The marathon is over! Not only did I finish, but I ran the 26.2 miles in just under 5 hours! This placed me 1544 out of 4689 that completed the full marathon -- which means I made it just at the cut off for the top 1/3 of finishers :-) I couldn't be happier with the results.
I owe much of my success in the race to my running partner Grace. We ran the whole thing together and she is one of the people that really carried me through the rough patches (especially miles 18-24). At the first water stop we almost got separated and I can't imagine what the rest of the race would've been like if we hadn't found each other again. Our finisher medals (Tiffany necklaces) show two women running together -- and it will always remind me of how she and I ran this race together.
I also want to thank my mom, grandma, and my mom's cousin Frank for all the spots they showed up along the race. They were there at the start line, finish line, and at least 3 or 4 other stops in between. Big kudos go out to Frank who navigated them through the city so that they could be there to support me. Many of my teammates commented on how many times they saw them on the sidelines and that even though they were there with signs for me, it helped inspire my teammates as well.
Thanks again to everyone that helped make this possible through your donations and support. Overall, this event helped raise 18.5 MILLION DOLLARS for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! And now on to my next challenge...law school applications :-)
Tuesday, October 23, 2007
Friday, October 5, 2007
October 5th - In the taper!
OK - I know I've been bad and haven't posted for a month. I honestly didn't think anyone was reading my blog, but was enlightened by Jaime H that people are reading it and that I do need to keep writing.
I have started my taper! In the past month I have done 2 20 mile training runs. My last one was a week ago (I ran it by myself and that was definitely harder than running with the group). So now I get to start cutting down my miles in order to help my body recharge before the race -- which is only about two weeks away! Tomorrow we'll be doing 14 miles and then Sunday I'll hopefully make it out to support some of the people I have been training with that are running the Twin Cities Marathon.
Also I got my bib number -- #5136...so clearly that is my new favorite number :-) I'm really starting to get anxious about the race and it feels weird cutting down my miles. My body has become a bit addicted to the running and feels odd when I take days off now. So I'm going to have to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do when winter comes...yay for thermal running tights?
On a more serious note - I have another person I am running for: Doug Harrington. This is the father of one of my best friends, Kayley. He passed away last Wednesday, Sept. 28th from lung cancer that had spread to his bones. I know that my race and fundraising is focused on blood cancers, but I think any progress we can make in fighting any form of cancer is a step in the right direction. Doug was honestly one of the most caring and good-hearted people I have met in my life. I can not imagine what his family is going through right now, and I only hope that the fundraising and run that I am about to do in some way will help prevent this kind of tragedy in the future. I will definitely be thinking of Doug during the tough miles of my race.
I have started my taper! In the past month I have done 2 20 mile training runs. My last one was a week ago (I ran it by myself and that was definitely harder than running with the group). So now I get to start cutting down my miles in order to help my body recharge before the race -- which is only about two weeks away! Tomorrow we'll be doing 14 miles and then Sunday I'll hopefully make it out to support some of the people I have been training with that are running the Twin Cities Marathon.
Also I got my bib number -- #5136...so clearly that is my new favorite number :-) I'm really starting to get anxious about the race and it feels weird cutting down my miles. My body has become a bit addicted to the running and feels odd when I take days off now. So I'm going to have to figure out what the heck I'm gonna do when winter comes...yay for thermal running tights?
On a more serious note - I have another person I am running for: Doug Harrington. This is the father of one of my best friends, Kayley. He passed away last Wednesday, Sept. 28th from lung cancer that had spread to his bones. I know that my race and fundraising is focused on blood cancers, but I think any progress we can make in fighting any form of cancer is a step in the right direction. Doug was honestly one of the most caring and good-hearted people I have met in my life. I can not imagine what his family is going through right now, and I only hope that the fundraising and run that I am about to do in some way will help prevent this kind of tragedy in the future. I will definitely be thinking of Doug during the tough miles of my race.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Sept 5th
So a lot of great things have happened since my last post. I have increased my pace when I'm running, I completed my first 16 mile run, and I have reached my fundraising minimum!
I have really picked up the pace at my last two long runs. This last Saturday my 13.1 mile mark time was about 2 hours 4 minutes compared to my 2 hour 30 minute finishing time back in the first week of August. I might actually have a chance of finishing the race in under 5 hours!
This past Saturday I also reached 16 miles. It's the farthest I've run so far and it was a great feeling to reach that milestone. This week we have a back down week and so we'll just be doing 12, but then next Saturday we're kicking it all the way up to 20 miles. Yeah, I can't believe it. It's going to be tough and it's the longest we'll run before the race, but I'm actually not as worried as I used to be.
Lastly, I have reached my fundraising minimum of $3600. Although I set my personal goal at $4000, I have always had a minimum of $3600 to raise. Any amount that I didn't raise from that I would have to pay out of my own pocket - and now I don't have to worry about that! It's great to be able to focus just on the training aspect of the program for the last month before the race. Thank you to everyone who helped me reach this point!
I have really picked up the pace at my last two long runs. This last Saturday my 13.1 mile mark time was about 2 hours 4 minutes compared to my 2 hour 30 minute finishing time back in the first week of August. I might actually have a chance of finishing the race in under 5 hours!
