Lansing City Pulse ran a piece I wrote about preparing for the Capital City River Run, which happens THIS SUNDAY at 8:30 a.m.!!!
They cut a lot out of it, and as an editor, I understand...buuut here's the piece they ran: "http://www.lansingcitypulse.com/lansing/article-4853-what-makes-her-run.html"
And here's the original:
Why I run
From an asthmatic childhood to the Capital City River Run, one jogger shares her journey
By Jessica Carreras
Every runner has their own story about why they picked up they picked up the sport:
"I wanted to lose weight."
"I heard it was great for relieving stress."
"My husband/wife/boyfriend/girlfriend got me into it."
"I just wanted to see if I could do it."
For me, becoming a runner was about survival.
I was diagnosed with asthma after a bout with bronchitis when I was six months old. Visits to the doctor, breathing treatments and an overprotective mother quickly became a part of my life. I was a tomboy who wanted to be active, but would inevitably end up on the sidelines, wheezing and taking puffs from my bright blue inhaler. While most other kids were playing soccer or tag, I was using doctor's notes to get out of running a mile or swimming a few laps in gym class. It's not that I didn't want to participate; it's that I knew I couldn't possibly do it.
But I grew tired of telling myself those four words: “I can’t do this.” So instead, I tried, not knowing whether I would succeed or fail. And on Sept. 26, I will join some 3,000 other runners at the Capital City River Run in downtown Lansing.
The River Run, now in its 18th year, includes both a 5K and half-marathon run, or 13.1 miles. I’ll be running the latter - yes, running. The whole thing. I hope.
Running is an unpredictable pastime. The weather, your mood, muscle soreness, not enough sleep or a balanced meal – all of these things can make a run good or bad. Add to that equation the fact that asthma symptoms can flare up at any time – often without warning – and there’s no telling whether I’ll run 10 miles or just walk two when I head out the door.
That’s part of the reason why I choose to do the Capital City River Run. It’s fall, it’s our state’s capitol and the scenery promises to be compelling enough to take my mind off of the blister forming on my right heel, or the fatigue setting in as I round Mile Eight.
The truth is that I have never run in Lansing. I’ve walked the riverfront, I’ve played in Adado Park, I’ve marched on the Capitol and I’ve lobbied in representatives’ offices. But never have I laced up my Asics and hit the streets of Lansing, and as any runner knows, though a new course always has its special obstacles, the excitement of new sights, new trails and, of course, the thrill of running an event is enough to keep one foot moving in front of the other.
Apparently I’m not alone in this thinking. Race Co-Director Dick Miles says the route itself is much of what draws runners to the River Run. “The No. 1 attraction is the courses,” Miles insists. “This is particularly true for the half marathon, which incorporates Michigan State University, the Lansing River Trail, Scott Woods, Hawk Island Park and Potter Park. In my opinion, we have as good an urban half marathon course as can be found anywhere.”
As someone who doesn’t live in Lansing – and I’m not alone there either, with participating runners hailing from as far as Ohio, Illinois and even California – half of the fun of the race will come from seeing the city in a whole new way.
And that’s really why I run: to experience life. I spent my entire childhood telling myself that I couldn’t run, couldn’t play sports, couldn’t live life without my asthma quick-rescue inhaler.
Now, I run without it, and I notice things that other people miss while driving by in their cars. A run around the neighborhood might mean I get a glimpse of a new restaurant that I want to try. A jog around the track at Kensington Metropark promises swan, crane, snake and deer sightings. And 13.1 miles throughout the streets of Lansing will give new perspective to a city I have worked and played in, but never really seen.
I want to see the world – not on TV or through a car window, but by the power of my own two feet. That’s why I run.
The Capital City River Run takes place at 8:30 a.m. Sept 26, beginning in front of Lansing Center. Registration fees vary, and proceeds will benefit the Impression 5 Science Center. To learn more, or to register for the 5K or half marathon, visit HYPERLINK "http://www.ccriverrun.org" www.ccriverrun.org.
