Ididitididitididitididit!!!!!!!!!
I DID IT!
And by that I mean I ran the 13.1 without walking!!!!!!
Time: 2:53:43
The music was great. Dead or Alive came on at mile 7. You're right, Mike. I was dancing on the trail like a record, baby. Mile 10 was I Am Superman (and I can do anything). Jamie Lidell told me it was just a little bit more at 12.5.
Never again.
Showing posts with label kardiac katastrophe. Show all posts
Showing posts with label kardiac katastrophe. Show all posts
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Almost Famous
Shells arrived this afternoon. We hit the road around 9 (after a couple of games of bowling) and just settled into the hotel. We got crappy directions from the Marriott Web site. There were a couple of places where there was a choice to go either east or west--but with no indication which direction was the correct direction. I guessed wrong the first time. The second time, we went with what the directions seemed to be saying, although I knew we wanted Berkley and not San Francisco. So after a nice scenic detour on the Oakland Bay Bridge, we turned around again. I hate bridges. But we're here now. Tomorrow: 13.1 with an awesome race mix. I had a great time putting it together. I'll have to do some more races now so I can perfect it further.
Monday, May 25, 2009
Music
It's time to put together my final mix of running songs. Any suggestions? I predict this race will take me 3.5+ hours. That's a lot of music, so bring it on.
Saturday, May 23, 2009
T Minus 7
The plan was to run about 11.2 miles today. I looked it up online, and thought I knew where the turn-around was -- the park with the volleyball court, duh! I wanted to run the way out, and then try to run the whole way back.
I did run the whole way out. Yay! And on the way back, I started walking. As I got closer to the end, I walked more and more. The last mile/mile and a half was almost all walking. My knees hurt. I didn't take preemptive ibuprofen. Big mistake.
Earlier, somewhere around mile 7 (?), I realized a) I had been running much longer than I thought (almost two hours) and b) I might need some calories and water. There, ahead of me, was a gas station. So, a bottle of water and a Crunch bar later, I was feeling a bit better. Even 11 miles is long without any additional calories, and although I have been convinced that it's better to under hydrate than over, water is still a good thing.
Anyway, I finished the run (with actual running, no less) and headed straight to REI for some Gu. Turns out Gu is the only no-chew energy substance with vitamin B. And yet B is what helps you process energy. B doesn't stay in your body long, but while you have it, your body uses its energy more efficiently (or something). So, I bought a bunch of Gu for next weekend -- and had one immediately.
Then, I found a restaurant and had a pretty decent bacon cheeseburger. I would tell you more about it, but I totally forgot to take any photos in my haste to stuff my face. (It was 3pm by this point.) While waiting for said burger, I played with the iPhone, and realized I might have run further than I thought. I drove home the way I ran in, and yes, I ran at least .3 miles (each way) further. Turns out the street I googlemapped last night is not visible from the bike trail.
That makes this weeks run closer to 12 miles... maybe even a bit more than 12 considering I have to do some ups and downs to go around various highway on-ramps. So, I am now less surprised that it took me about 3 1/2 hours and my knees really hurt.
On a side note, my knees have been hurting a bit lately. Then I realized I'd stopped doing the wet sock trick at night. So, it's back to the wet socks at night for me.
I did run the whole way out. Yay! And on the way back, I started walking. As I got closer to the end, I walked more and more. The last mile/mile and a half was almost all walking. My knees hurt. I didn't take preemptive ibuprofen. Big mistake.
Earlier, somewhere around mile 7 (?), I realized a) I had been running much longer than I thought (almost two hours) and b) I might need some calories and water. There, ahead of me, was a gas station. So, a bottle of water and a Crunch bar later, I was feeling a bit better. Even 11 miles is long without any additional calories, and although I have been convinced that it's better to under hydrate than over, water is still a good thing.
Anyway, I finished the run (with actual running, no less) and headed straight to REI for some Gu. Turns out Gu is the only no-chew energy substance with vitamin B. And yet B is what helps you process energy. B doesn't stay in your body long, but while you have it, your body uses its energy more efficiently (or something). So, I bought a bunch of Gu for next weekend -- and had one immediately.
Then, I found a restaurant and had a pretty decent bacon cheeseburger. I would tell you more about it, but I totally forgot to take any photos in my haste to stuff my face. (It was 3pm by this point.) While waiting for said burger, I played with the iPhone, and realized I might have run further than I thought. I drove home the way I ran in, and yes, I ran at least .3 miles (each way) further. Turns out the street I googlemapped last night is not visible from the bike trail.
That makes this weeks run closer to 12 miles... maybe even a bit more than 12 considering I have to do some ups and downs to go around various highway on-ramps. So, I am now less surprised that it took me about 3 1/2 hours and my knees really hurt.
On a side note, my knees have been hurting a bit lately. Then I realized I'd stopped doing the wet sock trick at night. So, it's back to the wet socks at night for me.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
New Duds
I was at school for 12 hours today. I had this very annoying, very long waste-of-time, er, I mean meeting, oops, no it was a "celebration" of all the very "important" work I did in my mentoring program. Of course, it meant very little time for food. So I ran out and got a burrito with another teacher, so that was meat and carbs for dinner (in this town, burritos do not come with veggies or cheese). There was dessert at the meeting, and my Support Provider (SP) wanted a cupcake, but they were huge so I was a team player and had half. I mean that seriously, I did not want the cupcake. It was nasty, plasticky, store-bought cupcake with shortning frosting the flavor of nothing. I do not like store-bought desserts. Now, if they were chips, I would have eaten the whole bag, but they weren't chips, they were cupcakes.
On the way home, I thought to myself, "Self, why don't we go for a short run when we get home?" So, I did. To make it even better, my new running clothes had arrived. I ordered a pair of spandex shorts (since I still can't seem to find anything but capris or shorts with chamois) and a new, stretchy Terry skort (since mine gives me skort burn along my waist when worn for long periods of time). So, I just ran 3 miles. Like that.
Of course, I think I the skort is too big. It's larger than the other one (since my other one is a bit too small), but I think it's too big. So I've got to see what it takes to trade it in for one smaller.
On a similar note, while trying on clothes for today's meeting (where administrators and district muckety-mucks were in attendance by the dozen), I had to wear a skirt I haven't fit in for a couple of years. The one I was going to wear was too big and looked just awful. Of course, the one that now fits is a size 12 while the one that is too big is a size 10. Women's sizes. What a pain.
