No Excuses

I'd like to be able to write something inspirational or insightful today, but I'm not up for it. Today is my long run and it comes during a weekend of back to back events. Like many of you, when work ramps up, I decide it is too much to run. In fact I try to get out of it in all sorts of clever ways...like saying that working a busy event in immense heels IS a work out. This doesn't work, however, when you live with your "coach" AKA my husband. So, with a storm blowing in and my I-feel-sorry-for-myself mood, I hit the road. It was a solid run, nothing special to report, but I'm glad I did it. Now I can cram my swollen blistered feet back into my heels of pain and rock out another event proud of myself. After all, nothing makes me feel worse than not hitting my training runs.

So...if you are sitting on the pity pot today, smack yourself in the head with one of your running shoes and then hit the road...or treadmill.

Now, someone give me a drink! I earned it!

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

It Starts Today

Today officially starts my training. I am training for a half marathon later this spring which serves as a stepping stone for my full Marathon in the fall. Up to this point I have been conditioning...training for my training (cue eye roll from non runners). The funny thing about "official training" is that even though I have run 3 miles plenty of times before, this run had an added pressure, a pressure that pushed so hard against my will, that I almost couldn't get myself out the door. But I did. And I ran to another one of my husband's prerecorded podcasts of NPR.

I am starting to think my husband has some kind of plan here as the NPR stories are starting to make sense, no longer a sleepy drawl of voices overlapping with each other, I am now able to identify with the story and message. I am also suppose to tell all of you (mandated public service announcement from my husband) that while I call anything and everything that mimics the impression Saturday Night Live gave America of NPR (who doesn't love Schweddy Balls?), it is not actually all on NPR! Ya, it turns out there are tons of boring voices out there recording various boring stories! Anyway, these boring stories are starting to become interesting.

Today was a Ted Talks about Millenniums. Seems like something I would take notes on intending to apply to the marketing of our winery, but instead I found the conversation of 'what you do in your 20's impacts your entire life' incredibly insightful.  They spoke of the delay this generation has, the message that their 20's are for exploring and that they can put off becoming who they want to be for 10 years. This in turn can and has created identity crises as they careen into their 30's with not enough time to get it all done.

It made me reflect on my 20's and the journey of our winery. My husband, Jesse and his brother, Chris, were in their early 20's with the determination and drive to make the impossible possible. In fact Chris wasn't even 21 when they received their liquor license! They didn't inherit the winery, they created it, blood, sweat and tears. And the funniest part is that my sister-in-law and I joined forces with these enthusiastic men without thinking twice. Ahhh the naivete of youth.

Looking back all of us marvel at the work it has taken to get us to where we are now. And it rings today in my ears as the Ted Talks echos the voice of a young Millennial saying (I'm paraphrasing) 'you do things when you are young that require great suspension of belief, because all of life seems accessible and impossible at the same time'. We loose that as we get older. Big message here, don't let the idea of "tomorrow" carry the weight of what you want to do or who you want to be, do in now.

So now, let us apply this to running. How many times do you need to have that pang of jealousy that someone else ran a race or accomplished an unbelievable goal? Do you think to yourself "I could never do that"? Instead of waiting for an identity crisis to smack you in the face, why not add value to who you are by doing things that create a little of the impossible becoming possible in your life? As the Ted Talks pointed out, we do not have a set path, even though most of us live our life that way. Find that thing that you would love to attempt and ask yourself "what is the worst that could happen"?

I know it is scary to take on something new, but what would it feel like to make the impossible happen in your life? Anyone can run a Marathon, the only difference is that most people choose not to.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Wine...

I was going to write about the importance of adding strength training and other activities to your training schedule...but I am so exhausted from a day of skiing that all I can really think about is a giant glass of wine...GIANT glass of wine...

... a beautiful glistening glass of straw colored wine, chilled perfectly. It looks like sunshine captured in a glass, my personal "end of the rainbow". Condensation forming on the sides of the glass as I inhale its incredible aromas of vanilla mingling with lightly toasted nut and juicy ripe peach...ahhhh...

...the warmth of the sofa cradles my tired body. The wine tastes AMAZING...and I close my eyes as the wine courses through me. I truly love wine.

You see, as I said I was going to write about other things, but let's face it, the wine won.

(this post was brought to you today by Vivác Chardonnay)

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Why Run?

Toughness
I've been writing this blog in my head for days. Why run? Why push the limits of your body in this way? Why weather the frustration and pain?

