Full circle at the Philadelphia Marathon
Four years ago, I decided to run a marathon. One marathon.
After much deliberation, I picked Philadelphia. My mother was raised there, my sister lived there. It was home. I ran the race and had the time of my life. I reached what I long thought was an unreachable goal.
Last weekend, I returned. And yep, it was well worth the wait.
As always, I stayed with Meri, who decided to run the Philadelphia half marathon after years of cheering and volunteering at the race.
We hit the expo midday Saturday, collected our goodies and connected with Dimity of Another Mother Runner. We even managed to leave without spending too much money. Huge success.
The day’s weekend’s highlight, however, was meeting friends old and new.
At high noon, we met with fellow running bloggers Karla, Jen and Katherine and my longtime friend Claudia at the Reading Terminal Market.
Katherine (left) Jen, Karla and Meri
We all gabbed like old pals for more than an hour…. and then we met up with broken chick Kyle, who planned to run Philadelphia Marathon with us until she sprained her ankle.
Kyle is thrilled to be in the land of grilled cheese
We three carb-loaded at our beloved Pop Shop in NJ before we all attempted to settle down on marathon eve. A great chat, lots of laughter and race-morning planning filled our evening.
Ready to go!
Fast forward to marathon morning. The 4 a.m. alarm woke us in time to catch the 5:40 train into Center City. We walked about a mile to the start area, where we dropped our bags and wished one another a great run and headed into our respective corrals.
Somehow, in a mass of 30,000 runners, I connected with my training partners Gary, Traci and Jen in the purple corral. We all planned to start together with the 4:15 pacer, but race our own races. While waiting, Gary met Justin, a man from Allentown who joined our running crew for the day. (More on him later)
With Gary, Traci and Jen (note the art museum behind us!)
Soon enough, we hit the road. The first few miles flew by and pretty soon Gary, Justin and I were all running as a well-oiled 10-minute-mile pacing team. I jabbered along much of the first half, pointing to landmarks and sharing stories. Running through Center City was fantastic, between Independence Hall, several bands and streets lined with cheering fans and volunteers.
The miles clicked by and I felt fantastic. My Garmin watch was acting up, clearly giving me false readings as I ran by skyscrapers, so I went by feel. It totally paid off. Looking back at my stats, I ran a solid 10-minute-mile pace nearly the whole race. I slipped a bit in those last two miles.
I was feeling it Sunday. I powered up the hills at miles 7 and 9. I flew on the straightaways. I was in the groove.
At the half, I felt invincible. I spotted three cheering friends near the art museum and Boathouse Row. Childhood friend Kelly, who ran the half Sunday morning, waved me down and ran alongside me for a bit. Her words of encouragement carried me for miles.
I pulled ahead with a smile on my face. This was the race I’d been waiting for.
Around mile 20 in Manayunk, running pal Cynthia waved me down as I started to get the inkling that my legs felt heavy. Her smiling face motivated me to keep moving forward. (Thank you!)
I started to struggle around mile 21. Justin ran a bit ahead and I recall thinking how nice it was to see him get a surge of energy. It was that moment I knew he’d reach his own goal, no matter how hard those last few miles were.
Several times he circled back, checking to make sure I was holding my own. Thank you Justin!
We ran into Traci around mile 22-23 and the three of us pushed on together. I walked longer at each water stop, but didn’t throw in the towel, even though I desperately wanted to. My legs were on fire and my breathing was labored. I was doubting my training.
Then we approached the art museum and the crowds carried us in. With a high five from Mayor Nutter, Traci and I crossed the finish line together at 4:25. We both PRed and were thrilled we were done. Justin waited for us on the other side and also ran his best time. Triple PR!
We each received a beautiful medal, rivaled only by the soft pretzel handed out in the runner food line.
Eventually, we found the rest of our group and started learning about everyone’s races. LOTS of PRs in our running group! I cannot wait to hear all about everyone’s adventures.
