what is

Today has been one of   t h o s e  days. I've been fighting off some kind of cold or feeling some kind of allergy lately. Waking up with a sore throat, a nagging headache. Nothing awful, but enough to throw me off my game.

Throw in there a little dose of back to school stress.  See, a few years back I was feeling the stay at home mom guilt big-time. I had managed the auctions, helped out in the library. I was ready for a new challenge, so I conned convinced a friend of mine to co-lead our Art Literacy program.  Fast forward three years, and here I am, entrenched in a volunteer job that is rewarding at times, frustrating at others.  This morning was one of those frustrating times.

And let's not forget the darn weather. I don't know what is up with the weather patterns, but it has been muggy here in Oregon. And I'm not gonna lie - I am a humidity wimp. I hate it. I already sweat like a teenage dude holding a girl's hand for the first time when I run.  (Okay, it's a lot worse than that.) This morning felt like a sauna at 7 am, and I wasn't going to be free to run until at least 10.

So with this nice little storm of negatives, I did what came naturally - I cancelled today's run. And then I proceeded to fret about it. Second guess myself. Drum up every reason why missing today's run was going to lead to ultimate failure for every goal I've ever had in life. Ugh.

I don't know what you do when you start to feel this way, but I like to make goal lists.  Write down those things I'd like to accomplish in the next 6 months, just to make myself feel productive.  Three goals later, I stopped. Turned my pencil around. And erased them all.

And I wrote this.

"Live in the moment."

'Cause the moment was telling me not to run. The moment was telling me that there is more to life than running every day, eating perfectly and ticking off every to-do item on my list. The moment said to accept what is, and leave it at that.

And then I actually felt lighter.  It is okay to take an extra day off.  It is okay to eat that piece of pie for dessert, or to run easy when you have 250 - 400s at 5k pace listed on your workout sheet. It's okay to curl up on the couch with your kids and watch Spongebob or to spend the afternoon listening to the leaves rustle on the deck. The workout will be there. It always is.

We are Hedonists

Another awesome Nike ad:

We are basically hedonists.

That's what makes us human.

And we were made to want pretty simple things:

Food.

Water.

Shelter.

Warmth.

And pleasure.

We want what feels good.

We need the thrill that comes from being good at something.

The thrill of doing what we weren't sure

we could ever actually do.

Nobody wants the thrill more than a runner. The high, the scream,

the finish line that keeps going and going,

and going.

Because of course there isn't one.

Now a runner runs because she has faith.

Faith the road will carry her.

Faith her knees will last one more mile. And one more mile.

And she knows that running isn't food. And it isn't shelter.

And it isn't even, at the end of the day,

really all that warm.

But it is how she finds pleasure.

And on every road,

there it is again.

If it feels good then just do it.

my quest to get faster

I finally got honest with myself.

I want to run fast.  I want to run long too, but first, I need to go fast.  I've got unfinished business with the marathon, so I have made the decision to go for it, again.  I want to make my McMillan calculator legit - to achieve the performances at the marathon distance that it says I can achieve.  Mostly, I want to qualify for Boston. Let's be real - who doesn't, at least somewhere in that heart of theirs?

But how does a runner go about getting fast?  I know I can't just cross my fingers and hope it happens.  So I did the thing I am best at - I started researching.  Here's what I learned.

1. You have to go fast to get fast.
Doing all of your runs at an easy pace is not going to magically make you faster on race day.  Some of your workouts need to involve speed, in fartlek, interval or tempo style.  I just started using my Brain Training for Runners plan - yesterday I had to run 12 - 400s at 3k pace with 3 minute active recoveries in between.  My legs didn't know what hit 'em.  But that's the kind of crap that will make you faster.  I know this because I used to do track workouts, and I was faster back then!

Good reading to back up my point:

• Run Fitness Is In The Muscles
• Faster, Slower, Faster, Repeat 

2. Getting lean helps you get faster.
I've heard that you can run 2 seconds a mile faster for every pound you lose - up to a point, of course.  A relaxing summer of indulgence has left me with a few extra - I could stand to lose 10 or so.  20 seconds faster a mile - now that would be an impact.  I'm reigning in my eating now and keeping it healthy.  

