The watch tells no lies.
There is that moment,
Less than a moment even.
The split second that hangs in the balance
Between crossing the line and looking to the teller of no lies.
Baited breathe, you hope for good news,
Slightly anticipate bad…
You pause…
Toeing the line between wanting to know and not
Unsure if you do, indeed, really want to know the truth.
All in less than that tenth of a second…
The decision is already made,
Because deep down you know
that you HAVE to know.
Run fast. Be proud.
I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend so far, today is going to be all about the art. 🙂
1) How did you get your run on today?
2) Care to suggest a different one-liner for this picture?
True love waits…for you to finish your run.
Well, being the forever pathetic runnerchick in the whole love department (can I at least say I try to make up for that last tag-line with doubling up on the running portion?? Hehe.) I can’t exactly off up all too much insight into the topic of whether it’s easier to have both people as runners in a relationship or not. Though I still tend to be able to yammer on about anything regardless, so I’ll offer up some keen words of wisdom.
I’ll say that runners are quirky. In some cases that’s an understatement; now I know everyone, runner and non-runners alike, have their own quirks, but the thing is many runners share the same quirks. If not the exact same quirk, something similar and they can at least see where the other person’s insaneness is stemming from. They may know it’s totally illogical but they can at least SEE the other person’s line of reasoning. (Umm, even the person with the quirk usually knows that just because something isn’t rational doesn’t mean they don’t have to still harbor the desire to do it…mmmmk.)
That said, I’ve heard from couples of the mix-matched running pursution that having a non-runner helps balance out the insanity…so who really knows. I guess in the end “all you need is love, love. Love is all you need.” Before I start tasting that yummy chocolate chip muffin for the second time, I’ll cut to some things that, love aside, I think any kind of partner for a runner addict enthusiast should be able to understand…or at least see the line of reasoning of it.
* I love you but the watch comes first. Now this may sound horrible, but let me explain myself fully before you judge. When you’re on a run, with anyone for that matter, there is an agreement that barring some insane, brutal attack (bear mauling) if one person has to stop or slow down the other person doesn’t necessarily have to do the same. If a person has to make a pit-stop, their running buddy doesn’t need to stop running, they may circle around but it’s not like we are to share a bush! Sometimes on easy days one person’s pace may not be exactly the same as the others and if there comes a point in the run where a person wants to slow down, their partner can of course choose to do so as well, but they can also choose to do their own thing. It’s then understood it’s nothing person.
* You trip the switch I’ll kill you. I harbor this insane amount of fear that for some reason there may be a power surge while I’m in the middle of my run on a treadmill and the machine will stop. I try to zone out if I can and not stare at the screen so I’m afraid that I’ll then not know how far I went and…gasp…will have to guess. I’m also afraid that if anyone is around the area of the cord they will somehow trip on it and it will be unplugged. (This happened once to me, and is my explanation for this ridiculous phobia of mine.) Even worse, if I were in the middle of a hard workout and the cord came unplugged, I’d probably kill the person who did it.
* Understand the fartlek. The whole fast slow thing really gets annoying if you’re on a bike path and there are other people, strangers, around you running at a pace that causes you to keep passing them on your fast part and then having them pass you on the easy part. You of course try to get faster on the fast part, and bump up the recovery pace, but through the course of the workout that gets tougher and sometimes the other person is thinking, “wtf” and tries to amp up their pace. I guess I bring this up because if the ‘stranger’ is the kind of person who would do that and not understand what the fartleking running was doing, then said person is stamped un-date-able (maybe un-friendable…jk.) off the bat.
* What’s said/done mid-hard workout can later be ‘taken back’ without explanation. Sometimes that little inner beast of a person can rise up out of nowhere in the middle of a bad run, a really tough workout, heck, just because. I’ve seen athletes actually flip their coaches the bird and scream upon being told they were running another ‘surprise’ interval…they of course ran the interval and five minutes later chumming it up with dear coachie. The episode never needed to be talked out, it wasn’t anything person just one of those things that you run the risk of encountering when there’s suffering (the good kind) involved. The bottom line is the workout got done; if there had been a refusal that’s a totally different story…complain if you want but you know you’re going to do it.