This past Saturday I also reached 16 miles. It's the farthest I've run so far and it was a great feeling to reach that milestone. This week we have a back down week and so we'll just be doing 12, but then next Saturday we're kicking it all the way up to 20 miles. Yeah, I can't believe it. It's going to be tough and it's the longest we'll run before the race, but I'm actually not as worried as I used to be.
Lastly, I have reached my fundraising minimum of $3600. Although I set my personal goal at $4000, I have always had a minimum of $3600 to raise. Any amount that I didn't raise from that I would have to pay out of my own pocket - and now I don't have to worry about that! It's great to be able to focus just on the training aspect of the program for the last month before the race. Thank you to everyone who helped me reach this point!
Friday, August 24, 2007
August 24th
Wednesday night we were back at Lock & Dam and I did 10 hill repeats! For those of you that don't know the Lock & Dam hill -- that's a lot of work! Ha
Tomorrow I will be doing the team run and then frantically trying to get ready for a wedding up in Little Falls. Usually after my long weekend runs I end up crashing and taking a long nap, but no rest tomorrow! Let's hope I don't fall asleep in the ceremony, because that would be horrible.
Not much else to report. Those interested in attending the Gasthof Dinner & Silent Auction should let me know ASAP because I need to have all ticket orders in within the next two weeks.
Tomorrow I will be doing the team run and then frantically trying to get ready for a wedding up in Little Falls. Usually after my long weekend runs I end up crashing and taking a long nap, but no rest tomorrow! Let's hope I don't fall asleep in the ceremony, because that would be horrible.
Not much else to report. Those interested in attending the Gasthof Dinner & Silent Auction should let me know ASAP because I need to have all ticket orders in within the next two weeks.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
August 19th
Sorry for the huge gap in posting! Things have gotten kind of crazy with all the training, fundraising, trip planning, etc.
Basic recap for the last 2.5 weeks :-)
August 1st - Had a training run at 6:30 at Harriet. I missed the bridge collapse by about 5 minutes. Having no clue what had happened, I returned to my car after the run at about 8 pm and was surprised to find tons of missed calls and text messages.
August 4th - Urban Wildlife Half Marathon in Richfield. Grace and I ran together and finished in 2 hours 30 minutes, with an average pace of 11:30 minute miles. I'm happy with this pace since it means I would finish the full marathon in about 5 hours. The only bad part was that I had to limp back to my car -- my knee was in complete agony most of the day.
I got both my personal runs in on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday was National Night Out and it was tons of fun running around the area and coming across so many neighborhood parties. I passed on cop who yelled out "go faster!" at me.
August 8th was our first night of running hills at Lock & Dam #1. I was able to get through 4 repeats and then I was done. DONE.
I unfortunately didn't get my long run in for the weekend of Aug 10-12th. But I was in Destin, Florida where the heat index was over 100 degrees and so that just wasn't going to happen. Luckily I got to enjoy a great wedding -- Congrats to Erin & Jeremy!
August 15th -- More hills at Lock & Dam. This time my mentor, Teresa, and I pushed it to 8 repeats (which my knees definitely felt later). Our group now has a new catch phrase of "Glide like a Mo Fo", which refers to how you are supposed to 'glide' down the hills...not that you every really feel like that is happening.
August 17th I had my Lodge Bar fundraiser and was able to raise $240. It was a little disappointing considering the last girl raised $500, but it was still good considering I was only there for 3 hours and the bar was pretty deserted. It also means that I am only about $500 from my minimum fundraising goal!
August 18th - Long run at Calhoun. I absolutely hate running on the parkway between Nokomis and Harriet. If there is one run I dread, it is that one. It's not even really that long, but there are so many turns on the path that you really have to concentrate on where you're going. But I was happy to have my new knee strap on because it really helped my left knee and I will probably be going to buy another one for my right side.
Tonight I filed out all my recommitment paperwork, so I'm getting really excited. The race is only about two months away!
Basic recap for the last 2.5 weeks :-)
August 1st - Had a training run at 6:30 at Harriet. I missed the bridge collapse by about 5 minutes. Having no clue what had happened, I returned to my car after the run at about 8 pm and was surprised to find tons of missed calls and text messages.
August 4th - Urban Wildlife Half Marathon in Richfield. Grace and I ran together and finished in 2 hours 30 minutes, with an average pace of 11:30 minute miles. I'm happy with this pace since it means I would finish the full marathon in about 5 hours. The only bad part was that I had to limp back to my car -- my knee was in complete agony most of the day.
I got both my personal runs in on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday was National Night Out and it was tons of fun running around the area and coming across so many neighborhood parties. I passed on cop who yelled out "go faster!" at me.
August 8th was our first night of running hills at Lock & Dam #1. I was able to get through 4 repeats and then I was done. DONE.
I unfortunately didn't get my long run in for the weekend of Aug 10-12th. But I was in Destin, Florida where the heat index was over 100 degrees and so that just wasn't going to happen. Luckily I got to enjoy a great wedding -- Congrats to Erin & Jeremy!
August 15th -- More hills at Lock & Dam. This time my mentor, Teresa, and I pushed it to 8 repeats (which my knees definitely felt later). Our group now has a new catch phrase of "Glide like a Mo Fo", which refers to how you are supposed to 'glide' down the hills...not that you every really feel like that is happening.
