ok, fine...final chapter of the training went about like this.
good taper schedule the 2 weeks prior to the race, really easy the actual few days before (aka, lazy me!) 2 pairs of socks all of the time for the last week before the race to insure the healthiest blister-free heels for race day (HAHAHA, that didn't work too well as we will see at mile 4!)
slight stress 2 days before traveling, dad fell on his head and knocked himself around a little, great shiner though & he looked pretty tough with the arm roadrash too!. got in to arizona on a stress free flight, smooth sailing, great plane nap. met with the 'rents, waited for the wongs, all got the van and headed north to sedona. LOVED sedona, very pretty, full of energy, cool little new agey town with an eclectic, somewhat posh feel. got to flagstaff, FROZE (only looked at the weather for pheonix which was about 40 degrees warmer), spent the night in our awesome vacation house. woke up, headed to scottsdale for the expo and the pasta lunch. almost missed the pasta lunch, got there just in time, LOTS of inspiration, really got to see into the mission of TNT. met with the VA team for last minute instructions and such, went to the expo to get our numbers & retail therapy. met up with mom, went to eat some dinner, dad came and met up with us after meeting with his team. Food, back to the hotel for luggage retrieval and goodnight to mom and dad. lisa and i spent the next hour or so getting our stuff together for the big early AM departure for the start line. quick aside, have NEVER seen Lisa that crazy, totally freaked out, funny as all get out. this chick was cool as a cucumber on her wedding day, totally wigging out before the race....hysterical. fully dressed in race attire, off to bed for 12 minute increments of sleep, between fear of oversleeping and fear of miranda night terrors, there was little actual rest going on. woke bright and early to find the door decked out with decorations from both VA and East Bay teams as well as finish line streamers across the door. the whole hotel looked like a dorm during rush (delta delta delta!!!) with signs and streamers, pretty darn cool! off to the lobby to meet with the team, quick bagel and cream cheese, some water, a pee break, and we were on the bus headed to the race.
on the bus, suddenly realize what i am about to do and bagel threatens a repeat performance. manage to calm down, stand in a porta-potty line for a LONG time with Lisa, don't have to go yet but figure i will by the time i get up there. grammy st.clair is proud, i worked out some drops. lisa heads to her corral and i see dad moseying on over. meet him and bea for some warm up and confidence building time. head over to our corral for start. wave starts happen every 2 minutes, we are in corral 25, almost an hour into the race and we haven't started yet. turns out, the winner of the half marathon will be crossing the finish line 16 minutes after we cross the start (aka mile 1!). finally get out and moving and it is great! sunny day, cool, but clear. there are SO MANY PEOPLE!!! having fun, trucking along at a respectable pace of about 15 min mile give or take. see frank at mile 3ish, he and miranda are there to take pics and miranda yells "GO TEAM" at anything purple.
about mile 4 the heel starts to tell me there is a bit of a chance of a blister, but i have put a prophylactic blister band-aid in place so i'm not too worried. since i have been battling blisters throughout the training, i am pretty sure i have this figured out and under control. just like in the training, i have on 2 pairs of socks, the running socks against my feet and the cotton ones over to provide extra cushion. decide to check in on the hot spot to be sure, better safe than sorry later right? WRONG! take off the shoe, the band-aid is gone, mysteriously shed into my sock. dry off the heel with tissues i packed for just this reason, put on a new band-aid (i have 2 full boxes worth in my pocket to be safe), re-lace the shoe and take about 5 steps before it feels like a cheese grater is running up and down my achilles tendon. stop again, take off the shoe and this band-aid is gone too! figuring i didn't get the heel dry enough, i really wipe it off and even let it air out for a minute or so before putting on the new band-aid. re-lace, head out, screaming pain in the heel. this continues on and off for the next mile and a half until at mile 6 i take the sock off completely and i figure out the problem....the inner sock is wicking, the outer one isn't. the inner sock is sitting there soaking wet (which i couldn't feel because it was so arid out, i didn't even know i was sweating) with no place for the moisture to go. Meanwhile, that great race time that we started with is quickly going away and we are getting closer and closer to not finishing in time to get a finishers medal and being picked up by the sweeper. finally, the sweeper comes by and tells us we have to get moving or be done. with that, i took off the wet sock and only wore the dry outer one, tied my shoe as tight as i could to put the strain on the ball and arch of my foot rather than the heel and just sucked it up and went on.
Many miles, lots of Gu, really great cheerleaders, good music and my infallible partner in crime Pop by my side, we trekked the rest of the way. somewhere around mile 8 we started playing this game of missile command where we set our eyes on someone and just worked to pass them. then, at first, dad would say "toast" when we passed them. eventually this generalized to other carbohydrate products and breakfast goodies, so when we passed 3 or 4 people at a time, it became "stack of pancakes" or "brioche".
around mile 10.5 we saw bea, who was an AWESOME help and not the least bit put off by the fact that i had stopped being sociable about ten minutes earlier (i was just digging deep trying to block out the blisters that had now moved into the other heel too!). at the last bend, mile 12 we came over the bridge and there was mom holding up a TNT sign for us and cheering her butt off. she took some great pics, almost lost her phone, and got a nasty shin goose egg from bumping into a bench while trying to document our success. she even ran ahead with bea to get some pics! Finally, mile 12.6, 1/2 mile to go and we were almost out of juice. dad and i broke into a gallop trying to drop that final time down just a little. at this point, we were just so slap happy, and running on endurance and glucose, plus we were really working to bring down some of the time we had lost on the band-aid malfunctions. at the highest, with all of the stops, we were averaging about a 24 minute mile, and we had to do some serious trucking to bring it back down. in fact, i think that if you figured the actual pace we were going every time we were moving, we would have finished in less than 3.5 hours. after all was said and done, we made it in at 4 hours, one minute and seven seconds for dad, eight seconds for me. i was hoping for under 4 hours, but a finish is a finish and a medal is a medal! Lisa was there waiting for us at the finish line, she had been there for almost 2 hours because once you leave you can't go back in. she waited with no food, no blanket, just first aid and ice so that she could be at the finish line. as soon as i saw here, i knew we really did it! dad and i crossed that finish line together & there with my sister, the whole family of champions! what an experience!
So in all, great day, amazing success, heels blistered up like bubble wrap packing material and only wearing birkenstocks with no backs for the next week or so, but all 3 of us made it in, no major injuries, 3 personal best times (til next time!). the actual picture of the finish line is a little different than the one i carried for so many months (i'm sweatier and my hair is less Farrah Fawcett feather and more Vinnie the Auto Mechanic greasy) but we are all there together and it's real and that makes it SO much better!
Wednesday, February 13, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
ummmm, i'm a L-A-M-E-O!
ok, so after giving all the other family bloggers crap about big expanses of time without blogs, i missed a full month! life has been good and crazy busy with holidays and finishing the fund-raising and all, but i'm still a lame blogger. rather than give a full training synopsis, here is the extremely abbreviated one....did 10 miles in a little over 3 hours, went home and then couldn't get out of my car to go inside to change. not that it hurt or anything, just couldn't communicate to my legs the series of events that needed to happen in order to stand from a sitting position, they had temporary amnesia. also, made the mistake of scheduling 2 clients for massage that day. the first one was unbelievably tough, my legs shook throughout the entire session, though i spent a lot of time on her neck, which coincidentally is much easier to do when sitting (hooray!!!). then, my second client called to tell me that she wasn't feeling well and needed to reschedule. i've never been so happy to have a cancellation :). did the regular 3 or 4 midweek mile trainings, then went to Tampa for Christmas and training with dad and the suncoast team. there, we did 12.5 miles. we meant to only do 12, but dad and i got a bit lost on the route and did some back and forth doubling back stuff for a little bit. the distance was tough, but it was really nice to train on flat ground. i missed the recovery of the downhills, but my cute butt didn't miss the uphills of VA at all! also managed to get a great lesson on band-aid adhesives and petroleum jelly which will prevent delays on race day (they say to do all of your trial and error stuff in training, that was BIG error!) got home to do the tapers, no problems with the training, legs and lungs feeling good, got lots of rest over the break since i didn't have to get up for work for a few days, tried doing the 2 pair of socks trick to alleviate the blister problem which is working really well and will be a race day addition (as well as a handful of blister band aids and NO bacitracin!!!). went yesterday to Dicks to stock up on Gu and Stingers and bought my $5 disposable sweatshirt from Target for keeping warm before the race and a really fuzzy fleece for after. and now it seems, that with just about a week left, i'm ready for race day!
