In my early days of running, my boyfriend handed me a beeper (and no, he wasn’t a drug dealer) and said, “Go as far as you can for as long as you can without walking.”

I listened to my body.

I ran when I wanted to run, and I took rest days when I didn’t.

I had no ‘I didn’t run today’ guilt, no ‘I did 35 miles this week’ obsessive thoughts.

I ran, simply, because I felt like running.

Something happened when I entered my thirties, a time in my life I felt I had to do things and go places and get something done to prove what I could do.

For the record, there’s not one damn thing I did in my thirties that HAD to get done or that COULDN’T wait until my forties, minus:

• pushing two babies from my womb so I could actually touch my toes again, and
• that one time I got a bit crazy in Vegas after drinking too much red wine out of a plastic cup and . . . but I digress

Running became something I had to do, not something I did because I wanted to do it.

I had to get in the miles.

I had to enter the races.

I had to Follow the Plan.

I tracked every single step I ran, noting mileage and pace.

I obsessed over the numbers, adding them up in my head throughout the day.

I played math games (and I hate math!): “If I run another five miles this week I’ll hit thirty!”

And if I didn’t, I kicked myself for it.

Of course, all of that led to injury, burnout, and frustration. I’d go too hard, too often, too much, too fast,  and my joints and muscles would twitch and ache in protest before finally giving out.

I didn’t care. I was a runner. And that, I thought, is what runners did.

After blowing by my fortieth birthday like a sports car driver racing Daytona, I realized something: Runners run, but to do so they have to learn to listen to the body.

A funny, albeit shitty, thing happened after I hit 40: My body got a little less forgiving, and when the muscles said they had enough, they meant it. Push through and I’d wind up with ITB issues, tendonitis, or a nasty virus that seemed to pass over everyone else but invade my stomach with malice.

My way of thinking changed, too. I realized that a day off would mean better performance the day I did run, and that, in the grand scheme of things, what did it matter if I missed a five miler when my body and mind were telling me to take a break?

Eventually, I went from Following the Plan to Listening to my Body. So far, my injuries have been less, and I haven’t hit burnout the way I once did.

I don’t know that I have the same drive, which worries me. But I can say my performance and pace have improved with time, just like a good wine.

What makes you go: The Plan or Your Body?

An inaugural marathon, this one works so well for me. First, it’s not too far from my house. And my cousin, mom, and friend are coming. And we get to stay an extra night to hang out in a really fun town because the race is on a Saturday.

Yay! I eagerly signed CLICK and thought “Let’s do it!”

Until I had to start doing it.

For some reason, I’m struggling with the training for this one.

It’s not the getting out there and running. I’m fine with that.

It’s not even the distances. Once I get into the run, the idea of adding on another few miles is not a problem.

It’s something inside my head telling me I’m not sure I want to spend so much time training.

You know, there are other things I think I want to be doing. Like drinking coffee, or playing with my kids.

Once I’m in for an hour and a half or so I start to think I’ve had enough.

And then I quit.

For some reason, my mojo is gone-jo, and I can’t find it.

Sometimes I think it’s because I have nothing I’m running for, nothing pushing me, encouraging me, making me go.

During my first marathon, my mom had a stroke, my aunt died, and one of my closest friends died as well. I ran because I was in pain, and I shed a lot of tears during those training mornings. I had to run. I was heartbroken.

My second marathon was a bit tougher, but I ran it with the idea in mind that I wanted to prove I could do it again.

Maybe now I’m not sure what it is I’m running for. Maybe I need incentive. Or maybe I’m just being a big baby.

Maybe I’m not able to fight ‘it’, whatever that ‘it’ wall is in my mind.

At this point I’m not sure yet if I’m going to do the full or half. I keep thinking full, but each long run I bail out after 10 or 12 miles. And that’s not even halfway.

I’m trying. I really am.

I’m just not there yet.

And I don’t have a lot of time.

What gets you motivated to run for over three hours? And where do you pull that motivation from if you can’t find it?

I’m sick of my playlist now, though. I’ve listened to the same songs over and over again, mile after mile, and a lot of the times I find myself skipping those I’ve had on the list for years.

So today’s question is this: What do you run to? Name those tunes that make your feet move! I’d love some new ideas for good music!

Yesterday’s 10 miler went okay. It was my first long run in three weeks due to the sinus and ear infection. It is still hot and humid here, which makes it difficult to get into. But I saw a family of racoons and a number of deer, and I watched the sun rise, and that is always a gift. On today’s menu: a long ride on My Mighty Schwinn!

Happy Running!

