How Do I Look?

I was on a discussion board and came across a post about a members concern for running outside because she was afraid to look like a, "loser" if she had to stop and walk. My fist reaction was that the post was a joke, but after reading the discussion further I realized that for many women the fear of not looking good while running is keeping them from, what I think is best part of running, taking in the outside environment.

I have not always been a runner. When I started I could not even run a mile to the end of my neighborhood and had to stop and walk many times. I never had a concern about what others thought of me while running. I have always had the attitude that whether I am walking or running at least I am doing something. It is always better to do a little rather than nothing.

I tried to think back when I passed by a runner or walker in a car how I reacted. I do not think I ever took the time to notice them enough to critique them. I surely would never have made notice of whether they were supposed to be walking or running.

My advice to women runners is get off the treadmill and enjoy the outside. I think you should run for you and not worry about what other people think (most likely they are not thinking anything about you). Whether you run, walk, or jog it is more impressive for people to see you out there working every day! You will be surprised what types of encouragement you will get from friends and neighbors that see you on the street. You might even encourage someone to get off the couch and try to run with you!

Core Strength

Core strength (which involves strengthening of you hips, lower back, back and shoulders) is important to runners. A strong core will help your overall performance by increasing endurance, stride, and alleviating the pressure on your back by stabilizing the mid section. The stronger your core is, the less your upper body moves and the less energy you waste. Additionally strengthening your core will help prevent back and shoulder soreness after long strenuous runs. There are some great exercises that can be done (without having to go to the gym) to help increase your core strength. Plank holds (where you come to a push-up position on your forearms and toes and hold your stomach in for 30 seconds at a time) are a great exercise that can be done at home during commercial breaks nightly. Another simple exercise is a basic crunch. These can also be done at home and can be worked into your daily routine. I make my core strengthening part of my running program by doing those basic exercises before every run along with my stretching. It is not important when they are done, just as long as you remember that it is important to focus on your core and you find some time to do some basic exercises several times a week.

Back from Vacation

I am back from a week away on a Caribbean Cruise with my family. I am feeling well rested and very fat!! Cruises are great vacations, especially for families, but can definitely make trying to keep up with a healthy lifestyle a challenge. I will say that I did pack my workout gear which I am sure felt neglected as it did not even get removed from my suitcase the entire trip. My eat healthy attitude went completely out the window as I spent much of my time drinking Pina Coladas and laying by the pool. The damage is manageable, I did gain some weight but it was worth it. I am now not running to prep for a race. I am running to get my big butt back into shape.

As far as the Cruise goes, it was great. We went on Celebrity Cruises out of Miami. We stopped in Key West (where I did get some exercise by walking to the "southern most point of the island") and Grand Cayman (does jet skiing count as exercise?) which both were beautiful. The time on the ship was great, the food and service was good (not excellent, but good) and the children loved the kids club which kept them busy throughout the entire week. The line offered a little bit of something for everyone, and it was very enjoyable.

N ow we are back!!! I started off right away with the gym and going on a run. It was a great, quick 5 miles and I regretted eating so much the entire way. I am toying with running another marathon at the end of the month, but am not sure that the logistics will work out. I must decide quick!!!


marathonmama.com Women Running the World

Mommy, are you going to win the marathon?

This is a great question that I have been asked numerous times by all of my children and they always look at me with the same mixture of pity and a little bit of disappointment when I reply "no".

From that point the exchange goes something like this:

I explain to them that running a marathon is more of a race against your time rather than against other racers.

They ask, 'So there is no winner of the race?'

I explain, 'not exactly, but it is just an accomplishment to finish the race and I do not care if I come in first or last.' (ok, that part is a little bit of a stretch, I definately do not want to be last)

My 11 year old, quickly tiring of this conversation, educates the others by telling them that, 'mom is just not that good and she can not win so leave her alone.'

This finally ends up with the, 'Oh, why bother' comment "(more pity)

I try to explain further, but the boys are bored with the conversation and leave me to ponder while my daughter, trying her best to be reassuring, grabs my hand and reminds me that winning is not everything, it is having fun that counts.

Oh no, is that supposed to make me feel better? I wonder, is that how the kids feel when they have just been clobbered in a youth soccer game and I tell them that winning isn't everything? Maybe I need to rethink that entire statement!!!

One day I am going to be able to make them understand (or maybe I could win the race).

Anyhow, I am off to run another losing race on Sunday, maybe during my 5 hours of running I will come up with a good retort for when I come home and they ask me if I won.

marathonmama.com Women Running the World

Running vs. Jogging

I call myself a runner. I feel like a runner, I wear "running shoes", so why when I run into people who see me on the street do they always refer to my running as jogging? Am I that slow that the passer by decides that I must not be running, or is it just symantics?

