practicing non-reactivity

February 15, 2012 2 Comments

I don’t know if you’ve ever had a moment, but before I began 40 Days, I felt kind of like this (in my head, not out loud) at times of really high stress:

Each week has a theme: week 1 is presence (bringing the idea of being present to your practice on and off the mat), week 2 is vitality (enriching your life with people/foods/things that bring you vitality and energy and letting go of resentment) and week 3 (the one I’m on now) is equanimity (maintaining peace of mind and practicing non-reactivity).

So reactivity relates to how you react to something that happens to you or something you’re doing — like screaming like Jenelle, dropping into child’s pose instead of trying an inversion, slowing down your pace because it’s uncomfortable, snapping at someone because they were rude to you, etc. All of those examples are negative and don’t get you to your goal or help you maintain a healthy, peaceful emotional state.

Non-reactivity got me through a tough situation last week (and I hadn’t even read the week 3 chapter yet), but it’s been a challenge this week, off the mat at least. I’ve been thinking a lot about how it can help my running — being less lazy when it comes to workouts, actually doing speedwork and not reacting when it’s uncomfortable.

I ran 4 miles yesterday, with no intention of going fast, but after running the first mile in 8:50, the last three had to be faster, of course. And then with 1.5 left, I had a perfect opportunity to practice non-reactivity: I almost got hit by a car.

I was at a stoplight, waiting for the light to turn so I could cross. The light turned red and a car came barreling through the intersection, nearly hitting the other cars whose light was green. They honked and slammed on their brakes. I could tell before I crossed that they weren’t going to stop, so I stepped back, threw my middle fingers at them and screamed, “it’s a fucking red light you asshole!”

It’s February, it was barely 40 degrees, I’m sure they didn’t hear me, but I was wearing a bright yellow vest, so they had to have seen me.

I was pissed for the next minute or so. Hoping they’d get pulled over (25 mph speed limit, residential area), hoping karma would get them, etc. But then I realized how I was reacting to the situation — I wasn’t letting it go, I couldn’t stop the driver from being dangerous and driving recklessly. I hadn’t died and I couldn’t change the situation.

 There was no need for me to react that way to it. The same way there’s no need for me to be pissed about my knee injury, berate myself for not being able to do an inversion yet or be unhappy that my boyfriend isn’t here. There’s nothing I can do about those situations but accept them and move on and keep running.

We have to pass through what is messy and sometimes painful if we are to get to the bliss on the other side.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , ,

so I need to cross train…

January 30, 2012 9 Comments

I don’t know what it is about winter that leaves me feeling down, unmotivated, up a few pounds and usually injured.

This year has been no different.

It’s always been in my nature to ask a lot of questions — why am I feeling this way? How can I make such and such work? What should I do with my life? Why am I not getting faster? Why can’t I lose weight? Why can’t I get into crow?

(those last two questions may be related. Or I’m just scared of balancing poses and can’t let go of the fear of falling.)

Running is usually the answer to any questions I have, but lately, it’s been leaving me with more questions than answers. I’m not at the greatest point in my life (or the worst, life’s not so bad. I’m grateful for what I have), and the one thing that I can always count on to make me feel better, more in the moment and like everything’s going to be OK was starting to leave me feeling overwhelmed, stressed and injured. And not only that, other areas of my life have been full of stress and fatigue and running wasn’t giving me the same stress relief that it used to — a sign of burn out.

Since the trauma to my knee at Regis, jumping right into Mohican training had to take a step back and I’ve been looking more toward my (new) yoga mat to help me get more of what I look for out of exercise and fitness. (I know what’s wrong with the knee, it simply needs some rest, reduced mileage and fewer downhills. Only one race on my calendar is questionable, but other than that, I don’t really want to talk about it or dwell on it).

