Walking on Sunshine

This morning I ran almost seven miles in Sand Run Metropark.  It was beautiful, hilly, and fast.

This morning I saw eight deer.

I'm not going to write about those experiences.

This morning I joined some of my students to participate in the Medina Walk out of the Darkness Suicide Awareness Event.  A large crowd showed up at 9 am on a chilly but sunny morning to walk 4.5 miles.  That crowd raised over nine thousand dollars.

Most of you know I am an English teacher at Medina High School.  This year I am teaching a Blended Learning Rhetoric and Composition class.  Blended Learning is a combination, or "blend," of face-to-face classroom instruction and online instruction.  Part of the philosophy that I embrace about Blended Learning is that it facilitates community involvement.  I want my students to strive to be good citizens of their school, their community, their state, their country, and their world.  If you'd like more information about Blended Learning, check out my shared blog on the Blended Learning Journey in our school.

I'm getting to our walk in the sun in a minute. If you can hang on, I'd like to show you part of our community project: a video to promote suicide awareness:




I can't watch that without getting a little teary-eyed.  Teen suicide has knocked the tar out of our community in the last year and a half, and my students decided they wanted to do something about it. Along with bringing community members together to film this video, they raised five hundred dollars and donated it to the Battered Women's Shelter of Medina.  This community walk was a way for us to think about those we lost and talk about ways we can contribute to the solution.

We walked for 4.5 miles through streets, parks, and neighborhoods, and we talked.  I try not to lead my students, in class and out, because I want them to learn to lead themselves and others.  I try to listen rather than talk.  This was a perfect opportunity for me to listen.  The students talked and laughed about Prom.  They poked fun at each other and at me.  Then, as often happens on walks or runs, they got serious.  One student told me why she was glad that she took my course.  She told me what she learned and how it made her feel.  Another told me that she felt that our class had bonded more than any of her other classes at the school.

Every one of those students told me that they were so glad to get up and walk together in the sunshine at nine in the morning.

It was perfect.

Bright smiles, glowing faces

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Lunging the Turtle

This morning I attempted a divided twelve-miler.  Shall I break this one down?  "Attempted" means I didn't reach twelve miles; "divided" means I did seven miles with Leigh, took a gel, changed my shirt, and finished the rest with the Towpath Turtles.  "Twelve" means. . .wait, why am I parsing this? Are you dwelling on my pain?  You're a sadist, aren't you?  AREN'T YOU?

Ok, I've settled down.  Let's move on.

It was a gorgeous morning, perfect temperature for running in a simple long-sleeved shirt and either capris or tights.  I chose to run at Lock 29 in Peninsula, which is a common starting place for runners and bikers.

Beautiful shot of the Cuyahoga River at Lock 29

 It is also a common ending place because of its proximity to The Winking Lizard, one of the best places I know to blow your fitness on beer and wings.

I have written about Leigh before in my post called "Pace?  Isn't That a Salsa?"  She is still about half my age and at least forty pounds lighter than me (see, I've lost weight or hyperbole since that post!), and she still kicks my ass.  I had a plan, though.  This time I brought my phone, and I made sure to take pictures so that she would have to slow down or stop.  I am tricky, all right.  Here is my first shot:

Say hello to my leetle friend!

This is the first deer we saw on the path.  She didn't even want to move when we came up on her.  She just looked at me like, "Please!  You're in MY HOUSE now!  YOU move!"

Leigh and I had a great talk (I made sure she did most of the talking--I am tricky, all right), and we kept the pace at around 10:20. . . except when we didn't.  Anyway, we had a fun run together in a beautiful environment; I was thankful to be able to run, and I was thankful to run with her. I kept thinking, Well, I will make sure to run more slowly in the second part of my run.

Fail.

I was excited to see the Towpath Turtles today as I haven't run with them in quite a while, and four of us got caught up in conversation, and, well. . . I had to resort to my stalling tactic:

Look, Guys!  A bale of Turtles!

They didn't fall for it, so I had to run extra fast to catch up to them. . .and so it goes.  Jen totally took advantage of the situation after the turnaround and sprinted past me, calling back, "I've got to do this while I can!"  Thanks, Badass.

