Impulse Buy

The Oxford Dictionary defines "impulse buy" as: the buying of goods without planning to do so in advance, as a result of a sudden whim or impulse. They use chocolates at the check-out as an example.

I had an impulse buy this weekend. It was the Glacier 3000 Run. I wanted to do a proper run, my first ever, to prepare for The Big One in September, so found this little gem online. When they advertised it as "the ideal training for the Jungfrau Marathon", I was sold.

The best part is - it's the day after my birthday. So I thought that instead of asking for that coffee machine I've had my eye on, I would hurl myself up 26k (over 16 miles), across a glacier and finish at the top of a mountain 2900 meters high.  Happy birthday to me!

The BESTEST part - it's in 11 days.

11 days.

Runner's Lament

This morning I woke up, begrudgingly turned off my alarm and realized I'm tired. Like, really really tired. Not just physically, but also mentally and a bit emotionally. Sure, my transformation has been pretty incredible, but it took a lot of work to get here. A lot. And perhaps now it's all starting to catch up with me.

It's my first summer in Zurich - this place is amazing in the summer. And I'm starting to feel like I'm missing out on a lot. This is my Runner's Lament:

1. I want to wear flip-flops, damnit! I'm tired of wearing shoes in a heat wave because it keeps my plantar fasciitis from flaring up.
2. I want to sleep in instead of going for 7 am hill intervals because it's the only time I can fit them in around work.
3. On weekends I want to go to the lake with my friends, eat over/under cooked BBQ meat and drink beer, not stay behind for 14k runs up hills.
4. I want to sit on my couch and eat an entire box of cereal in one sitting whilst watching Game of Thrones. And not feel guilty about it after.
5. After work, when all the guys have a beer and relax, I want to be able to join them.
6. I want to get out of bed and not be limping.
7. If I see another ice bath, I swear someone (else) will get hurt.
8. I want to eat what I want, when I want.
9. I want to drink what I want, when I want.
10. I want to sleep how long I want, when I want.

Now that I got that out of my system, here are a few things that have been pretty awesome about my training:

1. I can run more than 5 minutes at a time now.
2. I like being able to think, "I wonder what's over that hill?" and just run and find out.
3. I love that I know what kind of running I love (trail running) and what kind I hate (road running).
4. I love that people are asking me for fitness advice, and I can help them.
5. I love that people from all over the world are saying that they've been inspired to get in shape.
6. I love the tan I have from all this outdoor activity.
7. I love that a 2-time Olympic runner said I had "excellent running technique".
8. I love that when I sweat, it's because I've just run really far and not because I've just taken the stairs.
9. I love that when I get tired from running, all I need to do is smile and I feel more energized.
10. I love that hills don't intimidate me like they used to.
11. I love that I've become super sporty and outdoorsie now.
12. I love that when I see other people running, I pay attention to their technique.
13. I love that I've lost 12.5 kilos/over 27 pounds. To put that into perspective, it's 2 and a half of these:

(For a better idea, when you next go to your local supermarket, pick up a 5 kilo bag of potatoes. Then pick up another. Then, take a third, empty half of it and pick that up, too. Then, run like hell before they call security.)

Yes, that's what I was carrying around my midsection for all those years. No wonder I couldn't run very far with all that sloshing around.

So I guess when I put it into perspective, the pros of all this training have outweighed the cons. I'm working on getting out of my "trainer's fatigue" (yes, that's a thing) and getting the motivation I once had back in time for the marathon in September.

If all of this wasn't motivating enough, just think of the kick ass facebook profile picture I'll have when I finish the marathon.

On-The-Job Training

Recently I've been working two jobs (hey, life in Zurich is expensive!). The work has been fun and brought some much-needed income, but the extra hours are quickly encroaching on my training time. I started off trying to go for runs in the morning before work, but as I also work night shifts I usually don't get home before 1am (3am on weekends). This made having the motivation to get up and going early in the morning pretty tough.

So that got me thinking - is there a way to incorporate training into my actual day-to-day work? Job 1: waitress - I spend hours on my feet, rushing about the busy pub dropping food off, clearing tables, bringing drinks, buzz buzz buzz back and forth. Surely there's a way I can incorporate some training into this: carrying lots of plates = strength training. Sprinting through the pub = interval training. Dealing with customers who may have had a bit too much = mental toughness.

