Archive

Tag Archives: 2014

My First Time: Running

January 29, 2014
Half-Marathon Training/Running
Leave a comment

Time flies. I blink and I can’t believe that it has been a year since I picked up running as a habit. It’s not unusual that I get asked how I started starting and I give the same answer that I give when I first blogged about running: the book,  The Power of Habit (…and emotions).

The Austin Marathon & Half Marathon is in about 17 days and now I feel like running has become a chore. I wake up every other day when I’m not doing stretches/squats/recovering with the mindset that I have to run X miles (in Y min/mi). Each time increasing my distance a little bit, so I don’t end up totally left behind as my brother blazes ahead.

For training and interest purposes, I started using Strava, an app that generally is used by cyclists but runners as well. It tracks your pace, your distance, your route, etc. Last night, I looked up when I first started running (or when I first started recording). By sheer coincidence, the first day I recorded my running was the same day I last ran a year later. Look below:

delta

And, excuse my profanity (it gets me through running)- HOLY SHIT.

Here are my *initial* thoughts:

  1. Wow self, you ran slow.
  2. Wow self, you ran barely 3 miles.

Here are the thoughts I should have reminded myself:

  1. Wow self, what a difference a year makes.
  2. You never thought you would run, ever.
  3. But now you’re running a half marathon in 2-ish weeks.
  4. And you’ve got a pretty good pace.
  5. But it’s totally not about the pace, you’re aiming to finish.
  6. Keep going.
  7. Don’t hurt yourself.

What are the chances that I run the same day in the span of a year (actuaries or statisticians?). It’s difficult to remind myself that I’ve come a long way. And I think that has extended to everything I do. I constantly have to…need to remind myself that I started at Point A, everyone starts at Point A and with time, practice, and trying- I’m/we are going to get to Point B.

Treasure the journey and don’t forget the middle part. It’s easy to forget.
17 days.

Sidebar: Applications are difficult.

September 28, 2012
General, Sidebar
Leave a comment

But I’m finally done. I just pressed “Send”, my Texas4000 application is complete…to the best of my abilities anyway. I’m nervous, I’m anxious, is it October already, I must be insane.

For those who do not know what Texas4000 is, to sum it up: it’s a 4,500-mile bike ride from Austin, TX to Anchorage, AK. It is done to raise awareness and money for cancer research. This is not the first ride, I am applying for Team 2014, and I must be insane.

I applied for a number of reasons. Whimsy is definitely a reason and a great reason at that. (Have you read Love Does? You should.) If I didn’t apply this year, I wouldn’t be eligible for the following year. If I didn’t apply, I wouldn’t know and it would always be a “no”. Apparently, if you have an “inkling to apply, you should do it”- so I did. I applied because Tommy never got to. He’s a huge inspiration to me (I’m devoting a whole post about this for later). I applied because in one way or another, I have been affected by cancer. Still, I must be insane.

Whatever the result may be, I’m really glad I sent my application in. At least I tried. Whatever happens, it’s for a reason (this is so cliche, but you guys know it’s true). I always tell other people to put themselves out there, it’s about time I do it myself. Texas 4000. It’s a huge commitment, but one step at a time.

Step 1: Application 
Step 2: The Waiting Process

It’s kind of fun to do the impossible. -Walt Disney