With Traci and Meri just after the full
From left, I’m with Traci, Brittany, Charlotte, Aileen, Gary and our new pal Justin
Philly is a tough course, but there really is nothing like it. I loved my first 26.2 in Philly for just that reason – it was my maiden marathon and showed me I could accomplish anything I set my mind to. Five years later, I completed a far different training cycle that included multiple missed runs, illnesses and other demands taking away from my training time. I went into the weekend feeling strong but told myself not to overshoot or stress over a goal time.
So I didn’t. And it paid off. Philly, you’re my city. Running the Philadelphia Marathon the second time is like coming home.
Did you run Philly? I want to hear all about your race! Ever meet a new running pal and run a race together?
Chick Chat: We are Thankful
Last year we shared Thanksgiving traditions. This year, we chose to go a different route and share what we are thankful for (hopefully without being too cliché!). So sit back, relax, and read on. In the comments, we’d love to hear something you are thankful for.
Mer
I think that Thanksgiving is a time to focus on what we are grateful for and honestly, it’s hard for me to pinpoint one or two particular things. I suppose that right now, I’m quite thankful for my health. Over the past year I’ve had aches and pains but right now, all things considered, I’m feeling good!
I’m thankful to have a table to sit at, a bed to sleep in, and to have never wanted for anything that I couldn’t live without. I live in a world filled with love and compassion and I happily share that.
I am surrounded by good people, close both in proximity and in my heart. I’m very lucky.
Vic
I’m thankful for good friends, family, my supportive husband and Meri’s supportive husband, who made me waffles for breakfast.
I also love how social media has brought so many amazing, inspiring people into my life.
And after my weekend marathon- I am beyond thankful for PRO compression socks.
Kyle
I love reflecting on what I’m thankful for and practicing gratitude is something I try to do on a regular basis – my family, my health (well, aside from da boot situation), my people. This year, among a great many other things, I’m thankful for this grilled cheese. Well, mostly I’m thankful for everything that goes with this grilled cheese: friends, fellowship, good conversation, running… the list is exhaustive. I’m grateful for all of it. But really, the grilled cheese, too.
Jenn
This year, I’m grateful for many things. They are intangible things that all people are grateful for like health and happiness of family, friends and beloved pets. I’m grateful for my job, my home, and my freedom. I’m grateful for the good fortune, security, and progress of my life. And I’m very grateful for being a part of Scoot a Doot!
I’m thankful for the wisdom that comes with age; for being able to recognize how fortunate I am and to appreciate what I have while it lasts. In particular, this year I’m grateful for my marriage and my husband. Like every couple, we’ve faced our challenges over our twenty year history. There were times that I wasn’t sure if we’d make it. Luckily, both of us wanted to do the often-difficult work to make it through the tough times. Although I cannot point to any specific event or moment this year that noticeably changed things, our marriage is stronger than it has ever been. I haven’t been able to put my finger on exactly what it is, but the fact that I’m learning that love can evolve and depend and mature is amazing.
So this year, I’m thankful for the chance to learn more about love with my best friend and high school sweetheart.
Bec
My life is so full of great things, it’s hard sometimes to narrow my focus and pick out individual pieces. I’m thankful to have such problems.
I’m thankful for good health. Even though I’ve been sick for weeks, overall, I am well and my family is well. I have a warm house and full pantry. I know how lucky I am for these things.
But mostly, I’m thankful for people. I have so many wonderful people in my life. Some are next to me on the couch, some are right up the road, and some are too far to see as often as I would like, but they all reside close to my heart. Family, family, framily; I’ve been gifted with an abundance of all three.
I’m truly blessed.
Jess
It’s not particularly surprising, but as ever, I am thankful for my family, particularly the two main men in my life. Every day I laugh because of them. They are truly the meaning in my life (and, yes, the in-spir-aaaaation).
But I am surrounded by amazing people: family, friends, co-workers. I’ve won the people lottery, and who wouldn’t be thankful for that?
