Well I ran my almost 12 miles last Saturday and then trained through the week....and then yesterday I ran 5.50 miles with the team. This past week has been hard b/c my leg is starting to bother me a bit. It isn't my knee...let's set the record straight! It is my leg. I spoke to one of my coaches about it and he seems to think that it might be my IT Band....all I have to say to that is CRAP!
I am stretching every chance I get and rolling on my foam roller (sort of like a deep tissue massage but it HURTS..and makes you want to scream obscenities). It started to feel better and then we had our run yesterday. I ran well with the team. Ran a solid 4+ miles before I had to stop to shake it off.
My sister came into town and I dragged her along with me to the run yesterday. She hadn't run in awhile and was a bit nervous about it. I knew that she would do fine. While we were running she kept saying, "Don't worry about me..keep your pace. I'll be fine." She saw me continuing to look behind me to make sure she was okay! I worry....what can I say!?
We both made it in....and we finished strong!
Afterwards we were going to see Jersey Boys..that is a GREAT show....just one thing to keep in mind....DON'T RUN ALMOST 6 MILES BEFORE AND THINK YOU WILL BE ABLE TO STAY AWAKE THROUGH THE WHOLE THING!!!!!
Sunday, July 29, 2007
Sunday, July 22, 2007
Holy Crap That Was Hard!
So yesterday was a group run in Marin. It was a gorgeous day north of SF and it promised to be a great run....then we started running and realized, "Holy crap it is hot out here!" We all were hydrating as much as possible. There were several water stops along the way. Kael and I were running strong and keeping focused. We were mentally trying to decide if were were going to do 9.75 miles or 11.75 miles. There was a loop once we got to Tiburon that we needed to do to add mileage to get to the 9.75 distance. If we wanted to get closer to the 12 miles that we had anticipated doing then we needed to do that loop 2 times. April, our head run coach, had mentioned that the loop had a short but steep hill on it. So of course that was in the back of my thoughts the whole distance!
We ran through downtown Tiburon...wow the views were awesome! Once we got to either the turn around point or the point where the hill was we obviously decided to add to the mileage and climb the hill. After running what seemed a long time uphill I huffed and puffed and then finally blew out, "this is not a SHORT hill!" Kael laughed it off and of course we kept going...and going...and so did the hill! Once we got back down the hill I was ready to call it quits and run back to the car and I was honestly going to be happy with having ran 9.75 miles. But then Kael and I stood there just sort of thinking about it and wondering if we should go for it....and of course we did! We ran up the flipping hill again and it did seem to go a bit faster the second time then the first.
Though after running up that hill and back down it and then knowing that I had at least 2 miles back to the car I really did want to cry! My legs were starting to turn to jello. This was the furthest I have ever ran before and my body was starting to get angry with me. We stopped at the water stop to chug-a-lug water and then we took off again. Off and on on the way back to the car I had to walk b/c my legs just didn't feel like they could continue running. But of course they did.....
Kael and I ran 11.75 miles that day...it was hard and we were tired, but we have almost officially hit the 1/2 marathon distance and we still have 3 months to train.....so we are thinking of pushing to train seriously for the full....
I am open to the idea of doing it, however I will listen to my body and if it just can't handle it, then I'll be happy with the 1/2. Hell it only took me 2.5 hours to run 11.75 miles....that is faster then I even imagined!
All I have to say is that WE ROCK!
I do want to put in a special thank you for one of our honorees. She was in the school yard with her family and when Kael and I rounded the corner she was there with her 2 kids and her husband cheering us on to the finish line. I didn't have my glasses and so I didn't know who it was cheering us on. So as we started to run past her I said thank you to her and her family....her response, "No thank you for doing this." Then I realized it was Gretchen there to cheer us on.
The running has been difficult, but the one of our honorees will come out to a practice and talk to us and cheer us on and say such heartfelt thank yous that in all honesty I can't imagine not doing this event.....
So to our honorees....thank you for keeping me going!
