Running Start

This Inspires Me

I'm convinced. Starting the day with a run can do wonders. Even if you  have to wake up at four, snooze once or twice, and make it out the door, in the dark, a half hour later - miracles can happen. Let me explain.

* Stress the size of gigantic bagels, disappear.

I woke up today to a visual consolidation of my stress. I saw myself in bed, holding on, to a gigantic, heavy bagel. Of all things! A gigantic bagel? And why on earth was I holding it? Obviously it didn't land on me, I was clinging on to a gigantic bagel of stress. This of course, made me laugh and by mile four, everything felt a bit lighter. I felt like I did better today, with the problems that came up. I carried the stress around for awhile but eventually, figured out a way to let it go.


* Time, flies.
 
Our school held a parent orientation today between 7-9am. It didn't feel like two long hours about supply lists, carpool plans, and parent booster clubs - time didn't feel wasted. I imagined these students in my classroom; reminisced about my parents visiting school with me; and pictured myself as a parent. There was a really good energy and I was inspired by it.


* Writers, appear.

I met a student today who will be in my advisory and humanities class. Initially, she was very quiet and I spent several minutes talking mostly to her mom. Then, out of nowhere she told me, "I love to write too. I already have two chapters." To my surprise, she's already read my bio on the school's website and noticed that I also, love to write. She made my day.

I know the four a.m. routine will be difficult to keep once the school year starts to roll. Whatever happens, I just wanted to bottle up today in a post.

Achilles

I. Want. To. Run.

Of all places to hurt, I hurt my Achilles tendon. Two weeks before the marathon? REALLY? So, it doesn't hurt when I'm sitting down. Once I get up and take the first few steps I think I'm better, but then a few more and I start limping. My students are like, what's with the walk Ms?

This seriously is out of the blue. I wonder - was it because of the heels? the 18? the last 13? are my calves too big? is it the end of running? I'm being dramatic - I believe things will work out for the best. I just really wanted to cross the finish line this year with the team.

I shall be sleeping on a bed of ice tonight. ICE!

Santa Monica Beach

The run at Santa Monica Beach this morning was excellent.

Friday night left me exhausted. So when it started to rain, it was a relief - I knew we wouldn't have to run on Saturday morning. I slept in, listened to the rain come and go, watched the sky go bright then dark, from the comfort of my bed. I wrote a few words. Drank lots of milk tea all day long. Recuperated.

Our SRLA team ran 14 miles today. We've become used to the half marathon distance, so I'm proud of the extra mile we ran. We mapped our route on the USA Track and Field site. Running towards Will Rogers State Beach - it is all surf and sand. Running towards Venice - it is all artists, runners and medical marijuana - very hard not to notice. Love it. There's so much everywhere, to keep your senses happily occupied.

I love and loathe running in equal measure. I can do without the two-three hour stretches of pain but its hard to do without the post-run "I feel so alive!" feeling.

eighteen miles

our hands
were swollen

finger balloons
each a shiny red
skin -
pulled tight
surface -
smooth

our mouths caught

a collection of:
concrete
chamomile, dry brush
manzanilla
horse shit
dust ridden
Pacoima heat

shoulders rounded
hands on our hips
we walked
stretched beyond our means
we ran
to the dam,

damn.

David Goggins

I read his story last year when he graced the Runner's World magazine cover as a Navy SEAL and hero of running. He actually doesn't enjoy running or any exercise for that matter. But after losing buddies on tour in Afghanistan he vowed to raise funds for families who lost a husband or father to war. And he decided to do it by becoming an ultra marathon runner. He raises money for the Special Operations Warrior Foundation, which pays the college tuition for children of special-operations personnel killed in the line of duty.

He is amazing. Be inspired.

Recovery

My voice is hoarse. It goes up and down. Cracks. And I can't sing to songs at the moment. It's almost non-existent.

I tried to teach with my voice like this once last December. I have a very attentive and kind group of 6th grade students this school year. Even so, I was irate by the end of that day because not only were they not listening to me, but they couldn't hear me. I thought, I'm here for you on the last day before winter break, with goodie bags, with a fever, with hardly any voice, and you're not listening to me! Looking back, that was very much my fault - I still think the world of them.

