Sunday, December 26, 2010

Running Buddy

One of the great things about coming home is running with one of my favorite running buddies, my adorable 7-year-old yellow lab named Oliver. We call him Ollie for short.

Me and Ollie en route to a run on the river:
Running buddy

Pumping ourselves up:
Ollie love

Ollie in a dead sprint:
Fetch!
He's a good dog, and always comes back.

Running buddy love:
Kisses from Ollie

Truth be told, he's not the best runner in the world unless he has something to chase. Unfortunately, I'm not quite fast enough to keep his interest. But, he's still a good dog and stays close, and he sure knows how to make his humans feel loved.

Who's ready for a snow run?

Who's ready for a snow run?!

Ooh, ooh! I am! Pick me!!!

<3 my new YakTrax. Thanks, brother!

"Fueled by work stress, self-loathing, the need for redemption, and too much chocolate"

So, there I was on the 22nd of December. I'd eaten way too much food during the previous 24 hours, and not a lot of it was healthy -- as it happens, my office + holidays = sugar, fat, and strife, seriously, I think I received three or four boxes of chocolate, plus a really nice bottle of champagne. I was also under a fair amount of stress. We had a major push to the end of the year (we have a shut-down from Christmas until January 3), which translated to longer days. Monday and Wednesday both saw me exceed 10 hour work days and Tuesday would have been the same, if not for previously scheduled personal time. This particular Wednesday was even worse than the previous days because meetings ate nearly four hours of my work day. Furthermore, my pride was also a bit burned after Monday's run. I have my hunches as to why I had so much difficulty. Rather, I have scapegoats, but ultimately, I think that the weight of this unsatisfying should fall on my shoulders. I have nobody but myself to blame.

I needed to redeem myself. I needed sweet validation, a reminder that I am, in fact, worthy of being called a runner.

When I've previously felt this way, I would set out on a long, long run, typically breaching double digits in mileage. I'd knock out these big distances that scared me a little bit, then finish happily with a sense of accomplishment and feeling like a total bad-ass. The great thing about longer runs, besides the sense of accomplishment and hours of internal dialogue and music-listening, is that I tend to pace myself much better. I keep the distance in mind and it's good motivation to avoid overexertion. How else would I survive 10 or 11 miles? So, I tend to get a little bit too excited when I do "shorter" distances. We runners forget that, to most people, 10 kilometers is a lot. But, to us, it eventually becomes a relief: "Oh, today's only a 6 miler? Sweet! I can knock this out in less than an hour!"

So, fueled by work stress, self-loathing, the need for redemption, and too much chocolate, I put a sign on my cubicle for anyone searching for me ("Kristen's patience checked out a while ago. She has gone running to find it, she'll be back by 5:30pm"), threw on my running shoes, some shorts, and a long-sleeve tech shirt, set my phone's Pandora station to Jay-Z Radio, and set off for a 10K around Lake Union. I chose to approach this run differently than Monday's, running clockwise instead of counterclockwise. One major benefit of this approach is that I avoid starting my run on an incline. Another is that I get a decline while crossing the University Bridge, which seems way too long the other way.

It was a nice night. I started my run around 4:45pm, just after the sun had set and there was still a hint of light in the sky. The Christmas light tree on top of the space needle was already lit, as were the lights on the Queen Anne radio tower (two of my favorite Seattle Christmas traditions), and the purply light from the sky reflected off of the unusually smooth water on Lake Union. It was peaceful and lovely, but a fire had developed inside of me earlier in the day and it was burning a little too hot. I couldn't find my smooth, I kept pushing past it into a harried, angry stride that was uncharacteristic of me. I wasn't happy, I wasn't relieved, and I couldn't shake everything that was waiting for me at work. Furthermore, I was having trouble separating my personal rhythm from that of the percussive music bumping through my headphones. It was always just a beat or two faster than my stride, which I inadvertently adjusted to keep up.

Despite my mental unrest, I hit my halfway point just over 22 minutes. I'd blown 8-minute-miles out of the water, which was cool excepting the fact that I was beginning to feel drained, and I still had three miles to go.

One thing about running -- it teaches you to be tenacious. Your body screams at you, "GIVE UP, REST, AND GIVE ME A FREAKING BREAK, YOU PSYCHO!" And eventually, you hit a point where your brain yells back, "KEEP CRYING, NOOB! WE'RE GONNA KILL THIS AND YOU'LL THANK ME LATER!" It's a stretch to say that I killed it. I finished my 10k in 50 minutes, having taken a break after running the stairs up to the University Bridge to stretch and catch my breath. My brain and my legs argued for the entirety of those last three miles, and my legs could not make up their mind. They'd try to cramp and give up on me, and 10 minutes later, they'd be taking on a stride that the rest of me couldn't maintain. It was frustrating, and I found myself wondering what happened to my smooth. Yes, I finished, but where was my mental relief that normally comes with a run? Where was the happy, wonderful endorphin high? Where was my sense of accomplishment? I'd proven that I could run a quick 10k (compared to myself in previous years), but I still didn't achieve any validation or redemption.

A couple hours later, while I was still at work (pushing hour 10 that day), I came to a few conclusions:
1) I need to learn to let go of my aggravators, no matter what they are. I've said it before, and I'll repeat it here: my best runs are my happy runs. The ones where I get lost in the good memories and good music.
2) On the music note (pun intended), as much fun as it is to listen to hip-hop, I don't think it's the best choice for running. It's too aggressive, too angry, and too distracting. It keeps me from my smooth, my zone.
3) I need to make a more concerted effort to pace myself. It helps a lot when I run with other people because I can find that spot where my heart rate is up, but I can still maintain a good conversation.
4) Chocolate is better consumed after a run.


Yes, I've had a couple of frustrating runs, but it's not the end of the world. This happens, right? It's part of any relationship - you go through the good and the bad, and this is a time of growing pains. I'm learning to manage expectations, accept my weaknesses, and learn from my failures.

Onward.

Monday, December 20, 2010

Excessive

My body puts up with a lot. I subject it to running (which, let's face it, is not a bad thing), ultimate, cycling every day, late hours, little sleep, poor nutrition, excessive coffee consumption, and even excessive celebration at times. It's generally a good sport. It still lets me do all of these things, despite the lack of rest and respect.

Today, it rebelled.

I suppose that background is warranted. I spent my weekend celebrating, as I am wont to do. I learned a pretty valuable lesson: Rain + cold + rubberized surface on the Burke-Gilman + tracks + Kristen = disaster. I hit the ground HARD.

Proving once again that I cannot have nice things

I was most worried about my knees. They did not feel right at first, but it was late and I had no choice but to ride. How else would I get home? It felt fine on bicycle, but when I woke up the next day, walking felt strange, like there was some weakness every time I straightened my knee. But, they cooperated with my commute into work this morning (no falls!), and I decided that I needed to work off some of my weekend excess, and maybe test out my joints for any hidden complications.

So, there I was at work. I was stressed, and running on about 4 hours of sleep, a cup of yogurt, and about 4 mugs of drip coffee. Yep, I'm healthy. I was getting restless and annoyed with my job, so I decided to use my lunch break to take a jaunt around Lake Union. It was a great idea, in principle, anyway. Sometimes a good run will help me focus, get all the jitters out, and make me feel better in general. But, it was 44F, windy, a little bit rainy, and my legs were heavy. I mean, I hit a wall before I hit mile 3. It was that bad. Considering that I ran 10 miles without too much trouble a week ago, and that the days since have been littered with 3 and 4 mile runs, this should not have been a problem. I think the excesses of my life caught up with me: too many sleepless nights, too much partying, too much scrutiny over caloric count (rather than nutritional value of my food), too many accidents, too much stress. Lesson learned, body. You win this time. In the new year, I hope to scale some of this back a bit.

Sometimes, we just have off days, and I think this was one of mine. I wish that I had time to run tomorrow, just to get it out of my system, because it seems like we appreciate our good running days that much more after we disappoint ourselves. But, I do believe strongly in the value of rest days, and of a healthy balance between social life and running. Look out, Wednesday. I have my eyes on you.

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Rains, trains, and headwinds, oh my!



While I was training for the Seattle Half Marathon, I mapped out a lot of potential runs, typically starting at work due to my aversion to Greenwood (all hills, all the time). The route above emerged from those efforts, but due to a slight bit of intimidation, I never attempted it. It contains a big hill! It goes by water, which will usually mean winds! It's 10.3 miles!

...wait. I just ran 13.1 miles just over 3 weeks ago, and that run included a HUGE hill! Seriously, Kristen, what the heck are you so scared of?

