You Might Be A Runportunist... 1/10/20

You know, most runners are decent people. To a fault. We report our runs, our race times to the second. Share our distances to show that we didn't cut the course. We set goals and share our trials and tribulations as we try to meet those goals. We talk as much about our stumbles as we do our triumphs. We support each other in our victories and our failures. We may even overshare some of the details. Because that is the nature of our sport.

Yet, there are runners who aren't quite so decent. Runners who cut corners to advance themselves. Runners who build themselves up while taking others down. Runners who take advantage of opportunities.

Are you a runportunist?

Reflections on the Long Run

I've been working on building up my mileage again. Having suffered from plantar fasciitis for the past year, I took some time off and seriously reduced my mileage after I ran the Big Sur Marathon in April. While I can't say I'm 100% recovered, I'm pleased to report that my foot has remained mostly quiet since I've started running more again. I've become cautiously optimistic.

This morning I had a 12 mile run to do. I never formally train for a half marathon but I do work on upping my miles from my base and adding in some speed work to make sure I have enough endurance to go the distance. I woke up to thunderstorms and pouring rain. I was also feeling a little sluggish after indulging in an amazing pasta dish last night for dinner. The restaurant was very generous with its wine pours and I may have had more than I should.

So my motivation to complete this 12 mile run this morning was around zero. I laid in bed for a while and pondered the mysteries of life. Not really. I just did some mental gymnastics to convince myself that I needed to run. After a cup of coffee, I reluctantly filled my Tailwind bottle. I shared my itinerary with my husband, told him I'd be back in about 2 hours, and headed to the bike path.

The Gift of Running

We all run for different reasons. But I bet if you polled a large group of runners, you'd learn that most of us run for at least one reason besides fitness. I'm fairly sure that most of us recreational runners run for stress relief.

That's why I started this journey over 25 years ago. Running has been the best medicine for me. My type A personality lends itself to feeling overwhelmed. Running has always helped me sort that out. Nine times out of 10, I end a run feeling much better than when I started.

Until I don't.

But there's always something good in every run.

When Running Rubs You the Wrong Way

While spectating Sunday's Chicago Marathon, Marcia commented on a guy running by with bloody nipples. I was busy scanning the crowd for our runners and of course, missed that spectacle.

"It's only mile 13," she commented. "He's going to have a tough race!" Indeed.

I thought about this. So many jokes have been made about bloody nipples that I didn't think it was a thing anymore. Apparently, that guy didn't get the memo about prevention.

Of course, if you are a long distance runner, you've experienced some sort of chafing. Sweat +friction=chafing. Hopefully, for most of us, it's not bloody nipples (ladies, am I right?). But it's the rare runner who hasn't experienced some sort of skin irritation in areas unknown.

Unknown, that is, until the post-race shower....

Chicago Marathon Weekend: Perspective from the Sidelines

You know how I have that tagline at the top of my blog? The one that says "because sitting on the sidelines is no fun"? After this past weekend, I may need to issue a retraction. Because this weekend, being on the sidelines was a blast!

Last spring, I made the difficult (for me) decision not to enter the lottery for the Chicago Marathon. With Big Sur ahead of me at the time and my struggles with plantar fasciitis, I didn't want to get a spot and have to give it up due to injury. I thought it would be a good idea to take some time off and let my foot calm down.

Marcia and I made plans to spectate the marathon and the experience didn't disappoint. I may have to be a sideline sitter more often!

How the Friday 5 Messes with My Head

I have to start this post first by saying how much I love the ladies of the DC Trifecta. Today's post is not a slight at them at all. Courtney, Mar, and Cynthia host a fun and successful blog link up every Friday called the Friday Five. Their fitness-based link up has a loose "fitness-related" theme every Friday, but is built on the premise of writing about 5 things to fit the theme.

I've been participating in the link up for as long as I've been blogging, which is almost 3 years. I've met a lot of bloggers through this link up and the link up has sent a lot of traffic my way. I've also learned a lot about the art of blogging--both writing and interacting with other bloggers.

