The Big Weekend!

On Saturday night, I met the team in the lobby of the Westin and we walked together to the Expo where I picked up my race bib and goodie bag. I tried some free samples of energy drinks and bars. The plan was for Adam to drop Charlotte off with me at 4:30 so she could go to the Inspiration dinner with me. But I ended up going to the Inspiration Dinner alone because Charlotte was asleep in the car when the time came. I sat with Suzanne and her husband and Coach Sue and her husband. The food wasn't remarkable, but the speeches were definitely inspiring. I teared up a little a few times.

While I was at dinner, Adam checked in to our hotel which was about 4.5 miles from the Westin and then came back and picked me up. They had advertised having a free shuttle to the start line, but when we got there we found out they only had a 12 passenger van running every half hour and that all seats were already booked. I put myself on a waiting list for the 5:30 a.m. shuttle.

I went to bed around 9, but due to too many energy drinks and bars or just pre-race jitters, woke up frequently throughout the night. I ended up giving up on sleep and getting out of bed at 4:15, just before my alarm was going to go off. After quietly getting ready, I snuck out of the room without waking Adam and Charlotte, grabbed some continental breakfast, and went to see if I could make it on to the shuttle. If not, I would have to go back and wake them up and have Adam drive me down to the start. Fortunately, the hotel ended up hiring a second van and I made it onto the 2nd 5:30 shuttle.

I was down at the start line in time to cheer Coach Jennifer and two full marathon walkers from our team. I found Suzanne, Coach Lynn and two other teammates in line for the portapotties and then we joined the rest of the OCIE team in the crowd near the staging area where the participants were beginning to form the waves behind the starting line. Tasneem, the Indian lady who I walked with last week when my regular walking buddy Pat missed practice, was there too. Coach Lynn led us to Wave 5, saying she likes to start at the back of the Wave faster than her normal pace so that she has plenty of room to move. Tas and I quickly fell behind Lynn and Suzanne. Kat, one of the mentors who is also a cancer survivor, was at several points along the course with a cow bell.

Starting at about mile 7, Tas was getting tired and consistently falling behind me. I'd stop and wait or slow down, but I was feeling good and really wanted to go faster. At about mile 9, I spotted Coach Sue ahead of us. When we caught up with Sue, I just kept walking and stopped waiting for Tas to catch up because I knew at least now she had company.

I kicked up my pace a notch and really enjoyed the last few miles, especially when I passed Bob and Vicki and Noah cheering me on from the median on Ocean just before Mile 11. At the 11.5 mile mark, Coach Jennifer was there giving us tips on how to finish strong. She urged each of us to push ourselves to the limit -- because of our training we'd recover quickly. I started walking even more briskly. I started passing people. Up ahead I saw the lady with the floppy hat who usually walks in the next slower pace group on Saturdays. A competitive streak kicked in -- I couldn't let her finish ahead of me. As I maneuvered around a clot of people, I found myself starting to jog. It felt great to use different muscles, so I kept jogging for a bit, then resumed my faster walking.

Adam and Charlotte were waiting to cheer me on and snap photos at the top of the finish chute.
As I passed them, I heard the race MC announcing that there was a minute left until four hours from the Wave 1 gun. I decided I needed to beat the clock and I started jogging again. I ended up crossing the finish line at 3:59:30 gun time, which was about 3:39:30 from when I actually began walking with Wave 5. We took the shuttle back to the hotel, and on the way, got to listen to the Angels clinch the American West Division title. :)

I was pretty sore and tired that afternoon, but Adam and I still took Charlotte to the aquarium after a brief break to shower and nap. Charlotte particularly enjoyed the tropical fish.

After the aquarium, it was time for my birthday surprise: Adam booked a room for us at the hotel on the Queen Mary! It was so elegant and comfortable. I'd been wanting to stay there since one of our first dates almost 6 years ago when we went to their Shipwrecked Halloween event and snuck into the hotel section of the ship and danced in the hallway to a jazz singer playing in one of the restaurants.

The Victory Party food was much better than the Inspiration dinner had been. I sat with Suzanne and her husband again, and Vicki and Coach Noah and his wife joined us. Charlotte was asleep in the car again, and I had Adam come to pick me up at 7:45 because I was pretty tired. I was asleep by 9 again and slept great in the comfy king sized bed at the Queen Mary.

I had such a great, memorable weekend. I really appreciated seeing familiar faces along the course to cheer us on.

October 6 Workout

Wow, I've really been neglecting this blog.

My left arch has been bothering me, but thanks to some useful tips from friends on ways to ice and stretch the area, I've been able to keep going.

I've missed a few workouts and cut a few short in recent weeks, but overall am still feeling ready for the big miles at Long Beach this Sunday!

TOday I pushed Charlotte in the stroller down to the Santa Ana Zoo and back, which was 2.75 miles.

Twelve Miles to the Beach!

Thursday I got a late start on my morning walk and it was hotter than anticipated, so my planned four mile course was cut short to just 3 miles.

Today was the longest team training of the season. To mark the occasion, the pace groups had a staggered start and headed down the Santa Ana River Trail to the beach with the goal of all arriving around the same time for a lunch party. My group started at Orangewood at 7:30, and I arrived at Huntington Beach at 11:30. The best part: my hunky husband, delightful daughter and adorable Andy (our dog) were waiting for me there. Charlotte and I enjoyed dipping our feet in the cool refreshing waves and digging our toes into the sand.

