To Be or not To Be

When I am happy, I am productive. I clean when I'm happy. I exercise when I'm happy. The cleaning and exercising both increase my happiness, until I'm just a fit and clean happy ball of sunshine.

Yeah...

But then something tough comes my way and if it hits me just right it'll send me to comfort food... and sweatpants... and sappy television.

The rational and sane part of my brain tells me, "But if you clean and exercise, that will make you more relaxed and help you deal with the tough stuff. So go exercise and clean!" However, I allow myself to fall into the trap, and I just don't do what I know I should do.

When I created this blog and named it Running Unencumbered, I meant it to be about running without shoes, without that extra weight or "burden". It wasn't until last night that I realized it means more than that.

It's not just being barefoot. It's running to BE UNENCUMBERED by everything that's weighing down on your life, no matter how hard.

Next year is going to be a stressful year (if I have any prediction skills whatsoever) and I know I'm going to NEED the running and the exercise in order to make it through. So I have to say NO to the trap, and remain constant, and hope the constancy will bear me through.

Motivational Stickers

We are nearing the end of the school year here in Sonoma, and everyone's lives are crazier than ever. Massive amounts of field trips, events, and other such amazingness happening all at once are turning the campus into a whirlwind of insanity activity.

I myself just led two concerts last week, plus I'm working overtime to help out with the group of 6th graders who didn't go to Outdoor Ed, so I'm part of the crazy whirlwind. (And getting paid for it. Yes!) Actually just getting an extra half-day off available. Whoops.

The great thing is that even though all of this is happening at school, I'm still making time to run and I'm still making time to escape into the things I want to escape into (yes I know, you can stop editing me in your brain now).

This past weekend I visited my friend Meredith in Sacramento. We went for a run in the park where she usually does her training, and it was really fun. There is a fine line between thinking someone is weird and judging them, but thankfully Meredith's thoughts on my barefoot running fall into the "That's weird. Whatever" category.

It may sound stupid but one of the things I look forward to the most (besides the run) is getting to put an awesome motivational sticker on the awesome motivational colorful calendar I made and put on my bedroom door. IT'S SO CHEESY, but I love it! It's also nice being able to see your progress in sticker form rather than electronic form (like dailymile) all the time.

Stickers. Gotta love 'em.

I have a fundraising page! What?

I joined Team In Training on Monday! I'm going to be fundraising and training for the Nike Women's Half Marathon in October, and I need to raise $2,400. (Holy freaking wow)

For those of you who don't know yet, my dad was recently diagnosed with Leukemia (again, holy freaking wow). He was discharged from the Stanford Hospital last Friday and is now at home recovering, but I decided that I still needed to do something to help him with his battle in whatever way I can. Team In Training seamed the perfect way to do that.

So, here's my fundraising page, and I hope that you go check it out and perhaps even make a donation! Every little (or large) bit is going to help me on my way.

For those of you who don't know what Team in Training is, I suggest you go check out their page at www.teamintraining.org. It's not too late to join if you're interested in doing this with me!

NWM update and a plan is born

A few weeks ago, I blogged about signing up for the Nike Women's (half) Marathon. I found out last week that my team did not make it in through the random drawing. I was bummed, but my mind refused to let go of the idea that I'm going to do this.

Sometimes it's beneficial to have stubbornness as your subconscious sidekick.

I decided that if I wasn't going to be able to do this the conventional way, that Team in Training is the next best thing (or, even better than plan A!).

I double-checked with my Dad to make sure that he was okay with me asking for money in his name before committing fully to Team in Training. He gave me the "comma duh" and I signed up for an informational meeting a block from my house next Monday. I already have the support of Murphy's Pub (my friend's dad is part-owner) and I might end up doing a fund raiser there.

Trying not to get ahead of myself here.

Barefooting is going well so far. I'm taking it one inch at a time. It would be very easy for me to do too much too fast, because I often think I've already done more than I actually have. For example, I was trying to plan out when to start running, when to up my distance or my time, and I had to look through my dailymile training logs to check how long I've actually been walking barefoot! Not long enough.