In short, I came up short--11.67.  I didn't even have the energy to push it to 12, and geez, I end up making up that distance by going back and forth in front of my house ALL THE DAMN TIME!!!

Lesson learned:  Do NOT go too quickly on Long, Slow Distance Day.  

Finally, I leave you with Mike Polk's Easter message (if Mike Polk OR Easter offends you, don't watch this):

Running with Integrity and Responsibility

My simple definition of integrity is the act of doing what you say you will do.  Responsibility is assuming consequences for your actions, good or bad.  I have interacted lately, sometimes directly and sometimes indirectly, with people who show precious little of either quality.

Are you feeling a twinge?  Are there times where you haven't followed through on something you said you would do?  Are there times you have denied responsibility for your actions?  

Before I continue this post, I will tell you upfront that I am not going to speak specifically about the interactions I've had with people who lack integrity or fail to show responsibility (except for if it's about my kids or my husband--I am TOTALLY calling them out).  I am going to speak in general terms about situations in which I often encounter these problems.  If you find you are angry, or you feel that I am calling you out. . .maybe you need to think about your actions lately.

I am a teacher, so I am quite used to lack of integrity or responsibility.

Usually, these lapses from students don't bother me because students are kids, and kids are stupid still growing and hopefully learning from their mistakes.  I became a teacher because I like kids, and I want to help them be as great as they can be.  Adults, though, they are another story.

Stephani (you ask), what does this have to do with running?

Well, ask yourself if you know someone in these circumstances--better yet, ask yourself if YOU have done this:

1.  Have you ever scheduled a group run and then didn't show up or cancelled because you just didn't feel like going?

2.  Have you ever announced to everyone you know (Hellooooo, Social Media!) that you were registered for a race, slacked on the training, and then backed out of the race?

3.  Do you ever skip runs for no good reason and then wonder why you can't improve?

4.  Do you neglect cross-training and complain about getting hurt?

5.  Do you eat too much and complain to everyone that you don't understand why you haven't lost weight?

6.  Do you injure yourself and, against the advice of everyone you know AND your doctor, continue to run until you get REALLY hurt?

7.  Do you complain about your bad luck when it comes to any of the above circumstances?

There have been times when we all have compromised our integrity in some way.  That is why responsibility is so important.  Own up to the consequences of your actions.  Admit that your behavior can often determine what happens to you, good or bad.  Did your peeps ask you how you PR'd that race?  Don't say it was luck; tell the truth.  Your hard work and determination are what helped you to PR.  Do you make time to work out as often as you need to?  Don't brush that off by telling people it's because you aren't as busy as they are; tell the truth.  You realized that your physical and mental health are important, and you made it a priority in your busy schedule.

When we force ourselves to examine our lapses in integrity, we strengthen our responsibility muscles, and that exercise will in turn build our integrity.  Remember, Peeps:

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It's a Beautiful Day!

I have FINALLY experienced a sunny Sunday long run!

For too many weeks now I have seen gorgeous Saturdays, and I wake up on Sunday morning for my long run to this:

I am so stinking tired of Ohio winters.

Today was a glorious ten miler with my favorite running peeps.  Debi stuck with me from beginning to end, and we were able to run a bit with Teresa and Deidre.  It was almost like old times, except I wasn't complaining about my husband (love you, Mon Petit Chou!) this time.

My legs ache in all the right places.  I look forward to recovery yoga tomorrow (love you, Rodney Yee!), and I plan to do the legs-up-the-wall pose later today when I think it will most embarrass my daughter.

Even better, MyFitnessPal tells me that I will have room for a Candy-Bar-in-a-Cup, otherwise known as some sort of mocha java thing, when I meet my friend for coffee later.

Candy Bar in a Cup!

For those of you who are wondering, "Where the hell is Stephani?  Who is this cheerful person?" just remember that I am under the spell of the runner's high, which I explain in this post.

I love you, Man.

Have a great week, Running Peeps!

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Run Cleveland!

Last year, I ran the Rite Aid Cleveland 10k.  It was incredible!  Here are some reasons why I liked it so much:

Parking:  I parked in the Cleveland Muni lot (cost was only $5.00), and it seems that NOBODY else did.  It was difficult to get to the lot because I had to go through the city first, but it was super-easy to get out because I could get directly onto the expressway to go home.  THAT IS A BIG PLUS.  People in front of me were waiting in line to get into parking garages that cost $15.00 or more.  Suckas.

