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Don’t Lose The Fun in the Run

There are many reasons to run including improving your health, feeling stronger, finding peace, and meeting people, but for me, the biggest reason is the joy I find in running. Recently, I have changed my perspective about training and racing because I always want to have fun running.

Part of my change in perspective is due to an injury and aging. My body can no longer take intense training, so I have changed my routine, and I listen to my body more. In some ways, this has made running more fun. Instead of focusing so much on my performance, I’m more relaxed and enjoying the moment.

Sometimes we can get lost in the obsession to keep getting better, and faster, and we lose the magic of a run being just a run instead of a planned training routine.

I was recently at an ultra where I met a woman who was killing it in the race. She was on track to win the six-hour race, she was the owner of a race organization, and she looked incredibly fit. At one point we were both taking a break and no one else was around us. I told her what a great job she was doing, but her reply surprised me. She said, “I wish I didn’t have to train so much. I’m so tired.” She sounded so sad.

I understand the sense of competition. I might tell my friends I’m going to run a race for fun, but the minute I see a woman in my age group I will hurt myself to beat her.

The joy of running comes in many forms. I have watched people who are so excited when they win a medal while others are happy to cross the line. It can be seen with friends supporting each other, it can even be seen in shared misery like the race when it rained, snowed, and hailed. We were laughing because we were sure it couldn’t get worse, but then it hailed.

One of my best examples of joy in the run was at a half-marathon. I was behind a group of eight women who were going to run the whole race together. There was music playing quietly and they were talking and laughing. I asked them if they would adopt me, and I became their new friend Jen. I loved seeing how much fun they were having.

Remember that training is important, but don’t forget to have fun too!

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Trail Connections

I always joke with my friends that I have a love-hate relationship with trail running. I love the beauty of the trails, but I barely pick my feet up when I run, so my feet get caught up in stones and roots a lot. I have fallen so many times that my friends ask me if I brought the med kit when they hear I am doing a trail race.

At least for me, trail racing is different than road racing. I take it a little slower on the trails which means it is easier for me to talk to the runners around me. I love the connections that I make on the trail. I always say that trail runners have the best stories.

One of my most memorable races as far as connections was a rugged half-marathon trail race. It was the hardest half-marathon I have ever done, but it was also one of the most fun because of the people I met.

It was crazy hot the day of the race, so I had already decided to take it nice and slow. Luckily, I ended up behind a group of eight women who were running the race together. Their pace was perfect for me, and they had music playing quietly. After a mile, I asked them if they would adopt me into their pack and I became known as our new friend Jen. At the first aid station, we all stopped, and when the group was ready one lady said, “New friend Jen, are you ready?” I loved running with them for the first 8 miles, but then they wanted to stop for photos, and I said I was going to keep going.

One young lady, Michelle, asked if she could run with me. Not only did we run together, but we talked about everything under the sun. She told me she was working with physics, she told me about her boyfriend, and she recommended an amazing book called Daughters of Distance. We talked about how our favorite animal is the elephant, and we shared our hopes for the future. I fell almost at the end, and I was pretty ugly. Michelle was concerned, but I said, “No worries! It happens all the time. Her boyfriend met us at the end with two massive, cold bottles of Gatorade. He gave one to me and instantly became one of my favorite people.

Fast forward about five years. I was nearing the end of a trail race when a young lady came up next to me and said, “Jen, do you remember me? The half?” We had a great talk and her former boyfriend, now husband was at the end. He said, “Do you remember me?” “Um, of course! Mr. Gatorade!” I hope we keep seeing each other at races.

