Night owl to early bird

I have always been a night owl.

When I was about 3 years old, my parents let me stay up one night as an experiment. Just to see how long I'd last. When I was still happily playing at 2am, they finally gave up and put me to bed!

I'm also a procrastinator--a dangerous thing for a night owl. If there are things I need to do I spend all day dragging my feet...and then (surprise surprise) feel very productive when I stay up all night doing them! It just fuels my nocturnal tendencies!

As a result of this I have NEVER been a morning person. I hate getting up early (especially for flights)! I always prefer to start work a little later in the day and work into the night. I've had the wonderful luxury of doing just that these last few months. But of course, you don't always get to decide your own schedule!

Now that I've taken this job my biggest focus at the moment is figuring out how to keep running a priority. I'll be working long hours, often at client sites. My days will vary but it still means most of the time....I'LL HAVE TO GET UP EARLY IN THE MORNING BEFORE WORK AND RUN!

Did I just say that?!

Somehow this night owl will have to morph into an early bird. It means @6amclub for me. *GULP*

I know I shouldn't freak out or whine about it. Amazingly there are so many of you getting up even earlier, not just for work but for your families! That is some serious running dedication!

So you know what? I'm going to prove that I'm dedicated, too! I will get up early even if I have to set 2 alarms, and I'll make sure that I run enough to train for the Edinburgh Marathon or whatever challenge I decide to go for next.

So starting Wednesday (I'm a procrastinator, remember?) I'm going to be a faithful member of the @6amclub so it's not such a shock to the system when I go back to work. I know it won't be easy, and I bet there will be a few bumps along the way. But a part of me is excited to see how I do.

Can night owls ever become happy, successful early birds? Or only very tired, reluctant ones?

I guess I'll have to wait and see....

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Leaping into the unknown

I've spent the last few weeks trying to decide whether or not to take an unexpected job offer. For the first time in my life, I wasn't just thinking about my career. I was thinking about quality of life and having time for something I love: running.

When I shared my dilemma I never expected such open, varied responses. Some felt the job should definitely come first. Others said that if running was important enough, I would find a way to prioritize it no matter how busy I was at work. A few of you were thinking of changing careers one day so that running could play a larger part in your lives. Then there were those of you who made some big sacrifices to ensure a balance between work, family life and running. Thanks so much to all of you who took the time to share your thoughts, dreams and stories. I loved hearing them.


On Tuesday--after a lot of thinking and re-thinking--I accepted the job.


I'm a little anxious about the challenges a new job always brings, and I'm afraid I might not meet the expectations of my new employers. Most of all, I'm terrified that running will slowly slip away from me without my realizing it, and one day I'll wake up to find that running was just something I did a very long time ago.

But these fears and challenges are precisely why I decided to take the job. I know that facing them will make me a stronger person. And no matter what happens, I'll learn a lot. I still have dreams of changing careers one day and living a life with more time for the things I care about. But for now, I feel like I have nothing to lose by taking this opportunity.

I'm still waiting to confirm a start date, but it will likely be the beginning of March or April. Luckily that gives me some time to start planning how everything is going to work. Because even with this new job I have my first marathon and triathlon to train for....and I want my running to improve! Some big changes are ahead.

@rowenanews recently shared some sage words from the athletes she met at Run and Become. One quote in particular stuck in my mind:

There's no such thing as failure, only experience.

I'm going to take a leap into the great unknown and try to enjoy every experience this new life brings.

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Stick 'em up! Your running or your job?

The past 6 months I've been running more than I ever have before. It's not only made me a better runner--I was thrilled when I started running an average of 40-45 miles a week in December--but renewed my love for running. I realized I wanted to continue challenging myself so I signed up for my first marathon AND triathlon. And of course, I still have that pesky 2 hour mark to break in the half!

All this has been possible for one main reason: I've been on a career break since September. I'd been working long hours and become frustrated with the work I was doing and the people I was working for. After 6 years it felt like the right time to go....and I consider myself very lucky to have been able to take some time off.

My plan was simple. To recover and relax, and take some time to think about what I should do next. Although I had a few random interviews and conversations, I didn't want to actively start looking for a job until after the new year. That meant I could really take a good chunk of time off until I started working again. And run, run, run!

But just before Christmas I got a job offer. Suddenly, I needed to make a decision about going back to the working world.

I spent a lot of time thinking about it over the holidays. For the past few weeks I've been negotiating as well as meeting a few of the people I'd be working with. So I can't stall any longer, and next week I have to let them know if I'm going to take the job.

