When you feel like an old washing machine.
Posted: May 24, 2013 Filed under: running, life | Tags: running, exercise, road racing, dedication, marathon, training, motivation, music, athletes, sports, encouragement, life Leave a comment »
When it comes to running, there are days when you simply don’t have it. Something isn’t working. You’re out of breath and your body isn’t responding. You don’t plan it. It just happens. And unfortunately, it happens when you least expect it.
It’s a strange phenomenon that really can’t be explained so it comes down to this. In running and in life…
Somedays you have it and somedays you don’t.
During a training run this week, I experienced one of those “You don’t have it.” days. I felt like an old washing machine that was missing a foot. The kind of washing machine that rattles and shimmies and makes all kinds of noises. I was the washing machine that wobbles around during the wash cycle and bangs against the back wall during the spin cycle. I was the washing machine that everyone hates.
A mile in and I was out of breath. My feet weren’t hitting the ground right and my legs where out of sync. I felt like my arms were flailing and flopping in the wind. My head was down and my rhythm was off. I was an old washing machine running down the trail. Clumsy, loud and off balance. I was the runner that I hate.
So what do you do when this catastrophe happens? How do you realign and get out of this funk?
Here are three simple things that will help:
* Find a beat – If you listen to music while you run, hone in on the beat. Feel the rhythm and focus on the drum beat or the bass line. Let your feet land in time with music.
* Find your inner metronome – If you don’t have music, imagine a metronome. Listen to the tick. Watch the needle move back and forth in your mind. In short, trick yourself and create your own beat.
* Disassociate – When your running is out of sync, think about anything else but running. Think about your favorite vacation spot. Think about your favorite person. Think about you favorite experience. Your body has an amazing ability to remember things. Your muscles have memories. Don’t think about running. Your body knows how. Let it do it.
Do you have off days? How do you get past them?
Five things I learned this week. 5.12.13
Posted: May 12, 2013 Filed under: What I learned this week | Tags: athletes, exercise, friends, life, mothers, running, sports, writing Leave a comment »Here are five things that I learned or was reminded of this week:
1. There comes a point when you start feeling your age.
2. It’s fun to race but its more fun to race with friends.
3. I often get sore in muscles that I never knew I had. (refer to #1)
4. The words in my head are often difficult to transfer to paper.
5. I’m thankful for my mom and all the women who have been like a mom to me.
What did you learn this week?
Things I think about while running. (April edition)
Posted: May 10, 2013 Filed under: running | Tags: athletes, detours, exercise, fear, motivation, road racing, running, seasons, sour cream, spring, squirrels, tacos Leave a comment »
(Photo credit: @Doug88888)
I often have deep and random thoughts while I run. Here are a few things that went through my head while I ran in April:
1. How much pollen do plants hold?
2. Everything is so green.
3. I need more plants in my yard.
4. There is no way to sneeze gracefully while running.
5. My trail is blocked.
6. I hate detours.
7. That guy in the hard hat looks mean.
8. I love new running routes.
9. Ohh. Taco Bell.
10. Yum. Sour cream.
11. That squirrel is going to move out of my way.
12. That squirrel is NOT going to move out of my way.
13. OH GOD! IT’S ON MY LEG!!
14. There is no way to gracefully shake a squirrel off of you while running.
15. Do squirrels like tacos?
What do you thing about while running?
Boston and grandkids.
Posted: April 26, 2013 Filed under: life, running | Tags: Boston, Boston Marathon, christian, dedication, fear, God, grace, learning, life, marathon, running, United States Leave a comment »
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I’m not looking forward to the day when I have to sit my grandkids down and explain to them the bad things that happened last week.
It will be hard to tell them that we used to live in a world where we hurt and killed each other because of anger or protest or because our religion dictated it.
It will be hard to tell them that the sport of running lost it’s innocence on a special day in Boston. A day when people gathered together to celebrate hard work and dedication. A day when we watched men and women demonstrate the triumph of the human spirit.
