Conquering Hills

Today was my hill work out.  I've been doing hills for over a year now. My plan says to run up a hill for 40 seconds, jog down and repeat various number of  times.  Last year I never got the hang of it.  Probably because I did not run them with much frequency.  Anyway I look at hills, they are not fun.

But this year, I've noticed something - I don't dread them so much, and I think maybe they have gotten easier.  Today I had the option of repeating the hill 8 times - and I did all 8.  Surprisingly it really wasn't that hard.

How can that be?  The hill has not changed, so it must be me.  I must have gotten stronger over the last 12 weeks.  When I wasn't looking or complaining, just doing what I was told, strength snuck in.  

Wonder if that works with other things in life? 
hang up my clothes after I wear them                                      . . .40 seconds
load the dishes in the dish washer after I eat on them               . . .40 seconds
clean my trash out of the car when I get out                              . . .40 seconds
fold/put up my clothes after I wash them                                  . . .1 minute and 40 seconds

How much emotional energy do I waste dreading and putting things off.  Just  a few seconds of extra effort  - done  on a regular basis - and see the benefits sneak in.

Love downhills,
TVW

Must Have Tools

Every sport has its equipment and these tools are my running equipment.  I can't leave home without them.  Let me explain about each one.

Hat - I have never bought a hat before this year. Since February,  I have bought 3 and want another one. I started wearing a hat to protect my ( slightly) colored  hair from bleaching out, but it does so much more.  It shades my eyes, keeps sweat out of my eyes, and makes it so I don't have to worry what my hair looks like before, during and after a run.   I like the neon green so my husband can find me in a race. I also have a pink and a blue one.  I want a white one, but how many NIKE hats do I need?

Garmin watch - This watch with a GPS is the best thing ever.  Never again to I have to get in my car and drive a route to know the mileage.  This watch tracks mileage, pace, calories, and time.  At $100,  is the bottom line Garmin, but has all I need, and it is very much worth the price. I don't think they sell this great green color any more.  A friend recognized me running on the road by my bright green watch!

Roo Sports bag - great bag that attaches with magnets.  It can hold a small phone, and/ or GU and chomps .  It has a  secret zip pouch for money.  I got this at an expo, and I think that is the only way it is sold.

Water bottle - This bottle clips on my shorts, is not too heavy and very convenient.  Some of my friends have a belt that carries several water bottles.  I would feel like a pack mule wearing that. I'm a minimalist so this fits me perfectly.   Remember to wash after every run - trust me.

Chomps and GU - I use a combination of these fuel foods on my long runs.  Some times I will use them to bribe myself on shorter runs, if it is a really tough day.  GU comes in so many flavors, but I stick with vanilla and chocolate. Chops - I get the red ones.

IPOD - Can't leave home without his.  I listen to music and podcasts and some radio dramas.  I've had it for years, it is probably a style they don't  make any more.  I've seen ones half this size, but as long as it works I'll keep using it.

Headphones - I have already broken these headphones since I took the picture.  Last year I bought $30 headphones, but I broke them.  I just keep get cheap ones so it's not much to replace.  I am in search of  the perfect headphones that are durable but not  too expensive.

Head band - I started using this with my hat and it helps keep my hair off my neck and forehead.

Wash cloth - see yesterday's post.

Before races and long runs, I make a check list so I won't forget any of my must have tools. It can ruin a race and severely dampen my mood on a practice run. 

Tooling along,

TVW

Running with a Rag

My day started like this:

(Yes that is the moon in the top left, or maybe it is a street light. Any way it was dark.)

and 12 miles later it was this:

Not too bad for a Saturday in July August. Can it already be August?  Summer flies by. ( I have already seen school supplies front and center at Walmart for weeks.) It is crazy to say, but my 12 miles went by kinda fast today.  Since most of my running buddies had to run 16, my 12 was actually manageable.  Plus, today I added a great tool - the washcloth - or since they are so old when you use them to run with - the rag.  

I have been thinking about running with a rag for forever, but I always forgot about it the morning of my runs.  My running group sets out ice cold wash rags along the route, but not until after 10 miles or so.  At about mile 2  I need them.

It was so helpful to have one with me.  I obviously used it to mop my sweaty face, and at the water stops, I got it cold and wet and it had an amazing cooling effect.  It stayed cool for a few miles.  It's somewhat like when you were a kid and had a fever and your mom put a cold washcloth on your head - it just makes you feel better all over.

This week, I'm heading to Walmart or Target, past the school supplies I love but don't need,(I get a little teary eyed at school supplies since my 21 and 23 year old kids don't need or  invite me to go back to school shopping with them anymore) and head  straight to the cheap inexpensive washcloths.  I think I need a bundle of these cooling tools.

Oh, and my pace today?  Thanks for asking.  10:29 - right on plan even in hot humid August.

