Wednesday Wisdom

Whatever the pace, run softly, run tall. Joe Henderson, Running 101

4 weeks in and going strong! Our Mainely Runners are making incredible progress toward their 5k and half marathon goals and we couldn't be prouder. 

Remember to listen to your body ~ especially in the heat ~ and rest when you need to rest. Drink plenty of fluids and eat sensibly before your runs. Pay attention to those aches and pains that sometimes seem to betray our mind's willingness to keep right on running. And most importantly ~ Have Fun! That's what it's all about after all!

Meet Karyn, Fitness Revolutionary

Karyn is getting back in the swing of things with a healthy dose of humor. Read her story here and watch out Johnny Denim!!

Denim jeans. A leather belt. A plaid shirt. And worst of all...sandals with socks. Not exactly the description of someone you might find in your worst nightmare, unless of course the person who fits that description is an elderly gentleman who finished 14 seconds in front of you in the first and only race you have ever entered. To make matters worse, it was the Walter Hunt Memorial Fourth of July Race; a wonderful Bangor tradition, but let’s face it, the course is (mostly) down hill and it only covers a distance of 1.86 miles. Perhaps I was over confident. Perhaps I was crazy. Perhaps I began a little too fast and just had nothing left for the end of the race when I adjusted my eyes to make sure that I was really trailing a man who looked like he should be posing for an L.L. Bean ad. Either way, as I rounded the corner by The Grasshopper Shop and saw the loving smiles and heard the supportive cheers of my family and friends, I vowed that he would not beat me............in the end, the only thing wounded was my pride. My brother nicknamed the man “Johnny Denim” and the story still gets a pretty good laugh each time we rehash it.

Growing up I don’t think that I ever would have considered myself a hardcore athlete, but I was athletic. I played soccer, basketball, and “ran” track. The first two I played for the love of the sports, but I was a member of the track team so that I could keep my social life up to date. My fondest memories of being on the track team are of going to Fairmount Market for a ham and cheese with pickles sandwich with my best friend every other day before practice. That should give you a pretty good idea of how much of a priority running was for me. When I did run, I did the short sprints because the idea of having to run “all the way around the track” terrified me.

Fast forward 20 years and not much had changed. I traded being a student for being a teacher, being a girlfriend for being a wife, and being a babysitter for being a mother of a wonderful son (all AMAZING additions by the way!). I still loved ham and cheese with pickles, and though I no longer played myself, I watched soccer and basketball on TV, and the idea of running any distance could still strike a fear in me like I had never known. Oh....and I was at least 60 pounds overweight.

In the summer of 2008, I joined Weight Watchers for the fourth time in my life. The first time I joined I lost 25 pounds easily, but rather than sticking to it when I met my goal, I stopped going to meetings and the weight came back. The second time I joined I had to stop because I was pregnant. The third time I tried to do the at-work approach, but life got in the way. It’s easy to say that isn’t it? That life gets in the way? But by the summer of 2008 my son was four years old and ACTIVE. I was having trouble chasing him around and keeping up with him, and every time we went to the beach I sat on the sidelines and watched my husband and son swim because I would not be caught dead in a bathing suit. When my son would ask why I was not going swimming, I would tell him that I did not have a suit. And then, the fateful day came when my son said, “Hey Mom, I know what I am going to ask Santa for this year!” When I asked him what that was, he responded, “I am going to ask him to get you a bathing suit so you can go swimming with me and Daddy.” I was crushed. The next day I joined Weight Watchers and began walking three miles a day. That summer I lost 25 pounds and I walked and walked and walked. At the end of the summer a good friend of mine told me about the Couch to 5K Running Program, and though I never in a million years believed that I could run a 5K, I gave it a try because my walks were becoming a bit of a bore. Within three weeks I was addicted. Don’t get me wrong, though I loved it, it was never a pretty sight. On the day that I finished running my first three miles without stopping, I doubled over to catch my breath and the mailman actually stopped to ask me if I needed assistance. Another proud moment for sure! In the end, and to make a long story short, by February of the next year, I had lost 58 pounds and I was running five miles a day.......I simply could not get enough of it. I woke up in the morning excited to get to the gym, or if it was warm enough, go outside for a run. On the days that I could not make it to the gym, or if my body needed a rest, I missed it and could not wait to get back. I have never, ever, in my life felt as healthy, energetic, and alive as I did when I was running on a regular basis.

