Hey Where’s My Lazy Summer?

Categories: Home Front, Motivation, Scheduling Fitness, Summer

We are one week into summer break and I’ve yet to find a rhythm. I think back to previous years and I wonder how the heck I squeezed marathon training in?

To be fair, Thing 1 and the Caveman were away this week so my runs while single parenting had to be on the mill. I could not will myself to go more than a few miles. Plus we’re having the house painted so there’s an added level of obligation waiting for them to show up, etc.

Finally this morning I made it out for a crack-of-dawn 6 miler. Before rush hour traffic. Before the winds whipped up and the sun got too hot. It was like old times (alas nowhere near as fast).

My shoulder started hurting like a mofo again. I blame sleeping on it ‘wrong’. I refused to let it spoil my glorious early morning though. Why is life so chaotic? Shouldn’t it be ‘easier’ now that the kids are no longer babies?
Probably more for my benefit than anyone else’s, I reflected on how I squeezed in fitness when the kids were smaller (they were 2 and 6 when I ran my first marathon):

• I followed a Plan (Run Less Run Faster) and crosstrained religously in the basement
• I worked out FIRST thing in the morning. Before life got in the way
• I reviewed my workout the night before so I was mentally prepared and didn’t waste time
• I laid out my clothes
• I negotiated a deal w/the Caveman so I could squeeze my run in before he left for work
• Most importantly: I was passionate about marathon training.

What are your tips for squeezing in fitness? Have you settled into your summer groove?

Still time to enter my FRS giveaway!

Motivation Monday: Fan Edition

Categories: Motivation, Spectators

When I do my long runs, I like to keep my head in a positive place. Among the rainbows and unicorns that danced in my head as I banged out yesterday’s 11-miler, I got to thinking about the impact spectators have on me in races:

• One of them gave me the mantra I still use today when she shouted “More than enough!” as she jammed Lady Gaga’s Poker Face along the path at the Grand Rapids Marathon.
• A guy yelled “Lady in purple you look hot!” at mile 24 of the steamy 2010 Chicago Marathon  Maybe he was referring to the fact that I was a sweltering mess but I took it the other, more complimentary way and it put some much-needed wind in my sails for those last grueling miles. 
• A lady said “See the balloons up ahead? That’s the finish line. You SO have this.” She didn’t know I was within minutes of my first BQ and in my fatigue-addled state, this was exactly what I needed to hear.

I could go on. While I do just fine ‘running within myself’ at smaller races where spectators are sparse, for some reason, when I’m ultra tired and depleted in the final stages of a race, I’m extremely grateful for spectators and I seem to hang on their every word. I think it was Oprah who said you see Jesus at mile 20 of  marathon. Maybe those people with the kind words that have stuck with me are really angels? At that moment they surely were.

I think I need to stake out in the final stages of races more often and dish out supportive words just as was done for me.

Are you motivated by spectators? Do things they say/signs they carry stick with you? Final days for my Sportline HRM giveaway!