Last Monday, I went to a late afternoon hot yoga class at Cleveland Yoga with Terri. I haven’t been doing much yoga before recently, but my legs and hips are in desperate need of some stretching and strengthening and I’m a complete idiot for not taking my last injury as a sign I should slow down and keep stretching and doing other activities. While I was there, I noticed a poster advertising the “40 Days to Personal Revolution” program, based on the book by Baron Baptiste. According to the studio’s website, this is a basic rundown of what the program includes:

Daily yoga practice; Ways to cleanse your body; Daily meditation practice; Journaling questions to root out limiting beliefs and patterns.

Sounds awesome, right? I thought about it the entire class. The only hangup for me is the price tag. Though I’d be able to meet with the group and practice unlimited yoga for the entire 40 days, I’m still sticking to my commitment towards saving money this year (so ignore those lululemon pants I bought yesterday…)

After class that Monday, I joined Alicia and a few other Cleveland Marathon bloggers for dinner in Independence. Alicia blogged about it today, so check it out. Since Alicia is starting YTT soon at Nishkama Yoga, I told her about the program and asked for her thoughts. She suggested just buying the book myself and doing it alone. Sure I’d be losing out on the experience of the group, but I can use that few hundred bucks for more yoga (and not limit myself to one studio either) and the lululemon jacket I had to talk myself out of buying yesterday… and new brakes for my car… And if I need someone to talk to what I’m learning/experiencing, I have Alicia (ha, sorry for not asking first) as well as plenty of other friends who may listen to me and well, this blog that I can pretty much post whatever I want.

So I went home that night and bought the book on iTunes and read everything up to the first week in two days.

I started today.

I don’t plan on blogging all about it, just pieces here and there that I think will be beneficial or interesting to you.

I’m still running, though not as much and focusing more on getting healthy and making it to the start (and finish!) line of Mohican (while not wearing a shirt). We’ll see how it all shows on my chip times. But the point is for me to learn and grow as a person. To evaluate my life, and to “unlearn.” I have my whole life to run a fast marathon and a ton of ultras. I’m doing what I can right now.

“There are no riches greater than a sound body.”

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , , , ,

being in the present

January 18, 2012 4 Comments

Two days post marathon and I had yet to run. For some reason, my thighs were still reeling from the race Sunday, though my knee I fell on and the ankle I kept rolling were fine the following day. I decided to play it safe and let my first run back be with the Striders tonight.

Before the race, I decided on two goals for Mohican (both of which coincide with the fitness goals I set for myself a few months ago):

  1. Finish.
  2. Run the race in a sports bra.

So that means I need to get to work on my core strength and do some consistent ab work. And you know, go back to picking up a weight and lifting it myself. Not handing it to a client.

I decided to start with a 75-minute hot yoga class this morning at Cleveland Yoga. I’m going to be honest, I really struggled at the beginning of the class. Early on in the class, the instructor said something about breathing and being in the present in the practice. Yoga instructors say that kind of thing all of the time, but for some reason today, I really dwelled on it and thought about it the entire class.

Of course, I kept thinking of this:

I tried my best to focus only on the pose I was doing at that moment, moving with intention and giving it my best, not just going through the motions.

I left the class feeling more calm, relaxed and like I had just gotten my butt kicked with planks and several balance poses.

The more I think about being in the present, the more I want to make it a standard practice of mine in life and in my fitness endeavors. It seems as if my life lately has been more about where I am going, not how I’m getting there. I’m constantly talking/thinking about the next thing, whether it be a job, wedding planning dreaming (I’m not engaged…), apartment (though that is in the next like six months, I should get on that), racing, Badwater, etc.

I don’t know if I’m just mentally putting my life on hold right now, waiting for winter to end and October to roll around and the LT to come home and giving myself things to look forward to, or if I’m just doing a terrible job at focusing.

Either way, I’m about to start a really huge endeavor. I have no answers or way to try and focus on the present all of the time, but I’m going to try. I know there are moments I’m going to hate. Times I wish I hadn’t signed up for the Pig or Cleveland or Mohican. Days when I’d rather just lay in bed and sleep than go outside and run or work or whatever. But if showing up, taking the moment in and being present can add even some value, strength or fulfillment to my life, I’ll give it a shot.