Jessica Carreras is a freelance writer from Westland, Mich. She has used her own two feet to run the Toronto Waterfront Marathon, as well as numerous walks to raise funds and awareness about HIV/AIDS and autism. You can reach her at jess.carreras@gmail.com.
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Awesome news for asthmatics
I was just reading an article about something I had heard of before that has now been approved as a method of treating asthma. It's a procedure called Bronchial Thermoplasty, where they use thermal energy to help reduce airway restriction.
This is the best news I, as an asthmatic, have heard in a long time. It could mean that I could run without worrying about the weather (in humidity, in heat, in the cold), and that I could stop relying on expensive steroids with sketchy side effects to control my asthma.
I know this blog post is long-overdue and totally self serving, but I'm JUST SO EXCITED! Asking my doctor about this ASAP: http://www.btforasthma.com/
This is the best news I, as an asthmatic, have heard in a long time. It could mean that I could run without worrying about the weather (in humidity, in heat, in the cold), and that I could stop relying on expensive steroids with sketchy side effects to control my asthma.
I know this blog post is long-overdue and totally self serving, but I'm JUST SO EXCITED! Asking my doctor about this ASAP: http://www.btforasthma.com/
Saturday, July 17, 2010
It's all in your head.
I did it. I signed up for my second half-marathon, the Capital City River Run in Lansing Sept. 26. I must say, spending $45 was not nearly as hard to get past (I'm a cheapskate, what can I say?) as the mental hurdle.
This is the real deal. No more talking about how I'm "going to run another half." I mean, sure, I can bail last minute and eat a tub of ice cream at home instead, and feel awful about it. I'm not married to the event. And even I could get past wasting $45.
But I'm not going to do that.
I've read many articles suggesting that mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation when it comes to running. One particular article on Active.com even goes so far as to suggest that mental fatigue occurs before actual muscle fatigue:
"A number of recent studies have clearly demonstrated that fatigue-related declines in exercise performance are almost always associated with corresponding declines in motor output from the brain. Other studies have shown that muscles are able to continue working beyond normal endurance limits--without suffering any harm--when the motor centers of the brain are artificially stimulated."
OK, it's a little drab and science-y for my taste, but important to understand when, during a run, you hit "the wall."
Every runner's been there: You start out feeling fabulous and powerful, but at some point start to feel like every bench you run by looks pretty inviting. Why am I doing this? I need a more sedentary hobby. This is completely masochistic. Am I done yet? Am I done yet? Am I done yet?
I'm not an expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but here are my own personal tips for avoiding the wall.
1. Set achievable goals, then surpass them. Tell yourself you're going to run five miles, to the end of the street - whatever your level is - but always set your goal below how long or how far you actually want to go. Then, when you get there, keep going and your brain will tell you "Good job! You're awesome!" This is especially helpful on days when you really would rather sit on the couch.
2. Don't be afraid to take a break. I'm not talking a stop-for-ice-cream-and-read-a-book kind of break, but if there's a water stop on your run (or if you have water with you), slow down to a walk, wipe the sweat from your brow (literally) and enjoy that water. It will probably taste like the best thing you've ever put in your mouth. Then keep going.
3. Do a pre-run mental workout. This is different for every person, but in my case it includes yoga and pumping myself up. I am strong. I am powerful. I can do this.
4. Don't beat yourself up. If you meet your goal time or distance, awesome. If not, no big deal. Cramps, blisters and bad days happen. Try to standardize your runs by what you wear, what you eat before-hand, what time you run to avoid physical discomfort that can lead to mental defeat.
5. Don't give up! Your body and your mind will both thank you for it.
This is the real deal. No more talking about how I'm "going to run another half." I mean, sure, I can bail last minute and eat a tub of ice cream at home instead, and feel awful about it. I'm not married to the event. And even I could get past wasting $45.
