a running blog

2008-04-15T22:18:00.000-07:00

2 miles
Easy- 30 min
Felt like (1-10): 9!!

Yeaaaaa! Went to the doctor at lunch who told me to go EASY and slow getting back into it. Tonight was Tuesday track. First time in months that I've been able to run without the pain! It's awesome. But I took it easy and only did 4 of the 6 required 800's. It felt great to run again. Still gotta ease back into it, but there's hope yet. I know I'm way behind on the training. This saturday is supposed to be 17 miles! ahhhhhh! I know I won't do all 17, that's for sure...but I gotta find a way to catch up without injury, so I can make it to 26.2 miles come june. Thanks for everyone's support the last couple of weeks.

Tears...

2008-04-02T06:32:00.001-07:00

So...no posts because I haven't been running. I ran one day last week and even that was near walking. I'm starting to feel all the weight come back around my mid section. It sucks. I saw a podiatrist yesterday who told me he wanted to put my foot in a cast so I would be forced to rest it for 4 weeks. I started gasping and hyperventilating...ok, so i wasn't being that dramatic but he could see I seriously disturbed with this idea. We went over the x-rays and nothing is broken but he thinks there might be some ligament damage that isn't healing and I need to just rest it. If I do continue running, it will just hurt like it does now. Sighs...and many tears. I've already paid for the marathon and everything. I don't know what to do. So for now...no running for the next couple of weeks. I see the doc in 2 weeks again and we'll see what it looks like again. I'm going to get massaged like crazy!

Time to catch up

2008-03-11T21:03:00.000-07:00

Catching up on my blog and catching up on the healing. Saturdays long run was painful and not going well. I didnt finish and I was not feeling good. Coronado was beautiful but I know it would have been much more enjoyable had I been able to focus on the the run and not my legs. I looked at the schedule today for March and saw that I needed to run 14 miles 2 weeks from now. I decided it was time to stop running and let things heal. Ill keep swimming and pool running, maybe focus on weight training and getting the muscles stronger. I gotta focus everyday on healing my leg.

Instead of going to the track (I know, bad but still) I went to the mall and to "So Relax" a walk-in massage place clothes on. I considered doing a "sports massage" at a normal day spa but they cost $90+ dollars and then you have to tip. I didnt want to do that, so a place like this charges $25 for 20 min foot reflexology..which is perfect cuz its massages my feet and and lower leg. But then I saw a "combo" which was a foot reflexology and chair massage for only $28! wooohoo. So I did that and it was great! I do still enjoy my special massages at the day spa, but this is good a quick pick me up and sports massage.

Good advice

2008-03-04T22:54:00.000-08:00

? miles
Hard- 1 hr
Felt like (1-10): 7

So Im still having problems with my shins, but slowly and surely its getting better. Apparently, the first 5 min. of last saturdays 15k is on the website as a video. My coworker saw it and analyzed my run. I bounce too much and waste up and down energy. It also looked like I was limping. So for todays track workout (2 x 20 min.) I focussed on my form a lot. I focussed all my energy to moving forward instead of bouncing up and down. It made such a difference in my running. I felt like I was running farther in less time...aka fastesr but with the same exerted energy as before. It also made a difference in how I feel on my feet and in my shins. I hope this is a good sign and my left leg keeps getting better.

Sue Krenn 15k in Mission Bay

2008-03-03T21:45:00.000-08:00

9.3 miles

Not the greatest course since the loop around Fiesta Island can get pretty boring. I took it really easy and slow. I'm at the back of the pack. I'm worried about my leg still. I was able to run most of it and took walking breaks only at the water station. It's hard to stop and go again so it's best to just keep goinig. Saturday was a long day. I woke up at 4:30 that morning, ran, then back home to continue packing and moving. Then to a friends birthday dinner and another stop at Walmart to pick up more stuff. I was exhausted this past weekend. I still feel like I have tons to do but I haven't missed a workout. I went to my swim class today and pool jogged. Really good for my legs. I'll have to check on my official time for this race when I remember, but for now..more interesting posts about my runs are sure to come. I've got new grounds to explore and the days are getting longer..woohoo!

Update coming soon

2008-03-02T22:24:00.001-08:00

Haven't forgotten to write about Saturdays Sue Krenn 15k. I've just been really busy moving! Will post soon...