Cam
This year, I’m extremely thankful for my very patient friends. This year has be a roller coaster and I wouldn’t have been able to weather the emotional ebb and flow without my friends, who aren’t really bound by any obligation to love me yet do so anyway. I can’t even express how much these beautiful people mean to me.
And we’re so very thankful for all of you. Wishing a happy holiday to you and yours from us and ours!
Love, The Chicks
Special Olympics Step Up Challenge
Have you ever signed up for an event only to have more than one person ask you, “What were you thinking?”
Okay, okay, sometimes the things that I find are a little bit out of what people consider ordinary. (Read: Jog ‘n Hog) I happen upon particularly random events that I think might be fun. Then I try to talk someone into joining me. Usually at least one person says, “Aw heck, why not?”
Cue the Philadelphia Special Olympics Step Up challenge.
53 flights of stairs, 1,109 steps, and money for a good cause.
I learned about it on Facebook and after sharing the post, my friend Lynn agreed to join me! Yay Lynn! We registered a week prior to the event, made our plans, and headed into Philly the morning of the stair climb.
BNY Mellon Center on Market Street
There were four “challenges” for varying abilities. Lynn and I didn’t really know what we were getting ourselves into, as we’d never done a stair climb before, so we decided to go with the “Fun Climb Challenge”. The Fun Climb was not timed and you were encouraged to go at your own pace – which sounded like a plan to us!
The “Stair Climb Challenge” was timed and the participants were eligible for prizes.
CrossFitters looking to step up the challenge even further were able to register for the “Cross Climb Challenge” which tacked on a WOD to the stair climb.
For participants who had an hour and ambition, the “Multi Climb Challenge” was perfect! People signed up for this would see how many times they could climb the 53 flights in a one hour period.
We took the train from Jersey. After a little walking detour (the police had the area around City Hall roped off for construction), we got ourselves to the building. Staring up to the top, we wondered what exactly we’d signed up for!
In the lobby, we were given our challenge t-shirts and wristbands which labeled us “fun climbers”. An email earlier in the week had said that there would be a gear check but when we inquired, we were told we could just leave our belongings on the floor. Thankfully we both “packed light” for this and shed our sweatshirts, tucking them away into a corner.
From there, we wandered a bit, as we were given no clear directions on what to do or where to go. We found the snack table (bananas, pretzels, and water) and decided we’d stop by for a Philly pretzel after accomplishing our stair climbing task. Watched the Cross Fit challengers, doing their thing. Visited the bathrooms. Things seemed a bit disorganized and when we asked a volunteer questions, we didn’t really get solid answers.
As we started our second loop around the lobby, the stair climbers and fun climbers were called to together by someone who knew what was up. Hooray!
Dun, dun, dun!
The event coordinators gave us the run down of how things would work and we lined up, with people going a few at a time. In total there were about 190 participants in all four challenges for the morning.
Those doing the timed challenge went prior to the fun climb. The people right in front of me were timed climbers and I was informed we’d start immediately after them.
We were told to pass on the right. The rescue floors were 9, 25, 34, 40 and at the top (53) – each had water stations and climbers had the ability to bail during those floors.
Once we started, we were immediately going way too fast! Since I was following on the heels of the timed climbers, and I had no sense of how fast or slow I should be going but I soon figured out I wasn’t going to be keeping their pace. Around floor 4 we fell back into a more comfortable cadence. Right around this time, Lynn and I exchanged a glance. The glance was “Whoa! Who came up with this challenge?”
Soon we reached floor 9 and we both gratefully grabbed a cup of water from a volunteer there. Many of the Special Olympians were also doing the fun climb and it was great to see them out there, supporting one another and having their coaches with them.
The scenery?
After a quick breather, we were off again. Taking a break at the rescue floors put a little pep in our step, at least for a couple of flights! The rescue floors were spaced just right.
You know the saying, “don’t look back, you’re not going that way?” Well, I did. Or at least I looked down.
