The Well-Read Runner: Changing the End Game

Hola, runners!  I just realized that it's been a rather looooong time since I did any updating on my training for the upcoming Flower City Half Marathon.  With only 24 days til the race (eeeek), I am at the height of my training right now.  It's safe to say that this training cycle has been full of roller-coaster-esque ups and downs.

You may remember that, back in Week 1 of training, I decided to try to go sub-2 (under 2 hours) in this race.  My PR is 2:05, though on a very flat course, whereas Flower City has a substantial hill section in the middle miles.  So I immediately went into heavy training mode: lots of track intervals, lots of tempo runs, lots of hill repeats, lots of race pace training runs.

At first, I was excited for this plan.  I'd never done dedicated hill training before, and it was fun to try.  However, the novelty wore off quick.  I started getting run down, feeling constantly tired, more sore than usual.  I started dreading my runs.

Then, this week, I had a revelation.

IT'S TIME FOR ME TO CHANGE THE END GAME.

This revelation came in 2 parts.  Part 1 happened on Tuesday morning, when my alarm went off at 5:15am for what was supposed to be a 9x400m speed workout.  I DID NOT want to do it.  I was THIS close to just rolling over and skipping the whole thing.

Then I thought to myself..."What if I just go out and run...for fun?  No intervals.  No speed work."

I jumped out of bed so fast, I almost sprained an ankle.

I went out and ran a totally carefree 3 miles.  Didn't even wear my Garmin.  Couldn't tell you what my pace was.  (Okay, I could if I looked it up on Nike + (which I always have on during runs), but I didn't even look at my pace on it afterwards.  So I really couldn't tell you.)  It was an awesome run.

Part 2: Wednesday the alarm went off at 5:15am again.  I had 9 x hill repeats on the schedule.  Nope, didn't want to do that either.  I went out and ran 4.5 miles for fun.  (I have started to LOVE running in the early-morning dark.  So quiet!  So peaceful!)  It was amazing.

It was during this second run that I had a serious mental talk with myself.  Do I REALLY want to run Flower City sub-2?  And if so, why?  I've run 3 half marathons so far, and at all 3, I have felt HORRIBLE at the finish line.  I'm not talking mentally (I've PR'd each time, which is a mental boost), but I mean physically--I felt like I wanted to puke.  I don't enjoy any of my post-race time because I'm so busy trying to keep myself from vomiting that I just want to go home and lie in a dark room.  After my last one (Winter Warrior), I finished the race at 6pm and ended up on my couch feeling like gastrointestinal death until 11:30pm.  I remember standing in line for my medal and willing myself not to be sick on the person in front of me.  Yes, I PR'd.  Was it worth it?  Is that what I want a race to feel like every time?

Some would say yes.  I mean, look at Shalane Flanagan at the Olympic marathon trials last month.  Girlfriend collapsed at the finish line.  She left EVERYTHING out on the course.  It was epic, phenomenal, inspirational.  But you know what?  That was for a spot in RIO.  I am not going to Rio anytime soon.  Like, not even on vacation.

This was an incredible finish to watch!! (Photo credit womensrunning.competitor.com)

I thought about the first "big" race I ever did.  It was the Boilermaker 15K back in 2008.  I had only started running in 2006, and had never done anything beyond a 5K up to that point.  My husband and I trained using a beginner Hal Higdon program.  It didn't call for any speed work--just putting in the weekly miles.  We had no Garmin.  We had no Nike +.  We just did our miles and high-fived every time we completed a training run.

You know what?  By my current standards, my Boilermaker time sucked.  1:44.  Roughly 11:09/mile.  But you know what else?  I.DID.NOT.CARE.ONE.BIT.  I ran 9.3 miles without stopping!!  On an 85 degree day!!  I got to enjoy free beer and cookies at the finish with my husband!  It was a freaking awesome day.

Went back in the archives for this one! Boilermaker 2008.  It was SO hot.  But I had SO much fun.

