Happy Thanksgiving!

Hello all! I'm in Minnesota, hooray!

I love to come up here and run and was looking forward to the cool weather for some of these long runs - but it is downright cold! Today I ran around Lake Harriet twice (about 5 miles??) and it was a wee bit chilly (29 degrees) and toward the end of the run I felt quite the hip twinge.

Have I told you all about my troublesome hip? It's been slightly bothersome on a few runs but has not given me much trouble for the last few weeks. Suddenly, today, I felt it again except today it was worse. A decidedly sharp pain in the area of the hip flexor, so I stopped running immediately and walked the rest of the way to the car, stretching out carefully when I returned. Strangely, it has been fine since then, not the achiness I was feeling before, so I guess I'll just wait to see what happens.

Tomorrow is the Turkey Trot. I was enormously lazy and didn't sign up for it early so it's going to cost me an extra 5 bucks - or whatever... There's also something going on at Lake Harriet - a 6 miler (really, more my speed), so maybe I should do that instead? That's a "Drumstick Dash." Don'tcha just love the holidays?

The long run this week will be something like 12 miles (I'm going to attempt some kind of Lake-of-the-Isles/Calhoun/Harriet combo), just mapping something out. I wanted to run with the MN TNT group, but that sort of fell through last weekend. Actually, that's a something of a story...

So, there I was at Lake Calhoun, searching in vain for the TNT group when I approached a man who looked like he was gathering runners - perhaps he was the coach? I asked him if he was with Team-in-Training and he harumphed! An actual harumph followed by a dismissive wave of the hand and a "They're afraid of the snow." (!) This was my first experience with runners snobbery and I did not deal well. Not to mention the fact that I currently live in Texas and I was running in the snow! Anyway, the guy irritated me so much (and I still couldn't find the TNT folks) that I just went out on my own. The good news is that my anger sustained me for the first 3 miles or so, when I'm normally irriatable and sluggish. Only problem was, I was not prepared and had no water, so I spent the first little bit just running around looking for a convenience store (finally found one somewhere off of Lyndale). Not a bad run, all in all, I think I ended up doing something a bit over 11 miles, though it's hard to say 'cause I hadn't mapped the course. Longest distance yet, though somehow I just wasn't that pumped. I wonder why?

Okay, must dash. Holiday preperations have us all on the hop. Happy Thanksgiving everyone and I will give you feedback from my first road race sometime in the next few days!

An Update (Finally!)

Okay, first let me apologize for being so remiss in updating this blog. I've had hardware issues with my home computer which has made it difficult to do any updates. Basically, the power cord is fraying and I need to hold it with one hand while I navigate with the other -- needless to say, it makes typing rather difficult. I've ordered a new one so I hope this will mean that I will be a better blogger once it arrives...

So, on to some training news! First off, I need to be honest and tell all of you that I have had some pretty lackluster runs of late, which has made me generally cranky and difficult to be around. (Since I live alone and have no social life, this has not been too rough on anyone in particular. My poor work colleague, I suppose, bear the brunt of this!) But, yeah. Bad runs of late. I mean, I've been doing them, but I feel constantly out of breath and leaden for so much of the run. I'm totally bummed that I have never experienced the runners "high" (somehow I feel like I deserve it). Even my mantra of "better than chemo" does not appear to be helping me much, which makes me feel endlessly ashamed. I mean, the short distances have been simply horrid, horrid, horrid... The long runs, hilly and difficult. I might chalk it up to the freakishly warm weather, but shouldn't I be able to handle that somewhat?

Good news is that it is cooling down and I'm heading back to Minnesota on Friday. I'm very excited to go, in part to see my family, and in part because the MN TNT group has agreed to let me run with them. Hooray! (Though, I will give a shout out to my own Coach Carole and her husband who have been great!) I'm mostly just happy to run with a team for the long runs so that I can benefit from the water provisions. That's what I find difficult about mapping my routes here - making sure that I'm finding a convenience store for my water needs. Anyway...

So yes, to sum up: lousy runs lately, not feeling motivated (shamed), and running in MN

More updates later (or should I say sooner?)...

What a week...

