Runtastic

I’ve always been irritated by the use of qualifiers when describing a run. I suppose for elites or people who get paid to run, saying things like “that was a good run…..for her,” or “I just did a really slow run,” makes sense. But when you’re describing a run of the mill runner, like me, I think it only serves to pass sideways judgement, against someone else, or against yourself. The world of casual running has no place for qualifying language! If you run, you are a runner. Similarly, just because you haven’t been on a run in awhile doesn’t negate your runner identity. Get up. Get out. Start again.

So that’s that, and lately, I’ve been doing a lot of running away, from things, people. I don’t recommend that. There’ve been some changes in my work life over the past year – as in, I was “reorganized” out of a job. No worries. It had become a job that I dreaded going to every day. In hindsight, it was probably one of the better things that could’ve happened to me at the time. Being escorted to the door like a common criminal did not make for a good day, and I don’t recommend it to those of you who are in a position to “reorganize.” Do it nicer than that, and the person you’re reorganizing out might not think you’re such an ass. Months later, that is what sticks in my craw the most. Speaking of identity, what a way to have it sucked from your soul: pack up your stuff, don’t let the door hit you on the way out, and by the way, nothing you’ve done here for the past 8 years matters to us. Yep, it happened. But I digress, and I’ve got to let that shit go. Get up. Get out. Start again.

So running has taken a back seat. And I’ve been thinking about moving. Not just my body by way of running – which I have not been doing lately, but I’ll get to that later. No, really moving. Away. A move to Boston. Can you imagine?! Right now it is still a dream. If you know me well, you know that it is a long-time dream of mine; to live in that glorious city for awhile,  work there, be there. Well, it makes me happy just thinking about it. That will be a follow up blog post, hopefully sooner rather than later. Stay tuned.

Boston (North Square) in Winter, photo courtesy of Bret Clancy via Instagram

Meantime, running, as in life…. I read something recently, hence part of the title of this post, on a Buddhist website that said something like the grass may always seem greener on the other side, others always seem to have it better than you, etc., etc., but that one always must be mindful of the fact that no matter where you go, you have to take yourself with you. That resonated with me. I think my general status/mood/state of mind for the past few months has been, to put it delicately, fucked. I was generally fucked before, during, and after the 2016 NYC Marathon, which I rallied and pushed through to the finish line. That was a terrific day, but it probably wasn’t obvious to anyone who isn’t close to me that I was struggling. I was happy to have trained, and so happy to have finished that race. But it will be my last marathon. I stopped enjoying the REALLY long runs, and honestly the fact that I had promised myself that I never had to do that again is part of what got me through it. I was struggling with running, and with life in general.

At the NYC Marathon Finish Line

To that end, I basically stopped running after crossing the NYC Marathon finish line. That was last November. Oh, I’ve been out here and there, but nothing resembling a schedule, or a goal. Having been stuck in the recesses of my brain for so long, I had forgotten that the day after last year’s Boston’s Run to Remember, I signed up for THIS year’s Boston’s Run to Remember half marathon. I only today realized that it is a mere 10 WEEKS away. Oh, what?

2016 Boston’s Run to Remember Half Marathon

Once again, I feel like running is going to quietly save me. I’m not running regularly again, yet. But I have a plan, which starts today. So, still, I run. Still, I plan for what’s next. Still, I make way for the twists and turns that life throws my way. My heart is opening up again.

Wherever you go, there you are. Not profound, but so true. I’ve got one shot, so far as I know.

Get up. Get out. Start again. See you out there.

Someone from one of the local weather stations said that this past week — it’s been so hot here in Mid-MO during the month of July that it’s “like standing in a boiling pot of soup.”

Vivid.

And accurate, I think, though I’ve never actually stood in a boiling pot of soup. But I like the description. If you haven’t experienced 94 or 95 *actual* degrees, with a dew point of 75 and a “feels like” temperature of 109, well, I just can’t even…. there is no way for you to understand. “Boiling pot of soup” maybe gets close.

It’s been a very, very fine line for me between working enough at the gym and on the trails, and working too much. My tendency is to work too hard for my current abilities, and then set myself back by a day, two days, or a week.