My daughter has a new game she enjoys playing. It goes something like this:

Daughter: Mom? Would you rather have a bad lawn guy who makes our lawn all brown or have a bird poop on your head?

Me: Um, bad lawn guy, for sure.

Daughter: (Seeming very surprised by my answer) Reallllllly?

We play this game at least once a day with her tossing out odd scenarios and me trying to determine if I’d want a bird to poop on my head (okay, so it has happened once, and I’m guessing that was the catalyst for this game) or if I’d want something equally terrible to happen.

This morning as I sloshed through an incredibly humid 12 mile run, I asked myself this question:

Me: Kathy, would you rather run 26.2 miles or have a bird poop on your head?

I have to say, in the first three miles, the bird won.

It was hot and humid out today. It felt as though I were running in a wet jogging suit, and it didn’t get better until mile four or so.

I’m not sure what finally ‘broke’ my mood and let me start enjoying the run. It wasn’t that it cooled down any. It wasn’t that something hurt and then suddenly stopped. I slogged through the first four thinking I should turn around and go home, but, at some point, I started to have a really great time.

And my answer changed to 26.2.

It’s funny how your running perspective can change in the span of just miles (and, sometimes, steps).

I can recall training for my first and second marathons and getting to mile 16, at which point I was miserable. Mile 16 was my wall. It took a few miles to push through that. The little head in my voice was telling me to go home, to throw in the towel, that I could never do it.

And then I would get it done.

You can start off a run feeling like, well, bird doo, and you can catch a wind that turns the run around.

Or you can start off feeling like a million bucks and something can happen that makes you want to pack it in and go home.

Today, I’m not sure what it was that changed. Maybe imagining myself crossing the finish line in a few months. Maybe my thoughts about staying healthy. Or maybe the fact that the humidity seemed to die down a bit and I could smell the sea salt on the air.

What turns your thoughts around when you’re having a bad run? What makes you choose 26.2 (or 3.1, or 13.1, or a sprint triathlon) over a bird pooping on your head?

Total for the day: 12 miles. I have one more high mileage week, including a 24 or so mile cycle and a 14 mile run; then, following my 2/1 plan, I’ll bump down to half or seventy-five percent of my leg mileage.

I have to say, it went better than expected.

What is it about taking some down time in working out that freaks our little brains right the heck out of our skulls?

I ran only 8 miles last week. 8! Total! I’ve been in the 25-30 range for so long, it felt weird to run only 8.

I cycled 11 only. On one day! I had done 21 the week before in one day! Now, that’s a difference.

How do I feel?

Unbelievably great.

I kicked up swimming and core, two non-leg exercises. I could tell by the end of the week, after three half hour core sessions and several days of yoga, that my body felt better. Relaxed. And my core felt tighter. Stronger. Which I think will help my running.

And my running? Phenomenal. I did one day of interval training, three miles. My fastest time was 6:15! I’ve never gotten that low. My average in the fast part of the intervals was about 7:15.

My second run was a 5 mile tempo. I averaged 9:16, spending two miles in about the 9:30 range and the rest trying to keep an 8-8:30 pace.

What’s up on this week’s agenda?

Higher mileage, for one thing. I’ll do a 5 mile tempo run tomorrow; a long cycle (18-20) on Tuesday; an interval run; a short cycle; and a long run of 12 next Saturday. I’ll also continue the swimming at least two to three days, and I’d like to keep up the core work, though I know when I spend more time on cardio I have less time for strength.

Two weeks on, one week off, diddly diddly dumpling, my new training plan.

Let’s see how it goes!

In other news, don’t forget to enter for your chance to win a week’s worth, or six pairs, of New Balance socks! Perfect for running, cycling, hiking, or just skipping down the street because you’re so happy you finally got into the 6s during interval training.

Or something like that.

Happy Training!

In the past, I have gone full force for several weeks in a row on running, then the third week or so cut my long run back by just a few miles. However, I have never cut back on all mileage, or taken off days of running to rest. If I run five days a week, I run five days a week and only cut back on the long run; if I run four, I run four, again only cutting back on the long run.

This week  start a new plan. I’m going to begin with a 2/1 and possibly increase to a 3/1 when the heat and humidity die down a bit, depending on how my body feels. I also may find at times I need to do 2/1, at times 3/1.

So, what is a 2/1 or 3/1 plan?

For the first two weeks, I will build mileage in all sports. I will work on the ten percent increase rule, so I won’t build faster than is safe, but I am building toward my cycling event, 31 miles, on September 4, and then my full marathon on November 5th.

The third week will be a recovery week, where I will reduce my mileage by at least half, if not seventy-five percent.

