And In An Instant, It All Can Change

August 2, 2008 By 8 Comments

We all know how just one little thing can change the course of our lives forever.

One moment. One instant. One second.

The same goes with training. I recall training for my first marathon, the Surf City, and during a house cleaning episode I ran my very large, very heavy chair over my big toe, which immediately swelled. I thought for sure I had broken it. I called my mom crying. I had trained so hard.

Luckily, the toe ended up being fine.

Fast forward to this morning. I was cleaning again and, as most of you know, training for the Long Beach marathon. The phone rang. I sprinted towards it, praying it was my husband.

It was.

You see, we’ve been waiting for some news about a new job, in a new state, clear across the country.

Our family is all on the east coast; we are on the west. We love it here. California offers so much to those who enjoy fitness and health.

On the other hand, if you moved here right as the housing market boomed and you didn’t buy, you are out. A median home costs $600K in our neighborhood. We like our neighborhood, but the homes for this price are old and mostly need updating. At $600K we would be breaking the banks and then have work to do.

This relocation meant a few things. First, we’d be closer to family. Second, we’d be able to afford a house. Third, we are gypsies at heart, my husband and I. We enjoy going new places, exploring new territories. The thought of ‘settling’ down’ kind of terrifies us.

So we have had our fingers crossed. And the call came.

He got the job!

We are moving. Not only that, we are doing so in just three short months. Two weeks after the Long Beach Marathon. I hadn’t signed up for it yet knowing what might happen. Now it looks like I won’t.

I could, I suppose. However, I’m going to be so busy with packing and moving arrangements that I don’t want to put an added stress on what will be a hectic few months.

Instead, I’m going to run the Disney Marathon in January. I signed up yesterday, after hearing about our move. My family lives fairly close, so we could make it a family weekend and I could do the race. I’d love to do one where my mom is at the finish line. When she had her stroke in December, I ran my first marathon in February for her.

Now, maybe the next time she can be waiting at the finish line along with the rest of my family.

The really cool thing: When we found out he got the job, my mom was in an airplane on the way to visit us for a week. She got off of the airplane and after telling me about the trip, I asked her this: Next time you come out, do you want to fly nonstop or would you prefer to do it this way again, with a stop in between?

Mom: I guess with the stop.

Me: Oh, well, it doesn’t matter anyway. This is your last visit to California anyway.

My mom broke down in tears.

Life changes so fast. We have been in California for six years. I’ve enjoyed the time here, but I am glad to be moving on.

So, on to my running and my personal certification training. I’m going to do that marathon in january and get the certification and begin a mommy boot camp class in Georgia, where we will be living. I can’t find anything like it in that area and it has been something I’ve wanted to do for quite some time.

And for my running, I know it will be different. It will be humid there, and I’m used to running in the dry heat. It will be less traffic (the town is fairly small) and I can’t wait to not dodge lights and cars who don’t look before pulling out of a shopping center.

I will keep you posted on the training during the move.

Life is going to be hectic, but then it is already.

You just gotta keep running through!

Filed Under: August 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Reflections on Running, Training for a Marathon, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , ,

Today I Completed My First Triathlon . . . Kind of!

July 31, 2008 By 2 Comments

Today I began the full three events-swim, bike and run-at the gym.

I started off with a 1,000 meter swim. Not bad, as I did it first and was glad that I did because the pool was open with only one other swimmer. The swim was a good one and I realized something funny during it: While I love swimming, I loathe biking, but only at the gym. I have a feeling if I were working out outside, swimming would be tough in the ocean or lakes because I’d be concerned about whatever was below the surface and biking would be great because I’d actually be going somewhere!

Swim: 1000 meters/40 laps; approx. 29 minutes. I stopped a few times to listen for the paging system, in case my youngest needed to leave childcare! I want to do this entire swim next week without stopping, and I’d like a better way to time myself. I know that I did the first 250 meters in about 5 1/2 minutes without stopping; after that, it’s a guess.

