Pass another cough drop, kleenex please

SNAPSHOT

Limit your running when you are sick with the cold.

DIGGING DEEPER

On Thursday my run was way slower than usual, yet I felt I was putting in the same effort.  Then I attempted my normal lifting weights routine and couldn't even lift my usual dumbbell once.  Not even once!  I knew something was really off! 

Friday morning just after leaving our home I felt that dry mouth sensation moments after drinking a sip of water, the first sign of an oncoming cold sickness. I was out of the house for the day and wouldn't be near my Vitamin C tablets until evening.  The day wore on and the throat got worse.  By bedtime, I was eating ice cream, smoothies, and Danielle Walker's applesauce. 

Thankfully Saturday was a low key day with the skies bringing in wicked thunderstorms and only 2 hockey lessons/practices for one of my sons.  With my husband home, I was off the hook from transportation duties.  I read the entire Chasing Slow book by Erin Loechner (wow, awesome book) and slurped up the bone broth.  I wasn't much better and the night was painful and long.

Sunny Sunday rolled around and I figured I was done with the cold and could soldier on with my backlog of errands. I'm in control, right? However, by midday, all I wanted was be in bed.  As you know, moms don't take more than one sick day, so the food was purchased, freezer picked out at Best Buy, and library books returned.  The squash, chicken, and dinner all got cooked.  I thought my saving grace would be a good night of sleep before the start of a new week.

"Mom, my stomach hurts so much!" pleaded my 15-year-old son. I couldn't deny him comfort through the trips to the bathroom and tucks back into bed.  Not so hard if it weren't for the fact that I was pleading also for painless sinus canals and continuous sleep. 

So it is Monday today and I am still so sick and still hoping for a good nights sleep. I did do a short run today only because it had been so long since my last and a friend would be waiting for me.

I don't plan to run tomorrow. I will need all my energy reserves for kicking this cold.

NOTE: When you move to another region of the US you get hit harder with sicknesses as you have not built up an immunity to that region's germs.  This is going to be an interesting year!

My view of the USA regions include Colorado in the Midwest section.

SOLUTION

My personal guidelines for when to skip my daily run due to sickness.

Fever or Stomach Pain = NO RUNNING

Congestion or Sore throats = RUN EVERY OTHER DAY at most//Fresh air is helpful but limit energy expenditures

Headaches = Safe Walks

HAPPY WINTER COLD SEASON, HAPPY RUNNING

Not Just a Daily Run

SNAPSHOT

A daily run is so much more than just a few miles on a road, it is the peaceful moments that cultivate who I am.

DIGGING DEEPER

Many miles into my 6 am weekday run I spy an older woman in her dark long pants and white shirt. Sheltered by a sunhat she is bent over engrossed within her morning work of weeding. Her box of tools consisting of a spade, hoe, and trowel was within feet of her position. She never looked up, just kept bent over, nurturing her garden. The hot August sun did not give her a break even in the early morning hours. We were the two lonely people out working in the morning air as the early sun rose.

I was caught off guard because she was in a huge field that at a one person weeding rate would be endless. Why was she working so hard at something so repetitive and vast that it seemed meaningless?

Suddenly, I was struck by the reality that I too was a lonely gardener weeding my vast field.  Having not seen another runner in the town at that early morning hour for the past week. I was that one runner that encircled the small Minnesota town without skipping a wake-up call. Each step was another weed pulled, each morning's run was another row in the field.  With each November becoming my fall season of harvest.  The planning of the spring,  hot summer runs, and the never giving up attitude of a sport that goes for all 12 months, is my gardening.

Many would have driven their cars quickly by on their way to work without even a glance over the field.  No one would notice a lonely gardener in a field that machines should tend to. Her work only had meaning for herself.  As my work only has meaning for myself, valuing my own harvest without performances worthy of notice.

I was adding up 12,000 weeds pulled or steps taken each morning.  Why was I so diligent at this meaningless or meaningful work? After each breath in, I was breathing out stress, frustration, sadness, and worry. Without those releases, I would be bound and chained by my life's disappointments and inconsistencies.  The release of expectations and the birth of new creative solutions made my day approachable.  By halfway through my hour tending my garden, my body, I felt alive again. I could see beauty and knew my diligence would reap rewards. 

My 6am gardener in a sunhat with her garden tools near at hand and I are one and the same.  When I rise in the dark and kept moving toward the door and trail beckoning my name, my gardener and I rise together, step together, knowing that our diligence will reap the fall harvest.

SOLUTION

Not alone in my vast garden.

Mental Failure?

SNAPSHOT

90% mental

DIGGING DEEPER

Racing brings out the good and bad, revealing inter beliefs and fears.

Last August, ten grassy miles of trails set out a challenge for a small group of runners.  Since I have run my fair share of races my initial start was natural and consistent with the projected effort and pace. 

After the beginning three miles, I stopped to wipe off the mud from the bottom of my shoes on a rock.  Then waited a couple of seconds for the man running close behind me to catch up.  I had heard his footsteps and breathing for the last two miles.  We were far enough into the race that there was no one near.  The faster men had a few minutes on us and the rest of the race was somewhere far behind us.  We quickly made acquaintances, realizing that we were both new Minnesota residents.  Having someone to chat with, the next two miles went by faster. 

