Busy Week, but the Blogging Continues...

This week was a busy week at work, and I worked very odd hours.  I'm sorry to have not updated my blog - but I'm sure you have figured out that's what I spend my weekends doing!
I did take an extra day off on Thursday, because I frankly ran out of time to exercise, but I do have a Wednesday night run to report.


Wednesday I ran about 2.2 miles in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!


I got home late from work, but the great thing about having a gym close is I have a free, safe outlet to exercise - even when it's dark out.  Clint has "taken a few weeks off" from being my Wednesday night workout partner, but it doesn't mean he doesn't encourage me to go...even when it's 8:30 at night and I'm in a food coma from dinner.
I ran 2.2 miles, jumping up to 7 minutes running, 2 minutes walking.  This is a very comfortable pace for me, and I think I could manage to go a long distance at this interval - but I'm sure I will challenge myself to kick it up a notch!
Although next time I exercise after dinner I will wait a bit longer.  Stomach cramps are not a nice distraction while you are jogging.

Monday Night: Season Premiere of THE HILLS

Today I ran about 4 miles in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

So my friend Steve was right...tonight's group run was a better experience, and much more productive than watching an episode of the quote on quote "lame" MTV reality show fading in popularity (Sorry Kristin - people miss LC!).
Tonight we started running The HIlls of Mt. Soledad, and will continue to do so every Monday until race day as part of our marathon training.
When I first drove up I felt nervous because I'm not known for purposely running hills, especially for long distances.  But there always has to be a first time, and I'm glad it was with Team In Training!  


We started in PB, and went up into the neighborhoods in North PB/Mt. Soledad area.  Right away I could already feel the pressure in my legs, but had no idea what was in store.  
Because it still gets dark early I really have no idea the route we took...we weaved up so many streets and culdesacs, and kept going higher and higher.  My original fear was I'd get lost in the darkness.  Luckily I had runners ahead of me and behind me, and the TNT mentors and coaches have a very methodical way of keeping a good head count and making sure everyone is on route.  I don't know how they do it.  The middle of the run was definitely the hardest.  At times I could hear myself breathing so hard that I was hoping others around me weren't noticing.  Each hill became harder then the next and I'm sure there was some mental complaining...but at a certain point, my body just accepted what it was going through and I got into a great zone.  


This run is hard and challenging, but I enjoyed every minute of it.  Here's a few reasons why:


1.  Steve wasn't joking when he talked about the view.  Even though it was dark, as we were climbing the hills we could see all of the beach and boardwalk lit up.  It was a clear night, and the Orion constellation was directly above us (as were others I'm sure, but this has been my favorite since 4th grade - and the only one I can recognize easily).  I can't wait for Daylight Savings Time - the view will only get better and I heard from others tonight you can enjoy a really nice sunset.  The neighborhoods themselves hold some of the most beautiful houses in San Diego.  I have never really been exposed to this area, but enjoy all that there is to keep my eyes busy while my feet are.


2.  Running with other people is extremely motivating.  There are times when I'm at my own pace and running by myself, but it's great to be at the same pace with someone for awhile and get to know your other TNT Teammates.  I ran with this one man for a bit (probably around 20 or 30 years my senior) until he completely took off on one of the hardest hills.  He is a machine and had such a motivating pace - and I tried to follow his as best I could.  I hope one day I can keep up with him.  I ran a lot of the course with a new teammate Katie - who was a great accountability partner, and who joined TNT for many of the same reasons I did.  I also appreciate all the coaches and mentors running by to ask how I'm doing, or giving me a "Great Job" along the way.  And once again, thank you for not letting me get lost!


3.  On the way back - you get to go downhill...Hallelujah!


4.  I was able to complete almost four miles (most of it up hill!), with just a few stretching breaks (and no walking!), and if you would have told me I would do so two months ago I wouldn't have believed you.  When Coach Everett said at the beginning of the run we were going to complete about four miles I was hoping he was joking.  Now I say "Bring it on!"  

I can't wait until the next episode of The Hills.  I know it will be hard, and I know I'll be tired, but I know I can complete it and it makes me more prepared for the Rock 'N' Roll!

