Chapter Eight- The Benefits of Running with a Partner or Group

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So the question is why run with anyone when running is such an individual sport. Well studies have shown that athletes will exceed their expectations or personal bests when performing with a group or in front of a group.  As a Road Warrior, a member of RunGR, and For the Run of Muskegon; I can attest to the theory that running with other people will get you farther.  Since I have started running I have increased my mileage to 5 miles in 10 weeks.  I personally highly recommend joining a group and or finding a running partner.

How to choose what is right for you.

There are so many groups that one can choose from that a person must investigate and research.  Most groups will let you try them out before you join.  Be prepared to ask and answer-direct questions about training schedules.  You want to know up front if you have common expectations and a similar workout ethic. Do at least two trail runs before you commit to more.  You’ll know pretty quickly if the other person is positive and reliable.

Benefits of a group or partner.

For me being apart of the Road Warriors has given me a whole new group of friends.  I have the support that I need to increase my mileage and go faster, but most of all it gives me accountability.  I am responsible for not only showing up for practice, but also bringing a positive attitude.  As a new runner you need veteran runners to educate you about the runners rules.

I would like to invite you to RunGR if you live in an around Grand Rapids and “For the Run of Muskegon” if you live in Muskegon. I will have my first experience with RunGR this week., but my follow Road Warriors sing their praises.  ” For the Run of Muskegon ” is a new group  in Muskegon that is just trying to get people out of the door and exercising. Both of these groups can be found on Facebook. So get a partner or join a group you might fine that you will become a better runner.

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A Transformation of Racer to Runner

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While on my vacation to Maui last week, I ran my 4th marathon there. During this race,  I had the pleasure of running with a man who had trained and expected to WIN this race overall, but ended up having knee surgery several months prior to the event.  His plans for this race were drastically modified, both physically and mentally, because of his injury.   He had discovered ways  of rehabilitation through simply not running months leading up to the race and through physical therapy.  I admired his attitude and his perseverance. He could have easily just ditched his plans to participate in the race all together because he knew he had no chances of winning it or even coming remotely coming close.

Early on in the race, while telling me impressive stories on his running career, he stated, “Today, I will finally become a runner and not a racer”. This sort of shocked and confused me.  What in the world did he mean by that? During those next 16 miles running together, I would discover what he meant by those words…

Throughout this race, his response back to his family, spectators and other runners on course, was similar to one who would be running their their first race. Giving high fives, cheering on other racers, and waving at vehicles driving by.  He had a certain smile on his face, almost as if he had never smiled while running before.  When he could  tell that the inclines and wind were bothering me, he took on a mentor role and he’d remind me to relax, smile, and take it all in. He’d say, “Make sure you not worry about the outcome, just enjoy this”.  He stopped at every aid station, had his picture taken with the locals, and sampled the food goodies offered.  Comments like, “I can’t believe how great I feel” and “I don’t remember ever enjoying a race like this before” were made by him.  I could tell he was having the time of his life at that race.  I sure enjoyed seeing this elite runner discover a new part of running that he had never experienced before. I, on the other hand, can’t imagine just going through that sort of discovery now after all I have been through in my short 4 years of running. I’d like to remind you, that I consider myself a ‘zen runner’. When I loose that ‘feel good moment’, I tend to hold back.

Our training, as Fifth Third River Bank Road Warriors, is going to get pretty intense moving forward. So, I will learn to discover the racer inside me instead. As this transformation occurs, I will hopefully think back on this day when the racer became a runner.  To just be as optimistic as he was and to savor every moment on my journey to the finish line.. no matter how difficult it may get. May 12, 2012 will be here before we know it!

Finishing strong.. with a smile!

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Committed or Obsessed?

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When I was chosen to be a Road Warrior a whole new world was opened to me.  A world full of new terms, gear, training schedules, injuries, and learning learning, and more learning.  Some may say that I was getting a bit obsessed.  In fact, my husband, Dave, specifically told me multiple times I was, “getting too obsessed with this whole running thing.”

I’m a passionate person and when I take something on I throw myself into it 100%.  I learn all I possibly can about what I am doing so as not to be surprised when issues pop up.  I’m constantly asking questions, doing research, and trying to prepare myself to avoid the worst whether that is an injury, or training improperly, or whatever.

Enter Dwight, or as I am now calling him, Sensei.  Dwight is my partner in crime when it comes to all things Road Warrior related and he’s a “been there done that” kind of runner.  Whenever we get a chance to run together, I have yet another chance to interrogate him.  This past Saturday it was a chance to run in the worst weather we had ever encountered and for Sensei to give me a nugget of his wisdom.  I was running too fast during my long runs.

As Dwight explained, the idea of a long run is to let yourself get lost in it and to use it as a piece of your training to enable your body to adjust to long distances.  Running it fast, in all actuality, can be detrimental to your training and hinder your progress.  Wow.  Who’d a thunk it?  So instead of chugging out 7 miles on Saturday in some of the fugliest weather I’ve ever run in, we ended up doing a little over 8 miles at one of the slowest paces we’ve ever done together.  And yeah, the weather was still horrible but neither of us had ever run that far before – another PR for the both of us.

