Passion For Running Part 2: Know Why

Once you determine to make exercise, running in this case, your priority, the next step is to know why.

There could be many "whys": to lose weight, to get healthy, to run a marathon or compete in some other competition, to meet the hot guy who lives down the street and runs shirtless through your neighborhood every morning.

Your "why" might be one of these, or several of them. The key is that you know what it is.

Knowing why you are running not only provides you with a critical focus, but it also is the first step to establishing smaller, more attainable goals. This focus, and the ensuing goals, creates a final destination and a path to that destination. Without this focus, you might easily lapse back into old habits and get lost along the way.

I think of it in terms of traveling. What is the first thing you do after you decide to take a vacation, whether a long summer holiday or a weekend getaway?

You decide on a destination.

That destination could be someplace exotic and halfway around the world, or it could be someplace close. Either way, you have to figure out where that "someplace" is. Once you decide where, you can then work on how, which will include the path you travel to get there and what you visit along the way.

Have you ever taken a drive without knowing exactly where you intend to end up? What happens? You meander. Sometimes you run into sights and experiences that are pleasant, but many times you spend so much time figuring out which road to take and where it will end up that you sacrifice some of your ability to relax and enjoy the trip.

Another way to think about this is in terms of learning new things. It could be a new software application, a new skill, or simple everyday tasks. When I am confronted with learning something new, it helps me to know why I am doing that particular task.

• I have to save a new document in Word before I get to the end because if I forget I will lose all that work if my computer freezes.
• I put fabric softener in the rinse cycle because it makes my clothes smell fresh(er).
• I get regular oil changes on my cars because they will run better and last longer.
• ...and, for those moms out there, "But Mom, why do I have to go to bed so early?", or, "Mom, why do I have to brush my teeth. I don't want to."

Knowing why can also help you express, or even defend, your choice. There are those in my life who question why I exercise so much. Some of the concerns are wear and tear on my aging body, time away from my motherly duties, money spent competing. If I didn't have a strong commitment to my "why", these dissenting opinions might serve to weaken my will, or lead me to second-guess my choice.

I run and exercise regularly because it helps me stay fit, which helps me feel better both physically and mentally. When I am not exercising regularly, I eat more and consequently feel sluggish, not to mention that I get extremely cranky when those endorphins are not coursing through my brain in a steady, strong stream. Don't even get me started on what happens when I am PMSing AND not exercising regularly. Better watch out!

As you might have concluded, making exercise your priority goes hand in hand with knowing why you are exercising. You have to have your focus set before you can push yourself out of bed, or away from the computer, to go out and run even on those days when you don't feel like doing it.

So, what is your why?

ITB Update

It has been several months since I last blogged about my physical situation.

It's been nice, right? No complaining about aches and pains or whining about frustration over reduced performance.

That means it is time for an update.

The update is positive. I write this even as I knock on the real wood tabletop; I would hate to jinx my 10K on Sunday.

With that ~ knock, knock, knock ~ I happily report that I have conquered my ITB issue. For the better part of this year, and since I started researching ways to reduce or eliminate it short of surgery, I have been ITB-pain free.

How did I do it? I truly believe it is the result of only two factors: change in gait and running form, and regular Bikram hot yoga.

Through my research I learned that the ITB pain was caused by friction of the muscle at the knee and at the hip. The friction is always going to be there but how you run can greatly reduce how much friction is created. Less friction means less tightness and less tightness means less pain. It was a simple matter of using more of my upper leg muscles to take the stress off the knee and lengthening my stride to reduce the number of times the ITB has to come in contact with the knee joint. Lots of strength and weight training focused on my quads, gluts, and hamstrings.

The downside is that I have to think more when I run and I have to run slower so I can concentrate on my form. Not too much of a sacrifice in my book.

The Bikram hot yoga was the sleeper solution. From everything I read posted by other runners dealing with the same issue, it appeared to be a questionable solution at best. But it has worked for me even though I am still working on completing some of the poses, like toe stand and fixed firm, because of how the ITB has affected my left knee.

Now, however, I have a new problem. Not quite as debilitating as the ITB, but just as annoying.

This time it is my right upper hamstring. To date, the pain is only at about a 2 out of 10.

But, that is how the ITB started too.

If it's not one thing, it's another.

Passion For Running Part 1: Make Exercise Your Priority

Recently, a good friend of mine asked me if it is possible to learn to like running.


My quick answer to her was yes; but I was neither emphatic nor bold about it because there are so many variables to liking something when that 'something' does not come naturally.


Her question, my quick response, and the possibilities of the problem led me to ponder it ad nauseum for quite some time. My innate propensity to overthink things did not make this process any quicker, or smoother. However, eventually I came up with quite a few ways in which one could attempt to acquire a passion for running.


The first way, the most critical, is one I have already touched upon. I prefer not to think of it as learning to 'like' it. 'Like' is such a diluted word. When I think of things I 'like', these things are things I can do without. For instance, "It would be nice if I could get that sweater in blue, because I 'like' blue, but I'll get it in black instead," or "I would 'like' to run through Starbucks today and get a latte because I 'like' lattes." I can take it or leave it, depending on the circumstances.


Instead, I turn the 'like' into 'passion', thereby making it something transformative, something nurturing, something substantive. It might be something you cannot live without. Or, you might be able to live without it (because we CAN live without many things) but if you did you would be consumed by thinking about it or how to get it.

An example from my world is my writing. I have a passion for writing. On those days when my schedule prohibits me from writing, I still think about it frequently throughout the day. Sometimes I feel an intense guilt, a pain, when I cannot write. When I am finally able to do it, either in the form of my blog post or working through a story, I feel fulfilled, complete, and successful.


