I Dream of Running

It must be even years. Even years must be my Running years. Cause this year, I am absolutely salivating, dreaming, itching, DYING to run another marathon. I am craving the long slogs slogs through training lows. I am craving the completely satisfying all-out tired of running a 20-miler on a Saturday morning. I am longing for Garmin-frenzy, track workouts, tempo runs, and sucking down pints of water at my desk. I am desperate for a good, hard sweat. I am pining for my stick of Body Glide. I am web-stalking marathon guide.com and blog stalking all my old favorite RFBs. I have registered for my spring training 1/2 marathon. The weather is uncharacteristically cooperative for January in Nebraska; it's training heaven!

Small problem.

I am 8+ mos pregnant. So all of that is going to have to wait a couple more months. Oh, the AGONY! (insert slightly off-color joke about the impending agony of childbirth here)

I did manage a moderate pregnant 5K a short-while back. Though now I am resorted to walking. But mentally, I am back, baby. 2012 is my next Year of the Marathon.

I'm thinking Chicago?

TIaRT: Rugging...Blunning...Running & Blogging!

Well, in response to today's Runner's Lounge Take It and Run Thursday, I will attempt to share my tips for how I use my blog to help my running, how/why I started, what keeps me blogging and how I use it to keep me running.

As I said in my blogland-deflowering first post, I have been a runner for quite a long time: 15 years or so. At times, I ran more, at times less...sometimes faster, sometimes slower...sometimes I raced, sometimes I simply ran to get the stressballs out of my shoulders and minimize the liklihood that I would maim a coworker or wind up on the evening news after a fit of road rage. I ran to make it through pregnancy intact; I ran to get back to being "me" post-pregnancy. I ran to go on non-date dates with my not-yet husband. I ran to explore places I traveled. I ran to get some time by myself. I ran to think. I ran to escape. I ran to eat chocolate and pizza and drink wine whenever I liked, without physical repurcussion and cellulite.

So, when I decided this year (pushed over the edge by the very funny and inspiring bloggers I followed) to finally commit to running my first-ever half marathon and marathon, I knew I would need something more than just my own self and my spotty self-shame and derivation to keep me accountable. I'd been enjoying (lurking) others' running-and-life-related blogs for a while...and I knew that it was just the medium I needed to spew all the stuff that the hubs and non-running friends were tired of hearing me pontificate about (what do you mean when you say that you have no idea what the best training plan for a marathon is and you don't care to ever find out? When you say "running and talking about running makes you want to kill yourself" exactly what context do you mean that in?). I needed people that could actually provide guidance and resources and occasionally answers to questions...I needed an audience (real or imagined) of my own peeps. No, not that kind of peeps.

I use my blog to track my runs (easier than my old log notebook, which I seem to forget, lose quite often, and hey I sit in front of a computer all day anyway and I don't even know how to make plans without an electronic calendar appointment so blogging seems pretty ideal for me) and keep myself motivated. Imagining others are following my progress keeps me accountable and reading others stories keeps me excited. It is also nice to have a "free" space to spew any other garbage that comes into my head, running related or not. Plus, if you really know me, you'll see that I have quite an affection for running, and blogging about it justifies the whole relationship.

My advice to anyone considering starting a blog? Go for it. Blogging is easy and free, and if you have self-control and common sense, you'll only spend about 15 minutes a day on it. Of course if you have neither of those, you'll become like the rest of us (see blogs I follow, at right)....but you'll be in good company!

No Time Like the Present

Well, I finally decided to suck it up and get blogging. After much lurking on many other blogs, hemming and hawing, and doubting that I have the time for this...I decided to just give it a go. I may not have the time to add this to my life, but hey--maybe no one will ever read it, therefore there will be no one to notice that I am too busy to write. Sweet: win-win!

So I decided in January that 2009 is the year that I am finally going to fulfill one of the items on my Things To Do Before I am 30* list: Run A Marathon. I have been a runner for oh about 15 years now--more if you count all my days playing soccer as a midfielder, which consisted mainly of running for an hour+ straight--but I have never really officially called myself a Runner. I really only a few did short races here and there--5 and 10Ks--but have let that slide a bit since having kids. Still do them occasionally, but now that the Shorties are old enough to (sort of) fend for themselves, or at least entertain themselves so Hubb doesn't go mad while I am out running for an hour or two, I have decided that I am ready to focus on the running again. Maybe be a Runner. And so, I realized I need a goal--a big, stretching, make-me-work-for-it-holy-bejeezus kind of goal--in the worst way right now. What better goal than a marathon? So, here I am...a couple of months into the training, working on getting my distance up, and loving it so far. I have to thank all the bloggy runners that came before me (see my list, at right) for motivating me and making me believe that I actually can do it, if I just decide to and train. Ready or not, here I come...


*Upon turning 30 a couple of years ago, has been amended to Things To Do Before I am 40. Still got a few years before I have to change to Things to Do Before I Die. At this point that is still to vague and far-offish sounding.

Why A Marathon?

1. I have always wanted to run a marathon. It's been on my list of life goals for about 15 years. Time to cross it off.

2. I need something positive to focus on; I am rather a high-strung, obsessive-ish, analytical-type person and I don't need to ruminate on all the negative stuff I keep hearing on the news. Therefore I will run to escape and not think about it.

3. I like running. A lot.

4. I feel better when I run: physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally

5. Colorado is beautiful, full of convenient trails, and what better excuse to spend a lot of useful time outside?

6. It sets a good example for my kids, shows them the importance I place on being physically active, fit, and healthy. Actions speak louder than words.

7. It might not stimulate the economy, but running with my husband is WAYYYY cheaper than going out to dinner or a movie. Or golf.

8. On second thought, me purchasing running gear just might stimulate the economy...better it be through running apparel than fast food or JCrew, no?

9. I'm an only child, I like to be alone, and running allows me my required weekly allotment of Alone Time.

10. I want a medal.

Why do you run?