Good Neighbors

According to our coaches the only time you don't run is if there is lightning.

Tuesday is the weekly run around Lake Merritt but as it was pouring rain and there was at least one big clap of thunder I made alternate plans. Thankfully my neighbors have a fully stocked home gym. One email request and my training schedule was saved.

Running on a treadmill is weird. I wasn't sure what my speed should be so I spent most of the first mile adjusting the pace. Also there are no distractions, interesting things to look at or people to talk to so you can only focus on the run.

Things I noticed due to no distractions:
My feet get sore in the first mile and if I push through it the pain goes away.
I can run a faster pace than I thought.
Running in place staring at a wall is boring.

Today the sun is shining, the sky is bright blue and I don't have to go for a run!

Thanks to S&N for allowing me gym access without a membership card. I owe you something... what?

Enjoy your day. Thanks for stopping by.

Like a Turtle

Slow & steady wins the race... or at least gets me across the finish line.

This weekend we had a 3-5 mile run and I finished 4 miles at a 12 minute mile pace. That includes about 1/2 mile of walking spread through the course.

The best part of the run was the bowl of gummy bears at the water stop! Yay for simple carbohydrates at the 2 mile mark.

Something rubbed a sore on the small of my back - must inspect all clothes for tags. I have a wee owie that is now scabbed over. So pretty!

I think I've now hit the distance where my muscles are pushed beyond their comfort zone. I woke on Sunday to a bit of soreness. It felt good to feel the burn.

Hope you are well. Thanks for checking in. If you haven't yet made your contribution to fight the cancer please click to donate.

Comando? Really?

The Bay Area was hit with a bit of inclement weather the past few days. I was supposed to go to 5:50AM track workout yesterday for circuit drills. When I woke to pounding rain at 5AM I called in sick. Would you go out in the dark & rain to sit on a muddy track? I didn't think so.

The latest instructional email from a coach had this interesting piece of information: Choose jog bras and underwear (hopefully you are not wearing underwear unless women have an emergency need to do so) made with polypropylene, Dri-FIT, CoolMax or Gore-Tex fabrics, which wick water and sweat away from your skin.
I'm really supposed to run without underwear? I don't think so!

This weekend our training run distance is upped to 3-5 miles. How many do you think I can do?

Thanks for visiting. If you haven't had a chance to make your donation to LLS please click on the link to the right. Have a great weekend.

Beware of Low Hanging Branches

Sorry for the week of silence. It was not due to the head wound from last Tuesday's run.

Last week I was wearing a hat with a head lamp attached to the bill. I was paying close attention to the roots & uneven ground at my feet and ran my head into a tree branch and landed flat on my back. No worries, just a flesh wound above my right eyebrow (a blood-free abrasion with slight lump to be exact)

The reason for the week of blog silence is that I took a week off training to travel to New Orleans. While it may have been Mardi Gras the reason for my trip was to help gut homes damaged by hurricane Katrina. I spent 3 days smashing walls and clearing homes of their destroyed belongings. Two houses we worked on hadn't been opened since the days after Katrina hit in Aug. 2005! You want to know what 2 years of sitting in wet & mud will do to your belongings and your home? I've got pictures!

I hope I didn't set my training too far back by not running for a week and eating the treats of New Orleans. I think that lost 5 lbs have found their way home. Time to train!

Thanks for checking in.

Week Two - Still Strong

Yesterday marked the start of week two and I still feel pretty good. We had a 2-4 mile group run followed by "Run University" a rotation of four classes taught by a registered dietitian, a chiroprator specializing in sports injury prevention, a podiatrist (did you know that there are 125K sweat glands in your foot?) and two ultra marathon runners educating us on the products available to make it through a marathon (this truely is a million dollar industry).

I have been managing 2 mile runs at a comfortable pace and avoiding major injries or day after pain. I suppose the extremely sore muscles will join me soon enough. I will have to start pushing through the misery. Right now as an "off the coucher" they want me to go slow & short distances. I fear the day they suggest an extra mile.

On Friday night I purchased a "home gym" product - a DVD with exercise bands to do core & upper body strengthening. I figure this $25 investment will work and save me the monthly gym fees of $60-100.

Thanks to all for your continued interest, suppor (emotional & financial). I am just over the 50% mark for my fundraising minimum (at 25% of personal goal).

PS: I've lost 5lb without really trying.

Running Makes for Good Sleep

I slept like a rock following the buddy run. I didn't know I could sleep better or more but apparently after a run I can! I could get used to that.