I jammed to my music as we continued up, up, up. I sweated. I took another cup of water at floor 25. I stopped with Lynn at 34 so she could get more water. And we continued on! I looked forward to floor 37, my age, so I could get a picture.
Floor 40 was the last “rescue” floor before we made our way to the top and then there were only 13 more to go. I kept my pace slow and steady, using the handrail and enjoying my music. My quads were burning a bit but nothing horrible and we cheered each other on as we made our way past a couple of other stair climbers. Around floor 51 there was a bit of a change where we made our way into the next tower – it was fun to do something a bit different!
Just like that…
We made it!
Hooray for Lynn!
We turned into the 53rd floor and finished our climb. Unlike a run, there’s no finish line, and no cheering (well, except for the two of us cheering for each other). But the sense of accomplishment was great!
And you can’t beat the view!
Lynn and I estimate we climbed the 53 flights in about 25 minutes, which wasn’t bad at all. I had no frame of reference as to how quickly we might be able to do it so 25 minutes definitely worked for me. We made our way back to the lobby, via the elevator, and happily got our pretzels. Our sweatshirts were just where we’d left them too!
I overheard a few people talking and figured out that they were in the competitive stair climbing competition. Being curious, I asked the woman (Peggy) how fast she thought she had done it. Turns out I asked the right person! She was the female winner last year at a time of 10 minutes and she beat her time this year at 9:51. Whoa! I asked how she trained for an event like this (as I obviously had NOT) and she said she goes to buildings like this and runs the steps; she does two workouts – one where she does every other step and one where she runs them straight. Always take the elevator down!
The organizers of the event followed up with an email survey asking for input and feedback, which I always appreciate.
Have you ever done a stair climb challenge or something of the like? What events do you sign up for that leave others wondering about your sanity? Do you like follow up surveys?
Chick Chat: Vaseline Intensive Repair Lotion
Mer: I’m not sure what’s been happening to my skin in the past year or so. Maybe it’s age. Maybe it’s weather fluctuations. All I know is that I’ve developed itchy, dry skin and it’s agonizing enough that I visited the dermatologist.
Since September I’ve been on prescription strength cream medication; however it’s something that the dermatologist recommended using only during “flair ups” because it thins the skin. Um, say what? I don’t want thin skin!
For daily use, she said that I should find something over the counter that worked well. Luckily, at that time, I received the Vaseline intensive care lotion from Influenster and I’ve been slathering myself with it non-stop. Sounds awesome, huh? Well, it is. It’s been working really well and I’ve been less itchy! Which is good because I don’t want to have to use the prescription strength cream unless absolutely necessary.
Two thumbs up, Vaseline. Keeping you!
Vic: My husband usually buys the hand lotion in our house. Backwards? Yes. But he loves to shop at warehouse stores and who am I to deny him that pleasure? (especially when said store is packed on a Saturday afternoon.)
We’ve used just about everything – Jergens, Aveeno, Lubriderm and yes, Vaseline. He gets what’s on sale, which is fine by me. And he (almost) always picks fragrance-free lotion.
Huzzah – I don’t wanna smell like a blooming lavender pickleberry or a peppermint-doused evergreen. I just want moisturized skin.
I’ve been using the Vaseline Intensive Repair lotion for a few weeks now and I’m loving it.
When I first applied it, I knew it was different straight away. The lotion feels thicker than what I’m used to using. My skin feels soft and hydrated. And….it’s fragrance-free.
Confession: I hid my bottle in our guest room to make sure it would stay out of hubby’s hands. To date, it has worked. But that may change after this post.
Bec: Confession time. I have a BIT of a lotion habit. I have a lot of different lotions around the house. When I was younger, it wasn’t something I needed, just something I liked. But hey, just one of the many joys of aging? Drying up like a prune. SIGH. So, after every shower, I lotion up like crazy. If I don’t, my calves will be tight and sooooo itchy, and that is no fun.
