Only A Few Long Runs Left!

Well I only have about a month and a half left in training! My last two long runs have actually been good. Last week I hit the bike trail were the race a majority of the race is going to be run. I did 19 miles and was quite pleased with the outcome. I was feeling strong the first 12 miles or so. Then I started to get really hungry. By mile 15 I had nothing left in the tank so I did find myself walking a lot towards the end. But I still had a decent pace of 11:46. It was nice running somewhere different. The change of scenery was a motivation in itself. I also tried listening to a book on tape. It was the best decision I think I have ever made. I am totally hooked on them now. They really make the time go quickly and I find myself getting so involved with the story and focusing less on my pain and suffering. I have been listening to thrillers so it makes me want to run so I can find out what happens next. So far I have finished "Runaway Jury" by John Grisham and "The Overlook" by Michael Connelly.

My long run today was 20 miles. My pace was a little slower, but I expected that because it was 90 degrees out by the time I finished. When I started, at 6:30 AM, it was 70 degrees. I knew the moment I stepped out the door that today was going to be a challenge. Once again I was feeling pretty strong till about mile 13, but then the heat really started to get to me. I did what I could to cool off, but you can only do so much. I dunked myself in a sprinkler at one point and it felt oh so good. I also stopped at Safeway twice and filled my hat with ice cubes from the soda machine after I filled my bottle with ice water. At one point I was out of water and had to stop at Starbucks for a refill. All in all I had to make 5 pit stops to refill my water. About a mile from my house I saw some construction guys spraying something out of a hose. I was going to ask them to spray me, but as I got closer I noticed it wasn't water, it was some green substance. I was thoroughly disappointed.

Overall I do feel a great deal stronger than I did when I started this training, but honestly I have no idea how I am going to be able to pull this off. I keep a positive attitude, but I know some sort of miracle is going to be needed. I suggest everyone should start praying for me now, I'm thinking a last minute prayer isn't going to work!

Fight the Boredom

I went to the library and I got a few books on tape to see how those would entertain me on my long runs. I'm starting to run out of podcasts so I needed a new plan. In addition to getting the books, I also got some audio CDs so I can try and learn to speak Italian. I figured I might as well use that time to make myself smarter. I'm not sure how well it will work out, but it's worth a shot. So if you see me running down the road and it looks like I'm talking to myself, at least you'll know I'm talking to myself in Italian!

Week 12 Wrap up: Is it October Yet?

Time got away from me this past week because I went away for a three day weekend to San Francisco. Last week my runs were okay. I was very pleased with my long run on Friday. I wanted to get it done before we went out of town because I really didn't want to map out an 18 mile route through the streets of Frisco. The run itself was quite warm, as I got out a little later than usual. Even though I did walk some at the end, I ran most of it quite strong. Forty-five minutes after completing my run, I was in the car and driving down to the Outside Lands musical festival in Golden Gate park. Once we got to the motel, we have to walk two miles to the show and then I spent another 3 hours or so standing and then walked 2 miles back to the motel. My legs were quite tired after all of this and they let me know they were not pleased with my actions. I ended up taking Saturday off and swimming at the motel inside of running.

On Saturday we changed motels and went to San Leandro and stayed at the San Leandro Marina Inn. It was fabulous! Sunday morning I woke up early and took a 4.5 mile run along the bay and the marina. The weather was perfect and it was a pleasant change from the streets of Folsom. The picture above is a shot of the marina from our balcony. I was going to take my camera on my run but I forgot it. When I got back I indulged myself in the best continental breakfast. I wish I could do that after every run.

Week Eleven Wrap Up:My Time to Whine

I am not going to lie. I am so sick of running right now. Everyday is a battle between staying in bed or getting out to hit the pavement. Of course the pavement pounding always wins, but the battle is exhausting. I'm bored with all of my running routes despite how I change them up. I'm sick of all the songs I have on my I-Pod and I'm running out of my favorite PodCasts. What am I going to do? I still have 2 months of training left!

The good news is that I have been in this predicament before and I was expecting it. The bad news is, that in the past when it's gotten to this point, I only had a few weeks left of training, not two months. My runs last week were nothing to write home about. I did go back to my old hill that I used for hill repeats the first six weeks and I was pleasantly surprised at how easy it now was. It was very apparent that I have gain a lot of strength over these past almost three months.

My long run was not too great. I had a few stomach issues early on and had to spend a good mile and a half walking to Safeway. My new mantra was "get me to Safeway, just get me to Safeway!" It was also very warm and I just didn't feel good. I met my dad at mile ten and he helped me get through three more. I called it quits at that point. My dad drove me home and I had something to eat. Despite not feeling that great, my guilt of not doing my planned 18 miles got the better of me. I changed into my shorts and tank top and went out and ran another 2 miles. I figured 15 miles was a good compromise and I'm glad I decided to go back out.

On our way home from the run we stopped at REI and my dad bought me some anti-chafe balm. I used it today and it seemed to work well. The real test will come on my next long run. If it does truly work than I will be able to wear shorts on my long runs so I'm less likely to overheat.

What have I gotten myself into? This all seemed like a good idea three months ago. Why do I put myself through this torture voluntarily? I ask myself these questions daily. For some reason I feel I need to prove to all the non believers that I can do this. Why I feel I need to prove this, I'm not sure. I can't figure out why I need to challenge myself to do this. It's beyond the point of wanting to do it, I need to do this. I guess I will just have to ponder these questions on my next 18 mile run.

Week 10: Wrap Up and Shoes

Another week completed! As I look back on this past week, I really feel as though I struggled. I'm not sure why. My runs seemed to wear me out regardless of the distance and I thought there were weights tied to my feet. I'm thinking it was more mental than physical. I feel stuck in a running rut and I'm not sure how to remedy that right now. My long run was okay. I went 17 miles at an 11:06 pace. I found myself having to walk more than I did the previous week, but my finish was much stronger. My dad ran with my again the last 6 miles or so. Joe the Kenyan had the week off so he didn't show up at the end like last week.

On the way home from my long run my dad and I stopped at Big 5 and I bought a new pair of running shoes. I stayed loyal to my Saucony despite the fact that they have changed the inside of their shoe in the past year. The older models use to have a lot more cushion, bounce, and overall better feel on my foot. I use to be able to grab any pair of Saucony and they would fit perfectly. Since they changed the placement of arch support in some of their newer models, finding a pair that work has been a challenge. This time I got the Grid Tornado 3. They seem to be a good match. Hopefully they will make a difference in my future runs.

