Today, at 10:17 p.m., I turn 50 years old. In the life of a runner, it's a big deal to enter a new age group. In the life of a woman, 50 is just a big deal. Still, I feel better today than I did at 30; I'm sure it has a lot to do with child-rearing sleep deprivation and lack of any time to exercise adequately and eat properly. I emerged from the funk when I turned 40 and, frankly, things have improved ever since. Herewith, in no particular order (because who can prioritize such things?), are the milestones of my 40s, both good and bad.
1. I saw my two children through graduation from high school and into college.
2. I ran my first, and then my second, marathon, coming tantalizing close to qualifying for Boston the second time around.
3. I broke my left foot and had surgery on my right foot, the former revealing that, not only do I possess an incredible tolerance for pain, but osteopenia is a problem I have and there is little I can do about it--I am white and small-boned after all.
4. After many niggling injuries, I concluded that I needed to stop training exclusively for marathons and diversify. As a result, I discovered the joys, challenges, aches and pains, and ultimate triumphs of triathlon. After two years of training, I completed the Syracuse 70.3 Half-Ironman an hour faster than I thought I would.
5. I drank too much wine.
6. I met and married my incredibly supportive husband, who stands at the finish line, camera in hand, at all of my races. Being a stepmother is a challenge I have yet to master, but I haven't given up!
7. I found a cyst in my right breast that, after a sonogram, was deemed to be benign. Phew!
8. I developed some incredible friendships with women who have seen me through my fitness challenges and goals; among them: @Jade Barth Mills, @Patty Hendry and @Mary Fitzgibbons Klee.
9. I became a grandmother twice; OK, a step-grandmother, but still. . .
10. I ran a 6:59 mile three years ago in the Festival of Races.
11. After losing 30 pounds in 2004, I uncovered the muscles I had worked so hard to sculpt in my 30s. I had finally learned portion control.
More than running (but not much more).
Monday, April 11, 2011
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
Pain, No Gain
It's remarkable how tolerant of pain I have become. I don't know if the ability to zone out when things hurt is the mark of a successful endurance athlete, but I have many friends who experience the same effect. Still, I'm not sure that's so good either--I turned a stress fracture into a full-blown second metatarsal break from ignoring the pain.
Here's what I'm talking about: This morning I went to the track. I detest track work in the moment, but once I'm done and then when I experience the benefits of around-and-around I'm glad I did it. Because it had been awhile (and I'm still technically recovering from foot surgery), I went easy: 4 x 400, with 400 recoveries, after a mile warmup, and then a half-mile cooldown. My goal was to complete each fast lap in under 2 minutes, and I reached that goal--1:58, 1:58, 1:59 and 1:54. It felt good to be done!
When I returned home to log my workout I was curious to see the last time I had been to the track. It was June! But there was a notation in that log entry about my toe hurting so badly that I was going to call my ortho about enduring a second cortisone shot. Uh-oh. I had forgotten how much that second toe had really started to hurt me, but considering I eventually laid off the track for nine months, my sensible self was clearly trying to protect my foot from even more pain.
The point is that even though pain tolerance is a strength of mine (though not something really to brag about), I clearly had had enough a full six months before I finally got that foot and toe fixed (and this would be the right foot, not the left foot I broke in 2007). I guess the lesson is to listen to yourself, even if you don't like what you have to say.
And now for something sort of different: The folks at Beachbody.com have asked me to link some of their products from my blog to their website. My daughter tells me she has done the P90X workout and it kicked her butt, but that it's a quality workout all the same. I urge you to check it out (and the other beachbody.com workouts) for yourself--it's never too late to get into shape. They include the P90X2, the Tai Cheng and the 10 Minute Trainer.
Here's what I'm talking about: This morning I went to the track. I detest track work in the moment, but once I'm done and then when I experience the benefits of around-and-around I'm glad I did it. Because it had been awhile (and I'm still technically recovering from foot surgery), I went easy: 4 x 400, with 400 recoveries, after a mile warmup, and then a half-mile cooldown. My goal was to complete each fast lap in under 2 minutes, and I reached that goal--1:58, 1:58, 1:59 and 1:54. It felt good to be done!
When I returned home to log my workout I was curious to see the last time I had been to the track. It was June! But there was a notation in that log entry about my toe hurting so badly that I was going to call my ortho about enduring a second cortisone shot. Uh-oh. I had forgotten how much that second toe had really started to hurt me, but considering I eventually laid off the track for nine months, my sensible self was clearly trying to protect my foot from even more pain.
The point is that even though pain tolerance is a strength of mine (though not something really to brag about), I clearly had had enough a full six months before I finally got that foot and toe fixed (and this would be the right foot, not the left foot I broke in 2007). I guess the lesson is to listen to yourself, even if you don't like what you have to say.
And now for something sort of different: The folks at Beachbody.com have asked me to link some of their products from my blog to their website. My daughter tells me she has done the P90X workout and it kicked her butt, but that it's a quality workout all the same. I urge you to check it out (and the other beachbody.com workouts) for yourself--it's never too late to get into shape. They include the P90X2, the Tai Cheng and the 10 Minute Trainer.
