16 Miles in the City...A Running Route Review

Even with the rain and hail it is pretty hard to complain about the weather in central Ohio right now.  It is only mid-March but it feels like the end of April.  The daffodils are blooming and the flowering trees all have buds that gently sway in the perfect breeze.  I live for this kind of weather.

A flowering tree along the river downtown

I've been taking advantage of the weather and getting my baby outside as often as I can.  He discovered that even though he is not a fan of carrots, dirt is quite tasty.  This week we went on a family run.  I'm still getting used to the running stroller and I think it slows me down because I can't swing my arms while I move.  At least this is the excuse I gave Sam when he complained that I was running too slow.

This weekend my long run was a 16 miler.  It was definitely a doozie, but the weather made it palatable.  And to celebrate a great St. Patty's Day run I thought I'd give my readers something a little extra in this post, a review of one of my favorite running routes in the city (so far).

I started at my home in Olde Towne East and headed straight down Bryden/Towne St., through the Columbus Commons to High St.  From there I headed south to Whittier and hit the trail head at the Scioto Audubon Metro Park.  It is about three miles from my house to the park.  I ran along the river through downtown, on the Scioto Mile to the North Bank Park.  I headed north on Neil Ave. all the way to OSU campus.  I did a quick lap on the oval, a stop at the business school and then back tracked to downtown and back home.  When I say it was a 16 miler that is a white lie.  It was actually only 15.4 miles.  I just couldn't convince myself to pass my street when I got there at 15.4 miles.  If you could've done it, I need you to start training with me.  Here is my take on the route.

The view of downtown from the running path heading north from the Audubon

The Good: This route is a beautiful way to see the city.  I ran through four fantastic parks and one of the best campuses that ever existed (I might be a little biased about OSU).  But in all seriousness OSU is a great place to run, especially when it snows.  The facilities department is quick to plow the walkways  which is not always the case on sidewalks or even running trails.  Another great thing about this route is that there are a lot of runners and walkers, even on the roads. 



Downtown Columbus on
St. Patty's day...about 12 miles into my run



The Bad: Since I opted to head north on Neil Ave. rather than continue on the trail I had to stop for traffic quite a bit.  It can also get a little crowded at the Scioto Mile because of the swings and benches along the river.

The Ugly: Nothing.  I loved every step of this run.

Overall: Scenic and fun, I highly recommend this route.  If you only need a few miles start at the Audubon and head north toward downtown.  You'll be glad that you did.

Girls + Running = FUN!

While perusing the Canton Marathon website http://www.cantonmarathon.com/ I stumbled across an amazing organization called Girls on the Run.  Immediately I knew that I wanted to be a part of their mission to inspire girls to be joyful, healthy and confident.  After a very long training session, lots of paperwork and a background check I'm in.

We've completed two sessions and I am hooked!  Being at a GOTR session is like stepping into another world.  There wasn't really a "getting to know you" phase with the third, fourth and fifth grade girls on my team.  Once they knew my name they felt as though they could expose me to their world, which includes a lot of singing, dancing, laughing and quirkiness.  You've got to love it when you tell them to run around and act crazy they sing, leapfrog over one another and act like chickens.  I have a feeling I'm going to have a lot of fun in the next nine weeks.

Being a GOTR coach reminds me of when I was in high school and I helped my dad coach a fifth grade girls basketball team.  I was never much of a basketball player, but I really enjoy that age group and I thought it would be a good chance to hang out with my dad in his element.  My dad loved sports.  He loved to watch them, play them and coach them.  Growing up my dad was always helping to coach or support some athletic program that we were involved in.  Now that I am an outcast in the world of pre-teen girls I understand that my dad sought to find a common interest with the tween version of me and for me it was basketball and softball.  Smart guy.

Franklin Park...A Running Route Review

A couple months ago some of our friends visiting us from out of town and dubbed my husband Mr. Columbus because of his love and knowledge of the city. I guess that makes me Mrs. Columbus. As the newly self apointed Mrs. Columbus I've decided to offer a valuable service to my fellow Columbusonians (or Columbusites?), reviews of popular running routes. I'll try to have one per week from now on.

Franklin Park

The Good: Franklin Park is right in my back yard so I've done a good deal of training there.  It is a scenic location where there are always friendly faces around, no matter the weather.  I've even enjoyed a free bowl of stew after a 12 mile run in the rain at one of the gardens there. 

The Bad: There are hundreds of geese and ducks that reside in the Franklin Park ponds.  They come with a few hassles.  They don't clean up after themselves and though the park groundskeepers try to stay on top of it there is always a good deal of poop dodging to do.  The other downfall of this park is that it only has a mile loop with mile markers.  This can be a bit boring for long runs, but there are many other paths that will take you through the other gardens if you want to use a GPS app (like MapMyRun) to keep track of your distance.

