What Kempo has to do with Running

So week 1 has come and gone and I am onto week 2. Last Saturday I did my "long" run. I also went to Zultimate Self Defense Studios in Redmond and past my belt test and became an orange belt.

I am doing 2 things (well, more really, but these 2 things are the biggies) to get ready for my RunDisney year.
1) I am doing the Jeff Galloway Training Program
2) I am taking my Kempo training sessions way more seriously.

JEFF GALLOWAY PROGRAM
This is the program that Disney recommends. I have looked at every inch of his website and I have read his book Marathon: You Can Do It! I am really encouraged. It boasts to be "Injury Free." I was sceptical, but in week 2, I am starting to understand and be encouraged. I started doing what he calls a "conditioning" program. I do these short runs that are 5 seconds of running and 55 seconds of walking. It's nuts! Once 5 seconds of running is over, I don't feel like I've barely started running until I start walking. As a former competitive distance runner, this feels absurd to me.

On week 1, I really started second guessing myself. I broke down in tears several times overwhelmed with the goal I set for myself, overwhelmed with the financial burden, angry that I am running 18 minute miles, angry that 1 mile is a long way to go. It took my amazing husband reminding me not to give up, to pray and to just TRY.

But on week 2, I am starting to understand why I am running only 5 seconds at a time. I haven't hurt myself. The daily runs are not so taxing that I do 1 and then don't do another for 5 days. The times are increasing, but not overwhelmingly so. Also, I am still dealing with a couple of healing injuries. I've noticed that I am able to do this conditioning program without triggering those injuries. My foot feels fine. My shoulder feels fine. My knee feels fine. I'm able to progressively finish runs without pain or exhaustion. I've also read several blogs of competitive runners that report that the run-walk method Galloway has recommended has actually given runners faster times, not slower. That has kept my motivation up.

KEMPO
I've become very serious about kempo. But not for the physical fitness aspect. Kempo is a type of martial arts that is a mix of several different martial arts. Since beginning, I have seen quite the change in my mood and mental status. I have lost 15 pounds and I do feel a lot stronger, but it's done a much more important thing for me. It has drastically reduced my Social Anxiety, Shyness and Negative Thinking. When I started I was incredibly trepid. I hated going to group classes (and missed a lot of them) and found excuses to get out of my individual lessons. I would work myself up to the point that I would make myself sick (usually migraines). I could tell that my Sensei was getting frustrated with me, but she didn't give up and I feel a lot different. I'm still shy and I still have a bit of a hard time in social situations, but it is completely different now. It's not as intense. I don't have panic attacks and I don't use medication to deal with the emotions.

I really don't know what it is about Martial Arts that changes the mind and soul, but I have seen and felt it. My oldest son has gained some self-esteem and become more socially healthy. My youngest has gained some self control and gone from being kicked out of Sunday School to able to mind his manners and be very well behaved. My Sensei doesn't do counseling or self-help lessons. She teaches us all Martial Arts. It's not anything exceedingly amazing. Just step by step instruction in Self Defense. But it is magical! I've tried to find some books on the subject, but haven't been able to find much (if you know of some, please let me know).

Continuing my work in Kempo will help me prepare my mind and emotions to keep going when things get hard. It will give me the emotional stability to be able to get through 6 hour runs and boredom and aches and pains. I really think that not doing this work for my emotions and mental well-being is a huge reason for failing several times over the last 2 years.

So I'll finish Week 2 on Sunday and keep on keeping on.

I'm not insane, but I would still appreciate prayers for my sanity

 These are about the only 2 photos I like of myself. I'm not photogenic. I'm not ugly (a little pudgy, but not ugly). I don't have poor self-esteem (although it's not great either). I'm just not gifted in the photogenic department. If you look hard, you will notice that 1 eye is bigger than the other and I don't have good muscle control in the smaller eye (my opthomalogist is completely enthralled with this quirk). When we're chatting and I'm laughing, you don't notice a thing, but when I smile for a picture, I look like I'm winking at the camera in a kinda creepy way. I try to stick with really good photographers (like my sister) and vere away from coworkers and friends snapping photos willy-nilly.

But I like these photos. 1st - Because it has my son and I doing something together and I love that he does these events with me. 2nd - Because I'm in my element. RUNNING. I love to run. It makes me feel free and relaxed and empowered.

I used to be a competitive runner. I was fast and even placed in a few distance races in college. Early in my 20s I entered a long deep depression and I quit running. I gained weight and then thought I couldn't run because I weighed too much. The cycle continued.

A couple of years ago, I started trying to run again in order to lose some weight. But I didn't fix the depression part and I felt sorry for myself because I wasn't the runner I used to be and I didn't train the right way. This led to 1 injury after another which confirmed my poor attitude that I couldn't run anymore.

Well, I've done some counseling and I am feeling so much better and I am ready to tackle this running thing again, but in a different way.

My favorite races that I have had the most fun at were the few Disney races I ran. They are usually pretty flat, have tons of entertainment and lots of music. The top picture is when Alex and I finished the Up 5K in Walt Disney World. I went on the next day to complete the 1/2 marathon and the next day got through about 8 miles of the full marathon (I'm rather slow and was running behind a walker who missed the class on tying your shoes BEFORE the race begins. I stopped when she stooped down and another runner crashed into me. I flipped over her and jammed my shoulder - I was {am} a tad angry).

So here's my goal: RUN ALL THE RUNDISNEY RACES IN 2013. This consists of 14 races in 7 race weekends (7 - 5Ks -- 1 - 10miler -- 5 - 1/2 marathons and 1 full marathon).

NO, I'm not crazy. I promise. I'M EXCITED. This time, I'm going to do the Jeff Galloway program which focuses on injury-free running. My mother is TOTALLY freaked out. In my half-assed attempted in the past 2 years, I have had a litany of injuries. My jammed shoulder was the least of my concerns. I had 8 stress fractures, plantar fascitis, sprains, strains and I actually gained weight instead of loosing it.

I am wondering if folks could help me along my journey in a few ways:

1) PRAY - This is a large undertaking. I'm going to have to work MORE (I know less seems logical since I need train, but I also have to pay for this weird idea). I'm going to need to keep at it and Lord, PLEASE, I need to avoid injury.

2) Come Back Here - While counseling has been an enormous help in changing my thought patterns and bring me more out of my shell (most people don't know that once upon a time, I was a weird kooky outgoing personality), I still have a bit of a tendency to slip back into negative self-sabotage thinking. If folks could come back and support me in this, I think I can keep myself out of this rut.

3) Kick my butt once in awhile - If you here me make excuses to get out of runs, yelling at me is fine. The Jeff Galloway program has a very high success rate for preventing injuries, but since it is so easy going on the body, every single run is important to do in order to increase strength and endurance. Please don't let me get away with excuses

4) Donate? I'm not going to spend the next year begging for money, but if you did want to give up a latte and send me $5 a month, I'm not going to turn that down. I'm going to work every extra shift I can, do as many classes as I can in my business and pinch every dime I can. I'm NOT going into debt for this though. I'm estimating that this is going to cost between $10,000 and $13,000. Disney races tend to have some of the higher entrance fees. There is also airfare, hotels, food, good shoes and insoles (prior foot injury to prevent recurrence), clothes (I really hope this helps me drop a few pounds) and body glide (I'd bathe in that stuff if I could... It's miraculous) to consider.

Thanks all for reading my craziness and I hope you'll come back often to check in!