Running for Fun

7 05 2013

That’s my goal for the year. Nothing else. While it would be fun to break a PR in some distance, that is not a goal this year. I just want to have fun. I think I’m over racing right now.

Once I dropped the Wisconsin Half from my schedule I realized the only races I have on my schedule are fun 5ks, three of which are connected to weddings. I think this says as much about my friends as it does me. I have the Tie the Knot Trot 5k next week, the day before two wonderful friend’s get married and then have a 5k in June as part of my friend’s bachlorette weekend and a 5k the day of another friend’s wedding. I kind of love that. And then in August I will be running the second annual Bacon Race. I mean who doesn’t want to run for Bacon? Ragnar isn’t really a race, it’s just a lot of fun.

5k

I never got into running for the medals or for the race bibs. I run because I enjoy it and it’s a good form of exercise for me. I frequently forget that I don’t need to have a race on the schedule, that I don’t need to run a certain distance. If I feel like running a half marathon this year I will, but otherwise I am not registering for anything.

Other than that I am just going to run. Run as fast and as far as I feel like. Run with friends. Run with groups. Run when I want to instead of when I have to.


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Reflections

16 04 2013

I listen to Mike & Mike on ESPN radio most mornings. I turned it on like any other morning this morning. What was different, and surprised me, was that they were discussing the Boston Marathon and the tragedy of yesterday. I was expecting to listen to dribble about NBA, MLB, or NHL, three sports I don’t give a crap about. Instead I almost started crying again. They had a really good dialogue on the events of yesterday while I was listening.

This hit way too close to home for me as it has for most runners. I spent all of yesterday afternoon trying to not to burst into tears at my desk. When I received a text from my friend that she and her fiance were fine and had left the finish line before any of this took place I felt like I could breathe again, just for a moment. I spent the rest of the afternoon with a lump in my throat. I felt sick. I didn’t, and still don’t, know how to wrap my head around all of this.

Running and runners are a huge part of my life. This is a community I am proud to be a part of. The selfless acts of yesterday, by not only the running community, but the city of Boston, leaves me at a loss for words. The human kindness that comes out of these tragic events is amazing.

We all react to things differently and we all deal with tragedy in our own ways. I had to sign off of social media last night. I couldn’t keep reading it all.

I am eternally grateful that all the people I know who were in Boston yesterday are okay. I am horribly saddened that a happy day was marred with this tragedy.

But we, sadly, live in a world where these things happen. And how we react and respond matters. As I was reading things yesterday about things people wanted to do to in solidarity with the city of Boston I quickly had to remind myself of all of this. It’s not stupid just because it’s not something I would do. Let people react and act in a way that works for them.


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Running Ups and Downs

2 01 2013

I was afraid to recap last year. I was terrified to count up the miles. I didn’t want to see the number. I didn’t want to know how my couch bonding time affected the numbers. I know the numbers are arbitrary, but I also know that I was only injured for about a month of my lower mileage time. I don’t know what frustrated me so much about running this fall/early winter, but I just didn’t want to do it, so I didn’t. I didn’t run a single mile in December. Not one. I have somehow decided not to dwell on that. Normally I would obsess over it. I decided to tally up my miles today. I’m not disappointed. I’m actually surprised with what I ended up.

mileage

Total: 929

Highest Mileage Month: March with 119

Miles run with Sara: 571

Half Marathons: 6

The fun I had running and racing with friends last year is immeasurable. I had so much fun traveling, racing, not sleeping, plotting, cheering, making new friends and running.

My goals for 2013 are simple:

  • Find some balance
  • Enjoy running

I will be racing less for many reasons. I will only run half marathons or shorter. I will not under any circumstance register for another marathon. I want to run with Sara. I want to have more adventures with Mo and Kelsey. Katie might even get me to run in Minnesota.

I started 2013 off with the Polar Bear Dash on New Year’s Day with Sara, Jen, and Jodi. It was cold. It was fun. And I started the year with 3.1 miles.

