I Am Not a Runner by Mindy DeGering

Please put your hands together to welcome one of the best bloggers around and runner extrodinaire... Mindy! Thanks for sharing your running triumph with us! For more of Mindy's everyday adventures and amusing blog visit here.


I am not a runner. I have never been a runner. In high school, my sport of choice was cheerleading because I was certain it would not entail running. I was wrong. Every morning. 6:00 am. Around and around the track we ran. “We” meaning everyone else as I slowly slogged (slow jog) behind them. My sister is a runner. She always has been. For a long time I’ve wanted to be a runner like her, but the three words I used to my requesting-a-running-partner sister were always the same: maybe next time.

At a young age I started watching that older sister, Kim, sign up for, run, and finish every 5K the Sanpete valley had to offer. Once in a while, in the early mornings, I would decide that maybe I could run with her, and I’d lace up my sneakers and follow her out the door. But try as I might, as soon as mile one would roll around, I’d be doubled over trying to catch my breath while motioning for her to go on without me. I wasn’t a runner. Fourth of July and Scandinavian Days Fun Runs came and went, and each would end with me telling myself that maybe next time I would participate.

That was almost five years ago, and up until April of this year I was still telling myself that “maybe next time” I would participate. At the time, I was running/slogging a mile or so a couple of times a week, but nothing was pushing me to reach my long-time goal of running a 5K. A Sunday walk along the Provo River Trail changed that. As I passed the advertisement for the upcoming Utah Valley Marathon, I realized I had a good two months until the race would actually take place. I thought about that length of time and realized that by June 13th, I could be ready.

It seems a little bit silly to most that I would have to “get ready” to run a measly 3.1 miles, but for me, this 5K was an average runner’s marathon. I would have to train and push and tell myself a million times over that I could do it. I would have to get up early and time my miles and practice breathing techniques in order to accomplish such a feat. Later that night while lying in bed, I perused the Utah Valley Marathon website via my iPod. I had been toying with the idea of signing up for the 5K all day, and I told myself that if I just did it, I would have no reason not to get ready. I filled in each section and bubble, I entered my credit card information, I agreed to the terms and conditions, and then I stopped dead in front of the final “submit” button. I rolled over and asked my husband what he thought. Could I really do it? Would I ever be able to run that far? Could I be ready by June 13th? Before I could spit out another question he had grabbed the iPod, scrolled to the “submit” button, and made the choice for me. He had more faith in me than I had in myself, and he knew that I needed the extra shove he could give me. I was signed up. I was on the list. I was going to run a 5K.

Well, as with everything I do, my tendency to procrastinate kicked in and the days leading up to the race began to tick by. I wasn’t being completely lazy, I was running a mile to a mile and a half three or four times a week, but I wasn’t pushing myself to go any further than that. I kept telling myself that I had plenty of time and that I could still be ready by June 13th. I considered making a schedule for myself in order to see how much further I needed to be running each day in order to be ready, but I talked myself out of it certain that I had plenty of time.

On June 5th, I realized I had just over a week before the race. That June 13th date was staring me in the face as I went for a jog with my husband and we went one and a half whoppin’ mile and a half. I wasn’t completely dead at the end of the run, but I didn’t know how I would ever double that length in only a week.
It wasn’t the easiest running week of my life, but I pushed myself and got as ready as I could get in four short days. Friday night, I tossed and turned in bed, uneasy about what to expect the next morning, and when I arrived at the Provo Towne Centre, I couldn’t believe how many cars filled the parking lot. I had heard news that there would be over a thousand runners in the race, and I hoped that out of those thousand people, I wouldn’t come in dead last. I felt intimidated by the lady in tight biker shorts and a sports bra, I felt nervous standing next to the girl with the ear buds already in and the determined look in her eye. I felt reassured by the lady who, I was sure, was at least eight months pregnant. “If she can run this, so can I,” I told myself. I felt sheepish standing in the crowd by myself, so I put in my own ear buds and pretended to tinker with my iPod. A voice soon came over the speaker that the race would be starting in one minute. The voice gave brief instructions about the course of the route, reminded us to stand near the mat so we would be timed, and wished us luck. The knot in my stomach twisted and grew, and the blood in my veins pumped harder and faster. Then, a gun shot, and the massive crowd was pouring through the tunnel. My adrenaline kicked in and as I picked up my feet, and I couldn’t help but smile at myself and the hundreds of other people around me.

