It Doesn’t Matter Whether You Win Or Lose…

  By Ann Brennan | May 22, 2013 - 7:17 am |
4 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

It Doesn't Matter Whether You Win Or Lose

Click to download from iTunes

It doesn’t matter whether you win or lose…

…as long as you do your very best

…as long as you are having fun

or

…a combination thereof?

I have been thinking about this a lot lately and I think I found my answer.

In 2003 I ran Half Ironman UK. It was a tough, hilly course with few spectators and did I mention the hills. At one point as I was completing this particular out and back section another runner asked me, “Are we having fun?”

It was a great reminder to get out of my head and enjoy this crazy run. After all, how often do you get to run on the grounds of a castle, hear the neighboring farmer calling the cows home, and search for Sir Walter Raleigh’s son’s ghost all while completing a 70.3 miles?

But I am afraid I took that one question too far. Somehow, I took the old adage, it doesn’t matter whether we win or lose, as long as we do our very best, and changed it to…as long as we are having fun. In the process I let go of any competitive drive. I stopped doing my very best.

Two years ago, when I made the decision to run the Beach to Battleship Ironman, that all changed. By taking on the challenge of the Ironman I knew that I wanted to do my very best. And I did. 13:34 was something I could not have even imagined doing.

In this week’s podcast I talk about taking the same drive that got me to that Ironman finish, this same desire to do my very best and applying it to the goal of finally qualifying for Boston.


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You can also download this podcast directly to your iPod or iPhone through iTunes or through the Podcast app on those devices.

Which theory do you subscribe to? …do you very best? …have fun?… or a combination thereof?

Setting Health and Fitness Goals

  By Ann Brennan | May 21, 2013 - 6:30 am | , ,
3 Comments

When I first decided to get fit and lead a healthier lifestyle, I started with a goal. But goal setting is an ongoing process. Today’s post is about setting your health and fitness goals and setting a new one as you approach each goal.


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If you like Ann’s Running Commentary – check out my cool new YouTube Channel. Do people still say that? Cool?

Pesto Potato Salad

  By Ann Brennan | May 20, 2013 - 7:05 am |
5 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

When Jason from Cook Train Eat Race asked me to be a part of his Endurance Foodies Carnival and told me the theme would be summer cookouts I knew right away the dish I would contribute. This dish holds up to temperatures, is easy to make and sticks with tradition just enough.

I grew up bouncing between North Carolina, Alabama and Georgia and although the scenery changed, the food never did.Pesto Potato Salad

With a large extended family and the Southern tradition of hospitality, big family cookouts were a staple of my childhood and no cookout was complete without the obligatory potato salad.

Unfortunately I also grew up with an ingrained fear of food poisoning. While the rest of the family ate freely, I found myself checking every dish for temperature.

“Has this one turned,” I would ask.

Fortunately, once I was old enough to make my own contribution to these cookouts I always included foods that could stand up to the Southern temperatures.

This Pesto Potato Salad was my first such attempt.

2 clamshells of baby potatoes (peeled and boiled until tender but not too mushy)
5 handfuls of fresh basil (approximately 2 packed cups)
½ cup of pine nuts
1 small clove of garlic
Olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

While the potatoes are boiling, toast the pine nuts in a shallow skillet until light brown. These burn easily so do not try to multi-task while waiting for them to cook.

Throw the clove of garlic, a half-teaspoon of salt, a glug of olive oil and one handful of the basil into a blender. Blend until the garlic is completely combined with the other ingredients. Add the rest of the basil and a couple of more glugs of olive oil. After all of the leaves are blended add the pine nuts and blend for about 30 seconds leaving bits of pine nut still visible. You may need to add more olive oil.

Drain the potatoes and put them in a large serving dish. Drizzle the pesto mix over the potatoes and stir gently so as not to mash the potatoes.

This is a simple recipe but one that is usually the first to go at any family gathering.

(If you would like to use this same pesto sauce for a pasta salad with tomatoes and avocado, add a few tablespoons of freshly grated Parmesan and a dash of lemon juice.)

May Endurance Foodies Participants
Check out the following posts and participants for this month’s #endurancefoodies challenge. I have loved checking out the recipes and have definitely found some new people to add to my blog reader through the monthly challenges. Enjoy, happy cooking, and bon appetit!

