And Mother Nature shows me who's boss...

I was asking for trouble as soon as I stepped out the door. It was bound to get dark before I returned from my run, and I was only carrying a small light. I went for it anyway! I mean, how often do you get a 55 degree day in December? It started out normal enough for a run in Walla Walla. A car honked as I ran down the road and I waved at a friend driving by. I reached the Bennington Lake, which had been drained for the winter just as the sun was setting, leaving me in a semi-darkness that would soon deteriorate into mostly-darkness. As I set out onto the trails, I regretted my lack of trail shoes. Slopping through a muddy ditch in my Brook's Adrenaline's was a bit treacherous and left my feet heavy and clunky from the sticky mud. I continued along the edge of wheat fields, winding through the brush and tall grass near the lake, the sun disappeared rather quickly thanks to an ominous clump of black clouds on the horizon.

The darkness woke the place up. I heard coyotes in the distance (or was that my imagination?), and birds and critters rustling in the undergrowth. My pace quickened as the wind began shaking branches and moving tumbleweeds across my path. I noticed a horned owl bobbing on a spindly branch overhanging the adjacent wheat field, waiting for an unsuspecting mouse and paying me no notice. As I turned down a new trail, I kept my fingers crossed that it was the right direction and kept running until I gratefully stepped out onto a road. Despite the darkness, I felt much more comfortable knowing where I was. My comfort dissipated as rapidly as it arrived as the wind gained speed and starting gusting. The trees were creaking and bending it a sort of exaggerated waving gesture, and an eerie sound was emanating from somewhere above and behind me. The noise resembled a jump rope being swung hard enough to make a whistle, but accompanied by a squeaking of metal on metal. I whirled around with surprise, but there was nothing behind me. Several strides later I pinpointed the sound to the power lines over my head, straining and stretching under the force of the wind. As I got closer to a major road with street lights, the power lines and their spectral sound veered off in another direction. I sighed with relief, and mother nature responded with a sudden pelting rain. The wind and the rain combined quickly soaked me, reminding who was in charge (it definitely wasn't me). I still had 3 miles to go, pushing into a headwind and squinting so much that my eyes were barely open. I'm pretty sure all the cars driving by thought I was absolutely insane. I stuck to the sidewalks, assuming that the cars had limited visibility, much as I did. I rolled into my cul-de-sac just as my Mom was driving out, hoping to rescue me from running on the wet, darkened streets.

My hot tea has never tasted so delicious. Humbled once again. It seems like this is a common theme throughout running experiences

Welcome to My Life

Have you ever gone to a tough yoga/workout class and needed to go for a loosening up run the next day? I had one of those days this week. On Monday I was pretty sore from my hour and half yoga, so I figured out I had exactly enough time to go for a half an hour (wimpy i know) run before I really had to be in studio to do work on my project. Well, after I got into my groove, I really didn't want to turn around and head home. It was such a beautiful fall day and I had some good music and was in the zone. When I hit my short-run turn around point I thought to myself, I'll just run to the next bridge....famous last words. Before I knew it I was at Piazza Del Popolo, turning around at my 5-mile run point. So much for that super short run to loosen up....and time working on my project in studio! Then to top it all off, I ran negative splits the whole way home to make up for the extra time spent running....so much for the easy run to loosen up! The whole plan went out the window!

Even through I ate away my studio time, what I've discovered in Rome is that I really need to run how I feel. Some days I don't bring garmy or my watch, but just want to go out and run. I ruffly know the distances, so who cares how long it takes right? Maybe I felt inspired by Steve Pre not wearing a watch until he got to oregon. who knows. All I know is that running extra that morning made my studio infinitely more enjoyable. I walked into studio ready to work and start my day, satisfied with my run this morning. That's what running is all about right? Loving the run and how you feel. That's all I ask for from my runs.