Good reading to back up my point:

• Lose Weight To Run Fast
• What's Your Ideal Weight 

3. Be consistent.
I'm really good at starting out with a training plan, full of enthusiasm and raring to go.  But a few weeks in, I'll find myself looking at other plans longingly. Before I know it, I'm just winging my workouts and throwing in junk miles.  I quit doing the speedwork and the strength training, and then I'm just floundering.  I'll have a poor race performance as a result, and it becomes a big spiral.  My goal for this training session is to stick to the plan the whole way through...if I can do that, it will be my first time of following a plan through the end. And that will be an achievement.

Those are the three keys I'm focusing on for now. I'll let you know how it goes.

Do you have any good advice about how to get faster?

proprioceptive cues...what they are, and why they might help

Don't be alarmed by the fancy sounding name.  While "proprioceptive cue" may sound like some tortuous neurological concept, it's actually quite simple and helpful for improving one's running.  These cues are just metaphors for running technique - visuals for improving one's stride and becoming more efficient in forward motion. Nothing to be scared of.

The idea comes from Matt Fitzgerald's Braining Training for Runners book, a guide to harnessing that space between your ears to improve your performances.  I bought this book, along with several others, about a year ago when my brain was motivated to study every training plan under the sun.  (I never did implement any of the plans for more than a week or two.)  His basic concept is that our brain can be trained as well as our bodies to push harder longer, to run more efficiently and to show better performances.  He explains how many of our fatigue signals are our brain's safety mechanism, getting us to slow down before we really have to in an effort to make sure we don't hurt ourselves. As such, we can push back against some of those signals by training our brain that we won't die if we go just a bit faster a bit longer.  (We cannot ignore our brain entirely though - don't get too excited!)

After thumbing through this book over the past year, I've finally started to use his half marathon training plan.  One of the features of his plan is that each week you work on a proprioceptive cue during your runs.  Like I mentioned, these cues are metaphors.  This past week, I had to work on "floppy feet".  Here's what he has to say about this cue:

"The human foot contains twenty-seven bones and dozens of muscles and ligaments. This complex structure enables the foot to deform in an intricate wavelike pattern while it is in contact with the ground during running. Unfortunately, shoes greatly restrict this natural movement...You can get even more [movement] back by concentrating on running with relaxed, "floppy" feet while running. When practicing this cue, continue to strike the ground forcefully with your feet, but use the muscles of your upper leg to generate the force while keeping your foot relaxed..."

You might think that such a small change wouldn't be noticeable, but it was.  As I focused on running with relaxed feet, I realized how much tension I had been carrying in my lower legs. I have been having some pain in my calf below the knee, but there was none of that this week.  I've also been experiencing some pain in the bottom of my feet, and that eased up as well.  I did notice that I felt even better doing this while wearing my neutral Launches - the more structured Ravenna was harder to work with.  I didn't even wear my Adrenalines - I think I may move away from them permanently.  If you've been having some issues with your lower legs, you might want to try bringing awareness to how you're carrying your feet.  Try relaxing them and see if that changes the feel of your run and your foot strike.  You can always stop if it isn't working.

Now that I have started a new training week, I have a new cue to work on - the "butt squeeze"! I'll let you know how that one goes : )

the one in which i share my worst race photo ever

There you have it, folks. My worst race photo ever.  And I have some real doozies, but this one, this one takes the cake. But with my new, mad Photoshop skills, maybe I can start getting some good race photos with my face on Kara Goucher's body.

Thanks to Marcia (Running Off at the Mouth) and Laurie (The (Mis)Adventures of a Jogging Stroller Mom) for sending me down this path of self humilation : ) 

photoshop addiction

I just downloaded Photoshop Elements, and I have a confession to make - I am absolutely addicted to it. I'm making all kinds of stuff! Just what I need - something else to distract me from what I'm supposed to be doing...

But...I did have a little brainstorm during my run today. I love, love, love my blog readers, and I'm really enjoying getting to know the people who pop by here frequently through their blogs. One of my readers that I really enjoy is Andrew of Running Man Wannabe, who is going to be running his very first race of his life in just about a week.  I cannot tell you how excited I am for him. You never forget that first race.

While he may be nervous, I have a feeling that he's going to channel his inner Pre and love it!  I'm rooting for you Andrew : )

awesomeness

 Thank you Megan from Runner's Kitchen for sharing this Nike ad campaign:

You pretended the snooze button didn’t exist. You dragged your butt out of bed while others slept. While others ate their pancakes you had a feast of protein, glucose and electrolytes. You double-knotted. You left the porch light on and locked the door behind you.