A month of training...completed!

Today I cross trained for 30 minutes in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!


Today was a cross training day, and unfortunately the pool heater still isn't working!  I went back to my old friend the elliptical.  I worked out for 30 minutes, and felt like I had really good energy, even after yesterday's run.  I now see the point of cross training.  My legs got a great workout, but feel stretched out - not sore, and my knee benefits from the break.  It's also a nice distraction, so I can look forward to running again on Monday.


Today also marks the last day on our training calendar in our first month of training!  It's hard to believe it's already been four weeks since I began.  Looking at my new training schedule, there will be a lot of new challenges this month - but I'm looking forward to it.  Tomorrow night we start a weekly hill run (yikes!), and in a couple of weeks we will be starting intervals.  On March 7th I'll get a taste of race day by running the Race for Literacy in Balboa Park, and by the end of the month I will be running 8 miles on Saturdays!  I can't wait to tell you all about it...

Saturday Session Pictures

I'm not sure who takes pictures and posts them on our TNT yahoo group, but I am sure glad they do.  I've often thought of bringing my camera to session, but don't know where I'd keep it while running!

Here are some pictures from yesterday's session, compliments of the Green Team...

Our view of Downtown and the harbor while running

The clouds were amazing! I think we all had a faster stride yesterday, trying to beat another downpour.

Here is our guest speaker, the chiropractor, who introduced us to "the stick", and shared with us some good information on stretching.

I learned an important lesson yesterday on stretching - my weakness.

When you only stretch a muscle for 10 or 20 seconds (guilty!), you are just getting it to tense up - therefore not stretching it at all.         

When you hold the stretch longer, it tenses up, and then relaxes and loosens.

Saturday Morning at Spanish Landing

Today I ran 4.5 miles in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!


I was looking forward to this morning's group run for so many reasons:
I missed last Saturday, I hadn't been to any TNT runs all week, I've been getting increasingly sore and was looking for answers, I wanted to get back on track with my runs, and I knew we were running in a beautiful place!


It was another rainy day, but I woke up and was on my way to meet the group at Spanish Landing at 7:00am (Yes - our times have gotten early to compensate for longer distances we will be running!)
When we met we heard a great "Mission Moment" of one of our teammates who is running in memory of his friend's brother who passed away from blood cancer, and for his five year old son who is currently in remission.  I am amazed at how many people are directly affected by Leukemia & Lymphoma in their families.  Our fundraising provides hope to these families, and works toward a cure.  GO TNT! 


During our Coach's discussion he said he had gotten many emails this week about how sore some of us were starting to feel...I felt so relieved!  I wasn't the only one!  It turns out that all of the teammates i talked to today were feeling the same things that I am.  My body wasn't defective like I had imagined.  Coach shared with us this is just a part of the process of more force being put on our body.  
We had a guest speaker today, a really informative Chiropractor based in UTC (I'm really bad at remembering names - but will ask my mentor for his info!).  He talked to us about injury prevention and the tools we can use to keep our muscle tissue conditioned.  This is a whole new world for me...who would have known that a special stick and a foam roll could do so much for your legs?  I have never seen these items before, nor would I have known what to do with them, but know they will be needed to work on target areas (like my knee) as I increase my mileage in the future.  I wouldn't be surprised if I visit Mr. Chiropractor in the future, and appreciate TNT giving us a great contact who supports our program (and even donates back to our LLS fundraising!)  

So after our clinic, we warmed up, stretched, and were off on our run!  Today my target distance was 4.1 miles.  
We started at Spanish Landing and ran down Harbor Drive, and then into Harbor Island.  Clint and I used to run here years ago, and I had forgotten what a beautiful area this is!  
The views of San Diego's skyline are beautiful - even on a rainy day - and there are so many "landmarks" that are good to keep track of your distance.  (You can probably guess this is not a picture I took - we weren't blessed with this much sun today, but I am not going to complain after running in 80 degree heat on Monday!) 
My teammate RJ and we ran to Tom Ham's Lighthouse, and then back out of Harbor Island to our starting point. I was responsible for getting a little confused on distance, and my mistake led to us running somewhere between 4.5 and 5 miles!  Oops...I guess next Saturday will just seem easier!