so here is what i have taken from all of this. there is a really long distance between "not easy" and "hard" and an equally long one between "hard" and "impossible". i knew this would be hard, in fact at times i thought it would be impossible, but i have come to realize that there is great joy in pushing to those places and seeing that i can survive. and not just survive, but really be good. maybe not right away, i certainly didn't feel great while giving that massage on the day of the 10 miles, but i did it. and my client never knew the difference. i pushed myself beyond what i EVER thought i was capable of and not only didn't just die, but went on with life as usual with a slightly weird limp. (to be honest, it wasn't even a limp, i just couldn't get my knees to work so i walked like a gingerbread man all day, which was actually highly amusing to me!). and during the 12.5 mile trek, when my band aid kept falling off and it felt like a steak knife was rubbing up and down on my heal, i just kept sitting down and trying to fix it. because i kept thinking, "well what are you going to do? just go home because your foot hurts? your didn't get up this early and put on these clothes and come out here to go home without completing this distance, now get it together and fix this silly problem!" that's new. that's what i am taking from this and i can't wait to apply it to other parts of my life. to know that once something is no longer easy it doesn't necessarily mean i need to give up on it, that maybe if i dig in and work a little harder, i can succeed. i can't tell you how much that is worth to me. certainly more than the amount i had to fund raise to get here. i have taken far more from this than i ever expected.
thanks pops. thanks sister.
so here is what i have taken from all of this. there is a really long distance between "not easy" and "hard" and an equally long one between "hard" and "impossible". i knew this would be hard, in fact at times i thought it would be impossible, but i have come to realize that there is great joy in pushing to those places and seeing that i can survive. and not just survive, but really be good. maybe not right away, i certainly didn't feel great while giving that massage on the day of the 10 miles, but i did it. and my client never knew the difference. i pushed myself beyond what i EVER thought i was capable of and not only didn't just die, but went on with life as usual with a slightly weird limp. (to be honest, it wasn't even a limp, i just couldn't get my knees to work so i walked like a gingerbread man all day, which was actually highly amusing to me!). and during the 12.5 mile trek, when my band aid kept falling off and it felt like a steak knife was rubbing up and down on my heal, i just kept sitting down and trying to fix it. because i kept thinking, "well what are you going to do? just go home because your foot hurts? your didn't get up this early and put on these clothes and come out here to go home without completing this distance, now get it together and fix this silly problem!" that's new. that's what i am taking from this and i can't wait to apply it to other parts of my life. to know that once something is no longer easy it doesn't necessarily mean i need to give up on it, that maybe if i dig in and work a little harder, i can succeed. i can't tell you how much that is worth to me. certainly more than the amount i had to fund raise to get here. i have taken far more from this than i ever expected.
thanks pops. thanks sister.
Tuesday, December 4, 2007
brrrrr & hahahaha
tuesday night and time for my midweek 3 mile training session. it is really flipping cold outside (low 20's) and pitch black as there seems to be no moon in sight. got a late start getting out for the walk/jog so by the time i actually went it was already 9:45 pm so really settled into the darkness. the session itself was nice, due to the cold, the stars were really bright, and the layers actually kept me quite warm though i think i may need a bike short for extra thigh warmth if the race is anywhere near this cold. at any rate, the session was strong, muscles complied with all that was asked of them, was a little low on fuel so i decided to try out the new energy stuff i got on advice of the c'ville running store guy. it's called "stinger" and it is this gu-like substance but it is a little less.....gu-ey (gooey?) as it is a little softer or thinner or something, but it is made of honey and pretty much just tasted like eating a rather large packet of honey (one of those things you either like or think "ewwww", i personally am a pooh-bear sized proponent of honey, so i was on board) i am a fan, perhaps my new fave.
so here is where we get to the hahaha (the brr was the 20 degree stuff), walking back from the track, and as i have mentioned in past posts, there are no street lights or sidewalks in my neighborhood. got to the cool down spot (300 yards from home) when a car was coming from behind me. now, as a good little safety scout, i was on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic to be able to get out of the way as needed of drivers who don't see little old me on the road. and though i was wearing light colored clothes, i was probably a little tough to see. in front of me, walking toward me on the same side of the road (NOT a good safety scout!) was a 50-ish man obviously out for the same goal as me, a brisk night exercise session. Apparently the factors aligned just right so that between the late hour & cold weather he assumed he was alone, and with having to drop his eyes to not get blinded by the oncoming headlights he didn't see me at all. as we were passing i said "hey, how are you?" or something of the sort and apparently scared the poor man half to death (unintentionally, i really thought he saw me too, but i have really good night vision and wasn't looking into headlights). he jumped about 5 feet sideways and replied "oh whoa my wanna holy huuuuummm" or something along those lines. poor guy, i think he got more cardio than he was planning on!
oh, also one "tada" moment. getting ready for work this morning i was looking for some pants to wear and went into the closet to see what was there and clean. in the back was a pair of brown dress pants that i haven't thought much about so they have been just sitting there on a hanger. on a whim i tried them on and they fit great. turns out the reason that i haven't given them much thought is because they are a size smaller than i have been wearing for about 3 years. in fact, i think it was probably 2002 or so since last i wore the pants. they are my new official work pants!!!
so here is where we get to the hahaha (the brr was the 20 degree stuff), walking back from the track, and as i have mentioned in past posts, there are no street lights or sidewalks in my neighborhood. got to the cool down spot (300 yards from home) when a car was coming from behind me. now, as a good little safety scout, i was on the side of the road facing oncoming traffic to be able to get out of the way as needed of drivers who don't see little old me on the road. and though i was wearing light colored clothes, i was probably a little tough to see. in front of me, walking toward me on the same side of the road (NOT a good safety scout!) was a 50-ish man obviously out for the same goal as me, a brisk night exercise session. Apparently the factors aligned just right so that between the late hour & cold weather he assumed he was alone, and with having to drop his eyes to not get blinded by the oncoming headlights he didn't see me at all. as we were passing i said "hey, how are you?" or something of the sort and apparently scared the poor man half to death (unintentionally, i really thought he saw me too, but i have really good night vision and wasn't looking into headlights). he jumped about 5 feet sideways and replied "oh whoa my wanna holy huuuuummm" or something along those lines. poor guy, i think he got more cardio than he was planning on!
oh, also one "tada" moment. getting ready for work this morning i was looking for some pants to wear and went into the closet to see what was there and clean. in the back was a pair of brown dress pants that i haven't thought much about so they have been just sitting there on a hanger. on a whim i tried them on and they fit great. turns out the reason that i haven't given them much thought is because they are a size smaller than i have been wearing for about 3 years. in fact, i think it was probably 2002 or so since last i wore the pants. they are my new official work pants!!!
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Good week of training and some company for the mileage!
dad and i did lots of fun training on our thanksgiving get-together! we went out the first day he and mom got here and hit the track for a 3 mile walk that turned into a 3 mile jog/walk/holy crap run like the wind for the last part of the 2nd mile! it went something like this...
sun had set, kinda dark and about 4-5 oz of steak in my belly. bundled dad up a little as he isn't used to fall training especially fall with no sunshine! we headed out to the track that is 1/2 mile from the house and started with a nice fast paced walk. the first mile averaged out to about 14:45 so we decided to kick it up a little. the second mile involved walking all but the last 100 yards of the first lap which we decided to jog. the second lap we jogged for the last 200 yards (the half way point) and walked the rest, the third was the same. the last lap we walked (i was a little twinge-y on the outside of my right ankle, something i have been playing with for a few weeks) until just before the last 100 yards, then dad started to jog and i decided to give it my best. as i started jogging next to him, he pushed a little faster and pulled ahead a little. suddenly, we were both running and i just kicked in the turbo boosters and shot to the end of the track with a dad slightly behind (i had a combo of youth and a job that requires standing and therefor leg strength on my side!) whole walk/run was 3 miles in 43:45! averaging under 15 minutes!!
the next night, wednesday, we ate a pretty big and heavy dinner in charlottesville and i wasn't feeling like training. we finished up dinner by about 6, but by the time we got home it was closer to 8 and it was well after dark. it had been an unseasonably warm day however and was still quite lovely out and there was a pretty nearly full moon to light the way, so we decided, full belly or no, to go out and get in 3 miles again. this time, with respect to our digestion and a little stiff from the showing off the night before, i was only really wanting to walk, so there was very little actual jogging happening on this session.
thursday was supposed to be 3 miles, but since it was thanksgiving, the plans got a little off. we had meant to do the 1 mile hike at the natural bridge, but by the time we finished with dinner, it was getting pretty late and they wont let you go in after dark. since we couldn't hike, we decided to at least take the stairs down to see the natural bridge. the stairs, and i use this term somewhat loosely as they were really just unevenly cut pieces of stone stuck into the ground, led down to the bridge where we were to watch a really cool light show extravaganza. after walking the 150 or so stairs we walked out to and underneath the bridge and really got to experience it's size and majesty. it is a really cool thing! after the show (which was really cool except it was FREEZING!!!!) we went over to take the bus back to the top where the parking lot was. the first busload was already full and as cold as we were we decided to take the stairs back up rather than wait (not mom's favorite idea of the week). all in all, not quite 3 miles, but probably around 2 and some really good stair endurance.
