A Long Sunday Run... Double Digits; Finally!

The problem with writing a blog about marathon running while holding down a day job and training is that the two activities give you very little time to write about which you  are blogging. 

After 3 weeks of 60+ hrs of work, Christmas and a cold, I got a 10 mile run in. Ten miles is my favorite weekend distance. Today was not an easy run, but it's in the books! 

The Running Place

I got out of my car at the Sherman Oaks/Van Nuys Park like it was nothing. I didn’t expect anything miraculous. I’m undertrained and I have been struggling with my runs.  I keep meaning to print out a new Hal Higdon training schedule. I keep meaning to sign up for a new race to give me something to push for. I have friends running Boston, Big Sur… running. They have races on the books.  I am pushing myself with the business I launched with my producing partner, keep pushing myself with ballroom dancing… to understand Cuban motion, isolation, relaxing my shoulders et cetera. I have been terrible about running. I didn’t expect anything special about my run.

As soon as my feet hit the packed dirt, it was like I was home. This is the place where I logged all those short 3 mile runs during my first marathon training. This is where I did my first 5 mile run and this is the place that I ran with family at my side during my brain surgery rehabilitation. 

I love this place.

And no matter how tired I get, this place, “The Running Place” all you have to do is get to the next turn, the next light post, the next water fountain before you give yourself another goal to strive for. Unlike road running, I wasn’t coming up with excuses to stop, I just kept going. If I got tired, I slowed my pace. These early runs I’ve run without a watch. I will continue to run without a watch for the next couple weeks.

I don’t have a race on the books. I’m simply running for the joy of running. To supplement with days I don’t dance. 

I still have the goal to get into Marathon Shape, but having cardiovascular strength supersedes everything.

This place, is home. I will be printing out the Hal Higdon training schedule to put on my fridge. I will do a modified week one until I am ready to plunge feet first into a training schedule.

An Election Day Run

While building to longer runs has been a great motivator along with my need to get back into marathon shape, I have never had such a need to get out and run as I did today. Knowing that I needed to be at work by 9 and my polling location opened at 7, a morning run to my polling station to get my vote on and beat the pre-work rush was in order. My polling station is probably half a mile away from my apartment, but taking a detour on my way allowed me to get in just over two miles. It was not a long run by any means, but I learned some important things about myself… I’ve been cutting myself too much slack when it comes to morning runs. Sometimes I over-sleep and say, I can’t get miles in; it turns out I can. I knew this before and have even mused on it, but the run today was a big shake and wake you up, “hey, Lazy Bones- get up and run.” I also see that the time I waited to vote is longer than it takes me to run a mile, so I can log more distance before work.  The more time I spend running in the morning, interval runs, distance, etc, the faster I get and eventually, my pace will be steady, and I can set a PR.  Tomorrow for part of my morning routine? Three miles.  

It's a Marathon, Not a Sprint

For a moment, I am going to take a small detour from the primary concept of this blog. Yes, this is a blog about running, but it’s also a blog about recovery and getting back emotionally and spiritually into marathon shape. 

That said, I had no idea that I took a major emotional and psychological detour in my recovery. While meeting with my supervising producer to discuss my progress at work; what I could do better; and how to put myself on a trajectory for supreme success, she looked at me, and blew a kiss and then dealt my ego a crippling blow. It took me a moment to recovery and I almost felt the need to tap out. But, after she told me everything I was doing wrong, (and what I could do to improve) she looked at me and simply stated, “I get it. We all know that there is a limit to our lives and that the clock is running. Last year, it became extra apparent for you. But, you’re living your life like you can’t live it fast enough.”

WOW. What a realization.  I had no idea that I had become so manic and so driven to reclaim my life and get to where I want and need to be. In July 2010, I left a desk-job and boss I love so I could work in television production full-time. My original position, I was still a desk jockey, but knew that I wanted to work towards being an associate producer. Brain surgery less than six months after taking a career jump, put my life and job on hold and I perceived that it set me back. I’ve struggled and worked hard to get back to where I was. Sleeping 8-10 hours a night was unconscionable in my mind and after the first hump of not consistently needing 10, I pushed myself to sleep less, and then sleep less than 8 so I could maintain the same productivity I enjoyed years prior to surgery. The problem with this (more than adding in morning runs) is two-fold: 1. My body is still healing & now that I’m running more, it needs to have restorative sleep so that muscles can mend and function properly. 2. Most people need 8 hours of sleep and there is no shame in requiring it.

"Let your light so shine before men, that they
may see your good works, and glorify your Father 
who is in heaven' Matthew 5:16

My supervisor is right; I do feel like I’m playing catch-up. I have two options now, I could judge myself based off my peers (which is easy since you always want to be as good as the people you work with), but I think the I’ll take advice of a friend, just strive to be the best that I can be that is within my capabilities.

I’ll tell you the what, the moment I accepted I was acting manic and living my life with the fast-forward button jammed on, it allowed me to take a step back to breathe, accept and love what I currently have.