... one of those runs where you feel alive, and invincible. A once in a blue moon run. Today, I ran with a deer.”

Please read the rest of her post here.
And thanks ali for sharing your awesome run.

Juneathon Day 17
Running 6.1 miles
Sit-ups 3x10
Squirrel count 5

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