Ultra-marathons offer many chances for connections. When you are out there on the trail for 12-plus hours, you have time to chat. Here are some of the characters I have met, Carl Line who is a professional clown, and who stayed with me at night and held the light when I had stopped eating on my way to 50 miles and I hit the wall harder than ever. If it wasn’t for Carl I would have left my chair and the rest of my gear right where it was when it was time to leave because I didn’t feel like I had an ounce of energy left. Trail races are full of encouragers. Then there was the man that I introduced myself to after running with him for 12 hours. He is the runner who made me think I need an ultra-name because he introduced himself as Cornbread. At my last race, I met Bryan who said he started running because the dental assistant had called him fat. We discussed the crazy things that people say, and how he took a negative and made a positive by turning his health around. There is so much inspiration on the trail.

There are also those moments when you become the encourager and it can be at a crucial moment of someone’s life. I was talking to a young lady before the race, and we stayed together for most of the race, I ran her into the finish helping her beat a woman in her age group. She came up to me after and told me she needed my encouragement because she had been in a bad spot mentally. You never know when your encouragement is going to make a difference.

As always, I think runners know that a race and running in general is often about more than just running.

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Running Rythm vs. Pacing

Runners are always talking about pace and how important it is in both training and racing, but finding the right rhythm has always helped my running more and is often more difficult for me to achieve than finding the correct pace. The best way for me to describe it is a good running rhythm is when your body is running in total harmony, and a good pace is when you are running at a certain speed. Let’s look at the difference.

Both pace and rhythm are important elements that you have to experiment with, and while both require both mental and physical strength, I have always thought pace was about training my body to be able to run a certain speed and practice what I want to achieve enough so that the pace becomes muscle memory. A varied pace depending on terrain has always been what worked for me, instead of sticking to a steady consistent pace that might work for someone else. I like to let the terrain help my pace. Because I am slowing a bit with age, I need about a mile to warm up, so a sprinting out-of-the-gate pace no longer works for me, although my brain tries to tell me it will work. The minute the race starts I have to repeat “Slow and Steady.” For the first mile, and then I can pick up the pace. In trail races, I will stay behind a slower runner for a few minutes so that I am not tempted to try to open it up.

I love hearing runner’s pace plans because for many it is about what pace I need to run to finish in a certain time. If you have a goal time you can work on training your body to be able to run at that pace until it becomes second nature for your body to run at that speed.

I have always enjoyed finding someone who I call my rabbit who is running a pace I would like to go, and I do my best to stick with that person.

Although I understand how important pace is rhythm has always been more important for me. When I have found a rhythm running feels effortless. It doesn’t feel as if I am expending as much energy because my whole body is moving in sync. Everything is aligned and moving rhythmically. When you find your rhythm during a run it is a phenomenal feeling. When you are running with someone else, and you are both running in rhythm it is even better.

One of the best runs I ever had was a race on a local bike trail. It was straight and flat the entire way, and around mile 3 my friend and I found our rhythm and we felt like we were flying. We started encouraging people we were passing, and even years later we talked about how amazing the race was.

I talked a little about training yourself to run a certain pace, but how do you run in rhythm? Everyone is different, but what works for me is to relax, enjoy the moment, practice regular breathing, and be intentional about establishing a cadence and a relaxed posture.

I read an article that suggested music can help you find your rhythm in the run. I have a friend who always runs with music because she says she feels out of sync without it. Find something upbeat and motivating to help you find a comfortable flow.

I read another article that suggested you would have more success running in rhythm if both sides of your body were equally strong. This resonated with me because I know my left side is weaker than my right. Her words motivated me to work harder with my exercises to strengthen both sides. She also suggested doing balance exercises. I was told to do those in physical training when I tore my meniscus. You can do simple balance exercises like balancing on one leg, or you can buy a balance board and practice on that.

I hope this has made you consider working on more than your pace because when you can run with your body in harmony it is more enjoyable, and better for you in every aspect.

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Are You Ready?

I was running a race in a state park when I passed two girls coming towards me. They must have seen my race bib because one of them said to her friend, “We should sign up for a race.” The friend replied in a panicked voice, “I’m not ready!”