On the way home, I thought to myself, "Self, why don't we go for a short run when we get home?" So, I did. To make it even better, my new running clothes had arrived. I ordered a pair of spandex shorts (since I still can't seem to find anything but capris or shorts with chamois) and a new, stretchy Terry skort (since mine gives me skort burn along my waist when worn for long periods of time). So, I just ran 3 miles. Like that.
Of course, I think I the skort is too big. It's larger than the other one (since my other one is a bit too small), but I think it's too big. So I've got to see what it takes to trade it in for one smaller.
On a similar note, while trying on clothes for today's meeting (where administrators and district muckety-mucks were in attendance by the dozen), I had to wear a skirt I haven't fit in for a couple of years. The one I was going to wear was too big and looked just awful. Of course, the one that now fits is a size 12 while the one that is too big is a size 10. Women's sizes. What a pain.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Mad Props
There is a teacher at work that I often run into at the copy machine in the morning. She "lives" on the other side of campus, so I don't even know what she teaches. At a PTC, she once described me as "the teacher running a half marathon". So I saw her this morning, and told her about the 10k. She was duly impressed. Couldn't shut up about it. It was the best response I've gotten so far. Everyone else is all "oh, that's cool". But I'm not in this for my health, I'm in it for the fame. Bring it, Baby, bring it!
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Weekend Warrior
This is not the way to do it. You only get injured when you exercise excessively on the weekends and not at all during the week. I know this, and yet here I am. I have certainly hit a "running wall" during the week. I guess I can maintain focus for 10 weeks, but not 15. And, the end-of-year crap is getting the way: grades, BTSA (don't ask), packing up the room. I still have finals to write.
So, this past week I ran a couple of miles until I got the call to go see Star Trek. Well, we were going to see Star Trek, but then the Europeans didn't want to... but me and my trusty iPhone pointed out (with the aid of Rotten Tomatoes) that all the other films showing were so not-Scottish (therefore, crap), so we did see Star Trek. And it was awesome. I loved it. They... not so much. I think it might be an American thing. All those years watching the original show helped out, too. After that Monday, I never made it back out. I hope that the end of TV season will help me out these next two weeks, two. 'Cause the countdown is ON.
Today, however, I did a 10k. It was part of some local "get healthy" campaign that the crazy gym teacher at school got us all hyped up about. I was the only teacher to show, though. But my prinicpal was there; I love looking like the team player I am in front of admin. The start was about 1.5 miles from home, so I jogged over, signed up, and waited. I got in the big ol' mess o' people and started running. It was just like being back in high school (except it was on the road, and not a golf course).
I was in the middle of a sea of bobbing bodies... and they were all passing me. Just when I thought maybe things had started to even out... more people passed me. The more things change, the more they stay the same. On I ran, however. I played leap frog with a few people who were walking. I stuck to my same-old 12-min. mile pace, however. They all stopped at the 5k. I think they all passed me at the finish, seeing as they were ending and I. I take comfort in the idea that I passed them the second they stopped at the first lap. (The 10k was just two loops of the 5k course.)
Speaking of laps, I only got lapped by the first and second place winners! I was afraid that people would be streaming by me to the finish line while I still had another loop to go, but that wasn't the case. I'm OK with getting passed by the serious runners, and am glad to have held off the less serious ones.
I toyed with walking during the second lap, but I kept on putting it off. (The old "one more mile" trick.) It worked, too. I also found a pretty good stride around mile 4 (it should not have taken that long, I know.) I finally started lengthening my stride, remembering whats-his-name's advice all those years ago. Rach--it was one of your running friends. The tall one. With a longer strike, you cover more ground with the same amount of energy. I can feel it in my hips (and these hips don't lie). Instead of being all knees, the length (and power) comes from my entire leg. I need to remember that, and bring it out.
It was around this time I saw the walker in front of me. She was doing some serious walking, and I slowly, slowly, slowly overtook her. After awhile, she started running again, and she passed me by. Then she started walking again. I passed her for the last time. I came around a corner (and thought I still had one more corner to turn), but there was the finish line. So, I really turned it on. I took real strides and ran like a real person. Somehow, I never find that strength until the end. If I could run like *that* more often, I could make it out of my 12-min. mile slump. (Is it a slump if that's been your pace for 15 years?).
I finished in 1:18:17 (or so). I didn't stick around for all the results, though. It was taking forever, and I still had to make it home. I originially planned on running home, but that didn't happen. My knees felt like jelly and all my joints feltl like they had come unglued (I still feel a little slippery in my skin). So I walked it back, but that's still some more distance-ish.
The big day is two weeks away.
So, this past week I ran a couple of miles until I got the call to go see Star Trek. Well, we were going to see Star Trek, but then the Europeans didn't want to... but me and my trusty iPhone pointed out (with the aid of Rotten Tomatoes) that all the other films showing were so not-Scottish (therefore, crap), so we did see Star Trek. And it was awesome. I loved it. They... not so much. I think it might be an American thing. All those years watching the original show helped out, too. After that Monday, I never made it back out. I hope that the end of TV season will help me out these next two weeks, two. 'Cause the countdown is ON.
Today, however, I did a 10k. It was part of some local "get healthy" campaign that the crazy gym teacher at school got us all hyped up about. I was the only teacher to show, though. But my prinicpal was there; I love looking like the team player I am in front of admin. The start was about 1.5 miles from home, so I jogged over, signed up, and waited. I got in the big ol' mess o' people and started running. It was just like being back in high school (except it was on the road, and not a golf course).
I was in the middle of a sea of bobbing bodies... and they were all passing me. Just when I thought maybe things had started to even out... more people passed me. The more things change, the more they stay the same. On I ran, however. I played leap frog with a few people who were walking. I stuck to my same-old 12-min. mile pace, however. They all stopped at the 5k. I think they all passed me at the finish, seeing as they were ending and I. I take comfort in the idea that I passed them the second they stopped at the first lap. (The 10k was just two loops of the 5k course.)
Speaking of laps, I only got lapped by the first and second place winners! I was afraid that people would be streaming by me to the finish line while I still had another loop to go, but that wasn't the case. I'm OK with getting passed by the serious runners, and am glad to have held off the less serious ones.
I toyed with walking during the second lap, but I kept on putting it off. (The old "one more mile" trick.) It worked, too. I also found a pretty good stride around mile 4 (it should not have taken that long, I know.) I finally started lengthening my stride, remembering whats-his-name's advice all those years ago. Rach--it was one of your running friends. The tall one. With a longer strike, you cover more ground with the same amount of energy. I can feel it in my hips (and these hips don't lie). Instead of being all knees, the length (and power) comes from my entire leg. I need to remember that, and bring it out.