Today as I ran, listening to a NPR podcast about 'Toughness' that my husband recorded for me, I realized that was it...the toughness. But not the way you think. It isn't the glory of being tough, the kudos of boasting how many Marathons you have run, or how fast you ran them. It is the grit it takes to finish a race. The toughness of mind and body to run a Marathon. I would like to also point out the amount of grit it took to run on the treadmill listening to NPR. I think armies should use NPR stories as military tactics. Imagine how easy it would be to win a war if a country's people had been subjected to hours of NPR, they'd be in a depressed stupor willing to take any other option over listening to more NPR.

NPR did give me the link however to what I have been mulling over, why run? Long distance running is not a competition against other runners (unless you are a professional). We do it to challenge ourselves. There is no hope that we will win the Marathon, we are only racing ourselves...the self that is running THAT day. The self that decided not to eat breakfast, the self that stayed up too late the night before, the self that feels great! Each day of running is unique and can only be examined for strengths or struggles. A run is not 'good' or 'bad'..it is, as Byron Katie would say "it is what is". That is the beauty of it.

I complain a lot about running. I struggle with the willpower to go for a run. I struggle with not accomplishing my lofty goals. It is my relationship with running that challenges my perfectionism, my control issues, my feelings of inadequacy. These are front and center when I head out on a long run. I beg the universe to let me run fast and hard and finish feeling strong. I never do. That is the point of your long run. It is built into the training to break you down. It is there to push your limits both mentally and physically. It is there to set you free. If you are in tears at the end of the run, questioning how you are in the world and the meaning of your life...then it was a 'good' run.

Over time you learn to associate the aches and pains of running as a sign of achievement. You start to release stresses in your life as the natural spill over of your mid-run ah-ha moments shed light on your daily life. You start to be kinder to yourself. You value an effort well done on those days that were near to impossible to get out the door. You celebrate days when your run was a mere few seconds faster.

So, why run? Why push yourself? Because the journey is nothing short of a miracle. Crossing the finish line at a race is only part of the incredible transformation that takes place during training. The question really is, are you ready to be set free?

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Don't mess with me!

If you are looking for inspiration from today's blog...go ahead and delete this one. I am in a sour mood.

I have been hitting my runs, easing into training after a long break, but I find that I am very frustrated with the results. And my frustration has manifested in serious irritability. I have not lost any weight, in fact I have gained weight and am starving...as in ready to eat smashed-into-the-road-road-kill hungry. I am also sore and out of shape. I am increasingly annoyed with the huffing and puffing I do on even my shortest runs. I want to be a gazelle leaping down the road! Instead I look like I should be in "The Walking Dead", a zombie show for those of you that live under a rock...see even that was snarky!

As with all hardships, it is your friends that see you through. I have turned to my dearest friend seeking help, understanding and soothing. A tall glass of wine is my friend. Hey don't judge, I waited till 3:30pm to meet up with her! Anyway, wine is good for your health. Wine also always agrees with the way I see things and listens quietly. Honorable traits in a good friend.

I hope that this shall pass. That the irritability and frustration will subside and I will find my joy of running again. Oh wait...I never had a 'joy of running'! Great, now what?

Looks like I need more time with my dear friend to sort this out.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Breaking Bad

This weekend was terrible. I skipped runs and ate like I was a bear going into hibernation. Bad, bad girl. This may not seem like a terrible thing to non runners, I know you all think regular running means you can eat anything you want, but considering I gained 10lbs training for my last Marathon...I am proof that it does NOT work that way.

So, this week is a fresh start. I have drank less wine...well, less than I wanted to, and have attempted an earlier bedtime. You notice I said "attempted". They say intention is half the battle so I am a half battle ahead!

Today, I managed to do one of my "Look Better Naked" workouts 1st thing this morning and then hit a run in town with my mom. I'm feeling pretty darn pleased with myself. That also spells trouble for me because I now want to reward myself with mass amounts of wine and eating like I am a bear going into hibernation. Vicious cycle isn't it?

A final note about the Women's Health Magazine fitness DVD "Look Better Naked"...I do believe you WILL look better naked if you complete even one of these workouts...you'll be dead, but the mortician is really going to appreciate the way you look.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Up and at 'em!

Here is some advice...the night before your long run, don't drink excessively. Sit with that for a second, let it really soak in. Ya, seems like something you would KNOW, but it is harder said than done.

This is my long run day. Now you know what I was doing last night...drinking.

This morning I dressed in my running clothes and shuffled my slow moving feet around the house, drinking too much coffee. Work butted in and before I knew it, the day was leaving me in the hazy dust of my hang over. But I am aware that I can't skip runs, so I am still thinking I will be running today. I mean I'm still in my running clothes. I have until midnight technically, right?

I also realize that while I am typing this to all of you, I COULD be running. The wind is blowing seriously hard and it is freezing out so I will have to hit the evil treadmill. I'd jump on it now, but my son is watching a movie and wouldn't be able to hear...and that is just rude. I can't be rude.

