Half-Marathon Mental Prep: Singing Along to Robbie W. & Take That

First Half-Year of  2013 Nike+ Stats

My headset is on, and I'm listening to Robbie Williams, and Take That albums to put me in a positive mood - outside it's grey, wet (drizzle of rain) and cold.  While I drink my coffee, I study my Nike+ stats for 2013.

Before 2012 ended, I planned that I'll be running  a specific monthly distance, that will round off my Nike+ stats of distance ran to a total of 2013 kilometers by the end of 2013.

I am trying not to be discouraged or be too hard on myself, that I have not been very consistent with my running 4 times a week to reach the kilometers per week I need to reach the goal I set.

Looking closely though at my stats from last year, since I begun using Nike+, it shows me how much I have improved:

I am running - soon to celebrate my 2nd Runniversary!  This fact alone is a huge achievement, that I should NEVER take for granted.  Not only running but running long distances I could not have imagined when I was a little girl of 10 years old.

It was at that age I remember being fascinated with running, but not having enough confidence to think I can be a runner. I fell a lot, and during sports I got hit a lot on the face during ball games. Not very encouraging for a quiet book-worm kind of girl, I was. It only reinforced my behaviour of sinking my head in books than hold my head up high in sports class.

As always, I discover how I still keep losing focus on what's most important.  I am working hard on empowering myself with what I've achieved and use that to fuel me on to reach for what I aspire.

Most of all ENJOY THE RUNNING MOMENTS. Not focus too much on the stats - it's there to help me; I should use it to guide me but I should not be a slave to them.

Be in a positive zone, a positive running flow, like I've experienced during my run, which I've documented in my blog: Think 42!

Nike+ stats of 2012 - I won the Nike+ Sportswatch with GPS in August

I know that I have it in me to be a strong runner, I just need more patience, and I will shine ( to my own eyes!).

Meanwhile, I sing along at the top of my lungs (well in my head at least!) and let these affirmations sink in my soul. 

On Sunday, at my next half-marathon, I'll be sharing this passion together with hundreds - an event to remind me clearly why I run: to have fun and celebrate life through running!

"Strong"
 My breath smells of a thousand fags
And when I'm drunk I dance like me Dad
I've started to dress a bit like him

Early morning when I wake up
I look like Kiss but without the make up
And that's a good line to take it to
The bridge

And you know and you know
Cos my life's a mess
And I'm trying to grow so before
I'm old I'll confess
You think that I'm strong you're wrong
You're wrong
I'll sing my song my song my song

My bed's full of takeaways and fantasies
Of easy lays
The pause button's broke on my video
And is this real cos I feel fake
Oprah Winfrey Ricki Lake
Teach me things I don't need to know

And you know and you know
Cos my life's a mess
And it's starting to show so before
I'm old I'll confess
You think that I'm strong you're wrong
You're wrong
I'll sing my song my song my song

If I did it all again I'd be a nun
The rain was never cold when I was young
I'm still young we're still young
Life's too short to be afraid
Step inside the sun

And you know and you know
Cos my life's a mess
And I'm trying to grow

And you know and you know
Cos my life's a mess
And I'm trying to grow

And you know and you know
Cos my life's a mess
And I'm trying to grow

You think that I'm strong you're wrong
You're wrong
I'll sing my song my song my song

You think that I'm strong you're wrong
You're wrong
I'll sing my song my song my song

Life's too short to be afraid
So take a pill to numb the pain
You don't have to take the blame

Life's too short to be afraid
So take a pill to numb the pain
You don't have to take the blame

Life's too short to be afraid
So take a pill to numb the pain
You don't have to take the blame

"Patience"
Just have a little patience
I'm still hurting from a love I lost,
I'm feeling your frustration,
Any minute all the pain will stop,
Just don't be close inside your arms tonight,
don't be to hard on my emotions.

Cause I need time,
My heart is numb, has no feeling,
So while im still healing,
Just try and have a little patience.

