The Color Run Columbus

Today was the Columbus Color Run. I signed up for this one as soon as it opened because it looked like such fun!  I have not run as often as I've planned because of travel and work but I've run enough that I felt like I could run enough of this race. I've been running 2 - 2 1/2 miles per run.  I feel better than I did in May when I did the Komen Race for the Cure.

The day was fun and it was fun to hang out with friends but I wouldn't consider today's event a run event.  It was hard to actually run for more than a few minutes at a time and the focus was really more on being goofy than on running.   The start line set off in waves so runners did not go first which made traffic a bit crazy as the race continued. The streets were narrow for the size of the crowd so it was hard to run at any consistent pace.  The color stops were fun, but definitely required walking and often waiting in line for the color. Lots of "traffic jams" at the color stops.  Some people rolled around in the color so you had to be careful not to step on or trip over people.

Some things I noticed about the race:

People had a great time dressing for the event-fun socks, fun hats, fun hair clips, colorful skirts. You could tell people had fun getting ready for this event.

I was glad I had sunglasses. They were fun and the protected my eyes from the color.

The color was fun and not as hard to get off as I was worried about it. After a long shower, I only have two small spots of pink left on my hands.

I wasn't able to wear my newest running shoes as I didn't want to ruin them so I wore my last pair. I definitely noticed a difference on my heel pain with these shoes today but glad I didn't wear my new ones.

I was better able to run outside than I was in May. Today didn't seem quite as hot a it was in May or there was more shade on the course. Either way, the outsideness was less of an issue for me than it was in May.

The first few minutes of a run are killer for me. I need about 4-6 minutes to get into the run and that is hard to do in a crowd.


Some things I noticed about me--Since this was my 2nd 5K, I noticed I went into it a little different:

I woke up tired. I wasn't worried. I have learned that tired or not, I can run. It is sometimes harder to start when I am tired, but once I get going, it's fine.  Last 5K, I was so worried the whole week before--so worried that if I was tired on race day, I wouldn't be able to run.

I wasn't nervous the whole week before. I had no real expectations for this one other than going.  I knew I could run 2-3 miles at a time and I knew that  this run, however it turned out, wasn't going to change that.

I walked the first 2 miles with friends. It wasn't worth running and navigating around people so we walked. But I decided to run the last mile and did most of it except for a few stops when I couldn't get around people, for color, etc.  I wanted to at least run a little bit of it and there seemed to be more space to run at the end.

Thoughts:


If you are a new runner, I would not use a Color Run 5K as your first race if you really want to see if you can run a 5K or if you have a specific time or distance goal.  I had trouble even considering this a run event--it seemed more like a festive walk or a fun time with friends. More "Party in the Park" than 5K.  If I had gone into this with a goal of running the whole thing or of finishing in a certain time, I would have been really disappointed. It isn't set up for that so I wouldn't recommend doing it for that purpose. For me, it was a race on my calendar that kept me running. It was a fun day with friends. It was an experience that I'm glad I have.  But if you are going into it as a runner with a running goal, I might pick another race.  I am registered for Color Me Rad in Columbus in August. If I end up doing it, I'll know better what to expect  But I know not to have any big goals for that race.

It is interesting to learn the differences in these organized runs--what I like, what I don't like. I like getting experience with 5Ks--seeing how they work, how to navigate crowds, etc. I am still not sure I even like these big events. For me right now, they just give me dates to work toward. Dates that keep me running.  But I feel like I need to try a few more before I decide I don't like them.  I am looking at a few October/November races.

Definitely a fun day:-)

RUNNING FOR MORTALS by John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield

A few weeks ago on Twitter, a friend recommended the book RUNNING FOR MORTALS by John Bingham and Jenny Hadfield. A few years ago--when I was thinking about running, I had read John Bingham's THE COURAGE TO START: A GUIDE TO RUNNING FOR YOUR LIFE and had learned a lot. If you have not read any of Bingham's writing and you are a newer runner, it is some of the most helpful stuff I've read. John Bingham started running late in life (at 43, so not quite as late as I did:-) Up until that time, he says that he was unhealthy and out of shape. When he first ran, he could hardly run to the end of the mailbox. But over time, he's run marathons, lost lots of weight and has become an a person who shares his story with other new runners. Now he is an experienced runner, a writer who runs about his experience. You can read more about him and follow his blog here.


