Well ladies and gents, I will be gone for a while since I happen to be the one going on vacation! Woo-hoo, I am ready for it! It sure is hard to work like a grown up, so I feel like I deserve some downtown. I'm heading off to Israel of all places for about 12 days.
I'm sure that some of you will be going on vacation this summer as well, and it begs the question, "what do I do with my training when I'm on vacation," doesn't it.
The answer is simple: have fun. Enjoy yourself. Do NOT stress out over whether or not you're following the training program! Vacation in general usually means more walking or some sort of activity. If you're going to the beach, you might be lying out more than usual, but you also might rent one of those cool boardwalk bikes or go for a long walk on the beach. Going to any city means that you will be able to walk around and see the sites on foot. Yes you will probably be eating/drinking more, and no walking is not the same as running. But I am a firm believer in the necessity of recharging your batteries.
So even if your vacation consists of 3 days where you don't leave your house and you eat junk on the couch for 72 straight hours - enjoy it. Don't feel guilty and don't beat yourself up. It's your time to relax and take some time for YOU and you deserve it!
Send me a postcard!
Monday, June 1, 2009
Friday, May 22, 2009
Bored? Try this
So, you tell me, you're bored. You're not into this whole "running" thing and it's just not doing it for you. It's like a boyfriend who only plays nintendo and gives you doritos for dinner when you want to be playing Wii and eating fro-yo.
That didn't make sense, but it was fun to write.
The best cure for boredom is something new, so get on out there and give it a shot. Running doesn't have to mean running the way I do it. It can mean that you find a track and do some sprints. It can mean that you decide to go catch butterflies in the park and spend some time chasing them like a lunatic. Running can be a run/walk experience.
You HAVE to add some new stuff in though.
Change your ipod playlist. Right now. Do it! Do it now!!! That will definitely help. If you want me to make you a cd, let me know. I have, as I've probably mentioned, notoriously bad taste in music. But I make a mean workout playlist, so send your requests my way.
Try bribing yourself. My freshman year roommate used to get on the treadmill and her mantra was "more food, more food, more food." Whether it's food, a massage, a shopping trip, a new haircut, or just TV time, setting goals and limits for yourself will help you.
Think of a mantra. Mine used to be "3 miles? 3 miles is nothing!" Now that I'm doing triathlon training, I need to find something new.
Keep a journal. Or a blog. Or mark your calendar on days that you run. Have a run log. Or, call me every time you run. Call me as you run. Set up some sort of system that requires accountability.
Go out and buy some new running gear. I know that sounds shallow but you will not be able to resist running if you have something new to wear that you're excited about. Go buy some delicious chocolate GU, because then you have to run more than 5 miles. Go to a running store and buy something fun for yourself. You're beautiful. You deserve it.
Get the Nike +. The startup kit is like $15. You don't need to buy the shoe. Just buy the kit, stick it in your ipod and go, go, GO! It will inspire you, I promise!
YOU CANNOT EAT THAT COOKIE UNTIL YOU RUN!
That didn't make sense, but it was fun to write.
The best cure for boredom is something new, so get on out there and give it a shot. Running doesn't have to mean running the way I do it. It can mean that you find a track and do some sprints. It can mean that you decide to go catch butterflies in the park and spend some time chasing them like a lunatic. Running can be a run/walk experience.
You HAVE to add some new stuff in though.
Change your ipod playlist. Right now. Do it! Do it now!!! That will definitely help. If you want me to make you a cd, let me know. I have, as I've probably mentioned, notoriously bad taste in music. But I make a mean workout playlist, so send your requests my way.
Try bribing yourself. My freshman year roommate used to get on the treadmill and her mantra was "more food, more food, more food." Whether it's food, a massage, a shopping trip, a new haircut, or just TV time, setting goals and limits for yourself will help you.
Think of a mantra. Mine used to be "3 miles? 3 miles is nothing!" Now that I'm doing triathlon training, I need to find something new.
Keep a journal. Or a blog. Or mark your calendar on days that you run. Have a run log. Or, call me every time you run. Call me as you run. Set up some sort of system that requires accountability.
Go out and buy some new running gear. I know that sounds shallow but you will not be able to resist running if you have something new to wear that you're excited about. Go buy some delicious chocolate GU, because then you have to run more than 5 miles. Go to a running store and buy something fun for yourself. You're beautiful. You deserve it.
