Marathon Training week 5: 99 problems

So after all was said and done, after that bad long run last Sunday, I decided to stick to my training plan. I got up early Monday morning to run 6 miles at marathon pace. Miles 1-4 were good. I started to struggle with the humidity about mile 5, but I pushed myself hard. And mile 6 was my fastest mile of them all. I needed this run and I'm glad I did it. I don't think I could have run 12 at this pace in those conditions, but I was glad to battle through this one. Average pace was 8:43min/mile.

Tuesday was CrossFit/MetCon with Becky. She gave me a little lecture on sticking to the plan, and that Monday's run was important for me to do after the long run. She also talked to me about not letting a bad run get in my head. As far as mental toughness goes, she told me that yes, mental toughness comes from pushing through a bad run but also pushing past a bad run, letting it go, and moving forward to the next workout. She reminded me of the importance of recognizing when I've had enough. That was the boost I needed.

For this workout, I first did 3 minute intervals of jumping rope, lunge steps with an overhead plate, and push-ups. The remainder of the 3 minutes was on the rower. After I completed the interval, I got a 3 minute rest period. I needed to improve my calorie burn on the rower each time. Which I did. Then she had me row for 500 meters.

Wednesday was yoga. The theme for the class was shakti. Anyone who does yoga has heard of shakti, which is sanskrit for power. More specifically, shakti is the female embodiment of power. Shakti is the power behind the power. The Yin to the Yang. The female to the male, Shiva. Shiva is energy, Shakti is power. Without power, energy is nothing. So everything we did was the power behind the pose. I'm way in over my head here. We did a lot of deep stretches. And it was awesome.

Thursday was my usual double workout of speed work and CrossFit. I woke up with a migraine and nausea, which was not good. I had a couple cups of coffee, and the headache wasn't going away. I decided to tough it out anyways. The temperature and humidity had dropped, and it was 60 degrees when I got to the retention pond. It was also very windy. I knew that half of my trips around the pond would be with the wind at my back, and I decided to make the most of that. But my splits were actually pretty even! I was happy and surprised at how well I did. The running took my mind off the pain in my head, but when I stopped, there it was. When I got home, I took my ibuprofen and zofran, and hoped to get the headache down to a dull roar before CrossFit. Plus I was having lunch with Marcia, and I needed to feel better!

At CrossFit, Becky first had me pick up two 35# kettlebells, and instructed me to carry them around the block. The goal was to keep my shoulders up and engage my core. It was much harder than it sounds, and I had a sensation of sinking down while I walked. I'm pretty sure my arms are a few inches longer now. I had to set the kettlebells down 3 times to catch my breath and shake out my arms. After that, I did box steps with a bar, followed by hamstring curls on the ball. And then came the fun part.

We went back outside. First I had to throw a shot put forward followed by the backwards toss of a slam ball. Then Becky strapped a parachute to me and had me sprint across the lawn. I did this 3 times. I repeated the cycle. After the final parachute sprints, she had me sprint all out x 3. I was amazed at how much faster I ran without the parachute. This workout put a huge smile on my face! And how many people can say that about their marathon training?

Do my arms look longer than usual?

Friday: I had the day off, and I could have gone kayaking with my friends for Kayak Friday again! But I promised my son I'd take him for his driver's license. First, I went for a yoga class. I love Megan's class--this one is more gentle and less athletic than my Wednesday class, which is just what I needed after yesterday's speedwork and CrossFit. Megan talked about how we have thoughts flitting around, like birds, and we need to try to prevent them from nesting in our heads. That was some good imagery. I felt great after class, and I collected Matthew to go for his license.

When we got to the DMV, the place was packed. We checked in at the front desk and were told it would be a "2-3 hour wait". I was feeling pretty zen from yoga, and I didn't want to disappoint my son, so we sat down. Isn't the DMV the most inefficient place you've ever been? Besides the post office? After an hour, when our number was called, I joked to the employee that I felt like I won the lottery. She just glared at me. "Didn't they tell you it would be a 3 hour wait?" She then proceeded to dress me down because I didn't go to the facility closer to our house. Apparently it was all my fault that her facility was so crowded. Then she unloaded on my son because we came 5 days before he was eligible for his license. 5 f-ing days. Some supervisor came over and told my son that "he should have known better". I believe he said "it's the law" when I asked why they couldn't just let him proceed. 5 f-ing days. Bottom line, we left without a license. My son, who usually lets things go, was really upset about the way we were treated.

