Category Archives: Running

Comparison Will Steal Your Joy and Your Banana Pops (Marathon Training Recap 2)

Posted on June 18, 2013 | 14 Comments

Two weeks down, and sixteen-ish to go!

OVERVIEW:

Quick version— I was full of energy and enthusiasm going into the week. By the end of the week, I was tired, but I met my goal!

PS- You, yeah you, stop comparing your goals to mine!

For the most part, I had a good week of running. I started strong at the beginning of the week, but my legs were dragging by the end of the week. During my 3 mile run, my little monkey mind even wanted to chatter-on about cake and walking. “Listen monkey,” I said to myself, “I understand, you’re tired and you want to eat cake and go take a nap, but you’re going to feel like this a lot on future runs. We need to know that we can push through the fatigue. We need to know we can do it!”

“Um, I don’t know about that, that sounds like some mumbo-jumbo Kevin Costner motivation-crap speech to me,” said the monkey.

“Well could you run to the ice cream truck if it was on the corner getting ready to pull off?”

“Well, DUH. I could run to Ireland if it means I can get a banana pop or ten.”

“Okay then! Let’s keep going! Plus, if we walk, we’re going to be out here even longer. The sooner we finish, the sooner we can go nap.”

“Fine. You Win. This time. But put on some Arctic Monkeys for me.”

So I did. Hey, maybe the trick is being nice to your monkey. You know like how you get more flies with honey, maybe you get more monkeys with bananas? Get your monkey to like you–maybe it will be nicer to you in return.

I ran on the treadmill one day on a weekend run and watched the movie Hitch. Oh my god, that dance lesson scene had me laughing so hard I almost fell off the treadmill! “I am DEFINITELY adding that to the playlist this week! What do you think, Monkey?” (still trying to be nice to it.) “Yeah, it is pretty funny,” my monkey conceded.

As I ran this week though, I thought about how that if I was an elite runner or if I weighed twenty pounds less, I could be done with my run already. I am slow, I know. I don’t have the typical gazelle runner’s body.

Running with my banana pop

Running with my banana pop

But so what if I’m more like a monkey than a gazelle. I still have fun. I know I’m not the only one who compares herself to others though. You do it too. In fact some of you are even comparing yourselves and your goals to me. Huh? Wha? Please don’t do that. I could never run that far. My goals are modest compared to yours. I don’t have to run a marathon to feel good about myself. I’m tired just reading your plan. I am too big to run. My little 5k sounds puny to a marathon. Just stop okay? You can do anything you set your mind to.

comparison

and banana pops
via: Pinterest

Look, we’ve all got to start somewhere. Every runner had to go on that very first scary run where they could only run for a few minutes, err, um… in my case only for a few seconds. Every yogi, every biker, every swimmer, every cross-fitter, every gym rat… they all started somewhere. I even remember the first exercise video I did– Richard Simmons Sweating to the Oldies–VHS tape, remember those? “Pfft, this is going to be a joke, I’m so embarrassed! Why am I doing this?! I was sweat-soaked and huffing for air at the end, but I did have fun, and though he annoys the hell out of some people, I adore Richard Simmons for helping folks change their lives.

Don't be ashamed of trying

I love what I read on SimponSister’s post “It Just As Easily Could Have Been Me“: “Don’t compare yourself to others.  It doesn’t matter how far down the rabbit hole you have gone.  You can always dig yourself a deeper hole.  But the only way to stop digging that hole is to put down the shovel.” 

You never know someone’s back story, you never know what shit they’ve gone through to get to where they are. You never know how long someone has been trying or what they have given up in order to go after their dreams. Don’t judge them. And don’t compare yourself to them. YOU ARE NOT THEM, AND YOU NEVER WILL BE. Those models in the magazines? They’re airbrushed and probably haven’t had a cookie in forever. A life without cookies would make me miserable, wouldn’t it you?

My friend Josie shared with me recently that if we all tossed our problems and insecurities in a big pile, we would beg for our own back, once we saw other people’s struggles.

Yes, I run a lot. Yes, I know a marathon is a long way. Yes, I know most people will never run a marathon, that most people have zero desire to run a marathon. I have never claimed sanity, folks. I’ve been running for nearly five years, but it wasn’t until I quit drinking that I got serious and started upping the mileage. I had to. I had to do something with my grief, with my demons, with my desire to drink—and so I ran, and kept running, and then a marathon seemed to be a realistic goal for me. (Did you know there are people who run 30, 50, even 100 miles or more for fun? And you thought I was crazy.) See, it’s all relative. My marathon is 26.2 miles; his may be 100; hers may be 5k (3.1 miles); yours may be going to the gym 5 times a week; and yours may be not drinking for 100 days.

highlight reel

Find your marathon. And do it. Don’t compare it to mine or to anyone elses. Don’t feel less than, remember, we all started somewhere and we all have our own baggage. I, and fellow runners, will cheer louder than anyone for you, well maybe not your mom, but you know what I mean. This anonymous facebooker on I <3 to Run says it better than I:

Hey, You!

Yes, you. The one feigning to not see me when we cross paths on the running track. The one not even wearing sports gear, breathing heavy. You’re slow, you breathe hard and your efforts at moving forward make you cringe.

You cling shyly to the furthest corridor, sometimes making larger loops on the gravel ring by the track just so you’re not on it. You sweat so much that your hair is all wet. You rarely stay for more than 20 minutes at a time, and you look exhausted when you leave to go back home. You never talk to anyone. I’ve got something I’d like to say to you.

You are awesome. If you’d look me in the eye only for an instant, you would notice the reverence and respect I have for you. The adventure you have started is tremendous; it leads to a better health, to renewed confidence and to a brand new kind of freedom. The gifts you will receive from running will far exceed the gigantic effort it takes you to show up here, to face your fears and to bravely set yourself in motion, in front of others.

You have already begun your transformation. You no longer accept this physical state of numbness and passivity. You have taken a difficult decision, but one that holds so much promise. Every hard breath you take is actually a tad easier than the one before, and every step is ever so slightly lighter. Each push forward leaves the former person you were in your wake, creating room for an improved version, one that is stronger, healthier and forward-looking, one who knows that anything is possible.

You’re a hero to me. And, if you’d take off the blaring headphones and put your head up for more than a second or two, you would notice that the other runners you cross, the ones that probably make you feel so inadequate, stare in awe at your determination. They, of all people, know best where you are coming from. They heard the resolutions of so many others, who vowed to pick up running and improve their health, “starting next week”. Yet, it is YOU who runs alongside, who digs from deep inside to find the strength to come here, and to come back again.