It was around this time I saw the walker in front of me. She was doing some serious walking, and I slowly, slowly, slowly overtook her. After awhile, she started running again, and she passed me by. Then she started walking again. I passed her for the last time. I came around a corner (and thought I still had one more corner to turn), but there was the finish line. So, I really turned it on. I took real strides and ran like a real person. Somehow, I never find that strength until the end. If I could run like *that* more often, I could make it out of my 12-min. mile slump. (Is it a slump if that's been your pace for 15 years?).
I finished in 1:18:17 (or so). I didn't stick around for all the results, though. It was taking forever, and I still had to make it home. I originially planned on running home, but that didn't happen. My knees felt like jelly and all my joints feltl like they had come unglued (I still feel a little slippery in my skin). So I walked it back, but that's still some more distance-ish.
The big day is two weeks away.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Two For the Price of One
OK, still trying to get through the week two weeks ago that sent my training into a tailspin.
Bro on Friday night and climbing all day Saturday. I decided that was enough exercise to excuse a weekend.
M&D and Bro for dinner on Saturday night, then just M&D.
M&D all day Sunday.
M&D and Sister on Sunday night in San Francisco for dinner.
Me all by my lonesome on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Still tired from staying up late/getting up early on the weekend. Not enough time for sleep, let alone running.
Friend from Vancouver and her friends on Thursday night.
School play and bowling on Friday night.
Los Gatos with Baby Mama and her Fam on the weekend. Rainy weather/hangover=no running.
After that crazy week, I knew I had to get back into it, but I only managed the one run during the week. I was going to do a 5 miler, but I wimped out and I'm still not sure how far I went. (I combined some routes in new ways, and I haven't looked it up yet.) I got out, but these things must change.
Which brings us to yesterday.
Back in Los Gatos for some quality time with two adorable pit bulls. Went down to the town proper for some running. Why is it that all the good running trails always run besides the highway? Beautiful greenway; nasty smells and sounds.
I've been watching some Seinfeld lately. I've even found some that I haven't seen before (or at least have forgotten that I've seen). But I was reminded of the Good Naked episode. Jerry had a girlfriend who was always naked at home. He was cool with it until she started doing things like floor sanding naked. He decided to teach her a lesson by wandering around his apartment naked, and she got grossed out. Her response was that all women are good naked. Men, on the other hand, are not. Men's bodies (she reasoned), were angular and functional, but not necessarily beautiful. You don't gaze at men's bodies, you use them. Hence, men should not just wander around naked.
So there I was on the trail, and there is this guy running the opposite way, and he's a bit on the husky side. So am I; I don't judge. But, I do wear a cute little running skirt over my spandex and I try not to advertise my jiggly middle. Dude, however, was running in spandex. No shorts, no covering of any kind. Just jiggly man-flesh encased in lycra. It was so not good. Just past him was another guy, far buffer. I might not have minded him in some spandex. He, however, was wearing normal shorts. Yay normal shorts!
I know we are all out there to get in shape, and it's not always the prettiest scene. That's fine. You do not have to look your absolute best on the trail. But dude, wear some shorts over your underwear. No one wants to see that.
And, I haven't figure out my mileages. (Maybe 6-7 miles?) But I was out for two hours, so I'm getting back on track with my distance weekends. New race: May 30. Shells is coming out to run with me. eeeeeeeee!
Bro on Friday night and climbing all day Saturday. I decided that was enough exercise to excuse a weekend.
M&D and Bro for dinner on Saturday night, then just M&D.
M&D all day Sunday.
M&D and Sister on Sunday night in San Francisco for dinner.
Me all by my lonesome on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. Still tired from staying up late/getting up early on the weekend. Not enough time for sleep, let alone running.
Friend from Vancouver and her friends on Thursday night.
School play and bowling on Friday night.
Los Gatos with Baby Mama and her Fam on the weekend. Rainy weather/hangover=no running.
After that crazy week, I knew I had to get back into it, but I only managed the one run during the week. I was going to do a 5 miler, but I wimped out and I'm still not sure how far I went. (I combined some routes in new ways, and I haven't looked it up yet.) I got out, but these things must change.
Which brings us to yesterday.
Back in Los Gatos for some quality time with two adorable pit bulls. Went down to the town proper for some running. Why is it that all the good running trails always run besides the highway? Beautiful greenway; nasty smells and sounds.
I've been watching some Seinfeld lately. I've even found some that I haven't seen before (or at least have forgotten that I've seen). But I was reminded of the Good Naked episode. Jerry had a girlfriend who was always naked at home. He was cool with it until she started doing things like floor sanding naked. He decided to teach her a lesson by wandering around his apartment naked, and she got grossed out. Her response was that all women are good naked. Men, on the other hand, are not. Men's bodies (she reasoned), were angular and functional, but not necessarily beautiful. You don't gaze at men's bodies, you use them. Hence, men should not just wander around naked.
So there I was on the trail, and there is this guy running the opposite way, and he's a bit on the husky side. So am I; I don't judge. But, I do wear a cute little running skirt over my spandex and I try not to advertise my jiggly middle. Dude, however, was running in spandex. No shorts, no covering of any kind. Just jiggly man-flesh encased in lycra. It was so not good. Just past him was another guy, far buffer. I might not have minded him in some spandex. He, however, was wearing normal shorts. Yay normal shorts!
I know we are all out there to get in shape, and it's not always the prettiest scene. That's fine. You do not have to look your absolute best on the trail. But dude, wear some shorts over your underwear. No one wants to see that.
And, I haven't figure out my mileages. (Maybe 6-7 miles?) But I was out for two hours, so I'm getting back on track with my distance weekends. New race: May 30. Shells is coming out to run with me. eeeeeeeee!
On the Rock
So, I haven't been blogging lately. This is partly due to my extreme tiredness, and partly due to my extreme laziness. It all started two weeks ago: the Week of Out-of-Town Guests. First, my brother arrived on Friday and came bowling with the Cinco Equis. (There is nothing else to do but bowl on a Friday night, um, hello!) We slept; we woke up; we drove to Castle Rock State Park. We went climbing.
Climbing was good. We got there around 8. (We were among the first there. What is a late start time anywhere else seems to be super-early in the greater Santa Cruz area. Go figure.) I did OK on some climbs. He is certainly better than I (not to mention in much better practice and the owner of actual climbing gear -- a rack, a rope, you know -- the really important stuff), but I did well with what I could do. I managed to get past the cruxes of my routes. I didn't always (ever?) make the top, but I did get past the tough problems for me, which I consider a success. Katy will feel me on this, but I judge myself against myself, not against the best climber out there (or even out there that day). For me, 5.7 is HARD. The climbs in the book all started at 5.7 -- meaning there was no way I would ever get to the top of something.
