The Little Engine That Could - Kristina's First Post

I didn't grow up with running as a family activity, as James did. In fact, one of my first experiences running a mile in penny loafers, a turtleneck and corduroy pants in the 5th grade made me terrified of it--why would I want to put my lungs and legs through such torture?

For a while, gym classes were the only occasions on which I ran. My friend Caroline convinced me to join the cross-country team in high school. My first forays into running began on short loops around my house and the only stretch of the Custis trail that I knew. Back then, 2 miles seemed like a lot. I ran with a pale pink & purple cartoon analog watch and cotton shorts, with the same beet-red face I'd sported in gym class for years, but running had morphed from torture to fun. I ran at practices after struggling through warmups and what felt like infinite sets of pushups in the lobby by Gym 2. I ran to just keep the second-to-last people within sight so that I wouldn't get lost on our longer runs (Dodson, Cherokee, etc). I made it through my first cross-country meet absolutely beet-red and wanting to pass out, but feeling incredibly satisfied as I pushed through the last big hill at Mason District Park. I still have that same feeling with every milestone I conquer (first 5K, first 10K, first ten miler, first marathon, first half-marathon).

I am bothered by the fact that I can't remember how many seasons (and when those seasons fell) I ran track (winter, spring, and cross-country), but I do remember loving the camaraderie of secret pals (I still have one of the locker posters that Kaylan made for me when we both did winter track), bonding on long runs, and of just being on a team. For years in college and after college, I ran by myself to escape the stress of school and work, graduating from Charlottesville scenery to Virginia bike paths as I moved from 12-song mp3 player to ipod nano. The ipod nano still accompanies me on long runs, but more often than before so do other people or just the sound of my own thoughts instead of the sound of Britney Spears' breathy voice over thumping dance beats.

I started my "run kqb run" blog because I wanted to get more serious about running. Back in 2005 I hit many running milestones, and I think that having a balls-out, give-it-my-all attitude helped with that. I'm excited about contributing to New Sights as well. I've only run with James and Sam once (a ten mile run in the summer of 2005), but I always enjoy the different perspectives and advice that they bring regarding running. My perspective is going to be like that of a girlie penguin chugging along in a running skirt and flowered headbands!

The everyman's sport: James' First Post

I'll have to say that I was never a sporty kid while growing up. I was pretty bookish, though I preferred being outside as much as I could. Running, hiking and walks through the city were the family choice outings, whether it was in the city, in our nearby park or just through the subdivision at dusk.

So jogging and running is an activity that I just attribute to my family more than anything else now. No one ever did it competitively and it was always something that we all just did until we were tired. In college however, I started running 5Ks. They were mostly for charity events, but I started to enjoy it more and more. After a night out of drinking, running the next morning seemed to be the only way that I could feel comfortably recovered the next day. So it became a ritual; getting up early the next morning to start the weekend and having a late brunch before taking a nice nap.

Over time, I appreciated running more and more. Running requires no special equipment (though good shoes became necessary as I increased my distances and runs weekly) and could be done anywhere and anytime. The streets of Charlottesville are sleepy and safe for a male to go running at 10 pm and I just needed to get through the door and to the street to enjoy the activity. It truly was an everyman's sport for myself.

Eventually the 5Ks became 10Ks and then I targeted a half marathon. After that, the next natural step for me was to run a full marathon. It's a common saying that one will know if they are a true runner if after their first marathon they feel the surge to do it again (not right away necessarily) rather than a lethargic mood of a sense of accomplishment and no need to rush into another one. For me, Marine Corps Marathon 2004, was finished after a lengthy 5 hours and 20 minute time. I was exhausted, but my friends had cheered me on and I was already thinking of the next year.

So, today after a break I'm trying to get my marathon time down even more as I prepare for the Cleveland marathon in May. In the coming weeks, I'll post some "crash" preparation plans that I've heard about.

First Post - A Bit of Running Philosophy and Psychology

Running Boston has been in the back of my mind since I started training for my first marathon four years ago, on a whim, the year after I graduated from college. That first race, the idea was just to finish. But after completing the local Marine Corps Marathon (MCM) in Washington, DC with a middle-of-the-pack finishing time of 4:57, setting a new personal record (PR) became my obsession.

Standard running philosophy says young runners run to be competitive, middle-aged runners run to chase their younger years, and older runners plod along simply for the joy of running. I think this accurately describes my raison d'etre for running.

I set incremental goals along the way so as not to get discouraged. (See Richard Layard's book Happiness (2006) for a mathematical description of goal setting as it relates to happiness. You will be happier if you set attainable goals.) It took me four attempts to complete a sub-four-hour marathon. After crossing the MCM finish line in October at 3:58, I felt a brief sense of accomplishment that was immediately replaced by the thought I can do better than this.

Four days later I started training for the next marathon. Initially I set a goal of 3:40 (my average improvement had been about 18 minutes per race), but toward the end of my training program I realized 3:30 was attainable.

This past weekend, after 18 weeks of training through the winter, I posted a 3:28 at the Shamrock Marathon in Virginia Beach. Exhausted at the end of the race, the 30-minute improvement to my PR barely registered. My "anchor point" had moved; I had already been thinking of myself as a 3:30 marathoner before the race began. This same phenomenon occurs when you receive a raise at work; you are temporarily happy, then you adjust to your new income level, and one week later your level of happiness is the same as it was before the raise. (See Layard (2006) and Dan Gilbert's Stumbling on Happiness (2006) for a full description of the "anchoring" effect.)

As I powered across the finish line, my mind started doing the math, almost independently from my higher consciousness. Improve by 18 minutes, or about 41 seconds per mile, to qualify for Boston. Pace must improve from 7:58 to 7:17. Is it achievable?

Four days later I sit at my desk writing my first blog post. I'm about to skip lunch with my co-workers to do a recovery run at the gym. I know I have four months before I move to Chicago to begin graduate school, which is likely to disrupt my six-day-per-week running routine. Four months to improve pace to 7:17. Is it achievable?

Welcome!

"I always loved running...it was something you could do by yourself, and under your own power. You could go in any direction, fast or slow as you wanted, fighting the wind if you felt like it, seeking out new sights just on the strength of your feet and the courage of your lungs."

-Jesse Owens

This blog is about the joy of running. It is written for the amateur runner by amateur runners who enjoy running for the joy of the new sights it brings us. Each of the authors has found the joy of running on their own and has a different take on the everyman's sport. At this time, I envision posts including favorite runs in our respective cities, advice on buying shoes, workouts and any other random trivia and news in the running world as we see fit.

We look forward to your comments!