August 17th I had my Lodge Bar fundraiser and was able to raise $240. It was a little disappointing considering the last girl raised $500, but it was still good considering I was only there for 3 hours and the bar was pretty deserted. It also means that I am only about $500 from my minimum fundraising goal!
August 18th - Long run at Calhoun. I absolutely hate running on the parkway between Nokomis and Harriet. If there is one run I dread, it is that one. It's not even really that long, but there are so many turns on the path that you really have to concentrate on where you're going. But I was happy to have my new knee strap on because it really helped my left knee and I will probably be going to buy another one for my right side.
Tonight I filed out all my recommitment paperwork, so I'm getting really excited. The race is only about two months away!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
July 31st
It has been quite a while since my last post, so I'll try to just hit some highlights.
On the 18th we ran the Torchlight 5K in ridiculous heat. I was a little disappointed in my time but still managed to finish in under 30 minutes. The bad part was that I temporarily strained my right calf muscle and had to ice it quite a bit.
Saturday the 21st I ran about 9 miles with the team and then went and played 18 holes of golf for the Relay for Life golf tournament. As you can imagine, I was pretty tired by the end of the day.
My biggest accomplishment thus far was my 15 mile run on Saturday the 28th. My legs were screaming by the end and so was I (literally). It was the farthest I've ever gone and it felt great to finish.
This coming Saturday I will be running in the Urban Wildlife Half Marathon. It'll be my first time doing a race longer than a 5K and I think it'll be a great lesson in learning to pace myself in the race atmosphere.
On the 18th we ran the Torchlight 5K in ridiculous heat. I was a little disappointed in my time but still managed to finish in under 30 minutes. The bad part was that I temporarily strained my right calf muscle and had to ice it quite a bit.
Saturday the 21st I ran about 9 miles with the team and then went and played 18 holes of golf for the Relay for Life golf tournament. As you can imagine, I was pretty tired by the end of the day.
My biggest accomplishment thus far was my 15 mile run on Saturday the 28th. My legs were screaming by the end and so was I (literally). It was the farthest I've ever gone and it felt great to finish.
This coming Saturday I will be running in the Urban Wildlife Half Marathon. It'll be my first time doing a race longer than a 5K and I think it'll be a great lesson in learning to pace myself in the race atmosphere.
Sunday, July 15, 2007
July 15th - Group Run
Today I ran the farthest I've ever gone - about 14.5 miles. That's over half the distance I'll need to run for the marathon! We started at Lake Nokomis and went over to Lake Harriet and Lake Calhoun and then back. Grace was my running partner today and I don't know if I would've had the motivation to finish without her there with me. By the end my knees and hip flexors were screaming and my whole body seemed to have tightened up. But it's done and next week is a back down week :-) The weird thing is that I'm noticing the toll it's all taking on my body by the fact that I came home, showered, ate something and then fell asleep for seven hours - that's more than I slept last night! And I know I won't have trouble getting to bed tonight.
A couple updates:
* This next week's Wednesday group run will be the Torchlight 5K. It should be lots of fun and I hope a lot of team members are able to show.
* I have a fundraiser on Friday, August 17th at Lodge Bar. I will be selling 3-for-1 drink tickets for $5 and all the money will go towards my fundraising. If I can sell 100 tickets, that's $500 for my fundraising!
* We are having a team fundraising event on September 16th at Gastof's in NE Minneapolis. There will be dinner tickets and a silent auction. More details are still to come, but I currently need to find some great silent auction items.
* I will be doing one or two Twins game fundraising events. Grandma and Grandpa have volunteered to help me on August 21st, so the three of us will be at the game handing out tickets to people as they enter the gates and then the Twins will donate about $60 ($20 for each of us) to my fundraising account.
* The training has been coming along well and now I need to get back to my fundraising. I still have $1200 to raise to meet my minimum commitment and $1600 to meet my personal fundraising goal.
On a side note, I just found out that one of my high school friends, Mike Grover, has been diagnosed with a malignant form of astrocytosis. They found a mass in his brain and it seems to be in stage 3 or 4, which is not good. They would like to start him on chemo and radiation as soon as possible. We are still waiting to hear more details as the lab results come in. I want to thank those that have been keeping me updated on his condition and I would like to ask you all to keep him in your thoughts as he goes through this difficult battle.
A couple updates:
* This next week's Wednesday group run will be the Torchlight 5K. It should be lots of fun and I hope a lot of team members are able to show.
* I have a fundraiser on Friday, August 17th at Lodge Bar. I will be selling 3-for-1 drink tickets for $5 and all the money will go towards my fundraising. If I can sell 100 tickets, that's $500 for my fundraising!
* We are having a team fundraising event on September 16th at Gastof's in NE Minneapolis. There will be dinner tickets and a silent auction. More details are still to come, but I currently need to find some great silent auction items.
* I will be doing one or two Twins game fundraising events. Grandma and Grandpa have volunteered to help me on August 21st, so the three of us will be at the game handing out tickets to people as they enter the gates and then the Twins will donate about $60 ($20 for each of us) to my fundraising account.
* The training has been coming along well and now I need to get back to my fundraising. I still have $1200 to raise to meet my minimum commitment and $1600 to meet my personal fundraising goal.