I'm looking forward to using this route on my own as I increase my mileage.  I would love to get an opportunity to run the whole Harbor Island Loop (down to Island Prime - Yum!), and then out towards our the Star of India and Midway.  Today the longest distance people ran was 10 miles - taking them all the way to Seaport Village!  I can't believe I will be completing runs like that in only a matter of months.


After some goodbyes and a tasty bagel, I was in my car just as it started to rain again.  Saturday's are always a great day to re-energize, re-group and soak up all of the TNT spirit you can!  I'm excited for the upcoming week and can't wait to report my progress!

Thursday, February 18th

This week flew by!  After a nice holiday on Monday, it was a busy week at work, and and my body was not only starting to feel a couple of weeks of training, but I wasn't feeling 100% (or even 70% for that matter!)  Tuesday and Friday were rest days as always.  Wednesday I was really under the weather, and I had to give myself a day off running.  Even though I was in no condition to run, I felt the need to consult many people to tell me it was okay to take a day off.  They succeeded in making me feel better, and telling me to listen to my body.  I still have a little over three months to train!  
So the only day I have to report on is Thursday, February 18th....


Thursday I ran/walked 2 miles in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!
So I was still slightly under the weather on Thursday, but by the night time I felt like I had to do something to prepare for Saturday.  I went to the gym and was able to complete 2 miles, running 6 minutes, walking 2 minutes.  My pace was much slower, but it felt good to complete at least part of my workout for the week.  It actually made me sleep better too...Friday I woke up feeling much better!

President's Day Run

Monday I ran/walked 3 miles in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!


Yesterday I had off for President's Day, so I was excited to run earlier in the day.  The weather was beautiful and it was surprisingly warm for a "winter" day.  I decided to go to one of my favorite places in San Diego - the Old Town/Mission Hills area.  I used to do walk this route when I was better at exercising regularly. 

I start at Heritage Park and go up Juan Street ( a massive hill!) and through the historic district of Mission Hills.  The bad (and good) thing about this route is you face your toughest part first - the Juan Street Hill.  Needless to say, I did not run this at all, and in fact I spent a lot of the first ten minutes switching frequently from a walk to slow jog.  It was just shy of 80 degrees when I went on my run, so it gave me a frightening glimpse into the temperature coming in spring and summer!  I was definitely complaining to myself a lot at the beginning of this run.  This is my cue to remind myself of the cause I'm running for!


The heat and hills were uncomfortable, and I felt a lot more out of breath than usual, but I was able to work past that because I just love being in this area.  The homes in Mission Hills are all so unique, and they represent San Diego's history.  If you ever get a chance to walk, run, or drive through this area, I recommend it.  I always like to guess what the inside of the houses look like.  Maybe one day I'll be lucky to live in one - or know someone who does!

I go about as far as Mission HIlls Nursery, and then wind back through the neighborhood before heading down to Old Town.  I used every chance on the way back to run and jog, since down hill is a lot easier to do so.  I can't believe in a couple of weeks I'll be doing hill runs!


Old Town was busy with tourists for the holiday weekend.  I did a lap around the park, ending my three mile run.  I used mapmyrun.com to track my distance before I left the house, just to hold myself accountable for the mileage.  My last stop on the route was the new Old Town Five and Dime for a gatorade, and cheap sunglasses (I decided it's too risky to run with my nice ones Clint bought me!)


Sunday Review
I was really sore on Sunday from my ten hour work day and three mile run, so I was glad it was a cross training, easier day.  I was excited to go swimming since the weather was nice.  Unfortunately, the heater still wasn't working and I couldn't force myself into the cold pool.  
I returned home and decided to go for a quick bike ride on my cruiser.  I went around the neighborhood a few times, but felt like that wasn't cutting it (although I have a blast doing it!).  I felt like I completed a lazy man's triathlon (walk to pool, put feet in pool and "think about swimming", walk back, ride around the block on beach cruiser...not my best workout!)
I remembered Clint showed me this Exercise Channel on Demand, and I thought I'd check this out.  I ended up doing about a twenty minute stretching/strength training routine designed for runners and walkers, all in the comfort of my own living room!  I really felt better after spending some quality time stretching, and picked up some good stretches I need to do on a daily basis.  