For instance, last week I ran three times: a 5K (part of my sprint triathlon), a 5 mile tempo run, and then a 10 mile long run.

This week, my goal is to do less than half of what I did last week. I will run only twice and pick up an extra thirty to forty five minute swim. When I do run those two times, I will run one three miler (tomorrow) for speed and one 4 miler at tempo.

My intended schedule for this ‘off week’ goes something like this:

Sunday, off, light yoga and stretching along with rolling
Monday, swim, 30 minutes, and core work, arms
Tuesday, run 4 miles, core
Wednesday, swim, 20-30 minutes, and core, arms
Thursday, cycle 5-7 miles, legs
Friday, swim, 20-30, core
Saturday, run 4-5 miles (half of this week’s long run)
Sunday, off

My goals for this reduced plan include:

• Better recovery from the hard weeks. I feel as I build in mileage my mental state is, “Go farther! Do more! Work harder!” Though I say I will give my body a recovery period, I never really do; then I end up feeling sluggish, tired, or my hammies begin to sting. I’m hoping a low mileage week (and this is low for me, reducing my runs to single digits!), will help my muscles fully recover for the next two weeks, which will be tougher weeks.
• Better mental state. I sometimes feel with working out that I’m getting it done but just barely. I put in the miles, but sometimes they don’t count, because I’m just out there doing it and not consciously working on improving. I think the key for me is to take some time to relax and let my muscles rebuild and repair. I believe this low mile week will help.
• Get faster. I want to improve my speed in all three areas: swimming, cycling, and running. I have a 31 mile ride coming up September 4, and I want to be able to get faster for this. I’m hoping a week off will send me back into training stronger and ready to knock it down!

When I do return, my first week will be heavier on cycling mileage, lighter on running. My second week will be heavier on running and lighter on cycling.

My goal: to get to 12 miles as my high run on the second week, or three weeks from now, up from the ten miles I ran this week. Then I will take another lighter week.

Do you try to knock back your miles at all in order to repair and recover muscles? If you do, what is your training schedule for doing so?

This happy place involved miles and miles of walking and standing in lines.

My workout schedule?

I threw it in the trash that week, missing three scheduled workouts while away.

A friend recently went on a family vacation. Her workout schedule? She didn’t miss a day of biking, swimming, and cycling. Every single morning while on vacation she got up – once she even scouted out the local Y so she could follow her swim plan.

We are both training for our first tri. Mine is a week earlier than hers.

I missed three workouts that week.

She missed none.

What does this say about our attitudes about training? At first I was prone to say she’s more dedicated than I, but when I thought about that more in depth today during my nine miler (yes, we are back home now), I realized it might not have to do with our training at all.

My idea of vacation means sleeping as much as possible. I got at least 9 hours every single night, and before you go too green with envy, that’s what happens when you have young kids and you stay in hotel rooms!

My idea of vacation means eating things I normally don’t and not feeling guilty about it. I ate funnel cake and ice cream and sweets I won’t name here, and I didn’t care about one stinking calorie.

My idea of vacation means spending time with family. It means going to bed when they do, rather than heading out for a run, and waking when they wake, particularly on days that we have plans.

And my idea of vacation means logging miles on my shoes not from training but from sightseeing and hiking and doing things with my family.

It’s not that I’m opposed to a good workout while on vacation. I ran the last day, the day we left, because I got up early before the rest of the crew and was able to fit it in. I was lax about it, though, deciding I would figure it out when I rose in the morning and not feel obligated to get up, even though I’d already missed three days.

Do I think her way is better than mine or vice versa? Not at all. I’ve learned over the years that we all train differently. We have a variety of similar goals – ours happens to be our first sprint tri – but we go about it with different approaches. What works for her, including spending every morning of her vacation waking early to work out hard before doing things with the family, would not work out for me. That doesn’t make her way better than mine, or my way better than hers – it simply makes us different.

I am happy I took the days off. I came back strong. I believe my training may have improved with those few days off. I felt refreshed and happy the first time I pulled on my running shoes, like I was snuggling up with an old friend who’d I had sorely missed while away.

I really felt as though I were coming home.

What type of vacationer are you?

Do you head out with the intention of keeping up your regular workout schedule, seeking out local Ys and bike or jog trails before leaving?

Or do you pack your stuff with the intention of fitting it in only if you can?

And in an update . . . two weeks until my first sprint tri! I have done my several bricks, though I still need to practice transitioning. I have figured out what I need to pack, and I’ve gone over the race time and again in my head. I am as ready as I will ever be.

Happy Running (& biking & swimming!)

