Books I'm reading

 So much has happened in the last few months, it's hard to know where to start.  

*All of the links are to Amazon (unless it's linked to an old post of mine).  I get nothing from Amazon, just wanted you to see the books if you're interested.*

I usually do a yearly recap, but last year wasn't super exciting and and I did a runstreak recap, so I'm going to keep it at that.  

In my last post I talked about finding motivation to want to run, and I had read a book Reborn on the Run, which I really enjoyed.  Well, I bought several more and have read one and a half.  The one I finished is called "Out There: A Story of Ultra Recovery" by David Clark.  He was mentioned in "Reborn on the Run" so I looked him up.  He actually died a few years ago during surgery for a herniated disc, so it was a little difficult to read his story, especially since he talked about his first surgery for herniated discs and the recovery. 

The one I'm currently reading is "Eat & Run: My Unlikely Journey to Ultramarathon Greatness" by Scott Jurek.  I am enjoying this book, but he is a hardcore vegan and is obviously trying to sell that type of eating.  He says he's not pushing it, but then will say something like "anyone who is trying to be healthy and eat healthy will automatically eventually become vegan." He often describes meat as animal flesh, which it is, but is just a way of saying it's bad for you without saying it's bad for you. I disagree with that.  I believe you can eat animal products and be healthy.  I do see his reasoning on the hormones and things that our typical grocery meat is injected with, and I would like to eat more free range, and grass fed meat (the biggest problem is that Chris refuses to eat it).  Anyway, other than the hard push on veganism, I do enjoy the book.

(Yes, this is the third book in a row I've read about ultramarathoners, no, I do not desire to do it.  There is something inherent in an ultramarathoner that allows them to put up with the pain, and I don't have that. I think the most I would ever do is a 50k, which is only  miles more than a marathon, but still, I don't think I ever will.)

I have also bought "Out and Back: A Runner's Story of Survival Against All Odds" by Hillary Allen and "Broken Open: Mountains, Demons, Treadmills and a Search for Nirvana" by David Clark . . . interesting, I didn't realize that one was also by David Clark (the guy who died).  I guess we'll see how I like it.  I have a couple in my Amazon cart as well, but figured I should read these first and reevaluate.  

Are they motivating? Yes, I suppose so.  The book I'm reading now also talks a little about technique and breathing.  As I've mentioned many times, I do yoga with my sister, and we always skip the breathing parts, but Scott Jurek talks about how beneficial it is to running, he breathes completely through his nose, which I tried a little yesterday and it's hard! I felt more out of breath that way.  

I also signed up for the Everett Half Marathon that is on April 2nd.  I think that is really what is causing me to run farther.  Yesterday I ran 5 miles for the first time since October.  My last 5 mile run before that was in May.  I'm not really following a plan, I'm just increasing my miles and especially my long run each week.  I've got 9 weeks before the half and 2 of those I'm going to be out of town (they'll be my taper weeks).  I can do it, I just need to go run.  

I am super slow though.  It's hard to see the times on my runs lately, but I am trying to run easy on most of my runs, and keep my heartrate down.  We'll see what happens.

It's funny how things change.  When I first started running I had no idea what my heartrate was.  I just ran.  And I got fast.  When I was training for my first marathon I was running 4 miles at a 8.30mi/hr and my marathon was at a 10.20mi/hr.  This 5 mile run was slower than I ran my marathon.  My second marathon was 10.45mi/hr but that was for 26 miles.  I don't know if  I'll ever be that fast again.  I'd like to.  I would actually like to get under 4 hours for a marathon, but that's 9mi/hr which at the moment seems impossible.  Plus, I don't know if I'll ever do another marathon.  I guess if I ever speed up, I'll think about it.

Anyway, now I think about heartrate and breathing and posture, and I run slow.  Maybe I should just put on my music and run.  I never used to listen to audiobooks other than when I did my long runs and needed to run slower.  I didn't used to have a heartrate monitor on my wrist.  Maybe I should take that strategy again.

