So far this holiday season, we've been pretty busy with family. We visited Jason's parents in Kentucky the weekend before Christmas, spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with mine, and then after Christmas took a short road trip with Jason's family again to visit his sister. This morning Jason asked what today's plan was and I will admit to looking at him somewhat testily as I said, "There is no plan. The plan is to do whatever our hearts desire."
For me that will include taking down Christmas decorations and getting my house back in order. I succeeded in getting most of our Christmas presents put away, but the tree and stockings and such are still up. I will also enjoy a glorious run in the beautiful sunshine, something I have not seen in several days. It was strange to wake up in such a bright bedroom, and I smiled with the knowledge that today I'd be running in the sun.
For me it also means catching up with some of my Running Start, LLC current and future clients! When January gets here... LOOK OUT WORLD! This girl is going to be one busy homefry! I've got 3 more clients ready to get started in the new year, along with another class at UAH to further my coaching goals. This one is The Essentials of Personal Training. After this class I will take my ACE certification exam (hopefully pass with flying colors) and add another certification to my little repertoire. In February I will attend the RRCA coaching course as well since it is geared more toward what I am currently doing than my USA Track and Field certification (although I'm really glad to have that one as well).
With this year's Just Move It program at UAH, I will be leading a 5k training group and I am so excited! Just Move It starts in January, but we will begin our 5k training in February with about 10 weeks before the Cookie Dash 5k, which will be our goal race. I am working closely with the Health and Physical Education Department at UAH to get things ready for the 5k training program, and I cannot wait to get started!
This is the first time during this holiday season that I have opened my laptop or looked at a computer at all. When work was over for the year, I just couldn't bring myself to look at a computer screen. Today I needed to charge my ipod shuffle so that sort of prompted this post. But now, I am off to enjoy this beautiful day during which I will do whatever my heart desires.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
The Perfect Afternoon Run
I think the closer Christmas Day gets and the more excited I become about it, the slower time seems to move. After today I only have 2 more days of work before 11 days of pure freedom and as crazy as it seems, 2 days feels like an eternity. Still, I press on. There is plenty to do at work to keep me busy, even if I would rather be wrapping the last of my Christmas presents and baking Christmas cookies with Jason.
As always with holiday or vacation time, I love running in the middle of the day instead of always in the wee morning hours, and never feeling rushed if I want a few more miles. The extra rest is lovely too and my runs while on vacation always seem stronger because there is plenty of time for rest and recovery between each one.
This past weekend we went up to Kentucky to see Jason's parents and on Saturday I went for a run in the countryside. I've written and posted pictures about this run before. I always follow the same route which is 3 miles out and back. It is extremely hilly but for some reason I always look forward to that. When I first married Jason I only did the 4 mile route and the hills just about did me in. Now I can shimmy up each one without much trouble and I take pride and joy in that each time I experience it.
When I ran on Saturday I had not run in two days so my legs were fresh. I felt strong, I felt great, the hills were fun and challenging and the entire run was simply wonderful. The air was cold but the sun was out, and the countryside looked just as lovely as ever. There were only two dogs on the course this time and they were too comfortable in their sunny spots to pay me much mind as I ran by.
It was one of those perfect afternoon runs that lift my spirit a little higher, that remind me of how much I love running in general, that make me want to throw my arms in the air and shout "thank you!" to the Creator of it all. That's what my heart was doing as I completed my run and then walked passed the driveway to the field where the family's horses are kept. I conclude each run out there with a visit to Lady, Rascal, and Rainbow who always come to the fence and let me pet their noses. It is my way of dragging it out a little, lingering in the beauty around me, savoring the feelings I feel while out there running.
As always with holiday or vacation time, I love running in the middle of the day instead of always in the wee morning hours, and never feeling rushed if I want a few more miles. The extra rest is lovely too and my runs while on vacation always seem stronger because there is plenty of time for rest and recovery between each one.
This past weekend we went up to Kentucky to see Jason's parents and on Saturday I went for a run in the countryside. I've written and posted pictures about this run before. I always follow the same route which is 3 miles out and back. It is extremely hilly but for some reason I always look forward to that. When I first married Jason I only did the 4 mile route and the hills just about did me in. Now I can shimmy up each one without much trouble and I take pride and joy in that each time I experience it.
When I ran on Saturday I had not run in two days so my legs were fresh. I felt strong, I felt great, the hills were fun and challenging and the entire run was simply wonderful. The air was cold but the sun was out, and the countryside looked just as lovely as ever. There were only two dogs on the course this time and they were too comfortable in their sunny spots to pay me much mind as I ran by.