I’d like to say that the next thing I remember is crossing the finish line to a cheering crowd, but it’s not. Those were three (point one!) long miles for me. I put sweat and energy into every step I take when I run. I watched myself pass and fall behind the run-then-walk ers, I shook my head at the boy rounding mile two as I crept across the mile one mark (crazy five-minute milers!), and I watched the back of the girl staying steps ahead of me. Around mile one and a half I finally found my groove and felt like I could run forever, and around mile two and a half I wondered how I could keep going. “I am not a runner,” I thought to myself, “What was I thinking signing up for this?!” Then I remembered my goal. I looked around at those hundreds of people and remembered how long I’d been wanting to do this exact thing. Although my pace slowed, my will didn’t. “You’re not gonna die, you’re not gonna die, you’re not gonna die,” I told myself with every step. “Don’t stop and walk, you can’t stop and walk, don’t stop and walk,” I silently chanted to myself. “Just get to that tree. Just get to that post, just get to that curb.” I’m not lying when I say I put sweat and energy into every step. Running is hard work for me. Hard work! I focused on a certain hill and told myself that once I reached the top of it, I would be home-free. I reached the top of that hill, two side aches, my shoelace coming undone, sweat dripping down my face, and I actually felt home-free. I smiled at myself as I realized that I had almost done it. I had almost finished running farther than I had ever run before. I had almost finished a race! A real live, actual race! I picked up my pace as I jogged up the last hill, and I smiled as I ran towards the finish line. I lowered my head as I crossed the line, grateful that I had made it. I stopped my watch and checked the time. Slow. Really, really slow. But I finished. I didn’t stop and walk. I didn’t die. I was doing an inner victory dance (because nobody wants to look like a crazy doing an outer victory dance) as I grabbed a water bottle and headed to stretch. I looked at the people around me. I found the lady in the biker-shorts and sports-bra, the girl with the ear buds and determined eye, the pregnant lady… and I realized we’d all done it. We’d all finished the race.

As I walked to my car, I couldn’t help but smile. I sent my husband a text: “I did it!!” I knew it would be hours before he’d read it, but I was so excited that I wanted to shout it from the rooftops. I got in my car, turned off my iPod, and realized the goal I had just reached. “Maybe,” I thought to myself, “maybe I am a runner.”

Can't Stand the Heat

Have you ever felt the heat? Heat that starts in your chest and rises up like misshapen loaf of hot bread? Heat from stress. Heat from an argument. Heat from the straw that breaks your already weak camel's back. I did last night. 10:45 pm and the heat was rising, rising, rising. I try to stop it before it reaches my arms, my legs, my fingertips. Or worse yet, my tongue.

My tools I use against the unpleasant sensation of reeling out of control sometimes include praying (VERY tricky and hard to do if the heat has risen too far), eating (the after glutton guilt is often worse than the heat) and sometimes, running.

Last night I chose running.

Luckily my access to a treadmill provided a safe 11 pm run. I set my ear buds set to "leave me alone for however long this takes." I usually start out with a jog. I push shuffle and let whoever pops up try to get me out of the funk that sneaked up on me. One mile went by and there was still some residual pressure and hotness that did not belong. Push the incline button, one, two, three, four ought to do it. Increase speed by a few clicks. Yes, that's better. The shuffle no longer satiates my thirsty, wanting to be empty head. I seek out songs I know will erase the dirty junk that is still sitting in my adrenals. Nirvana, Mavis Staples, Shinedown, Kings of Leon, Akon, Ozzy Osbourne, Metro Station, Shakira, The Strokes. They all showed up on demand throughout my run and were quite helpful when I decided to take the incline up to five, six, seven, eight, nine. Yes! There it is! A few minutes here then back down. Now my paces feels light and easy and it is just so great to run and run and run. I forget why the fire rised. Mile two, mile three. I forget what the uncomfortable burning in my brain felt like. Now all I feel is cool, clean sweat drip down my face as I unconsciouly beat out the rhythm of my steps. One two three, one two. One two three, one two. One two three, one two. Then back up to nine incline. Can I do four minutes here at nine with this pace? Who am I grinning at? There's no one here but me and I am staring at a wall. But I'm smiling. I challenge myself to see if I can stay at this pace for that long.


I do.

Fifty minutes later the inner fire is put out. I am now hot and sweaty on the outside and feel amazing.