I definitely could have traveled another mile without a problem. Long Beach, here I come!

September 15th Workout

After skipping workouts and the team training last week under doctor's orders, I'm finally back in action. Today I took a morning walk with Charlotte. We headed to Old Town Tustin and back, a 4.1 mile course. My toe feels great, and I'm excited to be training again. Tonight my muscles are a little sore, but after resting tomorrow, I'm sure I'll be ready for Thursday's workout and the big 12 mile team training on Saturday!

September 5th Team Training & Missed Midweek Workouts

Last Thursday I was feeling wiped out for some reason and only did a "once around the block, better something than nothing" workout (about 1.5 miles).

Saturday I did 11 miles. Started off slow and wondered if I could do it, but three or four miles into it, found my energy and finished strong.

Back at Heritage Park, someone had thoughtfully set up a kiddie pool with ice water for cooling off hot and tired feet. When I removed my shoes and socks, I saw that my right big toe was oozing. My husband immediately diagnosed it as an ingrown toenail (and he should know, he was a chronic sufferer of them until he finally had the margins of his toenail permanently killed).

Said toe did not hurt during my workout, but got progressively more painful over the weekend. Yesterday I was limping.

So I skipped my midweek workout yesterday, and today I'm going to the doctor for toe treatment.

I imagine I may be skipping tomorrow's workout as well. It remains to be seen whether I can make it for Saturday's team training.

September 1 Workout

Tomorrow is my precious baby's first birthday!

For today's workout, I walked from home to the Orange Public Library. I added a few zigzags to my course so it would total four miles:


View Larger Map

I left home at around 8:07, and as I crossed over the creekbed at Cambridge, I could see the Disneyland fireworks! I made it to the library at 9:17.

August 29th Satellite Training

Today's 6-mile workout was at Corona Del Mar. Even at the beach at 7:30 it was hotter than it's been for any of my previous trainings thus far. The marine layer had already burned off and so the sun was beating down on us, but we made it!

I skipped Thursday's workout. Was still a little congested from the small cold I caught from Charlotte, and I had a party to go to. I'm sure my body benefited from the rest. I'll resume the normal schedule this week.

August 25 Workout

Today the whole family is feeling a little under the weather with a small summer cold, but we didn't want to skip a workout. Since it's been so hot and humid, we decided to go to the mall and do a few laps there. We got there just before 8:30 and walked until a little after 9:00. Based on my typical pace, I'd estimate that we went more than 1 mile but less than 2.

Tomorrow is Family Fun Day! Adam took the day off and we're going to the Angels-Tigers afternoon game. Charlotte's first major league game! Yippee!

August 22 Team Training (and 8/20 Workout)

For Thursday's workout, Adam and Charlotte joined me once again, this time for a three mile course.

Today was the first time for double-digit miles! We went 10 miles, up Yale to Portola, over to Culver, around the loop to Orchard Hills, all the way to Jeffrey, back to Hicks Canyon Trail which we followed back to Yale and Heritage Park.

August 18th Workout

I waited until evening once again so that Adam and Charlotte could join me. We covered 4.1 miles.

Our course took us by Peppertree Park in Tustin, where they were staging Anything Goes. I've never seen the show but recognized this song:

It's friendship, friendship,
Just a perfect blendship,
When other friendships have been forgot
Ours will still be hot!
Lahdle-ahdle-ahdle-dig-dig-dig.

August 15th Workout & Fundraising Update

For yesterday's satellite training, I chose the Corona Del Mar/Crystal Cove location. We started at Ocean and Heliotrope, followed Ocean down to Poppy and out to PCH. The sidewalk along PCH dead-ends and forces pedestrians and bicyclists into Crystal Cove State Park. It was a gorgeous walk through the glorious hues of coastal wildnerness with the Pacific as a backdrop. At the vehicular entrance to the park, I exited and continued up PCH just until Ruby's Shake Shack, the 3-mile turnaround point.

On the return trip I picked up a few brochures from houses for sale along Poppy. $2.1 million for the self-proclaimed cheapest house on the block.

Today I held a fundraiser at my church. I sold Cookie Lee jewelry from my stash of inventory left over after I lost my active salesperson status a few years ago, some cookbooks my mom donated from her Southern Living at Home inventory, and Otter Pops. I priced the jewelry at $5, cookbooks at $5 and Otter Pops 2/$1. Sales on the jewelry were the strongest, and a few people gave additional free will donations, for a total of $152!

My fundraising total is now $2,127.97, or 42.6% of my $5,000 goal!

September 23 is the fundraising deadline. Please consider making a generous donation!

August 13th Workout

Today I waited until evening so Adam could walk with me. We didn't end up leaving the house until 7:50 and returned at 9:10 after completing a 4.1 mile course:


View Larger Map

August 8 Team Training

I forgot to write an entry about the 9 mile team training on Saturday. Unfortunately, there's not much to say!

August 11th Workout

This morning 5 miles was on the schedule. Charlotte woke up with me and I decided to take her in the stroller so Adam could relax a little longer.

We left home at 6:25 and got back at 7:40. Here is the route we took:


View Larger Map

Only 3.7 miles, but pushing the stroller counts for extra, right? ;)

August 6 Workout

Today I went 3.9 miles in 61 minutes!