2 x 15 min. at threshold

2008-02-26T19:58:00.000-08:00

? miles
Med- 30 min.
Felt like (1-10): 6.5

Tuesday track workout. Shins are still bothering me, but not as much as before. Still going to the chiropractor. I think it's helping. I was able to do the whole workout without walking. I'm hoping eventually my shins will stop bothering me all together. Felt good to finally have that heart rate up continuously though. It's been a while.

San Marcos Trails

2008-02-24T08:17:00.000-08:00

? miles
Hard-2 hours
Felt like (1-10): 6.5

Forgot to post yesterday so this is for Saturdays long run. Beautiful run. The weather was perfect, cold but sunny. The rain from the day before made everything felt clean and the scenery wonderful to look at. When I read "trail" I was assuming we would be running on dirt so I put on old shoes. It was really just asphalt through the canyons, almost like miramar lake, but a different scene. I even saw a mini waterfall rapid! It was nice to listen to. We were right up against the green hills in San Marcos. They are nice trails for the people who live there. I would have really been able to enjoy it if I could run the whole way. The orthodics DID help but I dont think Im completely better yet. I have another appointment tomorrow. This so sucks. My lungs havent had a good quality workout in weeks.

Orthotics?

2008-02-19T20:43:00.000-08:00

? miles
Track run, run for 5 min, 30 sec breaks in between
Felt like (1-10): 6

So I went to a chiropractor today. He advertises himself as a running doctor. He did just check out my problem leg and I felt good about his explanation of orthotics. So I have flat feet. The pain on my leg corresponds to the overpronating of my foot. I got some things to put into my shoes and best part is that my insurance covers everything. Yay. I dont have a copay and they cover a good amount on orthotics.

Ran around the track for the Tuesday workout. My first time with those things in my shoes. It was weird. I still felt the pain in my leg but hopefully itll go away now that I have it somewhat corrected. I just have not had a good quality workout in a while and I miss running where I actually get tired. My legs need to work so I can go faster!

1.5 hour run Mission Bay

2008-02-16T11:34:00.000-08:00

? miles
Med- 1.5 hr
Felt like (1-10): 6

Yup...still not feeling good. I have a doctors appointment to get checked out Monday, so we will see if things improve next week. I took it easy and walked when I had too. Felt better the last half when I met Nikki who helped me push farther than I had planned. Overall, I'm glad I got it done one way or another cuz I still need to run.

8 x 400's + calisthenics

2008-02-12T23:06:00.000-08:00

2 miles
Med- 30 min.
Felt like (1-10): 6

1 lap around the track, then do an exercise x 8. Continuous movement and heart rate up. Good track workout... not so good on my left leg. bleh. Went slow and easy even though we were supposed to be on anaerobic threshold. I gotta get my left ankle, shin, and knee checked out.

First run in a week!

2008-02-11T20:28:00.001-08:00

3 miles
Easy-45 min
Felt like (1-10): 6

Man that was tough. I'm talking about running yesterday...I just forgot to post. I kept putting it off and putting it off all week to run. That was horrible, but I also wasn't feeling well. I finally called uyen up, and we made plans to run sunday morning at Miramar lake. It already got pretty hot at 8am, which made it tougher. My shins and knees were feeling it. I made the decision that I couldn't wait anymore to get new shoes. So we headed over to Road Runner Sports afterwards and I got new shoes! yippee! I hope that helps, otherwise it might be time to schedule a consultation with a foot or running doctor to make sure things are ok. I feel like I've run enough for my shins to not be a problem cuz I remember them being a problem in the beginning way back in 2006. Then they got strong but recently it's like i'm a newbie again. ehhhh.

