Tuesday, November 10, 2009

First Race: T-Minus About a Month

This summer when me and Homer decided we'd run a marathon I decided to talk to some friends about it, ya know, make the commitment real. And actually I have three other friends now in Japan who started running around that same time. While none of them have marathon aspirations (yet! I've almost converted one of them) it's nice to have the occasional running buddy when we get together once every couple of months. Company is good motivation.

So are goals.

Like a marathon. But to be honest, as I still struggle to regularly run for thirty minutes a couple times a week, 26.2 miles seems a bit impossible. I'm not focusing on that; I know I'm training one step at a time and I also know I'll run that damn marathon. But right now, almost a year and about 25.2 miles away from my goal, I'm finding that goal not enough to keep me going.

Training for a marathon is fun in a lot of ways. One way is how many times you have to re-invent yourself, your approach. How many times you just need to try again.

Already, even before the official marathon training begins, I've used a whole lot of things to motivate myself. Motivation not only to do the run but to keep going once I'm out there.

And the newest motivation: my first 5k! I'll be running it with my friends December 13th. Until then (if i keep on schedule) I have 15 more runs. That should put me in good condition to do the race.

Knowing I'm going to have to run 5k in about a month one way or another is helping to keep me on track.

keep on keeping on,
claire

(Go Bears! I hate Favre!)

Monday, October 26, 2009

It's All in Your Head

Although me and Homer are doing this together, we are an ocean apart. So throughout this experience, I've begun having conversations in my head.

Before I get too far let me say plainly: I would not be able to do this without my little buddy in Ames, Iowa. In fact, even today as I was attempting to convince myself to get out of my warm bed and run in the cold rain I got an email to my phone from Homer. Even though the email was about football woes (our teams didn't have a good showing this Sunday) it reminded me that she's getting out of bed to run and so can I. And I ran.

However, in the end, this marathon is our own. The 26.2 miles will be run by our legs alone. So how do we go about getting ourselves through this training?

The book me and Homer are working through for this process emphasizes the importance of positive self-talk in marathon training/running. Though directing our self-talk might sound creepy and a bit bunk, the reality is we say things to ourselves about ourselves and our lives all time, so why not fill yourself up with good things?

The book suggests we come up with a paragraph to repeat to ourselves over and over so that we think strong, positive thoughts about our training. Here's my paragraph and with it a glimpse of the things I've been struggling with so far:

I am a marathoner. I love getting up early to run. I love the first half of runs; I feel energized and fast. I love seeing students on my runs. I am not in perfect shape but I can run perfectly. I am a marathoner.
As cold is setting in I'm beginning to realize my need for motivation greatly increase, even if it's in the form of a creepily positive paragraph I repeat again and again in my own head.

(I hate Favre!)

Tuesday, October 20, 2009

Commitments, eh?

So, it’s been far too long since I’ve done my share of the updating on this thing. I should’ve known by my inconsistent running, but it was, in fact, an angry(ish) -- mostly hilarious -- reminder email from my cohort to update that is sparking this post.


Running in Ames has been a bit sporadic for the last month or so -- I could recite a litany of reasons (mostly involving the LSAT, insanity at work, and family commitments run amuck) but that’s not of real concern here. The most important thing is that I’m back on track (more specifically, back on Ames Racquet & Fitness Center’s treadmill [conveniently located just across the parking lot]) and am fully committed to doing this marathon! I’ve changed my strategy a bit from my first post, and here’re some of the most important changes:


