Keep on running with the Runner's World Holiday Run Streak

As we all know, Christmas (and Thanksgiving for my American friends) is a notoriously difficult time to keep focused on the running or any sort of healthy diet, and for me it's always the same old problem.  It's freezing cold outside, pitch black from 4pm in the afternoon, and I find it so hard to drag myself out of the door to run, so I find myself saying that I'll go out tomorrow.  But then tomorrow comes, and I have some Christmas outing to go to, and the run gets put off again :( 


So, with a much busier diary than I ever usually have, and worse weather than there usually is, my training schedule goes out of the window, and when I combine that with the enormous quantities of mince pies, cakes and biscuits that find their way to the office & my house (and ultimately into my mouth!), I usually find myself putting on lots of weight over the festivities.  Now don't get me wrong, I have a great time...but that's always tempered by the massive guilt that I also end up with, and the frustration that the running fitness I've spent the last 12 months trying to cultivate, falls right back to rock bottom!

This year, I'm determined things will be different.

I'm focused on my diet at the moment, and have got back into doing Weight Watchers, so I'm hoping I can be [relatively] controlled with the food, but I do think I need some help with the running, and so I've decided to take part in Runner's World Holiday Running Streak Challenge.I'm going to run at least one mile every day from tomorrow (Thanksgiving) until New Year's Day!

I've tried to do run streaks before (Janathon and Juneathon) but have failed each time...I think maybe I try to do too much, so this time I will try to maintain my planned schedule, and instead of rest days, just do a couple of miles, so I'm not putting that much extra pressure on or increasing my weekly mileage too much.  If I find I'm finding it hard to motivate myself to get out of the door on a scheduled running day, I also think it'll be easier to tell myself "well, I only have to go for 1 measley mile...I can do that!" rather than thinking about the hour and a half I'm actually aiming to be out.  Once I'm on the road, I'm sure I'll be keen to finish the original distance!
So, hopefully I can improve my mindset and get more used to heading out for a run as a habit rather than it always being a big deal, but not be too much of a time drain or a physical challenge.

From looking at the twitter feed it seems loads of people are taking part (#RWRunStreak hopefully the widget below is working!) and I'm looking forward to finally achieving some consistency in my training over the holiday season.  Whether I manage to stay controlled when the mince pies start calling me is another matter, but all the extra exercise should certainly help reduce the damage!

I've borrowed some "awesome-inspirational-manifestos"

Need some motivation?  Want some guidance?

I saw this tweet from @Predawn_Runner in my twitter feed today, followed the link, and found some awesome inspiration...scroll down, read, be motivated and have a great day! :)

Predawn_Runner Greg Strosaker 

10 Insanely Awesome Inspirational Manifestos - bookmark it for when you need some motivation t.co/pDe8B8Zx

3 hours ago Unfavorite Undo Retweet Reply

Retweeted by naominf

1. The Holstee Manifesto

2. Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen)

Baz Luhrman, best known as the director of films like “Strictly Ballroom” and “Moulin Rouge!”, released this song back in 1999. The lyrics are straight from an essay by Mary Schmich from 1997 called “Advice, like youth, probably just wasted on the young” and the song climbed music charts across the globe. Some wise words set to a catchy tune.

3. the lululemon manifesto

The corporate manifesto for thsi athletic wear company may very well be a bellwether for a shift in the culture of the new enterprising set. While the lululemon manifesto does tie in what their employees should to do in order to be able balance both work and life (which are for many, essentially one in the same), it is worth aspiring to for those who don’t work for the company as well.

Predawn_Runner Greg Strosaker 

10 Insanely Awesome Inspirational Manifestos - bookmark it for when you need some motivation t.co/pDe8B8Zx

3 hours ago Unfavorite Undo Retweet Reply

Retweeted by naominf

I'm a happy running reindeer

It's been an awesome week! I've managed to regain control of my eating (and have lost 4lbs!) my dodgy ankle seems to be holding up well, and I got a PB at my 10km race yesterday! Couldn't be more pleased :)

The race yesterday was the RNLI's Reindeer Run 10km, around Lee Valley Park in Waltham Abbey and I finished in 53 minutes, 59 seconds.

