Posts Tagged ‘running’

Blogging about not blogging…

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

It’s been months since I’ve written anything coherent enough to post here. Many days, I haven’t been together enough to write my name. And yet, for all that, I’m still hanging in.

You see, the first weekend in April is the last time I did any exercise that didn’t result in at least mild discomfort within hours. Somewhere in the week preceding Easter, I did something, or more likely a combination of somethings, that caused pain in my lower back.

It took 5 or 6 weeks of chiropractic and medical care to be healed enough for me to resume most of my activities. Long enough to lose most of my cardio conditioning and a fair amount of muscle tone. And, even though I’m able to do almost everything I used to be able to do, there are many more limits on how much and how often I can do things like run 6 miles or ride the trails on my mountain bike.

Add that to a crisis in my home life and what I got was depression. An ever deepening fog that sucked me in and blanketed my days. Makes it tough to do the basics, almost impossible to do what moves you forward and blind to the light at the end of tunnel.

Fortunately for me, my business is fitness. So, sooner or later, the basics of my day includes exercise. Hard, sweat inducing, heart-pounding, muscle-tiring exercise. Daily! Because I advertised the classes in the moments I was lucid enough to realize I had to. And slowly, the daily dose of endorphins are performing their magic. The fog is lifting.

Not all day and not every day. But enough to see the path that God seems to be leading me on. Enough to see encouragement in the response to my running classes (still a month away). Enough to be grateful for my friends and students (often one and the same) and, finally, enough to put fingers to keyboard to write again.

So, now, I’ll shut down for now, get myself out of the car, drag my bike out of the back and thank God for this gorgeous, slightly cooler and drier morning and go get me a dose of endorphins —- and since I’m riding alone, maybe even a bunch of adrenalin!

This is the day the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24

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Learning to run…

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

I was talking about running with my friend, Thad, the other day. And I thought about why I teach running to women who are thinking about running. You see, Thad is a typical runner… “Just Do It.” Grab a pair of shoes, hit the road and run a triathlon. Easy, right? Fun? Of course! Go ahead, get out there…

Well, for lots of us, not so much…

When I started running at age 48, it was a deliberate decision on my part that I would MAKE it work. I had a lot of weight to lose and not a lot of time for exercise and walking wasn’t going to do it. I needed something with a higher calorie burn, and I figured I’d try one more time to become a runner.

You see, I’d tried many times before, always with the same results – try it 2 or 3 times and fail. This time it was different. I was in Wetumpka for the weekend to buy a house (the one I live in now), and it was the day to try. The odd thing was, it was also the day to figure out the secret. I did it. Stayed the course. Kept running.

Five years later, I’m still running. Running 5k’s, 10k’s, half marathons, and now I’m signed up for a marathon. What’s more, I’ve become a running coach, sharing what I learned the hard way with Wetumpka (and Montgomery, Prattville, Millbrook and Elmore) women who want to run.

Lots of women talk to me about running. And a lot of them say “I can’t run.” And then add:

“I don’t enjoy it.” Usually from women who’ve tried keeping up with a spouse or running friend who thinks it’s “just do it.” Try running with a group of NON-runners and succeeding together. And laughing together. And talking your way through till you CAN run a 5k.

“It hurts my (pick one) feet, knees, hips, low back.” Uh huh – it can, if you don’t know the secrets to running pain- and injury-free. Most of you just need someone to show you how (yes, there are real problems. Most people don’t have one that prevents them from learning to run).

“I can’t even run a mile.” Yep. And you’re not a teenage boy who can just pick up any old sport and do it. There’s a right way and a wrong way to start. And to try and run a mile on the first day is definitely a wrong way!

“I can’t breathe when I run.” I know what you’re doing. Been there, done that. Now, I know a better way to start running and keep breathing.

“I (bike, do the elliptical machine, swim), but I just can’t run.” Did you try and swim ¼ mile the first day you jumped in the water? Of course not! Lance Armstrong called his first marathon “the hardest physical thing I’ve ever done.” He learned that you can’t just transfer from one sport to another and expect to perform at the same level.

“I don’t know how.” Well, yes, and that’s why I’m teaching running. Most of us don’t know how to start.

I’m starting another class next week. Monday, 6:30 PM. Rumbling Waters Health Club. Downtown Wetumpka. Come LEARN to run with me! You won’t regret it.
Jeanne
Ignite! LLC
..Life Adventures for Women

* More details can be found on my website.

