WEEK 3: JAN 15 – JAN 21, 9 miles

1/21/07, Sun: NO RUN. John worked a day shift today. By the time he got home, of course, it was dark, and I won’t run my usual routes in the dark. (With Margie not sleeping well last night, I didn’t have it in me to get up early and run before he left.) I begged John to let me just run around our block a bunch of times, but he put his foot down on that too. “You know what kind of people live in this subdivision!”

1/20/07, Sat: 2.5 miles, @25 minutes. After running in temperatures in the 20s and below recently, today’s early evening run at 35 degrees felt downright balmy; I was definitely overdressed in my fleece scarf and thermal shirt. Although I felt tired, as usual, I tried to push my pace, and although most “real” runners would scoff at 10 minute miles, I am quite happy with them. So I can’t complain about a sluggish pace – my contention today was with my nemesis, the pesky ingrown toenail. (I apologize for the picture – it’s mainly for Big Marge’s benefit.) My left big toenail became ingrown about a month after Baby Margie was born, so as Margie turns seven months old, my festering infection turns about six months old. Charming. And I beg anyone out there who wants to warn me about the dangers of infection or to implore me to go to the doctor to NOT.

1/19/07, Fri: 3.5 miles, 37 minutes. I started this run today with absolutely NO desire to run. But since running comes above “sitting on the couch like a lazy slug” on my life’s priority list, I had to run (in addition to the fact that I hadn’t run for the previous two days – that’s another rule: to never go more than two days in a row without running). So I donned my shoes, hat, gloves, scarf, sunglasses, cell phone, and pedometer – I would have strapped on my watch too if that six degree day hadn’t killed it – and headed out into the beautifully sunny, frigid morning at my patented “Emily Shuffle” pace, which I estimate to be about 11 minutes per mile. Today, I ran my normal route in reverse. This change was invigorating, and made me feel like I was running a completely different route. I need to do that more often. I am getting so bored with my usual route. This run would have been slightly faster had I not taken a phone call as I was finishing the run – I hate talking on the phone, so sometimes it’s just easier to take care of a phone call right then, rather than bothering with calling the person back. The poor woman probably was wondering why my breathing was labored and my speech was slurred (my lips were partially frozen). It was about 22 degrees this morning, which didn’t feel too bad, except for the stinking wind. I started this run with the intention of running 2.5 miles, just to say I ran, but by the time I got to the point where I had to turn and head home, my body was in a trance-like gait, and I pretty much unintentionally “shuffled” through another mile or so. So even though I totally didn’t want to run, I was, of course, glad that I had done so.

1/18/07, Thur: NO RUN. John’s schedule didn’t allow me to run today unfortunately, and “life” got in the way of running. I had lunch with some friends from church, an event that comes above running on the priority list.

1/17/07, Wed: NO RUN. We slept in late this morning (until 10) and then I had to go feed the llamas. This was my last morning to do that. By the time I got back, John was leaving for work, and I didn't have a chance to run. However, I did wear Margie around in the backpack for an hour and a half while cleaning today. It wasn't a cardio workout, but it's definitely a leg-strength builder! I would challenge anyone to squat repeatedly to pickup toys off the floor and to walk up and down the stairs with 20 pounds of baby on their back.

1/16/07, Tue: 3 miles, 34 min. I set out to do 2.5 miles, but once I got into the run, my body just got in a nice rhythm and I kept going around to the three-mile loop. When I set out to run today, the temperature, with the wind-chill factored in, was six degrees. SIX. It was cold. By the end of the run, ice had built up on the inside of my ninja-scarf. It was so cold that my watch is dead now. It was working fine until I went to stop the time at the end of the run. I saw "34" and then the display just went caterwampus. Bummer. Drawbacks to running in the cold: my legs were as stiff as boards, so I was moving along at a brisk shuffle, even though I felt great. Also running into a headwind half the way definitely was a barrier to a speedy time as well as a barrier to any semblance of warmth. Even the half with the tailwind didn't help my overall pace (rigor-mortis-like leg muscles). Even though the drawbacks may be more obvious than the benefits, I did notice some benefits to running in the cold: even through the pink and green leopard scarf, I could faintly detect the smell of rotting apples at the “idyllic” house; the cold air has a distinct numbing effect that pretty effectively eliminates those nagging little aches and pains that would normally be there; and people I ran by, mostly utility and construction workers (no body else was stupid enough to be out in this weather without being paid for it) seemed to be extra-friendly, giving little nods, as if to commiserate. Cold aside, I had a different, and altogether more annoying, issue to contend with: WRINKLED SOCKS. In my haste to rush out the door for a run in that small moment of opportunity, I left on a pair of tube-like sport socks instead of putting on running socks. That was a mistake. I think Big Marge will appreciate my abhorrence of the wrinkled socks. That, paired with the consistent untied nature of my right shoe, made my right foot a very unhappy camper. Altogether, it was a great run – the sky was cloudless and sunny, my body felt good, and I am able to run.

