When I told people I was going to run a marathon last year, their response was pretty much: "wow! you're crazy!" But they knew I love to run and no one really questioned whether or not I could do it, it was pretty much just a question of why I was going to put myself through that.
But what I've found with announcing my news of a triathlon is not a mere shaking of the head but genuine concern: "you're going to do WHAT?! do you even know how to swim??" The "you're crazy!" line still makes its way out, only this time I think it's sincere. It's almost enough to deter me, but paying $165 to do this makes it worth my while not to be deterred (so THAT'S why they charge so much). And while I know that everyone wants me to remain alive in 2009 and the only reason why anyone would even bother to say anything is because they care about me, I have to say it's not easy to hear. I have to be pretty cocky to be doing this, because no, I haven't had formal swim training since 6th grade (and they weren't the best of lessons) and no, I don't know how to switch gears on a bike.
YET.
I am not going to lie and say that I could do a triathlon tomorrow. Or next week. Or next month. No, I probably couldn't. But that's why I'm doing it. I'm doing it because it's not something I could just jump up and do, it's not something I could do at any point in my life. This is a challenge and it's a big challenge and it's, I guess, semi-dangerous (although I really don't think there's real danger here). I'm aware of the facts, I'm aware that it's difficult to swim in open water, I'm aware that there will be hills on the bike course, I'm aware that I will be doing a lot of activity in the course of a morning.
So while I appreciate your concern and your affectionate proddings, I'm not backing out of this, I'm not going to quit, and, no offense, but if you want to be negative, then well...don't. Just don't. I don't need it. It's enough of a challenge without having to convince you that it's not.
Thursday, January 8, 2009
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
Wha?
So apparently to swim 1.5k, approximately .932 miles, requires spending AT LEAST 45 minutes in the water?!?!!?!?!?!?!!?!?!!?!?!
THAT is why I run people, cause approximately .932 miles = less than a 10 minute workout.
Darn water.
THAT is why I run people, cause approximately .932 miles = less than a 10 minute workout.
Darn water.
Tuesday, January 6, 2009
Save the Date
September 13, 2009 – I will need your support!!!! (and possibly your first aid kit!!!)
GULP! Today I registered for the Nation’s Triathlon! That’s it, no turning back, they have a strict no refund policy, I’m in, I can’t back out, I’m going to swim, bike, and run myself into the ground. HOLY COW! This is far more intense than a marathon! But still no iron man…I was reading about that in the paper this morning. I believe it requires a 2.2 mile swim, some ridiculous amount of biking, and then you run a marathon. Pssshh…I’d never be crazy enough to do that.
Of course…I never thought I’d be crazy enough to do this…
I went online and bought a new SPEEDO (black, boring, for racing/training purposes, not sunbathing), a pink swim cap, and “smoke” colored goggles. I’m determined in my search to find me a swimming pool. I’ve decided to wait a little to get a bike, especially since that intimidates me even more than swimming. I’m pretty okay at this individual stuff, running, walking, hopefully swimming, chewing gum…but when you attach some sort of object to my body, be it a tennis racket, a golf club, a bike, a car…I’m likely to flail around quite madly and cause total chaos. There is a distinct possibility that I will crash several times once I finally get a bike, not to mention during the actual race….not to freak you guys out, just being realistic here.
Let’s all take a moment to mourn the loss of my sanity.
GULP! Today I registered for the Nation’s Triathlon! That’s it, no turning back, they have a strict no refund policy, I’m in, I can’t back out, I’m going to swim, bike, and run myself into the ground. HOLY COW! This is far more intense than a marathon! But still no iron man…I was reading about that in the paper this morning. I believe it requires a 2.2 mile swim, some ridiculous amount of biking, and then you run a marathon. Pssshh…I’d never be crazy enough to do that.
Of course…I never thought I’d be crazy enough to do this…
I went online and bought a new SPEEDO (black, boring, for racing/training purposes, not sunbathing), a pink swim cap, and “smoke” colored goggles. I’m determined in my search to find me a swimming pool. I’ve decided to wait a little to get a bike, especially since that intimidates me even more than swimming. I’m pretty okay at this individual stuff, running, walking, hopefully swimming, chewing gum…but when you attach some sort of object to my body, be it a tennis racket, a golf club, a bike, a car…I’m likely to flail around quite madly and cause total chaos. There is a distinct possibility that I will crash several times once I finally get a bike, not to mention during the actual race….not to freak you guys out, just being realistic here.
Let’s all take a moment to mourn the loss of my sanity.
