The Hook

What keeps you coming back? 

Why do you wake up in the morning, put on your shoes, and take a deep breath?

What hooks us in and keeps us going?

 

Oh the questions an addict asks themselves.

As 2010 hears the gun lap and 2011 slips on freshly tightened spikes, I think it is time to get perspective on the mechanisms of a runner!

My answer: Irony...

Its the irony of the whole sport that keeps me going. I want to run faster in order to get done just that little bit quicker. But in order for me to do that, the run will have to hurt more. Get done quicker, but hurt more. Run slower, hurt less (in most cases). Irony. 

There are small areas of irony. Take the weeks where you know you did not eat right, sleep right, or think right for a race and, yet, it produced one of your best races. Sure, it was the months of work that you put in before that helped you get through a tough week, but, really? You can put in the same amount of work and sleep right, eat right, and prepare yourself mentally and just not have it that day. Irony.

Or there can be rather large sections of irony. As in LARGE. They are big enough to be state-altering. I am still trying to let go of the biggest irony of my career. My feet were full of irony in my last two collegiate races. About 100m from the finish of my last 1500m race I ran out of whatever gas my legs needed and I face-planted a few feet from the finish line. I went from 2nd to 9th place.

A whole lot of runmotions being displayed here. Ironic?

I see this moment in my head a lot on my runs. To me, its motivating and depressing. Honestly. The irony is there. But the larger state-altering irony lies in what happened after I crossed the finish line. An hour and a half later I had to step on the line for the final race of my collegiate career, which I had only run three times before, the 5k. I could hardly get myself across the line for 3 and 3/4ths of a lap, but 12 and a half laps later I was standing on a podium getting my All-American trophy. Not only were my legs tired before I even got on the line for that race, my confidence was half way broken, and my head was telling me I would not even finish the race but it was Nationals! Nationals! Nationals means "A Game" and nothing less. 

It is the irony that has made me cry. It is the irony that has made me thankful. It is the irony that has made me laugh, trip, sense, hope, and enjoy it all. And it is the irony that is keeping me going.

It took a while for me to appreciate that irony is here. And it is what gets me up in the morning. It is my new answer for when people beg the question, "Why do you run?'

IRONY.

The best part about running is it never gets boring. Thanks to irony. Thanks to emotions. Thanks to all the sweat we pour and all the heart we give.

Give irony a whirl. See what it can do.

At least your runs will never be the same if you mix a smile, irony, and sweat :)

“Irony is a disciplinarian feared only by those who do not know it, but cherished by those who do”

-Soren Kierkegaard

Free Running Advice-Terms and Conditions May Apply*

*Not applicable for anything more than motivation
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*Terms and conditions may vary depending on weather, personality, history, previous injuries, and location.
*Please see your actual running shoes for full terms and conditions

During the holiday season it can be easy to become numb to the fine print that we see in the things we do every day. The hardest thing to do is keep the fine print out of your runs. Each time the idea of going on a run has popped into my head the past week, I feel like I have a guy following me around talking really fast in order to get all of the "fine print" in before I can lace up my shoes. This morning was no different and it included a behemoth list of fine print. The little annoying speedy voice in my head was saying, "Runs should not take place with in 2 days of driving across country, runs are not valid unless four miles long, runs can not take place less than an hour before work, runs are restricted to areas that are 60 degrees or warmer at 6 am, running at night after work is impossible and should not be attempted, and finally, making someone responsible of getting your run started and out the door is not normal and means you should seek help immediately..." Whew. Really makes my feet want to lace up and pound some pavement. Even though most of the time I can feel my legs actually get itchy if I do not run, my mind usually gets a few words in of why I shouldn't or how hard it will be. Fine Print. 

The good news is that running originated with out fine print. And it is possible to get rid of the asterisks and just enjoy the opportunities that running gives you. The first step is to make the fine print positive. Instead of approaching a large hill on your run and letting the fine print read, "hills should not be applied to any regular run, any and all side effects typically result in pain, and getting to the top is not guaranteed and only available while supplies last," you should allow things like "Hills are an opportunity to catch someone or something, hills can be applied to all runs to make flat parts seem easy, my supplies will always last until the top of the hill and beyond". But that is the easy part as you are already out on your run and you just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other. To really keep working on getting rid of the fine print you can try to zombie yourself out of the type. Set your alarm for sometime that recalls the phrase "O'dark thirty" and just put on your shoes. Don't even wait to pee. That you can do on the run. Just get out the door before your mind wakes up and has time to say anything.