Get the Nike +. The startup kit is like $15. You don't need to buy the shoe. Just buy the kit, stick it in your ipod and go, go, GO! It will inspire you, I promise!
YOU CANNOT EAT THAT COOKIE UNTIL YOU RUN!
Monday, May 18, 2009
Training Buddies
GustyGeise got me thinking about training buddies. It's good to have a friend who can motivate you and get you out there. I'm a seriously anti-social trainer, so what am I to do? I tend to scare friends when I train with them, or else we just end up giggling the whole time which isn't very productive.
So I went on the DC Tri Club site and found someone in my neighborhood and went swimming on Friday.
Waiting for a blind training date is worst than a regular blind date. Because on a blind date, as long as you're cute, they're generally happy for that one date. With a training date, you wonder if they will judge you for your skill or ability. Will they like me turns into will they respect me. My new friend told me that he would have a black training backpack and that is how I would recognize him.
Do you know how many men in DC have a black backpack?
Who would he be, I agonized. Will he be a crazy man who tries to drag me into a van, never to be seen again? Will he be a strong, crazy trained athlete who chuckles at my progress and then never trains with me again? Will this be someone I search out at events or run away from? I couldn't even guess.
As it turns out, he was a very nice, normal man who is slightly more intense than me in training and we had a good time. We didn't swim in the same lane even, just walked to the pool and back (he lives VERY close to me). Which was great, because otherwise I never would have made it to the pool.
So the moral of this story? It's good to go out and meet strangers for training. OH! That sounded bad. But all the networking we have access to in cities means that you can meet people in public places and they can be people at your ability level who will work with you to motivate you. You're even more likely to go if it's someone you don't know that well, because the fear of what they'll think if you punk out is greater than the fear of a workout. So go out there my little chickadees! Spread your wings and interact!
So I went on the DC Tri Club site and found someone in my neighborhood and went swimming on Friday.
Waiting for a blind training date is worst than a regular blind date. Because on a blind date, as long as you're cute, they're generally happy for that one date. With a training date, you wonder if they will judge you for your skill or ability. Will they like me turns into will they respect me. My new friend told me that he would have a black training backpack and that is how I would recognize him.
Do you know how many men in DC have a black backpack?
Who would he be, I agonized. Will he be a crazy man who tries to drag me into a van, never to be seen again? Will he be a strong, crazy trained athlete who chuckles at my progress and then never trains with me again? Will this be someone I search out at events or run away from? I couldn't even guess.
As it turns out, he was a very nice, normal man who is slightly more intense than me in training and we had a good time. We didn't swim in the same lane even, just walked to the pool and back (he lives VERY close to me). Which was great, because otherwise I never would have made it to the pool.
So the moral of this story? It's good to go out and meet strangers for training. OH! That sounded bad. But all the networking we have access to in cities means that you can meet people in public places and they can be people at your ability level who will work with you to motivate you. You're even more likely to go if it's someone you don't know that well, because the fear of what they'll think if you punk out is greater than the fear of a workout. So go out there my little chickadees! Spread your wings and interact!
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Guest Posting from GutsyGeise
I have decided to start doing guest posts to offer motivation and the chance to interact with each other. I highly encourage commenting on these guest posts - if you never comment on mine that's cool, but I'd like to start a dialogue.
And now...a message from GutsyGeise:
"So I have been on organized sports teams since I was 11, filling almost every season. So now that I am 23, have graduated from college and have joined the working world; how can I continue to stay motivated to work out with a coach, teammates etc? This is my current conundrum. I have to find a way to motivate myself. The first option that I am trying to make happen is to find a workout buddy. This is difficult because the only person that I see on a daily consistent basis is my roommate and we have very different schedules. She works out in the mornings and after 4 years of 5:30am wake ups, I don’t think I can make myself do it anymore. I live away from other potential buddies which puts a little bit of a hold on my buddy idea. My second option is to find a running group or something of the sort. This is a secondary option because given the choice of working out with a friend or a group of strangers, I’ll take the friend. Another option would be to sign up for races and workout events to keep myself focused and on target. This is lower on the list because currently I am signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon and it is doing nothing for my motivation. (Maybe I just need a little push to get me going)
That’s pretty much it for me as far as ideas for motivation. I’d love to get some feedback and other ideas that have worked. I’m still developing my routine and am far from perfecting it. Still trying to figure out how to make that transition from team to alone."
