Freakin' Four Miles...

Yesterday Boston, Today Nothing

I was saying my good nights to my 11-year-old son on Monday and he said I should train for Boston. Are you freakin' kidding me? (I didn't say that to him.) I thought it was the sweetest thing. 'You can do it, Mom', he says. 'You can do anything.' I've come a long way by golly but BOSTON?!!! My friend over at http://www.shutupandrun/ has it in her attainable radar and I love her for it. But me, well that will never happen. Or could it...

So my wheels started turning and I went to bed thinking why not?! Feeling invigorated and motivated when that's hard to come by these days was really, REALLY nice. So I got up the next day bound for Boston. I started my simple, little 4 miles at about 10:30 a.m. in the squishy southern heat and hated every single step of the run. Every one of them. My attitude tanked, my positive self-talk turned profane and it's all I could do to finish freakin' four miles. How could I get to Boston if I can barely get back to my mailbox? BUT, I did finish. I beat my own attitude and that's a victory that stayed with me all day. Maybe that's the baby step to the next level. How do you set a high goal and strategically map the course? Do you plan in the wiggle room for bad attitude days? Strategy isn't my strong suit but believing in big ideas is. Somebody, kick me in the ass. Maybe, I should just shut up and run. I drive my own self crazy!!

Do you like it upside down?

Reverse Psychology

Once during my single days, a ...ahem... 'friend' of mine pointed out that I'd never seen him upside down. I didn't know what that meant or why it was important. On Sunday (17 years later) during Yoga - I found out.

This isn't me but I did it! For the record - I don't think this is what my friend had in mind but I did it (this) nonetheless. I balanced my entire body weight on my head. I used my shoulder girdle for the base and core strength for balance. My aha! moment was glorious - I found equilibrium without stress or struggle. My cervical vertebrae felt -nothing. My legs were reaching for the sky while my head was solidly rooted beneath me. I was upside down. What a kickass feeling! Is that what I was missing out on all those years? Better late than never!

You know I showed my children. They weren't that impressed they did look curiously at their almost 41 year old mother and wonder if things were normal in this neck of the woods. Amazing what a moment of reverse perspective can do for a gal. I was more fun yesterday. I have my upside down moment tucked in my heart for a day when reverse psychology is a must. Maybe this IS what my friend meant - potential nudity notwithstanding. Heck I feel like I can do anything now that I can stand on my head.

Have you done it upside down?

Gag!

It's all about you, you, you...

I just finished Dean Karnezes' "Ultra Marathon Man, Confessions of An All Night Runner". I'm sick. I have always struggled with the idea that running seems so self indulgent. We run to improve our own bodies, pace, performance. We run to clear the mind. We run for the solitude, a brief time away from responsibilities. Runners talk about their knees, hips, and shoulders - where's the world peace, fight for hunger, or cure for a disease? Karno, (as Dean's close friends call him) ran to save lives - Libby Wood for one. He also ran to save his own and his family's after the tragic death of his sister. When I stop self-flogging for a moment, it occurrs to me that we all maybe doing a little bit of 'good for the world' even if we don't know it. Maybe the you, you, you after a ball's out run is a better product for the planet and in fact our running is quite good for everyone.

I'm nicer after a run. I am more clear-headed and sharp. I make better decisions because the nagging guilt of not having run yet is not crawling all over me. My conversations during long group runs are quite meaningful. All that said. I need more.

I know there is a lot of opportunity to partner with a cause and make more out of running. Team in Training, Relay for Life, and Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure to name a few. Most big races have a signature charity that benefits from proceeds. I'm starting to feel better. BUT I still want more. I am selfishly training for the Richmond Marathon without a cause in mind. It occurs to me we can approach each run with some intention if that's our gig. Do it for the babies, do it for the old people, do it for the homeless, do it for (gag) YOU. That's quite enough. Did I just say that? Gotta go - not to cure cancer or finish my novel or teach the underpriviledged in Uganda. I gotta run. Maybe afterwards I can do all those things. Why do you do it?