On a side note, I just found out that one of my high school friends, Mike Grover, has been diagnosed with a malignant form of astrocytosis. They found a mass in his brain and it seems to be in stage 3 or 4, which is not good. They would like to start him on chemo and radiation as soon as possible. We are still waiting to hear more details as the lab results come in. I want to thank those that have been keeping me updated on his condition and I would like to ask you all to keep him in your thoughts as he goes through this difficult battle.
Saturday, July 7, 2007
July 7th - Thank you Grandma, Grandpa, and Laura!
First I need to say a big "THANK YOU" to my grandparents and co-worker Laura for coming to our group run today (at 6 am!) and helping with the water stops. As the weather gets hotter and the miles increase, we absolutely could not get through our runs without the people that volunteer to have water stops along the route. All the runners really appreciate you donating your time to help support us and it's what helps keep us going when we want to stop.
Tuesday's group run around Harriet went off without any problems and thankfully I wasn't too sore to have fun on the 4th of July. I also was able to get in one lap around Calhoun on Thursday night after my volunteering in Bloomington. I probably should have gone another couple miles but it was too dark. I made up for it by doing extra cross training on Friday at the Y.
Then this morning we had a group run at Gateway Trail. I was scheduled to do 11, but ended up doing some where between 12 and 13 miles. When I had to wake up at about 4:45 am this morning I was cursing our coach for moving up the run but was very thankful that we finished by about 9:30 and so it wasn't too hot yet. My right knee was a little tender, but the cold shower really helps. Technically I should be taking ice baths but since I can't take a bath at my apartment, I take cold showers. The scary thing is that I'm starting to get used to them.
Tuesday's group run around Harriet went off without any problems and thankfully I wasn't too sore to have fun on the 4th of July. I also was able to get in one lap around Calhoun on Thursday night after my volunteering in Bloomington. I probably should have gone another couple miles but it was too dark. I made up for it by doing extra cross training on Friday at the Y.
Then this morning we had a group run at Gateway Trail. I was scheduled to do 11, but ended up doing some where between 12 and 13 miles. When I had to wake up at about 4:45 am this morning I was cursing our coach for moving up the run but was very thankful that we finished by about 9:30 and so it wasn't too hot yet. My right knee was a little tender, but the cold shower really helps. Technically I should be taking ice baths but since I can't take a bath at my apartment, I take cold showers. The scary thing is that I'm starting to get used to them.
Monday, July 2, 2007
July 2nd - Want to help out this Saturday?
Hey all! I'm on a bit of an endorphin high as I write this because I just got back from a run around Calhoun. Yesterday was a rest/stretch day and so after work today I went and did the BodyPump class and then did one lap around Calhoun later in the evening. The best part was how nice the weather was for running - not too hot!
Some great news -- if you're interested in meeting some of the other runners or want to see me running this Saturday, we are looking for people to work the water stops. Basically all you have to do is be there for when the runners come by looking for refreshments. My coach will provide you with all the cups, water, powerade, etc. and so you don't have to worry about anything except being there. It probably helps to bring a friend so that you're not bored while there aren't any runners around. I've already got one person signed up to help -- Thanks Laura!! So please just let me know ASAP if you're interested. If this weekend doesn't work but you think it's something you'd like to do, let me know and I'm sure the team would love to have you help another time as well. Especially since we have some really long runs (14 - 15 miles) coming up in the next couple weeks. With the heat and distance, the more water stops the better.
Tomorrow we are having our group run since Wednesday is 4th of July (though I'm still scheduled to run 5 miles at some point on Weds...thanks coach! ha). Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!
Some great news -- if you're interested in meeting some of the other runners or want to see me running this Saturday, we are looking for people to work the water stops. Basically all you have to do is be there for when the runners come by looking for refreshments. My coach will provide you with all the cups, water, powerade, etc. and so you don't have to worry about anything except being there. It probably helps to bring a friend so that you're not bored while there aren't any runners around. I've already got one person signed up to help -- Thanks Laura!! So please just let me know ASAP if you're interested. If this weekend doesn't work but you think it's something you'd like to do, let me know and I'm sure the team would love to have you help another time as well. Especially since we have some really long runs (14 - 15 miles) coming up in the next couple weeks. With the heat and distance, the more water stops the better.
Tomorrow we are having our group run since Wednesday is 4th of July (though I'm still scheduled to run 5 miles at some point on Weds...thanks coach! ha). Hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday!
Saturday, June 30, 2007
June 30th
This was a "back down" week, so not a whole lot to report. We had a group run on Wednesday around Lake Harriet (twice around) and then today at Calhoun. I ran with three other girls from Calhoun over and around Harriet and then back around Calhoun. Next weekend we'll be doing about 11 miles on the Gateway trail. They are looking for people to help at water stops, so if anyone is interested, please let me know!
On some of the shorter run days this week I worked a lot on quad strength training in hopes that it'll help with my runner's knee problem. So I've been doing weight machines and biking. Sorry there isn't much else to report...but I did get my first blister today! Ha, on the arch of my left foot, which could be problematic. So I'll have to be sure to watch that. I think it had something to do with the socks I wore for today's run - they're good for short runs but probably won't use them again for the longer days.
On some of the shorter run days this week I worked a lot on quad strength training in hopes that it'll help with my runner's knee problem. So I've been doing weight machines and biking. Sorry there isn't much else to report...but I did get my first blister today! Ha, on the arch of my left foot, which could be problematic. So I'll have to be sure to watch that. I think it had something to do with the socks I wore for today's run - they're good for short runs but probably won't use them again for the longer days.