It was an excellent race, really well organised, with a great marshal team who seemed to be on every bend on the course, cheering us all on!  It was primarily a fundraising fun run, and the RNLI gave everyone reindeer antlers to wear, and flashing red noses - and surprisingly there were loads of people who ran in them too!

There was an awesome atmosphere, with lots of children and families who were involved in the other events (a 5km or the 2km Santa Saunter) and everyone seemed to be having a great time, despite the fact that it was unbelievably freezing cold and foggy. 

Although I have a bit of an odd expression
on my face (I'm not very good with photos!)
 here I am with my antlers!

The course was over mixed terrain around the park, and followed some paths around the lakes and the River Lee and it really couldn't have been more beautiful with the fog rolling over the water - all very atmospheric and it made up for my numb fingers and toes!

I think my mood was also helped by the fact that I felt really strong after the first couple of km and so enjoyed the run itself (and overtaking quite a lot of people was very satisfying too!). In fact, I was a bit sad that it was over so quickly, and think I could have had a good performance over a half marathon distance - maybe that'll be an option next year...

Will I never learn?!

Despite the fact that this happens every time I return to running after a break, I think i've increased my mileage too quickly over the last couple of weeks and all day I've had some niggling pains in both of my ankles, which have always been my "weak points", and prone to injury.  This is not good!! Just as I get back on track and feel positive and motivated, about both my training and my diet, something else goes wrong...and it's entirely my own fault.

I decided not to run this evening, and will wear supports on my ankles tomorrow - I'll probably still go out in the evening but may not do the 6 miles I'm planning.  I think I might also have to re-evaluate my expectation of reaching 1000 miles this year.  If I achieve it, but at the expense of causing myself an injury (rather than a bit of niggly pain that with a bit of rest I'm sure will resolve), I will jeopardise my 2012 marathon and ultra targets, and to be honest, they are more important than the 1000 miles.

I mustn't let myself get too annoyed...or too worried.  I am sure that if I take the next couple of days carefully, and reduce my total weekly percentage increases (yes, I know, should stick to 10%...but that just seems so low, maybe 15% will be ok!) I'll be absolutely fine.

But it amazes me that I've let this happen again!

Taking control

Well, after my post on Friday, unfortunately my eating is still a bit out of control....but I'm very glad I'm not the only runner who continues to struggle with my weight.

This morning I read the blog post below from Ben Davis over at bendoeslife.com (and in the photo) about him refocusing on his weight loss and facing up to the scales again after starting to regain some weight.  It's come at just the right time for me!  I've blogged about Ben before, but if you haven't seen his blog before, it charts his extraordinary journey over the last three years - he's lost 120lbs, run marathons and completed Ironmen events, and even created his own movement that has inspired people across the world to lose weight, get moving, and most importantly...to Do Life!  It's been fantastic following his blog, and while I'm struggling to get my eating under control again, it's good to know that someone like him can get a bit out of shape too...and hopefully I'm going to be able to join him in regaining control, one weigh-in at a time - starting tomorrow!

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November 13, 2011

I bought some new batteries for my scale. It died a couple months ago and I haven’t put any effort into getting new ones because I haven’t wanted to face the scale. All that changes today.

The fact is that I won’t be able to get through 52 marathons next year if I don’t drop some weight and get back into the shape I was in this summer leading up to Vineman Ironman.

And so begins 47 days of weighing myself.

A weigh a day.

Every morning I will roll out of bed and onto the scale.

But, Ben, isn’t weighing yourself daily a bad thing?

 Yeah, there are probably some dieticians and Women’s Health writers that have some psychological list of reasons you shouldn’t, but right now I need to wake up, every day, and face the results of the previous day’s actions—good or bad.

I will take my scale with me wherever I go.

I will put the effort in and I will see it reflected on the scale. Because that’s all it takes and I know it.

So join me tomorrow morning at 9 a.m. (pacific) and every morning for the next 47 days as I get ready for the new year

A weigh a day.

Party on, party people. 

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Thanks Ben...you're awesome! :)