Surf City 5k

2008-02-04T14:21:00.000-08:00

I look outside right now, and it's a gorgeous beautiful sunny day. Saturday was quite the same. Yesterday, sunday...was the complete opposite! What a crazy run that was. There were enough crazy people who showed up so the event went on. I could hear the rain all night. I got detoured as I was heading over to Huntington from Long Beach (from Ana and Nelson's place..Thanks guys!). Had to find the 405 freeway and take the longer route...my original plan was just to take PCH all the way...so I was fortunate to have left so early so I could account for the rain and detour. I was not at all prepared. I didn't have a trash bag or poncho or rain gear like everyone else. I was wearing my normal skort and running tech tee. It was freezing and windy. The things I do for a surfboard medal..i tell ya! haha. The wet look is not a good look on me. I don't like how my shirt stuck to my body. Huntington Beach is sooo pretty. Going to the expo saturday really showed that off. If the weather is sunny, I'd really like to do the half marathon next year. All those people who ran in the rain for the full and half marathon are brave!

As soon as I got over the coldness and I could feel my blood flowing in the first mile, things were ok. At the turn around, however, it was a head on wind. That really slowed me down. Rain and wind is no fun. My chip time for this 5k was 39:04 with a 12:35 min/mile pace. My worst time yet. Oh well. I'm sooo happy Ana and Nelson met me at the finish. They took pictures! I never had candid pictures and friends (who didn't run) watch me cross the finish line! That was sooo cool.

I thought I didn't get a good PR for the Super Run 10k but I checked my official chip time results and I actually did PR. woohoo! 10k time: 1:11:51 and pace: 11:34 min/mile.

South Shores Super Run 10k

2008-02-02T10:13:00.000-08:00

6 miles
Med- 1 hr 13 min
Felt like (1-10): 7

My felt like rating would be much higher except for what happened when I was picking up my shirt and bag before the race. If you're going to volunteer, please have a good attitude about it. Don't be rude to people trying pick up their stuff. He pretty much soured my morning. I politely asked if there were bags, because gee sometimes there aren't and by the way he turned away from me, I almost walked away thinking they were only handing out shirts. He snapped back with a "Can you wait?" in a mean tone. That pissed me off because I wasn't being impatient or asking him to hurry up. I simply asked if he was handing out bags as well. Grrrrrrrr.

Anyways..the run itself was fine. The first half was tough because of my shins. I thought I picked it up in the 2nd half as I was passing people and I felt like my stride was stronger, but I pretty much kept the same pace as the first half. Go figure. I didn't set any PR's..it was pretty much the same as my best time. Oh well. Nothing else about the run stands out. I'm looking forward to tomorrow's 5k in Huntington Beach...it's all about that surf board medal baby!

WebMD article on shin splits

2008-02-01T19:39:00.000-08:00

Treating and Preventing Shin Splints

Shin splints can be caused by sudden increases in mileage, walking uphill, overtraining, walking faster than normal, jumping, running stairs, or just too much distance. They can occur on the medial, or inside of the shin, or on the lateral, or outside of your shin. Medial shin splints are usually caused by excessive pronation or flat feet, and often by pounding from running, or sports like tennis, volleyball, and other weight-bearing activities. If you have medial shin splints and flat feet or excessive pronation, an orthotic device or over-the-counter arch support like Powerfeet or Spenco can sometimes be helpful. Make sure it's a full-length insert.

Lateral shin splints (sometimes called anterior shin splints) are usually due to overuse and inflammation of the anterior tibialis muscle and the muscle compartment in the front of the leg, along the outside front of your shin. The anterior tibialis muscle flexes your foot upward. People frequently get anterior shin splints from the repetition of flexing the muscle. For instance, on the treadmill, if you walk fast enough, and for long enough, or if you've suddenly increased the speed, or you're walking on an elevation, the muscle gets overworked and starts to cramp. It would be like doing hundreds of biceps curls until your arm started to cramp. Plus, on the treadmill, there's no letup since the mill just keeps going. You could potentially have the same problem if you walked or ran briskly outdoors for a long period of time at a speed faster than you're used to.

Treatment for shin splints includes rest, massage, ice, stretching, and strengthening. Rest and ice is sometimes the best treatment. You should also be stretching your calves and Achilles tendon real well. If you have the problem during running or walking, try warming up more and don't increase the speed too quickly. You can also try varying the speed and elevation of the treadmill if you use one instead of keeping it the same.

