It's been a while, I know. Sandy did alot more than jack with my running route. The people in my neighborhood are dusting themselves off as best as they can in their individual situations. Leggetts Sand Bar was just that, shoveling out sand from the bar- all that beer, wasted...The Turkey Trot was naturally cancelled. You can't run through 3 foot sand drifts.
Things are coming around. The skunks are back. It might sound silly but I find it to be a good sign of things getting back to normal. Here's hoping I don't get sprayed.
I might be crazy. I may well and truly damage myself irreparably. They may have to euthanize me like they do the horses... On December 26th I ponied up the $108 and registered for the Full New Jersey Marathon. 26.2 miles, 17 weeks from yesterday.
As if that weren't enough, 4.8 miles felt like 10. I stopped smoking, obviously. Yes I was a smoking runner and you can take that statement both ways. The wonky knee continues. The hips and back are a hot mess but...
If I don't try this I will always wonder and there is nothing so hideous as regret. And there is always Advil as well as hip and knee replacement. It's called the bright side. 1 mile a week will bring me up to 22 miles. If I can get up to that, I'll be OK. That's all I want, just this once. Hell, 16 miles would be an accomplishment but we'll see if I can't make it for the big 26. Scared? You bet...Stay tuned...
Monday, January 7, 2013
Sunday, October 7, 2012
Turkey Advantage
I've decided to take full advantage of my proximity
to the Turkey Trot which takes place Nov. 17. My intention is to know every dip
in the road and every pot hole (and there are many in this water-based town).
The route basically ends yards from my doorstep. Ten years ago, the last leg
would go past my house.
As you can see, quite a bit of
the route is by water, whether it be the inlet, creek or lake. The problem is
at 5:30am it is very difficult to appreciate it in the pitch blackness.
I'm getting a little bored. I
hate to admit it since my father says a bored person is a boring person. I have
time so I can micromanage this run and perhaps cut a a few seconds off my time. As
you can tell I have lots of time on my hands. Some day I'll get a life or a
life will get me.
I've been up and down with my
running progress. I've been accused of slacking off which is probably accurate.
5 miles was really tough yesterday and left me achy in the legs. I think
this is what they mean by hitting the wall. The tubby tummy is coming back. I
have to remember where I came from and that this is what separates the men from
the boys - maintaining. Taking it off is actually quite easy; as you see
progress you develop momentum. Keeping it off is hellish but I have an
advantage. I've been down this road once before and I refuse to go down it
again, my dad's craving for tirimisu be damned.
So I will look at this map and
try to run the course at least twice a week and skirt in and out of it the rest
of the time. Most importantly, I will not let the turkeys get me down.
Saturday, September 15, 2012
The Runner-up
This post has hardly anything to do with running. Well, that's probably untrue - in my life everything has to do with running. The more I improve my body, the more my mind improves and that's enough for me. It is something I can hold onto when all else fails. And these fall mornings are gorgeous for pounding the pavement.
This fall I am getting that promising feeling as if something is going to change for me in a big way. It's been a fun summer without any casualties, to my shocked relief. I am cautiously optimistic which is something I haven't truly felt since I began this blog in January 2010.
I have said it here before and I will say it again. I am not a competitive person by nature (Words with Friends notwithstanding). I don't have the aggressive component needed for coming in first. But almost three years ago I was in a situation where I did come in as the runner-up, leaving me with an all consuming heartache that remains unmatched. I've gauged recent disappointments by this, saying, "are you half as heartbroken as you were then?" The answer is, inevitiably, "no." To which the reply is, "OK then, shut up and move on."
People say you can't run away from your problems but when the problem is not yours and you are still haunted by it, the best thing to do is to put your sneakers on and run.
This fall I am getting that promising feeling as if something is going to change for me in a big way. It's been a fun summer without any casualties, to my shocked relief. I am cautiously optimistic which is something I haven't truly felt since I began this blog in January 2010.
I have said it here before and I will say it again. I am not a competitive person by nature (Words with Friends notwithstanding). I don't have the aggressive component needed for coming in first. But almost three years ago I was in a situation where I did come in as the runner-up, leaving me with an all consuming heartache that remains unmatched. I've gauged recent disappointments by this, saying, "are you half as heartbroken as you were then?" The answer is, inevitiably, "no." To which the reply is, "OK then, shut up and move on."