Never, ever did I think that running would be a consideration when it came to deciding about my next job. It's a great opportunity but there would be long hours and travel. The reality is this job will average about 60 hours a week. I've done that before but now these questions keep playing over and over again in my head...


When will I fit in all my running? At my old job I never managed more that about 23 miles a week. How will I ever fit 45 miles in?


Even if I did fit 45 miles in, would I just be completely exhausted all the time?


What if I really can't find the time to run at all? What happens with my marathon? Or my triathlon?


What if taking this job means that running is no longer a priority?


Will this be the beginning of the end of my running life?


Some people might think that I'd be crazy not to take the job. But I've actually thought--maybe this is my chance! I can change my career! Try something new! I can have a job that allows me to ALWAYS make running a priority and leave those crazy hours behind.

But these kinds of thoughts can take years to ponder and now I'm down to a few days. I can't help feeling a little bit like I'm being held up and forced to choose between two incredibly important things.

So....my running or my job.

What would you do?

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Cutting myself a little slack

After I ran the SC Half on the 7th January, I was feeling great. It wasn't a PB but I felt like I did really well considering jet lag and all that. I was SO READY to get back home and continue with my training for the Brighton Half.

Don't know about you, but I'm usually on a bit of a high after I run a half marathon. Even if I don't get a PB I always feel like my running has hit a new level. I mean, I just ran 13.1 miles much faster than I normally do during training. I have it in me! So post-race I take advantage of that feeling by keeping up the intensity of my training program with a renewed vow to work even harder.

I finally got back to the UK last week, ready to really start my 2012. But while I've been running, I've been lacking motivation and that usual spark. The spark I had while chasing down that 1000 mile mark at the end of the year. And I couldn't help scolding myself and saying, "You are being lazy! You can't rest! You have another race in 4 weeks AND YOU MUST RUN A SUB-2!"

Yesterday it just seemed so cold and I just did not want to run. But with the encouragement of the Twitter Running Crew I got out there and did my 8 mile fartlek. When I got back I was feeling much more positive and I started thinking....you know what? I can do it. I can run. And I NEED TO CUT MYSELF SOME SLACK!

I took a step back and realized that since Christmas Day I have run 107 miles and raced a half marathon in California....on top of traveling 17,716 miles!

That's not too shabby for the holiday season, is it?

So I'm telling myself that it's okay if I'm feeling a little tired and unmotivated. This jet lag is nearly over. I'm going to hang in there, get my miles in...and be ready to really to rumble next week!

I have 4 and a half weeks until the Brighton Half...and I know I'll be ready.

Review: Southern California Half Marathon, Irvine, CA - 7 January 2012 (+ meeting a running hero)

It was December and I had my first race of the year all planned....the Brighton Half in February. Then my sister innocently told me that there was a half marathon nearby when we were visiting just after the new year. Hmmmm....another half? The seed was planted and I just couldn't say no!

The Southern California Half Marathon is a race in Irvine, now in its 21st year. One of the official warm up races for the LA Marathon, it is organized by Woodbridge High School to raise funds for their athletics program as well as other participating schools. Irvine is about 15 minutes away from where my sister lives, so it was an easy choice. Plus, there was no cap on participants when meant I could register for the race on the day.

The time change between London and LA is one I'll never get used to. Some visits are better than others but this time I struggled--probably because we were still recovering from Abu Dhabi when we left. I'd been waking up early but the night before the race I just didn't sleep well. I woke up at 3am and couldn't really go back to sleep. Too much excitement!

Plan was to leave at 6am to give us plenty of time to get there and register. I had my usual toast and peanut butter for breakfast and then we were off. Traffic was light that time of morning so we got there about 6:20. The race was near the freeway and sign posted, and we were quickly directed into the parking lot.

The registration tent was nearby and I was surprised to find them manned by students! I had forgotten that the race was organized by Woodbridge High School. The teenagers directed me to the various places and then I picked up my goodie bag and t-shirt.

After getting my shirt, one of the parents overheard me lament, "This is a small?! It's still so big!" and laughed. He said that there should be some Youth Large sizes around and very kindly exchanged it for me! Still big but less like a sack on me now!

There were lots of portaloos and no queues.....was able to pop in twice, no waiting!

By then it was the moment I'd been waiting for. No, not the race start...but my first tweetup! I was going to meet not just any running tweeter, but the amazing @runlikeacoyote! When she heard I was doing the SC Half she said she would do it, too! She's not much bigger than me, and she looked so fresh considering she had just run her first ultra only a week ago. I got to walk with her to the start line and start the race with her!

