the secret

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What was the secret, they wanted to know; in a thousand different ways they wanted to know The Secret. And not one of them was prepared, truly prepared to believe that it had not so much to do with chemicals and zippy mental tricks as with that most unprofound and sometimes heart-rending process of removing, molecule by molecule, the very tough rubber that comprised the bottoms of his training shoes. 

Once A RunnerJohn L. Parker, Jr

no promises to keep

I’ve taken to crossing days off my training calendar with a red sharpie.  It is immensely satisfying.  Today I crossed off August 31, the last day of my first full month of training.  I was about to chuck it in the garbage (and no, I have no idea why I felt the need to cross the date off if I was just going to throw it away), but then I decided to save it.  I want to put it on the fridge, with a big fat A for awesome.  Because that calendar is a perfect reminder of the best lesson I’ve learned so far about running (and yes, like all good lessons this pertains to other aspects of life as well).  I call it the 59th Street Bridge Lesson:

  SLOW DOWN.  [You move too fast.]

I am not claiming to be an exceptionally fast runner.  In fact, I don’t think I have ever actually claimed to be a runner.  I am not.  But I am in the habit of attempting to do too much, too fast.    My highly ambitious August training schedule listed all sorts of adventures, like yoga and squats and sprints and tennis.  I managed to accomplish nearly none of these things.  My calendar is a disaster of crossed-off items, shifting dates, and last-minute changes.  Looking back on what I had originally planned for, I suppose my schedule could be considered a total failure.  I managed to squeeze in weight training twice a week.  Almost.  I did not attend yoga once.  I’m not sure where my tennis racket is.  What I did manage to do was run. 

Even more surprising was the fact that when I slowed down my running pace, I started to LIKE running.  For the first few weeks, I spent a lot of time worrying about how much slower I was running outside than I had on the treadmill.  But one day it hit me – if I run a little slower, I think I can run a lot farther.  Suddenly I found myself kicking down the cobblestones and thinking, I could run like this FOREVER.  (I assure you, this was my crazy mid-run brain talking.  But at the time, it felt like truth.)

Crazy mid-run brain thoughts aside, slower runs clear my head.  They give me a chance to be still, while in motion.  I don’t have to worry about getting anything done, or checking my phone, or making a list of things I don’t have time to do.  Just one foot in front of the other.

Sure, I still do faster runs, and intervals.  I’m going to try really hard to make it to a yoga class in September.  But the slow runs are my favorite.  Like Ryan Hall said in Running With Joy, “When I am working out, I constantly ask myself, Am I making a deposit today or a withdrawal?”  Long slow runs are my deposit.  They relax, they refresh, they center.  In short, they leave me feelin’ groovy.  

wax on, wax off

So, remember that one time I had a blog about training for a half marathon?  Well, here's the part of the movie where no one really wants to watch the same, boring, repetitive crap while the main character becomes moderately proficient in something, so the director brilliantly utilizes that beloved device known as a TRAINING MONTAGE.

 

So buckle up, get ready, and please imagine whatever montage soundtrack you feel most comfortable with, be it Eye of the Tiger, Danger Zone, Hungry Eyes, or the Chariots of Fire Theme Song.  Here comes Erin's Half-Marathon Training Montage:

SERIES OF SHOTS – ERIN GETS SERIOUS ABOUT TRAINING

A)  Strapping on hydration belt, iPod, and headband, then tying running shoes.

B)  Confidently running down Sunset Boulevard, passing open-top buses full of tourists.

C)  Casually taking a refreshing drink of water while stopped at a signal.

D)  Awkardly running with upper arms raised at 90-degree angle from torso, because DEAR GOD THE CHAFING.

E)  Purchasing Body Glide at sporting goods store as clerk laughs knowingly.

F)  Applying Body Glide to underarms, replacing lid, then removing lid and applying another considerable layer.

G)  Running through family-friendly neighborhood at dusk, warily eyeing every man to assess whether he might be a rapist or mugger.

H)  Crawling around on the floor of bedroom, looking under bed for misplaced Nike+ Wristband.

I)  Eating energy gel for the first time on a run, GAGGING AND HEAVING IN CHURCH PARKING LOT.

J)  Climbing fully clothed into bathtub full of lunchbox ice packs.

K)  Screaming and clawing at sides of said bathtub.

L)  Stopping mid-run to apply more Body Glide, SERIOUSLY THE CHAFING.

M)  Crawling around on floor of bedroom, looking under bed for misplaced headphones.

N)  Running uphill in slow motion; car drives by at normal speed.

O)  Pulling wet clothes out of the washing machine, making face at the realization that they still smell like death.

P)  Crawling around on floor of car, looking under seats for misplaced iPod Shuffle.

Q)  Chugging grape gatorade, throwing empty bottle onto 3-foot pile of other empty Gatorade bottles.