Wow, so much has happened this week. Get ready. First of all, I've decided to switch my training toward the Austin marathon, rather than Walt Disney World. This is totally cool with me as it just means one more month of training and I kind of like the training. Kathleen and I took the decision right up to the wire and she decided, in the end, that the trip to Disney World would wait until the whole family (including little Snapkos) could go. Furthermore, Sage would not have to push her exhausted Auntie Deirdre around the park in a wheelchair, so that was cool for everyone. So, mark your calendars folks! February 17, 2008! Austin Marathon

How's everyone doing? Well, McKenna had a rough day today, but it looks like she's doing okay now. McKenna is actually an honored hero for TNT in Minnesota, so she's got a lot of marathoners working for her. I've met this little girl (last year, the day after Sean died) and I just have to tell you that this is a great kid with some cool parents. Just talking to them that night meant so much to all of us and my heart just aches for them. Keep thinking positive for McKenna.

Ann is a trooper. One of the loveliest girls I've ever seen and - like I said before - rockin' the chemo! Both Ann and McKenna are just beautiful, as was Sean, and it really seems that as unfair as it is that anyone must go through this dreadful, dreadful disease, and as much as it takes away from its victims and all the people that love them, it just cannot beat them. Not really. We lost Sean, but the cancer never stole his spirit. And he won. We lost, but he still won.

Anyway, I think I mentioned a mileage update, but I forgot to add things up before I started writing, so I don't have it. What I can tell you about is the running for the week. Both Monday and Tuesday I ran on the treadmill at the gym, which I think that I mentioned. Tuesday I was in a rush and didn't have time to do the whole run (only something like 2.8 miles, rather than 3). Likewise, I attempted to run on the treadmill when I had to go to Dallas on Thursday night (stayed in a hotel for a meeting), but it just did NOT work out. Seriously. I don't know why, but I just did not have it with me. Perhaps it was the late hour, or the not-so-great treadmill. But whatever it was, it was the first time that my workout really kicked my butt. Made me pretty cranky. Furthermore, I didn't get to train with the team on Saturday, so I had to run on my own this morning. I went about 10 miles (instead of the 13 that was supposed to happen), but I figured it was okay since I changed my race. Nevertheless... One new thing of note, tried a PowerGel today. I seriously have no idea if it worked. But it was worth a try.

So, now I'm a bit tired and sore. But hey, like I say when things are getting tough, it's better than chemo. Way better than the BMT.

Happy Birthday, McKenna!

So, I promised the updates on the next post, here it is. Yes, I realize I just posted like 10 minutes ago, but this is important. One of my honorees has turned TEN today! Happy Birthday, McKenna!

This young lady is truly remarkable, having gone through not one, but two (count 'em, two!) bone marrow transplants. The last one took place in August and (unfortunately) she's having a little trouble these days. She's on the oscillator now and getting help with her breathing, which means that she's sedated for her birthday. In my opinion, this just means she should have an even bigger party when she gets off of that thing. In the meantime, let's mobilize some hopes and prayers for McKenna. If you want, post them here and I will pass the good wishes on to her and her family.

Double Digits!

Well, here's some exciting news. I have officially hit double digits! After the blues of last weeks blah, blah running, my training has once again kicked in and I ran...(drumroll please)... 10 MILES! (One is not supposed to use caps on websites, the theory being that the reader will feel like s/he is being shouted at, but...why not shout? TEN MILES!!!)

Wow! Okay, just published this accidentally (in all the excitement). Ten miles is a long way and I must say that I was really feeling it on Saturday afternoon and evening, all stiffness and the like. A friend of mine, who has run many of these things, warned me on Sat night that I would probably be feeling it even worse on Sunday. Fortunately, that did not happen. In fact, I felt pretty normal/fine on Sunday. All the good training? All the good stretching? Who knows? Anyway, I'm doing pretty well.

As I noted earlier, I'm probably developing a little hip bursitis, but my running buddies have been giving me some IT band stretches that seem to have helped that out. Also, the knees are a wee bit sore on stairs (up), but I suspect that is to be expected. I'll need to hit the gym for some quad work (tonight) and a run. I'm still a bit dismayed by my slowness, but I may work some light speedwork into the training. Not really pushing things, but running on the treadmill to improve my pace, maybe get up to an unimpressive 10 minute mile or something.

Fundraising has slowed a bit, to be honest. I'm at about $1800 (+/- some cash donations), so a big decision is in store here. I have to turn in my paperwork for Disney by 5pm on Friday if we want to do that so the big question is: will I be able to make up the remaining two grand? Hard to say; I'll have to talk to Kathleen as well, see where she's at and if she and Sage will be able to afford Disney World in January (I'm told this is peak season). Can we do it?