So, in a characteristically unfruitful attempt to acquire a running buddy, I posted my route and my plans on facebook. As soon as it cleared and decorated my wall, a terrible, loud sound came from the atrium at work. The dull roar happened to be yet another deluge in Seattle's recent bout of apocalyptic weather. A friend made a comment about seeing Noah's ark in Lake Union and I considered the possibility of staying as dry as a bus ride home would allow. But really...if I allowed rain and wind and early sunsets (4:18pm today!) and scary weather and flood warnings to keep me from running, I'd suffer 3 or 4 months of depression every year. And it wasn't even that cold! Resolved, I threw on my favorite pair of holiday socks, the pair of Nike running shorts that are a size or two too big but still manage to be my favorite, and my awesome-tastic Seattle Half Marathon long-sleeve shirt, set my iPod to tacky pop music (my current guilty pleasure), and set out into the dark, stormy night.

...and apart from some pacing issues and a 10-minute stop to wait for a train to pass, it was a lovely run! Yes, it was rainy. I was fully soaked and a little bit cold when I poured my tired self through the doors of my workplace, where the surprised and amused security guard greeted me in awe of my gumption. Yes, it was dark, but truthfully, it's kind of fun running down Myrtle-Edwards trail with the Seattle skyline in sight, especially at Christmastime, when the top of the space needle is illuminated with twinkle lights. Yes, it was windy. Wow, was it windy by the water, and it did a number on my stamina -- I had some trouble finishing my last two miles, and I gave myself enough of a break to walk up Broad Street (for those of you who don't know, it's quite steep). But, I ran, I finished it, and I feel that much better about myself today because of it. Bring it on, Seattle. Try as you might, you won't scare me with flash floods, wind, darkness, or even snow.

That said, I cannot wait to try this run in the spring/summer on a clear day. It will afford me views of the Sound, the Olympic Mountains (so lovely!), Mount Rainier, and enough daylight to take it all in. The only really negative points were waiting forever to cross Nickerson, running up 14th on West QA hill to get to a traffic-ridden Dravus, and waiting TEN MINUTES for a stupid train to pass before crossing from the Olympic Sculpture Park to Broad Street. I'd give it an 8 of 10.

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Running Free

I frequent Facebook more often than is probably healthy. In fact, I think involvement in that site is probably not healthy, but that's beside the point. I posted this today:

"Running is, by far, the best therapy."

My first run after the half-marathon was a lap around Green Lake. A single 5k run. I finished feeling unsatisfied - I had just warmed up! But, my legs were still tired, and I didn't want to push myself to injury. Furthermore, I don't know if it's due to overtraining around that particular track or if I was annoyed that it was only 5pm and already really, really dark outside or perhaps I was agitated by all the traffic or maybe it's because i was feeling a little under the weather, but it wasn't a particularly enjoyable run.

I have not gotten into any sort of personal specifics on this blog, and that has been entirely by design. I learned early that, when you write about your misadventures (especially those that involve other people), you are bound to offend or upset someone. especially when you cannot monitor your audience. i've always been surprised when i find out that someone reads what I have to write.

So, hi. My name is Kristen. I am currently 27 years old, i am a scientist in real life, i have recently fallen back in love with running after a long injury-induced hiatus, i am a music geek, i have a soft spot for 1980s pop (probably due to my full enjoyment of karaoke), and i recently completed a dance class that revolved around the dances in lady gaga's music videos. i live in seattle, as i have for the last four years and i love it here. no, the rain really isn't that bad. i'm very close to my parents - they are my heroes and i aspire to positively affect as many lives as they have, and my sister is probably my favorite person in this whole universe. Oh -- and have i mentioned that my love life is a mess and generally has been for the majority of my adult life?

For as long as I've been dating (we'll say it started when I was 18), running has been the only reliable outlet for all frustrations, insecurities, excitement...everything. Bad break-up? Go running. Elated over being asked to the dance by the jock? Go running. Fall in love? Go running. Heartbroken? ...you get the picture. Even when it's not romance-related, I've come to find that I can work out all the world's problems when I'm kicking along to the beat of a song by The Cure. That half-hour or two hours seems to be the only time of my day when I can get into a good mindset and analytically approach any of my personal goings-on and determine, with resolve, a solution, or at least the first step on the path toward a solution.

I left work on Wednesday with a lot weighing on my brain. Without going into detail, I will let you in on the fact that it is, in fact, related to the current state of my dating life. And following the trend of the last 9 years, running provided some reprieve from the pain of insecurity, rejection, and frankly, loneliness. This was the first "free run" that I've done in a long time - one of those runs when you don't have to adhere to any schedule, you don't have a schedule telling you how far you should go or how quickly you should do it. I decided to tour some of my favorite running spots on this one. It brought me from Eastlake to the Seattle Center which was lovingly illuminated by Christmas lights, under the monorail on 5th avenue, up Pike through the cloud of hipster-produced smoke (*cough cough*), through Cal Anderson, and along twinkle-light-lit Broadway. It was around this time that my phone (which was acting as music substitute for my iPod due to low battery) stopped playing music and started ringing. It was my dad, calling to inform me that my sister was in the hospital after four days of illness led to a fever spike over 104F. He said that she will be fine, but thought that it wouldn't be fair to keep the information from me.

I had an entirely new fear to run from. And I ran like I was being chased. It turns out that worry and anxiety makes the pain in my hips and burning lungs disappear. I ran with an aggressive gait down 10th, crossed I-5 at Roanoake, down to Eastlake and back to the start. Crying and harried, I realized how silly it is to worry about the little things. SO what if I'm single? So what if he rejected me? So what if that asshole insinuated that I was fat? There are far more important things that deserve my time and energy.

My sister is slowly on the mend. She's feeling better, although unsure if she'll be able to leave the hospital tonight. And...my situation is still where it was before, but my endorphin fix has helped me to feel better about it. And though menial, it still serves as a great motivator to get out and run.

Monday, December 6, 2010

A Series of Fortunate Emails

30 November 2010
kristenrunning to Dad:

Hey Dad,

I sometimes eat at my desk, and decided to look at available upcoming half-marathons. Are you scheduled through February already? I ask because there's a half-marathon in New Orleans on Sunday, Feb. 13th. I've never been to The Big Easy, and this run sounds like it would give me a chance to see a lot of good sights. Furthermore, the elevation map for the race looks like it's mostly flat, which could mean a big PR for me. Here's a write-up about the race: http://www.halfmarathons.net/usa_half_marathons_louisiana_mardi_gras_marathon.html

I have plenty of time to start training, and it's not like I'm starting from scratch - I just did a half marathon two days ago :) I'd only do this one if it meant that I'd get a chance to hang out with you, so what do you think? Is it too late to try and schedule a 4-day weekend in February? I think New Orleans would be a run father-daughter trip...

If this is too soon, I am considering a few races later in the spring (May or June), including the Tacoma City half-marathon, the Capital City half marathon in Olympia, Vancouver BC half marathon, San Diego Rock 'n Roll half marathon, and the Seattle Rock 'n Roll half marathon. I'm still doing some research, too. These could be great excuses to travel a bit (there are races EVERYWHERE), and I'd love to have a fun weekend with you.

Love you lots, Dad. Hope you're enjoying your day!

Kristen


05 December 2010


Dad to kristenrunning
:

Sweetie,,, Forgive me for being so late in returning this. It is breaking my heart to tell you we cant make the New Orleans deal. Mom and I are going on vaca the first week of Feb,,, probable at St Barts in the Caribbean. Then my band plays feb 10th for a benefit for shrine hospital. Please look further down the line.. dad
ps... the san diego deal speaks to me.. hows about a weekend at the hotel del????

kristenrunning to dad:

San Diego and the Hotel Del sound fantastic. Can you make June 5th work with your schedule?
PS -- Glad to hear that you and Mom are taking a well-deserved tropical vacation! That sounds absolutely lovely :) Love you mucho!

Dad to kristenrunning:

sounds great,,,, have to check the schedule. dad

kristenrunning to Dad:

Great! Do you think we can plan for a 3- or 4-day weekend? Maybe take the Monday and Tuesday following the race to enjoy the city? I'd say we should do so before the race, but I'll probably be a little bit jittery. I think we'd have more fun if we took that next two days. Just a thought :)

Dad to kristenrunning:

FABULOUS

Excellent on your syntax, specifically your capitalization in the digital age. Did I send you the one of the importance of capitalization, visa vis "your mom is out side helping your Uncle Jack off the horse" as opposed to "your mom is outside helping your uncle jack off the horse".....

kristenrunning to Dad:

Hahahahaha! Were you just looking for an excuse to drop that joke on me? :)

I'm afraid that you did not send me the one about the importance of capitalization...but have you seen this? http://theoatmeal.com/comics/apostrophe

let me know about the schedule as soon as you find out. The fees don't go up until February, but these sometimes sell out, too. I'd like to secure a spot before that happens :)

Here's the race website: http://san-diego.competitor.com. I'm glad you'll see me run this one (assuming scheduling goes well, of course) because the rock 'n roll series is fun for everyone involved. There's a band at every mile marker, and lots of excited people.