I definitely have some favorites, and I actually like the scented ones, but I’m always open to trying new products. So when I got the email from Influenster about the Vaseline Intensive Repair lotion Voxbox, I was ALL in.
This lotion is really thick, and creamy, both pluses in lotion. And they don’t leave me feeling greasy, which is a major deal breaker. It’s hard to speak to the ‘repair’ effectiveness of the product, since this is a bit early in the season for me to start having really dry skin. But, from a preventative angle, it’s totally getting the job done. The lack of fragrance is actually the only downside for me, I would have preferred a light scent. Not necessarily blooming lavender pickleberry (Vic, you always make me laugh), but something. Still, if it continues to work as well as it has been, I promise you won’t hear any complaints from me.
Mer, Vic and Bec received the Vaseline Vox Box from Influenster to test and review. No other compensation was given and all opinions are our own.
This Post Was Supposed to Be About Marathon Training
Last month, I ran the Chicago Marathon. But back in September, I also signed up for the Philadelphia Marathon.
Yes. I’m probably insane.
The reason? A group of my best girlfriends had also signed up for the Half, and my training partner – Sarah – had also decided on double-marathon-craziness, after having run the Baltimore Marathon just a week after I’d crossed the finish line in Chi-town.
Mer and Vic were also signed up for race weekend distances and I thought: “Well, I’ll already be trained and six weeks is plenty of time to recover… and Philadelphia is a great race.” So… I did.
Sarah and I planned out our training schedule in between the two big races and we both felt really confident that the intervals we’d been utilizing would serve us well in keeping our legs happy.
We knew that since we only had a few weeks in between, we didn’t need to do a super long run (super long is a relative term for marathoners). We decided that we’d hit 16 miles and then start tapering again.
Halloween long run means cat ears
With the race less than a week away at this point, I’d say I feel pretty good. Well, actually I’d say Sarah is probably feeling pretty good, because I won’t be running anymore.
Why, you ask?
Oh. Because of this.
Not. Bueno.
So, I decided to play basketball last week (which I do, all the time), and went up for a lay-up. Came down… on someone’s foot. Result? One very sprained and sad ankle.
However, I did make the lay-up and my team won. That’s the important takeaway here.
… or that size. or that shape.
Since it’s the fourth or fifth time I’ve sprained this sucker (years of basketball and volleyball, friends) my ligaments are apparently (according to a few docs) just hanging on. Hence the nasty bruising and lack of walking I’m doing currently. Hoping surgery isn’t in my future, but it is a definite possibility.
Mostly, I’m just super disappointed that five months of training just went down the drain. I do, however, get to wear this stylish accessory for the next three weeks:
These boots were made for… not running
So, that’s where we’re at this week. Trying to keep my chin up and not think about how much I’d rather be running. Or really doing anything that doesn’t involve this boot. I’m also trying to get my eating under control because my metabolism is a little confused. It still thinks I’m marathon training and therefore wants to eat all of the things. Not gonna happen, pal.
My mission now is to work on working out in ways that are no impact and trying to keep myself in a shape that isn’t a circle while I recover. Once I’m cleared, I’ll be hitting the pool and the stationary bike and the weight room. Until then my only bicep curls will involve lifting my coffee mug to my mouth.
As an athlete, learning to be accepting of injuries is necessary. They are going to happen and most of the time they aren’t anyone’s fault. But, the worst thing you can do is to not respect them. I’m guilty of this because I’m stubborn. I’m competitive and I hate hate HATE being taken out of the game. I have serious sports FOMO. I don’t like missing out on anything, especially when it’s something I’ve spent so much time preparing for.
I know, though, that if I don’t take care of this the way I’m supposed to, the result could be more detrimental in the long run. If I want to continue to be not only able to run in the future, but also continue playing the other sports that I love, I need to let my body heal and take the steps necessary to fix my brokenness.
Ugh. Sometimes, being a responsible grown up sucks. Big time.