END SCENE

Like any good training montage, this one had a lot of good lessons.  Sleep is your enemy.  You must keep moving forward.  Don't forget your Body Glide.  Ice makes things cold.  Always put things away, because it makes them easier to find next time you need them.  And most important of all, if you have a really good soundtrack and you can take out the boring bits, training schedules are awesome.  I ran 7 miles yesterday.  In just under an hour.  And my last upload to Nike+ from my wristband totaled 72 miles.  Beat THAT with a stick.

the great outdoors

Brad has decided that this blog is an appropriate venue for bragging about his own running, and thereby making me feel guilty about my lack of posts.

He must be stopped.

Contrary to popular belief, I have not gone 12 days without running.  Just 12 days without posting. I have decided that if I have to choose between running and writing a post, I should probably run.  Although, one of these days, I assure you I shall choose to blog instead.  And it will be a post about how I'm sometimes lazy.

As far as the running goes, I have learned an important lesson in the last week: running outside is hard work.

I realize there is science involved in this, and more than a little common sense.  But it's completely different when you actually experience the pain of running half the distance with twice the effort you would have expended on a treadmill.  (I don't think that was an actual scientific equation...it just feels like that in my brain.  And my lungs.)

Aside from the extra effort of running outside, there are the following drawbacks:

People try to hit me with their cars.

Dogs try to join me on my run.

Swarms of bugs appear out of nowhere and stick to my sweaty face.

Due to a lack of water fountains, I have to wear a hydration belt (which will get its own post at a later date).

Sometimes I forget the key to the apartment complex, and then I'm just the sweaty girl hanging out at the gate.

HILLS.  HOLY HILLS, BATMAN.

There are no chilled eucalyptus towels handed out by attractive personal trainers (yes, there will be a post on how ridiculous my gym is at a later date).

There is no A/C in the outside world.

Amid all these drawacks, I have managed to think of one substantial benefit of running in the outdoors:

Trees
Running Tip: don't spend to long staring up at the pretty trees, or you will trip over a tree root.  And everyone sitting on Sunset Boulevard in traffic will see you.

a change in plans

Those of you who know me well know that I'm not the best at folowing a schedule. I am, however, fairly good at winging it.  Today, these things happened:

  • I woke up at 7am, instead of 5:30 am, suddenly changing my morning run into an evening run
  • Someone brought muffin tops and scones into the office
  • The battery on my Nike+ wristband was inexplicably dead
  • I stopped taking Sudafed and suffered immediate withdrawals
  • I started to think tomorrow would be a really great day to start my training...

To give you a visual aid, today looked like this:

Day_1

That is what Jill B. calls my picture face.

Never fear, dear readers.  Despite appearances, I dodged these obstacles with both grace and agility.  (Two things that were entirely lacking in my 3-mile run).  So, I didn't run outside.  I ran on a treadmill at the gym.  Because if I didn't have a wristband to tell me how far I'd gone, how would I know when to stop?  And I can assure you, I had no intention of running one step over 3 miles.  Additionally, I ran at an agonizingly slow pace on the treadmill.  I felt as if the man next to me on the stair climber was passing me.  But I ran 3 miles.  And then I lifted some weights.  Cause that's just how I roll.

I'm still slightly depressed about the fact I can't upload this run to Nike+.  It's almost as if it doesn't count...

But the point is, I started.  And the big win of the day: I didn't eat a single muffin top or scone.

and we're off to the races...

Training_schedule
It's 52 days until the Portland Half-Marathon.  I know this because, for the fourth time now, I have created a training calendar filled with ambitious and optimistic entries, like "run 6 mi. w/ 4 mi. at tempo pace."  This fourth incarnation of my training schedule is slightly different than the first three, as I am now completely out of time to waste.  It's now or never.  For the past few weeks, I've run into numerous impediments to my training: ear infections, out-of-town weddings, new episodes of True Blood to watch on HBO GO.  But no more.  Tomorrow I will rise at the crack of dawn, put on those Nikes I spent so much money on, and just do it.  For 52 days.

Joining me in this ridiculous quest, is Jon.  At least he better join me.  I may have created this blog, but by god, he better add to it.  I don't think I will be able to run bravely on unless I know someone else is wheezing and aching and getting a stitch in their side right along with me.  So Jon - here we go.

Over the next few months, we'd like to ask you a favor.  If you read this blog, and comment, and encourage us, and make fun of us when we're being idiots, and occasionally remind us why this was ever a good idea - we might just make it to the finish line.  So, please follow along.  Feel free to throw us some advice.  If you've heard of an awesome new workout, or food, or piece of running gear that you want us to try and write about, let us know.  We are here to entertain you.  That is the one thing I feel confident we can accomplish. 

We do not undertake this quest lightly.  We know there will be obstacles and temptations thrown in our way.  Like snooze buttons.  And microbrews.  (Bottles of red wine for Jon).  And crappy days at work, and Ben & Jerrys ice cream, and TV, and girls who look really hot in spandex shorts and make you look like an overheated bag lady as they run past you.  (I mostly meant me there.  Jon, I don't think you look like an overheated bag lady.  And, if you ever do, for the love of god - post pictures.)

Anyway, here we go.  See Jon and Erin run.

-e

Posterous theme by Cory Watilo