We ran through downtown Tiburon...wow the views were awesome! Once we got to either the turn around point or the point where the hill was we obviously decided to add to the mileage and climb the hill. After running what seemed a long time uphill I huffed and puffed and then finally blew out, "this is not a SHORT hill!" Kael laughed it off and of course we kept going...and going...and so did the hill! Once we got back down the hill I was ready to call it quits and run back to the car and I was honestly going to be happy with having ran 9.75 miles. But then Kael and I stood there just sort of thinking about it and wondering if we should go for it....and of course we did! We ran up the flipping hill again and it did seem to go a bit faster the second time then the first.
Though after running up that hill and back down it and then knowing that I had at least 2 miles back to the car I really did want to cry! My legs were starting to turn to jello. This was the furthest I have ever ran before and my body was starting to get angry with me. We stopped at the water stop to chug-a-lug water and then we took off again. Off and on on the way back to the car I had to walk b/c my legs just didn't feel like they could continue running. But of course they did.....
Kael and I ran 11.75 miles that day...it was hard and we were tired, but we have almost officially hit the 1/2 marathon distance and we still have 3 months to train.....so we are thinking of pushing to train seriously for the full....
I am open to the idea of doing it, however I will listen to my body and if it just can't handle it, then I'll be happy with the 1/2. Hell it only took me 2.5 hours to run 11.75 miles....that is faster then I even imagined!
All I have to say is that WE ROCK!
I do want to put in a special thank you for one of our honorees. She was in the school yard with her family and when Kael and I rounded the corner she was there with her 2 kids and her husband cheering us on to the finish line. I didn't have my glasses and so I didn't know who it was cheering us on. So as we started to run past her I said thank you to her and her family....her response, "No thank you for doing this." Then I realized it was Gretchen there to cheer us on.
The running has been difficult, but the one of our honorees will come out to a practice and talk to us and cheer us on and say such heartfelt thank yous that in all honesty I can't imagine not doing this event.....
So to our honorees....thank you for keeping me going!
Friday, July 20, 2007
A little encouragement from Kael!
Today Kael sent me an email to help boost my self confidence about tomorrow mornings run (we will be running between 10-12 miles....yikes!). Can you tell that we are seriously thinking about running the full.....can I again say that I think we are on drugs????
Anyway...his email was so encouraging that I wanted to share it with everyone. I know that I moan and groan about my training, but I do have a great support group to help me through it.....
Kael's email is below:
I feel the need to send a note of encouragement about tomorrow's run, just in case you might still be feeling uneasy. You kicked the hills' ass the other night when you weren't feeling up it. So, flat ground will be much easier. You weren't sick this week, so you'll have much more energy than the last time. Plus, I'll be there. So, you're not alone. The first few miles will go by quickly because we're used to 5 miles now. I KNOW you can do it. Does any of this help at all? Should I just be quiet? Cya tomorrow, Elliott !
Isn't that great.....and apparently he knows me well enough to know that there are times when I just need quiet (unfortunately he has come across those times in many of our runs!).
So to that I say....I will run tomorrow as strong as I can....Thanks Kael for all the encouragement!
Anyway...his email was so encouraging that I wanted to share it with everyone. I know that I moan and groan about my training, but I do have a great support group to help me through it.....
Kael's email is below:
I feel the need to send a note of encouragement about tomorrow's run, just in case you might still be feeling uneasy. You kicked the hills' ass the other night when you weren't feeling up it. So, flat ground will be much easier. You weren't sick this week, so you'll have much more energy than the last time. Plus, I'll be there. So, you're not alone. The first few miles will go by quickly because we're used to 5 miles now. I KNOW you can do it. Does any of this help at all? Should I just be quiet? Cya tomorrow, Elliott !
Isn't that great.....and apparently he knows me well enough to know that there are times when I just need quiet (unfortunately he has come across those times in many of our runs!).
So to that I say....I will run tomorrow as strong as I can....Thanks Kael for all the encouragement!
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
I have a medical condition AND it is called being STUPID!
Hi there.....so tonight I ran hills. And many of them. I wasn't have a great training week to this point and so I had a mental mind set that I was going to run with the level 2's.....level 1= beginners to slightly intermediate runners, level 2= intermediate runners and level 3= advanced runners (AKA....people that are NUTS!). I was perfectly happy to run with the level 2's....that is until Kael, my running partner said, "Oh we can totally run with the 3's. We can do this. We have been training so hard. It will be a good workout." Even though I was slightly apprehensive, I agreed to run with the 3's.
