Book Review: What I Talk About When I Talk About Running By Haruki Murakami

Posted on June 30, 2011 by Coco

I finally finished the first of the three running books my Mom gave me for Mother’s Day. Even though I picked the shortest one to read first, it has taken me this long! That’s partly because of my busy schedule, and partly because I had a hard time getting in to it.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running, by Haruki Murakami

The author, Haruki Murakami, is an award-winning, Japanese novelist who took up running when he was 33. At first, I found his writing to be boring. Although he was writing about interesting things, I didn’t feel engaged. I wondered if that stemmed from a difference in culture (Japan vs. U.S.) or perspective (male marathon runner vs. female non-marathon runner). Sometimes I felt like he was just too “zen” about everything to capture my attention. In the “Afterward” he explains the tension he feels as a novelist between “staying true to the novel” and “revealing his own true voice.” Maybe that holding back is why I felt like there was something lacking.

The book was interesting enough that I did want to finish it, even if only to see if it got any better–and it did. I found myself immersed in the descriptions of specific runs and races, and there seemed to be more of those as the book went on.

Probably because it resonates most with my own experience, I was struck by the struggle to find the right balance between under-training and over-training. Early in the book he writes this about one event:

There are three reasons I failed. Not enough training. Not enough training. And not enough training.

But then later he provides this important warning:

It’s important to push your body to its limits, but exceed those and the whole thing’s a waste. 

There are lots of other good nuggets in this book, and I probably will remember it more than I expect. Maybe that means it is a good book after all.

Have you read this book?

What did you think?

Posted in Book Reviews, Fitness, Life | Tagged , , | 5 Comments

Biting My Tongue

Posted on June 29, 2011 by Coco

Whenever I’m at networking events, I always end up talking about my family. We can only talk shop for so long, and everyone is always willing to talk about their kids. I don’t know if I’m thinking about my Dad more now that he’s gone, or if I’m just noticing it more, but here are some examples from this past week.

At dinner, a colleague tells me that he used to live in Summit, New Jersey.  I readily reply

My Dad grew up there.

After learning where I live, a colleague tells me that his children were born at a nearby hospital. I think, but don’t say

My Dad died there.

We are plotting out a college visit road trip for my son. He wants to visit a school that is close to my Dad’s alma mater, but he isn’t really interested in my Dad’s school. My husband is trying to convince him to check it out because it is a good school with a good engineering program. I bite my tongue to keep from saying

Grandaddy would be so happy if you went there.

I probably couldn’t say that without crying anyway. I still have the hat I bought to give my Dad for Father’s Day when we were at the school in February for a wrestling tournament.

Posted in Life | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Sticks And Stones

Posted on June 28, 2011 by Coco

Last week Sue O’Lear (@MrsFatass) wrote a great blog post about her anxiety over her upcoming Zumba® certification class. The main concern she wrote about was

WHAT IF I AM THE FATTEST PERSON THERE?

Ugh. That feeling is so familiar. Even though I’m not overweight now, I was for so much of my life that being “the fattest person there” is an all-too-familiar, so-very-uncomfortable feeling. I can remember elementary school birthday parties, summer camp sessions, high school dances, and even work events where I definitely felt like the fattest person there. Sue’s ability to face her insecurities head on, and even turn them around to her advantage, is inspiring.

But as I read some of the comments that people left to encourage her, I got really sad. There were a number of comments referring to thin women as “sticks” or “twigs,” and discussing them in a negative context. While they were defending Sue from being judged for her size, they seemed to be doing the same to people who may be underweight. 

Is this really as far as we’ve come? We are quick to defend people who are overweight, but still willing to dismiss someone as a skinny b*tch?

What will it take for us to stop judging others based on their size?

Posted in Venting | Tagged , | 17 Comments

My First Place 5K Finish

Posted on June 27, 2011 by Coco

***Don’t Forget To Enter My PopChips® Giveaway!***

Last week I was at a conference that had a 5K as one of the social/fundraising events. When I registered for the conference, I signed up for the 5K without giving too much thought to what it would mean to run a 5K in south Florida in late June! When the Lawyers Have Heart 10K was cut down to a 5K because of the weather in D.C. a few weeks earlier, I started to question my sanity, but I figured we would have a shady route under the palm trees (do palm trees even create shade?) or a cool breeze off the ocean.