Prior to kids, I ran when I wanted: in the early morning dawn, before anyone else had woken; in the late evening, as the sun dipped behind the Atlantic; or midday when the mood struck, after a nap and before a nice fat glass of wine.

Now, it’s a little tougher. For not taking up much space and for weighing in less than 100 pounds total, those two little girls sure can do some serious damage to my training schedule.

This week, it’s a virus.

Started with a little puking and a slight fever, and ended last night when the fever broke.

Three days, inside.

Two days of missed running.

I did substitute swimming, and when all is said and done I will have only missed one run this week. So I’ll do two longer ones Friday and Saturday and be short only four miles or so, which will probably be good for my legs – a forced rest, if you will – though I certainly do miss going out and hitting the pavement when I’m supposed to.

It’s like crack, running. And I’m its biggest addict.

So what’s a mother to do when her schedule gets interrupted? Here, some things I have found in my seven years of combining the best job in the world, mothering, with the best sport in the world, running.

1. Cross train. If you can’t get out there and run because you’re bedded down with a sick child, you may be able to do some other type of cardio by cross training. For me, we have a pool and, if the weather is right (as it is now), I can jump in for some laps while my sick one watches a movie. I’m not far away and she’s able to get me when she needs me. Others might plan to do some type of cardio video, such as kickboxing, during this time. Still others may have help around (husband, family, friends) who can drop in and watch the kids for half an hour while you bike, swim, or, gasp, go for a run.
2. Strength train. I love strength training because I have everything I need right at home: weights, bands, balls, and my own body. I do strength three days each week as it is, and this week I have done more than normal since I can’t run. You can do push ups, biceps, triceps, planks (front, left, ride), and all kinds of leg exercises in the comfort of your own home. I’ve spent years subscribing to magazines like Runner’s World, Fitness, and Shape, and from them I’ve clipped the best exercises I found to add into my routine. When I need to mix things up, I pull out my very large, overstuffed binder, pick a few new exercises, and get to work.
3. Relax. It’s hard to get the schedule messed up – I know, as I’ve trained for and run two marathons since giving birth the first time. It’s possible to miss a few days and still keep the mojo flowing, though, and I am a testament to that fact. I’ve found if I miss a few days I can increase my distance when I do get back out and only lose out on a few miles, as will happen this week. Also, the days of rest are good for us, remember? Even when they are forced and, sigh, unwanted. Try not to stress about losing a day or two on the pavement and rather spend this time contemplating how much you love running and why you continue to do so, even though it can often be difficult to lace up and get out when you have young children at home.

So, how do you fit running into your life, and what do you do when your schedule hits a bump?

In other news . . .

My swimming has gotten very strong these past three months. I’m happy to say today I did my best time yet: 1700 yards in 40 minutes. I’d like to get up to one mile and possibly more.

I enjoy swimming a lot, and find that it works me out the same as running does but without any pressure on my leg muscles, joints, and bones. Great workout, less stress, so it is the perfect cross training companion. Plus I can see my core, arms, and shoulders paying off with the effort. If I had another day in the week, I’d add in another day of swimming! I’m going to see if I can accomplish this without that extra day, though, since I’m enjoying it so much.

Plus, in another few months there will be a swim across the river in Jacksonville (more on this soon). I’d like to participate if possible, but I have to be able to swim at least a mile and a half. I’m almost there, and I can see the victory flag in the distance, but I still have some work to do.

First, always buy proper shoes. Don’t just throw anything on your feet and hope they work – they won’t. Go to a specialty store and pay $100 on a good pair.

Second, take rest days. So many people I know think training harder is key, but after time your body will give out if you don’t let it rest.

Thirdly, you’ll probably have to go to the bathroom at some point along the long run route, so choose the places in advance where you’d feel comfortable stopping. (Thanks, McDonalds on Magnolia Street in Huntington Beach, for those early morning pit stops!)

I’ve also learned this: If you believe you can achieve it, you can. Which is probably why I just, on National Running Day, signed up for the Savannah Rock and Roll Marathon on November 5!

Oh. My. Gosh. What have I just done?

I’ve run two marathons in my lifetime. The first went well; the second, not so much. I hurt my hamstring at mile 18 and walked the last five miles. I cried. A lot. I was in the happiest place on Earth, Disney, and felt crummy. All that training, for what?

Looking back, I know exactly what I had done wrong. Yes, I put in the training, the miles. But I didn’t take care of myself outside of that. I didn’t slow down when I needed. I didn’t get massages or foam roll my legs. I didn’t stretch after most runs, and I ran too much, too frequently, too hard, while not allowing my body to rest.