Meet the Crew

On race day I get to have a crew. I'm thinking this is going to be a good thing because you get to see them every six-ten miles. I figure this will help to break the race up into manageable sections. Here are my three crew members so far:



My Mom: Sharon O'Neill, a constant smiler and my number one cheerleader. My mom will provide the "rah rah" for the day. I'm hoping her peppy spirit will keep me going when times get tough. She's always been my best supporter. Even if she thinks something probably isn't going to work, she still cheers me on anyway, just in case she is wrong.





My Dad: John O'Neill, local running legend, AKA:Joe the Kenyan and my coach. I'm actually trying to convince him to enter the race too. If he's running these long runs with me, he might was well have them count towards something other than helping me out right? Plus I think it would be fun. As I've mentioned before my dad is my running hero so I'm excited to know he is going to be by my side on race day. Unless I'm dead, he won't let me quit, and even if I were dead he'd tell me to quit faking and get running! I know I'm gonna need the tough love in those late race miles.


My Husband: Jim Young. I know race day is going to be boring for him, but he will be there anyway to support me. I don't think he totally understands me need to do this but he goes along with it. Odds are he will have his radio with him the whole day so he and my dad can listen to whatever game is on that day.

So that is team Morgan. i'm glad they are all going to be there becasue I sure don't want to tackle this by myself!

I Beat Joe the Kenyan: Week 9 Wrap-up

I can't believe I've already completed nine weeks of training. I'm pleasantly shocked at how fast the time is going. All in all I would classify this as a pretty good week. Even though I started the week feeling stiff and fatigued, I was able to loosen up and finish strong. I'm loving my new socks and I found some new material to put on my I-Pod. I also downloaded my stats thus far from my GPS. During this training I have:

Run 235 miles
Burned 30,000 calories (but haven't lost weight)
Kept an average pace of 10:47 a mile
Spent 44 hours running

I may still weigh the same, but I have lost a few inches and 2% body fat. If I can lay off the sweets then maybe I can drop a few pounds. Now on to my long run.

My long run this week was surprisingly good too. I ran the first hour and forty-five minutes by myself and then met up with my dad for the rest. All I can say is that my dad must really love me because he ran an hour and a half by himself and then finished the last hour and fifteen minutes of my run with me. If that ain't love then I don't know what is! The last few weeks we have been starting from different locations and then meeting somewhere in the middle. It's pretty fun and it works well. You never know where you're going to meet because neither of us have a set time as to when we are going to start. So you have to keep a lookout for the other person. Plus I work much harder when I'm running with my dad, so it's nice to just go my own pace for some of the run and then have him keep me going the last part when I really need extra support. This week I was keeping a great pace even by myself. When I met up with him I was feeling strong and the time was just flying by. I got to mile 13 and I just hit the wall. It all happened so fast. The last 3 miles were really a struggle but Dad, as always, got me through it. The last mile or so he decided we were going to race. He was "Joe the Kenyan" and I was "The Girl from Folsom." I kept telling him I didn't want to play that game but eventually I gave in and passed him up. He narrated the entire performance. It was hard, but I beat Joe the Kenyan.

Socks

Runs have been going okay the past few days. Hill repeats are getting easier and the weather has been fairly mild. I've been training for 2 months now and I decided I needed to reward my accomplishments thus far with a little present...or five.

About a year ago I saw an ad for these running socks in my Runner's World magazine. I was instantly intrigued by the concept. Toe socks for running. How clever! By having each toe covered it eliminates the skin on skin contact that can cause blisters. A majority of my blisters came from this problem so this seemed like a perfect solution. I bought one pair to try them out. At first they felt a little weird having my toes all separated, but once I put on my shoes the feeling was gone. I went out for my run and I was instantly hooked on them. I had no more blister issues and I loved the feeling of having my toes be free instead of crammed together. It was almost like I was running barefoot (which is a bonus because it strengthens your legs). I wanted to buy more but they are kind of pricey and hard to find. After failing to find them at any of the stores around Folsom, I broke down and went to the Injinji website.

I was able to get five pairs of toesocks on clearance for $9 a pair. Normally they run $12-$14 a pair depending on which ones you get. I plan on giving my dad a pair as a late father's day present to see if he likes them. I also got free shipping because my order was over $40. I ordered them on Aug 2nd and I got them today.

One thing to remember if you buy a pair of these socks is to know that the size is by your foot size, not your shoe size. I wear a 10 1/2 in men's running shoes and I wear a Medium in the new Injinji sock and a large in the old ones.

My cat, Rusty, was very into my socks too.

Week 8 Wrap-up

I am pleased to announce that I had another good long run today. My dad met me about 30 minutes in and we run the rest of the way more or less together. I did 14.15 miles in 2 1/2 hours. That came out to a 10:38 pace. I ran most of the way, I just had to walk twice (about .20 mile each time). My groove was there even with the hills which was a pleasant change. I felt very stiff the first couple miles, but then everything fell into place.

Around mile 10 I did start to experience hip pain. My IT band (a muscle that runs down the side of the thigh from hip to knee) tighten up severely and kept causing my hip to pop. Each time it popped, it would radiate pain down my leg. I had to stop a few times to try and stretch it out. While it didn't go away completely, I was able to work through it and finish my run. It's super sore right now and I have been massaging and icing it. IT band issues are very common with runners. A tight IT band can cause everything from knee pain to hip pain. Ways to remedy it is to roll your thigh on a foam roller to loosen it up. I have a foam roller at home that I try to use on regular basis, but I will be honest. Rolling out a tight IT band hurts like hell! Sometimes the pain is so intense I think I will pass out. The tighter it is the more it hurts. I seriously can not think of a pain that is worse. I'm trying to work up the courage to roll it out right now but I'm not quite ready for it.

My other issue came after my run. To avoid getting too graphic let's just say I sometimes get "tummy problems" during my runs. It comes on suddenly, sometimes during a run and sometimes afterwards. For three years I tried to figure out what the cause was. I spoke to my doctor but she didn't really have an answer but she did tell me what foods would be good to avoid before a run. I kept a food diary for awhile to see if I could figure out if it was a food that was triggering it. That didn't seem to shed any light on the matter. Everything was just so unpredictable. I could eat one thing and be fine, and then eat the same thing the next week and run into major issues. I just didn't know what to do other than grin and bear it. Just as I was about to give up hope, I stumbled upon the cause by accident. Dehydration!

Two weeks before I started my training I began drinking 2-3 liters of water a day as a way to help me lose weight. After the first few weeks of training I noticed that I was not having any problems. I changed nothing in my diet and ate exactly as I had. The only variable was the increased water intake. I put two and two together and it seemed to be the answer. That theory was confirmed today. This past week I had a very limited amount of fluids due to being on vacation and being very busy at work. I paid the price for my laziness after my run. I eventually recovered, as I always do, but it certainly wasn't pleasant. I now know I MUST drink my water every single day or I will suffer the consequences. I am very happy to have found an answer to my worst running problem.

