Learning to Run in 13 Weeks: Week 2

Welcome to week 2 in our our summer running adventure! So far, so good. My group is in agreement that week 1 was easy and enjoyable. I hope you're having a similar experience. I've mentioned before that consistency is important so don't skip a week just because you're traveling. Five members of our group will be running in alternate locations for the next couple of sessions, two in Ireland, one in Italy and two in Delaware (the exotic Delaware will be yours truly and Liz).

As mentioned in earlier posts, we're following the gradual program outlined in the The Beginning Runners Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program *. Here's the schedule for this week and next.


Week 2

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, Run 2 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 11 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, Run 1 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, Run 2 minute, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch


Week 3

Day 1: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 10 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 2: 5-minute stretch, run 2 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9 times. 5-minute stretch

Day 3: 5-minute stretch, run 3 minutes, walk 2 minutes. Do this 9times. 5-minute stretch


*A few words about The Beginning Runner's Handbook. The 13-week program doesn't appear until page 151 because the authors (Ian MacNeill and the Sport Medicine Council of British Columbia) thought it was important to start with topics like moderation, choosing good shoes, training mind & body, pregnancy, cross-training, technique, diet, injuries and stretching. It is probably wise to do some reading of your own before you launch into this new exercise program. Please make sure you're healthy and ready for action and then join us!

Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman

A book review by Lorna Harris

Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman by Alice Steinbach

I think I’m the sort of person to take myself off to Paris on my own, stay in a hotel and explore. I think. I’m not sure though. Maybe I’d think about it too much, worry about safety and loneliness and not take the adventure.

Alice Steinbach abandons her life as a journalist to spend several months journeying through Europe on her own. I thought Without Reservations: The Travels of an Independent Woman would offer practical advice and tips mixed in with her adventures but it reads far more as a romantic view of the trip. It’s an emotional adventure for Alice. As she tours art galleries, gardens and museums, she reflects upon her divorce, the death of her parents, her children and her work as a journalist.

The author starts her trip in Paris and part of me wished that she’d just stayed in one city, really got to know it and become one of the locals. She’s not a tourist, not a local but somewhere in between. Getting to know the local cafes and shops but not quite a part of it.

In one chapter of the book, Alice meets a big group of Americans traveling together. Which is my idea of hell. We’ve tried weekends away with groups of friends. I always struggle with the dynamics of all the different personalities wanting to do different things. I would much rather explore a city with one other person or on my own. This book really made me think about that. Although being surrounded with a great deal of people sounds great fun, in reality, for me, it’s not enjoyable for long periods of time.

But I’m not very good at being alone either. I loved Alice’s description of London on a Sunday and how lonely it is. I’ve lived in London and felt that. It’s a strange feeling to be in a city jam packed full of people, not know a soul and feel the loneliness deep inside you.

If you’re debating such an adventure, this book is your treat. It’s not for practical advice. Read this is to inspire you and take it along with you on your trip. It may even encourage you to write down your experiences or just be able to relate and understand your feelings.

I truly admired Alice’s ability to make friends and acquaintances wherever she landed. Many of her adventures stemmed from starting in conversation in a café and then developing a friendship. I’m terrible at that. I assume people aren’t interested in meeting me. Alice boldly strikes up conversations and is then invited to various outings and restaurants, a character trait I truly admire and wish I had. It’s so much more fascinating to explore a city with the people who live there rather than following a guidebook. Perhaps that’s my next adventurous move, reaching out to strangers and making friends. Then I can head off to Paris.

The List: 100 Ways to Shake Up Your Life

Gail Belsky and I are kindred spirits. In her new book, The List: 100 Ways to Shake Up Your Life, Gail encourages women to look outside their comfort zones and try new things (sound familiar?). Each adventurous idea in her book includes tips, links and, often, interviews with real women who have done that list item. The 100 ideas are an eclectic collection ranging from organizing a rally to cliff diving to getting hypnotized to, well, a bunch of things for the over-21 crowd. Since my kids read this blog, I'll leave those to your imagination.

I wondered just how Gail came to write her book and how many of The List items she had tackled so I asked her...


AWB: Hi Gail, thanks for taking part in an Adventurous Women Blog Q & A! I loved your book, and as one who is always trying to find new ways to write about expanding horizons, I'd like to know where you got your inspiration.

