If it doesn't hurt, you're not really running

So this past week was my first 40 mile week.  17 miles last Sunday, 8 on Wednesday, 5 on Thursday, and 10 on Saturday.  Then today I did the Nike + 10k.  It was GREAT!  I've decided I need to sign up to do more races.  It's very motivational - instead of just running, you feel like you have to push yourself harder.  I reworked my play list and added some new songs, including Ok Go's "Here We Go" and Fort Minor's "Remember the Name."  Remember the Name is my new song!  When I become a famous runner and I enter an arena (they don't really do that for runners, do they) or I have a Nike commercial, I will do it to Fort Minor's "Remember the Name."  

"This is 10 percent luck, twenty percent skill

Fifteen percent concentrated power of will

Five percent pleasure, fifty percent pain

And a hundred percent reason to remember the name"

This song really powered me through my work out and made me pick up my pace.  That's the power of a good song, and also of a new song.  Putting a new song in your playlist will give you an extra boost in your workout.  After the first 2k, I realized that I hadn't run like that in a long time.  It hurt.  I was winded.  When I finished my 10k, I had to sit down for a minute.  That is running.  Now, I'm the first one to say that you can't do that all the time.  You'll make yourself sick if you don't learn pacing and you seriously can't always do anaerobic work outs.  But I had a math teacher in high school who was also a track coach - he told us a story once about a kid who really wasn't very good at track.  But this kid tried his heart out and in the final meet of the season, he ran so hard that when he crossed the finish line, he puked his guts out.

Let me tell you one thing.  If I don't pass out or puke from exhaustion after I finish this marathon, I know that I didn't push myself to my limit.  And that's just totally unacceptable.

Later today, I went to a beginner's yoga class.  I know some of the basics, but I'm still not that great, so I stick with the ones that are for beginners, all levels, or I just go to Pilates classes (I took that in college, haha).  We had to start with "ohm" again but this time I actually just did it and only snickered a little.  And when we did it at the end, I didn't even laugh.  There was significantly less picking of the feet in this class, although I have to admit that my flexibility is no better.  My hamstrings are incredibly tight, which was, of course, noted by the class because today the instructor picked me to use as her example.  I was really surprised when she asked me if she could use me, so I just said yes.  I haven't decided if this is because she figured I would need the most help out of anyone and just wanted to help me herself, or if she just thought I looked like a sucker.  Both are very possible.  But she had me do a downward facing dog, which I hate, and then pushed down on my back to get me to pull back my shoulder blades.  Then she had me do a downward dog on my forearms and proceeded to put her foot between my shoulder blades and told me to put one of my feet on the wall and straighten my leg.  Then she had me put the other leg up to join it.  So I was on my forearms, with both legs straight out on the wall.  I'm not describing this well...but basically I never thought I could do anything like that and it was really....FUN!  It was fun to do one of those crazy "yoga" things.  And the instructor's attitude was really refreshing - someone asked if my legs were supposed to be bent and she said that it was just cause my hamstrings were tight (which she knew without ASKING me) and when people kept being nit-picky about my form and where I was on the mat, she said, "C'mon people, it's just YOGA!"  She was great.  It was the best yoga class I'd taken so far.  

Total miles: 10 Saturday, 6 Sunday

Total miles/bribe $ earned: 28 miles, $28 

Running in the rain (legal): the equivalent of running naked (illegal)

Ok, first I’d like to say that I’ve never really run naked, and that sounds pretty darn uncomfortable to me, physically and socially.

But this morning I got up at 5 again (why do I not run at night?!?!) and did a 10 minute ab workout before jetting out the door for a 5 mile run. When I woke up I tried to figure out if it was raining (cause obviously I am not crazy enough to run in the rain…right?) but I didn’t hear any so I pulled myself out of bed with the promise that I would get my mileage in this week.