Happy running!
Soph

Ah the smell of Country Air

This past week, my class ventured into the Tuscan countryside to visit a few hilltowns. We were based out of Siena, taking day trips to a few towns around there. While I was packing for the trip in Rome, I thought to myself "how nice would it be to run through the countryside where the air is clean". Lo an behold, I packed my running shoes and shorts in my backpack hoping I would be able to make it for a run. Before I left I looked up a 5ish mile route, depening on where my hotel was, which of course our proffessors didn't tell us before we left. Since I had never been to Siena, and this run had good reviews, I decided, why the heck not run it if I have time!

I learned quickly in the trip that not everyone is meant to travel by bus for an hour or two to a town, wander aroudn all day, then head back to the base town. At the end of the first day, I was exhausted from traveling to Orvieto, and it was dark and raining pretty hard in Siena, an unfamiliar town. So much for running that day. Maybe tomorrow morning.

That night we were gathered by our professors for the scheudle for the next day. We were to be ready to leave for the bus at 8:20. Its still pretty dark at 7:15 in the morning. And I had 3 roommates to share shower times with. Was I daring enough to run early/dark out in an unfamiliar town? Not so much. I had to postpone again.

That day we spent a long time on the bus and by the time we got back to Siena I was very restless. I took a quick look at my watch, it was only 4 pm. Just enough time for a solid 5ish mile run before dinner and darkness. The only problem was the route. How was I going to ensure that I didn't get lost? Then, genious struck. I don't know why I didn't think of this sooner....I have an ipod touch. I could simply e-mail myself the route and leave it open to refer to on my ipod. Ah. an adventure run with a map conveniently located in my music. A perfect recipe to not get lost. In theory that is. Besides, the map made the route look easy enough.

I quickly put on my running shoes, said goodbye to my roomies and hit the road. Since I had wondered around Siena the previous 2 nights, I was pretty familiar with the town, but this route was goign to take me out of town, I wasn't to sure where exactly out of town, but I knew it was out. I should have known it was going to be a hilly run when the first thing I did was run down hill out of Siena. I thought, oh well, I could use some hill training anyways. I was loving the downhill running. Leaning in and flying down the hill. Ah how I almost miss the hills in Seattle, going down that is...

When I hit the bottom it got iffy. It looked like I was on a pretty big road with on/off sidewalk and shoulder to run on. Great. I obviously fell for some route that some random poseted on an even more random website as a run that they happened to do. not a particularily pretty one, just a normal city run. Just as I was getting redy to modify my route, my turn off the main road appeared, and it was a smaller side road. Not bad I thought. maybe this will lead somewhere nice.

I turned the corner and of course, a hill lay ahead of me. begging me to sprint up it, not saving anything for the way back down. That day I was no slowing my pace for anything not even a lowsy hill. Just when I thought I was at the top, the road turned and the rest of the hill appeared. Ah what a nice trick. The endless hill. I kept pushing until I was at the top, then when I looked to the right, I realized I was on the hill next to Siena with an amazing view of the town. (note the striped building with the crane is the Duomo, apparently striped churches are very common in this nexk of the woods)

I paused momentarily, taking in the view. It was one of those moments where all of a sudden you're at the top looking over what you've run and you can't believe that this is your life. Running to amazing places with views few people get to see except those who liv on that road. I turned to keep running and saw an odd site...two women running the oppose direction. In Seattle this would not be so odd, but here in Italy, I barely ever see anyone else running. I haven't even seen more then 10 peope my whole stay in Rome running, most of which I saw at odd times while I was walking around, not running. i thought to myself, this must be a nice place if people actually go running here.

As my run continued with a few small rolling hills, the view stayed the same. Sunset over Siena. Watching darkness set in on this hilltown. This is the life. Soon it was time to decend into the valley to go back up the hill to Siena. As I headed down the hill I saw 3 more runners! Apparently this is a popular route. It was 3 older men. they started talking/yelling towards men italian but not only do i not really speak italian, I was also wearing headphones. Needless to say all I said to them was Ciao and kept running. As I came upon the stop light to head up hill into town, I saw yet another runner. She looked about my age and was wearing heaphones. We exchanged a wave and both kept running. Wow. I saw in this small run in Siena more runners then I've seen while runnin gover the last month and a bit in Rome. I guess Rome really isn't a running town. to much pollution anyways.