The birds were swarming. Trying to nest in my head. Ignore! Ignore!

Saturday: I asked Becky if I could do my long run on Saturday instead of Sunday. The weather forecast was much more favorable on Saturday plus I really wanted needed to have this run done. While my legs felt much better this week than last week, this run was complicated by a portapotty stop at mile 4, an iPhone malfunction at mile 9, and a side stitch at mile 11. The side stitch really threatened to derail me, but I knew I had to power through this run. I stopped once or twice to relieve some of the pain, but when I ran, I really concentrated on the breath and exhaled on the side that didn't hurt. Thankfully, the side stitch only lasted for that mile and finally went away. I was really empowered by that. I so needed this run to go well, and in spite of the glitches, I was pleased. No birds nesting in my head this week. 14 miles in 2:07:27, average pace 9:07. I'll take it.

Sunday: I headed out to do the 5 miles on my plan. Immediately, and I mean with that first step, my side stitch came back. Are you even kidding me? What is that all about? So right away, I worked on breathing it out. It would not go away. Couple that with my heel pain, and it took everything I had not to stop right then and there. I made it to 2 miles, and called it quits. I walked home, really unhappy.

And then, out of the blue, I got a text from one of my friends. She and another friend were going for a walk, and would I like to join them? I haven't seen either of them for a while, and I joined them. Walking and talking with them was the best medicine for my wounded psyche. Sometimes things are meant to be. There is nothing better than time with friends.

So in spite of my "99 problems", it was a strong week of training. I looked back and read the post I wrote one year ago. It was really helpful to do that. In spite of my long run challenges, my speed work is faster this year, and Becky's pushing me harder on my interval training. I need to ease up on myself. Last year, my expectations were much lower. I'm really glad I have last year's posts to refer to. I also wanted to share this graph which was sent to me by one of my running friends this morning.

You know where I'm at right now. There's no where to go but up! And that's my mantra heading into week 6.

Finally, this song by Jay-Z put a smile on my face during the long run. Because yep, I got 99 problems! Don't we all?

How was your week of training? Anything threatening to derail you? Have any good DMV stories to share?

I'm linking up with Holly at HoHoRuns and Tricia at MissSippiPiddlin for their Weekly Wrap! Be sure to see how every else's week went!

A three hour tour

Last Friday was a running rest day. It was also an impromptu day off from work, due to a conference I attended the Saturday before. My high school friends kayak on Fridays, and I decided to join them. Kayaking is cross training, right? But I wouldn't be using my legs, so Becky would approve, right?

Elaine is the organizer, and she texted me the night before: 

Silly me. I was so excited, I didn't check the map, or I might have been a little more hesitant. We were starting a little bit north of the dam, so it probably was a 5 mile total distance. One way. In a kayak.

source

I headed out to the river town where I grew up. When I met up with Elaine, she greeted me with a hug and "I'm SO excited!". She had invited a friend of hers to join us. We all headed to Cynthia's house on the river and launched our kayaks. We were off. Our adventure was to begin. 

At the launch

We began to paddle south, towards the dam. We got to the locks, and pulled along the side while we waited for our turn to enter. The purpose of the locks is to get boats below the dam. We probably could have portaged our kayaks, but what fun would that be? After about 20 minutes of waiting and chitchatting, the gates opened and we paddled into the locks.

Elaine hanging onto the rope

The sheriff behind me in the locks. Glad I got my kayak stickers!

The water level dropped down to the river below the dam and the gates opened.

We paddled out of the locks and headed downriver. Above the dam, the river is wide and lined with seawalls. The river is much more narrow below the dam, and more natural. It is fairly rural. We began to hum "Dueling Banjos." One of the women, Cheri, had never seen the movie Deliverance. We began quoting lines from the movie: 

"He's got a real pretty mouth, ain't he...?"

and

"Squeal like a pig. Weeeeeee!"