saturday was the endurance walk. the team was meeting at 7 am, but we decided that it was too early for us so we headed out at 8 and got to c'ville around 8:45. i took dad on the 7 1/2 mile loop i took 2 weeks ago figuring we could finish up any additional we wanted to do (i was scheduled for 9 total this week) at the UVA track by the parking lot where my car was. after about 6 miles i made a judgment call that it was better to do 7 1/2 miles and be able to socialize than shoot for the 9 and need to spend the rest of the day on my tush at home, so we limited the walk to the original path. the walk was awesome, we went through campus as i usually do, but it was during the UVA/Virginia Tech football game which is a huge rivalry so there was LOTS of fun tailgating going on (many drunken frat boys!). due to the sudden plunge in temp, dad got to play around with thermals and layers (though he only brought running shorts and it was 26 degrees out so he borrowed my nylon running pants which were about 3 inches too short! very funny!) although it was cold, we had a great time, with potty breaks and all averaged 18 minutes a mile even with the substantial hills that this route provides. after finishing, we stretched and headed to smoothie king for some nutrients while waiting for mom to come to town. unfortunately, the combo of icy cold smoothie with wet though wicking under layers of clothing led to a somewhat deep chill and we headed out of smoothie king looking for someplace to change into dry clothes and get warm. in the interim, i turned the heat up to high in the car and drove to the school for a changing room. the school was closed (forgot about the holiday) and the heat in the car felt really good, so that, combined with the early wake up time and the overall fatigue from the walk led us to pull the car into the Giant grocery parking lot and take a nice 20 minute power nap while the heater blew full blast. ah yeah! good times!
all in all, a successful week of training and lots of fun having someone to train with!
sun had set, kinda dark and about 4-5 oz of steak in my belly. bundled dad up a little as he isn't used to fall training especially fall with no sunshine! we headed out to the track that is 1/2 mile from the house and started with a nice fast paced walk. the first mile averaged out to about 14:45 so we decided to kick it up a little. the second mile involved walking all but the last 100 yards of the first lap which we decided to jog. the second lap we jogged for the last 200 yards (the half way point) and walked the rest, the third was the same. the last lap we walked (i was a little twinge-y on the outside of my right ankle, something i have been playing with for a few weeks) until just before the last 100 yards, then dad started to jog and i decided to give it my best. as i started jogging next to him, he pushed a little faster and pulled ahead a little. suddenly, we were both running and i just kicked in the turbo boosters and shot to the end of the track with a dad slightly behind (i had a combo of youth and a job that requires standing and therefor leg strength on my side!) whole walk/run was 3 miles in 43:45! averaging under 15 minutes!!
the next night, wednesday, we ate a pretty big and heavy dinner in charlottesville and i wasn't feeling like training. we finished up dinner by about 6, but by the time we got home it was closer to 8 and it was well after dark. it had been an unseasonably warm day however and was still quite lovely out and there was a pretty nearly full moon to light the way, so we decided, full belly or no, to go out and get in 3 miles again. this time, with respect to our digestion and a little stiff from the showing off the night before, i was only really wanting to walk, so there was very little actual jogging happening on this session.
thursday was supposed to be 3 miles, but since it was thanksgiving, the plans got a little off. we had meant to do the 1 mile hike at the natural bridge, but by the time we finished with dinner, it was getting pretty late and they wont let you go in after dark. since we couldn't hike, we decided to at least take the stairs down to see the natural bridge. the stairs, and i use this term somewhat loosely as they were really just unevenly cut pieces of stone stuck into the ground, led down to the bridge where we were to watch a really cool light show extravaganza. after walking the 150 or so stairs we walked out to and underneath the bridge and really got to experience it's size and majesty. it is a really cool thing! after the show (which was really cool except it was FREEZING!!!!) we went over to take the bus back to the top where the parking lot was. the first busload was already full and as cold as we were we decided to take the stairs back up rather than wait (not mom's favorite idea of the week). all in all, not quite 3 miles, but probably around 2 and some really good stair endurance.
saturday was the endurance walk. the team was meeting at 7 am, but we decided that it was too early for us so we headed out at 8 and got to c'ville around 8:45. i took dad on the 7 1/2 mile loop i took 2 weeks ago figuring we could finish up any additional we wanted to do (i was scheduled for 9 total this week) at the UVA track by the parking lot where my car was. after about 6 miles i made a judgment call that it was better to do 7 1/2 miles and be able to socialize than shoot for the 9 and need to spend the rest of the day on my tush at home, so we limited the walk to the original path. the walk was awesome, we went through campus as i usually do, but it was during the UVA/Virginia Tech football game which is a huge rivalry so there was LOTS of fun tailgating going on (many drunken frat boys!). due to the sudden plunge in temp, dad got to play around with thermals and layers (though he only brought running shorts and it was 26 degrees out so he borrowed my nylon running pants which were about 3 inches too short! very funny!) although it was cold, we had a great time, with potty breaks and all averaged 18 minutes a mile even with the substantial hills that this route provides. after finishing, we stretched and headed to smoothie king for some nutrients while waiting for mom to come to town. unfortunately, the combo of icy cold smoothie with wet though wicking under layers of clothing led to a somewhat deep chill and we headed out of smoothie king looking for someplace to change into dry clothes and get warm. in the interim, i turned the heat up to high in the car and drove to the school for a changing room. the school was closed (forgot about the holiday) and the heat in the car felt really good, so that, combined with the early wake up time and the overall fatigue from the walk led us to pull the car into the Giant grocery parking lot and take a nice 20 minute power nap while the heater blew full blast. ah yeah! good times!
all in all, a successful week of training and lots of fun having someone to train with!
Monday, November 12, 2007
saturday morning training
saturday training, actually did all of my midweek mileage going in to it (first time in a few weeks) got up and ate breakfast of instant oatmeal and oj and headed out the door with haste as i was running a little late. got into the car and headed to c'ville which takes about 30 minutes in regular traffic. unfortunately, this was NOT regular traffic, this was pokey-the-driving-slugmobile traffic. so i was a little grumpy that i hadn't gotten up and out earlier, then i was grumpy that i had to be up so darn early on a saturday morning anyway. then i was grumpy that i had no clients scheduled for the day which meant i was up early with no plans for the rest of the day after the training. then i was grumpy because i had been trying for 2 days to get a particular friend on the phone and she never answers, oh yeah, that's right, no one has been answering their phones since yesterday, now i am grumpy and feeling sorry for myself because i am all alone in the world and i have to do everything for myself because there is no on around to pick up the slack and it's not fair, it's not fair, it's not fair (hold my breath 'til i turn blue and pass out, yes it was a temper tantrum, i'm aware thank you very much!). by the time i FINALLY got to the meeting spot for TNT group training, they had already headed out (not that it matters, i'm gonna have to walk by myself anyway, there are no other walkers, i'm the only one who can't run because i'm fat and why am i fooling myself into thinking this is a good idea? maybe i should just quit. i should just go home and watch tv, i don't want to walk now, no one would even notice either way, return to holding breath until blue again....).
so i started the car and got ready to leave. then i stopped. then i pulled the car back in to the parking spot. then i stopped. then i backed out again. then i drove the stupid car into the stupid spot and took the stupid keys out of the ignition (which was also stupid). i decided i was already there, i might as well walk. And even though i didn't have the map that my coach makes up for us for each session, i knew last time was 5 miles and this one was supposed to be 7, and i average about a 16 minute mile, so i would walk most of the 5 path and veer off for 16 minutes or so, double back and finish the 5 mile loop. so i headed out with my new water hip pack (probably the main reason i stayed, i was excited to try out the new hydration system) and began the walk. about 10 minutes in i was glad i decided to stay. about 45 minutes in i realized i LOVE charlottesville especially in the fall (i was unaware of it's beauty up close since i have spent the last 2 falls inside and inactive for the most part).
all in all, the walk was beautiful and uneventful. it's definitely getting easier to do the distances, my shins don't hurt at all any more. it's getting harder and harder to get my heart rate up to those really high numbers, the legs get wobbly before the lungs get too pant-y. my hamstring twinged a little at about mile marker 6 and by that night it was pretty mad, but a little icy hot took it out for the most part. but here's the part that makes this whole rant worthwhile...
