Yes, Brent, there really is a blog written by me!

OK, I know it's been a while since I've had an entry. Geez, I talked about motivation last time, remember? Still dealing with it....But, after being razzed so subtly, in a merciless way by a few of my running buds I thought I had better make an entry tonight...

Topic for tonight! The weather. My running group goes at 6pm. Well, as you know I am coping with a lack of inspiration, motivation and probably a few other "ions". Even the last few weeks of lovely weather has made me just want to barbeque and do crosswords on the deck perhaps accompanied by an alcoholic beverage. But, tonight....oh, cold, blowing, wet...if there ever was a night I DID NOT want to run, it was tonight! But, I made it to the door! Out the door I went. Met my group...hey, let's do some intervals! OK, that's OK - I know I have to do some real training before Halifax so i'm OK with this. So, out we go - now it's raining and cold. Down to the Rothesay commons we go - 4 intervals. No defibrillator intervention required. I was surprised that I was able to maintain my time reasonably for the first 3 (then died on the 4th but that's OK). So, back we go - my running guru, Alex, has another group going at 7 and I think, yeah, I can run with them too. May as well get the mileage in while I can.

Well, started out again at 7 - now it's snowing. Ran about 5 or 6 K with my good friend Tim. Snow, rain, sleet, cold, drivers splashing you like they think they can get you any wetter. (NOTHING WORSE THAN KV DRIVERS - BAD, WORSE, WORST, RUDE, INCONSIDERATE, PROBABLY FROM TORONTO, STUPID, OBLIVIOUS TO PEDESTRIANS AND COMMON SENSE!!!!)

But, wow, what a fantastic run...there is nothing better, nothing more fun than getting out into the slop and the mess and just running. It is a close to a childhood moment as you're ever going to get. I felt fabulous when I got home. Not only had a great run but had to blog about it too! Crappy weather = really satisfying run. The fact that I was nuts enough to go out in this and run is an accomplishment in itself. Loved it.

Wanted: Dummy's Guide to Motivation

OK...so it's February...mild winter, days are getting longer, street are dry and clear, temps are nice. So, why is it like pulling teeth to get my butt outside in my running gear? Even though the collective activity level of the entire country has, ironically, been at a standstill during the Olympics (Yay for the women's hockey team, btw) I am not warming the sofa in front of the TV every night! I get out there! But, I whine incessently before I go, I look for any excuse not to go - "I'm tired", "I don't feel well", "I'll go to the gym tonight", "I'll go to the gym this afternoon", "I went to the gym last night", "I'd rather eat". Adding to the frustration of not going is the lack of desire to go any type of distance - Should go 10 but go 6, should do an hour on the treadmill but do 40 minutes. I guess the most demotivating word is should. The "shoulds" are highly demotivating, by the way!

So, how will I get myself out of this funk? I tried going to Runner's World - they have the monthly trio - shoes, diet and motivation - in the current issue. One of the articles was how Kara Goucher has negative thoughts about her performance and that effects her motivation. You know, I am just not inspired by world class athletes - I don't identify with them - they don't run in my shoes and I certainly do not run in their's. I DO, on the other hand, identify with the experiences of local runners. I follow a blog called the KV Challenger - A Writer with a Running Problem: http://kvchallenger.blogspot.com/2010/02/my-race-schedule.html
Chuck's latest entry lists the 2010 races he intends to run - for the whole year! He also has his targets identified in each race. I read this and it hit me: For the first time in a long time, I have no goals. I've been drifting - using a lot of euphenisms to describe my running. "Running for pleasure" means "I do not want to run hard". "I love running GarminLess" means "I am running really slowly but I don't want to know that I'm running really slowly".

Goal setting will start...hmmm....tomorrow! Naahhhh...maybe tonight..who am I kidding? Tomorrow. Looks like I've made a good start at least.

Accountability - now that's a long blog entry. Won't get into that tonight. (not motivated).

Getting back into the right frame of mind, I hope, will be a short process. I'll keep you posted.

How about you? How do you regain lost motivation?

The Middle Aged Runner

Hey, Dog Owner...That is not a snowball that just hit you in the back of the head!

