Run this Year! 2015 January summary

How's your training been going since the new year? I have to admit that I have never been really diligent about keeping track of my miles until I got my Garmin last year. Now it's kind of fun to log in and see where I'm at. For 2015, I signed up with Run This Year, to participate in a community of runners and to see if I could achieve a yearly goal of--no, not 2015 miles, but 2015 kilometers. That's 1252 miles, y'all. I think this is something I can do--if I accomplish what I set out to do this year--stay injury free. So where am I at on my 2015 goals so far?

Staying injury free? I'm all about avoiding any time off the road this year. At the end of 2014, I was having big time issues with shin splints and high hamstring pain on the right. I've been working hard with Becky at CrossFit again. I don't know if she didn't hear me when I talked about my pains or if she was ignoring me. She just kept pushing me through my workouts. We finished up a cycle of heavy lifting, which we started at the end of 2014, with 2 PRs! Deadlift PR= 175# and Box Squat PR=155#. Now we are in a cycle of CrossFit intervals and wow! are they intense. But I'm happy to report that the pains I had at the start of the month are gone. Now I have a little achilles pain, but it comes and goes, usually after a run. I'm working diligently on foam rolling, stretching, and hip strengthening at home, as well as yoga 1-2 times per week. 

Deadlift PR!

Run a sub-4 hour marathon/sub-2 half marathon? I'm lumping these together, since I'm not planning on a marathon until fall. I started training for my March half marathon, the Sarasota Half Marathon. Since the race is in Florida, I have absolutely no way to train for the heat I may encounter. Or do I? Remember last year's Florida half that I ran? In the 75F 90% humidity? Where I wilted at mile 4? I have no desire to repeat that experience. So I talked to a seasoned marathoner that I know, and he told me really, the only way to train is to run inside and wear lots of clothes. So that's what I've been doing. I call it a "paced heat run", and it's tough! Every week I add more layers. This past week was the toughest, as I piled on fleece lined tights, a fleece hooded sweatshirt, and a hat. These runs are for one hour and I try my hardest to maintain a steady pace. I did pretty well until mile 4, when I had to slow it down just a little. But I still averaged 9:14 min/mi--I think. My treadmill isn't that accurate. But I'll take it. I've also started doing speedwork, in the form of mile repeats, and that's been going well too. It's hard to pace my miles on this treadmill, since I really don't know how fast I'm going. As long as I end up going faster on the last mile, that's all that counts. 

Yep, this is indoors running at its best!

And about that mama drama? Oh, that oldest son of mine. He tries so hard to get me going. Sometimes he does. I'm trying not to let it happen. Even when he gets a terrible report card. His response? "At least I'm not failing anything..." I've decided to back off and see what happens. Because, as I said in the previous blog post, his bad grades really don't affect me, per se. We all want our kids to do well in school but he's going to have to deal with the consequences, not me. I know I'm not alone here. Why can't they stay little?

This guy is now 17! It was so much easier when I could just strap him in the jogger and go!

Grow the blog? Things have taken off beyond my wildest dreams! I found out this month that I've been chosen to be a #Fitfluential ambassador and a #SweatPink ambassador! I couldn't be more excited and admittedly, more overwhelmed! There's so many opportunities to interact with other bloggers...opportunities for affiliating with advertisers and companies...participation in fitness campaigns...I'm just trying to sort through everything and decide what I want to do. One thing I don't want to do is lose my voice, and so I want to be really careful about what I pick. I started blogging to interact with other runners, and that desire still drives me! And in the when it rains it pours when it snows, make snow angels department, I was also featured on Another Mother Runner this month, sharing a story I about when one of my neighbors decided he wanted to run with me. It was kind of an ugly break up. It's all good, and all I can say is wow! and thanks for following along. I'm excited about what's to come! 

107.19 miles

I'm linking this post with Tara at RunningNReading for her Weekend Update!

Runfessions for January

Today I'm linking up with Marcia's Healthy Slice for Runfessions. I was raised Catholic and taught that confession is good for the soul. And like Marcia says, you'll feel better when you're done. The best part is no penance!

I've been training for the Sarasota Half Marathon. And my workouts have been going well. What's not been going well? Sit back while I bare my soul...