The transition was easy: I shed my suit, put on my running clothes and headed upstairs. I did a five mile bike ride. The other day when riding I stood up after and had a really sharp pain in my calf muscle. I made sure that night and the next day after my run that I stretched the hell out of it. It felt better today; no sharp pain. I took it easy on the levels though just in case. I have to do a 11 mile run on Saturday and don’t want any odd pains to stand in my way!

Bike Ride: 5 miles (like 5.2 or something) in 15 minutes.

I then stepped onto the treadmill, glad to see my legs held me up. This is only the second time I have biked and then run after. I’m sure when I get going a little farther on the bike, the run after will be more tough.

I did 2 miles and averaged just 9:30 min miles. I really wanted it to be closer to 9, and I did get down to 8:40 min miles a few times, but not enough.

The entire workout took about 65 minutes. I got done feeling great but really, really hungry! I had started off this morning with a cup of coffee, a hard boiled egg and a banana before the workout. I have a feeling if I go much longer than the sixty-five minutes I’m going to need to eat something during, or take one of my gel packs that I use on long runs.

I realized something about the bike: I need to practice. I don’t enjoy biking. I love to swim and run, so I want to do these two, and I don’t want to increase the bike because I don’t enjoy it. I think if I were outside, again, I would, but inside I just don’t.

So, with shower and all I was at the gym for about an hour and a half. The girls, of course, did fine in daycare, though I was feeling a bit guilty by the amount of time it took. And I know that when I get to doing some longer bikes and runs it will take even longer. However, I think I will cap myself at a certain point before this triathlon. I have to check and see again how long the distances are, but I think the run is only four miles, which isn’t too bad.

Completing all three of those today really made me feel great! I am feeling a bit more confident, like the triathlon won’t be unattainable, especially if I start small.

A question for all of my tri friends; How far are you going in training before a race? Do you try out the entire length first? Or, like a marathon, only go to a certain point in training and push it a bit farther on race day?

Filed Under: Biking/Cycling, January 2008, July 2008, Long Distance Running, March, October 2007, Racing, Reflections on Running, Running Gear, Swimming, Training for a Marathon, Triathlon Training Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Looking for Something to Do This Friday? Check Out 50 Marathons

July 29, 2008 By 2 Comments

If you are are runner you probably know the name Dean Karnazes. If not, you should. Dean runs ultra-marathons. If you are looking for a good read, and an inspiring one for training purposes, check out his book Ultra-Marathon Man: Confessions of an All-Night Runner about his journeys by foot and the reasons he runs long distances.

After reading this book I was certain I could run 50 miles at one time and I began to consider doing more than ‘just’ a marathon (yes, I am using these terms quite loosely because I know how difficult marathons are!) For instance, his book inspired me to train for a triathlon and to look into some potential endurance runs later in the future, after my second marathon is out of the way.

Dean is currently promoting a movie that he recently starred in called 50 Marathons. The showing happens just once at this point, this Friday, July 31, hopefully at a theater near you. Of course the hope is that it will be picked up after its showing, but that means we, the running community, needs to get out and support the movie.

Check out the trailer:

The premise of the movie is really quite simple in verbal terms: 50 marathons run in 50 days in 50 states in order to raise awareness of childhood obesity and the idea of getting fit and getting physical. What a great way to get out and promote running marathons! I’m hoping to take my four year old daughter to see the film. Since running her first half mile race, she talks nonstop about being a runner, about racing again, and about what foods will help her run fast (believe me, she doesn’t need the latter-she’s going to blow me away out there one day!)

They physical endurance needed for this film is insane, but if anyone can tackle this extreme physical feat, Dean can. Remember, he’s the guy that eats a pizza while running. While running! It was after reading his book that I realized during my own marathon training I needed to incorporate a little solid food into the end of my runs because I was draining myself of energy: Enter goldfish! Great little critters to munch on while out for a 20 mile trek.

Check out the website to see if a theater near you is promoting the movie and if so go! I’m hoping to get there and if so I will definitely report back.

Filed Under: July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Reflections on Running, Training for a Marathon Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Taking a Step Back to Move Forward

July 26, 2008 By 2 Comments

I hate this part of training for a marathon.

You build for a few weeks and then, boom, run a shorter distance for your long run in order to head off injuries and regroup.