Ugh. What a scary movie. Four guys on a man's weekend in rural Georgia? What could go wrong? Fortunately for us, it is pretty civilized along the Fox River....

 

We didn't go off the river into the woods. Well, one of us did...twice...but I'm not naming names. She came back out without having to squeal like a pig. Or any other animal. Thankfully.

After about an hour and a half of paddling, I did the kid thing. I asked, "how much farther?". Elaine had promised us it would be a 3 hour tour. I checked Google maps, and it looked like we had a while to go. I didn't want to be a party pooper, but I was getting hungry. I drank the protein shake I packed in my cooler. The others pulled out beer and margaritas. I'm so much fun.

We paddled on. 

We talked. We laughed. We shared. We bonded. Time passed without even thinking about it.

Another hour later, around the bend....was The Broken Oar. What a fun place! Sitting right along the river, there were umbrella tables and a large patio. We beached our kayaks and ordered food and drinks. I was famished. A couple of beers for me, and umbrella drinks for the others, and we completely relaxed. 

Fueled up and ready to head back!

The sun was fully out now, and it was hot! We made a plan to stop at another bar we had passed on our way down. Wouldn't it be fun to have a pub crawl via kayak? There's certainly no shortage of places to refuel along the river!

We amused ourselves with sightseeing. A covered wagon in the yard? Why not? It went well with the lighthouse on the other side of the boat. Cynthia called it "Americana".  We passed some beautiful homes and some not so beautiful homes.

Even though we were paddling upstream, there was no wind, and we enjoyed a nice leisurely pace. Soon we came upon another bar, and using the excuse of a potty stop, pulled in. The tiki bar was lined with "older men". Entertaining, until we discovered that we were older than most of them. Reality check. Time for the old ladies to head home.

I think we look the same as we did in high school!

We reached the dam. I wanted to get a picture for this post. Actually, my friends were very happy to indulge my need to take lots of pictures of our adventure. For which I am grateful. 

As a child, I always thought the dam was so big! And I had even been to Niagara Falls! Isn't it funny how your perspective changes once you become an adult? Well, this is no Niagara Falls, as you can see. We probably could have skipped the locks and just whitewatered it right over the dam. A few more cocktails and that might have happened.

It was surprisingly shallow below the dam, and our kayaks kept getting stuck on sandbars. Once everyone dislodged themselves from the muck, we headed back to the locks. Luckily, the gates were just opening as we paddled up. Compared to when we went through in the morning, the boaters were much more lively. One group was going to dinner, and it seemed to me that maybe they had had a head start on their evening. I had plenty of time to consider this since this time, we were in the locks longer because the water took longer to rise than to drop. It started to get hot and steamy, and I was hanging on to a very slimy rope. Note to self: bring gloves next time. After what seemed like an eternity--maybe 15 minutes--the gates opened and we paddled back to Cynthia's dock. Our 3 hour tour was actually a 6 hour tour. 

As the sky began to darken with an approaching storm, we were just awestruck about what we had done and how much fun was had. We were all exhausted and in need of a shower (what was that brown stuff on my feet?). Before departing for home, we stopped to reflect on what an amazing adventure we had, paddling down the Fox River. After growing up in this small town, this river is part of who we are. For me, spending time with the women who probably know me better than just about anyone was the best way to spend a day. The kayaking was the icing on the cake. All of us have memories here. Some memories we share, some we shared with each other. And we made some more pretty good memories out there on our 3 hour tour. 

I can't wait to do it again.

Finding my focus

Sunday's long run was a tough one. I started out behind the eight ball, and I never could get it together. I kept trying to refocus, trying to stay positive, trying to turn that run around. But I just couldn't make it happen. Even though I've got a big goal for my fall marathon, for some reason, I couldn't stay focused on the task at hand.

Too many things were distracting me. The heat, the humidity, my legs, my life...my mind kept wandering. I've been struggling with insomnia for the past week, and I was tired. I couldn't stop focusing on how badly I felt. Just listen to all that whining I was doing. Can't you just hear it?