The conference hotel was lovely.

But it was hot: 87°F when I stepped outside at 6:15 AM!

As expected, there was a small group of us. Maybe 10 runners, including 3 women, plus about 5 walkers. More people had signed up, but the open bar reception the night before took its toll.

I was a bit worried when we were told that we would be running on the beach (my calves! my plantar fascitis!) but I figured I could survive a 5K, and I was not about to back out.

It was about 7:00 AM when we started running. The clouds had moved out (darn), and while there was a breeze, it was a not very helpful headwind.

After the start I was surprised to find myself at the back of the pack of runners, but I was committed to holding a moderate pace. I really was worried about running in the sand, and knew from the brutal Lawyers Have Heart course that the sun can take a toll. The average pace readings on my RunKeeper App got faster with each 5 minute report, but part of that was because I had started it before I actually started running. I did overtake a few runners, but the one woman who I knew was a regular distance runner remained a fair bit ahead. As we approached the lighthouse turn-around point, I was gaining on her, and I did manage to pass her before we turned around. After that, I realized that I was the leading woman and might have a chance to “win.” That set off my competitive spark, and I probably pushed my pace a bit after that.

Based on my RunKeeper data, I figured I would finish in close to but under 30 minutes. I was surprised to hear the 30 min report when the hotel finish line was still off in the distance. I kept plugging along, but was really feeling the sun and the heat. (That breeze was long gone.) I had to hold myself back from running into the ocean to cool off!

As I got closer to the hotel, I passed a guy who had already finished and was walking back to cheer others on. I asked him where the heck the finish was, and he pointed out the hotel trainer standing in the sand with a stopwatch. Even though I was hot and tired, I found some energy to sprint the rest of the way. In retrospect, it seems like a silly thing to do since this was such a low key “event,” but like I said, I am competitive, even when my only competition is myself.

When I finished, my RunKeeper App said I had run 3.71 miles in 33:30. Another runner had a Garmin and that had read 3.7 miles too. I guess the hotel trainers hadn’t mapped out the course very precisely!

I picked up my race t-shirt, grabbed a Gatorade and headed to the hotel gym to cool down on the treadmill. I really wanted an ice bath, but the full power air conditioning would have to do. I think I was still sweating half an hour later!

Later on I learned that the woman I was “chasing” had aggravated a muscle strain and decided to walk most of the way after the turn-around. I’m glad she wasn’t really injured and wish I’d beaten her under more fair conditions! Still, I will treasure this victory, as probably the only time I will be the First Place Female!

Posted in Fitness, Race Recaps | Tagged , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Sweating At The Ritz

Posted on June 24, 2011 by Coco

***Don’t Forget to Enter My ZippEarz Giveaway Which Ends Friday June 24***

***There’s More Time For My PopChips® Giveaway***

This week I am at a grueling conference in Florida. This is the view if I lean out my balcony:

Much better than my New York City view, eh?

Since I workout in my basement at home, a nice hotel gym is one of the few perks of business travel that I really enjoy.  The gym at this hotel officially opens at 6:00 am, and I was the second person to sign in at about 5:55. I grabbed a towel and a bottle of water from this lovely display. (I went back for an apple on my way out).

I started off with a 30 minute program on one of the fancy ellipticals .

Then I did my weights routine while enjoying this view. (Luckily they had regular dumbbells–I hate these big plate-style weights).

One issue with hitting a gym during a conference is encountering work colleagues while I’m all sweaty in my spandex. Today, one of my colleagues was in the gym at the same time, but he didn’t try to engage me in conversation except for a quick “hello.” Later, I met someone who recognized me from the gym, and that always makes me feel a bit uneasy. On the plus side, that means he knows I was up early and doing something healthy (and he was there too, so he can’t think I’m too nutty). On the minus side, I was sweaty and not in professional attire! While I don’t think it hurts for my “first impression” to be made in the gym, I think I’m uncomfortable because that’s not what I’m there for, and I don’t know at the time that the person next to me on the treadmill is someone I will be networking with later. Once we do make a connection, it might give us something to talk about, but I’d rather impress them with my legal skills than my fitness routine.

Do you hit the hotel gym on business trips?

How do you feel when you meet someone professionally who recognizes you from the gym?

Posted in Fitness | Tagged , , , | 13 Comments