Non-Running Aspects of Training: Part 1

I think today might have been one of my lucky days. I got home this evening, and there was a masseuse giving people free chair massages in the lobby! The business, Crystal City Chiropractic, was promoting its massage services. I decided to sign up for one, in no small part because it can help me in my race training.

Today's events inspired me to post about an aspect of training that I have not yet discussed. Preparing for a marathon is not all about the running. I am doing my best to take a holistic approach to my training. One of these items is getting a massage every now and then - right now, it's every couple of months and/or a week before a big race.

Before I detail more non-running aspects of my training, I am asking for your feedback. What non-running activities do you think that I should incorporate into my marathon training to make me a stronger runner? For the most part, I have been following the same plan for the past few months, so any new advice is greatly appreciated. I have 5 months to go until race day, so this is the perfect time to experiment with all aspects of my training.

After I receive a good amount of feedback, I will list out the non-running training that I have been doing for the past couple of months. I will also detail plans for adding on new aspects and provide acknowledgement to those who recommend it.

Oh - and I will also post my running training plan at some point. I just realized that I have yet to do so.

Ready... set... comment!

Reason #4 to Support Periclean Scholars: Infusing Elon Traditions into Global Partners

I have been thinking a lot about my time in Zambia this week because of the Elon student-alumni group on the ground. They are wrapping up their work in Kawama this week, and I am so excited to learn about the new lives changed and hear about Lontia’s and Rosemary’s houses. As their time in Kawama comes to an end, I want to reflect on a piece of my time in Zambia that took place toward the end of my stay in Kawama.

Trees at the orchard

During our build, we noticed how green the village was and how perfect the climate was for growing fruit-bearing trees. Tom had asked one of our homeowners what kind of fruit tree she might like for her new home, so that she could nourish her family and perhaps start an orchard. She requested an orange tree. Three members of Team Eagle (Laura, Tom, and I) plus Habitat Volunteer Coordinator Voster went into nearby Ndola. Our first mission was to meet with the mayor, but shortly thereafter we visited a government-owned orchard to get the orange trees. We purchased two trees for each new homeowner. At the closing ceremony, which included the presenting of the homeowners’ keys, the Periclean Scholars presented the homeowners with two orange trees each.

The four orange trees in the back of our truck

The tradition of ceremoniously presenting trees is not a new one to Elon University. Elon, meaning “oak” in Hebrew, has tied its namesake tree to all of its students and alumni. When new students come to Elon for freshman convocation, they are each given an acorn. Upon graduation, Elon alumni receive a young oak tree and plant the young sapling wherever they go after graduation. Each acorn represents the start of the journey and that all Elon students have within them the power to grow strong. Each sapling represents growth over the students’ time at Elon, while the youth of the trees symbolizes the growth still to come. Elon oaks are scattered across the nation, as alumni have found careers and homes to plant their roots. The oak trees serve as reminders that they are forever connected to their alma mater.

Each new orange tree presented to Lontia and Rosemary symbolized planting those roots. They finally had homes, yards, space, stable roofing, and all of the other essentials that we so often take for granted. They finally had the ability to plant those trees and tend to them as their own. They will forever be connected to the Elon tradition of presenting trees for momentous achievements.

New homeowner Rosemary receives her saplings from Tom

Would Lontia and Rosemary have planted orange trees had it not been for Periclean Scholars? Perhaps, but it would have come with time and the investment of their own money. By infusing Elon tradition into their groundwork, the Periclean Scholars enabled the women to receive the trees ceremoniously from the moment they received their keys. They began to tend to their new trees as soon as possible so that they could see the fruits of their labor as soon as possible.

Some alumni may consider the Elon tradition “sappy”, but its manifestation for our Periclean partners is particularly meaningful. Thanks to coordination with our partner at Habitat for Humanity Zambia, this Elon touch to the closing ceremony gave a great source of sustenance to women who likely have never had trees of their own before.