I guess you can say I’ll try a little less bitching and a lot more namaste :)

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , ,

Getting past the brick walls

October 19, 2011 4 Comments

I wasn’t planning on writing a post today. I haven’t been feeling too inspired lately. Work has been busy and going from sunny, 90-degree Vegas weather back to grey, rainy Cleveland hasn’t helped my mood much. And lack of running has started to wear on me (side note: I need to get back to where I was quick… I may be training for a marathon…)

Anyway, after a long day and long nap, I checked my Google reader and my good friend Alicia’s post stuck out to me. It’s apparently National Evaluate Your Life Day and as Alicia quoted, it’s “to encourage everyone to check and see if they’re really headed where they want to be.”

I thought about it for a while. Am I headed where I want to be? Short answer is, yes. But there’s some things in the way.

Which immediately reminded me of this guy:

(click image for source)

That’s Randy Pausch, a Carnegie Mellon professor who passed away in 2008 from pancreatic cancer. In the fall of 2007, he gave his “Last Lecture” to friends, family and the Carnegie Mellon community as part of a lecture series that asks professors to give the last lecture they would hope to give before they die. It became a you tube hit, bestselling book and he was on Oprah and all of that.

So why am I telling you this?

I guess I have to backtrack a bit. My relationship with the LT hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows. When people ask how long we’ve been dating, I usually say “four years, on and off… mostly off.” and leave it at that. We started dating in the fall of 2007, broke up the following April and though we would usually talk when he was home, we didn’t really get back together until this past January. When we initially broke up, one of my friends told me to go on you tube and watch “The Last Lecture.”

“It’ll totally change your perspective on life,” he told me.

So, amidst my pathetic, sad girl-ness, I watched it when I should have been writing the outline for my core class thesis. Then, and now, two parts in particular always stick to me:

We cannot change the cards we are dealt, just how we play the hands.

That quote is written on the second ID tag I wear when I run:

And the purpose of this post:

But remember, the brick walls are there for a reason. The brick walls are not there to keep us out. The brick walls are there to give us a chance to show how badly we want something. Because the brick walls are there to stop the people who don’t want it badly enough. They’re there to stop the other people.

I realized that time in my life was a brick wall. Something I needed to get past to prove to myself how strong I am, what I’m capable of in life and that I need to go after what I really want. It took nearly a year for me to get on that path.

As you know already, I started running a year after that. And as running mirrors life, I face brick walls in that aspect all of the time. Those time goals I can’t seem to break? Brick wall. That hill I can’t seem to keep running up the entire time? Brick wall (it’s at North Chagrin Reservation. I will make it up without stopping…) When I began marathoning, I thought of how awesome it was that it is called, “the wall.”

And during those moments of doubt during Chicago, I thought of the brick walls. In a time someone else would’ve given up and let that wall defeat them, I just had to keep going.

It took a while, but I can finally say I’m on the right track and headed where I want to be. And though those brick walls keep popping up, that’s life. I can honestly say, I’m not one of those “other people.”

Remember brick walls let us show our dedication. They are there to separate us from the people who don’t really want to achieve their childhood dreams. Don’t bail. The best of the gold’s at the bottom of the barrels of crap.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , ,

dear first-time marathoner…

October 6, 2011 7 Comments

Dear first-time marathoner,

You may think the journey has been the past 16 or so weeks of training. Diligently doing your long runs, following a plan, figuring out what you’re doing, fitting it all in.

But the real journey is about to begin.

You’re about to take on one of the most amazing, most difficult and most rewarding experiences of your life (I’m going to assume it’s second to childbirth and some other life experiences that I have yet to have, but let’s pretend you’re in the same place as me.)

Whether you’re about to run 26.2 through the streets of Chicago in one of the biggest marathons in the world with me or taking on NYC, Philly, Columbus or any other lovely fall marathon, you’re in for an amazing day.