I really wanna start over again,
I know you wanna be my salvation,
The one that I can always depend,
I'll try to be strong, believe me,
I'm trying to move on,
It's complicated, but understand me,

Cause I need time,
My heart is numb, has no feeling,
So while im still healing,
Just try and have a little patience Yeah,
Have a little patience, Yeah

Cause this scar runs so deep,
Its been hard,
But I have to believe me,

Have a little patience,
Have a little patience,

Cause I, I just need time,
My heart is numb, has no feeling,
So while I'm still healing,
Just try and have a little patience,

Have a little patience,
My heart is numb, has no feeling,
So while I'm still healing,
Just try and have a little...

  
"Shine"
You, you're such a big star to me
You're everything I wanna be
But you're stuck in a hole and I want you to get out
I don't know what there is to see
But I know it's time for you to leave
We're all just pushing along
Trying to figure it out, out, out.

All your anticipation pulls you down
When you can have it all, you can have it all.

So come on, come on, get it on
Don't know what you're waiting for
Your time is coming don't be late, hey hey
So come on
See the light on your face
Let it shine
Just let it shine
Let it shine.

Stop being so hard on yourself
It's not good for your health
I know that you can change
So clear your head and come round
You only have to open your eyes
You might just get a big surprise
And it may feel good and you might want to smile, smile, smile.

Don't you let your demons pull you down
'Cause you can have it all, you can have it all.

Hey let me know you
You're all that matters to me
Hey let me show you
You're all that matters to me.

Hey let me love you
You're all that matters to me
Hey so come on yeah
Shine all your light over me.

Think 42! Part 2

Currently, I have an obsession with countdowns and the number 42.

Next year, I will be 42! Today, it is 42 days to my 2nd Runniversary.

In 93 days #BAM2013 will commence, where I will run 3 consecutive 42 km races.

created with Bitstrips, edited with Picasa 3
Think 42!

It will be a year to remember, and an exciting next year to look forward to!

Keeping Focus on Running & Simplifying Life Through Blogging OR Hiyaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

I am thoroughly enjoying blogging again.  Specially blogging about my small steps towards consistent training.

My hang-ups about sharing what I do during preparations for my multiple marathons are slowly dwindling.

Today, I stumbled across a Bruce Lee quote:

 Tao of Jeet Kune Do

In building a statue, a sculptor doesn't keep adding clay to his subject.Actually, he keeps chiselling away at the inessentials until the truth of its creation is revealed without obstructions. Thus, contrary to other styles, being wise in Jeet Kune-Do doesn't mean adding more; it means to minimize, in other words to hack away the unessential.
It is not daily increase but daily decrease; hack away the unessential.

Blogging and writing are my tools to hack away the unessential.

created with Bitstrips and edited with Picasa 3

Think 42!

“If you want to live a happy life, tie it to a goal, not to people or things.”
― Albert Einstein

“It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.”
― Ernest Hemingway

 “If you were born without wings, do nothing to prevent them from growing.”
― Coco Chanel

This run was supposed to be 16 km but because I needed to be at home in time to get on my bike to pick the Littlest from school, I decided to go for a good, leisurely 13 km instead of an under stress, fast 16 km run.

It was like my Sunday run, I was glad that I am becoming reasonable in balancing how I "push myself" and "take care of myself".

During this run, I also thought of how I would be using, "Think 42!" (meaning: focus on being mentally, emotionally, and physically strong for the marathons) mantra, whenever small banal things in daily life starts getting on my nerves to help me keep my focus.

Words will be my armour, and no longer will I let them be my enemy.

Before the completion of #TRIOof2013/#BAM2013 and long after these goals have been fulfilled, this will be my state of mind: think 42, think strong.

Me, My Marathon(s) and My Zzzs

Yesterday, following a 2 week break from Luxembourg Marathon, I finally ran.

The first week break was necessary, but the second week was a mental struggle - guess it is obvious who won!

But Sunday, I was singing the theme song of Rocky III !

Risin' up, back on the street
Did my time, took my chances
Went the distance
Now I'm back on my feet
Just a man and his will to survive

Today, I wanted to run again feeling very enthusiastic about my return. BUT I was able to talk sense into myself and not commit the same mistake of not listening to the many running coach/trainer/gurus I've met and read.  Rest is part of training, too!