 I am about halfway through the book and I think it is the book that pushed me to ask Tonia to create a new plan for me, to commit to moving forward again. I tend to read running books slowly, a few pages at a time. They are great for me- to keep me motivated, to learn tips, to see what other people have experienced.


This book has helped by helping me remember that this running is about me. It is not a race. It doesn't matter how fast I am or how far I run. The key is slow and steady consistency. There was lots of new information in this book and it has been the perfect book for me--to remind me of the big goals I have, why I even started to run. Both John Bingham and his coauthor share information, stories and tips that are all useful for beginning runners.


The book talks about the importance of the larger community--how supportive and wonderful it is. Some quotes I highlighted around this idea were:


 "If it's early in your running career-and we were all beginners once-just getting out the door three times a week may be a life-altering achievement. Today's running community will celebrate that with you."


"But the most amazing part of becoming a runner and becoming part of this running world is that someday you too will look back on this beginning and remember. Someday you too will reach back to help someone else who is struggling with what you're struggling with today." 


"If you are running, you are a runner. If you are running, you have a right to imagine yourself running the way you want. If you are running, you have the privilege of thinking like a runner."


It also gave me lots of important information that was new to me and reinforced some things I kind of knew such as:


"Runners in their twenties can get away with a lot more mileage and less rest. The body is more resilient and bounces back quickly."


"The sidewalk keeps you safe from traffic and is predictable, but it is the hardest of all running terrains because it puts tremendous stress on the body"


"Progressing as a runner is a frustratingly slow process of small gains. It is a matter of inching your mileage up and your pace down. The only magic in your life as a runner is the magic of consistency."


"If you want to sock the person next to you for being happy and not struggling at all, you are running too hard."


"This process should be challenging but not so hard that you hate it."


I have already learned to much from this book and I am only about 1/2 way through. I love that I decided on the Kindle version of this book because I am able to revisit my highlights on my Kindle page--all in one place. That will be helpful to me after I finish the book, when I need to revisit the important messages.


Really, what this book taught me is something I've known. It taught me that running is really about consistency and you can't speed up the process of change really.  I was starting to get impatient, wanting to run twice a day to improve faster, etc. But that is my old diet mentality kicking in. This is about committing to keep moving several days a week for a very long time.  If we do that, running pretty much guarantees positive change.


The other thing I took away from this is that it doesn't help to push too hard. If I slow down, give myself more rest time, destress about getting faster, my body will get the right workout. I should not be running so hard that I hate it every time.  I need to find a place that makes it a little less miserable for me so that I don't get hurt or get frustrated and quit. The payoff is that, with consistency, I'll improve. Slowy, but I'll improve.


I would highly recommend this book. I thought at first that it was just another beginning running book. It is but it is a really good one. The fact that the author started running in his 40s and has struggled just like I have has been a huge help. And since he has been running and writing for so long, he shares really important knowledge that I needed.  The information he shares really helped me see why it is just about deciding, 3-4 times a week, to run.  I've known that from my running friends and from my own experiences but he shares some of the actual information about how the body changes that helped me see why this mattered.


I am definitely someone who has to read about running. I am thinking I might have to read about it forever.  It is the combination of running, reading and writing that help me keep going.  Any new tip of motivation helps me to understand a little bit more, what it is I am trying to do.  This book is one that I know I will revisit for a very long time after I finish it. A great book whether, especially if you are new or semi-new to running:-)

WOOHOOO! Six Month Anniversary of My Running!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vblibrary/5436521212/ by Enokson

So, today is my 6th month anniversary of my first run.  How about that? I've been running for 6 months. And I think except for a week or two, I've somehow gotten in 3 runs a week the whole time.  I wish I had some amazing before/after photos of some great transformation that has occurred in the past 3 months. Or I wish I had some great accomplishment to report to celebrate this day. But, I really don't. I've lost a few pounds, got in better shape, etc.  I have gotten to the point that I am not running to lose weight. I'm not running to "get" to a certain point where running is easier. I am really just running because I really like my life as a person who runs.

I thought I would go back to my original format for this post--10 things at my 6 Month Mark. Just things I am thinking about as I celebrate this 6 month mark of consistent running. I still don't feel like a runner but I feel like a person who has been running for 6 months, a person who can run 2-3 miles at a time, a person who runs 6-8 miles per week.  I feel much better than I felt 6 months ago, that's for sure!