So what happened? In June of 2009 I began to get the first symptoms of Plantar Fasciitis, but I ignored them because I just loved running too much. And then, not long after my run-in with “Johnny Denim” I just could not stand the pain any longer and I had to stop running all together. It disappoints me that I did not have the heart to stay strong and find other ways to take care of myself and keep myself moving. Instead, I felt sorry for myself, made very poor food choices, and I am now right back where I started. Let’s be honest. Just like you have to work hard to lose 58 pounds, you have to work pretty hard to gain that kind of weight back, too. I know that, and I own it. I am currently at least 60 pounds overweight and I am beginning the journey again. My son gave me the motivation to get healthy the last time. This time, I am beginning my journey back to a healthy life on the heels of the death of my father who died very unexpectedly in February of this year. His death has turned my world upside down, but now that the fog has lifted a bit, I can see more clearly now than ever that I MUST take care of myself. The list of reasons to get healthy is endless. I am going to look forward to family runs in the future, and to a life dedicated to movement. In September I will be 40 years old, and even though I will still be in the beginning phases of my journey, I know it will be something that I am, first and foremost, doing for me. Life will no longer get in the way because “life” itself will be my goal. “Johnny Denim”....if you’re out there, I’ll be back!

Thanks to Amy and all of the other inspiring people at Mainely Running for bringing hope and support to so many!

Inspired by Karyn? Have your own story of goal setting to share? We want to hear from you! Contact us at info@mainelyrunning.com. We'll follow you and support you as one of our fitness revolutionaries. There's no better way to keep yourself accountable!

Bring on the Warrior Dash!

This weekend I've carved out a little "me time" to celebrate my birthday which fell on the last day of school this year ~ the same day as our annual neighborhood picnic in the park. There was a lot going on that day so as it often happens once you have kids the day was about much more than little 'ole me and with very good reason.

I did have a fantastic morning that started with a run with our Mainely Running class, chocolate cupcakes baked lovingly by Amy and even a gift or two from my steadfast running partners! No complaints here. It was a great start to a busy day!

With all of the end of school year celebrations behind us though and my BIG 4-0 looming large in 363 days (not that I'm counting) I do plan to channel my deep seated, inner adventure seeker this morning in order to conquer the 8 am wave of the Warrior Dash in Amesbury, MA. Two of my adventure seeking friends are joining me and a friend from college will be there as well. It should be a blast!

To give you an idea of the insanity of this 3 mile race here are the names of the obstacles: Hell's Hill, Arachnophobia, Black Forest, Blackout, Knee High Hell, Great Warrior Wall, Junkyard Jump, Satan's Slope, Muddy Mayhem and the Warrior Roast (where you actually run through fire!). Check out the link above to read all about it. It looks nuts!

So, even though I haven't been able to get all of my runs and work outs in lately I think completing the Warrior Dash will count for something. I'll let you know...

My Quest

Do they sway to and fro? Can you tie them in a...

Alrighty then. You may or may not have seen our spot on the local news. If you have then you'll understand where I'm coming from. If you haven't, and I'm now mentioning this...well, you'll probably go and look. What am I talking about? I'm referring to the one thing many women worry about when they exercise...especially running. Oh yeah, I'm talking about the girls. Those wonderful glands that can feed your children for the first year or so of their life, then sadly (at least in my case) sink to new depths. You find yourself looking for ways to lift, compress and by golly keep those puppies still! I thought I was successful. I thought I had things under control.

Then I saw them in motion.

I guess not.

So now I'm on a quest. A quest for the perfect sports bra. I don't ask for much. Looks? It doesn't have to be pretty, it just needs to do its job. The goal? No movement. No chafing. So...if you have any suggestions, do tell! Ones to try, others to stay away from...whatever. In the meantime, online shopping, here I come. Title Nine has its own "Bounce" section now, dedicated to the sports enthusiast and keeping the girls under wraps. Perhaps I'll start there. Stay tuned, I'll let you know my findings!

Wednesday Wisdom

"Can't means won't" - Mike Griffin, former Head Coach, Canoe City Swim Club 

That's a quote from my very wise swim coach many (many, many, many) years ago. Although at the time, my teenage self never would have admitted that an adult was right, he was. There are very few things that we just can't do. There may be a lot of things we don't want to do, but that's not the same thing. In so many cases, it's just a matter of adjusting your mindset...and then, marveling at the things you can accomplish!

Three quarters of the way through your longest run, you might feel like you can't walk another step. But, trust me, unless you've just collapsed on the ground, you can. One foot in front of the other; one step at a time.

You might feel like you can't run a marathon, or 5k or maybe even for 1 minute without stopping but I bet you can do all of these things (and more)! Ok, maybe not necessarily tomorrow but with a little determination, patience and perseverance, you can do it! And we hope that you will!

Ericka's Update

It has been a month or so since you last heard from me and I am excited to say that I am still hanging in there and making progress.  I joined the Mainely Running group through the Y and I think it is going to have the direction and help that I need.  I believe that the group is going to sign-up for the Susan G. Komen 5K in September and I hope that this will build my confidence and prepare me for the half marathon in October.  I have never even watched a race, let alone raced one, and I am hoping that the 5k will give me the lay of the land, as far as logistics and running with a big group of people is concerned. 

