Runner Insight

Well it finally came…Yes that dreaded snow storm. But it really didn’t feel like a storm. It was just a light snow falling for 3 days straight! Very fine and steady snow with no let up, until we ended up with over 16” of the white stuff.

Up until the 17th of January, I had been averaging almost 10 miles a day this year. I just joined Run Wild Missoula again, our local running club. They have a 1200/2000 Mile Club. All you have to do is log your miles on the website, and if you run 1200 or 2000 miles in the calendar year, you get a fabulous prize!

Last year they got running jackets. A fellow runner who I was talking to in my favorite coffee shop, Starbucks told me all about it because I had told her I had logged over 75 miles for the week.

When she told me that Run Wild Missoula had the 1200 Mile Club, I thought, “Heck, I’m on track to run a lot more than 1200 miles this year.” So I’m shooting for 2000 or more.

But as I said the snow came, and then it just kept coming like the clouds had finally been given permission from Mother Nature to let go.

When I woke up on Wednesday morning, T looked out the window and said “There is about 3” of snow out there.”

I said, “Is it runnable?”

She just laughed and said, “NO!”

That is when my life as a runner came to an end for 5 days!

Oh my! What is this world coming to?! Well can you say “snow shovel?”

We picked up our snow shovels and hardly put them down for 3 days. There was a run on shovels, and Ace Hardware ran out of them and had to ship them in from some of their stores across the state.

The only good thing that came from all that shoveling was a good workout!

One thing I did notice was although my back was aching from all the shoveling, but it was my middle and upper back that was sore, not my lower. So I know all my sessions at the chiropractor’s is working. This was just soreness from all the strenuous use of previously hibernating muscles.

I had every intention of going to work on Thursday, and had done all the shoveling and clearing I needed to do for T to drive me to work. But as we backed out of our driveway into the alley, we promptly got stuck…oops, there was over a foot of snow in the alleyway.

So I called work and left a message that I would not be in that day. Luckily one of our neighbors had a 4 wheel drive, and he hooked up chains to us and pulled us out.

Before he did that, we first shoveled most of the alley to the street so we would have a place to land when he pulled us out of the hole/drift.

T then backed our van into our driveway and there it stayed! We decided it was a good day to stay home!

On the news that night, we heard of numerous reports of vehicles getting stuck, and how treacherous the roads were. When it was all said and done I took Friday off as well, as the roads were still being cleared and I knew even if I took the bus, I would still have to navigate by myself downtown from the bus stop to work, not something I was willing to do with the conditions.

So on Friday morning T and I went out again and shoveled (again – so by now we were on about our 10^th shoveling event), and as T came from the front of our house down the alleyway, she said, “You know what makes me really happy?”

“This time when I’m done shoveling, the snow isn’t covering over where I just shoveled! Yes that makes me very happy indeed!”

We found out later that it was 5th biggest snow event since they have been keeping records in 1893! I think that it ended up being 16.7 inches! No wonder my back hurt!

Saturday morning I tried to walk to my mom’s place – just a few blocks away – but it might as well been 100 miles away. It was way too hard to navigate through the unplowed sidewalks, and then . . . it started to rain!

So before I could even get to my Starbucks a block and a half from my house, I had to turn around. And if you know me at all, it really does take a force of nature to turn me back from a Starbucks mission!

Okay by now it’s Sunday, and I am officially going stir crazy! T and I went grocery shopping and then drove down to see if the bike path where I run was clear. It was!

Right then and there I made a plan to have T drop me off where it was cleared, and I could run until the path was covered over.

It ended up being clear for about 2 miles. So I ran back and forth on the same stretch of dry path. Hey it was great to be running, and not on a treadmill!  It was sunny and in the low 30’s and felt great! I got in a total of 8 miles.

We have a city ordinance that your sidewalks have to be shoveled by 9 a.m. and by Monday I was tired of all these places where I travel being unpassable by a blind woman with her cane.

So I got on the city website and submitted several complaint forms about sidewalks that had not been cleared. I’m hoping to have a clear path to my running route and work by the end of the week!

Until then, T will drop me off after work where it’s cleared on my running path so I can get a few miles in each day. As Anne Burrell would say, “That makes me a HAPPY, HAPPY Girl!”

How ‘bout it?

- Vision Runner

Popularity: 1% [?]

A few months ago I listened to Jim Fixx’s book “The Complete Book of Running”
And even though it was written over 30 years ago and it was dated, I still enjoyed it quite a bit.

One thing that really struck a chord with me was when he was discussing the concept that if you’re passionate about running, you will find ways to do it.