But I'm not going to do that.
I've read many articles suggesting that mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation when it comes to running. One particular article on Active.com even goes so far as to suggest that mental fatigue occurs before actual muscle fatigue:
"A number of recent studies have clearly demonstrated that fatigue-related declines in exercise performance are almost always associated with corresponding declines in motor output from the brain. Other studies have shown that muscles are able to continue working beyond normal endurance limits--without suffering any harm--when the motor centers of the brain are artificially stimulated."
OK, it's a little drab and science-y for my taste, but important to understand when, during a run, you hit "the wall."
Every runner's been there: You start out feeling fabulous and powerful, but at some point start to feel like every bench you run by looks pretty inviting. Why am I doing this? I need a more sedentary hobby. This is completely masochistic. Am I done yet? Am I done yet? Am I done yet?
I'm not an expert, so take this with a grain of salt, but here are my own personal tips for avoiding the wall.
1. Set achievable goals, then surpass them. Tell yourself you're going to run five miles, to the end of the street - whatever your level is - but always set your goal below how long or how far you actually want to go. Then, when you get there, keep going and your brain will tell you "Good job! You're awesome!" This is especially helpful on days when you really would rather sit on the couch.
2. Don't be afraid to take a break. I'm not talking a stop-for-ice-cream-and-read-a-book kind of break, but if there's a water stop on your run (or if you have water with you), slow down to a walk, wipe the sweat from your brow (literally) and enjoy that water. It will probably taste like the best thing you've ever put in your mouth. Then keep going.
3. Do a pre-run mental workout. This is different for every person, but in my case it includes yoga and pumping myself up. I am strong. I am powerful. I can do this.
4. Don't beat yourself up. If you meet your goal time or distance, awesome. If not, no big deal. Cramps, blisters and bad days happen. Try to standardize your runs by what you wear, what you eat before-hand, what time you run to avoid physical discomfort that can lead to mental defeat.
5. Don't give up! Your body and your mind will both thank you for it.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Why I Love Running, Reason No. 79858732
The other day, I went for my first-ever twilight run. With an odd sense of motivation I don't usually feel after an 11-hour day at work, I threw on my stretchy pants and sweat-resistant top (hot pink, no less) and flew out the door, eager to get in a few miles before sunset.
And not half a mile down the street, I saw it.
"OMGABUNNY," I thought as I examined a brownish-grayish mass up ahead of me. Yes, I think in grammar-less, run-together teenager speak. Especially when it comes to bunnies.
I got closer and closer and the rabbit didn't move. I feigned non-interest, hoping he wouldn't run away. Then he did something amazing: he ran with me . Or hopped. Whatever.
But it gets better. On that four-mile run around Westland, I saw a total of seven bunnies. No, seriously. SEVEN. It was an animal freak's dream come true, and you are looking at the queen of people who obsess over cute and fuzzy things.
Conclusion? More twilight runs. And, just for you, a compilation of really freakin' cute pictures of bunnies, courtesy of www.dailysquee.com. If you love cute and furry things, you should make a daily visit to this site.
And not half a mile down the street, I saw it.
"OMGABUNNY," I thought as I examined a brownish-grayish mass up ahead of me. Yes, I think in grammar-less, run-together teenager speak. Especially when it comes to bunnies.
I got closer and closer and the rabbit didn't move. I feigned non-interest, hoping he wouldn't run away. Then he did something amazing: he ran with me . Or hopped. Whatever.
But it gets better. On that four-mile run around Westland, I saw a total of seven bunnies. No, seriously. SEVEN. It was an animal freak's dream come true, and you are looking at the queen of people who obsess over cute and fuzzy things.
Conclusion? More twilight runs. And, just for you, a compilation of really freakin' cute pictures of bunnies, courtesy of www.dailysquee.com. If you love cute and furry things, you should make a daily visit to this site.
