Holiday Spirit!

Okay so this doesn't really have to do with running, well somewhat because I just came back from an excellent run and it made me think of this, but anyways I am super excited for the holidays!

Ever since last weekend when we finally got some snow, it started to feel like the holidays were just around the corner, which they are. On my run a little bit ago I kept smelling aromas of things that reminded me of such holiday related things, like chicken noodle soup and just the warmth that soup brings during the cold winter days. Also I could smell, or atleast thought I smelled cookies baking, my favorite!

Actually a little tangent here, but every Christmas, okay actually this is our third year, it's a tradition for my mom, my aunt, my two cousins, and I to have a day where we go cookie crazy and just bake away! It's lots of fun, somewhat chaotic because we are all kind of loud, and have to share one kitchen and one oven, so things get a little crazy, but it's the holidays, what do you expect? Some of the cookies we bake are pictured below, including peanut butter blossoms with the hershey kiss, basic sugar cookies, but holiday designed, spritz cookies, and my specialty and favorite peanut butter brownie cookies, they are AMAZING!

I also love it down here at the U, but more so in the downtown area of the city. I can't wait to go to the Hollidazzle parade and to the Macy's 8th floor where they usually have some walk through story thing (there is an actual name for it, but I can't remember right now) and of course for the lil ones, Santa...

Sometimes I kind of miss being young and not knowing that Santa wasn't real, I found out in third grade sadly, and my older brother only confirmed it, great brother huh? It was bound to happen sometime soon though, most of my friends didn't figure out until about a year later though.


Right now though I am excited for Thanksgiving for many reasons. First off, I can't wait to see all of my family because I miss them a lot. Then of course all the food, but actually the turkey or pie isn't my favorite, my favorite is the green bean casserole! YUM! Actually I don't even like pie at all, some people are like what the heck, you are crazy! but I don't know it just doesn't taste good to me, I like the crust, but that's about it, so every year my mom makes chocolate swirl cheesecake for me and anybody else who wants it too of course, but now I am starting to not like cheesecake because it is so rich, ha I know picky eater, so I have to think of something else that would be good to bake other than pie and that hopefully contains chocolate because I am a chocoholic. One other event that I am excited for on Thanksgiving is the Turkey Trot 5k that I run every Thanksgiving with my uncle and have been doing so for over five years. It's super fun, not long at all, only 3.1 miles, and there are a ton of people that participate in the run.  Some even get super crazy and into and paint their bodies or where turkey costumes and what not, and for those who paint their bodies I give them props because it is not exactly summer weather outside.




If anybody actually reads this, (I know we are all starting to get super busy with finals coming sooner than expected and other homework), but feel free to share some holiday recipes because I love to bake, especially around this time. :)

Changed to Personal Blog!

Okay just letting you guys know that I now am writing a personal blog rather than a research blog focused on running. I made this change because I didn't really see the benefit of continuing on with a research blog, when in the end the whole class is now doing the same kind of final paper. I'm probably going to still focus on my topic of running just now at a more personal perspective.

Okay as you know, I LOVE to run, it's a passion of my and also one of my favorite sports, well running in track that is.  I actually used to run track in high school, and was fairly good, making it to state both years (I don't want to come across as conceited), but after two grueling years, freshman and sophomore years, I was getting burnt out.  I prayed that I wouldn't be voted captain for the next year, just so it wouldn't be as hard telling the coach that I wasn't going to be participating in track anymore, but what do ya know, I was. Don't get me wrong it was a honor be voted captain for my junior year, but now this either meant that I go through another year of what I considered to be agony at the time or I tell the coach before the next track season and feel bad about letting everyone down.

My mom always told me that sometimes I have to do what's best for me, if something is making me unhappy than I have to make that change. In this case it came to quitting track.  When spring finally rolled around I was still feeling the same feelings and I had to tell the coach my final decision. It was super hard, and I could see the sadness in him, my family and many others.  They all felt that I had so much potential, but I felt that if I wasn't enjoying it like I enjoyed soccer than I didn't think I was be as successful as I could be.  Also I would finally have a social life again. I was able to see my friends way more than I did before and wasn't super busy with two back to back sports (I also played soccer).