I just couldn't get my head in the game. And even though I was aware of all that negativity in my head, I couldn't make it go away.

I tried. I even thought about doing punishment burpees, like Becky makes me do. But I was beat, physically and mentally, and if I would have gone down to the ground to do a burpee, chances are, I wouldn't have gotten back up.

I finally gave up. Brain 1, Wendy 0. I've pushed through really tough runs before. Why couldn't I push through this one? Physically, I felt pretty bad, but this time, I let my brain get the best of me.

I walked towards home and mentally beat myself up a bit. I wasn't mad at myself because I didn't finish the run. I was mad because I couldn't stay focused on the run. I know that running 8 miles instead of 12 isn't going to kill my marathon dream. But what is going to do me in during the marathon is the inability to control that mental monkey inside my brain. Looks like it's time for me to start on my mental toughness training again.

What can I do to prevent this from happening again? How does a runner stay focused during a tough run? Seems like it could be pretty simple:

 Last year, about this time, I wrote a post called Getting Out of My Head. I went back to read it, and you know what? I had some pretty good advice for myself. I talked about being present and staying focused on the moment you are in. For a runner, that means staying tuned in to what's happening on the road.

Breathing: check in with the breath. Is your breath smooth? Is it raggedy? Sometimes consciously breathing rhythmically helps me a lot. I do a 1-2-3-4 pattern, exhaling on the 4. Usually that exhale is on my left side, because I'm prone to side stitches on the right. Taking time to concentrate on the breath helps me a lot.

Pace: on a day with hot, humid weather conditions, pacing is tricky. I knew that I needed to slow down, and for the most part, I did. I wanted about a 9:30-9:45 min/mile pace, and when I stopped my run, my average pace was 9:38. But my splits were all over the place. Had I done a better job with pacing, I may have been able to complete my run.

Stride: long strides mean more effort. So focusing on shortening your stride can be really helpful on a tough run. I use my music as a metronome, and that helps me with stride length, believe it or not! But stride length and pacing is a delicate balance.

Mentally: what's going on inside your head? If you're feeling good and having a nicely paced, easy run, it's easy to stay positive. But what if you feel like crap? And all you want to do is get it done? How do you stay positive and focused when everything else is going wrong? 99% of the time, I can chase the bad thoughts away. I might think about a good run that I've had or a great race where I pushed hard and finished strong. I pull out my mantras. I think about Becky telling me that I have to do burpees for every negative thought I have. I think about my goal and what I'm training for.

Sometimes, none of this works. Sometimes you just have a bad run. But I believe that there's a purpose for those bad runs, because they force us to look at what went wrong and to refocus ourselves.

There's always something good in a bad run. If they were all good, we'd never get any better. It's the challenge of pushing past adversity that makes us stronger runners.

Heck, any run is better than no run, right?

How do you stay focused during a tough run?

I'm linking this post up with DebRuns, who hosts WednesdayWord. Today's word is focus. She always seems to know the right word for me. Ha! Check out what the other bloggers are saying this week.

Race Day Must Haves and the Race Recap Link-Up

Welcome to the 16th Race Recap Link-Up!! I love reading recaps from other bloggers. Its a great way to learn about different races, support other runners, and gain motivation. A recap is the final leg of the race. It’s your chance to relive your race and allow others some insight. The training miles, the race day jitters, the glory of crossing the finish line. the good - the bad - the ugly We want to hear it all….

Meet the hosts...

Jessica at The Silvah Lining: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest | Bloglovin'
Wendy at Taking the Long Way Home | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest
Lara at Uptite Mamas | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
We'd love it if you'd follow us on all social media & let us know you've shared a post.

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I feel like the link-up queen this week...between the Book Club, That Time of the Month, and now Race Recaps, it's all come up at once! Good thing I'm social!

Anyways, because this is a Race Recap link-up, let's talk racing!

Yesterday, I was shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond to pick up some Fresh Wave. I made a blueberry pie over the weekend and it erupted all over my oven. Now my house smells like burnt blueberry pie. Have you ever used Fresh Wave? It's a natural odor remover, and I highly recommend it. I'm not receiving compensation for this, I just really like the product. I used Fresh Wave in the past when my dog was skunked.

Stay with me. I'm getting to the point.

While I was there, I mosied around the store. Bed Bath and Beyond always has lots of interesting things. I always find something that I just can't live without. Does that happen to you? I never leave with just what I came for. It's like going to Target.

I saw some items that might come in handy for race day. I'm always thinking about improving life on the run. Tell me what you think.

Have you ever been out for a run and there's nowhere "to go"? No need to pee on yourself anymore. The Travel John Disposable Urinal is a "unisex, portable urinal" that contains a polymer gel which "absorbs liquid waste and turns it into odorless, spill proof gel". Who knew there was such a product? Now you all know! I wonder if it will fit in my HiP ZiPP?

Full disclosure: I'm an ambassador for SLS3 Compression, and I'm only supposed to promote their products. But how could I resist these Zip Sox? Many of us struggle pulling on compression socks--well, say no more to sweating before the workout if you use these! No more throbbing calves. If you order now, you can get a second pair, free! They come in nude, if you are self conscious about wearing compression socks. Otherwise, they come in black. 

The Enduracool multi-cool headband would sure come in handy for these steamy hot days. Heck, if I had been wearing this on Sunday, I probably could have cruised through my 12 miles easily! The company's website has testimonials from famous athletes, so maybe I should have picked one of these up. Comes in multiple colors. 

Are you running Ragnar or any 24 hour ultras? Or, like me, do you get up before the sun to train? Then you need these HD Night Vision Glasses. Limited time offer on the website, you get 2 pair for $10! That's right! These wrap around glasses will help you see better at night. They're HD, so no worries about tripping over the cracks in the sidewalk or falling into a pothole. 

Bling, schming. Who needs bling? I've got some body bling for you. These Hot Jewels metallic tattoos are just the accessory you need for your next Princess Race. Forget the tutu...you want to bedazzle yourself. Be creative and make designs on your arms! And if you are a extra sweaty runner like me, no worries. The Hot Jewels are water resistant! Yep, triathletes, these are for you too!

Finally, if you don't feel like running, but you want to slim down, there's always this: the Tummy Tuck miracle slimming system. You can combine the device with exercise OR do nothing. And after 30 days, the tummy tuck slims away belly fat. Pretty amazing, if you ask me. So why would you combine this with exercise? Bring on the Ben and Jerry's!

There you have it. Any items that you've come across that might come in handy come race day? Have you ever tried any of these products? No need to thank me for this--it's a service I'm happy to provide! :)

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Check out the Ironman Lake Placid recap over at TriathalonMami

About this link up...

It is active every Tuesday - Friday. Link up your most recent recaps, or throwback to an old favorite. *If your post is unrelated to the theme, it will be deleted. One recap will be featured on the next link up! Read at least 3 other posts and leave them some love. The more the merrier… share on your social media so others can link-up. #TuesdayTales Grab the code to the link-up image below on your post or somewhere on your blog.

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An InLinkz Link-up

Marathon training week 4: It's just one of those days

Another great week of training. I thought this was maybe a step down week, since I had that bike ride on Sunday and a rest day on Monday. Think again.

Monday: rest day.

Tuesday: 8 miles at race pace. Actually, Becky didn't specify anything on the plan for this run. I had to get up early to get this one in before work. But once my legs loosened up, I wanted to fly, and fly I did. I was pleased and surprised by this run. What a great way to start the day!

Wednesday: Yoga. Kathy told us we were going to do "shoulder floss". The class was dedicated to opening our shoulders, with Pincha (forearm stand) as our peak pose. Shoulder openers never felt so good.

Thursday: I had speedwork again--mile repeats x 5. My goal is to be faster than the week before. I slept late, and was upset because I didn't beat the heat. Miles 4 and 5 were tough. I stopped for water after mile 4, and an elderly man approached the drinking fountain. We talked briefly, and he told me how he stopped running last year. He told me I looked great and should keep going. Which I did! You can get encouragement from unexpected sources.

