The Secure Runner-The Secure Woman

A tough woman I know...

a strong runner,

a resilient mom,

an intelligent scientist,

a loyal running team mate and a forever friend ran another 50k yesterday and

she ran it VERY fast.

It was one of those weeks when you start texting your runner friend just to make sure she's got some solidly positive thoughts in her head.  Just a little front- loading with some sparkly, heart-felt words of encouragement and lots of "go get 'ems."  As the week progressed, a few days of silence spoke volumes so BS(husband runner)and I held back and just waited...sending positive vibes out into the 90 degree atmosphere.  Seriously?  Would 400 ultra runners be tackling RAPTOR RIDGE at the end of October in ninety degree weather?  It wouldn't be that out of the ordinary around here but I was PRAYING that wouldn't be the case.  Perhaps THAT was the fear and the reason for the silence during the week.

But what about that silence?  Confidence or fear? 

It occured to me POST spectating, POST run,  that my friend reminds me of another friend of ours,   Tough as Nails .  She has NEVER has been the type to chit chat aimlessly about her running.  Nor has she ever been the type to elicit virtual hugs nor too many flower-filled recitations on her abilities as a runner.  The whole time I've known TAN(tough as nails-duh),  she's never needed those types of pats on the back.  She's a survivor.  Not a stone pillar,  yet, someone who has lived.  She has succeeded at what she has done in her life and s.t.e.a.d.y enough to claim it without having to check herself in the mirror; be it a rearview mirror or the one she uses to brush her teeth.  You could say that she has lived her life running without a Garmin.  Without a measure of her pace, her successes.  She runs by feel and has found her own pleasure and GOLD BELT BUCKLE(because TAN really did run Western States and won!) in her accepting her own abilities on ANY GIVEN DAY.  

That's what Little Tough Friend did as well.  She told us she'd either run close to 5 hours or up to 7 hours, depending on the hills and the weather.  She STUCK TO HER GUNS and accepted herself and her running that day and wound up with a SUPER FAST TIME!

I love that self-acceptance in women.  So inspiring.  

Stay strong my friends,

meg

Chicago and the Pain Monster

Chicago was just gorgeous!

Cali Friends,  the leaves really do change colors at this time of the year in other parts of the United States.  It's true!!!

I'm calling it a Mini-New York Marathon.  It had all the sights, smells and feelings of running in the city...minus the wild and crazy traffic problems/issues in getting to the start.  There were still the crowds that lined every inch of the course, sometimes seven people thick.  There were the smells of coffee--and then blocks later--chocolate---and on and off,  a sewer smell---topped off with a whiff of tacos and then again, the chocolate.  This was  a SMELLY race.  Chilly and smelly but spectacular.

My reviews on my performance, my execution? My big event?  Three thumbs up, one thumb down.  Okay, maybe all thumbs up.  I didn't exactly make my goal time of 3:20 but I was able to pull myself through some tough moments during the race.  I think back to my earlier race/marathon days and remember some "very dark" moments when I would feel a faint moment of panic over my pace, my poop issues, my stomach stuff and immediately let my peanut brain go MANIC.  Shut down.  Negative.  BUT THAT WAS ME IN THE PAST...I've really kind of done my own
Marathon Mental Makeover and it has been pretty successful during all of  my last races, both marathons and shorter stuff.

It essentially involves me putting my all into training so I have the confidence in my abilities.  Next,  I spend some time before my race visualizing PAIN and FATIGUE hitting and actually rehearsing what I'll say to myself and how I'll react.  HOW I'll react is everything.  I practice embracing the PAIN of the race, recognizing it and then visualizing myself moving through it and getting on with the race.  Lest you think this is MUMBO JUMBO,  just know that I actually emailed a sports psychologist who works with runners and he actually made me a very COOL cd that addresses some of the freaky things that crop up when I race.  Like fear of pain.  Like the potty issues.  Things that might impede me doing my very best when I go out to have fun at a marathon.  

