mindfirerunner

Another 75 degree day in Colorado and my spare pair of Brooks was taunting me in my office. They were staring at me as if to ask “What is wrong with you? Why would you leave us sitting in the corner with only a glimpse of sunlight bouncing off the filing cabinet and onto the floor, as if to smirk at us in the shadows?” I know ~ a bit dramatic, aren’t they? It didn’t take long before I realized how wrong it was of me to ignore their cries for the open road, so I obliged. I grabbed my sandwich and apple, laced up my shoes, and headed out the door.  Heck, I was even going to take the whole hour for lunch.

I wasn’t disappointed by the warm Colorado day, which consumed me with its blue skies and gentle breeze. I found a little path I happened to stumble across one day driving home. I decided to step off the beaten path and wander around for a while. Nestled among the trees and beside a quiet stream was a route that seemed to wind around in all directions. The sounds of the street dissolved and I quickly drifted into thoughts of flip flops and sun dresses, which can put any girl into a whimsically happy mood. The stress of the day disintegrated as if it never existed and I was caught up in nothing but the sunshine.

A runner’s high while walking? You bet. I’m even thinking of doing repeats.

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I enjoyed getting down to sea level for a week of running. Running in a new city always brings a bit of anxiety to my world since most mornings I’m up to run well before the sun even thinks about peaking over the horizon. Throw in some unknown territory and a city along the ocean and running becomes more a fear of making sure I can out run the person I keep imagining is chasing me.

On our first night in San Diego, my husband and I decided to venture on a little walk to scope out our running path for the next morning. We walked around the convention center downtown and went atop the massive structure to peer over the view and see if we could spot some good running paths. Dusk was settling in and I looked down, pointed and almost shouted “Hey look! There are runners down there!” Lo and behold, right before our very eyes a running group was getting ready to head off into the sunset. I thought about flailing my arms and yelling at them to hold up, but in a brief moment of perspective we decided to run down the 12 flights of stairs as quickly as possible to catch them before they left on their trot. We made it down to the group, a bit out of breath and excited, and quickly asked if they were locals and gathered intel on the best routes to run. I was so excited I could hardly stand it and in a moment of mental lapse told my husband “Hey, we should go run with them now”. Instead, we soaked up the great advice on routes, sun rise times, and things to know when running in San Diego. I thought we had made out great, but found it slightly charming when one of the older gentlemen in the group said “Hey, did you hear that? She called us runners!” I smiled and we mosied on our way.

My last day in San Diego I wanted to hit the path before the San Diego 1/2 Marathon got rolling. I was out and back from a long run in plenty of time to catch the start of the race. Along my route, and in the dark wee hours of the morning (thank you time change) I stumbled across a few water stations on the race course. The volunteers cheered me on and even offered me something to drink. What a great group of people – I thought to myself. They were out on the course long before any other runners, and yet they were offering up some strange runner on a path behind them something to drink. Volunteers play a huge part in any race. For many of us they can be the group that makes or breaks a certain mileage point. Their cheers of encouragement, offering of beverages and gels, and time on the course (which I dare say is longer than any of us are on there) are what come from a unique subset of individuals.  

So here’s to you race course volunteers – THANK YOU – for getting up earlier than us on race day, freezing in the cold, rain, snow or otherwise, and doing everything in your power to compliment the time and effort us runners have put into getting to the start line and making it through to the end. May we return your smiles, thank you for the gift of nourishment and encouragement, and continue to see you on race day!

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It’s been a tough few weeks for me physically and I’ve finally had to admit I need to scale back a bit on the running for a week or two. I’m not one to admit defeat, so let’s just say I’m…adjusting my outlook on running – at least for the next several days. My body just won’t keep up with what my brain wants to do. You don’t realize how physical your body is until it just won’t do what you keep asking of it. Only then do you realize that it is a machine and sometimes machines need a little time to reboot. You know, a little “blue screen” time. I’ve realized that no matter how desperately I want to get out there and run, my muscles are just struggling right now and are a tad bit slow in the healing and recovery process. I’m hopeful with new meds that they will get better blood supply, heal more quickly, and be more responsive to what I demand of them. Add into the mix a stressful few weeks at work, long hours, and sick children and you get one knotted up Mama who will do just about anything to hit the road for a few hours. (Let’s just say I’m ready to head to San Diego with my honey next week.)

I’m looking forward to letting things heal up this week so that I can enjoy running in a new city, in warmer temps, and at sea level. Commence motivation to rest. So, while I may be a tad bit anxious right now, stressed, somewhat overwhelmed, and exhausted, I look forward to sunshine & sea level, rest & relaxation, and a healthier mind and spirit.

In the meantime, I’ll keep my thoughts to myself and find strength and healing in other activities like yoga, stretching, and core strength training. And while I might be anxious to get out and run now, I’d much rather save myself for sea level and the chance to run with healed muscles and a wild spirit.