I still continued to run on my own. I have always loved it, just with track I reached the point of exhaustion. My mom also runs along with many of her eight siblings and I hope to run marathons like she has.  Running is enjoyable to me when I can just go on my own and think my own thoughts. It really it a great stress reliever and great exercise as well.

Now I'm finally getting to the point that this story has been leading too. After two years of not running track I had been constantly thinking about it. My dad of course always had wanted me to continue on with the sport and was greatly disappointed when I stopped.  I was starting to miss the competitiveness of track, even though I had soccer too, it just wasn't the same kind of competing. 

This past summer before college the thought of track was constantly on my mind. When I came to college and saw all the athletes together, it really made me miss being part of a team and competeing.  Around October I finally made the decision to walk on to the track team. I talked with the head coach quite a few times, went through a ton of paper work, and finally after about a three week process I had my first practice with the team.  It went pretty well I kept up in the pack and all the girls were extremely nice. Little did I know that one of my good friends here at the U that I met was also walking, but she is more for the cross country part (long distance track girls and cross country run together throughout the year since we both focus on longer distances). I was super excited to have her, and we kind of lean on each other through this new step in our lives.

I am loving every day of it so far, yes some times it's hard to motivate my self, but after, when I push my self real hard it feels great and I feel like I have accomplished something great! I can't wait it to finally start competing. Joining track here at the U has made me so excited for what's to come and actually more focused in school! I hope everything continues to go well with track and I'm sure it will if I continue to be optimistic and have a positive attitude. :)

Kenyan Runners

I have always wondered why Kenyans always seem to be the ones winning all the marathons or long distance competitions. I had made my own assumptions thinking they have some special jean, or they run all the time in their country from fierce animals, and other things along those lines. I may be right about some of my assumptions, but I really want to know the true reason why they are able to maintain such great speed over long periods of distance.



If one has ever been to a marathon, the chances are a leaned muscled Kenyan is finishing first, far ahead the majority of the other runners competing.  Actually of the past twelve Boston Marathons, all have been won by a Kenyan, but one, talk about achievements!  Also many other marathons around the world, especially in the United States seem to have this trend as well.  The New York Marathon has had Kenyans finishing first for the past five years, for both men and women.

Now why this is occuring, no they don't have an extra special fast jean, but rather were born in a place with high altitude where they also take up one of their favorite pass times of exercise, running.  When running at higher altitudes it bulids a greater lung capacity due to thin air and Kenyans get used to this since they run and live in these conditions every day.

Not only are the Kenyans great at running, others are as well, those who also live in higher altitudes and run may experience this great speed in comparison to others.  The areas above sea level are usually where the higher altitudes are and great athletes come out of these areas, especially runners.

It isn't only the high altitude that makes Kenyans fast, there are other circumstances as well. The Kenyan Tribe called the Kalenjin Tribe is known for running often, and has produced some great athletes, including Kip Keino, the winner of the 1500 meter race in 1968. Some consider the fact that Kenyan children run to school and back may add to the great speed they have with long distances.  Some children are said to have run about 10 miles a day.   



Also many Kenyans turn their initial plans of an education to a career in running.  Just winning one New York marathon or Boston Marathon could range from $100,000 to $150,000.  That amount is considered wealth in the small Kenyan villages, but this pursue in a running career can lead to challenges for them.  Other Kenyans bring competition amongst each other since they all are such great runners, sometimes running a 2:15 mile isn't good enough.  Most people would feel accomplished for the rest of their lives for just running a time like that, but to the Kenyans if one wants to be the best they have to run at least a 2:10 to get a coach and from that point on, hope the coaching/training goes well and that their time gets shaved down even more so.

I don't know how the Kenyans do it, maybe I'll have to experience the running in higher altitudes sometime in my life. I just know that as a child I wouldn't want to feel the need to run long distances all the time in hopes of becoming a great runner and have a career in running as well.



http://www.slate.com/id/2090658/
http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/kenya/100419/kenya-marathon-runners