Six weeks and not exactly six miles . . .

Well, my six week running and blogging experiment has come to an end. My thoughts? Well, first, I like blogging! Second, I hope I continue to run with consistency, but I highly doubt I'll ever be the person who gets up at 5 in the morning to get in 6 miles. I'm okay with that.

I've also discovered quite a bit about myself, namely that I run to feel good and feel good because I run- funny how that works. Also, while I run I write blog posts in my mind; Judy Jones, get out of my head! On a more serious note, through all the running, all the reading about running and all the Advil I've taken because of running over the last month and a half I have a great respect for everyone who gets out and there and attempts it. It is a way more mental activity than I ever realized- and there is nothing more terrifying sometimes than being alone with your own thoughts.

A big thanks to everyone (all 7 of you!) for reading my blog, you were all so supportive and passed along some truly wonderful tips and suggestions. The journey doesn't end here though, you'll find me running along the East RIver, while trying to take a picture of a fellow jogger wearing denim cutoffs and a belt- I was never ever able to get a picture of that guy, but I swear he exists.

I hope to run into you soon.

JP Morgan Chase Corporate Challenge- The Experience!

15,000 people ran this year's Corporate Challenge. The Challenge spans multiple US cities and countries around the globe. It is truly an experience. You can't go 3 inches without seeing some sort of JP Morgan branding, but what I found truly interesting is the myriad of brands- every company that participates takes advantage of the opportunity to brand the heck out of themselves- from the t-shirts the runners wear to branding at the hospitality tents, to the homemade signage the spectators and cheering sections brought.

My unofficial estimate is that about 80% of the companies participating at this year's Challenge were banks. If you haven't read the news in the last year or so- banks have a pretty bad rep. Which is why participating in events like this are so important. They give people (read: the people who work for banks and are starting to question if they working at the right place) a warm, fuzzy feeling of camaraderie and humanity. As they run past a giant banner with the Goldman Sach's logo, they think to themselves: maybe working here isn't so bad after all, they are donating money to multiple charities around the globe, they are making a commitment to my health and fitness goals and they chipped in to buy me this oversized scratchy t-shirt. It makes the whole Senate Banking Committee investigation seem a little easier to swallow.


" I swear to make sure our executives understand that physical fitness is just as important as fiscal fitness."

JP Morgan has been holding these Corporate Challenge events for the last 32 years. Each year the event seems to get bigger, more diverse and full of flashy signage and branded t-shirts- which is all in the name of physical fitness and making people hate banks a little less.

Recommitting to Committing

These last few weeks have been rough on my running schedule. Long hours at work, plus class three days a week, equals not a lot of time or energy to run. My lack of commitment made me question whether or not I actually want to run. As I see it, if this was truly something I wanted to do, I would push myself harder to get up and just run- come hell or high water. Maybe me and running were not cut out for each other.

Then I realized something: these last three weeks I have been in a rut; I've been exhausted, lacking energy, full of anxiety and the only thing that helps me clear my head, give me a jolt of energy and on some level gives me peace is the thirty to forty minutes I take a few times a week to go running. My relationship with running is very love-hate. I hate getting up early, having achy knees, but I love the way it makes me feel. I am truly a better person when I run- I'm happier, more enthusiastic and less grumpy, which benefits most people who are forced to be in my presence.

Running may not need me, but I've come to learn and accept that I need running. So this is my recommitment to committing- the extra effort of getting up 30 minutes earlier, provides me with clarity, peace of mind and an over all better outlook on life. It doesn't matter how slow I run, or how many miles I log, what matters is how I feel when I run. And after the generally pukey sensation subsides, I feel pretty darn good.

Here's an amazing story from a woman named Jenny. She runs to clear her head and conquor things that I couldn't even possibly begin to fathom, this is sure to get you out of bed on those days when you don't feel like it or at the very least snap you back to reality and realize just how lucky you truly are.

http://www.c25k.com/jenny.htm

So, my lazy running readers what do you do when you are feeling down? What do you wish you could recommit yourself to?

People watching is my favorite pastime.

