80 Degrees at the Boston Marathon

I qualified.  I did it.  I finished.  These are some of my new runner friend's words on Facebook describing finishing the Boston Marathon yesterday in temperatures in the 80's.  We became fast friends while churning through 800 meter repeats together on the track at dawn.   At least that's my take on it.  Except for these words, her take on her race practically shouted for joy as I read it.  I could feel her energy rising from my computer even as I pictured her collapsed into a comfy chair with her skin scorched by the sun and legs exhausted.   No one would want to set out on a 26 mile run in temperatures such as what the racers saw.  But, it was Boston.  

Yesterday, as I was looking for race coverage, I saw the weather report and gasped.  I felt terrible for the runners. Could this have been the reason for which I did not get a spot in the race?  I know there is a reason I didn't get to make the trip.  I read that because of the extreme heat, runners could opt to defer their registration until next year.  My heart dropped.  If they defer, how can qualifiers for next year's race get a spot?  I had been so hopeful that I would get to be there next year.  I'll have to find a different goal now, I thought.   My husband tried to cheer me by stating that people would run the race.  He reasoned that he knew that once I get to Boston, nothing, and I mean nothing, would keep me from running that race.  The news later in the day that around 5,000 racers deferred left me dejected.  

This morning I read that the numbers reported yesterday were erroneous.  According to Runner's World around 500 people deferred.   I felt a glimmer of hope again.   I was proud of not only my friend,  but also the collective running community gathered in Boston.  What determination!  Re-energized and optimistic,  I went out for some speed work.  I grabbed the details of my ladder training plan, but forgot my camera -- again.  As I sped along the neighborhood trail, a women admired an unusually large tortoise.  I yelled out that I wish I had my camera, but even if I had, I wouldn't have stopped.  

Jesse Owens

Last night I watched the world premiere of "The Jesse Owens Story" at the Full Frame Documentary Film Festival in Durham.  On my long run today, I pondered the film and sought to make a connection between my life and my running and his.  I concluded that would be a stretch and diminish the value of the film.  Instead, I will provide the synopsis from the program guide.  I will say this film should have wide appeal among sports enthusiasts, runners, and those who value American History and the often untold and unrecognized African-American experience.  Viewing the film footage of Owens running was a pleasure.  The story itself was both inspirational and sad.  I was ignorant of what Owens endured after earning his four gold medals. 

 "Jesse Owens was a model of technical perfection the way he ran…That was in such opposition of what African Americans were supposed to be."  Writer William Rhoden's powerful statement  opens this dynamic history of the track and field star.  Owens was discovered in junior high and quickly ascended from high school star to college sensation to national celebrity.  The 1936 Olympics in Berlin would be the pinnacle of his career -- to the dismay of Nazi Germany, Owens triumphed, winning four gold medals.  He returned a hero, only to find that achieving success at home would be more difficult than he'd imagined.

This beautiful tribute is woven from archival footage, recollections by Owens's friends and daughters, and interviews with writer and scholars like Jeremy Schaap and Harry Edwards.  In exploring Owens's legacy, the film highlights the intersections between racism and sports, and in doing so, tells us as much about the past as it does the present."   --  from the 2012 Full Frame Documentary Film Festival Program Guide

Forks over Knives

On today's pre-dawn eight miler, a running companion mentioned "The Purpose Driven Life," a book I have not read.  My purpose -- that I have figured out-- is to be the best mom I can be.  I am certain that I am supposed to be a runner, too.  The joy and energy it gives me helps me in the endeavor of being this best mom.


Last night my husband and I watched "Forks Over Knives," a documentary on food and health recommended by another runner friend.  

Today is my day to become much more serious about what foods my family and I use to fuel our bodies.   I know I sound like a broken record;  I have health food cook books and have known we should eat better.  The impetus to watch the documentary came yesterday after learning my body mass index (BMI) percentage has crept up nearly three percent.  It has been a couple of years since my last measurements.  I rationalized that a few pounds of weight gain had to be attributed to increased muscle mass.  After all, I have never run so far or fast.  Evidently, when I stopped lifting weights and ate what I wanted, I gained not only weight, but also fat.  Runner's World warns about this frequently.  I still did not see this coming.  