So I thought hard about my goals during this week's Wednesday morning run.  In the age of social media, it is easy to lose sight of what you REALLY want.  I follow a lot of running bloggers, and I love them--they are insanely inspirational, they give me new ideas for training, recovery, and racing all the time--they are amazing.  However, 99% of them are following strictly laid-out training plans for races almost all the time.  And it's easy, when you're reading their blogs and following their Instagrams and perusing their Tweets, to think that that's how running has to be all the time.  Hit it hard, #tracktuesday like a boss, leave it all on the road, and keep chasing those PR goals.

But maybe...the PR isn't MY current, deep-down goal.  I know, what a thought, right?

After thinking long and hard, here are my TRUE goals...the ones that I know would make me happiest on April 24th:

1. Finish with a smile on my face.  A smile that shows the fun I had on the course, and that shows how happy I was to run strong without making myself physically miserable.  I mean really--I JUST RAN 13.1 MILES!  That's something to really and truly smile about!

One of the only race photos that I have of me smiling...at a 5K, during which I did not check my pace once. I felt great...and I PR'd.  Coincedence?

2. Run the whole race without stopping to walk.  I know this may not seem like a big deal, but in all 3 of my past half marathons, I overdid it so much in the early miles that I had to walk in the later ones...even though I've almost NEVER had to walk during a training run.  Again, this is all because I push too hard during the race and burn out.  I don't want to do that this time.  I know I can run 13.1 miles without stopping--I KNOW it.

3. Run without my current pace showing on my Garmin.  I still want to wear it because it's fun to look at my race stats after the run is over, but I don't want to look at my pace during the entire race.  I want to run a comfortably strong pace.  If I feel like I'm overdoing it, I'll slow down.  If I think I have some gas left, I'll speed up.  End of story.

The only race pic of me at Winter Warrior...yup, checking my darn Garmin!!

4. Run the kids 1/4 mile run with Small Fry afterwards, and be able to enjoy it.  I've been so afraid that by trying to sub-2 this race, I will end up in Wanna Vomit Land again after the finish, and not be able to have fun with Small Fry when he races later.  I don't want that to happen.

So that's that.  I've decided that the last 24 days of my training will focus on mileage, not speed or hills.  I'll still put in the miles--long runs will continue as usual, and I'll still be running 3 weekdays in between them.  But it's time for me to find the fun in running again--and I think that means taking a step away from the limit-pushing.  It's time for me and the road to become buddies again, not adversaries.  I run because I love it...but for me (at least right now), loving it does not include constantly trying to reach that next level.  Sometimes, the level I'm on is just fine.

Maybe I will PR anyway (I PR'd in the 5K last September when I didn't care about my pace at all--another very telling situation).  Maybe I'll be slow as molasses.  But I'm determined to have a GREAT race day, no matter what.

Runners, have you ever struggled with your training goals?  Do you ever find it hard to focus on your true goals when social media barrages you with everyone else's?  What would you say was the most fun race you ever completed?

The Well-Read Runner: Time to try a "virtual" race! + coupon code!

Hola, runners!  How many of you have heard of "virtual" races?  I had never known about such a thing until I started exploring the running blog community in early 2015.  For those that are clueless (as I was), a virtual race is one that you register for, get the swag/medal for...but is completed on your own time, in the location of your choice.  Fun, yes?  Adds a bit of spice to your normal neighborhood run.  Plus, you can mix it up and run it solo, or with friends; in your usual local park, or at a new locale; on the road, on a treadmill, or on trail...the options are many.

After looking into several virtual race options, I finally decided to give one a try.  Level Up Virtual Runs is hosting The Incredible Virtual Run in April.  I took one look at the medal design, and was like, OMG MY KIDS ARE GOING TO BE SO JEALOUS OF ME:

Running + Pixar = basically my life in a nutshell.

Participants choose their desired distance (5K, 10K, or half marathon) and must complete it at some time between April 15-April 30.  I'll be going for the 10K option.  (Yes, I am actually running the Flower City Half during this time period, so I guess I could count that and do the Incredible Virtual Run at the half distance, but it kind of feels like cheating to double count the same race!  Haha.)  The 10K will be good for me, because I will be doing race pace runs leading up to Flower City, so I can use the Incredible Virtual Run as a pace-pusher before my half marathon.