So to make a long story short, very short...I went out too fast at this marathon,  didn't drink enough of my liquid nutrition(Carbo-pro) and ended up dropping off my pace after mile 20 or so.  The happy ending of the Chicago Story is that I kept my *happy*head in the game the whole time.  I never thought about stopping, about anything that was holding me back nor did I worry about my pace.  At the time,  I focused on each step I took as it hit the ground.  I thought about the many things that I could do to make the race better:

smiling
shaking out my arms
giving high five to kids
looking around
giving a high five to an inflatable monkey
counting frog umbrellas
reading a sign or two
drinking water
drinking gatorade

And during the last few miles,  I didn't think about anything!  I let myself absorb the pain in my foot, the burn in my quads and I just focused on pain.  I hugged it.  I was proud of myself for staring right into it's face and growling back.  Then, BOOM, the race was over.

Sometimes overcoming is even better than victory.  I was reaching for a goal that was definitely within my reach but for whatever reason, it wasn't  handed to me.  I had to fight for this one and the satisfaction and accomplishment was well worth the pain.

Chicago gave me some mental strength that I didn't know I possessed.  At the finish line,  hundreds of teenagers from the city came out as volunteers to pass out water, the medals, and bananas.  One young girl grabbed my wrist as I took a water  bottle and in my post-pain stupor, she  looked into my eyes...a little too deeply for the moment(if you ask me)and said,  "You are incredible.  Be so proud of what you just accomplished."  When a 16 year old girl says that to grandma like me,  you listen.  Thanks amazing volunteers.

CHICAGO Bound...

As I finished my last tempo/long run on Sunday,  I was overcome with emotion.  This would be the FIRST TIME...ever...to have finished my marathon training INJURY FREE.  I walked in circles in the Roberto's parking lot and more than a few road bikers glanced my way.  Why is she crying?  Stomach trouble?  It was just ONE OF THOSE MOMENTS of gratitude and I wanted to FEEL it and let  it seep into my core.  Pure appreciate of my body, mind and spirit. We had done it!

Everyone always tells me that AGE IS JUST A NUMBER.  The younger people tell me this and I nod my head but I KNOW what it's like to feel my body change.  It's NOT ALL bad, in fact,  aging is what I've done well.  Especially when it comes to running.

Some sage and sane advice to the 45 year old PLUS runner:

*Drink a lot of water.  All day.
*Eat right after a run.
*Ice baths are cold but necessary.
*Take a LONG time to build up your mileage, your strength, your speed(for some this might be years).
*Even if something is just starting up as a little, tiny niggle, listen to it.  Be conservative.
*Be tough.  The best is yet to come.

SwamiiBoy(formerly known as BS)and I are headed to Chicago this week!  Swamii has had many roles in my marathon training.  Due to his knee surgery last spring, he continues to run low mileage(talk about patience)and bike.  We spent many an early morning and sunset running/biking in Carlsbad and down to La Jolla as he called out crazy split times and minutes to me.  I would zone out in a groove and let my body respond to his calls.  It was heavenly-despite the 80 and 90 degree heat.   It would have been better to have him by my side but this was the next best thing...thanks Swamii.  When I cross the finish line, I'll be looking for YOU!

Also grateful for GOOD FRIENDS who send funny texts, awesomely deep and touching emails and just keep me SANE.  I love my GIVING TREE Team/BSK mates, you ROCK the RED nail polish and jersey and always inspire!

I'm heading into CHICAGO having already accomplished my goal...health.  The rest is icing on the cake!

I Have No Manners= Potential 10k Disaster

My mom and dad really did try.  My mom was old-school in the manners department but back in her day,  47 something women didn't  spank flirt with young men.  Especially women who were married AND a grandmother. Geesh.  My mom is still alive and often reads this blog so SORRY mom, for what you are about to read.  By the way mom,  it has to do with RUNNING and I know you would  probably be SO bored by another  a running post; so redundant.  Wait, don't poke your eyes with needles!  We'll catch you next week with another post...no running, I promise.

10k News/Potential Misbehavior...

A few of the gals and I  from the BSK Team ran a 4th of July 10k on Wednesday.  It was one of those races when we shook pinkies and promised one another that we WOULD NOT RUN FASTER than a prescribed shuffle.  It was DOWN time for us.  Just fun.  What? No racing?  Is this what they call a FUN RUN?

Check out SPEEDO boys on the left!  There were actually about five of them by mile 3.