You are a runner, and no one can take that away from you. You are relentlessly moving forward. You are stronger than even you think, and you are about to be amazed by what you can do. One day, very soon, maybe tomorrow, you’ll step outside and marvel at your capabilities. You will not believe your own body, you will realize that you can do this. And a new horizon will open up for you. You are a true inspiration.

I bow to you.

(I had tears in my eyes the first time I read the above. I read it again later and cried again as I pictured a sober-narrator speaking to someone trying to stop drinking–it works that way too.)

So, no, please don’t compare yourself to me. Or to her. Or to him. Compare yourself today to the person you were yesterday. It doesn’t matter how far, how fast, how slow, or how pretty you go. Just go. Screw what anyone else thinks. Do it for yourself. But if you’re not going to listen to me, if instead you choose to listen to that monkey chatter or the jealous couch potatoes or the skinny supermodels with inferior self-esteems who gloss the magazines “oh I never work out! And I eat whatever I want! I just ate a cheeseburger and chocolate milkshake!” (bullshit!), at least let it piss you off enough to get out there and propel you forward and prove them all wrong.

Get pissed if you must, but get moving! Even kicking ass is exercise, right?! Pic from: swimbikemom's fb

Get pissed if you must, but get moving! Even kicking ass is exercise*, right?!
Pic from: swimbikemom’s fb

Somewhere along the way, you’ll realize it doesn’t matter. Not the chatter, not the magazines, not the body mass charts, not the trendy $100 see-through yoga pants (Target. Champion line. $20. Just sayin’.) Somewhere along the way, you’ll grow to love your thunder thighs because of all the miles and steps they have carried you, you’ll look down and see two strong healthy limbs and you will be grateful. Somewhere along the way, you’ll run just for the joy of running. Somewhere along the way, you’ll look in the mirror, and you’ll do a double take, because you’ll like who you see–a strong, sexy and confident reflection looking back at you–and hopefully you’ll never feel the need to compare yourself to anyone–or air-brushed, photo-shopped stick figure–again.

And then somewhere along the way, you’ll cross paths with someone else just starting out–feeling insecure and hesitant to make eye contact with you, and you’ll do another double take, because you’ll recognize yourself–your past self–in their eyes, and you will realize how very far you have come. And then you can pass along to them what I pass to you… “You are a true inspiration. I bow to you.”

compare to yesterday

SHOUT-OUTS:

A huge thank-you to those of you joining me! Many of you have opted to join in with fitness goals of your own. Jump in any week!

Dan at BudgetCookingBlog has been running again! Yay Dan! Enjoy each and every one of those endorphins!

Eve at I’dRatherBeInIceland recently ran the Stockholm Marathon (recap HERE)–so proud of you Eve!

Lilly at OneTooMany is joining in and recently ran her first four minutes on the treadmill! Way to go Lilly!

Becca at SunnySanguinity is not only planning a 10k in the next few months, but she’ll be training for it while moving from the US to Germany!

Debbie at DanglingontheEdge has a couple of half-marathons coming up, and is thinking about doing her first full in October (you can do it Debbie!)

Lisa at SoberIdentity recently enjoyed her first long run back after going through her strict medical detox, yay Lisa!

NoMoreMerlot will be running 100 miles, yes, one-hundred miles, in less than two weeks in one of the world’s most prestigious endurance races. Good luck, good health, and good weather to you NMM! You’re a rockstar!

MrsD is tempted to join in the running, but for now is going to stick with her pilates, pump and cardio-max (You rock, Mrs D, keep it up!)

and Carrie at CarrieOnSober is celebrating 100 days sober today! That in itself is a marathon of a lifetime. Congrats Carrie!

PLAN AND GOAL:

Last week’s goal was 5 runs for a total of 25 miles — TIRED, BUT DONE!

This week’s plan calls for another 5 runs: Tuesday (3), Wednesday (5), Thursday (3), Saturday (5), Sunday (6). Hot-damn and hallelujah–my first step-back week! All runs are the same, except for Sunday’s, when I drop from 9 to 6 to give my body a little break.

Did you meet your goals last week? What’s your plan this week? Feel free to jump in anytime, even if just for a week; remember, we all gotta start somewhere! 

Do you find yourself comparing yourself to others? What helps you, or doesn’t help, in that regard?

MOTIVATIONAL PIC:

Even if... you ARE a runner. Via: I<3toRun

Even if… you ARE a runner.
Via: I<3toRun

MUSIC:

Want to play DJ for a week and come up with a varied 5 – 10 song playlist (with at least one dancing song)? Have a favorite work-out song? Comment or e-mail me.

Don’t forget I keep a page solely for running music featured on my blog. Find it HERE.

Citizen Cope — Son’s Gonna Rise

Justin Timberlake — What Goes Around

Red Hot Chili Peppers — Dani California (had to include some Anthony K. given his popular quote on Saturday!)

Dirty Vegas — Days Go By (remember this from that old Mitsubishi commercial?  there’s another car commercial song on the list… anyone? Bueller?)

Gin Wigmore — Black Sheep (love her. reminds me slightly of Amy.)

Carl Carlton — She’s a Bad Mama Jama

Imelda May — Johnny Got a Boom Boom

The Steepwater Band — Dance Me a Number

Arctic Monkeys — I Bet You Look Good On The Dance Floor

 Dancing Songs:

Hitch dancing scene “Just expressing myself.” “Noooo. Noooo. Not like that you’re not.”

DJ Schmolli — Ode to Rock ‘N’ Roll (All I can say is THANK GOD they didn’t have cell phone cameras when I was in college. Love the Henry Rollins intro. Not sure what’s up with Crazy Eyes at 1:40–did I miss that dance?) (Check out Schmolli’s blog HERE, his work kicks ass!)

 

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If you’d like to listen to all songs on a loop, I set up a playlist on youtube HERE:

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* No, I don’t condone acts of violence. Unless someone calls me fat.

