Tim Ferris ended his podcast interview with Katie Couric by asking “if you could put one thing on a billboard for everyone to read, what would it be?” I can’t remember Couric’s response but, the reporter in her couldn’t help but turn the question around to Ferris and he responded with “Don’t believe everything you think.” Damn.
Such concentration. And I’m wearing bike shorts because I was doing a bike/run. Just want to clarify lest you think I lost my mind…or just didn’t have clean running shorts. The horror.
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2018
RUNNING
I’m still racking up speed work and mileage over here on my quest to run down 13.1 again in November. During most of my miles, and most definitely during speed work, I cannot believe everything I think. I know how important self talk is and I’m pretty good about it during my workout, it’s the aftermath I need to be careful with.
Now, thanks to Ferris, I have a simple solution. Whenever my brain starts to wander into negativity where my training is concerned, I simply choose not to believe it. It’s working.
Also, I have it in my face all day long.
Tuesday – speed work at the indoor track | 2 x (1600, 1200, 800, 400, 200) | paces ranged from 6:20 – 6:50 and I felt much better than last week which is huge! | 8.57 miles
Wednesday – easy miles before yoga | 5.47 miles | 8:35 average pace
Friday – long run | 11.4 miles | 8:09 pace
Sunday – easy run + strength | 5.7 miles | 8:40 pace
Total = 31.14
CYCLING
I had two rides this week, one inside on the trainer and one glorious ride outside. I say “glorious” because after weeks of humidity and rain, the dew point diminished along with the temperature and it felt like heaven. It also felt kinda cold. Yep, you read that right. I had to actually wear arm warmers on the ride. Woot woot!
I knew you were coming for us fall! Yay!
Mostly I need to believe I won’t die on the road while riding, which occupies my thoughts for the majority of of my time in the saddle. If I think too much about how distracted drivers are or how a stiff wind could send me into a ditch, I would never leave the house.
Monday – indoor ride with speed changes | 13.2 miles
Thursday – easy ride outside + swim | 27.1 miles
Total = 40.3 miles
SWIMMING
The one swim I managed during the week was yet another recovery swim. I have to admit, I’m missing my time in the pool…but not that much. Mostly I have been busy planning out places to swim while on vacation or racing this spring. Yes, I’m starting now, because winter is coming.
THINGS I LOVE
*insert perfect segue here…
The kids already have their skis for the winter season and I bought a pair for myself! If you hate winter, you can probably skip this part.
I know we technically haven’t had fall yet (and I do love fall) but I’m getting really excited for ski season. I haven’t been on a pair of skis since college, which is when I switched over to snowboarding, but I’m going to try and take it up again just so I have options.
I keep telling myself I’m not having a mid-life crisis but I’m suddenly taking piano lessons and getting back on skis. Whatever. As long as I don’t start collecting cats.
I’m still loving piano and learning a lot. It’s super challenging but my teacher takes the edge off with his hilarity, overly loud voice, and incredible life story.
Peter my piano teacher had brain cancer. Brain.Cancer. And, after years of surgery and chemo he was finally declared in remission. One month later, he suffered a stroke. He’s 26. He currently only has partial use of the left side of his body. I know. He’s amazing. He is the master of not believing everything he is thinking and it comes through in his teaching.
Peter has zero pity or tolerance when I tell him the notes don’t make sense to me and reading music makes my head want to explode. When I tantrum he just stares at me like “wahhhhhh” and says something like, “look at my face. I have brain damage! I have zero pity for you. Keep going.”
He’s the perfect teacher for me. Obviously.
THINGS I DON’T LOVE AS MUCH
I saw this on Insta so I’m just going to leave this here and let you infer what you will.
And, as my friend replied when I texted the pic to her — “3 is pushing it.”
MUSIC
It’s interesting what will really light a fire under your ass when the endorphins are in full effect. I created a pretty weird playlist during the two minutes I had before starting my indoor track session last Tuesday. It was certainly eclectic but see if you can guess which two songs gave me the biggest rush during the toughest sections:
There seems to be some obvious choices but remember the title of this rundown. Unless you picked “This Is Me” from The Greatest Showman soundtrack and “The Scientist” by Coldplay, you are wrong.
Seriously consider adding both to your running playlist. I’m just as shocked as you are by the circus one. As for Coldplay, the line about “running in circles, chasing tails” pretty much sums up my hour on the oval. That song has always been one I connect with and it reminds me of how unprepared I was for parenting, with the line “nobody said it was easy, no one ever said it would be this hard, I’m going back to the start.” Same goes for running after having twins.
READING
If I ever complete the list of books I want to read, it will be a miracle. It just keeps growing! I just started reading Behind Her Eyes by Sarah Pinborough because a ton of people recommended it. So far, it’s very intriguing and I definitely want to read more but you know, I’m very busy watching Shameless season 9, The Sinner season 2 and Ozark season 2. Very busy.
Luckily, I had time to read this gem so I can share it with you fine people:
I Stopped Trying To Control Every Part of My Run | runnersworld.com | Jonathan Beverly
I see hawks on nearly every run and have always enjoyed their beauty and grace. But this day, I noticed that despite the whistling blast, this red-tailed raptor wasn’t struggling to make progress, flapping and fighting to stay aloft. Instead, he soared, swooped, dove. He glided gracefully overhead. He embraced the wind, used it to his advantage, even played in it.