Monday, January 5, 2009
2009 Insanity
SO. Faithful readers. I must inform you that the title of this blog will remain MarathonMennone (Mennone rhymes with baloney), I will actually use 2009 to transform myself into TriathlonMennone. Yes, that’s right, I’ve decided that my 2009 challenge is to do the Nation’s Triathlon, which includes a 1.5k swim, a 40k bike ride, and a 10k run.
INSANITY!
Some major obstacles:
~my swimming skills consist of: doggie paddle fast, doggie paddle slow, and dead man’s float.
~I haven’t ridden a bike since my time abroad in Barcelona, where I flew over the handlebars while trying to go up a hill
~I don’t own a bike
~I don’t own a swimsuit…or goggles…or a swimming cap…
~there is nowhere to swim in this gosh darn city
A membership at the Y costs $73 a month…that’s even more than my fantastic Gold’s Gym membership! There is no way I can justify spending $73 for maybe 10 hours of swimming a month (and that’s ambitious). I’m only slightly concerned about the biking part, I mean they say you never forget. And you wear a helmet….and I take spinning classes at the gym….
This is bonkers! Who the heck does a triathlon? Only fools and crazies! BUT you get to wear really cool gear…and the GU intake will increase dramatically. And I will be in what Runner’s World promises to be “ the best shape of my life.” The problem is that there are seemingly few resources to tell someone how you actually train for a triathlon. Runner’s World has a measly 4 articles regarding the subject (I mean, they’re only in charge of 1/3 of it anyway). So once again, I’m kind of self training, which may or may not be the best idea. But I am getting help with the whole swimming situation, with the help of Coach Kelly Roommate! And I’m currently in the process of enlisting unsuspecting victims to accompany me on bike rides (preferably those with medical/CPR/wound training)…any takers?
On the plus side, I went out and ran 10 miles yesterday and it felt GREAT!
Also on the plus side….I’M DOING A TRIATHLON!!
(now that I’ve blogged it, I guess I better register)
INSANITY!
Some major obstacles:
~my swimming skills consist of: doggie paddle fast, doggie paddle slow, and dead man’s float.
~I haven’t ridden a bike since my time abroad in Barcelona, where I flew over the handlebars while trying to go up a hill
~I don’t own a bike
~I don’t own a swimsuit…or goggles…or a swimming cap…
~there is nowhere to swim in this gosh darn city
A membership at the Y costs $73 a month…that’s even more than my fantastic Gold’s Gym membership! There is no way I can justify spending $73 for maybe 10 hours of swimming a month (and that’s ambitious). I’m only slightly concerned about the biking part, I mean they say you never forget. And you wear a helmet….and I take spinning classes at the gym….
This is bonkers! Who the heck does a triathlon? Only fools and crazies! BUT you get to wear really cool gear…and the GU intake will increase dramatically. And I will be in what Runner’s World promises to be “ the best shape of my life.” The problem is that there are seemingly few resources to tell someone how you actually train for a triathlon. Runner’s World has a measly 4 articles regarding the subject (I mean, they’re only in charge of 1/3 of it anyway). So once again, I’m kind of self training, which may or may not be the best idea. But I am getting help with the whole swimming situation, with the help of Coach Kelly Roommate! And I’m currently in the process of enlisting unsuspecting victims to accompany me on bike rides (preferably those with medical/CPR/wound training)…any takers?
On the plus side, I went out and ran 10 miles yesterday and it felt GREAT!
Also on the plus side….I’M DOING A TRIATHLON!!
(now that I’ve blogged it, I guess I better register)
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
The Lime Green Sneakers of Life
Tomorrow is New Year’s Eve, which means that I will inevitably end up dozing off shortly before midnight in a feeble attempt to watch the ball drop in NYC…on TV. I’m not a big fan of New Year’s Eve, nor do I make New Year’s Resolutions (as I already mentioned).
HOWEVER
I have been itching to shake things up for the past few months now. Without school and professors defining the daily activities of my life, without homework and paper writing and marathon training, I’ve found myself bored, lulled into the monotony of a grown-up life, filled with work, gym, food, repeat. (ok it’s really not THAT bad, I do have a boyfriend and a cat and a generally busy social life with incredible friends) but I miss having structure, I miss being bribed to do things like practice the piano or write a paper, promising myself rewards of alternatively more gym time or more food. I miss the far off dream of a marathon. I miss writing papers. I really do. Every day at work, I grow more and more tempted to pick and topic and write a 2 page paper on it.
