Wednesday, June 27, 2007

The easy 5

Yesterday was a very busy, and very stressful day. By the time Phil got home from work after 6 pm, we still had to grocery shop, pick up prescriptions, pick up a couple of things from Target, and I needed to run. Oh, and eat dinner too! Thankfully, Phil took Jacob and dropped me off at the gym, ran our errands, and then picked me back up, so that I could get my training in.

I hopped up on the treadmill and ran the first three miles with no walking...only stopped at 3 to pause the TM and run to the bathroom, then hopped back on and ran another mile. Then I decided to walk because I wasn't sure when Phil would be back. I felt good so I decided to do some "strides'- just little "sprints" where I run faster than what will probably be my race pace. Before I knew it, I had done another mile! I stopped then and got in some good stretches, walked to the door just as Phil was pulling up.

Today is a 3 miler, and I will be doing weights with Stephanie. After that I am planning on just playing with Jacob since Luc spent the night at a friends. Hoping today is a lot less stressful!

Sunday, June 24, 2007

The Week in review


Somehow I let the week slip by without posting. Perhaps because I didn't really feel that there was anything real exciting to post....the weekday runs were done on treadmill (4 miles, 4 miles, 2 miles). This weekend's run was 5 miles. My usual running partner at the runs wasn't there, so I pretty much ran by myself. I concentrated a lot on my breathing. Anytime my HR got to 175 or so, I would just sort of fall apart. And my HR didn't recover as quickly as it usually does. Not quite sure, maybe because I have a swollen gland in my neck, so perhaps my body is expending energy fighting that? Anyway, I hate to even figure out my pace, because I know it was slow. Like, it was probably 12 minute miles. UGH.

I am going to start getting out to the group runs this week- they run at 6 am and I would be back with plenty of time for my gym session.

Did get a lot of great donations this week, and I will be updating the donation page shortly!!!

Saturday, June 16, 2007

The Six Miler

I was quite anxious about this morning's run and what my sciatic nerve would decide to do. Apparently, the past two days of popping ibuprofen and laying on an ice pack did the trick- I just felt it mildly in the last mile, in my hip only. Thank you God!

So, we ran a new route today, and it was a pretty nice run. There were several hills on it, and we left the Furman campus. I enjoy new routes, with new things to look at and distract me! We went by a real pretty house that had a huge vegetable garden. It smelled like they had just fertilized everything though!

I have been running with another participant doing the MCM. He coaches cross country in high school, so he always has good tips on form etc. We help push each other along, and we even had people finish behind us! Our time for 6 miles was 1:10. That translates into an 11:20 pace. So I am staying with my faster pace, even for a longer run- yay!

Thursday, June 14, 2007

The all comer track meet

Yesterday evening Phil, Jacob and I went to the all comers track meet at Furman University. There is a sign in sheet, and then you just do whichever events you want to. They started with a warm up lap, and Jacob ran a whole lap of the track. Then Phil took him so I could warm up. My right leg was bothering me really badly last night. I decided I wasn't sure how much I would really run.

Jacob did the 50 meter race and got a ribbon, then he and I did a 100 meter relay and he got another ribbon- he was thrilled! Me- not so much. The pain in my leg was just worse. I told Phil that was all I was going to do, because I don't want to end up injuring myself. I ended up taking prescription strength ibuprofen last night, and it doesn't hurt so much I want to cry, so I guess we're on the right track. I will either try to ride the stationary bike at the gym or pedicab tonight- I guess it depends on the weather.

Tuesday, June 12, 2007

Tempo Miles

Today's run was 3 miles tempo. I am still figuring out my tempo, of course. But I ended up doing my three in 32:28- comes out to a 10:40 mile. So I AM getting faster~! Hooray!

I actually would have been a little bit quicker except that my sciatica has been acting up a bit. I try not to let it bother me too much, but when I was running I was having a lot of pain down my right leg. It used to be that the sciatica would mostly bother me right in the right-side of my bum. But lately it has been bothering me in the hip and down the leg. It is a nerve thing, and not a muscular thing, thank God. And I know that Steve Prefontaine had sciatica, and recently I learned that Jesse Owens did too. So I am in good company!!