One thing that I have found helpful, which seems to boggle some of the runners that I have chatted with, but might be helpful for some of you, is the use of the weight machines before doing my run instead of after.  I’m not sure if it works as a warm-up, or what the reason is, but I seem to have much more endurance during my runs when I do this.  My road runs continue to lag behind my gym runs but they are steadily getting better as well.  Thanks to encouragement from Amy and a run with Christine, I am finally able to run a straight mile.  For someone who has never run before, this is a huge milestone for me.  I also want to give a big thank you to the ladies that I have run with…I am not always the easiest of running partners and your patience is much appreciated!

A little local press

We had the honor of being interviewed by Joy & Mark over at WABI last week. Click on over here to see the story!

For running, Hampden is the place to be this weekend

It looks like Hampden is the place to be for running this weekend! On Saturday morning, we'll have the first Mainely Running group run. We'll start at 8am from the parking lot of the Lura Hoit Pool (on Western Ave in Hampden) and will run or walk a 4 mile loop. Hope to see you there!

On Sunday morning, Hampden Recreation and the Sub5 Track Club are hosting the Hampden 8.5 Mile Road Race. The race starts and finishes at the Weatherbee School (22 Main Rd N). Registration starts at 7:30 and the race starts at 8:30 with a $10 registration fee. It's a beautiful course with only a couple tough hills, and is sure to be a fun time. We'll cover part of the course during our Saturday run, so join us for a preview! :)

The Perfect Running Partner: One Woman's Story

We are so lucky to have a guest post today from one of our readers! This reader, who chooses to remain anonymous, dishes on what she found to motivate herself to get running...

I am a typical 30yo female. Two small children? yes. Have a muffin top with stretch marks? yes. Too busy to take time for myself? yes. Totally in love with a 109 year old vampire that happens to sparkle in the sun and was designed for 13yo girls? Of course! A runner? Not so much.

I, like everyone who has read the Twilight Saga, fell totally in love with the books. I am pretty sure it must be the crack that Stephanie Meyers somehow infused into the pages. But regardless, I admit, I am googoo over Twilight! (And yes, on Team Edward). But I am busy too. I have a two year old and four year old boy who run me rampant, I work part time doing the overnight shift, and I am a property manager for our family owned-trailer park (it's a long story). Needless to say, I spend most of my days fumbling around aimlessly, trying to keep my children busy, at least enough laundry done to cloth the children the next day, and my eyes open. Exercise becomes my last priority, listed right below eating healthy and taking time for myself. That was until I found Twilight. I found that I was ignoring all other tasks and spending at least an hour of the productive hours of the day reading Twilight. I just had to see who Bella would pick and whether she would become a vampire or not! So there was time for self care? hmm...

Image via twilightsaga.wikia.com

After the books, I became obsessed with the movies (yes, I know they are awful, but once you read the books, the movies become much better). While I could justify taking time out of each day to read (stimulates the brain), I could not justify sitting around all day while my children trash the house and my husband slaves at work, while I watch Edward Pattinson gaze into Kristen Stewart's eyes. At the same time, I was becoming increasingly displeased with my ever-growing waistline and my glistening sweat as I walked up the stairs (but then again, the glistening sweat did look a lot like a vampire sparkle. hmm...) Unlike movie-watching, exercise was on my self-imposed list of acceptable activities to be done while my husband was at work and I enjoyed my status as a part-time employee (aka: part-time money maker). So, while my 2yo napped and my 4yo had some "quiet time" with Dinosaur Train, I had a date with the treadmill and Edward.

It started with allotting myself 30 minutes of fast walking on the treadmill while indulging in the sparkles, beauty, and bad acting that is Twilight. First, for the grand finale, I would try to make myself jog for 1 minute straight, then 2 minutes straight. Sounds like a simple feat for some, but for someone like me, who has considered two labors and deliveries enough exercise for the past four years, jogging for two minutes was hard work! I imposed a rule for myself, I was not allowed to watch any Twilight movie unless I was on the treadmill. And what is the one thing worse than making a non-runner run? Keeping a Twi-hard from watching Twilight! So, at least 4 times a week, I continued getting on the treadmill for my dates with Edward. And a funny thing happened, I found that soon, I was running for the entirety of the 30 minutes. I was able to run 2 miles in a row without keeling over and dying. And on most days, I didn't even notice the running because I was so enthralled in the dramatic pauses and realistic action scenes. Then, I noticed not only was I sparkling (with sweat), but my bum was a bit smaller! With this sparkly, smaller new look, maybe I had a shot with Edward after all?! So I kept running.

Long story short, I think that running, exercising, taking care of yourself is all about finding the right carrot to dangle. Yes, it is great to be healthy, show your kids determination and stick-to-itness, be thin, what-have-you. In theory, all of those reasons sound fantastic, but in my reality at least, they just don't do the trick of convincing me to get on that treadmill when there are a million other things on my to-do list. However, you offer me an hour of mindless, escape from reality, where there are no screaming kids, sticky floors, smelly laundry, and sleep deprivation induced psychosis, and I just may take you up on the offer. I think I found my carrot in the form of a sparkly fictional character who just may be in love with me now that I sparkle and have a smaller bum.