Brittany – The Fit Formula
Donna – Beating Limitations
Meg – Gillmer Girl
Clare – Maple Syrup And Me
Lindsay – Cotter Crunch
Courtenay – Twitter (Jason will post the recipe on Cook Train Eat Race)
Adrienne – Six Kick Switch
Ann – Ann’s Running Commentary

Our Cadet – Plebe Year Is Complete

  By Ann Brennan | May 17, 2013 - 6:28 am |
1 Comment

Written by Ann Brennan

90 Seconds To Say Goodbye

90 Seconds To Say Goodbye

Our house is quiet this morning. My daughter has left for school, my husband is sequestered in his office finishing some work before heading out to work and my two sons are sound asleep downstairs. Yes, you heard that right. Both sons are asleep downstairs. Our cadet is home.

Yesterday he completed his last TEE (Term End Exam – they have acronyms for everything in the Army) and hopped the next train home. For all intents and purposes his plebe year is done.

What a year it has been. For those of you who do not know West Point – The United States Military Academy is not like other universities. Even the application process is more rigid, taking over a year to complete and including three separate applications to Senators and Representatives as well as physicals, eye exams and a pretty thorough earing exam. But that is just the beginning.

Blaise started at West Point on July 1st of last year, one month after graduation. He had six grueling weeks of CBT (Cadet Basic Training – for those of you not currently up to date with the Mom’s Guide to Surviving West Point), learning the military life before he even become a plebe. Six weeks when he was not even referred to as a cadet. He was New Cadet Brennan. He was not even a plebe.

At West Point, even after they have completed the basic training plebes cannot talk outside of any building, they have to wear their uniform anytime they are not in their rooms and while other college students can gain the freshman 15, this is not likely to happen at West Point. Each and every student has to play a sport and pass physical requirements throughout all four years at the academy. Don’t pass and you can go home.

My son is an academic ace. That was not the part that scared him. What scared him were the physical aspect and the strict military atmosphere. Could he survive those elements?

As we drove him to West Point last year, this child who had not stopped talking since he first heard his own voice was absolutely silent. When he finally did speak up it was to say in a supposedly joking manner, “I’m not sure about this,” before falling back into that same thoughtful silence. He was scared. And with good reason.

With the close of school upon him, he and his mom can breath easier. He did it. He made it through one of the hardest experiences of his life and he did it despite that moment of fear. He didn’t let the unknown stop him. He didn’t let fear stand in his way.

I am proud of Blaise for his decision to forgo a normal college experience. I am proud of him for choosing a much harder route that most young people his age. But mostly I am proud of him for not letting the fear stop him.

Racing vs. Running – I Was Shoved

  By Ann Brennan | May 16, 2013 - 3:26 am | , ,
12 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

Originally published in June 2011, republished because it was on my mind during a run today. I often need reminders of just what it takes to meet the goals I have set for myself.

On Friday afternoon, Coach Jeff emailed me and asked if we could talk about Sunday’s 10k. I rolled my eyes, hung my head, and thought two things, “What could he possibly have to say about this race.” Jeff and Blaise (my fast husband) confer by phone before races. They talk splits and strategy.

But Jeff seldom asks me to talk. He is the ultimate “man of few words.” So, when he asks to talk, there must be a reason.

Unfortunately, because Jeff is a man of so few words he always gets straight to the point and on Friday the point was a little unpleasant.

“Ann,” he said with only the slightest pause, “you are the great underachiever.”

He went on to say that he does not think I try in races, that I am afraid of failing so I don’t give it my all, that I am capable of more than I give.

I wanted to argue with him, but I couldn’t. I knew he was right. I have written here about the mental games I have played with myself for various reasons over the past couple of years but when it comes down to it, Jeff is right.

While I tell people that they probably can run faster than they believe is possible, I do not practice what I preach. I have stopped racing as fast as I know that I can.

Three years ago I was racing. In every race I was giving it my all and I discovered that I really could run faster than I had given myself credit for. That year I set PRs in every race I ran. Then injury and illness struck over and over again and I began to revert back to my old way of thinking. I stopped trying.

So, on Friday afternoon as I sat on the front porch listening to Jeff call me the great underachiever I could not argue. I knew he was right.

“I want you to race. Push yourself on Sunday,” he told me, “I want you to run a 9 minute pace.”

Calculating that out, it meant I had to run the race in 55:55.