I'm excited!!! :) :) :)

Dad to kristenrunning:

I 99% certain I am free. Book it, Danno....

good stuff. still like the uncle jack stuff. sorry so late,,,, doin the dishes. I am excited about June 5!!!!!! so is mom,,,, should I invite her?

kristenrunning to Dad:

OF COURSE :) The more the merrier!!!!


Rock 'n' Roll San Diego to kristenrunning, kristenrunning forwarded to Dad:

Dear Kristen,
Congratulations! You are now registered for the 2011 Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego - Half Marathon. Please check the event's website for updates.
Please note: Each participant must pick up their own race number at the Health & Fitness Expo. Go to the Expo page of the race website, www.san-diego.competitor.com, for times and location of the Expo.


Dodge Rock 'n' Roll San Diego

Dad to kristenrunning:

woohoo




So....yeah. I'm returning to the town of my birth to run the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Half Marathon in June. I'm still hoping to run one in February or March, but I'm so excited to run a race where my family will be waiting for me at the finish line!!!!!!

Sunday, December 5, 2010

'Tis the season for festive running socks



It's the most wonderful time of the year!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Seattle half-marathon: Race report



Above is my bib number. It was special for a few reasons:
1) The number is a palindrome, a sure sign of luck.
2) The last two digits of the number are my age.
3) This number contains my favorite number. Twice! (The number 7 is special for me. Coincidentally, my first, middle, and last names all contain 7 letters. On a more fun and unique level, my siblings and I have always worn jerseys with numbers that are multiples of 7).

These were all good signs.

I arrived at the starting line about 45 minutes before the race after tossing and turning all night. This gave me plenty of time to drop off my clothes bag, warm up, stretch, acclimatize to the chilly Seattle winter morning (37F!), and shake out the nerves. It was dark outside, and there was a picturesque layer of fog blanketing the city. The Christmas lights atop the Space Needle and those affixed to one of the Queen Anne radio towers shone lazily through the light cloud cover. Basically, what I'm trying to tell you is that it was magical.

After the half-marathon walkers started their race, we runners all crowded into the starting gates. I have to admit, being surrounded by thousands and thousands of people threw me a bit out of my comfort zone - I get nervous in crowds, and we were crammed onto 5th avenue like sardines. People were bustling, trying to find their pacers if they were shooting for a time, and the collective excitement threw an electricity into the air. And finally, at 7:30, the announcer sounded the buzzer and we were off. Welll...we were off after some delay :) There were so many runners that I didn't cross the starting line until almost 4 minutes had passed! I didn't mind - I knew I wouldn't be one of the first finishers, and I didn't want those super fast people to have to dodge me as they raced down 5th. And I have to say, it was kind of fun being in the back a little bit because as we ran through downtown, it was an absolute trip looking up 5th and seeing it completely covered in runners as far as the eye could see.



For those of you who don't know, Seattle's half marathon course is not an easy one. I'm sure you could have figured that out yourself, as Seattle is known for its hills and trust me on this one: they're pretty rough. I knew what was ahead, and figured that hanging out by the 2h pacers would keep me from burning through all of my energy before hitting the hillier second half of this race. In theory, I think this was a good idea, but I just couldn't find my stride with them. They were just a bit slower than the pace that I naturally adopt. So, around mile 4, I picked it up and settled into my smooth (hi Slomo!). At this point, I couldn't stop smiling. Apart from the hilliness and the distance you spend in the I-90 Express Lanes tunnel, this is a beautiful course. You get to run through downtown, then along Lake Washington (which had this lovely, eerie appearance in the gray morning), which leads you to Galer to dump you onto Madison, but then you get to run through a lovely tree-filled arboretum, and then along Interlaken (my favorite running street in Seattle!). That puts you onto Roanoake, then Harvard, which puts you on Lakeview where you get amazing downtown and Lake Union and Space Needle views. The last mile or so brings you through the ugly part of SLU, but that's ok because you're so darned tired that you don't even notice. So, yeah. I had found my smooth, I was admiring Lake Washington, and could burst with happiness. But, as I traveled north, nerves started to set in a little bit. Galer was coming up and that mother is steep. And right after that, is a good 1/2 mile climb up Madison. Trust me, it hurts. I remember doing this in 2008, and I stopped to walk a good portion of it.

I didn't want to walk any of my race.

So, I finally got to the point where I saw runners turning left up a steep incline, many of them stopping to walk, and I knew that it was time. I said out loud, "Well, Kristen, let's do this!" I turned uphill, slowed my pace a little and powered through it. Galer is steep, but it is short and usually surrounded by awesome fans braving the cold to cheer their runners on. I made it up just fine, but the next left dumped me onto Madison, a long hill that is just plain scary. i didn't look at the top, and instead focused on the people around me. Sure, there were folks walking it, but there were also a lot who were still running. If they can do it, I can too, right? So, head down, iPod bumpin, I pushed through. Sure, I was tired, but reaching the top of the hill was almost as good as crossing the finish line. I did it without walking! And I was still running! I threw my arms up in the air and jumped for joy. The man running next to me screamed "YES! YOU ROCKED THAT HILL!" I smiled and screamed "YOU DID TOO! YOU'RE AWESOME!" We high-fived, and then continued on our run. This is a memory that I will probably carry with me for the rest of my life.


The run continued, as previously described, onto my favorite running street in all of Seattle. As soon as we crossed 23rd, I kind of hit autopilot and loved every second I spent on that street. Every view was gorgeous, and I knew I was getting close. And everythign was just fine until that last mile. Boy, oh boy did I hit a wall. It's like all my energy drained, and I still had a mile! Every fiber in my body wanted me to stop, but luckily, sheer will is not a fiber. It's something that we tap into and somehow, miraculously, it carries us through. And somehow, it carried me up that last little hill on Mercer (granted, I *may* have cried a little bit), and into the stadium at the Seattle Center. And really, that's all I needed because when I entered, I saw the clock, which told me that, despite crossing the starting line 3.5 minutes after the official start, I'd still get an official time under 2 hours.

The amount of accomplishment and happiness I felt overwhelmed me. I could have cried. Instead, my legs picked up pace, I dodged through the many other sub-2-hour half-marathoners, and gleefully threw my arms in the air ahd smiled as big as I could as I crossed the finish line.

13 weeks of training. 13.1 miles. Official time of 1:58:fortysomething. Chip time of 1:55:29. I couldn't be happier. And now I'm trying to figure out where I want to travel for a February half marathon. Addicted much?

Hey there, running. It's good to be back :)

Saturday, November 27, 2010

Seattle half-marathon: pre-race report

I am posting from my cell phone. Please forgive any typos, etc. Why not from my computer? Well, I am lucky enough to have the support of wonderful friends, one of which is allowing me to spend the night in her apartment, which is significantly closer to the starting line than the greenwood abode. This means more sleep, less stress, and no endless search for parking.

So, yeah. It's here! Tomorrow is the big day, my first race since back/pelvis complications led to hamstring injuries that kept me out for what seemed to be an eternity. When I signed up for this half marathon, my main purpose was to get myself back into running, to rediscover my love for it, and, perhaps to get back into shape. So, regardless of what happens tomorrow, I have already accomplished what I set out to do 13 weeks ago. My cardiovascular capacity is so much greater - I have felt it in cycling and in ultimate. My legs are stronger and, if I fo say so myself, more shapely and muscular than they have been in years. But more importantly, I have rediscovered the addiction. I love this sport, I cannot imagine going more than 2 or 3 days without a good run, even in the craziest weather (snOMG!). I want to run more races, more half marathons, and maybe even a full marathon someday!

So, yes, tomorrow is the culmination of 13 weeks of training, but it does not in any way mean the end of running. Rather, I think it's just a beginning. Thank you all for your support during these training runs. I can't wait to share the results with all of you :)

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Dear Running,

I've been meaning to write an open letter to you recently so that we could have a discussion about where I am, where you are, and how things are working out so far. I think that this is an important exercise, and I tend to employ it in all relationships - friendships, or on the rare occasion that I find I've been seeing a boy for a few months. I mean, it usually takes a few months for the honeymoon phase to wear off, for real issues to be brought up, for intimacy to develop. We start showing our real selves, and things do get more difficult. We have to evaluate, ensure that both sides are committed and willing to make any necessary changes or compromises.

You and I have very much engaged in an on-again/off-again sort of courtship for a decade or so, due largely to injuries butting in and taking me away from you, or taking you away from me. After losing you so many times, I have to admit, I was reluctant to accept the our involvement with each other again. I even avoided it for almost a year! I did not want to face the pain of losing you again, and in turn, losing a happier part of myself.

I'm glad I decided to give us a chance again.