As well as going to bed early!

One (amongst many!) of the many reasons why I finally worked on fulfilling my childhood dream to run a marathon (what others viewed as an ambitious goal to have during my first year of running) was to sleep better.

If you are serious in wanting to have a strong body to cope with the rigors of the marathon, you need sleep. There are no buts, no short-cuts to this. It is very straightforward. No quality sleep, no quality performance, or no performance at all.

My lack luster performance in Egmond was due to lack of proper sleep.

Lack of sleep also made me late in Groet Uit Schoorl, and in the end made it my first DNF race.

I have not given up on sleeping better. The more I fall in love with running marathons, the more determine I am to sleep (and take power naps, if the day allows!) better.

Archive picture from My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands:
A-Z Blogging Project

Bling It On!

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent. The slogan Press On! has solved and always will solve the problems of the human race.”
― Calvin Coolidge

Created this personal inspirational poster to get my sagging spirit going - I want to share here every Sunday blings I've earned through almost 2 years of running: how, when and in what event.

I've learned that no matter how silly it feels in the instance we are capturing a "normal" activity, I am always grateful in hindsight to record this kind of special simple moments that I can look back, weeks, months and years later!  They mostly motivating when days seems to be uninspiring.

Finally ran a long distance again!

Tonight, J accompanied me on my first long run since the half-marathon at the ING europe-marathon Luxembourg two weeks ago. We ran together the first 2 kilometers, went back home to get J's bike and continued the rest of the run with her biking along side me.

I've been having a hard time motivating myself to run alone since I ran my third marathon in Marathon de Paris.

Luckily, I do have motivated running companions/partners but it will still take a while for them to accompany me completely. Meanwhile we do what we can!

Even though P, J and I planned the last quarter of the year 2012 to run together (even registered in advance for various races for this Spring) it never materialised due to different private reasons, I've already shared in my past blogs.

We have not given up on our plans of running together though! Neither do P and J plan on ending this year without their first 5K in their pockets.

BAM (Be Always -in- Motion!)!

An inspiring quote I found today:

I didnt pay attention to times or distance, instead focusing on how it felt
just to be in motion,
knowing it wasn't about the finish line
but how I got there that mattered.
Sarah Dessen, The Truth About Forever

I'm Running In My Mind

This is what I did all day.

'nuff said.

Countdown Motivation

I love countdowns.

If you look on the lower right hand side of my blog, you will see various countdown widgets which I added to keep me focused on my goal, and motivated to consistently train my mind and body.

Last year I successfully counted down to the last 42 days toward my first Berlin Marathon.  Since I moved to a new FB account, the complete documentary is no longer visible (I was only able to partially upload the images on @Paper In Europe).

Maybe, I will do Another 42 FOR 42, when I count the days to Berlin Marathon the 40th Edition.

What are you counting down momentarily?

Just Keep Training, Training, Training (in the Rain!)

BAM - Training Day 1 left my bum sore.

Doing 1-Minute Bikini-Booty Challenge (Split Lunge Jumps) the first day of training gave me a positive boost mentally; it's something I definitely needed to jump start BAM (running Berlin/Amsterdam/MysteryMarathon 2013).

Although I am very glad to have incorporated it in my work-out, I realised I have to skip a run because of it today.

1-Minute Bikini-Booty Challenge: Split Lunge Jumps

Not going to feel bad about skipping a run (I have between 3-4 runs every week for this new training plan).

After all I have not run for a week (rest from the Luxembourg half-marathon), and have not done any proper work-out as well during this time.  One easy day before running a  slow longer distance or a quick short run is always a good compromise.

The new warm-up work-out yesterday was a breath of fresh air for my mind. But I think I need to go back to my old warm-up video (I've been using it for a year) to build up again slowly on my strength and condition.

Snow, rain or sunshine, I have to bike as part of our daily life. Today was the same: 15 kilometers under the "Dutch tropical rain". 