After an off day today, I'm back to running tomorrow....stay tuned!

Happy Valentine's Day!

To all my family, friends, teammates and followers...
Happy Valentine's Day!

I feel lucky to have you all in my life, supporting me in my journey to the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon.

Allow me to share a letter from one of our Honored Teammates,
Jason O'Hara.

I feel proud to be running on his behalf, blessed by my own health that I'm able to do so.

My name is Jason O’Hara.  I’m the one on the right in this picture of me and my mom Jane.  In June of 2004, I was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).  Leukemia is a blood cancer that affects many people, especially children.  The cause of it is still unknown and there is no 100% cure for it.  After I was diagnosed, I spent the whole first month in the hospital with my mom.  Dad took care of my brothers and sister.  The doctors ran tests and gave me chemotherapy drugs to combat the cancer.  One of the drugs was so bad that the nurses had to mix it in with chocolate sauce just to get me to eat it.  I was always hooked up to an IV pole.  Glad to say that after that month the doctors said that I appeared to be in remission and I was allowed to go home. 

The doctors have put me on a 3 year maintenance program to keep the leukemia in check.  This maintenance program entails blood work every 2 weeks and an intrathecal (chemo shot into my spine) injection every 6-8 weeks.  The blood work has become routine since they put a port-a-cath into my chest so that the medicines get into my bloodstream quickly.  Mom tells me everyone how brave I am.  Mom has made the visits to the hospital fun.  I get to play video games and watch T.V. shows while the doctors are doing their thing.  If everything checks out well after my 3 year maintenance program, there is a good chance that I have beaten the leukemia. 

Thank you all for becoming part of the Team In Training program and supporting patients like me.  The money that you raise will help more than 747,000 people in the United States who are fighting blood cancer.  Only 40 years ago there was only a 5% survival rate for people with leukemia.  Today, with the monies raised by Team In Training and other Leukemia & Lymphoma Society programs, the survival rate is close to 80%.  I thank you very much!  Your support means a lot to me and my family.  Keep me in your prayers.

Thank you for supporting my run, and for providing promise to families 
like the O'Haras!

Bake Sale

This past week, I had a bake sale at my dad's office to boost my fundraising.  My mentor gave us a special challenge this week, and I thought the timing was good, seeing as Valentine's Week was upon us.
I only had a couple of hours to put together some goodies.  I made some cupcakes (always a good stand by!), and I made a new tasty treat - Oreo Rice Krispie Treats. I can't take credit for the Oreo Rice Krispie Treats, I got the idea from my friend Mimi's blog.  If you are ever looking for great new recipes visit her blog:
http://mimis-kitchen.blogspot.com/.  Even if you are not a baker, you will satisfy your hunger from her amazing photos!


I am happy to say I made $80 from the Bake Sale, and I now am 30% towards completing my fundraising goal!  I definitely look forward to another bake sale in the future - and will make sure I have even more time to supply a variety of treats to my customers!

Thank you to all of those who supported my bake sale and purchased some treats for their Valentines.  

Thank you to Mimi for a fresh spin on a favorite treat.  

And thank you to Mom and Dad for organizing the sale when I was at work.

The following is a reminder that a few dollars go a long way in the fight against blood cancer.

Any donation makes a difference and here are some of the ways in which your money will change the lives of Leukemia & Lymphoma patients. 

A donation of $25 provides patients and their loved ones with FREE booklets that contain up-to-date information on their disease and help them make informed decisions about their treatment options. 

A donation of $50 makes possible a Family Support group with a trained facilitator where comfort can be found and experiences can be shared among patients and family members.

A donation of $100 helps supply laboratory researchers with supplies and materials critical to carrying out their search for cures.

Saturday Run on my own...

Saturday I ran/walked 3 miles in Preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!