The course was to run up a HUGE hill that seriously felt like it NEVER would end....then just when you thought you were going to pass out you started to run down this trail towards a set of steep stairs to take you back down to the bottom. That was known as the BIG HILL. Then we had the small hill to climb....which was most of the big hill and then we would cut into the woodsy area to cut out part of the big hill and it would get us to the stairs and then we would head down them to the bottom. The Level 3's were to run the following: 1 Big Hill, 1 small hill = that equaled one set......we had to do that 3 times....and for all those folks out there that aren't following me....that means I had to run those hills 6 flipping times! Yes you read that right.....6 times!
There were times that I went silent and poor Kael would continue talking to get my mind off the mental edge that I had put myself on....and then there were times that curse words would come out of my mouth like I had tourettes. On the 5th loop I told Kael, "I don't think that I have one more loop in me....seriously." And his response...."Yes you do Elliott....you can do this. We can take it slow and you can do this." So instead of looking like a complete baby, I said okay and up we started to run again. Halfway up I once again yelled out a few choice words and stopped running. Kael asked if I was okay and the determined person in my said, "I am going to make it up this freaking hill if it kills me....just give me a second to regroup." After a few seconds we started running again...and by golly we ran up the rest of the hill and the back to the car (with 1 other stop involved).
At the end of the practice we had run over 5 miles and the majority of that was hill work. I am definitely getting stronger, but I have our Saturday run looming over me and it is starting to stress me out. As we start to increase in numbers I start to freak out internally. I was never a runner before this and in all honesty I truly don't like running. And so many people have asked me and will continue to ask me, "Why then am I training to run a 1/2 marathon?" And the answer is that I am STUPID! Just kidding! Though a part of me does believe that.....I am training b/c if there was ever any year that I could physically do it, it would be this year.....and I am raising money and awareness for a disease that is continuing to attack people and take their lives.
I do this for Brenda, my honorees (both from run and ski team), my cousin, and for everyone that either has a blood cancer or who will be diagnosed with one. And so I continue on with my training, even though I don't like to run....and in all honesty there is a part of me that is so excited at the idea of crossing the finish line and never having to run again if I don't want too! I have my good run days and my bad...and in all honesty my good do out way the bad....but dang is running hard!
The course was to run up a HUGE hill that seriously felt like it NEVER would end....then just when you thought you were going to pass out you started to run down this trail towards a set of steep stairs to take you back down to the bottom. That was known as the BIG HILL. Then we had the small hill to climb....which was most of the big hill and then we would cut into the woodsy area to cut out part of the big hill and it would get us to the stairs and then we would head down them to the bottom. The Level 3's were to run the following: 1 Big Hill, 1 small hill = that equaled one set......we had to do that 3 times....and for all those folks out there that aren't following me....that means I had to run those hills 6 flipping times! Yes you read that right.....6 times!
There were times that I went silent and poor Kael would continue talking to get my mind off the mental edge that I had put myself on....and then there were times that curse words would come out of my mouth like I had tourettes. On the 5th loop I told Kael, "I don't think that I have one more loop in me....seriously." And his response...."Yes you do Elliott....you can do this. We can take it slow and you can do this." So instead of looking like a complete baby, I said okay and up we started to run again. Halfway up I once again yelled out a few choice words and stopped running. Kael asked if I was okay and the determined person in my said, "I am going to make it up this freaking hill if it kills me....just give me a second to regroup." After a few seconds we started running again...and by golly we ran up the rest of the hill and the back to the car (with 1 other stop involved).
At the end of the practice we had run over 5 miles and the majority of that was hill work. I am definitely getting stronger, but I have our Saturday run looming over me and it is starting to stress me out. As we start to increase in numbers I start to freak out internally. I was never a runner before this and in all honesty I truly don't like running. And so many people have asked me and will continue to ask me, "Why then am I training to run a 1/2 marathon?" And the answer is that I am STUPID! Just kidding! Though a part of me does believe that.....I am training b/c if there was ever any year that I could physically do it, it would be this year.....and I am raising money and awareness for a disease that is continuing to attack people and take their lives.