To stretch your calves:

1. Lean against a wall with one leg forward and the knee bent.
2. Keep the rear leg straight, heel on the floor.
3. Keep your back straight and lean your hips forward until you feel a stretch in your calf. If you don't feel it too much, put your toe of the rear leg up on a tree limb, or a dumbbell, or any other small object, so that you bend the ankle more. Your heel always remains on the floor. That will increase the stretch.
4. To stretch the soleus muscle and Achilles (very important for shin splints), do the same calf stretch but bend the back knee slightly and you will feel the pull on your Achilles tendon.

When you stretch, make sure to hold the stretch until you feel looser and not just for 10-15 seconds. The point to stretching is to stretch the muscle, so hold it until you feel stretched.

Also make sure your shoes are sturdy and give you lots of support, particularly in the arch. If your shins hurt you should gently massage them and then ice them after you work out.

Published Jan. 26, 2004.

Lacking the motivation

2008-01-31T22:10:00.000-08:00

1 mile
Easy-20 min
Felt like (1-10): 5

Seriously couldn't even reach my goal of 40-45 min. or running. I did run at the 12 min./mile pace for 5 min. but that's it. I was seriously lacking in motivation. My shins weren't cooperating at all. I really need to figure that part out.

Swimming

2008-01-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

First swimming class. Most people in the class knew the basics so we got to practice form and technique. We'll also build up on cardiovascular fitness. I did some pool running. I liked it a lot. Feels good because there's no stress on my knees or feet. I'm going to look into more pool running exercises.

2008-01-29T21:02:00.000-08:00

? miles
Hard-1 hr
Felt like (1-10): 8

Tough track workout. I warmed up and ran around the track a few laps before we started cuz I felt guilty from yesterday. This workout was continuous running. 100, 200, 300, 400 all hard with 100 easy between and then repeat backwards. (400, 300, 200, 100). Really builds up running hard for a longer time.

2008-01-28T21:23:00.000-08:00

no run today...=(. no real excuse except that my tummy wasnt feeling too good...but thats lame. I will work extra hard tomorrow to make Tuesday night track workout count. I need to regain the motivation I had before Carlsbad and get back into some good progress.

I went to my first swim class today. I signed up for community college swimming just so I could have the discipline of 2 extra cross-training workouts a week. woohoo. But since it was the first day, it was just info orientation that lasted all of 20 min. Didnt even get in the water. Wednesday we will be in the water. Yay.

The SD Rock n' Roll Marathon Course

2008-01-27T12:37:00.000-08:00

Click to make larger. Starts near the SD zoo, head toward downtown. Run up the 163 to Friars and up through Bay Park/Clairemont. Go around Mission Bay, through the south end of PB and pass Sea World. End at MCRD. Holy Schmoly what have I gotten myself into. I'm used to running around Balboa park and around Mission Bay. Even downtown and the 163 from prior events. But in parts and peices, never all at once..haha.

Social hour

2008-01-26T13:38:00.000-08:00

? miles
Easy-50 min.
Felt like (1-10): 7

Today was a Saturday long run. I didn't make it the full hour because for some reason I ended up being more social than running. I am usually not like this but I ended up talking to people the whole time. It wasn't on purpose..it just happened. I can't even really talk about the route much cuz I wasn't paying attention. On the way out, I met Mike..an experienced slow marathoner with great tips. This is his 8th marathon and he was filled with information. He did most of the talking giving great advice or things to check out. I now wasnt to look into "Chi running" and run injury free. I'm also looking to adjust my routine and ice my legs. He gave an explanation as to why this was a good thing, but I can't remember. I get to the 1st water station and I'm ready to go back because it's been 30 min. I lose track of where Mike is but I meet Patrick. We run back together and he's polar opposite of Mike in terms of training. This is Patricks first time running ever (since the program anyway). He's never done a running event. Just a few weeks ago, running around the track for our warmup was the most running he'd ever done. So I do a lot of talking now since I'm the more experienced. I talk about how it was for me in the beginning and how it gets easier and how amazed he'll be when he's done with this program. He was inspired by his triathlete girlfriend. yay. All types of people running marathons...=)

Carlsbad half pictures

2008-01-25T09:26:00.000-08:00

I run with sunglasses and hat to hide the sun...I'm dark enough as it is. hehe. Those sunglasses were ones I bought at the expo the day before..I like them a lot because they didn't fog up much like my other ones do. Anyway..the debut of my running outfit that I bought back in october. So cute. I wanted to debut it for the Silver Strand half marathon back in november but I got sick so I wore pants and a long tech tee and stocked myself with cough drops and tissue. Yes, it is very possible to run sick but it's not so fun.