Yes, this requires a bit of scouts-honor accountability...but why pay for a race that you don't intend to really complete?  Go have fun with it!

I'll share my experience here post-virtual-race sometime in late April.  :)

Want to run with me?  Registration for The Incredible Virtual Run is open until April 15th at LevelUpRuns.com.  The fee is $25: already affordable, BUT my readers can save 10% off their registrations by using the coupon code SAVE10.  And did I mention that all registered runners also get a $25 SLS3 gift certificate?  Sweet swag.  Let me know if you plan to join!  (And if not, have you ever done a virtual race before?  How did it go??)

(Disclaimer: I received a free race entry to the Incredible Virtual Run in exchange for this post--but all the excitement involved is mine-o-mine!  :) )

EARTHQUAKE! All Stories Are Love Stories by Elizabeth Percer

Title: All Stories Are Love Stories
Author: Elizabeth Percer
Publisher: Harper
Publication Date: March 22, 2016
Source: copy received for honest review through TLC Book Tours

Plot Summary from Goodreads:

On Valentine’s Day, two major earthquakes strike San Francisco within the same hour, devastating the city and its primary entry points, sparking fires throughout, and leaving its residents without power, gas, or water.

Among the disparate survivors whose fates will become intertwined are Max, a man who began the day with birthday celebrations tinged with regret; Vashti, a young woman who has already buried three of the people she loved most . . . but cannot forget Max, the one man who got away; and Gene, a Stanford geologist who knows far too much about the terrifying earthquakes that have damaged this beautiful city and irrevocably changed the course of their lives.

As day turns to night and fires burn across the city, Max and Vashti—trapped beneath the rubble of the collapsed Nob Hill Masonic Auditorium—must confront each other and face the truth about their past, while Gene embarks on a frantic search through the realization of his worst nightmares to find his way back to his ailing lover and their home.

My Review:

As many of you know by now, I am a sucker for any book that gets compared to another book that I already enjoyed.  Which I KNOW is unfair, because if every novel that was "the next Gone Girl" was REALLY the next Gone Girl, there would be about eleventy billion Gone Girls.  But I am nothing if not consistent.  All Stories Are Love Stories has drawn some comparison to Station Eleven, so really I did not need to know more--sign me up, I wanna read it.

I quickly realized that (as with most book jacket comparisons) the similarities between All Stories Are Love Stories and Station Eleven end pretty quickly.  They both have a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel to them: Station Eleven's is literal, as the civilized world ends after a deadly virus, but in All Stories Are Love Stories, the feeling is figurative, as the characters struggle through death and disaster after an earthquake ("the big one") hits San Francisco.  Beyond that comparison, I think it's safe to say that Elizabeth Percer's new novel has a life of its own.

This novel is interesting because it feels like two separate stories (and I'm not referring to the 2 different primary plot lines: Max & Vashti vs. Gene).  There's the disaster story of the earthquake, which is formidable and striking in its own right.  But then, against this fiery backdrop, you also have the more intricate human stories within it: the love stories, if you will.  Max and Vashti's relationship is definitely the most captivating, as they reunite after a sad separation that unravels slowly for the reader.  (Admittedly, sometimes too slowly--I liked their connection, but often wondered why the details of their history together had to be pulled out so painstakingly.)  But there's also Gene, fighting his way back to his husband Franklin; Ellen, a TV reporter who is trying to decide exactly how much she loves her job; and a group of mismatched survivors trapped in a downtown theater, trying to navigate each other as they also navigate a way out.

None of these "love" stories would be as impactful without the larger earthquake story behind them.  This disastrous scenario creates a sort of do-or-die situation that forces each character to show their true self, and address the nitty-gritty details of their relationships.

Sounds pretty unique, right?  It most certainly is.  However, I have to admit that this probably won't be a novel that sticks with me for very long.  I like the unusual blend of characters that it brings together, and the earthquake situation is written with a degree of detail that shows a fair amount of research on Percer's part.  That said, the mental narratives of some of the characters were a bit too drawn out for me at times.  I don't mind an introspective novel, but when there's constant musing without much forward motion, I start to drift, and that was the case here.