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Submission to the Quality Health Newsletter
I sent my "story of triumph" to the the Quality Health website and newsletter today. It's sort of highfalutin, but that's the kind of thing they go for. Anyway, in case they don't choose to publish it, I thought I would post it on here as well...
I became a writer because I couldn't be an athlete. While my brother was joining the cross-country team and playing soccer, I was using doctor's notes to get out of running a mile or swimming a few laps in elementary school gym class. It's not that I didn't want to participate; it's that I knew I couldn't possibly do it.
I was diagnosed with severe asthma after a bout with bronchitis when I was six months old. Visits to the doctor, breathing treatments and an extremely overprotective mother quickly became a part of my life. I was a tomboy who wanted to be active, but would inevitably end up on the sidelines, wheezing and taking puffs from my bright blue inhaler. I can remember sitting at the front window of my childhood home, writing angst-ridden poetry while watching my brother start out for a run.
I spent plenty of time asking myself that big, unanswerable question: Why me? No one else in my family had asthma, and I felt as though there was something inherently wrong with me. I was depressed, unhealthy and a failure. My brother won track medals; I couldn't even breathe. I hid my asthma at all costs - even if it meant sitting through class or a sleepover at a friend's house with an attack. Anything was better than being the subject of attention as I struggled to breathe and used my inhaler in public.
As I got older, the doctors stopped saying "Maybe it's just a childhood condition" and I realized that I could either die, or find a way to live with this disease. And not just live, but live the life I wanted to - an active, healthy, happy one.
Now, with my 25th birthday just a few weeks away, I'm a full-time writer and editor (thanks to all that time I spent cooped up indoors) and, believe it or not, I'm training for my second half marathon. I take Advair every day and use my inhaler before running, but otherwise, I leave it at home
I will probably never be completely independent of medication, but it's an amazing feeling just to be able to run. I feel good about myself physically for the first time ever, not because I'm perfectly skinny or look good in a bikini, but because I feel strong and in control. My asthma doesn't run my life anymore. I have even started a blog to write about my experience in hopes that it will inspire others who think that they could never run a marathon (it's called See Jess Run, http://jesscanrun.blogspot.com). Eventually, I hope to turn my story into a memoir.
I haven't done the whole 26.2 yet, but I'm getting there. And that gym class mile around the track? No problem.
I became a writer because I couldn't be an athlete. While my brother was joining the cross-country team and playing soccer, I was using doctor's notes to get out of running a mile or swimming a few laps in elementary school gym class. It's not that I didn't want to participate; it's that I knew I couldn't possibly do it.
I was diagnosed with severe asthma after a bout with bronchitis when I was six months old. Visits to the doctor, breathing treatments and an extremely overprotective mother quickly became a part of my life. I was a tomboy who wanted to be active, but would inevitably end up on the sidelines, wheezing and taking puffs from my bright blue inhaler. I can remember sitting at the front window of my childhood home, writing angst-ridden poetry while watching my brother start out for a run.
I spent plenty of time asking myself that big, unanswerable question: Why me? No one else in my family had asthma, and I felt as though there was something inherently wrong with me. I was depressed, unhealthy and a failure. My brother won track medals; I couldn't even breathe. I hid my asthma at all costs - even if it meant sitting through class or a sleepover at a friend's house with an attack. Anything was better than being the subject of attention as I struggled to breathe and used my inhaler in public.
As I got older, the doctors stopped saying "Maybe it's just a childhood condition" and I realized that I could either die, or find a way to live with this disease. And not just live, but live the life I wanted to - an active, healthy, happy one.