But my favorite way, by far, is just to get rid of it. Quit the print. I know, after many years of running, the good things it has brought me. My shoes feel good on my feet. Legs feel great in strides. And my head gets a break. Those endorphins are some smooth pieces of work. Just thinking about some of my favorite runs, usually the simplest, is enough to make my feet twitch in my sleep (and my shoes!). I know how good it is to just know. Yes, some runs are really very difficult. But those days where running feels endless and wonderful make getting up completely worth it. Just remember. Just know.

The beauty in this is you can make a run a difficult choice. Or, it doesn't even have to be a choice. Just a simple part of your day. Moving one foot out the door doesn't require the word vomit we can produce to tell our selves why we shouldn't, and, typically, where one foot goes, the other will follow.    

Quit the Print. As always, try to get a smile in your runs*

*not a safe idea if your teeth are sensitive to cold and live in the mid-west currently

*do not attempt if in a swamp or other bug infested area

*side effects may include future runs, more smiles, and slight increase in muscular tissue of the facial muscles

*please do not examine your mid run "pit stop" to see if there are any smiles included

Runmotions

Runmotions. Runmotions. Runmotions. Runmotions. Runmotions. Runmotions. Runmotions.

My version of running emotions.

And it is what you get when you do a run based off of any emotion. Happiness puts a spring into your step during a run. Anger can bring a form of power to a run. Envy can bring major distractions. Love can make your legs feel like the will be in step with the beating of your heart for the longest run you can imagine. 

To me, any emotion I can feel is potential energy for a run. Thus, it becomes a Runmotion. Figuring out a way to harness these emotions is tricky, but it can also bring you to a new level. After putting so much energy into your training, stretching, logging, and preparation it is important to make sure that your emotions are working for you too. One way I have found is to practice using an emotion while I run. I think about it. Focus on it. Realize why it matters that I can feel that one emotion right then. I tend to let the Runmotion follow its course in the beginning. I pay attention to what I am feeling and how my body responds to that emotion during the run. But then I try to alter the course the emotion wants to take. It tends to be extremely easy to run while I am angry, but it has taken me a while to learn how to run angry for more than 5 minutes. Anger is explosive, powerful, and a potentially renewable resource for a runner. No, I do not do my runs thinking about how I want to punch a wall or the girl next to me. But I do know how to take the emotion of anger, when I feel it, and turn it into a type of energy for a run. Stupid? Maybe, but I have gotten through long summer runs, tough repeat work outs, and many important races using emotions. 

The key is control. But not the kind of control where you keep things in check. You practice letting the emotions run their course and seeing where each one can have an advantage for you. Joy is an emotion I like to use before a race. It keeps things light and focused. It also reminds me of why I am at a certain race, why I am thankful to be there. I go through a bit of anger right before the gun goes off, mainly to help rev-up the system. Find out which emotions help you the best through tough spots. Disappointment, fear, frustration, desire, and hope are great examples of what I have used. You just have to be willing to mentally engage yourself. Find out what are motivating emotions and which ones tend to throw you off. Finding the switches and the power plugs can be the difference between surviving a race and totally bonking. Or doing something special on a day that would have just been good.

Exhibit A-Which runmotions are being shown here?

 

 

No emotion will make up for lack of hard work. While it is a great way to start motivating yourself, it is not a replacement for your mile repeats, core routine, long runs, or ice baths. It is just one more way to take care of your training and know yourself that little bit more. 

If you have no clue what I am talking about, try smiling in the middle of your next long run or hard work out. I want a big cheesy grin. Hell, throw in a laugh and tell me your next 5 steps don't feel a tad bit easier. Be in that moment with that emotion and go. Feed off what you already have inside.

