Whew!

Saturday's run was really hard. Wonder why that could be. Well, don't know for sure...so I'm just thinking out loud...

(1) I skipped TWO runs last week and my muscles apparently had atrophied in just 5 days.

(2) We ran a different route and this one was hilly. I guess that we use different muscles when negotiating the hills, and my muscles were none too thrilled! I went home and just thought that my legs were going to stop working.

(3) 6 miles is far!!! And in my case, long too. I am so darn slow that it took me 2 hours to run it. I am attributing my particularly slow pace to the aforementioned hilly course.

Many of you know that I love to take a Shabbos shluffy. Typically, I like to nap in the early afternoon but since I've taken up running, I find that an additional nap right after my run (shower first, of course) helps me make it through the day.

This past Saturday, unfortunately, saw no time for a nap. (*sigh*) With the children's huge bday bash on Sunday, we had not a moment to lose. After my shower, there were tables and chairs to pick up, haircuts, cleaning, and a bday dinner for Beernut (child #1). A 35 minute shluff in the mid afternoon just didn't cut it.

When I woke up yesterday morning, my entire body ached. I really didn't know how I was going to make it through the pre-party prep, let along the party itself. Thanks to a terrific husband, an amazing brother, and a fabulous girlfriend, the party came off without a hitch. Well, one minor meltdown by the bday boy -- but other than that, another successful fete at the "Bull" household.

I knew that there was no way that I was going to get up and run this morning. Today was the first day of summer camp, and I'm the Camp Rabbi. I had hoped to get in a run after camp -- but senior camp staff meeting take precedence. I think that I might need to start bringing my running gear with me to work so that I can fit in a run as soon as camp is over. It's a bit hillier here than our usual route, but I imagine that it will help my endurance and overall strength. What do you think??

Motivation

I just didn't feel like running last night. I put it off and put it off and put it off and then finally felt so guilty that at 9:00pm, I finally laced up my running shoes and ran out the front door. (Don't tell my grandparents -- they'd freak!)

I chose a really well-lit and highly populated area to run and for the first time, I did a solo run without my walkman...er, iPod! (Old lingo dies hard!)

I just didn't want to run. It was late and I was tired...and there were a dozen reasons why. And no, I didn't run the entire 4 miles I was scheduled to run. I ran 1.5 miles and then walked the remaining 2.5 miles -- yeah, Mom and Dad, I did the math myself ;)

The sad thing is that I walk at about the same pace I run -- so it didn't take me too much longer to walk it. I imagine that my speed will increase as I get better at this.

I really wanted to quit last night. Not the whole project. I just wanted to quit last night's run. And then I thought of you, dear reader. The same you who has supported this endeavour of mine. The same you who faithfully follows my journey to athletic greatness.

When I got home, I did something that I never thought I would do -- I took an ice bath. Yes, you read that correctly. Apparently there was a shift in thinking from when I was a kid. If you have a sore muscle, don't use heat. Remember -- ice is nice! So I immersed myself in a frigid tub of water (completely layered on top with sweatshirts) and sat in it for about 15 minutes. I had a book with me and that really took my mind off the reality that I was sitting in extremely cold water!

And when I woke up...nothing. No soreness. For the first time - hooray!

To be continued...

Show Me The Money

So you know that in addition to pushing myself physically, I am also responsible for raising a whole bunch of money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Well, I am humbled by the overwhelming response I've had from so many dear friends and loved ones!! To date, I have raised over $3,700.00 for cancer research and patient services. And I am not done -- I have raised my goal to $4,200.00 (with the secret hope to raise it to $5,400.00 -- which is 300 X chai).

My point -- it seems that one of my husband's friends has been witholding his donation until such point I was able to run 6 miles. Apparently, 6 miles represents some type of benchmark, I don't know. Initially, it irked me. After all, I'm not a runner. So the 2 mile mark was a benchmark. So was 3 miles, and so forth. Having run 6 miles on Saturday -- yes, you read that right -- I can't say there is anything magical about that number. Since we run a looped route on Saturday mornings, it is only another 0.5 mile to get to the 6 mile total mark. And I had the added incentive this week ;)

So -- you know who you are -- show me the money!

**UPDATE**
06/27/04 - no donation yet...
07/04/05 - ran 8 miles on Saturday and my first 5K...but no money yet!!
07/21/05 - chai X 10 -- thanks for the support!

Learning through Distress

Uuuuuuuuuuuuughhhhhhhhh!

It was an awful run last night. I was in a cruddy mood and it really affected my run. I didn't enjoy it and didn't even feel a great deal of satisfaction when it was over. I just felt sweaty and tired.

It really was not a great run. For the first time in several weeks, I had to take some walking breaks. My calves were just in agony...so I would slow down and then speed up again.

It turns out that I was engaging in fartlek...not to be confused with fartek (one of my favourite Yiddish words) which is a different thing altogether. Fartlek is Swedish for "speed-play" is a training technique that came into vogue in the 1930's, and consists of intermingling periods of varying speeds in order to build strength and speed into one's training.

You learn something new every day!

The Best Laid Plans...

I did not run yesterday.

I meant to...