However, when I went outside, I saw the cars with their wipers on and I realized that there was a steady drizzle falling. But…it was 5:30. I was dressed. How could I deny myself the endorphins?!!? So I set off down the street and consoled myself by telling myself that I have graduated to the level of “crazy runner who defies the weather.” I figured there were 2 approaches I could take here: either send a few four letters words towards Mother Nature, or go for the less combative approach and embrace the fact that I am even closer to nature and the world. Figuring that if I flipped off Mother Nature I would inevitably find a slippery spot on the sidewalk and break my elbow or something, I decided to “become one with the earth” (oh no, this may be a direct result from all that yoga!). and a funny thing happened – I wasn’t forcing myself to run in the rain, I was enjoying it! It was great! It wasn’t too cold, so I was still sweating but it all mingled with the rain water. It wasn’t pouring, but it was steady enough to drench me thoroughly. It was the most relaxing and freeing run ever, which was why suddenly, right by the Capital, I was struck by the idea that this was probably like running naked…at least, that’s the best comparison that I could come up with. There were a few important factors contributing to this – it was a light rain and it wasn’t too cold…it was dark out. Twilight/dawn. The sun was just starting to break when I got home.

Cause the sun still rises, even when it rains. Sometimes that’s when the sky is the most beautiful.

I guess that’s what they mean by “silver lining…”

Mileage: 5 miles
Total mileage/$ earned: 13 miles/$13

To Look Cool (and be safe), Wear This!

This morning I woke up at 5:05 and thought: ugh. It was dark outside. I was sleepy. I had woken up at 3:45 and thought it was time to get up (but I did have to pee so lucky I woke up?!). But then I reminded myself that I had a mission! If I ran this morning, I would earn myself some moo-lah. So I sat in my nice bed for a few more minutes and then dragged myself out.

It’s been cool when I’m walking to work these days, so I decided that at 5am it would be downright cold. Umm, hello Sarah, it’s still August. So the sweat-capris, not such a good idea (they are sooooo comfortable though, just a little warm). As I puttered around getting ready, it dawned on me that dawn would not come until I was almost done with my run. This provokes some serious safety issues, including the threat of being mowed down by the garbage trucks. But luckily, this past Christmas I got the fabulous gift of a reflective running vest! Truth be told, I look like a real goofball when I run around in this – but no one will miss me. And my chances of winning in court should a garbage truck mow me down will greatly increase since I took the precaution of wearing it. Thus, I offer you the following arguments for the important, if slightly goofy, running vest:
1. you will be visible in the early morning and the late night
2. this means you can still run alone
3. you provide great entertainment for those around you (one of the police officers by the Capital this morning said I looked like the reflecting pool)
4. it makes you look tough (ish) – did you ever see the cops wearing those? No? they do, I promise. People will think you’re a tough protector of the law/you know karate and hence will not try to mug/rape/attack you
5. it has a handy compartment in it for your keys/metro card/snacks
6. did I mention that when you put it on – BOOM – instant cool?

******SARAH’S UNPAID ENDORSEMENT****************
Please click here to see my reflective running vest. Our friend Edgar happily models this version, which retails at a mere $12.99! For a scant $13, you can look as cool as Edgar and me!

MILEAGE/DOLLARS EARNED:
Today: 8miles/$8
Total bribe money earned: $8

PS. that guy's name isn't really Edgar...well it might be, but I don't actually know him. FYI.

Motivation is Key

Race day is exactly 2 months away from today…I’ve already hit 20 miles in my long runs. I’ve done a 5k in under 40 minutes and I’ve exhausted my paths in DC. I’ve added yoga into my routine (in other words, I’m stretching).

Now what?

The days are getting shorter, meaning that I’m way less motivated to get up at 5am and run in the dark (mom sighs in relief). My body is sore and I’m tired all the time. My dedication to nutrition has faltered and I find myself raiding the candy basket at work and wolfing down Hershey kisses like nobody’s business (although I have been better with breakfast – yogurt with Kashi and fruit). Beer tastes especially delicious. Yes I love fall…but it’s doing nothing for my running. I hate running in the cold and DC is already starting to cool off. So what’s a marathon newbie to do?