So, me, I run with vampires. Who do you run with?

What do you choose?

Here's a great article from Runner's World about choosing how to frame your running experience. How will you choose to do it?

Learning To Run: Knowledge and skill make some of us faster--but good running experiences can be had by all.

Time to Hit the Road, This Saturday!

We've heard from a number of people interested in finding running partners and have been trying to figure out the best way to get folks matched up. It can be so rewarding to run with others (check this out if you haven't already) but finding the right running partners can sometimes be a little tricky if your pace, schedules, etc don't match up with those of your friends. One of the ideas that we've tossed around is organizing periodic group runs where people would be able to meet up with other runners, and we figure since the weather is finally nice, there's no time like the present!

It's kind of short notice for this one, but we'll be organizing a group run for this Saturday morning, 6/18. We'll plan on a 4 mile loop starting from the Lura Hoit Pool in Hampden at 8am. Our route will take us west on Western Ave. We'll take a left onto Mayo Road and will follow it to Kennebec Road where we'll take another left. We'll take another left on Main Rd S and then left on Western to take us back to the pool.

I'll be running at a pace somewhere around 10-11 min/miles or maybe a little slower, depending on how much I'm talking :), and we will have a group walking as well. All paces are welcome though - just wanted to give everyone an idea of what to expect :)

Leave a comment if you think you'll join us (and feel free to join us even if you don't comment). Hope to see you rain or shine on Saturday!

Wednesday Wisdom

Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition. 
Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust. ~ Jesse Owens

Mainely Running, The Class, Week 2:

We had our second Mainely Running Class yesterday and everyone did a fantastic job! I really mean that whether some of them believe me or not (and you know who you are :o). We ran a mile farther than last Tuesday and completed 3 miles using 2 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals. We changed our route to a more scenic, much flatter part of town and that seemed to help quite a bit. Thankfully no one cursed us this time (again, you know who you are :o). I was grateful for that!

As in every group there is a bell curve in terms of individual fitness levels. We planned on that which makes having 3 facilitators so helpful. We encourage everyone to follow through with their individual training runs and to buddy up with others. We've really found that running with others helps so much. You get to know each other. You pass the time. And you can commiserate as well as celebrate!

I overheard folks making plans for runs outside of our class and that makes me very happy. I can see people who may never have met connecting and hopefully forming the foundation for very fit, very fulfilling friendships!

I, for one, am grateful for my friendships with Jen and Amy. I don't know that I ever would have run without their motivation and encouragement. I really don't. I know that participation in our Mainely Running class is only the beginning for the folks in our group and hope their journeys are as amazing as ours has been. See for yourself ~ here's a glimpse at our journey...

10th Annual Garelick Farms - Bangor Y Main Street Mile Milk Run

Mainely Running was well represented at the Mile Milk Run this past Saturday on Main Street in Bangor. Our sporty husbands and even sportier kids joined in the fun and ran strong! The kids ran their little hearts out and each one of them got a personal best ~ shaving as much as 4 and 1/2 minutes off their times from last year.

We were happy to share the experience of a race with our families and thrilled to see several folks currently enrolled in our Mainely Running class tackling the mile one step at a time.

Our class meets again tomorrow morning and we're very much looking forward to it. There's nothing like watching determination in action. There's nothing like Mainely Running!

Revolutionaries Update

We've featured 7 fabulous Revolutionaries so far here on Mainely Running and it's time to check in and see how they're doing!

Jen R is working towards her second half marathon in April.

Heather is running towards her first full marathon this fall. 
**Read more about Heather's story below...

Louise is training for a 5k this summer.

Frederique was signed up for a June 5th half marathon, as well as another in September.

Ericka is making strides toward her first half marathon in October.

Jaime has a racing season chock full of 5ks, 10ks, triathlons and half marathons.

Becca is on her way to successfully completing 2 half marathons this fall.

Some impressive goals by inspiring women! Revolutionaries, how is your training and racing going? Please leave us a comment on this post and let us know!

Inspired by these ladies? Have your own story of goal setting to share? We want to hear from you! Contact us at info@mainelyrunning.com. We'll follow you and support you as one of our fitness revolutionaries. There's no better way to keep yourself accountable! 

******************************************************************************
Now check out Heather's update!  Go Heather!!!

It’s official! We’re doing the whole thing.  On October 2, my husband, younger sister, brother in law, my friend Susan, and I are running the Maine Marathon. (I’m still holding out hope that my older sister and brother will join us.)  We have completed the first two weeks of Hal Higdon’s training programs and are feeling great.  Susan and I are sticking with the novice program while the others are working from the intermediate program.  