But I didn't!

I think that I have decided that I just can't do the early am runs during the week. Or rather, my circadian clock has decided it for me.

I am not, nor have I ever been, a morning person. Some people are morning people. They naturally rise with the birds, happy to greet a new day with a cheerful disposition.

My cheerful disposition doesn't even emerge until half past 10:00.

According to family legend, when my parents first brought me home from the hospital, I slept soundly and did not stir until 9:00am. My parents were the envy of all their friends. There must be some truth to the story because my sister followed not long after!! Still to this day, if left undisturbed, I will sleep until 9:00am.

And then I had children. Children who rise with the sun. Real funny, God!!

In any event, I just couldn't drag myself out of the house yesterday. PC (short for Prince Charming, my husband!) suggested that I run after work. When I reminded him that I would get home after 8pm, he said that I could still run then and it would be a great way to end my day. A run in the twilight would be calming.

Very supportive...

I indeed got home after 8pm...and he thought it would be a good idea to get him some dessert on the way home!!

So much for the run ;)

Better luck tonight!! Hope he enjoyed his pie -- cuz I have a date with the road after work!!

I'm always the last to know...

I think that I've decided that I enjoy running much more when I run at the end of my day rather than at the beginning. I ran at the end of my day yesterday and it was just a nice way to end the day. Plus, then I can go right to bed and not feel guilty!!

Running at the end of the day allows me time to ruminate about the day lived rather than worry about the day as it stretches before me. Unless I begin to worry about the next day, and then the whole point of running as relaxation is for naught.

I ran a new route yesterday. The change was nice. And I ran into some congregants from my former congregation. I think of them as former congregants, but it occurs to me that one might infer that they no longer affiliate with the congregation. Actually, I no longer affiliate with that congregation -- as far as I know, they meet their membership responsibilites in a timely fashion. In any event, it was nice to chat with people whom I have not seen in a long time and share with them my latest endeavour. It was also nice to find out how their supernice kids are doing. You know those kids that are just really nice kids? The ones that are polite, respectful, smart, etc. This family was blessed with TWO of them -- I have to attribute it to the parents, who are also polite, respectful, smart, etc.

My Grandmother mentioned something interesting at shul on Sunday night. In reference to my marathon training, she said, "anyone who knows you would believe that you can accomplish anything you set your mind to." Interesting. I guess that I really always am the last to know!!

Saturday Runs

The Saturday runs are the most challenging and yet the easiest.

What makes it challenging?Each week, our distance increases. Last week, it was a 4 mile run. This week, it was a 5 mile run. Next week is a 6 mile run, and then for some Godforsaken reason, we increase by two miles each week. I presume that there is some method to the madness. Not the increase. I get that. It's the 2 mile increase that gets me. That's a big increase.


Challenging yet easy?
Running with a group. Yuck -- you just can't give up when you have people supporting you. A positive, I suppose, because they really keep you on track. However, what if I really want to slack off?? My precious "tortoises" won't let me give up (thanks, girls!!)

Maybe there really is strength in numbers.


What makes it the easiest?
We start at the same starting point each week, run the sam route, and just add on to the end. There is a great deal of satisfaction in marking one's progress according to the landmarks. For example, during the first run -- which was a mile run to the Pier and back -- I struggled mightily and walked a great deal of the way. Now, I can make it to the Pier with little effort. As I proceed down the beach path, I pass the landmarks that had previously been very tough to reach. I really feel as though I can measure my increased endurance and success by running the same route.

So what do I learn from this?
Besides the obvious (that a 2 mile increase is insane), I understand that we should rely on the landmarks to help measure our growth and successes. Without being obnoxiously rabbinic, overcoming challenges that would have waylaid us earlier in our lives can serve as important landmarks on our internal journey.

Sermon over!

Take That All You Naysayers!!

5 Miles!! You read that right. I ran 5 miles today!! Take THAT -- all you naysayers.

And I know that you are out there. You say you are impressed while harbouring the strong feeling that I'll never make it. I see it in your eyes. I hear it in your voice.

Well, take THAT -- because I can do it! Three weeks ago, I couldn't even run 1 mile without stopping. Now I can run 5. Nothing can stop me!!!

Going to take a nap now...

Hooray!

It was NOT a fluke!!! I ran 4 miles tonight without stopping, proving that my run on Saturday was not a fluke. I can actually run 4 miles ;) In the interest of full disclosure, I must report that I came close to quitting about 16 times. Every time I started a lap, I decided that it was my last one...that I just couldn't run any more. And then I'd get to the end of that lap and think to myself, "heck, I can keep going..." The first 2 miles are really the hardest for me. After that, it actually gets easier. Hooray!

And so it begins...

21 May 2005

The first day of training!!! I awaken at an un-Godly hour, very nervous. Everything I am wearing today is new -- my shoes, shorts, support bra, training "singlet" (fancy name for a running shirt), etc. I had a filling but not too filling breakfast and had post-run snacks.

Who was this person??

I was encouraged by the number of people who had never run before. But after having conversations with several of these so-called beginners, I discover that many had actually run in high school. Not me! I was the kid who was hiding in the bushes, waiting for the rest of gym class to run by and head into the locker room.