It doesn’t matter if you finish in three hours or five, running a marathon will change your life. It’s an experience like no other. The marathon is something you can’t fully understand until you experience it.

I wish I could tell you what’s in store for you, but every runner is going to have their own unique experience, sometimes good, sometimes bad. But I want to use this post to tell you some things I learned and hope you take away from your first marathon:

Just like every other first in life, you’re only going to get one. You know exactly what I mean. You’ll never ever have a first marathon ever again. It might be your only marathon, it may be the first of dozens. But just like those other firsts, you’ll never ever forget it.

It’s OK to be nervous. Seriously. When you’re standing in the corrals with thousands (or hundreds maybe) of people, remember, you’re not the only first timer out there. Even those people who’ve ran 50 marathons probably still get nervous every time.

Talk to others along the way. I met two very important people during the course of my first marathon. I don’t know their names, but if it weren’t for them, I would’ve probably sat on the side of the road in Upper Arlington waiting for the SAG car to come get me. And the hug from the woman who ran most of the way with me after mile 22 meant more to me than anything else after the race was over.

Be aware of everything around you. Take in your surroundings, the city, the trail, the spectators, your fellow runners. Read the backs of people’s shirts, high-five the kids along the course, point out the signs, smile and wave at race photographers. Remember the buildings you pass, the houses you see. Thank the volunteers and leave only footprints.

Trust in your training. The hard work is done. You should be well-rested. You know your limits, your goals and should have a clear idea of what you can accomplish. Be realistic and trust in the work you put in. You will be rewarded.

Wear your medal proudly. Show it off. Soak in the well wishes and let your accomplishment speak for itself. You did something great.

I hope you enjoy every single minute of those 26.2 miles. Just think, at the end, you’ll be a marathoner and part of a very special group of people. I hope you have one of the best days of your life.

Happy running!

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , ,

why I run — because it’s who I am

May 3, 2011 2 Comments

Amazingly, it’s been about two years since I headed to the track at the university I went to, turned on my iPod and started running — at least attempting to. In that short period of time, I’ve run 26 races and counting and more than 2,200 miles. To celebrate, this is the last in a series of posts about why I run. Missing something? Be sure to check out parts one, two, three and four. 

I had every intention of writing this post last week. I also had every intention of my final post in my “why I run” series to be about something completely different.

Then I went to see Lady Gaga on Wednesday night. Then I spent most of Thursday asleep and in front of the TV. Then I worked and ran all weekend. And when it came down to it, last night, I chose to write a new cover letter and apply for a few jobs instead of blogging. Sorry.

I mentioned in my t-shirt post that when I graduated from college, I had two huge tubs of sorority t-shirts to give away to my sisters. We have this thing called “senior talks” and you give away your shirts and say a few final words to the chapter you spent (or didn’t spend, sororities are one of those things that you get what you put in. And I put in a lot) however many of your college years with. I chose to write 18 “pieces of wisdom” to share. And in my true frat girl fashion, most of them were jokes like “Rule No. 76: No excuses, play like a champion” and “If you want to leave the ‘hi, it’s me, you’re a dick,’ voicemail, make sure you’re drunk first.”

But there was one line I was serious about that has stuck with me ever since the first time I said it. I was living in the sorority house and going through what I had thought at the time was a my entire world has come crashing down around me breakup (the breakup that in part, was a driving force in my motivation to finally lose weight…who knew, haha). My little sis came by to say hi and see how I was doing. We talked a lot about it and life and how devastated I was and I had a moment. I looked at her and said, “if life wasn’t hard, it wouldn’t be worth living.”

That line was the second piece of wisdom I left my sisters with.

And it’s exactly what I needed to remind me of the No. 1 reason why I run. Yeah, running away from who I was is a good reason. So are race t-shirts, bibs, medals, that time alone to think, sing, have fun, lose weight, stay healthy etc. But I run because it’s hard. I run because I crave the challenge of being better, faster and stronger than yesterday.

I run because it’s who I am.