1/15/07, Mon: NO RUN. Today, my morning before John went to work consisted of picking up dad's truck and driving to Meridian to pick up dad's moose rack at Yellow Transportation. That was a fun little adventure, but the rack was fully crated, so I didn't get to see it. I'll have to wait for dad to get back from Atlanta.

WEEK 2: JAN 8 – JAN 14, 12.2 miles

1/14/07, Sun: 2.5 miles, @26 min. Went out Sunday afternoon, having just eaten a couple pieces of pizza; eating and running are two things that, as a mother, student, and wife, must be undertaken when the opportunities present themselves. That means sometimes I run immediately after eating, if that's when the opportunity to run presents itself (unless that "eat" happens to have been a five-plate Thanksgiving dinner). Because the temperatures have been unpleasantly chilly lately (highs in the 20s), I have taken to running with a fleece scarf wrapped around my neck, which I pull up over my mouth and nose, so I'm not directly sucking in the bitterly cold air. (God must have known that I would be running in frigid temperatures someday because He gifted me with an appropriately shaped nose for such scarf draping.) At the end of my run, as I headed into my subdivision, I passed a little kid walking on the sidewalk with his grandma. He, in a typically untactful little-kid manner, loudly remarked - several times, which I deemed excessive, considering the obvious cold temperature - that I looked like a ninja. “A ninja. Look, a ninja. There's a ninja!” I would have been a little huffy about this, except that I can totally see what the kid was talking about after I had John snap this picture of me after the run.

1/13/07, Sat: 3.2 miles, 33:23. It was 13 degrees and windy this morning when I went to feed the llamas around 10:00. Sheesh.

1/12/07, Fri: NO RUN. Life pre-empted running today. We had errands to do in the morning, I babysat Katie's girls in the afternoon, and I had a church function in the evening. On days that John works swing shifts, I have to run in the morning before he goes to work. If I don't get a run in early enough, or if I have something scheduled in the morning, I am doomed to have a “NO RUN” day. Running, however, doesn't come at the very top of my priority list. I determined that in my running ground rules. Running comes before things like "homework" or "clean the house" or "sit on the couch like a lazy slug." It, however, falls below things like "feed the kids" or "take care of husband" and any play date, lunch date, or church activity. I decided that for my running to be consistent, and for me to not constantly battle my guilty conscience about not running every single day, I had to set guidelines about where running would fall within my spectrum of priorities. Some days are just not conducive to running. And that's ok. But what's not ok is when I have a prime opportunity to run and I don't jump at the chance. When the couch wins out, that's bad.

1/11/07, Thur: NO RUN. I definitely have Dieter's cold; not happy about this. In addition to this inconvenience, Baby Margie was up the half the night last night vomiting the oatmeal I gave her for dinner. It was the first time I had given her oatmeal, and it will be the last for a very long time. We’ll just stick to sweet potatoes and applesauce for now.

1/10/07, Wed: 2.5 miles, 26:05. I still didn't feel like running, but I had to run today anyway, knowing that the next two days didn’t look good for the running schedule. I started running feeling like I weighed about 500 pounds. By the end of the run, I had “lost” about 300 pounds, a definite improvement. Running often has that effect of improving mood and physical well-being. I often wish I could run with an iPod, but I decided I would rather have an obnoxious version of “O Happy Day” cycling through my brain than be surprised by a charging dog or an attacker rustling in the bushes or the erratic teenage driver (of whom there seem to be an inordinate number) approaching behind me at a high rate of speed.

