It's All About the CORE

I think that it's safe to say that I am going to be really sore when I get out of bed tomorrow. Today, I think that I did what I have been telling myself not to do since I started training again...I over did it.

This morning, I woke up and headed to the gym for a make-up Pilates reformer class. My doctor recommended that I give Pilates a try as a way to strengthen my core and my back, so I started these weekly sessions about 6 weeks ago. Because this morning was a make up session, I think that our instruction decided that we were going to work extra hard for an hour. My calves were burning, my abs were burning and I swear that I now feel muscles I never knew existed. So, by the time the hour was up, I pretty much felt like jell-o.

By 5pm I was feeling better, but this is about when the exhaustion set in. I know that everyone tells you that you should sleep when the baby sleeps, but when Brody naps for 3 hours, I can usually think of so many other things to do during those 3 hours, and then of course I never really accomplish everything that I hope to in those 3 hours. By the time Brody woke up, I was seriously considering cancelling the babysitter (Mike is out of town this week), and just not going to my track workout. Instead, I went and endured another couple of hours of intense core exercises from Coach Mary.

So, it's now almost midnight, I'm home after two brutal workouts and a piece of tasty Hobee's coffeecake, and I am still up. And yes, I now feel like a HUGE bowl of jell-o and I don't think that feeling is going away anytime soon.

Right now, it's all about the core.

I wonder if someday my core will feel more like a washboard than jell-o?

We can all dream, can't we?

4 miles down....lots more to go!

Again, I survived my latest weekend workout with the team. This past Saturday, we were up in San Mateo at Seal Point Park...right along the Bay, running alongside the airplanes flying into SFO.

When I first started training 5 years ago for the Portland Marathon, I had it stuck in my head that I had to "run" the entire thing. I was letting myself down if I had to stop for a break or stop to walk for a bit. Boy, was I silly for thinking this.

My second marathon, the San Diego Rock 'n Roll Marathon in June 2005, I really learned my lesson the hard way. After a season of running with my partner in crime, Cori, she was injured the week of the marathon. So, all of the planning of how we were going to tackle the course, what we were going to talk about during the race....thrown out the window!!! I actually had to run the ENTIRE thing by myself. I think that I was in a daze when I got to the start line that morning - still thinking that Cori was right beside me pushing me to keep running. While I was running with a sea of people, Cori was not there and I had to keep pushing myself. There were many times I wanted to give up and just stop, but when I remembered all of the money I had raised and all of the honorees that I had trained for, I knew I had to keep going however long it took.

That day, I ran about 14 or 15 miles and pretty much walked the remaining miles. For the first time I had blisters between my toes and felt completed depleted of all of my energy. That day, I gained a deeper appreciation for walkers. Yes, people actually sign up to WALK half and full marathons. For so long I just figured I needed to run to finish quicker and get on with my day.

So, fast forward a few years and now I think that I am going to go for a COMBINATION of the two...Run/Walk. For the first time, I actually disciplined myself this past Saturday to pay attention to my watch and force myself to run 4 minutes, then walk for 1 minute...repeating this cycle over and over until I had completed 4 miles. Perhaps it was my 3 teammates (Angela, Eileen, and Sean) who were relying on me to tell them when to run and when to walk. Or, perhaps it was the feeling of happiness finding others who ran at my same pace (now that Cori and I live miles apart, we haven't been able to run together in years). Whatever it was, I FELT GREAT during and after my run/walk! I swear, I felt like I could keep going for another mile or two!

So, for this race in October my game plan has changed. I'll be running (most of the time) and walking (some of the time) to keep me balanced and to get me across that finish line.

Here's to another great track workout tonight!

Getting Back Into a Routine

The first full week of training is coming to a close, and I'll admit that I'm finding it a bit more challenging this time around. I felt pretty good after last weekend's 2 mile run at that Baylands, so good that I figured that this week I would try and get started on my new workout schedule:

Sunday - rest, hanging out with little man Brody at the Farmer's Market, walk around the neighborhood pushing a stroller and trying to control an 80 pound Golden Retriever

Monday - swimming for 30 min at the gym

Tuesday - track workout with the team (about 1.5 miles of running, and lots of core training)

Wednesday - hanging out with Brody, walking around Los Gatos and around the neighborhood

Thursday - pilates workout (1 hr), Buddy Run with the South Bay folks (2.5 miles)

Friday - day's not over yet, but I am pretty tired today!