Monday, June 25, 2007
June 25th
Yesterday's long run went great! I can't believe how much easier it is when you run with other people. We were doing an "out-an-back" run in Minnetonka that was supposed to be about 10 miles. Well...there was some confusion about the turn around point and a group of us ended up doing closer to 13 miles! That's almost a half marathon!
We started at about 7 am and it was probably about 67 degrees. I don't even know what time we ended, but it was close to 10 am, and it was 77 degrees. Luckily we had two water stops each way. I also tried something my coach suggested to prevent cramping -- eating table salt. I put a pile in my hand, licked it off, and tried to wash it down fast with some Powerade. I thought I was going to throw up, so I probably will find a different way to take it next time ha.
I was surprised at how my knee pain went away for the most part but towards the end I was getting some dull pain in my right foot arch. I'm going to need to work on stretching my feet more. But I actually tried the "ice bath" strategy. I say strategy because since I can't take a bath at my apartment, I just took a cold shower. It was a little tough convincing my body to get in and stay in but I can't believe how much it helped. By 11 am I was walking around town and went around with a friend until probably 3 o'clock. Ha but then I crashed at 5 pm, for what I thought was going to be just a short nap. I woke up at 11 pm! Then I went back to sleep from 1 am to 6:30 am ha. Guess my body was pretty tired.
Today was a rest/stretch day and we had our nutrition clinic. The information presented was very interesting and I know that it's something I'm going to have to pay more attention to.
We started at about 7 am and it was probably about 67 degrees. I don't even know what time we ended, but it was close to 10 am, and it was 77 degrees. Luckily we had two water stops each way. I also tried something my coach suggested to prevent cramping -- eating table salt. I put a pile in my hand, licked it off, and tried to wash it down fast with some Powerade. I thought I was going to throw up, so I probably will find a different way to take it next time ha.
I was surprised at how my knee pain went away for the most part but towards the end I was getting some dull pain in my right foot arch. I'm going to need to work on stretching my feet more. But I actually tried the "ice bath" strategy. I say strategy because since I can't take a bath at my apartment, I just took a cold shower. It was a little tough convincing my body to get in and stay in but I can't believe how much it helped. By 11 am I was walking around town and went around with a friend until probably 3 o'clock. Ha but then I crashed at 5 pm, for what I thought was going to be just a short nap. I woke up at 11 pm! Then I went back to sleep from 1 am to 6:30 am ha. Guess my body was pretty tired.
Today was a rest/stretch day and we had our nutrition clinic. The information presented was very interesting and I know that it's something I'm going to have to pay more attention to.
Friday, June 22, 2007
June 22nd
Wednesday's group run went really well. I've found someone (Melissa) that keeps the same pace as me, so we've been running together. The only sad part is that she's training for the Half Marathon and so she doesn't have to run as far as I do. After our run around Lake Harriet, some of us went to Noodles and it was fun getting to know even more people. I'm surprised at how many names I'm remembering, since usually I'm pretty bad at that. Ha but I did get shamed a little by my coach. He asked how I was doing and stuff and I mentioned how bad my knees had hurt after the last long run. Coach said that my quads are too weak and I need to strengthen them up...which is probably true.
Thursday was a rest/stretch day and a fun day at work. Today and tomorrow I'm switching up my training schedule a bit. I was supposed to run 5 miles today and then do 30 minutes of cross training tomorrow. But since I am scheduled to run a 5K tomorrow morning, I swam for about 30 minutes this afternoon and will try to run tomorrow at a faster pace.
Also it is scary how much my body wants me to eat now that I've started running regularly. Some people say they never lose weight when they're training, others have said they've lost 15 pounds, and some have even gained while training. It'll be interesting to see how my body decides to respond.
Thursday was a rest/stretch day and a fun day at work. Today and tomorrow I'm switching up my training schedule a bit. I was supposed to run 5 miles today and then do 30 minutes of cross training tomorrow. But since I am scheduled to run a 5K tomorrow morning, I swam for about 30 minutes this afternoon and will try to run tomorrow at a faster pace.
Also it is scary how much my body wants me to eat now that I've started running regularly. Some people say they never lose weight when they're training, others have said they've lost 15 pounds, and some have even gained while training. It'll be interesting to see how my body decides to respond.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
June 19th
Sunday was the most difficult run so far. We met at Lake Nokomis and ran to Lake Harriet and back. It was somewhere between 8 and 9 miles. Some people then went around Lake Nokomis (which is about another 3 miles) but my legs were telling me "NO" and so I stretched. It was also interesting because there was a 5K going on at the lake and so we got to cheer people in at the finish line where we were stretching. My knees still hurt today and our next group run is tomorrow...
Monday we were on TV! Kare 11 is doing a 3 part story about Team in Training and so for the second segment they came to talk to us about our training. It was on live so I wasn't able to watch it, but I think it went really well. I didn't speak at all but you might be able to see me in the "group wave" part ha. The rest of the day was basically spent at work, icing my left knee and stretching. I went to a BodyFlow class at the YMCA because it's supposed to help with flexibility. It was actually pretty challenging and today I could feel the work we'd done with the lower back -- but overall it was really relaxing.
