How it began

I am in a really happy place these days. I guess it's a bunch of things happening at once:1. I'm at that point in pregnancy (12 weeks) where miscarriage isn't such a risk anymore. 2. I found the cure for my plantar faciitis - switching shoes to my Ecco Bioms and going barefoot to my step classes at the gym (we all knew rest wasn't the answer!) 3. I'm over the fever and cough I had earlier in the week. 4. Things are not too busy, yet things are going well with my PhD project.

Here's how this week in training looked:

Sat: step class, 1.5 hours running with baby jogger
Sun: 3 hour run
Mon: pulse-step-core class, 1 hour swim, 20 minute run (had to stop when I started feeling febrile), fever mon night
Tues: 2 hour run, 1 hour yoga
Wed: 2 hour run
Thurs: Pulse-step-core class, 1.5 hour run
Fri: 3 hour run

I am also happy now that we have the goal of the Chippewa 50k to train for. And we're adding a trail marathon to the calendar in light of Chippewa. It's the Skodsborg Marathonthe 29th of January.

Speaking of training for something, I was contacted by one of my dear friends from grade school today asking for advice for training for the Chicago Marathon this coming fall. First of all, I am so excited with the idea of helping her. The biggest challenge I can see so far is that she does all of her training on a treadmill. I have to admit that if I only ran on a treadmill, I never would have worked up to being able to run a marathon. I lived for many, many years in Wisconsin running every single day of the winter outside - that's how much I hate treadmills. I just worry that when she gets to the part of running long runs that it will be too much of a chore that she'll give up. Good thing the weather will get nice again (I'm guessing she'll run outside then).

It got me thinking about how it was I started running in the first place. You know, not jogs up and down the block to stay in shape, not training with the soccer or basketball team, but A Runner. I clearly remember living on Spaight Street in Madison and going out for my first hour-long run. It was, as I recall, one of the most exciting moments in my life. I stopped by two friends' work place to say "I just ran an hour in a row!!!" And then, a few months later, I ran 16 miles around Lake Menona. I then went over to a friend's apartment and drank a cream soda. I realized I had never actually deserved a cream soda before. It felt awesome.

But it is also hard to look back on that time, because it didn't take long before running became an obsession, along with the weight loss that had suddenly come with it. It was such an easy way to gain control over life. And I found I didn't have TIME to stop by and spend time with those friends anymore. I made excuses to not go out. And I lost touch - with a lot - so I could find time to work, study and RUN. What I am saying simply can't be foreign to other ultra runners or otherwise serious runners out there. But at some point, we get good at molding our lives around our obsession. Our friends are runners, maybe even our spouses (that is if we're lucky). But then again, most of you are probably thinking you would never let your running get out of hand. Or is it actually okay to let it get out of hand?

Well, it will take a while before my friend, Becky, training for her first marathon, gets to the point of the guy in this video (and honestly, I doubt she ever would take it this far!). Anyway, thanks for this link May-Britt. Enjoy...




Running song of the day: Hello by Martin Solveig and Dragonette (for those who enjoy getting hypnotized - but be warned: you might start having strange dreams about Martin Solveig!)