*Not a single word here is scientific! But maybe I will have proof one day! :)

“The emotions aren't always immediately subject to reason, but they are always immediately subject to action”

-William James

     “There can be no knowledge without emotion. We may be aware of a truth, yet until we have felt its force, it is not ours. To the cognition of the brain must be added the experience of the soul.” 

-Arnold Bennett 

Always be aware of your surroundings

So I was in for a treat this week and I had no idea! I was able to attend the USTFCCCA Convention this year. This not only included a chance to go see the different symposiums and talks the conference had but a chance to see The Bowerman presentation live!

My first day there I sat in on a talk about strength training for middle distance runners given by Vern Gambetta. We sat in the very front row! I felt so nerdy and excited, almost like I was back in school again, with my note pad and pen. I was just so happy to be learning and I tried to soak everything up. Then Derick and I got some lunch and geared up for some more people meeting and more soaking... The next talk I went to was by Marcus O'Sullivan (from Villanova). He gave a great opening talk on what it means to prepare for training. What I loved about O'Sullivan's talk was that even though his goal was to talk about specific training for middle distance runners, he made it relative to just preparing for any kind of running. The base work is necessary to be successful and to get you to that next level. 

And the fun was just beginning. Even though I had to work the next couple days, I got to go to the events at night. First up was the Mondo BBQ! As Derick and I walked around trying to find Coach Stoffregen and Coach Eby through all the tables we just happened to walk by Jennifer Barringer (now Simpson)! She was sitting at a table with Ryan from Flotrack and that wasn't the end of it! Lisa Koll then sat down right behind our table to talk to some of the coaches. Of course Andrew Wheating could be seen across the lawn and we even got to see him up close when he and his mom walked through where we were standing inside. I couldn't believe it! But in all three cases I had been to nervous to walk up and introduce myself. They were such big figures to me I couldn't even imagine talking to them. 

The next night it was time for The Bowerman. USTFCCCA is calling it "the Heisman" for track and field. There were 6 nominees, split 3 of the best collegiate women and men. And of course, I was totally blown away. But not by who I thought. Derick introduced me to Coach Smith. As in Francie Larrieu-Smith. I may not have been getting an award that night but I had the best seat in the house, right next to Francie. It was amazing to get to talk to her and ask her about running. I had a blast! She reminded me to look at who I was in the room with. The people I had been so nervous to talk to were sitting in the same room as I was. Never in a million years did I think I would see Jenny Barringer unless I was in the stands watching her at a track meet. But, there I was only a few tables over. Basically, it hit me that its not that far away. "It" being standing on a track right next to these athletes. All it takes is hard work. Well, a lot of hard work. I'm still being realistic, but man it was cool this week. And, it showed me what was out there. 

I think my second favorite part was getting to see some of the other Division III coaches there. It brought me a small connection to a few of the runners I knew when I was in college. The talk with Francie helped me realize that I was surrounded by some of the best people while I was in DIII. Take Randelle Boots of Wellesley College, for example. If you don't know her name yet you will very soon! She is not only an incredible runner but also quite the incredible person. I thought it was a privilege to run with her last year and I can not wait to see how she does this year. I think DIII and beyond will get to know her very well in the next couple years. Also got to meet a few people who knew Liz Lawton. Another incredible runner who I was lucky enough to meet! And, Jenny Scherer, who is total proof that hard work pays off. My entire collegiate career I was surrounded by people like this who were inspiring athletes. I can't forget my own teammates either. Now, in San Antonio, I have gotten to meet the people who help me here. And I am so thankful.

This week was incredible. I learned to always be aware of my surroundings.

Some of the Fun

So Life Post College Has Begun.

Reality hit the most when I realized I went an entire cross country season with out racing! SO my fiance, Derick, and I decided to do the Turkey Trot in MacCallister Park. We loved it! Our smartest move that day, though, had nothing to do with our racing strategy. It was to not park our car in the park! Instead we headed to Blossom Stadium and parked there and just warmed up with the jog down to the park. Made getting out of the place much simpler- all we had to do was run in-between all the traffic!

Right before we headed out to warm up!

This race was an eye-opener because it reminded me of my weaknesses. Instead of being a 5k it was a 4 mile race. Not my favorite. But it ended up being a perfect way to start the day of non-stop eating! I was thankful for the opportunity to race again. And very thankful for the negative splits during the race too!