1/9/07, Tue: NO RUN. By the end of today, I was feeling like I was coming down with Dieter's stupid cold that he has had for several days. Because I was totally sore from my last two workouts (the four miler and the hill work), I decided to take a day off to rest. I DON'T WANT TO GET SICK. Doing everything I can to stay well.

1/8/07, Mon: 4 miles, 39:43. Today, I ran by the graffiti (WSL for West Side Locas, yes Locas) spray painted on the fence and the scary 'hood kids in a yard, one of whom repeatedly hollered "Justin" until finally yelling "Fire Away!” (upon hearing this, I bravely forged by them without making eye contact, like they were stray dogs or something). That's bad to be frightened of the 10-year-old kids in the neighborhood through which I am forced to run. I also ran by the parolee chalets; the "idyllic" house, defined by the tangy smell of rotting apples; and the "less-than-idyllic" shack, which, according to my imagination, could easily house a serial killer, looking abandoned except for the perpetual smoke rising from the chimney and the junkyard dog who often greets me. The junkyard dog wasn’t out today, but the Great Dane and the German Shepherd to his east greeted me in typical friendly fashion.

I had a little pain in my right kneecap, and I am sure this is a result of suddenly starting a running regime with no precursor. Also, drinking coffee before the run seemed to work well...no stomach cramps, which usually plague me if I am running with anything in my stomach. My body and lungs seemed to finally be in synch today. One did not tire before the other. They both felt strong the entire way (not to say that I wasn't tired at the end); and I was able to surge strongly the final 2/10 mile.

Although I felt lithe today, the shadow stretched in front of me reminded me that I am have a “classic pear shape.” But the pear-shaped runner was running nonetheless, right? As John Bingham of Runner’s World says, "Waddle on, friends."

Today was a great run except for my chapped lips. I get so angry when I forget to put on chapstick before running. Un-chapsticked lips are almost as bad as wet socks on the “things that totally aggravate my senses” list. The chapped lips are a telltale sign that I NEED TO DRINK MORE WATER.

PERSONAL RUMINATIONS ON RUNNING

The following is an excerpt from a paper on ultrarunning that I wrote for an English class last semester, Fall 2007 (I merely extracted paragraphs from throughout the paper, so if it doesn’t seem very coherent, that’s why; I wanted to include it in the blog because it gives some background on the mentality with which I now approach running):

I’m a runner. At least that’s how I perceive myself in athletic terms. Since my sophomore year in high school, I have nurtured a love-hate relationship with running. When I’m running, I hate it. When I’m not, I love it. Lately, I have become obsessed with this conundrum. I truly aspire to be a runner, not just someone who thinks about it a lot.

Having two babies in the last five years has been a roadblock to my running success. I’m a slug, yet I still have the desire to be a serious runner, and I am slowly getting back into it. But to some extent, running is my fantasy – I do a lot of running in my dreams. Still, I had to begin somewhere. In order to not shock my system with too much exercise right off the bat, I started with the mild step of reading about running. In doing so, I discovered ultramarathoning.

In his autobiography, Ultramarathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner, Dean Karnazes relates the story of how he ran a 199-mile relay race from Calistoga, California to Santa Cruz, California as a team of one. “…A bout of despair set in. Suddenly, nothing seemed to be going right… The sun was now sinking below the distant horizon, and I was running into a gathering gloom. I was alone… The pain wasn’t just confined to my legs any longer but had spread throughout my entire body. I plodded along in grief, barely able to lift my head. Twenty-eight hours of running can do that to you” (234-5). I’ve read numerous statements from ultrarunners that would completely deter most people from contemplating participation in this extreme sport.

I, however, wasn’t deterred. I was compelled. I realized there is a whole sub-category of runners out there who are influenced by the power of the ultra. I wondered why anyone would willingly engage in such a painful activity. Why would someone run such long distances? What’s involved? Would I be capable of doing this? I didn’t know the answers to these questions, but I had to find out. Thus began my journey of personal discovery.

