But I Just Hate to Run

...said so many people to me. All the time.

Or, "I'm just not good at running." Or, "I just don't think it's ever something I could do." Or, "You are crazy."

You may not believe me, but I get it. Even as I revel in writing about my weekly long runs and my fuel belts and my 6am Saturday wake-up calls and my muscle milk, I get it. I really do.

He gets it too.

So today I'm going to let you in on a little secret. I'll preface by stating emphatically for the record that I am not a coach, not a physical therapist, and not qualified really in any way to say anything. On the flip side, I have a laptop and time to kill, so let's get started with the life advice.

My secret is that I think some of you (not all) do not hate to run. You hate that it's hard to get started and you hate that when you've tried it didn't go well. And you're absolutely, positively right.

Running is not, not, all sunshine and rainbows every day. I very often struggle through these workouts just counting the minutes until they're over. And these long runs? Although some go better than others, they truly never get easier.

So why do I do it? I run for the structure it adds to my life. For the feeling of setting -- and then achieving -- goals. For the people I meet along the way and friendships that get build, forged and continued along the way.

For the amazing views

And peaceful moments

:::Sigh::: How sweet.

But it's also crap.

Sure, that fluffy stuff is easy for me to say! I run marathons. Like an idiot.

All of the focus on the wonderful sights and sounds and friends and calm is freakin' fantastic... if only you weren't worried about your muscles revolting and your lungs collapsing! It's just ducky to run then...when you're already good at it. 

What I do now? That's a piece of cake compared to those initial months of getting started. That's the real challenge.

So let's talk about the real reason to accept the challenge. And it's certainly not so you can see the view from the Queensboro Bridge on foot.

Although that can be lovely too!

The best reason to run is -- that by far and away -- it is the single best way to get in and stay in shape. It's the only --and I mean only -- weight-loss and maintenance program that has ever worked for me. Those other reasons? They may come with time, or they may not. But the more on-the-surface weight-loss reason is why I, and countless others, started this little hobby and continue it.

That's the secret.

I started running about 10 years ago in college, after a long illustrious career of NEVER RUNNING EVER. And the reason was far from noble. I started because the ellipticals were always full at my pitiful college gym, and the treadmills had less of a wait. I continued jogging once I moved to New York because I didn't have enough money for a gym membership. Running has another crucial side-benefit: It's free.

And for about 4 years I never went a step further than 3 miles. It was another 1-2 years I could run occasionally up to 5 miles.

And this brings us to that secret I wanted to let you in on: The absolute hardest part for me was never running a marathon. It was getting started at all.

It was incredibly, incredibly hard to get from 0-3 miles for me, and it will be for you too. And, oh my goodness, did it suck getting from 3-5 miles. But once you're at that point? Well now you've been running a long time and, in order to get there, you'd have to have been somewhat consistent.

And after that, the sky is the limit.

If you're not a runner, don't think about marathons or half marathons. Not for a darn second. I never did! God! Gross!

It was only once I ran somewhat regularly -- perhaps 1-2 times per week plus some other workouts -- and that I could get up to five miles running straight that I thought about training for a half. And it was only after I ran several halves that I considered a full marathon. The distances can and will come with time and consistency.

And I promise that you could do it too.

So, my challenge for you is this: If even a small part of you is considering running, give it a shot. Not once. Not twice. Make a plan and stick to it. Couch to 5K is a great program, but there are a lot of online resources and apps that can help.

Put runs in your calendar like you'd schedule a work meeting or drinks with a friend. Plan what you're going to do in that workout (walk 3 minutes, run 1 minute, repeat for 30 minutes perhaps?) and stick with it. Put in 100% effort into each session, knowing you're doing a good thing and that it will be over soon. Record what you've done in a diary of some sort and also record exactly what you plan to do. This will help you to notice a quantifiable difference not just in your weight, but in what you are capable of.

Give it months before you judge, and not just a couple of runs. And give it the time to show the results. For me, it took a decade. But truly it could be so much faster if you -- unlike I was -- are diligent. I promise, promise, promise, that if I can do it, you can do it.

So tell me, do you buy it? Why or why not? I'd love to hear your thoughts.

The Perfect Mind

So, I'm about to come clean to you here. I feel like I've been holding a little something back and it's time to just get real.

I am a total, utter freak.

For 79 weeks (yes, you heard me) I have tracked all of my workouts. All of them.

It started innocently in April last year to ensure I was not increasing my mileage by more than 10% each week (one of the culprits -- in my opinion -- of my downfall in training for the 2011 NYC Marathon. Seems reasonable.

It also helped with knowing when to change my shoes (every 300-400 miles for me and my delicate arches, for those counting). It also made sure that I added in enough cross-training which I also firmly stand by as an injury prevention tool.

Then...the hurricane.

As I was planning for Miami, I wanted to see what I had done that got me to a place where I felt marathon-ready despite, you know, not running the marathon. So I started using my past plan to design my future.

