Day 1 - Ran Monday morning with twin sister/training partner after returning from the ChiRunning workshop in San Francisco. Let's just say I was in the zone. The ChiRunning workshop was fun and inspiring, and now I am completely decided about becoming a ChiRunning coach. Sign me up! This is the way to go for triathletes, recreational runners, distance runners, trail runners, etc. When you get it just right (which I managed to do on and off during the workshop and during the Monday morning run) you feel like you are floating effortlessly over the ground, barely even skimming the surface. It feels wonderful! But then the one-minute timer goes off and I bring my attention back to the "form focuses" for this run: Align the legs and feet, create your column. My sister and I take turns calling out the focuses, interspersed with our positive affirmations. We call this our creation run. We are learning ChiRunning and creating our life all at the same time. I felt great during and after this run. Of course, it helped when we passed a couple of women who were running on the same path, and as we passed them again on our return one of them commented, "Wow, you guys are fast!" I can honestly say that nobody has ever said that to me since I was one of the "Flying Batchelors", a name given to my sister and I in 4th grade because we could run faster than all the boys in the class. I was probably naturally ChiRunning at that time, in my little miniature 4th grade body (and I was miniature), without even knowing it. (o:
Day 2 - Ran today during my lunch break. Ran alone. I wasn't in the zone. My hips felt tight and although I was trying to remember what I was taught at the workshop to help loosen them up, they kept getting tighter, until that left psoas muscle yelled at me to stop my run ten minutes earlier than I had planned. So I only ran for about 45ish minutes. What can I say--I love my body and I try to listen when it is yelling at me. So what did I learn from today's run: 1) I might need to take the day off tomorrow (from running at least--see you at the pool!). 2) I think I was stepping in front of my center of gravity a little bit, which forced my legs (esp. the psoas) to pull me forward rather than letting gravity do all the work. I will watch that carefully on the next run. 3) I need to let the buns jiggle!!! Danny Dreyer says we are all tight-a__es (I just can't use bad language, not even on a blog). Well, Danny is right about me. I hold those buns so tight while trying to engage my core and level my pelvis (one of the form focuses for today) that I get too stiff and it messes up my form. The consequence: no floating, tight hips, and feeling much heavier while running. This is a much more tiring way to run. Lesson for next time: let that booty shake!
If you are interested in ChiRunning, go check it out at www.chirunning.com. I'll be a certified instructor within the year and I would LOVE to be your ChiRunning coach at that time, but in the meantime go check out the website and read the book (about $10 on Amazon.com--best $10 you'll ever spend!).
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
One month of . . . almost perfection . . .
Well, the month of perfection is now past, and my first triathlon in over three years is completed. So the big question is this--did I complete my month of perfection PERFECTLY, or did I fail?
Let's examine this question for a minute. What does it mean to fail? In one sense it means that I didn't perfectly complete every workout according to contract. By this definition it's an all or nothing decision, and I clearly failed. )o:
Okay, now let's approach it from a different angle: Why did I create and sign this contract in the first place? Well, it was to help me prepare adequately for this landmark event in my life. Now, I had about three weeks of perfection, according to contract, and the last week was probably about 75%, so really not bad. And did I feel adequately prepared for the Woman of Steel triathlon which took place this past Saturday? You bet I did! I can honestly say that I didn't even feel nervous the morning of the event. I was calm and completely at peace, and I KNEW that all would be well. I knew I could do the distances, that I could complete the event without collapsing prior to crossing the finish line, and that I had guardian angels with me to make sure things went smoothly. Wasn't this my goal, and the whole reason for the month of perfection? So in the first sense (the one the courts would probably hold up) I might have failed, but in the second, more meaningful sense, I absolutely reached my goals, and therefore, I deserve to be rewarded. (o:
Per the contract, my reward was to be a $100 clothes shopping spree with my twin sister (and training partner). As this was the contracted prize, and I did not technically fulfill the contract, I thought it appropriate that I not take the $100 shopping spree. However, since I don't feel right about punishing myself when I did so well and was so successful, I am rewarding myself instead with a 1-hr massage. I think I'll call and make that appointment now . . .
Let's examine this question for a minute. What does it mean to fail? In one sense it means that I didn't perfectly complete every workout according to contract. By this definition it's an all or nothing decision, and I clearly failed. )o:
Okay, now let's approach it from a different angle: Why did I create and sign this contract in the first place? Well, it was to help me prepare adequately for this landmark event in my life. Now, I had about three weeks of perfection, according to contract, and the last week was probably about 75%, so really not bad. And did I feel adequately prepared for the Woman of Steel triathlon which took place this past Saturday? You bet I did! I can honestly say that I didn't even feel nervous the morning of the event. I was calm and completely at peace, and I KNEW that all would be well. I knew I could do the distances, that I could complete the event without collapsing prior to crossing the finish line, and that I had guardian angels with me to make sure things went smoothly. Wasn't this my goal, and the whole reason for the month of perfection? So in the first sense (the one the courts would probably hold up) I might have failed, but in the second, more meaningful sense, I absolutely reached my goals, and therefore, I deserve to be rewarded. (o:
Per the contract, my reward was to be a $100 clothes shopping spree with my twin sister (and training partner). As this was the contracted prize, and I did not technically fulfill the contract, I thought it appropriate that I not take the $100 shopping spree. However, since I don't feel right about punishing myself when I did so well and was so successful, I am rewarding myself instead with a 1-hr massage. I think I'll call and make that appointment now . . .
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