As @runlikeacoyote and I waited for the start, we noticed there were a lot of students. I hadn't really thought about it but they seemed to be everywhere, many of them wearing 'Students Run LA' shirts. I almost felt left out. I later learned it was a program for at-risk kids to train for the LA Marathon--so cool. But I did feel like I was one of the older participants!

After some fanfare (including the singing of 'The Star Spangled Banner'), the race started. Before the gun I told @runlikeacoyote that I was thinking about racing it. But I knew things were iffy given my jet lag and general lack of sleep. From the moment we set off I knew I was tired because I didn't feel that usual spark at the start of the race. So I immediately decided to try and keep a steady, comfortable pace...and go for it at the end if I felt okay.

When I signed up for the race I could see part of it was on closed streets, and when it said "SD Creek bike trail" I thought it would be a little bit like the canal path in Richmond. Turned out the San Diego Creek is dry this time of year so it was more like a reservoir or flood control channel. A large part of the race was spent going back and forth on paved bike trails to each side of the creek. Not the most scenic place, and I lost count of how many times we went around it.

I was able to stay steady for most of the race, and felt good enough at mile 10 to pick things up a little. I decided to increase my cadence by singing 'Son of a Preacher Man' to myself over and over again in my head. At this point other runners and students were getting tired and I started passing people. This always spurs me on and I kept telling myself...THIS IS WHAT I TRAIN FOR!

Once I saw the finish line I sprinted as hard as I could and crossed the line. I already knew that I was not under 2 hours but was happy to finish in time of 2:03:04.

Overall, I was really happy with my run. I felt like it was a good effort considering how jet lagged I was...and that I entered the race at the last minute. Hopefully this means I will be more than ready for Brighton!

I had fun during the race and while I generally don't mind looped courses, I found this one to be very repetitive. I didn't really like running up and down the "creek". Also, while it was great to see so many students out there they kept cutting in front of me to shout at their friends or stopping at inopportune places!

So glad that I did the SC Half, if only to meet @runlikeacoyote. Who by the way zoomed on her post-ultra legs and finished in 2:11!


Overview
The race had a lot of energy with a high number of student participants. Well-organized. The route is repetitive with lots of ramps and turns, with few people cheering. Some sections were busy and narrow enough to make passing difficult. Registration fee a little pricey. Worth thinking about if you happen to be in California.

Stats in 2012:
Date: 7 January
Entry Fee: $65 (~£43)
Number of runners: ~4000
Timing chip
Cotton T-shirt
Medals for every finisher

Tackling 2012

I'm still on a bit of a runner's high after hitting my last-minute 1000 mile target for 2011. But no rest for the wicked...2012 is here so new plans are already under way!

It's so easy to get carried away but this year I'll be focusing (some might say obsessing!) on 4 main goals:

1. Run a sub-2 half marathon. A no-brainer, especially since it was my main goal last year and I just didn't get there. I WILL do it this year, no matter how many half marathons it takes. I've already signed up for the Southern California Half (7th January), Brighton Half (19th February) and Berlin Half (1 April).
2. Complete my first marathon. I've always shied away from marathons, worried about whether I really had the time to train. But after seeing so many of you challenge yourselves at this distance, I just couldn't say no any longer. I've signed up for the Edinburgh Marathon on 27th May. For now, I just want to enjoy the race and finish.
3. Compete in my first triathlon. Like the marathon, it felt like one of those things I had to try at least once in my life. I used to swim in high school so I'm not too worried about that (even though it's been decades since I've really been in the water) but the bike TERRIFIES me. I've never taken to riding a bicycle and the last time I owned one I was about 12! I've signed up for the London Triathlon on 23rd September, with a sprint in Seaford to warm up in August.
4. Run 1500 miles. I was very, VERY tempted to go for 2012 miles. But I'll probably be working again soon and will likely have crazy hours (more on this later!)...and back at my old job I never really averaged more that 20 miles a week. So for now I just want to improve on last year, and 1500 seemed like a nice, round number!

Plus there's the usual small things I need to do in order to help achieve these things--stay hydrated, eat right, sleep well. But they're a given these days, right? :)

So there you have it. These are the goals I'm going to tackle in 2012. But in line with one of my non-running resolutions--don't stress too much about the small stuff--no matter what happens I'm just going to try and enjoy the ride!

What challenges have YOU dreamed up for 2012?