Run Lazy

Me Do Pushups? That's Unpossible!

I hope Ralph Wiggum of "The Simpsons" will forgive my paraphrasing him (though I feel confident he wouldn't know what "paraphrase" means anyway), but it seemed appropriate.

Thanks to my more-ambitious husband taking on the 100 Pushups challenge--made easier to follow with a spiffy iPhone app--I have felt moved to voluntarily do multiple pushups with the intent of doing a number that honestly, right now, seems unpossible. 

First off, I should admit that I'm doing the "girl version" of pushups, on my knees instead of on my toes, because after checking my form in the mirror I realized my boy pushups amounted to more of a spasm than an actual strength-building press. My theory is, if I can get to 100 girl pushups, then surely I will have built the strength to knock off about 10 boy pushups, which would be a goal that seems reasonable to me. 

That said, I have only done the first few days of the pushup challenge and it's already really, really hard. But I've done about 50 total in 5 sets, which is a huge accomplishment for me. I'm now a total bad ass. Like Ralph Wiggum.

 

Portapotty name FAIL.

 

When Separation Is a Good Thing

I'm on vacation in the Pacific Northwest (specifically Seattle, Victoria, and Vancouver), and I have much to blog about, but I'll start with this. In Vancouver, which is beautiful and one of my new favorite places, they have a system for many of the trails where they keep bikers and walkers/runners on separate paths, to the delight of everyone. No life-threatening close calls! Thank you, Canada. I

Take Care of the Girls, Please

As I drive around my neighborhood, I often see people running on the sidewalks and trails. I can’t help doing a bit of inexpert gait analysis—“he’d run easier if he didn’t swing his arms across his body,” or “she’s working against herself by leaning back when she runs instead of slightly forward”—as well as some silent rooting for the slow runners I see, my tribe!

But the one thing that makes me want to actually stop and advise people for their own good is women running with insufficiently supportive sports bras. As an overly blessed woman myself, I wince when I see them pass by, knowing the damage they’re doing to connective tissue that will result in the infamous breasts hanging down to their knees when they’re 70. As reported on MSNBC, “The momentum created by intense bouncing can stretch the breast's connective tissues, causing sagging and pain for many women.”

I think there are several reasons women wear unsupportive running bras:

· some women don’t know that there are bras strong enough to support them adequately

· some women don’t want to spend the money and stick with $9.99 compression bras from Target

· some women honestly haven’t thought about it and don’t realize how important it is.

If you think any of these women may be you, get yourself to your local running shop (a real running shop—Sports Authority doesn’t count) and get a female salesperson to help you find a bra that keeps movement to a minimum. Try them on in the dressing room and jump up and down in them to see how much support you get. If there are no good running stores in your area or you’re just a more private person, order several styles online and just keep the one(s) that fit and work best. Title 9 and Athleta have excellent sports bra selections, and discounted versions can be found on Sierra Trading Post’s and Campmor's websites.

If your budget is tight, just buy one or two good bras. It’s an investment in your health! It’s the same argument I make for spending the money on the right shoes for you—your eventual medical bills or horror at what you’ve done to your body will cost much more than buying the right bra or shoe preventatively.

Night of the Running Undead

 

As my frequent mention of zombies in this blog has already created the impression that I am pro-zombie (at least, pro-comedic zombie movies; I'm not as into the serious scary ones), this has to be the best race idea ever:

In Alexandria, Virginia, crazy folks of all ages can compete for glory in trying to escape zombie hordes! The zombies wear red glow necklaces, and they chase runners wearing blue glow necklaces. If you're caught, the zombie claims your blue necklace as a trophy and you get a red necklace and a new mission--track down the remaining "human" runners and claim your own trophies. Prizes will be given to the fastest humans who survive the predations of the undead as well as the running corpses who collect the most blue necklaces. Is it just me or does it sound like more fun to be a zombie in this scenario?

This is being sponsored by a local parkour gym, and rumor has it that traceurs tend to excel at this sort of thing, unsurprisingly. 

So this Saturday evening (August 14, 2010), if you find yourself in Old Town Alexandria, watch out for zombies!

Pound-ing the Pavement

Courtesy Dr.DeNo/Flickr.com 

Another thing I was up to while I was on my blogging hiatus was losing some weight. As of this writing I’m down 35 pounds since March, largely through clean eating (giving up white sugar, white flour, and processed foods) inspired by some stomach problems I’ve had for years.

While this has been delightful in a downsized clothing sense—I slipped (if “slipped” can include jumping up and down a few times in the dressing room while people outside wondered if I was mental) into a pair of size 6 jeans this week after wearing 14s for the past few years—it has had a noticeable impact on my running.

Over the years I’ve read several different numbers regarding the effect of extra weight on running, from 6 pounds extra impact on your feet for every one extra pound you carry at the high end to simply double your total body weight every time your foot strikes the ground.

By whatever measure, I’ve significantly lightened my load and it’s showing in increased energy, fewer bad runs, and a completely foreign to me impulse to speed up. (Never fear, speeding up for me means running an 11- to 12-minute mile—I’m still contentedly in the ranks of the slow folks.) I’ve even stopped bailing on runs for the most part, much to the chagrin of my running compadres.