You have taught me that I'm capable of so much more than I expect, that hard work pays off. You have taught me that I am beautiful, strong, and capable if determined. You have given me hours for self-reflection, for music-listening, for daydreaming. You have helped me to decompress, work out the worst of my work-related stress, and return with calm resolve and a plan. You complete me.

Thank you so much for being such a great part of my life.

Love,
Kristen

Sunday, November 7, 2010

Oh, holy mother of quad!

A time it was, and what a time it was...

Between a hyperactive social schedule, an ultimate frisbee tournament, and a difficult work week, my blogging suffered, as did my running schedule. I skipped 1 training run. In the words of a good friend, "This is how I express my displeasure: BOOOOOOOOOO!" That aside, it has been an amazing couple of weeks, and I feel entirely too charmed in the current state of my existence.

First, a recap from my ultimate frisbee tournament, Hanford Howl. It's a less competitive (but still fun) costume tournament that takes place over Halloween weekend every year in Richland, WA. Teams pick a theme and all the members of the team dress to that theme. Last year, my tournament team chose a German theme, went 7-0 in games, and won the tournament. Here we are in full costume!

(Photo courtesy of my teammate, Mama Flew)

This year, we were looking for a repeat championship. However, we chose not to recycle our German dirndls and leiderhosen, instead favoring a Hawaii theme. I didn't feel like donning a grass skirt for ulti, and i wanted to do something creative. From this thought process emerged the following:



As expected, our first day brought with it fun games, relaxed competition, and great costumes. We played a team that dressed as drinks, one dressed as Greek gods, a young team from Whitworth dressed as Scrabble, and (my personal favorite) Star Wars. Seriously! There was a player dressed as Jabba the Hut, and watching him run in that costume was quite possibly one of the most entertaining parts of that weekend. They were fun teams, but it was pretty nice to win all of our games that day because it gave us a first-round bye the next morning. Yes, friends, we got to sleep in and start immediately in quarterfinals. Sunday was a windy, windy day. While this destroys *my* ability to accurately throw a disc, it's not something that phases the much better players on my team, and allowed us to blow through quarterfinals against Olympia with only three points scored on us. Then came semifinals against another Seattle team. I knew a lot of the players on this team, and I *may* have been talking a little bit of friendly smack at the tournament party the night before. I was invested, and I was determined to live up to my promise of destroying the other team. During that game, I ran harder, faster, and more focused than in any other game that weekend. And I scored the first two points of the game! THis is huge in windy games, because upwind breaks really sets the team in an advantageous position, since it's so hard to throw into the wind. I had a few good D's, and scored another two points, and in doing so, contributed to the team's victory! We won! We were going to finals against Idaho/Big Sky Ultimate! Because it was late, and because we all had a long way to drive at the end of the game, both teams agreed to cut the game at 11 points. It was hard-fought, and it came with the price tag of a pulled quad (I don't think I'd ever pulled a quad before!), but we won. With no more than 2 female subs at a time, with low numbers all around, we emerged victorious. Ladies and gents, your 2010 Hanford Howl Champions:



...and as always happens when I play a tournament with the Rainmakers, I'm in love with ultimate again.

So...yeah. I walked away with a pulled quad. There was no bruising, so I wasn't concerned about a tear, but was shaken enough to postpone my 11 mile run (originally planned for Monday) until Tuesday. And boy, oh boy, did I ever feel it. It pulled just enough to remind me it was there all the way through my first five miles (which brought me from SLU along Mercer to the Seattle Center, by the fountains, by the Space Needle, through downtown, and up TO THE TOP of Capitol Hill and that hill...uff da!). These miles were additionally frustrating due to waaaaaay too many red lights. Start! Stop! Wait! Repeat! Blergh! Things improved significantly once I got to the top of the hill. Along with my quad FINALLY loosening up, I got a nice long descent which invigorated me and enabled me to continue running without much strain, fewer lights, and much less traffic. I ran down Madison, through the arboretum, along interlaken, then Lakeview to Denny and back to SLU to round out about 11 miles. Yahoo!

I skipped my midweek run (Kristen, you slacker!), but I had somehow managed to flood my social calendar and just lost time. Furthermore, I was (am) still nervous about my quad, and felt it necessary to baby it a little bit, which is extremely difficult now that my broken car has confined me to my bicycle for my around-town (read: escaping from Greenwood) transportation. AT this point, I feel it necessary to apologize for whining -- I just get a little bit scared with injury. My running buddies Zach and Zedd helped to motivate me into Friday's really rainy run on our normal Interlaken 5 mile route. We took a good, relaxed pace - I didn't feel too winded throughout it, which may have been a problem for Zach, as I was chattering through the entire run. It was a good confidence booster, and a lovely way to celebrate the official arrival of fall in Seattle. Yes, we ran through a deluge.

I could yammer on for way too long about all of this, and I still want to write about what occupies my mind during a run, or even publish the current iteration of my running playlist. Unfortunately, it is quite late, and tomorrow's 12 miles will most certainly require me to be well rested. 21 days left!

PS -- Thank you all for the encouragement, comments, advice, and support. Y'all have no idea how much it helps me, and I want you to know that you are, indeed, appreciated.

Friday, October 29, 2010

The Perfect Run

It was completely unexpected as I had completed 10.5 the day prior, but yesterday's five miles was better than I could have hoped for.

The air was still and crisp in the way that only fall can deliver, I'd just gotten off of work and had a busy night ahead of me (I had to assemble a shark costume for this weekend's tournament, and this included fighting the crowds on Capitol Hill at The Red Light and American Apparel), and this would be the one thing that I really did for myself. I was wearing my pink shorts and the Seattle Half-Marathon 2008 long-sleeve t-shirt, and as seems to be my trend these days, my iPod was set to my music nerd playlist (lots of classical piano, some jazz, some opera). It took no time for me to find my smooth - probably set in once I passed where Roanoake and Harvard meet, which makes sense because that's when I finish with the worst of the hills - and before I knew it, I was just zooming along Interlaken with nothing but the best days on my mind. Every light I encountered was green, which allowed me to run through the entirety of my course. This is not entirely unprecendented, but it is unusual while running along Eastlake and especially between the Interstate intersections on Roanoake. And when I ran into Eastlake for my last 1.2 miles, I don't know what came over me. My legs became lighter, my stride longer, and I kicked that thing out like it was no big deal.

All in all, I finished my 5 miles in just over 39 minutes. Ego boost!

In other news, I was contacted by one of my cousins recently. She ran her first half-marathon earlier this month and appears to have acquired the addiction. I think she and I may try to run one half (maybe even full!) marathon together. We're looking at a full sometime in October of next year. Any suggestions?

Happy Halloween to all. Take care this weekend :)

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Double Digits!

10 miles, baby!



I meant to do this distance while I was in LA for the weekend, but my priority list was set, and skewed though it may be, running was not at the top of it. And I wasn't feeling entirely well on Monday or Tuesday, so it had to be a Wednesday run.

And it couldn't have been more perfect.

Though dry, it wasn't particularly warm - I had to bust out the Nike running knickers and long sleeves - and it was dark. We've fallen into the dark days up here, where the sun sets before you get off of work, so you're left running by the light of downtown. It could be much, much worse. I was lucky enough to run my first five miles on Lake Union with the company of Zach and his most excellent pooch Zedd, both wonderful running buddies that help the miles fly by. After we parted, my iPod ear buds were inserted, and the likes of Debussy, Miles Davis, and Vince Guaraldi accompanied me through some of my favorite parts of Seattle. I gained a special appreciation for the moment when my run brought me by McCaw Hall to enter the Seattle Center.



It was lit similarly to the above picture, and right before I entered this fountain-side corridor, Nessun Dorma from Puccini's opera Turandot started playing through my ear buds, and it accompanied me through the Seattle Center. It was beautiful - the lighting, the music, the Space Needle on the horizon, and running...you just can't let moments like that go. They're bliss, and how fortunate to have found it!

Running through downtown was a bit stressful and annoying. Lots of stoplights, lots of obstacles, but it still made for an interesting run. However, I was happy to leave it behind as I trudged up Capitol Hill to get to Cal Anderson Park. I have stated before that hills are my kryptonite. They intimidate me, and I think that mentality has made them that much more difficult. But, I made it. Last night, I made it all the way up the hill, no stops until I hit the light at Broadway, which was at the top of my ascent. On the way, I saw two good friends, which kind of rejuvenated me, but ultimately...I did it! And I kept going! As good as it felt, I think teh reassurance that I can survive hills is the best thing to come out of this run. I've been a little bit worried about my impending Seattle HM, simply because it IS a difficult run. The hills are plentiful and they are long. But, like everything, I just need to take it one step at a time, and last night's run gave me faith that I'm capable of doing so.