I'll be honest. I did some polling before I did this entry. It is very distasteful - anything of a scatological nature seems to make people uncomfortable. I asked people...are you offended by dog shit left in your neighbourhood? " Well, er, ah, as long as it's not in front of my house! " Geez, it's in front of someone's house but as long as it's not your's I guess it's not horribly inconsiderate and offensive. Hmmmm....is it because I am a cat lover and I am not a dog owner or lover, and I have I have no desire to be a dog owner (yes, really). Runners are users of their communities - we care about clear roadways and we care about clean roadways. We also run at night. Mounds of dog poop is not always easy to see!

What has initiated this seemingly sudden spew of wrath? I was running in Rothesay (the capital of dog shit left on the road) a few weekends ago. It was a few days after a snow...white, fluffy, moderate temp, the veritable perfect storm of the winter run. I ran from my house in Quispamsis into Rothesay and ran along a lovely route called Rothesay Park Rd. It is quite beautiful, a small hamlet hidden away from the main road, along the Kennebecassis River....I love running there because it is a microcosm of our greater community, if only for five minutes...fresh air, no traffic, water, and the sounds of nature.... When you enter the street from the Church end the street is fairly congested for the first half of the street. Homes are close together and, surprisingly, there are few walkers. As you run along the loop you become aware of the birds, the river and the majestic trees aligning the route...an oasis in the middle of a busy community - I love running there - even if the loop in only .6 km long. I always include it in my weekend long run.

As you approach the end of the loop the street is less populated, there are fewer homes, fewer people and GUESS WHAT? Lots of dog shit!! This has me totally perplexed. This area is affluent - I mean affluent - there is one property there that has a name - Neverland! I won't tell you what I call it. It is mind boggling to me that community members, neighbours, probably friends, take their dogs, let them shit in front of someone's home, offend walkers and runners using the route, and, obviously, are oblivious to the the consequences of their actions.

I have complained about this issue for a year, much to the chagrin of my family, as they have been the recipients of my rants! I have been thinking about what I can do to remedy this. I have thought about mobilizing the residents of Rothesay Park Rd. Showing them pics of the dog shit in front their homes and telling them that this is what their community members, their neighbours are doing - but, that would require me to take picture of dog shit - not what I consider to be photographic art. Hence, the rationale for this entry. I am not sure if all runners are as offended by dog shit as I am, I am not even sure if all runners are as AWARE of dog shit as I am. I am not even sure if the folks who live there are aware of what I perceive to be a problem!

So, here is my pitch! Are you offended by this scourge too? If so, let me know. This is not just about Rothesay Park Rd. - it is about the beauty of all our communities. Submit your photos and the address where you have captured them. I had this idea as I was writing this week's entry. Let's really talk to the neighbourhoods in which we run - don't let this happen...I don't want to blog about this...gawd...I want to talk about Runner's High...not Turds in Rothesay...

Better still - when you submit your photos I will go to that HOUSE, show them the pics and tell them that this is what their neighbours have been doing! This must stop!!

If you have read this entire entry - thank you - I have wanted to get this off my shoulders for a long time. If I receive photos I will post them along with responses I get from home owners. But, I promise I will get back to real running issues next week.

Now, am I whacked or what? Anyone else notice this?

The Middle Aged Runner

Funny Thing about Runners.....

What motivates a runner to just do it? During the week when I get home from work I want to have a glass of wine and watch Judge Judy. On Saturday mornings I just want to drink coffee and do the crossword puzzle. Usually the last thing I want to do is get dressed (in layers) and go out in the cold, get sweaty, slip and slide sometimes, fall sometimes to run. But, most times I do go out. All I have to do is get to the door. Once I am out the door I'm fine. But I often think about what gets me to the door. Is it one of those annoying "motivational tips" that Runner's World provides every issue? No. Is it my desire to maintain my health? Maybe but that glass of wine contributes to my good health too. So, what truly motivates me to run? I love the social aspect of running. Most of my running friends I only know within a running context - some don't even know who I am if I am not sweaty and in spandex. But I love them, I love talking to them, discussing training problems, celebrating triumphs and sharing disappointments. They are a tremendously generous group of people who enrich my life. They inspire me every day.