Bribe myself of course! Many of you may have heard of the plan to bribe DC students to get better grades and behave themselves…well if we can pay students to go to school, I can certainly pay myself to run! A dollar a mile…now THAT will get me to go those extra 5 miles!

I actually got this idea from reading an article in Runner’s World. It seems like sheer genius to me! Now I just need to think of something that I REALLY want and that I will be able to save enough money for within the next 2 months. My goal for September mileage is 110 miles (= $110 in bribe money). I’ll probably taper in October, so we’ll go with an even $200 goal. Now I have to think of something very special to give myself in return for torturing my body. A massage seems obvious, but yet so boring. I will have to find something really fun if I want to motivate myself.

A lot of people that I talk to about running tell me that they have a hard time getting past their personal best time. How do you even make it to 3 miles? And once you get there, how do you get past it? Those are questions that I’ve heard over and over again. Sometimes, I’m right there with you. I went out for my long run on Sunday (17 miles), and after about 6 miles, I was ready to toss in the towel. “enough of this!” I thought. “Back to the couch for some cheetos!” After all, you burn about 100-125 calories with every mile. I figured 6 would be good enough. And if you remember, I’m all over the listening to your body and stopping when you need to stop (or at least, I’m trying to be). But then I really tuned into my body…and my body wasn’t in pain, my body was just whining like a little 2 year old in the grocery store. So I just focused on the next mile…and then the next mile…and the next. That’s where most people encounter their problems – they try to run their whole workout in their head right from the start. That’s when you start to panic, that’s when you realize you still have a half hour, an hour of running left, and you just feel like you’ll never make it. But one mile – one mile is, what, 10 minutes? At the most. 10 minutes is nothing. In your life, you’ll have so many 10 minutes. You waste 10 minutes doing any number of things – picking at your toes in a yoga class, watching cookies bake, waiting for water to boil. 10 minutes is nothing. A mile is nothing. That’s what you need to tell yourself – even if you don’t believe it right away, you will get to the day when you say to yourself “a mile is nothing” and your response will be, “a mile?! Heck, 2 miles is nothing!” my personal mantra, when I get really pooped is, “3 miles is nothing.” Then I go 3 miles…then I face the next 3. it carries me through the run.

Why are you still reading? Why aren’t you running?

A Running Buddy

DID YOU KNOW....that there are tracks you can buy on itunes that are basically a personal trainer crooning in your ear with music specifically selected to match the tempo you are aiming for?  These tracks last about 40 minutes or longer and can help you in your training.  They also cost about $10 each cause you get a whole bunch of songs in there, as well as a personal trainer who resides in your ear (this is a major benefit because you're not worrying the whole time if they're bored or thinking how fat you are, etc.  I love personal trainers but I have a hard time doing everything they say cause I wonder if they're judging me).  Because they cost more than 99 cents, I have never invested in one before; this and I also have developed the uncanny ability to talk to myself while I'm running so I never thought it was necessary.  But I signed up for the Nike Human Race 10k on August 31st and they sent me a free track entitled "My First 10k."  I was incredibly skeptical, but since it was free, I figured, "why not?"  So I downloaded it, stuck it in my work out playlist and set out on my run.  

I started off skeptical, was a believer for a while, and then faded back to "eh."  I'm actually pretty impressed by the whole idea and it definitely helped to have someone telling me when to run faster and when to pull back a little.  The music, being free, was naturally not incredible, but it was a mix of Latin American songs, so you know it had energy and it was actually a pretty good mix.  BUT you know me, I have to recognize the songs to pump myself up, otherwise it really just doesn't work, so I got a little bored.  Luckily, it was only for 40 minutes, so I still had about another 40 minutes to listen to "my music."