Although it’s early in our training, so far so good.  The time commitment isn’t overwhelming at this point, the kids are still in school making it relatively easy to carve out daily running time, the weather has been beautiful, and we are still feeling the excitement of the newness of it all. I may change my tune in July and August when I have the kids’ summer schedules to juggle, our runs get significantly longer, and the weather will be hotter. 

This week’s training runs were actually enjoyable.  Susan and I headed to City Forest for a change of scenery and had a really fun trail run.  We weren’t exactly sure where we were going and we relied on the maps along the path.  We were shocked when before we knew it we were back at our car, four plus miles later.  Last night we did our long run for the week.  We waited until the evening to do our 7 miles, and a little past the halfway point I realized how fantastic it felt.  We were really just cruising and my feet and legs felt light.  It was an easy, energizing run. 

I got revenge on an old nemesis on Saturday.  My first ever race was the 2008 Milk Mile.  I had just started exercising, but wasn’t really running at the time.  I decided to sign up for the Milk Mile.  I figured, it was only a mile, why not?  I set my sights on a few women who started the race near me and decided I was going to stay with them to the finish.  They ran significantly faster than I could or should have.  Half way through the mile I wet my pants, and by the end, I was convinced I was going to drop dead.  This was the old Milk Mile route, that didn’t end on that beautiful downhill, but rather hooked down around the waterfront.   My husband and kids cheered me on from the sidelines, and I swore I would NEVER run a race again.  

Fast-forward three years.  Even my kids have caught the running bug!  We ran the Bangor YMCA’s Milk Mile as a family on Saturday.  I was a little nervous that I’d be carrying my five year old on my back over the finish line; but she chugged right along, a huge smile on her face and ran the mile without missing a beat.  My son took off at the start and I didn’t see him again until the finish line where he was waiting with a huge, proud smile.  They had so much fun they want to register now for next year’s race!

Road Race

I'm not a competitive person when it comes to athletics (academics... well, that's another story). I don't enjoy competing and racing at all. You're probably wondering then, why have I voluntarily payed good money to enter all of these road races? And, even more importantly, why am I trying to get you to enter them too?

Because, road races can be about more than just winning. They're a great place to test your fitness, meet other runners who are about your pace, try out a new running route, get a t-shirt and/or medal for your training run, run with a different crowd, experience the pre-race excitement and celebrate your accomplishment afterwards with a whole bunch of people who truly get what you just did.

Photo by Maine Running Photos, Bangor Labor Day 5-Miler, 2010

We are in the thick of road racing season here in Eastern Maine and there are so many to choose from! Here are just a few:

June 11: Garelick Farms Main Street 1 Mile Milk Run (Bangor)
June 25: Tour du Lac 10 Miler (Bucksport)
June 26: Rail Trails Half Marathon, Half Marathon Relay and 5k (Augusta)
July 4: Walter Hunt Memorial Fourth of July 3K (Bangor/Brewer)
July 30: Bucksport Bay Festival 5k (Bucksport)
August 14: County Open Half Marathon & Half Marathon Relay (Island Falls)
August 20: Machias Blueberry Race 5 Mile & 1 Mile Fun Run (Machias)
August 20: Champion the Cure Challenge 5k & 10k (Brewer)
August 27: Northeast Harbor 5-Mile Road Race (Northeast Harbor)
Sept 5: Bangor Labor Day 5 Mile Road Race (Bangor)
Sept 17: MDI Y Fall 5K and Half Marathon (Bar Harbor)
Sept 18: Race for the Cure (Bangor)

Oct 8: Dempsey Challenge 5k & 10k (Lewiston)
Oct 23: Black Bear 5k (Orono)

Why not give one of these a try? Hope to see you there!

Inspiration in Vermont

You've heard lots about the marathons that some of us ran over the last month or so, but I'm going to take you way back to the 2010 Vermont City Marathon in Burlington....

It was a beautiful day in a beautiful city, I was with my wonderful friends, I felt good and ready to have a great run. My plan was to stay with the 10:55 pace group for the first half of the race and then do whatever I needed to do to finish. Sounded like the perfect plan to me! Well, after about 5 miles, my plan ended up out the window. I couldn't keep up with the pace group (since they were running a pace more in the 9 minute mile range - yikes! This was when I learned that the pace groups just get you to the finish in a certain time, and they don't actually maintain a steady pace throughout the race. Oh well!) and I couldn't even keep up with my friends. I watched as they got further and further ahead in the crowd, but my legs just wouldn't carry me any faster. I started feeling defeated. I was not even 6 miles in, which meant over 20 left to go. I was feeling sorry for myself and wondering how I would possibly finish if I felt so bad so early in the race.

I started walking for a bit and was passed by a bunch of people, including 2 soldiers dressed in fatigues, carrying 35 lb backpacks and running in combat boots. It reminded me that running in a race like this is a privilege, and that there were certainly much bigger problems in the world than my not being able to maintain a certain pace. If they could finish a marathon dressed the way they were, carrying that heavy load, I could certainly finish too. These two men inspired me to get over myself, to keep going and to really look at the experience for what it was - an amazing opportunity to be part of such an event!