For example, I have a friend - let's call her Sherri. Sherri did the Goofy challenge last weekned at Walt Disney World. I won't talk about her training regime which is quite remarkable - that's another blog. Unfortunately, I don't get to see Sherri much as we live in different parts of the city and train with different groups. She is a fervent Facebook fan, however, and utilizes this medium to communicate with a variety of people. Well, I kept abreast of Sherri's trials and tribulations as she prepared for this race - the challenges of running a household, caring for a family, doing her job, training for a long distance race and trying to juggle all those balls in the air. Anyway, Sherri wrote a facebook note the night before her race. She thought very carefully about each mile of the 2 races she was going to run and dedicated a particular mile to particular people or groups of people - those thoughts were what got her through those miles. I was honoured to be on that list. Such gratitude and passion is what motivates me - it's more than having a running buddy - it's a running community. And nowhere will you see a more generous spirit.


Ghandi said be the change you wish to see in the world. I think Sherri is taking that philosophy to heart. She is doing the Goofy Challenge again next year and has initiated a veritable dominos game of running buds who will do it with her. I am one of those dominos and I can't wait to fall next January.



So, here's to Sherri and her ilk! Thank you!



The Middle Aged Runner

Top Ten Running Songs

Happy 2010 Everyone! I have had quite a hiatus over the Christmas holidays which I thoroughly enjoyed. Hope everyone enjoyed their time with family and loved ones. This is actually the first chance I have had to think about this blog although I have been running fairly regularly over the last 3 weeks.



So, let's talk music! This is a very odd topic for those of you who know me well. I have always been a rabid CBC radio fan and listened to Jian Ghomeshi not because I liked his musical guests! I prided myself on running only with my thoughts - solved every problem and puzzle in my life while I was running - it was great. Then someone gave me an Ipod Shuffle and I was sold; completely! Funny thing: I started to notice that some types of music really impacted my runs - fascinating so I have spent a year adding songs to my Ipod that I think improve and, at the very least, facilitate my running. I have also accumulated some favourites and identified where they are most useful in my runs.



Here goes:



#10 Kanye West Stronger - A new way of looking at the old adage - " that that will not kill me will make me stronger" Dr. Seuss does Hip Hop. I love the music in this piece but I have to ignore the nonsensical lyrics.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PsO6ZnUZI0g



#9 James Brown Living in America - I can never decide if I want to run or dance when I hear this really old JB song. Love it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oHqUipinDyw



#8 Jackson Browne Running on Empty - Of course, the year of this song (1979) may have a nostalgic quality for me but I find it energizing in the last third of a long run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bww2prhAWEA



#7 Eminem Lose Yourself - Got hills? This song is fantastic for getting up and over them with energy to spare. My children were very surprised to discover this was on my Ipod. "Mom, do you know there is some pretty foul language in his music?" Really? All this time I thought he was singing "mothapluckin' option" ;o)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xFYQQPAOz7Y



#6 Bryan Adams The Only Thing that Looks Good on Me - Really don't know what I like about this song - not a big fan of BA. It's a great song for the beginning 20 minutes of a run.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GEclDV-C1hU



#5 Motley Crue Kickstart my Heart - Wow...this is the biggest surprise - who are these knobs anyway? Gross! But, geez, this song is fantastic when you are feeling fatigued and need a pick me up. It gets my form back in shape. You can't think about what these guys look like though...ewwww...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0Y2g3zOzZM (This is not a video - I found the videos of the live performances did not capture the value for running)



#4 The Killers Human - I love this song. Great to listen to when you're in the zone!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIZdjT1472Y



#3 Diane Birch Fools - This is on the list because I love this song. I challenge anyone to listen to this song and NOT love Diane Birch. Another one for the zone and great for pace because you have to sing along with it!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDpAPbPMPIA



#2 Elton John I'm Still Standing - Totally inspired by this song - those long slow inclines I hate so much - this is the perfect song to get you up!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QjS0AbRpAo



#1 Billy Idol New Future Weapon - Trying to run faster? This is the tune that will make you pump your arms harder and lift your knees higher.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ieNUilnUmCI



Thoughts on your tunes? Thoughts on mine? Hate 'em? Love 'em?



The Middle Aged Runner

Middle Aged Ligaments Suck!