Just minutes before I called Jeff I had been content with the idea that I would come in in under an hour. I would have been happy with that. Instead, I was now looking at knocking over 4 minutes off that time and I was looking at doing it the morning after my in-laws 50th Wedding Anniversary party. But I didn’t argue. I couldn’t argue, because this was (excuse my language here but it is the only term I can think of at the moment) “shit or get off the pot” time.

Suddenly that is exactly what it felt like. Here I am working with not one but two coaches. With Jeff coaching my running, swimming and biking and Dan at helping me with my strength, mobility and flexibility it does seem like the time to either race or give up on it all together.

So, I raced. Using the dynamic warm up I had just learned last week with Dan, the plan that Jeff had laid out for me Friday afternoon and my husband who was prepared to help me push through the last mile, I raced my 10k.

I should say I did not race gracefully. I did not race smart. But I raced. I took off too fast and suffered for it later in the race, but I raced the entire time. I didn’t slack off. I stayed focused and I raced.

The truth is that Jeff had pissed me off a little bit and that 55:55 no longer seemed like a challenge. Instead it seemed like an insult. Of course I could run 55:55. Of course I could run better than a 9 minute pace.

I had been fine with the idea of running a 60 minute 10k before Jeff called me the great underachiever but that 55:55 lit a fire and there was no way I was going to be satisfied with that time now.

So, Sunday morning as I raced the Dawson’s Father’s Day 10k, I pushed and I ran. I gave it my all, coming across the finish line two minutes faster than Jeff had suggested, in 53:54.

Looking back on that phone call I have a couple of questions. First I wonder how Jeff felt before the words left his mouth. I am not the easiest person to talk to. Truth be told, I am pretty controlling. I like to be in charge and seldom give up control easily. And while I am guessing it is difficult to approach anybody with a statement like “you are the great underachiever,” I would think it might be even harder to approach me.

Second, I wonder whether he knew. Did he know that I needed to be pushed and underestimated? Did he know that I needed to be shoved rather than guided?

Fear – How Do You Push Through It

  By Ann Brennan | May 15, 2013 - 7:01 am |
4 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

FearEight years ago, after DNFing at Ironman Austria and learning that an attorney my husband worked with had drowned during a triathlon, I became paralyzed by fear. Although, I had grown to love the sport, I found myself afraid to fail again and quite honestly afraid of dying. Finally, in 2010 I made the decision to push that fear out of the way and start training for triathlon again, with the ultimate goal of completing my first Ironman.

I did not analyze the how’s of this decision until last week when I had to once again push past fear. Why had I suddenly gotten past that fear of failure and death? Because what was on the other side was something I wanted. It was something worth fighting for.

In March, my friend Sheila had a horrific cycling accident. For almost two months she has been struggling to come back. Watching her struggle filled me with fear. What would become of my family if I had a similar accident. For weeks I avoided my pretty pink bike. For weeks I was too afraid. Finally, I realized that the fear I was feeling had begun to become a brick wall between me and what I loved.

In today’s podcast, I talk about pushing past fear.

What are you afraid of? What fears have you overcome for something you love?


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Strength-Training For Life

  By Ann Brennan | May 14, 2013 - 7:00 am | ,
3 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

Strength-trainingYesterday was a strength-training day. I had run the day before and I have a ride today so yesterday I was able to focus on my strength. I enjoy strength-training days because even more than running or riding where I can measure my speed and pace, I find that lifting gives me something concrete. I can feel the difference in my body, in my ability and in my mindset as I lift.

When I made this video about my dirty little secret almost a month ago. I recommitted myself to my fitness and nutrition. I made the decision to take control of this one area of my life again and I started that very day.


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To be honest though, I was not sure how it would go. Would I be able to keep it up or would life get in the way. Would I find the stress of everything else in my life to be too much and once again fall into the habit of eating too much and not moving very much?

Fortunately, that did not happen. Fortunately, I have been able to stick with it. And while I have already noticed that I can lift more today than I lifted a month ago and I can go longer than I did a month ago, the real difference, across the board – biking, running and lifting – has been in my attitude.

Suddenly I find that I feel stronger and more capable. Not just physically, but mentally and emotionally. I preach this very benefit in everything that I write but I find that I need the reminder. I find that I forget just how important the strength I get from exercise is in my everyday life.

Today I am stronger. Today I can do more and be more. And that makes all the difference.

