Ten Mile Tuesday (Running with Strangers. . . So You Want to Start Running?)

*This just in:
Jamie Oliver's Food Revolution Premiers this Friday on ABC at 8:00 p.m. Central Time.
I am a huge fan of Jamie's latest cookbook: Jamie's Food Revolution.
The philosophy of improving yourself and your health always begins with what you put in the pie hole! Is this a vegan-based TV cooking show? No. And the day that happens on prime time television, well. . . it will be cause for great celebration--and pigs will surely be flying, too. This is, however, a step in the right direction--getting folks thinking about much healthier and pro-active food choices and eating styles (sans the meat for vegans of course). Next up: get the folks "moving!" How perfect this airs this week given our climate of "health lovers" and "health haters."

I ran my first ten miles in years yesterday! It was a perfect running day. Perfect. I set out the door with my water-bottle belt (yes, a bit geeked out in my running "gear-head" self, slathered in 100 SPF sun protection, because honestly, I like being pale)--but read on and you'll understand why the best runner is a "prepared" runner! I finished my run in 2:06. Now, was that super-speed? Good god, no. Would I have liked to finish this in under two hours? Yes! But I'll take it! Not making excuses here, but I had a diversion of "hiking/off street running" thrown in the mix (but totally by accident because of this freak of nature encounter, read on).

I feel fine today. I am barely sore. I am not a pre-running stretcher. I walk for a warm up. I do a lot of stretching after and mostly on my hamstrings and calves. I didn't kill myself doing this run, it was too important for me to keep a measured pace and not to injure myself. I am almost fifty and injuries spring up on women of a certain age much quicker at this stage in life than they once used to. *Thank you doctor for the wonderful job you did on my knees seven years ago! My endurance is what I am working on now--to prepare for my half marathon coming up (April 11th). Here is what I asked myself after this run: Could I have gone another three miles. Absolutely. So, with that, I feel very confident I am ready to run a half. To cap off the night--we had vegan meatballs and spaghetti--the perfect post run meal! I need to get in at least one more ten-miler, even trying a twelve miler--but do so within the next week. The week of the marathon is a really scaled back running week. Today I rest--really important for runners in training to NOT run every day. But that can be hard for some.


I used the More fitness 16-Week Half-Marathon Training Plan as my guide. I didn't stick to it 100%--but what I did do is use it as a base to help me measure out my long runs and intersperse shorter runs throughout the week. It's really nice to also write in a calendar what you've done each day of the week--be it a three mile brisk walk (which I will do--using an indoor walk with a Leslie Sansone Walk At Home Workout--I love Leslie's workouts--really, I do!)--or a three-to-four mile run. You know, some days I just don't want to deal with cars on the road or people in general.

I like to see my totals for each seven day period so I know what I need to work on in the coming week. Using this training guide helped me stay focused on my distance needs. I was so afraid of not getting my endurance back after my hospital stay--the structure this provided me really helped. I was already half there being that I was working on my speed training when my "incident" took two weeks off the calendar in February. So, I switched from working on speed to just getting mileage in.

So, yesterday's run turned into quite the affair. I have a park very close to home--beautiful creek running through it, paved path, then hiking path as well. I'd diverted once onto the unpaved path trying to find my way back home with very scary results, but eventually did find my way back home. Anyhow. Having had run an eight miler last week, I sort of knew in my head what running route I needed to take to accomplish this. But I wanted to add two miles to this to get to ten. How would I do this? At first I was like, well, I'll just run past my usual spot that takes me home and double back. That didn't really sound too fun because I knew I'd be psyching myself out as I ran past my street. In other words, it would be really hard to keep my focus.

So into the park I turned. I was near mile five at this point. But here's the catch, there was no mile marker on the paved-path. So I do what most crazy runners do and approached a complete stranger (a woman--I'm not that crazy) and asked if she knew the path's distance? She did--as she had just finished running it! It was a mile and a half if you did the circle twice. I was bummed, I needed two miles. So she said, Well, I'm planning to go up into the hiking trail to finish my workout (it's two and a quarter miles). I was like, really? Okay, would you mind if we did it together? No, she said, that would be great! *Why do this with a complete stranger--well, it was a woman, what harm--plus I knew I could totally out run her, and because it is in the woods but they are sparse right now. . . you can see the creepy people still.