You ran 5Ks, 10Ks, 26.2 miles. Some days more, some days less. You rewarded a long run with a short run. And a short run with a long run. Rain tried to slow you. Sun tried to microwave you. Snow made you feel like a warrior.

You cramped. You bonked. You paid no mind to comfort. On weekends. On holidays. You made excuses to keep going. Questioned yourself. Played mind games. Put your heart before your knees. Listened to your breathing. Sweat sunscreen into your eyes. Worked on your farmer’s tan.

You hit the wall. You went through it. You decided to be man about it. You decided to be woman about it. Finished what you started. Proved what you were made of. Just kept putting mile after mile on your interval odometer. For 25 years, you ran. And we ran with you. How much farther will we go? As far as you will.

my marathon shirt

This is my Portland marathon shirt.  Sure, it looks like a Run for the Roses Half Marathon finisher's shirt, and it is.  By marathon shirt, I mean this is the old, way too big shirt that I will wear marathon morning as I freeze my petootie off waiting for the start.  After a mile or two, when my body is finally warming up, I'll peel this puppy off and leave it on the street for the crowd of volunteers who will collect all of the old clothing lining the street for homeless shelters and other charities that can use these types of donations. 

For me, selecting a shirt for marathon morning is a considerate process.  You need a shirt that is large enough to keep you warm, old enough to not be useful, and not sentimental enough to make you sob as you drop it to the street when you need it no longer.  Finding a shirt that fits this criteria is getting harder; most of my shirts these days are made of technical fabric (not so warm), fit me (I finally figured out how to order the correct size) or represent a recent accomplishment that I still want to hold on to. 

My options are growing slim.  This won't be an easy shirt to part with - I won't lie.  It's not that I would wear it - it's way too big, has a hole in the front and is not exactly wicking fabric.  But it is my finisher's shirt from my first half marathon - and I can still remember the pain of that day like it was just yesterday.  That shirt represents the battle I had to complete the training with a 2 year old at home and 20 extra pounds on my frame.  It is every morning I woke up at 5, ran for an hour, showered, and crawled back in to bed to finish sleeping. It represents where I came from.

Sometimes, though, you just have to keep moving forward.  Dropping that shirt marathon morning will mean I'm moving farther along on my journey, towards new goals and new horizons. As bittersweet as that moment will be, I am excited to leave the past behind and run on to what the future holds.

Am I the only one who puts thought in to which shirt to leave behind marathon morning? How do you pick your "stay warm" clothing?

a tuesday song

I ran out of Endurance Planet podcasts that I haven't listened to during today's run, so I hit shuffle on my playlist and went with it.  About halfway through the run, I hit my favorite running song - the one this blog is named after. And as I cruised down the street, nailing my cadence, I thought, why haven't I posted that song on my blog yet? Duh!

So with no further ado, I give you my favorite running song (please note, there is some objectionable language, so if you have delicate ears in the vicinity, you may want to turn the volume down. It's not awful, but I didn't want to surprise anyone!)

the melting pot...in the comfort of home

About six months ago, we introduced our kids to the wonders of the Melting Pot.  They were enamored with the cook-your-own experience, marveling at the chocolate fondue and gushing over the melted cheeses that made up the appetizer.  We thoroughly enjoyed the experience, and in our enthusiasm, my husband gushed, "We should try this at home!"

We do, after all, have a fondue pot.  It gathers dust from year to year, coming out only for the occasional Halloween party.  But I did not pay much attention to the plans he made; like many good ideas, I figured it would go quietly away until the next time we found ourselves sharing the fondue pot at our local restaurant.

Wrong.  Yesterday he trotted the idea out to the kids, who were thrilled with the idea.  Dutifully I made my shopping list, figuring full well that this would be a disaster of epic proportions.  Surely there must be a reason for fondue restaurants - it couldn't be easy to pull off at home.

But you know what, I was wrong.  Our fondue experience this evening was fantastic, and I wanted to share it with you.  It was really very easy, and we are all so full now that it is all I can do just to move my fingers on the keyboard.  All you need is a fondue pot, or even a saucepan, a few key ingredients, and a little time to enjoy the meal together.