In fact, I couldn't downclimb the "5.4" "walk-up" to se the anchor. The quotes are on purpose. It was no 5.4. Bro had to take his pack off to make the move (all unprotected -- this was supposed to be the walk to the top to set an anchor) so I climbed up a few feet to pass his pack over to him. It is impossible, you see, to set an anchor without any gear. I went up about 6 feet and he got his pack, but then the down was a big ol' Not So Much. I gotta give some props to my Bro, though. He got out the rope and tossed an end down to me. It wouldn't do much -- but then I wasn't more 'n 6 feet off the ground anyway. He told me to just tie it around me waist.
Wait! Wait! I know this!!!! I can tie a one-handed bowline around my waist. It was a parlor trick taught to me by my first climb leader in the car on the way to a conditioning hike. I'm good at knots (hey -- let me brag about the one thing I'm actually a natural at), so I picked it up quickly, and kept it. Cause there I was with a rope tied in a nice bowline, around my waist. I made it down fine. I would have made it down fine without the rope; I didn't use it. But Bro didn't make me feel bad about using it at all: no "You wuss" comments, no calling me a sissy. (If you know my Brother, you know he can be harsh. When push comes to shove, though, and his little sister is scared, he totally comes through.)
Anyway. After a second attempt, I make it past the difficult spot on our first climb. We go around the back to a crack and steal a belay off some other guys on the rock. They have their own issues, but I do get a nice belay. I didn't make the top -- I used up all my strength getting past the crux. It took me some time, I fell off once or twice. But with some good advice on how to attack the crack (it involved some stemming -- which isn't always intuitive -- and turning 90 degrees away from crack) I made it past the tough part. Then I fell and I knew I had nothing left to go higher. Bro even complimented me. The dudes were idiots, though, so we left.
We hiked to the other side of the park, and did some more climbing. There was another sketchy climb to set an anchor, but it was at a place where I could do a seated belay for Bro. He had tried to lead climb the thing, but it was too difficult a start. With a top rope, he made it up, however. I made it past the start. It was a difficult start, and I did the first-ever layback type move of my life. It wasn't a complete layback, but enough to make me think that I can, one day, do a layback. (I need more upper body strength, straight up.) So, I got six feet off the ground and told him I had nothing. He sorta laughed and said, "Yeah, I just wanted you to get that far." We moved over a route, and Bro played on the rock for a bit, but he was pretty spent. I went up as well, but I was spent, too. So we called it a day around 3.
As a side note, you've seen the rants about bicycle helmets. Imagine how much more annoyed I am when I see people climbing without helmets. Really? Are you shitting me? This couple is climbing a 5.11 or 5.11b WITHOUT HELMETS. Yeah, dude is good. Dude can climb a 5.11. But even dude falls off the rock while working out the problem, that's how you work out a problem. Imagine, however, what would happen if one time when he falls off the rock he smacks his head. Or what happens to his belay partner when he knocks a stone loose and it comes crashing down on her head. What happens when he's "walking" to the top to set an anchor and falls off. Oh, yeah -- this is what happens: YOU DIE! I read a post on Facebook not a month ago from a friend who was climbing with the Mazamas when a (non-Mazama) family had an accident on the rock and they ended up dead. This was at a very popular climbing spot -- I've been there 3-4 (5?) times myself. They were walking up to set an anchor, and this is an actual walk to the top, (they think -- investigations were still pending when I read the report) and fell. Or maybe the anchor failed. Regardless, they didn't have helmets on. There's not much you can do without a helmet. Why is death so cool? It's not. Bro's sticker on the top of his helmet reads: Contents Empty, Do Not Remove. Mine is a giant target, you know: hit me right here, I dare you. Helmets can be fun.
My same climber leader always said that if you see someone doing something stupid (like glissading with crampons on), tell them to stop doing then and get out of there so you don't have to help with the rescue.
Climbing was good. We got there around 8. (We were among the first there. What is a late start time anywhere else seems to be super-early in the greater Santa Cruz area. Go figure.) I did OK on some climbs. He is certainly better than I (not to mention in much better practice and the owner of actual climbing gear -- a rack, a rope, you know -- the really important stuff), but I did well with what I could do. I managed to get past the cruxes of my routes. I didn't always (ever?) make the top, but I did get past the tough problems for me, which I consider a success. Katy will feel me on this, but I judge myself against myself, not against the best climber out there (or even out there that day). For me, 5.7 is HARD. The climbs in the book all started at 5.7 -- meaning there was no way I would ever get to the top of something.
In fact, I couldn't downclimb the "5.4" "walk-up" to se the anchor. The quotes are on purpose. It was no 5.4. Bro had to take his pack off to make the move (all unprotected -- this was supposed to be the walk to the top to set an anchor) so I climbed up a few feet to pass his pack over to him. It is impossible, you see, to set an anchor without any gear. I went up about 6 feet and he got his pack, but then the down was a big ol' Not So Much. I gotta give some props to my Bro, though. He got out the rope and tossed an end down to me. It wouldn't do much -- but then I wasn't more 'n 6 feet off the ground anyway. He told me to just tie it around me waist.
Wait! Wait! I know this!!!! I can tie a one-handed bowline around my waist. It was a parlor trick taught to me by my first climb leader in the car on the way to a conditioning hike. I'm good at knots (hey -- let me brag about the one thing I'm actually a natural at), so I picked it up quickly, and kept it. Cause there I was with a rope tied in a nice bowline, around my waist. I made it down fine. I would have made it down fine without the rope; I didn't use it. But Bro didn't make me feel bad about using it at all: no "You wuss" comments, no calling me a sissy. (If you know my Brother, you know he can be harsh. When push comes to shove, though, and his little sister is scared, he totally comes through.)
Anyway. After a second attempt, I make it past the difficult spot on our first climb. We go around the back to a crack and steal a belay off some other guys on the rock. They have their own issues, but I do get a nice belay. I didn't make the top -- I used up all my strength getting past the crux. It took me some time, I fell off once or twice. But with some good advice on how to attack the crack (it involved some stemming -- which isn't always intuitive -- and turning 90 degrees away from crack) I made it past the tough part. Then I fell and I knew I had nothing left to go higher. Bro even complimented me. The dudes were idiots, though, so we left.