Saturday, April 2, 2011
Saturday, Sunny Day
Today is a beautiful and sunny day, with still some early-spring chill in the air. It's only 40 degrees or so, but the sunshine goes a long way toward lifting the mood.
Today was also the third training run in the Mountain Goat Race series of trainers. It's been terrific watching 700 or so runners invade downtown Syracuse at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday to practice running up some of the toughest race hills to be found anywhere.
The Museum of Science and Technology graciously hosts all of us runners, and two Syracuse police officers help control traffic. A shout-out to them especially.
Today was also the longest run I've attempted since probably before Thanksgiving. About mile 5 I started to conk out, but I kept at it for the full 7 (ongoing congestion issues didn't make things any easier).
Then it was breakfast with my husband at one of our favorite diners before returning home to all the usual Saturday stuff--laundry, cleaning, etc., etc. Still, Saturday is by far my favorite day of the week.
I am also nearing the end of my 10-week session of yoga classes. I will continue to practice, as they say, at home, especially since I'll be 50 in nine days. Flexibility is fleeting, but it's also vital to my continued performance as an endurance athlete.
Anyway, now that it is April 2, time to post the training numbers for March.
Bike: 2h 07m 27s - 27.72 Mi
Run: 11h 19m 36s - 71.05 Mi
Swim: 3h 01m 51s - 11646.98 Yd
Strength: 9h 39m
Kettlebell: 45m
Stability Ball: 55m
Yoga: 5h 34m
Today was also the third training run in the Mountain Goat Race series of trainers. It's been terrific watching 700 or so runners invade downtown Syracuse at 7:30 a.m. on a Saturday to practice running up some of the toughest race hills to be found anywhere.
The Museum of Science and Technology graciously hosts all of us runners, and two Syracuse police officers help control traffic. A shout-out to them especially.
Today was also the longest run I've attempted since probably before Thanksgiving. About mile 5 I started to conk out, but I kept at it for the full 7 (ongoing congestion issues didn't make things any easier).
Then it was breakfast with my husband at one of our favorite diners before returning home to all the usual Saturday stuff--laundry, cleaning, etc., etc. Still, Saturday is by far my favorite day of the week.
I am also nearing the end of my 10-week session of yoga classes. I will continue to practice, as they say, at home, especially since I'll be 50 in nine days. Flexibility is fleeting, but it's also vital to my continued performance as an endurance athlete.
Anyway, now that it is April 2, time to post the training numbers for March.
Bike: 2h 07m 27s - 27.72 Mi
Run: 11h 19m 36s - 71.05 Mi
Swim: 3h 01m 51s - 11646.98 Yd
Strength: 9h 39m
Kettlebell: 45m
Stability Ball: 55m
Yoga: 5h 34m
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Sick of Being Sick
Nothing can stop you deader in your training tracks than an illness. Now, I'm not talking major sickness here (thank goodness), but just that pesky cold or sinus infection that makes it difficult to breathe.
I have never figured out how to be sick graciously, that is, without whining, and I doubt I'm going to start now. I was feeling really good about my training--although I've biked only twice because of lingering cold and snow--and was gearing up to run the 7-mile Mountain Goat training run this Saturday (I still could do that, just not well). But swimming is out of the question. I'm really struggling to breathe and plunging myself underwater for 20-30 minutes just won't cut it.
Speaking of swimming, that was coming along, well, swimmingly. I have gotten up to three times a week (sometimes four), with the Friday swim alternating with a 2000M for endurance and a speed workout. I have been getting to the pool every Monday at 3 (which works out well with work obligations), but that didn't happen yesterday.
I had been toying with running the Hall of Fame half-marathon, May 22 in Utica, but not really running this week might just make that out of the question (boo-hoo).
So how do I cope when I'm sick?
The answer is not very well.
Yesterday I went to the Sudafed website, where you can indicate your symptoms and they'll suggest the variation of their product that will attack those symptoms. That was fine until I went to the drugstore nearest my office and they didn't have that version. So I bought the store brand, which provided me some relief.
I cannot take an antihistamine since I am one of those very few who get the frantic side-effect. It makes my heart race and I can't sleep. Not good.
I'm hopeful this is a cold, and that I'll start feeling better tomorrow, which would be day 7 of feeling poorly. If I don't feel better by Friday, I'll call my doctor, though I'm not a fan of antibiotics.
All I can do, restlessly and with very little patience, is wait it out.
I have never figured out how to be sick graciously, that is, without whining, and I doubt I'm going to start now. I was feeling really good about my training--although I've biked only twice because of lingering cold and snow--and was gearing up to run the 7-mile Mountain Goat training run this Saturday (I still could do that, just not well). But swimming is out of the question. I'm really struggling to breathe and plunging myself underwater for 20-30 minutes just won't cut it.
Speaking of swimming, that was coming along, well, swimmingly. I have gotten up to three times a week (sometimes four), with the Friday swim alternating with a 2000M for endurance and a speed workout. I have been getting to the pool every Monday at 3 (which works out well with work obligations), but that didn't happen yesterday.
