Thank you!

After a great 12 mile recovery run on the strand yesterday, I traveled to Murrieta to help get ready for the birthday party my family was planning for today. THANK YOU to all who gave me the birthday gift of a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! With your help, I have raised 72% of my total goal of $2,500 to date. My deadline for raising the total funds is May 13th, and I know we can get there!

Next week we are back up to 18 miles, and 20 miles the week after. I'm sure I'll have quite a bit to say after the big one!

This week on the workout schedule we add Monday as a run day (was a rest day up to this point). Since tomorrow is my actual birthday, I might be keeping that rest day one week longer...

17.6 and Counting...

This past Saturday morning, I made it through 17.6 HOT miles during my run with the Team in Training group. It was a beautiful morning, but the temps rose fairly quickly and I drank close to 50oz of fluids during the process. As much as I hate to get up early on Saturdays to make our 7am start time, I'd gladly get there at 6am if it meant avoiding the heat! Overall, I made it through much quicker than I originally anticipated...feeling pretty good in the end.

The first 8 miles were strong (minus the fact that I tripped at an intersection and cut my hand/bruised my knee). It was more embarrassing than anything, since the intersection was packed with cars, bikers, and other runners. I suppose it could have been worse. Needless to say, I will never hesitate at a yellow light again!

Miles 14-16 were the most difficult. At times it felt like if I stopped, I would just lock up and fall over. This forced me to run (or hobble) the entire time, except for 2 aid station breaks. My shoes also felt like they no longer contained padding after a while. It seemed like I could feel every little pebble as I ran along. I'm thinking about buying another pair, just to rotate. On the positive side, I think my new knee support wraps helped minimize the knee pain I typically feel (though not eliminating it altogether). Thankfully, right around 16 miles I caught a sudden second wind and was able to finish stronger than previous, shorter runs.

The first thing I did after finishing (besides stretch) was limp over to the market across the parking lot and buy some nice cold chocolate milk. The first thing I did when I got home was sit in a bath of freezing water (which was completely worth it).

Hitting the Wall

Last Saturday we upped the mileage again...to 16!! I actually felt fairly good until about mile 15, where I completely hit the wall. My knees were in bad shape, and I could not conceive of continuing uphill for another mile. I ran-walked my way through, and managed to run continuously for the last quarter mile. I still feel great when I think about how much terrain we covered. I will be on a mission this week to investigate additional knee support options, before the 17 miles slated for our next long run.

Tonight I eeked out 2 miles; my chest still feeling tight after a week of illness. Tomorrow I need to get 6 miles on the books, followed by 3 more and cross-training on Thursday.

In an effort to relax after a day of work, and recover from a disappointing workout, I decided to cook a new healthy post-run meal: Peruvian turkey breast cutlets, mini zucchini, and sweet potato with agave nectar and cinnamon. The marinade was super easy to make...


2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, smashed
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled (had some of Mom's garden bounty handy!)
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Pinch ground pepper
Pinch salt

Quicker Update

I managed to get through 4 miles tonight, despite the head cold situation. I took a route through a residential area of Redondo Beach, just in time to see the sun set. I live so close to the beach but never go. This must change! As much as I'd like to move closer to work, it's days like this when I know the commute is worth it.

Quick Update

I've been sick for the last few days...therefore, no running. I should have 10 miles under my belt for the week, but tonight is the first time I will attempt an easy run since last Saturday. We are set to tackle 16 miles this Saturday, and I hope this little break hasn't completely thrown me off. Everything I've read about running while ill tells me that if your chest is clear (and you don't have a fever) you should be fine. Personally, I'd rather be safe than sorry, even if it means falling behind a bit. Any advice from the pros our there??

Screaming Peacocks!

Yesterday we ran 14 miles, again in Palos Verdes (land of the never-ending hills). Our practices now begin at 7am, which means a 5:30am alarm for me. After a week of work, this can be a rough endeavor, but completely worth it after the fact. I was very conscious during the last week of hydrating and stretching more, which I think paid off in a big way. I tried Nuun for the first time, after reading a great post on www.bananasauce.com. I am definitely a fan! I also tried Jelly Belly Sports Beans and don't think I will use them again. They were WAY too sweet, in my opinion.

Due to IT band/knee issues, I ran by Road Runner Sports and picked up an IT band compression wrap. What a difference! No IT band pain post-run and very little during. Now I just need to tackle the kneecap pain (which is the worst post-run, resulting in a strong burning sensation).

I also tried to incorporate a run/walk strategy during part of this long run (5 min run/1 min walk). I am not completely sold, but might try it again for our 16-miler next Saturday. I tend to feel better when I just push through, even if it means significantly slowing my pace to recover at times.

Below you will find a link to the course, which included a tour of the Palos Verdes Golf Course. The best part of running (unless you are moving along with an annoying partner or group) is the solitude in the early morning. The area around the course was particularly peaceful and lush. Shortly after getting into my groove around mile 2, I heard a terrifying noise that sounded like a child screaming. After another half mile I heard it again. Thankfully someone pointed out the local peacock population, and this their typical mating call.

Training Schedule~ Week of 3/29

Sunday 3/29~ cross-train 60mins

Monday 3/30~ REST

Tuesday 3/31~ 3 miles

Wednesday 4/1~ 5 miles

Thursday 4/2~ 3 miles + core

Friday 4/3~ REST

Saturday 4/4~ 14 miles!