And then I brought the color coding into it as I began 2013 training. And that's where we stand today.

So, without further ado, would you like to see the schedule of a mad woman? Who is training for her 4th marathon in hopes of running her second? Here it is:

...what....the....what....

Let's walk through this together, shall we? Let's.

It started early July when my third NYC training adventure began (although if you'd like to see anything between then and April 2012, I can surely provide). Lavender means a "normal" run (and purple is my favorite color!). I try to do these at a good solid pace, but nothing crazy. Orange is strength-training and yellow is cross-training. Green is my [often unsuccessful] attempt at doing yoga once a week. Rest days are in a cleansing white. Red alert means "quality workouts" with hills or speed. That's something new I've added in this year versus the past to get stronger and faster. And they are hard. So red.

Total weekly mileage is totaled on the right so I can make sure I'm progressing in a good orderly fashion. Notes (such as the upcoming nuptials of my friend Mel) that I'll need to keep in mind that week are in the last column.

Upcoming runs are in grey and then I "actualize" weekly.

I'm really sorry, that must have scared you. I scared myself a little. But it feels good to get that off of my chest. I can get crazy.

However, on the other hand...

So, if you'd like to refer to my spreadsheet, you'll see I have 20 miles coming up this Saturday (with new shoes coming up the week after! Oh happy day!)

So how am I doing today? Aside from the obvious mental deficiencies which led me to the spreadsheet?

Well, after a crazy Total Body Conditioning class yesterday and a brutal hill repeat workout on Cat Hill in Central Park this morning I'm kind of like...

But I'm feeling like I'm dying in a normal, non-boot-needing type way. And knocking on wood every 30 seconds. And just really, really, really looking forward to [possibly] running the NYC Marathon this year on November 3rd.

Save the damn date. Because with a crazy mind like mine, you know there's really only one thing keeping me from running the 2013 NYC Marathon this year.

The Gym Class Hierarchy

This morning, like all Tuesdays, I attended my Total Body Conditioning class at the 76th New York Sports Club at 6:30 am. You heard me. AM. Ante Meridien.

It's a crazy thing I've been doing for 3+ years to strengthen my muscles and get them primed for all the crazy running I've been doing. I had a sports doctor tell me that having strong arm, core and leg muscles is crucial for running, so basically I'm in a cycle of crazy.

Much like this.

So what makes this class so good, and why do I keep going back?

Well, unlike some of the other Total Body classes I've taken, I leave not only feeling like I worked all my muscle groups, but I'm also sweating to the bone. Although that second part isn't hard to do, considering I sweat during basic yoga. Or walking down the street. Or sitting by myself reading a book.

The instructor, Serena, runs the class almost like a boot camp. Sets of 2-3 different activities separated by jumping jacks, mountain climbers, planks, and other means of torture. All at 6:30am. Sounds horrible, but the music is great and the workout I get truly rivals those of the boutique studios in the area. You never stop moving, every class is different, and she pushes you to your max.

In all? I actually leave class feeling pretty grand and I feel myself getting stronger the more I take it. You know I'm a lunatic, is what it is.

So with that background, I would now like to describe a phenomenon which I would like to refer to as the "Hierarchy of the Morning Gym Class." It's a social status, a Game of Thrones-esque situation (if you will) within the class.

So what is the hierarchy then? Well I'll tell ya. When I started taking the class, I began in the back. Scared. Unable to do many of the exercises all the way through and using weights so light, they almost floated away. I couldn't do anything other than girl push-ups. You get the picture.

But the back of the class fills up quickly and is very crowded with other scared people. So within a few weeks I ventured to the middle. It's safe there. You have some breathing room...but you're not with the crazy people in the front.

But then I started getting stronger and wanting to see my form in front of the mirror. Because I'm vain. And people were all up in my view. And I need to see myself like this:

This is how I think I look when I take a gym class.

So then I was the second row. Non-committal. In front of me were who I will refer to as the "it" girls. Serena seemed to know them. She used them as examples and pushed them to use harder / heavier weights. They knew what they were doing so you could watch them to see what was up. They also knew each other and chit-chatted before class.

And then the "it" girls...over time...started to leave. One by one. Maybe a marriage. Maybe a neighborhood change. Maybe they just got bored.

But suddenly...there was no front row. My god...The second row IS the front row.

And then everything was different. No more girl push-ups and light weights for this girl. No more hiding in the back and skipping reps. I'm evidently in it...to win it. And, between you and me? Sometimes people even (:::gasp:::) talk to me before class.

Holy. Cow.

After 3+ years of inadvertently political mind-gaming the situation, I had won a battle I did not know I had even entered. I am at the top of a pyramid that no one cares about. I'm like:

Even if I don't want to be...

And that, my friends, is the Hierarchy of the Gym Class.

   *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *      *     

Before I go, I'll leave you with photos of one of my top crushes right now: Joseph Gordon-Levitt. He's starring in the upcoming feature film Don Jon, which I want to see despite my somewhat irrational hatred of Scarlett Johansson.

