The winter can kill your momentum; how I try to stay on track

It's cold.  I'm not talking about your average run of the mill cold weather, I'm talking about bone chilling, dangerous, stay indoors or risk frostbite cold.  We don't get it very often here in the Northeast; usually once or twice in the course of a winter, and then only for a couple of days.  I have great sympathy for dedicated runners in places like Minnesota where this is the norm for weeks at a time.  But the problem that extreme weather can have is that if you haven't planned for it, it can knock your training off track.  For those of us with ADHD it is especially risky.  We thrive on novelty and excitement.  However, this runs smack dab into our need for routine and structure.  If you have scheduled a time to run every single day, but suddenly you find that you have to shovel a foot of snow that just fell, your schedule is out of whack.  Throw in a few other distractions, like the kids being home from school, and your day could be shot.  Once my schedule is disrupted it's hard to get back on track.  Disrupt me for two or three days and my productivity takes a nose dive.

While it's not the end of the world to miss a day here or there running is the glue that holds the structure in my life together.  Therefore, I need to make sure that somehow I make plans to get that running in.  here are a few thoughts:

1. I belong to a gym for the express purpose of having a backup in the event of bad weather preventing me from getting outside to run.   It's worth the money to me, as I don't have room in my home for a treadmill.  Just knowing I have an option keeps me from getting stressed out at the thought of a stretch of bad weather.
2. I try to plan ahead and think about the upcoming weather scenarios.  What days are likely to be too hot/cold/stormy to go outside?  What else is going on that day?  When could I schedule a trip to the gym?
3. If it looks like Mother nature will be getting in the way of running, I may try to build my training schedule around that.  I make my rest day coincide with the big snow storm for a guilt free indoors experience.
4. Finally I try to remember that sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.  I could run outdoors in the snowstorm or whatever, but is the run going to be of a good enough quality to justify the risk of injury?

I'm pleased that I can use these strategies to stay on track and try to keep my training at least semi-normal.  I'm also utilizing skills that can be helpful in other areas of my life: planning, prioritizing, thinking ahead, and having a back up plan.  Now if only I could be just as focused on my diet.....

The effects of running from the neck up

I'm sure there is a lot of scientific evidence out there about the mental benefits of running.  Actually I know there is because I've read a lot of it.  But there's only so much reading can tell you.  You have to go out and experience it.  I am continually amazed at the way running lifts my spirits, changes my outlook and gives me the ability to function at a higher level.  Let me give you a few examples:

1. Running gives me the ability to tackle complicated tasks in a logical manner.  Before I run, it's like my brain isn't turned on.  I've got just enough going on up there to maintain my existence, but don't ask me to do anything other than drink coffee or look at the news.  After the run, I can handle the complicated spreadsheet, the difficult conversations about finances, the home improvement project that seemed like an insurmountable task.  Running gives my brain the boost it needs to function.

2. My mood and overall level of happiness is immediately raised and stays that way every day I run.  I feel good about who I am and what I'm doing.  But it goes beyond this.  As I have been running for prolonged periods I find myself reflecting on the important things in life.  I am quick to forgive, and slow to anger.  My need to reach out and be kind to others is for more pronounced.  Finally, I am willing to accept my shortcomings more readily, and am also more aware of my strengths.

3. I feel smarter after I run.  It's hard to describe but my mind feels like it has a greater capacity to learn and understand.  I feel like I could handle very complex subject matter.  I often gain insight into problems as I run that allow me to take different approaches to solving them.

So are these the only reasons I run?  No, but they certainly have a lot do with it.  An activity that makes you feel stronger physically, mentally, and spiritually exerts a powerful pull.  Thankfully it's good for me too!

The week in review

A very solid week, with two more "running days" left.  One of the really cool things about training is that you will be toiling along, not really sure if there will ever be a time you can run faster than you are, and suddenly, you have a run where everything clicks and your pace is fast without feeling forced.  I had a great run today, and had a few miles where I could have run sub 9 minute miles if I wanted to.   The other thing is that I want to hit certain distance goals.  I'm not content with "good enough" anymore.  I want to feel that I am pushing myself and stretching beyond my comfort zone.

I love the fact that I'm doing all my runs outside.  It gives me such a sense of accomplishment to battle with cold temperatures and snow.  I feel like I'm stronger.  I'm feeling confident.  Do I lack motivation some days?  Sure.  But the point is I'm pushing myself out the door and making it happen.  For someone with ADHD, this shows me I can do this with other things too.  Time to buckle down and get those taxes done baby.  Nothing can stop me.

Scarborough Frozen 5K and updated race schedule

Well, race one of the year is in the books!  Yesterday I ran the Scarborough Track Club's "Frozen 5k".  It was the first race I've tried to run competitively in quite some time.  Here are a few lessons learned that I've come up with:

1. Warm up more! I did very little warm up before the race and as a result did not feel like I was in the groove at all.
2. Get more sleep the night before.
3. Don't pick a course that starts uphill and continues that way for a half mile and also ends going uphill for a half mile.  Uphill plus trying to run fast equals not feeling well!
4. Eat earlier than two hours before the race.