If You Go

Lots of runners have aspirations of running a long race. A 10k, a half marathon, or the big sha-banger - 26.2 baby. But what about just going to a race to see the finish line? I didn't set out as this for my goal, but lucky circumstances and wanting to see a friend led me to the finish line of the Brooklyn half marathon.

The entire atmosphere of a race is electric. Before a race you see faces trying to be relaxed while stretching. But are so obviously fierce with anticipation of the word, "GO!" Music loud. Watches set, reset, then tested again. Bibs checked, calculations made. Everyone waiting for "go." But after a race, at the finish line, there is where the story is told.

I recommend going to the finish line after the top finishers have already crossed the line. Like an hour after. It's these finishers that have the best stories. Of course they don't personally tell you with words. But some stories are written on faces. Expressions, smiles, near tears, raised hands. You can imagine you're own stories and reasons how these finishers made it to the finish line. These finishers weren't the fastest. The elite runners finished over an hour ahead of them. But these runners didn't set out to be the fastest. They set out to just finish. The lady who wasn't exactly the perfect specimen of fitness sprints by me, finding some adrenaline left in the tank to finish strong. The two friends who probably ran side by side the entire race and held hands the last 100 yards, grinning, smiling. They accomplished something great - together. The older man (I mean I've seen men his age bed ridden and arthritic and in wheel chairs) who waves back at the cheering spectators. I can't remember where I've seen more genuine grins all in one place.

I love the spontaneous applause of race spectators. They don't know the names of the runners they are cheering for, but cheer anyway. And it's sincere. "Good job Purple!" (Lady in purple top.) "Way to go 1290!" (Yelling out the runners bib number.) "Good job runners!" One tired lady tripped and fell with 50 yards to go. Everyone around her, including me, waited quietly until she got up. There is a time to cheer and a time for giving the runner quietude. It's amazing how everyone watching her knew what to do. Then when she got to her feet, she received thunderous cheers, telling her good job, you're almost there, way to go, keep going. Dozens and dozens of finish line spectators lined up on either side shouting encouragement to strangers. Of course there is the occasional watcher who actually knows one of the finishers. "JANA! JANA! Way to go honey! I'm so proud of you! YOU DID IT! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE! WHOOOO!" And Jana smiles, puts her hands up to her face when she crosses her 13 mile goal.

I defy you to to stand at the finish line of a long line and feel no emotion watching the runners come down the home stretch. I loved it. There were thousands and thousands of runners. Each one with more than one supporter, cheering them on, pats on the back, hearty embraces of congratulations. Between the runner's high of thousands of runners and their proud friends and family, I was surrounded by a wonderful atmosphere, aura, ambiance, (something!) of exhilaration on the boardwalk at Coney Island. It was a great way to spend a Saturday.


My beautiful friend Erin, and her looks too young to be her mom (along with several other of her running rock star friends I met after the race) cranked out the 13.1 miles that day. It was great to see you girl! Way to go on your 2ND! halfer!

Pseudo Hills and Dollar Bills

I am running a race in June. It's the Wasatch Back Ragnar. I'm quite excited. Back in September, I was considered an alternate, back of the mind team member. But things happened, and now I'm in. I am now an official team member of Team TRANSFORMnow. The high school basketball coach (Cap'n Steve) of Riverton is funding a scholarship. More info here. I am collecting my own donations that go directly to the scholarship. I think it's great. It's a scholarship based on lifestyle changes that make you a healthier person. I think it's so important you run a big race for a cause. Whether it's benefiting someone else or the cause is your own self getting off the couch and becoming more active and alive. Don't just run. Run with a purpose.

My part of the race has a very steep hill. Steep? Very, very steep. Seven percent incline. It's practically straight up a mountain! Do you have any idea where I am training right now? Sea level! No mountains in sight! I can't even find a hill that's longer than 1/4 mile. I can't find a hill that is as steep as 7%. Luckily I have access to a treadmill. I know I put it down in my last post, but now that I am running this race, it has come in quite handy. I can create the hills. At least I hope I am. I can't really tell if it is really the same. So instead of leaving the gauge at the number "7," I take it up a bit. Ten, eleven, twelve is the barn burner. I'm hoping I'll be somewhat ready to run 3.something miles straight uphill. Whew. We'll see!

Danger Will Robinson! Danger!