Hey, girl.

He is 32, he is talented, single and HE IS JEWISH. That image you see above where I am typing now. Is of a Jewish man. Like...what....why...aren't....we married...

Oh hey

I'm not only talented and successful, but I'm also a fun guy to be around!

But damn, can I also get classy.

Also, can we just remember when he was on Third Rock From the Sun? And how good that show was?

Ah the 90s hair. You and JTT rocked it well.

That show was VCR-taping worthy. Almost as much as this one:

And, of course....47 days to go!!!!!

Party Like It's 1620

I went home last weekend to run my second (annual?) Run to the Rock Half Marathon. It held incredibly special significance for me because -- although I was running as part of training rather than to PR -- it was my 10th official Half Marathon.

The race began in Plymouth's Myles Standish State Forest where my fan club showed me off at the starting line.

There were 469 runners that completed the Run to the Rock -- definitely a different experience than the 25,000 or so that run the NYC or Brooklyn races.

The day could not have been more gorgeous. Perfect sunny weather (better to get sunburned by, my dear) and a lovely course route through America's Hometown.

Pretty!

Lovely, lovely.

Am I a photographer? Or a Marathoner? I DON'T KNOW ANYMORE.

After mile 4 we left the forest and I spotted my parents. See if you can do the same:

They were so cute! And I could tell the other runners really appreciated their cheering when the alternative was silence and only the sound of our pounding feet and breathing.

HI GUYS!!!!!

I personally loved that silence, though. I'm so often inundated with noise and stimulation in NY races and runs in general! I didn't put on my headphones once in this race. I just enjoyed being where I was, in the moment, feeling healthy and pretty awesome.

However, amongst the zen and the awesome I couldn't help but think..... OH MY GOD, THE HILLS! WHEN WILL THEY STOP!? Answer? Never. Not at all for 13 miles. It was an incredibly hilly run, but since I wasn't racing for time? And wasn't being insane like last year and adding 5 miles to the run? I wasn't concerned.

The course did get a bit "iffy" at points aside from the hills. Like a two mile stretch on a somewhat busy two-lane road where we had to stay right of these cones in the gutter of the road. Single file racing is a bit weird. And when you pass someone you took your life into your hands. Keeps things interesting I suppose.

Do you want to live? Or to win? Your choice.

Other parts (for most of the second part of the race) went through pretty residential areas. Decidedly not a New York City experience.

My Dad snapped some pretty good photos at their FOUR cheering spots that really captured how I was feeling, which was a perfect mixture of "YEEEHAAAWWWW" and "WOOO-EEEEEE!"

Lifelong cheerleaders Val and Rob were standing outside of their house in the back half of the race, holding a sign and cheering me on. It was so great to see them! My good friend Andrea was also with my parents their third race stop around mile 9.

There were just a smattering of spectators the entire route up until the final stretch to the finish, so it almost got awkward that my parents were there cheering incredibly loudly for me. Four times. And Val and Rob. And Andrea. Loudly. Shouting at me.

Almost awkward. But instead it was TOTALLY AWESOME. I had the biggest fan club ever and it was AMAZING! It made me smile like this:

I'm gonna run fast!!!

The route took us through forest and by a random farm. It took us on windy residential roads and hilly highways. I ran by the streets where my friends lived in high school and the streets where some of them live today. It wove past my favorite breakfast place and the hospital where I was born and where family members have been treated when sick.

The whole time I was running I kept thinking this is my house. Boom. I was running this Half Marathon through the town I grew up in! I knew those [incredibly hilly!] roads and I know the people that live here. I'm gonna run FAST. Big, multi-thousand person races are amazing and I do recommend them as a good experience for a runner. But this? This was something else.

I entered the downtown area around mile 12 and really turned it up as I approached the finish line. A.K.A. Plymouth Rock. The mystical stone where the Pilgrims landed. Which seems very counter-intuitive that they would aim for this small rock after sailing across the Atlantic. Instead of just going to shore like every other boat that ever has sailed to a beach.

Nonetheless, I turned onto the Waterfront (where the Rock lives) and sprinted to the finish. On the way I passed Diane (from last entry fame) and her mom, and my parents. 

I hadn't looked at my watch the whole way, and didn't set it to track my pace. Despite that, and despite the hills, I had beaten my time from the year before by 10 minutes and had gotten my 3rd best half marathon time ever at 2:00:10. 

IT MUST HAVE BEEN THE POWER OF THE ROCK!

Mom, Diane's Mom, Me and Diane at the Rock!

Hey. Cool rock.

No one knew you had running super powers, you crazy Rock. You can be my new mascot.

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The best, most supportive fan club in the whole wide world.

My town also had a free barbecue for runners (small donation for family) at the end, which was just so cute and nice! My Dad and I hung out there for a while after.

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All in all, an amazing day fueled by amazing friends and family. I felt so great after that I couldn't help but think:

Until next time...I leave you with the greatest running photo of all time: