Running Alone and Getting Motivation from Others

Great running clothes! Stonewear
Designs Olympia Tank, Rockin' Short
Click to get a closer view!
 

Sometimes it is helpful to take a look back, so I'm posting this October 27, 2008 entry from an early, early, early blog of mine.  At this point, I'd been running about five years....and so much has changed since then!

Instead of running in Van Horn's incredibly special cemetery, I now run on a protected ranch road.  And I often run with Monte, since he moved from Houston to live in Marfa.

And since we lost my friend Iris last week in a cycling accident, I've added her name to the short list:  Dara Torres, Dr. Charlie, Sadie of Houston of names I chant to motivate myself during the hard runs.


October 27, 2008
"Today was a banner day. I topped my 2007 mileage total by passing 700 miles, so the rest of the year I'm marking virgin territory. Even though I tend to log the miles by myself, I'm usually not alone when I run.

There are people I tug along with me, people who inspire me to keep running:

Sometimes I chant with each footstep: Da-ra Tor-res, Da-ra Tor-res, Da-ra Tor-res, for the 41 year old swimmer who, when interviewed after winning a team gold at the Olympics said, "never put an age limit on your dreams." Yes, exactly.

Sometimes I conjure up the image of Dr. Charlie from Fitness Camp, the 91 year old--yes, that's right--cyclist donning his helmet and getting on his bike. This year, instead of sleeping in his little tent as he had in every previous year, he'd sleep in the bunkhouse with the younger guys.

Then there is the seemingly indefatigable Sadie, the 70+ year old marathoner in Houston, who is always out at Memorial Park.

Monte is a good coach when we run together and when we're apart, too. When I'm feeling a bit lazy and say I'm taking an extra day off, a simple "huh" over the phone will sometimes motivate me to get out there anyway.

But lately, there have been two older guys out at the cemetery watching me get my mileage in. I don't know their names, but they're friendly and we sometimes stop and talk a bit.

On weekends, a portly guy brings Pepita, his honey colored Pomeranian for a walk through the cemetery. On our first meeting, Pepita is happy to see me, running to me to catch a pet and listen to a bit of sweet talk. But this little pumpkinseed is serious about her walks. On the second round she won't stop, determined to keep up the pace, eager to keep her little legs in a blur. She clearly has work to do. Her owner mostly keeps up with her; he's working off the extra pounds at Pepita's pace.

I came to know the other guy, also an older Hispanic gentleman, when I admired his family plot. It is well groomed, and I asked about the handmade cement planters and benches and the paintjob on the concrete curbing around it. He startled me a few months ago, when I heard a painful wailing across the cemetery. At first, I thought he was in trouble, or crying, as he was shuffling slowly and then I realized he was singing. I could pick out one word, "corazon" or "heart," so maybe it was a sad song of unrequited love. Since then we've talked, or tried to. I can't quite understand him as he lisps, has just a few teeth and a very small English vocabulary. But he's warm and happy to see me. And when I'm back from traveling, he comments that I've been away. Now I smile when I hear him sing."

Do you like the Stonewear running clothes?  They're great...and they're letting me try part of their winter line as a Stonewear Grassroots Ambassador this year. 

Pictured is the Olympia Tank (enough support for me, but suggested for yoga and walking) which I've actually worn to some laidback business meetings--yes, it is that stylish--over a nice skirt or their Liberty Skort.  I really like the princess seams and the detail at the neckline.  This top is a hard worker, yet graceful and feminine.  And the Rockin' Short is the perfect weight for fall weather, when you want something substantial as a bottom, but wearing pants might get too warm. 

Three Ways to Feel Like a Kid Again

Take a drink out of the hose.
Kneel down in the grass and slurp!

Take a bike ride after dinner.

Reward yourself, and acknowledge your motivation by putting a sticker
on the calendar when you get out and exercise!

Getting Started Again: Our friend Sarah on running groups, being "40 something and fabulous" and "after the initial 'I think I'm going to die' feeling, it actually feels great."

#3MomsRunning Group
Pamela Anderson, Lisa Salas, Sarah Page, Keiawnna Pitts, and Wendy Faherty. Also pictured is Chaps the Border Collie, our official mascot. Photo credit goes to Josh Faherty, Wendy's son and journalism student.

Sarah Page of
Round Rock, Texas

From time to time, we want to profile friends who are working to get into shape or working to get back into shape.  Today, we visit with Sarah Page, 44, of Round Rock, Texas.  We LOVED her idea for a #3MomsRunning group to keep her motivated.  (More on Sarah at the end of the post!)

When did you start running?

I've always run - but in short bursts rather than anything consistent.  I ran track in high school, ran for fitness with my roommate in college, and ran some 5Ks and 10Ks in my 20s and 30s as a way to stay in shape. 

