What Running Taught Me About Graduate School

Hi, friends.

It's been one hell of a semester.

As you know, I changed jobs last March, we bought a house in June, and I started my doctorate in September.

With the demands of a 40+ work week and taking two doctorate classes and training for the WDW Marathon, I have not had much time in my life for much else this semester, including updating this blog. In fact, this is the first non-academic thing I've written in about three months.

In my absence from the blog, I realized something; marathon training has been surprisingly helpful in surviving graduate school. I've long held the belief that training for and running a marathon is life-changing in a multitude of ways and this past semester confirmed it.

I've been anxious to post here again (it's amazing what time and distance can do for a hobby) and I thought this parallel between marathons and graduate school was worth writing about... and I might be procrastinating a little on turning in my final paper. 😜

What Running Taught Me About Graduate School

You can't train for a marathon overnight.

The marathon is not a race you can fake. You can't start training a week before the race and show up to the starting line expecting a miracle. You have to put the work in, day in and day out, for several months to prepare. Eventually, it will get easier. Same thing in grad school; you can't wait until the night before to start a paper. Doctoral work isn't a 5k- you can't skim your textbook and then cross your fingers that you'll ace the exam. You have to actually read the books and the articles. You have to write. A lot. You can't just expect to reach the level you need to as a doctoral student without putting in the time and work.

Run the mile you're in.

A marathon is 26.2 miles. It's easy to be crushed by thinking about how far you have to go- especially when you're only a mile or two in. So you have to run the mile you're in, focusing only on where you are now. If you look too far ahead, it will seem impossible; 'how the hell am I going to run 20-something more miles?' So you keep your mental energy on the mile you're in right at that moment. You'll never get to mile 26 without getting through miles one, two, three, etc. Similarly, I'll never get to graduation without getting through these first six credits. If I worry too much about what will happen next semester or next year, I'll never get through the classes I'm in right now. And I can't get to next semester without successfully getting through this one first.

Support is critical.

Running and training for a marathon require support. Maybe it's a coach, maybe it's family, maybe it's a random running group you met through the internet. Maybe they run with you, maybe they cheer you on from afar, or maybe they always have food and coffee waiting for you after a long run. Having people in your corner is what makes all the tough days bearable. And in graduate school, there are plenty of tough days. My cohort of 20 other doc students helps me significantly. They make me laugh, help answer questions, and just validate the wild experience we are having in class. And having Matthew as my cheerleader has been nothing short of phenomenal. He understands how demanding graduate school is and works so hard to make sure I feel supported. I could have never made it through this first semester without him.

IUP's DeD in Administration and Leadership Cohort 20.

My biggest cheerleader.

You have to keep showing up, even when it sucks.

Marathon training is not all sunshine and rainbows. Sometimes I don't want to get up and run- I'd rather sleep in and drink coffee on the weekends than have to run 10+ miles in the cold. Sometimes life is busy and I don't have time to run. Sometimes my long runs are an absolute miserable slog and I can't wait until they're over. Just like with school assignments that I don't always feel like doing or classes that I don't want to sit through; I have to keep showing up. When it's hard, when it's boring, when it's not fun- I still have to show up.

Don't compare yourself to others; you do you.

In the world of social media we live in today, it's easy to compare yourself to others, especially when it comes to running. I often find myself looking at someone else's mileage or pace and wondering why I can't be that fast or run that many miles. It's depressing. When training for a marathon, you have to be insular. You have to focus on you and your training plan- and you have to trust that you have it in you to finish what you started. Same with school. I can't compare myself with other people in my classes or people who have already earned the degree. I can't measure my progress with someone else's yardstick; I have to focus on my path and getting to the goals I've set for myself.

Besides running a marathon, graduate school at this stage in my life has been the most challenging thing I've ever attempted.

But the marathon has also taught me the most important lesson I've ever learned: I can do hard things.

"To Everything There is a Season"

Hello, strangers!

It's been nearly a month since I've posted here.. and I'm kinda ok with that.