Part of what I love about running (when I actually get myself out of my apartment and out on the pavement) is the element of people watching. The East River Running Path and Central Park are a hotbed for good looking people, weirdos, tourists and my personal favorite-- different running styles. I find it really interesting to watch people run. Some people look unbelievably graceful and make it seem so easy, others look like they are about to die; and there are an abundance of people who run like they are back in 2nd grade and playing outside during recess.

Which brings me to the point of this post: how different social media outlets can be used as a useful tool for runners and complement my blog. Some days I have trouble motivating and others I wonder if I'm running "right". This is the perfect opportunity to use YouTube to find both great inspirational videos and well as videos that provide visual aids on how to improve my running gait- the below clip probably won't improve your style but will make you smile.

Another great tool is Twitter and Foursquare- this is a fantastic opportunity to reach out to my readership and let them know quickly when and where I'm running should they want to join me. There's nothing more motivating than having a running buddy and no better opportunity when running to guilt my partner into guest blogging on my site. It's always nice to get an alternative point of view.

When running solo, great music is key, linking highly rated iMixes from iTunes on my blog is a way to keep my readers engaged and running! I often do a quick search on iTunes for running mixes so I don't get bored on my runs- I think this is something my readers would appreciate, but iTunes also allows for comments, ratings and reviews which helps keep the conversation going.

iTunes is also valuable to download videos which demonstrate useful stretches and cool down routines onto your iPod, so you have them ready to go.

Social media can have a huge impact on my blog, it takes it from being a fairly one sided conversation to a fully integrated and engaged experience for my followers.

Getting back on the running wagon.

This afternoon I managed to tear myself away from my DVRed shows and go for a run. It was energizing and nauseating all at the same time. Beyond the sheer physical endurance of running, I forgot how much of it is mental, - during this particular run I did a lot of talking myself into going just one more block, just two more minutes, a couple more steps. Here are a few tips to keep you going:

Put together a great playlist on your iPod: Music helps you to keep pace and keep going. It's amazing how a song can pump you up motivate you to run just a little bit longer. Some of my favorite (albeit, cheesy) songs on my running playlist:

“Lose Yourself” Eminem
“Tom Sawyer” Rush
“Halo” Beyonce
“Welcome to the Jungle” Guns n’ Roses

Just do it, other things can wait: The dirty dishes, laundry and food shopping will still be there when you get home, your motivation might not. Go out for a run when the mood strikes you and you’ll find that you are getting out to run more often.

Set daily goals for yourself: Whether it’s running 5 minutes longer each day or at a faster pace- setting small, attainable goals for yourself will keep you going and give you the confidence to keep at it as you check off each goal. Run for today, not for the Boston Marathon you one day hope to run.

Change your scenery: Don’t run the same route everyday, you’ll wind up getting bored quickly, instead try to vary your venues. I’m such a people watcher that I find new spots take my mind off how far I have to go and my run is over before I know it.

Be realistic: Don’t demand or expect yourself to do too much too soon and understand you are going to have some off days and that’s okay; you’ve just got yourself back on the running horse, pat yourself on the back for separating your butt from your couch cushion and getting yourself out of the house.

Two miles later, I feel way better than I did this morning and I guarantee you my fellow lazy runners, that you’ll feel the same way too. So, let’s commit to getting out there and running a little more and watching the Kardashians a little less.

Here we go . . .

I dug my sneakers out of the back of my closet and thought about running by the East River, that's as far as I got. Baby steps!

Much like this blog, the next six weeks will serve as an experiment, six weeks to eventually run six miles (without stopping): how far can I push myself, what will I see along the way and how will it impact my life?

I've run periodically throughout my life, I feel great while I'm doing it, but then somewhere life gets in the way and I stop- or more accurately: it gets cold, a new episode of 30Rock is on TV and my fur lined slippers start calling my name.

There are people who are absolutely addicted to running, they enjoy it so much that they carve out the time to run even when their schedule is packed. I'm pretty sure I will never be one of those people- although I do really enjoy running to answer the door to get my chinese food takeout- so, the jury is still out.

My sneakers and I have a date tomorrow morning, here we go . . .