We hiked to the other side of the park, and did some more climbing. There was another sketchy climb to set an anchor, but it was at a place where I could do a seated belay for Bro. He had tried to lead climb the thing, but it was too difficult a start. With a top rope, he made it up, however. I made it past the start. It was a difficult start, and I did the first-ever layback type move of my life. It wasn't a complete layback, but enough to make me think that I can, one day, do a layback. (I need more upper body strength, straight up.) So, I got six feet off the ground and told him I had nothing. He sorta laughed and said, "Yeah, I just wanted you to get that far." We moved over a route, and Bro played on the rock for a bit, but he was pretty spent. I went up as well, but I was spent, too. So we called it a day around 3.
As a side note, you've seen the rants about bicycle helmets. Imagine how much more annoyed I am when I see people climbing without helmets. Really? Are you shitting me? This couple is climbing a 5.11 or 5.11b WITHOUT HELMETS. Yeah, dude is good. Dude can climb a 5.11. But even dude falls off the rock while working out the problem, that's how you work out a problem. Imagine, however, what would happen if one time when he falls off the rock he smacks his head. Or what happens to his belay partner when he knocks a stone loose and it comes crashing down on her head. What happens when he's "walking" to the top to set an anchor and falls off. Oh, yeah -- this is what happens: YOU DIE! I read a post on Facebook not a month ago from a friend who was climbing with the Mazamas when a (non-Mazama) family had an accident on the rock and they ended up dead. This was at a very popular climbing spot -- I've been there 3-4 (5?) times myself. They were walking up to set an anchor, and this is an actual walk to the top, (they think -- investigations were still pending when I read the report) and fell. Or maybe the anchor failed. Regardless, they didn't have helmets on. There's not much you can do without a helmet. Why is death so cool? It's not. Bro's sticker on the top of his helmet reads: Contents Empty, Do Not Remove. Mine is a giant target, you know: hit me right here, I dare you. Helmets can be fun.
My same climber leader always said that if you see someone doing something stupid (like glissading with crampons on), tell them to stop doing then and get out of there so you don't have to help with the rescue.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
It Was Nothing
I meant to post this last week, I just didn't.
I did 5 miles last Wednesday. Just, you know, get home from work and run 5 miles. The end of the loop I ran was the beginning of the loops I was running back when I started this project 8 weeks ago. I couldn't help but be amazed by how far I've come. Eight weeks ago, I couldn't run 2 miles; Wednesday I ran 5. Nice.
I did 5 miles last Wednesday. Just, you know, get home from work and run 5 miles. The end of the loop I ran was the beginning of the loops I was running back when I started this project 8 weeks ago. I couldn't help but be amazed by how far I've come. Eight weeks ago, I couldn't run 2 miles; Wednesday I ran 5. Nice.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Some Days Are Better Than Others
I went for a run today. I *finally* managed to find the elusive Fort Ord Dunes State Park. Heaven forbid you take 2nd to 8th over the overpass. No you take 2nd past 8th to something else with a teeny sign saying "Fort Ord Dunes State Park" right. Then you turn right again, then left, then right, THEN left across the overpass to the parking lot. What. Ever.
Anyway, I started running and I was just not feeling it. I don't know. Maybe it was some combination of heat (it was very warm today), low-level dehydration, not enough calories (I got a later start than I had intended due to all the driving around), built-up tiredness, and the 2/3 into the program blas. Whatever it was, although nothing felt horrible in isolation (my lungs weren't burning, no blisters, knees fine), I was just not there mentally. Well, my conscious mind said, "Keep going," but my body and my subconscious were saying, "Oh, just walk already." My body finally won out. I did walk, not stroll. And that means I did get some exercise and distance, but not what I should have done. Oh well. I am only me, after all. I never was/never will be a world-class runner. Hell, I'll never be anyone who is a contender in any race.
However, I did actually pay my money for the race this evening, so there's not going back. I am registered to run on May 17th. eep.
Anyway, I started running and I was just not feeling it. I don't know. Maybe it was some combination of heat (it was very warm today), low-level dehydration, not enough calories (I got a later start than I had intended due to all the driving around), built-up tiredness, and the 2/3 into the program blas. Whatever it was, although nothing felt horrible in isolation (my lungs weren't burning, no blisters, knees fine), I was just not there mentally. Well, my conscious mind said, "Keep going," but my body and my subconscious were saying, "Oh, just walk already." My body finally won out. I did walk, not stroll. And that means I did get some exercise and distance, but not what I should have done. Oh well. I am only me, after all. I never was/never will be a world-class runner. Hell, I'll never be anyone who is a contender in any race.
However, I did actually pay my money for the race this evening, so there's not going back. I am registered to run on May 17th. eep.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Walk On
Yesterday: 4.5 miles.
Today: crazy, intense gym teacher tells me that I'm looking much thinner.
Today: crazy, intense gym teacher tells me that I'm looking much thinner.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Trust Me on the Sunscreen
Today: 8 miles (or maybe a little less). I started in a slightly different place than I planned on, but the trail also has more ins and outs than the highway version that I googlemap for mileage. So.
I must say, it's a lot harder to "finish strong" after 8 miles than after 4. I guess that means that I'm doing OK on running at my threshold of ability (or something).
I applied a lot more sunscreen today than I did last weekend, so I hope to avoid the extreme sun damage that I experienced the last time. While we're on the topic of protection: what is it with cyclists who don't wear helmets? For the love of God, people, they cost $20-$30 and can save you from brain damage in an accident. Sure, everyone looks like a penis-head in them, but EVERYONE looks like a penis-head. You are not alone in the looking-like-an-idiot department; it's more like a badge of honor. Sure, you're on a bike path, so what could happen? Well, you could get hit while crossing one of the many streets that no one stops at (yes, I saw you, you old couple with your 7-yr-old child teaching him to not obey all traffic signs while on a bike). You could get hit while riding on the stretch of path that is actual road (yes, I saw you large group of likely church people riding THE WRONG DIRECTION on the road). You could hit one of the many runners, walkers, old people, strollers (as in baby), kids, or other cyclists on this very busy bike path and crash. You could slip in the drifting sand while going too fast downhill. Anything could happen, and sometimes, anythign DOES happen. SO just wear a freaking helmet already. This is not 1971, people are not having unprotected sex with strangers while snorting coke and angel dust. We know better. Get a helmet.
This is from where I turned around looking back towards the beginning. The iPhone only has so good of a lens, though. I think I started somewhere an inch or two to the left of that shiny thing. I think.
I must say, it's a lot harder to "finish strong" after 8 miles than after 4. I guess that means that I'm doing OK on running at my threshold of ability (or something).