So, I am out tonight intending to have a lovely 10 km. Let's talk about the weather first - temp is mild, there was some snow last night and this morning but the sidewalks, for the most part are clear. There are, however, hunks of ice, on the sidewalk, leftovers from the last plowing. You know what I mean, the kind that, somehow, regardless of where your foot is and regardless of wherever they are, they wind up under your soles like some podiatric intergalactic missile. Well, that's what happened tonight. One foot, one ice hunk, one twisted ankle. Dang! And only 7 or 800 metres into the run. So, with the help of my buddies I hobbled back to the car. Didn't feel that badly but I did not want to slow them down. I did have a secret thought that, perhaps, when I got back to my place I would test the strained ankle in my own neighbourhood after it had an opportunity to rest (on the drive home)!



Got in the car and wouldn't you know it...when I had accelerated (gas ankle = hurt ankle) it hurt like hell. I think the slight plantar extension required in depressing the gas pedal is the same plantar extension that is utilized in running. Hmmm...nix the Plan B run. Anyway, I got home and decided to give my daughter, the physiotherapy student, an opportunity to do a clinical assessment and write a plan of therapy. She said, "where does it hurt?" I said, "right across here". "Does it hurt when you do this?" "Yes." "How about when you do this?" "Yes". "Hmmm...I think you should put ice on it and rest it for a few days...oh, I would recommend that you not go to spin tomorrow." "Is that it? Is that all you're going to tell me?" "yeah, that's what we tell everybody!"... Bottom line is I have a 51 year old ankle. Came to that realization when I was sprawled on the Hampton Road. Gawd! I feel so betrayed - my ankle has failed.



So, what's an old gal to do? Those ligaments, tissues, muscles, bones and such become so vulnerable. Something I would have totally ignored not that long ago, an ache or a pain, is now a source of hand wringing for me. I must now think about bone density, degenerative changes consistent with age, that intense fear of infirmity. I hate it when I am reminded of the frailties of the human body. Gosh, if running did anything for me, it was to facilitate the complete suppression of that fact.



K, this has been my cathartic moment. Tomorrow I will skip my spin class and apply ice to my ankle 3 or 4 times daily. And I will be out with my running group Wednesday night. Or not...



The Middle Aged Runner

Mea Culpa, Mea Culpa, Mea Maxima Culpa

I was raised in the Catholic Church. I was accustomed to the structure and the ritual, to the smell of the incense during feasts and celebrations and to the lyrical droning of the community reciting the Apostles’ Creed – never in unison. I dutifully received my sacraments – baptism, communion, confirmation, marriage – without any doubt that this was the way things were done – whether I liked it or not. I brought my children up in the Church, taught Catechism, was a lay reader and was generally quite involved. I was a good Catholic, always felt somewhat tainted about being human – generally lived with a good sense of guilt every day. Well, I don’t attend mass anymore – no longer meets my spiritual needs. Running now fills that void - I believe I have alluded to this in one of my earlier posts.

What’s my point? This is what is curious - over the weekend, on two successful beautiful days – Saturday and Sunday, I thought about running but decided that the need to do some Christmas shopping was more immediate. So, that’s what I did – I went Christmas shopping and did not run – didn’t even go to the gym. How did I feel about that? GUILTY! What is going on here? Evidently in the transfer from one spiritual vehicle to another – that old RC guilt came with it. Dang! So, did I flog myself mercilessly? No, but that constant pang – so comfortably settled in my gut for most of my life - remained. "Bless me Father, for I have sinned; it has been 5 days since my last run". Until tonight! I ran with my friend Brent . "I am only interested in 10 k", he said. "Me too", I replied as we walked out the door. Our 10 km turned out to be 14 and hilly as hell. The ice was trecherous in some areas so we took a few turns here and there. Let's go down here, less traffic, less ice. It was glorious. We parted at the school and as I drove home, listening to As it Happens talk about abandoned Chihuahuas in California, I felt a sense of relief - similar to the feeling I had during the penance I was given as a child. Tonight, as then, I felt purged of my transgressions. Only tonight it was combined with the endorphin high.

Sweet redemption. I can live with myself yet again.

As I read this entry I am reluctant to post it - it seems so intimate and kind of nutty too. But I think we all live with guilt in one form or another and I think many of us are motivated by the need to eliminate that guilt.

Any other guilty runners out there?

The Middle Aged Runner

ps - Thanks Brent...