In other words, the pursuit of 'passions' correlates directly to the growth of one's intrinsic values and self-worth; the pursuit of 'likes' simply augments us on the outside but has little ability to penetrate to the core.


So, how does one develop a passion for running?


It is not easy.


The first and most important step is to make it a priority. In other words, make exercise ~ whether it is running or cycling or walking ~ a priority.


In the beginning, it is very important to establish a pattern that works well with your daily schedule. You do not have to run every day; but, it helps if you set aside time every day to be active.


This achieves three goals:

• Time set aside just for you. No phone calls, no texting, no laundry, no computer, no kids, no dogs and/or cats, no spouse, no work. You can get out of the house and focus only on you. I bring my phone with me, but it is always on silent.
• Time for training your body and your mind for what is to come. Challenges are forthcoming on this path. You will challenge yourself to push through walls, both physical and mental. Daily and gradual training is the first key to meeting and surpassing these challenges. I use it as quiet time: I talk to God, I work through problems, I talk to myself. Quite liberating, actually.
• Time to form a habit. Without practice, you cannot succeed, much less excel, at acquiring a passion to run. Practice is achieved through habit and discipline. I plan my exercise schedule, including days off and what activity I will do on which day, on a weekly basis. Sounds rigid, but it keeps me focused.

These are methods that work for me. I use them because running did not start out as a passion for me. I had to learn to embrace it and that has taken time.

In fact, it started out with pain. I battled terrible shin splints when I ran in college. I later found out, about 15 years later, that the shin splints were caused by inproper footwear and inadequate stretching. Of course, now they tell me that you can't run with court shoes. And stretching? Really? What did I know as a sophomore in college anyhow? Who stretched back then?

Running was something I took up as a result of social pressure. Not a bad thing in all cases, but for me it became something I did because I wanted to be liked by someone else...and running is something that other person did. She set the schedule, the course, the speed. I just followed along, whether I really wanted to or not. Today, I am a very different person. The person I am today would say to the friend of yesterday "No...my legs hurt like hell and there's no way I'm running with you. Check back with me tomorrow. But, have a nice run!"

This made the perfect recipe for the exact opposite of passion: hatred. I hated to run. It brought back memories of pain and social confusion.

But out of that hatred has come a passion that keeps me focused every day. It is my priority every day.

Speed Cleaning

Before you read this post, please refresh your understanding of speed. The definition for speed, according to Wikipedia, is "the magnitude of its velocity" or "the rate of change of its position". There are many examples of speed that permeate our culture including: speed dating, speeding, Speed Racer, the Speed Channel, and, dare I say, even speed pills.

Speed is good, I like speed. Not the pills, the concept. I can get more done in a shorter timeframe. I can feel more productive and get though my whole list of chores.

Oh, and I have been known to speed in my truck...often.

Today, I coin a new example: speed cleaning.

Speed cleaning is like speed dating. In speed dating, you are allotted a finite amount of time, about four minutes, to meet with a finite number of people, about 15-20, in one evening. This gives you only so much time to ask the questions you want and get the answers you need before you move onto the next person. Speed thinking, speed talking, speed listening, and speed comprehending are critical. In order to make this efficient, you have to carefully select which questions to ask and have very little time to explore the details.

In the same way, speed cleaning requires that you carefully choose what to clean and how much to clean. The difference is you determine how much time you want to spend. No matter what that number is, it allows only certains areas to be cleaned, and only to a certain level of detail. You won't have time to scrub the toilet with a toothbrush, or detail the grout in the tile floors.

Let's face it, speed cleaning is all about getting your house somewhat clean and getting you out of the house to do whatever makes you happy.

Like anything where speed is concerned, important details get passed by or forgotton. When speeding in a car, you might forget to signal when changing lanes or you might not see that car making a right turn in front of you. In speed dating, you might not have time to ask that one brilliant question or you might forget to smile when he compliments you.

In other words, the fine details.

Speed cleaning is no different and because of this might not be for everyone. In fact, germophobes and neatnicks need not apply for this methodology.

You have to choose between cleaning your kitchen completely or cleaning only the countertops in both the kitchen and the bathrooms, but also the refrigerator, the laundry room, and the toilets. Another day your choice might be only vacuuming and dusting, or washing floors. Not every room will be completely clean all the time, but quite a few rooms will be partially clean some of the time.

You may choose to clean only those rooms that guests to your home will see. I do this quite often. In fact, most people comment on how clean my house always is. If only they could see my closet, my kids' rooms, sometimes my shower, and any other room that has a door that closes. They might change their minds.

Speaking of kids' rooms: they are impossible to speed clean. Maybe this applies only to my kids' rooms. I have tried a multitude of ways over the years to clean their rooms; moreover, to maintain their rooms. I fantasize about my kids' cleaning their own rooms. Cajoling, bribing, threatening, elimination strategies, pop cleaning (yes, just like pop quizzes). Nothing works. The floors remain covered 6-8 inches deep with both clean and dirty clothes, and the desks and sidetables remain littered with junk. The best I can do is to keep the trash and food litter out. After that, like I already mentioned, I simply close the door. I do believe even my animals maintain a cleaner environment than my kids.

The speed cleaning dilemma is mine again since my maid went MIA. It works for me because I would much rather have my personal time to pursue other interests than have the cleanliness of my house permeate my every thought. Sure, it seems like I am always cleaning, but wouldn't it also be that way if I was a neat freak? I would be cleaning all of my house, all of the time.

When would I blog?
Run?
Cycle?
Yoga?

Dream?

Try it sometime!