View Larger Map

August 4 Workout

Today I went 4.9 miles. I left the house at 6:05 and enjoyed a gorgeous sunrise. I averaged 16 minutes per mile and returned home at 7:25.


View Larger Map

August 1st Team Training

This morning there were three satellite training options: Mission Viejo, Yorba Linda and Corona Del Mar. I decided on Mission Viejo because my friend Pat was going there, and Coach Jennifer was providing breakfast afterward.

Our hilly course took us along Oso Parkway up to Felipe, which curves up and turns into Olympiad. The half-marathon course turned off Olympiad onto La Paz, which went downhill to Marguerite, and I took Marguerite to Oso and back to Coach Jennifer's house. The full marathon training course continued on Olympiad until it hit Marguerite, a loop which was used in the 1984 Olympic cycling events.

I finished the 5 mile course in a little over one hour, but didn't get back home until 9:00 because I decided to drive part of the full marathon training course and then took Alicia back to the 5, which took longer than I anticipated.

July 30th Workout

Only one mile this morning. I tried something new and took Charlotte with me in our mei tai baby carrier. She was relaxed and smiling until I turned onto Tustin Ave and I picked up speed. Don't know if she didn't like going fast, didn't like the fast cars zooming by, was just tired andor hungry, but she threw a fit all the way back to our apartment, trying to stand up on my hips and arching her back. By the time we entered the door she had nearly twisted herself out of the baby carrier.

We're only going 5 miles on Saturday. Should I get back out there later today and start over or do at least two more miles? It would be nice, but it won't be the end of the world if it doesn't happen.

July 28 Workout

This morning I went on a 4.4 mile course with Charlotte. We stopped at the grocery store to pick up bananas and tomatoes on the way, and she slept through most of it.

July 25th Team Training

Today the half-marathoners and I completed an 8-mile course which took us from Heritage Park to Hicks Canyon Trail all the way up to Portola, then over to Yale before we retraced our steps. I ran across some intersections but mostly walked.

The last mile or so my left arch started to feel like it was cramping. Not so painful that I needed to limp or anything, but annoying. Back at Heritage a physical therapist was there to evaluate injuries, so I spoke with him. He suggested that perhaps the underlying issue is instability in my hips/lower back and if I work on strengthening muscles in that area the cascade of tightness and pronation that begins as those muscles get fatigued won't happen. I've had twinges in my arch and seemingly random leg aches most of my life, and this isn't the first time that my hip/low back/pelvis has been suggested as a root cause. I'm interested to find exercises that I can do on my own.

On another note, two people today commented on my appearance of weight loss. I did notice that the hydration belt that my walking buddy Pat lent me did fit more loosely today than it did even as recently as last Saturday, and my pants have been fitting more comfortably too.

Fundraising Update: 38.5%!

I'm 38.5% of the way to my $5,000 main goal, and 92% to my mini-goal of $2,100 by the end of July.

Will you help me cross the fundraising finish line?

Can you trade :

One night out at the movies?
A new pair of jeans?
One nice dinner out?
Getting your car detailed?


For:

Increased federal funding for biomedical research
Collaborative public-private sector research efforts
New blood cancer medications
Ensuring patients access to high quality healthcare

Please click here to make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission. Give generously -- every dollar counts!

July 23rd Workout

This morning I went 3.3 miles. I left home at 6:11 and returned at 7:09.


View Larger Map

July 21st Workout

Today I went 3.5 miles in about 60 minutes:


View Larger Map

July 18th All Team Training!

Today the Orange County, Inland Empire and Temecula marathon, half-marathon, triathalon and century ride teams joined up at Heritage Park in Irvine. Before we headed out, we found out that our teams combined have raised more then $350,000!

I completed a 7 mile course today. I'm a little sore (and I think I need to trim my toenails), but feel great overall! The cold melon and otter pops at the end were a very special treat too. :)

July 16th Workout

Today I pushed Charlotte in the stroller. We went up through the Meredith Parkwood neighborhood again, cut through the south end of Portola Park and came back down Mabury and home. I estimate it was about 2.95 miles, and it took me about 50 minutes.

July 14th Workout

So I didn't get up early enough to go for my walk this morning before work. After work I decided it was too hot to walk outside, so Charlotte and I went to the mall. I made about 4 laps of MainPlace Mall in about 50 minutes before Charlotte got too fussy to continue.

Charlotte adds:

060

0
0.bcfffff g
,

I tried to use a pedometer. I think I went 2.5 miles.

Fundraising Update: 33.2%!

My wonderful in-laws gave generously to the cause, putting me a third of the way to my $5000 goal. Thanks, Mom & Dad!

July 11th Team Training

Today's course ended up being 5 miles along Hicks Canyon and Peters Canyon Trails. I started at 7:15 and finished at 8:50.

July 9 Workout

Yesterday evening I walked a 2.8 mile course through the residential neighborhood to the north of my home:


View Larger Map

I took Charlotte in the stroller and she fell asleep by the time we turned onto 19th from Sherry, and slept until we got back to 17th Street.

July 7 Workout

This morning I took Charlotte with me on a 4-mile course. We went up through the residential neighborhood to the north of us, across Santa Clara, a loop through the cemetary and then east on Santa Clara to return down Tustin and Old Tustin to our front door via Williams and Wellington.

