A New Milestone

Last week I ran my first 10 mile race at the Yankee Homecoming in Newburyport, MA.  This was the longest race that I had ever competed in.  I typically would have chosen to run the 5K, but since my Dad is racing a half marathon in the fall, we both agreed to sign up for the 10-miler instead.  Going into the race, I did not know what to expect.  I was nervous, excited and anxious.  As the race approached, these feelings only grew stronger.  Although I was nervous, I was confident in my training. My mileage had been high and my training was consistent.  This reassured me and helped me feel prepared for the race.  

After weeks of anticipation, the day of the race finally arrived.  My Mom dropped me and my Dad off and wished us good luck. When we arrived at the race area, it was a little overwhelming.   There was music playing, announcements being made over the intercom, and people everywhere we looked.  We picked up our race numbers and made our way over to the starting line.  Since my Dad and I were planning to run different paces, we split up at the line. I heard the announcer give the two minute warning.  I looked around at all of the runners that surrounded me.  Some of them were jumping in place, letting out their nerves.   Others were getting their watches ready, anxiously awaiting the start of the race.  There were people of all ages.  Some of them were looking to get PRs, while others just wanted to finish.  We all had different goals, came from different places, but for those last moments before the race started, we were all unified.  The announcer made one final encouraging statement and everyone cheered.  The horn went off and suddenly everything became quiet.

Throughout each mile of the race I learned something different about myself as a runner.  Each mile required different skills, some of which I possessed, and others that I had to learn.  Here is a glimpse into my 10 mile race experience.  

Mile 1: Patience

Ask any runner- the first mile of a race is crucial and can be very difficult to manage.  With all of the pent-up nervous energy and pre-race jitters, it can be easy to go out too fast and forget about your race strategy.  When people were passing me during the first mile I was tempted to speed up and go with them.  However, remembering the longevity of the race, I decided to be patient and wait to make my move.   

Mile 2: Rhythm

My first mile pace was 7:50, which was faster than I had anticipated.  Since I felt comfortable, I didn’t want to slow down too much.  However, I wanted to make sure I was running a pace that I could sustain for the entire race.  I decided that I would aim to run an 8-minute mile pace.  I finally found my rhythm and began to settle into the race. 

Mile 3: Calmness

After I worked into a comfortable rhythm, I was able to relax and enjoy the race.  I started paying more attention to my surroundings.  I noticed the old, historic New England houses I was running by.  I noticed the cute shops and watched as people waved from inside.  I started to feel the cool, ocean breeze.  I focused on my breathing.  As my mind relaxed, my body did as well.  “24:03” I heard my 3 mile split and smiled. I was on pace!

Mile 4: Gratitude

I also began to notice the many people who were helping us throughout the race.  There were people handing out water and orange slices.  People were cheering for their loved ones, offering encouraging words.  Local neighbors turned on their hoses, allowing runners to cool off.  Policemen were holding traffic, making sure we had plenty of room to run. I was amazed at the amount of people who were graciously taking time out of their busy days. Thanks to these volunteers, my race felt much smoother and more enjoyable. 

Mile 5: Confidence

During the fifth mile of the race I began to feel more confident. I had already completed the first half of the race and I felt great. Although 10 miles is a long run for me, 5 miles is one of my regular ones. I kept thinking “just five more miles-that’s nothing.”  This positive thinking recharged me, giving me a little spring in my step and motivating me to pick up the pace.  

  

Mile 6: Self-control

Although I felt very confident, I reminded myself that the race was far from over.  I had done so well throughout the race and I did not want to mess it up by starting my kick too soon.  I disciplined myself to stay with the pack and wait a couple more miles before I really started to make my move.   

Mile 7: Strength

Up until this point, I had felt great. However, during the seventh mile my body and my brain began to feel drained. Although I knew that I was approaching the finish, it felt so far away. I saw people who had been running next to me start walking. I thought of how nice that would feel and was tempted to do the same. But I didn’t. I had come this far and I was not going to stop.    

  

Mile 8: Focus

With only 3 miles left in the race, I knew that I needed to start focusing on the finish. It was time to get out of my comfort zone and start reeling people in. I looked at my watch. I had already run for an hour. Knowing that I would be done in about 20 minutes was so comforting. So I started reeling people in, knowing that with each step I was getting closer to the finish.    