Now that I've wasted 5 or 10 min of your time 😉 I'll quit rambling.  I was going to talk about my blood pressure and my diet, but I rambled enough about books and running.  I'll try to touch on those things next time.  😊

Running thoughts

 Have you noticed I haven't been writing much?  I think this might be my record, 2 months without a post.  And I put off an important post, but I suppose it goes along with how my running has been going, for longer than the end of my run streak.  

My runstreak mainly only had me running a mile a day, but essentially I quit running awhile ago.  At least I quit running for any reason other than to keep my streak going.  The heart of it was gone.  

I don't know why, but I haven't been running much.  I think it's the rebellious part of me.  My head saying "I don't have to run if I don't want to," so I don't.  When I ended my runstreak I decided I should have some rules. I've always had running rules, long run on Sunday, never run on Monday, run on Thursday or Friday.  Things like that.  Well, I didn't want to go back to rules . . . I just got off one 4 year long rule of having to run every day, but I also didn't want to have no rules because that means I will quit running.  So I decided no going more than 2 days without a run.  

In December I decided I didn't want to run because it was cold.  We had a couple snow storms and an ice storm, but I was feeling guilty, so I started to go walk on my treadmill.  That actually helped a little, but then the week before Christmas I missed 3 days in a row and the week after Christmas I didn't run for 5 days (including January 1st).  I actually was sad I didn't run on New Year's day, it's the first year I haven't run on the first day of the year in years (even longer than my runstreak).  but we were coming back from E. WA that day, so I didn't have the time.  

I want to want to run, but I'm struggling with it.  What helped me to start in the first place was reading blogs, especially Katie at Runs for Cookies. I don't know if you've noticed, but blogs aren't very popular anymore and many (most) of the ones I started reading are gone.  And Katie doesn't talk much about running anymore (I still love reading hers, but it doesn't motivate me to run anymore).  So I bought a book.  I've enjoyed a couple of running books, "North" by Scott Jurek, "Running Man: A Memoir," by Charlie Engle, and "Fast Girl; running from madness," by Suzy Favor Hamilton.  I've also read "Wild: From lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail," by Cheryl Strayed (a movie I love with Reese Witherspoon), not a running book, but still inspires me. So I bought a book "Reborn on the Run," by Catra Corbett and Dan England.  I read it in two days.  😊  I also subscribed to Runner's World again.  I haven't been able to read it since my Mom died because she used to subscribe to it for me.  But I need the inspiration right now.

I have a couple other books in my Amazon cart, and I got a couple on Amazon Unlimited, so we will see.  "Reborn on the Run" was a really good book, and yes, it does make me want to run more.  Although Catra, the person the book was about, was an ultrarunner, and I don't have a desire to do that, even after reading her book, or maybe I should say, especially after reading her book.  

One of the things I've struggled with is moving.  I love my new house, but I miss my old neighborhood, and my running routes.  I lived within the same 5 block radius since I moved to Mount Vernon in 2007, even when we moved, I was still able to run the same routes I started on.  Burlington is nothing but dead end streets.  It annoys me. And in order to get even just 3 miles on residential streets (which I like), I have to run through the small downtown.  Otherwise it's running on the dike next to the river.  It's pretty, but I like the houses, I've always enjoyed looking at houses.  

Today I decided I'd go run and through the residential areas, and expected only to get 2 miles.  I ended up with over 3, but I also ended up having to run on a two lane highway for a little while because I misjudged where the trail starts next to that highway.  Where I was was still "residential" but is definitely a highway (Hwy 20) where the speed limit is higher than . . . say Pine St. in the middle of town.  I ended up walking the 0.4 miles after hitting 3 miles.  It is obvious that I'm losing some of my running fitness, I was a little sore after just 3 miles today.  

I think I'm going to sign up for a half marathon for the spring.  That will force me to run. My Mom's death caused me to lose as much interest in running and races, maybe my Dad's death will be my way back into running more.