Saturday was another long day scheduled for work.  We had an event at the ballpark, so I was not able to make it to our team run at Fanuel Park.  I missed seeing all my teammates and sharing in that excitement of why we are all working towards the same goal.  Nothing motivates you more than hearing someone tell you a story about a loved one who is fighting blood cancer.  This is the best reminder of why we are raising money, and why we are lucky we can train to run a marathon.

I am happy to say I have reached my first milestone in fundraising - 

I'm 25% of the way to my goal.  Since I was not at Saturday's session, I look forward to receiving our 25% incentive next week - Team in Training Running Socks!

Missing the morning session wasn't going to mean I missed my run.  After a long, but wonderful day at work I laced up my shoes and went for a 3 mile run.  I decided to complete my run before I even went home, because I knew once I sat down - that would be the end of me!  We have learned that the perimeter of the ballpark (including the park and it's surrounding businesses) is .75 miles, so I did four laps around to complete my 3 miles.  I was able to jog most of it, stopping only once around each time for a one to two minute walk.  
Saturday's run was such an accomplishment.  I was able to still complete my workout on my own, - and I have not missed a scheduled goal to this day!  I was amazed at the adrenaline I had after a long day on my feet.
I look forward to joining my teammates again next Saturday!

Thursday, February 11th

Thursday I ran/walked 40 minutes in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!


On Thursday I was scheduled to work until 9:00PM, so I knew if I waited until after work, I would not get my workout in.  I woke up early, and hit our gym before getting ready for work.  I increased my time to 40 minutes, running 6 minutes, and walking 2 minutes in between.  
I am very proud of the fact I'm motivated enough to wake up early and exercise, before going to work!  

Saturday Session Pictures

In case any of you have been wondering what a TNT session looks like, I just pulled a couple of pictures from our yahoo group. 

 Before every run we stretch as a group.  I'm very thankful for this, because I am not a good stretcher and am not motivated to do so unless someone is telling me what to do.  Even in this picture I seem a little distracted - you can see me on the left with the white top and green shorts!

Another pre-run activity is a Green Team Cheer.  Can I get a "GO TEAM!!!"  

I've heard from many of you that you like pictures, so I'll do my best to keep them coming!

 

Week in Review

This week has really been busy, so I apologize for not blogging sooner!  Luckily as busy as it was, I was still able to stay on track with all of my workouts.  Here is a re-cap of my week:


Today I ran/walked 35 minutes in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!
Tonight was gym night and I completed 35 minutes on the treadmill.  I ran for six minutes, and walked for two minutes in between.  This has been a good comfortable pace for me so far.  I believe this is the last week that our workouts are centered around time.  Next week I will be reporting my mileage faithfully!
Today I also enjoyed an hour massage, and it really made my aches and pains feel better.  (Especially my crazy knee that keeps popping and my lower back that now hurts when I wear high heels).  I'm definitely going to have to go back to regularly scheduled massages, for the good of training of course!  And I might need to invest in more flats for work.


Tuesday I rested in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!
These days only come twice a week, and are welcomed!  

Monday I ran/walked with my Team in Training Teammates in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!
Every Monday a group meets in PB for a run.  This run will eventually turn into a hill run (that's promised to be the most beautiful run in San Diego), but for now we run along the boardwalk.  I jogged and walked with Nina and Steve...and I am not sure how far we went, but know we met our 30 minute workout challenge.   It's always fun being with a group...especially when you are working towards the same goal.  And an extra bonus...at the end of the run Clint was waiting for me to say hello.  He of course could spot me because of my neon shorts.


Sunday I did 20 minutes of cross-training in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

So Sunday was my proclaimed swimming day, but of course this week the pool's heating system is being worked on so I wasn't able to use it.  Instead, I snuck up to the gym during halftime of the Super Bowl and I did 20 minutes on the elliptical machine.  I have always enjoyed doing the elliptical and think it's a great workout.  This game my knee a much needed rest from Sunday's run.  

Thanks for checking in on my workouts.  More blogs and exciting stuff to share in the next couple of days!

Rainy Day Session & Shoe Clinic Fun

Saturday I ran/walked 3 miles in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

Yesterday was our second Saturday session and I was really looking forward to it. We met at 8:00am at RoadRunner Shoes. It was "Green Team" Spirit Day so I made sure to wear my green running shorts and lace up my shoes with green laces. GO TEAM!