I had been toying with running the Hall of Fame half-marathon, May 22 in Utica, but not really running this week might just make that out of the question (boo-hoo).
So how do I cope when I'm sick?
The answer is not very well.
Yesterday I went to the Sudafed website, where you can indicate your symptoms and they'll suggest the variation of their product that will attack those symptoms. That was fine until I went to the drugstore nearest my office and they didn't have that version. So I bought the store brand, which provided me some relief.
I cannot take an antihistamine since I am one of those very few who get the frantic side-effect. It makes my heart race and I can't sleep. Not good.
I'm hopeful this is a cold, and that I'll start feeling better tomorrow, which would be day 7 of feeling poorly. If I don't feel better by Friday, I'll call my doctor, though I'm not a fan of antibiotics.
All I can do, restlessly and with very little patience, is wait it out.
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Teach Your Children
My daughter is about to graduate from college and accept one of two offers to pursue her master's degree. She has always been a conscientious, hard-working student. I stopped asking pretty early on if she had done her homework, because she always did. But this isn't so much a blog about Georgia the ace student, as it is about the educational choices I (and her dad) made for her.
Both of the kids were educated in private institutions (until college, a fact I find interesting). As the oldest, Georgia went to private kindergarten, with a graduating class of seven. Once Will was old enough to enter preschool and Georgia first grade, we switched them to St. Matthew's, a quality Catholic school that is, sadly, no longer.
The decision of a non-Catholic family to send their children to a parochial school was not made lightly, or without a lot of financial sacrifice (non-Catholics pay a higher tuition rate). We knew the kids would be OK at the neighborhood city elementary school (but we weren't keen on the mile-long walk expected of first-graders), yet what hung us up was the middle school situation. Frankly, at the time, it wasn't all that great.
Finances were such that we could afford Catholic school, so we enrolled the kids, telling them they didn't have to take the Catholic canon to heart, but to embrace the spirituality of what was being said.
But back to kindergarten. It was suggested to me that Georgia should skip first grade. I barely considered it--the answer was no. I didn't want to pull her from her peer group; skipping a grade would mean she'd always be the youngest.
Then in first grade, they wanted to enroll her in a gifted program. (Do they even have gifted programs anymore?) I don't like the idea of labeling a kid, good or bad, smart or slow, and especially not my kid! This is a child who, even by age 6, I could tell put way too much pressure on herself. What would thrusting her into a competitive gifted program do to that self-motivation? I was afraid it would turn her into a neurotic wreck.
If she is truly gifted, I thought, let it manifest itself in high school, when grades really matter. Now, I don't know if Georgia is gifted or not, but I do know that the decision to let her studiousness emerge on her terms was one of the best I made for her. Within a week of being accepted at SUNY Oswego, we received a letter, outlining her $4,000 a year scholarship. Then came the letter inviting her into the honors program (which she still is part of). Last week we found out she won the Outstanding Senior in Zoology award, worth several hundred dollars. And she is weighing two offers, from SUNY ESF, and SUNY Buffalo, all with stipends, fellowships and enough other money attached so the master's will be earned, at no cost.
Guess the investment made in Catholic school literally paid off.
Both of the kids were educated in private institutions (until college, a fact I find interesting). As the oldest, Georgia went to private kindergarten, with a graduating class of seven. Once Will was old enough to enter preschool and Georgia first grade, we switched them to St. Matthew's, a quality Catholic school that is, sadly, no longer.
The decision of a non-Catholic family to send their children to a parochial school was not made lightly, or without a lot of financial sacrifice (non-Catholics pay a higher tuition rate). We knew the kids would be OK at the neighborhood city elementary school (but we weren't keen on the mile-long walk expected of first-graders), yet what hung us up was the middle school situation. Frankly, at the time, it wasn't all that great.
Finances were such that we could afford Catholic school, so we enrolled the kids, telling them they didn't have to take the Catholic canon to heart, but to embrace the spirituality of what was being said.
But back to kindergarten. It was suggested to me that Georgia should skip first grade. I barely considered it--the answer was no. I didn't want to pull her from her peer group; skipping a grade would mean she'd always be the youngest.
Then in first grade, they wanted to enroll her in a gifted program. (Do they even have gifted programs anymore?) I don't like the idea of labeling a kid, good or bad, smart or slow, and especially not my kid! This is a child who, even by age 6, I could tell put way too much pressure on herself. What would thrusting her into a competitive gifted program do to that self-motivation? I was afraid it would turn her into a neurotic wreck.
If she is truly gifted, I thought, let it manifest itself in high school, when grades really matter. Now, I don't know if Georgia is gifted or not, but I do know that the decision to let her studiousness emerge on her terms was one of the best I made for her. Within a week of being accepted at SUNY Oswego, we received a letter, outlining her $4,000 a year scholarship. Then came the letter inviting her into the honors program (which she still is part of). Last week we found out she won the Outstanding Senior in Zoology award, worth several hundred dollars. And she is weighing two offers, from SUNY ESF, and SUNY Buffalo, all with stipends, fellowships and enough other money attached so the master's will be earned, at no cost.
Guess the investment made in Catholic school literally paid off.
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