The end of a 4 year streak

~Because it took me so long to finish this post, it ended up very picture heavy, not quite how I wanted to write it.  I just wanted to get it done. ~

I started this post the second week of November, I worked on it the first week of December and then have just kind of ignored it. I think this post is going to be a long one, and I just haven't wanted to take the time to write it.  Plus, I have so many thoughts about it, that it's hard to wrangle them into one space.  Often, lately (and by lately I mean the last several years) when I have a lot going on or a lot to share, I do just a picture post, but this one deserves more. 

I'm talking about the end of my run streak.

Maybe I'll start with the beginning of my run streak: 

    I have been kicking around the idea of a run streak.  I know that there is a popular one from Thanksgiving through New Year's.  I've never done a run streak, but for some reason, this year, it sounds interesting.  The rules of a run streak are that you have to run at least one mile every single day.  There was a story on the news a few weeks ago about a guy with the 5th longest run streak, he had ran for 40+ years, every day, one mile.  Then one day he was hurt and he quit mid-run.  I can't imagine running that much, I think he was in his late 70's when he quit.  Then I heard my supervisor and another lady at my work talking about their 100 day run streak (they didn't really do it though, they committed to 100 miles in 100 days but they counted a 5 mile run and then they didn't have to run for 4 days if they didn't want to, and neither one of them actually accomplished 100 miles in 100 days), but it got me thinking that it would be interesting if I could do it.

I am terrible at follow through, unless it's a race.  So I wonder if I can come up with some sort of reward for completing it.  I don't know what that would be though.  It has to be something I wouldn't do or get anyway. 

I wrote that on Oct. 22, 2018 and you can find it here, 

It's funny that I wrote "I'm terrible at follow through . . ."  That run streak lasted 4 years.  

I have thought a lot about why I decided to do it, and I look at the year I started, 2018.  That was a hugely significant year for me, it was the year I lost my Mom.  I know for a fact that I started school (master's degree) as a result of losing her, I needed something to take my thoughts away from the pain and memories.  But did I start a run streak because of it?  Maybe, not consciously, but maybe.  I also stopped running races.  Oh I ran a few, in 2018 I ran ones I had already committed to, plus the one I found while we were in Ocean Shores and the half marathon on my Mom's birthday that year. But I really lost the desire to run races after my Mom died.  I think it was the idea at the time that there were such bigger things than races.  

I know that one of the reasons I kept running every day was because of my Dad.  I've suspected for years that deep down my Dad wanted to be a runner.  When I was in high school (and younger) I loved running. (You can read how and when I learned I loved running here.) My Dad would challenge me to a race, he always won, of course, but I enjoyed it.  When I started running I decided to do Bloomsday  because he mentioned thinking about doing it.  He talked about doing it every year that my sister and I have, and he even started training for it (walking) 6 or 7 years ago but he got sick and never really got back into training.  Anyway, every time I talked to my Dad he would ask me "Still running?" and I would say yes and give him the number of days of my run streak.  I think he enjoyed that I was doing it.  

So what does 4 years of daily running look like?  Well, I've run everywhere (well, I never did run in an airport and always thought that would be cool).  I ran back and forth (and back and forth and back and forth) in a hospital room when Maddox had his appendix taken out. 

I didn't realize that happened right after I started my runstreak.  That picture was taken Thanksgiving 2018, which I started the streak the first of November 2018.

Races

In June of 2019 I ran my first (and only) Ragnar, which also was my last in person race.  My Dad came over and "followed" me while I ran.  He often asked when I was going to do it again.  I had decided to do it, mainly for him, but then he died.  I don't really have a desire to run another Ragnar.

ragnar

I did a few virtual runs, this one, the Tulip Run, was the last Tulip run I did.  I have not done it since, and it used to be one of my "always" runs from the very beginning of my running journey. 

Trips

At the end of February of 2019 I went to Hawaii with my sister and brother-in-law (and Chris).  I will say, Hawaii is my most favorite run ever.  If I go back, I will probably run everyday while there.  I love it, even when I feel like I don't want to or don't have time, I still love it.

And then in August of 2019 my Dad took us on a cruise to Alaska.  

I will say it over and over, Hawaii running is my favorite.  There is no better view.  These two were in 2021 and I can't wait to go back so I can run there again . . . well, and do all the fun sun things.  😊

I ran in Long Beach, WA.

