Tag Archive | running book

Become Your Dream

May28

There are many things that make NYC what it is: a place like no other. Some of them, like Times Square, are very obvious and it’ll be on your face on your first day here. Others, you’ll find with time, and you’ll probably stumble upon them and don’t know how you didn’t see it before.

I was just re-reading More Fire, by Toby Tanser (one big staple in any New York City Runner’s “spotted” list!) and there’s a line on the second page that stayed with me:

Talent does not ensure success; each triumph has to be earned.

I am sure you all know why this line is so powerful… Even if you train for months, you still have to go and get it. Even though we do this all the time, it is still hard. Every time. Your heart really has to be in it.

Then, walking home, I saw this

become your dream de la vega nyc

I had seen this before and knew about the artist who created the movement: James De La Vega does murals and chalk drawings in the NYC streets with aphoristic messages. But coming accross it all the time, mostly if you live in the Upper East Side is a different thing. You just walk into these things on the street ALL THE TIME.
It’s fantastic. One tiny little NYC moment that will last the whole day, which is a big deal here.
They wake you up.
And yes, we’ll have to earn it. Each one of them.
If we look past the common, we’re constantly being inspired by the city to wake up, all the time. And to earn each one of those triumphs.
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Yey for Destiny!

Jan26

What do you do when you can’t make up your mind??? Do you go crazy? Get anxious? Ask everybody? Freak out and decide just so you don’t have to wonder anymore? Well, my wise grandma used to say that when you can’t make a decision, you just delay it, wait and wait and at some point the door will open up for you. You don’t pick the door, the door picks you…

But let me back up a little… Back in November when I was coming back to running, I signed up for the Manhattan Half as I knew it’d get full and it would be a good reason for me to train thru the crappy December-January weather (which ended up being as un-crappy as it could be!). Early December I started getting crazy pain, stopped running and was out for a month. Again. Mid January I started back up slowly.

First Week in January: 5 miles

Second Week in January: 10 miles

Third Week… I already had 6 miles by Wednesday, should I even go up to (plus 13) 19? Yeah, might be too much, mostly after a longest run of 6.5 the weekend before, longest run in almost two months so I know I shouldn’t, this is why I always end up getting in trouble, and I know I need to be smarter so I really shouldn’t but I didn’t rule it out as I didn’t really committ to it, I was in a waiting phased and decided to let the door pick me.

They said it might snow. I didn’t carboload but I did set the alarm for 6:30 am and set some clothes out. My phone starts bleeping with text messages before that. I look at the bible:

What?

Oh ok… refreshed the NYRR page, and see the door!!!!

Because of the snow, they had turned the race into a fun run, which means no scoring, no timing mats, and run whatever you want and time yourself. And, if you don’t show up, you still get credit towards the marathon…  KA-Chiiiiing. I can use any sleeping time any time, so I replied to some texts, I think I tweeted I was staying put (which apparently I didn’t) and turned in place!

It’s gorgeous to wake up to snow, and given now I had skipped a race, or cheering with my team, and then post race brunch, I had a few osom hours in my hand to waste. So I got right to it:

As soon as I open it up, I discover the sweetest note:

This is what I call Saturday-Snow-Happinees Mission Complete.

I know this waiting for the door to open passive approach is not for everybody. You have to take in whatever life throws at you and deal with it. But it seems to work. And really, my grandma was never wrong with anything else.

Yey for Destiny!

Running On The Edge

Jan25

I am not gonna lie, I felt pretty cool yesterday… I emailed Adam Goucher yesterday and replied with this:

 

Ehem, ok, this IS pretty REALLY cool. Watch out, my head is about to blow up!

Back to the real world, I had heard about his new book, but hadn’t gotten to it yet, so glad he pointed it out;


and:

You can check out what others are saying about it on our website and you can follow our weekly blog also check us out on facebook!

I looked at the first link and I was falling off my chair. I instantly started salivating with excitement and now I can’t wait to read it. Anyone here has it already??? Thoughts? If I dissapear for a few days it might be because I got my hands on it! Will report back!