So I have decided that I have to fix this rut I’ve gotten into, I have to remind myself that there is more to life than a job and that I have to maintain a balance of academia (sounds like macadamia) and fun and running and responsibility. I’m tired of not being organized, of leaving clean clothes in my basket for 2 weeks while I try to make time to fold them. I’m tired of leaving books scattered around my house. Gosh darn it, I’m going to buy a book shelf.
When I mentioned to my mom the other day that I was missing inspiration to run, she returned home from work with a pair of lime green Nike sneakers. She told me they were to inspire me and to get me back on track. And you know what? They have. I absolutely love these green sneakers, they are bright and energetic and they will, I believe, inspire a return to the pavement. So I think I just have to find lime green sneakers in everything. In my desire to study, in my desire to be more active…when I am seeking organization in my life, I will have to pick up something small to remind me that yes, it is important, because I have added value to it. In my job, in my daily routine, in the goals I am creating for myself for 2009, I will have to seek out my lime green sneakers in all that I do.
I think I better go buy some bright colored pumps to maintain this in the business world…
Whoever said that running was just running has never really ran.
HOWEVER
I have been itching to shake things up for the past few months now. Without school and professors defining the daily activities of my life, without homework and paper writing and marathon training, I’ve found myself bored, lulled into the monotony of a grown-up life, filled with work, gym, food, repeat. (ok it’s really not THAT bad, I do have a boyfriend and a cat and a generally busy social life with incredible friends) but I miss having structure, I miss being bribed to do things like practice the piano or write a paper, promising myself rewards of alternatively more gym time or more food. I miss the far off dream of a marathon. I miss writing papers. I really do. Every day at work, I grow more and more tempted to pick and topic and write a 2 page paper on it.
So I have decided that I have to fix this rut I’ve gotten into, I have to remind myself that there is more to life than a job and that I have to maintain a balance of academia (sounds like macadamia) and fun and running and responsibility. I’m tired of not being organized, of leaving clean clothes in my basket for 2 weeks while I try to make time to fold them. I’m tired of leaving books scattered around my house. Gosh darn it, I’m going to buy a book shelf.
When I mentioned to my mom the other day that I was missing inspiration to run, she returned home from work with a pair of lime green Nike sneakers. She told me they were to inspire me and to get me back on track. And you know what? They have. I absolutely love these green sneakers, they are bright and energetic and they will, I believe, inspire a return to the pavement. So I think I just have to find lime green sneakers in everything. In my desire to study, in my desire to be more active…when I am seeking organization in my life, I will have to pick up something small to remind me that yes, it is important, because I have added value to it. In my job, in my daily routine, in the goals I am creating for myself for 2009, I will have to seek out my lime green sneakers in all that I do.
I think I better go buy some bright colored pumps to maintain this in the business world…
Whoever said that running was just running has never really ran.
Monday, December 22, 2008
Baby, it's cold outside!!!!
It’s cold outside. Today it was 17 degrees, and felt like 1, when I left for work in the morning. Needless to say, I’m not jumping up at 5am, when it’s pitch black and there’s penguins running around outside, to go running. Nor am I coming home from work at 6pm or later, and throwing on my spandex to do a loop around the park – nope, that’s when the polar bears are out. I managed to do the Jingle all the Way 10k (in 54 minutes, I might add), which was a lot of fun, but still…COLD. And the winter solstice was only yesterday! What to do as winter threatens me with imminent hibernation?
The truth is, I must return to the gym. I have to buy a new gym bag that will hold all my crap and fill it with shoes, a towel, shampoo, a hairdryer (excessive? Perhaps) and convince myself that going to the gym 4 times a week in the morning or after work will ultimately make me feel better, not just physically, but also mentally, considering I’m paying $40 a month to have a membership card. With no picture on it. I know. If I’m paying $40, it should AT LEAST have an ugly “before” picture on it to motivate me.
But the truth is, I haven’t been motivated. I’m in a slump. I feel my muscles deteriorating, oozing from my body. I no longer feel a constant soreness, which had become the norm for my body all summer/fall. So I finally decided to bring it back at the gym yesterday, but doing about 50 squats, followed by 30 lunges, 20 more squats, 30 more lunges, and about 2 minutes of wall sits. At first, as I did the squats, I worried that I had lost the ability to feel that searing pain that comes with leg exercises – oh no, don’t worry, I haven’t, and I feel it today and I run around the city. I guess now would be the time to do some serious work with free weights and give yoga another shot (shudder…shudder…). Now I just have to find a way to convince myself to do this. The holidays certainly don’t help, since all I’ve been doing is eating. This is quite a rant here. But then again, that’s what this blog is for. So that no one has to here this on the phone or in person (although some people inevitably will). I must find a way to get back on track.
