A weekend without running

Margreet, 95 & Margreet, 41

Unless you plan to fit your training into your days, it simply doesn't happen. This past weekend I had thought of doing a 10km run, and a longer, 20-ish km.

A joint run turned into a chat over coffee, while the rest of the day was also full including with a Christmas performance by a local choir that couldn't have been more Dutch (I am talking arm in arm, swinging left to right, and back again, while singing along to songs in 1,2,3-rhythm.

The choir consisted of at least 40 singers, including about 10 guys, and was accompanied by three people playing accordeon, a bass guitarist and a drummer. Aside from a few grandchildren, I was easily the youngest in the audience which had a surprising number of guys - I assume husbands of choir members, though they were happily singing along. It was a fun afternoon with my mom.

On Sunday, my 95-year-old grandmother came to visit my parents' home; I drove an hour pick her up, and back to my parents' place, where we had a great lunch and afternoon, before my mom and I drove her back home at night, another 2-1/2 hour round trip. A fantastic weekend, but no running.

As a result, my mileage for the week didn't get beyond 35km, a little short of the 60km I had had in mind. So this morning, Monday, I made sure to get out for a long-ish run. I'd used gmap pedometer to map out a square that took me from Dronten, to Biddinghuizen, and back. It's a funny thing about running in de polder to pretty much see the entire 21km lap that you're going to run. It's comforting and intimidating at the same time.

The weather was, again, surprisingly good, and it didn't take long before I put my woolen hat in the back pocket of my beautiful IMJ Coaching shirt, and my lightweight black Hema running gloves joined it soon. My iPod had run out of juice but it didn't matter. After 30 minutes I was in a rhythm that made me think of an unstoppable train so I only had to stay along for the ride.

I was back in about 1 hour 45 minutes, and had a quick shower before rushing off to get my second pedicure during this visit. She asked me if I enjoyed my break from training and was a little surprised that a 21km run was considered a break. Apparently my feet are somewhat on the mend, though she urged me to find someone back home in Squamish, too.

I can't believe it's almost time to leave the Netherlands for Canada again. It's been a great visit. Having said that, I am also looking forward to sinking my teeth in writing a new book and training for the Vancouver Marathon.

The joy of schedules

After happily enjoying my day without running yesterday after all, I headed out for an easy 10km this morning just before 9:30am. It was a relaxing run, during which the only effort I had to make was to slow myself down now and then, as it was meant to be an easy session.

I took a route that followed both concrete and soft paths, divided about 50-50. My parents and I had a quiet breakfast, after I had gotten up a little earlier to make progress in the novel I am reading by Dutch author Abdelkader Benali, Zandloper (Sandrunner). As I am already leaving in four days, and still have another Dutch book I'd like to read before then, De Mens als Duurloper (Man as Distance Runner) by Jan Knippenburg, I wanted some quiet time to read before the rest woke.

The day ahead was already planned, from start to finish; I didn't need to think about it. After reading, we'd have breakfast, then I'd run. My run was scheduled, simple. Then we'd leave to visit my grandmother, an hour's drive one way, followed by a visit to an aunt I hadn't seen for several years in a village nearby.

There's an easy simplicity to a day that is already taken care of in terms of activities, especially if they are familiar, yet very different from the usual routine and leave room for flexibility. I didn't need to wonder how to make the most of the day; I only needed to do it.

I don't recall what was on my mind during my run this morning, probably because my mind was at ease. I briefly considered the cold I heard my aunt had when my mom called her this morning; I didn't want to catch it just as I was ramping up my training. Not that one ever wants a cold but I especially do not want on now. Training has begun, the training to be ready to start the real training for the Vancouver Marathon.

The real training as in the new program that I will follow. The program with record volume (for me). The program that is new, and still familiar, and leaves flexibility. From today, until the day of the Vancouver Marathon on that first Sunday in May I know exactly, to the day, each session that I will do. That is a thought I like. It brings hope, possibility and peace of mind.

In Zandloper, the main character has already arrived in Marocco for a training camp. He asks the manager about the training program, the schedule, for the camp when he is told (English translation is mine):

"There are no training schedules," he said.
My heart sank. Runners know what I mean when I stress the importance of a training schedule. We long for training schedules, always better training schedules that are tailored to us, suit us better than our life partner. Without a schedule you don't head out the door, so only a runner understands how disappointed I was, somewhat numbed too, when he told me that there was no such thing as a training schedule.

