cancer sucks

i woke up.
i ran.
i went to work.
i taught class.

all the other details today are irrelevant other than i felt great until i found out that a friend passed away today. i haven't seen her since high school, but we reconnected on FB. i asked if i can run in her honor and was gonna try and visit when in kauai. i'm now running in her memory. cancer sucks.

aggravations

today i listened to my body for once. still feeling exhausted. work was fine. re-aggravated my knee somehow. coach calls any injuries or pains aggravations, because when you get injured and can't run you are aggravated... that's me.

instead of my tuesday evening run after work/before class, i figured i'd give my body some rest. so i visited my dad and we played "whack a mole" on my new phone and watched the news. it was too late to find a sub, and i figured that i could still teach. an hour and a half with dad seemed like a good break anyway.

got to class. got a donation :) started teaching... body is still not liking me, but the show must go on. class was fine. i wanted to throw up. something is going on, so i stopped working out and just taught the class. why make things worse and push myself. i just have to remember to listen to my body. i have time.

tomorrow:
doctor's appointment in the morning, work during the day, and my drink & donate happy hour in the evening. that's 2 days of without a work out. i'll rest up for thursday track practice.

to zumba or not to zumba

it's monday evening and i'm getting ready for a long week at work. i'm spent from the weekend. now usually it's my own fault, but this time i was good. after my 8 mile run, i went home, showered, did some errands and then went to a birthday party at a tequila bar/restaurant. i know what you are thinking, but i was the designated driver! some margarita at the beginning and that was it. i had dinner, conversation, drove home and went to bed.

sunday morning part 1:
i got up.
walked to zumba.
took class.
walked home and picked up dim sum along the way.

class was great! my knee wasn't. i know i'm supposed to cross train and i usually don't jump in class, but when you're into it... you know how it goes. i think i hyper extended it in the morning, but being the stubborn kind of gal that i am, i still went on... i did take it easy though. i either have to behave or give up zumba until after my run. i walked home and crawled back into bed.

sunday morning part 2:
another birthday~ this time peter pan tickets and an early dinner. the show started at 1pm. no time for my afternoon run. so after my 30 minute nap, i jumped out of bed and did a quick 2 mile jog.

note to self: do not just get out of bed and run... not sure about you, but my body was still asleep! i should have given myself time to get up, but i only had 30 minutes. the plan was run to starbucks and back. i tried to keep my pace the same as it was last thursday when i did the 8:42 minute mile, and it felt like that, but i was actually running 13 minute miles.

i made it back home with just enough time to shower and get to the embarcadero for peter pan.
show. kettle corn. ferry building. miette. dinner. home. i was exhausted!
home by 8pm. in bed at 8:15pm.

2 miles
26:20 minutes
13:10 minute mile

monday morning:
did i just sleep 12 hours?! i did... and i'm still tired. i just wanted to crawl back into bed.. however it's monday which means training session and work. my core is weak. other parts of me are stronger... just not all of me. workouts usually give me energy, and i can be sore after... the workout was good, but i'm still tired and achey. now for work.

monday evening:
home. fed. tired. i've got to figure out why i'm so run down, since it all starts again on tuesday.

8 miles with team tom

though i have been trying to keep up with my workouts, i have not run with my team since last thursday.

that is why tom is awesome! when i got there, he checked in to see how i was doing. i let him know that i've been having issues, that i saw my doctor last week and was going again on wednesday. he said that he was going to run with me. haven't really had a running partner, and today was the perfect day since i wasn't feeling like my old chipper self and almost didn't show.

8 miles was good. tom says i'm getting faster, though i'm not sure about that. he did let me beat him in, and that's always a plus :) it was good to have someone to run with for a change.

still pain after... gonna see the doctor on wednesday

8 miles
1:21:48
10:35 minute mile

the mind is willing, but the body is weak

today was a terrible day.

i didn't go to track practice this morning, but i still resolved to get a run in per my training schedule. i haven't been feeling well since last friday. i didn't make the saturday run, but ran on sunday to make up. monday still not good. so i skipped the workout, but committed to keep up with any runs on the schedule. i ran hill repeats on tuesday and taught my kickboxing class. that's when the problems started. on wednesday i took pilates... more problems, but i figured because it was a new and different workout. i didn't feel good wednesday night, so i slept in.

this morning, work started out fine. i had an early morning meeting. got in at 8:15am. fine. had lunch with co-workers... problems. went back to the office. called my doctor and made an appointment. i'm not gonna go into it, but she said i was fine and just to watch how things go... if it persists, i should go back and they will do some tests. i asked her if it was because i was running and increasing the intensity of my workouts, but i'm definitely not sedentary. she said it wasn't my exercising.

