As a runner, many people ask me this question: “Why do you run?” That’s a particularly good question, since our days are getting increasingly hot and humid here in Houston, TX. Every runner has their own intentions and incentives for their reasoning to run. Florence Griffith Joyner has a great answer to this question, “We run because it makes us feel like winners, no matter how slow or how fast we go.”
It’s true, it doesn’t matter how fast or slow we run as long as we are able to get to run. Some runners first get into the sport in order to become active and lose weight. It becomes a lifestyle and you can’t live without running. It’s no longer to lose weight or even to maintain the weight loss - it’s a MUST do for the day. It is an important factor in my life and an absolute TO DO on my daily checklist. Neither speed nor distance matters as long as I get the feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment with every run I do.
So it is true, each and every time I finish my run I do feel like a winner because I have accomplished my goal for the day. It may seem daunting at first, but running is something we have all been given the ability to do and it’s something we should take advantage of. Run and you will feel like a winner.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Running in the Wind and Rain: The Flying Pig Marathon
I'm pleased to present an eyewitness account of a runner in the Flying Pig Marathon last weekend. You think you're weather's bad...wait until you hear what these runners went through!
The annual Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon and Half-Marathon was held on Sunday May 2, 2010 at 6:30 in the morning. Many runners gathered in the streets early Sunday morning in the dark heading towards the stadium despite the inclement weather of rain, thunder and lightning. Yes, it was thunder storming at six in the morning as runners began their walk to the starting line. It was no light rain either. Runners were covered head to toe with umbrellas, trash bags, raincoats, and plastic ponchos. Some even braved it out without any protection than only their running clothes.
As we walked among all of the runners, the sky lit up with lightning followed by was a rumbling and grumbling of thunder. Yes, we were all scared but we all made it this far. We walked in the rain to the start line. We avoided puddles and tried to keep warm. The host of the race announced that the thunder storms we were experiencing were sporadic, as reported from the national weather service, and they confirmed that we had it much better than people south from us. So the race began and we started running.
It was difficult at first to begin running, as we were held down by our wet clothes, but runners were already flinging off their protective ponchos and trash bags as these plastic devices only slowed them down. All around you there were plastic bags and clothes people no longer wanted. The first mile of the course included crossing a bridge from Ohio to Kentucky and moved through parts of Northern Kentucky. Then you took a different bridge back to Ohio. And, man!… there were HILLS throughout the race! At mile 6 was the major uphill battle as you were fighting rain, humidity, and soaking clothes, you also had to push your quads up these hills and fight for as long as possible. You would then see a flat part followed by another incline.
There were many of these hills throughout the race, but we all thought positively. After all, if there is an uphill, there also has to be a downhill and sure enough the last 3 miles of the race were practically all downhill. Finally crossing the “Finish Swine” as they called it, we were done. We got our mylar blankets, water bottles, bagels, fruit and yogurt to get our bodies moving again. Once we were done we had to manage our way back to the hotel. Then, finally, we could shower and relax in bed to recover.
The annual Cincinnati Flying Pig Marathon and Half-Marathon was held on Sunday May 2, 2010 at 6:30 in the morning. Many runners gathered in the streets early Sunday morning in the dark heading towards the stadium despite the inclement weather of rain, thunder and lightning. Yes, it was thunder storming at six in the morning as runners began their walk to the starting line. It was no light rain either. Runners were covered head to toe with umbrellas, trash bags, raincoats, and plastic ponchos. Some even braved it out without any protection than only their running clothes.
As we walked among all of the runners, the sky lit up with lightning followed by was a rumbling and grumbling of thunder. Yes, we were all scared but we all made it this far. We walked in the rain to the start line. We avoided puddles and tried to keep warm. The host of the race announced that the thunder storms we were experiencing were sporadic, as reported from the national weather service, and they confirmed that we had it much better than people south from us. So the race began and we started running.
It was difficult at first to begin running, as we were held down by our wet clothes, but runners were already flinging off their protective ponchos and trash bags as these plastic devices only slowed them down. All around you there were plastic bags and clothes people no longer wanted. The first mile of the course included crossing a bridge from Ohio to Kentucky and moved through parts of Northern Kentucky. Then you took a different bridge back to Ohio. And, man!… there were HILLS throughout the race! At mile 6 was the major uphill battle as you were fighting rain, humidity, and soaking clothes, you also had to push your quads up these hills and fight for as long as possible. You would then see a flat part followed by another incline.
There were many of these hills throughout the race, but we all thought positively. After all, if there is an uphill, there also has to be a downhill and sure enough the last 3 miles of the race were practically all downhill. Finally crossing the “Finish Swine” as they called it, we were done. We got our mylar blankets, water bottles, bagels, fruit and yogurt to get our bodies moving again. Once we were done we had to manage our way back to the hotel. Then, finally, we could shower and relax in bed to recover.
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