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Uh oh. I’ve scared some of you already, haven’t I? We talk a lot about motivation. Where does it come from? How can we keep it? Why is it so hard to make the lifestyle changes we need to make in order to live healthier lives? On my run this morning I started thinking about a running blog my husband sent to me called the “Praying Runner” (www.prayingrunner.com). I realized that for some, finding motivation comes from something very different than just wanting to be a better runner or being healthier.

I have always experienced motivation from finding out I can do more than I thought I could when I push myself beyond my comfort zone. I have learned valuable lessons from these life experiences and this is often where the base of my motivation derives from. This morning was different. I’ve become bored with most early morning runs and running the same route typically because of the dark mornings, and so I began to think about ways to keep my mind occupied on things other than how many laps I’ve completed. (Insert my “ah ha” moment) I realized I could be using this time much more wisely.

What if motivation to head out for a run came from the desire to spend time with God? Many of us struggle with feelings of selfishness for wanting to head out the door for an hour to exercise, but what if we use this time to pray for our family? Friends? Co-workers? (This one could be challenging.) There have been times I’ve spent a few minutes of my run talking with God. These moments are often created by watching a falling star against the black backdrop of the sky, or by feeling a sense of freedom or calm during my runs. But what if I intentionally spent my entire time on the road with Him? Would this time allow me to be used in ways I have never thought of? I realized that maybe for some of you finding motivation lies not within your own capabilities but in what you can accomplish in an hour alone with God.

We had a lot to talk about this morning; a lot to catch up on. It’s time to put the Devil to work. Stop letting the poor decisions we make come so easily. Pound the pavement with God and I bet you find more than motivation.

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You wish today was cancelled, right? It’s Monday and all you can think about is the past weekend and looking forward to the next. After a challenging long run on Saturday and biting the pavement once again (you’d think I’d learn) I was ready for a relaxing day and getting to bed early tonight. After wrapping up the to-do list for the day I hit the sack at a decent time. The only problem is I couldn’t seem to stay asleep.

Fresh snow and a frozen layer of ice underneath from the previous snow storm made for yet another exhausting long run on Saturday. It was one of those long runs where you wanted to give up after four miles…getting to 12 works every mind game strategy in the bag. Add a nice little one-on-one time with the pavement at mile eight and all tricks go out the window. I needed to change my game plan. Sometimes the hardest runs are not the most challenging physically, but rather mentally. I realized I was thinking about how cold I was and how much I really did not like snow at that particular moment in time, and that I should instead be thinking about someplace I wanted to be and warmer temps. I had a long run not too many moons ago in the warmer weather of fall and the entire run had the song “Knee Deep” stuck in my head. It drove me absolutely batty at the time but now I began to think about sandy beaches, getting lost in the sunshine, and how good it would feel to be running in shorts and a tank instead of three layers of clothes feeling like the Michelin Man.

I got through my run one mile at a time and headed home where I crawled up the stairs (somewhat literally) and into a steaming hot shower. Ahh, the rewards of hard work which included a hot shower, staying in my pajamas the rest of the day, and enjoying some quiet time. I know you don’t have to run 12 miles to enjoy those things, but they seem so much more rewarding knowing how hard you’ve worked for them.

Monday is on the horizon and there’s still ice and snow on the ground. I have eight miles to greet me on the road at 4AM, but unfortunately can’t put my pajamas on and head back to bed afterward. I’ll get through this winter and I’ll be stronger because of it. At least that’s what I keep telling myself. It doesn’t always get easier ~ sometimes you just get better.

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There’s nothing quite like having a Neil Diamond song running through your head at 4 o’clock in the morning. I must have been desperate to find my motivation. A busy evening turned quickly into a late night. No sooner did my head hit the pillow when my phone went off – work. I replied to the crisis at hand and hit the pillow again – baby. Okay, I’m sensing a theme for the night. After a few rounds I was finally able to doze off before waking up shivering cold and sweating again for reasons still unknown. Got up, changed jammies and headed back to bed. Round two – I clearly have no idea what time it is, only that I’m cold and have sweat dripping down my neck and back and change jammies again.

3:45 rolls around and I managed to find my phone and shut the alarm off. I pulled my tired body out of bed giving myself every reason and excuse that I should just go back to sleep. I really was not looking forward to a long hill workout this morning. It was incredibly cold (single digits) and I’ve been having vasculitis issues with  joint pain and numbness in my hands and feet, and wasn’t looking forward to being cold. I thought about how nice a treadmill sounded…

I got up, dressed in so many layers the abominable snow man would be jealous, laced up my shoes and still thought I should just go back to bed, but headed out the door instead. I got my two mile warm up done and headed for the hill thinking the whole time about just turning around and heading home. I was tired, sluggish, and cold. The roads were slick and “my” hill was covered in ice and all I kept thinking about was how frustrating the run was just trying to get a good footing. Halfway through the first set of hills I realized I was just kind of doing my workout and focusing more on wishing I was done versus focusing on what I had set out to do. I finally said (aloud) “Listen, you didn’t drag your butt out of bed to just give up. You came out here to work on becoming a better runner so snap out of it.”