Where's the beef: Since the holidays, I've strayed from my "no beef" rule more than once-- and I've been paying for it. I do think that beef causes inflammation in my GI tract, and so it isn't just one and one for me when I eat beef. Nope, a whole cascade (literally) of problems begins. I won't get graphic, but let's just say that it's a good thing I've been taking my runs indoors 2x/week for this training cycle. Having access to a bathroom has been pretty nice. Let's just say I'm uncomfortable and mad at myself.

The original Clara commercial

You're not the boss of me: My oldest son has been trying to rev up the mama drama machine. I got his report card for last semester and it was just terrible. He is just so determined to prove that I can't tell him what to do. When his father and I offered to pay him $$$ for good grades, he told me "I don't need money".  Who doesn't need money? Ok, message received. I've decided that I'm done pushing him. I'm going to let him fail and figure it out. Because, after all, his bad grades really are his problem. Once he grows up, if that happens, he'll get it together. Right? 

Jailhouse Rock: I started watching Orange is the New Black. Besides being hooked on this show already, some of the music is pretty awesome too. I just added some new songs to my running playlist.  Do you do this--hear a song on a TV show and think, that would be a great running song? BTW, I'm only on season one, so don't spoil it for me. This show is really edgy. I think I may need to go to confession after watching it. Or get a mind eraser. Wow.

No money, mo problems: I've been spending way too much money this month. Not that I have it to spend. My husband has been out of work and yet, I just can't seem to stop myself. The sales have been incredible. And it isn't just running clothes. Last week Anthropologie had 40% off the sale prices and I scored a cute sweater dress for $45 (original price $148). The Clymb had 20% off their already great prices, and I scored some Aventura gear. I had to stop myself. BTW, if you don't know about the Clymb, head on over and check it out! Lots of great deals on casual and athletic clothing. Use this link: http://vnlink.co/Sp4V5I4 and we'll both get $10 credit!

HIghway to hell: I lost it on the way to work this week. I decided to change lanes to get around a slower car and guess what? She sped up. Rode alongside another car so I couldn't get around her. If I got too close to her, she hit the brakes. This went on for about 4 miles of my already painful 10 mile commute to work. After a few minutes of her doing this, I started yelling at her. I may even have let a few curse words fly. You know the one that rhymes with truck? Not that she could hear me, but it made me feel better. She finally turned at a light. Who plays games like this? And why did I let her get under my skin?

Onward and upward, right? I guess I do feel better! 

What do you have to confess this month?

Constant craving....

I have been suffering from a serious case of the rungries lately. Do you know them? When you just can't get enough and need to eat all the food? I'm in training for a half marathon, and have stepped up my training a bit. And I'm HUNGRY. Seriously hungry. All the time.

Actually, a yesterday was a speed work day...

Now in case you're worried about me, well, don't. I eat quite well. Breakfast, mid-morning snack, lunch, afternoon snack, and dinner. I have a snack drawer at work, stocked with emergency snacks, like almonds and Luna bars. But tonight at dinner, I went back for a second helping of the chicken and dumplings my husband made for dinner. And then I cleaned his bowl. And my son's bowl. My husband says it isn't fair that I can eat all the time and he just smells food and gains weight. Maybe he should run!

Anyways, it's really bad. My office is across the street from this place:

Like the lure of the siren's song...

Chicagoans well know the lure of Portillos. The food is really, really good here. I swear that Portillos sends out smoke signals of hamburgers and french fries to suck customers in. And it smells so good. Damn that easterly wind. Twice in the last week, I've been walking to the parking garage after work and had to smell the food. It took every ounce of self control I had not to turn around and head in the opposite direction towards Portillos. I kid you not. The smell was almost hypnotic. This is so out of character for me. You know I can't eat beef. Yet, I'm willing to sacrifice my GI tract for a Portillo's Italian beef sandwich. I know what would happen if I gave in. Yet, I struggle as I head towards my car.

Left brain: Must go home. Husband making dinner. Healthy meal at home. Beef gives you diarrhea. Garage is this way.

Right brain: But...Portillo's...smells so good...go back....must have grease...

The struggle is real.

I will admit that, for the most part, I do eat a healthy diet. I don't gorge on junk food. I don't restrict myself, but I do eat smart. I do leave room for the things I like, like chocolate and bacon (not together). Ben and Jerry's Karamel Sutra. Bolthouse Farms' Chocolate Protein Shakes (I wrote a post on these magical drinks). But I eat a lot of salads. I've always prided myself on my self control. Lately, though, it's taking me a lot of restraint. When I read Eat and Run by Scott Jurek, I kept thinking to myself, how does he do all that running on a vegan diet? Doesn't he get hungry? Is chocolate vegan?