It was one of those perfect afternoon runs that lift my spirit a little higher, that remind me of how much I love running in general, that make me want to throw my arms in the air and shout "thank you!" to the Creator of it all. That's what my heart was doing as I completed my run and then walked passed the driveway to the field where the family's horses are kept. I conclude each run out there with a visit to Lady, Rascal, and Rainbow who always come to the fence and let me pet their noses. It is my way of dragging it out a little, lingering in the beauty around me, savoring the feelings I feel while out there running.
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
Talking to People in Cars
The other night I went for a short run after work. It was dark already, but I stayed in my neighborhood and enjoyed all the Christmas lights and decorations everywhere. I was running along, enjoying the lights and my run when a car slowed next to me and I heard a lady's voice say, "ma'am?" It was dark so I could not see who was in the car, and I did not stop. You may be thinking, that's kind of mean, but hear me out on this one. Before I tell you my little story, let me say this. I don't think you should ever stop and talk to people in a car, especially at night. Now, I have made the exception when I'm on a busy road in the daylight, but that is rare. I sort of wonder at the idiocy of a driver thinking they can pull up next to a running female at night believing she will (or should) actually stop and talk to them. Even if it is a car full of women who got lost on their way to Bunco night, it just isn't a good idea and as a runner you can't depend on it to be a car full of such women.
How did I come to feel this way? Well, first of all I was raised to be aware of what's going on around me, to pay attention to other people and to watch for signs of something strange or dangerous. So I've never been one to walk mindlessly to my car at night or to run in dark, unpopulated areas alone. But I also had quite an experience with a driver once and it has cured me from ever feeling like I should stop and help, even in the most seemingly safe conditions.
One morning I was running one of my regular routes. It was daylight and the school buses were already making their rounds. I was running to my sister's house and when I got there I was going to decide whether to turn around and run back or take the longer, hillier way home. As I turned on her road I crossed a 4 way stop. There was a white truck sitting in the opposite lane and so I waved as I always do when a car lets me pass. In a few minutes the car passed me, turned around and came back toward me. When it got to me it slowed and the man inside said something. It sounded like Spanish to me so I moved closer. I thought he might be lost.
When I was close enough to see him, I realized his pants were unzipped and he was workin' it (for lack of better phrasing). I was horrified and immediately turned and ran off. At this point I was almost to my sister's but I waited until the truck had driven out of sight before running into her driveway. I was so unsure of what to do. I told myself I wasn't hurt and nothing had happened, but my heart was racing and I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I wasn't sure if I should knock on Julie's door so early in the morning so I just stood there for a minute and all of a sudden her front curtains opened. She smiled to see me standing there in her yard and opened the door.
I told her what happened and got some water. She offered to drive me home and at first I said no, but then I realized I didn't have it in me to run back down that street. When I got home Jason encouraged me to call the police and I did. They came to the house and took a report. I described the truck and the man inside. I could tell they wanted more information and I wish I'd had all of my wits and had looked at the license plate, but I just wasn't prepared to see what I saw.
A few weeks later, the man's face was on the news. He was an illegal immigrant and he'd been showing himself to kids in other areas of town. I was relieved that they found him. After all, he'd been on my sister's road where her kids and countless others live! According to the news he was being deported, but who knows if that ever really came to be. It was a nice thought, though.
For a while I ran only with my morning crew. Eventually I started enjoying the occasional solo run once again and now I rarely give it a second thought when running down my sister's road. Still, I will not be approaching any cars, especially at night or in the dark early morning hours.
I wanted to write this cautionary post for the simple fact that I did feel kind of bad when I kept running the other night. But then part of me said that whoever was in that car had to understand. Even though I was in my neighborhood full of friendly Christmas lights, it is never safe to assume it is safe. Period. And if it really is a car full of ladies on their way to Bunco night, it is okay if they are a little late.
How did I come to feel this way? Well, first of all I was raised to be aware of what's going on around me, to pay attention to other people and to watch for signs of something strange or dangerous. So I've never been one to walk mindlessly to my car at night or to run in dark, unpopulated areas alone. But I also had quite an experience with a driver once and it has cured me from ever feeling like I should stop and help, even in the most seemingly safe conditions.