Mile 9: Perseverance

I heard the crowd cheer “2 miles to go!”- Words to my ears. Fortunately the excitement of the crowd distracted me from the pain in my legs. I looked at where I was. We had driven on this road on our way to the race. I was so close and I was going to finish with a great time. I grabbed a cup of water, poured it over my head and kept going. 

Mile 10: Hunger

After running 9 miles, you would think that 1 mile would go by so fast- it didn’t. The last mile felt like the longest mile of the race. My body was tired, hungry and exhausted. I wanted nothing more than to cross the finish line and be done. I let the crowd carry me through the last mile, each word motivating me to keep going and reminding me how close I was to the finish.  I turned the last corner of the race and heard my Mom’s voice. I saw my time just ahead and I sprinted, going after it. My final time was 1:21:11. I was so proud. I grabbed a popsicle and made my way over to my Mom, who was already running toward me.  We cheered on my Dad as he finished the race and treated ourselves to dinner and ice cream. Food never tasted so good!   

This race was a milestone in my running career.  When I began distance running three years ago, I never would have imagined that I would be running 10 miles, let alone racing them! This race showed me what my body is capable of and reminded me that hard work pays off. I am so proud of my Dad for finishing the race and can’t wait to see him run the half marathon in the fall! Who knows- maybe I’ll run a half marathon someday. Well...baby steps.   

My Great Escape

My favorite runs are those in which I am immersed in nature. There is something so serene about running outdoors, through wooded trails and beaten paths. It is as if Mother Nature has designed these beautiful sceneries just for me. With each step, I leave behind my worries and frustrations, and go to a place where I feel free, free as air. 

I am blessed to live in an area where there are so many beautiful places to run. I am constantly searching for new trails and routes to explore. This helps add variety to my training and keeps my runs fresh and enjoyable. Although I try to vary my runs, I do have some favorite routes that I regularly run.  So here they are- my favorite places to run. Well, some of them anyway.   

                     

Brooksby Farm, Peabody, Mass.

Beautiful apple orchards and scenic trails- so scenic that you'll forget about all those hills... almost.

Lynn Woods, Lynn, Mass.

Miles and miles of trails. Tough footing and lots of steep hills, but a great place to train!

Lynn Beach, Lynn, Mass.

Who doesn't love running by the beach? Ocean breeze, gorgeous views and miles of sidewalk. Keep running and you'll reach beautiful Nahant.

Marblehead trails, Marblehead, Mass.

My cross country team's favorite route for long runs. Many stories and laughs were shared on these trails.

                              

Maudslay State Park, Newburyport, Mass.

Cannot say enough about Maudslay! One of my favorite places to run when I'm home.

                                

Woodsom Farm, Amesbury, Mass.

Hills, hills and more hills! My high school track coach would always have us do workouts here.

These are my great escapes, my own private sanctuaries.  Each one of these places has given me something special—freedom, tranquility, happiness.  In a world full of uncertainties, they are definite, unwavering.  Like a loyal friend, they are always there with open doors whenever I need them.  These tiny gems have given me so much.  I hope they will do the same for you.           

It Runs In the Family

This past weekend I went with my Dad to explore the islands off the coast of Maine.  One of my Dad’s co-workers volunteers for the Maine Island Trail Association.  Each week he goes the islands to check the log books and make sure the campers and visitors are taking good care of the islands.  My Dad and I were invited to join him this week. We had an amazing time exploring the islands. We swam, hiked and saw some incredible views.  It was well worth the 2 hour drive.  

This trip reminded me of other adventures my Dad and I have shared over the years and inspired me to write about them.        

. . . 

My Dad has always been a tremendous influence in my life, especially in athletics.  When I was younger, we would always play catch or pass the ball around the backyard.  Sometimes on his training runs I would tag along and ride my bike next to him.  As I grew older, he coached me in soccer and basketball. Some nights after practice we would stay late to practice my shooting or passing skills. On rainy days, we would go to the field and practice slide-tackling. The first time I did more than 10 juggles in a row, he took me out for ice cream.  Even when he was no longer coaching me, he came to almost every game of mine.  When we weren’t playing soccer, we were doing some other activity. We would wake up early and go for runs together. On weekends, we would drive up to Maine and bike the trails all day.  

My Dad not only taught me how to play sports; he taught me how to love playing them.  And this love has been instilled in me ever since I was young.  I am now a three-sport college athlete but I know that I will be an athlete my entire life.  