I finished out my last half mile at a sprint up the hill back to my hotle, seeing a few of my meandering classmates and professors who looked at me like I was a little bit crazy. But when I got back to the hotel, I felt truely refreshed. Its amazing what a small run through a small town can do for my mind and body. I didn't feel restless anymore and I got to take in all that fabulous country air!

Go out and breathe some of that nice washington air!
Soph

It was nothing short of awesome

As runners, we all know how it feels to get into a routine. Running is a part of our day-to-day lives: we wake up, go to work, go to school, run, eat, sleep, repeat. We run the same routes, have weekly running patterns that are the same, and probably run with the same people. Slowly but surely, each run blurs into the other.

Every once in a while, though, we have a remarkable run. The kind of run that makes you remember that THIS is why we run, THIS is how it's supposed to feel. Sometimes it happens when you hit all your split times, or when you are up in the mountains, or when you have some kind of epiphany on your run. Your body feels electric, alive, full of muscle and energy and movement. I had a run like this today. It happened in a completely normal place, on an absolutely typical day. I was in a city, at a high school, on a football field. I was barefoot.

Barefoot running has popped up recently as a return-to-your-roots running phenomenon. I don't really know that much about it, except for two things: A. That it is championed as being much better for your biomechanics than running with shoes, and B. That the Tarahumara runners of Mexico are the most prominent example of how one can go for miles in minimal support footwear (much like how vegans rally around Scott Jurek as an example of how veganism does not diminish endurance potential). I really just wanted to try it because I absolutely hate wearing shoes and socks (it's so...I don't know, confining somehow), and if there's an excuse for me to take them off, then I'm all for it!

I arrived at the Roosevelt High School turf field expecting to do a speed workout, but was lured by one of my running friends into running on the turf barefoot instead. She had recently read a book by Chris McDougall called "Born to Run," which is essentially the barefoot runner's manifesto, and was absolutely gung-ho about the whole idea. She spoke pretty words to me about a world with no injuries, no pain, and no shoes. She told me stories of runners trotting up trails and mountains for generations without anything except the support of their own two feet. I was entralled. WWHD? (what would hippies do?). RUN BAREFOOT. And so I did.

The first lap around the turf felt strange. I was worried about high school meat heads spitting on the field. I was worried about getting beaned in the head by a stray ball. I felt a little off kilter, like I needed to step gingerly because my feet didn't want to get hurt. I relaxed a little on the second lap. The dangers of rowdy students was still present, but my feet were starting to find their stride. I was hitting the ground with more ease, and I noticed that I wasn't doing a hard heel-toe step anymore, but more of a mid-to-whole-foot sort of step. By lap three, I stopped thinking about my feet, and started to think about the scene around me: the bright lights of the field, the teenagers laughing and rough-housing in the bleachers. The speed workout group flew by. The air was crisp and cool, the sounds of rush hour traffic all around. The world was alive; I was alive. By the end of that lap, I was in love.

The next laps flew by, and I lost count of how many I did. I noticed that my arches started to hurt a little, but the feeling of having air on my feet was so liberating that I couldn't stop running. I ended by doing some fast strides across the field (so quick! so light! I'm a freakin gazelle!!), and then bounced over to the rest of the group in a fit of giggles. I told my friend that I wanted to do this every week, forget speed work outs! I had become a barefoot running convert.

I still don't know very much about the science behind barefoot running, but I can tell you that the spirit of barefoot running is very much what every runner needs. More than other feats of athleticism, there is a magical quality to running, a kind of mysticism. Our solitude on the trail or road and the simple movement of our bodies allows us to connect with our surroundings in a way that athletes in other sports cannot. For me, barefoot running is another way of enjoying my sport and another reason for me to love being outside. Whether or not you believe the physical benefits of barefoot running exist, I wholeheartedly suggest that you try it at least once.

