Writers Who Run

[Sommer Leigh]

I'm running in my second 5K on saturday. I'm pretty nervous because I injured my right foot for the second time this summer about a month ago and I'm supposed to still be resting. My doc said I could manage it if I took some precautions and stayed off of it until the race, which I have for the most part, and now I'm pumped and ready to go. Who doesn't love to go fast?

It's a night run, which I'm pretty excited about. The race will be black lit with glow in the dark paint everywhere. Our race packet came accessorized with glowsticks and I'll be sporting glow in the dark nail polish. We're all going to look like little lunatic ravers. Can't. Freaking. Wait.

I started running back in February (one of my favorite Bransforumers inspired me!!! Thanks Trixie!!) and I'm kinda slow, but I love it. People always look like they belong in an action movie when they run. Except me. I look like I'm about 6 seconds from being eaten by a zombie.

Any other runners around here?

[LurkingVirologist]

Yeah, I've been running pretty consistently for the last couple years, though at the moment I'm on restriction due to an IT-band injury. Which is taking ****ing forever to heal up. Been there with the foot injury (plus a couple broken toe incidents from karate), so I suppose in this case I can say I literally feel your pain . The night-time 5K sounds like a hoot. Speaking of zombies, depending on where you live, there are a few actual zombie-survival-obstacle course events that look like a ton of fun. I'mma check one out once the leg is working right again.

[bcomet]

I "inside jog" a LOT. When I am in a story, I use the jogging time for story building. When I am away writing, I love to walk with my story. I love walking vacations and writing-walking vacations.

[oldhousejunkie]

I run as well. I did my first 5K in May and was pretty chuffed with the results. I finished within the first half of all women runners, though I tend to be a bit slow. I'm working on getting my mile under 10 minutes right now. I was hoping to do another 5K next month but have decided to pass and lose a little weight first and get a bit more healthy by clean eating. While I'm not super heavy, I could stand to lose about 10 lbs and put less stress on my joints. I keep pulling tendons in my feet and I have a cranky knee that has given me trouble recently.

Ultimate goal is to run the Cooper River Bridge Race in Charleston, SC. It's next April so I'm not sure if I will make since it's a 10K. But it's definitely on the bucket list. Though your night time 5K sounds like a whole lot of fun, Sommer.

And bcomet... I love to "walk-and-write"! I think I do some of my best brainstorming.

[Sommer Leigh]

What's funny is that I cannot concentrate on writing when I'm working out or running. I've tried and I can't get into the mindset to brainstorm writing. I'm too much in the mindset of one foot in front of the other or one more rep. I wish I could multitask during this time. It would make being on the treadmill for 45 minutes seem more productive.

[CharleeVale]

I wanted to do The Color Run, but it was BEA week when the registration came out, so there was no way I could get to it in time. LOL

CV

[trixie]

I started running back in February (one of my favorite Bransforumers inspired me!!! Thanks Trixie!!) and I'm kinda slow, but I love it.

Le gasp! Moi!?!?!??

It's true, I'm a runner. It took me a very long time to feel comfortable with that title, just like it has taken a while to be comfortable calling myself a writer. Both of those words conjure images of greatness in my mind. And then I look at my own running/writing, and I'm pretty sure it's the stick figure equivalent of DaVinci.

But that's okay. Because I keep doing it. I keep running. I keep writing. I keep trying to get better at both. I have dry spells of both, and intense love affairs with both. Somedays, I have an amazing run and other days, it's total rubbish and I think I'm too slow/overweight/tall/whatever to keep running. But I still keep running.

I can't work out story ideas while running; I save that for my walks. But I'm REALLY interested in creating a treadmill desk for my basement this winter. If anyone has any experience in making such a contraption, let me know. I know there are all sorts of fancy ones on line, but I'm more of a ghetto girl. If I can use duct tape and stuff already existing in my basement, I'm happy.

[Philabuster]

Speaking of zombies, depending on where you live, there are a few actual zombie-survival-obstacle course events that look like a ton of fun. I'mma check one out once the leg is working right again.

I ran that in Darlington MD last year and I think I may do it again this year. It was soooo much fun....but tough. A lot of sprinting.

I've been running for a couple of years now. Sometimes it helps for writers block but mostly I just find it mediative. I run the broad street run every year (10 miler) and mix it up with some 10k mud runs and random 5ks.

I love the energy. The crowd always pumps me up.

[trixie]

Speaking of running, I'm putting some real thought into another half marathon. This one would be the last weekend in October and the race is a gradual down-hill slope for the first half, so most runners PR the race (personal record). After the hot mess of this spring's half marathon (cancelled due to excessive heat), I'd REALLY like to PR a complete race.

So, pros and cons:
Pros:
-Gets me into a scheduled mind-set
-Helps with weight loss
-Will give me a huge sense of accomplishment
-Will give me a "hall pass" for taking the month of Nov off while I do NaNo.

Cons:
-Oy, the training runs. In order to get an 8-10 mile run in on the weekend, I have to go to bed early on Fri nights so I can run on Saturday, and then I spend the rest of Sat hobbling around and going to bed early. So, it kind of puts a damper on my weekend social life.
-Will need to put down some $ for this. Registration fee and shoes, especially.
- Right now, I can probably safely start training w/a 5-6 mile run. But with only ~7 weekends left for training, that doesn't give me a lot of time to get ready.

But I'm a TOTAL SUCKER for medals. Like, I have a collection and I'm the greediest SOB you know. I totally want to add to it.

Sigh. Decisions, decisions...

[Beethovenfan]

But I'm a TOTAL SUCKER for medals. Like, I have a collection and I'm the greediest SOB you know. I totally want to add to it.

Sigh. Decisions, decisions...

Well, if my opinion helps at all, I say do it. You know, YOLO and YOYO and all that.

[Sommer Leigh]

Speaking of running, I'm putting some real thought into another half marathon. This one would be the last weekend in October and the race is a gradual down-hill slope for the first half, so most runners PR the race (personal record). After the hot mess of this spring's half marathon (cancelled due to excessive heat), I'd REALLY like to PR a complete race.

Sigh. Decisions, decisions...

OMG do it. I've become sort of a mess over races. It's like every time new batch of races shows up in my email, I want to run them all. I am not supposed to be running at all right now though while my foot heals up. (ARGH) So frustrating. So you have to run for me.

[trixie]

Well, if my opinion helps at all, I say do it. You know, YOLO and YOYO and all that.

What does YOLO and YOYO mean?

Sommer--STAY OFF YOUR FOOT!!

I'm inching closer to registering. Inch by inch...

[Sommer Leigh]

Sommer--STAY OFF YOUR FOOT!!

I'm inching closer to registering. Inch by inch...

I know I know! I'm trying to be a good girl. It's sooooooo haaaaaaaard.

[LurkingVirologist]

OMG do it. I've become sort of a mess over races. It's like every time new batch of races shows up in my email, I want to run them all. I am not supposed to be running at all right now though while my foot heals up. (ARGH) So frustrating. So you have to run for me.

Stay off the foot, lol! I've managed to re-injure so many limbs 'n joints 'n such over the years trying to tough it out, it's kind of silly. Heck, the best thing for my knee was a nasty 3 week respiratory infection .

[bcomet]

If I "inside" jog or outside walk, I find I can work on my stories or other creative projects mentally, but if I outside run, well, I might run into something!