Week 7 Wrap-up

It's been awhile since I last updated this and I apologize. I was camping for four days and I couldn't not get a Wi-fi signal in the woods, but we did try. As I mentioned in a prior post, I was scheduled to run a 2 1/2 hour run on Sunday. I ended up breaking that up into 2 days because of the vacation. I ran 1 1/2 hours on Saturday before I left and then 1:10 on Sunday. My run on Saturday was nothing special. I pasted the time listening to a few podcasts and that was about it. My run on Sunday; however, was glorious! I think my dad would agree with that statement as he ran with me. We started out at about 7 AM. It was chilly and I was thankful my dad loaned me a long sleeve shirt. The mist was hanging in the air and the fog was just starting to set in.

Our original plan was to turn left out of our campsite, run up a long steep hill out of the campground, and then down Highway 1. Thankfully my dad changed his mind and decided we should turn right instead and see what was further in the campground. At the end of the campground (we stayed at Russian Gulch State Park, about 8 miles from Fort Bragg) we found Fern Canyon Trail. As you can see below it was just an old road covered with leaves so we choose to explore it.

It was so beautiful. No one was out there but us. I'm really glad my dad was with me otherwise I would not have gotten to run on it. Call me crazy, but I don't like to run on trails by myself in the early morning in a place I've never been. This trail was about 1.6 miles through the ferns and redwoods. There was a small river to the right of us that provided lovely running music.

We eventually came upon the Falls Loop Trail that would take us to a waterfall. This is where the road turned into a true trail. I have not run on many trails in the past, but I did enjoy it very much. The route was described as moderately strenuous. I think that was an accurate description. The hills were steep, but short and I was happy to see that my hill repeats were paying off. The trail also seemed to get more beautiful too. Every turn I made I was in awe. Not only was it a sight to behold, I was also feeling really strong despite the terrain. I was easily able to keep up with my dad. At one point I asked my dad if he ever thought he would be on a camping trip running on a trail to a waterfall with me at 7 AM. He said no. After .7 miles we made it to the waterfall and it was amazing to see!

What a fantastic treat! These are the moments that make me grateful that I am able to run. I know it sounds weird but I never take my ability to run for granted and I enjoy every moment in some way. Even when I think I'll die if I take another step. Of course there are moments I enjoy more than others and this was definitely one of them. I was also grateful I was able to experience this run with my dad. Being with him at that waterfall is something I'll never forget. I will always look back on it with fond memories.

On the way back, the sun was starting to peek through the trees and all the foliage lit up.

We stopped at one point to get just a few more pictures to document the journey.

Everything was going so well, up to the point where my foot hit a root and I did a full on spread eagle face plant onto the ground. It was pretty funny. Thankfully I wasn't hurt and I just bruised up my knees a bit. The picture below was taken shortly after my fall. If you look closely you can see the dirt on my pants. I'm a trooper though and I kept on running.

Here is a picture of my battle wound. As you can see it's not that bad and it only hurts if I bend down on it.

All in all it was awesome, fall and all. Thanks dad for coming with me. I couldn't have done it without you! Nor would I have wanted to.

Weigh In - 7/23/09

This week I was pleased to see a change in more than one area. I am hoping this trend continues.

Weight: 165lb (-2.5 lb)
Body Fat: 32% (-1%)
Waist: 31" (-.5")
Hips: 37" (-.5")
Thigh: 24.5" (-.5")
Bust: 37" (no change)
Arm: 12" (no change)

Today I did my hill repeats on a new hill. It kicked my booty! While this hill is not as long as my other, it's about a million times steeper. I was able to do 5 repeats which was about 2 1/2 miles total. That last one put me over the top. My legs were all rubbery and I found myself having to walk a majority of the way home because I was feeling dizzy. I was proud of the accomplishment though. It was a challenge indeed and I look forward to seeing how I improve over time.

One thing I am concerned with is that I am beginning to feel and see signs of over training. This is such a fine line and I'm not sure how to go about this. I really cannot afford to cut any mileage out of my daily runs. Hopefully these feelings will pass as time goes on. I am eating well and getting plenty of sleep most of the time. The biggest problem I have is the fact that I stand for eight hours a day. My manager is going to assign me to a desk so I will be able to sit more. I hope this will help a little bit with the leg fatigue. I also have been nursing any aches or pains as soon as I feel them. So far I have been able to keep everything under control and I have no real ailments to speak of. I will continue to monitor myself take each day as it comes.

Wrap Up: Week 6

My long run on Sunday was just that, a long run! I got out at 6 am, which was later than I wanted, but still early enough so I wasn't running in 90 degree weather for too long. Overall I would say it was a decent run. I walked a little and I picked a route with some challenging hills. I wasn't as fatigued at the end like I was the week before. It felt like I had run faster then last week, but it turns out I was slower. This time I listened to two podcasts and it made the time pass fairly quickly. The heat and major chafing began to affect me around mile 8 (I did 12 total). Somehow I muddled my way through it, like I seem to do every week.

As my long runs increase in distance, I am beginning to feel the all around fatigue. My body feels tired and my legs heavy. I basically through my hands up at today's run. I went the scheduled 30 minutes, but I certainly was not speeding along. My legs felt so heavy and I just could not get into the groove. These kind of runs really mess with my confidence. I start thinking how I am going to run 50 miles when I can barely seem to finish 3? It's all in my head, and I am aware of that, but it still does not make it any easier. Tomorrow I have 4 miles of hill repeats on a new, more challenging incline. Hopefully I will be able to do that with greater ease than today's run.

As I review my stats for the week, I can see how the heat has caused my pace to slow down tremendously. My usual 10-10:15 minute miles have been replaced with 11:00-11:30 minute ones. That is to be expected though so I am not really worried about it at this time.