As I was preparing for this morning’s run last night, I kept thinking I was going to go between 10 and 11. I had my route planned out, but then I realized I needed to check my Garmin for the exact miles I needed to run.

Then it hit me: I had to step back this week and do only 7.

Now, for a while seven seems like a lot. Then you do 8, 9, and seven seems small.

Especially when you are pumped up for a longer run.

It is difficult around here to do anything between 3 and 7.5.

To get anywhere nice to run would be a total run of at least 6.5.

The ocean is a 7.4 round trip, and if I do that, I don’t really get to run along the ocean on the bike path; I simply get to run to it, stop and see it, then run back.

And the issue is really that run itself: Down a busy road. Nothing to look at but cars going by way too fast. Nothing to smell but exhaust. I hate it.

So this morning, when I thought I was doing the longer run, I had planned to run to a park. It’s about two and a half to the park, then I could run around the park for a while, then the two and a half back. SO, five miles, at least half of the run, would be spent looking at nice things: Trees, ducks, water.

Instead, I had to do seven miles through our surrounding neighborhoods.

I saw a few funny things. The first was a shooting star. The crazy thing is that it seemed to be RIGHT THERE in front of me. I kept thinking if I turned a corner I might run over it. Then it made me consider what shooting stars were actually made of, and if they were only gas or some debris, so I contemplated that for a while.

I saw a lot of stray cats. This gets me around here. No one keeps their cats inside and we live in the city. It’s really annoying, because they often get in our back yard and pee and poo. Then they chase the birds away, so I have stopped hanging up our bird feeders, which my daughters love, in an effort to get rid of the cats.

Anyway, over all it was okay, but not so great. I really looked forward to the longer run, having this destination in mind and knowing when I got there it would be a pretty run. I’m so sick of running in the city. I hate it. I hate the cars, the noise, the trash. There is this one bum on one of these streets. He camps out at the opening of the development. I can never remember where he is going to be until I run up on him, and then it is too late to step away and I’m always afraid he’s going to reach out and grab me. Today I listened to my music for most of the run, because I was so disappointed about just doing the neighborhood run that I couldn’t shake it off and think the things I really wanted to think through.

Next week is a ten miler. I’ll head out to something pretty. I can’t wait.

At least i got my seven in. Now I can head off to ice skating class with my daughter. Last week I forgot to request a larger skate to take in my feet swelling after that long run, and the entire class i Thought my foot my break in half!

Filed Under: July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Reflections on Running, Training for a Marathon Tagged With: , , , , ,

Some Thoughts About the Gym

July 24, 2008 By 2 Comments

I hate it!

Oh, I try, I really, really do!

I try to like it. But I just don’t.

If I have to train, I want to be outside. I mean, why ride a stationary bike at all? I don’t understand the benefits, other than a few calories burned. It isn’t as good as the workout outside, it’s boring as hell, and there is nothing to look at, except for the other people in the gym. But I think there is a rule about not staring them down while working out (at least, they seem to look at me funny when I attempt to check them out while I workout!)

RUnning on the treadmill is just as bad. BORING. Oh my gosh, first of all I can’t read a damn thing on the closed caption television, secondly the music is good but if I sing along people look at me funny. Thirdly, it is hot as hell. What do they do, crank the heat up in those places? And it is BORING.

Did I say BORING?!

The only thing I DO like about the gym is the pool, because I’d be terrified to go out in the ocean and swim alone. So the pool is good, minus the snot that I talked about the other day.

Oh, and today there was a spider at the bottom of the pool. Seriously, he was standing on the bottom of the pool. Shouldn’t he have been floating if he were dead? I began to make up this story about him as I swam (yes, I do entertain myself during these long workouts: Hey I run marathons, what else will I do for all of those hours?!). I decided he was a mutant chlorine spider that could survive the harshest of chemicals AND breathe under water. He did move while I was there, inching over into the other lane, moving toward the little Asian lady that I nearly pushed over on my way to the pool (there are only three lanes and I knew one was already in use; I wanted to beat her just in case she got down those stairs before me!)

