Run, Forrest, Run

We've all seen Forrest Gump, right? We all know the part where Forrest is trying to run away from the bullies with his metal leg casts (or whatever they're called), he starts running, the casts break off, and he's able to run away while Jenny yells, "Run, Forrest, run!" Well, this particular part has caused many runners some grief. We've all heard people yell at us, "Run, Forrest, run" and what-not. If I had a dollar for every time someone has yelled this at me, I would have at least $500.

It is so annoying to me to have people yell at me while I'm running, I'm just talking about things related to the Forrest Gump movie. "Run, girl, run" or "run" or something along those lines. It really annoys me. If people yell, "run" at me, I usually yell back, "I am running, what are you doing?" If they yell, "Run, Forrest, run" to me, I usually yell back, "My name isn't Forrest, it's Maleah."

Honking is pretty obnoxious too. It really freaks me out when people honk at me. It's really loud, so it usually startles me. I'm pretty good about getting "into the zone" while I'm running. I don't think about anything, and I block everything out, and when someone honks......it just scares me.

Worse than yelling and honking is something that happened to me when I was in high school. When I got home and told my family the story, they thought it was really funny but I was really pissed off. I was out running close to home when this car pulled up beside me driving really slow and sprayed silly string in my face. I was so incredibly mad. It was obnoxious, rude, and why would anyone do that to a stranger?? I had no idea who were those guys were and they just pulled up next to me and shot me with silly string....grrrr. I was really, really mad, but everyone else thought it was funny.

Has anything like this happened to you?

800s for marathon training?

You betcha I do 800s as part of my marathon training. In fact, I did some this morning. If you don't know what an 800 is, then you should just stop reading my blog. An 800 is 1/2 a mile or 2 laps on a track, but really....if you didn't know that....just wow.

There's a marathon specific 800 workout called "Yasso 800s" that was created by Bart Yasso...if you don't know who he is, you can google him. Anywho...With Yasoo 800s, you try to build up to doing ten 800s in the same time as your marathon goal time. These are not done at marathon pace, they're faster than that. If you're goal marathon time is 3:40 (which is 8:23 per mile pace), then you try to hit each 800 at 3:40 (which is a 7:20 mile pace). If you're goal time is 2:50, you try to hit the 800s at 2:50. If you're goal time is 3:15, then you try to hit the 800s at 3:15.. Do you get it? It's pretty simple really.... Then between each 800, your recovery is a jog that is the same number of minutes that it took you to do the 800.

Now, you would want to start these a couple of months in advance, starting with just four 800s and then adding 1 each week until you reach 10. This workout really works. If you can do 10x800s at your goal marathon time, then you're definitely in shape to be able to hit it.

Don't forget about your normal marathon training though, you've got to get that in.

planning to fail

Nobody wants to plan to fail, right?
Well, in one of my classes last week we talked about something called the "Wallenda Factor," and I've been thinking about it a lot and figured I could share it with y'all.

You're probably thinking "wallenda what?" Well, it's named after this dude, Karl Wallenda. He was a circus performer, and he performed on the tight-rope with no nets. He did all kinds of performances that many (including myself) would consider insane. Well, he had learned how to walk the tight-rope when he was very young, and he was taught to never think about falling. He was taught to think about positive things and the performance. He had never thought about falling until a few months before his death. In the months leading up to his death when he was practicing, all he could think about was not falling. Well, he ended up falling to his death while performing.

Karl Wallenda performing on the tight-rope

Now, you're probably thinking....ok where is this going. Well, the wallenda factor is all about your outlook because your outlook can ultimately determine the outcome. If all you can think about is avoiding failure or the fear of failure, one fails.

Therefore, if all you can think about is failing or not doing well, then you're planning to fail. (now you get it).

We talked mostly about this in an administrative kind of way, but I think it could apply to running as well because negative thoughts can eat you up and hurt your performance. You're letting thoughts of failure take over...and you're defeated before you even start. I'm not going to run good because I don't feel good or I didn't get enough sleep or my hamstring is really tight or I tied my shoe too tight or it's too cold or a million other things....

You've got to change those nasty negative thoughts into positive ones. Think instead about how you're going to kick that certain person's butt or how you're going to get a good start or how you're going to finish strong or how you're going to work hard on the hills or how awesome it will be to win a "top ten finisher" T-shirt or how awesome you slept or a million other things. I personally, when they're getting ready to shoot the gun to start, I like to think either, "Let's kick some butt!!" or something like, "It's show time! Time to shine!" The whole point is that people who maintain a positive outlook and inner confidence emerge as winners.

So plan for success and kick some butt!!

My run is my drug!!

That's right! My run is my drug!! Someone from the team (they will remain unnamed, but you know who you are) made me aware of this video...and I had to share it!

 Leave me some comments if running is your drug!!!