Planned: 30 miles
Actual: 30.44 miles
Calories: 3850
Average pace: 11:33

Training Plan: The Next 9 Weeks

After my run tomorrow I will be done with the "Base Phase" and move into the "Build Phase." For the next nine weeks I will focus on increasing my mileage from 30-35 miles week up to 50 a week. I'm a little nervous as I get into the longer runs. For the most part I have been handling them well. I hope that is a trend that continues. As the heat gets worse I'm finding it necessary to get out earlier than usual. Tomorrow I am aiming for a 5:30 AM start time. I have my I-Pod loaded and I feel ready for my 2 hour and 15 minutes. Next week will be a test. We are going camping up at Russian Gulch and I will have to do a 2 hour and 30 minute run. Hopefully there will a place to do it, otherwise I will be making a lot of loops around the campground! My parents might go with us and I hope they do because I will have my dad to run with for part of it. Anyway, here is my training plan for the next nine weeks:

Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun

Week 1: 2 mile/4 mile/30 min; ST/4 mile/30 min; ST/Rest/2:30
Week 2: 2 mile/4 mile/35 min;ST/4 mile/35 min;ST/Rest/2:45
Week 3: 2 mile/4.5 mile/35 min;ST/4.5 mile/35 min; ST/Rest/3:00
Week 4: 3 mile/4.5 mile/40 min;ST/4.5 mile/40 min;ST/Rest/3:15
Week 5: 4 mile/5 mile/40 min;ST/5 mile/40 min;ST/Rest/3:30
Week 6: 3 mile/5 mile/45 min; ST/5 mile/45 min;ST/Rest/3:45
Week 7: 4 mile/5 mile/45 min;ST/5 mile/45 min;ST/Rest/4:00
Week 8: 4 mile/5 mile/45 min;ST/5 mile/45 min;ST/Rest/4:15
Week 9: 4 mile/5 mile/45 min;ST/5 mile/45 min;ST/Rest/20 mile

I will continue to do strength training (ST) on Wednesday and Friday. I will also continue doing my hill repeats once a week; however, I am going to do them on a more challenging hill. As I sit here looking at this training plan I'm starting to feel a little intimidated. I still have faith I will be able to finish this race, but I have my doubts as to how alive I will be once I do!

Week Five Wrap-up

I can't believe I've already been training for over a month. It's gone fast. I do admit I am slightly tired of running so much, but I think I found a way to persevere. Podcasts! I just discovered how awesome they are for long runs. My sister has talked about podcasts in the past, but it wasn't until Saturday night that I went onto I-Tunes and checked them out. all I can say is that I wish I would have found them sooner! I am a big fan of "Real Time" with Bill Maher. The problem is that I don't have HBO so I can't watch the show. Well that's no longer an issue now that I found the podcast for the show.

I downloaded the most recent show for my run on Sunday. I was scheduled to go out for 2 hours. The show was just over an hour. To supplement the remaining hour of my run I downloaded a few new songs to add to my existing music. The first hour just flew by while I was listening to the show. There were many times I found myself running down the road and laughing out loud. Once I had to listen to my music it felt like time just stopped. The last hour was long and tiring. I walked more and it felt like I had weights attached to my feet.

I think it was mostly mental because the music did not provide a long enough distraction like the podcast did. It was also fairly warm (80 degrees and humid). At one point I went past a park that had its sprinklers on. I immediately sought relief from the weather by making a few passes through the mist. It was like liquid heaven! I'm sure I looked funny but I didn't care, it felt so good. Overall it was a decent run, not as good as last week was, but definitely manageable. After my run I went to the lake with some friends and went tubing and jet skiing for the first time. I had a blast, but between that and my run I was quite sore this morning.

Here are the numbers for this past week. I was a little under my planned miles this week due to the fact I only run 11 miles on Sunday instead of 12. I'm not too concerned because overall I am still over my plan.

Planned: 28.5
Actual: 27.3
Avg Pace: 11:00
Calories: 3448

When I add up all the time I've spent running these past five weeks, it equals 21 hours. That's almost an entire day. That's crazy! I've also burned 15,393 calories so how can I not be thinner? I love figuring out and seeing all of my stats. That too is a motivator for me.

So here's to week 6 of training and the final week before moving into a new phase. I'm a little nervous about the next phase, but I'm sure I'll be able to manage it.

Weigh-In: 7/9/09

Once again, no real change. There was a slight weight gain, but I'm not too concerned.

Weight: 167.5 lb (+2.5 lb)
Body fat: 33%
Waist: 31.5" (no change)
Hips: 37.5" (-.5")
Thigh: 25" (no change)
Bust: 37" (no change)
Arm: 12" (no change)

Week Four Wrap Up

I had the most glorious long run on Sunday! Jim and I went to San Francisco for the 4th of July weekend. Training can be tricky while on vacation, but Jim was kind enough to book a hotel that was right on the Embarcadero. He figured it would make it easier for me to get my hour and forty-five minute run in on Sunday. After waking up, I stepped out the door and off I went. The temperature was in the high fifties, foggy and misty. There was a head wind, but it wasn't strong enough to hinder my pace. I ran out towards Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf, past the Exploratorium and basically to the base of the Golden Gate bridge. I took my camera with me so I could capture the beauty of my run.

I took this picture at about mile 4. I'm sure all the other people thought I looked ridiculous taking pictures while I was running, but I didn't care. Most of the run was flat, at one point I did have to climb a fairly steep hill to get to Fort Mason. The effort was worth it though, because I was rewarded with this view of the Golden Gate:

I ended up running 10.6 miles that day in 1:45. I felt like I could run forever. Of course I felt tired at the end, but I wasn't dying like I was last week. These are the runs that renew your desire to keep up with training. I know the weather, and the easy terrain played big roles in the success of this run, but it was also my attitude that attributed to the ease of it. I was so excited to do my run along the bay so it was something I was looking forward to instead of dreading. I took a picture of my self at the end of my run too. I was happy to be done and very pleased with my accomplishment!

Here is the wrap up for the week:

Planned: 25.5 miles

Actual: 25.92 miles

Average Pace: 10:16

Calories Burned: 3267

I'm pleased that I still exceeded my planned miles despite the fact that I took an extra day off this week. I am still waiting for my blister to fully heal. It's better then it was, but no where near fully healed.

Weigh In; 7/2/09

I got a little behind this past week with my posts. I'm not sure what happened. My guess is that I got busy. Anyway, there has not been much change with weight an measurements. I was hoping to see something at this point. If I worked on my food intake a little more, I probably would see a weight loss. I have made some questionable food choices the past few weeks, but it's hard not to. When you burn 1300 calories on a run it's difficult to say no to that second Margarita. Plus I'm not gonna lie, I'm friggin hungry after an hour and a half run! Training is like being pregnant. When you're running all these miles, you think it's a free ticket to eat whatever you want and you assume you need to eat that gallon of ice cream because your body needs the fuel. I just have to remind myself that I'm not eating for two. With that being said, I am going to work on making better food choices this week.