Next up was CrossFit with Becky. She had me first pulling the sled, with 40# plates on the back. I pulled for 2 minutes, then did 5 burpees. I did 5 rounds of this. Hello, hamstrings! We headed back inside for kettlebell squats (32kg) x 16 alternating with the evil roller x 8. I sweated so badly, I apologized, and was rewarded with 5 burpees. Ok, then. Repeat x 3 rounds total. Finally, she had me finish with a balancing exercise of forward bends on one leg 10 times x 3 rounds on each side.

Either I'm getting stronger or I've just given in, but I'm hating burpees less and less.

Friday: rest day. I went kayaking with my friends. While it was a blast (I'm recapping it on Tuesday), we did kayak 10 miles for 6 hours. Not sure if it qualifies for rest, but it was all upper body work.

Group workout!

Saturday: I had 5 miles on the plan, and I was more tired than I thought after Friday's adventure. But I didn't want to skip it. Around mile 4, I had thoughts of dropping to a walk. But I heard Becky's voice in my head, telling me to do burpees, so I pushed on. The run turned out well, and I got another RP run out of it. Besides being tired, the heat and humidity were a killer. I didn't feel great after I finished. Since I had to go to work, I made sure to eat well, and I drank water all morning. I took it easy the rest of the day, since I had a long run on the plan for Sunday. With a predicted high of 91, I was going to need every ounce of strength I had.

Sunday: I had a 12 miler on the plan. I woke up early, had my pre-run breakfast of cheerios, orange juice, and coffee, and got ready to run. I checked the thermometer, and it was already 72 degrees and 90% humidity. That got in my head, and from the moment I hit the pavement, I was already done. I tried really hard to refocus myself and get in a positive frame of mind. I watched my pace and tried to keep it around 9:30 min/mile. By mile 3, I needed to stop for water. Some a**hole stuck a stick in the drinking fountain and the water shot straight up in the air. I didn't mind so much, because I was so hot, the spray felt good. But still. I hated on that person for a while as I slogged on down the path. I passed other runners who were as equally as sweaty as me. I kept trying to turn this thing around. But I felt so crappy that it was really tough. Mile 4, there was a portapotty stop. I was ready to call it quits right then and there. But I gave myself a pep talk and I pushed on.  I started sipping my Tailwind around mile 5, hoping for a lift. The Tailwind helped me go farther, but at mile 8, I called it quits. My phone overheated at mile 7, and I had no music. My shorts were dripping with sweat. There was chafing. There was a stone in my shoe. I felt like vomiting. I felt like crying. And I was mad. I called my husband to come pick me up. As I did the walk of shame and waited for him, I reminded myself that I hadn't quit on a run in a very long time. One bad run does not kill marathon training. Next week will be better. This run was so hard, that I made the decision to move Monday's 6 miler to Wednesday, and make Monday a rest day. I think I need it.

Hot, sweaty, and unhappy

God, I hope the weather isn't like this on race day!

There was one song on my playlist that put a smile on my face. It truly summed up this run. Don't worry, it's all in good fun...

Here's the plan for this week:
Monday: 6mile at MP rest day
Tuesday: CrossFit
Wednesday: 6 mile at MP and yoga
Thursday: mile repeats x5 and CrossFit
Friday: rest day
Saturday: 5 miles at MP
Sunday: 14 miles

How was your week? Is the weather affecting your training? What do you do to beat the heat?

I'm linking up with Holly at HoHoRuns and Tricia at MissSippiPiddlin' for their Weekly Recap! Check out what everyone else is up to!

Dog Days

Can you even believe that it is THAT TIME OF THE MONTH again? As in, time for the link up that Holly from HoHoRuns and I host every 3rd Saturday of the month? This is a monthly opportunity to clear the air. To get it off your chest. Believe me, I have a ton of potential posts brewing. So many annoyances, so little time, right?

But today, this post is going to the dogs. Specifically, dog owners. And not all dog owners, but those irresponsible ones. You know them, I know them, and if you're one of them, you know it. I've got a few pet peeves (pun intended). Yep, I've got a bone to pick with you..