I never really time myself so I have no idea how fast or slow I’m running these days, but I feel great and look forward to the next run, and that’s all that matters.

The Ultimate Lazy Exerciser

My dear friend Sue (who has an awesome blog, Vintage Rescue Squad), recently posted a comment on sleepwear on Facebook that made me realize that my sleepwear habits qualify for comment within the "run lazy" philosophy.

Most mornings I try to do some yoga or pilates (and occasionally something more ambitious) before I start off my day. Nothing major, just 20 minutes of downward dogging it and rocking the shivasana to give myself some mental clarity.

However, managing that AND getting dressed for it are apparently too taxing for me, so I sleep in my yoga clothes. Pretty much every night. 

Does this strategy work? Yes. Is it kind of sad that I recognize that if I add even one more step to my morning routine nothing productive will happen? Damn skippy.

 

Does the Prettiness of a Place Correlate with More Outdoor Activity?

Okay, I know I've been silent for a while, but I swear I'm still alive and running! I ran well most of the winter until I was sidelined by the DC Blizzaster, and on vacation in April I ran on this lovely beach in Siesta Key, Florida (which I hope and pray is still oil free).

It occurred to me to wonder while I was there and pounding the sand instead of the pavement whether people who live in pretty places are more outdoorsy than people who live in homelier locales. It seems like an obvious correlation, and probably is, thought I expect there are other factors as well. 

Colorado, for instance, makes national lists as the fittest state many years, and Colorado's pretty darn pretty. However, West Virginia, which has many beautiful places, tends to be toward the bottom of those lists. I have theories about accessibility being key--how close on average are parks and trails to people's homes? What's the weather like--is outdoor activity comfortable year round?

But in any case, I know I'm motivated by the beauty of my surroundings. Running on that beach was just fabulous (I even got to take a yoga class on the beach!), and I didn't have to bully myself to get out there. There are many beautiful trails in and around DC that I get excited about running, and that keep me coming back. 

Next month I'm heading to Seattle and Vancouver on vacation, and I hope to strap on my running shoes and see the natural and urban beauty of those locales. If anyone has any suggestions of places to run, pass them along!

The Thing I'm Good At

On my first day with my marathon training group back in 2001, we were told to run a three-mile course to determine our speed per mile so we could be divided into speed groups. I already knew I wanted to be in the slowest group, but I gamely lined up with the other nervous newbies and cheerfully chatting veterans.

The pack, including two women in particular who were running together, sped past me on the first of the three laps we'd be doing. I chugged along, not letting the fact that I was bringing up the rear with the walkers bother me. But a funny thing happened. People in front of me started pooping out, slowing way down or even starting to walk. I passed a few people by the end of the first lap, then a bunch more on the second. By the beginning of the third lap, I passed the two women who had charged past me at the beginning. And by the time I reached the end, I wasn't so far to the back anymore.

One of the two women came up to me and pointed straight at me. "I'm running with you." Her name is Denise and we've been friends ever since.

Everyone who reads this knows I'm not a fast runner. But there is one aspect of running I excel at, and I'm happier to be good at this than I would be to be fast. (Though if I could be fast, too, I wouldn't complain.) I can pace myself. I'm a steady runner who can avoid the temptation to start a race or a training run fast.

Sexy, I know.

But that's why it's such an underrated, valuable skill. Many runners focus on everything else because, let's face facts, speed work and long runs are more dramatic and seem more important than making yourself go slower than you want to.

I got another chance to see it in action this past Saturday when I ran with the local Road Runners group. I gathered with my fellow slow runners, and we all agreed to do 4/1 intervals (running for 4 minutes and walking for 1 minute). Then we took off and the group quickly split into a speedier faction and the slower pokes, and you know which group I was in. Before long even the slower group was too fast for me and I fell further behind with one other runner, but he outpaced me shortly before the halfway point.

I sighed inwardly, resigned to a run on my own--but I didn't really mind since it was a gorgeous clear sunny morning and we were following the Capital Crescent Trail along the Potomac River. I felt good, with lots of energy, and I knew I was on a good pace so I enjoyed the scenery and kept plugging along.

I reached the halfway point and turned around to head back to the start. I caught up with my former running partner first and we fell back in step. Right after that we caught up with the slower group of runners and ran with them for a few minutes, but one of them was struggling and we ended up moving on without them. With a little less than a half mile to go, we passed the speedier group who had slowed down on an uphill stretch. My partner and I headed up the hill, but soon he tuckered out as well and I was on my own. I felt great, so I sped up a bit as I cruised into home base with a smile on my face.

For slow runners, maybe pacing ourselves is our best way to victory.

Counteracting Turkey Day

Some of the most popular races in the running off-season (fall/winter) are the Turkey Trots that happen around Thanksgiving. The reason for this is obvious--gluttony and guilt.

For the past three years my husband and I have gotten together with friends to deep fry our Thanksgiving turkey and consume far too much food in the holiday tradition.

While I wasn't ready to commit to any races this year, my friend Kinsey and I decided we would be better served by running on Black Friday than shopping, so we pounded the pavement for three-miles worth of calorie burning. Then I ran four miles with my running group on Saturday.

I would be feeling pretty virtuous if I hadn't fueled both runs with apple pie for breakfast.