Remember, WWHD?!

--Phylly

Ah the sound of pitter-patter on the cobblestones....

I know you're thinking my running shoes on the pavement but sadly I mean the sound of pouring down rain. Its finally that season in Rome. I wake up and its pouring so much that I want to crawl back into bed.

This morning however was different. I went with my Prof to an amazing street market in the pouring down rain at 7:45 am. All I could think was that I should have gone running yesterday when it wasn't pouring. O well. Such is life.

So after that really sweet street market (can you say Christmas present shopping?) I came home soaked to the skin even though it had finally stopped pouring and I treuly felt the call of the road. I've felt this call before, but not like this. All I could think about was running swiftly along the tiber, shorts and a longsleeve (perfect cool but not freaking cold weather, ah the joys of fall). Even though I promised to not run by myself in Rome, today I just couldn't convince anyone to go with me. I figured though at 11 am on a Sunday, who would really be out there? Before I knew it I was changed and walking out the door, ready to start hitting the pavement, or should I saw, cobblestones. I noticed that the stones were starting to dry and little pieces of blue were emerging. Maybe it would be a good run afterall. I headed out from the Campo on my usual route but at a much swifter pace, invigorated by the crisp fall weather and running on my own .

Despite it being 11 am, late for starting a run on a Sunday, I saw a shocking number of runners on the Tiber. Unlike other mornings, they all smiled at me when I smiled back, in fact, one guy even winked at me in a not creepy way. The run seemed to be going great. Running by myself is so meditative. Don't get me wrong, I'm not sure I could do my extra long runs all by myself, but for a few runs sometimes its really nice to get out ther alone. It gives me a chance to think about life and have a little Soph time before returning to my apartment with 8 other girls where alone time is nothing but a creul fantasy.

Before I knew it I was at my turnaround spot, heading back to the Campo happy as could be. As I started to head back, suddenly I found myself back at Ponte Sisto, my bridge back over the Tiber home. How did that happen? How was I all of a sudden about to finish my run? I felt like I had just started it. I guess I run faster by myself then with other people (shocker). But still, the way back felt like a blink of an eye. As I people dodged my way down the cobblestone streets back to the Campo, I couldn't help but think how lucky I am to run along the Tiber, past St. Peters and Castle S. Angelo. What will happen when I return to Seattle and there are no more monumental landmarks? It'll be sad but at least there are actul parks and trees and trails and NO COBBLESTONES (they really wreak havoc on my running shoes!)

Maybe next weekend I'll get to venture out on my own again. On Tuesday we leave for Naples/Amalfi coast for a week and hopefully I can squeeze in a gorgeous coastal run maybe to watch sunrise over the Mediterranean.

Happy running!
Soph

Another Beutiful Day in Rome?

Today I awoke, excited for my relaxed Saturday run. No pressure of getting to class, meandering pace. But alas, there was the sound of rushing water outside my window. Not rain, but water pouring. Along with the water were bright flashes and loud noises. Yes indeed, my first storm in Rome. I ran to the dining room windows to get a better view of the lighting bolts in the sky, and noticed that it was downpouring. It was awesome to watch, but I knew that running + cobblestones + pouring rain = bad.

Sadly, I sat at the kitchen table, eating my italian style honey nut cherrios, reading Once A Runner contemplating how I can safely run in the pouring rain in Rome. If Quenton Cassidy can run anytime anywhere way faster then me, why can't I handle running in the pouring rain in the beautiful city of Rome. After munching and pondering for a few minutes, I noticed a small break of blue sky in the dark clouds. Hope returned for my saturday run.

About 10 minutes later, enough time for me to finish eating, the sky completely cleared! It was incredible. One minute it was pouring and the next, it all burned off and was a gorgous day! By then it was about 9:30 in the morning and I was getting antsy to run. I recruited Catharine, we put on our running shoes and took off!