I'm not sure what time I left (probably close to 6:30), but I returned at 7:45.

Fundraising Update: 31%!

You must have received my fundraising letters, because I've received a lot of donations by mail recently. Thanks go out to:

• my good friend Grace Nguyen
• my dad's cousins Sam and Joyce Weber
• my in-laws' neighbors Don and Velma Espindula
• my in-laws' family friends Pete and Darlene Gaalswyk

To date, I've received $1000 in donations through my website, and another $560 in cash and check donations.

That's $1,560, or 31% of my $5000 goal.


I also have another short-term goal: $2,100 by the end of July. Only $540 to go!

July 4th Workout

I was out of town in Tulare visiting my inlaws, so I missed the team training. Rather than taking a week off, I got up early on the 4th and went for a walk with my husband and baby. Adam joined me for the first four miles. We walked between Road 140 (Lovers Lane) and Road 124 (Oakmore) and back. Every 8 numbers represents a mile, so that was a total of four miles. Then I walked alone down the canal to Avenue 224 (Bardsley) and over to Road 140, back up to Avenue 232 (Tulare Avenue) and back down to Avenue 228, which was another two miles. Even though it was early, it was already quite a hot day, so I didn't focus on speed as much as just completing the course.

July 2 Workout

First of all, I'm celebrating that my baby girl is 10 months old today!

Today I decided to incorporate some hills into my workout. The nearest hill to me is the Santa Clara 55 Freeway overpass, so I headed there via 17th Street and cut through a residential neighborhood (Deodar to Avalon to Pasadena). Over the hill I went, then up Yorba and to Rainier and down Ethelbee past my grandmother's house (currently occupied by my sister's family and my brother). Back over the hill and down Santa Clara to Ridgewood and through the residential neighborhood there (Ridgewood, Camino, Millwood, Catalina, 20th, Millwood, 19th and Sherry). Sherry turns into Cabrillo Park Drive once you cross 17th street, so then I was home.

According to Google Maps, my course was 3.9 miles. I left at 6:30 and returned at 7:40. I had to stop for three long lights along my way, so made pretty good time overall.

Also, I accidentally discovered the joy of running when I had to sprint across Santa Clara to avoid an oncoming car. I jogged or ran three time during my course and can feel a big difference in my fitness level from when I started back in May!

50 miles!

I added up all the miles I've logged on this blog and rounded up for the times when I didn't keep track, and discovered that I've covered about 50 miles since I began training!

Wow, reading that makes me so proud of myself!

Last June Workout

Today instead of getting up early for my walk, I waited until Adam got home after work and we walked as a family. Now that I know I am training for the half marathon, my scheduled workout was only 3 miles. I plotted a course on Google maps and away we went. The plan was to cut through a residential neighborhood between 17th and Santa Clara and then walk through the cemetary and loop back down through a different residential neighborhood back to 17th and home.

However, I got a little lost in the residential neighborhood and ended up on Tustin just south of Santa Clara instead. We turned west at Santa Clara, but when we reached the cemetary gates we discovered they were closed for the evening, so instead we continued along Santa Clara to Portola Park, walked south through the park and south on Mabury to 17th, back east to Cabrillo and then west again over to the continuation of Mabury where we continued south to Fruit, back to Cabrillo and north to home. Google Maps won't let me chart this exact route as it doesn't seem to understand that one can walk through a park, but subtracting out the 0.6 mile jog it would take to approximate the same route on through streets, we covered exactly 3 miles.

It took us about an hour what with stopping for lights and pushing the stroller.

26%!

My apologies for not making an update about my fundraising progress in a while.

Thanks to some very generous friends and family, I've now reached 26% of my $5000 goal!

Thanks to the following donors:

• my parents
• Robert and Julie Chang
• Tom and Elizabeth Schroeder
• Stacey Pechan
• Bernie and Sena Sierdsma

I'm excited about my progress, but know I need to plan some more fundraising activities. Watch this space for an announcement of a special fundraising event.

Edited because in my excitement I did some double counting.

June 27 Team Training

I made a decision today. I'm training to walk the half marathon.

I walked 5 miles today instead of the 7 miles that the full marathoners did. We left Heritage Park at approximately 8:05. We walked northeast on Yale Avenue up 2.3 miles to Hicks Canyon Greenway, went along that trail about two tenths of a mile and turned around. I was back at Heritage by 9:30.

June 25th Workout

This morning I took Charlotte with me in the jogging stroller. We left home around 6:35, but got caught up at the light crossing 17th at Cabrillo and didn't really start going until 6:43. We went west to Grand Avenue, north to Santa Clara, east to Tustin and south to 17th via Old Tustin, then back to Cabrillo and home. A 3.3 mile course. I was home by 7:37.

In other news, Charlotte has impetigo on her nose and a possible UTI. She's had a fever since Monday night. Poor baby.

Edited to correct impossible departure and completion times!

Back in the Saddle: June 22 Workout

After taking last week off, it was tempting not to get up and work out this morning, but I did it. The schedule called for a 4-mile course, so I got on Google Maps and planned one out. My trail took me from home to Tustin & 17th, up to Santa Clara, left to Fairhaven Memorial Park where I cut through and enjoyed reading names on the turn of the century era tombstones on my way up to Fairhaven. I continued west on Fairhaven to Old Grand, left again down to Santa Clara, over to Wright and down to 17th Street and home. I hit the road around 6:45 and made it home at 7:45.