I'm trying not to overdo it as I've got another team run tomorrow up in San Mateo. Right now, I'm just trying to decide if I should go for 3-4 miles or stick with 2 miles. Guess we'll have to see how I feel in the morning.

Get Set...GO!!!

I SURVIVED!!!

Okay, so it was only 2 miles - but that's 2 mile further than I have run in the past 2 years. Not an easy feat for someone coming off childbirth (okay, that was 16 months ago), and a pretty serious injury (and yes, I know that I have been brace free since October).

Instead of milking the childbirth and injury, I think that it's time for me to say NO EXCUSES!!! I can and I WILL do this! Hello, our Honorees have/are currently going through chemo and radiation for cancer...I sure as heck can get out there and run 2 miles!

I actually felt pretty good throughout our team run at the Palo Alto Baylands. It was a beautiful day to be outside with my teammates and ever better as I saw some familiar faces from previous teams. Ed, Jocelyn, Dave, Winnie, Wayne, Kathy, Jennifer, Sue, Janica.....so much fun that folks keep coming back to TNT season after season.

Next up....track workout on Tuesday night at Stanford. I actually enjoy track workouts, so I am looking forward to this. The challenge at the beginning of the season is that Coach Terry throws in a hefty core workout and we don't actually do much running at the track. My core certainly needs a workout, so this should be interesting and I am sure that I will feel it on Wednesday morning.

Tomorrow I'm heading to the gym to get in some laps at the pool as well. After a week off from the gym (my little guy have been sick so he can't go to their Playcare Center while I work out), I am really looking forward to getting into the water. I wish that I could say that swimming helps me relax my brain too, but I swear that my brain goes on overdrive when I am swimming...too much to think about.

Here's to a great week of workouts in preparation for next weekend's run in San Mateo!

On your mark.....

It's been a while since I've actually lined up at a start line.

Tomorrow, I am lining up for a four month long training adventure that will test my endurance, sanity, physical strength, emotions, and ability to run while wearing a purple tutu and cape (atop my regular running attire). Am I gearing up to join the circus? Well, not really...unless they serve Gatorade, Gu, and peanut butter pretzels at the circus.

I joined Team In Training...again!

This season will mark my 5 year anniversary with TNT.

*5 years since I ran my first marathon in Portland the week Mount St. Helens erupted and spouted ash (yes, I wasted time freaking out that I would be running in bad air conditions)

*5 years since I conquered the massive hill up to the St. John's bridge, being cheered on by folks screaming "it's all downhill from here," only to find another HUGE hill at mile 23.

*5 years since I earned my first finishers' medal and celebratory tree seedlings from the wonderful people of Oregon.

*5 years since I met the most amazing people: Coach Al, Mama Lisa, Team Manager Moncia, my mentor Patrick, and my favorite running partner in the world, Cori.

*5 years since I met some of the most inspiring people...our team Honorees.

*5 years since our team lost it's beloved Honoree, baby Cole Regan.

In the past 5 years, I have been blessed to be a part of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training program as a participant, mentor, manager, volunteer, and now as a captain. While I've been on a running hiatus for about 2 years (thanks to being pregnant and having a pretty serious injury), it feels really good to be back. And yes, I am saying this BEFORE running 2 miles tomorrow (although it might not feel so good when I get up on Sunday!).

In honor of my 5 years with TNT, here are some photos from my very first season with TNT. I do hope that someday I will get back into this great of running shape! But hey, when all else fails, I have my purple tutu and cape to hide the extra baggage this time around! (more on this later)

Pre-race jitters in the hotel lobby (OMG, I was so skinny!)

Cori and I looking good at mile 5.

Mile 19...can you say HORRIBLE running form?
Cori looks great, but I am a hunchback waddling duck!

Crossing the finish line!