I hear “I’m not ready.” In other forms too. Friends will tell me, “I want to run a 5k with you, but then when I suggest a date that friend is always busy. Another form of “I’m not ready.” comes in excuses. I hear things like, “I don’t exercise because my joints hurt, or I’m too busy.”

All of the forms of “I’m not ready.” Makes me sad because I know what a difference any form of movement can make in your life. Although running is the exercise that has been healing to me, you can choose any form of movement you want to reap the benefits. “I’m not ready.” translates to “I’m scared, or “I don’t want to step out of my comfort zone.” However, moving consistently instead of being sedentary can change your life. Here are a few things an exercise program can do for you.

Improve your physical health

When you move more you will notice your joints don’t ache as much as they did when you sat a lot, you may lose weight because you are burning more calories, and your body will be more toned. You can improve your immune system with better health, and exercise will help you to alleviate stress which will also help you sleep better.

Improve your mental health

I know when I run my mood is better. I can find some peace from problems. When you are doing something good for yourself it makes you feel better about yourself. When you work out you gain more confidence.

Boost your social life

If you start signing up for fitness events like races, or you go to the gym you will begin to meet more people. Your circle of friends will continue to grow, and hopefully, those friends will help to keep you active.

I know many people might not be completely ready to do something new, but it only takes doing it once for it not to be new anymore. The first time I went to an ultra-marathon, (Anything over 26.2 miles) I didn’t know anyone, and I was pretty sure that I had no business being there. The people at the race all looked like seasoned runners who probably ran 100 miles on an off week. They were talking about races they had done that all had scary names like Blood Rock, Snakebite Canyon, and Death Toll Run. I was sure any minute they would discover there was an imposter among them.

As the day wore on, I felt completely welcomed by some very nice people who were at very different fitness levels, and there was no judgment about that. I met one man whose name was Cornbread, so I told my husband I needed an ultra-running name. (I’m still working on that.) The ultra distance is now my favorite distance, but if I had not stepped out of my comfort zone I would never have experienced them. Sometimes you have to just leap.

So, what if you are ready? What do you do? First, find out what form of exercise would you enjoy, and what would you do consistently. Start slowly with whatever you want to do, and checking with your doctor is always a good idea. Find a recreational center or a gym and see what are your options. If you want to walk or run a race you can go to www.runusa.com or www.active.com, or if you want to join me, go to www.ultrasignup.com. You can walk an entire ultra if you want.

Are you ready? I hope so because it could be life-changing.

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Marathon Mistakes to Avoid

Most of the things I have learned, especially in running, are because of mistakes I have made. My first marathon was The Atlanta Marathon on Thanksgiving. I thought I had trained correctly. I was running at least 45 miles a week, and every week I was running a long run of 16–20 miles to prepare myself for the marathon distance. Unfortunately, there were a few factors I left out of my preparation. I consider my first marathon a success because I felt strong most of the time, but there were a few things that could have helped me. Here are a few mistakes to avoid.

Going at the wrong pace

Before the marathon, I was running mostly 5 and 10 ks. When you do that you become accustomed to a certain pace. During my first marathon, I ran the first half as I would a slightly slower 5k. Each aid station had your projected finish time at that moment. At the halfway point I was projected to finish right under four hours. Unfortunately, I didn’t have as much gas for the second half, so I finished in 4:30. I had no idea what my ideal pace would be for that distance because when I was doing my long runs in training I would stop for a quick break. I think if I had run longer without stopping I might have had a better feel for my pace.

I suggest doing half-marathons as training runs because even though it is half the distance you will have more of a race feel.

The wrong fuel

My marathon was in my early days of distance running, but I should have known more about fueling. I didn’t know what an electrolyte was, and I had no idea what to eat or how often. The only thing I had in my belt was a Snickers bar, and I never ate it. I remember at mile 22, I was walking up a hill and I said to a volunteer, “I’m so hungry!” She asked if I wanted to leave the course. Um, at mile 22? My right leg might be broken, but if I’m at mile 22, I am going to finish.