Running On The Edge

To be or not to be: A Kenyan

Sep16

I am not a Kenyan, in case my race times had you confused… Just wanted to clear that out up-front! 😉 I finished reading Toby Tanser’s More Fire, and I learned a lot of stuff that is, hum, what is the word…. ground breaking!

Their Running is pretty much the OPPOSITE of all we do around here. You’ll have to read it and figure out why and what works for you but some shattering concepts I was stuck with include:

– Their Easy pace is ridiculously slow. Anyone could walk faster! 

I am on it. I like super slow runs!

– Block training: they start slow, build up, train hard, race, and pig out for a month or two after a race. They seriously stop running for weeks at a time.

I will try to stop running after my marathon, or after the ultra two weeks after the marathon, or.. oh, this might be impossible.

– Use softer surfaces, no pavement unless it is a race.

Amen.

– Healthy and Minimalist approach to eating.

Can’t even dream of trying.

– Everything is done in group-mode (running, travelling, living, racing).

Hmmm, I am more into “twosome-running”, mostly to chat away! They don’t chat on runs.

– Clothes, while training: more is more; just to make sure everything is warmed up and loose.

I am the opposite, I just hate doing laundry…

– No GPS watch and no mileage tracking.

What? I have like 50 spreadsheets, with tabs, charts, formulas…

– Injury Prevention…

Can’t tell you that one, do you want Toby to strangle me?

Ok, so some stuff might not translate but the more I read the more I seemed to start making adjustments.

It really does make sense, you’ll have to check it out. I learned a lot about how to approach the sport to make it render the best results (meals type and quantity, training programs, how to pick one, attitude, shoes, crosstraining, etc.) Their mental approach is what’s most different though. This is, after all, a job for them, a way to make a career for themselves.

It is very inspiring, I would like to go there someday. I’d probably have to run all by myself though.

The Perfect Mile – book review

Jul30

Before you scream, IT IS A BOOK:

blog post photo

I, obviously, wouldn’t even know a perfect mile if it hit me in the face with a jar of Nutella!

I JUST finished reading it. And I say “just” because I got it for Christmas!!!

 

 

First, I don’t have much time for reading (without falling asleep). Second, it took me four attempts to get into it. I even brought this book on a few flights to force myself to read it. It just didn’t look interesting at all to me. It’s about the struggles Landy, Bannister, and Santee go through in their quest to do the first sub-4 minute mile. And… who cares about achieving the first sub four mile now? Hello, we KNOW how it ends!! Duh! And these people were so different to me and my view of running that I couldn’t relate at all!! The book went into SO much detail about their lives, their jobs, their splits, the time they were in, the competition, their coaches, their schools, yada yada yada…

Then, on my FOURTH try, somehow, it all came together and I got hooked. And can’tputitdown andohIjustmissedmystop hooked!!! It was the strangest thing… all of those things that were so unappealing before, all of a sudden had me breathing hard and loosing sleep. I sound crazy, I know, but this book is AMAZING. And it all really happened so I even lost sleep thinking the work it must have been to put all of these facts and stories together.

The way Neal describes every single meet is just perfection…  A race that would last “around” 4 minutes could turn into the most exciting 80 pages you’ve ever read. I was literally reading this book at the edge of my seat, mouth open, stressed out, and with very high bpms!! AS IF I was watching a World Cup game or racing the mile myself. VERY VERY INTENSE… 


After I finished the book, I watched those same races on youtube and it was great as now I had an insane amount of context, but it was not as exciting as the book, not even close… Read it if you can. I KNOW it looks and sounds boring, but trust me, it’s worth it.

TGIF!!!!!!!!!! Zero miles for the week so far. Bummed about missing the track meet yesterday, but JFlecks has promised to make Martha’s amazing mac&cheese tonight, and I’m planning some 12 miles to stretch out the legs tomorrow with Flor in the park. A zero miles week would not be right.

Have a great weekend!!!!!!!