I now have a treadmill at my disposal. I'm pretty sure this is a bad thing. Before, with no treadmill, I had to plan the best time of day to run. Daylight, temperature, etc. But now? It's available to me 24/7! I'm trying not to take advantage of that. I feel like when I run on a treadmill, it makes it harder to run outside. But that's where all the races take place! Outside. No one has a 5K on a treadmill. That would be just silly. So I am just going to pretend that it is out of order. Broken. Stick to the road! Stick to the road!

Geeked Out

This race is going to be su-weet.

Disappointed

This is kind of how I felt after my long run yesterday. My silly knee started hurting. Grrr. My six miles did not go well. I finished it. I didn't do it as fast as I wanted, but I completed the six miles. This coming week, I supposed I am going to do a lot of IT band stretching. I even resorted to taking a couple ibuprofen. My knee was still throbbing a little after I had finished and stretched. I don't do drugs. That in and of itself was kind of a set back. The fact that my run went so bad kind of put me in a funk for the rest of the day.

Trying to stay positive however, the sunrise was absolutely gorgeous. It was totally worth getting out of bed at 5:55 in the AM. Just beautiful.

6.02 Miles
1:23:52
13.56 min/mile

Sweet!

That is what I said in my head today after I finished my "magic mile" time. Two weeks ago, I cut four seconds off my time and I was mildly excited. 8:48 to 8:44. Really, four seconds is nothing to get your Under Armor in a bunch. Frankly, I was kind of disappointed. The training schedule today said it was magic mile time. I was almost apprehensive. What would I get today? 8:40? Warm up mile. Stretch. Go. I felt great. I was really pushing it. Mile over. Check my time.

8 minutes! Are you serious? Is it possible I cut 44 seconds in two weeks? Needless to say, I was a bit ecstatic. Not only did I have an incredible runner's high from practically sprinting for a mile, (a slow sprint) but 44 seconds?

I re-read the story this morning of Katherine Switzer before my run. The first woman to enter the Boston Marathon in 1967. The amazing part of her story is that in 1967, it was illegal for women to compete in the big race. She entered with the help of her cross country coach, Arnie, using her initials, K.V. Officials didn't know she was a woman. When the race started, word spread that a woman was running with an official number! (Roberta Gibb Bingay entered the Boston Marathon the previous year without an official number. She just jumped in and finished the race in 3:20.) Unbelievably, the race organizer, Jock Semple, physically tried to stop Katherine from finishing the race. Here is an execerpt from Running to Catch the Hero Inside, an essay she wrote about the experience:

At 4 miles, it turned into a nightmare...I could hear a barrage of cameras snapping. The race director, Will Cloney, stepped into my path to shake a menacing finger at me. I side stepped him.

Then I heard quick scrabbling steps behind me and turned as a ferocious Semple grabbed me by the shirt and shoulders, spun me around and screamed, "Get the hell out of my race and give me those numbers!" For a second, I was paralyzed with fear, embarrassed beyond words.

Arnie tried to pull Jock away, saying, "She's okay; I've trained her," but Jock was like a terrier, clenching my shirt. "Stay out of this Arnie!"

There was a flash in my peripheral vision, then a crunch. Big Tom [Katherine's boyfriend] hit Jock with a flying shoulder block and sent him through the air. There was another thump when he landed. Now I was truly frightened. A wide-eyed Arnie shouted, "Run like hell!" and away we ran, cursing and crying..."




So maybe it was Katherine's image of defying ignorance over 40 years ago, helping to set the scene for women to compete whenever where ever they wanted. Literally blazing trails of equality in women's sports. Maybe it was this image that spurned me on. I know 8 minutes isn't the fastest mile around. But today, for now, I did run like hell.



More on this race hero, click here.

Motivation Tip For the Week

I don't feel completely qualified to offer solid advice on running. I'm not an expert. But here it goes anyway.

Have a long run coming up?

Drive somewhere to run it. This completely helped me today. It was so much easier to get started when I wasn't running straight from my driveway. New scenery, new trails, new asphalt. The five miles went by no problem.

Drive. Then run.

5.00 Miles
1:05:03
13.00 min/mile

Long Saturday Run

In theory at least. It wasn't that long. Only 4 miles. But eventually my Saturday runs will be longer and longer. So I am just calling them long from the get go. I really have to get used to how long it is taking me to run! I'm trying to follow Galloway's plan, and it took me 50 minutes to run 4 miles! I can't imagine when I have to run, like, 10 miles.... 8 y e a r s l a t e r . . . . . . . .