This is reason #4 to support Periclean Scholars: infusing Elon tradition into global partners.

12 Mile Run - Saturday 5/28

Today's 12 miler took me on a fairly new route in Virginia. I started along the Mount Vernon Trail but headed south instead of north. I hopped onto the Four Mile Run Trail (surprisingly close to the Potomac Yard shopping center) and continued west for a while before turning around and running back north, up toward the Arlington Memorial Bridge. Once I neared the bridge, I turned around and headed back in.

The run itself felt great, from the perspective of my legs and my lungs. However, my system was not at its finest. I will say, on this note, it is quite terrifying to use the facilities at Gravelly Point Park if you are not prepared for the low-flying airplanes. It gets very dark and loud for about 1/2 to 1 second while the airplane flies over the facilities. You would think it was a missile if you didn't know the airport was so close. 

This week, I noticed that the heat and sun are forcing people to put on certain articles of clothing: sunglasses and hats. I think it would be quite difficult for me to run with sunglasses, but I may try running with a hat next week. Surprise, surprise: it will likely be my Global Village hat from Habitat for Humanity. It will be another source of inspiration!

I was glad to have run so close to Arlington Memorial Bridge today. First, I saw a lot of American flags on or near it. The flags served as another reminder of why we have a three day weekend: to honor all the men and women who gave their lives in service. I had them in the back of my mind, especially since I am training for the USMC 26.2. Second, I noticed a sign on the highway (since the trail is pretty close to the highway at that point) that said that the bridge would be closed tomorrow (Sunday) from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m. I appreciated the heads up, because I was thinking about doing a bridge walk tomorrow. Guess I'll have to reschedule it!

I saw tons of team runners on the trail today. The strongest presence, by far, were the Team Challenge runners on the trail - they all had dark grey technical tees with orange and white pocket logos. There were tons of them all throughout the trail. Team Challenge benefits the Crohn's and Colitis Foundation of America (CCFA). Interestingly enough, my first ever 5K in 2003 was run for the benefit of this group. The Team in Training group was also out in full force today. At one point, I was near a group of Team Challenge runners when they passed a group of Team in Training runners. One of the TC runners shouted to a TT runner: "Go team!" and the runner retorted, "Wooo, go team!!" Again - same source of inspiration to me this week as last week. I think it would have been a bit strange for me to have shouted out "go team" too, but I am a one-woman team (for now): Team PSAA. 

As I entered the last mile of my run, near the Crystal City waterpark, I saw the Team Challenge program handing out t-shirts and goodies to participants. I wonder if Memorial Day Weekend is the kickoff for many teams' training programs. Given how strong of a presence TC had today, I wouldn't be surprised if it was theirs. Plus, since it is 5 months away from MCM and about the same amount of time out for other fall races, I can see how groups would be starting their training cycles now.

To conclude, here are three more random things that I noticed/kept me distracted throughout the run:

1) A man that I ran behind who I am pretty sure had the same shoes as me - even though they are women's shoes. Perhaps New Balance makes a men's model that looks identical to the WR760SR? 

2) A crew team with a cox whose megaphone was way too loud and unnecessary for 7 or 8 in the morning.

3) A shirtless runner with a backpack that had straps going across his chest. I am convinced that that led to some unpleasant chafing.

Next week, I am going to take a slight deviation from my training plan. Instead of running the recommended 15K (about 9 miles), I will run 13 miles. Stay tuned to find out why.

Reason #3 to Support Periclean Scholars: Minimizing Border Crossings.

Okay, I have two confessions. First, my title is a teaser. My narrative has nothing to do with border crossings in the US - though you may find that there are parallels. I hope that, after reading this, you will find that it is a good thing to minimize border crossings - and that Periclean Scholars can help to achieve this.

My second confession is that I believe that many of you will respond better to pictures than to narratives alone. You need to see it to believe it. Believe me - Periclean Scholars are excellent at documenting their groundwork with photographs, so today I will use images to complement my narrative.