I think I was looking to be inspired myself. I'd reached the age where my kids didn't need me as much, and I could think about myself, and what might be out there for me. I started making a list of all the different things you could [do] that would be different and exciting. Big things and small things. It doesn't take a lot to shake things up.

AWB: How did you find the women that you interviewed for each activity?

I sent out an email to the women in my writer's group, and another one to friends, listing all 99 activities. And they sent it on to their friends. I started getting responses immediately. One of the first ones, surprisingly, was "Join a Cattle Drive." One of my writer friends in New Jersey had worked with a woman 20 years ago in Detroit, who bought a horse and moved to Idaho. That's how it went. Then my publisher, Seal Press, sent out a mass email, and women started coming out of the woodwork.

AWB: So, Gail, how many of the items in "The List" have you tackled?

I've done a bunch, but not all of them in my 40's, which is cheating a bit. At some point or another, I've:
Gone Topless
Learned a Foreign Language
Gotten a Makeover
Drastically Changed My Hairstyle
Escaped
Spent the Day in Bed
Planned a Girls Vacation
Skinny Dipped
Conquered a Fear

AWB: What's YOUR next big adventure?

I'm not sure yet. I'd love to try writing a novel, but I think I'll have to wait until National Novel Writing Month in November. I need the extra motivation of doing it with 5 million people.


This interview rounds out a week of Adventure Club basics. My club will meet this evening to plan a year's worth of activities and I hope after reading Adventure Club Part I, Part II, and Adventure Resources that you are ready to start a club of your own. If you'd rather fly solo then I hope that between this site and Gail's book you've found the inspiration to be bold, try something new and shake up your life. Have an adventurous weekend!

Adventure Resources

My goal in writing Adventurous Women Blog is to inspire women to take on new challenges and then help them find interesting things to try. If you're ready for something fun and different, there are three adventure resources right here on this home page.

First, check out "You Can Do It!" This "handbook for adventurous women" is loaded with ideas, expert advice and the motivation you need to accomplish great things.

Second, look further down the page at the "Adventure Ideas" section. If you're looking for something to do this winter, click on "Cold Weather Adventures" and see all of the posts dealing with fun things to do this season. Feeling hungry? Try "Food." Thoughtful? Click "Inner Adventures." A little crazy? Try "More Adventurous." You get the idea.

Third, have a look at "Good Places to Visit." This ever-growing list of links will take you to a few adventure blogs as well as resource sites like Women's Flyfishing, the World Heritage List, and Audubon. You'll also find locator sites for National Parks, corn mazes, great fireworks, labyrinths and more. Keep an eye on this section because new links go up all the time.

But wait! There's more! Check in tomorrow when author Gail Belsky talks about her new book, "The List: 100 Ways to Shake Up Your Life."

Starting a Book Club? Here are 100 Ways to Make it Great

In keeping with today's theme of books and reader contributions, I'd like to mention 100 Tips, Tools and Resources to Take Your Book Club to the Next Level; a reader thought it would complement my recent post about starting your own book club . Among 100 tips' lists of articles, blogs, discussion guides and online clubs is this advice, "Choose a focus." Great tip! If you're thinking about launching a new book club in the new year, consider focusing on books by or about women or... even better...focus on adventurous women!

National Geographic Adventure: 100 Best Adventure Books

This isn't a new list, in fact National Geographic Adventure posted their list of Extreme Classics: The 100 Greatest Adventure Books of All Time in 2004. However, it was new to me and if you're looking for a house-bound adventure for the cold winter months, this list is just the place to start.

Pick One Thing That Scares You...

Since this week has a bit of a book theme, I have a book-based challenge for you. I just finished reading a terrific book, The Friday Night Knitting Club. Author Kate Jacobs has woven many themes through her novel but one of my favorites has to do with facing a fear (not too surprising). There is a point in the story where a character addresses the women of the club and declares, "Let's all make a pledge to do something that scares us. Something that will challenge us." I think this is a great idea!

Here's your challenge for the next seven days, think of one thing that makes you uncomfortable (maybe it's holiday related, maybe it's just a personal fear) and tackle it. Be adventurous and try Mabel's turnip casserole, tell your family how much they mean to you, read Philip's manuscript, stop smoking right now, give the holiday toast, register for that class, sing out loud....