The point of the article is to stop fighting against what you can’t control. It’s why I’ve accepted to “train where I am” now and not pine after paces I was running five years ago. It’s about trying to stop bitching about everything that’s wrong with a run and embracing the “wrong” and going with it. It’s about not believing everything you think. < — see what I did there?
RANDOM PICTURE OF THE WEEK
I had a sick boy home with me last Wednesday so I did my miles on the treadmill. After running for about an hour, I came upstairs and found this in the bathroom…
I’m just happy I didn’t run longer or he may have toilet papered the kitchen too.
[Tweet “The Rundown is not beliving everthing it thinks, a #piano teacher story you have to read and a #picture you have to see! #train4life”]
How was your week?
What thought(s) should you chose not to believe?
What is the weirdest inspirational song you listen to?
Guess what I’m doing this year? Picking up skiing again! I still will snowboard but I’ve been feeling like I need to try skiing again. I grew up doing it and haven’t had skis on since I was 22. It’s just like riding a bike…or at least that’s what everyone is telling me. That really is a great quote from Tim Ferris. I need to do more of that!
OMG no way!? That is too funny! I hope we both survive 🙂
I love that quote, “Don’t believe everything you think!” Such great advice. Good job building up your running mileage. You are going to crush that half marathon. I am building up my mileage too and need to build back in some speed work. Love the bathroom toilet paper structure. Too funny! Brock would totally do that too!
Isn’t it a great quote? It’s so simple and true.
Thanks for the confidence boost for the half marathon. Speed work is SO hard but the payoff, as you know, is huge.
And yes, what boy wouldn’t do that in the bathroom if they found my stash? LOL!!
I had the same comment on the shirt too, lol! Very, very true though. And the TP is kind of funny. At least he didn’t take it out of the package?
I thought the same thing about the packaging – too funny!!
Oh my. I don’t know what I would have thought seeing all that in the bathroom. LOL
I love that – “don’t believe everything you think.” Man, do I need to work on that a little bit more. It’s hard sometimes. Especially with regards to that “train where you are” thing, too. I don’t want to admit that I’m old and knocking on the door of my 50s. It’s all just a hard pill to swallow at times. I’m totally writing that down and carrying it with me to remind myself.
I need that shirt. And 3 might be pushing it for me, too. haha It would be even more appropriate if wine was substituted for coffee. 😀
Getting older and slower is the hardest pill to swallow!! I feel you. Sometimes it helps to hang out with non-runners/crossfitters who are your age and it gives you some perspective. You will leave feeling like a rockstar 🙂
That’s a great quote, especially to keep in mind when it comes to training! I no longer listen to music when I run (unless it’s on the treadmill) but I remember that sometimes the weirdest songs would get me motivated. Sometimes the energetic songs got overplayed and they became annoying.
LOL to that scene in your bathroom!
So true about the music. I didn’t think about it like that. I can either listen or not but most days I will listen to music or a podcast but, sometimes on a long run, I like to just hear what’s happening around me 🙂
Those are some strong run you ran this week! Way to go on that track workout!
Welcome back to the ski club! I think I need to buy some cross-country skis for this winter, since I’ll probably do that more than downhill skiing. I’m getting excited for a proper, snowy winter, even though fall has barely started.
Thanks Laura!! And definitely get the x-country skis! I have a pair and love them. They got a lot of use the winter I was pregnant since it wasn’t advisable for me to snowboard – LOL!!
That shirt is awesome.
That scene in your bathroom reminds me of something I would have seen growing up in a house with all boys.
Isn’t it?
And yep – all boys are the same pretty much, from 4 years old until death. Hahaha!!!
Isn’t it so weird yet refreshing to be uttering the words “cold” and chilly”? I love that you’re already looking forward to ski season! I read that John Beverly article on the plane back from Vancouver and yes, it totally resonated. My billboard would read “Things aren’t always what they seem”
So cool you read that same article! And perfect timing for the rainy half marathon too!
Unfortunately we’re back to hot and humid here. I mean, seriously? It’s almost October!!! Grrrr
“Stop fighting against what you can’t control” – you speak to me in your posts. It’s all about accepting where we are in our journey, right? Thanks for the reminder!
Have a great week!
I’m so glad! I need those reminders all.the.time.
Thank you!!
“Don’t believe everything you think” – OMG. I believe everything I think. I can actually convince myself I won’t succeed at something and have such solid arguments too. This needs to be my new mantra.
As for your piano teacher – what an incredible human being. I pray he continues to recover. I’ll need to remember him when I think “I can’t”
Isn’t it a great one? I loved it instantly so I’m happy you seem to embrace it as much as I did.
YES my piano teacher is amazing and is teaching me far more than piano 🙂
I can totally see how This is Me would be a great song to run to – I get pumped up just listening to it when I’m sitting on my butt. I believe too much of what I think, that’s for sure.
Random question: How many rolls of paper towels do you buy at a time, Allie?
I’ve been waiting for someone to ask me that!! LOL! I order all my toilet paper, paper towels, coffee, protein bars, electrolyte mix and bottled water from Amazon so I get a bulk shipment every other month. This happened to be RIGHT after everything came in :-)))
I played piano from an age of 14 to 22 years. Thereafter I stopped because my study and job asked many time. Recently I decided to start with playing piano. This was hard but fun.
I wish you and your piano teacher all the best!