Got Grit?

Jessicas' got grit! Look at that smile under the fashion shades and this after 10 miles of her first ever 14 mile distance run. We're on our return trip from Navy Pier to nearly the Museum of Science and Industry and back and our destination at this point was the Chicago skyline in the background and we both made it. This takes grit and determination for a new runner because you don't really know if you can survive that distance until you do it. And then the sky opens up and you realize that you can do it and more with practice, patience but most of all grit.

Speaking of grit, I've been obsessively reading Sensationally Red's blog about her adventure and challenge of becoming an ultra-runner and she not only finished her first 50k ultra trail run Saturday but came within 2 minutes of nailing her predict time. That accomplishment is truly amazing and in my mind the ability to know yourself and come so close to predicting what you can do is impressive.

I think exercise whether it's running, biking, swimming, yoga or whatever is more important for the mind and a person's self-esteem than the body. Perhaps it's true that if you take care of the body the mind follows. I know Jessica's move into training for the Chicago marathon has been fascinating to hear about because of the changes that she's going through. It's almost like listening to a scientist begin to unravel the cure for some horrible disease, truly a pleasure to be a part of. And this from a person who a couple of years ago told me "I can't run." Oh sure.

I'm still learning too and Red you'll be happy to hear that early Saturday morning I nearly nailed my predict time in the Nike Rock N Run 5k race at Sox stadium. Jess said we should gun for a 10 minute pace so I thought that was a brilliant idea and a challenge and I'll be damned if I didn't come in at 10:04. Yes I could have gone faster and I could have gone slower but I was more proud of being able to come so close to my predict time. It let me know that my conditioning is coming along pretty well and that I'm in pretty good control of my pacing right now. I have a lot more work to do but a day at a time and a run at a time and barring injury or doing something really stupid, which knowing me is always a possibility, I see I have a chance of getting through another one of my Chicago Marathons this October 7th.

Jake, Jess and I hooked up for this race and it was a really good one. Nike and the Sox can be proud of this one and I hope they bring it back next year. I'm still not sure what Jake's time was but I'll only say he was so far ahead of Jess and I it wasn't even funny. Jake is just one of those people who can't run slow, he claims it's harder on your feet and knees if you run slow, poor guy. Damn, he gets a lot out of his runs though and keeps getting faster but most important he's enjoying the challenge and his private time on the Lakefront.

And on the subject of fast or slow, what is fast? And, what is slow? Well I just don't know. I think 7-8 minute milers are fast but I suppose the elites training at some obscene 5-6 minute pace wouldn't see it that way. I see my 11 minute training pace as slow but I was getting back in the swing of it last summer running with the 12 minute group and they told me I was fast. One of the most fun, funniest and most personable runners in my training group runs something like 14-15 minute pace and quite often runs alone. So maybe that's the slow group. I've come to the conclusion that I'm the only one concerned about my speed or lack of. No one has kicked me out of my running group because I'm too slow. What's sad about me is I often ruin my running day or experience by beating up on myself for not being faster. Jeez Sam, get a life! There's no money involved and you sure as hell won't make the olympics anyway.

I've had a good week. I just didn't feel like running Tuesday, grumpy and pissed off, so I bagged my usual 7 miler, ran a little 45 minute speed/tempo run with my group Wednesday evening. We were working on negative splits and we ran our return trip 2 minutes faster than the initial 23 minutes out so that was another fun confidence builder. There are two young women who have been appointed co-pacers in my pace group and they are a trip. Always, laughing, smiling and cutting up but boy they are metronomes when it comes to pacing. I've nicknamed them the Terror Twins and I think they kind of like it or at least they're nice enough to humor the goofy old man who's always yammering back in the pack.

Jess and I ran the Nike Bastille Day 5k downtown Thursday evening. This new running buddy from my running group Jill joined us and we had a great time. Lots of people and lots of laughs and an interesting course with a bunch, I mean a BUNCH of tight corners but it was a short 5k for some reason so I guess even Nike can make a mistake. Oh well, the times were pretty impressive even if they weren't correct. Evidently not everyone wears a watch on these runs because there were a few people really tripping out about their fast times. I hate to inform them but Jake mapped it out and it was something like 2.97 miles instead of 3.1. We knew when we hit the second mile marker in just over 8 minutes that someone really goofed, was kind of funny...guess you had to be there.

I got in around 25 miles last week not counting the 3-4 extra miles I covered this morning meeting Jess at Navy Pier and returning home and I feel great. So far, everything is working fine, I'm moving well and trying to balance easy and hard so I don't tighten up a hamstring again and am staying alert for the chronic tendinitis that flares up in my right lower calf, soleus/achilles area. I've been more diligent in stretching that area going into training and I know the one or two yoga classes I get to each week really help.

Pretty basic week ahead with one 5k downtown on Thursday at Soldier Field and the rest pretty routine. Will try to get my head straight and get back to my traditional totem pole run 7 miler on Tuesday, speed work with the group on Wednesday and I see from the schedule it's cutback week so the Saturday morning long run is only 8 miles, so I just might jump up a notch and run with the 10 min pace group instead of the 11 minute. However, since I really am basically lazy I'll probably stick with the Terror Twins and just bullshit along at 11 min for the 8.

It's what I do best...just ask my kids:)