Today I ran on the elliptical since my knees were still a little tender. I was supposed to do 4 miles but did almost 6 since the elliptical is easier. Then I made sure to do lots of stretching. I think I'm ready for the run at Lake Harriet tomorrow, but I am a little nervous about the 12 mile run scheduled for Sunday...
Monday we were on TV! Kare 11 is doing a 3 part story about Team in Training and so for the second segment they came to talk to us about our training. It was on live so I wasn't able to watch it, but I think it went really well. I didn't speak at all but you might be able to see me in the "group wave" part ha. The rest of the day was basically spent at work, icing my left knee and stretching. I went to a BodyFlow class at the YMCA because it's supposed to help with flexibility. It was actually pretty challenging and today I could feel the work we'd done with the lower back -- but overall it was really relaxing.
Today I ran on the elliptical since my knees were still a little tender. I was supposed to do 4 miles but did almost 6 since the elliptical is easier. Then I made sure to do lots of stretching. I think I'm ready for the run at Lake Harriet tomorrow, but I am a little nervous about the 12 mile run scheduled for Sunday...
Saturday, June 16, 2007
June 16th - Back from Two Harbors
Well I'm back from Two Harbors and am getting caught up on everything before going back to work Monday. A quick note ** Kare 11 is doing a story on Team in Training and so Monday, June 18th I'll be at Calhoun Executive Center along with some of the other participants and might end up on TV!
While I was gone I still kept up with the training program and actually exceeded the mileage scheduled for my long run. Monday and Tuesday I ran from our lodge to Gooseberry Falls, which averaged between 3 to 4 miles. Then on Wednesday I ran from Split Rock Lighthouse down to Gooseberry Falls (where I met up with the van and got a ride back to the lodge) so even though I was only scheduled for 5 miles, I ended up doing about 7 -- and it only took about an hour! It was a beautiful run along Hwy 61 with Lake Superior on my left. The other great thing was that the temperature wasn't as hot as it was in the cities and there was a nice breeze coming off the lake.
Yesterday I did about 30 minutes of cross training on the bike and then tonight I will be running 3 miles with a friend. Tomorrow is another long run (9 miles) with the group at Lake Nokomis. I'm not sure how many people will be there since a number of my team mates are running Grandma's Marathon today.
Also, the fundraising is going pretty well -- I'm almost halfway to my goal! Thanks again to everyone for their support!
While I was gone I still kept up with the training program and actually exceeded the mileage scheduled for my long run. Monday and Tuesday I ran from our lodge to Gooseberry Falls, which averaged between 3 to 4 miles. Then on Wednesday I ran from Split Rock Lighthouse down to Gooseberry Falls (where I met up with the van and got a ride back to the lodge) so even though I was only scheduled for 5 miles, I ended up doing about 7 -- and it only took about an hour! It was a beautiful run along Hwy 61 with Lake Superior on my left. The other great thing was that the temperature wasn't as hot as it was in the cities and there was a nice breeze coming off the lake.
Yesterday I did about 30 minutes of cross training on the bike and then tonight I will be running 3 miles with a friend. Tomorrow is another long run (9 miles) with the group at Lake Nokomis. I'm not sure how many people will be there since a number of my team mates are running Grandma's Marathon today.
Also, the fundraising is going pretty well -- I'm almost halfway to my goal! Thanks again to everyone for their support!
Saturday, June 9, 2007
June 9th - Group Run & My Birthday
I was a little worried that my body would be too achy for our group run today after all the physical work I did on Friday. Yesterday morning I went and did 4.80 miles on the elliptical and a couple minutes on the stair climber. Then I went to volunteer with work at the Wilder Foundation in St. Paul. I ended up raking leaves and shoveling dirt for several hours to help them reseed their grass. Luckily I got a good dose of carbs at dinner when I went to Macaroni Grill and ate some of the Chicken Over-Stuffed Ravioli. Yum! I also made sure to get at least 8 hours of sleep so that I was ready for today.
So then what better way to start out my birthday than with a warm bagel with peanut butter and run along the Mississippi? I did two loops around Heritage Trail, which is conveniently only about 4 blocks from my apartment, for a total of about 7 miles -- my farthest run yet! The best part is that even though I did feel some aches at the end, it never felt like I was close to needing to stop. I made sure to stretch a lot after the run and so I'm hoping I don't get too stiff like last weekend.
This next week I will be up in Two Harbors for work and so I will continue training on my own up there and will give you a small recap when I return. Now it's off to celebrate my birthday with some fun times in Stillwater with the nice weather!
So then what better way to start out my birthday than with a warm bagel with peanut butter and run along the Mississippi? I did two loops around Heritage Trail, which is conveniently only about 4 blocks from my apartment, for a total of about 7 miles -- my farthest run yet! The best part is that even though I did feel some aches at the end, it never felt like I was close to needing to stop. I made sure to stretch a lot after the run and so I'm hoping I don't get too stiff like last weekend.
This next week I will be up in Two Harbors for work and so I will continue training on my own up there and will give you a small recap when I return. Now it's off to celebrate my birthday with some fun times in Stillwater with the nice weather!