Rainy and cold

2008-01-24T20:37:00.000-08:00

2 miles
Easy-40 min.
Felt like (1-10): 6

The rain really doesn't help things. It's cold and I want to do is cuddle up in my blankets...or with christophers of course. Anyways, I almost didn't even go to the gym. I went cuz I put on running clothes. Once you convince your mind to do at least that, you have nothing left to do but to go. I powerwalked mostly. Really wasn't up for it...oh well. 40 min of that is better than nothing. Looking forward to this Saturday morning's 1 hr run in the predicted rain forecast..blah.

3 team relay track workout

2008-01-22T19:41:00.000-08:00

3 miles
Med-12 laps
Felt like (1-10): 6

Oddly enough, I was smiling the whole time. Only because it was funny watching people run around. I could barely run though. My hamstrings were killing me. My knees were feeling it a bit as well. I took it WAY easy tonight even if t meant slowing my team down. Oh well. Do the wave and run.

I'm all signed up for the Carlsbad 5k in april. What did it for me was a free cool t-shirt and a $10 discount. A good reason why the metro SDTC is a little better than north county because the girl said they weren't going up there with free shirts. woooo. Yea..i run for the stuff...for some reason the stuff motivates me..haha.

Carlsbad Half Marathon!

2008-01-20T17:14:00.000-08:00

Ok, let me tell you..I am absolutely thrilled right now. I feel amazing! Let's talk about my past half marathon times first so you can see why I'm feeling the way I feel.

Disneyland 2006: 3 hr 05 min 03 seconds
US half San Francisco 2006: 3 hr 12 min 39 seconds
La Jolla 2007: 3 hr 04 min 45 seconds
Silver Strand 2007: 3 hr 17 min 07 seconds (I was sick)

So my goal for the Carlsbad was to break this 3 hr barrier. All I wanted was a 2:59:59. Just to see that 2 there. Throughout the whole run, I was thinking this. Whenever I felt myself slow down, I tried to pick it up. As I got further, I even rationalized that if I saw the clock at the finish read 3:02:00 it would be ok cuz I hadn't crossed the start line at exactly the start time. Here are my official Carlsbad results:

1/20/2008 Carlsbad CA
Carlsbad Marathon - Half Marathon
Bib:6609
Name: Ellen Mae Lim
Gender: F
Age: 25
Hometown: San Diego CA
Place Overall: 5149 out of 6334
Women: 2792 out of 3702
F 25-29: 619 out of 726
AgeGrade: 40.98%
Place: 5308
FINISH: 2:39:31
pace: 12:11
6.6 Mile: 1:20:12
pace: 12:09
Chip Time: 2:39:31
Gun Time: 2:42:06

Yes, I improved my PR time by 25 min!! I had no idea I was going to improve by that much. It was a shock to see the clock at the finish line. I knew at 5 miles into the race that I was keeping a good 12 min. pace...which was pretty gratifying at the time. All those speed endurance workouts were paying off. Especially since the first couple of miles were crowded and I had to dodge walkers. At mile 10, I was starting to slow. My knees were killing me but I had to keep going. I kept thinking of my goal. The finish was an adrenaline rush. As soon as I hit mile 13, I surged for the last 0.1 mile, seriously passing at least 10 people on the way to the finish line. I made a very Spartan/300 noise though as I surged. Like I was ready to attack. I bet people were laughing, but I could hear lots of people cheering. As I crossed, I was crying with tons of happiness just shocked at what the clock time read knowing my chip time would be a few minutes less. Amazing!

Some noteworthy things about the race. It is very well organized. They have a great expo, lots of volunteers, and plenty of resources. They had plenty of water stations, lots of cheering spectators, and entertainment. That explains a lot about why it was a sold out race. A lot of confident people run these things because let me tell you..I saw a lot of jiggly butt people wearing spandex. Another weirdo thing was seeing this guy run without shoes! That was just ludicrous. He was barefoot on the black pavement...not only is that dangerous, even just walking, but his feet and legs have no support as he hits the ground with each running step.