** Unless otherwise credited, all photos from  I <3 To Run.

*** Stay tuned for a special surprise next week. Let’s just say the miracle, I mean the surprise, is around the corner.

~~~

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Squashing The Monkey Mind (Marathon Training Recap 1)

Posted on June 11, 2013 | 39 Comments

One week down, and only seventeen-ish to go!

OVERVIEW:

Quick version— I was scared. I was nervous. I did it anyway. It wasn’t that bad.

I didn’t know what to expect this week after not having run consistently for a while. Would I be able to breathe? Would I be able to run for three days in a row? Already, before I’d even started, my monkey mind was chattering away and going after all of my insecurities. I told a friend, “I hope I didn’t bite off more than I can chew. I guess I can always step-back to an easier training plan if this one is too much. But it’s so hard to take a step back, even if needed, when we’re so used to moving forward.”

Running is a lot like sobriety. The hardest is at the beginning. Hell, coming to a decision to do it, is the hardest, then getting going is next.

My monkey mind in the first ten minutes of my first run: “You haven’t run in forever! This is too hard. You’re crazy. Remember how it made you sick last year? You’re so out of shape. You bit off more than you can chew. You don’t really want to do a Fall marathon, let’s do a Spring marathon instead. You should go lay on the couch and watch Game of Thrones again (oh my god, did you see that wedding?! I read the books and all I can say is, “you know nothing Jon Snow.”) Wouldn’t you rather walk? You know the only reason you run is to lose weight–admit it–and did it melt off last year? No! You’re still fat. You should fast instead. After you eat that package of Fudge Grahams and that Newman’s Pizza you have hidden in the freezer. What you didn’t think I remembered that pizza? I remember everything! You know you’re going to eat it anyway, just go eat it now. You can run tomorrow.”

Geez. Chatty little mother monkey, huh? It spoke similarly when I decided to quit drinking:

“This is hard. This hurts. Nobody cares anyway. You can quit next week, this week is too tough, it’s not a good time. You can just have one–go buy the good stuff and treat yourself before you quit. You don’t have to really quit, you’re not an alcoholic, you’re just stressed. You can always quit tomorrow.”

Yeah, sorry to tell you folks in early sobriety, that voice never really goes away for good. But you do get better at ignoring it and at countering it with facts. Your feelings are not facts. That monkey voice is just white noise–there, but not there–you can tune it out, you can choose to listen to something else instead, you can call it a liar and tell it to F-off.

And that’s what I did. I heard those voices, but I did it anyway. And after running for a little while, it got easier, I started to feel good. I focused on this week’s plan alone and broke it down into bite-sized goals. (How do you eat an elephant? … One bite at a time.)

Could I run 26.2 miles today? Probably not. But did I last year? Hell yeah I did, with practice and training, I got stronger each week. And I can do the same thing now. I can focus on one week, one run, one chapter of the math book at a time (my mom always told me not to jump ahead in my books–”you’ll be smarter then, don’t worry!”), and pretty soon I’ll be running 26.2 miles again.

That’s the key to running a marathon, to getting sober, to accomplishing anything that seems too big to fathom. You take it one run, one step, one day at a time. You ignore the monkey mind. You put one foot in front of the other. And most importantly, you don’t give up, and you don’t quit.

source: I <3 to Run

source: I <3 to Run

And while you have to do it on your own–no one else can do it for you–by opening yourself up to others, you don’t have to do it all alone. Your friends will cheer you on and support you, and some of them may even join you.

SHOUT-OUTS:

A huge thank-you to those of you joining me! Many of you have opted to join in with fitness goals of your own, and one of you has even signed up for your first marathon in October! I’m excited and proud for each one of you. It’s not too late, you can always jump in for a week or two, any activity is better than no activity, right? Thanks also to those who will be cheering us on and doing a bit of dancing along the way; I’ll have some dance music each week especially for you.

Thirteenpointoneandone has signed up for her first marathon!

CarrieOnSober is getting back into half-marathon fitness!

Gus is undergoing PT for plantar fascitis, but is going to work through it and get back to 10-k runs by fall!

ByeByeBeer is going to run along and push herself for a fall 10-k goal!

OctoberONine is going to start running!

Char is hoping to strengthen her core and wonky hip (love the word “wonky”!), and will be dancing along with us (as long as no one is watching)!

Paul, and Mariner2Mother, and Lisa will be cheering and dancing along!

Madame Weebles says she sticks with fast walking. I told her that her power-walking friends need to stop passing me! I’m tripping the next one who tries to pass me. Fair warning. (Ooh, they should have shirts that say this on the back.)

Guap will be cheering and undergoing a rigorous and strict work-out of shoulder-lifts and bicep curls as he joins us in Master-Level-Chip-Eating. And hopefully acting as occasional DJ for us too!

And Josie, my inspiration for going public with my training, is on a steady fitness and cardio regime and has committed to daily activity and check-ins–she is currently batting 100. Way to go Wonder Woman!

PLAN AND GOAL:

Last week’s goal was 5 runs for a total of 24 miles, and yep, I met my goal!

This week’s plan calls for another 5 runs: Tuesday (3), Wednesday (5), Thursday (3), Saturday (5), Sunday (9). Just like last week, except one more mile on Sunday.

How was your week? Did you meet your goals? Do you have a plan for this week? Feel free to jump in anytime, even if just for a week! Do you have a monkey-mind too? If so, how do you get it to shut up?

MOTIVATIONAL PIC:

SERIOUSLY WHAT WAS YOUR EXCUSE

Source: I <3 to Run

MUSIC:

Thank goodness for music on my runs this week! Here are a few that helped me tune out my monkey chatter, with some special dance songs. Feel free to add your music suggestions in the comments, and I’ll add them to the recap next week. Or if you’d like to e-mail me some songs, I’ll share them anonymously for you. If you’re interested in playing DJ for a week and coming up with a varied 10 song playlist (with at least one dancing song), comment or e-mail me!

Don’t forget I keep a page solely for running music featured on my blog. Find it HERE.

Lust for Life by Girls  NSFW-language (love the lyrics though- “Oh, I wish I had a suntan, I wish I had a pizza and a bottle of wine, I wish I had a beach house, Then we could make a big fire every night, Instead I’m just crazy, I’m totally mad, Yeah I’m just crazy, and f’d in the head)

Today Was a Good Day by Ice Cube (NSFW-language)

Vegas by Sara Bareilles

Hey Ya by OutKast

— ever hear the stripped cover version of this song by Obadiah Parker?

Bright Lights by Gary Clark Jr.

 Dancing Songs:

I Love to Boogie by T Rex

Shake a Tail Feather by Ray Charles and the Blues Brothers

Suggestions from Gus last week:

“I Ran (So Far Away)” by Flock of Seagulls 

“Ankle Injuries” by Fujiya & Miyagi

“You Dropped a Bomb on Me” by the Gap Band

“Grind” by Tangerine Dream

“Elephant” by Tame Impala

Emailed suggestions:

Laura Palmer by Bastille

The Pan Within by The Waterboys

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If you’d like to listen to all songs on a loop, I set up a playlist on youtube HERE:

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Here We Go Again, Join Me? (Marathon Training Has Begun!)

Posted on June 4, 2013 | 40 Comments

Here we go again folks. I’m back from vacation (sunny Aruba–I’ll tell y’all about it soon, it was fabulous!), and I’m ready to begin training for Marathon Number Two! I have no idea which marathon or when it will be, but I know if I’m even entertaining the thought of doing another late Fall run, I have to start training now. Most marathon training plans are either 16 or 18 weeks — hard to believe that pushes us out to mid-October! Geez, where does the time go?

If you started following me after November, this post is from right before I ran my first marathon: “Holy Crap, I’m Running a Marathon (Inspire Me?)” or from right after my marathon: “She Didn’t Know She Could Jump That High.”

Here We Go Again (video HERE) by Ray Charles and Norah Jones featured on Genius Loves Company (available HERE)

So … is anyone up to working-out with me?

Here’s what I’m thinking, and I have my friend Josie at themiracleisaroundthecorner to thank for the inspiration… (She’s been wanting to get back into a fitness routine, and when I mentioned I was starting training this week and invited her to join in for twenty minutes, SHE SAID YES! And, oh by the way, she kicked ass on the elliptical for twenty minutes today!) Each week or so I’ll recap my training from the week before and preview my plan for the upcoming week. Some weeks the posts may be on the short side, as I remember the training would often really take it out of me. Other weeks, though, I’ll share some stories or random thoughts from my runs, as I did last year, and knowing me, I’m sure there will be a running song or two or ten. The posts will help me stay accountable to my training, and they’ll give you a chance to get in on the activity by sharing your own workout goals, activities, songs and/or motivations, if you’d like.

You certainly don’t have to commit to a running a marathon, but if you’ve been wanting to get moving a few times a week or have wanted to eat a little healthier and you want some encouragement along the way, I’d love to support each other in our goals!

Give it some thought, you can start out walking 2 – 3 times a week for twenty minutes, you can plan on doing sit-ups or crunches, you can give up sugary soda for the week, you can take the stairs instead of the elevator, you can park at the back of the parking lots, you can start running with the Couch to 5k Plan … whatever you’d like!

My plan this week is to get back in the running groove with runs Tuesday (3 miles-done!), Wednesday (5), Thursday (3), Saturday (5) and Sunday (8). I’ll be following Hal Higdon’s Intermediate I Marathon Plan again, but I may tweak it a little for my needs. I’ll plan to post my first week’s recap next Monday or Tuesday.

Good idea? Dumb idea? You in? Or are you allergic to exercise? Do you like disco music? Have any fun plans this week? 

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Here are a few running / “get-your-booty-moving” songs for the week, enjoy!

Rockafellar Skank by Fatboy Slim (video)

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Shake It by Metro Station (video)

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I haven’t run-tested this one, but it sounds like a great beat to walk to, the Metro Station song made me think of it… a little old skool for ya:

(Shake, Shake, Shake) Shake Your Booty by KC and the Sunshine Band (video)

*

While I’m visiting the past, how about some Earth Wind and Fire? I heard this song in the French movie “The Intouchables” about a quadriplegic and an unlikely caregiver, and it was f’ng wonderful, one of the best movies I’ve seen–ever. I laughed, cried, and laughed some more. Watch it, and thank me later. HERE’s the trailer on YouTube:

or just go buy it from Amazon, now.

Boogie Wonderland by Earth, Wind and Fire (video)

^ I’m pretty sure you’ll feel like dancing while you watch this video — dancing is good exercise too!