Oh, by the way, just listen to this song while you read this post and it'll all make sense. 😉

This summer has been pretty damn exhausting but in a really good way.

I got a new job. We bought a house. I'm going back to school in less than 30 days. All great stuff.

But all that good stuff doesn't come without a trade off. Work and the house have consumed much of my time. My running/working out has come close to a halt and my weight? Ha! I'm the heaviest I've been in about three years. After working all weekend on our garden, beers with my husband on our deck have been taking priority over other things.

And I'm kinda ok with it.

There truly is a season for everything in life- and right now is not a season of top running form or being at my goal weight. This doesn't mean I'm giving up- on my health or this blog. But it does mean that things might change around here just a bit.

I'm going to post when I want to and when I have something to say that I think should be shared. I'm still training for the 2019 Walt Disney World Marathon (because doing that and going back to school sounded like a great idea a few months ago!) and will be posting training updates here over the next few months. And I've got a great race schedule this fall so look for those race recaps. And you know I'll still be posting chronicles of my slow running on instagram. 😜

My weight is another story. I am struggling; probably more so than I have been at any time over the last five years. Day in and day out, I am following my program, staying within my daily smart points. I make (mostly) good choices and follow the healthy habits I've built up over the last half-decade.

But the scale isn't moving. My clothes don't fit. I'm starting to feel uncomfortable in my skin the way that I did when I was 50+ pounds heavier.

And it sucks. A whole lot.

Why am I gaining weight? It might be that my activity level has decreased significantly. It could be that my job is significantly more stressful. It might be because I'm getting older. I wish I had a more definitive answer.

But here's what I know for sure: it's important that I face this weight gain head-on. To talk about it, to own it, and even to give myself grace for it. The road to a healthy lifestyle is never easy... even after you'd been "cured" and reached a healthy weight, you still have to fight for it every damn day. Not all seasons of weight loss/maintenance are the same nor is it as simple as we think it should be. As one of my favorites, Jillian Michaels says, "Transformation is not a future event, it is a present activity." Emphasis on the "present."

So I'll keep on doing what I've been doing and keep sharing about it here. I'm not at a place to make dramatic changes to my every day lifestyle- with the house, school, and the job, I don't know if I could take anymore change- so I will keep on keeping on, striving to make healthy choices each day. And hopefully my weight will level back out and I'll feel more in control of this one part of my life.

Ok, with that off my chest, I hope you have a wonderful week! Meet you back here soon with training updates for my fifth marathon! 

Accountability Monday: 7/9/2018

Good evening!

Today I'm writing you from beautiful Indianapolis, Indiana where I am spending the next week at a conference for work.

While I'm enjoying the conference, it has been so hard to stay on track while away from home! I have very little control over what I'm eating (the conference provides meals) and the schedule is demanding so there isn't much time to work out. But I'm trying to make it work as much as humanly possible. I'm really looking forward to being back and home and in my regular routine.

Training
Monday: 2.26 mile run, 13:17 pace
Wednesday: 3.1 mile run, 12:37 pace
Saturday: 2.37 mile run, 12:41 pace
Sunday: 2.35 mile run, 12:46 pace

Total: 10.08 miles

Man, this summer heat and humidity is killing my pace! I've had to slow down considerably because of the summer weather. Sunday's run was HORRIBLE- the heat was so bad I ended up walking much of the last .75 mile. I am really not built for summer running. 😓

Y'all. This 👏 heat 👏 is 👏 no 👏 joke. In Indianapolis all week for work so I brilliantly decide to run at 4 PM today when it's like 90 effing degrees out. Swipe left to see what it looks like when you have to sit down mid-run because you can't hang in this heat. And then a beautiful picture of what was a beautiful day... just not for running. Anyone else minding this sweltering weather?! 🙋‍♀️😥🔥

A post shared by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Jul 8, 2018 at 7:43pm PDT

Best Run

Running on fourth of July is always a good time- even if it's not part of an official holiday race! While it was hot and humid and not the greatest running conditions, I still got to sparkle in my patriotic Sparkle Skirt so that's got to count for something. 😍

Bravo Moment

This morning at the hotel gym, I conquered one of my fears- working out in public in front of a mirror!  I don't always know what I'm doing when working out (besides running) so the fact that I grabbed some weights and made up a little cross-training/strength workout AND did it in front of other people is a huge accomplishment for me! And my muscles are sore tonight so I must have done ok for myself, right?

