Run Forrest Run

I highly dislike running (pause for reaction).  I don’t get excited about going for run.  For the most part it is not a stress reliever for me, quite the opposite.  I know what you’re thinking, “you’re a triathlete , you’re supposed to enjoy it.  Why do it? You make no sense!! ” It’s simple, the challenge.  To me the sport is synonymous with life.  Sometimes, you’re going to have to do things you don’t want to.  You’re going to go through things that are hard, difficult, draining in every way, and simply put, suck.  Well, that’s running for me and it prepares for those things.  Oh and who are we kidding, it does a body good. 

I go through the five stages of grief every single mile that I run.

1. Denial – I’m not going to run whatever amount of miles in my training calendar.  I am not running an hour! This isn’t happening ….nope this isn’t happening… nooooo!
2. Anger – Damn you running! I hate this sport! Why do I do this?  What is wrong with me?! I hate my coach (in all honesty I don’t)…
3. Bargaining – Ok, what if I run 55 minutes instead of an hour?  Does it really matter?
4. Depression – I’m all alone…I’ve been left behind again (cue in “All by Myself”)
5. Acceptance – I got this! I’m going to get it done!

I’m slowly coming to terms with running again, learning to accept it, and trying not to see it as the Darth Vader of triathlons. It’s a process, a slow one. So how do I make running less miserable?

I try to focus on anything else as soon as the negative starts to creep up and demons take over.  The Cuban international cycling team flying by me, the view of the water if I’m in Key Biscayne, unicorns, pot of gold… anything! Recently, what I’m going to write here has been a great distraction. 

 Every once in a while, I take a run for me. No watch, no pace, no determined distance. Just enjoy and oh my, I may just walk a bit and take it all in.  This is ludicrous to many triathletes and these may be rare for me now. 

Using those I train with as motivation.  I’m surrounded by some incredible and determined athletes.  Seeing how much they improve each and every session and race is motivation enough to keep me going.  But also avoiding a disapproving look from my “assistant” coach is sometimes enough.

I look for those moments in running that make it worth it.  That mile I got my pace lower than I have in the last two weeks, regardless of how bad the other miles were.  That moment I kept a decent running form cause it’s no surprise I have an awful running form.  I resemble a dancing T-Rex.  That moment where it doesn’t matter how hot it is, feels like I’m doing cartwheels on the sun, I’m pushing thru.  Out of 10 runs, I may have 2-3 real good ones.  Those are the ones I focus on, those are the ones that keep me at it. 

All the while “Run Forrest Run” is playing in my head. ~ Adding Mo Miles

Iron What?

There comes a point in your life where you need a change.  Why?  You’re bored, feel unaccomplished, or you woke up one morning and realized you just weren’t satisfied.  I am the kind of person that needs a goal, something to work towards and lately I’ve been doing none of that (more like losing my mind).  I needed a challenge, I needed a change, and I needed something that will take every ounce of my effort. I like to say I’m 70% Type A personality and 30% Type B.  I’m sure many psychologists out there would say that’s not possible. So I did what any logical person would do, I signed up for an Ironman.  Not just any Ironman, one of the most challenging in the US, Ironman Louisville. 

It took me some time to work up to it but once I made the decision, I was surprisingly calm clicking the confirm button.  Well, if you call reaching your maximum heart rate calm.  But to me this is absolutely insane, so I knew I needed to document it.  I have to let out the ups and downs, the anecdotes, challenges, and of course the insanity of it all.  I’m sure you’re thinking “Great, here’s another blog of some triathlete posting how many hours they did on the bike, how far, their heart rate, kilowatts, total calories consumed, etc.”  I highly doubt you’ll get that from me, because for the most part I don’t keep an extensive detail of my heart rate at mile 65 and at 21 mph, nor do I care.  It’s to share the everyday adventures of a fairly newbie traithlete balancing hours of training, a full-time plus job, her Que Pasa USA replica of a family, a fabulous group of lady friends, her almost nonexistent social life, and all other madness.

It’s also to let those out there like me know you are not alone, there are more crazies just like you.  My fellow age groupers that stumbled into the hobby by sheer coincidence, fell in love with it and now are staring at your Ironman e-mail confirmation thinking “what the hell did I just do.” I can’t promise it will always be pretty, grammatically correct (I love run-on sentences) or always revolve around triathlons (shockingly, I have other interest) but I can try to make them as amusing as possible.  Fair warning, triathlon training can get pretty gross; it’s smelly, you try spending 4 hours in the sun and smell like roses.  You find things like old banana peels you forgot in the pockets of your transition bag, or turns out that mystery smell in your car is a pair of socks you from your double brick a week ago. 

This isn’t to pat myself on the back “I’m doing an Ironman”, but as a motivation.  Find motivation from the online community of athletes, to see my progress over the months (and the breakdowns).  I am no coach, far from an expert, and take a lot of what I say with a grain of salt. So hopefully readers never take offense to my blunt honesty, occasional slang and enjoy my post in the morning over coffee ….or in the car at a red light.  ~ Adding Mo Miles.