Basically the day re-reminded me how important stretching, core strength, and ice baths are to how well I perform. It is one thing to run consistently but it is an entirely different thing to actually train. I love to run, but to keep doing exactly that I have a few other things I need to include on my "To Do" list for the day. My finicky IT Band means I need lots of core to keep it happy. I can barely run down any kind of hill with out that strength. Stretching is part of the routine that keeps me from being so stiff every time I run. It also keeps my ITB satisfied. Ice Baths used to be the very core of what I hated in life, but, after 4 years of soaking, I am completely dependent on them. Any back problems that I have had from my ITB were kept under control with my everyday ice baths. To me, those are a must have for keeping down those everyday aches and pains that usually come from increasing your mileage and training hard.

For some inspiration I decided to read about an article with Lisa Koll (interview here) where she talks about how her post collegiate life is going and I realized it is a long uphill battle to be any where near the runner she is. After graduating she gets to purely focus on her running. Jealous. While I am so grateful for the chance to get to focus on running all day, there are only a few hours in the day where I get to focus on my running. I think I sometimes focus on running my dog more than my own... oh well. The key here is that I can see what she does all day and try to take the little bits and pieces I need and have time for to keep my running boat floating. The funny thing is, I am not really to worried about not having enough time. It is sort of like being a Division III athlete in a Division I race. Its fun to be an unknown and still set your own PR's and just try to place as high as you can in the race. You face different things as a DIII athlete and I think it helped make those big races I got to go to even more special.

Plus, running is never a lonely sport. You can have a fiance, a dog, friends, some birdsong, or anything else out there with you. And anyone with someone in front of them in a race can become a predator. One searching to pass the next person or catch that higher place.

"But solitude is only a human presumption... Every choice is a world made new for the chosen. All secrets are witnessed"   
-Barbara Kingsolver "Prodigal Summer"

Join the Journey

Welcome to Mile 12. 

Its about the journey of a pair of feet. Just the one pair of soles that I have underneath me. They don't have wings and they are not bullet proof, but they can do amazing things. I have seen them eat hills for breakfast. I have witnessed the strength they have which I do not really possess in any other part of me. They have saved me from falling and they have helped me crash and burn. I say they have a mind of their own, and I believe it is true. This journey they are on is one of improvement and drive. 

I could post that I want to run in the Olympics or get paid to grace the manicured grass of a cross country race with these feet. But in truth, my running has always been about improving. My feet have always wanted to go just that little bit faster. Dig in that little bit more. Stride that small bit farther. College is an amazing time where you can see that anything is possible and that dreams are always closer than they appear. But my feet and my heart know reality well. So this is not an epic journey, or a tale of drama. If there ever is another championship race or deciding moment in my future I will be grateful for the opportunity and thankful for the chance to be a part of something I love so much.  Simply, purely, Mile 12 is a sort of representation of those dreams we all have. Those goals we want to reach in the backs of our minds. 

I rarely run as far as 12 miles. My feet definitely get cranky after about mile 6 or so. I doubt I could even do 12 full push ups. But there is something lovely about the number. Whether I will be watching or trying to compete, the USA Olympic Trials and the actual Olympics are in 2012. Some of my favorite long runs in Nature Park at DePauw were about 12 miles. I recently obtained a sign from a race that established runners had hit the mile 12 marker. (It was exciting to think the runners only had 1.1 miles to go after that point!) In truth, mile 12 is a place that I really have to work to get to and I feel like I bleed accomplishment when I do. Saying "get to mile 12" in my head is a small way of reminding myself of the place I like to be when I feel good on a run. To get there, to that distant mile 12 marker, you have to be working, efficient, and elevated all at once. But my favorite part is that each step you take means that you are deciding the effect. The result. The big picture. The moment. All with one footfall. No one is too far behind in running. Especially not my kind of running. And you don't have to run forever to find your Mile 12... 

Improving is something everyone can accomplish

"Every few minutes, responding to some silent signal of alarm, they would leap into the air, wings flashing white, then twist and circle to earth again..."

-scott weidensaul