The best part about walking in the morning is the cool air rushing past you.

June 20th Team Training

Today's training was held at three sattelite locations. I chose the Newport Back Bay location because I love the scenery there but also because it had the latest start time at 8:00 a.m. I was running a bit late and pulled up exactly at 8:00, and by the time I parked the car and walked down to where the group was meeting, they had already left. I caught up with my friends Pat, Maria and Ana from the 14-15 minute pace group and off we went.

We started at San Joaquin and walked Back Bay Drive all the way up to the hill up to Eastbluff, then turned right back around. According to Google maps, the course was 4.7 miles total, not counting the 0.1 of a mile up the hill to my car at the end.

I felt good and had a lot of fun. There was an option to go out and back another two miles, but given my recent illness and lack of training this week, I decided 4.7 miles was good enough.

Summer Cold stops me cold

I haven't posted an update because my training has been impeded this week by a summer cold.

I'm taking a wait and see approach to Saturday's Team training. It's supposed to be 6 miles by the beautiful Newport Back Bay. I'd hate to miss the scenery, but I also would hate this cold to get worse or turn into a secondary infection.

More as it develops....

June 13th Team Training

I completed today's 5-mile course in about 80 minutes. That pace is much slower than what I have been doing but I felt like I was going as fast as I could. I'm a little disappointed, but some days are like that I guess. I went to bed with a sore throat and woke up with a sore throat, so I'll give myself some grace. The important thing is, I finished the full 5 miles and didn't turn around at the early turn back point.

Before the workout, Coaches Noah and Jennifer taught a clinic on proper running and walking form. Summary: head up, neck relaxed, shoulders back, chest up to take in maximum air, arms relaxed at a 90 degree angle as if gliding on drawer rails, hands held loosely. For running, the goal is for the foot to strike the ground under the body's center of gravity -- better many short strides than a too-long one. For walking, the heel strikes the ground first.

After the workout, a physical therapist taught a clinic on stretches and keeping muscle pairs in balance in terms of flexibility and strength to prevent injury. I asked her about the pain on the insides of my knees that have been troubling my attempts to jog rather than walk. She suggested that the trouble actually stems from weak hip and outer thigh muscles and suggested some body mechanics and strengthening exercises to build up those muscles.

June 11th Workout

So last night the back of my baby girl's skull collided with my nose. I was able to go back to sleep, but when I woke up felt like I had a severe sinus headache, and didn't do my workout in the morning. After reading up on nose injuries, I decided I should call the doctor. She wanted to see me to make sure it wasn't broken and there weren't any complications. I had a 2:00 p.m. appointment and left work early. The nurse took my blood pressure, which was very low: 65/40! The doctor confirmed that my nose is just bruised and gave some tips for pain relief. She also looked at my thumb which I injured on Monday trying to open a coconut with a butcher knife and advised that I get a tetanus shot, which I did.

When I got home from the appointment around 3:00, I was exhausted and Charlotte was asleep in the back of the car, so we both slept in the car for about 30 minutes. When she woke up, we went inside and continued resting, me with a dose of Tylenol and a cold pack wrapped in a towel on my face. Just before 6:00 I felt a little better so I decided to get out and move even if I couldn't do a very intense workout.

We walked to Staples on 17th Street and got some ink for my printer so I can finish printing my fundraising letters. From Staples, we headed down Tustin Avenue, right on Fruit, explored a condo complex, continued on Fruit to Cabrillo where we turned right and headed up to Monterey Villas where we live.

I stopped to switch the front wheel of the stroller to swivel mode so we could better navigate the sidewalks in our complex. I must have stood up too fast, because after a few steps, I felt lightheaded, my vision started darkening and I felt weak in the knees. I decided to sit down in the middle of the sidewalk to avoid falling.

When I felt better, we slowly continued to the mailboxes and then on home.

Do my recent fatigue, today's low blood pressure and this little episode add up to anything serious? I hope not.

Today's stats:
Total course registers at 2.1 miles in Google maps; I checked out at Staples at 6:04 and we were back in the house by 6:43; not sure how long I was sitting on the sidewalk.

21% of Fundraising Goal Reached!

Thanks to my generous friends, Tim and Katie Jacoby, I've now reached $1,050, or 21% of my $5,000 goal!

Can you spare $25, $50, or $100?

Can you trade :

• One night out at the movies?
• A new pair of jeans?
• One nice dinner out?
• Getting your car detailed?

For:

• Increased federal funding for biomedical research
• Collaborative public-private sector research efforts
• New blood cancer medications
• Ensuring patients access to high quality healthcare
  

Please use the link at right to make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

June 9th Workout

I had planned on doing today's workout this afternoon, but Charlotte was awake at 6:30 so I figured I might as well get out there rather than trying to squeeze in a few more minutes shuteye and worry about not getting up on time. I quickly dressed, put my precious girl in our new (to us) jogging stroller tucked in with a blanket, and away we went.

The training plan calls for a 35 minute workout today. My course took me east on Wellington to Tustin, south to First Street, back up Tustin to Fruit and west to Cabrillo Park, where I headed north back to my front door. According to Google Maps, this was a 2.2 mile course. I left home at about 6:50 and returned just after 7:25, putting my pace at ~16 minutes a mile. I've gone faster before, but that time does include stopping for the light to cross 4th street both directions.