Then, I realized “Where was the love?” (Commence Neil Diamond) I began singing “Turn on your heartlight. Let it shine wherever you go. Let it make a happy glow, for all the world to see”. I was grumpy and I needed to turn my frown upside down. I had to get past my immediate discomfort and frustration and focus on what my next race would look like with the work I was putting in now.

Sometimes we just need to get our heads out of the moment and think ahead long enough to remember why we’re out there in the first place. Do we get grumpy and cranky? Sure, but next time you’re feeling a little frustrated during your run, turn on your heartlight and think about the reasons you’re on the road. Time to show a little love~

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So, hill workout was a blast. No really. Don’t be fooled. I run the same route usually most days and am quite familiar with every step, slump in the road, uneven surface and even the clumps of dirt left by construction crews. I usually run this route on early morning runs because I know it well which tends to make me feel safer and less prone to twisting an ankle or tripping over something in the dark. It’s hard enough to run in the dark, but add in a new route and a little bit of dirt road and it becomes a whole new experience.

I had to leave for an early meeting and knew I had to be ready to hit the road earlier than normal. I needed to be organized and not waste a minute of my morning getting out the door. I wrote down my run since there were so many segments, found my head lamp, and gathered my running clothes the night before. I thought about taking my sticky note on my run but didn’t want to be distracted trying to read my notes or fumbling to get it out of my pocket, so I spent a few minutes before bed memorizing it and running it through in my head.

3:45 came and it was time to get moving, but I was t-i-r-e-d. A poor night of sleep and it’s easy to find an excuse (any excuse) to not get out and exercise, but I spent my time the night before planning everything so that I would be ready and I didn’t want all of that effort to go to waste. So, out the door I went. It was definitely a challenging workout and there were times I felt myself slacking a bit, but I could hear my coach in my head yelling “Get up on your toes!”. On I went.

My legs didn’t feel too bad after, but I was certainly ready for a nap come mid-morning. Last night was no better for sleep and with a massive blood headache and a pending snow storm I knew I wouldn’t get any more sleep and wouldn’t feel any better lying in bed. My legs felt heavy and my head hurt.

My mom used to give me grief every time I complained and would say “Aw, my heart bleeds peanut butter”. I’m tired and it’s easy to think about everything that hurts or that didn’t go as well as planned. I can dwell on those few and really minute things, or I can look back and know I really kicked it yesterday on my hill workout and I’m tired for a reason. I might be tired now, but come Saturday’s long run I’ll be ready. Somedays you just have to give it everything you’ve got, regardless of many things can get in the way of making it even happen. Nobody said it would be easy. Besides, if it were easy everyone would do it right?

Mom, this one’s for you.

Wednesday’s Hill Workout Summary:

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I signed up to receive emails on local deals in the Denver area and had one come across my Inbox this morning that I just could not resist. You might recall a previous post about admiring your strongest assets and flaunting them. Well, I thought I’d live up to my own advice. We work hard at keeping up with our running plans, eating well, and staying focused on exercises and activities that keep us strong and healthy. Most people continue to look for ways to improve themselves whether that be physically, mentally, or otherwise, but as humans many of us lack the motivation to keep up with our plans and create a lifestyle out of our improvements. Sure, we can keep it up for a week or two or sometimes even a couple of months, but why is it that it’s so easy to fall back into old habits? Before we know it we’re eating more potato chips, refined and processed foods, and less of the simplest and most delicious things on earth – fruits and vegetables. It’s time to get back to the basics. Simplify your diet (and by diet I don’t mean skimp on food). I love to eat. I could eat all day long, every single day. For me, I need to stuff my face with apples, bananas, cucumbers, carrots and other simple foods like Greek yogurt and milk in order to not sit down and eat an entire bag of potato chips or M&M’s (yes, I’ve done both).

But let’s face it. Easy is, well easy. We don’t have to think about it, don’t have to plan anything, but we always seem to regret it. No wonder we never have the motivation to head out the door for a run or pack a healthy lunch. We’re always looking for the easy way out! This is not to say you shouldn’t enjoy food. You just need to retrain your pallet. Don’t let all of that hard work of running and exercising go to the wayside because your brain and stomach can’t work together as a team. Sometimes we just need a little incentive to help us along.

My current incentive is not for the upcoming races that I have on the docket. It is not even for my long run on Saturday. My current incentive is the fact that I just signed up for an hour long photo shoot of my derrière. Talk about finding some motivation to eat right and lace up my shoes every morning.

It’s time to step out of your comfort zone and get moving! Be adventurous and learn about yourself. You’ll be amazed at what you are capable of.

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