i went to my dad's. hung out. had a snack. got ready for my run. if the doctor said i was fine, then i can't wimp out and not run. i lallygagged a bit, so i didn't get to the beach until 6:30pm and only had about 30 minutes. the run was ok. ran flats, but pace seemed faster and consistent. things seemed fine... until i stopped running. during my cool down walk... intense pain. i sat in my car for a bit... re hydrated and drove to class.

the service desk said i looked terrible, but i told her i just needed a moment and i'd be fine. taught class. everything seemed fine. good times... until 40 minutes into class. intense pain was back. i kept teaching, but had to stop for a second, but played it off and walked around. i really wanted to cry, but the show must go on... i finished class. closed up and went home.

i feel terrible. i'm not my chipper self right now and i'm frustrated. but i can't sugar coat my training and tell you that everything is fine and dandy when it's not.

3 miles
26:57 minutes
8:52 minute mile

and now the torture rack...

PILATES! today was my first 1 on 1 pilates workout. if you have never seen a pilates studio, think of a medieval torture room without the spikes... in mauve. we started on the cadillac and the magic circle a multiple balls between my legs, behind my back, my neck then moved to the reformer and back to the cadillac. i can't really describe everything i did, but what i can definitely say is that i felt very out of my element. i need to practice more so i can be aware of my posture and getting rid of my chicken neck.

she stuck to the basics... though i can't honestly say what the basics are in pilates. some people would think that because you already exercise that you would be good at this, but this is way different. it was a good workout. different. not the sweaty running, cycling or kickboxing workout, but i had a really tough time and got a bit dizzy. the scary thing, is she was being nice for my first time!

i'm spent.
i need a nap.

cliff house hill repeats

so once upon a time i lived in my old hood on balboa and the great highway. i'd wake u p and go home to the beach and on weekends walk to either the beach chalet, cliff house, louis' or seal rock for brunch or cocktails. today i decided to visit my old haunts (minus the food and alcohol).

the warm up was a run to the beach chalet
then up the hill past the cliff house and pass louis' and up to seal rock in.
back down the hill to the and back up.
4 loops on about 40 minutes.
each loop was about 10 minutes... i'm not fast, but at least i'm consistent.

stretch and off to teach one hour of kickboxing. after bag work we did ... 1 minute. 2 minute. 4 minute and 5 minute rounds... some light weights and ab work and then... a glass of wine :)
i feel good. maybe i'll get some sleep tonight

50 minutes total run time
4 miles of hill repeats
43 minutes
10:49 minute miles

just another lazy sunday

part 1:
7:30am
(sunday's optional workout: easy run, cross train or rest)
walk dog - 1 mile
zumba! i still don't look good taking the class, but it is fun~ where else can you dance to salsa, samba, belly dancing, hip hop, reggae & bhangra :)

intermission:
blue bottle and laundry... lots of laundry (ironing too)

part 2:
(saturday make up: 3-5 miles)
7:00pm
run to the lake and back~ beware of ducks in the morning and bugs at dusk.

i want to get faster, and i'm impatient. my pace is still the same as when i first started running, but i should remember that everything comes in time. i sped up when some guy passed me and kept his pace for a while, and i did pass a bicycle guy (he was slow). my base training is fine and i can keep this pace no mater how far i run. i need to run with someone faster, so i don't revert to my my natural jogging speed. any takers? i'll bring the bug repellant!

5.1 miles
5 bug bites
2 bite a mile
54:00 minutes
10:58 minute mile

guest appearances

today we had two guests at 5:50am.

guest 1: pepe le pew. but not to fret, we waited him out. warmed up and left the track. circuit drills with hill repeats instead of the track.

guest 2: mama lisa came to track practice! her cancer is gone. she is still recovering, so she only ran 13 miles last weekend... with that in mind i can't complain about my training.

this morning's workout:
run down and up hill
20 squats, 15 crunches, 15 push ups, 20 squats
run down and up hill
20 superman, 15 crunches, 15-1 legged squats
run down and up hill... you get the picture

not bad... hips are tight... so i learned a new stretch to open up my hip flexors... hopefully the orthotics come in soon to help with my knees.
it's gonna be hot this weekend... better get hydrated!

conquering monday through wednesday

MONDAY 7/12~strength training

first day with my trainer… not bad. but i think my trainer took it easy on me, plus there is the assessment and getting to know your health history phase. everything on my right side is injured... arch, ankle, knee, rotator cuff. i think i scared her with my guns! oh you would be too. my biceps are 9.5 of pure muscle ~ well the stronger arm is 9.5 ;)

what i want to work on on… core & posture & strength - more balanced strength. i haven't done anything outside of kickboxing in a while, and you can tell my front half and right side is stronger. ACK i'm lopsided!

i will get better... i just have to get this in my routine... work or no work.