June 6th Training

Today I met up with Team in Training at Heritage Park in Irvine. After a clinic on proper running clothes and gear, we headed out in pace groups for a 4-mile course. I chose the 14-15 minute/mile pace group and finished right around the middle of my pack. I forgot to bring water to the course, and was glad that they had plastic cups and a water cooler at the end. I did stretch before going out this time, and did not experience any cramping. I had some minor twinges in my lower calfs/ankles early in the course but they went away by the first mile mark.

Today we also worked on proper breathing. I tend to breathe along to whatever song is stuck in my head, which I notice is not always efficient once I get going. Coach Noah instructed us to breathe in rhythm to our steps, which helped a lot. At one point in the course there were cones set up for a breathing drill. Between the first two cones, we were to inhale for four steps and exhale for four steps. That felt like too long between breaths for me. Between the next two cones, we did a 3/3 pattern, then a 2/2 pattern and finally a 1/1 pattern. The 3/3 and 2/2 felt the most comfortable to me.

June 4 Workout

I woke up at 6:00 as planned, got dressed and finished stretching by 6:05. I realized after I was down the block that I had neglected nutrition.

My course took me from Wellington down Cabrillo Park Drive, left on Fourth Street, left on Tustin, left on Wellington back to my complex (about 2 miles). I did short runs throughout and kept up a brisk walking pace otherwise. I ran between Fruit and a driveway into a condominimum community. I ran from one fire hydrant to the next. I ran from a tree to the corner. I was back by 6:35. According to Google Maps, at a walking pace the course should have taken 37 minutes.

When I was out there, I thought about my attitude toward running. I used to think that running feels like flying. How fun it was to speed along. But at some point between then and now (5th grade?), I began to think of running as a chore or even a punishment. I want to restore my childlike attitude and enjoy running once more.

June 2nd Workout

I had planned to get up at 6:00 this morning and go out by myself while my husband and baby slept (or at least while Adam watched Charlotte since she is usually in sync with mommy and wakes when I do), but you know what they say about plans.

When I was getting Charlotte ready for bed last night I noticed a small pus-filled blister on her left index finger. Her whole finger was slightly swollen too. At 4:30 in the morning, I woke up with a start. Charlotte was burning up with fever. I took her temperature and it was 103! Her poor finger was twice the size and the blister took up most of her finger pad and was stretched to the limit with bloody pus. Adam called the advice nurse who told us to try to get her fever down with a sponge bath, and if it didn't go down within the hour to take her to urgent care or the ER. The sponge bath did reduce her fever in the short-term, but by the time an hour had passed it was back up to 102.7. With that combined with how awful her finger looked, a rash she had developed and her rapid breathing, we decided to take her to the ER.

At the ER they did minor surgery on her finger. First I was told they were just going to lance it to let out the pus, but the PA ended up needing to cut away a bunch of tissue. Her finger was dressed in gauze and wrapped in tape. I've had a hard time keeping it out of her mouth and keeping her from trying to rip off the bandage.

We got home from the ER around 8:00 with prescriptions for two antibiotics, Cephalex and Sulfameth. About 10 minutes after her first dose of each, she vomited all over my lap.

Needless to say, I didn't go into work.

In the afternoon, Charlotte's fever broke and she started showing signs of feeling better. We have to change the dressing on her wound tonight and I didn't have any gauze or tape. There is a Walgreens 0.8 miles from my house (about 15 minutes walking) so I thought I would do my 30 minute workout for today and do an errand at the same time.

Pushing the stroller with a 17 lb baby and a who-knows-how-heavy diaper bag and purse made for a great workout even while walking at a brisk pace, and it got even more intense as I walked up Cabrillo due to the tree roots that push up the sidewalk and make steep little hills every few feet.

I feel good if a little tired from my early morning and all-day marathon nursing to comfort and heal Charlotte.

May 31 Recovery Workout

This morning Adam and I took a nice and easy walk around the block in our new shoes! Charlotte rode along in the stroller, leaning forward and smiling at everything. My left calf feels much better. I can tell that the new arch support insoles are making a difference in how much my left foot rolls in.

May 30th Workout

Today was my first Team training. We met at Road Runner Sports in Costa Mesa and learned a little bit about why the correct shoe is important for preventing injury. Then we went out on a 3.25 mile course. I soon learned a little bit about the inadequacy of my cheap Target shoes that I've had for a while as my left foot began rolling in just enough to start a twinge in my inside calf muscle that felt like a cramp that wouldn't go away. After about two blocks, I switched to walking and finished out the course at a steady pace within 50 minutes.

After the run I learned some simple cool down stretches. I decided to return to the store later to get my personal shoe fitting because I had an appointment to get to at 10:00 and there was a long line ahead of me.

Adam, Charlotte and I went back to the store about 4:30 in the afternoon, and left when they closed at 6:00 with shoes and socks for each of us and high arch support insoles for me. The pressure test showed that my arches are extremely high and the treadmill video showed that my left ankle rolls in quite a bit as I walk/run. My new shoes are pink and white Nikes and they feel awesome!

15.5%!

Wow! Thanks to my friend Candice and my husband's aunts Anne and Jane, I have now raised $775, 15.5% of my $5000 goal!!