From what I've heard, so many people got new PR's for this race. The weather was perfect running weather and the rolling hills really make you use more variety of leg muscle that you don't overwear out the main ones soo soon. It's an excellent race for boosting your time..yay!

Anyways...will see about posting pics later when they put them up. Unfortunately, I didn't get any candid pictures because I forgot my camera. But even if I remembered, Chris didn't make it to the finish line in time to see me. Both of us didn't know I would finish that quickly. He thought he had time to check out the lay of the land before settling in at the finish line. Oh well.

Carlsbad Marathon Expo

2008-01-19T16:28:00.000-08:00

Didn't make my Saturday long run today...only because my long run will be tomorrow for the Carlsbad half marathon. 13.1 miles..woooo! So today I went to pick up my bib, shirt, chip, etc for tomorrow's event. I have to say it's a very organized expo compared to the others I've been to. There are a lot of vendors and they have a good flow. Plenty of parking and lots of volunteers. Got me excited. The best part was signing up for the SD Rock n Roll marathon. I have been looking for coupons and waiting till end of this month to see if there's more than a $10 off coupon. At the expo, it was $15 off and you got a shirt! oh yea. hehe. So I signed up there and paid $70 for the marathon...which is actually a really good deal. So yay. I'm all set.

A cool vendor at the expo that sells running tech gear with fun sayings. One of my favorite singlets said:
"Find your happy pace"
http://www.onemoremile.com

Running event wish list

2008-01-16T21:37:00.000-08:00

Some future runs I hope to accomplish one day

China-Full or half marathon on the Great Wall
Athens, Greece marathon
Maui, Hawaii- Full or half marathon or 15k
Honolulu marathon
New York marathon

Other suggestions?? I do like to travel =)

Strides w/ calisthenics

2008-01-15T23:54:00.000-08:00

3 miles
Med- 45 min.
Felt like (1-10): 7.5

Tuesday night track workout. This was my first time doing calisthenics..yea..hard to pronounce funny sounding word which basically means heart rate up at all times, lots of running, and either sit-ups, pushups, or jumping jacks. The "Kinks" aka the slow pace group would run 100 meters/yards/i don't know the measurement and then do an exercise. Repeat 11 more times till you've done each exercise 3 times and 25 each. Tiring but made the time go by quick.

Waiting to stretch

2008-01-15T15:30:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday's run with SDTC..just waiting to get going. I had no idea someone was taking pictures.

Great debate on weight

2008-01-15T12:27:00.000-08:00

Haha I come up with such awesome titles. Not really a debate as much as it was an agreeance and conversation but debate rhymes with weight so umm yea...lol. Initially, back in 2006 when I signed up for my first half marathon, the idea was to lose weight and go down a size. 2 years later and lots of miles later, I'm still the same size. But not to worry. I do fit better in my clothes and there has been a noticeable difference in face chub and most definitely in my leg muscles. Still walking around with that muffin top but it is possible the arms have shaped up a bit. Uyen and I agree that although the muffin top is still there, we are maintaining our weight instead of continuing to gain. What will help the most in losing it is what I eat. That's a must but also the hardest part. That was another agreeable conversation with my other friend Christine. You can only exercise so much. Consistency is key. One goal at a time I guess. Can't go overwhelming myself with a bunch of new goals.

New pace on the treadmill!

2008-01-14T19:13:00.000-08:00

2 miles
Med- 30 min.
Felt like (1-10): 8.5

I tried going first to LAfitness cuz I had on a really cute outfit (New black fancy top and pink skort) Mmmhmmm...way cute. I'd take a picture but i'm all sweaty. I'll do it anyway...maybe I'll post it. LOL. I get there and there's absolutely no parking. I guess everyone's still hyped up and motivated to fullfill new years resolutions. So I head over to my work gym instead. I start out on 4.5 miles/hr which is higher than I usually start out on. I work my way up to 5.0 mile/hr (12:00 min/mi pace) and stay at this pace the longest. I do a 5.5 mile/hr at around half way through for 5 min then back to 5.0. In the last .25 miles I go back to 5.5. Then in the last .15 miles I surge for a 6.0 mile/hr (10 min./mi pace) which I've never done ever. woooooo! That felt great.