Quote of the Week

In the immortal words of my friend Dory, "just keep swimming!" Applicable to so many situations in life.

That's all for this week! Look for a recap of the Pittsburgh half soon!

Accountability Tuesday: 6/26/18

Hello, friends! It's another Accountability-Monday-on-a-late-Tuesday kinda week. 💁

Let's get right to it!

Training

Tuesday: 2.3 HOT  miles in the new neighborhood

Sunday: 6 trail miles, 11:58 overall pace

I got a chance to try out my new Altra Torin 3.5's on Tuesday's run- they feature an all-knit upper and are the most beautiful shade of pink. :-)

Disney Marathon training starts next week (!!!) which should provide me with a solid base for the Harrisburg Half in September. I have some big goals for both races and I'm excited to start training consistently again. 

😍😍😍

Best Run

Sunday's miles were as close to perfect as they could be. The temperature had dropped, there was a slight breeze, and everything on the trail was in full bloom. And the miles felt easy, so that's always a bonus.

"The earth has music for those who listen." - George Santayana 🌳 🌳 🌳 Tonight's run was exactly what I needed. Six miles to clear my head and get ready for a busy week. Perfect Sunday evening. ❤❤❤

A post shared by Sarah (@sparklyrunner) on Jun 24, 2018 at 6:28pm PDT

Bravo Moment

I lost weight this week. Back down the scale we go... hopefully. ⇲

Quote Picture of the Week 

No quotes this week, just a picture of our sweet pup enjoying his new yard at our new house. He's such a doll, isn't he??

Have a fantastic week, friends! 

Accountability Tuesday: 6/19/18

Good morning, my beloved long-lost blog readers!

My apologies for the hiatus from blogging but I have an awesome reason...


WE 

BOUGHT 

A 

HOUSE!!!!

Matthew and I have been knee-deep in the house-searching and then home-buying process for the last two-ish months and it's been an absolute whirlwind of a summer so far!

Not only was finding a home stressful (homes sell in a matter of hours in our area), but once we found "our" home, the process of making an offer, getting approved by the bank, getting the home inspection, etc. was time-consuming and worrisome! There are a ton of moving parts to the process and it's probably the most expensive purchase we'll ever make so, yeah, kinda stressful! 😅

We absolutely love our new home and are excited to be homeowners! And I'm very excited to explore the area and find new running routes as my training picks up for fall races (so far, Harrisburg Half and probably WDW Marathon).

But, running/training has absolutely taken a back seat to the house stuff. All our time has been taken up with packing and cleaning and moving leaving little time or energy to run. I know I'll get back to my regular routine soon, but in the meantime, my weight has been creeping back up with the lack of regular physical activity.

Can you tell where I went on vacation?! ;-)

After a few weeks of travel in May, I gained about six pounds which was to be expected. Before vacation, I'd actually been doing quite well and my weight was on a downward trend, getting back to a number where I felt comfortable and fit.

But if you've been reading for a while you know that for me, "vacation + stress (from home buying) = weight gain." At this point in my weight loss/weight maintenance journey, I know this is normal. Life happens. My weight fluctuates from month to month, year to year, and it probably always will.

Still, I'm not super happy about my weight or my lack of training lately. But here's what I know for sure: I'll never stop trying. So, it's back to regular weekly weigh-ins, a training plan, and more consistent blogging here. Writing about running and weight loss is one of the ways I hold myself accountable and I'm usually much more consistent with both when I'm writing and posting regularly. Plus the blog turns FIVE YEARS OLD next month so I've got to plan something awesome to celebrate!

Ok, that's about it for this week's very unconventional Accountability Tuesday post! See y'all next week and as always, THANK YOU for reading!

{almost} Wordless Wednesday

Hi friends! It's the middle of the week which means... Friday is close!

