I ‘plan’ my runs a week or two in advance, but by and large, the weather, my brain, and my legs determine what is going to happen. Today was supposed to be 4 easy miles but it was sunny, cool, low humidity, and I felt happy so I just let my legs do whatever they want. It was not easy. But it was a delight, and that makes me want to do it again :)
For years, I concentrated on running fast. In my younger days, I had a string of twelve first-place finishes in my age group. The week before the race, I had a stuffy head, so I took Contact or something else three days before. Not realizing an antihistamine dries you out, I should have been pushing the liquids. I wasn't. Have you ever been in a race where you were floating on air, and EVERYTHING was going your way? I had only four runners ahead of me and could see the finish line. The next thing I knew, someone was asking me what my name was. Tongue-tied and unaware of what was happening, I just lay there. I saw my wife a while later and asked her, "What the Hell happened?" She said the paramedic on a bike saw me fall, get up, and start running before falling again. To make a long story short, I was dehydrated and allergic to contact. I was stuck there until I urinated. After that, I realized I was immortal. I still want to be first in anything I do, but I don't set out to do a P.R. every time I lace up my shoes. I go out to have a good run and push myself hard the last half mile. You can't run fast unless you practice doing it and find out your body's limits. With my Apple watch, I can look at my splits and heart rate because I never want to see the inside of an ambulance again. It's too humiliating!
I am thinking about this a LOT these days as I prepare to "pitch" my first novel. I've worked hard on this one--getting up at 3 am to write for years--all while I maintained my day job. I KNOW there will be rejection. I KNOW what the odds are in terms of getting a conventional publishing deal. And I also know I can't control the ultimate outcome. So what I've had to do is (and it was HARD! Like thumb-sucking hard!) is focus on the journey, what I learned, why I had (and I mean HAD) to write this book. This post definitely resonates--and as always, thanks for the care (and time!) you put into this great community you've built. One foot in front of the other.......
Right back at you, Diana! This is so, so cool to hear about -- writing a novel is a dream of mine; I've just never been able to be disciplined enough to sit down and do it like you have. I'm in awe! Is there anything you can share with us about it?
Once I have nailed my "One Sentence Pitch" (now an annoying requirement associated with a Query) I'll happily share it! I'm gonna burn incense, light candles, pray to every deity imaginable and try to keep this Churchill quote front and center: "Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
I have published seven novels to date and won awards on three. I will never be a Stephen King or any of the top tear authors. I do it for myself. I self-publish and put my novels on Amazon. At a book fair, I was asked why my books were cheaper than most other authors around me. I answered that I would never get rich and get more satisfaction selling ten books at a reasonable price than five at a much higher price. I ask the person who buys it to pass it on to someone else when they are finished. If you have doubts, don't worry, every author does, even the top-tier ones with an army of editors on staff...,
They're on Amazon under Stephen Leitschuh...though, for all members of this group, if they e-mail me, I'll send them a free e-book of anyone they want.
My wife likes my first one the best. Esther and Me. It took second place at the Florida Writers Association. I wrote them, and I like others more than others. For guys, Never Welcomed Home.
Steve! What a wonderful thing you've shared. THANK YOU. It's one thing to say you're gonna do something--it's another to actually DO IT. As you have. This comments of yours puts a spring in my step today. Much gratitude--and I'm in awe. I know what it takes to write ONE novel--forget about 7.
Thanks, Maria! By the way, I just saw on Strava this morning that you ran the Rose Bowl Half -- that's amazing! How was it? (I've had the chance to go to the Rose Bowl a couple of times for games, but never have run the half there.)
It was fun. Pasadena is a pretty town, the neighborhood around the Rose Bowl is beautiful and finishing inside the stadium itself is really cool! Well organized. Almost half the runners are kids from the Students Run Los Angeles (SRLA) group which is a non-profit organization that helps kids with planning and achieving goals and staying fit by training for the L.A. Marathon every year. They do several organized races leading up to the marathon and this is one of them. It was Rea neat to see so many young people. A 12 year old girl tan it in 1:44:09!!!