Now, with my 25th birthday just a few weeks away, I'm a full-time writer and editor (thanks to all that time I spent cooped up indoors) and, believe it or not, I'm training for my second half marathon. I take Advair every day and use my inhaler before running, but otherwise, I leave it at home
I will probably never be completely independent of medication, but it's an amazing feeling just to be able to run. I feel good about myself physically for the first time ever, not because I'm perfectly skinny or look good in a bikini, but because I feel strong and in control. My asthma doesn't run my life anymore. I have even started a blog to write about my experience in hopes that it will inspire others who think that they could never run a marathon (it's called See Jess Run, http://jesscanrun.blogspot.com). Eventually, I hope to turn my story into a memoir.
I haven't done the whole 26.2 yet, but I'm getting there. And that gym class mile around the track? No problem.
Tuesday, May 25, 2010
Gym vs. outdoors
I have this debate often: Which is a better place to run, the gym or outside? A treadmill or the sidewalk?
Traditionally, because my asthma is so severe, I have always chosen to run on a treadmill. Plus, that way I don't have to worry about scores of strangers watching me as I huff and puff my way down the street. Here's some things to think about the next time you can't decide between indoors and outdoors for your next run:
Indoors
1. My knees. See previous post for gross photo of what happened to my knee on an outdoor run. Ouch. My tendency to trip over my own feet is greatly lessened when I'm on a treadmill.
2. It's so damn ____ out! Too hot, too cold, raining, snowing, high pollen count - there are just too many weather-related excuses to not run outside. A thermostat and a roof over your head ensure that running conditions are always ideal.
3. Gym mentality. There's something motivational about running alongside 20 other people trying to get/stay in shape or train. Sometimes it even gets competitive: I've found myself running a minute or five longer than I thought my legs could handle simply because the chick next to me is still going and I MUST outrun her.
4. The amenities. Whether at the gym or at home, the bathroom, a water refill, a refueling snack - whatever - they're all within arm's reach instead of, y'know, five miles' reach. No running belt necessary.
5. You can watch TV while you run. Needs no further explanation.
Outdoors
1. It's freakin' beautiful outside. This is only a sometimes-benefit of running outdoors, but going for a jog around the neighborhood is a great way to enjoy good weather.
2. You can see the world! Or, at least as far as you can run. Meet your neighbors, have a Snow-White-in-the-woods moment with the birds and squirrels and notice your surroundings in a way you never can when you're just driving by...on your way to the gym.
3. The breeze. Yes, the breeze. It deserves its own bullet point if only because when you're sweating out of every pore, the wind feels so. damn. good. Air conditioning has nothing on a good breeze.
4. Showing off. Have you ever been on your way to work or somewhere else equally undesirable, seen someone running and thought to yourself, "Man, I wish I wasn't doing whatever it is I'm obligated to do today"? When you run outside, you get to be that person everyone else is jealous of. Plus, you make that guy eating McDonald's in his car feel like a fat slob. It's a small but enjoyable victory.
5. The other day, I was trying to explain to my friend Chris (a self-admitted gym junkie) why running outside feels soooooo good. "You know that euphoric spurt of self-esteem you get when you finish a workout?" I asked him. "Multiply that by 10 and that's what finishing an outdoor run feels like." He didn't believe me, his excuses being that it seems hard and he "looks stupid" when he runs.
Uh, who cares?!
The bottom line is this: A treadmill's got nothing on the open road (or sidewalk). Rain, head and "looking stupid" be damned. You'll never know how good it feels - or how much fun it is - until you try it.
Traditionally, because my asthma is so severe, I have always chosen to run on a treadmill. Plus, that way I don't have to worry about scores of strangers watching me as I huff and puff my way down the street. Here's some things to think about the next time you can't decide between indoors and outdoors for your next run:
Indoors
1. My knees. See previous post for gross photo of what happened to my knee on an outdoor run. Ouch. My tendency to trip over my own feet is greatly lessened when I'm on a treadmill.
2. It's so damn ____ out! Too hot, too cold, raining, snowing, high pollen count - there are just too many weather-related excuses to not run outside. A thermostat and a roof over your head ensure that running conditions are always ideal.
