My running coach started sending me a "Reason to Run" each day -- one a day for the 100 days before the big race. This blog post will be an on-going one, so feel free to check back for the updated list. Most recent will be at the top.
Reason to Run #8 - Run for the road ahead.
Reason to Run #7 - Playing in the Rain: Because the kid inside of you wants to jump in puddles.
Reason to Run #6 - Keep Calm and Run On.
Reason to Run #5 - Boston Strong: "At the end, I just kept thinking, 'Boston Strong. Boston Strong. I was thinking 'Give everything you have. If you get beat, that's it." - Meb Keflezighi after winning the Boston Marathon.
Reason to Run #4 - Count your Blessings: We have a good life and should enjoy it.
Reason to Run #3 - "The will to win means nothing without the will to prepare." - Juma Ikangaa (Tanzanian winner of the 1989 New York City Marathon).
Reason to Run #2 - Adventure: Seeing where your legs can take you.
Reason to Run #1 - Run for Yourself. You have to start somewhere, might as well start with yourself.
Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Saturday, April 19, 2014
Just for a Second
Just for a second I thought I might be a real runner. Then that thought quickly passed.
This has happened to me on several occasions so far in this 100 miler journey. Let me share some of these "almost" moments with you:
1. Have you ever notices "real" runners don't listen to music when they run? Watch a marathon, the top runners don't listen to music. Well, I ran twelve miles by myself with no music. For a moment I thought I might be a real runner. Then I realized I was thinking about listening to music the whole way....
2. I was leaving work thinking about how I wanted to get some extra mileage in and run for a second time that day. Then I parked my car in my garage, walked in the door and sat down on the couch with a book instead...
3. I wore the correct amount of clothing for a run one day -- didn't over dress and sweat profusely, didn't under dress and have to run with my hands in my spandex. Then the next two runs outside I overdressed...
4. I looked forward to running 20 miles on Monday. I thought, "wow, maybe I'm starting to love running." Then I started running and wanted to stop... I realized my running is still fueled by the fact I'm a meathead...
5. On my day off, it felt weird that I was not running... like there was a void in my life. But then I realized I liked the void, rather than feeling incomplete...
6. I am proud of the mileage I put in each week and want to increase the number. But I'm still much more worried about how quickly I can run for short distances and getting in speed work during the week...
That's all for now, however I'm sure I'll think of a few more points. Now to end with one reason why I am turning into a "real runner":
1. When my peers ask me how far I have to run on a certain day, I genuinely respond, "oh, only 13." I guess you have to be a quarter "real runner" if 13 miles is easy.
This has happened to me on several occasions so far in this 100 miler journey. Let me share some of these "almost" moments with you:
1. Have you ever notices "real" runners don't listen to music when they run? Watch a marathon, the top runners don't listen to music. Well, I ran twelve miles by myself with no music. For a moment I thought I might be a real runner. Then I realized I was thinking about listening to music the whole way....
2. I was leaving work thinking about how I wanted to get some extra mileage in and run for a second time that day. Then I parked my car in my garage, walked in the door and sat down on the couch with a book instead...
3. I wore the correct amount of clothing for a run one day -- didn't over dress and sweat profusely, didn't under dress and have to run with my hands in my spandex. Then the next two runs outside I overdressed...
4. I looked forward to running 20 miles on Monday. I thought, "wow, maybe I'm starting to love running." Then I started running and wanted to stop... I realized my running is still fueled by the fact I'm a meathead...
5. On my day off, it felt weird that I was not running... like there was a void in my life. But then I realized I liked the void, rather than feeling incomplete...
6. I am proud of the mileage I put in each week and want to increase the number. But I'm still much more worried about how quickly I can run for short distances and getting in speed work during the week...
That's all for now, however I'm sure I'll think of a few more points. Now to end with one reason why I am turning into a "real runner":
1. When my peers ask me how far I have to run on a certain day, I genuinely respond, "oh, only 13." I guess you have to be a quarter "real runner" if 13 miles is easy.
Thursday, April 17, 2014
Happy 100!
100 days until race day! Happy 100!
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100 miler packet arrived too. 12 pages of maps for the route. Time to get serious.
Thursday, April 10, 2014
Where would I be if...
Where would I be if I still lived in warm climate? Would I be a true runner? Would I find that "runners high"? Would I wake up in the morning and want to go for a run? Would I be looking forward to going for a run in the evening after work?
I was down in South Beach for my wonderful friend Ali Art's Bachelorette weekend and the warm weather was glorious. First morning there, after a relatively early return to the hotel the night before (3:00am I believe), I got up to go for a run. It was awesome. The sun was out. The boardwalk was relatively clear. The beach sand was runnable, although still required a level of athleticism I did not have. I ran along the boardwalk/beach until the end, then cut in to run along the canal. The buildings, green water, puppies being walked and expensive yachts were all much more entertaining to look at than farm land being prepared for the warmer weather. Before I knew it 11 miles were completed and I would have gone for more, but the nervousness of my face burning held me back... I put it on my shoulders, legs, and neck but not face. No excuse for that one. But seriously, in all honestly, how can you not want to run with a view like this:
The weekend is now over, so I am back to the windy windy world of St. Peter, MN.
I was down in South Beach for my wonderful friend Ali Art's Bachelorette weekend and the warm weather was glorious. First morning there, after a relatively early return to the hotel the night before (3:00am I believe), I got up to go for a run. It was awesome. The sun was out. The boardwalk was relatively clear. The beach sand was runnable, although still required a level of athleticism I did not have. I ran along the boardwalk/beach until the end, then cut in to run along the canal. The buildings, green water, puppies being walked and expensive yachts were all much more entertaining to look at than farm land being prepared for the warmer weather. Before I knew it 11 miles were completed and I would have gone for more, but the nervousness of my face burning held me back... I put it on my shoulders, legs, and neck but not face. No excuse for that one. But seriously, in all honestly, how can you not want to run with a view like this:
The weekend is now over, so I am back to the windy windy world of St. Peter, MN.
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