when i finally got to the return loop to the parking lot where my car was parked, i looked up the hill and saw my car in the distance. i wasn't sure, but i thought i saw that my coach's car was still there too. i figured they weren't back from the 15 miles the full marathoners were doing and was pleasantly surprised to see that at least they weren't moving at double my speed (usually that happens, especially with the seasoned runners, we head out together and they are back at the end before me having done twice the distance in less time than me). as i made the final uphill (CUTE BUTTS!) my coach got out of her car and waved at me from across the parking lot. i couldn't believe she knew it was me. first off, she left before i got there and i hadn't emailed her to tell her if i was going to be there or not, so she had no reason to expect me. second, it was REALLY cold out, so i was bundled up in a jacket and a fleece hat, kind of incognito. when i got there, she apologized for heading out without me, and i told her that i was about 10 minutes late, no way would i have expected them to wait when they had no reason to know i was coming. Then i asked her how she knew i was there and out walking. she told me that Briana, one of the other participants, had recognized my car when they doubled back past the parking lot on their run. one of the other participants noticed it was me. my team knew i was there. wow. ok, now i get it, Go team...
really glad i stayed
so i started the car and got ready to leave. then i stopped. then i pulled the car back in to the parking spot. then i stopped. then i backed out again. then i drove the stupid car into the stupid spot and took the stupid keys out of the ignition (which was also stupid). i decided i was already there, i might as well walk. And even though i didn't have the map that my coach makes up for us for each session, i knew last time was 5 miles and this one was supposed to be 7, and i average about a 16 minute mile, so i would walk most of the 5 path and veer off for 16 minutes or so, double back and finish the 5 mile loop. so i headed out with my new water hip pack (probably the main reason i stayed, i was excited to try out the new hydration system) and began the walk. about 10 minutes in i was glad i decided to stay. about 45 minutes in i realized i LOVE charlottesville especially in the fall (i was unaware of it's beauty up close since i have spent the last 2 falls inside and inactive for the most part).
all in all, the walk was beautiful and uneventful. it's definitely getting easier to do the distances, my shins don't hurt at all any more. it's getting harder and harder to get my heart rate up to those really high numbers, the legs get wobbly before the lungs get too pant-y. my hamstring twinged a little at about mile marker 6 and by that night it was pretty mad, but a little icy hot took it out for the most part. but here's the part that makes this whole rant worthwhile...
when i finally got to the return loop to the parking lot where my car was parked, i looked up the hill and saw my car in the distance. i wasn't sure, but i thought i saw that my coach's car was still there too. i figured they weren't back from the 15 miles the full marathoners were doing and was pleasantly surprised to see that at least they weren't moving at double my speed (usually that happens, especially with the seasoned runners, we head out together and they are back at the end before me having done twice the distance in less time than me). as i made the final uphill (CUTE BUTTS!) my coach got out of her car and waved at me from across the parking lot. i couldn't believe she knew it was me. first off, she left before i got there and i hadn't emailed her to tell her if i was going to be there or not, so she had no reason to expect me. second, it was REALLY cold out, so i was bundled up in a jacket and a fleece hat, kind of incognito. when i got there, she apologized for heading out without me, and i told her that i was about 10 minutes late, no way would i have expected them to wait when they had no reason to know i was coming. Then i asked her how she knew i was there and out walking. she told me that Briana, one of the other participants, had recognized my car when they doubled back past the parking lot on their run. one of the other participants noticed it was me. my team knew i was there. wow. ok, now i get it, Go team...
really glad i stayed
Saturday, November 3, 2007
ok, back to the schedule
so i ended up taking 10 days off from training due to a lovely upper respiratory tract infection that left me with no energy and even less voice (kinda freaked out poor miranda when she wanted to chat with aunt jen the other day and got a croaky monster on the line!). finally decided i was ready to get back on the road on tuesday. went out with no intention to worry about time, only to get my legs moving again after so long. during the down time i was actually "itchy" to get back out, i think i have developed exercise restless leg syndrome. went out for an easy 3 miles and set the watch only to keep time to see how much of a back slide happens with 10 days out of commission. wouldn't you know, the first mile was 15:38, the second was 14:10 and the third was 14:13! the whole thing was under 45 minutes, finally back to the time i had been doing before i got sick last time! apparently, the down time did me good. went back out on thursday and had an equally good walk, did a little hill training, so the times were a little slower, but not bad and my heart rate was staying nicely in the 130's to 140's (and the cute butt chant is less frequent, guess the hills are getting a little easier if i don't need the encouragement)
today i did an open house with my friend Ed who is a chiropractor in town, i did chair massage for 3 hours and we set up a table of my now famous "cancer curing cookies" which have improved with the addition of some butterscotch chips. spent a lot of time getting to know some of the great people in my neighborhood and raised another $45 for TNT and have a few people who went home with promises of web donations. after 3 hours of chair massage, i was a little tired, but today was an endurance day and the weather was absolutely perfect for a walk, so i went home, changed into walking gear and headed out. the schedule for today was just 6 miles, but as i was going, it felt so good i decided to pass the turn around point and keep going. finally i found myself at the main gate of lake monticello which is over 3 and a half miles from my house. there i high fived the stop sign and turned around and headed home.
the walk back was great and i noticed that i had picked up a nice cadence to my walk that began to turn to a nice, easy jog. i decided to just go with it and ended up jogging for about 3/4 of a mile before i started to feel winded. for the rest of the way home, i traded off jogging until my heart rate got to 150ish and then walking it back down to the 130's. unfortunately, it was starting to get dark and as there are no sidewalks in my neighborhood, dusk isn't the safest time to be out on the road. i picked up speed to try to get off of the main roads and finally found myself back on the road that leads to my road, 3/4 of a mile from home. at this point, the final little hill of the route comes in and normally it isn't really that tough. today however, that hill was a mountain! i guess this was the point that my legs were done. i started getting a little wobbly and was having a little trouble getting my legs to point in a straight line. fortunately, there is very little traffic on this road, so i had the whole area to sort of stagger up the hill. when i got to the playground 1/2 mile from home, i went over to the water fountain for a drink and found that they have closed it for the fall/winter. i must have looked like a lunatic fumbling around where the handle is supposed to be but wasn't. can you believe it? they just took the handle off and replaced it with this metal plate. my brain was struggling to comprehend this (now, post hydration, i have figured it out!) and my legs were screaming for a break. so i stopped, took a deep breath and dug down deep to get a little reserve. then i got back on the road and headed in the direction of the house. finally, i rounded the corner to Loving terrace and sprinted my way to the front door. i got inside, ripped off my shoes and plopped down on the floor for a few minutes of rest before stretching.
All in all, i think today i finally found the wall. i have yet to push quite this hard up to now, though i have definitely been close. but best of all i noticed something on my walk today....i feel less cumbersome. that's the best way to describe it, like my body doesn't get in it's own way. it's a pretty darn good feeling. and holy cow, i made it to the main gate and back! in total, it was 7.25 miles in 1:55! so that means that 14.5 miles would take under 4 hours, and we only have to do 13.1, so YEAH!!! now, if i can figure out how to double the distance without falling down on my face......
today i did an open house with my friend Ed who is a chiropractor in town, i did chair massage for 3 hours and we set up a table of my now famous "cancer curing cookies" which have improved with the addition of some butterscotch chips. spent a lot of time getting to know some of the great people in my neighborhood and raised another $45 for TNT and have a few people who went home with promises of web donations. after 3 hours of chair massage, i was a little tired, but today was an endurance day and the weather was absolutely perfect for a walk, so i went home, changed into walking gear and headed out. the schedule for today was just 6 miles, but as i was going, it felt so good i decided to pass the turn around point and keep going. finally i found myself at the main gate of lake monticello which is over 3 and a half miles from my house. there i high fived the stop sign and turned around and headed home.
the walk back was great and i noticed that i had picked up a nice cadence to my walk that began to turn to a nice, easy jog. i decided to just go with it and ended up jogging for about 3/4 of a mile before i started to feel winded. for the rest of the way home, i traded off jogging until my heart rate got to 150ish and then walking it back down to the 130's. unfortunately, it was starting to get dark and as there are no sidewalks in my neighborhood, dusk isn't the safest time to be out on the road. i picked up speed to try to get off of the main roads and finally found myself back on the road that leads to my road, 3/4 of a mile from home. at this point, the final little hill of the route comes in and normally it isn't really that tough. today however, that hill was a mountain! i guess this was the point that my legs were done. i started getting a little wobbly and was having a little trouble getting my legs to point in a straight line. fortunately, there is very little traffic on this road, so i had the whole area to sort of stagger up the hill. when i got to the playground 1/2 mile from home, i went over to the water fountain for a drink and found that they have closed it for the fall/winter. i must have looked like a lunatic fumbling around where the handle is supposed to be but wasn't. can you believe it? they just took the handle off and replaced it with this metal plate. my brain was struggling to comprehend this (now, post hydration, i have figured it out!) and my legs were screaming for a break. so i stopped, took a deep breath and dug down deep to get a little reserve. then i got back on the road and headed in the direction of the house. finally, i rounded the corner to Loving terrace and sprinted my way to the front door. i got inside, ripped off my shoes and plopped down on the floor for a few minutes of rest before stretching.