I have been thinking about this newsletter since I read it and now have shared it widely. The hang alone is worthy of so much thought! Thanks for writing!
That’s a pretty darn good way to look at it! Wow! I like that.
On the last thread, someone mentioned trying out a theory along the lines of “it’s really warm in this bed BUT if I get out there and run, I’ll feel so much better”. Soooo I tried it, and did it! I was laying in bed talking myself into staying but kicked myself out! I had to say OUT LOUD “Get out of bed, Jennie! Get out! Get out!” 😂 and I was so glad I did it too! One day at a time…
Congrats on your run today!! Let’s keep at it together…WE’RE DOING THIS!! 💪🏼
“I do think that writing is very much like running,” he says. “Writing anything–certainly as a songwriter and musician–is a muscle that you need to exercise. If you let those muscles atrophy, it’ll take you a while to get back up to the level and the quality of work that you were able to do when you were exercising those parts of your brain more frequently.”
Interesting article on Trail Running and Music that I thought you might enjoy, if you haven't seen it already!
My best way to overcome mental hurdles is to eliminate other hurdles - I sometimes put my running gear on so that, when it’s time to do a run, I’ve got one list thing I need to do before I actually go out
Nice "write", particularly like the Viggo movie quote - while we may only be a little part of this world, we still can have some say - if only in the things we can actually do! Great thought...
I ‘plan’ my runs a week or two in advance, but by and large, the weather, my brain, and my legs determine what is going to happen. Today was supposed to be 4 easy miles but it was sunny, cool, low humidity, and I felt happy so I just let my legs do whatever they want. It was not easy. But it was a delight, and that makes me want to do it again :)
I'm right there with you, Steph -- my plans often go awry too.
For years, I concentrated on running fast. In my younger days, I had a string of twelve first-place finishes in my age group. The week before the race, I had a stuffy head, so I took Contact or something else three days before. Not realizing an antihistamine dries you out, I should have been pushing the liquids. I wasn't. Have you ever been in a race where you were floating on air, and EVERYTHING was going your way? I had only four runners ahead of me and could see the finish line. The next thing I knew, someone was asking me what my name was. Tongue-tied and unaware of what was happening, I just lay there. I saw my wife a while later and asked her, "What the Hell happened?" She said the paramedic on a bike saw me fall, get up, and start running before falling again. To make a long story short, I was dehydrated and allergic to contact. I was stuck there until I urinated. After that, I realized I was immortal. I still want to be first in anything I do, but I don't set out to do a P.R. every time I lace up my shoes. I go out to have a good run and push myself hard the last half mile. You can't run fast unless you practice doing it and find out your body's limits. With my Apple watch, I can look at my splits and heart rate because I never want to see the inside of an ambulance again. It's too humiliating!
I am thinking about this a LOT these days as I prepare to "pitch" my first novel. I've worked hard on this one--getting up at 3 am to write for years--all while I maintained my day job. I KNOW there will be rejection. I KNOW what the odds are in terms of getting a conventional publishing deal. And I also know I can't control the ultimate outcome. So what I've had to do is (and it was HARD! Like thumb-sucking hard!) is focus on the journey, what I learned, why I had (and I mean HAD) to write this book. This post definitely resonates--and as always, thanks for the care (and time!) you put into this great community you've built. One foot in front of the other.......
Right back at you, Diana! This is so, so cool to hear about -- writing a novel is a dream of mine; I've just never been able to be disciplined enough to sit down and do it like you have. I'm in awe! Is there anything you can share with us about it?
Once I have nailed my "One Sentence Pitch" (now an annoying requirement associated with a Query) I'll happily share it! I'm gonna burn incense, light candles, pray to every deity imaginable and try to keep this Churchill quote front and center: "Success is going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm."