As the months and miles and races have gone by, I’ve become a runner. It’s become a part of what makes me who I am. I’m not saying that without running, I’d be nothing, but if you took it away from me, I’d be pretty lost.

When I see people I went to high school or college with, and the last time I saw them was high school or college, one of the first things they say to me is “so you’re a marathoner now!” That’s how people have come to know me. My coworkers and friends are now used to the girl who gets up at 4 a.m. to run six miles in the dark. I’m the girl who would rather sit at home, watch “Say Yes to the Dress” and get up for a race or a long run the next day on the weekends. When the skies dumped two feet of snow on us, I shoveled the entire driveway, and then went for a run, because I couldn’t resist how beautiful it was outside. Rain, sleet, snow or sunshine, I’m out there.

I do it because every day I strive to be a better me. A better version of who I was yesterday. And one of the easiest and hardest ways I get to test that every single day is when my feet hit the pavement.

My point is this. Find something you love to do, be it running, biking, swimming, walking, singing, cooking, whatever, and be the best possible you at it. It’s going to be hard. It’s going to test your determination. But I promise you, make it a part of who you are and you will never regret the positive impact it has on your life.

I started running to help me lose weight and get stronger. I started running to help me escape from my problems in a healthier way. I started because I set a goal and wanted to finish it. I still run for so many more reasons than that. I still run because I love it. I can’t picture my life without it. I run because it’s hard. Life is hard and running is that outlet. Running is what makes me a stronger, better person. I run because it’s become a part of me that I wouldn’t trade for all the money in the world.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with ,

why I run — for reflection

April 29, 2011 3 Comments

Amazingly, it’s been about two years since I headed to the track at the university I went to, turned on my iPod and started running — at least attempting to. In that short period of time, I’ve run 26 races and counting and more than 2,200 miles. To celebrate, this is the fourth in a series of posts about why I run. Missing something? Be sure to check out parts one and two and three.

I do my best thinking on long runs and easy runs. Half the time, I can’t even tell you what I think about when it’s over. Other days, like today, I can tell you exactly what I thought about and where I was and what my pace was at that moment. (today had a lot to do with the Royal Wedding…)

Many times though, I reflect on a quote as I run. They help me get through the tougher times or give me a bit more inspiration. Today, I wanted to share some of my absolute favorite running quotes with you:

“Running is a big question mark that’s there each and every day. It asks you, ‘Are you going to be a wimp or are you going to be strong today?’” — Peter Maher, Canadian marathon runner

“The miracle isn’t that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start.” — John Bingham, running speaker and writer

“Only Those That Attempt the Absurd Will Achieve the Impossible.” — Kevin Hanson (from this 2007 Runner’s World article)

“Freedom allows flexibility, an open mind, an open vision, an open heart to whatever the day may hold. It gives us the opportunity to receive the moment to the fullest whether or not it is the perfect race day or pouring rain…let go and run free and run like you can’t fail!” — Ryan Hall

“I am not afraid. I was born to do this.” — Joan of Arc (Kara Goucher recently wrote about this quote on her blog for Competitor magazine.)

“The best pace is a suicide pace and today is a good day to die.” — Pre

And my most favorite of all:

“Run when you can, walk if you have to, crawl if you must; just never give up. “ — Dean Karnazes

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , ,

why I run — for the finish line

April 27, 2011 5 Comments

Amazingly, it’s been about two years since I headed to the track at the university I went to, turned on my iPod and started running — at least attempting to. In that short period of time, I’ve run 26 races and counting and more than 2,200 miles. To celebrate, this is the third in a series of posts about why I run. Missing something? Be sure to check out parts one and two. (And I also posted a new CLE Marathon training blog this morning!)

When I was training for the Columbus Marathon, someone told me that finishing a marathon is like having a baby — the preparation is long and hard and crossing the finish line is like holding your baby for the first time.