I could go the whole New Year’s Resolution route and tell myself that it’s my job for the new year, to be fit and fun. Except I decided a long time ago that resolutions are BS and I usually go less than 24 hours before I break them, even if just for the sake of irony. I have to find something to work for, or maybe find a new sport or work out. That’s what Shapeselfcosmofitnessrunnersworld magazine said. Vary your workouts and you will continue doing them!
The truth is, I must return to the gym. I have to buy a new gym bag that will hold all my crap and fill it with shoes, a towel, shampoo, a hairdryer (excessive? Perhaps) and convince myself that going to the gym 4 times a week in the morning or after work will ultimately make me feel better, not just physically, but also mentally, considering I’m paying $40 a month to have a membership card. With no picture on it. I know. If I’m paying $40, it should AT LEAST have an ugly “before” picture on it to motivate me.
But the truth is, I haven’t been motivated. I’m in a slump. I feel my muscles deteriorating, oozing from my body. I no longer feel a constant soreness, which had become the norm for my body all summer/fall. So I finally decided to bring it back at the gym yesterday, but doing about 50 squats, followed by 30 lunges, 20 more squats, 30 more lunges, and about 2 minutes of wall sits. At first, as I did the squats, I worried that I had lost the ability to feel that searing pain that comes with leg exercises – oh no, don’t worry, I haven’t, and I feel it today and I run around the city. I guess now would be the time to do some serious work with free weights and give yoga another shot (shudder…shudder…). Now I just have to find a way to convince myself to do this. The holidays certainly don’t help, since all I’ve been doing is eating. This is quite a rant here. But then again, that’s what this blog is for. So that no one has to here this on the phone or in person (although some people inevitably will). I must find a way to get back on track.
I could go the whole New Year’s Resolution route and tell myself that it’s my job for the new year, to be fit and fun. Except I decided a long time ago that resolutions are BS and I usually go less than 24 hours before I break them, even if just for the sake of irony. I have to find something to work for, or maybe find a new sport or work out. That’s what Shapeselfcosmofitnessrunnersworld magazine said. Vary your workouts and you will continue doing them!
Thursday, December 11, 2008
A Marathon Runner...and Blog Slacker
Well...it's been ummm close to 2 months since I transitioned from "marathoner-in-training" to "marathoner!". And umm even longer since I provided you with reading material. So while I had a successful marathon, I still feel a twinge of failure as I think of you, my poor readers, coming here daily in search of my wit, my humor, hungry for the constant joy that I once provided for your lives and leaving unfulfilled.
Fear not, I have returned.
Yes my friends, I did complete the 2008 Marine Corps Marathon, held this year on October 26. Although I did not reach my lofty goal of 4 hours, I did manage the run the entire race (run used loosely here, as the final miles could hardly be considered more than a trot) and finished in 4:23:00. Not a bad first time I'd say. The experience in general far exceeded my expectations, largely because of the people who were there that day. Of course, the MCM is known as the People's Marathon, in part because it's in Washington, DC and partly because the crowd is absolutely fantastic. There was only one part of the race where there weren't people hooting, hollering, cheering, ringing cowbells, waving signs, handing out food and vaseline (which I ALMOST mistook for gu and ate), and consistently providing a reminder that a) those of us running were, in fact, crazy and b) they loved us for it. There were two extremely important people in that crowd (well 3 actually, now that I think of it), and mother and boyfriend endured a test of a different kind as they hunted me down throughout the race and were forced to become extremely chummy after having met only once before at the chaos of my sister's beautiful wedding only a month before. Throughout the whole race, knowing that I was going to see them, with the signs my mom made, propelled me to go a little faster, to keep my head up and not look at the ground and to make it to the finish line so that they could give me the water bottle I had so stubbornly refused to carry with me. My mom arrived the night before, making me spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and getting up at 5:30am with me to make it to the start line about an hour earlier than we had to. Then of course, my friend Ryan, who I was kind of running for, because after all, he is in the seminary, kept a watchful eye out for me at mile 14, making sure the whole world knew how awesome I was! He also found my crew afterwards at Chipotle, where mom and boyfriend forced me to sit down and eat a burrito. You know, after you run 26 miles (+.2), you're really not hungry. You kind of just want to sleep. So it took me about an hour to eat the burrito, which granted, they are huge burritos, but to be realllllly honest I can usually inhale them in a good 15-20 minutes. Chewing has never required such diligence.