A blur of color... and chicken wings.

Job 2 is also pretty conducive to training - dog walker extraordinaire. The dog walking path we take is around 4.2 kilometers, so a pretty decent daily training run. In the early stages of our working relationship however, I found it difficult to run with him. Mostly because every couple of meters or so he'd stop to mark his territory, or run underneath  my feet to try and play. He'd also do things like this:

Adorable, but still counterproductive...

After a few weeks I was able to get him to run alongside me. I found he makes an excellent pacer - when my pace is good, he gallops alongside me, but if I slow down he changes to a fast jog, his judgmental stare serving as a gentle reminder to keep up the pace.

Other than that, I try to run whenever possible. This practice came in very handy last night when a delayed train meant I missed the last bus home, leaving me stranded at a station 4 kilometers away. Although I was dressed in 'normal' clothes and wearing flip flops, I convinced myself to 'man up' and run the 4k home. 25 minutes later I was walking through my front door. The soreness of my feet paled in comparison to the feeling of pride I felt in this accomplishment. Hopefully I will be able to walk again soon.

This week I will start a desk job. I'm really excited about the new opportunity, but concerned how this will effect my training. I'll still be working at the pub nights, which will continue to make morning runs difficult.

Do you have any tips as to how to maintain your training when working long hours or constantly changing shifts? If so, please send your advice to me jenfrau@gmail.com!

Do You Know This Woman?

This woman has been seen around Oberhasli a lot recently. She is often found wearing a running pack, Room to Read hat and... spandex.

She can also be recognized by her running style, which two-time Swiss Olympic runner Daria Nauer once called "excellent technique".

Locals became suspicious of this dubious character when she started referring to herself as "Jen", because she does not even closely resemble the "Jen" (aka "Chubby Justin Beiber") that the townsfolk have come to know. This imposter is considerably thinner, and can often be found sweating whilst running the trails of Oberhasli. The "Jen" the townsfolk know only sweated when taking the stairs, and more often than not would be found sat in front of the television with a can of beer and finishing a pack of cheese, a box of cereal, or both, in one sitting.

If you find this imposter, approach her with caution. Her running abilities have given her a heightened sense of self whilst her considerable thinner build means she can run faster for longer, making her hard to catch. When she is not running, she can often be found tweeting or facebooking to brag about her latest accomplishments.

Breakfast of Champions

Some people like to start their day with some coffee. Others prefer energy drinks. This morning I decided I'd start my day with a 2 hour adventure run on unfamiliar ground.

I saw a little bit of this:

A few of these:

Ran up a bunch of these:

And ended with one of these:

New tip: if you start your day with a freezing cold ice bath, it can only get better.

Stark Reminder

This blog is largely intended to be a lighthearted and fun look at my transformation as I train for the hardest marathon in Europe (and some would argue, the world) to raise money for Room to Read's Girls' Education Program.

But recently some articles brought to my attention reminded me of the seriousness of why I'm really doing this. One article discussed Rumana Manzur, an Assistant Professor of Dhaka University and a Fulbright Scholar who was brutally attacked by her husband. It is alleged he felt threatened by her education and, when she insisted on continuing her education against his wishes, he chewed off her nose and gouged out her eyes. You can read The Sunday Guardian article here.

Another article explained how a man in Bangladesh cut off his wife's fingers because she insisted on enrolling into college against his wishes. The man, along with members of his family, cut off young Ms Akther's fingers and threw them in the dustbin to ensure they could not be reattached, in the hopes that this would prevent her from pursuing her studies.

Her response: "I have now started practicing writing with my left hand".

The whole BBC News article is available here.

These cases are not isolated or unique - they are just ones that make it onto the news.  Right this very second, all over the world, young women and girls are being refused the right to education simply because of their gender, usually in the form of threats of or actual physical harm. The courage these women and girls possess to continue with their education in the face of these threats and after these horrific injuries highlights how important access to education is, and how often many of us take these privileges for granted.

It also raises the question: what is it about educated women that these men find so threatening???