In lieu of missing a few Accountability Mondays, today's post is a little visual representation of what's been happening in my world over the last two weeks.

Wanna eat vanilla icing on your run? Try this limited-edition GU- tastes just like birthday cake icing!
Thanks for the sample, StrideBox! 

Fastest 5K EVER! Now to just do it in a race. 😏

Seen on my run last week. Grateful to finally see the sun.

That finish line feeling sometimes looks like agony. 😂
Trailfest 2018 should have been called Sufferfest 2018. More on that in a future post.

Extra thankful for this guy (and craft beer) these days.

Have a great rest of the week!

Accountability Monday: 4/9/2018

Good morning and welcome to another Monday!

I've secretly always liked the start of a week- a fresh new beginning; another chance to do whatever it is you feel like you need to do. :-) Cheers to the start of a great week!

Training
Wednesday: 3.1 mile run, 10:54 pace
Saturday: 3 mile hike; 2 mile run, 11:49 pace

We spent the weekend in the Pocono Mountains and even though it was frigid- temps in the 30's- it was absolutely beautiful in the forest. Trail running is quickly becoming my favorite spring activity.

If you're in the market for an awesome trail shoe- check out the Altra Timp. Heavenly.

Best Run
Wednesday's run was incredibly windy- 40+ mph gusts! But I managed to have negative splits and felt pretty awesome: 11:11/11:09/10:25. I also took the new Altra Duos out for the second time and I really, really like this shoe. The sole is very stiff but feels super responsive and bouncy- these are definitely a short-distance, road-warrior shoe. Can't wait to see how these do in a race!

This wind was INTENSE.

Bravo Moment
I tracked, planned, and portioned all my food last week and it paid off- I lost 2.2 pounds!

Quote of the Week
Life, just like weight loss or running, is best experienced with a little patience. It was awesome to be out in the woods this past weekend, soaking up every moment of peace and calm I could from Mother Nature; being among the trees gives me much-needed perspective.

Have a calming, patience-filled week, friends!

Accountability Monday: 3/12/18

After an almost three-month hiatus, Accountability Monday is back! ... a day late, as usual. 😉

It feels like I've taken a long break from training this winter- part of this is my normal routine. After a marathon, I usually need at least a month of easy, no-training-plan running. But it seems like my month has turned into almost eight weeks of not really doing anything. Work is partly to blame but so is a lack of motivation.

With this training hiatus, I can definitely notice the difference in how I feel every day both physically and mentally. My body aches, it feels like I've gained 10 pounds, and I feel sluggish and slow.

So, with only eight weeks until the Steel Challenge (Pittsburgh 5k + half marathon), it's time for me to regroup, refocus, and set myself up for success with a training plan that will help me cross both finish lines feeling in-shape and awesome.

Excited for this anniversary bling! Source.

Training
Saturday: 3.1 mile run, 11:59 overall pace
Sunday: 2.5 mile run, 12:19 overall pace

Speed work, strength training, and cross training must be included in my training plan for the next eight weeks-  I definitely have my work cut out for me this spring!

Best Run
Saturday's 5k was actually really enjoyable, considering that I hadn't run in over 14 days (yikes!). I decided to go off-road and run through the fields surrounding my house instead of the normal roads/sidewalks and it was honestly quite fun having a change of scenery.

Bravo Moment
I ran without a shirt on this weekend when I got overheated and didn't totally hate how I looked. That's a bravo in my book any day!

Mud means spring is coming soon, right? Right?! 

Quote of the Week
I'm building towards that comeback every damn day.

How do you stay motivated to training/healthy living when life gets in the way?

Word[less] Wednesday: 1/17/2018

Good afternoon, friends!

Since I haven't done one of these in a while (and because my WDW Marathon Weekend recaps aren't quite ready just yet), here's a few pictures of what's been going on in my world the last few weeks!

Still riding the high from marathon #4.

Pandora at Disney's Animal Kingdom is STUNNING. The rides were cool, too :-) 

I had TONS of fun at the Cigna Blogger Event! Stay tuned to find out exactly what's happening here :-)

I will never tire of showing my medals to Princesses.