People say you can't run away from your problems but when the problem is not yours and you are still haunted by it, the best thing to do is to put your sneakers on and run.
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
After "happily ever after"
Nobody ever talks about what happens after "happily ever after." In films, it always ends with the couple kissing or a wedding ceremony or a fade to black with hopes of good things to come. Rarely do you see the inevitable roller coaster after that dramatic fadeout. What happens is, little by little, Cinderella gains a couple of kilos. Now the question is what is she going to do about it? She's gotta change things up a bit, obviously. Happiness comes with a price. You start to go out more, going to restaurants...AHA! There's the root of it. Now here's the question: is she going to compromise her personal happiness because of the strides she's made which have actually led her to this moment? That's a very firm "no." But let's face it: munching on an entire bag of mini rice cakes is no help in the matter.
The setback of a wounded knee does not exactly do any good either. Don't let people fool you: in exercising, there is hardly any greater high than running, if you can bring yourself to do it. Biking, not really. Walking, too time consuming (half the distance in twice the time - funny you only realize this when you start to run). Swimming, extremely inviting but as of yet, untried.
So the question keeps popping up in this and a few other aspects of my life: what are you going to do about it? What I'm going to do is make myself happy and stop being lazy. I'm going to get back to work in a week and cut out the crap. I'm going to bite another bullet and run the 10k Hill and Dale Run (yes, that is the actual name). It is the "Hill" part which frightens me. I've driven over part of the route but haven't had the nerve to try it with my sneakers. Flat road is one thing, hills are entirely different. One thing is for certain. I shall not be Cinderella at the end of the ball: one shoe on, hitching a ride back to the start line. Time to man up and put the rice cakes away. Why is it a constant battle?
P.S. If you want a look at what happens after the whole "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy marries girl" routine, watch the Audrey Hepburn movie "Two for the Road." After happily ever after, with a side of vitriol.
The setback of a wounded knee does not exactly do any good either. Don't let people fool you: in exercising, there is hardly any greater high than running, if you can bring yourself to do it. Biking, not really. Walking, too time consuming (half the distance in twice the time - funny you only realize this when you start to run). Swimming, extremely inviting but as of yet, untried.
So the question keeps popping up in this and a few other aspects of my life: what are you going to do about it? What I'm going to do is make myself happy and stop being lazy. I'm going to get back to work in a week and cut out the crap. I'm going to bite another bullet and run the 10k Hill and Dale Run (yes, that is the actual name). It is the "Hill" part which frightens me. I've driven over part of the route but haven't had the nerve to try it with my sneakers. Flat road is one thing, hills are entirely different. One thing is for certain. I shall not be Cinderella at the end of the ball: one shoe on, hitching a ride back to the start line. Time to man up and put the rice cakes away. Why is it a constant battle?
P.S. If you want a look at what happens after the whole "boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy marries girl" routine, watch the Audrey Hepburn movie "Two for the Road." After happily ever after, with a side of vitriol.
Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The Half Marathon
"Wow! This is worse than the Garden State Parkway in the summertime."
- a man at the start of the Long Branch Half Marathon
The most hilarious thing about it was the designated start areas being referred to as "corrals," like we were a bunch of cows. I think that speaks for itself. There were pacers at every 30 seconds, runners with flags telling you that you are running at 10:00 per mile. You don't realize how emotionally comforting it is until that 8th mile when you realize you are still doing alright even though it doesn't feel that way. And forget about the bathroom thing. You keep thinking the next port -a- potty is going to be your last, especially when the pounding on the pavement takes its terrible toll on your bladder.
In the 11th mile, my left knee gave out on me. Ironically, it was the right one which worried me the previous evening. One of the marathon officials came up to me and asked me if I was ok. I told her my issue and that I was going to walk a bit. She said I gave her the chance to actually do her job and informed me there were only 2 turns left before the finish line and the rest of the route is along the water. I walked for 2 blocks and then was able to slowly jog across the finish line. Needless to say I was one of many limping to my car. In fact I thought I was going to fall over in the Monmouth Racetrack parking lot as my left leg seized up with no one to pick me up.
If anyone has looked at my former posts they know that I was never the girl most likely to do this. 13.1 miles. That's alot of "putting one foot in front of the other". I don't know whether it was luck. The conditions were perfect: 45 degrees, completely overcast. My head was clear of everything, good or bad. Maybe that was it - keeping a clear head.