And let's face it. When you need to eat all the food, what do you reach for? A bowl of broccoli? Maybe Scott Jurek does. And if you do, kudos to you!

For the rest of us, what's a health-minded runner to do when struck with a case of the rungries? Because even worse than the rungries is overdoing it on crappy food, right?

Think about it. We all do it. Overindulge on food or drink, even though we have a long run the next day. I've seen your posts. I may even have posted a few of these myself. It's not a good feeling the day after a splurge, especially if you're going out for a run. Maybe it's a sluggish feeling in the legs. Your get up and go has gone up and went. Maybe it's burping or gas. Even worse, the old "I'll be stopping"--and you'd better hope that a portapotty is available. Either that, or you'll want to wear some Depends. Pray to get through this post overindulgence run intact. And promise that we'll never do it again. Until the next time...

So what's a runner to do? How to overcome temptation? Besides changing jobs? Really, that isn't logical. And imagine me telling people why I left my employer...because I couldn't resist the Portillo's across the street?

Here are 5 tips that I recommend to avoid temptation and those cravings:

1. Just keep walking away. Willpower is one of my superpowers. I'm committed to running and working out. I extend that commitment to eating healthy too. As hard as it is, I just keep on walking.
2. Drink lots of water. All day long. I keep a glass of water next to me in my cubby at work. Sometimes when you think you're hungry, you're actually thirsty. Water does a great job of curbing those feelings. 
3. Eat healthy snacks. I keep a bag of almonds in my office and when I get hungry, I eat a handful. It's amazing how well that little snack curbs my appetite. I don't know what your office is like, but there is always food at mine. Cake, cookies, crap...
4. Bring your lunch to work. You have so much more control over what you eat if you bring your own food to work than if you visit the cafeteria, or worse...Portillo's. Did I mention they have amazing chocolate cake too?
5. Indulge yourself but don't beat yourself up over it. I do eat at Portillo's once in a while. Yep, french fries and all. Just don't do it on a regular basis.

BTW, the title of this post is taken from a song by kd lang. I don't think she was singing about Portillo's, tho...

I'm linking this post with the Fit Dish and The Fit Switch!
And Tuesdays on the Run! with MCM mama, Run the Great Wide Somewhere, and My No-Guilt Life!

A runner in real life

I received some really great news this week! I was excited to find out that I was selected to be a FitFluential ambassador and a Sweat Pink ambassador!!! I started blogging as a way to connect with other like minded individuals--people who love to run. Blogging also forces me to put a positive spin on whatever topic I'm writing about, because who wants to read something negative, right? What's been really interesting is that putting my positive face forward here on the blog and on Facebook has extended to my life outside of the virtual world as well. I wrote a post on staying positive in the winter, but I think all the things I wrote about apply to life in general. 

I've really enjoyed reading running blogs and finding inspiration through other bloggers. I have been rewarded with some amazing friendships--my local peeps, who I've gotten to know both virtually and personally--and my distance peeps, whom I hope some day to meet in person as well. When I was growing up, I had several penpals, one in Connecticut and one in Sweden, both of whom, through the magic of Facebook, I still keep in touch with. Really, if you think about it, all the runners we meet through blogging and facebook are like adult penpals. We share our triumphs and our failures. We support each other. And being recognized by FitFluential and Sweat Pink was the icing on the cake for me. I hope to continue to inspire and make you laugh. I plan on still being me, no matter what!

Since I've developed these deep, rewarding running friendships, my friendships with non-running women just don't feel the same anymore. I still keep up with a handful of my friends, women that I've been close with over the years. We still have lots of laughs and they even indulge me by asking me about running. That is a true friend, right? But with some of the other women, whom were part of the large group that I socialized with over the years, there's just not much to talk about. When the kids were little, we talked about school and activities. But now that the kids are older and have branched off into their own groups, those superficial relationships have not survived the test of time.

These kids are all in high school now! Some of their friendships have stood the test of time. How about the moms?

Last night I went to a party with the neighborhood ladies. One of the women has a white elephant party every year. I was really ambivalent about going, because being with large groups of women is kind of hard for me. I'm just not great with making small talk and navigating what can be a social minefield. But yesterday, one of my friends called me, told me she was picking me up, and that was that. It was really nice to get caught up with some of the friends I've known for years, mostly since my youngest was in kindergarten. The tone of our gatherings has changed a bit, as we've all aged, and some of my friends have gotten divorced. The gift exchange was hilarious, and I ended up with this ginormous wine glass, which was perfect! 

