#grievingrunner

[happycoloredmarbles]

Week 1: Day 7 : Long Run

Long run today with the pup: 6.75 miles. It was a nice run, surprisingly quick. The weather was perfect (overcast skies, ~40*F) except for a constant 7mph wind that made things a bit uncomfortable whenever I was running into it.

Now about to make myself a smoothie and head to the lab for a few hours to get some work done. I swam laps twice this week and got in two runs. Next week hopefully I will get in an extra day of running, maybe two. 

Total Mileage since Dec 26, 2013: 9.74 miles

[happycoloredmarbles]

Cross training: 30 Minutes Swim

Today was the day I finally swam! I haven't done laps in forever. Aside from the occasional laps at hotel pools, I haven't done laps in over 12 years! But it was great and like riding a bike. I was nervous I wouldn't be able to find the place or that I would have to share lanes or that I would not be able to make it more than 5 minutes. But I found the place ok, there was hardly anyone there so I had my own lane, and after about 10 minutes in, I felt ok and decided to go for 30 minutes. I think next time I can probably handle 45 minutes, but I want to see what it does in terms of muscle soreness today.

If all goes well, I might try going tomorrow for the afternoon open swim at 2pm. I am sure I prefer early morning swims but tomorrow the pool is only open 2-5. 

This could be the beginning of a beautiful new cross training activity! And I could see a triathlon in my future!

[happycoloredmarbles]

Nothing like a race to motivate.

Up early and clearly motivated by my new decision to run my second marathon - I'm dressed for the gym and am about to head out to do some treadmill running. It's been bitter cold (single digits) and windy and snowy for so many days that I have gotten way behind on running. And my mileage needs to be at an appropriate place before I can truly begin training.

My training will begin Jan 27, which is a month from now--so my plan is to begin building my base over the next month. Starting out at 10 miles a week, by the end of the month I'll be at around 15 miles per week, which should be good for training to begin. 

I'm excited and determined. 

The plan today is just to head to school right after the gym (no shower). I'll be the only one working today so I figure it will be a good test of how well I can stand my stinky self. haha. Other options include showering at the gym or coming back home for a shower. I used to run midday at school and not shower after--as long as I change my clothes and shower when I get home later I'm usually ok. (TMI? haha. runner problems)

Ok off to work it out. I haven't run on a treadmill in ages. Not since training for the last marathon. Good thing I can make some use of my gym membership again!

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Race plans!

So I've decided I am ready for my next full marathon. I'm going to run the Cleveland Marathon on May 18. I love winter training and spring racing so I've made the decision and am sticking to it. I'm going to officially begin my training January 27 (which is the day the new semester starts and I'll have tons of undergraduate assistants helping out in the lab). And an added bonus is I've just created a team to raise money for the Lung Cancer Alliance in honor and memory of my Dad. I love running for a reason and there is no better reason I can think of than to help fight a disease that kills so many people and that killed my dad. Guaranteed I'll be sharing my journey here on tumblr. Couldn't be more excited to run my second ever full marathon and I look forward to the smaller races I'll run between now and then, hopefully adding a few half marathons along the way like I did last year!

[happycoloredmarbles]

Had an intensely vivid dream about my dad last night. In the dream I knew it was a dream and that I had to make the most of being able to spend a few moments with my dad. I asked him advice about things, all the while knowing I was dreaming and that this was all 'in my head'. But to be able to hear his voice was beyond comforting. And what I can remember most clearly is at the end, I hugged him. A long, strong hug that I knew might be our last. I can remember how it felt as I sit here now typing. I really can't explain how sad it makes me that he's gone. It's been 6 months now but still feels so raw and so unreal. I wish I could dream of him every night and hug him every night. I'm lucky for the dream world (dreaming was something my dad and I talked about since I was a little girl). My stepmom and brother are coming up to buffalo from Baltimore this weekend to celebrate the holidays. I expect it will be a little emotional. But it's good we get to see one another.

[happycoloredmarbles]

15 minutes of quiet meditation this morning followed by a full hour of my ashtanga yoga practice. My legs were a bit sore from yesterday morning's cold weather run, so it felt great to give them some stretch and warm up today. 

Hoping the snow covered sidewalks are cleared by tomorrow so the dog and I can enjoy another run. We didn't get too much snow, but it's enough to keep me from wanting to run (unlike last year when I was training for the marathon and ran in any and all weather conditions!)

Off to have a positive and fulfilling day. My students are taking their final exam today, so I am excited to be able to finish up my classroom responsiblities and focus on my dissertation work 100%. 

Namaste.

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There are so many things I want to talk to my Dad about. It's really shitty that I can't tell him about the new books I'm reading and the new things I'm discovering. The ups, the downs, the in-betweens. 

I'll miss him forever. It's like an emptiness inside of me that will never be filled. Thank goodness we humans are resilient and can carry on even when we have huge pieces of ourselves missing forever.

[happycoloredmarbles]

5.4 miles this morning!

Nice run this morning in the drizzle. Temperatures were perfect hovering around 50 degrees with a little breeze. The rain mostly held off until about the last mile or so. It was a nice run. 

I was really sore though from yesterday's yoga so this run required a bit more mental and physical effort than usual to continue on and not turn around after the first mile. 

So glad I didn't turn around. 

Now it's a little later than I'd like it to be, considering all the work I have to do at school today. Hopefully I'll get home in time to watch football and relax. And eat the 4-ingredient vegan pumpkin pie that I made yesterday (right now I am eating some leftover pie filling in my steel cut oats). Will post photos of the pie and the recipe later!

Gotta go!