One morning I was running one of my regular routes. It was daylight and the school buses were already making their rounds. I was running to my sister's house and when I got there I was going to decide whether to turn around and run back or take the longer, hillier way home. As I turned on her road I crossed a 4 way stop. There was a white truck sitting in the opposite lane and so I waved as I always do when a car lets me pass. In a few minutes the car passed me, turned around and came back toward me. When it got to me it slowed and the man inside said something. It sounded like Spanish to me so I moved closer. I thought he might be lost.
When I was close enough to see him, I realized his pants were unzipped and he was workin' it (for lack of better phrasing). I was horrified and immediately turned and ran off. At this point I was almost to my sister's but I waited until the truck had driven out of sight before running into her driveway. I was so unsure of what to do. I told myself I wasn't hurt and nothing had happened, but my heart was racing and I had a sick feeling in my stomach. I wasn't sure if I should knock on Julie's door so early in the morning so I just stood there for a minute and all of a sudden her front curtains opened. She smiled to see me standing there in her yard and opened the door.
I told her what happened and got some water. She offered to drive me home and at first I said no, but then I realized I didn't have it in me to run back down that street. When I got home Jason encouraged me to call the police and I did. They came to the house and took a report. I described the truck and the man inside. I could tell they wanted more information and I wish I'd had all of my wits and had looked at the license plate, but I just wasn't prepared to see what I saw.
A few weeks later, the man's face was on the news. He was an illegal immigrant and he'd been showing himself to kids in other areas of town. I was relieved that they found him. After all, he'd been on my sister's road where her kids and countless others live! According to the news he was being deported, but who knows if that ever really came to be. It was a nice thought, though.
For a while I ran only with my morning crew. Eventually I started enjoying the occasional solo run once again and now I rarely give it a second thought when running down my sister's road. Still, I will not be approaching any cars, especially at night or in the dark early morning hours.
I wanted to write this cautionary post for the simple fact that I did feel kind of bad when I kept running the other night. But then part of me said that whoever was in that car had to understand. Even though I was in my neighborhood full of friendly Christmas lights, it is never safe to assume it is safe. Period. And if it really is a car full of ladies on their way to Bunco night, it is okay if they are a little late.
Monday, December 12, 2011
Running for the Holidays
I love my daily Garfield comic. Especially around Christmas time because he is always up to something hilarious having to do with this most fun holiday season. And like Garfield, I am always thinking about it and planning for it - my gift purchases, gag gifts for dirty Santa (Jason and I had a pretty good laugh about that last night), cookie baking, Christmas tree decorating, office parties, watching Caroline in The Nutcracker ballet, and writing Christmas cards. Then there's looking forward to Christmas Day, and I'm like a 5 year old on Christmas Eve...beginning as soon as December gets here.
And now the countdown is on! Only 9 more work days and 16 days total until Christmas. I don't know how I'm supposed to concentrate at work. I'm already planning to spend my lunch break getting a few last minute items and present wrapping tonight.
There's also running during the holidays. I love this time of year because when I am on vacation, I can run whenever I want! I can still go early in the morning with the girls (and the promise of a nap later) or I can wait until the sun is high and the temperature is as warm as its going to get, and run then. I can run long or short or twice a day if I want. And lets face it, with all the Christmas goodies, a few extra miles in the sunshine is definitely warranted!
This past weekend was what would have been the 50 mile. I thought of it Friday when Jason and I would have been headed to Florida, and I thought of it Saturday as I drove to meet Shannon for a brisk morning run and then as I met with my first Running Start client after that. Sunday I realized I would have been recovering and wondered what the aftermath would have been. But even as I thought all of these things, I was not sad. Was it the Christmas season? The fact that my knee seemed a little less angry? Something else? I like to think it was a little of everything with God's grace mixed in. I think He knows the desires of our hearts and what brings us joy. And despite the fact that I gave up the goal this time around, I still feel so blessed, so taken care of and watched over.
So I'm not sad. And my knee isn't either. And as the holidays approach I will be able to run in the sunshine on a cool winter's day. That's pretty great. So is this second Garfield comic.
Hilarious! Here's hoping you are all looking forward to some GREAT running for the holidays!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Running and Writing
"Like writing, running is so much about mind over matter. There are times when you have to override the discomfort and keep pushing. That capacity to endure and then prevail is just amazing." - Susan Orlean, Author and New Yorker staff writer
I saw this quote on Facebook today and it said exactly what I oftentimes feel about both running and writing. As I've mentioned before I absolutely love to write. My love of running has simply given me plenty of material to write about and so the two, for me, have gone hand in hand for quite a while. The more I wrote and the more I ran, the more stories I had to tell. I think pushing myself to tell of these running experiences, relationships, lessons, etc. has made me a better writer, just as training even when I don't feel like it has made me a better runner.