Weight: 165 lbs (no change)
Body fat: 33% (no change)
Waist: 31.5 " (+.5")
Hips: 38" (no change)
Thigh: 25" (no change)
Bust: 37 " (-.5")
Arm: 12" (no change)

Life as a Runner: Blisters

I have my first ailment I sad to say, and it's a doosey! Sunday's run produced a small blister on the arch of my right foot. At first it didn't seem too bad and I barely felt it. Fast forward 3 days, and 12 miles later. Now it's a different story. Normally I am able to drain my blisters, they dry up and that's the end of it. Obviously that is not going to work this time. I have been draining it the past few days and instead of drying up, it is has become incredibly painful, itchy and infected. Right now I have a cold baking soda paste on it (to help with the itching) and it is wrapped with a gauze pad and ace bandage to give it some padding. I was able to run 5 miles this morning and it didn't really bother me. I'm not sure why all of a sudden it flared up? I'm hoping it will be better in the morning. If it's not, I'm going to be in trouble. I'm having difficulty walking properly now and I can't imagine standing on it all day tomorrow the way it feels now (I had the day off today). Let's all hope for the best!

Besides using today's post as a whining session, I thought I would do a product review. I'm one of those people who will see an advertisement for a new product and I just have to try it. Sometimes the products turn out to be good, other times, bad. Band-Aid brand Blister cushions fall into the bad category. I was very disappointed and I would not recommend them. For one thing, they are a bit pricey for only 4 band-aids. When you first take it out of the wrapper, you think hey, this might actually work. The pad is thick and cushy and the sticky part appears more spongy than a plain band-aid. That is were it ends though. The advertisements claim it stays in place and promotes healing. Well it doesn't stay in place at all. I could see where it was already trying to come off before I even got my sock on. By the end of my run it had slid up to my ankle (it started on the arch of my foot). As for the promoting of healing? I couldn't tell you, but I'm guessing that's not true either if it won't stay in the right place to begin with. So I give this product an A for looks, and an F in performance. A regular band-aid and a cotton ball is way more effective.

Week Three Wrap-up

It meant to get this posted a few days ago, but time just got away from me. Anyway, I have finished my third week and I'm still moving along. I had my first "bad" run on Sunday. My dad came down and ran with me again. He took me on a super hilly course that I swear was up hill both ways. We got out at 7 AM, but it was already 80 degrees. By the time we got back at 8:30 AM it was 89 degrees. So in addition to the grueling hills, there was sweltering heat.

The first half of the run was better than the second even though it was mostly uphill. I kept thinking the second half would be great because it would be mostly downhill, but it didn't turn out that way. I survived though and went eight miles. I wasn't as fast as I was last week, but that was to be expected. Overall, given the situation, I guess the run wasn't that bad, it just felt like it at the time, and for a few hours afterward. I'm glad my dad was with me though, he definitely pushed me through the hard parts and made me keep running up those hills!

So here is the wrap-up of week 3:

Planned: 23 miles
Actual: 24.6 miles
Average Pace: 10:32
Calories burned: 3210

Once again I surpassed my planned miles. This week I want work on stretching and not feeling as stiff throughout the day. my legs feel tight all the time now. That is one downside of being a banker, I stand for eight hours a day so my legs don't really get to rest in between runs.

Weigh-in 6/25/09

Dude, I felt like that cat when I squished into my spandex this morning! Despite the feeling though, things did go in a good direction this past week. I had a great 4 miler today consisting of hill repeats. I noticed they felt easier than the last two weeks. I'm very proud of myself for sticking with the repeats. This is the first time I have consistently done them. Feels good! I'm still working on the Chi running. That is not coming as easily but I know it takes time and I am willing to work at it.

Here are the results of this week:

Weight: 165 (-1 lb)
Body fat: 33% (no change)
Waist: 31" (-.5")
Hips: 38" (no change)
Thigh: 25 " (no change)
Bust: 37.5" (+.5")
Arm: 12" (no change)

I'm please with the loss of 1lb and the loss of the 1/2" in my waist. Hopefully this next week will bring more losses!

Let the Music Move You

I had to drag myself out of bed this morning to run. All I wanted to do was sleep. I made the mistake of staying up really late a few nights ago and now it's catching up to me. I tried to think of an excuse to bail on my run, but alas, I had none. So I laced up my shoes, popped in my ear buds and took off for my 4 miler. I got out about 7:30 am and it was already hot. I fear the summer heat is upon us. The first week or so of heat always effects my runs and makes me fatigue much quicker. Once I get use to it though, I hardly seem to notice the increased temperature. Despite my lack of motivation, I persevered and was happy at my accomplishment.

That is one thing about running, it can sometimes get very boring which can cause ones motivation to wane. It's always a challenge to find new ways to be motivated. For me, music can be a great inspiration. When I start losing the desire to hit the pavement, I know it's time to change up my playlist. Sometimes I will just replenish my list with some songs I haven't heard in awhile and other times I will download new ones. My playlist has quite a mix on it. Everything from The Beatles to Marylin Manson. I'm always on a search for new songs. When I hear a song I think might work for my list my husband and I "test" it out, but pretending to run in place. It's actually pretty funny to watch us. Here are a few of my favorite running songs of all time:

"Only" - Nine Inch Nails
"Hung Up" - Madonna
"Beautiful Day"-U2
"We Will Rock You"- Queen
"Major Tom"-Shiny Toy Guns
"Hand that Feeds"-Nine Inch Nails
"Upside Down"-Jack Johnson
"Let's Get it Started"-Black Eyed Peas
"We're From America"-Marilyn Manson
"Big Wheel"-Tori Amos
"The Saints are Coming" -Greenday and U2
"Doesn't Remind Me"- Audioslave
"How Far We've Come"-Matchbox Twenty
"Toxic"-Britney Spears
"Eye of the Tiger"-Rocky Soundtrack (I forgot who sings this)
"Viva La Vida" - Coldplay
"Hot n Cold" - Katy Perry
"Discipline"-Nine Inch Nails
"The Great Unravel"-Gandolph Murphy and the Slambovian Circus of Dreams
"World Wide Suicide"- Pearl Jam
"Running Down a Dream"-Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers
"Fast Cars"-U2
"Sexy Back"-Justin Timberlake
"Gone Daddy Gone"-Gnarls Barkley

Week Two Wrap-up

I had a great long run with my dad on Saturday. We ran over the new Folsom Dam bridge and then onto the American River bike trail. It was my fastest run since I started training. We did 7.71 miles in 75 minutes. That came out to an average pace of 9:44. Like I said in a previous post, I always run faster with my dad. He pushes me to my limits. The last two miles of the run were difficult for me. My quads were screaming and had I been by myself, I would have walked. Dad, however, would not allow that as an option. He talked me through the pain and eventually it subsided and I was once again cruising along.