Anne runs a convenience store and years ago began raising money for LLS through coin cards. At some point they stopped sending the materials she needed to collect and send in the money, so she gave me what she had collected plus a personal donation from her and Jane because it all goes to the same cause.

In other related news, I have another personal honoree. I will write more about Arlene in another post.

Edited to correct the total because I can't add.

May 28 Workout

I woke up feeling congested. I went out for the workout anyway, but after about two minutes of running with my chest burning I gave it up and started walking. I walked about one mile in the 20 minutes I had available for my workout before I had to go back to get ready for our day trip to the Reagan Library.

May 26 workout

On Monday I did a 20 minute hike up to a waterfall near the resort for my cross training. On Tuesday morning I went out for a 20 minute workout. I ran for a much greater portion of the time than in the past, including 5 minutes straight. I felt good afterward, but did have a leg ache in the evening. Today I feel great.

ETA: I believe the workout on Tuesday was a little over one mile.

Recovery workout - May 24

Sunday morning I woke up early again and decided to do a recovery workout to help my muscles feel less sore after Saturday's run/walk. I walked down to the corner of Alisal and 246 and back. Did a lot of other miscellaneous walking yesterday too as we explored Solvang and also drove out to Pismo Beach for the afternoon and had to walk from our far away parking spot to the pier. It was beautiful there but WINDY which made it feel very cool. I got a souvenir sweatshirt to keep warm. Charlotte also had her first experience with sand and surf, which was adorable to watch.

May 23rd Workout

This morning I woke up  at 6:00 a.m. in a condo in Solvang.  I tried to roll over and go back to sleep, but light streaming through the blinds triggered my internal clock and made it impossible.  After nursing Charlotte back to sleep, I got up and squeezed myself some orange juice and had a bowl of Cheerios with soy milk in order to get the requisite 300 calorie breakfast 30-60 minutes before exercising.  Although I couldn't join the team at Heritage Park in Irvine this morning while on vacation, I was determined to complete the two mile workout just the same.  

Around 7 I headed out the door in workout gear, leaving Adam and Charlotte sleeping peacefully.  

I stopped at the front desk to pick up a map to the grocery store which I had read is 1 mile from our resort.   In addition to the map, I also carried a bottle of water and a stop watch so I could time my progress.  I did 5 minutes of stretches and slow walking, and then began at a slow jog up the block from the resort to the corner of Alisal andHwy 246 (it took about 4.5 minutes according to my timer).  At the corner I switched to a brisk walk, and turned right to walk past Old Mission Santa Ines.  There the sidewalk ended just about the time my timer hit 7:00.    I jogged up an inclined grassy hill along the side of the road, crossing to the other side of the street at Pine.  I continued on 246 up to Alamo Pintado at a brisk walk, crossing the street, turning left and walking through the parking lot of the Nielsen Center to Nielsen's market.  I did a quick turn through the store at about 16:00 and headed back.  I continued at a brisk walking pace all the way back to the resort.  All told, the trip took me about 35:00.  

I tracked the mileage with the car later in the morning when we went back to Nielsen's for a grorcery run, and it was almost exactly 1 mile away, maybe 1.1 miles if I add the distance in the parking lot and through the store.  

I felt GREAT!  It was quite a bit easier to jog without pushing the stroller ... which makes sense.  Charlotte weighs almost 17 pounds now, plus however much the empty stroller weighs!

Vacation

Starting today I'll be on vacation in Solvang. There is internet access at the resort, so I'll probably post an update or two while we're out of town.

Enjoy the holiday weekend!

May 21st Workout

Today I was unexpectedly home with my baby girl (my mom was sick with a migraine so I was without childcare), so I squeezed in today's workout while running a few errands that will help us get out of town for our vacation sooner.

After filling up the car with gas, I took it to get the tires rotated and balanced. It was about 2:10 and the guy said it would be ready in about an hour. While we were waiting, I put Charlotte in the stroller and proceeded at a brisk walk down to the corner of Grand and 17th Street. I crossed the street and walked through the CVS/Food4Less shopping center there that takes up the whole block from 17th to 21st. I walked down 21st to Hathaway and then made a U-turn and retraced most of my steps. It was hot and I didn't feel up to running, so I kept up the brisk walking pace throughout.

Then, the Goodwill's airconditioning called to me, and I thought I could pass the rest of the time browsing. I let Charlotte play with some of the baby toys they had on display: a push-toy airplane, and an activity table. Then we looked through the books and I picked up two novels to read on vacation: one by Amy Tan (I remember liking Joy Luck Club so thought I'd give her another try), and another one that is a retelling of the Robin Hood story from Maid Marian's perspective. Finally, we hunted through the racks of kids' clothes for summery outfits in Charlotte's size. I found a green gingham seersucker dress, a green and pink seersucker pantsuit and a little pink romper. Altogether, our purchases set me back $13. I love Goodwill!

I checked the mileage of my route with Google Maps' walking directions -- just about 1 mile. Unfortunately, no timer or watch so I have no idea what my pace was. It was 3:30 by the time we crossed the street and got back to the tire store though.

8%!

I've reached a new milestone in fundraising! The generosity of my coworkers humbles me. Thanks so much to Jerome Gerber!

New Honored Teammate

My coworker Sharon just made a donation in honor of her father who has CLL and is not doing very well right now. She asked me to add her father as an additional Honored Teammate. She walked the Phoenix Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon in his honor a couple of years ago and I am priveleged to train in his honor now.