Well that got me thinking. . .

Ever since I started working the day shift at the hospital, my running has been limited to the weekends and the occasional day off. I didn’t necessarily appreciate that fact. 

Thinking about it though, I realized that I was doing a lot of walking to and from work: about 6 miles round trip. So I thought, “Why not run?”

Okay, well I could run to work but I knew I would not be satisfied with a measly little ol’ 3 mile run. That was almost not worth getting dressed for – although notice I said “almost.” Of course if that’s all I could run, I’d take it. J

But I thought if I got up a wee bit early, I could run a few more miles before the 3 miles to work.

When I was processing all of this, it was already November. So when I decided to try this, the days were getting shorter and shorter all the time!

So how early could I get up and run safely? It’s a tricky thing with my eyesight (or lack thereof.) Too dark and I can’t see a thing!

But morning twilight was just before 7:30 a.m.  I knew if I could see well enough, I could get in 5 extra miles before running the 3 miles to work, giving me a total of 8 miles, and then 3 miles back home after work. Now that’s what I’m talking about!  Yea, this could work!

Now I had to find a way to shower all the running off me before mixing in with the general population.  If I listened to Jim Fixx, well, he didn’t think it was a problem to smell a little sweaty. But sorry Jim, I just can’t do it! I have to face patients and their families and co-workers and of course, myself all day long. I much prefer smelling sweet as a tropical fruit salad to sweaty as an 8 mile runner.

Fortunately I work at a hospital that has a Fitness Center. For $20 a month, I could use the showers as well as the Fitness Center itself.

I really didn’t need to use the fitness equipment, just the showers. And score, the Fitness Center provided clean towels as well!

So I put my plan into action, and joined the Fitness Center, and the next day I got up before 7 a.m.

I had my pre-run meal of yogurt, and then proceeded to put all my blinking lights on – a total of 4, in red, green, blue and white. Yes I was a flashing fool, but thought it better to be seen as a flasher, then a fool!

I made out quite nicely on my run, as I could see fairly well. I was even able to time it so I could still stop and get my beloved lunch bagel at my favorite bagel place, “Bagels on Broadway.”

I had put a package of instant oatmeal in my running pack, so I could replenish my glycogen stores when I got to work.

As I write this, it’s been almost 2 months since I started running to and from work, and I feel great! I love the fact that I get to run almost every day.

I have run in temperatures as low as 9 degrees F, and my water had ice cubes in it when I got to work! But since I know how to dress for the cold weather, I stayed pretty toasty.

The only part of me that gets really cold is my hands. I was thinking I never had this problem in the past, but then I realized I didn’t have to run in such cold temps before, as my work schedule didn’t limit when I could run.

But not to worry about my fingers, as T’s mom and dad made me some really awesome hand warmers. They are filled with seed corn, and when you place them in the microwave oven for a couple of minutes they come out oh so nice and warm. I hold one in my left hand, and the other wraps around my right hand (that’s the one that I use my white cane with) custom made for me!

These corn bags have been a lifesaver, as I don’t think I could have run in such cold temps without them!

I really like it when it snows about an inch or two. The path I run on is asphalt and therefore the snow melts off pretty fast, leaving white edges in the grass and on the side of the trail. This gives me a great visual field: a black path with white borders! I wish it was like that all the time, then I could run faster and without the need of my cane so much.

Because of the angle of light and the frequency of having my black on white path, winter running can be some of the best and fastest runs I have.

All this running has made it possible for me to have the highest weekly mileage since I have been a runner. The last part of December I had 70 miles total for the week! Some might think it’s crazy to run that much, but I love, love , LOVE It!

So what is your passion? What is keeping you from doing everything possible to make sure you are able to enjoy and do what you love to do?

Make 2012 a “NO Excuses” year!

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 6% [?]

Ya know, I started this blog post several months ago – in fact it was within a month of finishing up the marathon. But you know how things go with life and other things keeping me busy (no really good excuses though) we just never got around to finalizing it and getting it up and posted. So with my apologies, here it finally is!

My O’l Buddy Joe

Runners are hugely loving and generous people in general. And it never ceases to amaze me the genuine compassion and willingness to help that it is exhibited by my fellow runners.

I’ve always had good experiences when running in organized races, especially when running with my white cane.  And the running of my third full marathon was no exception.

Whenever the cannon booms for the start of the race, there is a moment of trepidation and subtle uncertainty inside of me – a hesitation and wondering if I will actually be able to see well enough to make it the entire 26.2 miles to the finish line.  

This feeling only last a few moments and thankfully it disappears as I fall into a rhythmic pace with all the other racers. 