~~~

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As a Runner, I Will Run (Thoughts on Boston)

Posted on April 16, 2013 | 51 Comments

As a runner, I am devastated.

Of course, simply being human makes me sad–my eyes take in images from the news, my ears hear over and over again the sounds of explosions and people screaming–of course, we are all sad. But this. As a runner, I feel this in my gut, and there is a mournful, wailing, angry force that pulls and constricts and tortures my insides. “This could have been you,” it taunts again and again in my ear, “this could have been you.”

And in a way, it was me.

As a runner, I have been there. As a marathon runner, I have seen the crowds that gather to cheer and support running loved ones. I have high-fived eight-year old boys gathered along the side-lines. I have smiled gratefully at their moms standing behind them– “thank you!” I try to squeak out after miles and miles of exertion have stolen my voice. I have taken cups of water from volunteers lining the roads. I have given thumbs-ups to medical staff as I trotted by their tents. I have found inspiration from law enforcement working the races–even comparing them to song characters afterward. I have smiled at race photographers, hoping for that one decent race picture. I have “oohed” and “awwwed” and petted dogs belonging to race spectators. I have gratefully read every home-made sign intended to urge us runners along–even those “You’re almost there!” when we’ve still got ten miles to go. I have smiled and taken a banana from a four-year old girl with the softest looking curls of golden hair I have ever seen–and I don’t even like bananas. I have savored the final stretch of a long race, eyeing the finish line, then scanning the crowds for friends and loved ones, before calling up all of my remaining energy to simply cross the finish.

I have been there.

At my very first half-marathon in Virginia, my dad wedged himself into a prime viewing spot at the finish line. He stood upon soundstage boxes, probably climbing over trash cans and barricades just to cheer me on. It was a big event, there were thousands of runners. I wasn’t among the first finishers, not even close. I was slow. He was at the finish for a long time waiting for me and cheering on the others. He would have been at the finish line at Boston too. He would have been waiting for me, probably for a long time. My mom, sick with cancer, was at home getting updates from my dad on the phone; she would have been at Boston though.

I am the Boston runner who mourns her father and her mother.

My husband was there during my first marathon. In fact, he was at each mile waiting for me during the last six-mile stretch; driving on ahead of me to meet me with a water bottle that I was too tired to carry. He would have been at Boston waiting for me too. I would have found him on the sidelines and hugged him before going on to finish.

I am the Boston runner who mourns her spouse and children.

I can only imagine the pain the runners of Boston are feeling. I can only imagine the “what ifs.”

What if I had run faster? What if I hadn’t stopped to used the bathroom? What if I didn’t have to keep stopping to tie my shoelaces? What if I hadn’t had cramps? What if I hadn’t walked, and then walked some more? What if I hadn’t deferred from the heat last year? What if I told them to wait at the hotel for me instead? What if my flight had been cancelled? What if the weather had been a little bit cooler, a little bit warmer? What if I had seen something? What if I had said something? What if I hadn’t run fast enough to qualify? What if I had listened to my doctors and not run on this bad ankle? What if I hadn’t stopped to pet that dog? What if I had? What if I hadn’t said “I love you.”? What if I had never decided to run Boston? What if I was just a slow, thirty-something, recreational runner with no shot of ever being fast enough to qualify for Boston, sitting at her dining room table wondering “what if I had been there?”

What if I had been there?

So many questions and so much sadness, so much anger at a senseless horrendous crime.

As a runner, I know those that ran Boston will never run another race again with the same innocence and excitement. Running has been altered forever in their lives. Some will stop running. Most will not.

Most runners will continue to run, because that is what we do. When we are faced with pain and confusion and questions and heartache and loss and anger, we run. Running is how we survive, running is how we cope.

As a runner, I am devastated.

As a runner, I will run.

Today, as a runner, I will run for Boston.

And tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, I will run. I will run for those that cannot. I will run for every volunteer, every spectator, every family member, every friend, every young child, and every dog that has ever lined a finish area. I will run with renewed gratitude for as long as I am fortunate enough to do so.

As a runner, I will not cower in the face of terrorism.

I will move forward, and I will run.

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A Return to Running (On Rock, House of Cards and Shameless)…

Posted on March 20, 2013 | 53 Comments

I know it has been forever since I posted running songs. I think the last time was when I was marathon training last year, right? After that, I grew pretty lax on sticking to a running schedule. But since I’ve done nothing but stress-eat for the past month, it was either start running again or go buy a bunch of new clothes with elastic waistbands. I had a hard time deciding, believe me! Running has a lot of pros going for it though, including the fact that if I run enough miles, I can have my cookies and eat them too. So I’ve started getting serious about running again. My mood has also been better and I’m feeling more relaxed since I’ve been back at it. Those endorphins are pretty cool little dudes.

The more I run, the more of these I can eat!Well, not THOSE, I already ate those...

The more I run, the more of these I can eat!
Well, not those– I already ate those…

I was very nervous about pushing myself on my recent Sunday long-runs. I didn’t know if I would had lost much stamina from my lack of dedicated training, but I was happy to squeak out a ten-mile run a week ago Sunday, and then almost thirteen this past Sunday. I guess I did just enough “off-season” running to maintain most of my stamina. Now I have to decide if I’m going to run a local half-marathon (13.1 miles) this weekend. I’m not 100% ready for it, but I think it’s fear that’s making me hesitant, because I know I’m ready enough. I ran it last year, so I’m kind of curious if I can beat last year’s finish time. But what if I can’t? It depends also on how Spot does after chemo. Or is that just another excuse? We’ll see.

While I wasn’t running this week, I watched a little bit of television. Have you seen the new Netflix series “House of Cards” with Kevin Spacey? Wow! We flew through the series in a couple of days–it was that good. Spacey plays a U.S. Congressman enmeshed in Washington D.C. politics and power plays. He offers private narrative to the camera quite often–sarcastic, biting, hilarious, and addictive quips. His wife is played flawlessly by Robin Wright (Penn). We weren’t sure about the series after watching the first episode, it seemed a little slow, but by the end of the second, we were hooked. The series even touches on alcoholism, drug addiction and recovery, and it does a pretty good job handling the subject.

Speaking of which… does every show or movie have someone dealing with addiction these days? It seems like addiction or recovery or 12-step programs are super trendy now. Is that a good or a bad thing I wonder?

Which leads me to one of my guiltiest television pleasures… “Shameless” on Showtime. William H. Macy plays an unapologetic alcoholic, and does a damn fine job of it too. I laugh, I cry, I cringe, I think, and I thank-my-lucky-stars that I am not in his shoes. The show is not for kids, but it’s certainly entertaining.

This past Sunday on Shameless, someone asked Frank (Macy’s character) if he is gay. Frank replies, “I am whatever I need to be at the time I need to be it.” Huh. That about sums up the life of an active addict, as well as many non-addicts too, sure, but when an addict is actively drinking or using…? He or she will stop at nothing to get what he or she wants, shamelessly and relentlessly.

And I know what you all want, at least the three of you who made it this far. For me to shut up and just get to the dang running and work-out music. Okay, okay, okay. I hope you like rock music.

So for those about to rock, or run, I salute you! Happy running, walking, toe-tapping or air-guitar playing!

Oh, if you want more running songs, especially some you may have never heard, be sure to check out Eve’s post at “I’d Rather Be in  Iceland”: 10 Icelandic Songs for Running. Eve is a marathon runner and blogs mostly about all things Iceland, including Icelandic pizza–she’s definitely put Iceland on my “To Visit” radar.

Eleven Favorite Running Songs From This Week:

1- Everlong by Foo Fighters (VIDEO) (While I love THIS acoustic version too, I prefer the original when running.)

2- La Grange by ZZ Top (VIDEO)

3- Separate Ways (Worlds Apart) by Journey (VIDEO)

4- Diary of Jane by Breaking Benjamin (VIDEO)

5- Mountain Man by Crash Kings (VIDEO)

6- Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This) covered by Marilyn Manson (VIDEO)

7- 10001110101 by Clutch (VIDEO)

8- I Got Mine by The Black Keys (VIDEO)

9- More Human Than Human by White Zombie (VIDEO) (Not suitable for young or sensitive ears)

10- Beat The Devil’s Tattoo by BRMC (VIDEO)

And my favorite running song this week (great lyrics, perfect beat!) is…

11- Keep Pushin’ by REO Speedwagon (VIDEO)

I used to be lonely till I learned about livin alone
I found other things to keep my mind on
And I’m gettin to know myself a little bit better
Whoa , I keep pushin on
Keep pushin on, yeah

Goin through all the changes I made so many mistakes, oh yes I did
Tryin to leave behind the heartaches
And sometimes I think I was a little bit crazy, oh yeah
Whoa, I keep pushin on

Keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin, keep pushin on
Keep pushin, keep pushin, you know you have got to be so strong
Keep pushin, keep pushin, well even if you think your strength is gone
Keep pushin on

Well it’s comin together I finally feel like a man, oh yes I do
I never thought that I’d be where I am, oh
Everyday I wake a little bit higher
Whoa I keep pushin on, oh yeah

lyrics source HERE

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What Means the Most (Those Perfect Moments)

Posted on November 12, 2012 | 41 Comments

The cobwebs have dissolved.

After my marathon, I spent nearly eight days in a mental fog. My legs, oddly enough, were the first part of me that recovered. I was barely able to walk on Sunday, the day after my race; my thigh muscles screamed at every attempt. Though Monday, the pain was less, and after Tuesday’s sports massage, my legs were ready to run again! Unfortunately, my brain felt trapped in quicksand. I was foggy and slow and felt sludgy. Sludgy, like the icky sticky stuff you dig out of your drain when it is clogged up. I know, blech. I think my allergies must have been acting up big time, because after a few days of allergy medicine, my head stopped spinning and my itchy cough subsided too.

So where am I now? I’m back to running, gratefully! I had my first entry-run back; it was a slow and gentle two miles on the treadmill. It felt pretty good. (“Pretty good.” Am I sure my brain fog is gone?) It wasn’t the best run in the world because my allergies are still bugging me and my breathing was a little labored, but my legs didn’t hurt and I enjoyed dessert without regret later, so yeah, it was pretty good. I’m excited to add a few more runs back to the schedule this week. My goal is to maintain a base mileage of twenty-five to thirty miles a week through the holidays. Ah, let me stop myself here and not weigh you down with too many numbers. I’ll do that in a future post for my geeky-number-obsessed running friends, all three of you (yes, I’m including myself. What? You don’t re-read your posts?)