All in all, i think today i finally found the wall. i have yet to push quite this hard up to now, though i have definitely been close. but best of all i noticed something on my walk today....i feel less cumbersome. that's the best way to describe it, like my body doesn't get in it's own way. it's a pretty darn good feeling. and holy cow, i made it to the main gate and back! in total, it was 7.25 miles in 1:55! so that means that 14.5 miles would take under 4 hours, and we only have to do 13.1, so YEAH!!! now, if i can figure out how to double the distance without falling down on my face......
Sunday, October 21, 2007
cookies
not so much a training post as a fundraising one...
bake sales are fun, making cookies is time consuming but enjoyable (and there are lots of beaters to lick) watching little kids eat your creations while their parents feel good about donating to a good cause is even better. However, one word of advice, frosting and direct sunlight do not go together....my cupcakes got a little on the saggy side about 35 minutes into the sale, and by the end, the frosting was kinda squishy (though the cookies were warm and soft like fresh from the oven!) the cupcakes left over got scraped and re-frosted to sell tomorrow at work. So far, I have raised about $65, so we'll see what the total is after work. I'm doing another sale on the 3rd of November when my friend Dr. Lauterbach, who owns the office where I had the sale today, is having an open house, and the gourmet pet place next door is having their one year anniversary extravaganza which they have been massively advertising and I am going to ride their tails like a flea.
here's what my sign said....
"These cookies cure cancer! (and the cupcakes aren't bad either)"
catchy, huh?
bake sales are fun, making cookies is time consuming but enjoyable (and there are lots of beaters to lick) watching little kids eat your creations while their parents feel good about donating to a good cause is even better. However, one word of advice, frosting and direct sunlight do not go together....my cupcakes got a little on the saggy side about 35 minutes into the sale, and by the end, the frosting was kinda squishy (though the cookies were warm and soft like fresh from the oven!) the cupcakes left over got scraped and re-frosted to sell tomorrow at work. So far, I have raised about $65, so we'll see what the total is after work. I'm doing another sale on the 3rd of November when my friend Dr. Lauterbach, who owns the office where I had the sale today, is having an open house, and the gourmet pet place next door is having their one year anniversary extravaganza which they have been massively advertising and I am going to ride their tails like a flea.
here's what my sign said....
"These cookies cure cancer! (and the cupcakes aren't bad either)"
catchy, huh?
Monday, October 15, 2007
six miles and counting
yeah! on saturday morning i went six miles! of course, at 5 to 5 1/2 i was feeling a little wobbly and tired, but once i saw the finish line it was all downhill. well, actually it was uphill, but i was walking with my coach and we dug in and gave it a little extra steam and started the chant....."CUTE BUTTS! CUTE BUTTS!" i told her that she was now quoted bi-coastally and that I would work on getting it both to Tampa and eventually to Arizona so she can improve her brand identity.
one side note, raisin bran is NOT a before endurance walk food. although the tummy stayed satiated, the intestines picked up speed around mile 3. and normally i walk alone and can release any building gas that shows up once peristalsis kicks in (usually midway on the course) but since my coach was there the whole time, i had to seem lady-like and keep my gaseous nature a secret. a shout out and blanket apology to the Shell station restroom on Old Ivy road. RIP, you never knew what hit you......
one side note, raisin bran is NOT a before endurance walk food. although the tummy stayed satiated, the intestines picked up speed around mile 3. and normally i walk alone and can release any building gas that shows up once peristalsis kicks in (usually midway on the course) but since my coach was there the whole time, i had to seem lady-like and keep my gaseous nature a secret. a shout out and blanket apology to the Shell station restroom on Old Ivy road. RIP, you never knew what hit you......
Thursday, October 11, 2007
long time, no blog....
ok, let's play catch up. went out wednesday the 3rd for a 3.5 mile walk, then did 2 miles on thursday. the thursday one was actually pretty eventful, I was on the track and I decided after the 1/2 mile warm up on the walk to the track that I wanted to work on speed. so when I got to the track, which is broken up into 100, 200, 300, and 400 yard sections, I decided to try jogging from 0 to 100. well, about 2 paces into it I was not feeling it, but instead of stopping and walking, I decided to try something new. I felt like I was spending so much energy trying to get the next foot in front of the last that I wasn't really moving very well, so instead I focused on "pushing" the ground out from underneath me with each step. I actually was picturing when Shelby takes a poo in the yard and then does the kick kick thing, that was my model for moving my legs (which, had I been able to breathe would probably have really made me laugh!). All of a sudden I took off like a flash! I was really trucking! when I got to the 100 yard line, I slowed to a quick walk which I took around the rest of the track until I got back to the start line and I kicked it in to a run again. I repeated this all 4 laps around the track to make a mile, in total running 1/4 of the mile!!! and the coolest part was that my time for that mile was 13:56, I actually broke 14 minutes!!!
Sunday was my next outing as I was in California so my schedule was a little thrown off. Frank, Lisa, Miranda and I went up to Mt. Tam and did the "plank walk" which sounds easy but wasn't (actually in hindsight it sounds pirate-y) but was REALLY fun! we went 1.5 miles up to the top of the peak of Mt. Tam to the ranger's station. At the top part, it was really rocky and rough, but we all made it to the top. The next day, Lisa and I went out for a 3 mile walk around her neighborhood and those El Cerrito hills made for some cute butts!
When I got home on tuesday night it was WAY too late to walk so I put myself to bed. Yesterday I got in 3 miles and tonight was 2.5. Tomorrow is a rest day and then on to bigger and better numbers on saturday (6 miles I think). Will update when I see what the legs feel like after the distance day!
happy training to all and to all a good night!
Sunday was my next outing as I was in California so my schedule was a little thrown off. Frank, Lisa, Miranda and I went up to Mt. Tam and did the "plank walk" which sounds easy but wasn't (actually in hindsight it sounds pirate-y) but was REALLY fun! we went 1.5 miles up to the top of the peak of Mt. Tam to the ranger's station. At the top part, it was really rocky and rough, but we all made it to the top. The next day, Lisa and I went out for a 3 mile walk around her neighborhood and those El Cerrito hills made for some cute butts!
When I got home on tuesday night it was WAY too late to walk so I put myself to bed. Yesterday I got in 3 miles and tonight was 2.5. Tomorrow is a rest day and then on to bigger and better numbers on saturday (6 miles I think). Will update when I see what the legs feel like after the distance day!
happy training to all and to all a good night!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
3.5 miles, good time, happy feet
today was a fun walk, i needed to get in 5 miles between today and tomorrow, either 2 today and 3 tomorrow or vice versa. i headed out for a nice walk and actually really got my speed up to a comfortable but rapid pace. i was on one of the hill laden areas, so i am considering today a hill training day. my coach Sarah says that when you are going up a hill, especially the long, slow grades, you should think about what a cute butt it's going to give you, so that was my mantra for today. "cute butt, cute butt, cute butt" all the way up the hill, good thing there was no on nearby to hear me, might have been accused of harassment! i went around a loop today instead of heading out and back which is what i normally do, but i was planning on ending up at ed and denise's for dinner, so i built that into my route and ended up, sweaty and hungry at their table. what a great way to end the walk! the only bummer was that i actually felt that i could have gone more because i took it a little easy last week and feel renewed this week (plus, i started wearing better shoes to work so my feet aren't dying by walk time!) but since i had plans and didn't want to hold them up for dinner, i headed over without adding any additional distance. none the less, i ended up with 3.5 miles, so technically tomorrow only needs to be 1.5, but i'm pretty sure i will do at least 2 (maybe more if i feel this good tomorrow!)
happy trails and GO TEAM!
happy trails and GO TEAM!
