New Record!

I use an app called RunKeeper to track my "runs."  I love how supportive it is.  Every time I log a new activity, it sends me an email with my new records.  Today I got this email:

Congratulations!

This is a RunKeeper FitnessAlert to let you know that you achieved the following milestones with your most recent running activity:

• Most calories burned
• Farthest distance in a week
• Longest duration in a week
• Biggest elevation climb in a week
• Most activities in a week
• Biggest elevation climb in a month

This makes me feel like I'm accomplishing something.  And I am.  I think.

In my three weeks of running (this is a new life record), I've learned that this whole running thing is as much mental as it is physical.  When I'm running without someone/thing chasing me, as soon as I feel the first twinge of discomfort I want to stop.  It's like I have the little angel/demon duo on my shoulders, but it's more of a Monica from Friends/Baloo duo.  Baloo sits up there saying, "What's the hurry?  Slow down, enjoy life.  Running only makes you feel bad." While Monica is screeching, "Why are you going so slow?  There are snails passing you!"

Finally, today I felt like Monica started to win the battle.  I was pushing myself to go faster and farther without walking.  As I ran, I had a mantra going with the rhythm of my steps "I am strong.  I can do this.  I am strong.  I can do this..."  It's slowly getting a little easier.

Stats:

Distance: 3 miles

Duration: 37:43 min:sec (4 minutes less than my best time!!)

Average Pace: 12:35 min/mile

Average Speed: 4.77 mph

This was by far my best run around the Rose Bowl.  I did stop twice to stretch out my bad leg and my app automatically pauses.  So it technically took me a bit longer than it says, but I'm pretty excited about this.

Not What I Expected

I went for another street run this evening.  It was a wretched afternoon with much wailing and gnashing of teeth over math homework.  I was ready to leave the house when Matt got home.  I started out with good music from my all time favorite band Waterdeep.  I was looking forward to 30-40 minutes of reflection and calm.  I was less than a block from our home when I was jolted from my bubble of serenity.  As I approached a bus stop, I saw a young woman appearing to mistreat a toddler.  I saw this through the mesh of the bus stop and I'm not sure what I saw.  The young woman looked angry, the toddler was very upset.  As soon as I passed them my music stopped abruptly (I messed up putting it on my phone).  I stopped and stood suddenly encompassed in the street noises, wondering if I should talk to the woman or call the police.  All I wanted to do was take that little baby and comfort his screams, but that probably would have been the worst thing to do.

I'm not proud to say that I walked on, not knowing what to say or do, not sure of what I saw.   

It was not the peaceful, contemplative run I had hoped for, but I did have plenty of time to pray for the young woman and her toddler.

Stats:

Distance: 2.68 miles

Duration: 36:47 min:sec

Average Pace: 13:44 min/mile

Average Speed: 4.33 mph

Total Distance: 26.3 miles

Roosters and Horses

Today as I was driving three girls home from school, the oldest had a Chinese zodiac calendar and was asking what year everyone was born in so she could figure out their animal.  She discovered that Eleanor and I are roosters.  One of the other girls discovered that her mom is a horse.  This mom happens to be the friend that convinced me to train for the half-marathon with them.  She is good at running.  I am not.  I think it's because she is a horse and I am a rooster.  Have you ever seen a running rooster?  It's not pretty or graceful.  But I am very good at crowing.

Tonight's run was okay, not great.  I went around the Rose Bowl again.  I've picked up a bad habit of touching the posts Monk-style.  So, basically, when I run, I look like a combination of Phoebe and Monk running like a rooster.

Stats:

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 41:28 min:sec
Average Pace: 13:32 min/mile
Average Speed: 4.43 mph

Two Weeks

I tried something new today.  Realizing that I have 3.5 months to somehow figure out how to run for 13.1 miles, I decided that I would have to step up this training game.  So, I put on my cute shoes for the second day in a row.

I went back to the Rose Bowl.  Nothing exciting happened.  I still haven't run a complete mile, but I'm getting better.  My leg was bothering me a lot more tonight than usual, which is frustrating.  I'm hoping to go visit my friendly doctor soon to check in and see if she has any ideas for helping with the circulation issues.  For now, if you see me wearing a compression stocking, don't laugh.

I'm two weeks into this.  My legs have gotten over being sore for the most part.  I wouldn't say that I'm having fun yet, but it is slightly less unfun.

Stats:

Distance: 3 miles
Duration: 41:04 min:sec
Average Pace: 13:33 min/mile
Average Speed: 4.43 mph

I Think I Found My Bear

I had my best run yet tonight.  It was on the verge of fun.  There is a football game or something at the Rose Bowl today (meaning the track there is closed), so I had to map a route around where we live.  My goals in making the route were to go uphill first and to avoid as many traffic lights as possible.  When I was thinking about where would be best, I was planning on going in the afternoon.  Somethings happened and I wasn't able to go until it was about 7pm and dark.  I considered changing my route due to this, but decided that it was still early enough that the sketchy parts should be fine.