This looks like just another rainy day in Kawama, Zambia - right? From this photo, it looks like we are just exploring the community on an early morning (6 a.m.) walk. However, this is the trail that leads to the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The DRC, formerly known as Zaire, is directly north of Zambia and is currently best known as the center of "Africa's World War" and its epidemic of rape as a war weapon. Luckily, we were far away from the fighting epicenter in the DRC's northeast.

These are Zambian women that we met along the trail. They are accompanied by a border security guard, because their goal is to get to the DRC - every day. Why would they want to go all the way to the DRC? They seek land to farm. Going to the DRC is their best hope of making a living and eating. They must make the journey there and back every day, regardless of the weather.

Note the border security guard in the blue jacket. He will escort them to the border, but the border guards will also ensure that they return. They can get in a lot of trouble for staying overnight in a foreign country. Hence, they must make this journey every day.

When we met the women, we were at least 6 miles from the DRC. By presuming that these women lived at least 6.5 miles from the DRC and the land they wish to farm, then they walk at least half a marathon every day.

During our morning walk, we also met one man on a bicycle who rides two hours each way. He must also make the journey daily, rain or shine.

These women are no doubt going to be a huge source of inspiration for me during my run. What they go through each day, each week, each year is nothing compared to the temporary strain that I will put my body through.

Yet, this post is about why you should support Periclean Scholars. While these were the women's lives at the time, I have to believe that the current work of Pericleans on the ground in Zambia is going to minimize the need to cross borders to earn a living and eat. Opportunities that will come from the hammermill business and other technologies that Pericleans help communities to obtain self-sufficiency will meet needs beyond housing. They will make time and money less of a luxury. Maybe some day, crossing the border will be for leisure alone and not a daily occurrence.

I am not sure if the women we met were citizens of Habitat's Kawama village, but if they do not have homes, then our work could potentially have even more significant of an impact in their lives. Let's consider the extremes: the women are now homeless and must travel across borders - no less than half a marathon every day - to eat and make a living. Now, let's imagine that they have been helped by Periclean efforts. They would have a roof over their heads - a significant step upward in quality of life. They would also be less of a strain on international resources and more productive in their own communities. What a difference that would be.

If my running a marathon one day out of a year or lifetime is one reason to help these women from walking a marathon every two days... then that would be incredible. The investment of a relatively small amount of money can minimize border crossings for necessity and maximize time and money spent in the local community. The Periclean Scholars program can make this happen.

This is reason #3 to support Periclean Scholars: minimizing border crossings.

Donor Acknowledgement - Sharon Davies

I have known Sharon since before I started my time at Elon and after she graduated Elon. She and I have many of the same interests, so she took the time to chat with me and mentor me - especially before and during my first year of Elon when I had many, many questions.

Sharon understands how important it is for alumni to remain a strong and loyal force in order for the programs they love to flourish. I have seen her continuously involved in the programs that shaped her as an undergraduate. As a student, I felt that she made me feel welcome and helped me overcome a lot of my fears about college. As an alum, I am so happy to see that she wants to help my journey that benefits Elon - now alma mater to both of us.

The Periclean Scholars Program began when Sharon was nearing graduation. This is unfortunate, because I know that if she had the chance to participate, I know she would have been a fantastic scholar. Nevertheless, her vision and mentality is Periclean, and if in the near or distant future she is asked to participate in an alumni-student trip, I know she will fit right in.

Thank you, Sharon.

11 Mile Run - Saturday 5/21

Today's 11 miler felt awesome the whole way through, from start to finish. I ran the trail to DC and then down to Hains Point and back.

My first item of note is the weather. When I went outside, it felt around 60 degrees and stayed in the mid-60s toward the end of the run. This is my first outdoor run of the season when I just wore a t-shirt and shorts - no light jacket, no gloves, and no ear warmers. I noticed that I wasn't the only person taking clothes off. Most people wore tank tops, and one man wore... nothing more than a knee brace, sneakers, and silver short shorts with an orange streak. At least he was mildly attractive. I don't think I'll be able to say the same for all of the half-naked men I'll see on the trail this summer.