Bathrooms:  There were several huge lines for the portapotties and the bathrooms just inside the stadium, but I walked about 500 feet farther around the stadium, and I NEVER had a line.  And I went at least four times, just sayin'.  Oops.  Was that TMI?

Course:  The last 1.2 miles were COMPLETELY downhill.  How awesome is that?  I felt GREAT in the last kick, partly because of the hill and partly because of the St. Ed's Trash Talkers, who played cadence on trash cans as we came in.  Also, it was a great surprise to see this guy:

John Adams,the Tribe drummer, is the bomb-diggity!

This year I am stepping up my game (See what I did there?), and I'm going to run the Half Marathon. I'm so excited about this race, and here is why:

The Course:  The course has changed this year, and I'm excited to see how it looks.  My favorite part last year (aside from running downhill at the end of the race) was Tremont/Ohio City.  My grandmother grew up in Tremont when it was the Polish/Ukrainian ghetto, and I am going to think about the many stories she and Uncle Frankie told me about life on Literary as I pass through that area.

The Training:  It has been seven months since I broke my foot in an unfortunate nut incident, and I have been slowly working my way back.  Last week I raced a train for ten miles in the Valley, and this Sunday I did a long, slow run of 10.25 miles, and I feel great.  Now that I know my foot will not snap in two, I am going to work on my speed.  The half marathon will be a great way for me to push myself.

The Weather:  I am probably jinxing all of us here, but I have to say it.  I am sick and bleeping tired of this weather.  This winter BLEW, literally and figuratively, and I am anxious to forget about it.  I look forward to running in the sunshine.  I DEMAND TO RUN IN THE SUNSHINE!!!

It's not too late to register for the Rite Aid Cleveland Marathon.  Join me (and 22,000 other people who are, I guess, possibly as fun as I am) in a great run in the sun.  Join me for a beer afterward, too.


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Did I Beat the Train?

Let me set your mind at ease:  No.  I did not beat the train.

Today I ran the 10-mile Spring Training Race, sponsored by Western Reserve Racing.  It was an out-and-back course along the Towpath of the Cuyahoga River in Merriman Valley, Ohio.  The idea was to try to beat the train either to Lock 29, five miles out, and then take the train back or to beat the train both ways.  I chose the full route because I needed to get to the ten mile mark in my recovery-training.  It has been a rough road (with this horrible winter), and I thought this race would give me a little motivation.  Here is the recap:

The Good:  The best part about the race is that the proceeds benefit the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park.  The venue is great, too.  The Towpath is a beautiful route, fast and flat.  It goes through woods, farmland, and small towns (with good runner-friendly bars--Love you, Winking Lizard!).  It's great to see the river on your side as you run.  Normally, I would say it's great to hear the train whistle at you as it passes, but. . .

The Bad:  The train passed me the first time at the Mile 4 marker.  I didn't feel too badly because I knew that it wouldn't be a good idea in my training at this point to try to beat the train.  In fact, for the first three miles, I was running with the middle of the pack, and I noticed that my pace was 9:39, which I thought was too fast for sustaining ten miles for the first time in eight months, so I slowed down.

The train passed me the second time at the Mile 7 marker.  At that point I was resigned, and I tried to tell myself that it was a relief that I don't have to stress out about beating the train, but I'm not gonna lie.  I was pissed.  I TOLD myself (and everyone I talked to about the race) that there was NO WAY I would beat the train, but I really didn't believe it.

Curse you, Train!

The Ugly:  I am about the ONLY person who didn't beat the train.  There were some hard-core runners in this group, and I was definitely not one of them.  My stats were awful:  last in my age group, 39/52 in female division, 76/94 overall.  It's pretty demoralizing for me to see that the woman in my age group who took first place is my age and she finished at least twenty minutes ahead of me.  I stood shivering in a long, long line to get my 1/4 bagel and hot chocolate (there was no more pizza left by the time I got in), and then I stood in line for my time.  I watched everyone in front of me get a medal ("Congratulations!  You beat the train!"), and when I gave my time, it was, "Awww. . . so close.  Have a nice day!"

The Meh:  I got this coffee mug instead of a shirt.

