Last night Dave and I went to see Nick Lowe at La Zona Rosa here in Austin. I was mostly excited to see him because...
Read More5 Cool Things About Running With The Zombies
Focus one point and breathe.
This is a real conversation from Wednesday morning while I laced up my shoes to go run from zombies.
Me: I figured if nothing’s going to work to help me lose weight right now, I may as well do what’s fun.
Dave: That sentence works even better if you take off the first part.
Me: … [unable to think of a smartass reply because to some degree, he was right]
The weather was appropriately moody, and Wednesday is my “go work somewhere outside the house, and for the love of all that is delicious, will you please put on some lipstick and brush your hair” day — so basically, I have no hard and fast schedule on Wednesdays. I had lunch plans with one of my favorite people on the planet (Hi, Ali!), and a list of blog posts to write… and that’s about it. In practical terms, it meant I could play outside for as long as I wanted to. When I got in the car to drive to the lake, a good omen: the Marky Mark song “Good Vibrations” was playing on the radio, one of my previously anointed Great Running Songs. I hit the hike and bike trail — with no agenda about running vs. walking intervals — and proceeded to outrun the zombies.
5 Cool Things About Running With The Zombies
1. When I’m running, I don’t feel like a particular size.
I just feel like me. Running. Breathing. Sweating. On a good run, my sense of ego and needing to control the world around me disappears in the meditative focus of moving oxygen in and out — much like the mental break of yoga and meditation. It feels like playing, and I don’t care how I look. That is total freedom.
2. “Uncontrollable Urge” is a really excellent running song.
If I run with the beat, the pace is perfect for me: just a little faster than regular cruising speed, but not so fast that I run out of gas. Plus, it’s silly, but also sinister somehow — ideal for zombie fighting.
3. Intervals can feel so good.
I never reached the point of all-out sprint today, but I alternated an easy jog with “running with purpose” and walking, based on how I was feeling and what was happening in the story. There’s no dilly-dallying when zombies are moaning just over your left shoulder, or when you’re tasked with carrying gas cans of fuel back to the base — but when the zombs weren’t around, I enjoyed a stroll. I also, for fun, ran up a few flights of stairs. I cannot resist stairs.
4. Getting dirty is fun.
A stone wall that’s just the right height practically begged me to do step-ups, so I did — then I did a few pushups in the dirt and wiped the dust on my thighs before continuing my zombie mission. I find it immensely satisfying to get in the car after a workout and realize I look like I’ve been playing in the mud.
5. If you show up and pay attention, you get the right message.
Both of the photos in this post were taken during my run around the lake. Apparently the universe is talking to me through signs on bridges now. Email seems more efficient, but whatever; I’ll take it!
Some of My Previous Posts About Running
Giving Fear a Workout
Back From The Lost Pines
This Morning, I Did Not Jog
Austin Half Marathon: A Story In Photos
Our First Half Marathon
Why My Run This Morning Was Totally Awesome
Do you like to run — or are you an “only if zombies are chasing me” runner?
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I feel really compelled to thank you. For your perspective, your honesty, and for the DEVO video! I also recently dropped out of a high intensity routine in favor of swinging kettle bells if I feel like it but mostly running with my dog because its fun. My quality of life has been improving ever since (not to bash any particular style of exercise, you know, whatever works for you, etc.). I was wondering, would you mind sharing your thoughts on running shoes? Which do you use? Again, thanks for being such a rad inspiration to women of style and substance.
The best line in this amusing post? “..when the zombs weren’t around, I enjoyed a stroll”.
I love that you are such casual terms with the zombies that you can call them “zombs.” Too awesome!
Totally agree with the previous post. Between the zombies and squat demons, your visual imagery ever fails to make me giggle!
I only run from zombies. Or cows. Or zombie cows. The latter aren’t too bad, though, they only eat grass brains. The excessive slobber is kinda gross, however.
My cousin had a pic of the “breathe” graffiti on her facebook page the other day. She’s on the Crieghton crew team and they went to Austin for their spring break to practice on the lake. They seemed to think the universe was sending them a message, too.
They have zombie crows now? OMG….
Too funny! If it weren’t raining cats and dogs here in Houston I’d be totally motivated to run with the zombs!
I run just enough to feel like I’d stand a chance at outrunning the zombies. My running experience normally feels like the opposite of a runner’s high, during and after…I feel heavy and slow and small of lung and jolted and often nauseous. But the zombies won’t catch me.
ZOMBIE COWS!!!