At the 5 mile turn around there was water and snacks.  I drank a cup of water, which I later regretted because I run best with no liquids in my stomach.  It was delightful to have 30 seconds to forget that this was a race and reflect on the beauty of the Midwest prairies.

Photo Credit due to Kirk Nelson

Reality snapped us back into the race and off we flew.  At that point, my race companion chose to push the pace for a mile or two, while I hesitated since this was my first "long run" distance since moving to Minnesota.  Within a minute I crossed paths with the second and third place women. 

Now, I did not select this race in order to win.  I just wanted a reason to be covering miles and some company for a long run. 

Like often happens in races when you are in the top few spots, especially in the races that are of an out and back nature, the other racers call out what place you are in.  This can be very helpful if you are competitive and desire to take the win.  However, for someone that is afraid that she will blow up after seven miles and is not use to dirt and grass trail running, the exclaims of "first woman" coming from each oncoming male runner, can heighten the pressure. I am sure they wished for the ranking to be encouraging but in reality, it compounded my concern. 

I was afraid of failing, afraid of losing.  I certainly did not enter the race with a goal of winning. Far from it, I was just hoping to finish in a respectable time.

Photo Credit due to Kirk Nelson

My race companion had surged ahead of me and so I was left alone to battle the wet foot high grass, few ruts, and rolling hills.  I sank deeper and deeper as my mind worked myself into a failure attitude.  I kept looking behind myself for the 2nd place woman to seal my fate.  On a steep uphill, I let myself walk, feeling hopeless.  I even considered quitting the race just so that I could avoid failure.  I had convinced myself that she was stronger and fitter and would soon conquer. 

At about 7.5 miles as I crested another hill, a thought surfaced. "I could get a second wind and be able to finish the race strong." This was a fact that was derived from dozens, perhaps hundreds, of experiences. I knew the feeling of fatigue and then the sudden rush of energy that could spring up during an extra long or difficult workout or race.  It was a proven fact that I couldn't argue with. It was a hope that I could believe in. 

All of a sudden I was strong and unstoppable. I imagined not letting go of my lead and possible win.  I was strong. I wanted to win. I would fight for it. Like a flip of a switch, I had dismissed my doubts and embraced the opportunity in front of me. I looked forward, pushing my pace forward. I was back to having fun racing, smiling, and taking in the beautiful sights.

It happens that the second place woman never caught up to me and I never had to battle her for a win.  I did, however, battle myself and clearly won.  

In irony, the second place woman, Stacy, became my running friend and continues to challenge me on trails each week.  However, I prefer to follow her lead.

SOLUTION

Winning the mental game is the real win. Count yourself as a winner!

Press Play

SNAPSHOT

PODCASTS = Top Platform for gathering knowledge on running and life!

DIGGING DEEPER

Since 2013 PODCASTS have enlightened, informed, entertained, and challenged me as a runner. Some of my top reads have come from podcast author interviews. The relaxed nature allows for the conversations in the podcast to be realistic and eye-opening. The FREE aspect gives me the opportunity to sample different tenants of our sport. I have learned so much about ultrarunning, strengthening, training connections of different sports, psychology, injury, running form, the health of the Track and Field sport, coaching, etc...

Here are my sports mainstays that fill my queue and ears.

The Strength Running Podcast

Endurance coaching topics with many author interviews

The GAINcast

Old school coaching meets Innovative theory

Magness & Marcus on Coaching

The insides of elite coaching and the sport of Track and Field/ Cross Country

Trail Runner Nation

Ultrarunning conversations galore, you will think you are on a long run with friends

The Rich Roll Podcast

Indepth interviews on life and endurance running

I navigate through the recent episode lists finding those that appeal to me. Often listening to them in the background of my run, drive, or housework.

SOLUTION

Download your device's Podcast app and press play.

Question for YOU

What podcasts do you recommend?

Press Play

SNAPSHOT

PODCASTS = Top Platform for gathering knowledge on running and life!

DIGGING DEEPER

Since 2013 PODCASTS have enlightened, informed, entertained, and challenged me as a runner. Some of my top reads have come from podcast author interviews. The relaxed nature allows for the conversations in the podcast to be realistic and eye-opening. The FREE aspect gives me the opportunity to sample different tenants of our sport. I have learned so much about ultrarunning, strengthening, training connections of different sports, psychology, injury, running form, the health of the Track and Field sport, coaching, etc...

Here are the sports mainstays that fill my queue and ears.

The Strength Running Podcast

Endurance coaching topics with many author interviews

The GAINcast

Old school coaching meets innovative theory

Magness & Marcus on Coaching

The insides of elite coaching and the sport of Track and Field/ Cross Country

Trail Runner Nation

Ultrarunning conversations galore, you will think you are on a long run with friends

The Rich Roll Podcast

In-depth interviews on life and endurance running

I navigate through the recent episode lists finding those that appeal to me. Often listening to them in the background of my run, drive, or housework.

SOLUTION

Download your device's Podcast app and press play.

Question for YOU

What podcasts do you recommend?