On the Run Again

Well, here we are again! The last two weeks in Japan FLEW by and I only got about half my runs in. The first week in August I spent at my grandparents' house in Upper Michigan. I ran and my parents biked beside. Then I was off to England to see the sights and my love. Unfortunately while I was there I got some kind of horrible stomach bug and didn't run at all during the two weeks.

I got off the plane Saturday the 21st and the 22nd I was on the run again, completing a 12-mile long run. At first I was terribly discouraged because I was completing my miles in double the time it usually takes me but then I realized I was reading the trail map wrong and I was actually running a two-mile course! So no worries there :)

Lately I've been having trouble getting up early and running. In Japan it was my only option because the humidity at any other time of the day was horrible. But back home in Chicagoland it's cooling down nicely so I don't have the same motivation to get up early. I've been running about half the time in the morning and half the time in the evening.

My run yesterday was a really nice 5-mile run. I decided to try out some of the mental techniques in the book. I modified one: using the alphabet, think of characteristics that make me a good runner. It was really motivating! When the hills started slowing me down I just said anything that came to mind as quickly as I could. "Optimistic, Ready, Not-intimidated, Strong..."

I started having stomach cramps (I'm pretty sure they're stress related) and was about to stop and walk the last mile but I just wanted to run. I just needed to feel confident that I can do this. So I started yet another mantra, "No fear, no pain, just legs." With this I just tried to shut off all doubt and pain so I could finish my run.

And I did.

I've modified the schedule again. My last long run was 12 miles. I'm scheduled to run an 18-mile this week but after reading some marathon tips in Runner's World "Complete Book of Running" I've decided to be cautious to make sure I stay healthy for race day. This week I'll run a 16-mile and next week I'll run an 18-mile. That means I'll only have one 18-mile under my belt before the marathon but that should be fine. At this stage I know my body is ready. What I need to focus on is training my mind.

Let's Running!

Just Keep Running, Running, Running

Scheduled: 5 Actual: 3 RPE: 5-6

Ok, so I didn't run as many miles as I wanted to, again. But I went out in terrible humidity and a temperature of about 85 (at six in the morning!) and I ran. Keeping up with my miles is vital, I know. But so is getting up each day and running. The weather has been quite an obstacle so far, but I haven't stopped running. I haven't missed one day, in over three weeks. This is the most faithful I have ever been to a voluntary workout routine in my life. So there's no reason for me to feel like a failure!

I am a runner :)

I'll try to go to bed earlier so that I can wake up earlier and get out while dawn is still in process. But most of all, I will just keep running.

Let's Running!

Day One of New Schedule=SUCCESS!

Scheduled: 3 miles Actual: 3 miles RPE: 5

First an update on my diet: I decided to cut out pop and french fries. I'd like to cut out all deep-fried foods but I know that if I set that rule I'd just want to break it because it seems too difficult. But by saying I won't eat fries I hope to make myself think twice before eating other deep-fried foods. I made breakfast for dinner Friday night but instead of hash browns I ate rice with my scrambled eggs and an English muffin with blueberry jam on the side. So far, so good.

It's still very humid and I started today's run pretty discouraged since I realized it'll be another three or four weeks before this humidity clears up a little. I ran and walked my first mile in 17 minutes. That's a new record for me...and not the good kind. My calf and shin muscles have been really cramped the last few runs and I think I've let that discourage me as well. I stretched half-way through my 17-minute mile but it didn't help too much. As I was getting to my house (the one-mile marker) I decided that instead of stopping like I normally do and having to will myself to start again I would just run through onto my second mile.

My legs were still cramped. My whole run I felt like I was on one of those tracks at airports that are like escalators just flat. Only that I was going the wrong way!

But I decided I was going to finish this run, run all the miles, and start week three off right. So I kept my eyes on the ground a few feet in front of me and repeated, "My legs are really sore but that's OK because that means I'm getting stronger." Eventually I shortened it to, "I'm getting stronger" and timed it with my breathing: IN IN-OUT OUT-IN IN. "I am/ get-ting/stron-ger."

And that's how I ran two solid miles without stopping. My leg cramps worked themselves out with about a half-mile to go but that's OK because I finished my run regardless.

Let's Running.

The Not-Quite-Best Laid Plans

Scheduled: 6 miles Actual: 2 miles RPE: 7

I believe my poor show today speaks to several weak links in my running plan and I have used this extremely frustrating experience as an opportunity to re-vamp my routine.

1.) Having a day off before and after the run is important both mentally and physically and in the future I will not refuse to get up.

2.) I really need to start watching my diet. All week on my running days I have felt very exhausted and weak by the afternoon. Some of that has to do with adjusting to the heat, I know. But I also know that I haven't altered my diet to include the amount of carbs and veggies/fruits that my body so desperately needs now.

My additional struggle is school lunch. We all eat the same thing and there is a policy of not wasting anything so no matter how many teachers we have on any given day in the staffroom, whether 10 or 25, we eat all the food. Insane? Yes. About a year into the crazy world of Japanese school lunch I started having trouble finishing lunch. I stopped having lunch with the students because they aren't allowed to throw out anything and I didn't want to be a bad example.

But still I could only finish half my lunch. I started eating only the soup, salad, and meat of the day and skipping the rice (I'd wrap the rice in plastic and take it home, that way it didn't look like I was wasting anything). But I realize I need to alter this plan, and risk being scolded for throwing out some of my soup since I need the carbs from the rice/noodles/bread of the day.

3.) I need to change my running schedule. The program outlined in Non-Runner's Trainer suggests we complete the long run Saturday mornings. This is a good idea for so many reasons and has worked well for most if not everyone who has followed this program. However, for my life now it is not a good plan. I only get to see Stephen on the weekends since he lives about three hours away. Taking time out of my already limited time with him kills my motivation and attitude when I run on weekends. Also, I end up running late in the morning, around 9:00 or 10:00, and by then the sun is scorching and the humidity is stifling.

Thus I unveil my new plan: eat all of the carb at lunch, carb and veggie heavy dinners, and running Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday with the long run Friday.

This way, I will avoid skipping or shortening runs and will also skip the frustration and disappointment of not finishing them. Two birds!

Total Miles This Week: 11

Let's Running.

Getting Out of Bed is the Hardest Step

Scheduled: 3 miles Actual: 3 miles! RPE: 5

I skipped my planned Thursday morning run because I refused to get out of bed. It's been a pretty mild week as far as weather and classes go so I figured I'd have energy to run after work. Boy was that a bad plan! It ended up being very hot Thursday and I was exhausted by the time I got home. There is no air-conditioning at work and sweating profusely for 8 hours a day really takes it out of me. So, instead of running I took a nap.

That threw my schedule out of whack because for my long run I'm supposed to have a day off before and after for recovery. But I decided skipping a run wasn't a good idea and went ahead with a morning run today. For some reason I had a ton of really stressful dreams and so when my alarm went off I was more than ready to get out of bed.

It was sprinkling a little so I didn't take my cell phone on this run like I usually do. I only know that I averaged about 15 minutes per mile. It was really humid like it was Tuesday and so I slowed down my already slow pace (at this stage I could probably hop these miles on one foot as fast as I'm running them).

I didn't use any mantras. I was happy to be out there running so I didn't need to focus my mind like usual. I thought about the marathon and my training routes when I get back home. I am concerned about the lack of hills in my current route and want to make sure that at least my routes back home will have hills if I can't--ironically--find them in my town in Japan. My thoughts wandered a bit but I tried to at least focus on aspects of running.

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!)

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