1-I went new shoe shopping last week. It was really the first time I went shoe shopping when I was actually running. I got new shoes in early March but I had only been running 8-10 weeks and was still doing lots of walking. But this time, I felt more like I knew what I wanted. My Mizunos were starting to give me trouble. With more running, I noticed this pair was a little too snug in the top of my foot.  I could tell I needed a different shoe. But I wanted to be careful with my Plantar Faciitis because this one has been really good for that. I was dying for a fun color but realized when I started trying the shoes on, that I was actually more interested in the fit than in the look. Who knew I would ever get to that point?   I like these well enough. I like the way that they feel when I run. I do not get happy when I look at them, but I am okay with that. I am really happy with the shoe. A funny story about the shoe shopping--I took off my socks, rolled up my pants and got ready to walk so she could decide on some shoe options and the saleswoman said, "You know the drill." She talked to me like I was kind of a runner.  Like I knew what I was doing in a running shoe store.   It was very odd.

2-I have voted for Dorothy B. every day in this Cover Model contest.  For me, it has been about doing something nice for her because she has been (unknowingly) a huge help to me in this journey.   I've loved her blog, her videos and her honesty about her running.  There are several people like Dorothy who have been a huge inspiration to me.These runners share their stories online and I have so relied on them every day as I motivate myself to run.  I am sure I would never have run for 6 months without them--these women I don't know who honestly and easily share their stories. 

3-My 21 year old has been a runner for years but my 12 year old has decided to start running and has been on her own run/walk training plan for a few weeks. It has been fun to run a bit with her. Hard because I can't do 2 runs and I can't give up my own so sometimes we run together and sometimes we just run at the same place.  She loves the feeling she gets when she accomplishes something hard. And it is reminding me all that I've learned that I can share with her--about breathing, slowing down, etc. Even though I am still very early in this running thing, my recent experiences of starting are helping her a bit.  She is excited to be part of this thing we do in our house--this running thing.   Someone mentioned something about a family of runners the other day and my 12 year old said, "We could be that."  Very optimistic girl:-)

4-So, I nearly fell off the treadmill last week.  I've done this before--long ago. I get distracted sometimes. But this was my own fault. I quit running about 30 seconds early to spray off the machine. Instead of turning it off, I just put my feet to the outside of the belt.  Then I sprayed and wiped down the machine but forgot that it was still going.  I put my foot back on the belt and flew around a bit. Oh well, I guess that's what I get for trying to quit 30 seconds early.  Lesson learned.

5-I have learned that I can't do everything that I want or like to do. And I like to do a lot of things. I have read far fewer books in 2012 than I did in 2011 so far. I have written a bit less and jobs around the house pile up for a bit longer than I am used to. There are lots of things I haven't done- I quit #bookaday because it was too much to wake up every morning feeling like I had to run AND read a book every day.  I am still reading lots but had to give something up to prioritize.  I didn't do Slice of Life Challenge. I am baking less and I am accepting a different level of "clean" than I did before. I never completely dry or straighten my hair if I am not going anywhere.  I am thinking hard about the decisions I make--always trying to figure out how the run will fit in that day.  I don't want to be totally focused on running, but I have learned that if I wanted exercise to be a priority, it is a decision I need to make every day. And sometimes that means not doing something I love or something I want to do. (and there are always things that I'd rather do than run....)

6-Even though my family is amused when I get tweets or messages like this one, they make me happy. I received from Cindy Schnell this week:

@frankisibberson thanks Franki you inspired me to get off my rear and run. Can't wait till the time when I can run a mile straight.

I am certain Cindy will be running a mile soon. And, I am amazed that anything I have done has inspired anyone because I feel like I am not such a good role model. But I get random comments and tweets like this that I really appreciate. It lets me know that this blog and my honesty have helped someone feel like they can do this. And I totally believe that if I can do this, anyone can. The reason I stared the blog was to keep myself accountable. But now I feel like we, as new runners, need more honest stories out there about how hard it is to get started and how bad some days are and how much work it takes to build this into an already full life. You can follow all of us--teachers who run--on Twitter using #runteacherrun.

