Running on the Fly

I've been asked for a lot of running advice lately and it made me realize a few things: I actually have advice to give, I should have probably asked for advice when I was a beginner (I pretty much still think I am one), and I should write some of it down.  This might actually help someone, a lot of it is ridiculous, and all of it is true.

1. Get fitted for shoes!  

I can't stress this enough.  I'm lucky enough to live down the street from The Runner's Edge, THE store in Missoula for runners.  If there isn't a specialty store near you, I'd recommend doing this wherever you buy your shoes: try on several pairs, talk to the employee helping you and tell them what kind of running you do/want to do, let them measure your feet, and run around outside in the shoes before you buy them.

2. Dress like a highlighter.

If you run on sidewalks, through intersections, in the dark/in the pre-dawn, the colors of your clothes should come with exclamation points.  Yellow! Blue! Orange! Fuchsia! Please don't hit me with your car!

Fuchsia!

3. Pay attention to your surroundings, especially when those surroundings have engines.

I've been nearly hit by cars more times than I can count.  (See here for one example).  It sucks when you're really in the zone, but it's important to pay attention for both yourself and the driver.

4. Your mantras will be a little embarrassing.

Mine is "Strong like an Amazon."  It's from Buffy.  I love that show and I don't mean ironically.  I have a couple others; you might have a few as well.  They might be silly, ultra-serious, whatever.  They help me get through that last mile and that's pretty awesome.

Buffy!

5. You may become a gear head.

I want neon pink calf sleeves, a new sports bra, and a Garmin so bad.  A year ago, I didn't even know what compression gear was.  Runner beware: the swag rocks.
 
6. Side stitches hurt.  Intestinal cramps hurt worse.

That's all I really need to say about that.

7. Ruts happen.

Sometimes you won't be feeling it and that's okay.  I'm talking about when it lasts more than a day or even a week.  I spent this whole winter in a running rut; I just couldn't get out there.  I don't even know what I did instead.  Which brings me to:

8. Mix it up!

Run different distances and try new routes.  Enter a race or set a new goal.  Run some hills.  If you don't have hills, run some stairs.  If you don't have stairs, I can't really help you.

9. The cost of entering races adds up.

But I've never experienced anything that compares.  I love race day.  I have my clothes ready the night before (sometimes they're clean, sometimes they're clean'ish).  I like sitting down to a breakfast I've planned out like I was storming the beach at Normandy.  I like pinning on my number and heading out to the starting line.  I love/hate the nerves and how sometimes I can't sleep the night before.  I love the energy of the crowd, volunteers, and other racers.

Seriously, it's worth it.

10. Runner's high is a real thing.

Why do you think we're all so freakin' happy?  Mine makes me feel like a badass, like I just broke a world record, beat Shalane Flanagan, ran past all my jealous exes, and ate french fries with no consequences.

There you have it.  Ten seemed like a good round number, but I have a feeling I could go on for a while.  So, let's call this "Running on the Fly Part One."  Adios for now!

Not Getting Hit by Cars

I did my first day of half marathon training this week.  My schedule works like this: I do shorter runs (up to five miles) Friday - Sunday, and then my long run on Monday.  I don't work on Monday, it's a wonderful thing.  On Tuesday - Thursday, I do some basic core work.

But my spreadsheet - yep, I made a spreadsheet - starts the week on Monday.  So, for the hell of it, I put a 4 mile run in the first Monday slot as the very first day of training.

The run was slow and I felt off.  I'm not sure if the patches of ice on the sidewalks were a factor, but it wasn't my best run regardless.  And I was almost hit by a car right off the bat, which is never a good omen.

This is what happened: I was running down the one street I have to take to get to my route and there's a McDonald's that I pass.  The drive-thru exit is sometimes tricky, people are on their phones, checking their food, etc.  Anyway, two kids were stopped a few yards from where one would stop before pulling out into traffic.  I saw them not seeing me so I slowed down to see what they would do.

The kid hit the gas and then braked hard at the edge of the exit, a few inches ahead of me.  I jumped back and the passenger looked at me; the driver had not seen me.

The passenger mouthed sorry to me and said something to his driver friend.  Driver friend still didn't look my way.  Passenger looked at me again and I asked if I could go.  He gestured to go ahead, a split second before the driver flew out into traffic without so much as a glance in my direction.  I really hope the passenger called him an idiot, because he was.

Don't you learn in Kindergarten to look both ways when there is traffic?  Shouldn't that apply when you're driving?

After that, I had trouble getting into a rhythm.  I was distracted by my thoughts and trying to pay attention to all the drivers (this particular route takes me around the University campus, lots of vehicles).

So...

DRIVERS: PAY ATTENTION!!!

I count myself lucky that I've never been so much as bumped by a car, but I've come close and my route only takes me through a single intersection.

At this point, I've been running long enough to know that I have to pay rigorous attention to people on the road.  But I shouldn't have to pay attention for the both of us.  When you're driving, you have one job - to drive safely.  My life is way more important than a text about how bored you are or how awesome that party was last night.