The easy run

Yesterday, 3 easy miles were on my schedule. Not that long ago, I would have though "3 miles EASY? Yeah, right!" Well, I set the TM for 5 MPH and started flipping through one of those gossip magazines. I can't really read them while running, but I just look at the pictures. You can still learn a lot that way- like that Jessica Simpson is dating a guy whose head is twice the size of hers (really- you need to check that out!) Depending on what week it is, Brad and Angelina are doing great or getting divorced, Britney Spears is always doing something stupid, and Paris Hilton is showing up somewhere in various stages of undress. Then there are the back pages which are my favorite- the worst dressed. It is frickin hilarious the getups some of these "stars" go out in. My father in law dresses better than that (and he's the guy that wore zubas pants with striped shirts).

Anyways- with all that entertainment, the 3 miles was over before I knew it! No losing my breath, no muscle tiredness, and no soreness! How great it is to see my body is finally getting used to this running thing! Today's run is a tempo run- 2 miles. I will have to wear my HR monitor and see if it has improved since last week's tempo run. I am getting psyched!

Monday, June 11, 2007

Sunrise 8K

Saturday morning I ran the Sunrise Run 8K with some of my TNT teammates. Phil came with me and ran with me, too! It was great that the race was so early- 6:30 AM, but it was still plenty hot out! My first mile I did 11:15, the second was maybe 11:40, the third mile was the worst, at something like 12:30, and then I was faster on the last two miles. Total overall time ended up being 57:something. I was fairly happy with that, since I really just wasn't feeling the love on this run. Weird, I ran real hard Thursday, and loved it, but it just wasn't there for me Saturday. However, my times are getting faster so that is something to be happy about!

Saturday we drove up to my parent's house, then to my cousin's. Their daughter graduated from high school, and so my cousin Tom got to take leave from Afghanistan. It was just SO good to see everyone! I was happy that my cousin Bernice said she reads my training blog! (Hi, Bernice!!) We just had a great time seeing everyone, it was just a great time.

Today is 3 miles- I woke up late so I didn't do much at the gym, so I will just run the 3 tonight. I may do 5 tomorrow, because I want to go to the all-comers track meet Wednesday night and run some short fast races! I think it is going to be fun.....

Will try to post a pic later- I have to download to our other computer first, though.

Thursday, June 7, 2007

Cleveland Park Run

This morning I rolled out of bed at 4:30 to meet up with some other TNT teammates. There are weekday runs at 6AM at Cleveland Park, which is downtown. Since Phil started his new summer schedule, I won't be driving him to work on Thursdays anymore, which means I can meet up with some others to run together. Yeah!

I was a bit nervous about "ruining" everyone's run. But the girl who organized the runs encouraged me to come. God, am I ever glad I did! This morning, it was just Emily, Chris and me. Emily is sort of new, but faster than me. And Chris is already a runner- he has run 2 marathons. We started out nice and easy, at a conversational pace. But there are lots of hills here- some very hard ones. I hung with them, and hung with them, and hung with them. Much of the time I may have been about 20 yard back, but I continued to run. I did have to walk 3 times- each time was definitely less than 30 seconds, and the first 2 were after hills. Chris and Emily were so fantastic about encouraging me that it just helped me so much! We did 4 miles total, and the best I can figure is that our pace was somewhere between 11:15-12:00/mile pace. Not super fast, but it was pretty fast for me! I was SO thrilled to do so well. It is just easier to push yourself when you run with others- at least for me!

I am feeling pretty good about this week's training. Tomorrow is a rest day, and then Phil will be racing the sunrise race with me Saturday morning- an 8K (5miles). Then we will be driving up to see my family, including my cousin who is on leave from Afghanistan. Yay!!!

Wednesday, June 6, 2007

What a difference

Two workouts since I last posted. Yesterday's was 2 miles, to be run at tempo (race pace). I really don't know what my tempo is yet, so I figured, I'll just run as fast as I can for two miles. Not sprint, but the best I can. I have a hard time controlling my speed, so I started out too fast and then had to walk a little bit. Started up again and still running too fast, so I just brought it down some. Did a little sprint (from one driveway to next) and then tried to just continue in that vein. I ended up doing my 2 miles in 22:53. That's pretty good for me for now, since I am running at around a 12 minute mile. I got home and got into an icewater bath (to alleviate some of the soreness) but I'll tell you, my hamstrings are sure sore today!!

