Blessed Be

After waffling last week, I decided to go ahead and take my iPod back out on my midweek runs. I have to admit I felt validated in my decision when the latest issue of Runner's World arrived yesterday with a cover tease offering up "Why Tunes Make You Faster *Plus* The Best Running Songs of All Time." Even so, I usually only have the music on about half the time. There's still a lot to be said for listening to the birds tweet and the sounds of people starting their days.

Today I was running up the notorious mile-long hill by my house and decided about half-way up to add a soundtrack. I pushed play on my iPod and the music of Brett Dennen filled my ears. Blessed is one of my favorite songs. In fact, I practically fell off my chair last night when I heard it used for a commercial; I don't remember what it was for, I think it was an airline or a hotel chaing. But I digress. As Blessed came on, I quieted that cynical little voice in my head that said "Dennen, you stupid sell out" and settled instead into the uplifting lyrics. Suddenly, I swear to God, a bunny started hopping along next to me. He stayed with me for a good tenth of a mile at least. There wasn't another human soul around; the sun was breaking through the overhanging trees; and this bunny and I were enjoying a heck of a ride.

Blessed be, indeed. And from now on just call me Snow White.


Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 54

In Good Company

Runners are nice. Who knew? They always seem to have a smile, a wave, and often a "Hello!" or even a "Good morning!" for their fellow pavement pounders. It still marvels me. In our head-down society I usually expect a stranger coming from the opposite direction to look up, down, to the side, at dirty fingernails, a cell phone--anywhere but at me. Not in Running Land though. When I see another runner, I know he or she is going to acknowledge me. Even if there are headphones involved I'll at least get half a smile. It's a sweet little bonus, the Cracker Jack prize.

Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 51

What A Pain In The Ankle

The night before my half-marathon I had dinner with a guy who was running his first full marathon the next day. He was wearing some admittedly dorky loafers and was saying how excited he was to throw them in the trash after the race. Apparently his orthopedist told him to stay away from "fashion wear" and go for cushion and support at all times while training. "Oh, yeah, well," I thought, "one certainly needs balance in life." As in, let's not be rash, a runner still has to look good too.

That little scenario came quickly to mind two days ago when I fell down a few steps in my fashionable flip-flops resulting in a slightly sprained ankle. Heck of a way to officially kick off marathon training, eh? Oh the humanity! While hobbling, hopping, and squealing in pain, I begged my husband to tell me it wasn't really a big deal. Ankle tweaks happen all the time. They don't even need time to heal. In fact, in some twisted, upside, alterna-vortex rule of the universe, it was actually going to make my ankle stronger, right?

So it was, laughing in the face of a major freak out, that I wore the same flip-flops again yesterday. (Well, they are pink, after all.) And I twisted my ankle again.

Six thirty arrived bright and early (and humid--but that's another issue) this morning and it was time for me to run my first run of Hal Higdon's Novice Marathon Training Schedule. Sure my ankle hurt; but I convinced myself it was more of a dull pain than a sharp pain and dull pains are all part of running, aren't they? I was very proud of myself for not only having the materials on hand to wrap Gimpy Ankle but also for having the know-how to do it correctly. Or so I thought. I set out for my 3-mile trek feeling good. About a half-mile later I noticed my ankle felt okay but the bottom of my foot was sore. Another half-mile later that soreness became a stabbing pain. Now even I know you can't run with that going on so I sat on the curb, took off my shoe and sock, and removed the ankle wrapping.Sure enough, it was just on the verge of breaking skin and creating a nasty gash on the poor fish-belly arch of my foot. With no other option but to finish the run, I decided to put my sock and shoe, sans ankle wrapping, back on give it a go. Thankfully the rest of the run was totally and completely pain-free. It wasn't until I got home and took my shoe off that Gimpy Ankle let out a whoop of freedom. Unfortunately he's still hooting and hollering almost two hours later.

Looks like I'll be making a trip to Sensible Shoes 'R Us today. Goodbye pink flip-flops; I bid you adieu until October 12th.



Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 48

Love on the Run

You know you're smitten with running when you're watching Air Bud with the runlets and during a supposedly poignant scene all you can think is "Wow, that road would be an AWESOME road to run on! I wonder where they filmed this? Could I find that actual road?" And it's days like today that cement the infatuation. Just.Pure.Happiness. Like trying to define "love," there aren't the right words to truly do it justice.