Ever.

Epcot International Festival of the Arts was pretty neat- they had some excellent craft beers on tap.

Still our favorites.

Will run for fancy doughnuts.

We came back from Disney to TONS of snow- no problem for my Yaktrax Pros and Altra Paradigms :-) 

Lots of Disney recaps coming soon- promise!

What's been going on in your world these last few weeks?!

Accountability Monday: 12/4/2017

🎶 It's [officially] the most wonderful time of the year! 🎶

I love the month of December because it's socially acceptable to wear Christmas leggings, drink peppermint mocha everything, and listen to holiday music round the clock. Welcome to my favorite season of all!

December is a month of reflection for me- what worked this year, what didn't, and what goals I want to set moving forward into a new year.

It's also a month of colder weather which means good things for my running game. We've got one more long run on the schedule, several 8-10 mile distances, and then two weeks of taper before the unofficial Goofy Challenge and Castaway Cay Challenge starts up in just about a month. Wow!

Training
Wednesday: 3.1 mile run outside with 12:28 overall pace per mile
Thursday: Knee PT workout
Saturday: Volunteered at local race (I'm counting this as training 😃)
Sunday: 6.2 mile run with 12:06 overall pace per mile

This week was tough for training because of work and other social engagements getting in the way of my usual routine. If I've learned anything in the last seven years of running and training for races, it's that strength training is a must. I'm looking forward to getting more strength sessions in this week.

Best Run
I had the most fun on my 10k this weekend on our beautiful, local trail. These six miles definitely felt longer due to some major headwinds from mile 3 on, but I feel like it's getting easier to maintain my "easy" pace in the 12-12:30 range.

Fancy pants make any run better.

Bravo Moment
I LOST WEIGHT THIS WEEK!

If you're keeping track, I'm down 5.6 pounds from early September! I finally feel like I am moving forward instead of slipping backwards with my weight loss/maintenance journey.

Check out this downward trend.

I attribute much of my recent success to the new WW Freestyle program which was just unveiled yesterday. As a WW Leader, I've been living the new program since September and I absolutely LOVE it. I'll write more about that in a separate post this week.


***NEW!***
Runner Gift Wishlist Items of the Week
Because it's that time of year, each week on Accountability Monday in December I'll be highlighting an item or two that the runner in your life (including you!) might be wishing for this holiday season.

First up this week, one of my favorite products for winter running, Yaktrax Pro!  I've been selected as a Cold Conqueror again for 2018 and they're offering a sweet deal (15% off) on these until 12/10/17!





Please note that by purchasing through the link above, not only will you get a sweet discount but I may also earn a small commission through the Amazon Associates Program: Sparkly Runner is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. [If you aren't comfortable with that, you can always head over to amazon and search for "yaktrax pro" instead. 😊]

The second item on this week's list is this awesome Neck Gaiter from Hoo-rag. I have several of these and use them anytime I'll be outside for a significant amount of time- hellooooo winter long runs! Hoo-rag's also got a sale going on and all their performance gear is 35% off!

Source: Hoorag.com

Quote of the Week
A few years ago, work sent me to a Tony Robbins seminar. Some of it was good, a lot of it was weird, but most of it was positive. This week's quote is a good reminder about the consistency of change:




Have a great week, friends! Happy December!

Gratitude in 2017

For the first time in four years, I missed posting an annual blog for Thanksgiving. In 2014, 2015, and 2016, I put together a list of all the things/people I was grateful for and posted it here on the internet for anyone and everyone to see.

But I missed it this year. Not because I don't have anything to be thankful for, but because I wanted to dedicate a post specifically to folks that I've never thanked in writing before- strangers! Not all strangers, of course, but the kind of strangers you meet through running races.

Kids standing on the sidelines of a race with their expectant hands out, waiting for sweaty high-fives.

Volunteers shouting "water" or "Gatorade" at an aid station until their voices are hoarse.