Out of the DarknessFor the first time in the four years since I began Ann’s Running Commentary I have decided to come out officially for a cause. I am currently raising funds for the Out of the Darkness organization. Through the generosity of my readers and friends I have met my goal of $1000 but I would love to see that number continue to rise. The number of people around the world suffering with depression and other mental illnesses continues to grow and the amount of help available to them continues to shrink. Please help me to be a part of the change. If you cannot donate I ask that you share my story of depression and suicide so that others will know they are not alone. Thank you so much for all of your support.

Because He Can – Running With Cystic Fibrosis

  By Ann Brennan | May 9, 2013 - 3:47 am |
3 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

Yesterday I wrote a post for The Running Stories entitled Because We Can. I wrote about the fact that running gives us the ability to do so much more than just run. It allows us to experience things we might not if we didn’t have the fitness level we have developed through running.

For Steve Bell it is so much more. He runs because it is part of his treatment but mostly he runs because he can. Steve was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at three months. Each day he has an one and a half hours of treat and upwards of 50 pills to take. At 29 he is fighting the odds but he runs because he knows this. He runs because one day he won’t be able to. He runs because he can.


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Am I The Fat Girl

  By Ann Brennan | May 8, 2013 - 3:52 am | , ,
19 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

Fat Girl

Click to see what my bottom half really looks like.

I read a lot. I also run a lot. And, inevitably, I often find myself combining the two activities. While I run I think over the articles and books I have recently read. I analyze them or I let their messages sink in. And once in a while I have an “aha” moment. Unfortunately, last Thursday I had an “uh-oh” moment. A moment of clarity when it suddenly occurred to me that I might just be the “fat girl” from Hey, Fat Girl. And suddenly, I wanted to cry. Because no matter how fit I am. No matter how hard I work or how much I succeed. It will always hurt to hear, Hey, Fat Girl.

I am sure when Flint wrote Hey Fat Girl a year ago, it was meant as a compliment. I am sure it was not mean to be patronized or insensitive. But I want to weigh in.

I am short, I have wide hips and a big butt and I don not carry any of it well. For most of my running life I have been subjected to comments like, “Good for you, giving this a go.” “Well done for being out here.” “Are you still running?” And whether they are meant this way or not they come off as patronizing.

What was that thing your mom used to say? Don’t judge a book by the cover?

Well I am here to say she was right.

I am short, I have wide hips and a big butt and again, I do not carry it well. But I am also a 13-time marathon finisher and a sub-14 hour Ironman, yes, Ironman finisher. I workout six to seven days a week and have for more than twenty years.

I may not look like a runner but I am. And I am not embarrassed to be out there in triathlon shorts because although I know that I don’t look great in them, they are part of the sport I love.

When I don’t make eye contact with you, it doesn’t mean I am embarrassed my how I look. I may be counting laps, I may be thinking about my next hard effort or I may be analyzing a blog post. Who knows? The assumption that I am embarrassed also assumes that I have something to be embarrassed about. That assumption hurts.

So I might be the fat girl. But that does not mean I am not athletic. That does not mean I don’t believe I can do anything. Because I can and have done more than I ever dreamed.

Yes, I struggle with my weight and yes, I work to lose it but I almost always find myself back here, in the fat suit, wishing I was thinner, wishing people could see me for the athlete that I am.

As all of this digested I thought about the other “fat girls” our there and I wondered how each of them, at the stage they are currently in, felt about the post by Flint. How does it make you feel to be referred to as “fat girl” even when it is somebody well meaning?

Setting Goals – What Is The Secret?

  By Ann Brennan | May 7, 2013 - 3:17 am |
3 Comments

Written by Ann Brennan

Setting GoalsAt the end of each season I sit down with a calendar and a list of “wish list” races and begin setting goals for the following season. Sometimes those goals come to fruition perfectly, other times, I fall short. After twenty years of this routine, I have looked back and unearthed a pattern. When I am really passionate about the goal and it is a goal that matters to me as opposed to an arbitrary goal or one that someone else has suggested, I am much more likely to succeed.

Having noticed this I went back through my life and analyzed some of my bigger life goals over the years. Not surprisingly, this pattern was easy to see in all of the goals I have set whether running, education, work or life related.

In today’s podcast I reveal how it is that as the daughter of a bipolar, abusive mother I was able to make education a bouncing off point and escape that life and how this same goal setting strategy has helped me throughout life.

Episode 12 of Ann’s Running Commentary – Setting Goals Successfully


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What goals have you achieved? What goals is it time to let go of so you can focus on the ones that really matter to you?