To sum up, I’m back to running, I feel mostly healed, aside from lingering allergies, my fog has lifted and I have some short-term running goals to get me through the holidays.

***

I penned this poem the other night while I thought of the marathon story I’m going to share with you. I know I read a lot of meaning into things; I always have. But I’ve been letting go of over-thinking things, over-analyzing, and I am trying instead to let things flow in and through me, like a leaf floating downstream. I try to not analyze the “leaf” itself, rather I observe the leaf and later what I remember and think about the leaf is where the meaning exists for me. How was I feeling when I saw it? What did it make me think of? How was the weather, the breeze, the sun? What remains is that feeling, that echo, that way a thought or incident or thing lingers and whispers. That probably doesn’t make much sense to you, but maybe it does. I haven’t written original poetry in a long time. I post this after a reader’s comment made me “feel” something and inspired me to share what I had drafted earlier in my journal. Thank you Elle, for your comment and for offering THIS beautiful John Mayer (Belief, from “Live in Los Angeles”) selection as inspiration.

WHAT MEANS THE MOST, by Running on Sober

Sometimes things just mean what they mean.
Sometimes things don’t mean anything at all.
Sometimes things mean what we want them to mean-
what we hope for
and what we wish.

Sometimes
things without
seeming
meaning
mean more than we could dare imagine.

Sometimes things mean everything
(under the sun)
that we can hope,
(under the moon)
that we can dream,
(under the stars)
that we can wish.

Sometimes things give us the will
to keep going
no matter what they
actually
mean.
And maybe, that
going,
more than any other
thing,
is
what means the most.

***

Migrating Canada Geese (From lifeslittlemysteries.com)

I am running. I am running in a marathon. I am at mile 2.5, and I am alive and running! The sun has just started to show itself in its full glory, a glowing orange globe, the breeze is light and gentle, the air crisp and cool on my face. This moment I am grateful to be alive and breathing. My mind automatically travels to thoughts of my mom, the snip of her hair in my hip pocket, “we’re running a marathon Mom, we’re running a freaking marathon…” This moment, this feeling, I will remember always. The song playing on my headphones, Blues Traveler, “Just Wait.” Its lyrics include:

Time is the beauty of the road being long
I say this without fear of hesitation
I can honestly tell you that you make me proud

I hope for you and cannot stop at hoping
Until that smile has once again returned to your face
There’s no such thing as a failure who keeps trying
Coasting to the bottom is the only disgrace

Just wait
Just wait
Just wait
And it will come

This perfect moment.

I sigh and look at the sun. A flock of birds float by, and then another. “I can honestly tell you that you make me proud” in my ear. I smile, feel light-headed. “Is that you Mom? Is that from you?” A moment passes and I look up again. A third flock of birds coast by. They seem to hang in the air above me. “Just wait, and it will come…” I have my answer.

I tell my husband this story later, of the sun, the breeze, the song, the moment, the birds. The birds… An echo, without seeming meaning… THE BIRDS! “The first flock,” I say to my husband. “That first flock wasn’t a V. The lead bird had slipped back, momentarily out of the lead, it was more of an M shaped flock. The second flock was a V. How did I not notice that earlier?!”

My mom’s initials: MV.

“Is that you Mom? Is that from you?” I had asked and was greeted with another flock in response. I didn’t notice at the time, but maybe that third flock was a V formation with one bird surging to the front of the V, overtaking the leader, to form a Y. Maybe it was creating a “Y” for yes, for me. Or maybe it wasn’t, but I’m not worried. I still have my answer, and I will always have that moment. That perfect moment that kept me going. Those perfect moments, meaning everything and nothing, that keep me going.

***

“Just Wait” by Blues Traveler, available on album “Four“

~~~

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“She Didn’t Know She Could Jump That High”

Posted on November 5, 2012 | 59 Comments

Her day started out just like any other. It even ended very much the same way. But something had happened in between. She was no longer the same person.

Something had happened to change her: a journey, a quest, a transformation; whatever it was, she was different. She was stronger, fiercer, more resilient. Somewhere along the way that day, she had lost something. The remnants of fear and anxiety and unease that had been fixtures in the deep pit of her stomach had vanished. She couldn’t tell you when it happened. Somewhere along the way, she had also gained something. Acceptance, compassion, contentment. She couldn’t tell you exactly when that happened either.

Maybe it was that morning as she dressed. She brushed her hair and took a long look at herself in the bathroom mirror. “By this time tomorrow, you will have a run a marathon,” she told herself with a half-smile.

Maybe it was at the start line when she stood with a mere handful of other runners, all a bit thinner than she with their long lean gazelle-like legs, all seemingly repeat marathon runners, laughing and joking with each other as she stood off to the side and just watched. She’d thought there would be more runners doing the marathon. Apparently, most had opted for the half-marathon or for the 5k. As the race announcer shouted, “on your mark, get set, GO!” the few marathon contenders shot off like Olympians, all except for one. Her. She started off with a slow jaunt, continuing to look all around her, as if she was taking snapshots in her mind to remember later, to capture each moment as it went by. She had already told herself that she may come in last place, she knew she wouldn’t be the fastest runner. When she cold no longer see the runners in front of her, she accepted that she probably would finish last.

“It doesn’t matter. You are running your race; not his race, not her race, your race.”

She felt calm, as a blanket of still serenity washed over her. She remembered the poem that only moments ago, she shared with her friends, “Winning is rising every time you fall. Get up and win that race.” No matter what happens that day, by simply crossing that start line and facing her fears head on, she would never ever be the same person again.

She had already won.

*

And win, I did, friends. I started strong and I finished strong, and I had many unforgettable and special moments in between.  I’ll share many of them as my body and mind continue to recover over the next couple of weeks. Sparing the nitty-gritty details, my legs were very sore yesterday, and today, though I am in wonderful spirits, my brain and body are just extremely tired and fatigued.

But in attempt to capture the magnitude and transformation of self, a little story…

My mom and I loved to listen to the David Wilcox song, “Johnny’s Camaro.” It’s actually more of a story set to guitar music, and it is brilliant. We would quote it and laugh over it when something happened that would remind us of a line from the song (and there are many such lines). The song is basically a story of transformation. A young girl changing, growing, leaving as one person, coming back as another.

At one point in my marathon, as I was crossing a major intersection at mile eighteen (of twenty-six), a Sheriff Deputy directing traffic gave me a thumbs up and a sly grin and said to me as I ran by, “I don’t know how you made it this far!”

I wasn’t sure what to make of that at the time, but I smiled and said, “I don’t know either!” and thanked him and kept on running.

It didn’t dawn on me until later the next day. I was thinking of the race and some of the signs and odd things that had happened (there were a lot!). I was thinking also about transformation and growth and the peace and confidence that comes with meeting a goal, how does one put that in words? “I feel content,” I wrote to a friend, “although that’s not quite the right word. It’s more that I feel like I don’t have to prove anything to myself anymore.” And that’s when it hit me, when I remembered the song that mom and I loved. One of its lines echoed in my mind, and I got goosebumps as I realized my Deputy was the same as Laura’s tour guide (in the song). “How’d you get up there?” A question from the song that mom and I would jokingly ask each other sometimes.

“She didn’t know she could jump that high.”

Ah. But I do now.

“Wired Down” Silver Bangle Cuff Bohemian Bracelet available at Minali-Jewelry

“I don’t know how you made it this far!”

I didn’t either. Ah, but, I do now.

Thank you for reminding me Mom.

I think I’ll go buy myself a silver bracelet this week.

Please listen to this song/story. I know you’ll love it. The live version is like an extended deluxe version, and even more brilliant at capturing that “transformation” that, that, “well you know”, than the original. But if you’re short on time, the original version HERE is the one Mom and I listened to; it’s brilliant too. It appears on David’s album “East Asheville Hardware” available on Amazon HERE. (As an aside, I think the album and a silver cuff bracelet would make a creative present for any female in your life that has overcome odds and transformed herself in some way.)

More marathon stories to come, my gratitude to you all for the support and encouragement. I hope today finds you well.