Well I’ve never had a baby, and don’t plan on it, so I’m not sure if she was right or not. But I can tell you this — crossing the finish line of your first, or any, marathon/half marathon/5K/big race in your life is one of the greatest, most indescribable feelings in the entire world. There’s something amazing about working so hard for however many months you decide to train, pushing yourself through a race and coming across that line. It’s even better when there’s someone waiting to put a medal around your neck (and in the case of the Akron Marathon, give you a space blanket and a hug. No joke).

I mentioned yesterday that there are three t-shirts that remind me of my greatest accomplishments. I wanted to talk about those finish lines today.

When I began running, I made a list of things I wanted to do that year. I can’t find the list now, but it included things like “see Coldplay live” (they didn’t tour again that year. damn) and “go skydiving” (still haven’t gone). But at the very top of the list was “Run a 5K.”

I chose the Cleveland Race for the Cure because it was far enough away that I could really feel prepared and it was my high school’s philanthropy, if you will, so I felt it would be the perfect first 5K.

I trained all summer with the run/walk program I talked about on Monday, but closer to the race, I could run more than I could walk and more than the program called for. I was able to run a little more than a mile without stopping and decided that I would run for eight minutes, walk one, repeat, repeat, until I completed the race (don’t quote me on that, I can’t remember the exact intervals).

I recruited a coworker to run the race with me. I don’t think she could tell how terrified I was on the way to the race or before it and especially when we lined up.

And if it weren’t for her, I probably wouldn’t have achieved the goal I had set for myself months and months before. I ran the entire 5K without stopping.

This was taken post race, obviously (and now you know where I went to college!) We finished the race in 31:00. It was the first time in my life I set a goal for myself that I wasn’t forced to (like you know, finishing a paper or something) and achieved it. There are few greater feelings in the world.

Looking back now on my first half feels like a dream, in a way. I’ve written about it before, so I’m not going to talk so much about it right now. There’s a few things I can remember very specifically about the end of the race.

I ran slightly ahead of the pace group the entire time, until we hit the Shoreway, then I hung back with the group leader. When we hit the turn off for the half, I was slightly ahead of her again and she yelled something at me like “turn right and run hard if you want to get in under two!” So I did.

When I hit the final turn and could see the finish, I ran harder than I ever had before. Crossing that finish line was again, one of the best moments of my life. I started crying and fist pumping and I probably looked like a ridiculous mess. I even have a picture to prove it…

Yes, that’s a picture of a picture. Taken with my iPhone (too much glare with the real camera). It’s in a floating frame with my finishers card and my scanner isn’t working anyway.

And I’ve written about my first marathon a thousand times. So I’m not going to bore you by talking about it again. I do feel a lot better now about the entire experience than I initially did. And looking back on the finish now, I can’t even describe it. There’s something amazing about running 26 miles, turning a corner and seeing a huge screaming crowd, tons of balloons and the finish line you’ve been dreaming about for months and months. I’m seriously tearing up thinking about it again.

I’ll let the look on my face describe how it feels:

Again, photo of a photo. Sorry. Technology hates me!

Seriously, if you can’t think of any other reason to run, run for the finish line. It’ll be one of the best things you’ve ever done.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , , , ,

why I run — for the shirt

April 26, 2011 14 Comments

Amazingly, it’s been about two years since I headed to the track at the university I went to, turned on my iPod and started running — at least attempting to. In that short period of time, I’ve run 26 races and counting and more than 2,200 miles. To celebrate, this is the second of a series of posts about why I run. Check out part one here. 

First off, I am absolutely blown away by the response I received from yesterday’s post. From comments, tweets, emails and facebook comments, I’m definitely so happy I had the balls to hit “publish.” Trust me, there was a minute when I seriously doubted it. I definitely left some parts out of the story (it was getting way long!), but it’s a story I’ve wanted to tell ever since I started this blog. I’ve never felt it was finished enough to tell — until now — and I’m really glad I did.

Today’s post isn’t nearly as serious at all…

Another reason why I run? For the shirts.

I went to an all-girls Catholic high school. Then in college I joined a sorority.

We. Made. T-shirts. For. Everything.

