Beautiful Run- Jefferson Memorial

We ran 5 yesterday around the Jefferson. This is one of the many reasons I love DC. The runs are breathtaking.

Why did my 3 mile feel like a 10 mile today?

Maybe my long run will feel like a short run to make up for it... :)


(not me in photo)

Courage

"The miracle isn't that I finished... the miracle is that I had the courage to start." - John Bingham

What is an Athlete?

... but being an athlete is not about miles run or even about setting PR's. Being an athlete is about how you encounter the world. Athletes encounter the world with their bodies- with their feet, hands, lungs, and heart. When non-athletes feel their hearts pounding, or their lungs gasping for air, they think something is wrong. They feel as though they have stepped out of their world. Yet those sensations are defined by us, caused by us, and ultimately, embraced by us. They are not outside us, they are, by definition, inside of us.

Those sensations are present at any pace, distance, or age....The person with the 35min 10k PR is only a faster runner than the person with a 55min 10k PR. No more. No less...

Injuries often stop runners from the physical act of running, but that doesn't mean they stop being athletes. the joy they feel in activity will still be there. The penguin athlete? Absolutely. It is a state of mind, a state of being. It is not a matter of comparing, it is a matter of accepting. And that, for many of us, may be the greatest challenge.

Waddle on, Friends.
John Bingham

Here is a link to his site, http://www.waddle-on.com/.
This is one of his columns that I saved from HS. He considers himself the penguin athlete.

My first crash of the season

Had my first fall of the season. Will not be my last, for sure. I tend to get very lost in my thoughts and music when I am out and do not always pay attention to the steps, rocky paths and other things that get in my way. Finished a good 5 mile run with Nicholas, though. (Graphic photo below)

Got updates from Tony and Rachel that their training is going well, so congrats to you both!

OKC Run

Hot and humid clocking in at 97* in Oklahoma City, got out and ran just over 3. Followed it up with some bikram yoga. One of those great days where you feel like you can run forever. Not quite used to running in this heat yet, so had to take it easy and call it in early. Ran along the river. In 1993 the city went through a huge transformation and is really cute now. Really loved running along the water and checking out the sites.

First Time

There is NOTHING like running your first marathon. When you line up, have your number tacked on you, with crazy socks on your hands to throw to the ground after mile 3 or so when things start to heat up. Jumping up and down like a fool to keep your muscles "warm" for the race. Someone should have told me it is not like those cross country races where you warm up for a 3 mile "sprint." This is a place where warming up, for me at least, happens along the way.

I remember my first time like it was yesterday. All the anticipation. The fear. Will I even be able to finish? Could the training possibly have been enough? Did Contompasis and I cheat by doing that 11 mile run on the treadmills at JO South when we couldn't bear running outdoors due to the inclement C-bus weather?

Who knows. All that can be done is to get to the start line.

Turns out, this is the race that I was born to do. I happen to be decent at the 5k. But put me in a 10k and you will think that is where I was meant to run. Place me at the starting line of a 42k and it is my natural environment.

Back in my cross country days, once the gun went off, all the girls would sprint out at a mad pace. Parents would cheer, coaches shout instructions, and get ready for the next spot to see the pack race around. My parents would wait. Without fail, I would be the last girl "jogging" along. But little did the other bystanders know, their girls were going to die down in no time and I would slowly pick them off, one by one. My coach would give me exact times to hit. I would hit them exactly. It is pretty easy to do when you are programmed at one pace. Slow and steady.

I digress, back to that first time. I made it. I finished. I did not get the time I had really hoped for, but the time was good. Good enough for me to keep training and doing this 5 more times.

Good luck to all the first timers. You will either love it or hate it. Either way, welcome to the club!

Summer Races

I am planning on running a few summer races to keep me on track for the marathon.

July 26- Riley's Rumble Half Marathon http://www.mcrrc.org/races/RileysRumble/

Sept 13- Park's Half Marathon http://www.parkshalfmarathon.com/

Oct 4- Army 10 miler http://www.armytenmiler.com/ if I can find someone who will give me their bib.

A good friend just finished the San Diego Marathon in 3 hrs 28 minutes! Congrats Phil!

nike and ipod gadget

I have to say- one of the coolest gizmos out there in the running world is the nike/ipod sports kit. I know that it has been out for a few years now, but it still ranks pretty high in my book. The best part? There are many, but for me it is the fact that you can "train" with friends and family that you hardly ever see. Love it. Don't you?

PS Only complaint is figuring out where to stick the Nike+ if you don't wear Nikes (I don't). Found the solution the other day. A little velcro pouch that attaches to your shoe. Brilliant. I know there were other solutions that people found that worked, but this one is my new favorite.

Getting back into it

This weekend, I got out and did one of my runs. I also did weights and yoga. I have to say, I am slightly more out of shape than I realized. What is the expression? Slow and steady... right? :)

Training Schedule

This is the plan I intend on using for my training, give or take. If I find the time, I may try to add in an additional day of yoga. Off to do 5!

18 wk training starts this week

So, if you plan on doing the full 18 for the CM, training begins this week. I plan on doing some of the runs, but not going full force for another couple weeks. I find that anything over 14-16 wks is too much for my body. That said, I plan on doing the Intermediate 1 program since I have not been staying in the best shape. This will be my 6th marathon and I know the things that I want to focus on. I definitely am going to do light weight training 2 days a week. I will also do yoga 2 days a week to help stay flexible and prevent injury. The last addition to my training will be some speed work to hopefully lead to a PR in the fall.

Looking forward to getting back into a routine with running, just think I will need to find some other dedicated runners to get me through my long runs. That, or I will need to find a biker friend or two who will ride alongside of me for the 15+ mile runs.

Best of luck to everyone training for the fall!