And now...a message from GutsyGeise:
"So I have been on organized sports teams since I was 11, filling almost every season. So now that I am 23, have graduated from college and have joined the working world; how can I continue to stay motivated to work out with a coach, teammates etc? This is my current conundrum. I have to find a way to motivate myself. The first option that I am trying to make happen is to find a workout buddy. This is difficult because the only person that I see on a daily consistent basis is my roommate and we have very different schedules. She works out in the mornings and after 4 years of 5:30am wake ups, I don’t think I can make myself do it anymore. I live away from other potential buddies which puts a little bit of a hold on my buddy idea. My second option is to find a running group or something of the sort. This is a secondary option because given the choice of working out with a friend or a group of strangers, I’ll take the friend. Another option would be to sign up for races and workout events to keep myself focused and on target. This is lower on the list because currently I am signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon and it is doing nothing for my motivation. (Maybe I just need a little push to get me going)
That’s pretty much it for me as far as ideas for motivation. I’d love to get some feedback and other ideas that have worked. I’m still developing my routine and am far from perfecting it. Still trying to figure out how to make that transition from team to alone."
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Running: a metaphor for life
“At this point marathon training is adding a huge stress on my schedule rather than a constructive challenge and I don't know what to do!”
So what happens when you realize that you’ve taken on a big task? 26 miles is no small feat for your feet. I’d like to be able to tell everyone that you can just take it easy and not worry about training. I don’t want anyone to be stressed out here, but a little bit of fire under the butt is never a bad thing. One of the most important lessons of a marathon is balance.
Balance in training is a big factor. You have to know when to push yourself and when to hold back. You have to learn when your body says no more and when your body just wants an ice cream cone. You have to make yourself get up and out of bed a little bit earlier in the morning to get in a run or a jog, because unless you do the training, your body will never learn and then it will hate you on race day.
The problem is, we view this is as 26 miles! Does it really help to look at it this way? Do I look at my life and say “I have 76 more years to go!” and then try to do that all at once? (wow if I have 76 more years, I will be OLD). No, you take life one year at a time, and suddenly you find that you’re 23. Or 26 someday. Running a marathon is like living. Just one mile at a time. every experience you can cram into your life is something that will help you in the next year. Every run you can cram in before a marathon, be it a great 5 mile run or a sucky 3 mile run/walk that you can’t even finish, will help you on race day. You gradually add it in, making it a part of your routine until suddenly one day, you feel funny when you missed your scheduled run. It requires putting it in your google calendar or telling me what time to call you and make you run. It requires packing a gym bag and meeting your coworkers for happy hour sweaty and in your workout clothes a little bit late.
It requires some work but it can really be a lot of fun…just like LIFE.
So what happens when you realize that you’ve taken on a big task? 26 miles is no small feat for your feet. I’d like to be able to tell everyone that you can just take it easy and not worry about training. I don’t want anyone to be stressed out here, but a little bit of fire under the butt is never a bad thing. One of the most important lessons of a marathon is balance.
Balance in training is a big factor. You have to know when to push yourself and when to hold back. You have to learn when your body says no more and when your body just wants an ice cream cone. You have to make yourself get up and out of bed a little bit earlier in the morning to get in a run or a jog, because unless you do the training, your body will never learn and then it will hate you on race day.
The problem is, we view this is as 26 miles! Does it really help to look at it this way? Do I look at my life and say “I have 76 more years to go!” and then try to do that all at once? (wow if I have 76 more years, I will be OLD). No, you take life one year at a time, and suddenly you find that you’re 23. Or 26 someday. Running a marathon is like living. Just one mile at a time. every experience you can cram into your life is something that will help you in the next year. Every run you can cram in before a marathon, be it a great 5 mile run or a sucky 3 mile run/walk that you can’t even finish, will help you on race day. You gradually add it in, making it a part of your routine until suddenly one day, you feel funny when you missed your scheduled run. It requires putting it in your google calendar or telling me what time to call you and make you run. It requires packing a gym bag and meeting your coworkers for happy hour sweaty and in your workout clothes a little bit late.
It requires some work but it can really be a lot of fun…just like LIFE.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
If you're tired and you know it....
