Coco’s 8K–Pick Your Race Distance

Posted on September 6, 2011 by Coco

My podiatrist is a runner. After a string of over-use injuries I was fed up with seeing doctors who didn’t understand runners, or why “stop running” was not an acceptable prescription. (I’ll take a few weeks off and be the most diligent physical therapy patient ever, but don’t tell me to take up biking instead!) So, when I had a horrible plantar fascitis flare-up a few years ago, I selected a doctor who advertises in the local running magazines and is a runner himself.

Another perk of seeing a doctor who is a runner is that the waiting room is stocked with running magazines. While I was waiting for my final toe appointment, I was flipping through a publication with local races. I was struck by how many are fundraisers in honor of local people:

  • The Tim Harmon 5K, which is organized to “raise awareness of Hepatitis C,” in honor of Tim Harmon, who passed away in 1999 from Hepatitis C. (Proceeds go to organizations providing advocacy, education, and services to those at risk of contracting the Hepatitis C virus.)
  • The Brain Aneurysm Awareness 8K in memory of Timothy Susco, which splits its proceeds between the Brain Aneurysm Foundation and the Washington Regional Transplant Community.
  • The Fill the Shoes 5K, in honor of Jack T. Farrar, Jr., who succumbed to pancreatic cancer, which uses its net proceeds to benefit the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network.

It seems like 5K is a popular distance for these types of events, probably for a number of reasons including participation and logistics. It got me thinking–if a race were organized in my honor, what distance would I want it to be?

My favorite race to run is the 10-miler, but I think I might pick an 8K. A bit more challenging than a 5K, less intimidating to new runners than a 10K, but a solid distance worth the pre-race hassles.

How would you pick your race distance?

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Grounded

Posted on September 5, 2011 by Coco

Summer vacation was a bit too long for my son. He broke some rules and had to spend his last days of freedom grounded. I give him credit for accepting his punishment as the fair consequence that it was. He didn’t fight us with attitude or try to talk himself out of it.

Honestly, it’s been nice having this time to spend together before he starts his senior year of college. (Pass the Kleenex® facial tissues, my baby will be graduating in 9 months!)

But, I am feeling “grounded” too. Since he is home for dinner every night, I feel obligated to be home on time (no goofing off at work and making it up by staying late) and fixing a decent meal (grilled cheese and soup just doesn’t cut it).

While I don’t feel bad about seeing my friends on weekend days, it somehow seems worse to leave him alone at night. So, we’ve been staying home too–although hurricane Irene pretty much kept everyne home last weekend anyway.

I know I am influenced by my own experience as a grounded teenager. I was grounded for a month during my senior year of high school (I promise, it wasn’t that bad!) and my Dad often left me home alone to go on dates with his then-fiancée. 

That loneliness stayed with me, and molded my thinking about “grounding” as a punishment. Yes, it makes sense to curtail a teenager’s social life, but I think that free time should be replaced with more family time–reinforcing those family bonds and family values that hopefully will guide future decision-making.

Were you ever grounded?

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Run Your Own Race

Posted on September 4, 2011 by Coco

One of my favorite running sayings is “run your own race.” It is an important reminder when I connect with other runners and trade running goals. I have to appreciate that my crappy pace might be someone else’s target pace and restrain my competitive side so I don’t get sucked into adopting someone else’s (more ambitious) goal as my own.

(source)

The saying first hit home years ago, when I was recovering from an injury. I was glad just to be out on the bike path running and didn’t care how many others passed me. I reminded myself that I might be doing a “long slow run” while someone else is doing a “tempo” run, or that while I was training for a 9 min/mile pace, that woman who just cruised by could have her eyes set on a sub-8:00 pace.

Running is an individual sport, and we all have to set our own goals, train our own way, and run our own race.

My priest is training to run a half marathon with his daughter, and shared in a recent sermon that he has learned the hard way that he can’t train her way, but can do better than he thought if he trains his way–a slower pace up hills, longer walking breaks, shorter runs. He morphed this into a sermon about how we also have to pray in our own way.

He noted that Jesus discusses three places where we pray: at the temple, at home, and in our “closet.” At the temple (church), we come together for corporate worship and can draw on the faith of others to strengthen our own faith. At home, we can talk with close friends and family members about our faith, and share our questions and beliefs more intimately. In the closet–when we spend time alone with God–we can deepen our personal relationship with God.