Polar Bear Dash


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Running, what is that?

10 12 2012

I haven’t run in awhile. It’s been long enough I don’t actually want to count the days. I deleted my DailyMile email without opening it because in my eyes it would have said “You’re a lazy-ass”, which is true right now. My couch and I have a deep bond. I don’t even come up with excuses anymore. I just don’t want to run. The strangest part is that I am still registering for 2013 races. And looking forward to them. And I have goals.

I had a blast running the Drumstick Dash on Thanksgiving Day. I think I enjoyed it mostly because my family all ran too. I put no pressure on myself and ran with my dad for the second year in a row. The two eight year olds did their very first 5k and had fun. It was a good day.

Top Row: Me, brother, uncle, cousin's boy friend, cousin. Bottom row: cousin, mom, cousin, dad

Top Row: Me, brother, uncle, cousin’s boy friend, cousin. Bottom row: cousin, mom, cousin, dad

image

I told him we would run it together next year!

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Dad, me, Mom and Levi.
No way to describe how happy to makes me all four of us ran.

In trying to re-motivate myself to get off the couch I am trail running with some friends this weekend and I registered for the New Year’s Day Polar Bear Dash (I’m not jumping in Lake Michigan, that’s crazy).


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Lakefront Marathon: Spectator edition

9 10 2012

I wish I wanted to run. I wish I wasn’t injured. I wish I hadn’t gotten sick right before the Madison Mini. I wish I knew how to get back on track.

I won’t go on and on for several paragraphs whining and bitching because even I don’t want to read that crap. Instead I will talk about last Sunday, the Lakefront Marathon.

This past weekend I cheered for friends running the Lakefront Marathon. I forgot how much fun it is to spectate at a marathon. I forgot how much fun it is to support your friends. I haven’t spectated a marathon since Marine Corps in 2010 where I spent all day out cheering for and celebrating with friends.

This was a race I was supposed to run. I was supposed to attack 26.2 again. Several weeks ago I decided not to run it. I was going to run it with my totally amazing friend Sara. When I decided not to run it I promised her I would be out there to support her. It was such a fun day to be out cheering and supporting. Sara shaved 20 minutes of her time and broke 4 hours. When I received the email with her finish time I almost cried. In fact, I teared up and couldn’t wait to give her a giant hug.

In addition to Sara having a good day, so did a whole bunch of other friends. It was a cold day to spectate, but I wouldn’t trade anything for being out there cheering.

I just wish it had inspired me to get my ass off the couch. I guess it kind of did. I’m just so damn annoyed with my hamstring that I don’t want to run 2 miles. I want to run 12. That is until I start running. Then I don’t want to be anywhere but my couch.


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July in Review

1 08 2012

I think mother nature won this month. It’s good to know it wasn’t just me though. Turns out it was the hottest July ever on record in Wisconsin. I never actually threw a tantrum, but I sure got close. And I definitely bitched a lot.

Total Mileage: 78 <— Yuck
Miles with Sara: 61
Total Miles to date: 716
Longest Run: 16, which went 800 times better than the almost 16 in June.
Races: Big 10K, Cudahy Classic

This should have been a much higher mileage month, but I just couldn’t do it. I’m not worried about my Lakefront training. The killer 16 miler I had felt great. And I have a big run coming up this weekend. August will be good. I will hit my miles and my workouts.

July was still lots of fun. I went to Phoenix for my cousin’s wedding and had a blast with extended family. My brother was in the country for something like 9 days so that was fun. We had Wisconsin beer and Italian wine. We ate good food.

Me, Levi, Dad and Mom

I got to run a fun inaugural race with two of my favorite race buddies: Mo and Kelsey. And I followed it up with running a 10 mile race the next day with Sara.

It was a good month, but fair riddance to July. I’m ready for a new month. August will bring the Madison Mini and all kinds of other fun summer events.


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