The Rain and The Pain

I've got another big run coming up tomorrow.  We'll be out at Land's End, out in my old Outer Richmond 'hood.  Pouring rain and lots of challenges (read: hills!). My minimum is 6 miles....I'd really like to aim for 7 though.  At 8am. 

The mileage just keeps racking up.  It's just amazing to me.  However, with that mileage comes a little wear and tear on my body.  Going from couch potato to going and going and going - well, some pain was bound to appear.  My right hip is killing me but the coach assured me that he's got some exercises for me to strengthen the muscles around the joint. 

So, while you read the morning paper, think of me.  Or while you sleep off tonight's fun (or some leftover fun from last night's St Patrick's festivities!), just dream a little dream about me crossing the finish line!

High Five!

Struggled with 3 miles.  Barely hitting 4.  Legs filled with lead and a head full of doubts...

NO MORE!  Tonight, I conquered the big 5!  Me?!  Yup, I did 5 miles

Somehow, that made me feel like a legitimate runner.  13.1 is gonna be just fine...

Catching Up and Keeping Up

1. I should really keep on top of this more - it's been almost two weeks
2. It's a shame that I'm actually writing on the day of a terrible workout.  It will color my whole outlook - sorry

My TNT group runs are really fantastic.  Buddy runs are great, in a small group with people I love, and on flat ground.  Really, it's my favorite run of the week, always flies by, and it's fun!

This week, timing was off for me to get there on Tuesday though so I did it on my own.  I had a terrific run!  Found a groove and went with it.  My longest route to that point (2.88 mi), my fastest times (even got in one mile under 11 mins!), and felt great doing it all.  The best part?  I even ran into my buddies as they were headed back in the opposite direction!  So glad I got some team spirit to power me through the rest of the work out.

The Thursday night coached runs are good for me, even if they start out tough.  As a Level 1, I'm working with Coach Leslie and she is just a dream.  I was intimidated by her at first but she is really great to work with.  Calm, patient, yet willing to push. Really, the worst part of the whole night is the 1 mile warm-up but once my body is going I'm ready to work.

I ran last Saturday at the Marina Green and even tried out the run/walk team.  I'm starting to incorporate a bit of this into my training, as I'm nearly able to maintain the same pace even adding the 1 minute walk intervals (that's sad!).  I really want to run the whole race but if the walks help me get through and I'm still keeping up my speed, I don't think that's a bad thing.

This Saturday...I skipped.  I just couldn't do it.  I couldn't drag my butt out of bed, into my shoes, and out the door.  It felt good in bed - for about 20 minutes.  And then the guilt and regret set in.  Then I told myself I'd just do the workout later on my own.  Did I?  Nope.  Uggghhh...

Finally got those 4 miles in today, 2 days behind.  And it sucked.  SUCKED!  On my own, feeling negative about myself and my training, and it was just an awful run.  Seriously, at one point, I sat down on the pier and threw a pity party.  A temper tantrum.  I became a sobbing mess.  Why did I come out this morning?! What on Earth was I ever thinking for joining this team?  Did I really believe I could do this?!  As my sister would say, I needed a "Waaaambulance!"

I got up.  Wiped up my tears and snot.  Walked for a few minutes.  And then I made my feet move.  The run did get easier.  I was glad I'd gone out.  But DANG it was tough to get through.

Two things I've learned:

1. Don't skip a run - especially the group runs.  They're good for me, keep me on track, and I'd rather be with a group than on my own.
2. Don't skip a workout - even the ones on my own!  I really need to find a good cross training option and STICK TO IT!

Tomorrow, it's back to Buddy Run.  I consider Tuesdays the start to my training week so let's hope it's a better one!

Nearly Doubled Mileage...and Nearly Doubled Over!

I've just finished a real one week training cycle with Team in Training - woo hoo!  First though, before I launch into my usual long-winded self I want to say THANK YOU!!  Your generosity and support has absolutely overwhelmed me.  Doubled-over with joy and gratitude. One week in and you've helped me raise 15% of my goal to support the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  Just one week in and a support system has rallied - I stand so much stronger than I ever could have on my own.  I am so grateful for all of you!

Take a look at the updates!

Last Thursday was our first Coaches' Workout in Kezar Stadium.  Well, was supposed to be.  Unfortunately, I left about 10 minutes late from work and then proceeded to take the most crowded route over.  I kept telling myself to stick with it, it was going to be ok if I was 5 minutes late, 10 minutes late, etc.  By the time I was 20 minutes late and still not anywhere near, I finally gave up.

However, I had a choice:  I needed to turn around and head home but I could either give up and go inside or I could run like I was supposed to.  I parked the car, passed my front door, and ran my greatest distance yet!  I knew the coaches would have pushed me so I pushed my own boundaries.  2.4 miles - a 40% increase! Dang, I was feeling GOOD!

 

Note:  Google Maps does NOT take hills into account...!