Can hold a whole bottle of wine! So now, when I say I'm only having one glass of wine, it won't be a lie!

I'm glad I went, but a little of this group goes a long way. Don't get me wrong, I love 90% of these women. But there's always that one person who has to make a comment that I'm not drinking or not gorging myself on the trough of snacks that's always present at these parties or making comments about how "skinny" I am or about how they see me running "all the time".  Last night, as I was leaving, someone made a comment that I was leaving so I could go home and sleep so I could go running in the morning. Well, yes, that was true, but why do you have to call me out on it? As my running friend Penny said, it's the backhand snarky, and it's b.s. 

As I walked home from the party and savored the quiet, calm night--oh, my gosh, those ladies were LOUD!-I thought about all of this. I was still feeling pretty awesome about my week and moving forward on my running and life goals. And even though this wasn't a group that I didn't feel I could share any of this with--very few of them know about my blog and why give them more fuel for the snark machine--the knowledge that I'm moving forward in a positive direction carried me home. Instead of feeling badly about myself that I don't really "fit in" with these ladies, I thought about how lucky I am that I have found people who get me. With my running friends, I don't have to try to be someone I'm not. I get to be me and that is the best feeling in the world.

I'm linking this post with Tara at Running N Reading for her Weekend Update!

5 things about me

You read a person's blog and you think you know a them. Think again...

Today I'm linking up with the DC Trifecta aka Courtney, Cynthia, and Mar to share five oddball fun things about me. Maybe after reading this post, some more of the pieces of the Wendy puzzle will fall into place...

Yes, I'm a runner, but I have to admit that I am really uncoordinated. I've been known to trip over nothing when I'm out on a run. Heck, a few years ago, dashing across the parking lot into Target, I tripped over the curb, flew into the bike rack, and gave myself a concussion and needed 5 stitches in my face! I blamed the Keen's that I was wearing at the time. That giant rubber toe? And the curb was really high. I did get to ride in an ambulance to the emergency room, though. Anyways, somewhat related is my first fun fact: I can't dance. As a child, my mom enrolled me in dance lessons. I think I'm the only person on record whose dance instructor told her mother that she was ummm...lacking in any ability whatsoever. And this was at 5 years old! Never one to give up easily, my mom signed me up again at my most gawkiest--when I was 12. I was mortified. Have you ever seen that Seinfeld episode when Elaine tries to get everyone to dance with her at the office party?

Ok, maybe I'm not THAT bad. I usually just do the side to side, move to the beat, and call that dancing. You all know that I love music. It makes me want to move! But I'm the one at every party who has to be re-taught the Electric Slide. And who slides the wrong way...

I am a voracious reader. I always have been. As a girl growing up in a small town, our library didn't have enough books to keep me happy! So I re-read a lot of what I had, including books by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I even had my very own sunbonnet. Fun fact #2: I'm a Little House Groupie. I still have the entire set from my childhood. I've added a few books to the collection over the years, including some biographies and an excellent real life adventure titled The Wilder Years: My Adventures in the Lost Years of Little House on the Prarie. The author, Wendy McClure (same name? coincidence? I think not...) lived my dream and dragged her boyfriend traveled with her now husband to all the sites where the Ingalls family lived. The story about her night in the covered wagon was hilarious. I was able to attend a lecture given by McClure and have her autograph my book. I was at a loss for words when I met her, because I was in such awe of her pursuit of all things Laura. There's a new book out, Pioneer Girl, which I'm hoping to read soon. BTW, I wasn't a fan of the TV show. Michael Landon didn't fit the image that I had of Pa. And he took a lot of liberties with the storyline.

