Update of the Week

This week was bad for running. I had planned to go to the gym on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, and run Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday. I made it to the gym, and ran today.

On the plus side, I was able to treadmill without worry, but on the minus side, that didn't make up for two days of not-running. My reasons are legit: on Tuesday, I was counseled to stay home and hopefully head off the cold that was threatening. And on Thursday, Edmonton weather was up to its old tricks, and gave us at least 7cm of snow.

Today, I waited until it didn't seem like the mercury was going to climb any higher before suiting up to head out. It wasn't the unpleasantness like two Tuesdays ago, which I'm certain was the commencement of last week's illness, but it was only 1C and there was a wind most of the way. However, I got the 10km in like a good little half-marathoner, and kept myself warm after getting back.

One thing I put a lot of thought into while I was running was mantras. Every so often, a running magazine will start talking about the mantras that successful runners use during their races to continue. And trust me, they do work. In my last half-marathon, my mantra was, "If I can't finish this race, how can I finish anything in life?" A little dismal and exaggerating, but it got me through some of the toughest parts of the race.
I thought about the different words I would likely use during a race, and the time or distances that I'd use them at. For example, I'd start the first five kilometers with "Ease into it," to keep myself from leaping into the race and exhausting myself prematurely. After that, I'd probably try, "Slow and steady," to keep myself on pace. Right around the 10km mark, I would probably switch to, "Just keep moving," because that's when I need to keep moving forward. Then my planning went sort of out the window, preparing for the end with 'Finish strong,' or some inspiring, upright-staying message.
Of course, I remember one other mantra from my races, which I used when my knees started hurting: "Concentrate on foot placement." When one knee or the other started kvetching, I would start to pay attention to exactly how my foot hit the pavement. Usually, I found that my form was suffering from the tiredness of, surprise, running a half-marathon, so I'd pay close attention to that, and either the pain gave up and went away, or I fixed the problem that was causing the pain in the first place.

All this to say, mantras do have their place in a race, the magazines aren't out to lunch, and getting to concentrate on a mantra can take your mind to other places and the kilometers will fly by!

Interestingly enough, Myfitnesspal says that, after expending the calories of a 10km run, I should be able to eat more than 2000 calories total today. Yeah, the only way I'd do that is if I went out for pizza, and I didn't really feel like that. Instead, dinner was a herb-rubbed pork tenderloin with apples and roast potatoes. Amazing how healthy some foods can be while tasting like slices of heaven on your tongue.

Two Years of This

I was looking back through the archives a few days ago, and reminiscing, and suddenly realized! It's been two years since I started this blog, and started running. Happy birthday, Run Jelly Run! Frequently, I'm still amazed that, despite the lay-offs I've taken, I'm still running and writing.

In celebration of my two years, I will list and link the running magazines that keep me inspired and informed:
Runner's World: An American magazine, but it has some of the most interesting articles I read. Marc Parent's column 'the Newbie Chronicles' amuses me, the nutrition and recipes columns are interesting and delicious, and the glossy, well-coloured photos make for a very pretty read. Even the numerous ads for marathons are inspiring, and at the back, there is a list of upcoming races around the States. A monthly magazine, it's well worth getting the subscription.

Canadian Running: The main Canadian running publication, this magazine comes out twice a month. I really appreciate Canadian Running because it is all on running in Canada, and each winter, the advice for running in Canadian weather is indispensable. The nutrition section is smaller than in RW, and the articles are less blog-type/personal and more general. My favourite part of Canadian Running, apart from the Canadian focus, is the profiling of different cities in each edition in 'On the Run in...' They provide distance routes to run in a different city, and a profile of the different weathers and tourist sights and spots to visit.

Women's Running Magazine: Another American publication, this is also a bi-monthly magazine that focuses (as implied) on women who run. I found this magazine at a pre-race expo, and was thrilled. Finally, a publication that focuses on the concerns women have before, during, and after running, like sports-bra fittings, how to deal with post-run shine, and women's psychology in running. However, I find that a lot of the magazine has beautiful glossy photos of slender women who fit their running skirts like models, unlike the majority of women who I've seen running. So if you're going to subscribe to this magazine, be aware that the photos are very idealistic (and I'm betting very air-brushed) and that while running will make you fitter and happier, it may not make you look like the women in this magazine.