5%!

Thanks to my old high school chum Jason Wang, I've now reached 5% of my fundraising goal!

He had these encouraging words to say:

Be strong and dedicated to training and the journey will be much
easier. Its all in your mind. I did the 2004 l.a. marathon and
if i can do it, i know you can. Good Luck and thank you for caring for others.

Thanks so much, Jason!

May 19th Workout

I did it! My first 20 minute workout is complete.

I got home after picking up Charlotte from my mom and put her straight in the stroller. After quickly changing into workout clothes, I grabbed a timer, put Andy on a leash and headed out the door.

Here's what I did minute by minute:

0:00 - 2:00 Stretches using the stroller and a nearby bench for balance
2:00 - 3:00 Easy walk to Wellington
3:00 - 3:45 Jog down Wellington toward Tustin Avenue
3:45 - 4:00 Stop to walk so I didn't trip over two large dogs charging for Andy
4:00 - 6:15 Jog down Wellington toward Tustin Avenue
6:15 - 7:00 Brisk walk
7:00 - 8:45 Jog (at 8:45 I had made it to the corner of Wellington and Tustin)
8:45 - 11:00 Brisk walk north on Tustin Avenue
11:00 - 11:45 Jog to driveway of Center on 17th shopping center
11:45 - 12:00 Stop because Andy's legs are starting to drag
12:00 - 12:30 Put Andy in the basket below the stroller and secure the mesh cover
12:30 - 18:00 Brisk walk past Baja Fresh, an empty store, Ross, PetSmart, Staples and Albertsons
18:00 - 18:45 Jog down Williams; cross street to Monterey Villas
18:45 - 20:00 Brisk walk down Williams and through Monterey Villas
20:00 - 23:00 Easy walk through Monterey Villas
23:00 - 25:00 Stretches at the bench closest to my front door

According to Google Maps, I covered about 1.2 miles.

I feel great!

3%!

Thanks to my additional donors Christine Moore (my wonderful auntie) and Kathy Fritsch! Now I'm 3% to my fundraising goal!

Tomorrow is the first official day of my training schedule. I'll be going out for 20 minutes total, combining running with brisk walking as needed.

I'll report back on my performance. Stay tuned ...

First Donation!

Congratulations and THANK YOU to Judy Evans, my first supporter! It's so encouraging to get such an immediate response.

2% of the way to my goal ...

Pumped up by the Kickoff!

This morning was the Team in Training kickoff and I am more excited than ever about my training and fundraising.

Hearing the stories of the Honored Teammates and their families about how blood cancers have affected their lives was very moving.

I'm inspired by their stories to set a new fundraising goal: $5000.

I was also encouraged by the training plan. It will start off nice and easy. Twenty minutes on Tuesday, twenty minutes on Thursday (which is about what I have been doing). During the first team training on Saturday, they will cover two miles. I'll be doing that on my own since we will be on vacation in Solvang!

My plan is to continue with interval running/walking, likely 2/2's, 2/1's and 3/2's to start.

Got to start somewhere

I ran for the first time today. Official training has yet to begin, but the coach's note posted on the team Yahoo group suggested that rusty runners try running 3/1 intervals (3 minutes running and 1 minute walking) to get started and get a sense of where we are starting from.

I didn't even run for three minutes straight. I stopped after 2:25 feeling like my lungs were full of smog. I took a two minutes of fast walking to give myself a break and then started back to a slow jog. The second time I stopped after 2:40 because I was feeling seriously nauseous (I unwisely had just eaten dinner!).

I then continued to walk briskly around our complex for 20 minutes. I actually felt like I was going faster and using energy more efficiently in my walk. Hopefully I'll pick up some tips on proper running technique during the Saturday trainings and will get to where I feel just as comfortable running or jogging as I do power walking. Or, maybe walking is my thing? Too early to call.

Still, I'm proud of myself for getting out there. I'll try again tomorrow, BEFORE dinner instead!

Question to experienced runners: Is there anything I can do (other than regularly hocking loogies) to prevent the unpleasant sensation of mucus gagging me as I run? I suffer from mild allergies and post-nasal drip that seems to be exacerbated by running. Hmmm...

We've Only Just Begun

Welcome to my blog, where I'll be charting my progress in facing two of my biggest fears: fear of hard work and fear of failure.

The only way to conquer fears is to face them head on. I'm doing that in a big way by training to run the Long Beach Marathon with Team in Training. They will provide coaching, comraderie and pre- and post-race celebrations. In return, I will raise $2100.

Success will require plenty of hard work. And failure is a possibility on several fronts. I might get injured. I might get lazy. The economy might get in the way of people's generosity.

With my old ways, I would have given up already because the work seemed too overwhelmingly hard and failure was too likely.


I've repented of that cowardice and asked God for courage.


The old has gone, and the new has come!

I'm going to take this one day at a time. Follow the instructions of my coaches and mentors when it comes to both physical training and fundraising strategies. Practice every bit of cognitive therapy I've internalized. Use the FlyLady routines to keep my household on track. Practice meditation and other spiritual disciplines so God can continue to fill me with His courage. I can do everything through Him who strengthens me!

Yes, in five months, if I stick to the training and follow the fundraising instructions without giving up, one thing is certain: I'll be a stronger, healthier person on my birthday than I am now.

And that's the best birthday present I could give myself.