Anyway, the spider did not attack as I thought he might. He stayed where he was. His dead, squashed brother was up ahead of him. I’m guessing he wasn’t quite adapted to the chemicals. A mutant, if you will.

I saw some interesting things at the gym this morning, though. Things I would not have seen outside, I’m guessing. For one, the woman beside me got onto the treadmill backwards and commenced to jog. Yes, she jogged backwards. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen, seriously. I have trouble jogging forwards on the treadmill! I always feel as though I’m going to fall over. She did it backwards. Unbelievable.

I saw the physical fitness trainer hitting on a few ladies as they walked on the treadmill. He stood there the entire time that they walked.

Filed Under: Biking/Cycling, July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Reflections on Running, Swimming, Training for a Marathon, Uncategorized Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Thursday July 24, 2008

July 24, 2008 By 1 Comment

Today I started my Thursdays of incorporating bike, run and swim. It went well! I did the bike first, then the run, then the swim. I can’t d them in order and have enough time, since I’d have to shower after the swim if I want to go up and get on the bike. Or come home and get on the bike. I don’t have time for that. As it is, I got in around 6:30 and the first of my two got up at 7 on the nose. So, enough time to walk in the door, drop my stuff, and have a quick cup of coffee!

Today I did:

bike: 3 miles/10 minutes
run: 2 miles, 19 minutes (about a 9:30 pace)
swim: 20 laps, or 500 meters, in a little over 20 minutes

The pool is 25 meters long so I have to figure out how quickly I am going now.

The RPM on the bike was about 100, or 70 something when I was making the resistance harder. I have to figure out how that calculates to MPH.

I hate biking inside. I’ll write a separate post about that, but just wanted to put that out there. HATE IT! I don’t understand the idea of working at a gym anyway, unless the weather is bad. I guess if you do the weights and so forth it makes sense, but for me, I”d rather run outside.

Gotta go get the little one out of bed. She sounds so pitiful in there calling, “Mommy, mommy!”

Filed Under: July 2008, Racing, Training for a Marathon, Training Journal July 2008, Triathlon Training Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Sense-sations: Why I Run Outside

July 23, 2008 By 2 Comments

This morning I:

Smelled-
1) Someone’s shampoo as they showered (no, I was not standing beneath their bathroom window playing peeping Tom, just running by!)
2) A walker’s shirt’s detergent as he sauntered by at high speed
3) Coffee. Oh. My. Gosh. Let me just say this: When I smell coffee on a run my stomach dances in circles. It anticipates finishing up the workout, turning on the pot, and sucking down that java juice. Can you say a-dict-ted?

Saw-
1) A car wrapped in Saran Wrap. Yes, saran wrap. Strange, very strange indeed.
2) An early morning fitness group meeting at the park. The trainer swept while the clients did some ab work.
3) Trash. This kills me. Don’t people understand it doesn’t get up and walk away when they toss it on the ground?

Tasted-
1) Salt from my sweat. I love this taste. That means I’m working. Hard.
2) Bugs. A few flew into my mouth twice. I ate them. What the hell-lots of protein, little calories right? (Only kidding, but I’m sure I did swallow a bug brain or two!)

Heard-
1) My music. I knew it might be a tough run. I don’t usually travel with tunes unless I’m doing a long run-over 6 or 7 miles or so-but this morning for my four mile run I decided to take the tunes along and it was great.
2) Car tires against the street
3) People waking for the morning. One man talking. A person’s alarm clock going off

Felt-
1) Good
2) Strong
3) Alive

That’s why I run.

Filed Under: July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Reflections on Running, Training for a Marathon Tagged With: , , , , ,

Swimming: The Good, The Bad and the Snotty

July 22, 2008 By 2 Comments

So I spent the first ten minutes of my official start of tri training biking, which I will write about later.

Then I did my swim.

I’ve been swimming for a year or so now. That’s why I originally joined the gym. I really love swimming. I love the solitude of it all. It is so quiet in the water, and it really gives me time to think, reflect, consider, imagine, dream.

I love the way that my body feels weightless, and every ache and pain that I have from running, biking or just living goes away. I have done something to a muscle in my back, and it hurts now as I type. In the water I didn’t feel it at all, even though I was using my arms to swim.