By the way, another great song for running: Moby's Bodyrock.  It's great cause the entire song has about 4 words that just repeat over and over and over again and it's very energizing.  Not so great for sprints but it will help you power through a workout. 

In the area of nutrition...I went to a Harris Teeter today - an AMAZING and MAGICAL place it is!  I wandered in amazement and sheet joy.  I bought the ingredients for a new recipe that I found in Runner's World and made it tonight.  I would highly, highly recommend it, so now for.....

SARAH'S UNPAID ENDORSEMENT

Cinnamon Chicken, taken from Runner's World Online (click here for recipe)

Delicious!  It's not the easiest recipe I've ever made (I actually TOUCHED raw chicken, um ew) but it certainly wasn't that hard.  As the recipe says, you let it stew for an hour so it gets very tender and the flavor is excellent.  And, another bonus, you don't have to go out and buy a bunch of weird ingredients.  Sometimes I look at a recipe and I think it sounds really good but it calls for all these weird spices that I would probably only ever use for that particular recipe.  Now that's fine if you're old and rich (or young and rich, but that's far less likely), but if you are a poor, recent college graduate who can usually get a free drink but not free spices at the grocery store, buying a new spice every time you want to make something new can get pricey.  So this recipe works overall, and you could even share it and feel proud.

OH YES.  My marathon goals.  I know you were waiting for this.  So naturally I'm getting way ahead of myself, this is only my first marathon but I've decided that I want to keep training and running races until I get my time down to 3 hours and 40 minutes.  Why, you ask?  Because then I will qualify for the Boston Marathon!!!  I've decided that this is one of my life goals.  

Speaking of insanity, did you see the winner of the Olympic Women's Marathon?  She finished in 2 hours and 26 minutes...that's less than a 6 minute mile.  Consistently.  CRAAAAAZY.

I could do that.

If I really wanted to.

But...I don't.

Cough...cough....

Food is your Friend

Today I made the unfortunate decision to have a "super-duper-kick ass- intense-beyond belief" workout day.  I set my alarm clock for 7am and dreamed that it was going off at 6:26am so I just got up and went out and ran 9 miles.  Then I took a shower and went downtown and did a yoga class that ended up lasting an hour and a half.  And it hurt - a lot.  Also we had to start class with "ohm" and reciting some weird chant a bunch of times and the instructor started talking about pyranas or something and about earth, fire, wind and water and I wondered when Captain Planet was going to burst in.  We had to start class sitting cross legged, which is a personal challenge, because my hamstrings are so tight.  Sitting cross legged, we began to focus on our breathing.  This is the part where everyone's eyes are closed except mine, so I try not to snicker audibly while I look at everyone and pick at the dead skin on my toes because I can't sit still (my feet are all torn up from running, what can I say?).  Then I met a friend for lunch, stayed downtown, shopped (oh details, details), went to church and then rushed home and went out for another 11 miles.  

Ow, ow, ow.  Also, I might have done all this on a cliff bar, a chicken salad, half a piece of chocolate cake, some yogurt, coffee, and tortilla chips.

That was the dumbest thing ever.  I threw up in my mouth twice during my run tonight (only a little bit) and now it is 10pm and I have absolutely no desire to eat anything.  You're supposed to eat within an hour of doing a hard run (the reason why is escaping me at the moment, I just remember that it's really important).

Drat.  This is not how I'm supposed to feel after a super duper whatever I said workout.  I'm supposed to feel like superwoman!

I really have to pay more attention to my nutrition.  Sometimes I skip meals, I know I don't eat enough protein, and I eat more sweets than my fair share.  So that's definitely something to work on.  

Repeat after me: food is your friend!  You like food.  Food must enter your body at regular intervals.  Food must be colorful, include valuable nutrients, and be fresh and healthy.  

More later this week...I know I've dropped off a little.  Remind me to tell you about my future marathon goals.