This has been a long week. I don’t know why, I didn’t really do that much. Some swimming, some running. I planned on doing my abs and cycling class last night, but as 6’o’clock crept closer and closer, I found myself wondering if I could even keep my eyes open during these classes. So I did an unusual thing – I skipped.
I’m not working out today either, since I’m traveling to PA for Easter. In PA, I’m without sufficient gym/pool access (although I might be able to elbow my way in), so who knows what will happen. I don’t know why I haven’t been sleeping, or if I haven’t been sleeping, or if my sleep has just been uneasy. Guilt over gym skipping invaded my dreams last night and I nightmared that I was being arrested for being paid too much money ($12 an hour) in a Communist Iran and when I was actually in prison, the only thing we were allowed to do all day was work out, the only caveat being that the pool was too long and there were no beginner classes that I could join and all the other equipment was decrepit, falling apart, or already in use, so I just wandered aimlessly around the gym, trying not to be attacked by criminals.
BUT the main point of this post is that if you feel like you’re going to pass out from exhaustion, or if you just didn’t sleep the night before and you can’t handle it, don’t go to the gym. Don’t attempt a workout if you’re really out of it. Trust me, I’ve done it and the consequences are negative. Working out when you are already at the point of exhaustion will be a detriment to your training. If you need to do something, go for a walk after/before dinner or maybe do a Pilates workout video at home. Push yourself as you train for this marathon, but learn to listen to your body.
I’m not working out today either, since I’m traveling to PA for Easter. In PA, I’m without sufficient gym/pool access (although I might be able to elbow my way in), so who knows what will happen. I don’t know why I haven’t been sleeping, or if I haven’t been sleeping, or if my sleep has just been uneasy. Guilt over gym skipping invaded my dreams last night and I nightmared that I was being arrested for being paid too much money ($12 an hour) in a Communist Iran and when I was actually in prison, the only thing we were allowed to do all day was work out, the only caveat being that the pool was too long and there were no beginner classes that I could join and all the other equipment was decrepit, falling apart, or already in use, so I just wandered aimlessly around the gym, trying not to be attacked by criminals.
BUT the main point of this post is that if you feel like you’re going to pass out from exhaustion, or if you just didn’t sleep the night before and you can’t handle it, don’t go to the gym. Don’t attempt a workout if you’re really out of it. Trust me, I’ve done it and the consequences are negative. Working out when you are already at the point of exhaustion will be a detriment to your training. If you need to do something, go for a walk after/before dinner or maybe do a Pilates workout video at home. Push yourself as you train for this marathon, but learn to listen to your body.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Why don't you....
Try a 10k!
This looks like a good one: http://www.marinemarathon.com/weekend_events/10k.htm
I just might be doing it....don't you want to join me? Hey, hey?
Signing up for a race, even if you don't want to do it at the moment or think you can't, is a great way to motivate yourself. The last thing you want is to be unprepared, so by having a goal set, you are giving yourself a reason to get up and run. If you've never done a race before, don't worry! They are designed to be easy for both beginners and veterans.
Don't be put off by fees either - they allow you to have food and a new t-shirt and water during the race...not to mention a goodie bag!
OOPS...just realized that the 10k isn't until October! Which is after our race! Doesn't help much I guess...so why not aim higher and go for a half marathon in May: http://www.marinecorpshistorichalf.com/Home.htm? Even if you have to walk, it will be a great experience!
Basically what I'm saying is....find a race, sign up, and use it as a training tool!
This looks like a good one: http://www.marinemarathon.com/weekend_events/10k.htm
I just might be doing it....don't you want to join me? Hey, hey?
Signing up for a race, even if you don't want to do it at the moment or think you can't, is a great way to motivate yourself. The last thing you want is to be unprepared, so by having a goal set, you are giving yourself a reason to get up and run. If you've never done a race before, don't worry! They are designed to be easy for both beginners and veterans.
Don't be put off by fees either - they allow you to have food and a new t-shirt and water during the race...not to mention a goodie bag!
OOPS...just realized that the 10k isn't until October! Which is after our race! Doesn't help much I guess...so why not aim higher and go for a half marathon in May: http://www.marinecorpshistorichalf.com/Home.htm? Even if you have to walk, it will be a great experience!
Basically what I'm saying is....find a race, sign up, and use it as a training tool!
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