Today's workout was an easy three miles. I ran this on the treadmill, and had my session with Stephanie. We did upper body today- bench press, flies, bicep curls, tricep extensions, seated rows, and lateral raises. I love working my arms because they aren't so strong- but during yesterday's run, I could feel my arms helping in my run. Like they were helping me to move forward, instead of just flopping around like dying fish!

Tomorrow's run will be a tough one- 4 easy miles, but it is supposed to get into the 90's. I may have to run in the morning and not drive Phil to work. I don't run real great in the heat until I really get conditioned to it. The TNT drifit shirt from Nike helps A LOT!!

I am so thrilled to report a $100. donation on my website from my dad's cousin! And today, after my workout, I dropped by the storage facility to pay my sister's rent, and the woman behind the counter gave me $5 for the fund! I am so grateful to everyone who is donating, WE CAN CURE LYMPHOMA TOGETHER!!!!! Thank you!!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Well today started off just great- I was all psyched to get to the gym early and get in my 4 miles before training with Stephanie. I even woke up before the alarm! Got dressed, ate a bit of bread (homemade, but a little dry) and headed out the door. Put the key in the ignition- and what? Nothing. The clock wasn't even on. Great. Just great. Now what do I do? Call Steph and tell her I won't be there? No, wait, I can take Suzie's car after she gets home. So I go back inside and wait for Suzie- got to the gym in time to get a 15 minute warmup before my session. We did arms on the gravitron and with free weights, weighted squats, and abs. A great, whole body workout.

Got home and went crazy looking for my camera. My beautiful, wonderful, takes awesome pictures Nikon D50. Cannot find it ANYWHERE!!! Last time we remember taking pictures was when Phil took the shot of me that is on my donations page (that one seriously needs to be replaced!!! I look like a cow).

By the time Phil got home I was SO ready to go to the gym and get my groove on! I hopped on the treadmill and pounded out the prescribed 4 miles in 50 minutes. Definitely not a smoking fast time- but well, I leave lots of room for improvement. The run felt GOOD. Now I feel very energized but I really need to get to sleep!!!

Great quote I found today- "Energy and persistence conquer all things." Benjamin Franklin

Saturday, June 2, 2007

First "official" TNT run

Today was our first official run with our TNT team. We probably had about 24 runners- awesome! I was the slowest :(

We ran 4 miles today, and I have to say that the campus at Furman is pretty hilly. I hate hills! But they make you stronger....I ran with another runner who is going to do the Marine Corps Marathon. There are several of us from here doing the marathon and I was glad to learn that!

We planned out my weekly schedule- Run Mon-Th, off Fr, long run Sat, off Sun. Sounds good to me! There are weekly track meets that start this week, which I will use for one of my training sessions. We will be racing this coming Saturday- an 8K race. There is also an 11K trail race on Paris Mountain scheduled in August. Ouch!!

Friday, June 1, 2007

Lazy Blogger

OK, so I was planning on updating this almost daily....but sometimes life gets in the way!

Most importantly- Daddy had his first chemo treatment and did GREAT with it! I was so touched when I talked to dad a couple of days before his treatment and one of his lifelong friends drove down from Buffalo. His buddy wanted to be with Mama and Daddy for the first treatment. I am just so glad my family has friends like that.

I have been running, and working out with Stephanie, my personal trainer. My absolute favorite run was last weekend, I ran with my BFF Melissa and we ran 5 miles. It was a 2.5 mile loop, and since I was afraid I would slow her down, we ran in opposite directions! Yup, each time we passed we high fived! It was really a great run, and reminded me how much nice it is to run with a running buddy. I need to find one here!

I will be running tomorrow morning at 6:36 AM with my team in training teammates. I am not sure, I think we are just doing 3 miles tomorrow. Next Saturday, we are supposed to do a 5K race in Simpsonville, but I am not sure if I will be participating. I am supposed to go to Raleigh to see my cousin, who is on leave from Afghanistan. If the race is early in the AM, I might make it- otherwise I will just run in Daddy's neighborhood after the party.