~~~

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I Want My Bacon Cookie! (Random Pre-Marathon Thoughts)

Posted on November 2, 2012 | 25 Comments

Thank you everyone for all the kickass inspirational messages and songs on my “Holy Crap I’m Running a Marathon” post. I appreciate each and every one! Not only did you give me some great song ideas, you made me smile and laugh (though Edward’s reference to Rush Limbaugh flashing did make me throw up in my mouth a little bit, but hey whatever keeps you runnin’ right?)

Has anyone told you lately that you’re awesome?

Because really, you are awesome and you rock.

As a special thank you to you all for your support and encouragement, I just set up a new page on my blog, “Motivation and Inspiration“. Because one day, you too may need some motivation. So check it out, and consider it my little way of saying “thanks, you’re awesome.”

I’m really a bundle of random and disjointed thoughts. Please don’t grade my writing or my flow or my grammar. I’m in “running beast mode”, and beasts don’t sweat the grammar. (Good story, I’m sticking to it.) I’m really just ready to run. I feel like one of those race horses jumping around in the gate right before the door swings open- fidgity, excited, frothing at the mouth, let it begin, let it begin!

But I wanted to write and try to compare running a marathon to getting sober, because running IS a lot like getting sober. Both are really really REALLY tough to do at the beginning, and usually you don’t WANT to do it after the first day or first run, but you want something else even more than you want to give up, so it makes it worth it. You doubt yourself, your body revolts, there are a thousand million things you’d rather be doing. But as you run, and as you stay sober, each day gets easier. The more you do of anything, it usually gets easier. (I’m not sure about brain surgery or souffle baking though.)

Some days are hard- they’re uphill, you get cramps, your asthma flares, you want to inhale a tub of raw cookie dough, you want to drink- your cat died, you feel betrayed, you feel like you got this drinking thing whipped and you can go drink just one, dammit you deserve a drink after the crap day you had, you have a fight with your partner, you want to quit, say F-it and give in, BUT YOU DON’T QUIT, YOU KEEP GOING, because you know it’s worth it, because you remember why you started running and why you decided to stop drinking, why you had to stop drinking. And you know that what goes uphill, eventually goes downhill. And you are so grateful for those downhill stretches that you forget all about the hills and temptations you just battled, but then there will be more hills and more temptations, there always will be, but you know what? They are easier this time, because you made it through the last set of obstacles and now you are stronger, and you KNOW you can make it through.

And day by day, you DO get through it. And step by step, mile by mile, song by song, you DO finish your marathon. Minute by minute, day by day, cookie by cookie, rant by rant, you DO stay sober. And who gives a crap if it wasn’t always pretty? YOU DID IT, and yes, you really should be proud of yourself. Because if you can quit drinking, you can do anything. If you can run a marathon, you can do anything. And hell, if you can quit drinking AND run a marathon, then watch out world, because there is nothing you won’t be able to do. People better get out of your way, because you will probably be able to fly and to travel through space and time. You will continue to amaze yourself at your potential. You will finally believe that you can do anything that you set your mind to, because you did. And you will be happy. And you will feel like a total badass at the end of the day. Because YOU WILL BE a total badass. At least that’s how I think running a marathon and getting sober are similar. So if you’re thinking about trying either, I say go for it. It is so worth it. YOU are so worth it, you total badass you.

*

I’ve been thinking about my mom a lot. I miss her and I wish she could be here, but I know she is; I know she will be running with me. After she got sick, we joked about my running a marathon while I pushed her along with me in a wheelchair. Except we would have to find a course that was either very flat or all downhill, because there was no way I was going to make it if I had to push her skinny butt uphill the whole way. We had a good laugh at that, and at how I better not let go of the chair if it was a downhill race, otherwise she’d go flying down the hill the without me, leaving me in her dust while she finished the marathon ahead of me.

When I watched the below video, I literally bawled. I know my marathon will be tough. It will most likely be one of the hardest things I ever do in my life. There will be times I want to give up. There will be times I will feel like there is no way my legs will take me any further. And in those times, I will think of this video and of Derek Redmond. The man who did not quit, and his father who helped him make it to the finish line. I will imagine my mom and my aunt and my grandparents putting their arms around my waist, their arms under my shoulders, helping me to take the next step, then the next, then the next. And I know they will be the first ones cheering for me at the finish line. Geez, even typing this, guys, I am getting misty eyed and trying not to cry. I’m a bucket of emotion this week!

*

The culmination of a year of training is finally here. I’ve been running this marathon for twelve months, Saturday will just be the sum of all of my sessions. It’s like coming to the final chapter of a book that you have both loved and despised- the book itself is not contained in that final chapter- that final chapter just ties everything together and hopefully leaves you in awe at the journey you’ve just completed. The marathon is the cherry on the top of a gooey fudgy cookie dough ice cream sundae. Or maybe it is the big chocolate chip cookie hidden underneath all of that ice cream- the best damn cookie you’ve had in your life. Cherry on top or best damn cookie of all cookies? Ooh, I know… a cherry chocolate chunk cookie with bacon chips. Yeah… that’s what a marathon feels like after twelve months of training.

Now I’m hungry, and I want my cherry chocolate chunk cookie with bacon chips! Ooh, wouldn’t it be awesome if it was TWO cookies? Maybe that’s what happens after your second marathon. In that case, where do I sign up?