Wednesday, June 6, 2007
June 6th - Group Run
Yesterday was a bit of a rest/stretch day but I still biked to and from work. The best part was that my calf quit hurting and there were about 5 envelopes in my mailbox when I got home with donations in them. I am so thankful for all the contributions people are making and for the notes of encouragement they're sending along as well.
Tonight we went around Lake Calhoun. I was scheduled to do 5 miles but went around twice and so it was more like 6.2 miles. It went a lot better than Saturday's long run and I met even more amazing team members. There are so many great people participating in TNT and I can only imagine what camaraderie there will be by the end of the season. After the run a group of us went out for some dinner at Noodles and it was great to hear my mentor talk about her dating adventures. You can tell that the people who came back to the program as mentors have a friendship from the previous season/s together.
Another great thing was that I found out one of the other participants is a doctor and so he gave me some tips on why my knees and calves have been sore and what kind of exercises I should do. I guess I really need to build up more of my quads and so it looks like I'll be forming a new friendship with stairs :-) I also really need to focus on stretching even more than I already do. The other thing that happened tonight was I realized why the mentors and coach stress the importance of Body Glide. I saw two girls that were bleeding at the end of the run and it hurt just looking at it. Just say no to blisters and chaffing.
Monday, June 4, 2007
June 4th
My right calf area has been tender since my group run on Saturday, so I've emailed my coach to ask for any advice/suggestions. But I was able to get through the 3 miles I was scheduled to run today, so that's good. It was great trying out my new running shoes today and I can definitely feel a difference in the cushioning. So basically today I biked to the Y, ran 3 miles, and then did the BodyPump strength training class. I'm trying to focus on building more upper body strength to even out the training I've been doing with my legs. Also, it's really great to see the donations starting to come in and thank you to everyone for their support!
Saturday, June 2, 2007
June 2nd - Group run & shop
This morning we met at Runner's Gate in Lakeville at 8 am. Unfortunately I don't think we did enough stretching before the run because my right calf/Achilles tendon was tender on and off through out the run. I made it almost the full 6 miles except about .25 miles to the end I suddenly felt a sharp pain in my right calf. I decided it would be best to walk from there. After walking a while it seemed to go away but a dull pain has been coming back randomly as I've been doing other things for the rest of the day. I've been trying to stretch it but I think I'm also going to need to ice it a bit.
On a more positive note, 3 great things: I got my first online contribution (thanks Grandma & Grandpa!), I finally got some quality running shoes, and I met a really wonderful teammate today. About 1/3 of the way through the run today, I ended up by this woman, Sarah. She and I later ended up turning around together since the other people were running 8 miles. On the way back she asked me about why I was running and I told her about my Uncle Jeff. Then I asked her if she was running for anyone in particular. It turns out she's running for her son who was just diagnosed with Leukemia this past December. She told me about how he was diagnosed, the treatments he has had, and that they are hoping they can finally let him out of the house in about 3 weeks. Before every group training session we have someone share a mission moment -- the reason why they are running -- and every time someone shares their story it brings everyone there to the verge of tears. There are so many brave people who have fought or currently fighting cancer. And every time I hear one of their stories it reminds me why I'm doing this.
On a more positive note, 3 great things: I got my first online contribution (thanks Grandma & Grandpa!), I finally got some quality running shoes, and I met a really wonderful teammate today. About 1/3 of the way through the run today, I ended up by this woman, Sarah. She and I later ended up turning around together since the other people were running 8 miles. On the way back she asked me about why I was running and I told her about my Uncle Jeff. Then I asked her if she was running for anyone in particular. It turns out she's running for her son who was just diagnosed with Leukemia this past December. She told me about how he was diagnosed, the treatments he has had, and that they are hoping they can finally let him out of the house in about 3 weeks. Before every group training session we have someone share a mission moment -- the reason why they are running -- and every time someone shares their story it brings everyone there to the verge of tears. There are so many brave people who have fought or currently fighting cancer. And every time I hear one of their stories it reminds me why I'm doing this.
Friday, June 1, 2007
June 1st
Yesterday I was able to fit in my 3 mile run before babysitting. I'm really excited for our group shop Saturday after our group run because I really need better running shoes. My knees have been getting a little sore during and after my runs, so I'm hoping that with better shoes and more stretching that will get better.
Today was a rest/stretch day so not much to report. I was really enjoying stretching and found myself some more at work through out the day. Again, it's a night that I'm feeling really tired and so I will be going to bed early. I need to be in Lakeville at 8 am and with 35W closed between downtown and crosstown, I'll have to find an alternate route. Tomorrow I'm supposed to run about 6 miles and that will be the farthest I've ever ran in one shot. So I'm looking forward to it but a little nervous at the same time. I think that if I'm very conscious about my pace that it will be just fine.