My second item of note is the type of people in DC today. The last time I ran this exact path, there were mostly tourists in the city to see the cherry blossoms. It was much colder, but it was so beautiful. It was like a dream to run through the hidden gem of Hains Point and its cherry blossoms practically by myself, though of course toward the Jefferson Memorial I ran into the tourists. Today was different. There were significantly fewer tourists, but a lot of people were out. They were the cyclists and the runners. (*Note that I said "cyclists" instead of bikers. Isn't it strange that cyclists ride bicycles and bikers ride motorcycles?) Although the scenery was much less beautiful, it was a better crowd for the type of activity I had set out to do.

You can see so many landmarks from the western side of the Hains Point - Reagan Airport, the Masonic Memorial in Old Town Alexandria, the Wilson Bridge, and National Harbor. Here, I can let my mind wander to two different places: 1) The airport's all the way over there? And I have to run back there, and then some? or 2) This is beautiful and I am so thankful for the opportunity to take it all in. Obviously, the second thought is more productive so I try to stick to that one.

On the eastern side of Hains Point, you can see the beautiful buildings at Fort McNair and the DC waterfront. I can even see L'Enfant Plaza, which is right near where I work. Today on the eastern side, I saw the encampment of many, many cyclists and runners. Team in Training had set up training out there today. I passed at least three groups of cyclists and runners receiving pep talks and tips from their coaches. Team in Training does outstanding work for people suffering from leukemia and lymphoma, and they have great training support. There are so many perks to being on their team. Seeing all of them was a surprising source of extra motivation today. I am training on my own. Yet, even though nobody is running right next to me, my supporters, Periclean Scholars, and Periclean partners are supporting me the whole way through.

After this week's success, I am looking forward to even more warm weather and another great long run next Saturday.

I know this doesn't pertain to running, but it encouraged me to keep my pace (so I guess it counts). After my run and weight routine, I showered as fast as possible and tuned in to Elon's commencement ceremony. Congrats, Elon grads - especially those in the Sri Lanka cohort of Periclean Scholars! You're now members of the PSAA!

Reason #2 to Support Periclean Scholars: Improved Quality of Life for a Lifetime

Today, a group of 10 (two professors plus eight students and alumni) return to Kawama village near Ndola, Zambia, to build on the foundation we laid in January 2009! The group will work with Habitat for Humanity coordinator Voster Tembo and build housing for orphans and victimized children. The group also hopes to help set up a clinic and hammermill (corn grinding machine) processing business within the community.

For some on the build, this will be their second or third experience in Zambia with Habitat for Humanity. They understand the history behind the build and know the community's greatest needs. They have explained to the group why they have returned and their objectives for returning. They will ensure that all are on board and prepared for hard work, both building and taking in the vast difference in lifestyle.

But what about those students and alumni who have never been to Zambia, let alone Africa? They are likely seeing the build as part of a once in a lifetime experience. While on the trip, they will learn that their experience in Zambia will end in a month and will yield treasured memories - but the Zambia that they see is the lifetime for millions of Zambians. Just about all Americans have dreamed of going to Africa and feel it is possible at least once in a lifetime, but the reverse is rarely true. A very, very small fraction of Zambians can realize the dream of traveling abroad - let alone to America.

By recognizing this long term poverty gap, Pericleans are motivated to use their resources to set our fellow global citizens on the path to a better quality of life. They will always be able to see the houses they once built and the flourishing citizens that inhabit them. By keeping in touch with the community's greatest needs, such as a health clinic, they can start that community on the path to having those needs met in the long term.

I am so thankful for Tom and Steve for having the vision to bring a student-alumni group back to Zambia - to continue working on the challenges of the class of 2009 to improve the quality of life for Zambians and to change the lives of more Elon students and alumni forever. Best wishes for a safe and successful build.