[edit 10:11 pm added pic]

In other news, I'm considering going to that movie "Spirit of the Marathon" showing only for one night on Jan. 24th. I don't want to shell out $10 for a movie though so I'll risk showing up on that night with my $7 ticket from work. Hopefully it doesn't sell out and I can see it. Read about it here: http://www.marathonmovie.com/film.html

Noodling around Mission Bay

2008-01-12T12:02:00.000-08:00

? miles
Med-1 hour
Felt like (1-10): 8

SDTC Saturday "long" run. My slow paced group does 40 min. but I'm training for the Carlsbad Half next weekend so I did 1 hour instead. It was a new route for me around Mission bay which I'm really excited about. This gives me more options when I go running over there. This is my last "long" run for the week until Carlsbad. Yay. I'm going to stick to 30 min. runs over the next week and focus on speed and tempo. I'll do the Tuesday night track workout as scheduled. Heavily massaging those shins really helps with the aches.

YMCA Resolution run pics- December 29, 2007

2008-01-10T23:10:00.000-08:00

Pics from a YMCA resolution run. Resolve to be fit! It was free and started at 11am ! Ran around beautiful Balboa Park. http://www.downtown.ymca.org/english/Index_SpecialEvents_ResolutionRun.html

Not really any pics of me running because I had just gotten over an allergy attack. The day before, I went to the doctor for breathing problems and got an inhaler. Doc told me not to run. I ran 1 mile...haha so there weren't really any pics. The first one was before the event began and that's me tossing my tangerine in the air! haha. The next is after the race.. Uyen and I laughing about something to do with the raffle. Enjoy!

Chugging along

2008-01-10T18:24:00.000-08:00

4 miles- hills
Med 1 hour
Felt like (1-10): 6.5

One of the first times I did 8.5 miles around mission bay (I tend to do my long runs there) I remember having an especially hard time keeping up with an old guy (and when I say old, I mean he was like 80 years young walking) while going up the incline of a bridge. I finally pass him complaining about how slow I am and he gives me a smile and says "just keep chugging along." That's been one of my mantra's ever since..chug chug chug.

Ran around work today which sits on top of a hill. Focused on form and tried to forget about my shins which were nagging at me today.

Straightaway strides..

2008-01-08T20:04:00.000-08:00

2 miles
Med-8 laps
Felt like (1-10): 8.5

My first track workout. Felt great except for in my right knee. Need to start some knee strengthening exercises ASAP. I liked doing the straightaways at 5k pace and then jogging the curves. It's always nice knowing you'll get a breather soon so I did push hard on those straightaways. I also took advantage of the people on the track and made it a point to look ahead and beat them. haha. I highly recommend this kind of workout for speed and even endurance.

Dread tread

2008-01-07T20:43:00.000-08:00

2.5 miles
Easy-30 min.
Felt like(1-10): 7

Tonight, I walk into LAfitness trying to psych myself up for a treadmill run when one of the personal trainers comes up to me and asks what I'm working on. I tell him I'm just going to run and he asks if I want to do weights since he's got nothing to do. I'm confused for a minute but in the back of my mind I knew it was him trying to convince me to sign up for their personal trainer deals of the month or something. I go along with it since it's been a few weeks since I've done any weights and we work on arm exercises for the next 20 min. Currently, I can't get my arms to stop shaking...I think it was too much weight too soon and I KNOW I'm going to feel it the next few days.

Hopped on the treadmill for an easy run today...wished I stayed longer so I could feel better prepared for the Carlsbad half but it didn't happen since too many people were waiting to use the machines and I was feeling guilty that I went over the 20 min. limit. Oh well. I hate treadmill running..it's too monotonous for me. But it's the only option if I can't wake up early enough or try to do it at lunch. I still feel good that I'm running at a faster pace for a longer time, so that's helpful.

Useful or annoying?

