Day 15:I ran today
Finally, a minute to breathe. But I’m so darn distracted. I’ve even started running without my iPod; I used to welcome the distraction of the noise but lately it adds to the chaos. I run to the cadence of my thoughts.
I haven’t talked much about racing or training…I prefer to read about it HERE because I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit. But the steady drum beat of adrenaline that echoes my heartbeat is getting a little louder. That usually means it’s time to start thinking about getting some motivation on my calendar. I can again picture myself gritting my teeth as I sit on the edge of the pool dreading that initial cold shock that makes getting out of a warm bed nearly impossible. I become aware of what I’m putting in my body…is it fuel or a temporary fix? I want the feeling of fluid mobility that is still possible in a 36 year old body that sags and jiggles and is best appreciated in low lighting but is still in shape.
Sometimes I feel a little like I’m acting like a drug pusher…
“Do this…and trust me, you’ll LOVE it.”
It’s just that it’s within everyone’s reach. And if you’re going to be addicted to something…let it be forward motion or the reward of struggling under your own power. I am convinced that training and competing in something…anything…is the fountain of youth and a prophylactic for mental illness. Just sayin.
There are two races on the books actually. The running kind. Full of kryptonite [hills].
The first, HERE, is a bragging rights race. I was standing next to a fellow hasher…who recently ran the Milwaukee Lake Front Marathon [slacker, no?], who said about this race,
“I didn’t train for it and about halfway in, I prayed for death. Anything had to be better than what I was doing.”
That from someone who ran trail on Halloween in a huge box decorated like a chinese take out box (he’s Chinese…lovely un-PC hashlike behavior) and routinely flies by me, and makes it look like I’m standing still. Check out the elevation….almost 1000 feet of gain in about a half mile. Gah! I say all that because myself and a couple of girls I race with are making the trip to the park this Saturday morning to do the loop. It’s around 7.5 miles and we're planning on starting at 8:30am. I’m bringing a flashlight, just in case, I don’t make it out before dark. Might seem excessive to those not running but I’m not sure I’m joking. I've heard it's brutal and probably just the kick in the pants that I need.
The second is called the River to River Relay held somewhere in Il in April. It's an 80 mile relay race with 8 members to a team, each running 3 legs of varying lengths. It takes all day. The other team members "sag" in a rented and decorated van. The team I was invited to participate on is made up of hashers...we may be silly and run for beer but there are actually some very seasoned and FAST runners. We've got a good mix. My biggest worry? Are there porta potties?
I talk with a friend of mine about "Doing something the scares you, every day". Those are two things that are definitely out of my comfort zone. And Saturday, when the four of us girls trudge up and down some insane hills in the woods, I get credit for doing something scary.
But the reward? Is eternal youth. I hope that when I'm 80, I will remember how it felt to have my heart pounding in my ears, and to run, skip, slide down the hills just on the edge of being out of control. I'll never cover ground very fast but don't doubt I can move this body forward.
The other reward? The sleep that comes with being utterly exhausted.
Do that thing that scares you.
I haven’t talked much about racing or training…I prefer to read about it HERE because I’ve fallen off the wagon a bit. But the steady drum beat of adrenaline that echoes my heartbeat is getting a little louder. That usually means it’s time to start thinking about getting some motivation on my calendar. I can again picture myself gritting my teeth as I sit on the edge of the pool dreading that initial cold shock that makes getting out of a warm bed nearly impossible. I become aware of what I’m putting in my body…is it fuel or a temporary fix? I want the feeling of fluid mobility that is still possible in a 36 year old body that sags and jiggles and is best appreciated in low lighting but is still in shape.
Sometimes I feel a little like I’m acting like a drug pusher…
“Do this…and trust me, you’ll LOVE it.”
It’s just that it’s within everyone’s reach. And if you’re going to be addicted to something…let it be forward motion or the reward of struggling under your own power. I am convinced that training and competing in something…anything…is the fountain of youth and a prophylactic for mental illness. Just sayin.