Today's run was a trifecta: awesome company, great gear, and a scenic route. RP and I set out at 6:30 a.m.. Even that early the humidity was 93% but I ran with my Fuel Belt for the first time and am now a total convert. I shared some ice cold water with RP after one of the more challenging hills and it was all the nectar she needed to be a convert as well. We chatted the entire time, hills and all. We encouraged each other when we were struggling, affirmed each other on the straight aways, and basically just had buoyed each other throughout the whole run. There was a funny moment on one obnoxious hill when we both stopped talking for a second and she exclaimed into the silence "Hey, your shoe's not squeaking!" Yeah, it had been that bad. Dumb and Mummer are nicely doing their silent jobs. I also realized today that GU is the perfect pre-run fuel when you're heading out that early. No need to set the alarm to some obnoxious pre-dawn time just to wolf down a PowerBar or toast with peanut butter.

My next run will be the first official run on Hal Higdon's training program. Here we go!


Today's Miles: 5.5
Total Miles: 45

Rock on?

Oh, the insanity that is running. This time last year I spent an agonizing month or so gradually weaning myself off of running with music. I would start my run but wouldn't be allowed to turn my iPod on until a reached a quarter mile, then half a mile, then one mile, and so on and so on until I finally ran the entire time without any music at all. I think that first completely music-free run was 7 miles. And boy, talk about a runner's high. I was so proud of myself, like I'd joined an elite club or something. Like I was finally legitimate and hard-core. Dare I say I even felt a little superior to those runner's who still relied on music as a crutch? Ugly, I know. But having been there and diligently worked past it, I felt justified.

Now for the crazy part. The cuckoo, looney, daffy, buggy, bananas, totally bat-shit bonkers part: I'm thinking about running with music again. I don't really have a good reason. Or, any reason at all, for that matter. It's just kind of gut feeling that maybe I'd enjoy it. I can rationalize that I've been running with friends frequently enough that now the solo runs feel lonely, and I can make the argument that I initially gave up the music for safety reasons (gotta hear the approaching cars and all that) but with my runs moving to 6:30 a.m. there are decidely fewer dangers out and about.

Should this really be such a major decision? Maybe yes, maybe no. One thing I've learned in Running Land though is that all the small details have the potential to be huge. I call it the Blister Effect.


Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 39.5

The Wheels on the Bus...

Go round and round. As do the pedals on the elliptical. Round and round they went for sixty minutes today. As the start of official marathon-training draws near I decided to make the most of my last week of exercise freedom today and do some cross-training. (Plus, an air conditioned gym is pretty appealing when the outdoor humidity is nearing 70%.) I'm almost embarrassed to admit how excited I was when I realized that my arrival at the gym would coincide exactly the beginning of The View. Ahhh, simple pleasures. Add to that a current issue of Us Weekly and I was totally set for an indulgent work out. It was great. I even did some free weights at the end and threw in some ab work to round (and round, round and round) it out.


Today's Miles: 0
Total Miles: 36.5

Field of Dreams

When Runner Neighbor emailed and asked if I'd run with her today, I couldn't resist. There's little I like as much as a run with a friend. She was willing to do 5 miles but NOT my 5-mile hill route. Apparently not everyone is a masochistic glutton for punishment like myself. She even volunteered that she avoids hills when she runs. Can you imagine?

We set off in the mid-day blazing sun and high humidity (you can probably see where this is going already) and she held strong until a little over 3 miles--3.3 to be exact. At that point she said "You go ahead and keep running; I'm going to walk. But you have to keep running because otherwise I'll feel guilty." To which I replied, "Don't be silly, I'm not going to keep running." Then it continued something like:

"Yes, you have to. Don't make me feel bad."
"You're being ridiculous, I have no problem walking."
"Seriously, please just run. I know you really wanted to do 5 miles."
"I'm walking when you walk."
"Then I'm not walking but I'm really having trouble."

Until I finally ended it by saying "I'll walk with you when we get to the top of this hill but only if you tresspass onto the grounds of the local private school with me and find out where their track is."

The poor dear was so worn down, by the bantering or the running I'm not sure, that she agreed to go criminal with me.

The track wasn't too hard to find. Over a hill, around some football equipment, duck under a few bushes, cut across the faculty parking lot, squeeze through a gate--but then, there it was. TA DA! As if the heavens parted and God himself shone down. Glorious! Amazing! Beautiful! Cushioned! I was in awe. I couldn't speak yet my mind was abuzz. So much speedwork potential! 400-meter intervals, 800-meter intervals, 400/200-meters intervals, straight-aways, turns, 5K pace, 10K pace, negative splits... Hello my new morning friend! My mid-week amour! We will meet soon and often.

Today's run: Three chatty miles. Five-mile hill route tomorrow? We'll see. In the immortal words of Scarlett O'Hara, tomorrow is another day.


Today's Miles: 3
Total Miles: 36.5