I am so thankful for the strong relationship I have with my Dad.  We have had so many wonderful memories and I have enjoyed them all. I’ll never forget the days we used to go to the soccer field and kick the ball around, or my very first road race.  I’ll never forget our Christmas run together in the snow, or our bike rides through the foliage in Maine.  We have had so many wonderful memories together, and I look forward to the many adventures to come!

Rest, Relaxation and Running

These past few months have been very busy. It seems as though I’ve been running all over the place, not just on the roads.  With the stress of papers, presentations, and finals, I had little time for much of anything else.  But now that I have moved out of my dorm room and settled in at home, I have time to do the things I truly love. And it feels so good.  I’ve been able to catch up on my sleep, read books I actually want to read, and run without rehearsing presentations or quizzing myself for an upcoming exam.  It’s been wonderful catching up with my family and friends from home. 

  

I’ve only been home for a couple of weeks and I already feel recharged and relaxed.  I’m excited for summer and everything that it will entail.  Before long I will be fully settled into my new apartment. I’m looking forward to rooming with some of my closest cross country teammates. I'm also looking forward to starting my internship in June. And, of course, I'm looking forward to many miles this summer with my teammates in order to prepare for the fall season. It will certainly be an eventful summer and I cannot wait for it to begin. 

       

Too Much of Anything Can Be Bad

Like many people this winter, I have been fighting a cold over the last couple of weeks.  Like many runners, I was stubborn and thought that I could beat it.  I kept running, hoping that my cold would simply “go away.” Needless to say, it did not.  I finally surrendered to my cold and took a few days off from running.

While I was resting, I thought about my situation.  As athletes, we are taught to be very in tune with our bodies.  We are also taught to challenge our bodies so that we can reach our full potentials.  Sometimes, since we are so focused on pushing our bodies to their limits, we forget to listen to them.  We ignore the signs that our bodies are trying to give us in order to keep healthy.  In most situations, if we just listened to these signs, we would get healthy quicker.  Sometimes even the healthiest intentions can end up actually hurting us.

I began wondering why we do this to ourselves? Perhaps, like athletes, we have been conditioned to constantly push our bodies to their limits. We are constantly striving to achieve more. But when does this stop? There reaches a point where we must be content with our achievements. In fact, we should even be proud of our achievements.  We are constantly told to challenge ourselves, but when are we reminded to commend ourselves? 

As the old saying goes, “too much of a good thing can be bad.” This is very true. The key in life is balance.  It’s natural to want to push ourselves to achieve our full potentials.  However, it’s important that we do so in a healthy way.  Although we should not always settle for our achievements, we should still celebrate them. Perhaps we are trying to achieve perfection when all we really want is balance.

So as I lay in bed, sipping hot chocolate, I remind myself that I am doing the best that I can. And, I’m ok with that. In fact, I’m thrilled.

Overcoming Winter

This past weekend, I went on a long run with my friends and teammates.  This was the first long run all winter that I was able to be outside and in the company of others.  It felt wonderful. 

Winter is constantly testing my love for running.  It seems that Mother Nature will do anything to stop me from running.  She brings treacherous snow storms, raw temperatures, and slippery ice.  She even makes the days shorter so that I have less sunlight.  Sometimes I am able to defy her and go running anyway.  Other times, however, she wins, and I simply give in.  Unfortunately, this winter, she won a lot.  The majority of my runs this winter have been by myself and on the treadmill.      

Some people love treadmills. Some people would rather run on a treadmill any day than go outside.  My Mom is one of those runners.  She loves being able to be distracted from running.  She can watch her favorite TV show and exercise at the same time.  I, on the other hand, have a very difficult time with treadmills.  So while my Mom is enjoying herself on the treadmill next to me, I’m counting down the minutes for it to be over. 

Other factors also tested my love for running this winter.  Time was one of them.  My family traveled a lot throughout the holidays.  It was difficult finding the time to run around our traveling schedule.  When I was doing my internship this winter, it was also difficult to find the time to run.  My internship consisted of many late nights of working. Unfortunately, running felt like more of a chore than a passion. 

Winter always tests my love for running.  The inclement weather, busy holidays, and other responsibilities make running very difficult and sometimes impossible.  Sometimes, you lose, and you have to give in.  Other times, you can overcome these factors and do what you love doing.  It’s always easier with the help of other people.  It’s nice to be back in Salem running with my teammates again.  I look forward to many more runs outside.  But if Mother Nature insists, I'll stick to the treadmill.