I do this for Brenda, my honorees (both from run and ski team), my cousin, and for everyone that either has a blood cancer or who will be diagnosed with one. And so I continue on with my training, even though I don't like to run....and in all honesty there is a part of me that is so excited at the idea of crossing the finish line and never having to run again if I don't want too! I have my good run days and my bad...and in all honesty my good do out way the bad....but dang is running hard!
Sunday, July 8, 2007
You Can Do EEEEETTTTTTTT!
Well yesterday was a coach led practice...and the distance was to be 9 miles (for the individuals that were going to be participating in the full marathon and then 5-6 for the individuals participating in the 1/2 marathon). Since Kael and I had done so well the week before, we decided to run the 9miles.
We took off and stayed with a pack that had a good speed for both of us. We got a mile in and then the coaches had pulled us off the path to stretch out a bit. Then we were off again. We were going to run 2.5miles down the road, turn around and backtrack to where we started and then we were to head into the park and do another 4 miles in the park. It is funny how your forget about the hills that seem to strangly appear when you are starting to struggle a bit! The 5 miles went by with no problems. Then we turned into the park...then the wall that I had so effortless avoided last week, what we like to call BONKING, was so close...it was chasing me down!
I had to stop several times to walk...though when I walk I walk for less than a minute and then we take off again. I can't walk for to long for fear that I won't start running again. As we were running towards the last water stop I knew that I was so close to running out of energy! And then the self doubt started to set in..."What was I doing? I hate to run! Do I really think this is feasible?" AAHHHH, yes....this is what I like to call the edge! This is what I had to talk myself off of when I was in Alaska the last 2 seasons.....
This Edge is like that devil sitting on on your shoulder telling you that you can't do this. Then I remembered the time when I was on a hill up in Tahoe and I had completely freaked me out that I couldn't do it...I was able to talk myself down the hill and I made it down without falling....so that is what I did this time! I said to myself, "You can Do EEEETTTTT! You totally can!"
And you know what? I totally did! I came into the finish and we were at mile 8.75....so what did Kael and I do? We kept running until we hit 9 miles!
So now the next thought in my head is that....my 1/2 marathon is on October 21st. I am already running close to the 1/2 marathon distance in a lot faster time then I thought I could....so Could I? Would I? Should I train for the full?..............
Time will tell.,....but the thought is there!
We took off and stayed with a pack that had a good speed for both of us. We got a mile in and then the coaches had pulled us off the path to stretch out a bit. Then we were off again. We were going to run 2.5miles down the road, turn around and backtrack to where we started and then we were to head into the park and do another 4 miles in the park. It is funny how your forget about the hills that seem to strangly appear when you are starting to struggle a bit! The 5 miles went by with no problems. Then we turned into the park...then the wall that I had so effortless avoided last week, what we like to call BONKING, was so close...it was chasing me down!
I had to stop several times to walk...though when I walk I walk for less than a minute and then we take off again. I can't walk for to long for fear that I won't start running again. As we were running towards the last water stop I knew that I was so close to running out of energy! And then the self doubt started to set in..."What was I doing? I hate to run! Do I really think this is feasible?" AAHHHH, yes....this is what I like to call the edge! This is what I had to talk myself off of when I was in Alaska the last 2 seasons.....
This Edge is like that devil sitting on on your shoulder telling you that you can't do this. Then I remembered the time when I was on a hill up in Tahoe and I had completely freaked me out that I couldn't do it...I was able to talk myself down the hill and I made it down without falling....so that is what I did this time! I said to myself, "You can Do EEEETTTTT! You totally can!"
And you know what? I totally did! I came into the finish and we were at mile 8.75....so what did Kael and I do? We kept running until we hit 9 miles!
So now the next thought in my head is that....my 1/2 marathon is on October 21st. I am already running close to the 1/2 marathon distance in a lot faster time then I thought I could....so Could I? Would I? Should I train for the full?..............
Time will tell.,....but the thought is there!