Here I am on my way to the finish line:

Ok now that we have that out of the way I will say that I have a real good feeling about doing the race.  I started the year off with a very solid week of running capped off by the first race.  Makes me feel good about being on track with my goal for the year.  I also didn't run too badly either; I essentially ended up running about an 8:40 pace for the entire race which given conditions and my current conditioning, is not terrible.  I came in 53rd out of 84 participants, so I'm reasonably ok with that.  I have a whole year of racing ahead of me, so this is just one small step along the path.

I've also firmed up my racing schedule for the next few months.  I will be doing:

Mid-Winter Classic 10 miler on February 6th right here in Cape Elizabeth
The Irish Road Rover 5K on March 6th in Portland
The Federal Jack's 5 miler on April 3rd (my birthday) in Kennebunkport
The Patriot's Day 5 miler on April 17th in Portland
Still trying to firm up plans for May
The Pond Cove Challenge 5k on June 5th in Cape Elizabeth
The Portland Sea Dogs Father's Day 5K on June 19th in Portland

My tentative plans for the second half of the year:

The LL Bean 10K on July 4th in Freeport
The Beach to Beacon 10K on August 6th on Cape Elizabeth
The Run for the Fallen on August 21st beginning in Ogunquit: This is a 40 mile run; I will not be doing the whole thing.
The Portland Trails to Ale 10k in September
The Maine Marathon in October
The Maine Track Club Turkey Trot 5k in November
The Portland Brewers Holiday Dash in December

It looks like a lot, but I'm hoping to complete more than 12 races.  It's a wonderful opportunity to live so near so many road races.  Can't wait to test myself in the ten mile run next month.

When you can't pull it together it's time to hit the road

Those of us with ADHD or Executive Function Challenges, or whatever you would like to call it, often find ourselves sitting at a desk with absolutely no idea what we should be working on, what we should start, or even where a pen or pencil is to begin writing down a to do list.  When I find my head spinning in this general manner, I know what needs to happen; it's time for a run.  Now for some people, this may sound counter-productive.  "What, you're already behind in everything, and now your going to spend an hour out running?".  The inner critic we all have is probably saying the same thing.  But there is no better way to break the cycle of scattered thoughts than a nice run in the fresh air.

Today, I must admit, I was dithering around doing very little productive work.  When I began pushing myself to run, I thought of many excuses that could keep me in.  But I managed to wrestle myself out the door into the cold air, and then pushed myself to run hard.  The result?  I'm focused, I'm relaxed, and I feel good about myself.  I'm knocking things off the to do list.  I'm making plans for the next few days.  Better yet, I'm feeling good about a week where I ran every day and got some things accomplished.  The mental shift is profound.  And that's why taking an hour to run is always worth it.

Sunday I run the first race of the year, the Scarborough Frozen 5k.  I'm refining my list of races for the year and will hopefully have them all posted sometime next week both here and on my Daily Mile page.

Long Slow Distance

Today I engaged in what is known as the long slow distance run or LSD for short. I think people call it this because they assume you would have to be on LSD to actually do this kind of thing. But for runners the long run is the the keystone of the training process, and while the physical nature of the long training run is important, the mental training is far more so. Let me explain with some examples from my own history as a runner.

When I began running some twenty years ago I was in awe of the people who could regularly log five to six miles per day. I just didn't understand how their bodies held up, how they found the time or the energy, and how they could do this kind of mileage day in and day out. Now, I'm one of this people. It doesn't even occur to me that what I'm doing is anything out of the ordinary. What I look at instead are people that I know who have run 365 straight days without a single day off. I look at ultra marathoners who log 18 miles on a weekday and think nothing of it. I look at people who regularly wake up at 4:30 a.m. Just so they can get their run in for the day. I'm in awe. Yet today I ran eight miles. It wasn't so long ago that I would have doubted my ability to do that. Who knows? In a few years, I may be looking at the mileage I'm doing today as child's play. All I can say is I'm grateful for the chance to see what I'm capable of.

Let the Running Begin

I spent the weekend resting and getting the house back to normal after the holidays. This morning was my first run of the year, and a much needed one. I was deeply out of sorts last night and this morning when I got up. I'm in the midst of some conflict right now. I've battled against some tough things in my life, and when I feel the black mood beginning to descend, its time to get out and put a few miles on the treads. After mile two this morning, my head cleared, and the weight that I felt on my chest was lifted. I returned from my run feeling refreshed. I'm still worried, my conflict isn't resolved, but the blackness has cleared, and my mind and body are free to accomplish some regular tasks that need doing. Getting out the door for a run can be a wonderful way to forestall and improve a black mood and turn a bad day into a tolerable one at least.