Chug-along-chica!

I'm feeling the same way about running lately- just can't get myself out the door! Heather was supposed to meet me today and stood me up (with a courteousy call of course...) SO now I have to make myself get out there alone- but I AM going to log 6 today, so I CHALLENGE you to do the same!

I'm glad you agree about changing our bet a little. I like your cleaning & long run idea. It could be: run a 10 miler & deep clean house for an hour on the same day?! That would be torture don't you think?

Christi--How about just the deep cleaning? Toilets are punishment enough. Or maybe looser leaves the blog? And WOW your sleeping abilities are AMAZING!

OK- deep cleaning is definately torture enough for me. I can find ANYTHING to do rather than clean, its NOT my area of expertise. NO- loser does NOT leave the blog because neither of us is going anywhere! Yeah, I rock at sleeping (being lazy) but I've definately gotten in tune w/ my body this week. I've realized I only need about 7-7.5 hrs. Anything beyond that just makes me extremely lazy and not able to get out of my sweats all day (...like now for instance....)This was a cool experiment if nothing else too see how much sleep I really need. How 'bout you?

Lybi, I feel the a little the same way right now... What is up? I've issed another challenge on Christi's blog (poor girl keeps getting drug into things without proir consent) For the person that can re-inspire the runner in all of us suffering from the running virus that is taking over right now!!

Christi--Oops! I meant to delete that part about "loser leaves the blog" before posting. Well, I have been feeling exceptionally unmotivated and that's a fact. Now I'm wondering if sleep has a lot to do with it. I find that instead of getting to bed earlier, I've been waking up later and later, and that is leaving me feeling "blah" all day. Laziness! I suppose the sleep challenge should have been only for "most hours logged (slept) BEFORE midnight."

I'm glad you mentioned you were feeing the same way, Christi. I thought I was just ready to be done with running. Maybe not. Tomorrow I'm going to wake up early, even if it means I have to loose the sleep challenge. Goodness knows my toilets could use the extra attention!

There is nothing of worth that we will ever do that will always have a lot of appeal. Most of the time it won't, that is one sign to tell you that what you are doing has some value. You cannot ascend without having to overcome gravity. If you feel no exertion of effort, you are likely not ascending. Things that are always easy and fun more often than not, if not always, lead us nowhere in the end.

What I recommend is from now on to resolve to make your run happen no matter what. The question should not be whether the run is going to happen, but rather how you can be creative enough to make it enjoyable.

Michelle, you too? Bethany hasn't blogged for a while either. What gives! Why are we all feeling this way? Being tired of winter could really be a factor for you guys that actually HAVE a winter. (No excuse for me!) Another possibility is that there have been a couple slightly disparaging remarks about slower chicas recently. Did that get anyone else down? I know it did me.

Lybi,

It doesn't matter about your pace. Who cares how fast you run. Get out there and get-r-done!!! From where I stand you are only competeing against yourself, and don't worry about what anybody else thinks. You run for you, not for those chicas who are faster than you and me and almost anybody else on this blogg...

If you quit then I'm quitting Too. I'm mad as hec and I'm not taking it anymore. I'm out Baby!!!!!!!!!

Whoops! Sasha commented right before I posted. That wasn't a response to you, Sasha.

But your comment reminds me of what initially inspired me to start running--it was you! You made it sound so noble to just be your best. But tell me this, where exactly do you think running will take me? I am, after all, only a Boltushka, and not a "real" runner. Usually it just takes me about 3 miles away, and then back.

Sasha- Good line "you cannot ascend without having to overcome gravity" So true!! Thanks for the motivation (I know it was meant for Lybi, but I'm stealing it..)

Lybi- What disparaging remarks about slower chica? Do point it out so I can be riled up too!

For goodness sakes, Clay! You need some chocolate, buddy. And it is not the fast chicas who are making me feel less than worthy. But thank you for caring! You are definitely a kindred spirit.

P.S. You may not quit, even if I do, which I probably won't.

I'm way ahead of you on the chocolate Lybi, I knew I was missing something today... Whew, I fell much better now.

Take care!

Lybi- I decided you & Michelle need a race! Since you missed the Painter's refresher, I think you need a little 5K or 10k to get the juices flowing again!

I did it! 5 miles outside with the double jogging stroller. I have to admit it was darn pleasant. Nice day outside.

So...small triumph for my self discipline. Tomorrow will be better, I am sure. Truthfully, I am UIH--Under the Influence of Hormones. I think my last tirade was about 4 weeks ago...

I'm so glad that you got the run in and me too! I always feel so much better about life once I get it done! I too did not catch the comments about slow chicas so? As for me, I know that I will never be super fast or for that matter prabably never log a single mile under the "fast mileage" entry, I just run because it makes me feel good (after) and I know that it is good for my body and mind! If I can show some improvement over time that will be an added bonus and I on most days love the challenge to push myself a llittle farther and to do a little better!

So with that said I guess I'm on for a great run tomorrow?