So this time around I’ll be doing things a bit differently, as I’ve taken steps in the past year of training to reduce my chances for injury and increase my running efficiency and speed at the same time.

These are:

1. Listen – and follow the directions set forth by – to my body. In the past I would run because that is what was on the schedule. Hard day but legs felt tight? Too bad, I pushed through it – and then paid for it the next day. Now I slow down. I listen. I know that on Tuesdays I have a speed workout, but Mondays are an average to longer run. If I feel too tired, I skip the speed workout and try to add in some fartleks and say that is that. You can’t push, push, push, and expect all to stay good.
2. Regular massages. Sounds like an indulgence, but if you are serious about running you should find a sports masseuse serious about massage. I try to get one at least once, if not twice, each month, following my longer/harder runs. Since I have reoccurring hamstring issues, which also affect my knee (tendonitis), I have her work on this area – and any others, like my IT band or sciatic – that may be bothering me. I always leave a bit achy but, by the next day, the pain is gone.
3. Foam roller. I discovered this beautiful tool after my bad Disney marathon experience, the one in which I wound up with tendonitis of my hamstring. Since, I have been through three of them. I use them daily, sometimes two times a day. I use it every time I run. I roll my hamstrings and calves, and I have found that if I have an ache after running – let’s say the outside of my foot hurts – I can roll out my calf and it feels better. Almost instantly, in fact. Go online, to Amazon, and pick a good foam roller, not the cheap kind found in sports stores. You need something hard that will get the kinks out. It hurts, yes, but it works at the same time.
4. Running more is not always key. Some people believe to achieve great running results you have to run five, six times a week. Not true. I have found for me four days is best. I can’t do five – I get hurt. I use the fifth day for swimming, a great cardio exercise that keeps my heart going at the rate I need it but that is less taxing on the legs, knees, and joints. I do a long run day, a mid long run day, an interval day, and a speed day. On my longer runs, I generally keep my pace slower, though once every two to three weeks I will choose a longer run day and push it so I can see what I can do. So far, so good.
5. I don’t back up two long runs. I no longer do a long run on Sat. and follow it by running on Sun. I take Sunday off. I have found my body can’t handle a long run followed by  any other kind of run – I hurt too much. So, I’ve learned how best to schedule my running days; and I have done this by listening to my body!

So, we will see how training goes for Savannah. My only real concern is the heat. I will be in training in the southern humidity and heat and I have not trained in this kind of weather for such a long race. I feel I have acclimated to this climate over the past two and a half years, so I believe my body can tolerate it – I will just be going slower than normal, which, I have learned to accept, is okay (and even important at times!)

Today’s agenda: On National Running Day I signed up for Savannah but today is my cross training day so I will do weights, core, planks, and half an hour of swimming laps in the pool.

Happy Running!

She runs.

But only with her bag.

(Sounds like the start of a really bad joke, doesn’t it?!)

When I’m talking bag, I mean bag. Not some simple contraption wrapped around her waist, but a mammoth hip pack that includes two bottles of liquid, pepper spray, keys, cell phone, food, ID, and a few other essentials.

If she doesn’t have something that’s supposed to be in her pack, she can’t run.

I know her issues. I used to be there. I was a pack runner, music runner, drink runner, bathroom runner, good luck shirt runner.

I was one of those girls who couldn’t step out the door unless I had everything in place.

The problem? When those things weren’t in place, I couldn’t run, just like my friend.

I’ve worked hard on giving up the things I thought I Had to Have for a run, and I’ve worked instead on just running.

For the longest time I couldn’t run without my pack. I gave up the pack, and now can’t run with anything tied around my waist, even during half marathon lengths and more.

I thought for a while I had to run with music. Then I realized it was nice to have some silence in the morning.

This summer I got into a “I have to have” a certain type of drink when I ran. What if I got overheated? What if I lost too much sodium?

Then I had a conversation with a doctor whom I was interviewing for an article I’m writing about IBS and running, and she said, “People have been running for centuries without,” sugary electrolyte replacements. That’s not to say you shouldn’t prepare for the heat, of course. Living in the south means running in thick humidity many months of the year, and I am a sweater – I need something to keep my body in balance when it comes to liquids and running and fluid replacement. But that doesn’t mean for every four miler I need to be sucking on a blue drink. So two weeks ago I gave up my sugary sweets unless I’m doing over 10.

I also got into the habit of stopping after every 2 miles for a drink this summer. I thought I needed to do this, because of the heat, but then I realized this was just another “I have to” that had become habit.

Do you have an “I have to” set into your workout routine, and if you do what is it?