I applied a lot more sunscreen today than I did last weekend, so I hope to avoid the extreme sun damage that I experienced the last time. While we're on the topic of protection: what is it with cyclists who don't wear helmets? For the love of God, people, they cost $20-$30 and can save you from brain damage in an accident. Sure, everyone looks like a penis-head in them, but EVERYONE looks like a penis-head. You are not alone in the looking-like-an-idiot department; it's more like a badge of honor. Sure, you're on a bike path, so what could happen? Well, you could get hit while crossing one of the many streets that no one stops at (yes, I saw you, you old couple with your 7-yr-old child teaching him to not obey all traffic signs while on a bike). You could get hit while riding on the stretch of path that is actual road (yes, I saw you large group of likely church people riding THE WRONG DIRECTION on the road). You could hit one of the many runners, walkers, old people, strollers (as in baby), kids, or other cyclists on this very busy bike path and crash. You could slip in the drifting sand while going too fast downhill. Anything could happen, and sometimes, anythign DOES happen. SO just wear a freaking helmet already. This is not 1971, people are not having unprotected sex with strangers while snorting coke and angel dust. We know better. Get a helmet.
This is from where I turned around looking back towards the beginning. The iPhone only has so good of a lens, though. I think I started somewhere an inch or two to the left of that shiny thing. I think.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Running on Empty
I had an interesting conversation with my friends last night (these are the winners of both the Most Likely To Be the First Friends To Visit Me in California and The First Friends To Visit Me in California awards) about the nature of running. The question was about how one views the sport of running. Is it a team sport of camaraderie and friendship or a competative sport of hunting off the next person ahead of you in the pack? I countered that running has always been a solo activity for me. While I could appreciate the (theoretical -- given my speed) camaraderie and the potential (again theoretical) competition, neither of those things ever motivated me. I was always in a race against myself.
This brings us back to another chicken/egg question: did my running make me a loner or did my lonerishness make my running?The whole conversation began because I was musing about the reason why I did not undertake an event until after I left Portland. In Portland, I have friends who do running things and there are many running things to do. Everyone, it seems, runs in Hood to Coast. There was the time Devo (yes, Devo) played at a Nike 10k race. There's the Beat the Burnside race, and those are only the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Portland is an drive town. So why now? My theory is that it is exactly because I *didn't* have anyone to run with.
Running with people might provide some conversation, but it also comes with pressure to run a certain route at a certain time and the pressure to keep a pace. I perform well under many kinds of pressure, but I don't court it in my fun time. I want to be able to succeed or fail on my own, without worrying about involving other peole in my almost certain embarassment. Of course, now that I have started running, it will be much easier to keep up with it, even if I do end up growing a circle of running friends.
All of this is to say that I ran 4.5 miles on Tuesday. I did not go out today, but I walk for a total of 40 minutes because my car was in the shop. I have it back, but it is still not fixed although the man seemed to think it was. I am not impressed.
This brings us back to another chicken/egg question: did my running make me a loner or did my lonerishness make my running?The whole conversation began because I was musing about the reason why I did not undertake an event until after I left Portland. In Portland, I have friends who do running things and there are many running things to do. Everyone, it seems, runs in Hood to Coast. There was the time Devo (yes, Devo) played at a Nike 10k race. There's the Beat the Burnside race, and those are only the ones I can think of off the top of my head. Portland is an drive town. So why now? My theory is that it is exactly because I *didn't* have anyone to run with.
Running with people might provide some conversation, but it also comes with pressure to run a certain route at a certain time and the pressure to keep a pace. I perform well under many kinds of pressure, but I don't court it in my fun time. I want to be able to succeed or fail on my own, without worrying about involving other peole in my almost certain embarassment. Of course, now that I have started running, it will be much easier to keep up with it, even if I do end up growing a circle of running friends.
All of this is to say that I ran 4.5 miles on Tuesday. I did not go out today, but I walk for a total of 40 minutes because my car was in the shop. I have it back, but it is still not fixed although the man seemed to think it was. I am not impressed.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Running to Stand Still
The silence on the blog was not because I was too tired from running to write. Oh, no. It was because I didn't run at all! *gasp* Not a particularly good thing, but I kept on finding myself out of pocket during the last week before spring break. I had things to clear up at work and prior engagements to attend to... so I was very, very bad. Very bad. Grades were due on Wednesday morning, so that destroyed Tuesday. On Wednesday I went out shopping with the girls because my pants don't fit anymore (not that shopping instead of running will keep me on this downward size trend). Thursday I had already made plans to get some drinks after work. I stayed out so late on Thursday that I was totally useless on Friday. That left Saturday, but I had scads of "yard work" to do. I have something that resembles a postage stamp of a yard, if it were cut in half and laid out in an L. And judging from my sore back and legs this morning, I did get some muscle work in from bending over to tear out all the crazy weed that had taken over.
Which brings us to today. I had already decided that I wanted to jump ahead and run an extra mile for this week's long run to make up for slacking off the prior week. And, I was determined to find the nice state park entrance so I didn't have to park in a crappy-ass neighborhood. Away I drove... and ran into a dead end. I had no choice but to keep on driving. I found myself at the other end of my proposed route, and in a fit of brilliance, I decided to run it backwards! Profound.
So, I ran. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and there was only a small breeze. I ran in my new, recycled tank top (seriously, it's made from recycled plastic) and my super-cute skirt. I admit to walking a bit for the last mile, but all in all, I was very happy with my performance.
Now, however, I am less than thrilled. I am sore. My knees are achey and I have a sunburn around all the edges where I didn't put sunscreen. I neglected some of my arms and my hands, and it's impossible for me to get to all my back, so I find myself a bit warm now. So, as happy as I am with my performance, I am definitely up for a rest day tomorrow.
For tonight, I will ice my knees and finish off with the Wet Sock Treatment. And finally, I think I've made you wait long enough -- this is the Wet Sock Treatment. First, take thin, cotton socks and get them wet in cold water. Then, put them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes so they get REALLY cold. In the meantime, get ready for bed and place a pair of thick, wool socks near your bed. Take the socks from the freezer, climb into bed, and put the socks on your feet. Yes, put the freezing-cold socks on your feet. It's only hard to do the first 5-6 times, then it gets easy. Once you have freezing-cold socks on your now freezing feet, put the wool socks on on top of them. Then, sleep.
The way I hear it, it works like this. Your body can not make enough energy to dry the cotton (hence the phrase: cotton kills), but it tries. So the blood rushes to your feet, but then the wool (which insulates and will keep you from dying of hypothermia) kicks in and warms your feet and the blood leaves. But then your feet get cold again from the cotton, and the blood rushes back. So, this uninsulating/insulating play creates a "heartbeat" through your legs, drawing the blood through all that sore, damaged tissue in your knees and helping to heal it. Also, it sucks the blood from your brain, so you fall asleep faster. Or so my massage therapist friend tells me. In any case, I haven't found it to do any damage, and I generally feel better upon waking. Of course, it could just be time.