Holy Cow I ran 6.5 Miles!
Last weekend, June 30th, I ran 6.5 miles! I kid you not...that is the furthest I have run EVER! Last weekend was a Mentor led practice and they had a route mapped out. A few miles into the route there was a hill...not to steep...but it was a hill none the less. We ran up the hill to Fort Mason and then down towards Aquatic Park...and then we had to turn around and head back up the steeper part of the hill and head towards the Golden Gate Bridge! I am proud to say that Kael and I ran pretty much the whole 6.5 miles....and I have to attribute that to a little movie game that we played in order to keep our minds off what we were doing! Now I won't go into details on this blog about the movie game, but if you are interested and I find it appropriate to tell you then I will! :)
Needless to say my legs were mush when I was done and my training on Monday was hard. I ended up only running a mile of our 4 mile outing. Tuesday we did run 5.15miles. And then I took the rest of the week off.
I am definitely doing much better then I thought I would be doing by now!
Needless to say my legs were mush when I was done and my training on Monday was hard. I ended up only running a mile of our 4 mile outing. Tuesday we did run 5.15miles. And then I took the rest of the week off.
I am definitely doing much better then I thought I would be doing by now!
MY FAT HURTS! It's MELTING!
I am sure that you all are wondering what the heck is up with that title....well let me share with you the orgin of that statement!
When I decided that I was going to train for this 1/2 marathon, I called my cousin Randin.....the ones of you that know me might know that she is the reason that I got involved with TNT to begin with a few years ago. I called her excited because just that morning I had participated in a TNT Winter Alum 5K run....and had signed up for the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon to participate on Team Brenda. Randin could hear the excitment in my voice and knew that I was truly excited, b/c I had ran almost the full 3K...and I knew with training that I could participate in the 1/2 marathon. After letting me babble for awhile, which all of you know I do so well....she said, "I am glad that you are the one doing this b/c when I run my saddlebags hurt!" At first I just paused, then I started to laugh. I had no idea that saddlebags could hurt!
Well I learned soon enough that fat can hurt! After about 3+ weeks of training about 3 days a week with running...I started to know what Randin meant! One morning I had picked up the crew and we were getting ready to start running to Crissy Field, I took maybe 3 steps then I stopped and said, "My fat hurts!" And the sad part was that I wasn't kidding! And while Kat and Esther laughed at me, Kael said "Is it saying, I'm MELTING???" Then of course that set us off into a laughing fit!
That day I could only hope that some day, very soon I hope, my fat wouldn't hurt anymore!!!!
When I decided that I was going to train for this 1/2 marathon, I called my cousin Randin.....the ones of you that know me might know that she is the reason that I got involved with TNT to begin with a few years ago. I called her excited because just that morning I had participated in a TNT Winter Alum 5K run....and had signed up for the Nike Women's 1/2 Marathon to participate on Team Brenda. Randin could hear the excitment in my voice and knew that I was truly excited, b/c I had ran almost the full 3K...and I knew with training that I could participate in the 1/2 marathon. After letting me babble for awhile, which all of you know I do so well....she said, "I am glad that you are the one doing this b/c when I run my saddlebags hurt!" At first I just paused, then I started to laugh. I had no idea that saddlebags could hurt!
Well I learned soon enough that fat can hurt! After about 3+ weeks of training about 3 days a week with running...I started to know what Randin meant! One morning I had picked up the crew and we were getting ready to start running to Crissy Field, I took maybe 3 steps then I stopped and said, "My fat hurts!" And the sad part was that I wasn't kidding! And while Kat and Esther laughed at me, Kael said "Is it saying, I'm MELTING???" Then of course that set us off into a laughing fit!
That day I could only hope that some day, very soon I hope, my fat wouldn't hurt anymore!!!!
And I was RUNNING!
As I am typing this I am STILL wondering, What the HECK am I doing now? As many of you know....I don't run unless I am chased...and seeing how that doesn't happen often I think it is safe to say I DON'T run EVER! However, right after ski season, learning that Brenda (one my ski team honorees) had taken a turn for the worse, several folks decided that they were going to create a Team Brenda for the Nike Women's 1/2 and full marathon. I thought it was a fabulous idea and thought JUST maybe I might join. Though I had thoughts of this past ski season enter my thoughts and I wasn't so sure.