So, this weekend, I’m still going to Philly. Only instead of running my butt off, I’ll be cheering my head off. Now, to come up with some clever sign ideas…
Healthy Holidays?
Is that even possible? I mean, I know it’s possible, but does anyone do it?
I haven’t. And I don’t think I’ve ever really wanted to. But this year, I do.
Maybe it’s turning the big four-oh-my-god next month. Having a birthday smack dab in the middle of the holiday season means it’s one continuous party from the last week of November until New Year’s. A party with food. Lots of food.
What are the other challenges for me? Mainly, not getting a Starbucks red cup of wonder filled with the new Chestnut Praline Latte twice a day, every day. (I’m barely kidding here, have you tried it???? It’s amazingness in liquid form). And it’s cold here, so don’t exactly relish the idea of heading outside to work out. And I have ALL the shopping to do (my awesome husband actually does a LOT of the holiday shopping, but still, there will be trips to the mall). And there are 5 other birthdays in my family. AND I REALLY LIKE PIE.
But I also really want to at least maintain my weight, if not lose, by the first of the year Weight Watchers meeting (which, if you’ve never been, is very full!) Hence the strive for a healthier holiday season.
In an attempt to jump start this whole process, I started a 14 day pre-holiday challenge. That leads me right up until the Monday before Thanksgiving, which is the first day of the Holiday Sweat Challenge, hosted by SweatGuru and Run to the Finish.
Are you joining? You should! And you should totally say Bec Pishkin referred you 😉
And since I am a crazy fool, and because my holiday gathering is going to be a lot smaller than usual, I signed up to do a 5K Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning.
But, since I’ve never really attempted to keep it in check during the holiday season before, I’m kind of working without a net here. When I was originally thinking of this post, I wanted it to be more of a ‘Healthy Holiday Tips’ post. And then I remembered that I don’t have any tips! So, I’m hitting you guys up for advice. Comment. Email. Text. Show up on my doorstep.
I NEED YOU GUYS. Help a chick out? How do you have Healthy Holidays?
Mission Inn-Possible!
Since I began this wild and crazy ride called runcationing, I have completed five half-marathons. However, I have never ran a half in my actual city or even county of residence. Through each of these races, I’ve had Meri, my mega-motivator, by my side. On a whim, I signed up for three local races in the Run Riverside race series. Why? For the medal, of course! For some reason, I decided that one of those races would be a half-marathon. I felt ready. I felt confident. I had kicked ass at the Hometown Heroes 10k last month.
Supporting Riverside’s Boys in Blue at the Hometown Heroes 10k
It wasn’t until the weekend before that I realized Meri wouldn’t be there to dance with me or bribe me with laffy taffy. In fact, I wouldn’t have anyone with me. I would be spending three freaking hours by myself. Running.
What the hell was I going to do with myself? Would I even be able to finish this on my own? As we all know, I’m the least self-motivated person on the planet. I excel at procrastination. It’s my superpower. Did I train for this half? I think we all know the answer to that one. And yet, I woke up on Sunday at the crack of dawn and got myself downtown to the start.
After my first half. I was told by a psychic that day that my soulmate’s name would begin with an “M”. Coincidence? I think not.
Riverside, CA has an awesome downtown area centering around an old hotel, the Mission Inn. I’ve lived in the area and use to walk downtown to get fresh produce at the farmer’s market, or to pick up a book from the used book store. I’ve spent some nights dancing or listening to bands in one of the many bars and lounges. Every year, the place is lit up for the holidays with vendors, Santa, and even an ice skating rink. It’s a place where I’ve spent many a day and night. However, I’ve never ran a race here!
Mission Inn Festival of Lights
The best thing about running in your hometown? You run into people you know everywhere! I had my fella drop me off at the start so I wouldn’t have to park because parking sucks downtown. I picked up my bib and chip and got all pinned up and made my way to the start. Where I ran into some friends! We chatted and compared compression socks and stretched. You know, all the stuff friends do when they’re getting ready to run 13.1 miles.