My final verdict was a 3-star Goodreads review: a solid, distinctive novel with a lot of intriguing detail, but a bit too run-on at times to make it stand out in for me.  However, if more reflective, lingering prose is your thing, this may still be up your alley.

As always, much thanks to Trish and TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour!

Want to find out more?  Check out the other blogs on this book tour HERE. And connect with Elizabeth Percer via her website and Facebook.

We NEED to talk about The Walking Dead COMICS!

Hello, reader friends!  As I mentioned last week, I have recently delved into the comic book world of The Walking Dead by Robert Kirkman.  I've been watching the TV show on AMC for quite some time, and I always knew there was a comic series, but not being much of a comics fan, I didn't see the need to seek them out.

Initially.

Now, as Season 6 of the show has taken me on a wild roller coaster of flesh-eating-zombie emotion, I've found myself more and more curious about the comics that the series is based upon.  It's hard not to hear fans comparing the show to the comic fairly constantly, and so I finally decided to make some time to check them out myself.

OH MAH GAH.  I am HOOKED.  Why didn't I start these up sooner???

I am reading the comics as "compendiums", which are basically huge collections of a lot of issues of the comic (makes it much easier than having to hunt down each individual issue).  There are 3 TWD compendiums currently, and my local library system has the first two (I'm currently on the second).

Fans of the show (but not the comic) may be wondering: what makes the comics worth reading if I'm already quite happy with the TV series?  That's a GOOD question.  Here's the reasons I've come up with so far, as a former skeptic myself:

1. It's interesting to see the origins of TWD: the initial tone, the motivations of each character, etc.  I've found that in some parts, the comic is WAY more campy than the show.  In other areas, the intensity and violence is far beyond anything you've seen on TV.  It's cool to read it one way after having watched it another, and dissect why there may have been differences created between the two.

2. Comparing the characters.  This is obviously the MOST fun reason to read the comics.  Some of the characters are pretty much exactly as you'd expect, with their story line largely unchanged thus far (Rick, Carl, Shane, Glenn come to mind).  And then there are some that are just like, WHAT??  CAROL??  IS THAT EVEN YOU??  Ditto for Dale, Hershel, Andrea (happy to report that Comic Andrea is 1000x less annoying than TV Andrea), Tyreese, and a whole host of others.  Plus, TV Governor is child's play compared to Comic Governor.  ((shudders))  And this doesn't even get into the differences in who lives and who dies.  (Or who keeps appendages, and who doesn't...)

Oh, and there's no Daryl in the comics.  I KNOW.

3. With books, the common mantra is "the book is always better than the movie."  In TWD, I don't think you can necessarily say that the comic is better than the show, or vice versa.  The comic certainly has been able to do some things that the show can't, especially when it comes to toeing the line with violence.  But the show does just as good a job of delving into each character's background, and hitting the primary high points of the comic's story line.  Comparing and contrasting these two mediums based on what they can provide is fun brain food.

Basically, this entire post is a push to all you TWD TV fans to get out there and READ the darn comics, if you haven't already.  If you think you'll be bored because you already know what happens...trust me, you are wrong!

Any other Walking Dead fans out there?  Have you just watched the show, just read the comics, or both?  What do you prefer?  And either way--if you were stuck in the zombie apocalypse, which Walking Dead character would you want to be stuck with for survival?  YOU CAN PICK TWO.  (Because it was too hard for me to only pick one.  I have to go with Carol and Daryl, but the rule is that they're not allowed to fraternize as long as I'm around.)

The Girl in the Red Coat (Giveaway!)

Title: The Girl in the Red Coat
Author: Kate Hamer
Publisher: Melville House
Publication Date: February 16, 2016
Source: copy received for honest review through TLC Book Tours

Plot Summary from Goodreads:

Newly single mom Beth has one constant, gnawing worry: that her dreamy eight-year-old daughter, Carmel, who has a tendency to wander off, will one day go missing.

And then one day, it happens: On a Saturday morning thick with fog, Beth takes Carmel to a local outdoor festival, they get separated in the crowd, and Carmel is gone.