There are days when a runner has to override discomfort, the desire to sit this one out. And some might argue that running should be fun or there is no point (I agree with that for the most part), but sometimes the training, pushing, overriding, and overcoming is part of that fun. I really enjoy having a goal that gets me out there every morning and requires me to run certain distances and aim for certain paces. I also enjoy when I can simply run for fitness, pleasure, and a good chat with a friend or two (or seven) before work each day.
Either way, it is a journey well worth the effort.
The quote above also made me think of my friends and fellow local runners who will be running the Rocket City Marathon on Saturday. Many are entering their very first marathon, many are going for a personal record, and some are there to help runners from both groups achieve their goal. Saturday will be one of those days where they have to override the discomfort and keep pushing. They will have to endure for a little while in order to prevail.
Many of these runners I know, some I just know of, and countless others I know not at all, but I feel an excitement and anticipation for all of them. The weather Saturday is predicted to be absolutely perfect for marathon running and I wish all the runners out there the very, very best on their race day. Get out there and PREVAIL! (Maybe that's a good mantra word...)
I saw this quote on Facebook today and it said exactly what I oftentimes feel about both running and writing. As I've mentioned before I absolutely love to write. My love of running has simply given me plenty of material to write about and so the two, for me, have gone hand in hand for quite a while. The more I wrote and the more I ran, the more stories I had to tell. I think pushing myself to tell of these running experiences, relationships, lessons, etc. has made me a better writer, just as training even when I don't feel like it has made me a better runner.
There are days when a runner has to override discomfort, the desire to sit this one out. And some might argue that running should be fun or there is no point (I agree with that for the most part), but sometimes the training, pushing, overriding, and overcoming is part of that fun. I really enjoy having a goal that gets me out there every morning and requires me to run certain distances and aim for certain paces. I also enjoy when I can simply run for fitness, pleasure, and a good chat with a friend or two (or seven) before work each day.
Either way, it is a journey well worth the effort.
The quote above also made me think of my friends and fellow local runners who will be running the Rocket City Marathon on Saturday. Many are entering their very first marathon, many are going for a personal record, and some are there to help runners from both groups achieve their goal. Saturday will be one of those days where they have to override the discomfort and keep pushing. They will have to endure for a little while in order to prevail.
Many of these runners I know, some I just know of, and countless others I know not at all, but I feel an excitement and anticipation for all of them. The weather Saturday is predicted to be absolutely perfect for marathon running and I wish all the runners out there the very, very best on their race day. Get out there and PREVAIL! (Maybe that's a good mantra word...)
Tuesday, December 6, 2011
Tuesday's Treat
Something to curb my sweet tooth and mid after noon hunger? I was all about that! I tried several brands and my favorite so far is Chobani. They have several flavors with real fruit on the bottom such as black cheery, blueberry and strawberry. If you haven't tried Greek yogurt, it is a little thicker than other yogurts, but not so much that it becomes unappealing (to me). It is packed with good, wholesome ingredients and the website also claims that Chobani yogurt has no fat and no cholesterol, twice the protein, no artificial flavors or preservatives, no synthetic growth hormones, 3 types of probiotics, it is gluten free and kosher certified.
Sometimes I bring a little granola and sprinkle that in as well for a delicious mid-morning or mid-afternoon snack. I like knowing that I can curb that hunger and give my body something it needs. Give it a try! Most grocery stores carry it.
Monday, December 5, 2011
The Knee Knob Strikes Again
As many of you regular readers know, I have a little injury I have dubbed, "the knee knob." I acquired this injury during a 50 mile trail run in October last year when my knee and the trail came to a disagreement and collided. The result was a calcium deposit that now sits on my knee right where my IT band and several other things intersect, which means if I don't keep those things super loose, the knob gets extremely angry and sore.
If you are a regular reader you may also know (possibly more than you cared to) about my current 50 mile ultra training. I have chronicled it every week, written countless posts on my thoughts, my training, my strategy, my doubt, my friends who help me with my doubt, etc.
That is why I think if you are a regular reader it may come as a bit of a surprise that I am not going to be running the 50 mile ultra this Saturday. I feel sort of ridiculous now that I have written about it ad nauseam and now, in the 11th hour, I am changing my mind. It seems like a lot of big talk and no action. I know. And it wasn't an easy decision to make, even if I know it to be the right one.