So this Friday, I decided to take the day off and rest my voice. And spare them any unnecessary wrath from me =) I have to be kind to myself first, before I can be kind to others.

I think my body decided to take my voice away so that I would start listening to it.

I've been sticking to the fitness goals I set in my last post. In three weeks, I've lost five pounds, Fred has lost seven. It's been exciting. Eating healthier has been the easiest part, making time for exercise has been the hardest.

Since I've been sick these three days, I've tried my best to take these words to heart: exercise is the architect, recovery is the builder. But it's tough sometimes to listen to your body and make the right choice.

Tomorrow my team and I are running the 10K Firecracker Run in Chinatown. I won't blame them if they don't show up just to run in the pouring rain but I have to be there. And because several other teachers are actually committed to going tomorrow too, I have this feeling that many students will also be crazy enough to show up. I'm reasoning that I don't need a voice just to run. Just lots of heavy plastic bags to cover all of us when we run in the rain. We'll see what ends up happening. Madness!

Wish us luck!

North on Myrtle Avenue

This is an awesome picture - it's not mine. I'm glad someone feels compelled to capture shots of Monrovia, cause I think it's a beautiful city too.

I usually run with my students on Saturday mornings. But we decided that for Thanksgiving weekend, all the coaches, teachers and students should take a rest from the pack and run on their own.

So, I decided to run from my house to Old Town Monrovia, North on Peck Rd. until it became Myrtle Ave., until my Garmin measured about 8 to 9 miles.

What a noisy run.

It was early in the morning but I could hear every bus, every car. Every moving thing coming to a stop at every red light and raring to go at every green. Sidewalks came to an abrupt end every so often ... I think I ran faster for fear of getting hit by the car or by debris. There was exhaust and dust everywhere.

But I loved it. I loved how unexpected and difficult the route was. I loved reaching Monrovia.

The Process

We all finished the L.A. Marathon! All 10 students and 9 teachers!

Last week was one long celebration. Slideshows of the course. Meetings with parents. Field trip to the L.A. Expo. A pasta dinner with the principal and certificates and pictures and rousing student and teacher speeches. It was very moving and inspiring to experience.

I still wake up most mornings thinking I have something left to do for the team. Did I wake up late for a run? Did I forget to call someone? What about that volunteer? Do I have all the bibs? I think I'm having difficulty letting go.

the sun, just for us

It was such a beautiful morning.

The storm clouds were out and it was drizzling at 6am, but by 7am, everything changed. The Silverlake reservoir was in clear view, the sky opened its windows to show a calmer shade of blue and for three solid hours, the sun came out, just for us.

Our Students Run L.A. team was able to complete a solid 11 miles and it was awesome to watch them take on this marathon training business with so much enthusiasm! It didn't rain, but they were mentally willing to push themselves even if it did. A small group of students added a lap around the reservoir and ran 2 extra miles just because they thought they needed it.

Teaching is hard and being compassionate in tough situations has been particularly difficult these few days. The love I last wrote about, well, I haven't been as loving as I'd like to be with the one class that has crossed almost every boundary. Why must the most important lessons always come in such painful packages?

And so, I'm grateful for days like today, when everything works out. When you expect to get drenched running in the middle of a storm but manage to come out dry. When the weather forecast screams 90% precipitation and STILL they can be wrong, just long enough for everyone to go the distance. When you're surrounded by really hopeful, driven and beautiful students and teachers.

Small miracles happen all the time and they do wonders for me. I'm filled again with hope that a miracle will happen in my teaching practice. I'll just have to trust that it will and work like crazy to make sure that it does.

Across the Bridge!

I'm putting my running shoes back on and training for the San Francisco Half Marathon!

Ha, my old college friend invited me to join her and I couldn't resist. One look at the SF Marathon Website and I was sold. Take a look at it and you may want to run it too.

I knew Fred was definitely going to go up there and cheer me on, but surprisingly my aunt, grandma and mom said they'd join us too =) They are the best!

And so, 11 more weeks of training to go. Saturday long runs in Pasadena with the Pacers and evening hill runs at Griffith Park every other week. Hopefully I won't collapse and roll down the hill.

Or get lost. Or lose my will - slack off and end up standing on the bridge rather than running across it =) Or worse, be stuck somewhere along the route, looking for a porta potty. AH!