Sweatin' to the Oldies

Some people think I'm crazy for running this marathon. I agree. I am crazy. But you should have figured that out before the Marathon thing. I mean, I've hit a child with my car. (Note: I actually just hit the bike he was sitting on; he in turn fell over because I hit the bike...not even hit...nudged...nudged the bike).

As Week 3 of training has come to hump day, I really must say the only problem with training is the fact that I train and then I'm like...okay, so...should I be...doing something more? Like pulling a car behind me now? I haven't given in to that impulse...yet. Although, my first long run (5 miles) I felt like I might die and that I should give up. But then this past weekend I ran 7 miles and it wasn't death. So I chalked up my deathful 5 mile run to being hungover. Which...is probably not the best condition to run in. Or live life in period.

But the thing that helps me the most with a lot of the long runs is the music I listen to. I've always used music as "my thing" to get through all the tough times. All the floods. All the fires. All the dust bowls. And now, this marathon. I'll share my method of making playlists by sharing my main mix to take on my long runs. The playlist is called "Jackie Joyner's Jams". Yeah. I'm hilarious. Here's a selection from the mix...

Date with the Night - Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Changes - Tupac
All That She Wants - Ace of Base
Hard Breaks - Alberta Cross
Can You Feel It? - Apples in Stereo
She's A Rejecter - Of Montreal
Something to Believe in - Aqualung
Down on the Corner - Creedence Clearwater
Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger - Daft Punk
Young Folks - Dawn Landes
July! July! - Decemberists
What do You Want Me To Say - The Dismemberment Plan
Go Your Own Way - Fleetwood Mac
The Funeral - Band of Horses
Hurricane - Bob Dylan
Heard It Through the Grapevine - The Temptations

Basically...my way of making a running mix is to pick songs that could be on a soundtrack to my life and also involve running. A lot of people like high energy constantly, and run to things like Godsmack...I would probably run off a cliff if I had to listen to constant guitars, constant screaming, constant anything. So for each song I put on my mix, I think...hmm I could see this being a moment where I'm chasing after the one I love whose in a taxi leaving me forever, or I could see this being a moment where I'm chasing after a plane that I'm about to miss, or I could see myself running to this in an opening title sequence...and so on.

Also, the embarrassing songs on the mix are to make me laugh, trying to forget I'm running 15 miles. These include:

What a Girl Wants - Christina Aguilera
Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
How Will I know - Whitney Houston
Summergirls - LFO

I mean, honestly, the secret to running a marathon lies in the power of LFO.

Day Two: 30 Minute Run/Law & Order: Canine Division

I've said it before, I'll say it again. There is nothing like running through Queens, NY in the wee hours of the morning. Today's event was a (Greek) wife and husband yelling back and forth to each other. I only heard a brief part since I was running through. I'm going to name them Spiroche and Mileneneaise.

Spiroche: You're crazy. The dog did not try to kill you last night.
Mileneneaise: Yes he did. I have proof. Look he's doing it again.
Spiroche: Ahh, what is he doing? What? What?

I'm guessing the dog was flipping her off. Probably. Definitely. Or stabbing. Her. Again.


My first thirty minute run was fine. I didn't have any real problems though at one point I did want to just stop and be like, that's enough? Right. I ran "almost" 30 minutes... that's just like 30 minutes. But I forged onward, knowing 26.2 miles is a mental challenge more than anything and if I settle now for not finishing, what will I do around mile 15 when I want to kill everyone who ever told me that running a marathon was a worthwhile experience. Or now that I know of a murderous dog, I can just get that dog to murder them.

Here's another random thought, do you think that there is someone at the police station (THE police station) who's job it is to do Yahoo! and Google searches for murder all day just in case they can find a lead on someone's blog, like that they have a post where they're like "Murdered a bellhop today. And then had lunch. Laters." You know. All Law & Order: SVU shit...right?

Anyways, it's all mental. And getting over those mile markers in terms of time and not miles is a first step. The longest I've ever run/walk was 18 miles and that was because of heartbreak and poor time management. Oh...maybe all I need to complete this marathon is a heartbreak. Hmm, time for (another) poor life decision maybe?

Torture begins...like those medieval prison times

Monday, January 7th marks the first official day of training for Cougar and myself. After pre-training on and off for a month, breaking my nutritional rules (thanks holidays) and reading several books that put me more in touch with who I am as a lady (Tony Robbins I believe in me!) I guess...I guess I'm finally ready to start this whole crazy marathon thing. Whatever.

I am absolutely confident it is something I can do. I think. Yeah, no definitely. Now begins the process of readying myself and all that business. I have my plan set up which I think I'll post later on. First, I paid the entry fee for the Kentucky Marathon. 60 dollars out of my pocket and into the hand of some horse or something. Super.

The next step was to get myself the proper training shoes, since the Nike AirMaxs I had been training in were blowing my ankles to crap. I stopped pre training with those and went back to my busted Nike Frees which never gave me trouble.

If you plan on doing any kind of long distance activity or actually any exercising program in general, it's really necessary to have the proper gear. I paid the price when I ran/walked those half marathons at the end of last year. I definitely was not happy with my life during the training and during the races. And I took that out on several people who I will name right now: Susan, Joanna, Carolyn, Jeff.

Anyways, I went the other day to New York Running Co at the Time Warner Center. It's a pretty sweet store full of great gear you need and great gear you honestly dont need but if you have 300 dollars to blow then go for it. I was assisted by someone who...I'll name David. David is not even close to the real name. It was actually a woman who helped me. But I'll call her David. So David had me walk for her at first. And after saying "Um, could you walk normal...and not weird for me" (real fucking sweetheart that David; kind of girl with a guy's name you could take home to mom) ...after saying that gem she brought me out some shoes to try out. After it coming down to the Nike Pegasus and Mizuno Nirvana 3, I went with the Mizunos after running on a treadmill with them. Just a real joy.

So I said good bye to my new friend David, wishing her well with all of her obvious missionary work that sucked the personality from her life, and bought my shoes. And about 150 dollars more of gear. Ladies be shopping.

(my sweet shoes and sweet (pre-owned) headband)


Sunday was a voluntary cross training day. Monday marks the first day of my runs. 40 mins split between running and walking, since I'll probably go with a run/walk plan for my first marathon. I'm pretty excited about starting right now. I think the torture of it will hit me sometime around week 4. I'll probably have really giant girl tears around then. The kind that cause global warming. I think that's what causes global warming. I never did watch that Al Gore film. I should really do that.