FYI~
i'm not going into the details of my workout because:

A- i'm tired
B- i don't remember
C- i'm tired


TUESDAY 7/13~run

frustrated today... the run was ok, but i felt that i could have done better. i ran from my old apartment by the beach along the great highway. at mile 3.5 i stopped and walked 1 block. i could have powered through and just ran it... but i wasn't feeling it.

i just made it with 5 minutes to spare to teach kickboxing. thank goodness sophia brought me some chocolate milk to recover... needed something other than water or gatorade to get me through teaching an hour bag class.

i have to figure out how to get more rest during the work week and eat better so i have better fuel and recovery to do more than weekend runs. the home by 11pm and going to bed at 1am doesn't help either... oh the lifestyle change... SIGH

4.6 miles
49:08 minutes
10:41 minute mile


WEDNESDAY 7/14~cross training

original plan: pilates, but my trainer was sick.
plan B: take the lunch time energizer core & cardio class, but i forgot my shoes.
solution: 30 minute core class during lunch. get home before the sun sets and ride my bicycle.

for about 45 minutes... i literally got my swerve on! ride to the lake and circle as many times before the sun goes down. i got in about 13 miles in before 9pm. cardio good. legs fine. saddle... NUMB. now i know remember why i run and not cycle.

runner vs weekend warrior

it's not til the day after my over the mountain and through the woods adventure that i realize i'm still a weekend warrior and not a runner. this morning, i slept in, missed zumba, and my legs are a little stiff. so instead of my morning jog, zumba and jog back~ brunch and a mojito for the world cup finals it is :)


i'm supposed to run 40-50 minutes at an easy pace today. so i decided to wait til the afternoon, let the mojito wear off, run to the lake, meet up with a friend, and run around. my friend whom i haven't hung out with since i started has been ninja training and not telling me. maybe it's the competitive side in me, but he was faster, and i don't like it. don't get me wrong, many people are faster than me, but last we hung out, he didn't work out at all... i'm not going to justify that i ran hills the day before or had a cocktail today or ran 1.9 miles before we met up. i would've still been the same pace whether it was 3.3 or 5.2 miles. i just need to get serious about training.

i should be happy with my progress and not compare myself to others...
strength training is tomorrow.


5.2 miles
53:07
10:21 minute mile

over the mountains and through the woods

so i wasn't too worried about the run today. 5-7 miles, until i re-read it. i missed that it said HILLS. okay, maybe i'll run 5 instead. i only ran on tuesday and that was around 2 miles and it was flat! i haven't run hills since the last track practice, and that was the intro.

my mantra of the day: run through the hill, run through the hill, don't look up. i think i did okay. my running hat helped me from looking up. its running down hill that scares me~ don't want to slip, fall or injure my ankle or aggravate my knees...

little bit of trail running up, down and all around lake chabot. all in all i am proud of my run. seems like no matter what the terrain my pace is about the same. let's hope i can keep this up... or get better. one thing for sure, is after 7 miles of hills, i feel great.

at the honoree potluck, i won the fundraising spirit award idea... basically, i'm not at goal, but did something creative to fund raise via my TEAM BELLE PURPLE PEOPLE. http://www.facebook.com/#!/album.php?aid=65317&id=1459733708
the prize: starbuck's travel mug and coffee. they must be psychic :) how did they know about my travel mug collection and coffee. all that was missing was the straw. now i need to execute and make my goal

7 miles of hills
1:18:52
11:28 minute mile

to run or not to run

PLAN:
track practice circuit drills with hill training. work. teach kickboxing.

ACTUAL:
not feeling like my old chipper self. allergies were bad yesterday. achy all last night. didn't go to track practice. dehydrated and sweaty. went home from work early. got my kickboxing class subbed. home. time to rest. hope i get better so i can run on saturday...

NOTE:
if you have constant allergies and are always sick like me, here is the quick "neck check test".

"above the neck" symptoms… runny or stuffy nose, sneezing or sore throat, a little easy running probably won't do any harm and, in fact, might even help. monitor your body for any symptoms such as dizziness, nausea or profuse sweating and STOP RUNNING if any of these symptoms occur.