I've talked about that guy who lets his dog poop in other people's yards. There are actually a few people in my neighborhood who do that. One time I was out in the front yard when a guy stopped to let his dog poop. He didn't have a bag, just looked at me, said, "sorry", and walked on by. Seriously? As if that's ok?

But there's that one guy who leaves his poop bags on the curb in front of my house. Why? I don't know. Does he think that the garbage man is going to pick them up? (he doesn't) And then there was the day Mr Poop Bag was shoving his poop bag into the sewer in front of my house. I was heading out for a bike ride when I saw it. I couldn't help myself. I yelled at him. And yet, I still see him walking past my house, dropping poop bags all over the neighborhood. Someone told me he's not right. Clearly.

Dog poop seems to be a big problem for dog owners. When I'm out running on the paths in the forest preserve, there seems to be a lot of poop on the path. The park districts and forest preserve have installed poop bag dispensers but people still leave the poop on the path. Listen people, if you can't handle the poop, you shouldn't have a dog.

What about those owners who leave their dogs out in the yard for hours, and the dog barks incessantly? One of my neighbors has a beagle, and he bays. It's horrible. Have you ever heard that sound? My sister had a run in with her neighbor recently over a barking dog. She was sitting outside on her deck and the neighbor's 2 little dogs were yipping for about an hour. She finally went over to their house and said something to them. I wonder if they even realized it? I never leave my dog out once she starts barking because I'm afraid of someone throwing a poisoned steak over the fence. I've heard of that happening.

Quite often when I'm running on the paths, I encounter dogs that are running off leash. This means I have to stop and walk or the dogs come after me. "Oh, he won't hurt you," the owners tell me. Really? How am I supposed to know that? We have leash laws here, which I am not shy about reminding people.

When a dog comes bounding after me, I assume the worst. What if the dog bit me? I see a lot of dogs being walked when I'm out on the run, and even on leash, the owners often have a hard time controlling them. There's one dog who lunges at cars. His owner isn't a big man, and I've seen the dog pull him down, trying to chase a car. Often, I get barked at and growled at. One time, years ago, I was running, and a dog (who was actually on leash) pulled away from his owner and jumped on me as I ran by. I didn't get hurt, but it scared the heck out of me. The owner didn't say a word. A few weeks ago, one of my neighbors was out walking his new dog (also on leash) and he lunged at me. My neighbor just laughed, and said, "he's a puppy!"

Yes, an 80 pound pit bull puppy. Now when I mentioned this before, a reader commented that I should blame the owner, not the breed. And I agree with that, but you have to admit that pit bulls are a little bit more intimidating than say, a shih tzu. Pit bulls don't have the best reputation, and if I come upon one I'm going to be a little more scared than I would with a smaller dog. I've worked in the ER, and I've taken care of countless little ones who were bitten by the family dog. Mostly little dogs, but I took care of a little girl who had her scalp ripped off by her mother's boyfriend's pit bull. Devastating. But any dog will bite. I had a cocker spaniel (not my sweet Cleo) who bit a friend's son when he stuck his hand in her mouth. I felt terrible about it, and apologized, but I lost a friend over that incident. Last week, my mom's friend brought her new golden retriever puppy to their house. He's big now, and he was so excited, he lunged at her and knocked my mom flat on her back. She didn't get hurt, but she was really shaken by the whole thing.

Please don't hate on me for this post. I just want everyone to be a responsible dog owner. I love dogs. I have lived with dogs my whole life. As much as they are part of our families, we have to remember that dogs are animals, with animal instincts. Dogs are natural hunters, and they have the instinct to chase. Even the best behaved dog will act like a dog at times.

Do you encounter dogs when you are out for a run? Off leash? Ever had a "bad" encounter with a dog? 

Thanks for linking up, and don't forget to visit and comment on some of the other blog posts! Remember, sharing is caring!