We started with a cheddar cheese fondue with french bread and apples to dip.

Cheddar Cheese Fondue
4 oz chicken broth (or you can use 4 oz beer)
1 tsp chopped garlic
cheddar cheese (I used a combination of sharp & mild chedder, about 6 oz of each)
pepper
mustard powder (to taste)
Worcestershire sauce

Heat broth and add garlic.  Slowly stir in cheese until melted.  Add pepper, mustard powder and Worcestershire sauce to taste.  Serve with french bread, apple slices, or anything else you like to dip in cheese.

After eating way too much cheese, we switched over to a chicken broth solution for cooking our vegetables and meat.  I'm a huge fan of the mushrooms.  We just used plain chicken broth heated to boiling to cook the meats and veggies, and then dipped them in some of our favorite sauces we already had in the fridge.

Shrimp - 1 1/2 minutes cook time
Beef - 2 minutes cook time
Chicken & veggies - 3 min cook time

At this point, we could hardly move, but we still had the dessert round.  You can't stop before the chocolate!

Chocolate Fondue
12 oz semisweet chocolate chips (or mix of dark & semi sweet chips to make 12 oz)
1 cup light cream
1 tsp vanilla
Heat cream & chocolate chips until melted.  Stir in vanilla.  Serve with strawberries, bananas, marshmallows, mango, graham crackers, cheesecake, chocolate chip cookie dough and any other piece of food in a 30 foot radius that might go with chocolate.  Of course, a smart family would just eat the chocolate round and forget the rest...

Needless to say, it was a good thing that I ran 12.5 miles today.  I probably need to run 12.5 miles tomorrow to burn off the rest of my dinner.  But it was a fantastic way to spend Sunday dinner together, and I recommend you give it a try if cooking in a pot is your thing!

a Friday daybook and a few notes

Training notes: Kids are back to school, which means I am hitting the roads again.  I should hit 40+ miles this week as I start ramping back up to the 50ish range. My body is feeling better now that I am putting more miles in. Seems a little backwards to me, but I will run with it. I have neglected the core challenge after such a strong start. Really need to get back to it. 

Am very excited to be working on the Portland Marathon / dailymile meetup with @gpsrunner. I've secured us some cool freebies from Brooks, am working on a place for us to have breakfast, and will be posting a flyer with the details soon. While it's a bit scary to have the responsibility on my shoulders, it is fabulous to know that I am doing something that will bring so many people together.

FOR TODAY

Outside my window...the darkness of 6 am lingers. The shorter days smell of fall.

I am thinking...about my priorities, and how not to let distractions get in the way.

I am thankful for...hot coffee, good friends and the smell of rain.

From the kitchen...the box of Gravenstein apples is reminding me I still have applesauce to make.

I am wearing...my pajamas.

I am creating...a mental to-do list. Which I will forget by 2 pm.

I am going...to run my favorite country roads this weekend.

I am reading...the best of creative nonfiction edited by Lee Gutkind. I wish I could write half as well as the writers he has collected.

I am hoping...that our school year goes as well as it has for the past two days. Hope springs eternal.

I am hearing...the sound of my family sleeping. Okay, they're pretty quiet. It won't last long.

Around the house...the signs of school have been thrown haphazardly.

One of my favorite things...is laughing until I cry.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Catching up with friends at the ice cream social, a nice long run & coffee and making that darn applesauce!

Here is picture for thought I am sharing...

A desert is a place without expectation. Nadine Gordimer 

inspired by the simple woman's daybook - you can join in the fun too.

Operation Jack 7 Hour Challenge

In my quest for new running adventures, I decided on a whim Saturday night to join up with the Operation Jack 7 Hour Challenge race in Tigard. The race was organized as a one mile loop around the lovely Summerlake Park, and it was intended for runners who wanted to put as many miles in for seven hours as possible. I only had a couple of hours to spare, and I was really only feeling up for about 12, so I planned to show up and run just a few in support of the fantastic cause. With my running group off to do the Wine Country Half Marathon, I was running solo, and I was in the mood to be with people.

So the cool thing about this race was that it was organized by some of the fabulous runners I've chatted with on Twitter and dailymile - @operationjack and @dorthybitestoto. Sarah from dailymile, who has been providing me with wonderful encouragement, was also planning to be there. A year ago, I would not have had the courage to go out to this little race on my own, but this has been a year of growth, and I thought I should push myself once again.

