Wednesday December 18, Workout #2: Base Run with Drills Planned Duration: 0:55 Description: 15 min gradual warm-up Base effort throughout End with 4 x (:15 skipping/ :15 jog/ :15 grapevine/ :15 jog)
Post-activity comments: This is my happy pace. I love this. When I run like this (without a watch) I think to myself about a hundred times – “I love to run”. My arms are low and swing happy & free. My hands are easy. My face is relaxed. I smile and wave a lot. I feel like the ambassador for running & endorphins. My actual pace varies. It’s faster downhill, like a 6 year old running down a hill. It’s slower uphill. If I’m still thinking”I love to run”, without wanting to yell at myself or throw my toys, that’s my happy pace.
My happy pace. It makes everything seem ok. What swim? 🙂
Workout #1: Crazy Polar Bear Bippy-Freezing! Type: Other
Description: Have fun, crazy lady!
Pre-Activity Comments: WOW! That was cold!
The 34th Annual Thanksgiving swim. I’m not sure why the tradition began. The swim takes place at Duxbury Beach in Massachusetts (New England cold). Our swim location is a stone’s throw from where the pilgrims set ground, before being able to make their way into Plymouth harbor. I’m sure some of the pilgrims fell in the water and got cold. So possibly we’re re-enacting? This is doubtful. It’s certainly the result of mixing beer and otherwise clear thinking 35 years ago.
The 2013 swim was one of the coldest. Many years the air and water are actually warm enough for people to run in 2 or 3 times. We have scads of photos through the years of people hanging out on the beach afterward and socializing. (One of my favorites is of my dad, in his bathing suit, talking to my grandmother in her big, warm winter coat.)
Why swim? It’s impossible to make this seem like a wise choice, but there is something wonderful about a group of people rallying early on Thanksgiving morning to spend time together. There’s something special about hanging out with a gang of all ages (from 8 to 70 this year) that counts to three then runs into the freezing ocean roaring like polar bears. It’s not for everyone, but it works for me.
Workout #2: Happy Thanksgiving!
Type: Other
Description: Thank you for being an awesome, inspiring athlete and thank you so much for giving me the honor of coaching you!
Workout #3: Gratitude, Play with Family Type: Other
Description: Play, play, play, play. Love life!
Pre-Activity Comments: Mission complete. A wonderful holiday and many, many reasons to be grateful. Happy Thanksgiving 2103.
My morning swim workout was joyfully improved by my 10 year old daughter.
Each time I reach the wall, I look at my handy workout scrap of paper to see what’s next. This is what I saw today. Hannah had embellished. I smiled each time.
It wasn’t just that these little guys (called “gazintas”) are cute. It was the amount of love that she had poured into the making of them and onto the piece of paper. Being a working parent and a triathlete means there’s a lot to balance. There are trade-offs. There are moments of guilt – for missing breakfasts and not having enough time to do her hair the way she likes it every morning.
These “gazintas” are a new at our house. We created them to add fun to long division. (yes, “fun” & “long division” in the same sentence) We use them to figure out how many times 7 gazinta (goes into) 35, etc. But now there’s gazintas on my swim workout . And what have I figured out? There’s much love that gazinta me and my workouts from my family. Every time they’re ok with me doing what I love – their love gazinta me.
I couldn’t do all of this without my family’s support and I can’t tell you just how lucky I feel to have it.
Sully and Mike Wizowski were right. There’s more energy in laughter.
This past Sunday, I ran the Ashland Half Marathon. The plan was to leave the garmin at home and run in a tutu and fairy wings, 1. It was so close to Halloween and 2. To remind myself that I was doing this one for fun. Somewhere, maybe 15 yards past the start line, I started making plans to ditch the wings which were flapping all around.
And then I ran past a group of spectators. The youngest were toddlers. I was unprepared for their un-containable excitement. There were squeals and smiles and exclamations – “mom, look there’s a fairy!” Wow! You can’t get that from from two cups of coffee! And it was contagious – I smiled. All the runners around me smiled – and we kept running.
13.1 (hilly) miles. It never stopped. The squeals, the excitement, the smiles. They came from toddlers most readily, but there were no shortages from parents and grandparents. Each and every time it happened – I smiled wider and felt a surge of energy. The wings kept flapping and bumping my arms, but there was no way I could ditch them, anymore. I was hooked on this and I was actually having a blast – running a half marathon.
When the race was done, I waited in line for my complimentary massage. It was such a hilly course, my quads were burning and my hamstrings were tight, as expected. But for the first time, I was aware of sore muscles where I’ve never felt sore. My cheeks. The muscles in my cheeks were actually tight and ached from smiling for 13.1 miles.
I accomplished my race goal for Sunday – “have fun.” And as an added bonus, powered by laughter and joy, I also set a new half marathon PR. Go figure.
I may re-examine my perspective on endurance and trying hard.
life. 