Friday, September 28, 2007
beautiful fall weather
what a great evening for a walk. it was crisp and cool outside, the leaves are just beginning to think about turning, the kids were in the field playing soccer, and i got out for another step toward my goal. i decided to make that same 5 mile loop this time out with another few blocks for good measure, it was much easier this time than last, probably a mixture of good sleep, and easy & non-school day, and adequate nutrition before heading out, as well as just the overall build up of strength and stamina.
i also got my first contribution today! a client gave me $20.00 toward my total. that's my plan, get 200 people to donate $20. so, 1 down, 199 to go!
also learned an important lesson today that is especially applicable now that the mileage is getting longer....there is a fine line between proper hydration and an embarrassing incontinence issue. damn, the foliage isn't going to hide me much longer :)
i also got my first contribution today! a client gave me $20.00 toward my total. that's my plan, get 200 people to donate $20. so, 1 down, 199 to go!
also learned an important lesson today that is especially applicable now that the mileage is getting longer....there is a fine line between proper hydration and an embarrassing incontinence issue. damn, the foliage isn't going to hide me much longer :)
Monday, September 24, 2007
back in the saddle
last week was pretty hard on lots of different fronts and i started to question my abilities in various aspects of my life. since i wasn't able to prove to myself in tangible ways at most of the other parts of my life, i decided to prove myself on the road. for the first time since beginning training, i was out for 3 days in a row, although my saturday walk was not a huge distance. the 3rd day, sunday, was my distance day this week as i hadn't made it to my TNT training on saturday. though technically not there until this coming weekend, i decided i needed, purely for my own self satisfaction, to hit the 5 mile mark. i also decided to not worry about time and just go for the distance.
i headed out and my legs instantly began to protest, sending information to my brain about what a mean human being i was for asking them to perform 3 days in a row. they painted mental pictures of flames shooting up the fronts and twisty pretzels in the back. they flipped between screaming profanities, threatening to stop working, and trying to cajole the rest of me into turning around and going home. but i just stopped, stretched, and headed out for more. my pace was unremarkable, but since i was going for the distance i chose not to care (well, most of me did. there is still the competetive 5 year old who can do the math in about a half of a second.) On the way out, i stopped multiple times to stretch, and with each distance landmark i regrouped to decide if this was really a good idea. at 1 mile, the 2 mile round trip point, i considered giving in and going back, but i knew i wanted more than 2 miles today, even if 5 turned out to be too much. at 1.5, the furthest i have traveled this way, i was really worrying that the walk back would be too much and that i would not be able to make it, but again assured myself that i could stop and sit if i wanted to, but that this was about distance not time. also, i had my phone and i knew denise was home, so worst case scenario ended with her picking me up and giving me a ride home. i popped a cliff bar energy block in my mouth for a burst of energy (much tastier than Gu and you can kind of park it in the corner of your mouth for a slow steady supply of energy. plus, it makes your spit taste all fruit roll-up-y). at the 2 mile mark, i was actually finally feeling stronger and had figured out which stretch was helping with the legs, and since this was all new walking territory anyway, i decided to go for the 2.5 mark, the 5 mile turn around. the last half mile was mostly downhill. Literally. which felt great except the whole time i was thinking, "downhill now means uphill back, with another half of a mile of fatigue added in". but i pushed on. when i finally hit the 2.5 marker, i stopped for about a minute, stretched, and immediately turned around and headed back up the hill. I never looked up, i stared at the ground and chanted "just keep moving, just keep moving"...out loud.....i must have looked like a sociopath. but once i made it, i felt so much better. i was at the top of the biggest hill of the walk and knew that there wouldn't be another one that big to do today. I remembered when Grampy St.Clair used to push me on the walk up "Huffa-Puffa Mountain" when i was a kid, how much it hurt, how much i didn't want to be there, and i remembered that i was here today because i wanted to be, there was no on making me, i was doing it because i wanted to. so i invited Grampy to walk with me for a bit, and i thought of him for some time on the hard part of the walk.
the way back was much easier. my legs had finally chilled out either from realizing that i wasn't going to listen to them or from sufficient blood flow and cliff bar blocks. i only had to stop and stretch once, and i hit up the water fountain by the playground, but otherwise it was a steady pace home. i also realized that 2 months ago, the walk to the playground which is less than a half a mile, was exhausting, and now it looked like home. Actually, the 1 mile from home marker looks like home. i hit that point and i relax, as if i am thinking, "well, i know i can make it now"
that's pretty cool
oh, and for the 5 year old in me, and posterity sake, the whole thing took exactly an hour and a half, which is an average of an 18 minute mile. the first half took 51 minutes and the way back took 39 (20 minute miles going out, 15:36 coming back)
But who's counting ;)
i headed out and my legs instantly began to protest, sending information to my brain about what a mean human being i was for asking them to perform 3 days in a row. they painted mental pictures of flames shooting up the fronts and twisty pretzels in the back. they flipped between screaming profanities, threatening to stop working, and trying to cajole the rest of me into turning around and going home. but i just stopped, stretched, and headed out for more. my pace was unremarkable, but since i was going for the distance i chose not to care (well, most of me did. there is still the competetive 5 year old who can do the math in about a half of a second.) On the way out, i stopped multiple times to stretch, and with each distance landmark i regrouped to decide if this was really a good idea. at 1 mile, the 2 mile round trip point, i considered giving in and going back, but i knew i wanted more than 2 miles today, even if 5 turned out to be too much. at 1.5, the furthest i have traveled this way, i was really worrying that the walk back would be too much and that i would not be able to make it, but again assured myself that i could stop and sit if i wanted to, but that this was about distance not time. also, i had my phone and i knew denise was home, so worst case scenario ended with her picking me up and giving me a ride home. i popped a cliff bar energy block in my mouth for a burst of energy (much tastier than Gu and you can kind of park it in the corner of your mouth for a slow steady supply of energy. plus, it makes your spit taste all fruit roll-up-y). at the 2 mile mark, i was actually finally feeling stronger and had figured out which stretch was helping with the legs, and since this was all new walking territory anyway, i decided to go for the 2.5 mark, the 5 mile turn around. the last half mile was mostly downhill. Literally. which felt great except the whole time i was thinking, "downhill now means uphill back, with another half of a mile of fatigue added in". but i pushed on. when i finally hit the 2.5 marker, i stopped for about a minute, stretched, and immediately turned around and headed back up the hill. I never looked up, i stared at the ground and chanted "just keep moving, just keep moving"...out loud.....i must have looked like a sociopath. but once i made it, i felt so much better. i was at the top of the biggest hill of the walk and knew that there wouldn't be another one that big to do today. I remembered when Grampy St.Clair used to push me on the walk up "Huffa-Puffa Mountain" when i was a kid, how much it hurt, how much i didn't want to be there, and i remembered that i was here today because i wanted to be, there was no on making me, i was doing it because i wanted to. so i invited Grampy to walk with me for a bit, and i thought of him for some time on the hard part of the walk.
the way back was much easier. my legs had finally chilled out either from realizing that i wasn't going to listen to them or from sufficient blood flow and cliff bar blocks. i only had to stop and stretch once, and i hit up the water fountain by the playground, but otherwise it was a steady pace home. i also realized that 2 months ago, the walk to the playground which is less than a half a mile, was exhausting, and now it looked like home. Actually, the 1 mile from home marker looks like home. i hit that point and i relax, as if i am thinking, "well, i know i can make it now"
that's pretty cool
oh, and for the 5 year old in me, and posterity sake, the whole thing took exactly an hour and a half, which is an average of an 18 minute mile. the first half took 51 minutes and the way back took 39 (20 minute miles going out, 15:36 coming back)
But who's counting ;)
Friday, September 21, 2007
feeling a little :P
i went out for my walk tonight and managed 2.5 miles in 44 minutes. my time seems to have peaked and slowed down ever since i got sick and i can't seem to get it fast again. i'm not sure what's going on, i do know that work has gotten a LOT harder mentally and physically & i am often left feeling pretty drained. tonight was the first time i have really been concerned that this is more than i can do. i know that i am making progress, i really can see that, but i'm not sure i will be able to progress enough by race time. anyway, at least i am out there and working at it. i train tomorrow with the group, so i will talk to my coach about it. sorry for the bummer posting, but i figured it was better to be real than pretty....