The funny thing about writing all these posts with 5 things in them is that it's started to get into my head. I'm all about those fives...

The Best Kind of Run

Have you ever had one of those runs where you finished and you just felt completely fulfilled?

Maybe it wasn't particularly special. Or maybe it was. Was the sun shining? Or was it cloudy? Did you run fast or slow?

Or did it just feel good?

That was my run on Sunday.

Sisters, Doing it for Themselves

It's always hard to come back to reality after a really fun trip! My trip to Austin with my sister was a whirlwind of activity, food, and fun. Because even out of town, the workouts don't stop. I'm sharing some of the highlights of our trip on this post.

I'm also sharing a synopsis of the last 2 weeks of workouts. Since I was out of town last weekend, I didn't publish my usual weekly wrap-up post. In the interest of brevity, there won't be a lot of workout details in this post, but if you follow me on Instagram (and you should!), then you know I've been moving and posing.

Runfessions for September

It's the end of September--can you believe it? But that can only mean one thing, right? I mean besides pumpkin everything. The end of the month means it's time for Runfessions, that monthly clearing of the conscience, hosted by Marcia's Healthy Slice. Have you runfessed lately? It feels great and there's no penance.

You would think that after my most recent runfession, I'd have nothing left to share. I thought about saving that story for this post, but it was like diarrhea. I just couldn't hold it in.

Have no fear. There's plenty more where that came from. The runfessional is open..

Myth Busting: Fact Checking Some Conventional Running Wisdom

I just finished watching the presidential debates. While most of you know where I stand, this isn't a forum for political debate. It's a running blog, but I have to admit that Hilary's repeated request for fact checking inspired me to do some fact checking of my own--not on politics, but on running myths.

Just log onto Facebook and the running advice abounds. I'm no expert but I know enough to be dangerous. There's good advice, mediocre advice, and bad advice. As a medical provider, I base my decisions on evidence. Anecdotes and stories are great, but "correlation doesn't mean causation.

But then there's that advice that keeps appearing. Similar to urban legends, these running "tips" keep showing up on social media. For today's Wednesday Word, which is wisdom, I thought I'd put on my professor cap and try to dispel some commonly accepted running wisdom which isn't quite so wise.

How to Turn a Vacation Into a Runcation

This post is coming to you from somewhere above 30,000 feet. Today I'm jetting off to Austin, Texas with my sister for our annual sister weekend. Every year we go somewhere we've never been to celebrate our birthdays and sisterhood. Our trips are full of food, fun, and adventure. We are great traveling companions and have made a lot of fun memories on these trips.

These trips are all about us. I never plan races for our sister weekend. We do pack our running shoes though because it's always fun to run in a new place! Actually, no matter where I go or whomever I am traveling with, I always pack my running shoes. I can't think of a better way to explore a new destination. My family is so accustomed to my running that it's almost as if they expect me to head out for a run. I always find a way to make it work. No excuses! Any vacation can be a runcation!

What Do You Want To Accomplish?

Once again, I sit down to rewrite a post that was already written. My husband and I were talking after dinner, sharing a glass of wine. I told him a story about my run today.

I was running in the park. I approached a lady who was texting on her phone, oblivious to anything around her. She had a little dog on a leash, which was fully extended. She didn't see me coming, but the dog did. Teeth showing, growling, he charged at me. Given the chance, I'm pretty sure he would have ripped my leg off. She looked up as I cried out, "your dog!". She didn't know what to do and I made a wide berth around her. Over my music, I heard her say "sorry". I just gave her "the look".

You know the look. If you've been a runner for any length of time, you've thrown that look at cars who blow stop signs. At cyclists who ride a little too close for comfort. And at clueless dog owners.

The look that says: "what are you thinking?"

As I ran past the dog walker, I kept thinking to myself, what is the point? Either you walk the dog or you text. You can't do both, right?

I guess you can, but what are you trying to accomplish?