As I am sure many of you noticed I didn't blog much through ski season...mainly because I was struggling so much this past season with my ankles bothering me and getting pesky blisters that I didn't want to talk about it....let along entertain the idea that I couldn't complete my event. And as many of you know, I did finish, but barely. I was on that mental ledge and almost gave up several times....so as I sat there at our team potluck entertaining thoughts of running in a 1/2 marathon I truly thought I had lost it!
But as the days progressed and then word of Brenda's passing swept through the TNT world, let alone Brenda's world...the idea was no longer a entertaining thought, but it was slowly but every so surely becoming reality.
I started training, in secret, several months ago. I figured that if I was going to be able to keep up with folks that ran on a more regular basis that I would have to have a huge running, no pun intended, start! So I started training with with some folks...who you all will get to know pretty well through this blog.
Esther, is an Executive sales person in my office. She is a person that has one of the best hearts out there...and her motto is "I can smoke and run...and if you can't...then you just aren't trying hard enough!" She is kidding when she says that, but no joke...she kicks my booty most of the time out there.
And then we have Kat. Kat is also my coworker and neighbor. She quit smoking several months ago and started training to participate in the Avon Breast Cancer walk....she is currently almost done with her second day - GO KAT! She has done so well with her training and super motivated to continue training once her walk is over!
And then that leds me to Kael. I met Kael through one of my ski friends, Whui. She too was going to join the run team, but decided that she just hated running! LOL. Luckily Kael decided to stick with it...he is the one that keeps me laughing - and you think I am kidding, we are seriously laughing so hard at times that I have to stop running to catch my breath. He and I motivate each other and have decided that we are crossing that finish line together.
Now, you all know that I am crazy to get up in the morning to train before God is up....and now I have 3 more folks to join me! And as I continue to blog through the season...I hope you get to know them, myself and why I am doing this better! We all have our different reasons to be running and training...but it is no joke when I tell you that we all crack each other up while we are training...and in all honesty, that is only way I would have it!
As I am sure many of you noticed I didn't blog much through ski season...mainly because I was struggling so much this past season with my ankles bothering me and getting pesky blisters that I didn't want to talk about it....let along entertain the idea that I couldn't complete my event. And as many of you know, I did finish, but barely. I was on that mental ledge and almost gave up several times....so as I sat there at our team potluck entertaining thoughts of running in a 1/2 marathon I truly thought I had lost it!
But as the days progressed and then word of Brenda's passing swept through the TNT world, let alone Brenda's world...the idea was no longer a entertaining thought, but it was slowly but every so surely becoming reality.
I started training, in secret, several months ago. I figured that if I was going to be able to keep up with folks that ran on a more regular basis that I would have to have a huge running, no pun intended, start! So I started training with with some folks...who you all will get to know pretty well through this blog.
Esther, is an Executive sales person in my office. She is a person that has one of the best hearts out there...and her motto is "I can smoke and run...and if you can't...then you just aren't trying hard enough!" She is kidding when she says that, but no joke...she kicks my booty most of the time out there.
And then we have Kat. Kat is also my coworker and neighbor. She quit smoking several months ago and started training to participate in the Avon Breast Cancer walk....she is currently almost done with her second day - GO KAT! She has done so well with her training and super motivated to continue training once her walk is over!
And then that leds me to Kael. I met Kael through one of my ski friends, Whui. She too was going to join the run team, but decided that she just hated running! LOL. Luckily Kael decided to stick with it...he is the one that keeps me laughing - and you think I am kidding, we are seriously laughing so hard at times that I have to stop running to catch my breath. He and I motivate each other and have decided that we are crossing that finish line together.
Now, you all know that I am crazy to get up in the morning to train before God is up....and now I have 3 more folks to join me! And as I continue to blog through the season...I hope you get to know them, myself and why I am doing this better! We all have our different reasons to be running and training...but it is no joke when I tell you that we all crack each other up while we are training...and in all honesty, that is only way I would have it!
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