If not, there's always Austin and that is not so bad. For one thing, Austin is a cool city. Also, the marathon is not until mid February, which means another whole month to get ready. I'm quite enjoying this training process, so it wouldn't be a bad thing. Mostly, though, I think I'm going to leave it to Kathleen and see what she wants to do. I'll let my reading public know when she decides... :)

Next time: Mileage update, Updates on Ann and McKenna, Marathon location information. Talk to you soon!

ugh...

So, I haven't gone running yet today because the weather has been a little nasty here today and, combined with work, it's been a bit inconvenient. But I'll head out tonight when I get home. What happened to early morning running? Well, it's 53 degrees out right now (but icky - blustery), so I figured it would be okay to let the run slide to later in the day. But I am not in the mood. So, it's not just a weather thing, it is also psychological. Must run early in the day to get it over with so I will not have it hanging over me ALL DAY LONG. All was okay, though. Had a big thing at work to finish, so it was nice to get in early (during running time) and finish some stuff off.

I'm going to get a mileage report to you all pretty quickly, but this has been a pretty easy week so far. We had a stepback this week and the group run was only 6 miles on Saturday, which felt easy when I did it (though I went home and collapsed when I was through and pretty useless for the rest of the day - can't quite figure out why). And Thursday's run (first day back from NY), was gross and hot and muggy. So apparently, nothing about the weather makes me happy.

To be honest, I think I'm hitting a dry spell here. I need some kind of encouragement, perhaps a rich benefactor to make that $2000 that I'm still short for Disney? Or maybe just a rah, rah...blah, blah, blah... Whatever, I don't even have the energy to write this entry. Now I have to go run . Oh well...

So much to tell...

Well, I feel a little guilty because I have been on vacation and haven't been blogging like I normally would. I have, however, been running so I guess that's what's important here. Okay, so I told you all that I would be in New York state this week and indeed I am. A landscape with many hills which made me quite nervous for the long run this week. So, while 'tis true that the hills are numerous (I am told by the knowledgeable one that these are actually carved out valleys and ridges from ancient glaciers, not hills per se), the biggest challenge comes from another geographic anomaly of the area -- the rain.

So, my first 5 mile run last Thursday was a wet one. I slogged 5 miles through a fairly steady rain - no electrical storm, just rain - and was good and soaked when it was over. When I realized what I was going to have to do, I was sort of freaked out. I only had shorts and a long-sleeved tee (thankfully not cotton) and I thought I might just freeze (did I mention that it was in the mid-40s?). Nevertheless, I just decided to suck it up and got out there and did my thing. Not too many hills on this run because it turns out that most of the town is in a fairly flat valley. Only when I got to the edge of town did I find myself going up a rather steep hill (running all the way! hooray!), getting to the top of the ridge and seeing what might have been some rather fabulous fall colors, if not for the aforementioned steady downpour.

Anyway, much to my surprise, the run went pretty well. Yes, my shoes were soaked when I was done, and I wasn't able to go on Friday morning as a result (I had planned a three-miler), but I felt remarkably good afterward. No soreness or anything. Almost like I was getting a nice cool massage all along. Very weird... And then to Saturday, the day of the long run. Saturday was 9 miles and, despite my surprisingly positive experience with the 5 mile rain/run, I was happy that it was a fairly nice day (partly sunny and low fifties for the run).

Things have begun to fall into something of a pattern with these runs. For instance, I think I can say fairly definitively that it is much harder to run three miles than it is to run five or six. After three miles, my body suddenly feels like its accepted the fact that this is what is happening and everything just feels easier. Breathing gets easier, joints seem looser, muscles seem warmer... And it's almost like clockwork: 30 minutes of running then -- boom! Is that endorphins? I don't really know. From what I've read, it's supposed to feel like a kind of high and this is not so much a "high" as it is a "this-doesn't-feel-horrible-anymore" kind of feeling. That said, this more relaxed state only lasted another four miles or so (to mile 7, or so) and then I can say that I started to feel it again. The last two miles were not so much a struggle, but they were definitely "felt" by me. I would like to say that so far I've been able to steadily run all of these distances without walking. Perhaps that is what being obsessive about the training will do.

So anyway, I was a bit stiff afterward, but not horribly so. By the next day, I was fine. Yesterday I ran another three miles (all hard fought and horrible - ran 5 minutes at the end just to get past that bad feeling) and today I will run five. That's the other nice thing about being up here in New York. I don't have to get up at the crack of dawn to do the running that will prevent heatstroke. I can pretty much go whenever. So, I thought I would update the blog and do some other work (for work - I know, I'm on vacation), and get the run in this afternoon.

Alas, my break ends all too soon tomorrow and it's back to Texas for me.