7-I continue to say that it takes a village to get and to keep me running.  I am thankful to everyone near and far who has given me some kind of encouragement. It has made a huge difference. I am high maintenance about this I know--I continue to need lots of support. So I appreciate it. I have loved the guest posts by amazing teachers who run.  Teachers who have run for years and those who just started recently.  It is tricky making time for exercise as a teacher.  But each of the posts have helped me incredibly. I think of their wise words on many runs.  Here are some of the words that have helped me most:

From Jen
"It didn’t matter if I was running in head-to-toe Lycra, a turtle costume, or raggedy sweats. It mattered that I showed up and ran the race."


From Katherine
"Really, though, my main lesson that I’ve learned is to make the choice every running day to run. No excuses."


From Sherry

"Then, ever so slowly, I began to 'get it.'  I began to feel a sense of accomplishment that I was doing something just for me that was actually good for me."

From Jen
"So why have I sustained running for the last 20+ years? Because after I run I feel good. It makes me feel put together. I know that no matter how my day goes I have accomplished one thing that brings me a sense of peace and contentment."


From Ruth
“You can either run with a happy heart or not, but either way you are going to run.”

8-I have gotten better at running. Something that I wasn't really confident could happen 6 months ago.  Today, I looked down at the treadmill (I was doing a 2.5 mile run) and I was thrilled to see that I had only 1 mile to go. Like I was almost finished.  At the beginning of this, I couldn't imagine EVER running a full mile. Now, it feels almost like no big deal. And I wasn't bothered (much) that I was in a tank top and that my fat arms were visible. I wasn't bothered (much) by the woman next to me who was running a 6 minute mile while I was running a 15ish minute mile.  I just did what I needed to do. And every day, the same thing is proven--if you keep doing this, you get better at it.  I loved this post "You Pity My Running Speed. I Don't". I think when I got to the point that I started really doing this for myself and not worrying about how I compared, it has become easier to celebrate success rather than feel defeated.

9-I think I am starting to enjoy running in the morning. I actually don't know if it is my best time to run, but I like my whole day better and I am far more productive and pleasant, once my run is in.  I like the treadmill running more than running outside. That may just be a forever thing for me.   When I started this journey, my goal was to get in decent enough cardio shape that I had some options of what to do. I feel like I could do some other things now, but I actually like running and have decided that for now, I like it more than the other options.

10-My blog post about healthy recipes we've tried was featured in one of those Twitter news things--one called Marathon Help Daily. C'mon, that's funny.  I can't imagine my post was helpful to anyone who runs marathons or that anyone who runs marathons reads this blog. But I did get lots of new runners to follow on Twitter once I saw it. It is a great resource:-)

So, I am excited about the next 6 months. I feel actually ready to move to the next phase of this journey.  I feel like the first six months was all about figuring out what it meant to build this new routine into my life and to convince myself it was possible. Improvement hasn't come as quickly as I'd hoped and I do not jump out of bed excited to go for a run.  But I understand after 6 month that consistency brings slow and steady progress. People told me that before but I believe them now. When I started running, that was what I was hoping for that magic moment when I LOVED to run.  Now, I know that it isn't quite like that.

I was in a little running rut but as I came to this 6 month point, I figured it was time to make a decision. I hadn't really gotten any better in the last 2 months and I hadn't worked to get any better. I just ran and quit when I felt like it.  Ran at a speed that I felt like, etc. No plan was not so good for me....So I decided it was time to bump things up a bit. I asked Tonia to write another 6 week plan for me. It started this week.  I have named the new plan:  "6 weeks to a Happier 5K". My first 5K made me cranky and I know it doesn't have to be like that. I like the socialness, the skirt and the fun but I actually hated the run.

I have a Color Run scheduled for July, a Color Me Rad run scheduled for August, and I am thinking about a 5K in October. My August run should be pleasant since my plan is dedicated to making it so. Then I am hoping to continue working for the 5K in October (looking for friends to doing this one with me--hint, hint).  My thinking is that if I can keep this routine through that fall/crazy part of the school year, I can keep it up all year.

Happy Running!

A Few Healthy Recipes We've Tried Here

So, I know I need to start eating a little bit healthier. Now that I have the running thing built into my routine, I need to focus on better eating. I've been eating better since January but haven't really found recipes that I like, that are easy and that we can start having more regularly. I can tell now that I am running more often, more miles, and more regulary, what I eat matters. I want to find food that is delicious and that also gives me energy.