"below the neck" symptoms… fever, fatigue, muscle aches, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, sweats, swollen glands or a hacking cough, then this indicates that you probably have a virus. Running under these conditions increases dehydration and can lead to more serious problems, so DO NOT RUN.

the girl who wants to do it with everyone

i ran today!!!!

training for today said 4 miles. that didn't happen. i only had 30 minutes before teaching my KB class. but i didn't let "life" stop me today. i drove to the beach. ran along the great highway to the zoo and back.

i think it was me telling my mentor that, other than thursday morning track practice, i haven't figured out running on week days and was having a hard time. i was tired of justifying. there's always some reason not to. too many excuses. it could be that i have talked other people into doing it with me... maybe not kauai, but they will do it... oh yes they will!

it all started a few weeks back. i went to a wedding in june. other than the bride and one other person, i knew no one. luckily i was seated at table W. we were the fun table. after our "getting to know you" period plus a bottle of wine, i let the table know that i was running kauai. we started talking about local runs and that i asked my friend to run, but he didn't want to do it with me. everyone else (minus the iron man triathlon couple) said they wouldn't want to do it with me. it was too hard. no one had time to train. etc. at the end of the wedding i was known as "the girl who wants to do it with everyone" so the FB joke is that no one wants to do it with me... except for that couple :)

well, they are wrong! plenty of people want to do it with me! i just have to tailor it to what they can accomplish. i'm going to look for local 5k walks in the bay area to do it with my dad and family here. i was invited to do l.a. rock n roll... so i invited my cousin and she signed up. everyone has to start somewhere yes? i am doing this to help fight cancer... and also help my family get healthy. i mean if i can do it, so can everyone else.

2.4 miles

25 minutes

10:41 miles per minute

blisters hurt

1 mile jog to class.
zumba good.
blister on arch bad.
no run today.
1 hour walk with dog~ blue bottle. bank. farmer's market. home.

oh orthotics where art thou

no coached training run today. it's a mentor led yoyo run along the marina. yoyo=you're on your own=no water stops. the planned run for me was 3-5 miles (full marathon 6 miles), so i planned to run 5 miles. it was a beautiful day. not too hot. not too windy. at the 2.5 turn around point, i decided to do 6 miles. the weekend warrior in me saw that no one was turning around, and i figured what was 1 more mile. i did 6.6 the week before andthe blister on my arch seemed fine.

of course, it's not until the turnaround point that my aggravations start, and i have no choice to finish. the plus is that i kept the same pace for all 6 miles. i didn't slow down, nor did i stop :) at mile 5 left hip started to get stiff (no matter how far i run it's always the last mile that is hard~ whether it's 3 or 7 miles). it wasn't til the end of the run that my right arch blister started to hurt again. i had custom orthotics, but of course i lost them at the beginning of the season and i've been running without. i paid the $$$ for replacements, but i've been waiting 2 months. oh orthotics are you here yet?

6 miles
1hour 5min (approx)
10:50 minute mile

cadence, hills & hospitals

just when i was getting used to the circuit drills, today is an intro to cadence and conquering the hill.

let's start with cadence first. in order to be efficient, for a half or full marathon, i need to know my cadence. it could have been that it was 6am when coach was explaining, but i don't get it. i do know that i'm supposed to take 180 steps a minute. so after our warm up run, we get to count our steps. first time, i think i lost count 188... that's too high. second time 186.... am i taking too many steps? small stride? what's up with that?! coach said any extra is gravy... now too bad he was also timing the entire 1/2 mile and i wasn't paying attention on the run and pace, just the count.

1/2 mile
5.26 minutes
11 minute mile... at least for now :)

then the hill. so to conquer the hill is to not look up the hill, but to run through it. we started with the little hill... okay, i can do this. then we did the real hill. ACK! did i tell you that we're not supposed to look up the hill, just where we are running. it's kind of like telling you not to look down when you are on a tightrope. OOPS! i still have time to practice. it's running down the hill that seems harder. i'm supposed to land on my heels so the bigger muscles absorb the impact and i don't get too fatigued. i think i'm doing it wrong, but i'm sure this won't be the first hill we'll be running through.

i need to find a hill and time myself. just not today. it started at 4:45am and isn't going to end any time soon. just got off the phone with my dad. he is leaving for the hospital now. i need a quick shower then off to work early. i'm picking him up around lunvh and babysitting. back to work. then teach class at 7:30pm...