 Saturday was our first team run, actually focused on mileage rather than time.  We were split into experience/ability levels (I'm a 1...shocking, right?!).  Level 1s had a goal of 2-4 miles.  I was absolutely committed to 2 but powered through for 3.  Remember last week?  I had just passed 1.5 miles.  I know that these percentage jumps will taper off but, let me tell you, they are fantastic for building confidence!

Since we started at 8am I now had a whole day on my hands.  And San Francisco was GORGEOUS!  Sun shining, birds singing, 76 degrees in February and awesome!  Man, this whole getting up and being healthy thing might not be so bad after all!

Sunday, I took a break.  And took in nearly an entire bag of potato chips - oops!  Hey, Super Bowl is only once a year, right?  At least the game was exciting because the "entertainment" was awful!  Rooted for the Steelers but happy enough for Aaron Rodgers.  MVP is great but really, I was hoping for a giant happy dance, cursing Brett Favre's name.  Ok, ok, that might be harsh.  Ughhh....I'll go back to my training....

And last night, I was back to buddy runs.  Amazing how much better I felt after just one week!  Instead of sucking air 10 minutes into our 20 minute run, I was saying I was ok to tackle 30!  Maintained pace, maintained conversation, and maintained confidence.

This is such an amazing experience and thank you all again for joining me!  Together, we will fight against cancer, battle my bulge, and destroy the San Diego Rock n Roll!

~Melissa

PS - If you haven't yet visited my TNT page, please click here.  Thanks for reading and for your support!

Go Team! Go ME!

I've just committed to one of the largest challenges I've taken on in quite a while.  Certainly the largest physical challenge I've ever entered!  Last month, I took the plunge and joined Team in Training, a program supporting the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

 

Though I've gone running on my own a few times since signing up, tonight was our first official team run.  On Tuesdays, we do "Buddy Runs" - small groups and somewhat informal.  I met with my mentor, Richard, and teammates Bryce and Stevie.  Our task?  Run 20 minutes.  May not sound like much but, for me, it is!  With the help of my teammates, I got through it and felt pretty good.  Twenty minutes down The Embarcadero, 1.7 miles.  Go team!

I hope you'll come with me as I go from 1.7 miles to 13.1 in San Diego this June!  I'll be maintaining this blog and posting on my TNT site as well.  Keep me honest!

Merry Christmas To Me!

After years of dreaming, months of debating, and weeks of researching, I finally did it.  I bought the car of my dreams!

source

Now, I must admit, my "dream" was quite practical and reasonable.  No luxury sports car for me.  I had always wanted a Honda CR-V.  I'd been talked out of it twice when car shopping in the past.  This time though, I was determined to get a car that I wanted, not just one that I rushed into out of necessity or settled for to avoid conflict or additional effort.  No more!

Much went into the final decision:

Pros:

1. This was the car I wanted. 
2. I hated the car I was in.  It made an awful squealing sound that no mechanic seemed to be able to fix.  Oh, and #2 below...
3. Honda will last forever and retain value throughout its life
4. It fits my current needs and will also adapt to future needs (kids, namely)
5. I can afford the payments and have fewer financial obligations at this time, which means I will be able to pay it off prior to those future responsibilities (kids, again!)

Cons:

1. I had not built up much equity in my last vehicle, mostly due to short term of ownership
2. The car had lost much of its value due to recall (Toyota...one week after purchase!  Argggh...)
3. Though I could afford the new payment, it would still be a 30% increase from my current bill.

Thankfully, my husband supported me in my decision and we worked together to look at it from every angle.  We were confident and knowledgeable walking in, which led to happy new car owners walking out!

Even Ziggy is happy with the roomier ride and we've bought him a soft seat to protect our interior make him even more comfortable!

source 

(Note:  This is not Ziggy, just the dog pictured on Amazon)



I love experiencing the realization of a dream and I look forward to the many years we'll enjoy with our Honda!

Sweat It Out

It's the opposite of sweating the small stuff!

In a step forward on multiple fronts, I tried something new last night. After many failed attempts with a gym, with a head full of worries, and a body manifesting all of that stress, I checked out a new workout last night.

There's a Bikram Yoga studio down the street from our place. Seriously, about 100 paces away. I've stared at it for a year, heard friends tout the benefits of the practice, and yet continued to ignore it. I checked out their website on Wednesday though and saw an offer I couldn't refuse: Unlimited classes for 30 days, for $30. Um, sign me up!


So that's what I did! Even if I hated it, I justified the purchase with the fact that it would pay for itself with just 2-3 uses.

For those of you unfamiliar with the practice (I was!), it's hot yoga. HOT! Ninety minutes of yoga in a room heated to 105 degrees, and added humidity. It's Hell. It's torture. And I loved it!!! For that hour-and-a-half, I simply had to focus on myself, on my balance, on my reflection in the mirror, while I dumped out gallons of sweat. Though the mere thought of that scenario should be stress-inducing, it actually put me in a position where I couldn't think of anything other than my own physical being.

It's been a while since I simply existed "in the moment." I'm going back tonight.

Want to find out more? Check out this FAQ page: http://www.bikramyoga.com/