One of my summer goals was to try a few recipes.  My 2 daughters (ages 21 and 12) are both vegetarians. The 12 year old i fairly new at this (a few months) but my oldest daughter has been a vegetarian for 5-6 years. My youngest won't eat any shellfish which makes things difficult.  And she doesn't like a huge variety of vegetables. She just hates meat.  So, we are trying some recipes that we might all enjoy!  Here are a few I've tried. I love Pinterest for finding good recipes and good sources for good recipes.

Julie at Peanut Butter Fingers is one of my favorite sources for healthy eating. I follow her blog regularly and bookmark recipes that look good. This week, we finally tried a recipe we've been meaning to try for a while:  Banana Vanilla Protein Pancakes.  My 12 year old loves banana pancakes so I was hoping she'd like a healthier version. I wasn't expecting to love them but I think I did. A few hints if you try this recipe. Julie suggests using an immersion blender which we don't own. So I figured I'd use a regular blender. Bad idea. The batter is way to think and stops the blender. So I ended up using a hand mixer that worked fine.  I also found that making smaller pancakes (about 1/4 cup of batter) helped. The batter doesn't flow so I had to flatten it down a bit in order to get it into pancake form.  I found if I made them too big, they were thick which made the center difficult to cook through.  I also found that it was important to spray Pam before each pancake. The batter makes an ugly mess when it sticks to the pan so definitely worth a spray each time. Overall, these were great pancakes that we will definitely have again.  Now that I know these things, I will not make quite the mess that I did next time. The size of the mess today was all about figuring out how best to make this with the tools I had available. This recipe made about 6 pancakes and 2-3 per person with a little fruit seems like a good sized meal.  We ate them with lite syrup this time as the sweetness was perfect.  We might try them with fruit instead next time. Not sure but there will definitely be a next time!

One of my new favorites is this recipe for Chickpea and Tomato Salad with Fresh Basil from GreenLiteBites. Chickpeas and Tomatoes are two of my favorite things and this salad is incredible if you love those two things. This is a light salad but one with lots of flavor. It is great to have alongside almost anything!

Today, we tried another recipe that we found from Peanut Butter Fingers.  It is Smoky Corn and Black Bean Pizza. To make it a little easier (and a little less healthy), we used a whole what Boboli pizza shell. Because we chose a cooked crust, we used frozen corn and cooked it. Then we just needed the oven to warm everything.    The combination of the black beans, corn and barbecue sauce was perfect. We could even add a few more veggies to make it even better. Definitely a quick easy meal that we will have again.

Next up to try is another recipe from Peanut Butter Fingers for this Spicy Shrimp Sandwich with Chipotle Avacado Mayonaise. Since my 12 year old won't eat fish, we'll make some with shrimp and some with white fish. Should be good either way, I think.

Run With a Happy Heart: Guest Post by Ruth Ayres

As part of my quest to run with joy, I asked Ruth Ayres to write a post. You probably know Ruth from her two blogs, TWO WRITING TEACHERS and RUTH AYRES WRITES. I was inspired by her recent keynote at All Write Summer Institute.  She reminded us all that nurturing joy was our biggest role in the classroom. Ruth is brilliant and supportive and joyful. The joyful classroom made sense to me but, of course, I related it to running. I know that joy is often a mindset but I cannot seem to find joy in running.  So I asked Ruth how she found joy in running. I wanted to know her secret. My question prompted her to think about this and the things that are not quite as joyful as others.

She started paying attention to things that she had difficulty doing joyfully--like housework-- and told me that she enjoys running better than housework because, "I think the difference between housework and running is that with running I see a difference. I can run longer than I could a month ago. With housework, it's the same thing as it was a month ago. I pick up and the next day I pick up the same things. No changes. I just keep doing the same thing over and over. At least with running I see results. ;) Of course there's a result with housework too -- when it's done, I'm not cranky. Haha. So I suppose they both keep me sane."


