Fun, Dogma, and Presence

Today I had a thoughtful run (the best kind). I didn't think about anything earth-shattering. I did not solve the following problems: war, hunger, hatred. But, I did think a bit about fun, presence, and dogma, and how they play into both life and running. The run itself wasn't bad, hot but partly shaded on familiar roads and paths.


Fun: As I try to make and meet goals in running and fitness, there are some things that are fun to do, and some things that are fun to be able to do. For example, it is fun to go out for a run in the cool weather. It is fun to be able to go running no matter how hot (or cold) it might get, but not necessarily fun to do it. As any faithful reader of this blog might recall, I spent a good part of the winter complaining about sub-freezing runs in Vermont, and a good part of the summer complaining about 90+ degree runs here in Florida. Those same faithful readers might ask why I am in Vermont in the winter and Florida in the summer, and not the other way around. Alas, I have no good answer. It is fun to be able to do a certain number of pull-ups, fun to be able to run 26 or 50 miles, fun to be able to ride 100 miles, etc., but invariably for me the training involves some fun but a lot of not-so-fun grinding out of miles, reps, etc. As I ran today to the park (fun) where I did some pull-ups (not as fun) I thought about how to balance the fun and non-fun to keep pushing and meeting goals, but not burning out. This though process was a prelude to wondering if I am done with long-distance running for the foreseeable future. The training has gotten less fun as it eats into other time demands, and as I feel the ever-so-slow creep of age. My last marathon was decidedly not fun. But, I've had a a lot of fun with long runs in the past - maybe I can recapture that, or maybe it really is time to move on. I'm not giving up on distance yet, though, as one of my longtime goals has been to run a 100-mile race.

Dogma: One thing that I've been able to do over the past few years is abandon many artificial "rules" about training and running that I had set for myself. I used to run, bike, and swim exclusively. I used to consider a bike ride not worth it if less than 20 miles, and a run not worth it if less than 4-5 miles. I used to not "waste my time" with yoga or resistance training as they detracted from my running, cycling, and swimming. I've shed many of these restrictions, and incorporated some new and different (perhaps even more fun) activities into training now -- I ran 3 miles today with some calisthenics thrown in; I like to take shorter bike rides and mix short indoor bike rides with other training elements; I enjoy yoga and consider it as good a workout as a run. So the question is, how does training parallel life? How can I find and shed dogma and self-created rule that are holding back fulfillment, doing good for others, and my own enjoyment of life? This bears much more thought over many more runs.

Presence: I've never been as good at "living in the moment," as I wish I were. It's not often enough that I am able to enjoy where I am and what I am doing for what it is. Today I thought about this in a geographic sense, triggered as I ran by a shaded and clear-flowing creek that reminds me of searching for sharks' teeth as a child. Now that we're back in the town where I grew up, I wonder what it will take to feel at home in a place--to be here without picturing life in other places, and whether I'll be able to impart that sense of homeness to the kids (if, indeed, my childrens' experience has much at all to do with mine). In part this is a function of having moved five times in the last 11 years, and in part of the displacement that comes from being back where I grew up but having been away (intermittently) for a good long while. Perhaps it's just the heat as I think about summer in Vermont and Maine. Don't get me wrong: I do sometimes live in the moment, often at surprising and unexpected times. What I'd like, though, is to be able to choose to do it, and choose it as an approach to life.

Workouts:
Wednesday: rest
Thursday: run 4 miles (early morning full moon)
Friday: yoga 1.5 hours (p90x yoga DVD)
Saturday: run 5.5 miles
Sunday (today) run 3 miles, 30 pull-ups (20 standard grip, 10 chin-ups), 50 pushups (all standard)

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This was truly a great weekend.

It was a family weekend, and felt like we were slipping into a comfortable but fun fall routine -- finally everyone is in the swing of things.  Everyone in the family played soccer (except me!).  We saw friends, and ate wonderful food with them.  We saw my parents.  I won't go on and on about any crisp fall weather (although it was cool yesterday morning), because we don't have any.  There are a few leaves on the ground, but they are brown and not so crisp.