Unlike a lot of runners who take the beginning of a race as a signal to pass as many people as they can, I have to concentrate on a) not running smack-dab into the rear of the person I’m following, and b) not running off the edge of the road.  With all of that jockeying of racers taking place in the initial minutes, I’m content to just let them all pass me as they will.

Adrenaline can really get you into trouble at the start of a long race.  Going out too fast is one of the biggest mistakes a runner can make.  And believe me, I have done it and lived to pay the price!  Sometimes it’s hard to control because it’s such a high to be passing hundreds of other runners as if they are standing still!

But since the decline of my eyesight, I have been forced to take a backseat in the pack of runners, for my own safety as well as theirs!

As the crowd of runners thins out, I can mostly make out the white line on the side of the road, and I pretty much stick to it like a baby monkey to its mama, not letting it out of my sight. 

This year I was able to run for over half of the 26 mile race and it was 16 miles in before I needed to deploy my white cane. 

Even though I was running in very familiar territory, the glare of the sun, and the many turns, and the increased number of runners and walkers, all convinced me that I needed to get out my cane.

It insured that I would be seen.  The white cane not only helps me to navigate the path in front of me, but it also lets my fellow runners, volunteers  and the wonderful crowds cheering along the route to know that I don’t see too well.

It was just after mile 18 that I met Joe. 

He was running along, and graciously asked if he could help me around some tricky turns on the route.  I of course said yes.  He took my hand and gently guided me around some very scary drop offs and uneven pavement on the side of the road. 

As we continued on, Joe and I got to talking, and I found out that this was his 44th marathon in 44 different states since 2002!  WOW! 

What an accomplishment.  Me, with my own little ol’ third marathon nearly in the history books, I was appropriately impressed.  Yup  - he is going to run all 50 states.  How cool is that?!  I don’t know if I would have that in me even if I could see.

We were talking and I told Joe that I had written a book about my first marathon experience, “Running Blind – The Journey of a Blind Runner Training For Her First Marathon.” 

He asked me if it was on Amazon. When I responded that yes it was, he let out a laugh and said that he had seen it.  He couldn’t believe that was me!

Joe became my eyes as he took my hand once again and led me through the tunnel area that always gets me twisted around and going the wrong way. 

At mile 21 T met me again for a hug and some well appreciated words of encouragement.  I quickly introduced her to my new ol’ buddy, Joe. 

 As I always do, I used my rendezvous with T to walk a few blocks and drink some water.  Joe kept running, and I was sad to see him go.

But as luck would have it, I would run (ha, ha) into him a little past mile 23. 

I had run into a small parked car when I had veered too far to the right, and another runner named Daniel offered his help to guide me through this part of the course. 

So there I was running alongside Daniel when I heard my name called out.  It was Joe!  “JOE!” I yelped in excitement.  I was very happy to see my ol’ buddy Joe again! 

Daniel, Joe and I ran along with me in the middle – my two bodyguards protecting me from stealthy walking trees and invisible cars!

Joe and I lost Daniel at a water station around mile 24. 

It was at this point in the race that I told Joe how much I appreciated all of his help and friendship, and that he was making it possible for me to meet my goal of finishing around 5 hours. 

Joe turned to me, his voice cracking with emotion and emphasized how I had made his marathon for him.  He thanked me for running with him!  He said his wife was going to be so surprised that he had got to run with me.

The last two miles seemed to go by like the first two, FAST!  Now how many times have you heard that from someone who has run a marathon? Probably not too often.

We took the turn onto the Higgins Street Bridge for the final  sprint to the finish line.  

Joe said if I would cross the finish line with him, he would buy a finisher’s photo, something he has not done in all of his 44 marathon finishes.  

I replied that it would be my honor to cross that finish line with him, as I could not have had such a wonderful marathon without him.

So with hands clasped and arms raised, we crossed over the timing mat together with the crowds going wild!  Well maybe not wild, but lots of cheering.

T met me to guide me through the corrals and gates and out of the finishing area, and our local TV news anchor, Heidi Meili from KECI TV put my finisher’s medal around my neck.

I gave Joe my card with my website on it and encouraged him to check out my blog, because for sure he would be in it.  

When I told T that Joe had seen my book on Amazon, she asked him if he had bought it. 

A little sheepishly, he said No, that he had bought “Born to Run” instead. Okay  - not  a problem – we’ve read that one and it’s a powerfully good book, too!  

So … all’s well that ends my best marathon to date, thanks to my new ol’ buddy Joe.

How ‘bout it?

-Vision Runner

Popularity: 17% [?]