Running Room Magazine: This is probably the most grass-roots magazine that I read, and the very best part is that it's free. This is because it's published from the funds of the Running Room, and you can sign up for it from the Running Room. It is a multi-page ad for the Running Room's wares, but it also includes interesting stories of people who have run and raced across Canada. It's also the most photographically realistic of the four magazines, and while the paper isn't as glossy or as expensive (it's free, after all), it is still worth flipping through and giving the articles a read.

In other news, as an example of you never stop learning, I learned a very valuable trick for winter running.

Now, this trick is probably one of the most obvious ones in the book, and somehow it totally passed me: to keep from getting drafts up your shirt, tuck your shirt in. Seems so simple, doesn't it? And yet somehow, I never clued in.

Let this be a lesson! You never stop learning new tricks and tips to make running more enjoyable or challenging, or whatever you need it to be.

What Moves Me

I must be crazy. What possesses a young woman, whose only background in running is chasing after a plastic disc, to declare that she's going to run a 10 kilometer race in the spring?

Especially in January?

I'm not sure I can rightly say what gave me the bright idea. The bus strike, as mentioned in my first post, was a good start. But to go from 'this is boring, I want to move faster' to 'let's run a 10K!' leaves a lot of bridging to be desired.

I knew I was going to have to make a financial commitment, so I couldn't just say, "I don't have the equipment, it's not worth it," or, "I haven't paid for the race, so I'm not obligated." But now I am. I have good equipment and gear, and I have obligated myself to the race by paying $30. Sounds cheap, perhaps, but I want to get my $30 worth.

What gets me out the door? To be honest, thinking about the race. When I think that I do want to run these 10 kilometers, I remember that there's hard work involved. And I can do it. I've had a lot of shifting of personal beliefs in the past two years, and one of the biggest is reminiscent of Barack Obama's campaign phrase: Yes, I Can, combined with another phrase batted about on TV: I'm Worth It (Dove).

So now I've committed myself financially, and I've rethought my personal value, and I'm out the door. There's gotta be something to get me moving, and keep me moving. A lot of it my music. When I listen to it, I have fun. Some people are purists - listening to music ruins their concentration. Not me, man. It's the thing that keeps me from thinking about running (which is very dull for me - there's only so many steps I can count before I don't care anymore). When I'm listening to music while I run, I mouth the words, I do little dances at red lights, I have fun with it. I don't suggest trying to do the Time Warp, though (the start is fine, but the pelvic thrust is a bit hard). Music has always been a part of me, albeit shut away recently, and now that I can incorporate it into something dedicated in my life, I find it's coming back to me too.

Speaking of Motivation, Runners' World has a hilarious series of articles called the Newbie Chronicles, written by Marc Parent, a self-admitted over-weight, over-40 year-old father who has recently gotten in to the running scene. His latest article that I read in RW's February issue, is on what keeps him moving - action movie scenes in his head.
Frankly, reading any of Mr. Parent's articles motivate me, because I think they're hilarious - even if I wasn't into running, I would enjoy his humour. I highly suggest it for a laugh.

And finally, what gets me back out there? Visualizing the end of running 10 kilometers, and that feeling of amazement, of excitement and pat-on-the-back. At night, as I lay in bed trying to sleep, my brain keeps me up with visualizing the end of the run. I take part of my visuals from John Stanton's book, as he describes visualizing the race - ending strong, feeling in charge, and hopefully, very hungry! If I don't watch it, I might just get up at that point and go for a run! But the PJs aren't waterproof, and it's cold outside, so I tell myself, "Tomorrow, we're gonna have a great run."

I Can Has Cold

As of this morning, I think I will have to acknowledge that I am getting a cold.

I can fight it and ignore the signs and pretend that everything will be okay, but there's more at stake than just my pride.

First, there's the running. So I'm not going to run today, but I will tomorrow.

Second, I am going to Trois-Rivières this weekend to see my sister, and I will have to run there.

So I'm going to take it easy and take short-cuts when I can - today, I'm getting a ride in to work. Maybe I'll get a ride home, too.

What Would John (Stanton) Do?