Buck up, Happy Camper!  This is where I look at the bright side of things, so don't go away angry.

1.  I PR'd the 10-miler because the last time I ran a ten mile race was in 2012, the first year I ran.

2.  My pace was better than the first time I ran a half-marathon.

3.  My foot didn't snap in two.

4.  Getting the crap kicked out of my ego is actually a great thing.  This is an excellent opportunity for me to remember my attitude of gratitude.  Back in September, I thought I'd never run again, and today I ran ten miles.  I am SO LUCKY.  Now that I know that I can run a longer race without hurting myself, I can work on my speed.  And that is what I intend to do.

I am finished being a whiny, spoiled baby.  Thank you, Spring Training Race, for reminding me of what is important.

Next year I'm only running the five miler (so I get a ride on the train going back), and I'm going to beat the tar out of that train!

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Can You Feel It?

Today was the Shamrock 15k and 5k, and many of my running peeps represented.  I hope they were able to run away from the evil leprechaun.  Oh wait.  You're saying that's not the purpose of the Shamrock race?  HOW WAS I SUPPOSED TO KNOW THAT????

When ye run the Shamrock, ye run from me!

I ran the Shamrock last year, and it was just as cold as it was this morning.  It was my first race without any music at all, and I was miserable, as you can read when you click here.

This morning I had to do at least nine miles (in honor of the Shamrock), and I was alone, but I did it with music. As I was running and trying not to be cold and miserable, I started thinking about my running playlist and how I don't have it even slightly organized.  Some people have fantastic playlists that they customize for each run:  warmup song in beginning, tempo change for negative splits, badass song for kick in the end.  I would love to do that, but I have the attention span of a gopher.  I don't mean to insult gophers, actually; for all I know, they may have great attention spans.  I'm just basing my observation on the fact that they just poke their heads up from holes for no reason.  Why do they do that?

What was I talking about?

Anyway, I was thinking about how I categorize my music, and I realize that I choose my running music for the way it makes me feel.  So far I figured out that I have these types of songs:

Songs that Make Me Feel Spiritual/Emotional (for when you need to cry-run or do some heavy thinking):

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm feeling spiritual.

     Anything by Mumford and Sons
     "Babylon" by David Gray
     "Carry On"  by Fun
     "Freedom"  by George Michael
     "My Companjera"  by Gogol Bordello
     "Clocks" by Coldplay
     "Learning to Fly" by Tom Petty

Songs that Make Me Feel Sexy (yes, that is possible when running):
     "Buffalo Stance" by Neneh Cherry
     "Damn I Wish I Was Your Lover"  by Sophie B. Hawkins
     "Finish What Ya Started"  by Van Halen
     "Kiss" by Prince
     "Need You Tonight" by INXS
     "Somebody's Crying" and "Wicked Game" by Chris Isaak
     "Sweet Harmony" by The Beloved
     "Whatta Man" by En Vogue
   

This is EXACTLY how I look when I'm a sexy runner.  WHADDYA MEAN which one?

Songs that Just Amuse Me
     "American Wedding"  and "Pala Tute" by Gogol Bordello
     "Ana Ng" by They Might Be Giants
     "Black or White"  and "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
     "Burning Down the House," "Psycho Killer," and "Nothing but Flowers" by Talking Heads
     "Butterbean" by The B-52's
     "Goody Two Shoes" and "Stand and Deliver" by Adam Ant
     "King of Spain" and "Michigan Militia" by Moxy Fruvous
     Anything by the Traveling Wilburys
     "One Night in Bangkok" by Murray Head
     "Peek-A-Boo" by Siouxsie & The Banshees
     "Yer So Bad" by Tom Petty
     "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

Songs that Make Me Feel Like a Badass

I'm so BADASS, Chuck Norris asked me for advice on running the Shamrock!

     "Cult of Personality" by Living Colour
     "Give It Away" by Red Hot Chili Peppers
     "Immigraniada (We Comin' Rougher)"  and "Your Country" by Gogol Bordello
     "Pepper" by Butthole Surfers
     "Radioactive" by Imagine Dragons
     "Royals" by Lorde
     "Some Nights" by Fun
   
I haven't put these in separate playlists or any kind of order, but maybe I should.  What do you think?

How do you group your music?

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