Ruth is my model for finding joy in all things. She lives her life (and runs) joyfully. Honored to have her guest post here:-)

When my kids were two, four, and six, a new phrase entered our conversations – with a happy heart. It sounded like this, “You can either take a shower with a happy heart or not, but either way you’ll take a shower.” At some point it changed to sound like this, “You can pick up with a happy heart or not -- either way we’ll pick up, but without a happy heart, there will be unpleasant consequences.” The reverse is true too, when we chose a happy heart there are pleasant consequences.

Sometimes I wonder if all the talk about with a happy heart has changed me more than my children. It’s a philosophy that holds solid in all aspects of life. There are many things we are going to do with or without a happy heart. And often the pleasantness of the task is directly related to the state of heart.

At the end of December, I was considering what kinds of intentions I had for the new year. I decided running was in my future. It had been years since I ran. The thought of it made my stomach clench and my toes curl. I gave myself two months before I began a jogging/walking program in March. The first steps hurt my entire body. My ankles hurt. My hips hurt.

My heart hurt. It was not happy.

Then it sounded like this, “You can either run with a happy heart or not, but either way you are going to run.” I was haunted by the reasonable logic shared with my children before leaving for this first jog. “Remember,” I said, “If you decide not to choose a happy heart, the consequences are usually unpleasant.” You should listen to your children’s mother, I told myself.

But sometimes simply choosing a happy heart isn’t enough. Running is still hard. There were many times I didn’t want to run, and many more times when I didn’t think I could make it. If I focused on the running, I would have been miserable. Instead, I looked for the pleasant consequences.  Things like:

11.  Space and quiet time to think about writing. I imagine my characters. I think about how they respond to doing something really hard (like jogging is for me) or what keeps them going when something is really hard. I imagine structures for articles, and I dream up opening lines. In fact, the lead for this post came during a jog.

22. Listening to favorite songs. I prefer to jog without music. However, when it gets really hard, I put on some music. This allows me to focus on something other than feeling like I have one hundred pound bricks for feet.

33. The new hard. In March the hard was running 30 seconds. Everything hurt. Then the hard became running 5 minutes. Now the hard is running minutes 33 – 35. Running is still hard, but it’s not the same hard. This keeps me going.

44. The gifts in nature. I run in a rural area, through woods, past a stream, around corn fields. When I’m out on a run, I see things I wouldn’t otherwise. Today I saw a raccoon, two rabbits, and three deer. I like the way the trees change, and the stream bubbles a melody. I’m blessed with the smell of flowers. These things restore me.

55.  I feel better. I’m more limber. I have more energy. For the remaining 23 ½ hours of the day, I feel better than I did when I wasn’t running. This helps me put the 30 minutes in perspective.

How about you? What are the pleasant results you get from running? Make a list and let those things fodder your resolve to run with a happy heart.

Literacy Coach Jen Allen on Running

I have been on a quest to actually lately enjoy this running thing. As you know if you read this blog, this quest isn't going so well. For some reason, I believed that when I got to the point that I could run a 5K, I would automatically a joyful runner. That I would love going out for a run. When that did not happen, I decided I needed to figure out what people love about running as I try to get better at it.

Many literacy teachers will know Jen Allen, a good friend of mine who is a runner and has been since I've known her.  Jen Allen is a Literacy Coach and the author of BECOMING A LITERACY LEADER and A SENSE OF BELONGING (both published by Stenhouse). She is also a regular contributor to Choice Literacy.

Jen is not only a good friend but she is one of my running heroes. She has a very busy life--addicted to her job..spends lots of time with her family...writes books...cooks healthy and bakes regularly.... spends time with friends....Somehow she fits in running and races (she's run shorter races and marathons).  I asked her to write a bit about her running and her thoughts makes sense to me.  I think her message is a helpful one-especially for those of us just starting to run..those of us waiting for that day when we just fall in love with running.

Jen says....

I have been running since high school. Slow and steady. I run an average of 5 miles a day, 5 days a week.  I have run two marathons... But I hate races and most days really don't like running. Those who know me think I love to run but the truth is most days I hate it.  Most days I wake cursing the treadmill. At 4:30 in the morning running is the last thing I want to do. I would rather sit and drink coffee.  


So why have I sustained running for the last 20+ years? Because after I run I feel good. It makes me feel put together. I know that no matter how my day goes I have accomplished one thing that brings me a sense of peace and contentment... So here I am 20 years later still running and sharing the secret that as a runner.... Most days I don't love it... I just do it!