About a year ago my dad bought a book called "Chi Running", by Danny Dreyer at Jamba Juice. It was a new approach to running which Incorporated the fundamental principles of Tai Chi. He read it and started following it. Within a short amount of time he was noticing dramatic improvements in his performance. In the 2009 Boston Marathon he was able to take 19 minutes off his previous time by using the Chi running techniques. I too have been reading the book with the hopes that its ideas will assist me with my race. While I am not using it so much to better my time, I am using it to help delay the onset of fatigue. My dad was using our run to help me practice the chi running form. It was awkward at first and I kept going in and out of the rhythm. Towards the end, when I was tired, my dad kept telling me to relax my legs to let them revive. It was hard, but once I was able to, I did find it to be helpful. I will continue to practice the Chi form on my future runs as I think it will help once I get the hang of it.

Here are the numbers for this week:

Planned miles: 19.5
Actual miles: 21.64
Avg Pace: 10:06
Calories: 2838

I am pleased with my average pace for the week and I like that I exceeded my planned miles. This week I will continue to work on my Chi running and concentrate on my strength training. I look forward to another great week of training.

Weigh-in 6/18/2009

Measurements are still holding fairly steady. I had a slight weight gain, but I'm not too concerned. I made rice crispy treats and ate most of them as post running snacks. Healthy, I know, but they tasted so good!

Weight: 166 lbs (+1.5 lbs)
Body Fat: 33% (-1%)
Waist: 31.5" (-.5")
Hips: 38" (no change)
Thigh: 25" (no change)
Bust: 37" (no change)
Arm: 12" (no change)

Like I said before, I am looking forward to my long run tomorrow with my dad. I took today as my rest day so I would be prepared. I think we are going to run across the new Folsom bridge. This is one of my favorite running routes. The wildflowers are all in bloom and when you get to the top of the hill, you look over and the lake is full and sparkling early in the morning.

With the weather being so pleasant these past few weeks, I have found myself taking time to just enjoy being outside while I'm running. There is one point on one of my routes that I can't wait to get to. It is a wall of flowering Jasmine that smells absolutely fantastic. The scent is so invigorating. I consider myself lucky to live in an area where people enjoy gardening and have all of these beautiful flowers for me to enjoy during my runs.

Never Say Never

These last few runs have gone well. While I'm running, it seems like I'm always stiff, and I feel like I have weights tied to my feet. But when I'm done, I look back and say, man...that was a great run. I guess that's a good thing. I did a little bit of a tempo run yesterday. Today was another four miles of hill repeats. Last week I ran 6 of them and this week I only ran 5, but I turned up the intensity a bit. It felt good, but the fatigue was definitely there when I finished.

I can't wait for my long run on Saturday. My dad is going to come down and run with me. For the most part I enjoy running with him; however, he has been know to take me on some brutal 20 milers. He is also a really bad judge of distance or he pretends to be. He says, oh it's just another mile, and then it turns out to be like 3 miles. I've learned to take the distance that he says and then multiple it by three. We have fun though on our runs. I always run faster with him than I do by myself. To this day it still amazes me that I'm able to run with him. I never thought I would be good enough. Once again, never say never!

Tomorrow I am going to take it easy and just do a light 2-3 miler. Friday will be my rest day and then Saturday my long run. So far I am still enjoying this whole process. Hopefully I will still be saying that in three months. I still have no doubts that I can accomplish this goal. I think there are a few people out there who think I won't make it but I will prove you non-believers wrong! When I get certain ideas in my head, there is only plan A, no plan B and this is one of those ideas.

Training Recap: Week One

Today was my first long run and the completion of my first week of training. I was scheduled to do a 60 minute run. I was hoping to do 6 miles within this time frame, but I would have settled for 5 and a 1/2. The temperature was a pleasant 64 degrees with a breeze. I did a newer route that I discovered about 2 months ago. It's a 5.75 mile loop with rolling hills through a well landscaped neighborhood. The first half of the run was stiff and it took some time to loosen up. I was having difficulty finding a groove and never truly did for the duration of the run. The second half was better. I loosened up but felt the fatigue the last mile. Even though I was tired, I pushed on and I managed not to have to walk. To complete the last 1/4 mile, I went to the track and finished with my signature "kick." To this day I do not know where it comes from. Even when I seriously think there is absolutely nothing left in the tank, I manage to dig down into the depths of something and pull out a sprint. I was able to finish the last part of my run at a 7:07 pace. When I was done, I looked down at my watch and I saw that I had done the 6 miles in 60 minutes. I was floored and so proud of myself. It was the fastest I have run all week and also the furthest. Here I thought I was plodding along just trying to finish and in reality I was right on target. All in all a satisfying run and a great start to training.

This is a recap for the first week:

Planned Miles: 19
Actual Miles: 20.5
Average pace for the week: 10:24
Total time: 210.5 minutes
Calories burned: 2630

Weigh-In:June 11, 2009

Not a huge change in measurements but I did like the weight change. I'm not expecting to see a noticeable change in my measurements for at least a month. As for the body fat, I don't think my scale is all that accurate when it comes to that but at least it's something.

Weight: 164.5 (-2.5 lbs)

Body Fat: 34% (+2%)

Waist: 32" (no change)

Hips: 38" (no change)

Thigh: 25" (-1")

Bust: 37" (-.5")

Arm: 12 (no change)

Today was a satisfying run. I chose to run my 4 miles today instead of tomorrow. The weather looked a bit sketchy so I stuck close to home in case of a down pour. The focus of this run was light hills. I live 1/2 mile from what I consider to be a "great" training hill. It's about 1/4 mile of moderate sloping, enough to be challenging, but not enough to kill you. I usually end up running this at the end of my runs. My reward for running up it is a short walk to the stop light once I reach the top. Today I used it for hill repeats. Hill repeats are a form of speed training. The idea is to run quickly up the hill, and then walk or jog back down slowly to recover. You then repeat this as many times as you wish. The benefits of these repeats are the increased leg strength and increasing your body's ability to process lactic acid (the chemical that causes sore muscles). Any type of speed work should be approached gradually. Today I did a total of 6 repeats, with a 1/2 mile warm-up and cool down. My average pace for the entire run was 10:26. So I wasn't sprinting up the hills, but I certainly wasn't taking my time either. When I was through my legs were tired and a little stiff, but overall felt good. In addition to the repeats, I also did my strength training. I know I am going to be feeling that tomorrow. I did 10 minutes of ab exercises and then 12 reps of each of the following: calf raises, squats, lunges, push ups and tricep dips. I plan on running 2-3 miles tomorrow, it will all depend on how my legs feel.