It was another adventure run, that started out like all my runs so far in Rome: along the Tiber. Ah the tiber. Its like the duamish. not very nice to look at, but better then running on cobbelstones since it has a paved path next to it. We decied that today would be an adventure run. We planned to run to the Borghese gardens, but since its like the Rome version of the Arboretum, only with a villa in it (it used to be one family's private villa) there are trails everywhere. we figured its only 2.3ish to get to the entrance, then a run up a nice hill, then park/tree/trail paradise in rome, or at least as close as we could get. running along the tiber was reminiscent of seattle. a little waterfront, an asphalt path, mapleish trees everywhere with their leaves falling not to mnay people. it was great!

After meaning through the Borghese gardens for a while, we turned back to the Campo Di Fiori for our run home. Then run home always seems shorter then the run out to a place. On the way I imagined how I can do long runs to the park, get lost on some trails, then do the short run back to the Campo. Running this fall is starting to look up!!!

Happy Trails (or cobblestone paths!)
Soph

My First Run in Rome!

Ah the start of a fresh school year. People laughing, walking to class....a market outside your window at 7am? Welcome to Rome, my home for fall quarter. I'm studying architecture in the eternal city, living in the Campo Di Fiori! Rome is a pretty interesting place. Lots and lots of people, especially tourists, but once the rain comes I think they'll go away. Its pretty hot here though for now.

This morning, I finally felt like going for my first run. I figured, I've been in Rome for 5 days, how lost can I really get? Well, as I promised my mom, I didn't run alone. I convinced my roommate Catharine to venture out with me early in the morning, only an hour and 30 mins before our group met 20 mins away at the Colosseum. We figured we had lots of time to run and shower and get ready. Apparently we didn't quite do the math.

Our run began by waiting for Garmy to find itself. It took so long! I forgot that moving hundreds of miles away from Seattle would confuse it a little bit. After waiting at least 10 or 15 mins for it to register, we were off! People dodging our way out of the campo, we found ourselves in a small side alley heading toward the river (the Tiber). We decided to follow the river on our first run to minimize getting lost. We found a staircase down to the riverside. It smelled an aweful lot like pee which gave me an iffy feeling about the riverside. Did I mention that most of the streets are cobblestones? That's also why we went by the river, it was our hope to avoid the cobblestones. As we decended, I looked ahead and saw beautiful pavement leading to a dirt path. No cobblestones.

We ran down past the island in the tiber, under many bridges and finally decided to turn back and run on the opposite side of the river. I saw a few runners, but on the whole I'm ot sure sure Italian people run, despite the many marathons in their country. As I headed back to the Campo I couldn't help but think about the long runs to come by the river and trough the neighborhoods of Rome.

Happy trails!
Soph

Summertime Woes + Husky Running Club

Whew! Long hiatus from blogging. School has ended, and with it, my motivation to run long distances. Fortunately, summer is a great time to fit in speed work, strength training, and short 5k races. Our next ones are the Firecracker 5k and the Torchlight 5k/8k. In the distance, we have the Super Jock n Jill Half Marathon.

Also, for our readers involved with the UW community, there is a new message board for runners with a UW ID. Check it out here: https://catalysttools.washington.edu/gopost/board/phylly/11762/

Ok, time to go to bed. It's 2am and way past my bedtime. The problem with running at night is that you have too much energy to fall asleep!

--Phylly

I Love the Smell of a Marathon in the Morning!

As I awoke from my deep sleep, realizing I was squished between two other people in a tent, it hit me. Today I was running my second marathon. The Capital City Marathon in Olympia, WA. I got out of my bag, watching everyone else begin to awake, and meandered inside Prof Kennedy's house (we were camping in his backyard) to use the bathroom and prepare for what was to come. I pulled on my race clothes, ate my half banana and half bagel, helped take down our "circus tent" and off we went to the start line. As we pulled up to the downtown park start line, Camper says "I don't think we'll be able to find parking" to which Phylly almost agrees to, then realizes there is tons of parking out and that camper was being facetious. It was way too early in the morning for sarcasm.