There is only one important thing I need to remember from my Half Marathon experience. If I can do that, what can't I do? Well, let's find out.
Incidently, 13.1 miles in 2:32 chip time., 95 lbs, 8 skirt sizes. There's nothing you can't do.
- a man at the start of the Long Branch Half Marathon
The most hilarious thing about it was the designated start areas being referred to as "corrals," like we were a bunch of cows. I think that speaks for itself. There were pacers at every 30 seconds, runners with flags telling you that you are running at 10:00 per mile. You don't realize how emotionally comforting it is until that 8th mile when you realize you are still doing alright even though it doesn't feel that way. And forget about the bathroom thing. You keep thinking the next port -a- potty is going to be your last, especially when the pounding on the pavement takes its terrible toll on your bladder.
In the 11th mile, my left knee gave out on me. Ironically, it was the right one which worried me the previous evening. One of the marathon officials came up to me and asked me if I was ok. I told her my issue and that I was going to walk a bit. She said I gave her the chance to actually do her job and informed me there were only 2 turns left before the finish line and the rest of the route is along the water. I walked for 2 blocks and then was able to slowly jog across the finish line. Needless to say I was one of many limping to my car. In fact I thought I was going to fall over in the Monmouth Racetrack parking lot as my left leg seized up with no one to pick me up.
If anyone has looked at my former posts they know that I was never the girl most likely to do this. 13.1 miles. That's alot of "putting one foot in front of the other". I don't know whether it was luck. The conditions were perfect: 45 degrees, completely overcast. My head was clear of everything, good or bad. Maybe that was it - keeping a clear head.
There is only one important thing I need to remember from my Half Marathon experience. If I can do that, what can't I do? Well, let's find out.
Incidently, 13.1 miles in 2:32 chip time., 95 lbs, 8 skirt sizes. There's nothing you can't do.
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Lucky 13
So it's the night before. I'm nervous. Am I prepared? As in grade school, the answer is, if the conditions are good and luck shines on me, perhaps. Have I prepared enough? No. I've run as far as 8.5 miles. It's not 13 but I expect it will be enough to get me through. I will desperately be looking for that 2nd wind. But one way or another I will finish because for me, finishing this race would be special and I really and truly need something special right now. I don't know how special it makes me - I am one of at least 15,000, not to mention the nutters doing the full 26.2.
Since I have to be up at about [insert deep breath] 4:30 am, I am getting myself together ahead of time: putting my 2 1/2 hrs worth of tunes together, shorts, shirt. Travel light. Ipod and car keys and that's it. Unfortunately there will be no one at the other end to cheer me on or hand me a sweatshirt but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Sometimes you're on your own. No baggage, travel light.
But more important than any of that is the question why run a 1/2 marathon? In order to answer that I will leave you with a quote from a real underdog movie:
"'Cause all I want to do is go the distance... and If I can go that distance, you see, if that bell rings
and I'm still standing, I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, you see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood..."
from the motion picture "Rocky"
Since I have to be up at about [insert deep breath] 4:30 am, I am getting myself together ahead of time: putting my 2 1/2 hrs worth of tunes together, shorts, shirt. Travel light. Ipod and car keys and that's it. Unfortunately there will be no one at the other end to cheer me on or hand me a sweatshirt but that's the way the cookie crumbles. Sometimes you're on your own. No baggage, travel light.
But more important than any of that is the question why run a 1/2 marathon? In order to answer that I will leave you with a quote from a real underdog movie:
"'Cause all I want to do is go the distance... and If I can go that distance, you see, if that bell rings
and I'm still standing, I'm gonna know for the first time in my life, you see, that I weren't just another bum from the neighborhood..."
from the motion picture "Rocky"
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Listen to the Music
Need the tunes baby! Kicks up the natural rhythm. - my freshman sister
You can talk about speed and rhythm in running, but what's really important is the music. That's not to say it can't be done without it. It takes all the discipline you can muster and I am proud to say I eked out 3 miles of discipline last week. I doubt you'll see that happen again. Well, let me digress even further.
Music means different things to different people. For some, it's the rewind button on life, bringing back memories of experiences, good and bad. For others it's music, entertainment; neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things. For some it evokes such an emotional response filled with empathy as to render the listener practically breathless. Alright, can you tell I feel very strongly about music? Music and movies, but we won't go there.