So...onward! I have a frisbee tournament this weekend, for which I will switch my schedule around a bit. Hoping to do my 11 miles on Monday of next week instead of Sunday, and will skip Friday's 4 miles to allow myself some rest - I mean, really, ultimate is a GREAT workout, and it can tire a girl out :)

Until next time, happy trails to any of you who read this. I appreciate your support more than I can express, and I love following your adventures through these crazy interwebz.

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Hillacious is Bootylicious. Amirite?!

There's nothing quite like running up a beast of a hill to acquaint you with your capacity for pain, your mental fortitude, and of course, Mr. Maximus. Yes, I mean the one of the Gluteas variety. Yesterday's run brought me from Lake Union (14 feet above sea level) to the top of Capitol Hill at Volunteer Park (444 feet above sea level) within the first 2 miles of my run. I know it's not THAT brutal, but the fact that the majority of my ascent was concentrated to two very small regions made this a good hill trainer.



I don't think I've ever run from Eastlake to Volunteer Park without stopping at least once. My route again included Interlaken (love!), but instead of turning left at the fork in the road and continuing along the flat, winding tree-covered path, I took a right and trudged up an equally winding incline. I usually start to feel that lactic acid burn about halfway between the turn and the point where Interlaken intersects Galer. But yesterday...yesterday was different. Despite starting with tired legs (running, cycling, cycling, cycling, cycling, cycling, cycling, ad nauseum), the cobwebs from Monday's run seemed to be shed pretty easily, and my joints began to feel flexible and ready. My pace quickened on descents, and I reminded myself to take my time on hills, shortening my stride and breathing evenly. And before I knew it, I had conquered Interlaken in one go. Success continued as I turned right onto Galer, facing the last *really* steep incline of my run. Perhaps it was honing into the task before me and reminding myself that it was my responsibility to push myself through it, maybe it was Cannonball Adderley's improv on Autumn Leaves, maybe it was the beautiful fall day - but I found it in me to keep running, to push myself to the top of the hill. And wouldn't you know that Volunteer Park rewarded my efforts with a view of the gorgeous orange sun setting behind the Space Needle.

Hills: ouch. Burning muscles: fo' sho'. Feeling that much more ready and excited for the Seattle half-marathon: priceless.

Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Interlaken Bliss

And I'm still moving along, like a leaf drifting lazily through the sun-streaked autumn air.

This has been an absolutely glorious fall in Seattle, possibly one of the best I've experienced (weather-wise) during my eight-year stay in the pacific northwest. And it has inspired an unprecedented motivation to get outside for equally glorious running.

i rediscovered the gift of the lunchtime run a week ago. Wednesday was, as always, scheduled to be a running day, a little 4-miler to recover a bit from Sunday's 8. My normal hours and schedule dictate that I run after work, however, Wednesday found me with plans. My good friend Daryl was kind enough to buy tickets to a musical (In the Heights , which was fabulous, in case you were interested), and I bought dinner for us as a thank you. In other words, there would be no post-work running this day. But, as I've mentioned, it has been an amazing un-Seattle fall, and the sun convinced me that I really didn't need that sandwich and that I would be far more satisfied with a lunchtime jaunt through Capitol Hill, downtown, and the Seattle Center. This happens to be the same route that I ran with Sam a few Fridays ago, but I really took a shining to it - some good hill training mixed with sight-seeing...why not? And it certainly beats a there-and-back a third of the way around Lake Union for the billionth time.

I know that you'll eventually tire of my gushing over the lovely sun in Seattle this autumn, but you have to understand that we're normally going into hibernation/hermit/hiding from the rain mode at this time of year. A typical Seattle October is gray, chilly, wet, and dark, all of which seem like great reasons to forsake a training run for a good cuddle in one's down comforter with a hot toddy in arm's reach.

That said, Friday was absolutely beautiful! It was that thin sunlight characteristic of fall, the kind that slices through the crisp, cool air and makes everything look a little bit surreal. At this point in the season, it seemed only appropriate to seek a tree-heavy route, which clearly brought me to Interlaken. For any of you who don't know, this particular street snakes along the north side of Capitol Hill, covers you in a canopy of tall, tall trees that wore the most colorful leaves. It also seemed like I'd only avoid the tempting draw of happy hour by employing my friend Zach and his awesome puppy Zedd to hold me to my training schedule. The three of us set out and finished a good Friday Five-Miler. I'm still finding more and more that I prefer running with others these days, which is a strange but really lovely change from my formerly solitary habits. I'm especially enjoying the chance to form a better friendship with Zach - he's a great running buddy and a great conversationalist. He makes the runs fly by, and he's helping me feel more and more confident in my ability to make it through the big 13.1.

I fell so much in love with running on Interlaken that I had to do it again. It worked out perfectly - I had a 9 mile run scheduled for Sunday, which did not happen on Sunday for a multitude of reasons (the best of which is spending a day reconnecting with a wonderful friend and hanging out with her amazing family - I couldn't bring myself to leave). So, it obviously needed to happen on Monday. This worked to my advantage because I could easily start in a good spot that didn't put me in the way of too many hills (unless I wanted them), and offers amazing views of the city, regardless of where the route takes me. AS stated, I could not imagine my 9 miler without running interlaken, and it was amazing. I tried this 9 miler with a playlist that differed significantly from the norm. rather than filling my ears with the typical classic rock awesomeness that floats me through most runs, i was enveloped in my classical and jazz piano playlist. i didn't expect how perfectly it would suit my mood and my run. While striding underneath Interlaken's gorgeous canopy, I was taken completely out of myself and out of my mind by Debussy's Arabesque No. 1. I saw the sun set over downtown from the north end of Lake Union while listening to Vince Guaraldi's Christmastime is Here. I think that the lack of lyrics and the moving melody lines put me at ease and helped me relax, which makes a huge difference while running. I cannot attest to this being a recipe for sucess, as my current hypothesis is based on an N=1 (but a 9 miler!). It is quite likely that my success during my run could be attributed to a good mood, but I'm interested to continue testing this new concept.

Anyway, it was a good run. I'm publishing the map on this blog for reference - it was a great route, and I'd recommend it to anyone.


40 days left, and 4 miles to add to my top distance. I think I'm doing okay.

Monday, October 11, 2010

OMG, shoes

So...I broke my own rule.

I used to replace my shoes on a regular basis, as the professionals recommend. But, then I spent almost a year recovering from a big injury, and the lack of running led me to believe that I could train for and run the 2010 Seattle HM in the pair that I'd purchased right before my injury really set it. It's not like they were brand new. I ran in them irregularly starting in September of last year. I also spent a lot of that time working for a non-profit (which, while fulfilling - we're working to treat Malaria! - paid terribly), and I really could not afford new running shoes until I started my industry job in June.

During Friday's run, I started feeling the dreaded pain: my left knee was starting to hurt, especially during descents, and both of my shins started to feel a bit tender.

Oh, no. No, no, no, no, no! I have a half-marathon! I am just getting back, finally finding my smooth! I'm finally happy with running again! Shins, you are NOT allowed to take this away from me!

I figured the easiest fix would probably be new shoes. On my way home from brunch this morning, I made a stop in to Super Jock 'n Jill with a specific request: Please fit me with Brooks Defyance in a ladies' 9.5. The salesman, Cory, asked me if I was at all interested in trying on other shoes, and I knew for sure that it would be a waste of time because yes, in fact, I've been running in Brooks for the last four years, and the Defyance has gotten me through two other half marathons. Why would I change something that has obviously worked? Still...why not? I'm a girl, I like trying on shoes, right? Plus, the new Defyance colors just don't match my running outfits.


...(oh my god, I'm kidding! I run in whatever's clean which rarely, if ever, matches).

So, Cory brought me through the gamut of neutral stride shoes. Adidas Supernovas, Asics Nimbus, Mizunos, New Balance, Saucony...I'd wear these and compare them to the feel of the new pair of Defyances. I think my least favorite upon first feel were the Saucony shoes, but Cory insisted that I go run the hill with one on my left foot and a Defyance on my right. And what I found couldn't be right, so I tried the other way around - the Defyance on my left and the Saucony on my right.

And as it turns out, Cory rocked my world. Four years of brand loylalty: done. The Saucony ProGrid Ride 3s were like running on clouds. Perfect cushioning, but great movement and much more reactive than the Defyance.

I put these new shoes to the test with Sunday's long run OH MY GOD! Who knew that new shoes would make such a big difference? I felt comfortable, light, and springy. Maybe it was psychosomatic, but I'll take the lack of shin and knee pain any day.



Saucony, I give your product an enthusiastic thumbs up. Thanks for helping me chase my distance :)

Sunday, October 10, 2010

Buddies

I've had two excellent training runs since my last update. I think that this positivity could, in part, be attributed to the fact that I enjoyed a most excellent birthday week. Among the many highlights was what I've decided to consider "cross-training" on Thursday.

