no, i have not become an official spokesperson for nike. i am just using the above quotation as motivation for completing one of my life goals: running a race.
friends, i am not a runner. i played sports competitively in high school but after that even the fancy uva treadmills and extremely high population of runners and all-around svelte i-look-like-i-must-run types could not get me into the gym more than a couple times a week.
but, as i am told, there is no time like the present to change. and change i must. when i evaluated my goals for the 2011 year, i included 'run a race... any race' in the long list. honestly, i had not put much thought into actually putting effort into accomplishing said goal until two dear friends (and bridesmaids!) approached me with the hungry glint of persuasion in their eyes.
and, thus, a few weeks later and a few runs in, i am signed up to run the Philadelphia half-marathon. that is not a typo. 13.1 miles for this non-runner will be happening in a few short months. and, for once in my running career, i am motivated! i'm excited. i'm committed. i mean business. i even have a running plan!
so, here is where you come in! i'd really love any and all advice from you runners out there. how do i stay motivated? any great jams i should be listening to while i jog? i've heard that books on tape are a great way to pass the time (especially since i will be running for over TWO hours. when i did the math on that one, i nearly bailed.) any good recommendations?
would love to hear from you!
oh, yes, i think books on tape are just wonderful for this! the library always has some. and, you may be more self-disciplined than i, but i simply cannot focus listening to a sermon while running for an hour...but, i can focus and enjoy listening more to a bible "story" with a little commentary; my most recent playlist is old testament survey by stuart (biblicaltraining.org), though it is currently on hold with the whole ankle ordeal and all! anyway, something like ot theology would be too much, but survey...just right :) and, i just discovered christianaudio.com which has a free audio book download every month!
ReplyDeletei shall have to send you all a little mp3 via momma in italy (actually reliable unlike the november letter i sent that JUST arrived in the states today!) for all three of you.
love,
your official runner friend who is so sad she is missing the race with you all (gotta admit it, never thought i'd see this day!), though you should be be happy, as the ocean that separates us makes you free from one with a proclivity for critiquing running stride, arm pump and quality of shoes, implementing interval training, and all the wonders of mad molly life. don't blame me. it's all tommy twister's influence.
Molly totally beat me to this, since I was going to recommend the same exact 2 resources! I get all my good ideas from her anyway...
ReplyDeleteThe free book download of the month is Sproul's "The Holiness of God," maybe we can be listening to that together??
Love the Nike quote! hahaha.
Woo hoo!! I'm so excited for you! Yes, I definitely agree that running to an audiobook is a must. I JUST discovered how amazing this is last month and wish I had known sooner. Hour-long runs will fly by! Molly seems to have great suggestions. I had just been using iTunes, but it can be quite expensive so the library sounds like a great option.
ReplyDeleteWhile it is hard to stay focused on a sermon while running, I have found that I can focus while listening to Matt Chandler (pastor at The Village Church). His sermons are free through Podcasts. I don't know if it's his vocal inflections or what, but he holds my attention (and has solid biblical teaching).
I do enjoy mixing it up with a good "pump yourself up" playlist, too.
When are you running this Half??!!
Hey Mallory! I know it's been forever but I've been keeping up with your Blog because I find it super cute and lovely to read each week.
ReplyDeleteAnyway, I thought I would let you know you can message me anytime with your running woes and questions. I find running in visually stimulating places, like parks and neighborhoods with cute houses to admire is the best way to help the time go by along with having a running partner to join you on your long treks. If I find a neighborhood I like I use mapmyrun.com to find a good loop that matches my mileage for that particular day. Running in new places gives me that extra motivation to get out the door then just doing the same ole run everyday.
Like I said, feel free to message me anytime and keep up the good blogging!
ladies! i feel so encouraged and like i have a whole team of cheerleaders behind me. thank you! i'll definitely be heeding your advice in the months to come. you all are amazing!
ReplyDeleteI am so excited for you mallory! I love running now, and i started out i couldn't run at all. Two minutes was my limit. If you are determined and stick with it, amazing things will happen, I promise.
ReplyDeleteAs for running advice, I would say, first of all, make sure you have the right shoes. I suggest asics because they are good for distance, but there are so many different types of asics. And other brands of course, are probably just as good, you just have to find the right shoe for you. Secondly, running with other people is extremely important. Nothing makes 6 miles, or 13.1 miles, pass more quickly than some talking with a friend.
Good luck mallory!