So let me explain. I have been able to run and train like I wanted (mostly), and even if the knee knob did complain somewhat during the run, it was not so bad and usually let up. It was after each run that it complained the loudest. When I'd get up from my desk at work, a certain amount of hobbling (sometimes groaning) would ensue. It was stiff and angry. Going up or down stairs hurt as well. At night, when I would fold myself up on the couch under a quilt, getting up was painful and many times it was hard to straighten out my knee after being still for so long.
I was also not as consistent with the foam roller as I should have been, nor with my stretching and grand plans to hit up a yoga class regularly. And the next morning I was up and at it again, allowing myself to ignore the previous evening's hobbling and creakiness.
After witnessing this over and over again, Jason talked to me about it. We decided that if I wanted to continue running - after the 50 mile and on into the future - maybe now was not the time to attempt such a long run with such a moody knee. He felt awful even bringing it up since I'd been looking forward to it for so long, but I knew he was right and I agreed. And if I'm honest with myself as I look back, I have not been able to train as hard as I would have liked due to the knee knob and my caution because of it. While I may have trained enough to go the distance, it wasn't what I had planned, and I think you have seen that in my weekly training posts.
So while I am disappointed to give up this adventure I've been looking forward to for so long, I'm also a little relieved. I was concerned about the aftermath of this 50 mile run, and I am not a big fan of taking time off. I want to run every day and I want to feel good. More than conquering new distances and better finish times is that fact. I simply love to run and it is my hope that I will be able to run as long as I live and desire to do so.
And so, as wishy-washy, ridiculous and odd as it may seem given what you've been reading the last few months, the verdict is out and I will not be running the 50 mile this weekend. Saturday may be tinged with a hint of disappointment as I think (or try not to think) about how I am not in Florida going the distance, and even as so many friends run and pace the Rocket City Marathon that day, but I know I've made the right decision and for the most part I am at peace with it.
If you are a regular reader you may also know (possibly more than you cared to) about my current 50 mile ultra training. I have chronicled it every week, written countless posts on my thoughts, my training, my strategy, my doubt, my friends who help me with my doubt, etc.
That is why I think if you are a regular reader it may come as a bit of a surprise that I am not going to be running the 50 mile ultra this Saturday. I feel sort of ridiculous now that I have written about it ad nauseam and now, in the 11th hour, I am changing my mind. It seems like a lot of big talk and no action. I know. And it wasn't an easy decision to make, even if I know it to be the right one.
So let me explain. I have been able to run and train like I wanted (mostly), and even if the knee knob did complain somewhat during the run, it was not so bad and usually let up. It was after each run that it complained the loudest. When I'd get up from my desk at work, a certain amount of hobbling (sometimes groaning) would ensue. It was stiff and angry. Going up or down stairs hurt as well. At night, when I would fold myself up on the couch under a quilt, getting up was painful and many times it was hard to straighten out my knee after being still for so long.
I was also not as consistent with the foam roller as I should have been, nor with my stretching and grand plans to hit up a yoga class regularly. And the next morning I was up and at it again, allowing myself to ignore the previous evening's hobbling and creakiness.
After witnessing this over and over again, Jason talked to me about it. We decided that if I wanted to continue running - after the 50 mile and on into the future - maybe now was not the time to attempt such a long run with such a moody knee. He felt awful even bringing it up since I'd been looking forward to it for so long, but I knew he was right and I agreed. And if I'm honest with myself as I look back, I have not been able to train as hard as I would have liked due to the knee knob and my caution because of it. While I may have trained enough to go the distance, it wasn't what I had planned, and I think you have seen that in my weekly training posts.
So while I am disappointed to give up this adventure I've been looking forward to for so long, I'm also a little relieved. I was concerned about the aftermath of this 50 mile run, and I am not a big fan of taking time off. I want to run every day and I want to feel good. More than conquering new distances and better finish times is that fact. I simply love to run and it is my hope that I will be able to run as long as I live and desire to do so.
And so, as wishy-washy, ridiculous and odd as it may seem given what you've been reading the last few months, the verdict is out and I will not be running the 50 mile this weekend. Saturday may be tinged with a hint of disappointment as I think (or try not to think) about how I am not in Florida going the distance, and even as so many friends run and pace the Rocket City Marathon that day, but I know I've made the right decision and for the most part I am at peace with it.
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