My stomach does not do well with Gatorade and Powerade, (I found out the hard way at an ultra-marathon.) I also do not like gels, so through the races I have found an electrolyte that works for me called Hoist, and I eat energy gummies and waffles, as well as the classic peanut butter and jelly.

The wrong gear

There is running gear for any weather or terrain, but you have to know what to be prepared for. One of my most disappointing ultra-marathons was last year. I was so excited for this eleven-hour race, and usually I prepare like a fanatic, but I had been busy with some other things which distracted me. The day of the race, we had monsoon rains, and thunder and lightning. I have all kinds of waterproof gear, but I didn’t check the weather, so within minutes I was soaked, cold, and miserable. The trails were puddles. I am doing it again in three weeks, and I guarantee you I am ready this time.

Remember the rule you always hear that you should not wear something for the first time on race morning.

Making it about someone else

As I have reached my golden years, I am more concerned about how I can improve than comparing myself to how someone else is doing. There will always be someone faster and slower. Enjoy the joy of meeting your goals.

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The Movie Overcomers/A Movie that highlights running

A friend recommended the movie Overcomers to me because she knows how much I love to run. She told me it was more than a story about a runner. It was a story about running and what it can do. I was amazed at how right she was. Without giving away any important plot points let me tell you how it defines running.

Forgiveness

Running brings out the good in people. It heals people in different ways, and sometimes that healing comes through reflection. In the movie, several people have some people they need to forgive and running leads them there.

Learning about yourself

Several of the characters in the movie have some personal exploration and self-discovery to do, and they take that journey through running. I have learned so much about myself during my years as a runner, and I have heard many other stories of self-discovery.

Finding a purpose

We can all feel a little lost if we don’t have a purpose in our life. It can be even worse if the purpose we thought defined us is taken away. Several characters have to redefine their identity and their purpose.

We need personal connections

We need each other. Our connections are key in our lives. In the movie, a few of the connections have hit a rough patch, and need to be healed.

Push through barriers and limits

One of the things I love about running is the chance to push your body to the limit and try to keep going. You learn so much about your mental abilities while you try to improve your physical strength. Two of the characters have to keep pushing their limits.

Another thing I love about running is the inspiration I see all around me. It is a no-excuse sport. I see people with medical issues who refuse to let that issue hold them back. They push through what people label as impossible to prove the possibilities. There is a lot of inspiration in this movie.

Follow a plan

Runners know that the best way to crush a challenge is to follow a plan. You can train your body to do almost anything. Plan it out and execute it.

Spirituality

I define spirituality as a connection to a higher power. Running is spiritual for me. I feel a connection to the world around me when I run. I can feel the energy from nature filling me as the miles fly by me. Spirituality plays a role in this movie.

I hope you have a chance to watch Overcomers. I loved it. It has several serious themes, but it is funny as well. One of my favorite parts is when each member of the family decides to go out and run the three-mile cross-country loop because they are certain it will be a piece of cake, and each one finishes exhausted. They each say, “Why would anyone do that?” By the end of the movie, all of the characters see the importance of running.

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My Scariest Race

I have been racing for years, and I can attach emotions and stories to many of them, but one stands out as the scariest.

I enjoy running in any form, but my favorite races are ultramarathons. I have always done better with distance running when endurance was more important than speed. It is also the race that has taught me the most about my body and the limits where I can take it. Even though I love ultras I always feel like a fraud, as if I don’t compare with the other ultrarunners because they are a pretty tough group of people. At each race I go to I’m sure the ultramarathoners will discover I am an imposter.

I had heard about the Yeti races from several friends. They said they were amazing experiences, and they were also tough. I signed up for my first Yeti and was typically nervous about what to expect. I had no idea that I was about to experience so much.