...so, I ride bikes every Thursday with a club that describes itself as "a drinking club with a cycling problem." This is accurate. This particular Thursday brought with it a soundsystem attached to a Surly Long Haul Trucker, Faygo cocktails, and a dance party in SODO at a former hobo camp underneath I-5. THe whole club presented a cupcake bearing a lit candle and sang "Happy Birthday" to me at this location -- possibly the most memorable happy birthday I'll ever receive :) By the way, dancing - like, when you put your whole self and all your energy and personality into it - is an incredible work-out.

"The Club," photo courtesy of Deven Wilson

As usual, my Thursday night gallivanting kept me up until the wee hours of Friday morning, and I honestly was not feeling the scheduled 4 mile training run. I was worn out from lack of sleep, distance on bike, and as mentioned, hours upon hours of vigorous dancing. This run was not going to happen without the help of a friend, and luckily for me, Sam rose to the occasion. With his company and enthusiasm to motivate me, we covered a pleasant post-work five miles on a gorgeous Seattle fall evening. We maintained an easy pace such that conversation did not strain either of us, but still remained within my goal of 10 minutes per mile or less. The route was fantastic - mildly hilly, but it broke me out of the South Lake Union monotony, and showed us views of downtown, the Seattle Center, and Lake Union. As I noted when running with my sister in Bozeman, the company helps. It kept me out of my mind (for example, I'll usually over-analyze my stride, my speed, or I'll dog on myself for failing to reach previously achieved ease in certain situations), and it allowed me to get to know a friend a bit better.

So...when it was time for me to run 8 miles for Sunday's training, I consulted the Facebooks for any interested parties to keep me company. And I learned that all it takes is asking. Sure enough, Zach, a former frisbee teammate of mine agreed to run half of my route with me. Once again, the four miles that we ran together absolutely flew by - I enjoyed the chance to be out of my head and to concentrate on the conversation. My buddy-run got me from the starting point (my office) around SLU to the University Bridge. Zach and I parted ways, and I continued with my iPod along the Burke-Gilman trail, across the Montlake bridge, through the Montlake playfield, and along the water until the street intersected Eastlake, which brought me back to my car. I loved the route, and I loved the Seattle autumn weather. There was a point along the train that brings me from Montlake Bridge to the Montlake play field where the trees formed this gorgeous canopy of orange and yellow, and the light rain just solidified the falltime feeling. I felt invigorated and invincible, like I could burst into a million pieces from happiness. It has been so long since I've run this far! My only stop during this run was when Zach and I parted ways after about 4 miles, and I felt great when I finished. I guess that there really IS something to this training!

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

Foggy First

...first run as a 27-year-old, that is!

woke up to my alarm at 6 this morning, which is how my morning usually starts. i normally fail at life, hitting snooze for about an hour and a half before glancing at the clock and realizing how late it is, jumping out of bed, brushing my teeth, packing my bag (invariably forgetting SOMETHING important, like breakfast or my helmet) and running out the door with my bike to ride the 8 miles to work. today was different. i got up, brushed my teeth, packed my bag, and rode to work in the chilly, dark fog of the seattle morning with my red light blinking and love songs on my iPod.

having arrived at work with ample time before i actually needed to be there, i decided to knock out my 4 miles before starting my day. i usually shower there anyway (bike commuting!), and i had my running clothes with me so that i could avoid another hill-laden greenwood run...in other words, i had all the necessary components in place. plus, it was in the low 50sF, low-hanging clouds were playing with the light so as to make an amazing sunrise, and the wind was minimally present. furthermore, this would allow me more time after work to celebrate the fact that i survived being 26 years old.

it wasn't my best run, but i did get it done. i think that my preference of night running will need to change if i decide to participate in more half-marathons in the future, which seem to start between 6:30 am and 8 am. because it didn't feel right, because my 4 miles today and yesterday's 3 seemed void of my "smooth" (i love this term, but i can't take credit for it. it was keyed by another running blogger, Slomohusky), i tried to analyze my good days versus my bad and find some key difference.

for the most part, my harder runs happen on weekdays. not in terms of distance, but as overall satisfaction with my performance goes, weekends seem to be where i find my smooth, my rhythm, my stride. what happens during weekdays? yes, i work, but that hadn't been a major factor during my last big running streak. i tend to drink socially on weekends, but from what i've read, that should hinder me rather than help. oh, right. i commute at least 16 miles a day on bicycle every single day during the week. half of those are uphill (greenwood living *grumble*). so, 5 days a week, i'm worn down, my legs are tired, and they feel leaden because they're used as my primary form of transportation.

IT MAKES SENSE!!!

that said, i don't know how triathletes do it.

anyway, another 4 on Friday, then 8 on Saturday. Onward.

Plateaus

Holy crap, I'm bad at this. As I assured you, my many (*ahem*...5) readers after my last hiatus, the lack of writing is not representative of me skipping training runs. I just keep forgetting the part where I write about it.

Ok, so the day after my First Friday Four-miler in Bozeman, I got to do a 60 mile bicycle ride through West Yellowstone to Old Faithful and back. It's a tradition that my mom, my sister, and I have as a way to celebrate my early October birthday. We could not have asked for better weather - sunny, 70F, bison...ya, really.



It's a flat ride, and the hills that do exist really don't hold a candle to what Seattle puts me through on a daily basis. The ease with which I rode the route this year feels like measurable progress, and that sense of accomplishment could not have come at a better time. I'm looking into the possibility of renting a fixed gear bicycle for the ride next year. Ya...really.

Sadly, I could only ride that high for so long. We were completely stretched for time on Sunday, and I didn't have a chance to finish my 6 miles that day (I did see an amazing sunset in Yellowstone, though. If you're interested in those pictures and in the ones I took from the ride, you can check out my set on flickr: Yellowstone). So, threw off my schedule. I decided to just use Sunday as my rest day instead of Tuesday, running 6 miles on Monday and my recovery 3 on Tuesday, then jump back into the regular schedule on Wednesday.

...And every single one of those runs were torture. Even the three milers on Tuesday, Wednesday, and again on Friday. I was sluggish, bored, and my stride and rhythm were completely off. I want to blame it on the route I chose for my 6 miles (yeah...mapmyrun.com failed to save that one, I guess - no map, sorry), which started me west on 85th. If you're ever curious as to why they call that neighborhood crown hill, go running there. Picture Max's crown from Where the Wild Things Are. Now picture running up and down each spike. THAT is Crown Hill, and is the primary reason I hate running up here so much. Anyway, the route brought me down the stairs at 85th and 32nd, along the marina (always lovely), then uphill for 3 F***ING MILES. And it's not an easy uphill haul. Even worse - it was quite possibly the most humidity I've experienced since playing Ultimate in Hawaii. I was totally soaked by the time the run was done. And maybe it can be entirely attributed to the difficulty of that run, the failures, the mental and emotional breakdown as I started freaking out about my ability to finish the Seattle 1/2, but the next three runs just plain sucked. 3 miles, each! I kept them flat, I had the best possible music on my iPod, but it just wasn't right. Still, I completed them, and I'm proud of myself for sticking it out.

...because, let's face it, Sunday's run affirmed my love for this sport. I took a slower pace than my 24-year-old self would have. It took me about 54 minutes to finish this route, but I felt like I could have run another 2 before completely tuckering out. I think a few outside influences helped, too. I was in a particularly delightful mood and I tend to do my best runs when I'm happy at the start. I also, by happenstance, discovered that if a song brings with it wonderful memories, it doesn't have to be a high-adrenaline pump-up song, or one with a beat that matches my stride, so long as it's something that helps me escape to whatever happy mental place I need to reach in order to pull out those last few miles. Finally -- this was my first night training run. I know I should be running in the morning, but I've always felt best at night, and this one was especially nice. Just under 60F, still air, abandoned streets, and that area along the north part of Green Lake where you can see the Queen Anne radio towers and the Space Needle (SO Seattle, and I SO love this city). COnsidering that I've passed the halfway point, I'm feeling better about my ability to finish the 13.1 in late November, and may even consider myself excited.

TOnight's run....yeah. Just reaffirmed that I need to stop running in Greenwood. It just pisses me off too much.

4 tomorrow, and I'll probably be tardy in writing about it, as tomorrow's my birthday! Until next time, happy trails!

Friday, September 24, 2010

Training Run 12 - 4 Miles in Bozeman

Holy crap, Bozeman is awesome.

My sister was obligated to come running with me because, well, she's my sister and because she didn't want to see me lost or eaten by a grizzly bear or something.

