Tuesday, March 28, 2006

Time Flies and Good-byes


So . . . two weeks have flown by and I am happy to say I have managed to get in some running. I ran 8 miles last weekend and probably the same this weekend.

I say probably because I was back on the boardwalk and increased my distance, but the mileage is just a guess as I only based it on time.

I've talked a great deal about time in this blog - from a runner's viewpoint. How is it different in the "real world?"

I'm not sure it is. I've noticed, as a runner, if I get caught up in my time then I tend to run less effectively. I think when I get caught up with time in my personal life, I live less effectively.

This weekend I was with the boy - our last weekend together until August as he must go away for work (What kind of work you ask? He could tell us but then he'd have to kill us - hahaha). I spent part of the weekend thinking about him being gone - for four months - and found myself not enjoying the fact that he was still there, with me, for the whole weekend.

Funny that.

I imagined how LONG four months will feel. How lonely I'll be. How much I'll miss him and how many fun things we'll miss.

I'm convinced that focusing on time only makes it go by that much slower. It does when I run - if I watch my watch. But if I just note the time when I leave and the time when I get back, I'm surprised by how fast it went by.

So in the real world I need to apply my running knowledge. I shouldn't "count the days" or they will feel like years. If I enjoy my time with friends, running, work, etc. the four months will race by. And before I know it, good-bye will be hello.

Tuesday, March 14, 2006

On the Boardwalk


Yesterday, I ran on the boardwalk at Ocean City. What a spectacular morning! What a spectacular weekend!

What a tease, really though. By week's end it might snow says my co-worker and arm chair meteorologist. At least I got my running in - not one but two mornings.

Of course, I spoke to my brother today and he's running about 4 - 5 days/week. ACK. I'm positively sloth-like in my approach to this 1/2 marathon by comparison. SIGH. Well, to each his own.

There's something special about running on the beach. The sound of the waves is soothing and manages to boost me up with its tireless motion. Depending on where you run, there truly is "no finish line" as ahead of you is always room to run. Most times, there is a breeze to keep you cool. Time ceases to exist in that environment and when you've finished, you marvel at how EASY it was to run your distance.

Zoe ran with me - she loves running on the beach, too. There are seagulls to chase, waves to swim in, and sand to roll on. She becomes a puppy again where we're seaside.

Perhaps that's it for me, too. The beach is a place (regardless of PLACE) that reminds me of my childhood. Many summer days were spent on the New Hampshire coast playing in the sea and sand and goofing off at the boardwalk. So perhaps all of my mental and emotional images of the beach are joyful and care-free (or BAGGAGE FREE).

Of course running is easy when you're feeling LIGHT and JOYFUL. So it's time to embrace the boardwalk in all of my running routes.

Wednesday, March 08, 2006

Best Times

One of Team Tegla forwarded this to me yesterday. I was surprised I hadn't read it myself, yet, but was so happy to have taken my own trip down memory lane.

Like John Bingham, I had a "best time" in Honolulu - just in a different way. I went my fabulous friends, ran with my terrific teammates, surfed, sailed, ate and drank on probably the best vacation I've ever had. All this with no official time result to due a malfunctioning chip. And yet, I had a BEST TIME.

As I learn to embrace running as a life-style instead of something I have to do, I find this trip down memory lane to be a great reminder of what racing can be for me. FUN.

I'm happy to say I ran today. I didn't have to, but I did. It felt great - in spite of the chilly air the sun was shining, Zoe joined me quite happily, and I even managed a few chipper hellos to fellow runners. Normally, I'm lucky to raise my hand in a little wave. Why the change? I don't know. Perhaps my attitude adjustment has commenced. Perhaps I'm learning to embrace running as a ZEN experience instead of needing to prove or accomplish something.

So hopefully this is the beginning of my "training." And will lead to many more "best times."

Tuesday, March 07, 2006

Life's Little Problems

It has been a tough day - and it's not even noon yet.

Nothing SERIOUS has happened, but just little things that upset and chip away at my feeling able and willing to be an adult. I just want to crawl back into bed . . . or better yet grab Zoe, get in the car and escape.

Oh, but wait . . . that implies I have a car that's safe to drive. Nope. I took it in for an oil change and to have them check the brakes (there was an ominous scraping sound happening when I was driving). I just got the call and it will be at least $1000.00 to fix. Ummm . . . where will THAT come from? SIGH. Thank heavens for credit cards.

This was the straw that broke the camel's back today.

All I wanted was a cup of coffee. So I vigorously scrub the months of crud that has built up on the work coffee pot, prepare the machine to brew, and turn it on. About 10 minutes later I go to fill my coffee mug and there are grounds EVERYWHERE. So much for my cup of joe. And I have the fun task of vigorously scrubbing the pot (and everything within a six inch radius) again.

I realize my problems don't amount to "rice for refugees" as a friend of mine likes to say. I was able to go get a cup of coffee on the other side of the building for heavens sake. At least I have credit cards I can use and eventually pay off the brakes on my 12 year old car. But some days these little problems seem so HUGE. Coffee should be simple. My car should work. The things I take for granted.

And of course I'm sure I don't deal well with the little problems when I'm not running. And I'm not running. I ran six on Saturday but I cannot seem to get my lazy butt out during the week for my maintenance runs. WHY? WHY AM I GETTING IN MY OWN WAY?

My newest edition of Runner's World arrived. I see the perfect woman on the cover and sigh.

My brother e-mailed me yesterday. A well-intentioned e-mail saying, basically, "I'm on track with my training." In fact, his training is now going BETTER than mine. UGH.

HELP!

I'm cranky, sedentary, frustrated, and beginning to worry. So in my search for some motivation I return to John Bingham and read this. He's right, you know. Perhaps I'm not truly a runner yet because I'm feeling I HAVE to run right now. It's time for an attitude adjustment. It's time to get out of bed because I DON'T HAVE to. It's time to think of running in a new way . . . time to embrace running for no reason at all.

And then maybe life's little problems will melt away.