Starting Weigh-in

In the past when I have started hard-core training I have always thought I would just automatically lose a ton of weight. Unfortunately that has never been the case. Since my last race, I have gained about 10 pounds. I don't really show it in appearance, but I definitely feel it while running. While dropping the pounds is not the primary focus of my training, I am hoping that it might happen. I would like to lose 12-15lbs over the course of the next few months. I am not going to officially diet, but I will try to watch what I eat and I am not going to fall into the trap of "oh I ran 15 miles today so I can eat that box of cookies" To keep myself accountable and track how this training changes my body shape I will be doing a weigh-in every Thursday. I will post my current weight and body measurements. Here are my starting figures:

Weight: 167 lbs (in case you didn't know I'm 5'8")
Waist: 32"
Hips: 38"
Thigh: 26"
Bust: 37.5"
Arm: 12"
Body fat: 32%

Hopefully I will start to see some changes quickly because that always motivates me.

P.S. I want to stress the following: I am not fat, nor do I think I am fat. I simply want to lose a few pounds to help my running and to feel more comfortable in my clothes. I carry most of my weight in the hips and thighs and this does make it hard to find clothes that fit.

And So The Training Begins

Well I'm back from vacation and officially had my first day of training. It was a simple 3 mile run. While I was on vacation I did not run at all, but I walked plenty. Today's run was actually much better than I had anticipated. My calves felt tight for most of the run, but that was pretty much it. They did start to loosen up the last 1/2 mile or so. I always have issues with my calf muscles so I'm use to that happening. The weather was great. A nice cool breeze and a temp around 60 degrees. I am going to enjoy it while I can, for I know those hot days are just around the corner. Tomorrow is another 3 miler and I anticipate it will feel similar to today's run.

I downloaded a few new tunes last night to add to my running play list. It was great to hear them today. Something new and fresh always perks up a boring run. when I get into the longer distances, I am going to try books on tape to see how that works. I've listened to old radio shows in the past while running and they were a pleasant change. So we will see.

What's A Girl to Do?

There are two things that can kill a good run quickly. One of them is stomach issues and the other one is chafing, AKA: your thighs rubbing together! I don't think guys have to worry about this as much as women, but I don't know. Every man I know who runs could cross their legs and their thighs still wouldn't touch. For me, however, this is a HUGE issue, especially in the summer. Knowing this, I have been on a quest to find a pair of shorts that would fix this dreaded problem. I went to Ross the other day and got a pair that were made of a stiffer material than my other running shorts. I thought the weight of the material would keep them from riding up in the middle, thus creating a layer of protection. Wow, I was waaaaayyyy off on this one. I wore them today for the first time with the intention of going for a 4-5 mile jaunt. It wasn't more than a mile into it when all hell broke loose. Not only did they ride up worse than my other shorts, the thick cording on the bottom cut into my thighs like a knife. I was only able to make it 3 miles and that was with the last mile being a walk. It was awful!

After I got home, I came to the realization that I was going to have to go the Spandex route to get full protection. Ultimately I think I knew this all along, I was just hoping it wouldn't come to this. Now I am by no means a large girl, but I do live by the motto: Spandex is a privilege, not a right. Normally I don't care what I look like when I run. I buy running gear for it's comfort/durability/fit, not what it or I look like in it. Spandex though is a whole other story. I am very self conscious about my thighs in form fitting apparel, especially when doing an activity that causes your body to "jiggle" for extended periods of time. So I went to Target this afternoon just to see what they had. Low and behold I was able to find a pair of Lycra dri-weave shorts that not only covered my thighs, but made them appear smooth and defined. On clearance no less. So I bought them. I haven't tried them out yet, but I hope to soon. I'm leaving for Washington D.C. tomorrow and will be gone until Sunday. Due to our packed schedule and the fact that I will be walking five to six miles a day, I do not plan on doing any running this go around. Once I get home I will begin my first week of actual training for the race. So this week will be a nice rest before the pain begins.

Training Plan: The First Six Weeks

I thought I might has well go ahead and post my training plan for the first six weeks. I got this from Runner's World Magazine last year. I adapted it to my needs and I'm sure it will change a bit from time to time. The first six weeks are the Base Phase. You begin with only 20 miles a week and build up to 35 over the six weeks. This is the easy part of the training. My running week starts on Monday and ends on Sunday with my long run. In addition to running, I will also be incorporating strength training twice a week. The plan allows for up to three rest days per week. I will definitely take one day off a week, and the others I will play by ear. If I feel I need another rest day during the week, then I will take it. My goal is to be more under trained than over trained come race day.


Mon/Tues/Wed/Thurs/Fri/Sat/Sun

Week 1: 3 miles/3 miles/ST-strength /4 miles/30 min & ST/Rest/60 min

Week 2: 2 miles/ 3 miles /ST/ 4 miles/ 30 min & ST/Rest /75 min

Week 3: 2 miles /4 miles /ST /4 miles/ 40 min & ST/Rest /90 min

Week 4: 2 miles /4 miles /ST/ 5 miles/ 40 min & ST/ Rest/ 1:45

Week 5: 2 miles /5 miles/ ST/ 5 miles/ 45 min & ST/ Rest/ 2 hr

Week 6: 2 miles/5 miles/30 min & ST/4 miles/30 min & ST/Rest/2:30


Thursdays I will be concentrating on doing hill repeats and tempo runs. As you can see, some days I am running for distance, and other days it is for time. I am hoping this will change things up a bit. That is the one thing about training, gets very redundant and is easy to get burned out.

Why I Love Running

I never thought of myself as a runner until I was seriously into it. On my run this morning I was thinking about why I like it so much now, but not so much earlier in my life. For one thing, I weighed a lot more ten years ago. I was able to lose about 35 pounds and that in it self made it easier to run. Running is not fun when you are in bad shape. It hurts and is hard to stick with. Once I got that weight off, it was so much easier to run a mile and then build upon that.

Once I had built a base, I found that running was an excellent stress reliever. Countless times I have come home after a crappy day at work and told my husband I'll see you in twenty minutes, I have to go for a run. When I come back after such a run I feel a thousand times better.

Another aspect I like is the outcome of my success sits fully on my shoulders. I have had a lot of disappointment with different things over the years. For example, I had one main goal when I was playing softball and that was to make the all-star team. The one year I should have made it, I didn't. It was very political and it was all the coaches daughters who made it whether they were good enough or not. There are no politics when it comes to running. If you don't train hard enough to make it to Boston, then you have no one to blame but yourself.

Finally running is a great way to explore a new place. I love to run when I am on vacation. You never know what you're going to see. One day when we were camping in Santa Cruz, I was running along the beach and stumbled across a seal that was on the shore sunning its self. If I hadn't been running I would have missed it. Running also helps you find things in your own neighborhood. I know every "back way" in town. Whenever there is road construction or something like that, I never sit in traffic because I know a way around it. Bottom line is running rules!

All I Ever Needed to Know I Learned From Running!