We took turns passing each other along the rest of the race and they finished right near me. Each time I saw them, it helped me keep a positive attitude and keep things in perspective.

If those two weren't enough to keep me inspired, this next runner certainly did the trick! During the last few miles of the race, I ran near Dana Casanave who was running 52 marathons in 52 weeks (holy $%^&$!!!) to raise money for South African AIDS orphans. One marathon a year is plenty for me. I can't even imagine what that took, particularly since she said she'd never been much of a runner until about 5 years ago. We took turns passing each other in the final miles and she finished directly in front of me, despite the fact that she was dealing some pretty nasty IT band issues.

photo courtesy of 52beginnings.com

These amazing individuals, running for something so much bigger than themselves, inspired me to keep going, and I still think of them now and then when I'm out on a run, and feeling like I need a boost. Inspirational!

Have you encountered some inspirational people while out running? Comment and share your story!

Who Knew?

Running improves my relationships with my family, my friends, everyone around me. And while my running is personal, it's also something I give. Running can be given. Tony Sandoval, M.D., winner of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials

I know if you asked my father-in-law, Mr. Kendall, back in 1984 who in his gym class was most likely to start a running class (that had to limit membership in it's first offering because of such overwhelming interest) he definitely would not have said Chris Lally! Well, lookie here folks!  

Chris Lally Kendall (like I said, who knew?) did it and she couldn't be prouder. She also couldn't have done it without her two fabulously motivating and incredibly inspiring friends, Amy and Jen. Mr. Kendall's son also helped. I'd be remiss if I didn't mention him (my husband, 8th grade classmate, Young Astronauts Club co-member (don't ask) and podiatrist extraordinaire.

Amy, Jen and I have been on a journey I never could have predicted almost 6 years ago when I left Delaware for Bangor, Maine with Mr. Kendall's son to start a new life together with our daughter. Amy and I supported each other through our pregnancies with our second children. Amy, Jen and I comforted each other and commiserated when we dropped our first born off at preschool on the same sunny morning several years ago and for several weeks after that. We patted each others' backs and offered hugs. We spied on each others' children when our "BIG" kids shed tears after drop off. We talked each other out of running back into the preschool when we heard their crying from inside the classroom. We strapped our little ones into our jogging strollers for the first time and hit the streets of Bangor. JR, the mail man, noticed and asked when one of us was missing and neighbors sitting in chairs in their driveways waited for us to see if we dropped this baby hat or that baby hat. Kids in the preschool started asking why I wear "flat pants" (running tights). And the rest as they say is history...

One by one we crossed training runs off our calendars and one by one we crossed finish line after finish line much to our own amazement! We proved to ourselves that we are so much more than wives, daughters and mothers with memories of careers put on hold in order to raise our children full time. We realized the extent of our potential and the power of will and determination. We also realized that we had the power to inspire and motivate others.

And so, here we are, 6 years later celebrating the realization of our mission to get people moving and celebrating friendships characterized by truly unconditional love and support. I thank Jen and Amy from the bottom of my heart for challenging me and supporting me. Now let's get to the business of challenging and supporting others. Shall we?

Mainely Running ~ THE CLASS!

"I spoke with some folks at the Y today and I think they are interested in offering a beginners running program."

"What?" I ask, thinking I surely misheard what Christine said.

"A running program!" she reiterates, with that excited oh my gosh I have a million ideas running through my head look that only Christine gets.

Now mind you, Amy, Christine and I have been talking about starting a program like this for...well...years.  As soon as we began running and realized not only the physical benefits, but the positive mental and emotional impact it was having on us as well, we wanted to share this feeling with others.  But where do we start?  How do we get the message out there?

 




A couple of years and many, many discussions later I think we finally started our journey with Mainely Running.  And yesterday...well, yesterday we began what I can only describe as THE best possible beginning we could have. 

I didn't know what to expect.  My biggest concern (and still my biggest) is will we meet (or ideally exceed!) the expectations of the people registered for our class?  Can we convey what we know is true...that anyone can be a runner...or a swimmer...or a cyclist or....you get my point. 

We've said it before and I'll say it again.  The three of us are not athletes.  We enjoy sitting on the couch and eating a bag of M&M's as much as the next person.  But we know that exercise and moving our body is a good thing.  We've seen the powerful bond that occurs when you get a group of "your average joes" together and work toward a common goal.

We want to help others have that same empowering feeling.  And guess what?  The group of people I met yesterday will feel like that.  Talk about inspiring!  I was so humbled listening to the different stories these women had for joining.  I'm sitting here now just shaking my head, thrilled that they are giving me the chance to share in their journey with them.  And I mean that sincerely.  When the girls and I talked after class, Amy said that when she looked up the hill as everyone started running, she got chills.  And to think, this is only the beginning... 