It was really cold and rainy yesterday morning. If I wasn't participating with this program, it was definitely not a morning I would have decided to wake up and run. It's times like those that we have to remind ourselves why we are doing this. Someone read a letter at our meeting that reminded us when we run in the rain, our hair may get wet but it's not comparison to losing our hair due to cancer treatments. And after our run, our muscles get stronger, unlike the cancer fighters we are running for who continuously lose strength because of blood disease, and who become tired even after just taking a breath. Running in the rain is the least we could do!

I completed three miles, and ran in the "5 minute jog/1 minute walk group". I ran with a Padres teammate who kept me motivated and helped me finish strong. We also finished just as it started to pour. Good timing! Then on to the activity I had been waiting for since I signed up...

THE SHOE CLINIC!

Since we were at RoadRunner we participated in a shoe clinic after the event. We were able to get new running shoes at a discounted TNT price. It was long overdue for me, as I haven't gotten a new pair in a few years!

If you haven't been to RoadRunner, it's an awesome experience. I learned you don't just pick running shoes by size and color (although color still played an important part for me!)

The staff at RoadRunner watch how you run on a treadmill, and analyze your feet so they know where you put pressure on them, where you need more support, and what's going to be most comfortable to you while you run. I have a pretty high arch, and run pretty straight, so they pointed me to the "Neutral" category of shoes.

After trying a few pairs, I'd like to introduce you to my

new best friends...

I can't wait to run in them, and I love the awesome Neon Yellow Color!

Once I picked out my shoes, I felt much more prepared to run the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon. But since I was at RoadRunner, and since I had some new awesome shoes, I decided to treat myself to something special. Check out these Neon Yellow Running Shorts!

Did I mention I love Neon running clothes! We all know that part of the fun of starting a new hobby is buying the gear. These shorts are going to come in handy for our Monday night runs. I don't think any car will miss seeing me when I wear these!

Yesterday was a blast. Thanks RoadRunner and all my TNT Teammates for a great day!

And thank you to those following my journey (even when I may ramble) and who have donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. You are making a difference, and I appreciate you!

Thursday, February 4th

Thursday I ran/walked for 35 minutes (and clocked 2.5 miles) in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

I worked late Thursday, so I hit the gym again that night (no "stalking" required - all treadmills open :) )

I did about the same workout as the night before, but was able to jog 5 to 6 minutes, and walk 2 minutes in between comfortably.

Friday was a day of rest before a busy Saturday!

Work Day Workouts

My biggest worry in keeping to my training schedule was working out during the week. If it was easy to exercise after working an eight hour day, I would

have been doing it for years! Luckily, now I have a goal, a cause and other people to keep me accountable.

Here is a mid-week review of my training:

Monday -

On Monday I ran/walked for 35 minutes in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

I decided my best bet for Monday was to take off from work and get my workout in before even going home. I ran about 4 to 5 minutes at a time, taking short walk breaks in between. It's hard not to want to overdue it because so far it feels good to ru

n, but I know I have plenty of time and plenty of miles ahead of me so I'm following the training guidelines as best I can, with an extra push every now and then!

Tuesday -

On Tuesday I rested in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

Tuesday is our off day, or we can choose to do cross training for 20 minutes. I went ahead and took the day off, I have plenty of training in that.

Wednesday -

Today I ran/walked for 35 minutes (and clocked 2.5 miles) in preparation for the Rock 'N' Roll Marathon!

I have a workout partner booked for every Wednesday night...Clint! He's great at keeping me accountable and working towards his own workout goals.

We went to our gym and used the treadmills. Unfortunately, everyone is either training for a marathon or still on their New Year's resolution kicks because we watched outside for 45 minutes, waiting for someone to leave the treadmills. Some may call it stalking, we call it commitment. We do have plans to run outside the gym once Daylight Savings Time kicks in!

I can comfortably run 5 to 6 minutes between 2 minute walking breaks - meaning I could carry on a conversation while running.

Thanks Clint for keeping me on track, and thanks for the donations - What a Guy!