Shattered, Beth sets herself on the grim and lonely mission to find her daughter, keeping on relentlessly even as the authorities tell her that Carmel may be gone for good.

Carmel, meanwhile, is on a strange and harrowing journey of her own—to a totally unexpected place that requires her to live by her wits, while trying desperately to keep in her head, at all times, a vision of her mother …

Alternating between Beth’s story and Carmel’s, and written in gripping prose that won’t let go, The Girl in the Red Coat—like Emma Donoghue’s Room and M. L. Stedman’s The Light Between Oceans—is an utterly immersive story that’s impossible to put down . . . and impossible to forget.

My Review:

That word "immersive" from the last line of the plot summary is COMPLETELY on point.  I was immersed, steeped, saturated in this story.  The Girl in the Red Coat will have you working your page-flipping fingers at Olympic pace.

I went into the novel a bit unsure, because as much as I loved the book's description, the first couple of chapters didn't hook me right away.  I think this is because Carmel and Beth are such unusual protagonists that it took me a while to get a good grip on their personalities.  I didn't understand their peculiarities (especially Carmel's) until I went further into the book.  However, by the time of Carmel's disappearance, my initial hesitations had vanished, allowing me to sink into the story.

The novel alternates between Carmel and Beth's POVs, and Hamer writes them in a way that creates a strong connection between the two, even when they are physically separated.  The mother-daughter bond and its many complexities would be a great discussion point for any book clubs that pick this one up.  That said, I did find Carmel's POV to be more gripping for the reader than Beth's--Carmel's situation stays fluid and unpredictable for most of the book, while Beth's chapters started to become a bit repetitive after a while, without as much forward motion.  This wasn't a deal-breaker for me in terms of enjoying the story, but it was worth noting that I often flew through Beth's chapters to get more of Carmel.

It's worth noting that the conclusion is very open-ended--so if that's not your cup of tea, you've been warned.  However, I LOVED all of the unanswered questions at the end, because they left me with so much to ponder about the various relationships in the novel.

Overall, The Girl in the Red Coat was a super fun read.  It's an excellent thriller, with many of the riveting plot elements that you've loved in other books of the genre, but also with so many unique twists and turns that it won't be a novel easily forgotten.

As always, much thanks to Lisa and TLC Book Tours for including me on this tour!

Want to find out more?  Check out the other blogs on this book tour HERE.

GIVEAWAY TIME!!  TLC Book Tours is giving away one copy of The Girl in the Red Coat to one of my lucky readers.  US/Canada entrants only.  Giveaway ends 3/23/16.  Enter with the Rafflecopter below!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

What is a TBR pile, anyway?

My wheels started turning last week when I read a post by Allison over at The Book Wheel: This Is What Happens When You Purge Your Goodreads TBR.  In it, she lamented over the unwieldy size of her Goodreads "to-read" list (over 200 books), and decided to delete the whole thing and start over.

I was stricken by this, because I long ago abandoned my Goodreads TBR list.  At the time of Allison's post, my to-read list was at a whopping 1,084 books.  ONE THOUSAND AND EIGHTY FOUR.  To delete the whole thing sounded equally scandalous and liberating.

How did the list get to that astronomical point?  I started my Goodreads account in 2007, o-KAY, so give me a little leeway when I've been adding books to it for 9 years!  And for a long time, I found it useful.  I would troll it whenever I needed help picking a new book to read.  I used to make little goals like "try to read all the books I added to it in 2007" (done!).  I would carefully add only books that I REALLY wanted to read.

Then...I started this blog.  And things just got out of control.

Yeah like, way too many.

I used to be super good about keeping up with other book blogs (like, on the daily, remember those days??), and I would add ANY book to my Goodreads list that sounded even remotely decent.  I figured, better to keep it on the list even if I'm iffy about it, rather than forget about it, right?  Unfortunately, this threw my list into a state of madness to the point where I just stopped using it.  It wasn't helpful anymore.

After reading Allison's post, I considered starting over from scratch.  Delete it all, and begin again with only books I really want to read currently.  However, after looking over the list, I just couldn't do it.  There were too many that I still, now, REALLY wanted to read.  What I DID do is spend some serious time culling it.  I'm now down to 469 on the to-read list, still unmanagably large for some, but when I look at the list now, I see books that I actually do want to read...you know, when I have the time.  :)

Oh yeah, I have this.