But now my coach (my what!) refers to me as an athlete and before I know it, we are pounding the pavement.

In the movie version, I keep up with the pack, displaying a perfect stride.
In reality, I am the slowest one and look like a sloth gasping for air.

My shins hurt...my back hurts...even my fat hurts.
I can't even manage to run the entire 2 miles.

But I do my best and collapse into bed when I get home.


27 May 2005

This first week is over...whew!

I actually managed to drag myself out of bed three days this week to run. A bit of an overstatement. Some running and a lot of walking.

I wrote the following to my mentor:

"All I can say is O-U-C-H! I really hurt yesterday. But I got up and ran at 5:45 this morning!!! Well, some running and a lot of walking! Hopefully by the end of the week I can do more running and less walking. I completed the 2 miles in 30 minutes. At that rate, I should finish the marathon in just under 7 hours – UGH!! I am less concerned about the time than I am about the fact that I am still walking more than I am running. I assume that within a couple of weeks that will flip flop??"

Still waiting for the flip flop!! We'll see how the group run is tomorrow...supposedly I'll be running 3 miles!


29 May 2005

I ran more that I walked yesterday...but the three miles was really tough! When I say that I am the slowest runner...I am not being hyperbolic in any way! I run with the slowest group (we've named ourselves "The Tortoises," and let's just say that I'm the slowest tortoise!!! However, my mentor Ellen reminded me that as long as I'm not planning on winning the damn race, it doesn't matter how long it takes me to finish!


7 June 2005

I was in NYC this past week for the National Jewish Book Council meetings. NYC is THE city for runners. Apparently 7,000 people run through Central Park each day! Amazing! What is even more amazing is that I was one of them ;)

Yes, I almost blew off my training this week, citing accute time-zone issues. Is that bad to write here? That I was going to flake during my second week of training?? Anyway, some of the other people attending the meeting were going to run and I found myself swept up in the peer pressure.

All I can say is that Central Park is a bit hillier than my usual jogs around the neighbourhood. The two miles in CP was killer for me. And you can be sure that I complained about the entire time.

But what was most amazing is that when I returned home, I was able to do the 4 mile run without stopping!!! And I feel so awesome about that. A true accomplishment for this former non-athlete.

Of course, I overslept yesterday and missed my run so I've yet to see if I can repeat the magic -- I'll update after tomorrow's run ;)

Wish me luck...

Welcome!

It was recently suggested that I archive my efforts as I train for the Nike Women's Marathon in October of this year. For those who know me, you can certify that I am not from the athletes. I have never run a mile in my entire life. Not even in high school! I was the kid who was hiding the bushes, waiting for the rest of gym class to head back into the locker room.

So why start now??

An honest question. One that I have been asked many time since I began this quest just three weeks ago.

Let me share with you the letter that I have sent to over 150 of my friends, family members, and colleagues:

Dear Friends,

Blood related cancers will strike 110,000 American this year! They are also the #1 disease killers of children.

All of my professional life, I have been active in acts of gemilut chasadim (acts of loving kindness) and tzedakah (righteous giving). Each act, however, was undertaken by me in my capacity as a Rabbi. Now, I am doing something as a private individual. I am doing something as a Jew. As a woman. As a mother, a daughter, a wife, a sister, a friend. I have joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Team in Training program. This program enables me to challenge myself physically while making a financial impact for the benefit of cancer research and patient support programs.

The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is a national voluntary health agency dedicated to curing leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease, and myeloma, as well as improving the quality of life of patients and their families. Through their Team in Training programs, we are able to make a difference in the lives of countless numbers of individuals.

In my commitment to Team in Training, I will be competing in the Nike Women’s Marathon on October 23 in San Francisco. With God’s help, over the course of a beautiful autumn day, I will run 26.2 miles. I am hoping to finish in less than 7 hours. (Yes, you read that correctly! I said 7 hours of continuous exercise. Did I mention that it’ll be about 68 degrees?) This is recognized as one of the most breathtaking courses in the country and I feel fortunate to be able to participate in such a special way.

As a member of the Team, I have committed that I will raise $3,600 (200 chai) to help fund research and patient care. Thirty years ago, there was a 4% survival rate for people with blood cancers. Today, there is an 80% chance of survival because of the funding that’s been done through this program, and because of people like you who help us raise the money!

Please help support me in this project by contributing generously. I can’t make it without your love, enthusiasm, care and financial support. Please return the attached form by June 25th to demonstrate your support. You can donate easily on-line or via snail mail.

I hope that you agree with me about the importance of this cause. Training for this marathon will be the most physically challenging thing I have ever done. But my challenge will be nothing compared to the challenge those with leukemia, lymphoma, or any of the other blood cancers have to overcome on a daily basis battling this disease.

Thank you for being a part of my life, especially during this significant physical and mental milestone, and thank you in advance for your support. You can donate easily at www.active.com/donate/tntors/RebeccaSchorr.

With my sincere thanks and gratitude,
Rebecca

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This blog will follow me as I prepare for the most physical challenge of my life -- won't you join me on my journey??