We took a relaxed pace and ran from her house, up Pete's Hill (you get the most amazing 360 views at the top of this - it's a ridge and trail running along the top of it is, in a way, validation of how much I love this sport). Apart from that hill, though, Bozeman is mostly flat. After years of running in Seattle, I cannot begin to tell you how refreshing it is to set off on a run, leaving from home, and have the luxury of no hill-induced intimidation. Ended with a decadent brunch at Nova - turkey hash: too salty. But my dad's order of a cheesy belgian waffle covered in fried eggs, bacon, and maple syrup (called The Morning After) was just about perfect.

This was the first of my training runs during which I had company. We ran at a slower pace, but this is good for me. Pacing has always been my Achilles' heel - I've read that the ability to maintain a conversation while running signals a good pace, and I never felt too out of breath to talk today. We also had to pace ourselves, as tomorrow brings with it a 60 mile bicycle ride (a yearly birthday tradition) - no need to burn ourselves out on a training run! I also have to say: conversation is significantly more entertaining than music. It makes the time pass faster, it makes the run more enjoyable, and it gets me out of my head (which, while running, can be waaaay too distracting).

So, that's that. I should move to Bozeman for more enjoyable running, great bread, mountains, grad school (?), snow, and many other things. As stated, 60 miles on a bike tomorrow, likely at a slower pace. Then...I'll somehow have to squeeze 6 miles in on Sunday...maybe a run in Big Sky?

Onward.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Training Runs 10 and 11 - 2 Miles Recovery and 3 Miles

Don't worry, I haven't skipped any runs. I've just missed the part where I blog about them when I'm done. It's been a busy, busy week and for reasons unknown, I've been left feeling drained and unmotivated at the end of each work day.

I feel like these distances just aren't long enough. I'm supposed to do 13.1 miles in one go in 65 days, and I've thus far maxed at 12 miles in a week! It's not for lack of adherence - I've been following the routine as written, I've been keeping track of my times, and I can definitely feel myself becoming stronger, faster, and more comfortable running. It just seems like I should be ramping up a little bit more.

The 2 mile recovery run was easy, as well it should have been. One of those gorgeous thin-light days that looks like the beginning of autumn - it was warm, and I ran to my previously published playlist (well, 3-4 songs off of it) along the lovely South Lake Union area. My only complaint: as soon as you get past the I Love Sushi parking lot, you start running next to bushes, and it ALWAYS smells like dog poo there. There's nothing worse than triggering your gag reflex during a run. So...yeah. There's that.

The 3 miler was just a repeat of the hill run I did last Wednesday. Completed in just under 24 minutes, no stops. There are three note-worthy observations from this run:
1) There was no pain. Seriously, none. I know that this isn't that noteworthy, and it's not something on which I've focused in a lot of these posts. But, I spent nearly a year unable to do this at all because of pain in my back and upper hamstrings. To conquer a hill run without pain is a huge deal for me, and I'd feel morally remiss if I didn't express my relief and gratitude.
2) I overcame a major case of "the uninspireds." I had absolutely no desire to go running yesterday, even though it was gorgeous outside. I was tired, it had been a long, stressful day at work, and ...I was tired, damn it! But, I threw on my running shoes, my white adidas soccer shorts, and my favorite shirt (an American Apparel soft cotton shirt that has the state of Montana with a lightning bolt through it, flanked by two elk. it is the shit), threw the "Top Rated" iPod playlist on shuffle, and forced the first 20 feet. And then it felt absolutely wonderful.
3) Guilty pleasure songs are actually way better to pump me up. I am so, so, so sad and mortified and embarrassed to admit this, but Mariah Carey's Shake It Off not only resides on my iPod, but also made its way to my ears during yesterday's run and actually inspired me to pick up my pace. I am ashamed.

I'll write next time with more of my favorite guilty pleasure songs for running. Until then, happy trails!

Monday, September 20, 2010

Training Run 9 - High 5



There are a couple of meanings behind my title today.

First, this was the first "official" 5 mile run of my training schedule. I like 5 miles almost as much as I like 6 - it's a good distance that can be completed at a faster pace and I felt satisfied as I pushed to the end of today's route.

Second has to do with something I read in The Stranger's ever-entertaining "I Saw U" section. Or maybe it was "I, Anonymous." In any case, this person wrote about running around Lake Union and sharing a high five with a random stranger as they ran past each other. This stuck with me - one of my favorite aspects of athletics is team-building. I enjoy the chance to play cheerleader to friends, strangers, opponents, and even myself. Something about that high five embodied all of this, and as I hit the approximate 4.5 mile marker of my run, I went past a group of three runners, all smiling, and all friendly. I held my hand up and received a high five from all of them. It rejuvenated me - I was admittedly on the tired side, as I'd spent the first half of my run battling a mighty wind and the entirety of my run battling my own expectations for pace, etc. Because of that shared encouragement, the exchanged smiles, I found it in me to keep running. Cheesy as hell, and don't I know it, but still fun and still noteworthy.

I enjoyed today's route. Since picking up this cycling habit that I love so fervently, I've come to find that running up hills and/or against a headwind isn't nearly as bad as it used to be. I think this can be attributed entirely to how much more difficult both of those actions are on bicycle. So, though I could see the wind blowing and though the sound still bothers me as much as ever, running into it didn't feel nearly as terrible as it used to. I also enjoy running along the water, especially by Golden Gardens. The sky looked like a magnificent watercolor - the clouds played with my perception, continually moving and fading to different colors, revealing something entirely new and beautiful with each change. I also debuted a new playlist, based entirely on my adoration of 1960s - 1970s (even a little bit of 1980s) classic rock. It still needs some work, but it helped me zone out a little bit, forget that I was running, and drift into my own rhythm and thought process. So, without further ado, here it is. The beginnings to my new running playlist:

1) Queen Bitch (David Bowie)
2) Jumping Jack Flash (THe Rolling Stones)
3) Be (Shim)
4) I Can See For Miles (The Who)
5) Your Time is Gonna Come (Led Zeppelin)
6) All of the Day and All of the NIght (The Kinks)
7) Rebel Rebel (David Bowie)
8) More than a Feeling (Boston)
9) Dancing With Myself (Billy Idol)
10) Tell Me Your Name (Shim)
11) Won't Get FOoled Again (The Who)
12) Get Off of My Cloud (The Rolling Stones)
13) Something In The Air (Thunderclap Newman)
14) Ziggy Stardust (David Bowie)
15) Separate Ways (Journey)
16) Foreplay/Long Time (Boston)
17) Oh! You Pretty Things (David Bowie)
18) Burnin' For You (Blue Oyster Cult)
19) Rebel Yell (Billy Idol)

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Training Run 8 - 3 Miles



Oops! I overshot again.

The run had potential. The weather was rainy, and it just so happens that i like running in rain. Temperatures in the 60F range are also incredibly conducive to a good time. The route was entertaining - I love running through the Seattle Center when I can, and only recently realized how close it is to where I work. I also had my favorite pair of running shorts AND my favorite mild-weather running shirt, an Incubus baseball-style concert shirt I got when I was 20.

Everything was right except for me. My legs felt heavy and sluggish. My breath was fine, but I felt just plain tired. Drained. Slow. Clunky, even! I know that we can't always be 100%, and I know that I'm bound to have bad runs. I guess it just worries me a little bit -- what if the half-marathon happens to be one of those days for me? I think my training schedule has me set up to succeed - lots of tapering and rest during the two weeks prior to the big 13.1, but I still worry.

And it's so funny. Even though I don't feel great about how yesterday's nearly four miles felt, I still did them within the realm of expectation that I set for myself when I started this training program. I stopped once for a desperately needed stretch (calf cramping around the soleus AGAIN!), and still finished in 34 minutes and change. Yes, I know it's slow and I am appropriately disappointed. Still. When I set out three(?) weeks ago, my goal was to keep my miles under 10 minutes, and I've succeeded thus far.

Enough for now. 5 ahead of me tomorrow, and lots o' bike riding today to take in what might be the last sunny day for a while.