Frodo my trusted companion :)

Saying: Boooyaaah, it's raining! And not: BAaaah! :D

Smiling in the rain because I tell myself: my bum might be too sore to run but never too sore to bike, and it let me keep that condition level stable and not deteriorate. And yeah, I have to underline this: I feel awesome that I no longer have panic attacks biking in the rain - boooyaaah! :D Biking is a tremendous help to me when I can't run for one reason or another. Hope, hope, hope I will have time to get lots of draft posts published about my biking @Lightness of Being on the Bike during the Summer school break. What a joy it would be to inspire others, who are afraid of learning how to bike, or know how to but because it can be stressful (riding in traffic, or covering a certain distance) give it up completely.

Travelling through the different seasons is something I enjoy writing
@ My Daily Mooosings in the Netherlands

My training thoughts for this day: with everything you want, love to do, and be good at, you  have to keep doing it and never give up.  Eventually everything becomes natural, like a fish swimming in water! :)

I love, love, love the film Nemo - it gives a very inspiring message, that when the going gets tough, you just have to keep going (or swimming :D)!

BAM: Training Day 1

Aller Anfang ist schwer - The first step is the hardest.
 
The above phrase is one of the first I learned and heard a lot from people I met, who gave me a lot of encouragement, when I begun learning German in Hamburg.

Stap voor stap - Step by step, on the other hand is a phrase I learned from my Dutch soulmom, my pseudo mother-in-law; it is something she often repeats when I feel a bit disheartened with how I am progressing with my ability and comprehension of this language.

Both phrases came to my mind when I started following the new 10-minute workout: cardio warm-up  video. 

I found i yesterday as I googled 'warm-up' to replace the old video clip, I have been following for almost 2 years now.

Wow. I felt quiet heavy and awkward at the beginning. I have not been working out since Luxembourg, and miss going to the gym for my soothing yoga lessons.

A 10-Minute Workout to Get the Blood Pumping

I followed up the 10 minute work-out with:

1-Minute Bikini-Booty Challenge: Split Lunge Jumps

Then, I went of for a 3.13 km run. 

No time for a relaxing 10K, and no peace at all for a quick 5K, and I was determined to underline today with a run, no matter how short the distance:my new fighting/trainig motto.

3.13 kilometers seems very appropriate to kick-off my first official training day!

What I almost never consider as a part of my daily training/workout/cardio routine is biking with the Littlest to school, and going back home, and another round of it when I pick the girls up. Usually I average 20-30 km daily on the bike.

My Frodo - a name the girls baptized my 3 year old bike.
It just now occured to me, I forgot to celebrate his birthday...
I have to check when exactly I got him. If I remember it right, it was in June.

My bike blog: The Lightness of Being On the Bike is in and out of slumber mode.

Hopefully, now that I am slowly getting back in the flow of blogging, I could do at least a once a month post there.

That was BAM: Day 1!

What's Plan B?! BAM!

Keep Calm & Whats Plan B?from Google image

Plan B: Berlin/Amsterdam/Mystery Marathon is the back-up plan
of  #TRIOof2013 - Paris/Luxembourg/Berlin (triple marathons of 2013)
Paris Marathon: completed, awarded with finisher's medal but not on the official finisher's list
Luxembourg Marathon: ran a half-marathon instead of a full

On Monday Motivation: Dream On!, I admitted that I am having problems motivating myself to continue with the running projects I set out to do in 2013.

They were all running projects made riding the high of having reached the goals of running Berlin/Amsterdam Marathons 2012 back to back.

I may not have had yet the super speed in my legs after 13 months of running (August, 2011 - September 2012) but you bet I have proven to myself, that I am able (and willing!) to go the distance. :D

During my first year of running, I derived a lot of inspiration and motivation
from the Amsterdam Running Junkies

Running Berlin and Amsterdam seems to be my faith. Literally!
A lovely fellow Filipina, residing in California, whom I met online, gave me a generous gift: the starting number for Amsterdam Marathon.
Her name? Faith! :)

Only a handful of people knew, that even before I begun training for Berlin Marathon 2012, I had already set my eyes on running Amsterdam Marathon 2012 three weeks later.

