Kat Ran Antarctica

RE: RR: JFK50

DCtoPgh — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 02:58:38 GMT

Scott, for some reason I've had a hard time grasping onto the athlete part of my identity. I'm so used to being the smart girl- I've been the smart girl for 26 years. I've developed my brain and built my CV and got so used to rocking school that it became my primary identity. By the time I was 22 I had a fellowship from the NIH and had been published in an academic journal. In contrast, I didn't start running until I was 23. Two 1/2 years ago I could barely run a mile. Two days ago I ran 50 miles. At once. On the Appalachian Trail. It's all so crazy to wrap my head around and I'm so shocked not only at how far I've come but that I can balance being a brain while punishing (er, training? ) my body. I need to get better at understanding that those parts of me can coexist.

Thanks for your support!

RE: RR: JFK50

valpit01 — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:47:36 GMT

Great report and congratulations on your run.

RE: RR: JFK50

scottuf — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 17:01:19 GMT

That is AWESOME Kat! Congratulations, all of your hard work has paid off. The one thing that I don't get, but that's because I don't really know you, is that at the end you state that now you realize you are a legitimate athlete. I realized that a long time ago reading about your "670 miles, 2 official ultras (and one self-supported 50K) and three marathons" including one at the SOUTH POLE!!!

RE: RR: JFK50

hydesroad — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:52:40 GMT

Fun to read your account, Kat. Will read it again, too, to relive the day. It was more dream-like than most races to me. I loved the smell of the leaves and the river next to me. Eating M&M's with impunity is also a unique experience. MMMM & MMMM.

Going to spend some training time getting better at the AT part in the future. Seems like 1/2 hr could be shaved off just being more able to handle that craggy trail.

-George

RE: How to start running by conquering your fears (AKA Proof Kat reads too much Zen Habits based on the title of this post)

CLS89 — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:37:21 GMT

Awesome post, it gave me a lot to think about, even though I've been a "runner" for over a year now.

Just wanted to say Good Luck at your 50-miler!! You'll do great I'm sure And I can't wait to read the race report!

RE: How to start running by conquering your fears (AKA Proof Kat reads too much Zen Habits based on the title of this post)

lenzlaw — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 20:37:40 GMT

Off topic but did you know that F. Scott Fitgerald's full name is Francis Scott Key Fitzgerald? Just found that out. Your baltimore report was closer than we thought.

Len

RE: How to start running by conquering your fears (AKA Proof Kat reads too much Zen Habits based on the title of this post)

DCtoPgh — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 19:56:44 GMT

Thanks, Scott!

Tom, you get 5 points I think you really hit on something with success vs. failure but I think that people are more motivated by success because they forget that failure is an opportunity to learn. I think if I would have done better at the Pittsburgh triathlon that I wouldn't take the sport as seriously as I do now. Because I have so much respect for it, it's motivated me to really go after it and put in the hard work which I think will lead to a really successful season. We'll see! Thanks for your thoughtful comments!

RE: How to start running by conquering your fears (AKA Proof Kat reads too much Zen Habits based on the title of this post)

Tom Slot — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:42:43 GMT

Way to work in the qoute from A League Of Their Own. My dad use to always say "if it wasn't hard everyone would do it" or, my least favorite as a kid, "if Word was suppose to be fun, they wouldn't call it work." Anyway, I really like your take on fear and how it can cripple us if we let it. But if we just face the insecurities and the fact that it might be hard and not pretty at times, we can achieve so much.

A few months ago I was teaching a class for adult educators that focuses on how to bring in the creative arts into their classrooms. We got into a long discuission of what "failure" means and how it is often more possitive/powerful then our traditional defination of "sucess" if we learn from it. It was really great to see how this discuission opened up my students to trying new things.

Keep up the great work.

RE: Update: impossible2Possible

Tom Slot — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:20:41 GMT

I love your photos and your words. Good luck at the youth camp in January. As a fellow educator, it always make me happy to see others giving back to the community and our youth. Keep up the inspiration.

RE: How to start running by conquering your fears (AKA Proof Kat reads too much Zen Habits based on the title of this post)

scottuf — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 17:05:26 GMT

good luck this weekend - you'll do awesome!!!