This is the sign I taped to my Gatorade last week.  I'm pleased to report that it worked wonderfully!

The Ugly: There are some Gatorade thiefs in the area.  Both Sam and I have had our Gatorades stolen from this park on separate occasions.  Now that I've got my Fuel Belt back in funtioning order I don't have to worry about that anymore.  For those of you that haven't drank the Fuel Belt Kool-Aid (which is actually Gatorade) I've found that if I tape a note to my Gatorade bottle the groundskeepers and other park goers will leave the bottle alone.

Overall: This is by far my favorite spot in the city for a short run.

Franklin Park in full bloom.  The Franklin Park Conservatory sits in the background.

The Little Things

It's funny how little things can swing your frame of mind one way or another while you are training.  This week I have experienced swings in both directions.  Let's start with my long run.  Even though I firmly stand by the total awesomeness of the Fuel Belt mine is currently on the fritz.  During the frigid weather the plastic on the caps became brittle and broke off.  I tried to rig them so they wouldn't open while I was running but I ended up with red Gatorade all over my back.  This was not the event that put me in a sour frame of mind during my training, but the history is important to the story.

After putting an order in for replacement caps and a couple additional bottles for the Fuel Belt I found myself in a bit of a dilemma.  You see, now that I know how the Fuel Belt has revolutionized my running I was worried about returning to my old training tricks.  But I needed to finish fourteen miles so I headed to good ol' Franklin Park with my Gatorade in hand.  I was sure to drink some of it before I set it down on my the path and I started my run.  It is no secret that the U.S. economy is struggling but did you also know that their is an extremely high demand for Gatorade these days?  Three miles later...no Gatorade.  Seriously?!?!  I'm pretty sure that is exactly what I shouted when I got to the spot where I had left my Gatorade a mile earlier.  There might have been a couple expletives in there too. 

This is a common thing to happen to runners and it really, really sucks!  I've been the victim of Gatorade theft in College Park, MD.  My husband and dad both had their Gatorade's stolen during training runs.  It's likely that the person doing the stealing is really trying to be a good steward to the environment.  They are clearly NOT a runner and they have no idea the impact this can have on your mental state during a long training run.  Needless to say that was not my best run. 

The little things also make a big difference when I need a boost to keep me moving toward a difficult goal.  A couple weeks ago I was struggling through my long run when two little boys started running a long with me.  The older bother gestured back to his younger brother who was trailing us by ten yards and said "That's my brother.  He stepped in an ice puddle.  And you know what else?  He cried."  I immediately felt bad.  "Maybe you guys should head home."  I suggested.  He agreed, but he didn't listen.  They went off to play as I continued on.  I passed that spot again later in my run and they were still there.  This time they didn't run with me but they waved and smiled.  It was very sweet and the image of their faces helped me finish that run.

This week the weather has been glorious.  All of the signs of spring are in the air.  I even saw some crocuses in bloom which instantly put a smile on my face. Today I got to go on a run with my whole family (including the dog) which was a real treat for me.  Linus is very talkative when he's in his stroller and it makes for a pretty entertaining outing.  I'm hoping for a lot more of these family training sessions.  It makes marathon training feel a bit less lonely.

Crocuses in bloom...Spring is right around the corner!

I get a lot of energy from the support of others.  I love to hear "Great job!" from other runners or spectators.  At the marathon I ran with my dad I remember it making a big difference throughout the race. During the marathon it was a huge relief to see mile marker 24 and at the Delaware marathon seeing that sign instantly put a smile on my face.  While we were finishing our last two miles of the Delaware marathon my dad, Sam and I were cruising along with huge smiles on our faces.  I remember that the crowd was kind of thinning but there were three spectators that made a huge difference for me.  The first was another marathoner that had already finished and was heading to his hotel.  He shouted to me "Great smile!  Keep it up you're almost there!"  And the others were my Uncle John and Aunt Donna.  I wasn't even expecting to see them their but there they were and it was so motivating to see their smiling faces cheering us on.

There is a lesson in the post for both runners and non-runners.  For non-runners...leave the Gatorade alone!  And say something encouraging the next time you pass a runner on the street or path.  For runners...run with a smile on your face, you'll get more encouraging comments from the Gatorade stealers.

The Advice Lady

An interesting phenomenon has been happening lately.  I've been getting a lot of questions from female friends and even strangers on running.  Form, gear, training habits, diet, you name it I've been asked about it.  I find it a little amusing considering that I am not what you would call an elite athlete and therefore not the most obvious person to ask about running.  But I do love talking and writing about running, so I'm happy to oblige.

