Confession #1 of Thousands

I don't like to walk for exercise. There is something about it that conflicts with my ADHA sense of exercise. I walk, don't misread me, I walk everywhere I can - long distances, but it's not for exercise, it's for all those other reasons, see the sights, get fresh air, window shop, see people, mumble my latest and greatest book plot to myself and so on. Many times it's not even that grand, rather it's cold and the next bus will be 20 minutes, so walk and stay warm or play Suduko on my Blackberry and wait for the bus.

So for all of you who feel my frustration and the idea of doing the walk for 1 minute, run for X minutes here is a solution from the latest Runner's World - that in essence not only makes it easier for you with short attention spans and an urge to move, but also can be parlayed into speed work.

Even if you aren't a beginner and a seasoned runner - it gives you something intentional to do on those days that are just too cold, icy or dangerous in any which way to get out there.

It does work best on a treadmill:

7 minutes at 5.5mph (or faster or slower), then increase in .2mph speed for every step down in time, so then:
6 minutes at 5.7
5 minutes at 5.9 and so on.
Not only does it get you moving (aka: jogging/running) more then you would before, there is also at least for me a greater sense of time moving along. When it's all done you've 28 minutes and covered somewhere around 3 miles, that's just one set!

Photo: http://flickr.com/photos/66535891@N00/2701310395/

Vegan Vendredi

Vegan Fridays doesn't quite have the same wonderful alliterative quality to it. Veganism is one of those taboo subjects for many, especially runners who believe that we are best served by animal protein. I am going to say I'm on the fence - as post vegan (2 years) I felt substantially better as a vegan, however, it is a time consuming lifestyle for one person with a 8-4 job, 2 hours of commuting and post grad part time education on their plate.

When I have time I do make this as a way to use up whatever I've got going a little "sprouty."

1 potato
1 sweet potato
1 can rinsed chickpeas
1/2 yellow onion diced
1/4-1/2 c. hot water
2 T Indian curry paste

Combine the above, place on a cookie sheet and cook at 400-450F until tender - you do not need to grease your cookie sheet - if you're concerned about sticking a Silpat sheet is a wonderful investment for your kitchen. Add peas, raw cashews, chopped tomatoes or anything else you would like, spinach would be good too. Heat until warmed through, toss with cilantro. Serve with homemade roti, or you can purchase roti at large supermarkets. I normally have mine with mango chutney.

Marathons - The New Black?

Tina Fay proudly said "B*tch was the new black" when Hillary was running for the nomination, and maybe she was right, but I think we have a new black. A new staple, a new go to, ever popular event that might just be less excruciating then running for the Democratic nod. Marathons. I will say I have never run one, though my goal is to this year finish one if not two. It is a monumental decision in many respects and in many ways just as all consuming as an election, though a marathon is likely a far healthier goal.

This blog will in many ways cover the highs and lows of training, but the goal is not those finish lines, but rather to find a way to laugh, love and enjoy the process of running in life. Life is in many ways a continuous race, and no I'm not referring to that "rat race" we all seem to through ourselves into - but rather a cyclic process of starting and finishing in succession. We start school, we finish - some of us quickly and elated, and others it might as well have been an ultra marathon started with no training. And so the process begins again. A new stage of my life began this year and running as become my way of training the rest of my life for the roads ahead, those travelled and those untraveled.

I hope that this will be a place for seasoned vets to find new ideas and places and for all those somewhere earlier on the road to find some solace and community. Happy Running!!