But this also made me think about all the other types of TBR lists I pay attention to...

1. The "at home" TBR.  Meaning the 100+ unread books on my home shelves.  (Don't even talk about my Kindle.  If I can't physically see them, they're not there, right...)

2. My 30-before-35 TBR.  I do keep an eye on this list pretty consistently, I am chipping away at it!

3. Year-end "best of" TBRs.  Bloggers come out with all their lists of faves at the end of each year, and it makes me crazy as I try to read all the ones that sound right up my alley.  (Yeah, still trying to get to A Little Life.)

4. Prize list TBRs.  Every year I make grand proclamations like, "I'm going to read the entire Man Booker short list!" or "I'm going to read all the Tournament of Books selections!"  And every year I fail.  But it sure is fun to try!

Sure, many of these lists overlap.  But still...is it any wonder my Goodreads was past 1,000?

At the end of it all, I say: fill up those to-read lists, people.  Pack 'em full.  In the end, you'll always have a book to read, and that's what matters, yes?  :)

Readers, how many books are on YOUR Goodreads to-read list?  Or do you use another kind of TBR?  (Or do you fly by the seat of your pants with NO TBR??  I can't even imagine...)

The Well-Read Runner: Top 5 Dream Races

Hi, running friends!  As I continue training for the Flower City Half Marathon (part 2 in my year-long Rochester Four Seasons Challenge), I can't help but think about future races.  I KNOW, I already have this year basically booked...why am I already thinking ahead to 2017??  But knowing that this year will be dominated by my first marathon has me considering what 2017 will be dominated by...and what races will be the highlights of my next few years as a runner.

With all this thinking going on, I decided to share with you my top 5 dream races...the bucket-list events that I can't wait to tackle sometime, whether it's in a year or 20 years.

1. Bermuda Half Marathon (or Marathon)

Basically: the whole island.  Haha!

Bermuda is one of my favorite places (I traveled there twice in high school for marine science research trips, and once on a cruise in 2009), and when I heard they have a marathon and half, it became my first bucket-list race.  The marathon is two loops of the half, so I'd be totally okay with just doing the one loop...it's only a 20-square-mile island, after all! :) Plus, 13.1 fewer miles running means easier recovery time on the beach!

2. Chicago, NYC, or Marine Corps Marathon

Start of the Marine Corps Marathon (from marathontours.com)

I know, weird that I am listing all three of these together, but I'd really be okay with doing at least 1 of the 3.  All three of them are iconic, enormous American marathons, in cities that I have visited and loved, and the experience of such an event would be amazing.  I'm not really sure how many marathons I have in these legs, so I don't expect to do all three...but I've been toying with the idea of entering the lotteries next year and seeing if I can get a spot in one.

3. Sehgahunda Trail Marathon

Letchworth State Park during a visit we made there last August

A choice close to home!  This one will be several years in the making.  Sehgahunda takes place in Letchworth State Park in Mt Morris, NY...about 45 minutes from me here in Rochester.  Letchworth is gorgeous and has been called "the Grand Canyon of the East".  As such...you can imagine what the trails are like!  Sehgahunda has been featured in Runner's World as one of the best trail races in America.  It's also, from what I hear, incredibly difficult.  This will require me to not only get marathon trained, but also trail-ready.

4. Ragnar Relay

Have wanted to do one of these for years!!  They are very expensive and hard to coordinate though, given that you need 12 people on your team.  Even so, I'm hoping to one day get some friends together and complete one.  Ragnar Adirondack is closest to home, but I've also looked into Ragnar Cape Cod and Ragnar DC.

5. Rock n Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon (or Marathon)

from running.competitor.com

Running down the Vegas strip at night?  Yup, I want to go to there.

*Bonus: the Boston Marathon
Because of course.  However, I have zero illusions about my ability to BQ at this point in time, so this is a very distant dream...one that might be best accomplished when I get older (and the qualifying time goes up).  :)

Have you run any of these races?  What are YOUR dream races?