I blew a tendon in my knee in the mid-90s, and after that I've done more couch-surfing than running.  Add to that another blown tendon - this time in my ankle - a few years ago, and I just haven't done very much at all since then.

Why did you decide to get serious about running ? What prompted that decision?

Everything changed last summer.  I was tired of being "fat" and 40 something.  I always wanted to be 40 something and fabulous.  I got back into running, and after a few stops and starts, I'm finally ready to stick with it.

Why do you enjoy it?

It's a great way to clear my mind.  After the initial "I think I'm going to die" feeling, it actually feels great. Also it's a challenge.  Can I go just a little bit farther or faster this time?

What's your favorite run? (distance, location, time of day,other?)

I'm more of a short- to mid-distance runner.  I prefer to stay in the 5K and under range.  In a perfect world, I would run in the evenings before the sun goes down.  But with kids, work, and stupid daylight savings time, I have to get it in at 5am.  

There are tons of great places to run in the Austin area.  My favorite of them is the trail around Town Lake (now called Lady Bird Lake).  It's beautiful and there are always excellent people-watching opportunities.

My running group mainly runs in our neighborhood.  But on the weekends when we do our long runs, we go to a nearby trail in Round Rock called the Brushy Creek Trail East.  It's a beautiful paved trail with canopied trees, and is a great place for running, walking, cycling, or scootering (as my son calls it).

What are your fitness goals for 2012?

Overall conditioning is a definite goal, but in reality, it is to lose weight.  I would love to lose 40-50 pounds. I know I'll feel better, possibly ditch a prescription or two, and I'll hopefully look better too.

What keeps you on track with your goals?

I weigh in weekly to track my progress ... or sometimes lack thereof.  I'm trying to do a better job with my diet and portion size too.  But mostly there's the tried and true method of how my clothes fit.

I've also signed myself up for some 5Ks in a couple months time.  It always helps to have something to train for.  I'm also being coerced ... er, persuaded ... to do the Capitol 10K in April.  We'll see about that one.

I also have an amazing and supportive network of friends.  I've got some friends that I converse with over Twitter and Facebook who inspire me on a daily basis and keep my feet to the fire.  I probably wouldn't be as motivated if it weren't for you, @theresaoverby, @beaumartian, @RunBimma, and @decillis.

But probably the coolest thing that keeps me on track is my new running group.  Some PTA/neighborhood  friends of mine and I decided to get serious about a running program, but needed the additional encouragement.  So we banded together and formed a group we call #3MomsRunning (our Twitter hashtag).  We started with 3 moms, but are ranks are growing daily.  We hit the road in our neighborhood at 5am 3 to 4 times a week. This way, we get our run in and can still get out the door in time for work.  We've found that it makes getting out of bed a little easier when you know that someone is waiting for you out in the cold and dark.  A little peer pressure never hurts, right?

You use RunKeeper, right? What do you like about it?

I LOVE RunKeeper!  It's a great tool that's so easy to use.  I'm very much into social media, and RunKeeper has a social aspect to it in addition to tracking your runs.  You can post your run results to Facebook and/or Twitter, but you also have a "Street Team" (like your Facebook friends) to help motivate and encourage you.

RunKeeper tracks distance, route, calories burned, average minutes per mile, speed, and elevation all from your iPhone or Android phone.  You can pipe in your own music to keep you going.  There are also coaching programs you can purchase in addition to the regular app.  They provide daily programs with audio cues to help you train for specific races.  It also tracks other activities like walking, hiking, cross-country skiing, or even machines like treadmills and ellipticals. Love, love, love it.

How do you balance fitness with job, husband, kids, friends and the other important parts of your life?

That's just it.  I haven't been.  I'm making ME a priority this year.  It's so easy - for women especially - to feel like we have to take care of things.  Everything and everyone but yourself.  I've been happily married for 13 years and we have two awesome kids.  But I've been putting them first.  I need to learn that I'm important too.

It's a constant challenge to balance a full-time job (that often includes travel) and a family with the things I need to do for me.  I know there will be times when other things will be more important than running.  But I will make it up and get it done somehow.  I'm turning 45 in October.  I plan to be fabulous by then.

What's your favorite fitness tip?

Shoes, shoes, shoes.  I've had a hell of a time finding the right shoes.  But once I did, it made all the difference.

In addition to being an all-around nice person and great friend, Sarah is also one of Texas' leading tourism professionals and a social media guru.  She's the Senior Economic Development Specialist at Lower Colorado River Authority. Check out her blogs, Tourism Tech and Traveling on the Colorado River Trail.

Quote to keep you going

"It is because the vast majority of people do not have the courage to venture off the beaten path that they fail to find [adventure], and live lop-sided lives....A good healthy curiosity is better equipment to venture forth than any amount of learning or education....The beaten paths of conformity are literally a prison."

-Aldo Leopold