In 2019, I ran in Idaho while there for my 20 year college class reunion.

I ran at the Grand Canyon, sadly I didn't run along the Canyon, I wish I had.  If we had gone when the original trip was planned, with my Dad, I would have been able to because our hotel was right along the Canyon.  However, he died a month before that trip was supposed to happen so was postponed.  

We went to Vancouver, WA a couple times in the last few years for different family (Chris's family) events.  I think this one was his Grandma's 90th birthday party in 2021.

In 2020 we went to Deer Lake 3 times between March and September, the most we had ever been there in one year.  Somehow, we have continued to do long weekends, as well as our yearly August trip since then.  I ran every day while there.  

Pandemic

I ran through a pandemic, seeing deer in the middle of town in the middle of the day.

The creepiest run I've done in a long time, through a cemetery in the fog.

Also, in 2020 being cooped up at home forced social issues to be realized, or was at least highlighted.  "Irunwithmaud" was the hashtag after Armaud Arbery was murdered by men who chased him while he ran.  

In 2017 (pre-run streak), I started having a pain in my leg that I found out was caused by arthritis in my hip.  I had been pretty much ignoring it, until sometime in the last 4 years.  I found this stuff, Dragon Balm, which has CBD oil and rubbed it on my trouble areas.  It smells terrible but worked okay.  Then I started doing yoga with my sister in 2021 and that has almost completely alleviated the pain from my arthritis (I still recommend this stuff though).

Kids

I ran with my kids, even Asher, who was the cutest runner partner I had.  He just bounced, and bounced while I ran on my treadmill.  😄

Eastern Washington

In 2022 I ran in eastern WA a lot.  I was there monthly dealing with my dad's house.  I have so many pictures there.  I ran the day my Dad died, and I ran the day after he died.  (On a side note, I remember my first run after my Mom died, she died of a lung disease and being out of breath made me think of her.  It was maybe my hardest run ever. But it wasn't during my runstreak.)

My most favorite running picture ever.

In 2019 they did repairs on the highway close to my Dad's house so they closed several miles of it.  I grew up there, never walked on that highway, but that year, I got to run on it.

This was actually December of 2021, it was sub-zero temperatures and I ran around the barn 4 times (I think) to get to one mile because it was easier than running on the road. 

Same area, different season.

Milestones

I reached one year on my runstreak and thought I was so clever to write "365" on my route.  It wasn't until a day later, after I posted on Facebook, that a friend of mine asked why I ran "E65."  😂😂

My two year runstreak anniversary . . . I swore I took a different picture, but I can't find it, and this was taken on Oct. 31, 2020, so it has to be the one.  

I thought 900 days in a row was a big deal, so I decided to try to write a number again and was much more successful than E65.  

For 2021 I went to a trail near my house and did my runstreak anniversary run.  

2022 was a year I didn't do anything exciting for my runstreak anniversary.  I think I may have even been sick that year.

And my last day of my "official" runstreak.  I actually ended up running two more days after this because the weather was so nice.  But the reason I ended it was so I could run when I wanted to, not because I felt I had to.  So I ran . . . because I wanted to.  (Although I did joke with my sister that it was runstreak days 1 and 2.)

Seasons

Obviously I ran through all seasons.  Fall and spring are my favorite, but not while it's raining or windy.

It wouldn't really count if I didn't include the season of rain (which is about 10 months of the year)

I ran on Christmas day and in the snow (which I love).  I love running while it's snowing, as long as there isn't snow already on the road.  😊

This was after a treadmill run.  I was so hot, I thought a snow angel would be a great way to cool down.  It was . . . maybe too cool though.  I think I much prefer the method of cooling down in the pool after a hot run during the summer.  😂

Treadmill running

I think 2022 was the year of the treadmill . . . and the one mile runs.  However, these pictures span from 2018 to the end of my runstreak.

My brand new treadmill.

Maybe I'm not running in this picture, but I did, at the beginning of the pandemic, walk a lot on my treadmill while I worked from home.  Once I got my "closet office" I quit doing it, but it was really nice for a while.  

The end