I talked with my husband, who is also a runner, about this and his determination is made by the way you look. According to him, if you are wearing a headband and sweat socks, you must be a jogger. Well I do not with a headband or sweatsocks so his conclusions do not seem to be the proper barometer.

I always thought that jogging was a phrase that was more used in years past. Today it seems that people that once used the term jogging now refer to their activity as running. This can be easily proven by going to any race around the country and see how many participants you offend by calling them joggers (I bet quite a few). But this is not the 70's and people still call me a jogger here in 2009 so I guess I too am off the mark.

This leaves me but one somewhat sad conclusion, it is my speed. As it turns out, the difference between the two has nothing to do with how you look or what decade you trained in, it has to do with how fast you move. If you run slower than a 9 minute mile, you are a jogger, if you run faster than a 9 minute mile you are a runner.

This does not make me happy, as I have been working for the last three years to get below a ten minute mile and never have considered myself a jogger. No matter how fast I go, I will still be completing training "runs" not training "jogs". Oh well maybe someday I will be fast enough to be worthy to carry the runner title until then I guess I will be a rebel and keep refering to myself as a runner.

The Mental Battle of Long Runs

I love to run, for me it is a great way to relax, clear your head and get some good exercise. It is for these resons that I think it is a great option for a mom who rarely gets a chance for some quiet time. To me running is as much mental as it is physical. Running long races such as halfs and marathons put you out on the road for several hours leaving you plenty of thinking time. You have to train your mind to attack this type of solitude. Keeping your mind busy is key. I spend a lot of time calculating and recalculating my finish time with my current pace. I often save some of my bigger thinking issues for my long training runs so I can think them through. I have redecorated rooms, worked on Science Fair project concepts, thought up business plans, and worked out the family budget all during runs. It is important to keep in mind that depending on your pace, your training runs and the race can be long and you are going to want to keep your mind busy so that you do not allow it to focus on the pain, heat, thirst, etc. This is all part of the training of the mind. On the training runs, when I find myself starting to focus on the negative, I try to as quickly as possible come up with a new topic to ponder for a while.

It can also be helpful to run with a partner and chat during your runs but beware, this plan does not always work, you must make sure that you and your partner are compatible runners (run at close to the same pace, have the same type of running plan, and both like to chat). If you are not the same type of runner or your partner is always focused on the negative it could bring your mental state down and lead to a bad run and hurt feelings.

New Plan

New day, new plan. I am trying to begin my training for the Tampa marathon on the heels of the Disney. I am going to start out easy this week and run three miles each day with an easy ( I hope) 10 mile this weekend. I am trying to see how my muscles and knees hold up. If all goes well I will kick it up a notch for next week. Only time will tell. It is time to hit the road again!!!

I decided to start a training log and see how many miles I am logging in prep for this marathon. I also have decided while I am in "logging mode" to keep a food diary to see what I am eating. I have to tendency to eat a lot while I am training (more than I should), so I am thinking that writing it down, especially next to the running log should help. Check out my my site at marathonmama.com to check out my progress..

My Latest Marathon Experience

Friday, January 23rd

It is amazing to me to think that less than a month ago I was trying to run in the frigid temperatures of New York wondering if I should even attempt to run the Disney Marathon as my training had been so spotty due to the weather conditions. Most of my training for the past several years had been in Florida where the climate has definitely been more agreeable. I really do give those northerners credit who continue to train outside during the harshest of weather conditions. You guys are tough!!! Well a lot has transpired during this past month, and I am now fortunate enough to be back in sunny Florida, where I did run and finish successfully the Disney Marathon. I have to say that I love the Disney Marathon. Each year I say that I am not going to do it, do a different race instead, but each year I can not help signing up for it again. It is such a happy race, full of energy and very relaxed. Where else will you find runner after runner stop running and wait in line to get their picture taken with Goofy or Mickey in the middle of the race. Also Disney can pull off a great race. I give them top marks on the organization, the frequency and quality of water stops, and the entertainment and crowds. In all it is a favorite.

This year unfortunately for me was more difficult. And even the Disney magic could not make the hurt go away!!! I have no one but myself to blame as I literally stopped training for this race 10 weeks prior (quite a taper with my longest run being 18 miles). I had my doubts about my performance, but figured the race was paid for , I might as well give it a try and have some fun. I did have great fun, there is nothing that compares to running through all of the theme parks, but my performance definitely lacked, and I hurt like never before for a few days after the finish. I learned something at that race, you can run a marathon with a little training (if you have some baseline endurance built up) a lot of determination, and a high tolerance for pain!!! I would definitely not recommend it, but I actually would not trade the experience for anything. I learned a lot about myself and my physical abilities. Also I signed up for next year, so it could not have been that bad!!!