I have a theory on why it is happening..I'm very proud of being a marathoner and I like to show off my marathon shirts as often as possible.  As a pretty average looking American woman I think people are a little impressed when I wear my race shirts to the gym and I get a lot of comments about them.  The women seeking my advice probably see me as a non-threatening runner who is not so different from them that has achieved something that at times can seem like an outrageous feat.  But after hearing what I've done they probably look at me similarly to how I looked at my dad when I was deciding to run a marathon.  In 2010 my dad was nearly twice my age and I thought if my old dad could do it surely I could too.

I'm not sugar coating marathon training.  It is difficult.  But it's not impossible even for us average looking Americans.  Of course the training and physical fitness are important, that is why we train.  But the most important ingredients to becoming a marathoner are determination, self-discipline and creativity. 

In order to dedicate four months of your life to prepare for one day you must be determined.  Without determination I don't even think anyone would be able to get started.  There are a million reasons to run.  that one has to come from you.  Once you have the determination to move your tushie you now have to start training four to five times a week which requires the self discipline to get it done even when you don't want to do it.  We all have a lot of responsibilities in our lives from parenting to volunteering or work obligations and it's easy to say "I can't train because I have to..."  This is where the creativity comes in.  You have to be able to figure out how to incorporate training into your life without it taking over your life.  If you are worried you won't have the time to spend with your family because you are training ask them to come along.  Run at a park where the kids can play or ride their bikes along with you.  This can also work to your benefit because they can be your little pit crew, carrying drinks and snacks for the run. Maybe you could use your lunch break to run some of the shorter runs.  Or you can do what I consider the hardest life modification of all...wake up early and run in the morning.  I have yet to be able to accomplish this one despite the fact it would make my life a lot easier.  What can I say...I LOVE to sleep!

Alright Canton Marathoners it's time to muster up your determination, self-discipline and creativity and get your training program going.  We are four months from the big day and it is going to be an amazing experience.  If your using The Non-Runners Marathon Trainer  this weekend you will do your first long run at five miles!  Good luck and have fun!!!

Face It Head On

Ooouuuch!  This is the sound I've been making recently while I run.  About two weeks ago I rolled my ankle during a short run.  It didn't bruise so I thought nothing of it and continued to train as normal.  But a few days later it started to swell badly and was very painful.  I've never been prone to injury in the past so I wasn't sure how to treat my ankle.  After some research I've started icing it for about ten to fifteen minutes a couple times a day and elevating it above my heart as often as my life will allow me to.  Despite the unsolicited advice that I've been receiving from the doctors in my life (none of which are actual M.D.s) I continued to train on it.  I bought a ankle brace thinking it would help but it actually causes more pain than relief. 

Finally, with only 75% of my long run completed I was forced to call my husband for a ride home due to the unbarable pain originating at my left ankle and shooting up my leg, I've decided to give my ankle some time to heal.  In hindsight it seems a little silly to try to struggle through with the risk of further injuring myself but at the time I was scared that I might lose momentum in my training.

Setbacks are a normal thing in training and in life.  But in order to be sucessful we have to overcome adversity and push through. Sometimes we just need to stop what were doing and deal with the setback we have been faced with in order to make the obstacle more manageable.  Other times it is necessary to adapt and continue on with our lives.

When my dad first passed away I wondered if this was a case of adapting and continuing on with my life.  I knew that at first I would be sad and think of him often but I thought eventually my life would return to normal and I would be able to talk about him without tearing up.  As the time has passed I still think of him often and there are many things that prompt strong emotions in me.  About a month ago I was telling someone about this blog and what I aim to do with it.  He seemed a bit surprised when I told him that it wasn't just a running blog and that it is also about documenting dealing with losing a loved one.  When he asked me "So your still grieving?"  I started to worry that maybe I was holding on and not working through my emotions in a healthy way.  For the next few days I was self-conscience about my situation and I sought out some advice.   I began reading a book called The Mourners Handbook to help me work through the emotions and feelings that linger. 

The book talked about the very situation I had experienced with my friend.  Though his question felt calous to me when he first asked me about my grief I started to realize while reading the handbook that many people don't understand the grieving process.  It is very common for friends and family members to worry about a grieving loved one.  They want to know when their loved one's pain will subside.  Will it be a month?  Six months?  A year? The handbook says that there is no timeline that can tell us when the grief will subside.  The important thing is to accept that you must express the grief of your loss at some point.  If you hold in the emotions you can harm yourself physically.  Failing to mourn has been known to cause migraines and ulcers.

I guess the loss of a loved one is not something to adapt to but something to face head on.  Expressing the grief I feel through mourning his loss will enable me to remember him not with sadness in my heart but with laughter and joy for all of the wonderful memories we shared.  I look forward to the day when I can talk about him without a waiver in my voice but excitement for his acomplishments.  I will get there someday.  It might be a month from now, six months, a year or longer but I'll get there.  For now, I'll work on the little things.  Like getting my ankle back to health.