This is reason #2 to support Periclean Scholars: improved quality of life for a lifetime.

A New Challenge

Today, one of my coworkers at FAA gave me a copy of Monday's Free-Lance Star, the local newspaper for Fredericksburg, VA. On Sunday, Fredericksburg hosted the Marine Corps Historic Half, brought to us by the same folks as the Marine Corps Marathon. An article on the race covers the front page of Monday's edition.

I love that my coworker thought about me and saved the paper for me - because now I have a new challenge.

The paper details how Drew Carey completed the Marine Corps Half in just under two hours - and how he intends to run the Marine Corps Marathon this fall. Given how I completed a flat and fast half marathon course in 1:51:02 just two weeks prior - and how the Fredericksburg course has the renowned Hospital Hill - I think that Drew and I may be at similar paces for the Marine Corps Marathon this fall.

While I had always had the goal to beat Oprah's MCM time of 4:29:15, I now have a new competitive goal: beat Drew Carey in the MCM, live and in person.

Tune in in October to see if I do it!

Donor Acknowledgement - Tom Arcaro

How do I describe Tom Arcaro, Director of Project Pericles, to those who have never had the opportunity to get to know him? Simple: Tom Arcaro is to the Periclean Scholars Program what Steve Jobs is to Apple. Tom's guidance from the beginning through now and into the future has enabled the mission, innovation, and impact of all Periclean Scholars. His vision is the springboard for our success as cohorts. I certainly would not be writing this blog had it not been for Tom's support of my endeavors as an undergraduate and his continued belief in my ability to positively influence the world as a Periclean alum.

While we were in Kawama Community near Ndola, Zambia, working on the Eagle House (affectionately named after a local Zambian beer), Tom made an important statement to me on a day when I was particularly tired after digging latrines and carrying buckets of dirt through the sludge: this experience is a true test of character. This statement helped to carry me through the toughest parts of our journey building houses - to help prove that yes, I am strong enough to do this work and yes, it is worth it. It will now carry me through my training and through all 26.2 miles on that wonderful October morning.

Tom doesn't need to read my articles about why he should donate to the program. Tom has already given so much of his personal time, money, and effort to support us. I didn't need Tom to provide a financial contribution for him to influence my run - although by doing so, Tom has shown just one piece of evidence that he is dedicated to our individual success as Periclean Scholars, beyond our success as classes, cohorts, or programs. This contribution from Tom shows that he cares about my journey.

Thank you, Tom.

Reason #1 to Support Periclean Scholars: Responsible International Aid.

Support given to Periclean Scholars is not the same as other forms of international aid. Periclean support is funneled into the most responsible means of providing international aid, development aid.

To compare it against other forms of international aid:

Foreign aid: Economic or military assistance provided to a foreign country or entity. This form of aid is strategic in nature and intended to further America's interests. For example, America provides large amounts of foreign aid to Egypt for preference in accessing the Suez Canal. It is known as taking from America's poorest and giving to the richest in the foreign community.
Development aid: Aid that supports economic, political, social, and environmental development in the long term. Its success depends on building and sustaining meaningful partnerships in local communities.
Humanitarian aid: Aid that is sparked by humanitarian disasters, both natural and man-made. This type of aid is short term in nature and is mostly seen as a "band-aid" - addressing the issue at hand (restoring human dignity) but doing little to create sustainable change in communities.

Given this brief introduction to types of international aid, I hope you will join me in my belief that the Periclean model is the preferred model to institute positive international change.

Meaningful partnerships must exist between the donor and the recipient to ensure a lasting social impact. This is what the Periclean Scholars do. They conduct scholarly research to ensure they choose the best partners. Once chosen, they listen to their partners and do not flood them with tools and technologies that they do not need. They assist them with tools that promote economic and democratic reforms and create positive change over generations.

In order to sustain this development aid, the support of Periclean alumni, friends, family, and community members is paramount.

