Going Back to the Practice

How do I start to talk about running again after such a long silence?  Where do I begin?

I guess I begin with my yoga class from last week. There I was in downward dog, the most undignified position that someone can find themselves in, but it is the center of most yoga workouts. All poses in yoga seem to lead into the downward dog pose. So here I am with my bottom in the air, and I have a realization:  running is a practice, yoga is a practice, and writing is a practice. People use practice to come back to the center, to evolve their soul - to the proverbial downward dog, and to find balance inside themselves.

I realized that running is a very important practice for me simply because it centers me, and brings me back to a calm and quite place of empowerment. There are no expectations or failures in practice. You simply have to honor yourself and where you are in your practice and go from there. There is the beauty of it, you are where you are at and that is good enough. 

With Fall Comes New Beginings

Isn't the human body amazing?

Today I went for a small run, and I had an epiphany of sorts. We all run for different reasons. Sometimes I think we run for reasons we cannot even begin to comprehend. It has been almost a year and a half since I started running. Looking back on it all it seems so clear to me that I was running to cleanse my spirit of all its burdens and demons. Some people will run a lifetime and never be free. They will run forever, and only in that small space they have created with their running shoes will they be able to find some modicum of peace.

For now I have found peace, closure, and something intangible that I cannot quite describe. You know I only ran 3.5 miles today, but I began to think, What next? The truth is that I need to change my relationship, or perhaps evolve my relationship with running. My year of running, has been incredible in its own way. Somehow I went from someone who didn't run at all, to someone who over the last twelve months has run hundreds of miles. It is incredible, and although I would have liked to have gone farther, and have achieved more, I think my spirit achieved what it needed to.

Now it is fall again, a time of new beginnings because all of the old ones have wilted away. I have found myself. Now where do I go next, that my life has found balance, stability, and sobriety?

Dehydration Headache

So I ran 9 miles today in the hot sun on spring water trail. It was an amazing run, I am kind of excited that I was able to do it at all since I really haven't done mileage like this in a while. However, I kind of screwed up. I mean I ran 5 miles and then had some water, and 5 miles back in 90 degree weather. This really dehydrated me pretty badly and now I am suffering from a dehydration headache/ stomach ache.

I am not happy about it at all. I mean I drank a lot of water,and then felt so sick... Eventually I ended up upchucking protein bar and water. Not attractive. Oye....... So after a little google searching I am drinking beer, and wonders of wonders it is working.  Is my research bad??? Has anybody else heard of this?

It feels good to get back into the swing of things. In other news it is really time to hit the coast. I so need a good coast run while it is nice out, and a water belt so this dehydration bit doesn't happen again.  :)

Finding Stability

So in the last couple of weeks I have gotten a job, and started work. Its not an ideal job, slinging drinks in a bar, but hey the money is good and I like the people I am working with.  Now, with training complete, I can begin to find some stability, and really get back into my rhythm that I had in the winter.  I have been working out, but I have not been keeping track of it. So now its time to get back into the swing of things, and figure a way to build my resume so that I can find more professional work in this incredibly brutal economy. So onward ho!! You only fail when you give up.

Putting life into perspective

Alright so here is the game plan. When I go to work I am constantly moving and on my feet. According to the pedometer I am averaging about six miles at work, some days even more. So on those days I am going to try and keep my mileage low, and focus on the weights. On my days off I am going to hit the running hard, and try and up my mileage. I am excited about this plan. 

Life is good, and if I have learned anything in the last year, it is to lead with a smile and a positive attitude, which attracts people into your life who you would like to surround yourself with. 

Early morning running

So its 4 am and I am at the track. I decided to show up early so that I could get in some work before Rahana got there. The drive there was dark and a little scary. It is kind of strange drive through the empty streets of Oregon City, and then onto the freeway towards Portland filled with people who are heading to work and the gym.  I have been coaching Rahana from 5am to 6am on a track near Clackamas. It is gratifying, if not a little strange. I mean I just can't imagine that I really am capable of helping her, but I am making her sweat so I must be doing something right.

Running in the morning, when it is still dark is just bizarre...it's surreal. Like a timeout from my life. Yes that is a good way to describe it....running in the morning is like taking a timeout from my life...not that I need a timeout, just that putting on life pause, while I can just exist outside of it is liberating....Actually now that I think about it, that is how I feel about running in general, it is a timeout, an escape, and good way to wash away each and every day.

Rahana reminds me all of time that I am lucky. I think sometimes it is hard to appreciate where you are, because there is always someone who is faster, who is stronger, and skinnier. But to Rahana it would be an accomplishment to run one quarter of a mile like it was easy, and effortless. Her body is weighed down, and I know that she really struggles to be free of it. How lucky am I that I can just float over the track somedays. I can only imagine how wonderful it must feel to others who are skinnier, and in better shape. Maybe someday I will be able to feel that too.

Number one running goal...... Find a soft trail. My knees kind of hurt from all of the hard surfaces I have been on.

Uphill

The truth is that life is not flat, roads are not flat, and in real running there are uphills and downhills. Lately I have been running a lot of hills. It feels more satisfying to do so. It seems to help lift some of the weight that was on my chest even if it is just for a while....

So I guess that this is what it is all about

1. Breathe deep

2.Do what you can

3. Try not to focus to hard on the slope

4. And move forward....just move forward