The morning of the race, we heard the meteorologist say there might be storms. My first mistake was not to have brought rain gear. The race information said space was limited for canopies, so I asked my husband if we could be at the park as soon as it opened. He told me he wanted to have breakfast first and he was sure we would be fine. This was also the moment he chose to tell me he forgot the top of the canopy. Mistake number two and three were waiting to set up because there wasn’t any more room, and it began to rain very hard, so a canopy would have been nice. We found a corner to put a small tent that later flooded.

The race started and off we went in the rain and the dark. The course was tough but beautiful. A group of us had walked up a steep hill and at the top there was a lake. Suddenly one of the men fell. He stood up and then one of the women fell. Another woman said, “Can we all agree that this lake is cursed?” Have you ever been in a spot where the energy felt negative? Let’s just say I was happy to leave that lake behind. I finished the four-mile loop told my husband about the course, and then headed back out. I had no idea that a thunder and lightning storm was about to hit.

A mile into the loop, the storm hit. There was very heavy rain, thunder, and lightning. I was by myself, but I could see two women ahead of me, so I ran to catch up to them. I asked them if they minded if I stayed with them for a while. My new friends Eva and Marie were as nervous as I was about the storm. I was going against all the storm rules my mom taught me when I was younger. I could hear her saying, “Don’t be in water, don’t be up high, or around trees.” I was in a lot of water, in the woods, walking up to a ridgeline. None of this added up to a good time.

Marie said, “As long as you can hear the birds, we are okay.” I’m not kidding you that 3 seconds after she said that it went dead quiet. I said, “Marie, I don’t hear the birds.” She said, “I know. We’re screwed.”

I have never been on a run before and I feared for my life. Lightning struck once not far from me, and I jumped off the trail. I kept thinking I didn’t want the headlines to say, “She died doing what she loved.”

We weren’t the only ones running out there. Every once in a while, someone would come running by because why would you let possibly being struck by lightning keep you from your mileage goal?

When I made it to the staging area I was soaked. I asked my husband if he knew when the storm would stop, and he said it was going to be off and on all day. I was still healing from a torn meniscus, so the slick conditions also were worrying me.

A friend of mine was there, and I said, “I think I’m going to stop.” He knew about my knee, and he said, “What if you slipped on those hills and hurt yourself again?” That helped me a little, but as we were leaving, my husband turned around just as my face was crumpling and the tears were about to come because I don’t like to quit. He said, “There is a difference between being a badass and a dumbass. You need to be able to run another day instead of being hurt.”

It bothered me to stop, but I will be back this year to try again. I will also be praying for no storms.

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Ten Things a Runner Should Not Do

Runners are rebels and rule breakers, and what works for one person might not work for someone else, so I offer this list knowing that some runners will agree with some and not others. I would love to hear what you would add to the list of what not to do as a runner.

Don’t scrimp on shoes.

I have seen runners running in all kinds of footwear, and I know everyone has different preferences, but a good pair of shoes can make a difference in keeping your feet safe. Shoes that are too small can cause black toe. Shoes that are too big can produce blisters, and shoes that don’t provide enough cushioning or support can lead to other injuries. There is usually someone knowledgeable at a local sports store who can help find the shoe that is good for you.

Don’t increase mileage too fast.

Trying to do too much too soon can cause an injury from overuse, and too much stress on the body can lower the immune system and make a runner more susceptible to illness. Runners should increase their mileage gradually and allow the body to adapt.

Don’t run in the dark without reflective clothing.

Drivers are distracted enough by everything around them and in the car. Don’t expect them to see a dark figure running on the side of the road. Runners shouldn’t let themselves be distracted either. Running at night might be a good time to run without music.

Don’t run alone at night.

There is always safety in numbers and running with friends will cut down on the risk of crime. It also ensures if you are injured someone will be there to help you.

Don’t think of a day off as a bad thing.

Everyone needs rest; a rest day can be vital to any training program. A day off from running is an opportunity to cross-train, but you also need a true rest day sometimes.

Don’t eat unusual or hard-to-digest food before a race.