It was a wise choice. I met fabulous people, including @julierje, @LaylaBohm and @marathon_freak. Julie and I had such a great time running together, and we live close enough, that we will hopefully be able to meet up for long runs.

Sam on his way to 45 miles, 1 day after the Pocatello Marathon

The run itself was fairly ordinary - we went round and round a .95 mile loop over and over. I started out fresh and got more tired as the morning progressed, but I still managed 16 loops for a total of 15.2 miles, well over my 12 mile goal. I feel pretty darn good this morning. That's all fine and good, but that's not what made this run special.

What made the run amazing was the people that I met. I have been on Twitter and dailymile for over two years, but up until this summer, I hesitated to meet anyone. For so long, we've heard the dangers of online posting - how your identity will be snatched up, or your family stalked, or a hundred other horrible things. But so far, every person I have met in real life that I knew online first has been normal - well, as normal as compulsive runners can be! Because we have running in common, we have plenty to talk about. I have enjoyed every person I've met. I will continue to be open to the experiences that social media provides. I believe that there is an amazing power in this medium that brings us together. Sure, it leaves us a bit exposed, but in the end, I think the exposure is what allows us to make real connections.

Cascade Lakes Relay Race Video

Eating for Running

My summer of rest has been great for relaxation, but it hasn't been so good for my racing weight. Not only have I cut back on the miles, I have lost mindfulness of what I am eating. Bowl of chips - sure, send them my way! Leftover Oreos - yum, pass them over. And the beer - pass me a cold one. Or two.


But summer is over, folks, and it's time for me to not only get my training back under control, but my eating as well.  I won't be eating to lose weight - I think that the increase in weekly miles will take care of that provided I am eating right - but I will be eating to fuel myself properly.  Which means proper meals, lots of veggies and fruit, whole grains...and tons of dirty dishes!  Why is it that cooking healthy seems to require using every pan I own?


I am not a fantastic cook.  I don't know my parsnips from my turnips - and I don't know that I have tried either one. I thought I would start posting some of the recipes that I try in this ultrarunning journey because I know that I take a lot of inspiration from what I see in other runners' blogs. And you can be pretty darn sure that any recipe I post will not be very complicated. I also have wishful thinking that if I start taking photos of my food I can eventually become as talented as Eat Live Run or Sprouted Kitchen. (I know - I might qualify for marathon trials or Kona too! Ha!)


So here's what I had for dinner last night, courtesy of No Meat Athlete.

Hawaiian Beans & Rice

• 1 cup dry brown rice
• 1 can drained and rinsed beans, or 2 cups cooked (I used Kidney beans)
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1/2 red pepper, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 2 cups chopped red cabbage (about half a head)
• 2 cups fresh baby spinach
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 can sliced pineapple, juice reserved

Cook the brown rice in a rice steamer or follow the directions here.  Heat up the oil in a large pan over medium-high heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes.  Add the garlic and fry for an additional minute.  Stir in the beans and heat through. Stir the red cabbage, 1/2 cup pineapple juice, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce.. Cook for 5 minutes, until cabbage is cooked but still crunchy. Stir in spinach and cook for 2 more minutes, until slightly wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste.   Add rice to pan and heat for 1-2 minutes.

Meanwhile, spray a frying pan with nonstick cooking spray and heat on medium high. Lay pineapple rings in pan, and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Fry for 2 minutes per side, until nice and charred. Serve on top of beans and rice.

The original recipe calls for smoked paprika, which I did not have.  I also added a little teriyaki sauce, but I didn't have much.  I love beans & rice, and this was a nice variation on the theme.

I found a really cool way to collect recipes and other things I want to try.  It's called Springpad, and it allows you to add an extension that you click on when you find a recipe you want to save (super helpful when one pops up in Google Reader).  You can make lists and set up tasks, and then use an iPhone app so that you can see those lists and things when you are on the go.  I used it yesterday to set up my shopping list - and I was even able to check my recipe while I was at the store. You can save notes on books you want to read, restaurants to try - all that miscellaneous info that I tend to forget as soon as I hear it. I'm pretty excited about it, and better yet, it is all free.

Run happy!

Wordless Wednesday

The sun sets on the Portland to Coast relay.