To be really honest, the entire marathon is kind of a blur. It was incredibly fun, I've already blocked out any pain I felt - it's kind of like having a baby (I imagine) - really, really painful at the time, but so worth it at the end. Mile 22 was the real killer - over the bridge to Crystal City. No cheer squad, people were dropping like flies on the pavement, and we had been taunted at the beginning with promises of "water at the end of the bridge!" when they failed to mention that the bridge was the longest bridge in the world. Or it seemed that way anyway. I almost cried at mile 25 when I saw a girl with a shirt that said "My sister has MS. I'm running this race for her." When I saw her again at the finish line, I told her how her shirt touched me...she replied that her sister had died 2 years ago and she needed a new shirt....funny, the memories I have.
So now I have run a marathon, what now? After taking the required 4 weeks off, I'm in miserable shape, starting to imagine what you all must have felt when I said I would do one, because I certainly couldn't do one any time soon. What I must do now is find a new challenge, a new goal to propel myself along. Since sky-diving is out of the question (bad vision, torn retinas = blind), I'm considering a triathalon. You know. If I can learn to swim beyond the doggie paddle.
Ideas? Challenges? Congratulatory flowers? I can give you my address.
Fear not, I have returned.
Yes my friends, I did complete the 2008 Marine Corps Marathon, held this year on October 26. Although I did not reach my lofty goal of 4 hours, I did manage the run the entire race (run used loosely here, as the final miles could hardly be considered more than a trot) and finished in 4:23:00. Not a bad first time I'd say. The experience in general far exceeded my expectations, largely because of the people who were there that day. Of course, the MCM is known as the People's Marathon, in part because it's in Washington, DC and partly because the crowd is absolutely fantastic. There was only one part of the race where there weren't people hooting, hollering, cheering, ringing cowbells, waving signs, handing out food and vaseline (which I ALMOST mistook for gu and ate), and consistently providing a reminder that a) those of us running were, in fact, crazy and b) they loved us for it. There were two extremely important people in that crowd (well 3 actually, now that I think of it), and mother and boyfriend endured a test of a different kind as they hunted me down throughout the race and were forced to become extremely chummy after having met only once before at the chaos of my sister's beautiful wedding only a month before. Throughout the whole race, knowing that I was going to see them, with the signs my mom made, propelled me to go a little faster, to keep my head up and not look at the ground and to make it to the finish line so that they could give me the water bottle I had so stubbornly refused to carry with me. My mom arrived the night before, making me spaghetti and meatballs for dinner and getting up at 5:30am with me to make it to the start line about an hour earlier than we had to. Then of course, my friend Ryan, who I was kind of running for, because after all, he is in the seminary, kept a watchful eye out for me at mile 14, making sure the whole world knew how awesome I was! He also found my crew afterwards at Chipotle, where mom and boyfriend forced me to sit down and eat a burrito. You know, after you run 26 miles (+.2), you're really not hungry. You kind of just want to sleep. So it took me about an hour to eat the burrito, which granted, they are huge burritos, but to be realllllly honest I can usually inhale them in a good 15-20 minutes. Chewing has never required such diligence.
To be really honest, the entire marathon is kind of a blur. It was incredibly fun, I've already blocked out any pain I felt - it's kind of like having a baby (I imagine) - really, really painful at the time, but so worth it at the end. Mile 22 was the real killer - over the bridge to Crystal City. No cheer squad, people were dropping like flies on the pavement, and we had been taunted at the beginning with promises of "water at the end of the bridge!" when they failed to mention that the bridge was the longest bridge in the world. Or it seemed that way anyway. I almost cried at mile 25 when I saw a girl with a shirt that said "My sister has MS. I'm running this race for her." When I saw her again at the finish line, I told her how her shirt touched me...she replied that her sister had died 2 years ago and she needed a new shirt....funny, the memories I have.
So now I have run a marathon, what now? After taking the required 4 weeks off, I'm in miserable shape, starting to imagine what you all must have felt when I said I would do one, because I certainly couldn't do one any time soon. What I must do now is find a new challenge, a new goal to propel myself along. Since sky-diving is out of the question (bad vision, torn retinas = blind), I'm considering a triathalon. You know. If I can learn to swim beyond the doggie paddle.
Ideas? Challenges? Congratulatory flowers? I can give you my address.
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