It was also a good weekend for working out:
Saturday ran 4miles
Sunday biked 21 miles (road bike)
Monday - rest

And today a nice gym/treadmill workout in the afternoon:
Warmup: run 0.5 mile
Four sets of:
    -30 pushups (10 wide, 10 standard, 10 military)
    -shoulder (sets 1&3 - straight arm raises 8 side/8 front with 15 lb weights; sets 2&4 - overhead dumbbell press 8 reps max weight)
    -leg (sets 1&3 - weighted squats - 20 lb dumbbells; sets 2&4 - weighted lunges - 25 lb dumbbells)
    -5 chair dips
    -15 incline situps (somewhere between 30 and 45 degree angle)\
    -5 pullups (side grip)
    -run 0.25 mile @ moderate pace
Bonus round: 10 burpees, 25 chair dips
   

energizing

Yesterday's run was not done as planned: in the morning, with calisthenics, in the park.  Instead, I ran after dinner and an exhausting day -- it was intense, though, and as usual it energized me and made me feel human again.

Today home from work early, so prior to a relaxing evening with my family, I did a "full-body" workout:

10 pull-ups
1st set standing bicep curls (bands)
5 chin-ups
1st set standing static bicep curls (bands) - hold one hand at 90 degrees while curling with other
5 pull-ups
1st set crouching single arm curls (bands)
5 chin-ups
2nd set standing bicep curls (weights)
5 pull-ups
2nd set standing static bicep curls (bands)
5 chin-ups
2nd set crouching single arm curls (bands)
5 pull-ups
[40 total pull-ups]

then, 55 minutes of yoga - focusing on intense vinyasa-based practice with extra pushups, and core/ab work.

Now, again, energized for great evening.

Goals

I came home today to find the girls outside playing naked in the dirt, Jess about to hose them down, and Max watching raptly from inside the sliding glass door.  Suffice it to say, a good time was had by all.  Despite work being busy and somewhat draining, I am so fortunate to have this amazing family to come home to.
As for training, my September goal was simple, but I failed abruptly after working nearly all night last Thursday.  Something so easy -- work out every day -- was out my reach.  So what mindset to take?  Give myself a break, or grit my teeth and vow to try again, harder?  Is doing both a cop-out?  I wrote earlier about how much planning to put into training, and I think the time has come to emerge from the shell of randomness and plan out weeks or months at a time.  Sometimes having a plan is the right thing (though sometimes not!)

This was the coolest morning since moving to Florida -- I am looking forward to an intense run tomorrow with some pull-ups, burpees, etc. in the park.  Yesterday's run was nice but dark - until daylight savings time hits I've moved from starting before dawn to finishing before dawn.

Saturday: run 7 miles
Sunday: yoga 20 minutes, indoor bike 20 minutes, 10 pullups and 2  sets bicep curls
Monday: rest
Tuesday: run 4 miles:
Wednesday (today): rest
Thursday (tomorrow): run 4 miles.

September continues

So far doing well with daily workout.  Feels good.  I believe I wrote a few weeks ago about a hint of cool weather.  That hint was a cruel trick, and we are back, for now, to steam room conditions.

Monday, September 6: run 4miles
Tuesday, September 7: yoga 45 minutes
Wednesday, September 8:
   10 sets of 5 burpees, 10 situps (varied: regular, legs straight ahead at 45 degree angle, legs straight to right, legs straight to left, alternating leg raise side crunch; repeat)
Thursday, September 9 - planned - run 4 miles

Fall is coming, baby

Well, we continue to have just a hint of coolness in the morning air, so the early runs are more pleasant.  Last month was busy at work so I fell off the wagon a bit as far as working out.  In September my plan is to exercise every day, without exception.  I've managed to stick with it so far despite an extreme lack of motivation last night.  I'm energized by the weather, by my old running group getting back together for some group runs, and by a few races coming up this fall and winter.  I do think I will be seduced (once again) by the lure of the marathon, so if I can come up with a good training program, not peak too early, and not injure myself, there will be more to come on that topic.  I'll probably go with the "Five Points of Life" marathon conveniently located here in town, in February.  Then, maybe I will be psychologically ready to think about planning for a 100 mile race.  Maybe.  In the short term, the monthly goal:

Goal for September:  Work out every day - one day at a time.  Keep me honest, friends.

Sep 1: Yoga 1 hour

Sep 2:
  Run 1.5 miles warmup / speedwork
  2 sets of:
     dumbbell bicep curls
     dumbbell tricep extensions
     20 squats (10 static, 10 squat jumps;  second set with weights)
     dumbbell overhead shoulder presses
     10 pullups (5 standard, 5 side grip)
     30 pushups (10 std, 10 wide, 10 military)
     20 weighted lunges
     run 0.5 miles in between sets
  Run 1 mile speedwork [total running 3 miles]

Sep 3: Run 4 miles

Sep 4: Yoga 35 minutes

Sep 5: Indoor bike 45 minutes, short core workout.