I've written about my love for music. I may even have mentioned that I played the oboe and the bassoon in the middle school and high school bands. But I also played the piano. I took lessons for almost 10 years. Besides band, I was the pianist for the choruses. Fun fact #3: I was a band geek. Not the quintessential going to band camp band geek. I wasn't THAT girl. But the majority of my day outside of classes was spent in the high school music room. This was in the 1970s and we had a youngish band director who played the trumpet. He loved the band Chicago, and our jazz band played a lot of their songs. Our school purchased a Moog synthesizer, which was relatively new technology at the time, and I got to have my way with it. The first Star Wars came out around that time, and the band played the theme song. I got to make space-like noises with the synthesizer. That was a lot of fun. I also was able to perform some piano solos, for example Barry Manilow's Could it be Magic, which incorporates a classical piece: Chopin's Prelude in C Minor.  I didn't enjoy the spotlight so much, but I sure loved playing the piano! The "piece de resistance" was that my musical abilities also extended to playing the recorder and I was the roaming musician at our high school madrigal performance. You know, if only I'd stuck with music, specifically the bassoon,  I could be doing this:

Breaking Winds Bassoon Quartet. Even the name is right up my alley. The only issue, they're kind of dancing....

While I'm taking a trip down memory lane, I have to mention my first real job. Now, my first job was as a counter "girl" (again, it was the 1970s) in the local hospital coffee shop. We were part short order cook, part waitress and it was the worst job ever. There was a grill and we made sandwiches and steak-umms. One guy told me my hamburgers were like hockey pucks. Shortly after that, I quit. Eventually, I started working at a Fotomat wannabe called "Fast Foto". Fun fact #4: I was a photobooth attendant. This was THE BEST job ever. I went to the little booth in the middle of the shopping center parking lot, and people would drop off their film to be developed and pick up the pictures a couple of days later. I was by myself and I could listen to the radio and do my homework. We weren't allowed to talk on the phone in case the boss called, but other than that it was pretty unrestricted. My friends would come by and visit me. When I was bored, I'd look at the people's pictures. There were lots of baby pictures but sometimes there would be naked pictures of the parents thrown into the mix. Actually, I was surprised by how many naked pictures I came across. One time, the high school band director dropped off his film. He looked a little uneasy leaving it in my hands. Of course I looked at the pictures. They were pictures of him and the home economics teacher, mostly on dates. But there were a few--umm--questionable pictures. I never told anyone about this because I could lose my job and so could he. Until today, his secret has been safe with me. Working in a booth is a set up for funny situations. One time, I had just finished up with a customer, who seemed a little intoxicated. He was driving a Winnebago and told me he was dropping off film from his "Welcome Wagon" luncheon.  As he drove away, the booth started to shake. Film came flying off the shelves. After the mini-earthquake stopped,  he got out of his motor home. Apparently, the lights on the top of the camper didn't quite fit under the roof overhang and he shook it loose! Another time I pulled up to the booth for my shift, and the booth was listing to one side. A semi had driven through and caught the electrical wire, pulling the booth to the side. And yes, I still worked that shift.

Not THE booth, but similar to the one I worked in during my high school years.

It's no secret that I love the beach. Not for running. I've found that while running on the beach is a beautiful experience, it also causes injuries for me. The uneven surface of the sand did a number on me a few years ago. But I love to walk on the beach. I could walk along the water for hours, looking for shells. Fun fact #5: I love collecting seashells. The part of Florida where we spend spring break every year is known for sea shelling. Every day, I consult the tide tables to plan my walks around low tide. Some years are better than others. One year, right after a huge storm, I took my son Tom out with me. We were rewarded by a huge haul of all kinds of beautiful shells. We even found this:

The rare Junonia- a prized find for shell collectors in Florida! If you're staying on Sanibel Island and you find one, you get your picture in the paper. We weren't staying there, so no such luck from Tom and me!

We came home that year with a ton of new shells. We haven't been quite so lucky since. But any good shell is worth picking up. I have containers with my shells all over my house. You'd think that I have enough. But there is no better feeling than finding the prize! And as with everything else I do, I preach quality over quantity.  I'm looking forward to going back in March and getting back on the hunt.

So tell me an interesting fun fact about yourself! Tell me more than one! We have to be more than runners, right?

Never give up

I just watched one of the most disappointing football games in recent memory. Now, before I go on, I want you to know that this post isn't about football. It's about winning. It's about finishing. It's about staying tough to the finish. It's about never giving up.

But I just watched the Green Bay Packers blow a 16-0 lead; by the 4th quarter, it was 16-9. Then the wheels came off the bus. An on-side kick bounced off one of the Packer player's helmet and the ball passed through his hands. A Seahawks player scooped up the ball and took possession. A few plays and a TD later, Russell Wilson passed the ball into the end zone for the extra points. A Packers defender, who had 2 interceptions earlier in the game, let the ball go by and the Seahawks scored on the 2 point conversion. The Packers, who had played so well the first 3 quarters, made it look so easy for the Seahawks to score and take control of the game.. It felt like the Packers just had given up by the 4th quarter. I don't know. Maybe they used up all that they had the first 3 quarters and couldn't bring it for 15 more minutes?