Today was a rest/stretch day so not much to report. I was really enjoying stretching and found myself some more at work through out the day. Again, it's a night that I'm feeling really tired and so I will be going to bed early. I need to be in Lakeville at 8 am and with 35W closed between downtown and crosstown, I'll have to find an alternate route. Tomorrow I'm supposed to run about 6 miles and that will be the farthest I've ever ran in one shot. So I'm looking forward to it but a little nervous at the same time. I think that if I'm very conscious about my pace that it will be just fine.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
May 30th - Group Run
Tonight we had a group run around Lake Harriet. I went once around the lake, ran for 5 more minutes, and then turned around and ran back to the bandshell. The coach estimated that should roughly equal the 4 miles I was scheduled to run today. I'm definitely feeling the aches tonight and I'm wishing tomorrow was a rest/stretch day. But alas...need to run 3 miles tomorrow morning before work since I'm babysitting in the evening. Last night I only got about 4 hours of sleep and then I went to a strength training class at the YMCA. Needless to say, my body is feeling a bit exhausted. So for the first time in a long time, I think I will be going to bed before 10 pm. Goodnight all.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
May 29th
Well after my 3 mile run today, which I did on the track at the YMCA, I am definitely looking forward to our group shop this Saturday. Saturday we are planning on doing our 6 mile run in Lakeville and then Runner's Gate is going to open specially for us and give us a discount. Since I was running at the YMCA today, I used some old tennis that I keep there and I can tell it's time to throw them out. At the end of my run I had sore knees and a wonderful blister on my left foot. So Saturday I will be investing in some new running shoes.
But overall it actually wasn't that bad -- I'm happy with the pace I kept and it really does seem to be getting easier. I'm looking forward to our group run tomorrow at Lake Harriet.
But overall it actually wasn't that bad -- I'm happy with the pace I kept and it really does seem to be getting easier. I'm looking forward to our group run tomorrow at Lake Harriet.
Monday, May 28, 2007
May 28th
Today my program has a 3 mile run scheduled. Since I slept in a bit, I foolishly went for my jog right around 11:30 am. Note to self -- do the run either early or late, but not at one of the hottest, sunniest times of the day. The run itself actually went alright. I tried a pace that was faster than usual. I broke it up a little by running most of the 3 miles, meeting someone for lunch and then running the last bit back home.
It is also a big day for me to get my fundraising going. I'm hoping to have my letters ready to mail on Wednesday, so I have quite a bit of preparation to do before then. Luckily it's a holiday weekend and I can use today to get it done!
Hope everyone else is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend
It is also a big day for me to get my fundraising going. I'm hoping to have my letters ready to mail on Wednesday, so I have quite a bit of preparation to do before then. Luckily it's a holiday weekend and I can use today to get it done!
Hope everyone else is enjoying their Memorial Day weekend
Saturday, May 26, 2007
May 26th - First Training Session
This morning at 8 am we had our first group run at Lake Harriet. I wasn't too worried about the run since my training program only had me scheduled to do about 3-4 miles, and that's about the same as a 5K.
We started off by introducing ourselves, saying which event we're running, and why we decided to join Team in Training. People had many different reasons: ranging from the Tiffany's necklace you get for finishing the Nike marathon to one woman's son was diagnosed with Leukemia 5 months ago. Our coach, Mike, has warned us about the changes that will happen as our training progresses -- not just physically but the emotional changes as well.
So we did some stretching and then it was off around the lake. I'd never run around Lake Harriet before, but it's really a beautiful trail. I think our group managed to make some Lake "regulars" annoyed by taking up most of the path, but we also got lots of encouraging remarks.
By 9 am I was back at the bandshell with some of the other runners and so we stretched and had some Powerade. Since there are some people that are more experienced runners or training for other non-TNT events, such as Grandma's Marathon, some went and did another lap around the lake. But since I'm following the novice program, I was content with just my one.
There was one funny thing (I think) that happened on the way home. One of the other girls in the program accidentally locked her keys in her trunk so I was giving her a ride to her house- no that's not the funny part. Neither of us really knew how to get back to the freeway since the street is a one way and takes you around part of the lake before giving you a chance to exit. I slowed down at one corner to see if we recognized the street name as one that would get us to the freeway. Suddenly I noticed two guys were running just in line with my car and one looked over at me and smiled at just the same time as I had glanced at them. He thought I'd slowed down to check him and his buddy out! The other girl and I got a bit of a laugh as I drove away, and a little while later we finally found our way to the freeway.
We started off by introducing ourselves, saying which event we're running, and why we decided to join Team in Training. People had many different reasons: ranging from the Tiffany's necklace you get for finishing the Nike marathon to one woman's son was diagnosed with Leukemia 5 months ago. Our coach, Mike, has warned us about the changes that will happen as our training progresses -- not just physically but the emotional changes as well.
So we did some stretching and then it was off around the lake. I'd never run around Lake Harriet before, but it's really a beautiful trail. I think our group managed to make some Lake "regulars" annoyed by taking up most of the path, but we also got lots of encouraging remarks.
By 9 am I was back at the bandshell with some of the other runners and so we stretched and had some Powerade. Since there are some people that are more experienced runners or training for other non-TNT events, such as Grandma's Marathon, some went and did another lap around the lake. But since I'm following the novice program, I was content with just my one.
There was one funny thing (I think) that happened on the way home. One of the other girls in the program accidentally locked her keys in her trunk so I was giving her a ride to her house- no that's not the funny part. Neither of us really knew how to get back to the freeway since the street is a one way and takes you around part of the lake before giving you a chance to exit. I slowed down at one corner to see if we recognized the street name as one that would get us to the freeway. Suddenly I noticed two guys were running just in line with my car and one looked over at me and smiled at just the same time as I had glanced at them. He thought I'd slowed down to check him and his buddy out! The other girl and I got a bit of a laugh as I drove away, and a little while later we finally found our way to the freeway.
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