Wednesday Wisdom

"Running is not, as it so often seems, only about what you did in your last race or about how many miles you ran last week. It is, in a much more important way, about community, about appreciating all the miles run by other runners, too."
--Richard O'Brien


And we certainly appreciate and are so proud of the miles logged by the runners at our first Mainely Running class at the Bangor Y today!  You all did a fantastic job and we're so excited to see you again next week!

Baking the Night Away

I had two things I wanted to accomplish tonight. Baking cupcakes to bring to my son's school for his "birthday" tomorrow (his birthday is over the summer, so he gets to pick a day to celebrate at school beforehand) and write about the amazing running class we had this morning at the Bangor Y. Well, I can tell you that I just took the last batch of cupcakes out of the oven. I was one cupcake short, so I had to make another batch. Then I ran out of eggs. And I still need to put the frosting on. And it's 10:40pm. Can you tell how my evening is going? Needless-to-say while I may be able to finish frosting and adding the rainbow colored sprinkles (I was given explicit instructions on how they should look), I think my head may just drop on the keyboard if I try to reflect on the class tonight. But let me tell you....it was fabulous. And after my cup...oh who am I kidding...pot...of coffee tomorrow morning, my fingers are going to fly. Let me just say, it's a great group of inspiring, strong women. So...until tomorrow...

Words to Run By

Believe that you can run farther or faster. Believe that you're young enough, old enough, strong enough, and so on to accomplish everything you want to do. Don't let worn out beliefs stop you from moving beyond yourself.  John Bingham: An American marathon runner and author, nicknamed "The Penguin", who has achieved widespread recognition for promoting the walking of long-distance race courses to the general public/ His writings are characterized by his espousal of the belief that the goals of running are to have fun and finish—and that for a vast majority of amateur athletes running fast should not be the only aim.

As seen on gadsdenhealth.org

In anticipation of our inaugural Mainely Running class this morning I thought this was the perfect quote to start the day! We know there are lots of nerves and anxious anticipation this morning. We feel them, too. We're all in the same boat. Trying something new is nerve wracking. Pushing what you think are your own physical limitations and testing beliefs you have about yourself complicates things ever further. We totally get that.

Mainely Running, the class, will be great! I know it will. Running with Jen and Amy and our 3 other Sole Sisters and connecting with folks at the Y through various fitness classes has enriched my life in so many ways. I've met such strong women who inspire each other and motivate each other. That's what Mainely Running is all about. You'll see that. I just know it!

Where I WASN'T on May 29th

Well, I wasn't where I was supposed to be. I wasn't where I anticipated being. And I certainly wasn't where I wanted to be....the Vermont City Marathon. Instead I was stuck at home on antibiotics for a respiratory infection....not something conducive to running. But guess what? I'm going to tell you about something else I did that day which was fun. My husband and I decided to take the kids to the indoor climbing gym at our local Y!

Years ago (pre-kids) we used to spend a lot of time climbing (mostly indoor although some outside as well....outside...that's another story!). The climbing gym where we lived in New York was fabulous...lots of different cracks and overhangs, along with its very own indoor caving system (for those who enjoy spelunking). Let me tell you...spelunking is not for everyone...especially me. I reluctantly tried it one time and ended up screaming my bloody head off (no joke) until someone came in and guided me out. Having to navigate in pitch black through tight corners...yikes.

Lucky for me our local Y does not have a caving system. I can guarantee if they did, my son would drag me in. What they do have is some fun climbing and bouldering at varying degrees of difficulty. They even have a small section where kids can climb unharnessed up to a little sitting area (with mats underneath...just in case). My kids had a blast. It reaffirmed three things for me. One, my son has no fear. This will undoubtedly put many grey hairs on my head over the years. Two, my daughter needs a lot of coaxing to try anything new. So yes, she is pretty much the exact opposite of my son. And three, climbing is a ton of fun. I'd forgotten just how much I enjoyed it. It also didn't hurt that I got to the top on my first try, while my husband slipped before making it up. But shhh...you didn't hear that from me...

So despite feeling under the weather and missing my race, I still managed to have a good day. If you have a climbing gym where you are, check it out! Oh and can I just say, check out my outfit. I wore it in homage to this....

Cheers!

I'm back from Bar Harbor and the day was as beautiful as promised. Tomorrow may be even better, but just as with running I'll take it one step at a time. 

I thought a lot today about this site and the start of our walk/run class on Tuesday. It's all so exciting! I can't begin to tell you how many conversations Jen and Amy and I have had about how we could turn this running thing into something bigger ~ something better ~ something about so much more then the three of us. And even though we haven't had the first class yet I believe we've already done that. We've already motivated others to get moving. I know we have and I love that! Mission accomplished, right? Didn't Oprah always say if she could touch one person's life she knew she made a difference? Well, there you go. We've already made a difference! Thank you, Oprah.