And then we were running.
I had bought this new headset, you know the fancy kind that’s also a hands-free headset and I had downloaded this HIIT interval app for my phone. For some reason, the volume on my headset kept going down. On its own. I’d turn it up and the damn thing would mute again, like it was possessed or something. I spent the first 3 miles trying to figure out what was wrong with my phone. Was it the app? My music player? I couldn’t figure it out until I realized my headset was the only thing that was new. The little button thing that you push to make it a headset was malfunctioning. So I ripped it off. Yep. I had to break my headset. Because this was more logical than spending 10 more miles with just my thoughts.
I took this pic just for Bec because I know how much she loves this quote.
Once I figured this out, my music worked like a champ. So I reset my interval timer and waited for the buzz. This worked for a good five more miles. Then it just stopped. I was running for what seemed like forever and when I checked my phone. It had reset. Well, now I would never be able to trust this app again. And trust in my interval app is very important! I would have to find an alternate strategy.
Girl Talk to the rescue! I don’t know if any of you are familiar with the artist, but he’s this guy who mixes a bunch of popular songs from all different genres into one continuous stream. The songs blend into each other, like one long epic mash-up. It’s my favorite running music. I just started counting music changes. After 5 music changes, I would walk for one until it changed again. Then it was back to running. The music kind of lends itself to intervals perfectly because the beat also changes often; there’s a definite up and down in the rhythm.
Right around this time, I saw more friends! The course had a portion of out and back running along a bike trail. So I got a good look at all those peeps up ahead of me and it was nice to see familiar faces.
After I made the turn around, I started to overheat. It was hot. And my hamstrings were cramping up. I hydrated with powerade and water at every water station, but between miles 10-12, there wasn’t a water station in sight. This was also where the course meets up with the 10k course. Dozens of fresh runners started passing me up while I limped on. I kind of wished I had worn my bib on my back, so they knew I was running funny for a reason.
*Side Note: Telling a runner “You’re almost there, don’t give up!” is the equivalent of asking a pregnant lady if she’s having twins or telling someone they look tired. I know you mean well, avid race watcher/volunteer, but just don’t. Because your idea of “almost there” and my idea of “almost there” after 13 miles is completely different. Just saying.
But I made it! And my guy was waiting at the finish. This was literally the best thing in the world to see. Because that meant the car was near.
At the finish!
Have you every done a hometown race?
New Look, Same Attitude
Hey friends! We’re sure you’ve noticed the changes to Scoot a Doot that have happened the first week of November!
We’ve added Jenn and Kyle onto our author roster, changed from a .com to a .org (if you’re on bloglovin’, it’s time to update the link), and our new look is courtesy of Laurie at Laurie Miller Design!
If you’re looking for a great designer who listens and doesn’t mind eleventy billion questions, Laurie is your lady.
Saunter around, check out the joint, and put your feet up on the coffee table. Heck knows we do! And we love hearing what you have to say; hook up with us all over social media. Otherwise it sort of feels like you’re talking to yourself, which gets lonely!
Leave a comment with your social media names and we’ll “like”, follow, and friend you back. If you want to a quick response, feel free to email scootadoot@gmail.com
Happy Trails
Howdy there, Scooters! Jenn here with a hearty thank you for spending some time with me today, and for welcoming me to Scootadoot. Being invited to be a Chick couldn’t have come at a better time for me from a personal fitness perspective because, well, I have a smallish problem/confession to reveal.
I haven’t been running since July.
I know! I know! I feel horrid about it, and I know that if I can go anywhere for advice/perspective/empathy, it’s here with you fine, understanding, people who are also pretty. *Bats lashes*
Here’s what happened. Late this summer, I hit a bit of a fitness rut. Three things were working against me, the worst of which was some rather uncomfy heel pain in my left foot. Worrier that I am, I diagnosed it as the beginnings of plantar fasciitis, because I’m not a doctor. The remedy I chose was to stop running for a spell and stick with walking, deep tissue massage, and a gait analysis at the Boulder Running Company resulting in a new pair of New Balance kicks. Turns out, I was over pronating on the left, and my old kicks, which I loved otherwise, were too narrow.