The love of running for body and spirit is the answer. Getting faster, setting PRs and socializing with other runners is icing on the cake, the party to celebrate the beauty of running and what it does for our balance in life. Keep it fun and a challenge as you choose, if it become a chore it will end up on a list by the refridgerator.

Stay Cool, Just Run Forest, all will be better, B of BS Rools out

Lybi - I think you are capable of a 21 minute 5 K, and a BQ in the marathon. But where you end up is not as important as the effects it has on your health, mental outlook, and the development of the capability to achieve. Even a 2 hour marathon is still slower than what a drunk can do on a bike for that distance.

Lybi- You did it! I think all the extra sleep & hormones were taking us over this week! (Yes, I was UIH at my house too this week..quite scary for Jim & kiddos...) Anyway- glad you got out and enjoyed the sun. 5 miles w/ a double stroller is kick butt! You rule! (So you coming down for Spectrum or what?)

I personally don't think a singe day should go by without some chocolate!!! You are doing absolutely fabulous on the big sleep challenge - keep it up!

Don't you know no good running can happen without chocolate?

Sasha--thanks, that is a boost. How many miles per week is that assuming? I hope less than 160!

Andee and Christi--chocolate seems to fuel MichelleL pretty well. We should all plan on going out for some high quality chocolate (Friday's Brownies?) after the Striders half. If I don't break 2:00, though, I will have to drag you to a Jamba Juice instead. Could be worse! Speaking of dragging, I'm going to chain you up to a harness, Christi, and let you pull me up the hills. Think of it as cross training.

And Andee, I'm so glad to see you on the blog. I have been concerned for you.

I am assuming consistent 50 miles a week over 2 years with proper diet and good sleep. This is a fairly wild guess, though - I have never actually observed a woman with no prior competitive experience do all of the above. I know that Katie Danner went from sedentary to a sub-3:00 marathon in a few years. Maybe we should ask her to provide some details on her experience and progression. I have seen some good results with Sarah, though. In high school she did no sports, and one time ran an all out mile in 8:30, then threw up later. She has been able to improve that to 6:52 after 3 kids. She also ran a PR in 4 miles (31:57) after 5 kids recently. But her consistent mileage never exceeded 30/week, she had not been doing 30 for very long yet, and she's never been non-pregnant for longer than 18 months. I do not think she's ever been non-pregnant and non-nursing for longer than 3 months since 1998. She does eat a very good diet, though.

Another interesting detail. Shayne Culpepper at one point a few months after having a baby was so out of shape that she overtrained by doing her tempo runs at 8:00 pace. Yet somehow she was able to recover and perform at the elite level again. I wonder what it is that allows somebody out of shape to get back to the previous shape so quickly, but more importantly, if and how somebody who's never been there could possibly tap into the same mechanism and get faster.

One thing that I noticed especially among women is that the faster ones have some sense of rhythm, the runner's drive to keep and push the pace at all costs, regardless of what shape they are in. The slower ones do not have it. It also coincides with the observation of a much bigger gap between average and elite in the womens vs mens.

Interestingly enough, even for men, while it is more common to have that strong rhythmic drive, I do not recall ever seeing a guy under 50 with a decent rhythmic drive that would not be able to break 20:00 in a 5 K. The men that are slower also struggle with it, although not as much as the women.

Sasha, where does one get this strong rhythmic drive? I lost mine, where can I get another one? This may seem like a silly question, but, I really, really want it back.

Stay Cool, run hard, B of BS Rools out

Brent - can you describe in more detail what you mean exactly by that. Which components did you lose, how you used to feel and how you feel now, at what age did you start feeling different, what happened to your 5 K times when you experienced the change, etc.

I sure wish I had a lab. There are a lot of things I can feel intuitively, but it would be very nice to tie those perceptions to precise measurements of various human body parameters. A lot of interesting discoveries could come out of that.

Holy smokes! I have been out of the blog loop for a couple of weeks and you guys are already trying to hit 100 comments again.

It's because we missed you so much, James. What else are we to do when we do not have your animal attack reports to read?

Sasha, when you say "rhythm," are you referring to leg turnover?

Also, I'm glad you do not have a lab, Sasha, because I would feel very sorry for the rats. (He he.)

Lybi - not necessarily leg turnover. There is something that is not easy to measure but you can definitely perceive when running with somebody if you pay attention. Faster runners have it in greater measure than the slower ones. I have thought about the mechanism of how I sense it, cannot be telepathy after all, and came to the conclusion that what I am sensing is their nervous system drive. I have to match it in myself to be able to vary the pace exactly like they do. So I would have an idea of what kind of signal is coming from their brain to their muscles.

Regardless of the level of fatigue, faster runners tend to have a very steady signal, it feels musical, while the slower ones would have a surge, and then painfully, randomly and unnaturally fade it, then maybe have another surge.

I would imagine there is a correlation between that drive and the leg turnover - when that drive goes down the turnover would probably drop off as well. But the push off power drops off along with it too, I would think.