You could put this off by turning it into a resolution for 2009... but can you think of a better way to end the current year? What challenge am I going to give myself? After my rant of last week, I think I'll bake a pie.

Books Can Have Adventures, Too

"...BookCrossing, where books have adventures of their own."


I haven't put this to the test yet but here's the concept: Your pile of paperbacks is taking over your living area and it's time to clean house. What to do?

1. Go to BookCrossing.com, open an account and register your surplus titles.
2. As you get a registration number for each book, type in where you plan to "release it." You can "release it into the wild," which means leave it so a stranger can find it or you can do a "controlled release," which means hand it to someone you know.
3. Paste a BookCrossing label and the registration number onto the book you are about to release.
4. Release the book.

Since your book has a registration number, the person who finds it (receives it) can look it up on BookCrossing and see where it's been. When the new reader is ready to release the book again, they can go to BookCrossing and type in the new release location. You'll be able to follow your book as it travels the world with assorted readers. According to BookCrossing's homepage, they currently have 724,017 registered humans and 5,215,158 registered books all around the planet.

Start a book club

You may be wondering how a book club could be adventurous. Well, if your reading has become limited to waiting room magazines or books for baby then a novel would be an adventure. If you ALWAYS read the same author/series/genre then branching out would be an adventure. If you are shy about expressing your opinion in front of a group then discussing a controversial book would be an adventure. If your days are filled with meetings or diapers or driving or anything that doesn't involve having relaxing fun and using your mind then a book club would be an adventure.

Here's what you need to do:
1. Call a bunch of friends and ask them if they want to start a book club. If you don't find a lot of interest have your friends invite some friends.
2. Hold a meeting (food and drink are always good here) and set up your ground rules.

Ground rules? Yep, here are some basics that will help you get things rolling. How many women should participate (just a few, the whole apartment building)? How often will you meet? How will you pick your books? Where will you meet? Will food be part of every meeting? Once you've got these basic areas covered you're good to go.

Listed below are a few online links to help you get your book club off to a great start:

Amazon.com is a great place to buy books for a group. The site offers good prices and free shipping for orders over $25.

About.com has links to discussion starters for a lot of popular titles, the site also has a list of general questions that can apply to most books.

Book-Clubs-Resource.com has discussion help as well as information about every other book club issue including on-line book clubs.

For FREE advance copies of new releases, check out Random House's e-newsletter ReadItForward.com

Running Books

You've decided to spend the next months training for a marathon or a 1/2 marathon....Ok, you've decided to run to Starbucks and back. You've read the inspirational article at Zen Habits, you've got a pack of friends to keep you motivated. What more do you need? How about advice from a running coach? There are loads of books out there but here are two authors that are worth investigating:

First, try Maria's favorite running guru, Jeff Galloway. He's written a variety of books for all kinds of distances. Click here for books to help you run that marathon, 1/2 marathon, or just start down the road to Starbucks.

Another terrific author with a different take on long distance running is Danny Dreyer author of ChiRunning. The book and his ChiRunning technique are based on elements of tai chi that he believes allow runners to use with their bodies' natural movements to run longer distances without injury.

If you like Dryer's approach but still aren't sold on the whole running thing you might want to check out Chi Walking.


updated 1/18/2012

A List of Adventure Suggestions for a New Adventure Group

If you're thinking of starting an adventure group and aren't sure how to find adventures, I have two suggestions. First, ask your members what they've always wanted to try. Second, print out this post.

What follows is a small part of my adventure club's Master List of Adventure Possibilities. It's very eclectic because our membership is quite diverse. It doesn't hurt that all the ideas are from "anonymous." I'll never tell who wants to learn to pole dance!

IDEAS

GO:
Guided kayak trip
Nature hike
Bike trip
Day trip on motorcycles
The Bahamas
Downhill skiing
Corn Maze
Cross country skiing
Jet skiing
Helicopter ride
Hot air balloon ride
Parasailing
Hang gliding
Sky diving
White water rafting
River tubing
Snow tubing
Ice skating
Deep sea fishing
Sailing
Swim with the dolphins
Horseback riding
Play paintball
Play laser tag
Ropes courses
Rock climbing
To the race track
Camping
Canoeing
Attend different religious ceremonies
Go to a hypnotist for past life regression
See a psychic
Tea at the Four Seasons
Film Festival
Street Painting Festival (participate!)