He warned us that in the months to come he is going to be encouraging us to spend more time alone with God, and trying to help us figure out our own “best” way of praying. By strengthening our inner relationship with God, we will be better prepared to run our own race in the world.

Just thinking about praying in terms of training has been inspirational. I think I approach prayer like I approach fitness–with cross-training. I pray by reading, writing, listening to the Morning Prayer podcast, praying silently, and on my walks. I also tend to skimp on prayer time, just like I skimp on stretching. Luckily God is more forgiving than an ITB injury!

How do you spend time alone with God?

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Letting Go Of My Army Ten Miler Goal

Posted on September 3, 2011 by Coco

If you asked me in August I would have stated an aggressive goal for the Army Ten Miler on October 9. I was doing 7-8 mile long runs at a 9-ish pace in the heat while chatting with a friend. I figured that would translate to an 8:30 or better pace for a fall race.

Well, one thing has led to another, and I think I am letting go of my Army Ten Miler goal–at least for now.

On the physical front, my toe is fine. My ITB is better today than it was last week thanks to the sports massage I had on Tuesday, but relieving that tension revealed even tighter knots in my piriformis–another recurring injury. I was in such pain on Wednesday that I squeezed in a deep tissue massage that evening.  The massage therapist spent the full 30 minutes trying to release the tension in different regions of my butt and it still felt tight when she was done! (Insert your own tight-ass comment here–I can take it!) After some pigeon posing that night and the Rodney Yee “Twists” program the next morning, I finally felt better, but my lower back is still tight and my ITB is still nagging.

All of these issues threw a wrench in my running program. I ran 4.5 miles on Tuesday, swapped my planned run Thursday for Rodney Yee, and ran 6 miles today. I do plan to run 8 miles on Monday (Labor Day) but I don’t think I’ll be able to do another long run next weekend, because work is also going to interfere with my training.

This week I head out on a 10-day, 3-city business trip–yuck! I can’t monopolize the hotel gym treadmill for too long, so my maximum distance probably will be 6 miles, and even that will be a test of mental fortitude.  Towards the end of my trip I do have one morning in Chicago where I hope to be able to go for a long run along Lake Michigan, but that may be the only day I can do an outdoor run.  By the time I get home, there will only be three weekends left to the Army Ten Miler!

If all goes well, I will use those three weekends to run 8 miles, 10 miles, and then 8 miles.

In addition to the difficulty of squeezing in long runs, I know that business trips take a physical toll. I don’t eat as well, I don’t drink as much water, I drink more wine at receptions, I don’t sleep as well, and this trip will involve three long flights (and one shorter one).

Adding it all up, I think it will be better if I let go of any specific goals for the Army Ten Miler and just do the best I can with my training, and see where I am come race day. (Crossing the finish line smiling was enough of a challenge last year!) I’m really OK with this, and already setting my sights on a goal for the Hot Chocolate 15K in December.

That will be worth pushing myself for!

What’s the longest business trip you’ve been on?

Will you come help me pack?

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Chili For Irene

Posted on September 2, 2011 by Coco

The approach of hurricane Irene forced me to brave the grocery store before I had done my menu planning for the week. I decided to get the fixings for one of my go-to stormy weather dinners: chili. Chili is especially good for hurricane weather because it can be fixed in one pot on our gas stove.

I am all about easy meals, and my family loves the flavor of this Six Gun Chili Mixin’s spice kit. 

(You can see on the package that the apostrophe is theirs, but why?)

I browned 1 lb. lean ground beef and 1.3 lb. lean ground turkey, drained what little fat there was, and added the first water/spice mixture.  After that was throughly heated, I added one large can of crushed tomatoes and one large can of petite diced tomatoes. After letting that simmer for a while, I added one can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed). Then I sprinkled on the second hot spice mixture, adding an extra dash so my son wouldn’t complain about it being too wimpy.

Since our electricity was still on, I decided to make corn bread muffins.  I love the taste of the Jiffy corn bread mix–more expensive brands just don’t have the same authentic corn meal texture and flavor.

 

As usual, my husband and son loved their dinner–and went back for seconds!

Do you have a go-to meal that you fix when there are storms brewing?

Do you put beans in your chili?

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