That said, we don't ever want to give the impression that our lives are perfect and that as long as we're in matching running outfits life is good. Okay. Truth be told. The matching outfits do help. I cannot tell a lie.


My point is that we're not Super Moms ~ not always anyway. We love lazy mornings spent in jammies and dread setting our alarms for early Saturday morning runs. We love being with our husbands and kids and do deal with some fall out because of the time spent dedicated to training/races. We do love a good ladies' night and ask ourselves why we only go away together to run races. We do love the feeling of completing a run, but still have anxiety that we won't be able to finish. We do love running together and worry about not being able to keep up. And we're still waiting for our six pack abs because the only six packs we have right now are of Gatorade!

We know we can motivate and inspire others and know that others will continue to motivate and inspire us. We're already inspired by the Revolutionaries on this site and by all of those registered for our class. Sometimes to make progress you have to make yourself vulnerable and that's not easy. We totally get that. And we totally get how amazing it is to reach a goal you set for yourself no matter what that goal is. 

So here's to new beginnings, new challenges and new adventures and let's not forget the matching outfits!

Saturday Splendor

It's a beautiful day in Maine today! Amy just headed out for a run with a new running friend. Jen and I are enjoying a Saturday morning with no scheduled training runs to speak of. Sun abounds at the moment so I plan to head to Bar Harbor and Acadia National Park with my family for the day ~ loads of hiking trails, beautiful views and lots of laughs (not to mention ice cream)! So, what are your plans? What are you doing today?

Keeping the Kids Active Too!

Childhood obesity has more then tripled in the past 30 years. The prevalence of obesity among children ages 6 to 11 years increased from 6.5% in 1980 to 19.6%in 2008, while those ages 12 to 19 increased from 5% to 18.1%.* I don't know about you, but those numbers frighten me. Why did this happen? I remember as a child, especially during summer months, waking up in the morning, eating something, then quickly going outside to play with friends. My parents were lucky if they saw me before dinner...I was too busy running around and having fun. In this age of computers and video games, I guess we have veered away from those tendencies. Faced with these statistics, my husband and I are making a concerted effort to have active family fun. Kids lead by example. If they see mom and dad outside moving their bodies, they will do the same. Let's get moving parents!

So with this in mind, my husband took on this latest project. Check it out...and happy building!


With summer comes the joys of outdoor play, but this can often be accompanied by the all too familiar "there's nothing to do". In an attempt to achieve our goal of simple family fun while staying active I took it upon myself to build a pair of soccer goals using simple plans I found online. http://soccergoalplans.com/
For a pair of goals just double the materials listed in the link, as the plans are for one goal. I bought one full size replacement net at Dick's Sporting Goods and cut it to fit both goals. Total expenses for materials for each goal was approximately $35 and build time about two hours. Seeing my daughter dance after scoring a goal let me know the money and effort were well worth it.



*http://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/obesity/

More Marathon Musings

Brace yourselves because posts about the Vermont City Marathon may keep coming unless Jen and/or Amy tell me to put a lid on it. You figure it takes 18 weeks to train for one of these things and then 4 hours and 51 minutes to finish (according to my Garmin which had me running more than 26.2 miles actually. I'm giving myself permission to stick with that until KBVCM results are finalized. I think that seems reasonable and hope you do as well). All of this combined has to be good for at least 5 or 6 posts (and that's a very conservative estimate).

Apparently I passed the 'You're running at a comfortable pace if you can still talk test'. Go figure!

Adding fuel to my race recap fire was this handy dandy information provided by RunPix. Of course this provides more proof that I'm a back of the packer, but check out how strong I look on those graphs. I mean with a stride like that who cares if 76% of the people registered finished ahead of me. Who really cares, right? I particularly like that little box in the lower right hand corner of the first graph. According to that I passed 93 runners during the last 6 miles. I'll keep these stats in mind at my next race. That little box of stats will be enough motivation for me to skip the walk breaks and keep right on trucking.

Courtesy of RunPix.

I know I wrote in that DSM-IV-TR of Running post a little while ago that running serves as a break for me from my own obsessive compulsive ways. I may have to re-examine that now. I think RunPix just brought my OCD ways back to to the forefront of my mind. That's what technology does for you. I keep telling my husband that. Technology makes things easier and more complicated at the same time. Oh, well. Let's analyze this further. Shall we?

Courtesy of RunPix.

Courtesy of RunPix

Courtesy of RunPix

Courtesy of RunPix

Courtesy of RunPix.

With all of this marathon analysis going on I think I may have the inclination to do another one this summer. David, a follower of this site who had a very impressive showing at Burlington and is on a mission to run 12 marathons in 12 months, introduced us to an inaugural marathon, The Mad Marathon, scheduled for July 10th in Waitsfield, Vermont. Call me crazy, but guess who pans to register? Anyone care to join me?