3. Gym mentality. There's something motivational about running alongside 20 other people trying to get/stay in shape or train. Sometimes it even gets competitive: I've found myself running a minute or five longer than I thought my legs could handle simply because the chick next to me is still going and I MUST outrun her.
4. The amenities. Whether at the gym or at home, the bathroom, a water refill, a refueling snack - whatever - they're all within arm's reach instead of, y'know, five miles' reach. No running belt necessary.
5. You can watch TV while you run. Needs no further explanation.
Outdoors
1. It's freakin' beautiful outside. This is only a sometimes-benefit of running outdoors, but going for a jog around the neighborhood is a great way to enjoy good weather.
2. You can see the world! Or, at least as far as you can run. Meet your neighbors, have a Snow-White-in-the-woods moment with the birds and squirrels and notice your surroundings in a way you never can when you're just driving by...on your way to the gym.
3. The breeze. Yes, the breeze. It deserves its own bullet point if only because when you're sweating out of every pore, the wind feels so. damn. good. Air conditioning has nothing on a good breeze.
4. Showing off. Have you ever been on your way to work or somewhere else equally undesirable, seen someone running and thought to yourself, "Man, I wish I wasn't doing whatever it is I'm obligated to do today"? When you run outside, you get to be that person everyone else is jealous of. Plus, you make that guy eating McDonald's in his car feel like a fat slob. It's a small but enjoyable victory.
5. The other day, I was trying to explain to my friend Chris (a self-admitted gym junkie) why running outside feels soooooo good. "You know that euphoric spurt of self-esteem you get when you finish a workout?" I asked him. "Multiply that by 10 and that's what finishing an outdoor run feels like." He didn't believe me, his excuses being that it seems hard and he "looks stupid" when he runs.
Uh, who cares?!
The bottom line is this: A treadmill's got nothing on the open road (or sidewalk). Rain, head and "looking stupid" be damned. You'll never know how good it feels - or how much fun it is - until you try it.
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
It's beautiful out. So I'm going running, right?
Wrong. Making a pizza and watching "Monty Python and the Holy Grail"? Correct. This is probably the girliest thing I will ever say but...my hair looks too good to go running today.
In other news, my knee pain has not gone away, even after buying a knee brace (I tried them on in the middle of Meijer, FYI). Realizing just now that I wrote a blog about my knee injury/general pain but never posted it, I should back up.
When I run for extended periods of time - say, more than four miles...so not even really all that "extended" - my right knee always hurts at the end of my run. Compound this ongoing issue with the fact that about three weeks ago, I fell while running at Kensington Metropark (a lovely 8-mile trail near Kent Lake, Mich.) and banged up - you guessed it - the same knee that had already been having problems.
Real smart, Jess.
Well, all the brace really seems to do is make my knee really stiff and warm while I run. Afterward, it still hurts, and I can feel my pulse in my kneecap! Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, but it feels neat, like having a heart in my knee.
Pizza's done, and so is this blog. Do I feel guilty about my laziness? Not really. But I do wish I had a bottle of wine...
In other news, my knee pain has not gone away, even after buying a knee brace (I tried them on in the middle of Meijer, FYI). Realizing just now that I wrote a blog about my knee injury/general pain but never posted it, I should back up.
When I run for extended periods of time - say, more than four miles...so not even really all that "extended" - my right knee always hurts at the end of my run. Compound this ongoing issue with the fact that about three weeks ago, I fell while running at Kensington Metropark (a lovely 8-mile trail near Kent Lake, Mich.) and banged up - you guessed it - the same knee that had already been having problems.
Real smart, Jess.
Well, all the brace really seems to do is make my knee really stiff and warm while I run. Afterward, it still hurts, and I can feel my pulse in my kneecap! Not sure if that's a good or bad thing, but it feels neat, like having a heart in my knee.
Pizza's done, and so is this blog. Do I feel guilty about my laziness? Not really. But I do wish I had a bottle of wine...
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