The race was it's usual PATRIOTIC self.  Full of kids,  high school runners, girls in stars and stripes  bikinis(heck, it is California for gosh sakes)and the usual band of 12 high school boys(wait, didn't I catch them in the beer garden post race?)dressed in blue Speedos and nothing else.  Their usual style is to start out at a 5:30 pace for about 100 yards, drop it down to 6:30, finally to 9:45 and hold it there for the remainder of the race.  Hence,  my misbehavior.  The gals and I found ourselves "trapped"wink-wink behind these boys for over a mile.  Yes,  I HAD to stare at multiple,  21 year old   buns for over ten minutes(remember, we were on the super shuffle pace).  At one point,  I 'd had it.  I went all 50 Shades of Gray and had the *desire* to reach out and smack one of those fannies.  So crude.  So unbecoming of a grandma, right?  After all, my OWN SON is almost 21.  Blech.

Well, mom, I didn't do it.  I resisted.  Would these team mates report me?  Egg me on?    Would Boy Scout approve?  Cheer me on?  All sorts of shame fell down upon me in the early morning mist and I decided to behave myself.  I know,  I'm NO FUN.

This race was tons of fun, a great group run and a chance to add a few more miles to my Chicago training calendar.  Perfect.  I especially loved running with Sorority Girl and Snake Charmer, they helped the time pass so quickly...and the buns didn't hurt either!

Workouts this week:

60 mins. biking
6 miles
8 miles/track workout
60 mins. biking
4 miles
8 miles/speed work
Tomorrow 12 miles/slow :)

Happy Running Everyone...keep your living light and simple :),

meg

Western States Mania and It's Summer!

Two words,  WESTERN STATES.

No,  I wasn't a runner but rather,  a groupie.  A stalker.  A wanna-be Western States 100 miler runner.  Boy Scout was a beginning crew-mate to Man With Long Legs who crossed the finish line in 22:XX hours.  Long Legs was amazing.  His brain is like steel, his wit like a whip and he flicked off this race like dust on his shoulder.

I LOVED, RELISHED, DRANK this race in like a Slurpee after a hot run.  Gulping and  gagging every second.  This race is not for wussies, not for walkers, not for the tutu crowd.  It's harsh, it's tough, it's mean.  I saw runners go to different places and they were not nice places; HELL comes to mind.  Despite the cooler than normal temperatures,  this race always tests the hearts, minds and innards of it's runners and I left LAKE TAHOE with a little tingling feeling somewhere...

After taking 6 days to recover from a mere 33 hours without sleep(ha!  I know I slept more than anyone),  I have felt the WS Tingle grow each day.  I've relived each rest stop where The ULTRA WHISPERER waved his magic wand around Long Legs' head and poured chicken broth down his throat.  I've memorized Boy Scout's foot cleaning routine and re-socking of Long Legs who at one time,  had so much muck between his toes,   BS had to clean between his toes just to get the Injin socks on his feet.  The crewing, the pacing,  the tents and sleeping bags on the football field at the high school finish line....memories that will not be forgotten.

WHEN and HOW this 100 miler will go down for me remains to be seen.  Last night I saw SPEEDY at 63 at dinner and she advised me to apply as soon as this November..."You aren't getting any younger, kiddo!  Each year you wait,  you lose a little something for that race!"  Thanks Speedy,  so comforting coming from a TWICE RUN Western States hot shot, ONCE WON.  I listen to this girl.

Groupie or runner, runner or groupie.  Time will tell.

For now,  I'm in my second week of training for the Chicago Marathon.  Super excited, surviving some two a day work outs and cross training more than ever for this marathon.  More on that this week!  By the way,  TALKING ABOUT TWO A DAY runs,

Heaven is...telling your friends who are all runners(in the cabin of crew and pacers in Lake Tahoe)that you're going out running again.  Yes, AGAIN.  TWICE IN THE SAME DAY!   No one makes the snide comment,  "Didn't you get that our of the way this morning?" "Aren't you a little obsessed?"  "Practicing being anorexic?"
  No one in this crowd even blinked an eye,  I received a cheery,  "Have fun!"  Each and every time.

 I love athletes.

Happy Summer Friends...still thinking of the Colorado friends and family who are healing and dealing with the fires last week.  Hugs to you all.