There are two races on the books actually. The running kind. Full of kryptonite [hills].
The first, HERE, is a bragging rights race. I was standing next to a fellow hasher…who recently ran the Milwaukee Lake Front Marathon [slacker, no?], who said about this race,
“I didn’t train for it and about halfway in, I prayed for death. Anything had to be better than what I was doing.”
That from someone who ran trail on Halloween in a huge box decorated like a chinese take out box (he’s Chinese…lovely un-PC hashlike behavior) and routinely flies by me, and makes it look like I’m standing still. Check out the elevation….almost 1000 feet of gain in about a half mile. Gah! I say all that because myself and a couple of girls I race with are making the trip to the park this Saturday morning to do the loop. It’s around 7.5 miles and we're planning on starting at 8:30am. I’m bringing a flashlight, just in case, I don’t make it out before dark. Might seem excessive to those not running but I’m not sure I’m joking. I've heard it's brutal and probably just the kick in the pants that I need.
The second is called the River to River Relay held somewhere in Il in April. It's an 80 mile relay race with 8 members to a team, each running 3 legs of varying lengths. It takes all day. The other team members "sag" in a rented and decorated van. The team I was invited to participate on is made up of hashers...we may be silly and run for beer but there are actually some very seasoned and FAST runners. We've got a good mix. My biggest worry? Are there porta potties?
I talk with a friend of mine about "Doing something the scares you, every day". Those are two things that are definitely out of my comfort zone. And Saturday, when the four of us girls trudge up and down some insane hills in the woods, I get credit for doing something scary.
But the reward? Is eternal youth. I hope that when I'm 80, I will remember how it felt to have my heart pounding in my ears, and to run, skip, slide down the hills just on the edge of being out of control. I'll never cover ground very fast but don't doubt I can move this body forward.
The other reward? The sleep that comes with being utterly exhausted.
Do that thing that scares you.
Labels: girl power, my best is all I've got, tri-geek returns
posted by mimikatemom at
2:27 PM
7 Comments:
"addicted...to forward motion."
loooove that line! :O)
Give 'em hell this weekend, E!
My my, mighty fine post there, neighbor.
Took your advice this week,actually. Played an obscure British folk/rock song in front of a room of first graders with only two months of guitar training under my belt. Part of my oldest kid's show n' tell.
No fear. Only turned crimson once when I struck a bad "D" chord. I stared at my frets the whole song. Confidence soared and by the end I was rockin'. The vibe hit the room and 20 first graders were out of their seats, dancing like caffeinated Fraggles.
Hit the last chord's downbeat and tossed my pick into the crowd like I was Eddie Van Halen or somethin'.
Good things do come from scaling a mountain of fear.
thanks Ggg! I'm gonna get around to pimp'n your blog shortly. good stuff.
and Jeff, way to go ROCKSTAR! I'm pretty sure I'd give all the girls Halloween candy to see you rockin out in the classroom. Elevated status to "most cool dad" fo sho. And the pick throwing? CLASSIC. Love it!
Oh, and I fixed that first broken link.
Do something scary... Hmm, I don't even have anything profound to say to that. It's good advice. I'd love to adhere to it. But I'm at a loss right now as to what I can do.
Maybe I'll take a bite of a vegetable this weekend. That ought to do it.
Good God this is a wonderful post.
I want to. I WANT to so bad. But I just..... don't.
And the more I don't, the harder it is to not don't.
As for doing something scary every day- I do. Well, the days that I leave my apartment I do. Because just walking out of my door scares the bejeebus out of me. Standing up in front of a classroom with NO idea what I'm doing scares the hell out of me.
I am a huge giant loser.
Keep us posted on the races/running/forward motion!!!
there are porta potts. the funny thing about river to river, they longer the day goes...the better they smell.
Oh, and there's a church bathroom, I can't remember what leg...but it's spotless. I love that church.
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