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Learning curve
according to my training schedule, i was up for a 2 mile walk tonight (no, i didn't go out after all last night, so tonight was a training day) and i am getting a little bored with the track, so i decided to map out a new route for tonight's outing. well, i went on google maps to map out the route and headed out the opposite direction that i usually go. i had planned what i thought was a relatively simple route until i actually got on it and there were roads in places that the map didn't think there were so i got a little lost. i feel a little silly getting lost in my own neighborhood, but in my defense, this place is a bit like a rat maze where only a few of the roads actually interact with other roads. there are LOTS of dead ends not to mention a golf course and a big lake in the middle of it all. at any rate, i got turned around and went the wrong direction at one point and didn't actually know where i was until i found one of the main beaches (remember that big lake thing i mentioned?) fortunately, there are potties at the beaches and i really had to pee! well, once i got my bearings and figured out where the beach was in relation to the house, i set out to go home.
about 5 more minutes after this, i made another realization. the cool socks that i bought from the running store (which i was a little hesitant about since they were $12 and i have never spent that much on a pair of socks before) had been in the laundry, so i just wore some plain old cotton socks. Can i tell you that i am going to the running store tomorrow to buy like 5 more pairs of good socks? they claim to reduce friction and prevent blistering, and i was a little skeptical until i went out tonight for the first time in the new shoes without them. about a mile and a half from home, my heels really started to burn and i realized that i am very sad without my good socks. i tried tying my shoes a little tighter to prevent slipping and got to hoofing the last distance of the walk. with a little over a mile left, i felt like someone was scraping my heels with a vegetable peeler each time i took a step and i realized i was going to have to pull out some deep resources to get through this walk. i started to focus on the scenery, to check out what the neighbors were doing with their landscaping, and i even came about 5 feet from a little doe that was munching on someone's lawn (might have actually missed that if not paying attention, she was pretty still. i actually thought she was a lawn ornament when i first saw her!). when i finally turned the corner on the road that leads to my road, i was so excited that i actually picked my pace up a little and started to jog. As soon as i made it to my street, i broke into a decent sprint and sprinted the final distance, all the while fantasizing about getting my shoes off!
so, in all, 3 lessons learned:
1) when you go somewhere new, don't just look at the map, print the map and take it with.
2) good socks are worth the expense
3) i can keep going even when it hurts like hell!
and though my time wasn't great (3.5 miles in an hour, so 17:06 minute mile average with blister stops) my muscles and heart and lungs weren't really complaining at all, though i may just not have been able to hear them over the din of the heels. i guess my other lesson is i will be investing in some moleskin!
about 5 more minutes after this, i made another realization. the cool socks that i bought from the running store (which i was a little hesitant about since they were $12 and i have never spent that much on a pair of socks before) had been in the laundry, so i just wore some plain old cotton socks. Can i tell you that i am going to the running store tomorrow to buy like 5 more pairs of good socks? they claim to reduce friction and prevent blistering, and i was a little skeptical until i went out tonight for the first time in the new shoes without them. about a mile and a half from home, my heels really started to burn and i realized that i am very sad without my good socks. i tried tying my shoes a little tighter to prevent slipping and got to hoofing the last distance of the walk. with a little over a mile left, i felt like someone was scraping my heels with a vegetable peeler each time i took a step and i realized i was going to have to pull out some deep resources to get through this walk. i started to focus on the scenery, to check out what the neighbors were doing with their landscaping, and i even came about 5 feet from a little doe that was munching on someone's lawn (might have actually missed that if not paying attention, she was pretty still. i actually thought she was a lawn ornament when i first saw her!). when i finally turned the corner on the road that leads to my road, i was so excited that i actually picked my pace up a little and started to jog. As soon as i made it to my street, i broke into a decent sprint and sprinted the final distance, all the while fantasizing about getting my shoes off!
so, in all, 3 lessons learned:
1) when you go somewhere new, don't just look at the map, print the map and take it with.
2) good socks are worth the expense
3) i can keep going even when it hurts like hell!
and though my time wasn't great (3.5 miles in an hour, so 17:06 minute mile average with blister stops) my muscles and heart and lungs weren't really complaining at all, though i may just not have been able to hear them over the din of the heels. i guess my other lesson is i will be investing in some moleskin!
Monday, September 17, 2007
uh oh, getting behind in my blogging!
so saturday was the 4 miler, i did the whole thing in just about an hour, so around a 15 minute mile average. the day was beautiful, i was a few hours short on sleep, so i think i didn't have quite as much oomph as i would have liked, but once i got going, i was a-ok. it was the 2nd training session i have done with TNT, last time i had the company of Brent, but today we were short on trainers so Sarah went ahead with the other 3 that showed up to run (small group here in the 'ville it seems). as i am the only walker of the group, i bid them farewell and watched them go up ahead (though they didn't get away as fast this week as last). about halfway through the course, my coach doubled back to find me and walked with me the rest of the route. I am definitely getting stronger, and am having less shin pain, especially due to the helpful hint that Lisa gave me to do ROM exercises whenever i think of it. also, i am taking the time to stretch mid-course now which seems to be helping.
at any rate, i got my training schedule in my email today and, as Sarah had assured me, I am right on schedule. tonight is supposed to be a rest night, but i am thinking about maybe just lacing up my shoes and heading out for a fall evening walk. what the hell has happened to me?!?!
at any rate, i got my training schedule in my email today and, as Sarah had assured me, I am right on schedule. tonight is supposed to be a rest night, but i am thinking about maybe just lacing up my shoes and heading out for a fall evening walk. what the hell has happened to me?!?!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
hello little hamstring....
tonight was a midweek walk, planned to go for about 30 minutes or so, probably around 2-3 miles. Got on the road late, it was already after 9 as I had a long day at work and a session with a client after.
What a beautiful night for a walk, the temp was cool, the first real inklings of fall are in the air and there is a crispness that wasn't there only a few nights ago. I decided to head out around the neighborhood to the landmark turn around points that I know well, so off i went past the playground and soccer field, down to the slice gate and out onto the main road of lake monticello. about 5 minutes into the walk, I was feeling really good, the cool air felt great on my face and my lungs were really enjoying the walk, so i decided to try a little jog. As i took the first few strides, i noticed that i could actually feel normal while jogging, so i focused on my breathing and decided to see how far i could take this thing. After about 3 minutes, i was feeling a little winded, so i decided to drop back to a quick walk. I walked for about 4 minutes and decided to try it again. Off i went again for another few minutes, jogging a good pace (though probably about the same as my normal walking pace), this time i decided not to time it but just to keep it for as long as it felt comfortable. Once i started to get winded again, i slowed down to walk and tried to keep up a brisk pace. I made it all the way to the 1.5 mile marker and had to make a decision of if i would keep going or turn back to head home. although i felt like i could have gone another good distance, i decided to turn back as i didn't want to overdo it with the endurance walk/jog on saturday. on the return trip, i was making even better time than on the way out. looking at the time, i was realizing i would probably make the best time yet.
As i rounded the turn on to bunker, about 3/4 of a mile from home, i felt a little twinge in the back of my knee. i took a few more steps and felt it again, this time a little louder. i decided to stop and stretch out my legs to see if i could get it to release, staying only for a few minutes in order to not lose too much time. I stood up and got back on my way only to have it twinge again and this time hold for a little longer so that there was the sensation of something grabbing the back inside of my knee. Realizing that this was just going to keep happening until i stopped or fixed it, i took the next few minutes to really stretch out the muscles. I am noticing that my flexibility is greatly improved in the time i have been walking, in fact i stood with my feet just beyond shoulder width with my toes pointed in to stretch my glutes and bent over into a forward hang and put the flat of my palm right on the ground! i haven't ever been able to do that without a good amount of stretching first.
so, after stretching the legs, i got back on the road, and made it the rest of the way home. although i didn't break any records for time tonight, i did the whole 2.5 miles in exactly 40 minutes, so even with the break, i am holding it around 15 minutes for a mile. plus, the shoes were comfy, no signs of shin splints tonight, the lungs are holding up well, and i even got some jogging in. all in all, i would say a successful outing :)
What a beautiful night for a walk, the temp was cool, the first real inklings of fall are in the air and there is a crispness that wasn't there only a few nights ago. I decided to head out around the neighborhood to the landmark turn around points that I know well, so off i went past the playground and soccer field, down to the slice gate and out onto the main road of lake monticello. about 5 minutes into the walk, I was feeling really good, the cool air felt great on my face and my lungs were really enjoying the walk, so i decided to try a little jog. As i took the first few strides, i noticed that i could actually feel normal while jogging, so i focused on my breathing and decided to see how far i could take this thing. After about 3 minutes, i was feeling a little winded, so i decided to drop back to a quick walk. I walked for about 4 minutes and decided to try it again. Off i went again for another few minutes, jogging a good pace (though probably about the same as my normal walking pace), this time i decided not to time it but just to keep it for as long as it felt comfortable. Once i started to get winded again, i slowed down to walk and tried to keep up a brisk pace. I made it all the way to the 1.5 mile marker and had to make a decision of if i would keep going or turn back to head home. although i felt like i could have gone another good distance, i decided to turn back as i didn't want to overdo it with the endurance walk/jog on saturday. on the return trip, i was making even better time than on the way out. looking at the time, i was realizing i would probably make the best time yet.