This morning we had our first "wow, 5AM is early" track workout with the professional coach. I learned about proper form & rhythmn. Apparently you only need good rhythmn to finish this crazy thing. We'll continue to meet weekly at this insane hour of dark o'clock to learn & run (and run run run).

Each time we gather for offical group runs or training sessions we spend a moment in silence remembering all the honorees - a moment that reminds me of why I'm doing this. Then we have a "shout out" and call the names of the people we honor, a cheer to inspire us and yell our team motto: Team Flame... we're sizzling hot! Sounds cheesy I know but it has a story.

Coach Al carried the Olympic flame - it's important to carry the flame, not the torch. The flame that is inspirational and a unifing image that spans the globe and crosses cultures. The sizzling hot bit was added by Vanessa, the 7 yr old honoree. Who's going to deny that!

I'm feeling good physically. My fundraising minimum is almost to 50% - THANK YOU to all my supporters. A few of you have already sent me the names of your family & friends and asked me to run in honor of them as well. Thanks for the continued inspiration.

Friday is the day of RICE: Rest, Ice, Compression, Elevation. I get the day off! Phew.

Struggles

Yesterdays struggle was "time". I had so many things going on that I didn't get the strength training workout in. I don't belong to a gym so I need to think creatively about what to do & how to fit it into the day.

Any suggestions from my awesome readers?

Tonight we have a "buddy run" around Lake Merritt Since we are still beginners learning how to train they don't expect too much. That is a good thing. Some introductions, a few stretches and off we go for 15 mins out & 15 mins back.

The new shoe inserts seems to hold my arch in place and force my foot into line. This new ergonomics however doesn't agree with my hip. I hope the hip is just a growing pain and not a permanent issue. Lots of stretching & maybe some Ben-Gay before bed.

It was nice to see that I wasn't the slowest or biggest complainer in the bunch. I ran the duration and didn't come in last!

Perhaps this is possible?

Day 2 - ouch?

The blister is mostly gone. I woke up to some sore thigh & hip muscles. Not as bad as I expected so this is good news.

I rode my stationary bike while watching the end of some stupid reality TV show I recorded. Hey it helps to pass the time. A bit of stretching, some breakfast and off to church I went.

I have chili simmering on the stove, furniture arranged for the throngs & Superbowl pre-game shows on the tube. Today will be a good day of rest.

Tomorrow I need to figure out how to do some strength training at home since I don't belong to a gym.

Donate now to fund cancer reasearch Thanks!

Day 1 = Two Miles!

I ran two miles today. Yay for me. I've been afraid of the first run since I signed up for this crazy thing. I did it.

We had to be at the coached run by 7:45AM. I woke at 5:30... did you know it's dark at that hour? I had laid out my outfit for the run last night so I wouldn't have to panic but when I let Granite out to pee I felt a frigid blast of air. Crap, I don't have any sweats! I found an REI silk long sleeved undershirt and a light weight windbreaker to wear.

I didn't realize how big our running team was until we got to the check-in table. About 100 others were standing around shivering & waiting for the shoe & apparel clinic to start. We learned about what shoe styles & accessories are available to us. Did you know that they sell "nip guards" to men so their shirts don't rub their nipples raw? Who knew!

After an hour of freezing in stand still we did a two minute warm up jog, stretched & were sent out on the marked course. I got to .5mi mark and felt good. Keep running! I did one quick fast walk for about 30 seconds and and made it all the way to the one mile turn around - running the whole way. At about 1.25 my right arch was hurting - not sure if it's the muscles or my sock bunched up... keep going. I traded jog & walk until 1.5 miles then made the push. I ran the final .5miles! YAY - two miles!

There was a snack station set up at the finish line, grabed 1/2 banana & PBJ s'wich and headed home. We stopped at Peet's for the electrolyte boost of coffee.

I feel OK. My right hip is a bit tight due to an old muscle pull. I need to figure out what to do with that. My feet are OK. My legs feel like they've had a good work out but they aren't too bad.

We'll see how they feel after a day. Maybe tomorrow I'll be in crippling pain! But for now I think I can do this.

T Minus 1

Today is my last day as a slug.

I begin the training tomorrow. An early Saturday morning run/walk up to two miles. Thank God the coaches understand & clearly command that nobody should run more than that after years of sitting on the couch.

Team In Training provides a 2 month calendar of work-out instructions, how to to what and when to do it. I've received several emails from captains, mentors and coaches to prepare. They sure know what they are doing. Do I?

I'll report back after the run to let you know if my feet will mutiny!