Still enjoyed myself though. I try not to have headphones for every run, but it was dusk and I ran on a road that has no traffic because there are no houses. Just asphalt. So today, I podcasted it while I ran. Listened to a podcast that is. 2004 April GC Session. Not a bad way to spend the end of the day.

4.01 Miles
56:52 minutes
14:09 minutes/mile

New Magic Mile Time!

I did another "magic mile" run today. I maxed out a mile. Ran hard for 5,280 ft. I really pushed it too. I wasn't sure if it was going to be faster than my previous two magic miles. (Which were identical times.) But it was.

Previous mm time: 8:48

MM time today: 8:44

Oh yeah.

Today also marks week 2 of my 30 week training program.

2.28.09

Yesterday was my first real run with the run/walk method. It was only three miles. (My 30 week countdown has officially begun.)

A couple of things.

1. I'm not sure I had the run/walk time ratio correct. There is some math involved with the "magic mile" scenario and I was worried the whole time that I was running more than I should have been. Running more than I should have been? And I'm on a marathon training program? Something is wrong with that picture.

B) I am going to need a lot of patience for this program. You are running way below the level you think you should be at. My 3 miles didn't take the usual 30-33 minutes it usually does. Forty minutes! But I need to keep in mind this is an "injury free" training program. I suppose less injuries occur when you take it slow.

3.06 miles
41:49
13:40 minutes/mile

Still Running

don't worry. I just haven't been the best updater lately. This coming Monday marks my 30 week beginning to training. Up to this point it's been pretty boring 3 mile runs with some "magic miles" mixed in every once in a while.

2.9.09

Some days, I'm telling you. There is anger inside me. I have no idea where it comes from or when it plans to leave. So today, I ran of course. I can either wait for it to leave, or I can run it out of town. I chose the latter. I'm a busy woman. I don't have time to sit around waiting to my mood to change.

2.73 miles
31:20
11:28 minute/mile

Last Friday

I went a little too fast. I was trying to do another "magic mile." Sheesh. I thought I was really hauling. I ended up with the exact same time as my first one. 8:48. And it hurt my knee by the end of the run. Took it easy. No run on Saturday.

2.3.09

I'm happy to report no knee pain or knee nagging or knee annoyance today. My slow, ever so slow approach to increasing mileage seems to be working.

I'm about 3 weeks away from beginning my 30 weeks to marathon program!

2.43 miles
28:52 min
11:53 min/mile

1.26.08

I thought my cheeks were going to fall off right around the 1/2 mile mark. But I made it. Freezing, but worth it.

2.13 Miles
24:14 minutes
11:23 minute/mile

Cold Weather No Good for Motivation

Arrgh. I know it's Utah. I understand that it snows and is cold here during the winter months. That doesn't mean I like it. It is not helping my desire to get outside and go running. When you can hear the wind whistling through the windows, it's hard to lace up the shoes. Because all that wind is going to be whipping around you!

Big sigh.

But I'm going today. Cold or not.

1.19.08

I did my "magic mile" run today. According to the Jeff Galloway training program, this should dictate the training pace.

8:48.

This means I'm supposed to train at 13:26.

That seems so slow! But it is what I'll do this week. Maybe my mm will increase?

I'm all about injury free though, so I'll give it a shot.

It was cold today. 18 degrees. Brrrrr.

Saturday Run

I just finished week one today of Hal Higdon's spring training program. I have to think in baby steps, but the ultimate goal is marathon. This is a warm up to get me ready for the marathon training. I'm going to look more closely at Jeff Galloway's "injury free" program. I struggle with a silly, nagging knee problem.

I know there is an entire community out there of runners. People far more advanced than myself in their training and expertise and race experience. There are also average, novice runners like myself who have aspirations of being in the "expertise" neighborhood of that community. Maybe my week only equaled 9 miles total, but I am still a citizen of the running world.

I get high after I run. I can literally feel fresh blood pumping through my entire body after I run. It's an amazing feeling. There is also something about running that makes you want to go faster, farther, harder, more...someday. That is the draw, you can always beat your personal best. Even if you have run a dozen marathons. You can always run a dozen more, just faster.

So for now, I am a 9 mile per week, 10 minute mile kind of girl. But not for long.