I am not sure that my new training schedule fits me better than my life partner, but I believe it is a better program, but only because I am a better runner now than when I began the previous schedule. In any case, I am starting to get very excited about following it as of January 1.

Reluctance turns into 75-minute run

There's a type of weather in the Netherlands called veranderlijk, also wisselvallig, which means changeable. Today was exactly that. As I had my morning coffee in my parents' sunroom reading Zandloper by Abdelkader Benali at about 8am, torrential rain pelted down on the ceiling window.

The clouds were too thick and heavy for the sunlight to arrive as it should by this time in the morning. I couldn't help feeling reluctant towards the 10km run, an easy jog, that was on today's schedule. Even when the sun had made it through the cover, also scaring away the rain, I had that familiar sense of the blahs about today's session.

It happens, for various reasons. This time it was in part because of the early rain; it felt like a day to stay inside. 

I knew that today's struggle for motivation to head out the door was probably also because of the pace at which I had run my recent sessions, faster than I should right now to keep up with my mom's bike speed. Even a few seconds per kilometre too fast for a couple of workouts can make the body and mind resist the next session.

But I need to run; I want to run. It's time to commit to the program again. In three weeks, I'll be running a 104km week, and my body needs to prepare. So I promised myself that I'd head out for an easy run, and that I could limit it to 6km if the mental weariness failed to disappear once my body was warmed up. That thought felt much better; I can always deal with a relaxed half-hour jog. Mentally and physically.

With a few things on my mind, as I headed out under moody skies, it took only 26 minutes for the mental chaos to transform into the peaceful apparent nothingness that each runner knows and loves. I never stop marvelling at the way that simply happens.

With my mind at ease, my body was too. A smooth rhythm and a pace only a few seconds per kilometre slower than in the past few sessions, I felt like I could run forever as I followed an unpaved path around the outskirts of Dronten.

Dark purple skies and tall trees planted in neat rows were lit up by the sun. Crazy clouds piled on top of each other were part of the beautiful vista. By then I decided that instead of the 10km I was meant to do, I'd run the 13km on tap for Friday, swapping the workouts.

Not long after the rain came down again, long enough that I could feel the water on my skin through my clothes. I ended the session with eight 100-metre strides, and felt completely reenergized towards training by the time I arrived back home after the 75-minute run.

Tomorrow is a day off, and I am almost sad about that. I guess that means more energy and enthusiasm for Friday's run.

A Hundred Reasons to Run 100km

Recently I did a book giveaway through Goodreads for A Hundred Reasons to Run 100km. Three of the five winners have read and reviewed it on the Goodreads site.

Here are some of their comments (read the entire reviews here):

 ... I started running in August, and have recently decided that I want to work towards running a marathon. Since graduating high school, where I ran cross country, I haven't run a race of any length, and even those were only 3 mile races.

Honestly, I am so far from 100km I was worried that the book would not pertain to me at all, but I was interested in what would motivate someone to go that distance. I was pleasantly surprised to find that this book has a lot of reasons that apply to why someone should get out and run a race, any race.

I also enjoyed the variety of stories in the book about other runners' stories as well as her own. Learning about people who started running later in life, or hearing about Dietz's husband's support for her runs was inspirational and helped me feel more normal for wanting to run, even though I haven't in years. I also learned a lot about races in general, including nutrition, what family members do during the race, what Iron man races involve, as well as many other things...

I do recommend this book, and as my 10km, half marathon and marathon approach, I plan on reading it again for the quotes and wisdom and the motivation that it does provide. If you are looking for a book to motivate you to run and to give quotes and anecdotes to do so, and can look past the format and the somewhat repetitive reasons, then this book is for you.

- Lisa (4 out of 5 stars)

...I must say I love the 'idea' of running and would like to be able to run at least a 1/2 marathon one day (I'm not getting any younger, so I"d better literally get moving!) so I'm hoping this will give me the needed motivation.

Just finished it and it was good. Great tips and even a runner's ultra checklist at the back of the book. I'm pretty sure I will never run a 100km but walking it in a few days or with a team sounds intriguing.

- Becky (3 out of 5 stars)

Great little motivator. I won this book on a good reads giveaway and since I finished I have started my journey to run a marathon. 100K is still a ways off but this book is a great inspiration to those who run or want to begin running.

- Jason Jones (5 out of 5 stars)

If you'd like a chance to win one of two free copies of From my Mother, a novel, please enter the Goodreads Book Giveaway until December 15 (US addresses only).

Goodreads Book Giveaway

From My Mother

by Margreet Dietz

Giveaway ends December 15, 2011.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win