Running has taught me so much over the past few years. Number one lesson is that it's hard! Running long distances is not easy, but the rewards can't be beat. I think it can probably be compared to childbirth. The feeling you get as you cross that finish line is probably comparable to hearing that baby cry for the first time. Then after it's all done, you forget about the pain and do it all over again the next year.

Lesson number two: Running is mostly mental. I love the saying, "It's mind over matter. If you don't mind, it don't matter!" It's your brain that can make you or break you. When times get tough you have to focus on the positive and not on the suffering. This was one of the reason I had such a difficult time during my second marathon. My lower back started bothering me really bad and instead of letting my mind tell my body what to do, I let my body tell my brain it was done. I still finished, but I would have had a much better time if I would have shifted my focus to a more positive place.

Lesson number three: Sometimes you just have to compromise. My normal mentality is it's all or nothing. This can't always be the case with running. Sometimes you have to bargain to get what you want. There have been plenty of times when I wanted to shorten my distance or stop altogether. When I find myself going in that direction I make a deal with myself. For example, I tell myself, if I run up that steep hill, then I can walk the rest of the way home. It's a method that works well for me.

Lesson number four: Respect the Run. Never think you can outsmart the Run because when you're not looking, it will come up and smack you down! It's kind of like the ocean.

Finally I would say I learned that running is unpredictable. "Life is like a long run...you never know what you're gonna get!" One day you can have the best run you've ever had. Then you go out the next day and you feel like someone has tied 100 pound weights to your feet. No matter how well you have trained, something unexpected can always happen.

Running: The Early Years

When I was young, I would often go to races with my parents and compete in the children's fun run. The distance was usually a 1/2 mile. I won a few ribbons back in the day. I'm not really sure how, but I did. As I got older, the distance increased to one mile. Let me just say, my first mile race might as well have been fifty! It seemed like I was running forever and the finish line was never going to come. But I eventually made it and started trading my mile races for three milers. If one mile felt like fifty, three felt like 100! In sixth grade I joined cross-country after I didn't make the volleyball team. That was the year I ran my fastest mile ever, 7:09. My dad always said he would give me twenty bucks if I could break seven minutes. I'm still working on that.

Three miles turned into 26.2 and now I'm going to bring it to an end at fifty. I'm definitely going to stop at that. I have no desire to go longer. Once this test is complete, I plan on going back to shorter distances. I do want to run the Boston Marathon and maybe the New York. There are so many great races out there. If I can find a place to train for the swimming portion, I wouldn't mind trying a triathlon. Basically I really want to push myself beyond just marathons. While I know finishing a marathon really is an amazing accomplishment, it just isn't enough for me. My husband thinks I should concentrate on bettering my times and not increasing the distance. Maybe so. I'm sure I'll be wishing I had chosen to go that route when I'm running a marathon distance every weekend for a month.

You're Going to Run How Far?

When you tell a person you're a runner most of them respond with something along the lines of "I only run if I being chased," or "you're crazy." Ever since I started telling people I am going to run a 50 mile race, I have heard a lot more of the later. Maybe I am crazy? To be honest if you would have asked me a few years ago to run 50 miles I would have said you're crazy!

I grew up in a house where both of my parents were runners. My mother mostly ran for fitness doing three to five miles five days a week. My father, on the other hand, was much more competitive. He was the "Marathon Man!" Growing up, he did at least one marathon a year if not more. The California International Marathon is the most notable. He has run and finished all 26 of them. Last year he even won 3rd place in his age group. As a kid, I use to love going to watch him run the CIM. We had our ritual every year. My mom and I would drive and park about a mile from the start. We would climb up a small hill and wait for the hoards of runners to come streaming down the hill and make the first turn of the race. Clapping and cheering I would anxiously scan the crowd looking for my dad's red bandanna. If I didn't spot him first, he would yell up to us and we would go crazy screaming his name. Once he passed, we would keep cheering on the other runners. My mom would say over and over "look at them, they just keep coming!" When all the runners had passed, it was time to go and get breakfast. On to McDonald's to get the hotcake and sausage meal with hot chocolate and a box of cookies to go. Now I know that doesn't sound like the greatest breakfast, but fast food was a rarity in my house so this was the equivalent of going to the most expensive restaurant in town in my eyes! With our bellies full, we would continue on to the finish line. The CIM ends at the State Capital so parking was always a bit challenging. I remember making quite a few trips around the block before we would find a space. Once we got to the finish line there was nothing to do but wait anxiously. This was always hard for me. It was usually pretty cold and I was eager to see my dad finish. When the time clock started approaching a certain time, my mom would always say, "keep an eye out, he could be coming any time now." If too much time went by, I would start to worry that something had happened to him. That's the thing when you run 26.2 miles, there is always that chance you might have to drop out. Thankfully that has never happened to him and sure enough I would see him coming down the street. I'd hoop and holler, yelling "Go Rubber Duckie!" (the nickname came from a marathon year that it was pouring rain, I was like four or five and for some reason I thought it would be funny to call him a rubber duckie. Stupid, I know, but it stuck and I still say it today.) After he ran across the finish line, I'd run to congratulate him. We'd all take pictures and he would give a detailed account of the entire race. To this day, I still can't wait for the first Sunday in December so I can go cheer Dad on at the CIM.

People would always ask me if I was a runner like my dad. Up until four years ago I would always respond with, "Heck no, he's crazy! I would never want to run a marathon." Let's just say I've changed my mind since then. I started running at the end of 2005 as a way to lose weight. My sister also started running. She decided she was going to try a marathon. Well I certainly was not about to be outdone by her, so I too said I would run one. Then my mom got on board (she had previously run three other marathons, 2 CIM's and the Boston). So all four of us trained, ran, and finished the 2006 CIM. I finished in 4:30, thirty minutes faster than I had anticipated. I wouldn't say that I was hooked on marathons at that point, but I was definitely intrigued. I ran and finished the 2007 CIM the following year but it was an extremely heartbreaking race. Based on my training, I thought I could do it in about 4:15. This turned out not to be the case. For some reason it just wasn't my day. My body basically quit on me about nine miles in. To this day I do not know how I was able to finish only 6 minutes slower than the previous year. At that point I decided I was going to stick to shorter distances. That was until I read an article in my Runner's World magazine about ultra marathons. Basically any distance over 26.2 miles is considered an ultra. It gave a five month training plan and recommended some of the best races to do. As I continued to read, I found the Helen Klein Classic. An easy 50 miler along the American River bike trail that encouraged first time runners. Some how I got it in my head that I could do this. So am I crazy? Probably! But on October 31, 2009 I am going to challenge myself to do the impossible. I am going to run 50 miles in less than 12 hours!

I hope you will join me throughout these next five months. I'll take any support and encouragment I can get. So here's to 50 miles! Cheers!