Literally.

At my senior talks for the sorority (our unique way of saying goodbye to the chapter), I had two large tubs of t-shirts to give away. I still kept some of them and I have an entire drawer full of sorority blocks and fraternity rush shirts that are way too big for me.

And in less than two years, I’ve collected more than 26 race-related shirts. I’ve never ran a race that didn’t give me one and I bought a few more at expos for the big races.

lots of running = lots of shirts

But I don’t sign up for tons of races because I like putting bibs on my wall, showing off my race t’s at the gym and wearing a medal all day. OK, that’s a lie, I like all of those things. I like them a lot. While yes, I really do like the t-shirts, I run for the shirt because of the memories each one has and how putting them in one big pile shows how far I’ve come in the past two years.

I wear my race t-shirts (well…the ones that fit…) proudly because I like to remember.

They remind me of my greatest accomplishments:

first 5K, first half and full marathons

They remind me of my absolute favorite race memories:

these are from some of the best races in NE Ohio

They remind me of what it feels like to PR:

from more recent PRs

And they remind me what it feels like to just run your heart out:

I know in like 20 years, I’m going to have this huge collection of race t-shirts, sweatshirts, bibs, medals and maybe even some ultramarathon belt buckles and Boston marathon jackets. I won’t throw out a single one because I want to remember each and every happy race memory and wear them proudly.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with , ,

Run!

April 5, 2011 3 Comments

When I was sitting in the airport in CLE waiting to leave for NC, I decided to download a preview of “Run! 26.2 Stories of Blisters and Bliss” by Dean Karnazes on iBooks.

Of course, I should’ve just paid the $11.99 then because I was hooked after the “Prerun Stretch” and “Warmup.” So of course, once I found my gate in Charlotte, the book was mine.

Dean Karnazes is an ultramarathoner from California. He’s been dubbed the “ultramarathon man” and is known for his crazy endurance, running 50 marathons in 50 states in 50 days and winning some huge races, like Badwater and so many other crazy endurance running events that it would be redundant for me to keep listing. He also writes for “Runner’s World” and “Men’s Health.” “Run!” is his third book and the first I’ve read.

“Run!” is just as the title says. It’s 26.2 stories about running — mostly specific events and experiences. Karnazes chronicles events like Badwater and the 4 deserts series. His stories are filled with humor and inspiring messages. As I went along, I used iBooks’ handy little highlight feature and I want to share some of my favorite quotes from the book:

” The best we can do is cherish every moment. If we hold close those we love, their memories will live on within us even after they’re gone. It was al about stripping away the complex layers we construct around us and accepting the truth. This revelation set me free.”

“Like life, running 135 miles across the desert was filled with pain and suffering. You either fought it the entire way, or accepted the fact of it and moved down the road harmoniously. I chose the latter path, and what a difference that made.”

“I’m far from great, I told her, ‘But if you’re passionate and driven, you can accomplish things.’”

“You cannot grow and expand your capabilities to their limits without running the risk of failure. And failure can provide invaluable lessons.”

“The only way I could fail was to give up trying.”

“In the end, the physical piece of metal hardly means anything to me. What matters is the experience and accomplishment that I will carry in my heart and spirit for the rest of my life.”

“Don’t stop until you get to the finish line… Don’t worry about how long it takes; run within yourself.”

And here are my two absolute favorites:

“Life is a series of obstacles and setbacks; living is overcoming them.”

“It’s not the finish line that matters; it’s the journey, getting there.”

I would highly recommend “Run!” to runners of any level. It’s funny and extremely inspiring. Books don’t usually hold my attention, but Dean’s stories made me want to keep reading. And go out and run!

Currently, Dean is running across America to raise money and awareness for Action for Healthy Kids. To learn more (or even run with him!) visit the event page. To learn more about Dean and his books, like him on Facebook or visit his site.

Filed under Uncategorized Tagged with ,

← Older posts

Follow

Get every new post delivered to your Inbox.

Join 1,018 other followers