* No pity clap. The only thing that makes a bad workout or race WORSE is the pity clap or ridiculously over-board encouragements. Such as, I was once running a tempo, it was crash and burn stlye and by the end there, running so far off pace the only reasonable explanation would have been that I was running backwards…sadly I wasn’t. My coach offered up the logical form tips and such but another coach standing track-side started pulling the way, over the top cheerleader, “Looking AWESME!!! Great job!! Keep it up!!” He was actually smiling and clapping like a little kid looking forward to birthday cake. The thing is, we all knew the truth and that wasn’t it. In cases like this, please don’t pretend we don’t all know that what is going on is ugly…doing so only makes the workout/race worse.
* If you love me you’ll kick my @$$. There are many runnerchicks blessed with some faster hubbys and can rope them in enlist them for pacing duties. Here is where you couldn’t ask for a better situation, at least from the girl’s perspective. Or if the runnerchick was able to chick her hubs it would be working to his favor there…rock on. Having a pacer right there would be awesome so long as they understood that when the going gets tough they better keep on pushing…true love knows in the quest for our best we gotta get our @$$’s kicked in the best, most painful way. 🙂
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If you like that first picture up there, I just added it to my Etsy store so you can snag a copy there if you like! Feel free to check out the others up too, and let me know if you have any requests for images not already posted!
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1) Got any insights into the running couples situation…where do you stand, better to be both runners or not?
2) What’s one thing, a quirk or line of reasoning, you’d like to add here to the list?
3) Do you have a story to share about an infuriating fartlek experience?
4) Trials talk…we’re all open for that here too!
Sometimes us runners just need to laugh. 🙂
Happy Friday my runner peeps, I thought we should usher in the weekend on a light note. May you smile, giggle, and keep running to your happy place over the weekend!
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I thought it fitting to put up a few of my more comical pictures because the awesome runners over at Run the Edge seemed to like one of my Runner’s Strip cartoons enough they posted it on their wall. In case you missed that, go see it and also check out all the other awesome things Tim Catalano and Adam Goucher have going on over there! 🙂
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1) What’s something that’s made you smile or laugh recently?
2) Do you have any running related humorous happenings you’d like to share? Did you smirk at someone running in jeans today?? 😉
3) What have you got planned for the weekend?
4) When you go into full hungry-miles-induced-beast mode what is your top pick for filling that stomach black hole?
I may be partial but I DO believe runner legs look great with everything…they just look their best doing, well, what they do best. 😉
Though it may be a stretch to believe I actually have that many ‘regular people clothes.’ Is it wrong if I’ve tried to brainwash myself into believing that Nike shoes and apparel are acceptable to wear anywhere? Actually, once I have my Get Chicking shirt I’ll probably just wear that everywhere and I hope you do too. If not then I’ll just have to cycle through the boxes of shirts in various sizes until the end of my days. 😉
Today’s post is going to be short, sweet and focused on the art. Mostly because it is in fact my little sister’s birthday and there are, in fact, things that trump running and running talk, she is one of them. So today I’m taking a VBS: Vacation By Sis. Happy birthday to the daughter in the family who got all the fashion genes! 😉
1) Finish this sentence: Runner legs look best when being put to use, but they also aren’t too shabby…
2) Are you one of the a fashion savvy runners or a runner who will use any excuse to rock the running clothes in real life too?
3) What are you favorite running shoes and which are you currently rocking? Are you remembering to use the 500 mile rule??
Track and cookies, what could be better?
When I think of track I think of speed, splits, adrenaline, excitement, nerves, tempos, intervals, and races. There is something special about spiking up and toeing the line. The process of going through your warm-up, playing the race out in your mind a million times over, those last strides that are just as much a burst of speed as a means to expel the last remnants of doubts and nerves.
Time to get to the line. You anxiously stand poised awaiting the starter pistol and just when you don’t think you can stand one more SECOND of anticipation…CRACK…all else melts away, nerves are forgotten, and it’s you, the track, and the race.
1) Do you like track? What’s your favorite part?
2) Do you dread the track? Some people even have a bit of a phobia with it when it comes to doing a workout on the track, the track shouldn’t be scary, learn to love it!
3) What’s your favorite track event to run? If you don’t run track do you watch it, and what’s your favorite event to watch?
4) What’s the best fortune you’ve even gotten in a cookie?
Don’t let anything, including yourself, stand in your way.