After I admit to them that I don’t know why people did that or what that sort of act accomplishes, I’ll share with them the beauty of how we responded as Americans, runners, Christians and as a community.
I’ll tell them that there were heroes who rushed people to safety and assisted the wounded and consoled the frightened and confused. There were runners who kept running to hospitals to give blood and how local Bostonians opened up their homes to those who were displaced.
I’ll tell them that there were millions who prayed for healing and safety and justice. And even though we didn’t understand why God allowed these things to happen, we believed none the less.
I’ll tell them how our nation gathered around Boston. How rivals became allies and how we became a single community. I’ll explain to them how we were glued to news outlets all week as authorities hunted the ones who did this and how we and Boston and the nation celebrated when it was all over.
I’ll be proud to tell them that attacks like these never stopped us. We may have been afraid but we didn’t let fear cripple us. We may bend and bleed but you can’t break the spirits of Americans, runners and Christians.
Finally, I’ll tell them that nobody is perfect. People do bad things. We do bad things. And neither us nor them are never to far gone to receive grace and mercy.
Five things I learned this week. 4.14.13
Posted: April 14, 2013 Filed under: What I learned this week | Tags: athletes, christian, christianity, God, golf, grace, jet lag, pollen, running, seasons, spring, travel, weather Leave a comment »Here are five things that I learned or was reminded of this week:
1. Jet lag is real.
2. Pollen is ridiculous.
3. Running + golf = speed golf.
4. I wish I had 1/10 of the golf skills that the pros have.
5. You are never to far gone to receive God’s grace.
What did you learn this week?
Things I think about while running. (March edition)
Posted: April 12, 2013 Filed under: running | Tags: athletes, exercise, learning, marathon, road racing, running, sports, training, weather 6 Comments »
(Photo credit: Wikipedia)
I often have deep thoughts while running. Here are a few that I had while running in March:
1. I should have wore sun screen.
2. The clouds are beautiful.
3. How fast do clouds move?
4. Where is that plane heading?
5. Could I leave a vapor trail on a humid day?
6. The skin on my head is burning.
7. My legs are burning.
8. How much do these shoes weigh?
9. Bricks.
10. This wind is ferocious.
11. I’m not very aerodynamic.
12. Hopefully the wind will be at my back soon.
13. Maybe it will be easier if I spread my arms out.
14. I might take flight.
15. Where was that plane heading?
What do you think about while running?
You know you’re a runner when…
Posted: March 29, 2013 Filed under: running | Tags: athletes, church, dedication, exercise, marathon, motivation, road racing, running, shoes, sports, training 1 Comment »
The number one question I get about running is this:
“How do I make this pain in my legs go away?”
Part one of my answer is that I am not a doctor and if the pain is serious and persistent, you should see a doctor.
Part two of my answer is that if your a runner, pain comes with the territory. When your legs hurt in the morning, when you are sore in at least one part of your body on a daily basis, when you accept the pain as part of the package… then you know you’re a runner.
Along with being sore a lot, there are other dead give aways that identify you as a runner.
You know you’re a runner when:
- You find yourself stretching subconsciously in random places like a grocery store, at work, during a face to face conversation or at church.
- You bring up tempo runs in two out of three conversations.
- You think sweat is a fragrance.
- You don’t feel silly saying “fartlek“.
- People gasp when you tell them you went for a short and easy 10 miler.
- You run in your dreams.
- You put in extensive research before buying shoes.
- 90% of your clothing includes sweat wicking technology.
- If you’re not gasping for air at the end of a workout, you think it’s a failure.
- You own three or more water belts.
- You love the taste of Gel’s. (blech!)
- You have one or more playlists on your ipod titled “RUNNING”.
- You put bandaids in strategic places.
- You’re chafed… somewhere.
- No one wants to run with you on long run days.
- You’re a human garbage disposal.
- You have killer calves.
- You feel like you can conquer the world after a good run.
- You wish they sold endorphins over the counter.
- You feel alive!
And the list goes on and on.
What are some other things that identify you as a runner?
