Why I Run – Pre-Marathon Update

Posted on by stilllearning2b

I run not to get away,  but to get through.

I run not to become out of breath, but to gain breath.

I run to be social and I run for solitude.

I run to connect and I run to disconnect.

I run not to avoid work, but to inspire work.

I run to feel empowered and I run to remind myself that I am still weak.

I run to meditate and I run to ruminate.

I run not to lose weight, but to gain balance.

I run because it is what I do.

Because I run, I can be who I am.

And that is why I run.
And tomorrow, I will run 26.2 miles. I ran my first race, a half marathon, just three years ago. I was weak and skinny. I made it through by mental determination alone. I didn’t let the body know that it couldn’t make it. I’m in a very different place now. I have trained for months and dialed my nutrition in. I’m ready. That first race was run to prove to myself that I could make it through seemingly insurmountable odds as I faced the legal process of the divorce and the struggle to find myself among the debris left behind. This race will be run to remind myself of how far I have come and to celebrate the journey.

The miles feel shorter now. What seemed impossible three years ago is now quite probable. My challenge this time is to release expectations, enjoy rather than endure, and simply be in each mile. I placed myself in a slower corral so that I am forced to start slowly and be aware of my surroundings. I’m looking forward to hearing the bands (not too much country, please!!!!) and meeting new friends along the way. I’m excited about spending time in a beautiful city with my boyfriend and meeting up with an old friend.

My dad sent me a wonderful, encouraging email yesterday reminding me that this marathon is nothing compared to the theoretical ones I have already run and that victory lies not in the timing chip but in the wealth of friends and family. Thanks, dad, for the reminder. I might need it at mile 22!

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How Long is Your Marathon?

Posted on by stilllearning2b
Marathon Preparedness
Marathon Preparedness (Photo credit: super-structure)

I’ve been getting this question a lot lately and it always make me shake my head and smile. Those are about the only smiles associated with the marathon at the moment. It turns out the nagging little virus I had a couple weeks ago was actually the beginning of pneumonia. I ended up taking a week off work (something I NEVER do) and spending all of it in bed. The marathon is now 6 weeks away and I’m trying to build up my stamina enough to stay awake past 6 pm, much less run for 4 straight hours.
At this point, I’m feeling quite a bit better. I’m just still very fatigued and my left ear has been blocked for two weeks and the associated dizziness, deafness, and ringing is about to drive me mad. I starting running again last Sunday (2.3 miles!) and just now got back from my second attempt (3.5 miles!). Tiger is happy as my reduced speed and short distances means he can join me on the runs. I, however, am not so happy as I should have run 9 miles today according to my now-defunct training schedule.
So, what do I do? I could give up and scrap the race entirely. I could force my body into running the distances spelled out by the schedule and just pick right back up. I could get angry and curse my body for getting sick without consulting me about the timing.

I’m not going to do any of those things. I’ve invested too much time and money to quit, my body isn’t ready to run 40 miles in a week right now, and the anger would just be wasted (especially since I wouldn’t be able to hear my cursing over my ringing ear). Instead, I am going to run as much as I can over the next 6 weeks. I’m going to listen to my body (figuratively until the ear clears, of course) and rest when I need to. I’m going to enter the race with no expectations about performance or time; I’ll just do the best I can with where I am on that day. Okay, maybe I have one expectation. I’m hoping the damn ear clears so that I can hear the bands the Rock n’ Roll race series is known for…

This isn’t that different than how I felt when the dust settled after the divorce. I never expected to be divorced. It was not part of the training plan I had for my life. I realized I could give up, pretend it never happened, or get angry and curse it for all time.

Or, I could accept that it happened and go forward the best I could.

How long is my marathon? Long enough that it will be a challenge but not so long that it will defeat me. I’ll complete it just like I got through the marathon of my divorce – one step at a time while remembering to keep breathing.

National Marathon Washington DC
National Marathon Washington DC (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

 

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On the Menu: Green Gingersnap Smoothie

Posted on by stilllearning2b

After receiving a Vitamix for my birthday, I had fun trying different smoothie recipes. This combination has turned out to be my favorite:) I love the combination of protein and carbs after a workout and the gingersnap flavor satisfies my sweet tooth!

Green Gingersnap Smoothie

Taming the Monkey Mind: Taking the Monkey Back to School

Posted on by stilllearning2b
image from backyardfrontline

I’m not sure if you’ve noticed, but it’s been a bit since my last monkey mind post. This is my confession – I have been neglecting the monkey. Not so much that he has completely wasted away, but I have not paid sufficient attention to my synaptic simian as of late. And he’s starting to protest.

I could give you lots of excuses. Many of them are even valid. I’m 4 weeks into the start of the school year and my time and mental energies are spent lesson planning, grading papers, contacting parents, and sitting in endless meetings. Oh, and teaching. That happens for 5 + hours each day. On top of that, I’m training for my first (and only) marathon. I knew the time commitment ahead of time, but it is really becoming clear now as I spend 10 hours or so a week running and another couple hours stretching and foam rolling. And a few more hours yoga-ing. Then there’s the book – I wasn’t expecting so many people to request it in paper form so I added formatting to my work list the last few weeks. And let’s not forget my other job as a wellness coach. I spend several hours per week researching, writing my newsletter, and working with clients.

So, yeah, I’m busy.  So what?

I made a promise to myself to have balance in my life. For the most part, I have that. I’m happy, fulfilled, and passionate about what I’m doing and who I am with. But I’m still breaking that promise by neglecting my meditation practice. I realized today how much it really comes down to acclimation, commitment, and accountability.

I was sick this weekend and the illness derailed my running plans. I ran an easy 6 miles on Thursday and was planning on doing (a not-so-easy) 20 on Saturday. Instead, today was first run in 4 days. I barely made it 2 miles. How is it that I could have run 6 just a short time ago and today I struggled with 1/3 of it?

Acclimation.  We get used to doing what we do. I’ve moved my 20 miler to this weekend so I need to spend the week getting my body used to running again. Isaac willing.
I have my marathon training schedule posted on a corkboard in front of my computer. Tucked behind it are my hotel reservations for Savannah (where the race will be held). I have a constant visual reminder of my investment, in both time and money, in this race.

I also have a whiteboard calendar next to my desk where I record my daily and weekly mileage totals. It holds me accountable. I can see when I slack.

In contrast, after my initial 30 day challenge, I have made no tangible commitment to mediation. I do not track it or hold myself accountable and I allowed myself to become disacclimated (yeah, I know it’s not a word, but my monkey insisted I use it!). It’s no wonder I’m doing better at running than ohmming.

So, I’m taking my monkey back to meditation 101:

-I’m posting a reminder on my board next to the running schedule.

-I’ll track my practices on my calendar (hmmm…smiley faces don’t seem right, but it needs to be quick to draw).

-I’m restarting my 30 day challenge to re-acclimate.

That’s right, monkey. School’s back in! Hope you’re prepared:)

 

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Posted on by stilllearning2b