You know they say "hair of the dog" is the way to attack a hang over, maybe I should pour a glass of wine. There is a bottle already open in the fridge. Come to think of it I'm hungry. You can't run on an empty stomach. Maybe a little cheese and prosciutto...which would go great with that open bottle of wine.

Yep, I need to "Fuel".

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Too Happy

Whenever you start something new, make a change for the better or challenge yourself, you will undoubtedly inspire and influence those around you. For some reason it has fallen heavy on my husband who I personally didn't think needed any more inspiration.

My hubby and his brother are avid runners with many Marathon races under their belts as well as races of other distances, but most importantly, they are amazing wine makers. Why is that MOST important? Because I drink copious amounts of wine and it helps me handle their perky attitudes about running. Forgive me, I digress...

Oh yes, inspiring my husband. He ran his 1st Ultra (53 miles) a year ago. The Ultra was not due to my inspiring him, but rather that he is insane. Now this year, watching me sign up for several races, I HAVE inspired him...inspired him to "Stretch himself". What does that mean you ask? Well, he will be running the half marathon (13.1 miles) I have on the calendar in the Spring (probably running it backwards for the extra challenge), followed by a Century (the Marathon of biking-100 miles long), followed by an off road (read as twice as hard) 50K (31.7 miles) at high altitude. The last 2 will be less than 2 weeks apart AND that is just to kick off 2014! Now if you are not sitting with your jaw in your lap, than you are high and need to reread that last section. FYI a full Marathon is 26.2 miles.

Why am I sharing this with you? Because it is important that you truly understand my misery. While I stand in the kitchen slugging down coffee, snarling at my family... he has started his day and training, not in my pathetic, slow, complaining way, but happily with 5AM alarms and freezing cold long runs! He returns bounding around the house, happy as a clam, lifting weights while getting ready for work. Thank God he is a wine maker or I might kill him over this obnoxious behavior. Of course I'm too sore from my training workout to have the strength to kill him, that and I'm not fast enough to catch him.

And so I leave you for today, raising my glass of Chardonnay with a shaking arm, and hope you never have to endure the torture of living with a RUNNER.

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

Cross Train This

Cross training is an important part of my early training. For those of you that are not familiar with "cross training", this term refers to the process in which you torture yourself with other sports besides running.

Today I hit the road on our newly acquired road bike.  They say "it's just like riding a bike" to insinuate a great deal of ease. Whomever came up with that saying was not riding a road bike and had no experience with clipless pedals.  A side note about clipless pedals, why are they called that? You literally HAVE to clip your shoe into the damn thing! And there in lies the problem...once you are ruthlessly clipped into these hounds of hell, you need to become adept at escaping before crashing violently into the pavement. While upright you will need to battle the intense winds that threaten to blow you into oblivion, which seems incredibly easy on a road bike.

Biking aside, as I start training, I am reminded of 2 facts...1) I am always WAY more out of shape than I thought, and 2) Exercising gives me a powerful thirst. Both of which make me question my sanity. Why am I taking this on again?

Needless to say, at the end of our short ride, I was left with a mouth full of dirt...or in wine speak "terrior" and absolute jello arms & legs. Perhaps it is due to the earthy elements I tasted, perhaps it is the intense fear I experienced as I dodged dogs, cars & tumble weeds, but I arrived home ready for wine. I believe it will be a Cabernet Sauvignon.

I wonder if they make training wheels for adult bikes?

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.VivacWinery.com

2014, Let's Run Bitches!

At the end of 2013, I decided I needed to get back on track and running again. For me this means I had to sign up for a race. So 1st on the calendar was registering for the New York City Marathon (which is a lottery to get in, so keep your fingers crossed for me!) and by way of keeping my training focused I threw in a 1/2 marathon this spring.

NYC will be my 2nd full Marathon and my 1st that I will run solo. I must admit I am a little nervous about that part of it. I mean who will keep me from quitting or keep me on pace if my husband/ trainer isn't there giving me constant encouragement? I better have a giant bottle of wine waiting for me at the finish line as incentive.

So, as 2014 chimed in, I raised a shot of tequila in the air & toasted to a "Happy Newz Yearz" and chased it with a martini. I'm sure you have no idea why training was delayed come Jan 1st. BUT...being Jan 2nd, I'm feeling very optomistic about my training and this year to come. Of course I will be documenting the journey so all of you can experience my pain, happiness & the trill that is long distance running.

Cheers to 2014 everyone!

PS
Naturally I couldn't run today because I am still recovering from New Years. And I have dinner guests coming over...which required me to open a bottle of wine at lunch, to make a marinade, and what happens to a bottle of wine once it is open in our house? Well, we are REQUIRED to drink it!

-Cheers from the Vivác Winery Family!
www.vivacwinery.com