This brings me back to the whole being committed part.  I am committed enough to this program to buy the right gear to protect my body.  I am committed enough to grill my Sensei, and everyone else for that matter, for tips and tricks as to how I can train better for the Fifth Third River Bank Run 25K on May 12.  I am committed enough to drag my happy butt out of bed on a Saturday morning, get to the YMCA, and run in a snowstorm for just over 8 miles which froze my tush, my hair, my hat, my scarf, my thighs, I had to take off my glasses because I couldn’t see because of the snow on them, the ice/snowflakes were whipping into my face, my feet were soaked, and then some yahoo almost ran Dwight and I over when the car could have gone into the other lane.

Why am I this committed?  Because of you.  Over 200 people applied to be a Road Warrior.  I was chosen one of ten.  There are over 200 people who would pretty much kill to be in my wet and snowy shoes right about now.  This is bigger than me.  Whenever I want to stay in my warm bed instead of going on a long run, go home after work and be with my kids and husband instead of going to speed training, or not go out in that fine Michigan weather I think of you and how you would kick my butt to the curb to be in my place.  Yes, you inspire me to be a better person and to follow through on this adventure no matter what.

I promise to never let you down.  I promise to put everything I have into this experience.  I promise to blog about the good, the bad, and the ugly because this process isn’t all sunshine and roses.  I promise to do my best to let you live vicariously through me as I fully understand and appreciate the importance of the Road Warrior program.

Obsessed?  Maybe a little.  But you need to be a little obsessed to be a runner.  Committed?  You bet.  Thanks for the motivation.  I couldn’t do this without you.

And for those of you keeping track – the colonoscopy is scheduled for this Friday the 3rd.  Please say a little prayer and keep your fingers crossed that everything is A-OK.

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Being the Trapeze Artist

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It’s that time of the year again.  The holidays are over, work is picking back up, the kids are getting sick, and you are starting to step up the intensity of your runs.  There is just too much on your plate and not enough time to eat it all.  Welcome to the culture of the world.  We are always on the move and have a don’t stop pace.  24/7 has officially turned into 25/7, and we have to somehow make up that extra hour of time.  So what do we give up?  We give up sleep, fun, maybe some work, friends, or even running.  It is tough and it affects nearly everyone.  I am in the boat with you.  Between teacher assisting, being an RA, being in a few clubs on campus, having a girlfriend and a social life, it can get busy.  We start to think about what we can knock out and unfortunately running seems to always be gone first, but that is where we need to draw the line.  Exercise, and running especially, helps keep people sane.  It’ll boost your immune system, circulate any crap out of your body, and keep you healthy.  You need to hold onto it.  So here is my advice to anyone out there who is struggling with time management.  Schedule.  I have attached an excel worksheet that includes Monday through Sunday and some times on it.  Write what you are doing down and stick to that schedule.  It will be amazing how much less stressed you feel when you start to get into a routine, all the stress can all magically disappear.  So if you are stressed like me, do what I did and schedule out your weeks, that way you can stay on top of everything and know what is coming up next.

Time Schedule

Oh, and don’t forget to donate a little to the Ronald McDonald House of Western Michigan, they are doing good work here and a little bit can go a long way!

Until next time, see you on the run!

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Elisabeth

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Every time I get home from a run this is the face that greets me.  She’s always excited to see me and has a thousand questions about how it went.  ”Daddy did you run? “Daddy are you sweaty?”  ”Daddy are you going to stretch?”  It’s always the perfect end to what can sometimes be grueling work.

In the spring of 2009 I weighed 360 pounds and my blood pressure was so high that I was basically a walking stroke waiting to happen.  I was reaping the results of years of laziness, indulgence and gluttony.  Then Elisabeth made her grand entrance.  I knew things had to change.  There she was, this little life for whom I was now responsible.  My life wasn’t mine any more.  I knew I had to make changes to ensure I was around to watch her grow up, to dance at her wedding and to help her terrorize her mother for years to come.

It took me two years of trying before I finally figured it out but she was always there, smiling and reminding me the reason I was here and why I should stick around. Now she wants to get involved.  She’s inserted herself into my post run routine.  When I walk in the door she knows it’s time for chocolate milk.  Once we’ve replenished our carb stores its time to stretch.  She’s always terribly concerned about how sweaty I am, never satisfied until my arms are dry and I’m “all better”.

She’s going to run her first race with me next month; a kids fun run at a February 5k.  It makes my heart leap at the thought of us sharing my new found passion for running, cycling and fitness.  She already has a permanent spot in the burley for my summer bike rides and it won’t be long before she’s riding her own bike alongside me.  I’ve also come to realize she inherited her father’s love for gear.

She will be three years old in May.  It’s been the fastest three years of my life.  I know some day I’m going to look back and despair at how fast my little girl grew up but for now I’m going to enjoy the journey.  I can’t imagine a better companion.

I love you baby girl!

 

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