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Book review: Marathon Journey, An Achilles Story

Disclaimer: I was approached by Stephen Balsamo, the author of Marathon Journey, An Achilles Story, to read and consider his book for our book club. This one sounded inspiring, and I agreed to add it to the club. I was given a copy of the book to read and review. All the opinions and thoughts expressed below are mine.

The Walking of the Many Painting by David Kumcieng, aged 15, Sudanese, Kakuma refugee camp.

"We wanted to run, but we had to walk because we were tired and so hot and hungry. In my picture the people are wearing clothes, but of course we didn't have any clothes. We saw people dying, it was always the young ones, the hungry ones, and the old ones." 

Credit: One Day We Had to Run!: Refugee Children tell Their Stories in Words and Paintings (pbs.org)

In the early 1990s, government troops and rebels of the Southern Sudan attacked villagers, leaving many orphans in their wake. Nicknamed "the Lost Boys of Sudan", many of these boys were placed with families in the US. The main character of Balsamo's book, Adamu, was one of those boys. He was placed with a couple in Oregon. Eventually, Adamu and William find a mutual love for running. Together they decide to run the New York City Marathon. William approaches his former college cross country coach to prepare the two of them for this task.

Dick Traum
source: newsroom.blogs.cnn.com

Balsamo weaves the Achilles running club into the story, when the 2 fictional characters meet Dick Traum, the founder of Achilles International, at the marathon expo. Traum, himself an amputee, was the first amputee to run the New York City marathon in 1976. Achilles International is an international organization that helps disabled runners achieve their goals. The coach in the story also talks about the myth of Achilles and how the term Achilles heel has come to be known as an "indication of vulnerability". He also sums up the purpose of the organization:

"The Achilles team reminds me of an ancient Chinese saying I learned a long time ago, Perseverance in weakness will lead to strength."

Adamu adopts this saying as his mantra for the marathon.

He also adopts a mantra from the Frank Sinatra song, New York, New York, saying "if I can make it here, I can make it anywhere."

I won't spoil the rest of the book for you except to say that for me, the ending was somewhat improbable. With the mix of real life events in the story, I actually thought it was a true story, and was somewhat disappointed to discover at the end that it was a work of fiction. What a great story this would have been if it were true! Regardless, it is a good story full of inspiration and really helped me learn more about this wonderful organization.

The book is organized into 26 chapters (get it? mile markers!), which was clever on the author's part, but I wonder if that limited how he was able to organize the story. The book really doesn't gain momentum until the main characters head to New York City, and then it's hard to put down. Still, it was a quick, fun, and inspiring read.

I was glad to learn about Achilles International. Before I read this book, I never had heard of this organization. Last year when I ran Chicago, I ran alongside a visually impaired runner and his guide. I never really thought about disabled runners until then, except for the wheelchair athletes at the start of the race. I wonder now if that runner was a part of Achilles International. The author did a nice job incorporating the organization into the book, even having the character Adamu join the group as an ambassador and helping his brothers who were left behind in Sudan.

An Achilles athlete crossing the finish line of NYCM with the help of volunteers.
Photo courtesy of achillesinternational.org

I wonder what has happened to the Lost Boys of Sudan. According to Wikipedia, many of them are returning to Sudan to help rebuild their country and provide support to those left behind.

If you want to learn more about Achilles International and/or Dick Traum, here's some links to chase:
http://www.achillesinternational.org/
http://www.runnersworld.com/runners-stories/rw-hero-of-running-dick-traum
http://www.minutesformemories.org/heroes-of-hope/2015/1/3/oh4pqm14xxw1kvjmt71rvgt5nfldpl
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/08/03/dick-traum-disabled-veterans-athletes_n_917202.html


Have you ever heard of Achilles International? Would you consider leading a disabled runner through a marathon? What's your mantra?

Be sure to link up your review below! And if you don't have a blog, feel free to post your review in the comments. If you do link up, you know the rules: link back to this post and be sure to read everyone else's posts! Sharing is caring. Thanks so much for participating!

And join us for next month's book:

You might not be an ultra runner, but there's plenty of inspiration in this one! The author has agreed to participating too, so please let me know if you have anything you want to ask her! Thanks again for playing along!

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