Thursday, September 16, 2010

Training Run 7 - 2.5 Miles



whoops, i did 0.5 more than i was supposed to. my bad. i also ran the reverse of this route, starting south on eastlake, then up the ramp onto fairview.

this was more than a good run. this was a kick-ass, hell-yeah, i'm so happy that i'm doing this sort of run. 22 minutes, kids. despite the hills, i finished this mother in 22 minutes! now, i know that a lot of you could do this much, much faster and you're awesome for it. just realize that it's been hard to recognize that i devolved so quickly, and that it's taken a lot of patience for me to get through being slower and more awkward than i used to be. any sign of improvement buoys me and helps me through the harder days, and running an almost-three-miler that quickly...well, yeah. it's definite improvement. :D

i usually hate any sort of hill. hills are more tiring, they do a number on my glutes and back, and i think that i have a bit of a mental hang-up when i see them. they intimidate me. having run the seattle half-marathon in 2008, i can tell you that there is no room for hill-intimidation. you finish mile 8 and all of a sudden, you have to run up Madison for nearly a mile. Seriously! (...ookay, i may be exaggerating, but it's still a BFH). then you get a bit of a downhill before taking on Interlaken, which runs at a small (but noticeable) grade for a few miles. it's nearly sadistic! so, yeah. i'm trying to train appropriately. it seems only wise to get myself used to running hills, especially after i've already run over half of my route. this way i'll train my body for everything that makes the seattle half so difficult.

that said, it was really fun getting up to the top of the ramp onto Lakeview. You get to see all of Lake Union, the Aurora Bridge, the Olympic Mountains to the west if you're lucky. On a smaller scale, and especially if you've just run from the lowest point on Eastlake, you get to look down on tall buildings that had towered over you when you started. doing so made me feel powerful, as though i'd just conquered a mighty enemy through sheer determination alone.

even though this was a good one, i have to say: holy calf cramping! the pain seems to express itself most in the area of my soleus, and i can feel that it's tighter when i'm at yoga, trying to do the downward dog without yelping. i stretch, and i'm eating bananas on a somewhat regular basis. i've never really had issues with my calves cramping before, either. any seasoned vets out there have some advice for me?

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Training Run 6 - Lake Union

...or, the day that my body finally remembered how to run and was able to tap into the cardiovascular base that has come with riding my bike every day.



i don't know to which aspect i can attribute today's success. i like to believe that my music choice often contributes significantly to inspiring the next steps, in getting me through any exhaustion or lack of enthusiasm. starting today's 6ish miles with journey's "separate ways (worlds apart)" was, surprisingly, a good choice. it's one of those songs that makes me laugh and reminisce over a good night shared recently with friends (over one or three beers, naturally). as such, it helps me find my rhythm. it reminds me that i should be grateful for every step i take running because, deep down, i truly do love it and because i could not do it for so long.

perhaps it went so well today because i'd downed a mocha a couple of hours prior to running (and stop judging me - it was a small!). i know it's likely psychosomatic, but i'm otherwise convinced that caffeine makes me go faster and tap more effectively into my cardiovascular capacity. this, by the way, is why you'll almost always find me drinking either coffee or diet soda before ultimate games.

i think the most likely explanation is the fact that i missed two training runs while my parents visited over the weekend. they're walkers and when they come to visit, it's more important to me to walk 4 miles with them than it is to run 2 or 3 or whatever my schedule called for on those days. it called for 2.5 miles today at an easy pace. instead, i ran 6ish miles around Lake Union in just under 50 minutes. not spectacularly fast, but faster than i've been since i started training, and much, much farther. but it finally felt better. it felt good. only one stop to stretch after about 3 miles. go me!

don't worry, i know it's bad to deviate from a published schedule. i did extra mileage today because i missed 7 miles' worth of runs over the weekend. i don't plan to miss anymore, and i don't plan to improvise as my schedule allows. part of this thing is the commitment that it requires. part of it is establishing and adhering to a schedule. part is re-immersion into a sport that i used to love so fervently. that said, it felt wonderful to learn that i'm still capable of not only running this distance, but having that drive to continue when i finished.

rest day tomorrow, and then i dive back in with a 2.5 miler on wednesday. hooah!

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Training Run 5 - 2 Miles



So...it was 2.6 miles. Whoops!

It's a good sign that I don't feel satisfied when I'm done, right? That I want to run more? Previous experience should be enough to teach me to refrain from overdoing it; I do not have enough sanity nor patience for another year out of my many sports. But sometimes, the day's events can be so frustrating, so troubling that they force your legs forward, faster, as if this frantic drive will propel me away from the unexpected angst that accompanied today's events.*

I think that's how I found my running addiction in the first place. I was 18 and I was going through a bit of relationship drama, so I hopped on the dreadmill (it was the middle of January in Billings, MT. The ground was covered in ice, and the air was biting enough to chase me indoors for my daily run) with Incubus' "Make Yourself" loaded into my discman. I set the time for 60 minutes and my pace for 7:30 miles. An hour later, I had gone through every possible scenario, found resolve, and a little bit of a runner's high.

Come to think of it, I've since dealt with most of my stronger emotional reactions by throwing on my running shoes and hashing through my mental state in so many miles. Truth is, I can never actually run away from my problems. It's certainly not an adult way to cope, nor is it fair. I can, however, use the 20 minutes to 2 hours to solidify my thoughts and feelings about anything in the world. It makes sense of the trauma that came with abandoning my weekly 40 miles with the onset of my back injury, and in my mind, it truly highlights my immense appreciation for this coping mechanism. I don't know how I went so long without it.


*I apologize. I don't want to be super vague about things, but I've blogged my personal experiences, romantic exploits, and interpersonal battles before. It was a mistake that caused a lot of problems and cost me a friendship. That said, I'm fine, I will be fine, I just need to let it go.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Training Schedule




I *think* this should work. Here you have it, ladies and gents: My training schedule. So far I've been happy with it, although I'm only just starting week 2 and today's a rest day :D

I'm noticing that the introduction of a schedule is helping me to make positive changes in other facets of life. I've set an official bedtime of midnight every day (excepting, of course, Thursdays when I ride with a group of my favorite fools on bicycles for whom I would do almost anything) before which I religiously brush and floss, I'm choosing healthier foods, I have a set 6am wake-up time after which i drink a cup of coffee and do yoga to a DVD from Gaiam before packing my bag and riding my bike into work. I think that, for numerous reasons, the last year of my life has been devoid of any sort of solid routine, and the lack of stability has been jarring. Simply advancing the practice of setting a schedule, adhering to it, and tracking my progress has been a catalyst to a more sane lifestyle and healthier habits. In turn, these habits seem to help me develop into a better, stronger, faster runner with higher endurance. Ah, symbiosis!

Monday, September 6, 2010

Training Run 4 - 2 Miles Recovery



Maybe it's the rain, maybe it's because I ran later than usual, maybe it's the fact that I had to run out and just get this done, but today's run felt right. I didn't overthink it, just walked out my door and started running without a second thought. Was it particularly fast? No. Was it long? No, not at all, I clocked in a whole 2 miles. But, I ran it faster than I did on Wednesday (granted, the hills on today's run were significantly kinder than those in the Eastlake area), and I felt like I could have done at least another two before calling it quits.

Isn't it funny how the best run can happen on a day when we feel the least motivated? I'm wondering if it has to do with expectations - if you spend the day dreading your miles, it's bound to feel better than you expected, right? And I suppose it makes sense that a run that you eagerly anticipate has more potential to disappoint than one that's been wearing a negative light since its inception. It's absolutely true that the hardest stride in running is the one that brings you out the door - it's amazing how much better I feel once I get going.

Sunday, September 5, 2010

Training Run 3 - 3 Miles



This was another gorgeous run. We had about two or three good hours of sunshine in Seattle today, and they managed to coincide with the time that I was finally able to build myself up for the run. The three windy miles flew by, as the view of the Olympics and the sound distracted me from the fact that this three miler was more difficult than it should be. Yes, it was more difficult, but I finished it in 25 minutes. Not too bad, especially considering that my actual route added a little bit more distance based on extra twists and turns that allowed me to stay closer to the lovely water. I still feel like I haven't found my old stride. Each step is a little bit labored and they all feel shorter than they used to. Still, it feels better each time, and I'm hoping that trend continues.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Training Run 2 - 2.5 Miles



Oh. ehm. gee. what an amazing day for a run!!! 71F, sun shining, crystal clear blue skies, the perfect little breeze to keep me from overheating...yes. amazing.

2.5 miles is not a lot of distance to cover when you come from a perspective that includes a history of daily 6-8 mile runs. you learn to see it as a warm-up, the distance in which you find your stride for the rest of the day, establish your breathing, and find that zone where you can just lose yourself. those longer runs are wonderful because you can solve all the world's problems in an hour and walk away exhausted and satisfied. 2.5 miles is like foreplay cut short. You're just starting to really get into it, you're hot, you're breathing harder and starting to sweat and really feeling ready to take it a bit farther...and then you cross that distance line and you're done.

That said, today's 2.5 mile run felt like an accomplishment. My stride loosened up just enough that I felt a bit more fluid, and despite the additional half-mile, it felt much easier today. I cannot go so far as to say that it came naturally -- and it's funny how this set of movements that used to feel so natural and blissful is now so foreign and forced -- but it was less awkward than on wednesday's run. I finished my run in just under 22 minutes (and it's difficult silencing that perfectionist in my head screaming through a megaphone that i used to finish 3 miles in 21 minutes, but whatever), and improvement already seems achievable. I'm admittedly nervous to bump my mileage beyond 4 at this point, but I have more than 2 weeks until the schedule calls for it.

As a good friend of mine would say, onward.