Today will be short and sweet. Remember also, that running is incredibly mental and usually the biggest limiting factor is YOUR OWN mind. Don’t let your mind out-thinking yourself from your goals…next time that little voice in your head says, “Stop, you can’t do this, it’s too hard, slow down, ease back.” Respond by ignoring it and plowing forward. 🙂
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I’m also excited to share that one of my pictures is featured today on the Run The Edge Facebook page! If you haven’t checked it out, head on over. While you’re there be sure to see what other awesome things are going on at Run The Edge…there’s even continued updates on Kara Goucher’s road to the London Olympics. Talk about some awesome goals to run towards. 🙂
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1) What goals are you currently working towards?
2) What do you do when you find yourself doubting yourself, a particular goal, or have the little voice in your mind telling you to ‘stop’?
3) What’s going on for you this weekend?
So I’ve got some exciting news…at least it is for me.I’d like to reveal to you the very first Arty Runnerchick designed (aka Cait Chock) running shirt *imagined overly dramatic drapes being pulled*:
Support the Get Chicking Movement
But this shirt comes with a mentality, it’s the Get Chicking attitude.Runnerchicks, we’ve all been in the position of having to deal with the man who can’t handle being chicked. It’s the faceless dude on the opposite side of the road when we’re on our easy days, he starts picking up the pace in an effort to not get passed, we end up getting sucked into this little rivalry and wind up defeating the purpose of our ‘easy runs’…though the satisfaction of dusting his @$$ is a reward that may be worth it.
All rights Cait Chock
It’s the dude in a race who doesn’t really think anything of it as he’s tiring and hears the smooth footsteps and controlled breath of a runner ready to pass him. He’s accepted his fate as the passee, that is until he realizes it’s a chick. He then swerves around like a mad man clinging to the hope that if he makes it nearly impossible for you to get around him he may avoid getting chicked.
It’s even sometimes a fellow teammate who just can’t handle getting chicked in a workout…these are the saddest cases because these guys just give the AWESOME runnerdude teammates who enjoy the company of the fast runnerchicks a bad name.
Not all runnerdudes are unable to be man enough to handle being chicked and I of course want to establish that…I personally have had the pleasure of usually being surrounded by guys who I know pushed me to run my best. They let me tag along as an equal and I’ve always been thankful of that.
The Get Chicked mentality isn’t about hating on runnerdudes at all (and I’ve got more plans in the works down the line for you runnerdudes, just be patient as I’m still working out the fundage…lol.) it is instead about empowering us runnerchicks. We are fast, we are out there, and we will chick you. 🙂
All rights Cait Chock
That said, I owe more than a bit of creative inspiration to one Britt over at Chicago Runner because I really must have been living in a box for all of these years and hadn’t heard the actual term ‘chicked’ or ‘chicking’ until I read one of her posts! I know, I’m a dork…but I fell in love with the term and knew I had to use it. So THANK YOU, Britt.
And thus the Get Chicking revolution shall begin. 😉 If you would in fact like to don one of these running tees here are the logistics:
* I’m now in the pre-ordering phase so you can be one of the first lucky few to have a shirt that’s in your correct size secured.
* The shirt itself is an Asics Core Short Sleeve Running tee in black. It’s light and breathable, trust me I’m the sweatiest runnerchick around and would not stand for anything else.
* Sizes will run from XS to XL.
* The shirt is $25 plus shipping costs.
To get one send me an email: captaincait@hotmail.com with your desired size and address.
Keep on Chicking friends! 😉
1) Do you have a fun chicking story?
2) Favorite shirt to run in?
3) Do you tend to train/run alone, with a partner, or a group? Are they of the same gender, opposite, or a mix?
4) For guys: are you man enough to accept being chicked and enjoy the company of running with females?
Sunday is comic time!! All about the Runner’s Strip today…
(Click image to enlarge)
In case you missed our last comic, revisit Runner’s Strip: Twitter Addict.
Hope you’re having a great weekend!
1) What’s the last geeky running thought to pulse through your brain?
2) How did you spend your Sunday?
3) Corny joke time…if you have one, spill it! 😉
Why did the elephant bring toilet paper to the party? …Well, he was a party pooper of course!