So here's where you learn a bit about Vegan Thyme. I don't really like making new "friends" on the spur of the moment. New women friends especially. Plus, I am not much of a "joiner"--this blog and a few folks I've connected with along the way--that's about all I want right now. (I was burned by a "friend" a while back and I am not in the mood to work all over again on "building friendships", plus I have the "family" member/rehab thingy which is a sore spot right, too.) Okay?

I was leary of this new "female bond" I'd walked right into, but the company was nice. She had some "medical" issues she began sharing with me, then. . . personal "issues", then, I just kept the pace going as we navigated in and out of rock crevices and I tried not to get my running shoes dirty! She began to get red in the face and tired looking--so like a nice person, I offered her one of my water bottles from my geek gear. She really appreciated it--I was like, hey, I have three more--no problem. I didn't want her to pass out on me, you know? Well, our little run was filled with Uh-huh, and Oh Really? And, You're kidding? Blah, Blah, Blah.

Women are strange. Right? Most of you are women, you know exactly what I mean. Here was a perfect opportunity for me to have a "new" friend in my life. And what did I do at the end of this "off road adventure"? I took off on the paved road we began on with a wave and a "Okay, bye, that was fun--keep up the good work on your running" and off I went into the distance! She was a bit stunned I am sure. But I am a loner runner--it's a loner sport. I like running alone. I don't really like "friend running" too much. Clearly this was evident after my mad dash away from my new "friend".

Okay, so I was leaving this koffee klatch and thinking--You know, Kelly, that was sort of stupid. You didn't know that woman from Adam? What were you thinking going up in the "hills" with her? What if she'd been crazy? I run with mace now--I'm prepared. (I think it was an endorphine thingy taking over anyhow). Then, along I go. Then guess what? "Friend" pulls up along side me in her car! I was sort of aware of something out of the corner of my eye, you have to be when you run. Then look up, there she was all smiles, slowed down and waving. I was like, OMG, what the?#$! Then, I waved and she moved on. Thankfully, without her brake lights coming on--I would have high-tailed it into some side road brush, I swear to god!

What's the point to this? Well, there isn't one. I am mainly documenting my run, and my "friend" moment. It was a strange running day to be sure. Will there be more strange running days. Of course. But I'll not stop running any time soon.

And for beginning runners. Not to be cliche or copy-kat, but: Just do it. Your body will tell you when you have had enough. Start running and walking--and try to do this outside. A treadmill run is not the same--but if it is what you feel comfortable with--so be it. Just don't be surprised when you run outside and find you tire out more quickly. Running indoors is just not the same. Plan for a two mile distance: running/walking. This should take you maybe 25-30 minutes. If it takes you 45 minutes, who cares, you've gotten up and started--that's the important part. Everyone starts off somewhere.

You only need "good" running shoes and clothes. Shoes are important in this sport--very. I have a rotation of shoes I use. Actually, I own more running shoes than "fancy-pants shoes". It helps prevent injury. It just makes sense, too. My favorite pair are my Nike Pegasus--been running in those for years--but I always buy an arch support insole for all of my shoes. I have really high arches. Next I have a pair of Under Armour. These are wonderful stability shoes with huge arch support benefits. I love them, too. Now, does a beginner runner need two pairs of shoes, no. But go to a running store for shoes, not Payless, okay?

Running is one of the least gear-oriented sports you could jump into. No fancy machines, no loud gyms. Just you and your mind. But it is also one of the most rewarding and accesible sports there is. I know I've said this before somewhere in my blog, but it bears repeating: running has saved my life. Are there days when I don't feel like running--absolutely. But are there days I can barely wait to go out and get a run in--you bet. It all balances itself out in the end. So on my day of "rest" today, I plan to work on the old veggie patch some more! I have some vermiculite to pick up and need to catch up on my reading!