Old Kicks, Blue Kicks
Pink Kicks, New Kicks
The second evil keeping me from my fitness goals is school. The semester started in August, and since I work full time and go to school part time, fitness time is super hard to come by. Enough said because really, I know I have to make time. Lastly (and I have a feeling this is one you have likely encountered), boredom had a firm hold on me. I was bored with running. I was bored with my playlist, bored with the jarring repetition of bouncing, and most of all, I was super bored with my usual, close-to-home route. My routine had become stagnant, and I just wasn’t feeling it anymore.
With my first 13.1 race at the 2015 Atlantic City April Fools Half looming on the horizon, it was time to make a major change. So this week, I did something I’ve wanted to do since I started running, I hit the trails! Well, actually it was only one trail, the Davidson Mesa Loop in Louisville, Colorado. It’s a trailhead that I’ve driven by countless times over the course of my life and have never explored. And because I’m brilliant, I did absolutely no research on the trail before I got there. The only thing I did know was that the views were fabulous. Without a thought to terrain difficulty or elevation changes, my trusty running companion, Coco, and I were in the car and off for an adventure!
Coco is ready to go!
As expected on a gorgeous Saturday afternoon , the trail was busy with cyclists, walkers, dogs and their humans, and a handful of fellow runners. The adjacent dog park was bustling with the expected sniffing and fetching and blurs of flowing fur romping about. Coco would have none of that silliness, thank you very much, and we turned to the trail spreading wide and open and prettily before us. The freshly dusted snow-capped Indian Peaks sparkled behind the Flatirons overlooking Boulder, and it seemed as though Coco and I had the trail all to ourselves. We were off, and set a brisk walking pace to warm up.
Davidson Mesa Loop
Luckily for me because, like I said, I’m brilliant and do no research, this trail was cake. The gravel path was wide, clean and well maintained. It’s a short, flat 2.7 mile loop that runs through an open space on a mesa overlooking the Boulder valley. Most importantly for my out-of-shape boot-ay is that the elevation change is a mere 67 feet. This is muy importante because in Colorado, a “trail” can be like the Manitou Incline and increase in elevation 2000 feet in 1 mile with a 40% grade. Lesson learned here was to research the trail before you drive 15 miles to get to it. Because duh.
Grateful that we were on a flat, easy, soft path, Coco and I jogged at a leisurely pace. The weather was beautiful, in the mid-60s and the breeze carried the sounds of chirping birds and happy, yipping dogs. With each footfall, I could feel the magic of running return. I contemplated my connection to the earth beneath my feet and how I depend on it to catch me and propel me forward. Coco looked back at me with a smile, happy to be running again and exploring new territory. We came to a bench, and I noticed an inscription.
Yes.
Looking up, I took in the vista and felt overwhelmed with gratitude.
This is what keeps me running. The connection to the environment when I’m out there with my thoughts and my pup and my freedom. I always forget how much running benefits my mental health, not just my physical health. This is what I need to remember when I feel like I don’t have time, or when I’m cozy warm in my bed and don’t want to get up early to run, or when I’m just plain being lazy.
Eager to keep exploring, we started again. My pace was poor and Coco was so happily enthralled in all the new things that she kept pulling me off my gait. It didn’t matter. I was out there, in the sunshine under a brilliant blue sky and the fog was lifting. I wasn’t in front of my computer. I wasn’t stuck at home doing math problems. I was out in the world being human. I was free!
Stopping to tie my shoe, my Momentum shoe tag reminded me that what I perceived as the main obstacle to running, my lack of time, is really an excuse. I must make time for running. I need to make time for fitness. I have to make time for myself.
True story.
How do you fight fitness boredom? What unexpected benefits do you get from getting out there? Tell me in the comments!