Runner Girl!

My friend Steve sent a nice encouraging note with this logo from a website I hadn't known about. I like the graphic!

I am excited to get this maiden voyage under my belt and see where I can go from here. Maybe that's why I'm not too worked up about it. I see it as a stepping stone and not an end unto itself...a good test!

I've been reading these philosophical books lately - the most recent is the Way of the Peaceful Warrior. The books focus a lot on the role of the mind and consciousness and gaining mastery and focus. I'm not very articulate here, but my goal for the race is less about time and more about keeping it together mentally - staying relaxed, attentive positive, joyful, and confident. And I want to find way to translate that to the rest of my life - establishing work/life boundaries and redirecting my energies to the family in a more balanced way. I guess in life I also want to be more relaxed, attentive, positive, joyful and confident.

All done 'til race day

Today was my last workout at the gym before Saturday. Jake actually asked if I wanted to take Sunday off and I thought he was joking. "Are you serious? Of course I want to take Friday off." To which he responded that I don't have to take it off as mostly my legs would get the workout, so I suppose he has in mind an upper body workout. And of course I am not one to back down from a challenge so I will be at the gym Sunday!!

And I guess you can't be a slacker and end up like this (JRP in photo from last weekend - hope he doesn't mind I put this here). Those are killer abs. I have killer abs too. I mean they kill me every time I try to do anything with them! I'm sure my abs are awesome too, underneath it all! Somewhere. Maybe! Or not!!

When I run I feel....

...strong, purposeful, focused, blessed, fit, happy, loving, calm, honest, natural, athletic, balanced, empowered, awake, relaxed, light, spiritual, loved, challenged, independent, steady, grounded, clear, efficient, God-filled, content, healthy, unencumbered, awed, free, beautiful, energized, alert, able, blessed, confident, amazed, protected, encouraged, joyful, fluid, accomplished, humbled, and aware.

I will admit I also sometimes feel scared, intimidated, unsure, sluggish, distracted, or bored. Those are usually short-lived.

Eat Pray Love

OMG, I LOVE this book on every level - the witty writing (seems to be a recent theme for me), the unflinching honesty, and the exposed emotion. I'm not all the way through it, but this is one I will read again, maybe right away. You may be wondering what this has to do with a fitness blog, but the whole second part is about the author's 4-month stay in an Ashram in India and her struggles to quiet her mind and learn to meditate. I have to confess I can relate to her fragmented, straying, dialoging mind. (FUNNY reading how her mind works) And anyone who practices meditation will probably string me up for this, but I see great commonalities between the discipline required by running and that needed for meditation. When I am on a long run and want to be done, it's not because I'm that tired or any part of me is ready to give out, it's because my focus is waning. I'm ready to be done...do something else...move on...entertain me!! That's when I remind myself I really don't want to be doing anything else. The author talks about how we brood about the past and worry about the future and spend so little time in the present, in the now. That's what running does for me. I have no choice but to be in the now and I want to extend the time I spend in now and find ways to get that without my running shoes on. Great book, HIGHLY recommended.

By the way, I have to slip in that Jake won 3rd in his class at his first bodybuilding show Saturday in Atlanta so here's a nice shout-out to Jake - congratulations!!

T-minus one week and counting!

Note to self: leave the legumes for mealtimes that do not immediately precede a run.

I had made curried yellow split peas with tomatoes (yum) and ate leftovers for dinner. I might as well have eaten a brick as it seemed to turn to stone in my stomach just in time for an evening run.

Despite the stomach issues, I still ran with my fastest pace yet - an 8:35 mile for 6 miles, just half a hair better than the 10K a month ago, so I am improving! However, my runs have felt tough this week and today was no exception. I'm sure the stress of school, lack of sleep, and having played tennis five days in a row are all contributing factors. I plan to take tomorrow completely off and have a light Sunday.

During my run I asked myself what my concerns were for the race next weekend:

1. That it will pour down rain or worse yet, it'll get canceled. Right now the long-range forecast is for rain and I don't mind some, within reason. But will my shoes get squishy? Will I get wet and cold?
   
2. That my iPod will stop working during the race!
   
3. That I won't sleep at all the night before.

So I guess if those are my big worries, it's not so bad. The rain won't stop me, nor will a non-functioning iPod, and there's no reason I can't complete the run even if I get zero sleep. I'll just try to get to bed early this week and bank my sleep.

I am prepared physically and mentally. I have worked diligently toward this for this for the last 4-1/2 months. I know what to do this week in terms of activity and diet since we used the 10K as a dress rehearsal. I will run a relaxed, confident, and well-paced race. I will finish and finish strong!