Runs in Strange Places

Like Robyn, I too headed to warmer ground recently for a work conference. Last week I attended the annual conference for the American Council of Teachers of Foreign Languages in Orlando. It's funny that both Robyn and I had conferences in places where Colby has frequented for Spring Break track trips. And although my runs were not quite as scenic as Robyn's, it was still so nice to get outside in shorts and tank top and feel that sweat dripping down my back.

My first run took me down International Drive, which leads to Universal Studios. This route was not the most beautiful or runner friendly, but there were sidewalks and it was a very busy road so I figured that I would be safe. I was running by myself in a unknown place, so I wanted as many eyes around as possible in case anything happened. I had my iPhone strapped into an arm band, and I jammed out to some Lorde as I passed by strip mall after strip mall. But I wasn't just carrying my phone for my music. Being a young, female runner wearing short shorts and a tank top and running alone, I also carried my phone in case of emergency, if I needed to call my colleagues back at the conference for help, or worse. This is a scary thought, but a necessary one. I was prepared. I wore my Oiselle Distance Shorts for their ample pockets, and stashed my hotel room key and debit card. Just in case.

Let's get real, runners. If you're like me, you go for runs all the time with nothing on you: no phone, no keys, no ID. I often tell myself that I'm close enough to home that someone will help me, or I could outrun a creeper if he/she is chasing me. Running around rural Connecticut does not pose many threats (although a colleague once told me someone was shot while running, so there's that). I worry about falling and injuring myself and being alone, but thankfully and luckily, this has not happened so far. This fall, I finally wised up and got an arm band for my iPhone. Not for me, but for my cross country team. As an adult responsible for fifteen young girls running around, I needed to actually be responsible. My girls are not as fit as I am, and with so many bodies, something is bound to happen. I did not want to be in a position where I couldn't help them, or lose my job because of this. I have since gotten used to wearing my iPhone arm band, and it's not that bad. But over the course of this fall, I have been realizing how important it is to keep yourself safe. Just in case. Bringing a phone or a few bucks on a run is no big deal, and could really save someone one day on a run. Pocketed running bottoms are great for stashing some GU, but those pockets also fit credit cards, keys or even phones. Especially when running in a strange place, it's definitely better to be safe than sorry.

Now, back to my Orlando runs. On the first day, I saw a distant castle and an upside down building.

 

On day two, I decided to find some green and I ran away from the busy roads (still with my phone and money, of course) toward prettier spaces. I saw some quintessential palm trees, the back of our convention center, and decided to take a selfie to show just how hot it was: close to 80! It was a great trip, and a fun change of pace for my runs. Next up: some turkey trots and serious winter running.

 

Rachel "already vitamin-D deficient" Runner

Let's Go to San Diego - Hey, where's Ron Burgundy?

I wrote this post while sitting on an airplane on route back to Baltimore from the wonderful city of San Diego, but was too lazy to transfer pictures to my computer until now (procrastination isn't just for college kids).  Over the past week I met my yearly quota for geekdom at the Annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience. Imagine 30,000 people like me who want to be able to read your mind. OK, enough with my misrepresentation of what neuroscientists do. I won’t bore you with the exciting things I learned this week (including that the same brain area controls both aggressive and mounting behaviors), as this is a running blog. So instead I’ll share some of the incredible pictures I captured on my runs and my thoughts that were most relevant while juggling training in an abnormal week. 

Tip: if you aren’t interested in reading my ramblings and just want the goods, pictures are at the bottom of the post J

I happened to leave my trusty iPod shuffle at home, so instead of listening to the bustling sounds of a city I took along my cell and wasted some Gb’s on Pandora. As a rule, I never run with my phone (anything that I have to hold in my hands will inevitably get dropped, so I tend to bring a clip-on shuffle or nothing at all).  It ended up being a happy accident that I brought my phone along because I got in a lot more sightseeing than my fellow neuroscientists. Not only did I get a bunch of great pics, but I made the clutch discovery of a Ben & Jerry’s stand right near our hotel, picked out our dinner destinations, and saw some street performers.

The main running issue I thought about this past week was the tremendous difference you feel when you have to walk everywhere. There’s something you take for granted – how walking can affect your training. Well given that I barely walk anywhere anymore in Baltimore, my legs and feet were feeling a bit shell-shocked this week. You don’t notice it at the time but walking takes a toll on your body and for those of us who are frustratingly delicate and injury-prone, it’s something you don’t ignore. My advice is this, if you’re feeling the effects of being on your legs all day but don’t want to change your running plans – consider my opinion on the matter. Do you need those additional miles for training or is it that you aren't (mentally) flexible enough to alter your training plan to accommodate the unusual fatigue in your legs? Not everyone shares my philosophy about training – that training smart can trump training hard. Kid gloves aren’t shameful when it comes to preventing injury. So I'm arguing that you knock a mile or two off your intended run. You could change your route to a hilly course so that you get more bang for your buck. Hills slow you down but (should) keep you at the same effort level, meaning that for the same time on your legs you’re getting less impact. Lower impact = avoid overuse injuries! Sometimes it’s not all about the numbers. In this instance, I’d argue that there is equal gain in fitness to do a really challenging hilly or trail 6mi run than a 7-8mi run on flat pavement/concrete where your legs are already tired and likely to add on to an impending injury. 

iPhone camera really pulling its weight

1, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4 mile @ lactate threshold pace at sunset

Seriously, no photoshopping, this sunset was unreal.