HaHa Clinton-Dix missing the interception...who's laughing now?

Can you say choke?

I'm a native Chicagoan, and I follow the Bears. I can tell you that as a Chicago fan (baseball and football), I'm used to disappointment. This game was more reminiscent of a Bears game than a Packers game. But I'm also a closet Packers fan. I know we're supposed to be mortal enemies--Bears and Packers. My son is a huge GB fan and so I've been along for the ride. I've been to Lambeau Field way more than I've ever been to Soldier Field. (The things we do for our kids!) The Packers are a fun team to watch. Aaron Rodgers was my fantasy QB last year, and I won the whole thing. I love his Discount Double Check Commercials. Today's game was a shocker. Watching the players on the sidelines, it didn't even seem that they were affected by the reversal of fortune. We even joked that maybe the players got their paycheck from the Seahawks right before the 4th quarter, because it sure looked like they threw the game.

"Row, row, row your boat, down the loser stream..."

Do you think that really happens in professional sports? I mean, those conspiracy theories always come up when a really good team loses. Maybe it happens in running too. We already have athletes in all sports using banned substances, all in the name of winning. But what about a team throwing a game? A runner throwing a race? Does it happen? Would someone do it, for money?

I do realize that there is a difference between team sports and individual achievement. Which makes this loss all the more puzzling. What about pride? What about knowing that you gave your best, even though the outcome wasn't a win?

I've heard of runners quitting a race before the finish line (Ryan Hall), realizing they're not going to make their goal time, whatever their excuse might be. Heck, I've been there--tempted to quit more than once. My first Chicago marathon? I hit the wall at mile 14. I can tell you how hard those last 12 miles were for me, knowing that I was not going to make even close to my goal time. I may have even called my husband at mile 18 to come pick me up. And he may even have told me to keep walking. Which I did. And there was last summer's Zooma race, where I felt awful starting at mile 4 and ready to quit at the 10k mark. But a dear friend came back to find me and ran with me for the rest of the race, making sure I crossed that finish line. That was a victory of a different sort, and one I will cherish forever.

Don't let that smile fool you. I was miserable. This girl got me to the finish line! 

I didn't quit. I finished. In both cases, it wasn't pretty, but I got it done. There's a certain pride in pushing through the pain and crossing that finish line! Not in the moment of course, but I'm so proud to look back and say I've never DNF'd a race. Of course, I'm not a professional athlete, and there's no money involved, unless you count my race entry fee. And I will admit, I do like getting that medal placed around my neck!

After that first marathon, I met a woman (at an Another Mother Runner house party) on crutches, who ran the same marathon I did. Slipped on a banana peel (yes, it happens!) at mile 22. Dislocated her hip and hurt her knee. She popped that hip back in and hobbled to the finish line. That had to be difficult. But she got it done. I don't know if you would call that foolish, but after 14+ weeks of training, I sure couldn't quit...

And so I ask you, if you trained for a race, crossed the start line, and then started to realize this wasn't going to be your race, would you quit? Or would you change your strategy? Maybe walking more than you wanted? But crossing that finish line, no matter what?  What would bring you to the breaking point?

Maybe instead of focusing on the failure of the Packers, I should be praising the Seahawks. Because they are the team that never gave up, even with that huge deficit and a less than stellar performance from their QB (hello, 4 interceptions?) But they believed they could and they did (I can and I will!). They capitalized on mistakes by the Packers in that last quarter and pulled out an improbable win. THAT is what I'm talking about. Believe and you can achieve. And never, ever give up.

Book review: Eat and Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness by Scott Jurek

Anyone who followed my marathon journey last summer knows that I struggle a great deal with mental toughness. I think I worked as hard on training my mind to run that race as I did my body. I had a lot of self doubt and I had a lot to prove to myself. I called it my redemption race. I wrote a couple posts about my challenges. You can read one of them here. I read once somewhere that running a distance race is 90% mental. You know the outcome of my marathon was a good one and I'm as proud of that finish time as I am of my ability to power through that 26.2! As I continue on this running journey of mine, I turn to articles and books written by successful distance runners. Although it isn't new (2013), I've been anxious to read this book by Scott Jurek, the most successful American ultrarunner ever. I'm not an ultrarunner, nor to I have aspirations to be an ultrarunner, but I wanted to see if there was anything I could learn from his story. I figured that anyone who can run and win a 135 mile race in Death Valley has to have something to offer a middle-aged mom who runs for fun. I was not disappointed. This was a well written book of his decade-plus championship career. It is also a story of his life. In order to become a champion, he needed to make changes both on the trail and off. The changes were gradual, but culminated in great success on the trail and peace and contentment in his personal life.