TOURS:museum
Winery
Wine Tasting
Behind the scenes at the zoo
Haunted tour

TEAMS:Team: Softball
Team: Soccer
Dragon Boat

COMMUNITY SERVICE:
Relay for Life
Avon Breast Cancer Walk
Build a house with Habitat for Humanity
Do secret good deeds at night

LEARN:Bartending lessons
Scuba diving lessons
Theatre workshop
Cooking class
Watercolor workshop
Flower arranging
Knitting
Poker
Learn to give a massage
All the Las Vegas games
How to be a Black Jack dealer
Marksmanship
Yoga
Tai chi
fly on the trapeze
Run a ½ marathon
Car repair
Pool or Billiards

BODY:Brazilian Dance workshop
Pole Dancing
Belly dancing
Hula dancing

OTHER FUN STUFF:Watch the Wizard of Oz while listening to
Dark Side of the Moon

Countdown to the Olympics: "China Road"

How much do you really know about China? For most of us the world's largest country can be summed up with a few basic concepts: Communism, product recalls, and ancient Chinese secrets. In reality, China is an enormous place with a surprisingly wide variety of ethnic groups, beliefs, hopes and traditions.

In China Road, NPR's Rob Gifford travels the length of China's Route 312 -- their equivalent of our Route 66 -- from it's eastern origin in Shanghai to it's western end on the Kazakhstan border. In the course of covering 4,825 Kilometers (2,998 miles), Gifford introduces us to China's rich history, culture, and people. Interviewing everyone he meets (truck drivers, talk show hosts, prostitutes, Amway salesmen), he helps the reader build a new perspective into the country's past, present and future. I guarantee that after travelling with Rob, you'll never think of China the same way.

A Handbook for Adventurous Women!

This is the best thing I've seen in a long time.

YOU CAN DO IT! The Merit Badge handbook for Grown-Up Girls is the vision of Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas. An adventurous woman herself, Lauren dreamed of creating a book that would help women try new things, realize their dreams, and fill their lives with wonderful challenges. This book, offers opportunities for dreams big and small, bold and gentle.

YOU CAN DO IT! will motivate you with 60 separate merit badges divided into seven categories.

Dare: Badges range from dancing and firewalking to starting a rock band
Create: Badges range from gardening and filmmaking to building a web site
Learn: Badges range from speaking a foreign language and playing an instrument to cooking
Play: Badges range from yoga and skydiving to billiards
Deal: Badges range from breaking bad habits and money to car care
Connect: Badges range from meditation and family rituals to volunteering
Dream: Here you get to build your own badge

For each badge, YOU CAN DO IT! offers steps to help you achieve your goal and help from a mentor -- an accomplished woman who is an expert in her field and offers sage advice. By the way, there are actual badge stickers at the back of the book.

I can't say enough good things about this book. Even it's creation is a work of love. Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas was killed on September 11, 2001 aboard United flight 93. It was Lauren's love of life that inspired her sisters, Vaughn Catuzzi Lohec and Dara Catuzzi Near to make her dream a reality. Proceeds from the sale of YOU CAN DO IT! go to the Lauren Catuzzi Grandcolas Foundation, which supports charitable causes including college scholarships, a birthing room, neonatal units, and a women's care center.

Thanks to Becky, an adventurous woman who told me about this wonderful resource!

Links updated 1/11/2012

Cool Off With A Cold Book

Into Thin Air, a true account of one writer's experience on Mt. Everest, may be just the thing for these hot summer days.

In 1996, Outside magazine sent Jon Krakauer to Napal. His assignment: tell readers what to expect on a guided ascent of the world highest peak. Into Thin Air was written after Krakauer returned from what had become the deadliest season in the history of the mountain. The author's insight into the culture of the Himalayas, the personalities and motives of climbers, their sacrifices and survival stories is mesmerizing.

David Breashears' IMAX team was filming during the same climbing season and their incredible film Everest is a must see after reading the book.