(I may not respond to comments until after the race in an attempt to stay as focused as possible, so until then my friends, remember, who’s awesome? YOU’RE AWESOME! See ya at the finish line!)

PS- Don’t forget to check out the new Motivation and Inspiration page!

~~~

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Holy Crap I’m Running a Marathon. (Will You Inspire Me, Please?)

Posted on October 30, 2012 | 83 Comments

My first, and possibly only, marathon is less than four days away.

I have so many thoughts floating around in my head like little floaty nitrous clouds, but all I can focus on is “holy crap, I’m running 26 point two miles in four days!“

I’m nervous. I’m excited. I’m wondering if I’ve done enough. At this point there’s not much more I can do. Except eat, drink, sleep and stay healthy.

Eat. Pancakes, rice, bagels, jelly beans, bacon. Check, check, check, check, check.

Drink. Water. And more water. And (stop to drink 6 ounces of water) more water. Check, check, check. (I feel like a water balloon instead of a fluffy cloud.)

Sleep. I’m trying my best. I’m not the world’s best sleeper, but I do have the act of being a couch potato, or in my case a recliner potato, down to an art form.

Stay healthy. Avoid Wal-Mart. Compulsively wash hands and apply hand-sanitizer every five minutes. Do not leave the house. Don’t fall down the stairs. Don’t pull a hamstring. Avoid zombies. (So far so good on most of these.)

And oh yeah, I can make music playlists and focus on inspirational quotes! I’m working on those as we speak. A little thing like a marathon won’t deter me from our “Words for the Weekend” posts (thank goodness for auto-schedule.)

I do have a simple request though. A lot of people running marathons like to pin little quotes to their clothes for each mile, some will even dedicate a mile to a particular person, and so forth. Yeah, not me. I don’t want to be fiddling with my clothes and pins and soggy sweated-out pieces of paper with faded quotes, trying to remember to think about someone at mile 15, then feeling bad when I forget because I’m just trying to crawl to the next water station.

I do like the idea though! So while I won’t write them out or try to memorize thoughts, I will make voice recordings of your words and insert them into my music playlists at random spots for inspiration. It will be just like you are running with me! You can even tell your friends that you ran a marathon. But since I’m doing all the grunt work, I have a favor to ask:

Will you leave me an inspirational message here before my marathon? It can be anything- a single word, a quote, a joke, a recipe, a poem dedicated to tequila cookies, a name of a person you’d like me to think about, a prayer request, a funny story about your pet, a simple “YOU’RE AN EFFING MONSTER!“, the lyrics to a song, maybe “I LIKE BIG BUTTS AND I CANNOT LIE!” anything really…? Please? If you were running 26.2 miles, what would you want to hear or think about?

For my e-mail only and shy followers, if you’d rather e-mail me, please feel free to do so at runningonsober (at) gmail (dot) com

You don’t have to though. I’ll still like you, I promise! I’ll just assume you didn’t see this, or that your power is off due to the hurricane, or that you work for a living and are really busy, or that someone warned you to stay far far away from me, or that maybe you’re just sending me good thoughts instead.

Mary Katherine Gallagher

Besides, I can always pretend you left me a message, and I’ll make up my own for you. Like, here’s what Charlie Sheen would say to me: “YOU HAVE TIGER BLOOD COURSING THROUGH YOUR VEINS! DUH, WINNING!” Or here’s what Brad Pitt would say: “YOU ARE MY LUCK, MY FATE, MY FORTUNE!” Or here’s what JJ from Good Times would say, “YOU HAVE A SMILE THAT LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT! YOU’RE DY-NO-MITE!” Or Wayne and Garth would say: “WE’RE NOT WORTHY! WE’RE NOT WORTHY! WE’RE NOT WORTHY!” Or Molly Shannon as Mary Katherine Gallagher: “YOU ARE YOUR OWN RAINBOW! YOU’RE A SUPERSTAR!”

I have a very rough draft of pre-marathon thoughts started. I can’t promise bombshell writing (can I ever?) or a thousand words (no problem there), but I will post something before Saturday’s race.

Until then,
Your luck, your fate, your fortune,
Your (crazy bacon-loving superstar) friend,
Christy

P.S.- You too are a shining star. No matter who you are. (Listen to some funky Earth Wind and Fire if you don’t believe me: SHINING STAR)

P.P.S.- I like how my tags spell out “Bacon Marathon Running Superstar.” YES!

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My Heaven Has a DJ With a Sense of Humor

Posted on October 15, 2012 | 38 Comments

Thanks everyone for bearing with me last week as I went with a couple of informational posts versus personal posts. My creative side was running on empty there for a little while. (Most of you know from my “About” page that the Jackson Browne song “Running on Empty” inspired my blog name, though I’m not usually empty, just sober.)

I ran my second twenty miler today, and I have a LOT of random thoughts and laid back songs to share once I can transfer them from my head to the computer. It wasn’t a “perfect” run, but as Carrie mentioned in her comment to this weekend’s Words post, “perfect is the enemy of the done.” And “done” my twenty miles are. Also “done” are my thighs and butt muscles, ha, but those are random thoughts for my next post.

I did want to share though that if you think they don’t have a sense of humor in the after-realm, you are probably wrong. Wrapping up my run today, I asked my mom to be DJ and pick a song for me as I switched it to “Play All Songs at Random.” (For my new friends, my mom passed away last year, but she sends me signs and messages often in the form of song.) I thought maybe it would be something deep and prolific that would make me cry as I finished up my longest run until the marathon- like an “I Believe in You” or “I Run For Life” or something inspiring like that, maybe even “Fly Like an Eagle” though I was far from flying. But nope. As soon as the first few words of the song were spoken, I let out a big “YEAH BOYYY” and laughed, “You are so awesome Mom!” as I found a much-needed second wind to wrap up my run, giggling the entire way. (I think Mom knew I was already a hot mental mess and tears wouldn’t be helpful to my finishing.)

Anyone recognize this opening line?

“Oh. My. God. Becky. Look at her butt. It’s sooo big.’”

Source: sodahead.com

Yes. My heaven likes big butts. You heard it here first. My heaven definitely has a sense of humor! How come we never see messages like this on “What god wants you to know today” or in fortune cookies? (Confucius say,  ”Eat more cookies, because Heaven likes big butts.”) So, grab a cookie (or five), enjoy the tune, and shake that healthy butt!

“You can do side bends or sit-ups, but please don’t lose that butt…
So Cosmo says you’re fat, Well I ain’t down with that…”

*Note, please take this all-in-good fun. I don’t know God’s or god’s or gods’ or anyone’s official view from the other side, but wherever my mom is, they’re obviously having a good time and probably eating extra fortune cookies.

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