As I thought to myself about my race plan, it dawned on me that if it wasn't to chilly at 7 am, it was going to be freaking hot by 10:30 or 11. Sunglasses were a must in my mind. At the start line we mentioned our goal paces, Camper's being to break the 4 hr barrier, and mine and Phylly's around 9:30 min/mi, to beat the Seattle marathon's time.

When the gun went off, we were off! Camper went up ahead, Phylly and I holding back not to get to carried away. But then, coming around a small inlet ofter 2 miles, I was feeling great. Not the sort of great that I would push to hard and then die later, but the sort of great like I could blow the doors off my pr. I began to push my pace a bit and was running next to another woman. She introduced herself as Connie, and I asked her what her goal pace was. She said this was her 17th marathon (she should be a marathon maniac!) and her goal was around 4 hrs, but that she runs for herself and for fun. I decide in my head that this pace is good, a bit faster than I had anticipated, but what the heck? Why not push myself and see what happens? I knew I wouldn't be doing a fall marathon since I'd be in Rome, so if I didn't pick a summer one, this was going to potentially be my last marathon for a year. We cruised for the next 18 miles at a solid 8:55-9:15 pace (our garmy's told us so). For a few miles inthe middle, where there were some short rolling hills (and glorious downhill) I could see Camper 300m ahead of me cruising along, and I thought of Phylly behind me, whom I had intended to run with. I hoped everyone was feeling well!

The heat started around mile 17, as we emerged from the countryside to head back into the city. Although there weren't many spectators (some people were upset, but I didn't mind since we'd bee doing trail runs with no spectators really) the ones who were on the course, Connie and I really appreciated. We took turns saying thanks to them, and a few who we saw multiple times learned our names and cheered us on! As we headed into the last 3 miles, I could feel how much I wanted to be done with the race. It was hot out, and the map had promised downhill, but really, there were some rollers. Luckily, people brought out their hoses and sprinklers for us tired and hot runners to cool ourselves off in. Also, with water stops every 2 miles, it was easy to cool off by dumping the rest of my water cup over my head. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the downhill came and I cruised into the finish, overjoyed to have completed another marathon. I came in at a 4:04 (about 20mins better than Seattle, to get 4th in our age) Connie hugged me and we parted ways to find food and water. I found Camper who had indeed broken the 4 hr with a 3:54 (3rd place in our age division!) and we waited for Phylly to come in at 4:19. All of us pr'd that day! Laury and Caryn were running the half and they got 1st and 4th in their age division too! It was a great day for all of us.

As we headed home, tired with tight muscles, I couldn't help but wish I had pushed harder in the last 3 miles, because then I might have broken the 4 hr marker. As I fell asleep that night, all i could think about was my next plot to run. I want to pr again, and as Connie said during our race, after the 2nd one, you're hooked. Even though I told myself I'd be switching to shorter distances, and work on my half marathon time, I find myself craving another marathon, despite the pain in my IT bands, and a few blisters on my feet, the first 23 miles were no problem. Maybe if I do a 24 miler as training the first 25 wont be bad since this time we did a 22 miler, and the first 23 weren't so bad. Am I crazy? I don't think so, but beating my time running was a way better high then when I was rowing and would beat my 2K time. Nothing compares so far to the joy and empowerment of finishing a full marathon, and I can't wait for more.

Happy running!!!

Soph

Have 10 minutes? Watch these videos.

1. A hilarious set of short video-ads by Brooks: http://www.runningsuperfans.com/#/videos

(I wish the Super Running Fans were in my life....)

2. A short animation from Nike on the wonders of running: http://www.onwards.tv/

Thanks to Sam and Teresa for passing these on to me!

--Phylly