  1. I’m running in the mornings. Now, those of you who know me may say “Really, Homer? Mornings?” Yes. The rationale is this: the evenings are just too crazy and fly by way to fast (especially since the new fall TV lineup is out...seriously check out Glee and Modern Family if you haven’t yet. The hilarity is almost too much), and I was finding way too many reasons to blow off running (See above, and seriously, watch Glee). Now with the aid of three alarms, an automatic coffee timer and the occasional wake-up call from Da Buff, I’m hitting the gym at least three mornings a week.
  2. I’m running not through my neighborhood, but at the gym (obviously). There’re two reasons for this -- both practical and self-effacing. Practically, the treadmill provides an easy way to set the time, speed and mileage that I run/walk. Yes, I did say mileage there...who would’ve thought?! I’ve also found it much easier to do this at the gym. While it’s more populated than the small, residential neighborhood that’s across the street -- it’s easier to lose myself in CSPAN’s Washington Report and the morning news than to care about how silly I look there. Plus, I’m not the only one sweating like a pig and looking every bit the novice that I am. Oh, and I’m far less likely to be hit by a car -- though some of my neighbors seem to think that the parking lot is actually a NASCAR track, that combined with the fact that I’m not fully aware of the world around me until 9AM doesn’t exactly guarantee my safety.


In other news -- it’s just a little over 50 weeks until next year’s Chicago marathon!! Get excited! I think that I’m going to end up doing this sort of countdown. I must confess, I have a terrible habit of procrastinating, so with an effort as big as this, some sort of end date is imperative for me. I suppose I should also impart other, smaller goals between now and Chicago 2010. What are your thoughts?


To address something that Claire spoke about in her last post, I’m working very hard on establishing a routine, and to be rather sentimental, I’d identify my need as finally following through with a health-oriented goal. For the most part, I’ve at least hit the majority of important goals that I’ve set in life (sure, it may have taken me a month longer than intended to finally mark off ‘clean car’ from the to-do list, but hopefully you all understand the gist here). But when it’s been focusing on my own health or things that have seemed beyond my capabilities, I’ve been rather quick to brush them off, to not realistically contemplate them. This is why I think my (not-so) subconscious brought Claire into this project with me. Really, I’m certain that I would’ve given up months ago if not for her commitment. So, now that I’ve got a schedule that works for me, it’s all about the follow through.


To wrap this up, I must make a rather vain note on this subject. This commitment to doing the marathon has done really great things for my legs! While they’re still chub-errific, I must say that I can actually wear skinny jeans and not look half-bad!


Thanks all for your support -- and expect much more regular updates from the Iowa half in the future. So, in the mean time, be happy and be healthy.


(Go Vikings!)


Thursday, October 8, 2009

Izzard-spiration

If "we went running" then comedian Eddie Izzard went crazy.

And what an inspiration!

As he nears the end of his 43 marathons in 51 days, Izzard (not particularly athletic) showcases the enormous impact our minds have on our bodies. He's progressed from running 10 hour marathons to 5 hour marathons (a very respectable pace for the average marathoner, let alone someone who has been running almost a marathon a day).

As I struggle with developing a consistent routine, this is a good reminder that it's not about the weather, or my busy work schedule, or anything else outside of me. Running is about me. Choosing to run. Whether it's a half hour (which I've finally worked up to!) or 43 marathons we have all we need inside us already.

Tuesday, September 15, 2009

Morning Runs...?

Full disclosure: Since my last post I have gone on (again!) only two walk/runs.

Better news: one walk/run was in the morning!

School is now back in full swing so instead of getting home around 4:30pm I get home around 5:30 or 6:00pm. Japan doesn't do the whole daylight savings shenanigan so these days it gets dark around 6:45pm. I have found that by the time I run errands after school and finally get into my running clothes...well, I've got about a 15 minute window of daylight left.

Which wouldn't be so bad.

Full disclosure 2: I am actually a little afraid of the dark. Plus I have no established routes; I just run down streets until I have to find my way back again. Doing that in the dark would probably be much less exciting and much more terrifying.

So on my last after school run I came upon an interesting thought. I was trying to decide if I should push myself a bit more than I am. I sprained my ankle in March which is making me additionally cautious. But I then thought about my life as an athlete and all I used to do so maybe I'm just being lazy...?

Then it came to me: I was an athlete up until my junior year of high school. I was probably strongest my freshmen year. That was almost ten years ago.

I think our bodies keep much better track of the passage of time than our minds do.

Nothing to be discouraged about. I used to be 14 years old and incredibly fit. Now I'm 23 years old, mildly unfit and a bit over-weight. That's reality. I still feel like a running god for not giving up on this whole thing. But keeping reality in mind instead of some self-concept almost a decade old will certainly help keep me from injury and definitely from making unrealistic goals/expectations.