Ironically, I patted myself on the back two days ago while comparing what I pack in my children's lunches to what some other families pack.   I criticized the school cafeteria food along with the rack of potato chips conveniently located by the cash register.  I have much work to do in many different areas, and changing the foods we eat might be part of my purpose.  Because if I can do a better job of teaching my girls how to eat properly to fuel their bodies, that could set them up for a lifetime of good choices and a healthy lifestyle.  

Appreciation for a Three Mile Run

"Three miles is not worth my going for a run,"  I said to my husband recently, half jokingly.  Today, I would like to take those words back.  At the end of the run, I was grateful for a quick three miler.   During most training for Wrightsville, my shortest runs were five miles.  On Tuesdays, my warm up and cool down totaled three miles.  Last night I chose to get a good night of rest and purposefully slept through the 5:50AM group run.  (I e-mailed them late last night to relay that I might see them on Wednesday.)   Instead,  I planned to run five miles between getting the girls to school and volunteering in my youngest's kindergarten classroom.  When the morning rush ended, I had 30 minutes to run. 

I set out disappointed that I could not log five miles.  On the run I remembered that three mile runs helped me train for the Richmond Marathon not even two years ago.  At that time I was happy to steal 30 minutes from my day on two or three days mid week to train.   I was able to continue doing something I love even though most of those miles were on a treadmill, a machine I do not love.  That was the semester I was working in a full-time internship, commuting across the triangle area, chauffeuring my kids to activities most nights of the week, and training for a marathon.  I did it all, but not well.  Those three milers kept me going.  I never again want to loose appreciation for a good three miler.  

I Hire a Sitter Sometimes to Run

While I ran this morning with friends, I wondered how many moms hire a sitter for their kids sometimes so that they can go for a run.    My guess is not that many.   I did just that today.  Going for a long run on Saturdays is what I do.  My husband watches the kids while I run my long run for the week on most every Saturday morning.  This doesn't always work for various reasons, but it is almost routine.  To work around my kids' schedules and friends' kids' schedules, I go for early runs sometimes.  I run on Sundays sometimes.  And, yes, sometimes, I hire a sitter.  On these days I run, shower, and head back out for an afternoon of errands or shopping.  I planned to have a babysitter once so I could run a 10K with my friends when my husband was out of town.  The kids were sick that morning, so I missed the race.  My friends picked up my race shirt.  It was too big, as many are.  My husband wears it.  I don't plan to run races when I need a sitter anymore.  That day is simply not a race day for me.  I like our routine.  I used to feel guilty for leaving my husband with the kids, but I've come to recognize that this is their only real time together without me, and that can be special. 

Recognizing Limitations

On my run today I realized that I have limitations.  I've decided to keep running despite them.  I plan to run a 5K or two in May.  Coach shared with me that after the marathon and a period of rest, my body would find it almost a shock to ramp up to a quick 5K.  I heard what she said, but I didn't process it until today when my body thought I was running fast while my Garmin told me I was not.  When I decided to run the 5K's, I had a realistic time goal in mind based on recent training.  Now, I don't think it's realistic.  I will just run and not have high expectations.  This will be new for me.  

Crazy, Fast, Young Women

A friend and roommate once accused me of being a morning person.  I am not.  Fellowship is the main reason I trudged to the kitchen at 5:10AM this morning.  Today, I met up with the crazy, fast, young women running group for their 5:50AM run.  This is my name for the group.  Of the five other women I joined this morning, I am the oldest and one of the slowest.  During my most recent training, I focused on my own plan and directives from my coach and did not join them during their runs over the hills of Apex before dawn.   I ran with them in the summer and the fall, and I rejoined the group today.  I remember saying that I would never run at 5AM.  I regularly run at 6AM, and it might as well be 5AM because, in my world, that seems like an insane time to be up and at 'em.  Along my journey as a runner, I've run with a few different groups, and I am grateful for each one of them.  This group of women has pushed me to run harder, faster, longer, earlier and more hills than I ever would have on my own.  I am a better runner because of each one of them.