Until I knew that I "could" run another marathon three weeks after my first marathon, I was not ready to share it to everyone.

It was a personal goal, I was able to let myself dream because of the huge support of my family, and friends, most of whom I was in contact with online. 

But this goal was also a "gift" to my psyche.

Even after finishing Berlin Marathon, my first ever marathon, I was still doubting myself, and yes, I needed another assurance in the form of Amsterdam Marathon, that I am indeed a runner, a strong runner, even if I am not a speedy runner (yet!).

Now, fast forward to 22 months of running.

My #TRIOfor2013 (run 3 marathons within a year) has been beset with hurdles after hurdles.

The background story you can read: here.

The trio this year will not be Paris/Luxembourg/Berlin, as I wished and hoped it will be.

Paris 2013- memorable first Spring marathon experience because of a beautiful course, and the fact that I almost gave up!
We went to Paris knowing, that I was not prepared to run the full, and I only wanted to at least run the half.
But half-way, I could not stop myself from finishing the full course.
It was sheer determination that made me finish the race with the knowledge, that I would not be on the official list, and not get a medal (and oh how I love getting medal).

I met many awesome runners along the way, who reminded me in the first place why I run:
to overcome hurdles I put in front of myself.
In the end I was not on the official list of finishers (minutes before I crossed the finish line, they took the mat to register my finishing time) but was graciously rewarded with the medal for finishing!

Luxembourg 2013 - originally planned to run the full, and later I made an obvious decision to run the half.
Very happy with being able to make that decision in time, and happy that I did not give up easily.

Plan B would be: BAM! Berlin/ Amsterdam /- yet to be chosen Marathon  in November/December.

It'll be named Mystery Marathon because stubbornly searching and scheduling a marathon that starts with the letter M, which will be held at the ideal time - i.e. an event fitting the time table of the multiple marathons training schedule - is a huge challenge in itself, that will get in the way of focusing on running three consecutive marathons in three months.

It could be considered by some a crazy idea. But it will be a "controlled, planned-out craziness" :D

Also it is my project so I can do what I want. Punt. :P

BAM!

Monday Motivation: Dream On!

They say, most runners experience an emotional dip after reaching a goal.

Since running the half-marathon in  Luxembourg , I've been struggling with how to motivate myself to continue my 2013 personal running project(s).

#TRIOfor2013 (run three marathons within a year) is the major goal of this year's running goals, and has so far not been going according to plan.

#TRIOfor2013 - Paris, Luxembourg, Berlin

Paris 2013- memorable first Spring marathon experience because of a beautiful course, and the fact that I almost gave up!
We went to Paris knowing, that I was not prepared to run the full, and I only wanted to at least run the half.
But half-way, I could not stop myself from finishing the full course.
It was sheer determination that made me finish the race with the knowledge, that I would not be on the official list, and not get a medal (and oh how I love getting medal).

I met many awesome runners along the way, who reminded me in the first place why I run:
to overcome hurdles I put in front of myself.
In the end I was not on the official list of finishers (minutes before I crossed the finish line, they took the mat to register my finishing time) but was graciously rewarded with the medal for finishing!

Luxembourg 2013 - originally planned to run the full, and later I made an obvious decision to run the half.
Very happy with being able to make that decision in time, and happy that I did not give up easily.

My search for alternative marathon, preferably all after Berlin Marathon (29th of September), are beset with worries, and doubts.

So here I am, reminding myself that I should crush those worries and doubts, and FOCUS on achieving what I set out to do.

Berlin & Amsterdam aka My Back 2 Back Marathons 2012! I love looking at these medals because they symbolize for me. that you can realize dreams if you: believe, focus and work hard to achieve it.

How do you crush negative feelings and thoughts?

One baby step at a time.

Littlest (Happy) Feet on the beach
at one of our first outing here in the Netherlands,
April, 2009

My first step is with this blog: acknowledging my doubts, fears and worries.

Tomorrow, the next step: plan of action.