I have published seven novels to date and won awards on three. I will never be a Stephen King or any of the top tear authors. I do it for myself. I self-publish and put my novels on Amazon. At a book fair, I was asked why my books were cheaper than most other authors around me. I answered that I would never get rich and get more satisfaction selling ten books at a reasonable price than five at a much higher price. I ask the person who buys it to pass it on to someone else when they are finished. If you have doubts, don't worry, every author does, even the top-tier ones with an army of editors on staff...,
I may have asked you this before, but can we find them by searching for you on Amazon? I want to read one!
They're on Amazon under Stephen Leitschuh...though, for all members of this group, if they e-mail me, I'll send them a free e-book of anyone they want.
Ditto--and where should we start? i.e. Do you have a favorite?
My wife likes my first one the best. Esther and Me. It took second place at the Florida Writers Association. I wrote them, and I like others more than others. For guys, Never Welcomed Home.
They're all on Amazon.
Steve! What a wonderful thing you've shared. THANK YOU. It's one thing to say you're gonna do something--it's another to actually DO IT. As you have. This comments of yours puts a spring in my step today. Much gratitude--and I'm in awe. I know what it takes to write ONE novel--forget about 7.
You're learning, Terrell! Focus on the now, that's all there really is. . .
Slowly but surely, kicking and screaming, it's happening! :)
You are! I'm proud of you! What's the line from the Inner Game of Tennis. . . focus on the stitching. :)
Glad you got out there, but better than that, I'm happy you feel good about it!
Thanks, Maria! By the way, I just saw on Strava this morning that you ran the Rose Bowl Half -- that's amazing! How was it? (I've had the chance to go to the Rose Bowl a couple of times for games, but never have run the half there.)
It was fun. Pasadena is a pretty town, the neighborhood around the Rose Bowl is beautiful and finishing inside the stadium itself is really cool! Well organized. Almost half the runners are kids from the Students Run Los Angeles (SRLA) group which is a non-profit organization that helps kids with planning and achieving goals and staying fit by training for the L.A. Marathon every year. They do several organized races leading up to the marathon and this is one of them. It was Rea neat to see so many young people. A 12 year old girl tan it in 1:44:09!!!
*really
*ran
Sorry for the typos.
I have been thinking about this newsletter since I read it and now have shared it widely. The hang alone is worthy of so much thought! Thanks for writing!
That means so much to hear, Shawna!
Great post. Right now, I feel myself no matter how I feel before I run or whatever else is going on, the only run I regret is the one I didn’t do.
That’s a pretty darn good way to look at it! Wow! I like that.
On the last thread, someone mentioned trying out a theory along the lines of “it’s really warm in this bed BUT if I get out there and run, I’ll feel so much better”. Soooo I tried it, and did it! I was laying in bed talking myself into staying but kicked myself out! I had to say OUT LOUD “Get out of bed, Jennie! Get out! Get out!” 😂 and I was so glad I did it too! One day at a time…
Congrats on your run today!! Let’s keep at it together…WE’RE DOING THIS!! 💪🏼
Saw this in Women's Running
“I do think that writing is very much like running,” he says. “Writing anything–certainly as a songwriter and musician–is a muscle that you need to exercise. If you let those muscles atrophy, it’ll take you a while to get back up to the level and the quality of work that you were able to do when you were exercising those parts of your brain more frequently.”
Interesting article on Trail Running and Music that I thought you might enjoy, if you haven't seen it already!
https://www.womensrunning.com/culture/whats-the-connection-between-running-and-playing-music/
My best way to overcome mental hurdles is to eliminate other hurdles - I sometimes put my running gear on so that, when it’s time to do a run, I’ve got one list thing I need to do before I actually go out
Nice "write", particularly like the Viggo movie quote - while we may only be a little part of this world, we still can have some say - if only in the things we can actually do! Great thought...
Thanks, Stan!
My first thought is that the journey is more important than the destination....