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National Running Day – Get out and Run

Tuesday, May 26th, 2009

I just found out that next Wednesday is National Running Day. It’s a day to celebrate our ability to run. Just run, no races, no pressure, just run!

Friday is my 5th anniversary of being a runner (and my son’s 29th birthday, coincidentally). 6 years ago, I couldn’t run. Five years ago, I decided to run. My first “run” was a grand total of 3 minutes. Each minute was separated by a 5 minute walk. BUT, I became a runner that day. I began running and never stopped.

Now, I’m passing it forward, by training new runners and runners who want to run better. I’m a running coach and I race for fun. So, Wednesday, June 3rd, I’ll be getting out and running. Who’s joining me?

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Power of Purple 5k coming!

Thursday, April 16th, 2009

On April 25th, the First Annual Power of Purple 5k will be run in Wetumpka to benefit the American Cancer Society. It will be run at 10 AM, just before Relay for Life – Wetumpka kicks off at noon. You can still register for this race at www. active.com through April 24th.

Here’s the route…

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Run forever!

Friday, April 10th, 2009

I teach new runners to run. I know people think “What’s the big deal about that?” Well, when you’ve never been able to make a running program work for you, and you have walker’s envy of the runners or you can’t figure out how to start, running programs are great! The groups are highly motivating, and there’s a lot of knowledge that I had to learn on my own that I can pass on.

It works. In 4 weeks, these women increase their running distance 500%. In 4 more weeks, another 500%. Twelve weeks in, women who never believed they could do it are running a 5k race and doing well!  Part of it is that we run in a group twice a week. There’s a lot of time for talking in these runs.Often, one of the group will ask me questions like “When does it get really easy?” or “This isn’t very tough for you, is it?”

Well, no, it isn’t very tough. When I go out for a run with my groups, it’s rare that I struggle. After almost 5 years as a runner, a two or two and a half mile run with people who are just starting aren’t likely to be that tough for me. And there are lots of days that running is a pure joy for me. In fact, most runs have wonderful periods in them, whether with the group or by myself.

Not all runs are perfect. Not all of every run is great. The runner’s high doesn’t happen every time or for all of a long run (often)… But, OH, when it does! When it all comes together, the sweat doesn’t matter, the road doesn’t matter, the cars going by don’t even come into your consciousness. Your beat is strong, the songs in your head are in tune with your stride. Aches and pains go away and the world is a good place. Your body is healthy and alive and it does anything you ask of it. It’s magic!

So, when does it happen? When you least expect it! When everything looks like it’s not working. Keep running, you’ll find it!

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The Power of the WIN!

Saturday, November 22nd, 2008

It’s all about winning….

When I started running, I learned an invaluable lesson from John Bingham, the running guru known as The Penguin. John is a late bloomer running icon. He’s not fast, but he loves the sport. And he loves introducing other people to running. In fact, he reminds me of, well, ME!

What he said was (to paraphrase), “You always win your division. You just have to define your division correctly!” So, whenever I run a race, I remember that I’m racing in the division I WANT to race in…. and I win! Almost every time. The only times I haven’t won my division is when I’ve done so well in a promoter-defined division that I’m happy with that place.

In my age group, I’ve won my state division, my letter group (first name starting with a J), my experience level, my hometown, the color of my shirt. There’s a special glow that comes over me when I know I’ve gone out there and done my best! And achieved more than I thought possible when I started. The whole concept frees me from worrying about how other runners do. I know I’m unique out there. I know I’m a winner. I know I’m worth every moment I put into it.

We’re 3 weeks out from the first race for my first group of runners. Just about 2 months ago, these 3 beautiful women did not run at all. Two sincerely believed they wouldn’t make it. The third wasn’t completely sure she would. Today, I had them running hills – a introduction to the hill workout that would have clobbered them if they’d tried it in the beginning. A workout that would have scared them if I’d told them it was coming before today.

They were GRINNING huge grins when they were done. The same grins I’ve seen over and over as they reach new milestones in their running. The same grins I’ve seen on kayakers making their first roll, on climbers ringing the bell at the top of a climb for the first time, on skiers reaching the bottom of the slope for the first time.

Go out and win something! Do something your best today! You are the best in your class. You’re the pinnacle.  Grab the achievement, make it yours. Don’t let anyone tell you you are anything but a winner…

And you will be! Be ignited!

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