At the end of a run: Forum Nature Area at the MKT

But I’m working, y’all. I’m working. And I feel like I’m on a good path. It’s just over three months away from the NYC Marathon.

I finished Boston’s Run to Remember on May 29th in just under three hours. It wasn’t my best run. I suffered from a pulled/strained left calf muscle the entire run. So… that hurt. But there are a lot of great things that happened too. I was in Boston. I finished the race. It was a lovely 65ish degrees and overcast, compared to record heat in the lower 90s just one day before. I saw friends I really like being around. And I already registered to run it again in 2017. Here are a couple of race photos. Such a great course!

Upon my return, I began thinking in earnest about my overall health. I did the metabolic assessment before the half in Boston, in mid-May. I got tested, measured, weighed — all that delightful stuff — I mean, if you’ve never had a “skin fold” test, you are missing out! Now I have a good understanding of where I am, and where I need to be for the NYC Marathon in November. I have a long way to go. But I will get there. Nothing is impossible.

I started a weights program on 6/15 at a wonderful local gym, and promptly pulled/strained *another* left leg muscle. Sometimes I do dumb things, like over-do the first real gym workout I’d done in, well…. a long time. In the meantime, I skipped a couple of runs out of necessity, but I’m back on track starting yesterday. I think the marathon training plan needs to be modified some — it’s too much, particularly when I know I need to squeeze in the gym 2-3 times/week. The issue I will face in the coming months is the heat and humidity. I hate, and I mean hate, both.

We’re still not at our official marathon training kick-off date (July 4), but I’ve needed this in between time to get my head, and my heart, in the race, if you will. I’m sure you understand.

In the meantime, I am still asking for donations to fund my run and my commitment to Team for Kids. If you’re so inclined to help me out, head on over to my fundraising page and give what you can. Thanks for reading.

Until next time……

I’ve been loosely training for Boston’s Run to Remember half marathon since February. It’s been fine, but I’m not as strong as I’d like to be. My routine is far from solid. But I’ll run the race and I’ll feel good about it. And it’s in Boston, after all, one of my favorite places to be. Seventeen Days, and counting.

Loose tracking of progress toward Boston’s Run to Remember Half Marathon

Between now and then, I’m going to go through a New Leaf Metabolic Assessment with a clinical exercise physiologist here in Columbia. This test will determine my VO2 max, my maximum heart rate, and the level at which I *can* and *should* be training, among other things training-related. I’m starting to finally get my head around the fact that I’m running the NYC Marathon again this year – on November 6, and I really want to be ready. And I know I can be. I just have to work, work, work. My running partner and I have a *very* ambitious training plan for that race, which you can see here: NYC Marathon Training Plan 2016 . Our kick off date for that will be July 4 – 18 weeks out. But we’re already hitting the pavement pretty often, and for some decent distances. The 2014 NYC Marathon tested us, both physically and mentally. You can read about that experience here.

If you’re interested – I mean, c’mon, you’ve read this much – hop on over to my NYC Marathon Team for Kids fundraising page and make a tax-deductible donation. I’m half way to my fundraising goal of $2,620!

Thanks for your friendship and all means of support. It is much appreciated!

Krista

One of the things about running is that when you slack off, and get out of shape, like I have, you have all kinds of new goals when you DO get your ass back in gear! It’s all about perspective. For example, I ran the Charleston Challenge Mid-Winter Classic 5k this past weekend at 37:40. Not my best. I am running another 5k – the Shamrox Ultramax one – on March 13, and my new goal is to beat that time. I’m back in a race with myself, which is where anyone should really ever be.

I updated my race history, thanks to my step mom, and realized neither of us had my time for last year’s Boston’s Run to Remember, so I looked it up. 2:33:52. That’s another new goal – to beat that time this year, in 110 days, when I do that half marathon again.

The TriZou Triathlon is a goal that I’ve abandoned, at least for this year. I can swim, at least to save myself, and I can run. But I am more interested in getting my strong back than in learning how to ride a bike on a busy street. Just not my thing. I will stick to the trails.

Here’s me at the finish line at the 2015 Boston’s Run to Remember. What a course! Can’t wait to see it again.

Yup. Clarity. And focus. I am *so* down with this picture. And I love the HellzYeah! goin on right behind me… Runners have fun. And we are damned determined. BOOM.