A coffee-drinking couple sitting on their front porch, sleepily clapping as the runners pass them.

Enthusiastic cow-bell ringers, shouting encouraging words, motivating runners to keep moving forward.

Clever sign makers whose messages always elicit a moment of laughter during a tough section of a race course.

Medical personnel quick to jump in and help in both life-saving and blister-saving situations.

Police and security keeping all runners, spectators, and volunteers safe.

Some of my favorite strangers :-)

As a runner, sometimes I tend to think that races are all about me. My race, my pace, my experience. But that experience wouldn't be anything without all the strangers that come together to make it happen.

I've always been grateful for strangers in the running community but during an experience I had a few weeks ago, I had such a deepened level of respect for all the people who make a race what it is.

My friend Jeff, whom I affectionately call "coach," turned 50 this year and one of his goals was to run a 50 mile race for his 50th year on earth. He chose to run the JFK 50 miler, a race that winds through highly technical trail, tow path, and road in an extremely challenging 50 mile course. He set this goal a year in advance and some of our friend group reserved the date on our calendars with plans to help pace him during the race.

Coach and me after the 2015 Pittsburgh Marathon

Then the race changed its policies and folks were no longer able to run/pace with the race entrants. After exchanging emails with our group, some of us decided that we would come down and crew (meet Jeff at certain parts of the race and basically be his pit crew) and cheer for him- unbeknownst to Jeff.

Through the expert coordination of our friends Lauren and Chelsea, myself and another friend, Steff, successfully surprised Jeff at mile 15.5 of the course and then were able to see him at two other points of the race.

Selfies or it didn't happen.

While you're waiting for someone to run 50 miles, you have a lot of downtime. In addition to exploring the surrounding areas (and finding super cute coffee shops and restaurants), we would get to each checkpoint a little early and cheer for other runners and then after we'd seen and helped Jeff, we'd stick around and keep cheering for folks.

Cheering is serious business that requires a serious wardrobe.

At about the halfway mark, there was an aid station set up and staffed by my local running group, the Chambersburg Road Runners Club. These volunteers were out in the cold rain (it was the WORST weather in the morning), preparing food and serving runners. It was so awe-inspiring to see these people, who didn't have any runners in the race, showing up and working their station to help runners. They were making soup, cutting up fruit, and refilling water bottles. For complete strangers.

Jeff, slurping down some Ramen from the CRRC volunteers.

But these volunteers weren't the only ones standing around in the rain cheering for runners. We kept seeing the same folks at each aid station/checkpoint, each waiting for their runner like we were waiting for Jeff. And each continuing to cheer for other runners once their runner came through.

Towards the end of the race, we headed to the finish line about an hour before we expected Jeff to come through. We were all so inspired by the runners and we wanted to cheer for as many folks as we could.

We got out our clappers and cow bells and screamed until our voices were gone. We danced, chatted back and forth with the DJs, and cheered our hearts out.

Cheer Crew Extraordinaire.

When Jeff came through the finisher chute, I cried as I cheered. I can't articulate the emotions I was feeling- it was one of my most favorite experiences in the running community. He just finished running 50 freaking miles! In one day! I am still so impressed with his tenacity, strength, and grit. Way to go, Coach!

Once we made sure Jeff was ok, Lauren took him inside to so he could get a shower and get changed and Chelsea, Steff, and I made our way back to the finish line to cheer for the very last finishers.

Blurry, happy, finish line selfies are the best kind. CONGRATULATIONS, JEFF!! 

Every time I've run a race, there's been someone- a stranger- that has helped me significantly by doing something small. Every "Looking good, runner!," "You got this!," "Stay strong!" shouted from the sideline has helped me find the strength to keep going when I felt like quitting.

I hope our cowbell-ringing, clapper-clapping, shouting and cheering group of ladies were able to be somebody's stranger at the JFK 50 miler. Cheering is the very least I can do to give back to the community that's given me so much.

So, thank you, to every stranger I have encountered out on the race course. You are appreciated more than you'll ever know.

Have you ever encountered a stranger on a race course that made your day? Tell me about it in the comments!