Which brings us to today. I had already decided that I wanted to jump ahead and run an extra mile for this week's long run to make up for slacking off the prior week. And, I was determined to find the nice state park entrance so I didn't have to park in a crappy-ass neighborhood. Away I drove... and ran into a dead end. I had no choice but to keep on driving. I found myself at the other end of my proposed route, and in a fit of brilliance, I decided to run it backwards! Profound.
So, I ran. It was a beautiful day. The sun was shining and there was only a small breeze. I ran in my new, recycled tank top (seriously, it's made from recycled plastic) and my super-cute skirt. I admit to walking a bit for the last mile, but all in all, I was very happy with my performance.
Now, however, I am less than thrilled. I am sore. My knees are achey and I have a sunburn around all the edges where I didn't put sunscreen. I neglected some of my arms and my hands, and it's impossible for me to get to all my back, so I find myself a bit warm now. So, as happy as I am with my performance, I am definitely up for a rest day tomorrow.
For tonight, I will ice my knees and finish off with the Wet Sock Treatment. And finally, I think I've made you wait long enough -- this is the Wet Sock Treatment. First, take thin, cotton socks and get them wet in cold water. Then, put them in the freezer for 5-10 minutes so they get REALLY cold. In the meantime, get ready for bed and place a pair of thick, wool socks near your bed. Take the socks from the freezer, climb into bed, and put the socks on your feet. Yes, put the freezing-cold socks on your feet. It's only hard to do the first 5-6 times, then it gets easy. Once you have freezing-cold socks on your now freezing feet, put the wool socks on on top of them. Then, sleep.
The way I hear it, it works like this. Your body can not make enough energy to dry the cotton (hence the phrase: cotton kills), but it tries. So the blood rushes to your feet, but then the wool (which insulates and will keep you from dying of hypothermia) kicks in and warms your feet and the blood leaves. But then your feet get cold again from the cotton, and the blood rushes back. So, this uninsulating/insulating play creates a "heartbeat" through your legs, drawing the blood through all that sore, damaged tissue in your knees and helping to heal it. Also, it sucks the blood from your brain, so you fall asleep faster. Or so my massage therapist friend tells me. In any case, I haven't found it to do any damage, and I generally feel better upon waking. Of course, it could just be time.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Well-Deserved Rest
First off, just want to send a shout-out to my newest lurker. Hey B! Glad to have you here. There are more lurkers than any of you know. (Yeah, Hollis, I'm talking to you. You're not the only one out there reading and not commenting.)
Yesterday, I took a well-deserved day off. Not only did I exercise my tushy off over the weekend, but I also managed to hurt my shin somehow. I didn't notice it until yesterday afternoon (so maybe I was sitting on it funny at work? I tend to sit on my ankles), so I'm not too worried about it. However, it did alert me that a rest day was OK. On my day off I continued to enjoy the butterflies float through town and took a trip to Costco to get some glucosamine with chondroitin with a coupon. I stocked up on a couple of bottles ($5 off a $23 product ain't too shabby).
I have also decided that I need to buy some new pants. I did run my pants through the high heat cycle of the dryer to shrink them down some. I'm not saying that I've been losing even 10s of pounds of weight, but enough that my pants are hanging off of me. It is not attractive.
Of course, today I took some not-so-deserved rest. Grades were due today (well, tomorrow at 9am, which is the same as saying tonight), so I was at school until 6:30. And, well, after all that grading, I took a mental health evening. I should be able to do some running tomorrow, though. Just gotta make it through three more days until SPRING BREAK! YEAH!!
Yesterday, I took a well-deserved day off. Not only did I exercise my tushy off over the weekend, but I also managed to hurt my shin somehow. I didn't notice it until yesterday afternoon (so maybe I was sitting on it funny at work? I tend to sit on my ankles), so I'm not too worried about it. However, it did alert me that a rest day was OK. On my day off I continued to enjoy the butterflies float through town and took a trip to Costco to get some glucosamine with chondroitin with a coupon. I stocked up on a couple of bottles ($5 off a $23 product ain't too shabby).
I have also decided that I need to buy some new pants. I did run my pants through the high heat cycle of the dryer to shrink them down some. I'm not saying that I've been losing even 10s of pounds of weight, but enough that my pants are hanging off of me. It is not attractive.
Of course, today I took some not-so-deserved rest. Grades were due today (well, tomorrow at 9am, which is the same as saying tonight), so I was at school until 6:30. And, well, after all that grading, I took a mental health evening. I should be able to do some running tomorrow, though. Just gotta make it through three more days until SPRING BREAK! YEAH!!
Sunday, March 29, 2009
The Butterflies are Back in Town
There has been a migration of butterflies through my town this weekend. No, really. I was coming back from school yesterday, and it looked like there was bark flying through the air, except it wasn't smacking against the car. I quickly realized it was a swarm of butterflies and not bark at all. (I have extensive experience with swarms of butterflies cavorting from my mountain climbing.) They have been everywhere, especially in the fields. So when I headed back to the coast for my run today, I drove through even more of them. I'm not sure what type they are, they seem sort of brown and small. Butterflies flying by are beautiful, nonetheless.
I had a bit of a struggle finding a less dangerous entre to the bike path, however. I went to the state park beach that I know about (it has a parking lot, you see), but when I didn't see the path and took a gander at the map, I saw that the railroad tracks cut inland at that point. Grrr. So I headed up the freeway and saw where the path cuts from inland back to the freeway, but without any indication of what road exactly it was following. So, after wandering around the back roads of Marina (including the boarded up and blocked off former Fort Ord army base), I found my way back to the road I drove in on and saw where the path cut across. Finally.
I started running and took a short detour along a broken-down path back to the beach. I considered running along the beach, but the slope is too steep and the tide was too high. It was not comfortable running. Back to the bike path it was. Although, when I got to the path, I decided to follow the paved road beside it that cut through the state park. (I saw it yesterday, but wasn't sure how to get from the bike path to this other -- obviosuly closed to motorized traffic -- paved road that ran closer to the ocean.)
And I ran, and ran, and ran. It felt longer than the 6 miles I finally google mapped it to be, but it was still 6 miles of almost uninterupted running. There are some hills along the path, and I made it up and down them, both ways. I think I'll hit this path up a few more times before d-day (r-day? hm-day?). There was a wind, but it wasn't too strong.
I'm pretty sure I've figured out how to access the path in a much nicer area than the strip malls and fast-food joints. Next weekend we'll see if I'm right. And next weekend, I'm going for 8!