I can testify that runners’ strength comes from the mind rather than the body. Most of the time, I’m pretty weak-minded. Sitting on my couch, rear end comfortably ensconced in the broken-in cushion, I find myself completely engrossed in Blake Wood’s fascinating account of his experience at the 2000 Barkley Marathons. Wow, this is some good reading. Here’s a guy who came 12 miles from completing a 100-mile race, only to be stymied by a river flooded by torrential rain. Instead of feeling defeated, Blake Wood feels victorious. I’m extremely inspired by his story.

If the mind controls the body and compels it to action, why does my mind fail to lace up my running shoes and propel me out the door so I can pursue the same victorious feeling? Am I mentally tough enough to run an ultra? How does one’s mind adapt and talk itself out of defeat? What is the thought process behind it.

I turn my attention to The Extra Mile, Pam Reed’s account of her running and life. This woman is the race director of the Tucson Marathon, an internationally successful professional ultrarunner, a two-time overall winner of the Badwater Ultramarathon, a mother of three, and a wife. Pam might tell me that my perception of running needs to change. Pam states that for her, running is a necessity. After all, she runs three times a day, 100 miles a week. But somehow, it just doesn’t seem simple to move running up my priority ladder. I get tired simply reading the prologue.

The allure of the ultra has captured Dwight Schuh because, in his own words, he might be “absolutely crazy.” Speaking of crazy… my life is nuts, but not because I am obsessed with training. Being a mother comes with special challenges, more than a childless person would think. Go for a run or read to my son? This is my current dilemma. The juggling of husband, kids, church, school, and social obligations leaves me little time to do anything for myself. Running is a luxury, in my mind.

I am torn between love of things I used to do freely, such as running, and the necessity to complete the tasks that make life go on. Maybe some mothers find it easy to dart out the door, smiling baby in tow, for a productive one-on-one with the blacktop. I do not. Making each of the baby’s waking (and often fussy) moments productive is much more difficult than it sounds.

The ultramarathon culture is fascinating. My research has given me graphic insight into the elements necessary to train for and run ultramarathons. Here I sit, in front of the television, thinking that I want to be, that I should be out running. So why, when I can hardly muster the gusto to shuffle three miles, do I dream about running 30-plus miles? The short answer: I don’t know. Here’s what I do know: I have to start somewhere.

I start slowly. I escape the house without my kids and run three miles, winning a small victory when I can do it without walking. And it’s a treat to run alone. The extra exertion required to push a jogging stroller is amazing. Recently, I ran a 5k (3.1 mile) “race” in Boise with my son and daughter. From this experience, I determined that pushing 60 pounds of stroller and kid three miles is a really good workout, and I have a long way to go before I will be able to run 10 miles, let alone an ultramarathon.

For me, though, running an ultramarathon isn’t the goal. My mind conjures much less grandiose requirements for my body and my time. Run today, just today. Don’t think about tomorrow. Don’t even think about the next mile. Put one foot in front of the other and simply run.

WEEK 1: JAN 1 – JAN 7, 12.8 miles

1/7/07, Sun: Hill repeats @2 miles. Ran in the morning before church. Warmed up by running about .25 mile to the hill behind my house, then ran six repeats up and down the hill. Surged uphill at a strong pace then jogged down easy. Each repeat took about two minutes. Minimal breaks between repeats. Felt pretty good. Ran about .5 mile back home.

1/6/07, Sat: NO RUN. After running four days in a row following a very long period of no running, I felt ready for a day off.

1/5/07, Fri: 3.8 miles, 40:02. Felt a little fatigued today. Think I need a day off.

1/4/07, Thur: 2.5 miles, 25:51. Still feeling a little fatigued, but not too tired; finished strong. My first mile split was 11:00, so I picked up the pace nicely on the second 1.5 miles.

1/3/07, Wed: 2.5 miles, 28 min. Felt a little fatigued from yesterday, but I'm happy to be running consecutive days. It’s a start

1/2/07, Tue: 2 miles, 22 min. Just to be clear, I have not made running my New Year’s resolution. My desire to run has been building up all through the fall, and it’s simply time to start. More about that later… Simply, I know that for me to achieve ultimate satisfaction in races later in the year (maybe even a marathon) I have to run consistently, build mileage, and run NOW.