Everyone’s system is different. I cannot eat chili the night before unless I want to be miserable during the entire race. It’s a better idea to stick to food that the stomach will manage easily.

Don’t run the same distance and the same route every day.

You can train your body to do almost anything, but if you do the same routine every day you might not see the same results that you will see if you do a combination of speed, strength, distance, and easy runs. It also makes your training more interesting.

Don’t skip the warm-up.

The warm-up can consist of what works for you. I do a nice easy slow run when I first start out to warm up all my muscles and work out the kinks. Adopt a routine that works; but, in any case, do not start running hard without warming up the muscles.

Don’t ignore an injury.

It is very hard for a passionate runner not to run, and often runners will try to ignore a small injury. The problem is that a small injury can become a serious injury-one that will take a person away from running much longer than if the small injury had been taken care of in the first place.

Don’t just run.

I remember when the soccer coach walked over to me before cross-country practice and said, “You have such an easy job. All you have to do is tell them to run.” I smiled and said, “Well, it’s a little more complicated than that.” The truth is if I thought I could get away with it I would choose only to run, but I know I will be a better runner if I strength train and cross-train.

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The Mental Struggles of Running

You have probably heard runners say that running is more mental than physical because you can convince your body to do almost anything, but your mind does not always want to cooperate. You often have to work just as hard on your mental conditioning as you do the physical. Here are a few situations when mental demons have to be conquered.

You start to find excuses not to run

It’s too cold, too hot, you didn’t sleep well, you are too busy, you could use the time to read the new spreadsheet, (Okay, maybe that will never come up.) The list can go on, but if you make your run part of your daily schedule and head off to do it without even thinking about it you will find it easier.

The negative voices start to whisper

They sound like this, “I’m tired, my body is achy, I am so hungry. How can I be running this slowly I don’t think I can run as far as I want to today.” Tell yourself you will run a few more minutes and see how you feel. Distract yourself by thinking of anything besides the fact you are running. Sometimes you only need to run through the mental wall.

One bad run equals your doom as a runner

Everyone has bad runs. There are some days when you should probably rest, or something is a little off, and the run doesn’t go well. It is not the end of your running career.

I can’t run distance

Distance running is a chance to use your mental games. Divide the distance into small sections so it doesn’t feel like you are taking on the whole distance simultaneously. There is a 5k race we do (I know that’s not really distance running!) and this works well for me. We have run it so many times that I know exactly where each mile marker is, and that makes it seem so much shorter to me.

Tell yourself to run one mile at a time. I had a friend doing her first three-mile race, and she was afraid she couldn’t do it. She asked me to run the race with her. She said she wanted to run a mile and then she would walk the rest. I told her to set the pace and I would run next to her. At one mile, I said, “Let’s see if we can go a little further.” I kept talking with her to distract her and before we knew it we were at mile two. I said, “If we run one more mile you will have run the whole race. Let’s see what we can do.” She ran the whole race and placed third in her age group. I can still hear her scream when her name was called.

Run without expectations

I am very competitive. I know this because on several occasions I have almost wrecked myself trying to pass a woman who I thought was in my age group, only to find out she wasn’t. Lately, I have shifted my goals for racing. When I stand at the starting line I tell myself to enjoy the race because it doesn’t always have to be about coming away with a medal. There have been races where I couldn’t tell you anything about the course because I was so focused. Last Saturday, we ran a race in the country that went past old barns, meadows, and wide-open spaces. It was so peaceful, and I was more focused on what was around me instead of my running. Taking the pressure off can make the run more fun.

I need to walk

I walk a few steps to catch my breath several times in each race, and I believe walking can help you go farther, but if you are running for time you probably want to keep running. There are several tricks you can use. Tell yourself you will run to the next something. (you pick the object) Make it a game to see how many runners you can pass during the race.

If you condition yourself to have the same mental strength as your physical ability you will be unstoppable!