So, flashbacks aside, music does motivate you. It helps you, to use the vernacular, "move that ass." The trick is to pick songs that help you move and in that, timing is everything.
So rather than getting all reminiscent, musing about the past, let's talk playlists. The Fool's Run is next Saturday, so I need 35 minutes of top notch music to get my ass moving. Let's take a look at the old Nano playlists, shall we? Oh wow...as I look at this, I realize I have some bizarre and, shall we say, eclectic playlists...
Don't you feel it growing, day by day
People getting ready for the news
Some are happy, some are sad
Whoa, gotta let the music play...
-Doobie Brothers
1. Beethoven's symphony # 7 (from the soundtrack "The King's Speech") - as it happens, this starts off slow and keeps building up and up so that by the end of it when you are really hauling some ass, you've slowly been warmed up and you haven't even realized it. What can I say, it works for me.
2. I'm Gonna Live til i Die/Frank Sinatra - the sentiment and the tempo is there.
3. Oh Happy Day/The Edwin Hawkins Singers - this crossover spiritual does it for me every time. You can definitely see my peaks and valleys during this song. Every refrain my speed jumps.
4. It's Amazing/Jem - More for the positive sentiment than the tempo. Good thoughts.
5. The Ballad of John and Yoko/Beatles - again speed. "the way things are goin' they're gonna crucify me"
6. Empire State of Mind/ Jay-z w/Alicia Keyes - any New York song is bound to make you feel good or is that just me goin' back to my roots? "the City that never sleeps better slip you an ambien"
7. La Grange/ZZ Top - Nothing gets me moving like the guitar in this song.
8 Going the DIstance (from the motion picture soundtrack "Rocky") - don't ask me why, but a few weeks ago, at the end of 7 miles, this song came on and so help me, I grew wings. I can't explain it. Who knows if I'll get that back but it worked then, so it can work again.
You can talk about speed and rhythm in running, but what's really important is the music. That's not to say it can't be done without it. It takes all the discipline you can muster and I am proud to say I eked out 3 miles of discipline last week. I doubt you'll see that happen again. Well, let me digress even further.
Music means different things to different people. For some, it's the rewind button on life, bringing back memories of experiences, good and bad. For others it's music, entertainment; neither here nor there in the grand scheme of things. For some it evokes such an emotional response filled with empathy as to render the listener practically breathless. Alright, can you tell I feel very strongly about music? Music and movies, but we won't go there.
So, flashbacks aside, music does motivate you. It helps you, to use the vernacular, "move that ass." The trick is to pick songs that help you move and in that, timing is everything.
So rather than getting all reminiscent, musing about the past, let's talk playlists. The Fool's Run is next Saturday, so I need 35 minutes of top notch music to get my ass moving. Let's take a look at the old Nano playlists, shall we? Oh wow...as I look at this, I realize I have some bizarre and, shall we say, eclectic playlists...
Don't you feel it growing, day by day
People getting ready for the news
Some are happy, some are sad
Whoa, gotta let the music play...
-Doobie Brothers
1. Beethoven's symphony # 7 (from the soundtrack "The King's Speech") - as it happens, this starts off slow and keeps building up and up so that by the end of it when you are really hauling some ass, you've slowly been warmed up and you haven't even realized it. What can I say, it works for me.
2. I'm Gonna Live til i Die/Frank Sinatra - the sentiment and the tempo is there.
3. Oh Happy Day/The Edwin Hawkins Singers - this crossover spiritual does it for me every time. You can definitely see my peaks and valleys during this song. Every refrain my speed jumps.
4. It's Amazing/Jem - More for the positive sentiment than the tempo. Good thoughts.
5. The Ballad of John and Yoko/Beatles - again speed. "the way things are goin' they're gonna crucify me"
6. Empire State of Mind/ Jay-z w/Alicia Keyes - any New York song is bound to make you feel good or is that just me goin' back to my roots? "the City that never sleeps better slip you an ambien"
7. La Grange/ZZ Top - Nothing gets me moving like the guitar in this song.
8 Going the DIstance (from the motion picture soundtrack "Rocky") - don't ask me why, but a few weeks ago, at the end of 7 miles, this song came on and so help me, I grew wings. I can't explain it. Who knows if I'll get that back but it worked then, so it can work again.
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