"The reward of running-of anything-lies within us."

Handheld, no fuel belt. Just sayin'...

Jurek didn't start out as an ultramarathoner-he kind of fell into it. Raised in northern Minnesota, in a hunting and fishing family, his first sport was cross country skiing. He started running in the off season to stay fit. He ran a marathon, finished in under 3 hours and then ran a 50 mile ultra, finishing 2d overall. He believed he could win and he did (my mantra=I can and I will!), and traveled west to run and win the Western States 100 as an unknown. He overheard disparaging comments from the seasoned runners, and I loved how he used those comments to push himself to a victory. Jurek continued to run and win ultramarathons. The narrative of the races is fascinating, as he describes the races themselves, but also what was going through his head at different points in time.

"...the key is to become immersed in the present moment when nothing else matters.."

Jurek worked as much on training his mind as he did his body. Sound familiar? He also had added incentive to stay tough. His mother suffered from multiple sclerosis and was wheelchair bound. She never complained, though, and he drew on her mental strength to help fuel his mental toughness. There are so many amazing quotes from this book:

"You could carry your burdens lightly or with great effort. You could worry about tomorrow or not. You could imagine horrible fates or garland-filled tomorrows. None of it mattered as long as you moved, as long as you did something. Asking why was fine, but it wasn't action. Nothing brought the rewards of moving, of running. Sometimes you just do things."

and

"Every single one of us possesses the strength to attempt something he isn't sure he can accomplish." 

He talks about running the 2001 Western States as a pacer with a severely sprained ankle:

"Four simple steps: First, I let myself worry. Second, I took stock.....Third, I asked myself what I could do to remedy the situation ...The fourth and final step: Separate my negative feelings from the issue at hand. Realizing that my negative feelings had little to do with reality made this step the easiest of all."

The power of the mind is great indeed...maybe running on an injury isn't the smartest move but when you have no choice, you need to be able to power through it. And even if you aren't running on an injury, but are facing self doubt, this is some amazing advice, if you ask me!

Cooling off (in a cooler of ice) during Badwater

"As powerful as our legs are, as magnificent as our lungs and arms and muscles are, nothing matters more than the mind."

Isn't that the truth? This was a quick read and a greatly motivating book. There were just so many great quotes--I had to bookmark them all.  I hated for the book to come to an end. I just wanted to soak up all his knowledge and become Zen like him. In the book, he also talks a lot about becoming vegan and winning on a plant based diet. While I'm not interested in becoming vegan, or even vegetarian, as runner, I can certainly understand and appreciate the effects of eating a clean diet. He provides recipes for some of his favorite meals and snacks. Jurek also addresses burnout, the loneliness of running long distances, and running addiction, as well as peaking and accepting the end of a spectacular career. Throughout the book there are relationship issues and interpersonal stress. He's just like the rest of us!

with a Tarahumara runner (notice the sandals!)

Well, ok, not so much...he runs with the Tarahumara and Caballo Blanco. And keeps up with them.

What an amazing story! This book should be on every runners' must read list, even if you aren't an ultramarathoner. There is so much you can draw on from his story.

"...you can be transformed. Not overnight, but over time. Life is not a race. Neither is an ultramarathon, not really, even though it looks like one. There is no finish line. We strive towards a goal, and whether we achieve it or not is important, but it's not what's most important. What matters is how we move towards that goal. What's crucial is the step we're taking now, the step you're taking now."

And that's advice all of us can take to the starting line.

Do you want to learn more?
Eat and Run Official Website
Born to Run-the book that featured Jurek, the Tarahumara, and started the barefoot running craze
Runner's World "The King of Pain" a nice synopsis of Jurek's life
NY Times article on Jurek's vegan diet
Ragnarian! at Wasatch Back in June
The Runner's Trip- this ultramarathoning blogger attended an interview of Scott Jurek. And walked away a little disappointed....

And in case you want to know, he runs in Brooks Cascadia.

I'm linking this post up with Sara's Book Club!