I love swimming. I have no idea how fast I go, though I know from the way the other guy was passing me I don’t go very fast at all. This is the down side. I guess I could figure out how long the pool is-aren’t they all about the same, if they are Olympic sized?-and then how far I go in the half hour , how many laps, but for now I just swim.

The only down side I find is the snot. The water seems to work as a snot softener, creating lots of it, which ends up, well, in the pool. No, let me say, first it ends up on my face, and then in the pool.

Now, shudder as you may, this is definitely a gross thing. But my snot, and my kids’ snot, well, I can deal with that.

It’s when I see floaters that don’t belong to me that I shudder.

At this time, the snot issue is the only thing I really don’t like about swimming. I try to remember that’s what chemicals are for.

The morning routine went well. I did the ten minute bike, but the damn thing was stuck on RPM, not MPH, which I wanted. I am going to wear my forerunner next time to figure out how fast I am going. Thursday I will do a ten minute bike, ten minute all out run and probably twenty in the pool. My plan is to increase that.

I don’t want to increase too far, too fast though. Since the marathon is first, I really need to focus on staying injury free through October. But, I figure if I build up just a tiny bit over time it will all work out. I only need to do a 5K in this tri. The running will be my strong point as long as my legs don’t go too wobbly from the bike.

Day one of tri training has officially begun and I feel good. I can do this! It’s all in my head anyway, right?!

Filed Under: Biking/Cycling, July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Swimming, Training for a Marathon, Triathlon Training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

If at First You Don’t Succeed, Tri, Tri Again!

July 17, 2008 By Leave a Comment

Today I was supposed to get up at 5, head to the gym, do ten to twenty on the bike, twenty on the treadmill and then twenty in the pool.

However, life got in the way.

Last night my youngest woke up several times and had difficulty even getting to sleep in the first place.

My oldest woke up at 3 and, for some reason, could not go back to sleep. I ended up sleeping with her for a while.

When I woke at 5:10 I thought ok, I’ll give myself five more minutes of rest time. I woke up at 5:40.

Instead I went for a run. I did 2 1/2 and then did some sprinting. Unbelievably, this was the best run of the week! No sleep, tired, a little bit of knee pain . . . and it was the best one I had. I could have done four miles but that knee is scaring me. I don’t want to blow it and not make it to Long Beach this October.

So, tomorrow is another day. My plan now: Head to the gym for a short bike and swim. No running since Saturday is my nine miles. I’m worried what the bike may do to the knee. I hope it stays strong through this. I may have to look up some knee strengthening exercises.

If I don’t do the gym tomorrow, I’ll work on arms and abs and take it easy with the cardio. Maybe that’s what I need: A day off of cardio, since I have been so tired.

Well, the kids are up from nap and it is time to go do something.

Hopefully tomorrow morning will be better for the work out!

Filed Under: Biking/Cycling, July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Swimming, Training for a Marathon, Triathlon Training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Running Through the Fog

July 16, 2008 By Leave a Comment

I don’t know what is going on with me this week! I can’t seem to get out of this ‘fog’ that I am in when it comes to my running.

I thought maybe I was just having an off day on Monday, but today was the same. I started off feeling heavy and as though my breath wasn’t together-like I couldn’t get it together. I stopped at 1.6 miles and shook it off, I hoped, but still had difficulty finishing up the 3.3 miles.

After that I did my sprints and, guess what, had no issues running fast and short. I got into the 6 minute mile range. That wasn’t hard. The regular run was.

If I’m going to get to the Long Beach Marathon in October, which is just a few months away, I have to fix this fog! I hope it is just an off week.

So tomorrow I begin my tri training in full swing. I will do the bike for ten, running for twenty and swimming for I hope thirty.

There is also a class at the gym that focuses on ab work. I’d like to do this, but am not sure how to fit it into my schedule. They do have a Friday class, but my youngest daughter isn’t real keen on other people watching her. I’m afraid she will scream the entire time she is in daycare! But we will see.

Happy Running!

Filed Under: July 2008, Long Distance Running, Racing, Swimming, Training for a Marathon, Triathlon Training Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,
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