Andiamo means "let's go" in Italian.

Sunrise run on the last day. 

The D-word.

Going to college in Maine had its perks--a beautiful fall, great terrain, lonely roads and trails--but it also had its drawbacks. And one of the biggest challenges that we runners faced at Colby was the end of Daylight Savings. Way up north, in the thick of the winter, it would often be dark by 4 pm. And I don't mean sun setting, dusky dark. I mean pitch black, cars can't see you, headlamp dark. We took the necessary precautions: reflector vests, running early, sticking to sidewalks and running in packs. At the very least, I always had teammates with whom to run and their company made the runs fly by. I always watched the calendar anxiously for December 21st: a good friend's birthday that will always also remind me of the winter solstice. On this day, we celebrate the day of Debbie's birth and the return to the lengthening of the days. Once past this day, we can at least look forward to the days getting longer little by little. (Conversely, I always mourn the occurrence of June 21st).

I supposed, though somewhat naively, that moving so far south so Connecticut would mean longer days and the sun setting later in the winter. And yet nothing much has changed. Let's be real here, CT is not that far from ME. New England is not that big. When classes get out at 3:30 and practice starts at 4:00, it's a race against the sun to get in our runs. With my team, we donned our reflector vests and got right to work. I overestimated how fast (read: slow) we would go on a 7 mile run last week, and ended up running the last two miles in complete darkness. And this is just the first week after Daylight Savings! The kicker of all of this is the complete and utter lack of sidewalks (let alone shoulders) or street lights. You're shooting completely in the dark around these parts.

As cross country winds down and the days get darker, I struggle to find ways to stay motivated--and safe. I can run 3 miles every day and then hop on the treadmill or bike, but that's complacency right there. And while I may not be training for a big race for another 5 or 6 months, I always need something to work towards. A few ideas: fitting into my winter pants (I'm currently sitting in a cafe with my pants unbuttoned. No shame), seriously lifting multiple times a week, reclaiming my abs, focusing on speed work, getting my yoga flow on, or relying on weekends for that clutch long run. I will not be confined to the treadmill, nor will I be hit by a car due to poor visibility. For me, it's definitely worth it to get outside, reflective gear on, and log some miles. I just need to make good choices and accept weather-defeat occasionally. But if I've made it through 4 years of cold, cold Maine winters, another Connecticut winter can't shake me.

Stay warm,
Rachel "I hate winter yet I went to college in Maine" Runner

P.S. I'm thinking of running a full marathon this spring. Am I crazy?

"A mule is easier to obtain than a hinny"

Fun fact (courtesy of Wikipedia):

A mule is the offspring of a male donkey and a female horse.

A hinny is the offspring of a male horse and a female donkey.

Despite Wikipedia's claim that a mule is easier to obtain than a hinny (see #3 definition here, http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hinny), as of late I have been finding the presence of mules to be rather elusive. It appears that I have been out of their natural habitat and thus I traveled to less temperate climates this past weekend in hopes of a spotting of this species. And much to my delight, I found a whole flock of mules (because didn't you know that mules travel in flocks?) located on the grasslands of a park in Connecticut. It was hard to contain my joy at this rare occasion, as seeing one mule in the wild is a blessing, and finding myself surrounded by mules was a dream. I was so joyous that I didn't even mind the stampede of embraces that ensued less than 60 seconds after stepping out of the car and into the parking lot. 

Several hugs later, our cluster of Colby Alumni who had traveled from near and far to watch the NESCAC cross-country championship race stood comfortably on the outskirts of the Colby area waiting for the race to start. I had a weird flashback moment when Coach Deb was explaining the course to me on a map. Per usual, I had no idea where she was describing and started feeling that anxious knot in my stomach. Luckily I remembered that I wasn't actually racing. Old habits die hard...

Perfect weather, a multi-loop course, and fantastic ocean views made for a spectator's dream. It had been almost exactly two full years since I raced xc, and just over one year since I had attended an xc race. Obviously, my love for the sport has not died since graduating from college. This became apparent by my gleeful sprinting from corner to corner around the course to cheer on my friends, and aided by the loss of my voice from screaming. In fact, I'm surprised at myself for not taking splits (blame it on Deb's confusing explanation of the mile markers).

Too many fantastic moments occurred this weekend, and this rambling post makes a mockery of how much fun I had being reunited with my mules, but there was one thing that stood above the rest. An inspirational comeback story of a runner who fought through years of injury and unjust team cuts to finally have the season she deserved.

Congrats to my girl Bah-reezy for killing it this past weekend and all season. 

May you run and never look back.

Let me be your hero - Enrique Iglesias

Robyn "many shoes, one mule" Runner