I had a bit of a struggle finding a less dangerous entre to the bike path, however. I went to the state park beach that I know about (it has a parking lot, you see), but when I didn't see the path and took a gander at the map, I saw that the railroad tracks cut inland at that point. Grrr. So I headed up the freeway and saw where the path cuts from inland back to the freeway, but without any indication of what road exactly it was following. So, after wandering around the back roads of Marina (including the boarded up and blocked off former Fort Ord army base), I found my way back to the road I drove in on and saw where the path cut across. Finally.
I started running and took a short detour along a broken-down path back to the beach. I considered running along the beach, but the slope is too steep and the tide was too high. It was not comfortable running. Back to the bike path it was. Although, when I got to the path, I decided to follow the paved road beside it that cut through the state park. (I saw it yesterday, but wasn't sure how to get from the bike path to this other -- obviosuly closed to motorized traffic -- paved road that ran closer to the ocean.)
And I ran, and ran, and ran. It felt longer than the 6 miles I finally google mapped it to be, but it was still 6 miles of almost uninterupted running. There are some hills along the path, and I made it up and down them, both ways. I think I'll hit this path up a few more times before d-day (r-day? hm-day?). There was a wind, but it wasn't too strong.
I'm pretty sure I've figured out how to access the path in a much nicer area than the strip malls and fast-food joints. Next weekend we'll see if I'm right. And next weekend, I'm going for 8!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Crosstown Traffic
Today was a beautiful day in Sunny California. Sunny, blue skies, 70+ degrees (in March). Oh yes, finally a state where March comes in like a lion and leaves like a lamb (or is that supposed to be April?).
I decided to take Lolita out for some cross-training -- but longer cross-training that I'm supposed to since I've been so slack. I did a little Web searching, and realized that there's a coastal bike trail: the Monterey Bay Coastal Bike Path. You can order the bike map online, but then it's not available immediately. So I drove to REI to see if they had a map. The nice man at REI didn't have a map, but he did tell me how I could get onto the path a few short blocks (and three dangerous intersections) away. So, I left the car in at REI and pedaled away.
Througout this entire process, I find myself saddened by my physical state of being. I used to get on Lolita and ride 30 miles without thinking about it much. Today, I made it 10 miles (or so), and I was definitely wiped out. It's good that I'm doing this, but damn, I do not want to fall back to this level again. It is so not cool.
It was a gorgeous ride, though. Of course, on one side of the path are speeding cars on Highyway 1, but on the other are dunes and the ocean. The flowers are all starting to bloom and everything is beige and green and red and orange. And, on the way back I finally got my bike computer working! Turns out, it wasn't the cadence sensor at all, it was the wheel sensor. Silly me. So, by the next ride I'll have some good stats for you.
I decided to take Lolita out for some cross-training -- but longer cross-training that I'm supposed to since I've been so slack. I did a little Web searching, and realized that there's a coastal bike trail: the Monterey Bay Coastal Bike Path. You can order the bike map online, but then it's not available immediately. So I drove to REI to see if they had a map. The nice man at REI didn't have a map, but he did tell me how I could get onto the path a few short blocks (and three dangerous intersections) away. So, I left the car in at REI and pedaled away.
Througout this entire process, I find myself saddened by my physical state of being. I used to get on Lolita and ride 30 miles without thinking about it much. Today, I made it 10 miles (or so), and I was definitely wiped out. It's good that I'm doing this, but damn, I do not want to fall back to this level again. It is so not cool.
It was a gorgeous ride, though. Of course, on one side of the path are speeding cars on Highyway 1, but on the other are dunes and the ocean. The flowers are all starting to bloom and everything is beige and green and red and orange. And, on the way back I finally got my bike computer working! Turns out, it wasn't the cadence sensor at all, it was the wheel sensor. Silly me. So, by the next ride I'll have some good stats for you.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Chicken or the Egg
So I owe you a lot of posts on running, and I'm probably just gonna skip most of (all of?) last week. It was another bad week for running -- the early days kick my ass and then even when I do run, I have no energy to write a Facebook status, let alone a whole blog.
This week was much the same: I did lift some weights on Monday, but nothing else until today, when I busted out 4 miles. So there I am, running along with a stitch in my side and a total inability to take a really full breath and then my legs ache a little, too. And this all feels very, very familiar.
I've been rehashing my old Lessons From Cross Country, lately. (It happens when you're in the middle of a run, you know.) Back in high school I always wanted to get good enough that I could keep up without any pain. Actually, I would have settled for the whole absence of pain part. So senior year rolls around, and we're running down the railroad tracks behind Rich's heading back towards the high school. Suddenly, I realize that I'm not by myself. April (the fastest runner on the team) is just up ahead, and I'm chatting with Nicole. I'm keeping up! I've gotten better! A lot better!! And... it still hurts.
Right then and there I decided if it doesn't hurt, then you're not doing it right. In order to advance, in order to get better, you can't sit around and let it happen -- you have to make it happen. And that work, that effort, that's the pain.
Has this philosophy colored my enture life? Do I do crazy, difficult things (like move states to new jobs in gang-infested areas or attempt half-marathons after two years of virtual inactivity) because I'm convinced that I'm not really living if I'm not doing something difficult? Or, did I come up with this theory exactly because this was already a part of my personality?
Chicken. Egg.
This week was much the same: I did lift some weights on Monday, but nothing else until today, when I busted out 4 miles. So there I am, running along with a stitch in my side and a total inability to take a really full breath and then my legs ache a little, too. And this all feels very, very familiar.
I've been rehashing my old Lessons From Cross Country, lately. (It happens when you're in the middle of a run, you know.) Back in high school I always wanted to get good enough that I could keep up without any pain. Actually, I would have settled for the whole absence of pain part. So senior year rolls around, and we're running down the railroad tracks behind Rich's heading back towards the high school. Suddenly, I realize that I'm not by myself. April (the fastest runner on the team) is just up ahead, and I'm chatting with Nicole. I'm keeping up! I've gotten better! A lot better!! And... it still hurts.
Right then and there I decided if it doesn't hurt, then you're not doing it right. In order to advance, in order to get better, you can't sit around and let it happen -- you have to make it happen. And that work, that effort, that's the pain.
Has this philosophy colored my enture life? Do I do crazy, difficult things (like move states to new jobs in gang-infested areas or attempt half-marathons after two years of virtual inactivity) because I'm convinced that I'm not really living if I'm not doing something difficult? Or, did I come up with this theory exactly because this was already a part of my personality?
Chicken. Egg.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
