The montage.

In movies having any kind of plot-vital athletic event, a standard scene plays out again and again: the training montage.

Made most famous in the “Rocky” films, segments are edited together to quickly summarize the protagonist’s training routine. Music plays. Awesome music. The protagonist grits teeth while lifting unwieldy objects, bounding one-footed over a mountain (blindfolded), dragging rocks though a pit of rabid boars (aflame) and consuming raw eggs (unpasteurized). The awesome music swells, compelling the audience’s pleasure centers to release endorphins and adrenaline. This quickens heart and respiration rates. In this state, the audience becomes susceptible to the suggestion that it is physically joined to the protagonist’s labors. Suddenly and shockingly the audience is carrying an awkward burden while rambling blindly downward at a hideous pitch. Piercing scorched squeals follow in close pursuit. An undercooked breakfast digests poorly.

These on-line entries will not assume to summon such an effect within you, patient reader.

Gamut Girl Squad is about a third of the way through its own montage. No one’s gone hurtling down a mountain. Yet.

There are tests and triumphs. Last week’s 5-kilometer race was a bright point. Training will become more rigorous as the Girls work up to a 10-kilometer race in February. Each week will hold new challenges they will grow to overcome.

This past Sunday morning, their soundtrack sounded low as feet padded along the Susquehanna River in the cold, still December air. Head colds, body aches and the stresses of running a theater extract tolls that can not be edited out to create a brief seamless tableau. Despite this, all are willing to meet the work head on. All are progressing wonderfully.

Their soundtrack is building. It will reach high pitch in April.

So, We Ran a 5k....

This past saturday, Bri, Alexis, my mom and I all ran 3.2 miles in the Jingle Bell Run.

I'm pretty sure, in the very beginning, we doubted even being able to do that. It seems we're getting closer and closer to this whole 10 mile thing.

The 5k was a lot of fun looking back on it, and when I was done I felt amazing. Accomplishment, adrenaline, and lots of sweat were running all through my body. However, upon arrival, I was veeeery sick. With a nasty bacteria in my body, a headache, sore throat, and general cold, I practically crawled out of the passenger seat of the car. I was doubting my ability to run at all, let alone the entire 3 miles. It was cold, too; we had to jump around and dance just to stay warm. We listened to a heart-wrenching story told by a little girl in a wheelchair, who had arthritis (the cause we were running for). When she was done, this giant Christmas mascot jumped on the lift and started dancing to Feliz Navidad. They announced him as 'Jimmy Jingle', and needless to say, he did not cheer me up.

Eventually we all formed a giant mass behind the starting line. Kids, old people, real runners, you name it. They were all there. As the group started to move, it felt impossible to run when squished between so many people. It quickly cleared up, however, and I could just run. Our coach Charles ran with me, because I was so sick. Bri and Alexis took off, and even my mom passed me soon after. I figured pretty soon I would have to walk, and maybe I would even be the very last person across the finish line.

I was wrong. Charles pushed me and supported me, and every time I kind of felt like maybe I should walk soon, I got the urge to keep going. We made the first loop, not stopping once.

During the middle of the second loop, I had to walk. I felt reassured though, when I picked up running again right when we hit the big hill. Charles kept talking and it really helped me keep going. As I got closer and closer to the finish line, my breathing was hard and my chest and legs hurt, but I didn't stop. I ran faster to finish before the few people in front of me, and Alexis and Bri were waiting by, cheering. Less than a minute later, my mom finished. I was surprised that I had actually passed her. We all cheered for each other and hugged, and it was great.

I'm sure we're all proud of running that 5k. I know I am.

Holy crap, I'm running.

So, I'm not a runner at all.  In fact, I'm not really a natural athlete of any sort.  I'm actually really clumsy, so anything athletic requires a great deal of effort.  A GREAT DEAL.  So the fact that I'm running willingly without being chased is blowing my mind.  I've been running for a little over a month, and I never thought I'd say it, but I think I kinda love it.

Last Sunday, I went running on the river with Bri and Charles.  It was weirdly hot for October, but we went about 4.5 miles.  I ran a few more times throughout the week, then capped it off with a run through Lemoyne with Bri and Charles on Saturday.  In case you don't know, Lemoyne is hilly.  It's the hilliest.  We did about 3.5 miles, then came back and drank some amazing homemade limeade.  

Then, Sunday.  Rickett's Glen.  We went up the Falls Trail and came down the Highland Trail.  An awesome, challenging hike!  

That's Bri and I on the trail.  Notice how freaking beautiful it is.

Now it's Monday, and I went back to work a little sore and stiff but feeling awesome.  I've got a long way to go until 10 miles, but now it seems like something that could actually happen.  And that feeling is... good.

12:07

Sunday, October 02, 2011

I’m not going to lie, my training has been awful the entire past month!  In August, I was doing great.  I was going to the gym 4-5 days/week, strength training three of those days.  Then the flood hit, Gamut’s season and classes began, and it seems like every day there is something happening to derail me.  My challenge is going to be finding the time to make this happen and taking control of my schedule before it takes control of me!

Our official training for the 10 mile run started about a month ago.  We try to meet with our coach every two weeks, and we have been learning stretches, philosophy, and sharing hopes and fears.  We even got to run barefoot in the grass over at the Capitol grounds.  Our assignment this weekend was to run a mile (outside, not on a treadmill) and time our mile.  So Carolina and I went to the track at Millersburg High School (her school and my alma mater) to run ours.  It’s been raining and yucky all week, and this weekend added chilly temperatures to the mix.  On our walk up to the school, we were both freezing and chatting about how we couldn’t wait to be back home and take hot showers.

The mile was tougher than I thought it would be.   I ran the first two laps (well, not really a “run” but more of a “steady jog”), walked the third, and then ran/walked the last lap.  My time was 12:07.  I was super proud of Carolina.  She had a much faster pace for her run and would run about a half lap and then walk a half lap.  Her time was 10:46.  She wasn’t really winded at all, whereas it took me half the walk home to get my breath back.

I really can’t believe I’m going to be doing that times ten when we run the 10 miler, but we have six months to get ready for it, and Charles is a great coach, so I am going to try my best to put my doubts and fears to the side and put my trust in him.  I really want to be able to do this!

We can run 10 miles!!

Melissa says that when thinking of goals you should visualize yourself already being able to accomplish them. So instead of "We're working on being able to run 10 miles...hopefully...someday" you say "We can run 10 miles." So there it is! We are training for the 2nd Annual Capital 10-miler - A Run for the Arts. It is organized by Open Stage of Harrisburg and once the run's website is up and running we will post a link to it.

The runners representing Gamut aka "Gamut Girl Squad" are:

• Gamut Executive Director, Melissa Nicholson
• Melissa's daughter, Carolina Nicholson
• Former Gamut core company member and current Director of Creative Programming at the Ned Smith Center (and my sister), Alexis Campbell
• And me! Gamut Managing Director, Brianna Dow

We are being trained by the wonderful Charles Hooker who has been running for a long time and has participated in a few marathons and other running events. (I really sound like I know what I'm talking about here, right?!? Sorry, Charles)

We are just starting off so there isn't much to report, but this blog will be updated by all four of us so you can keep track of our progress and maybe even give us some encouragement. It is bound to be a long, tough road, but it will most importantly be very rewarding, a great way for the four of us to bond and all for a great cause!

So stay tuned for the triumphs and woes of our journey to 10-miles!