I like this one better: Why did the runner shove some toilet paper in their sock? 😉
Take a second to close your eyes, force out any noise clutter, and picture yourself achieving one of your goals. Pick a goal, for the purposes of this post make it something tied to running or working out, and envision yourself working towards it and then accomplishing it. How do you feel after you’ve done it? What were you picturing?
I just finished an article that you can read on Competitor, ‘Foresee it, Believe it, Achieve it: The Power of Visualization for Runners,’ all about the power of visualization and how it can improve your performance. But visualization isn’t a great tool for the sole purposes of acing a race and if you’re not exactly looking to PR or hit a time/race goal you can use it to be more productive and achieve more than you think is possible.
Setting goals, higher than you’re comfortable with, can be tricky…mostly it’s a matter of putting yourself out there…putting that goal out there. It makes you vulnerable; there is after all the possibility of failure. However if you want to DO better you have to aim higher and it’s also proven that goals are more likely to be achieved if they are 1) concrete and 2) written down and or stated.
By concrete I mean, something black and white, definite, there is no question of whether you’ve achieved it or not. Think a certain time, a certain placing in a race, finishing a particular distance. Not, “I want to get faster” or “I want to get in better shape.” The last two are ambiguous, see the difference?
Getting back to visualization, I had the great pleasure of talking with Dr. Jim Bauman, Ph.D Sports Psychology, who has worked with World Teams and Olympic athletes along with anyone who wants to propel themselves further in their given sport.
The article covers the three types of visualization: internal, external, and kinesthetic. Each are slightly different and may work better depending on the athlete and how they learn or are hard-wired. Internal is through the first person, external is through the third person perspective, and the last involves actual muscular movements. Dr. Bauman also advises the first few times you attempt visualization you do what is called guided imagery, where you have someone else lead you through the exercise. That way all you have to do is hone in on their voice and picture the scene that plays out.
The other point about visualization is that Dr. Bauman stresses you have to do it regularly. Practice it just like you workout. Also, try to include as many details and senses (ie: smell, feel, sound, etc.) into your imagery scenes.
So here’s a little exercise. Think of the next race or workout that you have; think of what you want to get out of that race or run and set a goal. Now close your eyes, try to find a quiet space and tune out where you physically are.
Think of your first few steps of the run…it’s probably your warm-up, think of your legs starting to loosen up as they slip into your familiar stride. After the first couple of minutes the kinks are starting to work out and by the end of your warm-up you’re feeling relaxed and strong.
You move to some stretches and then strides. The last stride you feel ready to roll, the engine’s burning hot and your legs are turning over efficiently. You’re now at the starting line, or about to start the first interval, you take off…fast but contained, you feel in control.
Your shoulders are dropped, your arms swing back to front, your hands and jaw are relaxed. You deeply inhale the cool air, feel it work down your throat and into your lungs before it is hotly exhaled and the process repeats. Feel the oxygen fill your lower lungs and leave in a rhythm.
Think of the rhythm of your feet, you can hear your steady footfalls like the beat of a drum. You feel the same crisp air prick at the hairs of your arms, you feel the rush of the air as you break against it. You are running smooth, relaxed, and with an even stride.
Now picture the part of the race or workout where you know it is starting to get tough. You know there is the burning sensation building in your legs, but instead of tightening up you stay relaxed. You keep your eyes locked ahead, if it’s a hill you’re climbing you stare only at the horizon. You remind yourself that this pain is only temporary and it’s a test…a test to see how bad you want this.
You focus on your steady breathing, the in and out, your footfalls beating like the steady drum. You’re now closing in on the last repeat, the last push to the finish. You see the people around you, you’re passing them. You can slightly feel the whoosh as you edge ahead of them and leave them behind.
You are running smooth, relaxed, strong, and now all the way through to the finish. You have done it. Think of that goal you set prior to starting, you’ve achieved it. Let that sense of accomplishment wash over you, remember that feeling so you can recall it later for motivation.
This mind-space you’ve created is yours alone, you can tap into it whenever and wherever, you just have to know how to get there.
(The above was an example of an internal guided imagery.)
1) Have you ever used visualization as a tool? If so, when and describe your experience.
2) How do you set concrete goals that push you but are attainable?
3) Do you think you’ll try using visualization if you haven’t before, and if you have do you plan to continue to practice it?
4) Is anyone racing this weekend? What are your weekend plans?