2008-01-06T10:35:00.000-08:00

Whenever I run with Uyen, I get an accurate update on what our pace is, how far we've run, and what time it is. All possible with her Garmin forefunner watch which has a gps tracking for distance measurements. Recently, my coworker showed me the latest model. They made it even smaller and easier to wear. (Previous models were on the bulky side). I'm on the fence about getting this watch. On the one hand it does calculate useful data while OUT on a run so I can adjust accordingly. On the other hand, it'll be a constant reminder of how much farther I have left to go. I worry about quitting too early and the numbers playing mind games. Running with Uyen eliminates those mind games because she counts on me to finish and vice versa of course. Anyways, check out the cool watch here: https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?cID=142&pID=11039

AND my January 1, 2008 entry from my other blog thats more appropriate here now:
Ok, lets talk about running now..I did 10 miles yesterday morning to prepare for the Carlsbad half. It felt great. Usually, I'm wiped out after a long run, but yesterday for some reason I got productive. My room is so clean and organized...I love it! =)

I do a lot of thinking when I run these long distances. I think most people who decide to run a Marathon aren't runners to begin with. I think ANYONE can run more then a 5k. It's all about the mind. If you have all your limbs, you have no excuse. So many people with no legs are running these things. I think what scares most people from the sport is the beginning of a run. The first mile or so. The first part of any training. The first couple of months...whatever it is, there's a threshold that people need to reach before feeling that climax. Everything before that threshold is usually full of pain but with strength of mind, you can overcome that. Remind yourself that you have all your limbs. It'll finally get to a point where you can breathe a normal breathing pace as if you were walking, but you're actually running. Your lungs adjust. It's a good feeling. I wish more people would understand this. I hate hearing people say they can't run. But I used to think that way, so I can't blame them. I just wish more people would challenge themselves to do something they thought they couldn't do and then set out to do it. They should just try.

The intro and why I'm doing this blog

2008-01-05T10:52:00.000-08:00

I decided to start this blog for several reasons. Number 1 reason is help keep me accountable to my new running schedule. Inspired by Dawn Dais and her book "The Non Runner's Marathon Guide for Women" (good book btw) it'll keep friends and family updated on my progress. Hopefully I don't stray and I stay on track...if not, by all means..say what you need to say to get my butt moving! =). I've left the comments open to public posting so you shouldn't need an account. I plan on updating this blog at least once a week, so that's at least 22 posts until the marathon. It'll most likely be more though.

I've kept it separate from my other blog to keep things orderly. I like that google has taken over blogger.com and I feel confident it will meet my needs. I just want to stay organized and keeping them separate will really help see the progress and hopefully motivate me some more.

I also hope through this blog that I can inspire others to challenge themselves and accomplish something they never in a million years thought was possible. That's how this whole marathon thing is even possible for me. I was never a runner and not at all athletic growing up. But 2 years ago, I was inspired by active coworkers and in Jan 2006, I signed up for my first half marathon. I completed the Disneyland half marathon September 2006 and have since run 3 more. I have Carlsbad coming up in 3 weeks as well. I've run many smaller races in between them. I just got addicted to crossing finish lines and probably the endorphins as well. Other things have changed too...lilke I drink more water and I get up early on SATURDAY morning to run. Imagine that! The whole thing has just made me believe that I can do anything and I'm up for at least trying.

So I've signed up for the SD track clubs Rockin' n Running marathon training program. You can check them out here: www.sdtc.com
My schedule for the next 22 weeks looks a little like this:
Monday-run
Tuesday-track workout
Wednesday-run
Thursday-run
Friday-rest! yay!
Saturday-LONG run
Sunday-active recovery

It's crazy. I'm used to running maybe 3 times a week, so this is nuts. Today was the first time I ever ran in the rain. With 500 other people around doing it too, I looked less nutso so it was ok. =P.

Thanks for reading and thanks for your support!

The first Rockin' n Running meet

2008-01-05T10:40:00.000-08:00

If anyone ever wanted to join a group or club full of happy people, the SD track club or any running club for that matter would top them all. It's got to be all those endorphins. Before the meeting and after the meeting people were smiling and laughing. I was even laughing cuz the whole situation was just funny. Imagine 500 people gathering on an early SATURDAY morning (early as in I got up at 5:30am!) in the pouring rain and then stretching and running for 30 + minutes in said rain. That's dedication and commitment to running. It was really quite inspiring. The people driving on the road past balboa park must have thought we were all nuts to be out in the rain, but we were there to run and it needed to be done.

A very interesting group of people. The next 22 weeks will definitely be interesting.