Its hot and going to get hotter,

TVW

Free Friday

Fridays I'm free from running and I love it.  I don't have to get up and talk myself into running, and most Fridays, I don't have to wash and fix my hair.  I don't have to feel guilty until I finally go run -- I'm free.  Today to celebrate my freedom, I ate out breakfast with Monica, and lunch with Sharon- which lasted 2 hours!!  Sharon was celebrating freedom from the one hour lunch break.  I ate a Hershey chocolate bar, and I'm planning on pizza for dinner.  Friday's are not supposed to be nutritionally free, but today, because it is 102 degrees in Ft. Worth, Texas at 4:18 p.m. I am claiming freedom in many areas.

Tomorrow, it will be very hot at 5:00 am when I start my group workout.  12 miles at 10 1/2 minute miles will be probably 8:00 am finish and hopefully it won't be 90 degrees by then. Our wonderful coach Paul will probably have ice cold wash cloths for the over 12 mile runners, which won't help me at all.  But tomorrow I'm going to take my own cloth, and try to use it to cool off at the water stops. 

Sweating way too much for a 54 year old,

TVW

Boston by Way of Chicago and Maybe Dallas

In two and 1/2 months, or 73 days, I will be running in the Chicago Marathon.  It is my first marathon outside of Texas.  It is HUGE - 45,000 runners.  It was even difficult to register for this marathon.

You see, in April, I was all set to register for the marathon.  Registration started at noon, central time. Last year it sold out in 6 days, so I figured after I got off work at 3:00 was plenty of time to register.  But for this year, it was not.  So many people tried to register that the computer or server or something blew up.  Some who did get through got charged several times.  Those of us who did not get through before the blow up had to wait 3 days to  find out what to do next.

We found out that Chicago would have a lottery drawing for the spaces left. I registered for the lottery to win a place in the race.  It was another week until I got the message - I WAS IN.  And just so I knew I was blessed, I know two people, one being my husband, who did not get in by way of the lottery.

After several days, I started thinking about getting a hotel room near the race start.  I had to go through the Chicago Marathon group, and by the time I tried, there were only small rooms left.  I did book one, for October 12 and 13.  Currently I am trying to locate that information.  April was a long time ago.

Now, to qualify for Boston, I have to run this race at a pace I have never run , for any length of time, in my life. Plus I am running in a race with thousands of others in an unfamiliar city.  WHAT WAS I THINKING?  I've been working on this Boston qualifying for 19 months now.  This puts not a small amount of pressure on this race in October.  

What happens if I don't run a perfect race in Chicago?  What if I run slower than 4 hours and 10 minutes?   Well today a solution came in the mail/ email that is.  Today is the last day to register early for the Dallas Marathon that takes place in December.  So, as a backup, I'm going to plan to run the Dallas Marathon. 


 If I don't make my time at Chicago, I can stay in shape for 2 more months and try again in Dallas.  I would qualify for the 2015 Boston, not the 2014, but hey - qualifying for Boston is fantastic  no matter what year it happens.  

Mental Toughness

When I ran the Dallas Marathon in December 2012, I hit a wall at mile 20 and I just stopped.  I did start walking again, but I was spent.  It was not so much a physical wall, although I was exhausted and dead on my feet.  I had been there before.  But mentally I was out of it.  My mental muscles were not strong enough to endure the 26.2 miles.  

After the race, I took a look back at my prep and realized I had not properly trained my mind.  I had not run some  training days when I did not feel like it.  On one of my long 20+ miles, I had taken a short cut.  The night before the race I did not eat properly, and did not get in bed early.  For some reason, I had not developed mental toughness during my 12 months of marathon training.

Starting in 2013, I knew my mental training had to keep up with the physical training.  I trained through the spring with a running group that was much faster than I.  Coming in last every time helped with my mental toughness.  I just kept on training, reminding myself no one else was running my -54 year old aiming for Boston- race.

 I am training myself not to quit early.  I run all the way through to the end- not even .1 mile short.  Mental toughness happens at the end.  Everyone can start.  Anyone can train on cool, fair weather  days.  But it is the mentally tough who get out of bed early, set out on the road with a plan, run through heat and humidity, and most importantly . . . finish.    

4 Blessings on a Saturday in July

At camp all last week, my running was okay, but my sleep and eating left much to be desired.  When the alarm went off at 4:15 am Saturday morning, I did not think I had the energy to run 14 miles with my running group.  I went back to bed.  

Woke up at 8 am, and planned to run my 14 miles early Sunday.  Then I stepped outside.  Ft Worth, Texas, July 27 - IT WAS 72 DEGREES.  UNBELIEVABLE!!! Blessing #1.  I knew I could not pass up this great weather.  I got ready to run my 14 miles by myself.

I parked my car at  a QT, told the attendant not to let it get towed, and headed down a hilly parkway.  For 9 miles I ran - out 4.5 and back 4.5.  Every 2 miles, there was a water fountain. Blessing #2.  Back at the QT, I had water and gatorade and headed in another direction for my last 5 miles. 

 At mile 11, I ran by a park, with no water fountain.  I was out of water, when a  woman with her two daughters walked toward me.  I asked about water, and  they told me there was no water fountain at the park. But there was water  in the building where they were headed, right next to the park .  They let me in with their access card, and it was cold water from a water cooler. Blessing #3.

I finished my run, and looked at the temperature in my car 82 degrees at noon in Texas in July.  Blessing #4.

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
TVW