So, because I do best when I write things down, I took a bunch of markers and blank paper and made myself calendars and whatnot to post in my room, so I can put stupid motivational stickers on the days when I go out, to help me keep very visual accounts of my exercise.

I'm also marking out chunks of time to designate for certain activities or goals, like for the next two weeks I marked that I should focus on walking and building soles first. The following two weeks I have dedicated to adding only a few minutes of running to my already-established walking schedule. I'm going to let my skin be my guide throughout this, but I'm just trying to surround myself with visual reminders to slow down and take it easy, so that I don't go too far beyond my capabilities.

I think that sounds like a plan. DONE.

Doubts

I'm having doubts.

I really want to be a strong runner, to be able to run barefoot or in minimalist footwear whenever and wherever I want; but so far I've injured my feet twice already, and it seems a third time is inevitable.

I really want to run/walk the Nike Women's (half) Marathon in San Francisco in October, but I'm afraid that if I try to do barefoot running and try to train for a half marathon within the same six months, that the patience needed for barefoot running and the mileage needed for half marathon training will conflict and I'll just end up injured.

(I understand that I should probably be posing this question next week when I actually know whether or not I've gotten into the race.)

I'm wondering if maybe I should start training in my Nikes to get back into running again? I would try this time to focus on good form and a midfoot or forefoot landing. I would also try to incorporate small amounts of barefoot activity before or after runs, perhaps like a warmup, in an effort to strengthen my feet and still work towards minimalist or barefoot running in the future.

I know it seems like this is a backwards step - but all I really want to do is run the hell out of this thing for my Dad. I can't do much for him, but this is something I CAN do to support him as well as the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

And really, isn't the running the most important thing? Not necessarily how I do it, but that I do it at all? Have I just gotten way too far ahead of myself here?

Any thoughts on this topic would be welcome.

So many textures!

I went for a beautiful walk today around Sonoma for about an hour before sunset. I kept my VFF TrekSports in my hand, and set off around town at a very slow, leisurely pace. The amazing thing about walking around Sonoma barefoot is all the different surfaces I encountered in just one mile. Below are a few pictures I captured on my phone's camera... sorry for the poor quality.

This is one of the roughest sections of the Sonoma Bike Path near my apartment.

Another rough section of the Sonoma Bike Path, but with a completely different feel underfoot. I don't know if you'll be able to see the difference in textures.

The most gorgeous and smooth sidewalk I have ever seen... right next to a winery with a huge fountain in the back.

A random section of Spain Street with no sidewalk... I opted to take the curb on this one.

Smooth and cool brick near the Mission. Felt very good underfoot.

And not much further up, a random patch of completely different texture. A lady walked by and gave me a weird look as I took this picture ;)

Nike Women's Marathon and other drugs

Forget running unencumbered, how about walking unencumbered?

I feel like this week has taken forever, and I haven't had any time to just enjoy anything I want to do. I got home an hour earlier than expected today, and I decided to go for a barefoot walk. Running is out of the question for another week at least, the last run hurt more than it should have.

Mind you, when I say "barefoot walk" I really just mean "barefoot mosey around the block."

In other news, the superintendent of the school district I work in sent out a district-wide challenge to join her in the Nike Women's (half) Marathon in SF in October. I figured if she can make it across the finish line, then so can I, so I signed up for the raffle with the rest of the SVUSD team.

...I then proceeded to peer pressure every other running teacher I know into signing up for the race. More info later on how many succumb to my will ;)

I've always been intrigued by this race, but this year's registration seemed to time itself perfectly, in an odd sense. I recently found out that my dad has leukemia. There really is no elegant way to state that fact. He is currently undergoing a round of chemotherapy and other drugs.

Since the NWM benefits the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I figured it was meant to be, so I signed up for the race to honor and support my dad. This is my way of contributing to an organization whose research (of which my dad is currently a part) has changed the way the medical profession battles cancer.

As it turns out I am not the only one I know participating this year. My friends Sus and Tomiko will be joining in on the fun, as well as a group of ladies I know from University of the Pacific, doing a Team in Training in memory of Christina Parks.

So, here's to crappy news, the love and support of family and friends, and the next six months of training.