This is reason #1 to support Periclean Scholars: responsible international aid.

6 Mile Run - Saturday, May 14

According to my training plan, this week is considered a stepback week. About every three weeks, I run less during my long run to give my body a chance to relax. I hate the thought of stepback weeks; they make me feel as though I am stagnant or going backwards. However, I know that they are there for a reason and that by the end of my training cycle, they will be just as essential to my progression as the long runs. I guess it sort of worked out, though. The distance was short enough that it could be run on the treadmill, and today was a rainy day.

It felt like any other training run for me: turn the TV to the news (but keep the remote handy in case stories start to repeat themselves); set my time, pace and incline; and flip open the pages of The Economist to block the screen. My abilities to read magazines and read captions on TV have helped me immensely in my weekday runs. They allow me to complete my runs on autopilot while keeping up to date on current events and the day's news.

For some strange reason, my body didn't feel so great on today's run. I guess by the end of it, I was extra thankful that it was a stepback week. Now I have all week to figure out what went wrong and fix it before next weekend's 11 miler. It can only get better - and it will get better.

Donor Acknowledgement - Eric Medhus (Dad)

I understand that there is little that people may get out of donating to my cause other than the feeling of having done good for the world. There's no souvenir or trinket beyond the receipt that says your donation was tax deductible. As a way to reward my donors, I am going to write a donor acknowledgement for each person who donates and leaves their name (basically anything other than "anonymous") on the donation page. If I know you (or the person who referred you to the site), I will write a short entry about you, too.

My first donation came in this morning from my dad, Eric Medhus. I had been wondering if anyone was going to give at all, and admittedly, even though I have 5 1/2 months left to raise $3,580, I didn't even think I would make it to $1! My dad came through and made me believe that yes, friends and family will support me. Thank you, Dad, for giving without hesitation so that I could be strong during my run and all throughout training. I know you are committed to my journey to benefit Periclean Scholars. Even when I was at Elon, this was one of your favorite activities to brag about. "My daughter went to Zambia... to build houses with Habitat! Yeah, she did it through her university and the Periclean Scholars Program!" I know you will be so proud of me when I cross that finish line in October and help to ensure that Periclean Scholars will be around for future generations. You are helping to make future Elon parents proud of their children's accomplishments as global citizens with gentle hearts and giving spirits.

Thank you, Dad.

9 Mile Run - Saturday 5/7

My long Saturday training runs are usually a variation of: start at apartment, hop on the Mount Vernon Trail, run across the George Mason Memorial Bridge into DC, and follow some trails in DC until I reach my desired distance. Today's run took me to the back end of the Lincoln Memorial.

For the most part, the more interesting sights are in DC. Today's top 3 included:
1) Crew team going down the Potomac River
2) Group of 3 training on the Lincoln Memorial steps - I feel like just half an hour of these stairs would be harder than my training run...
3) Two male mallard ducks with no females in sight. I wonder if ducks can be gay?

However, today's most interesting moment is reserved for the streets of Crystal City. Near the Route 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) intersection, I crossed the street with a white glowing "Walk" sign... but I must not have realized it was a green light... well, it wasn't. A taxicab ran a red light about 10 feet in front of me. Luckily, there wasn't too much oncoming traffic, so there was no collision. However, 5 seconds in, a cop speeds by (going the right direction) and pulls the rogue taxi over. Justice was served.

I am hypervigilant about where I run and always keep an eye on my surroundings, but today's traffic mishap proved that I cannot be too careful. Thank goodness I take public transportation to work and don't have to deal with idiot drivers like the cab driver every day!

First Post

Welcome to my training blog for my Marine Corps Marathon run on October 30, 2011, dedicated to the Periclean Scholars Alumni Association. This blog is a companion to my donation page. It will track my journey to 26.2 miles and $3,580. I will use this blog to post details from my training runs and inspiration from the Periclean Scholars program. Enjoy!