As i rounded the turn on to bunker, about 3/4 of a mile from home, i felt a little twinge in the back of my knee. i took a few more steps and felt it again, this time a little louder. i decided to stop and stretch out my legs to see if i could get it to release, staying only for a few minutes in order to not lose too much time. I stood up and got back on my way only to have it twinge again and this time hold for a little longer so that there was the sensation of something grabbing the back inside of my knee. Realizing that this was just going to keep happening until i stopped or fixed it, i took the next few minutes to really stretch out the muscles. I am noticing that my flexibility is greatly improved in the time i have been walking, in fact i stood with my feet just beyond shoulder width with my toes pointed in to stretch my glutes and bent over into a forward hang and put the flat of my palm right on the ground! i haven't ever been able to do that without a good amount of stretching first.
so, after stretching the legs, i got back on the road, and made it the rest of the way home. although i didn't break any records for time tonight, i did the whole 2.5 miles in exactly 40 minutes, so even with the break, i am holding it around 15 minutes for a mile. plus, the shoes were comfy, no signs of shin splints tonight, the lungs are holding up well, and i even got some jogging in. all in all, i would say a successful outing :)
Tuesday, September 11, 2007
cross training?
yesterday i went to the gym to get a midweek walk in and decided to break in the new shoes. i hopped up on the treadmill and started plunking in information, hit GO and started my walk. this was the first time on the treadmill since hurting my back several weeks ago and definitely since i had started with the longer distance walks. about 6-7 minutes into it, i decided that i was really glad that the race was going to be outside, because i was so BORED!!!! i have decided that i really don't like walking on the treadmill for several reasons....
1) you can't just change your pace as you need to. if you decide to jog a little (which i did by the way), you actually have to push buttons to move up the speed, and if you get tired, you have to push them back down.
2) if you lose the knot in your shoe, it is a LOT harder to stop and tie it.
3) walking in the A/C is chilly and makes me unhappy
4) the TVs are really distracting and i almost fell off the stupid treadmill when i saw Brittany Spears looking crazed on Access Hollywood
5) i miss the trees and the birds and the breeze, it's amazing how much energy you get from seeing the beauty of nature
6) i don't push myself as hard or i push too hard. if the pace is too slow, i slow myself down to the pace of the machine. if i then try to speed up once i realize i am doing this and tire out, i am afraid i will fall off and look ridiculous
7) they are noisy. i have enough noise in my life...
so after about 22 minutes, i quit. i slowed the silly machine down and got off and went over to a cross training machine that is somewhere between a recumbent bike and a stair stepper and did about 15 more minutes of cardio to get my heart up. then i stretched for a while and went home. once i actually got home, all i wanted to do was take a real walk. so i leashed up the dog and went once around the block for her health and my sanity. i guess, if the weather really looks nasty, i will work out at the gym as needed, but as much as possible, i think my future walks will be the old fashioned kind, on a path.
1) you can't just change your pace as you need to. if you decide to jog a little (which i did by the way), you actually have to push buttons to move up the speed, and if you get tired, you have to push them back down.
2) if you lose the knot in your shoe, it is a LOT harder to stop and tie it.
3) walking in the A/C is chilly and makes me unhappy
4) the TVs are really distracting and i almost fell off the stupid treadmill when i saw Brittany Spears looking crazed on Access Hollywood
5) i miss the trees and the birds and the breeze, it's amazing how much energy you get from seeing the beauty of nature
6) i don't push myself as hard or i push too hard. if the pace is too slow, i slow myself down to the pace of the machine. if i then try to speed up once i realize i am doing this and tire out, i am afraid i will fall off and look ridiculous
7) they are noisy. i have enough noise in my life...
so after about 22 minutes, i quit. i slowed the silly machine down and got off and went over to a cross training machine that is somewhere between a recumbent bike and a stair stepper and did about 15 more minutes of cardio to get my heart up. then i stretched for a while and went home. once i actually got home, all i wanted to do was take a real walk. so i leashed up the dog and went once around the block for her health and my sanity. i guess, if the weather really looks nasty, i will work out at the gym as needed, but as much as possible, i think my future walks will be the old fashioned kind, on a path.
Saturday, September 8, 2007
i did it, i did it, hot diggity, i did it!
yeeee-haw, i did my first TNT group training today. i walked when the rest of the group (6 or 7 other people) ran, so i was dead last, but i did it! it was my first hill training, and my shins were making some fanciful cries of displeasure, but by the half way mark, i was doing okay and found a good stride. Brent, the coordinator for my area, walked with me the whole time and we chatted about life and training and shin splints. he is doing his first TNT event in just under a month, he will be running a marathon, and even though he is a strong runner, he is feeling the pressure which made me feel a little better. my coach seems really cool, we didn't spend too much time together as she was up with the faster folks, but she seems really down to earth and i think she will have some good stuff to share with me. Plus, she brought refreshments for after the training, bagels and orange smiles and gatorade, and she found muppet racing designed dixie cups which i complimented her on. so she has a pretty good sense of humor and an eye for detail, i like that in a coach!
so, in all, 3 miles in 43 minutes (14.3 minute mile even with hills, hooo-rah!), really tight shins tonight, but up and mobile, and after finishing the whole training by 9:30-ish, i was back in my car headed to the office to do 3 massages including a 90 minute myofascial session. and i live to tell the tale!
i did however decide that now that i am committed to the process of learning to get fit and get my walk, and possibly future run, on, it was time to invest in good shoes. so i consulted with Barb, the personal trainer at the gym, and went down to the Charlottesville Running Co. to check out what they had. they did an analysis of my gait (with a treadmill and a video camera, it was cool!) and then checked out my arches and gave me some suggestions. turns out i have a neutral landing, am turned out a little with my left foot, likely from my injury 2 years ago, and have really low arches. they brought me out 3 different shoes and i tried them all on, but the 1st pair was the best. as soon as i put them on, i was in foot love. they have a nice low achilles support, so no nasty blisters, but they hug the heel really well which gives tons of stability to prevent wobbly ankle turn outs. they are kind of a weird seafoam/teal color which should prevent them from being stolen and/or matching with any normal piece of clothing, and i subsequently bought 2 pairs of wicking blister free sox in a clashing moss green color for accent. i think tomorrow on my recovery walk i will wear them with a plaid shirt and pin-striped running tights!
so, in all, 3 miles in 43 minutes (14.3 minute mile even with hills, hooo-rah!), really tight shins tonight, but up and mobile, and after finishing the whole training by 9:30-ish, i was back in my car headed to the office to do 3 massages including a 90 minute myofascial session. and i live to tell the tale!
i did however decide that now that i am committed to the process of learning to get fit and get my walk, and possibly future run, on, it was time to invest in good shoes. so i consulted with Barb, the personal trainer at the gym, and went down to the Charlottesville Running Co. to check out what they had. they did an analysis of my gait (with a treadmill and a video camera, it was cool!) and then checked out my arches and gave me some suggestions. turns out i have a neutral landing, am turned out a little with my left foot, likely from my injury 2 years ago, and have really low arches. they brought me out 3 different shoes and i tried them all on, but the 1st pair was the best. as soon as i put them on, i was in foot love. they have a nice low achilles support, so no nasty blisters, but they hug the heel really well which gives tons of stability to prevent wobbly ankle turn outs. they are kind of a weird seafoam/teal color which should prevent them from being stolen and/or matching with any normal piece of clothing, and i subsequently bought 2 pairs of wicking blister free sox in a clashing moss green color for accent. i think tomorrow on my recovery walk i will wear them with a plaid shirt and pin-striped running tights!
Thursday, September 6, 2007
oooh, kinda scared.....
talked to Brent from Team in Training today, got to hear all about exactly what they offer as well as the amount I need to raise to do the race in January. I will meet with them on saturday to get all of my start-up stuff (their kick off meeting was in August, so they are already underway for the winter season) and they are having a 3 mile run/walk. Not sure I will be fully ready for 3 miles at that point, lungs are still protesting basic life, and work keeps getting in the way of recovery rest. But I will meet with the coach and get some advice there and see what the morning brings me.
As a side note, having a little bit of "fat kid in gym class" fears sitting in my belly, i know this is a big step for the process, but personally it is a HUGE step for me to be willing to meet with people in my current fitness level. Brent asked me what size shirt I needed and I told him XXL would probably be best, though if i went with an XL, the logo would be more eye catching (though probably slightly pornographic). He said he would bring a few options as the shirts run on the big side and i said, "good, so do I, but hopefully not by january"
As a side note, having a little bit of "fat kid in gym class" fears sitting in my belly, i know this is a big step for the process, but personally it is a HUGE step for me to be willing to meet with people in my current fitness level. Brent asked me what size shirt I needed and I told him XXL would probably be best, though if i went with an XL, the logo would be more eye catching (though probably slightly pornographic). He said he would bring a few options as the shirts run on the big side and i said, "good, so do I, but hopefully not by january"
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