When I got back, a neighbor saw me and asked where I ran.  When I told her the first thing she asked was, "Did you see any drug deals?"  I thought about it for a second and answered, "Maybe."

I don't think I really saw any drug deals, but it was a more interesting run than around the Rose Bowl.  I felt like I had people cheering for me.  Once a man called through his car window, "andale andale!"  The people in the "sketchy" neighborhood were so friendly.  The women and children greeted me with smiles (they could have been laughing at me).  The drivers pulling into the drive through liquor store waved me in front of them so I wouldn't have to wait.  The people smoking at the bus stops politely held their cigarettes as far away from me as possible.  The man on the bike said encouragingly and heavily accented, "run, run, run!"  I wasn't afraid.  I was encouraged.  I felt happy.

At one point I was running up a street that had several apartment complexes on it.  I found myself in the middle of a spread out group of five guys in hoodies.  My first reaction was fear, but reason kicked in right away.  I instantly thought of Trayvon Martin.  If I learned anything from that drama, it was that fear is more dangerous than a hoodie.  So, I continued on without fear, but I did run faster.

This is Eleanor as a chubby toddler (and me and Matt).

Stats:

I missed a turn and my run was almost a mile shorter than I had planned.

Distance: 2.41 miles

Duration: 29:38 min:sec

Average Pace: 12:18 min/mile (woohoo! best yet by far)

Average Speed: 4.88 mph

My Fat Leg

Eight years ago my leg turned blue and doubled in size.  We were living in Indonesia at the time, teaching at an international school.  After a terrifying day and night, we flew to Singapore for medical treatment.  I was hospitalized for a little over a week while I was given blood thinners to try to dissolve the clot that had formed from my hip to my knee.  The pain was intense.  I left the hospital in a wheelchair and used a cane for some time after that.  My memories of this time are sparse, but vivid.

A few days in, after some of the swelling went
down and the color was more normal 

Before we left for Singapore, Matt sent a couple of emails out to friends that we thought might have connections to people in Singapore.  The morning after we arrived, my hospital room filled with strangers coming to offer Matt a place to stay, meals, transportation, internet.  It was pretty amazing.  At a time when I felt most vulnerable and scared, we had people surrounding us, being God's presence to us.  We knew hundreds of people were praying for us.  Somehow, in a hospital in a strange country, we felt taken care of and acutely aware of God's presence with us.

Hospital bed picture and Matt with very short hair

After a few weeks, the constant pain in my leg subsided, but it has never completely gone away.  Through both of my pregnancies, I would regularly wake up with that leg cramping.  When I exert my calf muscle, it aches and complains.  It's a constant reminder of my limitations and of God's faithfulness.  Sometimes I like to think of myself like Jacob, who wrestled with God and afterward walked with a limp.  

The Wees, who graciously hosted Matt during my hospital stay
and me as well for the few days after I got out of the hospital
before we were cleared to travel back to Indonesia

Every time I try to run, I feel the catch in my leg.  The pain always takes me back eight years and 10,000 miles to the hospital room where I wrestled with God.  I asked why? and how? and what now?.  Every time I feel the pain, I am reminded of the kindness of the nurses, the good doctors, and the countless strangers who heard we were in need and came to our aid.  

Mistakes

One of the hardest parts of this training is finding time to run.  Last night in a fit of determination, I set an alarm for 6am, laid out my running things, and went to bed early.  When my alarm went off this morning, I pulled myself out of my nice snug bed and started to dress.  It was very dark and cold out.  I went back to bed.  I decided I could go for a short run while Matt was home for lunch instead.  I think I'll try the early morning approach again after the time change this weekend.

This lunch running plan presented all sorts of logistical problems.  It was my turn to pick Eleanor and her friend up from school and they got out at noon today.  I should have eaten a light lunch at 11, but I didn't.  So, I picked up the girls, came home, scarfed down a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, and immediately went for a run before Matt had to go back to work.  There were so many mistakes involved in this plan:

1. Eating right before running.
2. Running in the mid-day sun.

So, I guess there were only two mistakes involved in this plan.  

For the sake of saving time, I just went on the sidewalks around where we live, as opposed to driving to the Rose Bowl and using the track there.  Eleanor saw me leaving and said, "I don't want you to be one of those women running on the sidewalk listening to music in headphones."  I think I'm already starting to embarrass her.  I did not enjoy the street running.  Besides the logistical issues of having to stop to wait for lights to change, I felt like a spectacle.  I also look ridiculous.  

Stats:

Distance: 2.93 miles

Duration: 45:39 min:sec

Average Pace: 15:51min/mile

Average Speed: 3.78 mph

Not a good run (mostly walk).  I'll try again soon.  I like to think it's so much slower because of having to stop at almost every block to wait for lights to change.  I'll tell myself that anyway.