I love mornings but find getting up early to be next to impossible. I knew I had to switch my walk/runs to mornings, however, because it's only going to get darker the closer we get to winter.

I got up in time for only a 15 minute walk/run so I decided to give myself a minute walk before and after but then run the rest of the time. I'm usually making it about a mile but this morning I didn't even make it a half mile. Right now in my training it's just about time spent running and not mileage but I like to keep these things in mind for when miles begin to matter this spring when we start our hardcore marathon training.

It was raining. But I wore a hat. Almost refreshing except for the squish in my shoes.

Best things about running in mornings: after school I don't have to do anything!

Keep on keeping on,
Claire

Tuesday, September 1, 2009

Restarting the Sedentary Ball

At the writing of the previous post by my esteemed running colleague and BUFF (best ultimate friend forever, please verbally cite us if you plan on plucking this diamond of a catch-phrase out of the rough) all I had was the best of intentions. Intentions to continue my running schedule while on my trip back home. The allure of Chi-Town and the long-missed company of my family and friends was too much, I'm afraid.

My will power is only so strong.

I had been doing a 5 minute walk/run routine for thirty minutes three days a week. During my trip home I managed two in two weeks.

But when we began this we decided that this needed to be only a positive experience. Difficult, yes. But one in which abject self-loathing plays a key role, no. So I decided to just enjoy my trip home and get the ball restarted upon coming back to Japan.

Easier said than done.

Since returning two weeks ago I have only gone on two run/walks. Whoops.

Here's what I've got so far...

1. Thinking about a marathon while huffing and puffing my way through the first 5 minutes of my run/walk may not be the best way to motivate my out-of-shape-but-still-trucking self to keep at it.
2. I have never encountered so much goodwill from the strangers that are my neighbors as I have while running.
3. Running through the little paths in between rice fields seems like a good idea pre-mouth-full-of-bugs. Never again.

Keep on keeping on.
Claire

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

Getting the Ball Rolling

The following blog is brought to you by two best friends, separated by an ocean and a 14-hour plane ride -- both of whom are working towards the same goal.  Separately and also together.  Clearly, I am one of the friends and I can say that this whole marathon thing was my (possibly hair-brained) idea.  The blog part was her idea.  So, together we bring to you our currently-unnamed blog.  Here, we’ll chronicle our trials, tribulations and everything in between as we run towards the Chicago Marathon in 2010 -- she from Okayama, Japan and me from Ames, Iowa.


To be quite honest, this is the last thing I ever thought that I’d do.  Sure, I’m all up for trying new and scary things, but running a marathon was never on my life-long to-do list.  I’ve always been rather jealous of runners -- for many reasons, the top being that they were actually able to do something that I was certain that I absolutely couldn’t.  But, alas, change has come.  I’m committed, and with the help of my trusty friend and co-blogger Claire, the advise of a former professor/badass marathoner and The Non-Runner’s Marathon Trainer by David Whitsett, Forrest Dolgener and Tanjala Kole -- I’m gonna do this thing.


Seeing as how I’m starting this thing with negative athletic ability (the last remotely athletic thing I did was tumbling at age 5), I’m beginning with Whitsett, et all’s Prelimary Training Program.  Here’s the game plan for this week:


Moderate walking pace (17-20 minute/mile).  3 days a week.  30 minutes.


Today is Wednesday, I’m getting a bit of a late start (which can be chalked up to a combination of getting a new season of The West Wing on DVD, a glorious no-pants Tuesday, and a visit from Claire), but the following are my observations from tonight’s training:


  1. Inside the sports bra is an excellent storage place for the ipod.
  2. It’s really difficult not to steal my neighbor’s dogs while passing their yards.
  3. Vampire Weekend’s self-titled CD provides an excellent soundtrack to this kind of thing.
  4. I need to work up the courage to jog past other people on the street.
  5. Any suggestions on avoiding wedgies during this whole experience?


Welp, that’s all I’ve got for now.  We’ll keep you updated as we do this thing!

Jordan