Running right along as usual,
meg

Runners With Big Hearts and Tremendous Spirit

I had the Boston Marathon playing on my projector this morning when the kids got to school.  They had so many questions about the African runners,  the clothing the runners wore,  the crowds cheering.  It was fun way to start the day.  As the morning progressed, however,  I started receiving texts and updates on how my buddies were doing on the course.

It must have been tough.
It must have been grueling.
They must have had to dig so deep that it rocked their core.  Brought tears to their eyes.  Caused some to crumble.

As the morning progressed,  my mood changed from upbeat, excited and hopeful,  to worried, dismayed and upset.  I KNOW what it feels like to put in months and months of training and then have to back down,  accept the  injury/weather/course/ or whatever the day might bring.  Move outside of my hopes and dreams and rely on my body to just survive.  It usually isn't very pretty.  It takes your mind and your body to a different place.  It is often a cliche but at times like this,  very true,  EXPERIENCES like this take you to a different place as a runner and as an individual.  A very noble place.

Although I wasn't there(regretfully)to cheer on my very best running friends,  I am in awe of their strength, determination and bravery.  They headed into the worst of conditions and hung in their with their heads held high and they gave it their very, very best.

These are the heroes of the day.  They have the biggest hearts.  They slowed down to run with others and extended a spirit that isn't often seen at races like BOSTON.  The went outside of themselves and embraced the bigger picture.

I'm grateful that all of you SURVIVED.  I'm SO fortunate to call you my friends.  I don't mind if you had to stop and save it for another race.  I don't mind if you had to walk.  I don't mind if you had to jog or hold a stranger's hand while they sat along the sidelines.

I love you guys, you are all heroes in my eyes...all of you!

5k Cross Country Race Report!!

Windy!

Muddy!

Rainbows!

Win!

All the makings of a great race.

The more I run on trails and in the hills,  the more I realize my place in this running world.  I just feel at HOME.

The long grasses,  the crunchy gravel under my feet,  the mud puddles and wallowing messes.  I love them all- best.

The race was on base at the Camp Pendleton Marine Corp. Base in Oceanside, CA.  We headed up early and it gave me time to get chilled to the bone despite my four layers of clothing plus gloves.  You would have thought that WE were in Boston or something this weekend.  

I warmed up for 20 minutes exactly, following my new 5k warm up guide which really DID help.  I usually do a sporadic warm up without much thought and wind up sucking wind BIG TIME and since there was actually SO MUCH REAL WIND today,  that would have been a double wind disaster.  The time I took to just jog for 20 mins. and then keep moving,  helped me start the race warm and ready.

Basically,  I was going to try for my ILLUSIVE sub-20 5k today even though I was going to toss the Garmin and go by feel.  That said,  I also knew that there was a long, long hill smack dab in the middle of the race AND once we turned around,  we were hit with a slamming headwind.  It wasn't a disappointment to have those elements affect my race *dream* goal,  I had  a focused run and just staying in my own head and race today was more than enough.  

During the last half mile of the race,  I saw three tri-girls pushing to finish their first part of the dualthon.  The third girl was right in front of me during the whole race.  Since I'm not one to leave too much gas in the tank at the end of ANY race,  I wasn't "planning" on passing her.  See how non-competitive I can be?  I think she did slow down at the end of the race or at least was planning on how she was going to head on into the transition area for her bike.  At that point,  I did give it a push to pass her and I did!  The joke is probably on me(as it often is)because she did head to the transition area and I finished the 5k....first female!  

I laugh as I write this...because who would have thought I would be doing this at my age?  Who would have thought that I would find something just for me and also for my BS that would bring us so much joy, amusement, challenge,  fun and good times?  

Who would have thought that I would be posing with two darling Marines(at my request)just 1 month shy of my 47 birthday?

Thanks HONEY BS for the fun today...it's too bad you didn't take up the race director's offer to take these nice guys home with us.  They could have helped us a lot around the house!!  Now that we're basically running every weekend, we don't get much housework done anymore...

Love you!

**ATTA GIRLS** to all of the BOSTON runners who will be trying to stay cool and run fast races on Monday!  We are following you all and hope you are having FUN this weekend!

Have a LEMONCELLO for me :) !

meg