New Kicks!

I'm so lazy when it comes to shopping, but I finally managed to drag myself out to buy some new running shoes. It took me about 5 hours and just as many stores to find two new pair of shoes that seem comfortable. I'm not quite sure what is happening to me, though!  For my whole running life I have been a tried and true Nike Girl!  But my current running shoes are Asics, and my two new pair obviously aren't Nikes either.  It's just odd.  Odd I tell you.

Now to take these babies out for a little spin...

BTW, why do running shoes have to be so damn ugly? Who designs these things anyway? Toddlers with a box of crayolas?

Time Based Training Trial Run

I have never followed a time based training schedule, so I wasn't quite sure what to make of the time based schedule that the TNT coaches recommended we follow to train for our races.  I was concerned that their schedule wouldn't be the best fit for me and ultimately I decided not to follow it.

Just for kicks I decided to give a time based run a try during a recent long run.  My regular schedule called for me to run 8 miles and the time schedule called for me to run for 75 minutes.  I ended up running 5.93 miles in just over 75 minutes.  Not quite the 8 that I was supposed to run, now was it?

The run reinforced my main concern about the time schedule: I am much too slow of a runner to follow one.

On this particular run, I ended up about 2 miles short. What happens when I've followed this schedule while training all season and by the end I'm falling 8 or 10 miles short on my long runs? I know I haven't yet made it to run a full marathon yet, but something tells me 26.2 miles is going to hurt if the longest I've ever made it prior to the race is 16 or 18 miles.

I also felt totally unmotivated during the run.  All I was doing was watching the clock tick along knowing that I had to keep running until it hit 75 minutes.  There was zero motivation to try to run faster since it wouldn't help me finish any quicker.  In fact, I found myself giving in to my exhaustion and allowing myself to slow down a lot more than I would have if I was running toward a mileage goal.

All in all, the trial run reinforced what I was pretty sure I already knew - time based training is just not for me.

What It Takes

"Whether you think you can or you think you can't - you're right." ~ Henry Ford

I've spent a lot of years hearing people tell me that I am nuts because I run. I'd forgotten just how often I used to hear it until recently, when the "you're crazy" comments are once again filtering back into my life. Non-runners seem to think that people who run come from another planet. They look at us like we're not quite playing with a full deck and they have no idea how we run as far as we do as often as we do.

But I'm going to let you in on a little secret: it isn't hard to be a runner. As a matter of fact, you really only need one thing (ok. ok. two things, since we need to add a body that is willing and able to let you run).

All you need to be a runner is the blind determination NOT TO QUIT.

Yep, that's it.

Not exactly rocket science, now is it?

I was thinking about it during a recent long run where I set out to run for 75 minutes (more on that coming up), and after 20 minutes I was bored, my hip hurt, and I just really wanted to quit.

I just wasn't feeling it.

But when I set out on the run I knew come hell or high water, I had. to. finish.

So finish I did. By doing nothing more than refusing to quit.

Blind determination, folks. You'd be amazed at where it can take you.

Fundraising: $100 donated ~ Thanks Annelise, Rich & Mary, and Danelle!

Matthew's Story

Please allow me to introduce you to Matthew Fackler, pictured below with his girlfriend:



Today, Matthew is a happy, healthy 21 year old who attends college, works, and spends time with his girlfriend, but things haven't always been so easy for him.

Matthew was first diagnosed with Leukemia in November 2000 at the age of 8. He underwent three years of chemotherapy and was in remission from January 2004 until December 2004, at which time his cancer returned. He underwent two and a half more years of chemotherapy and was in remission from July 2007 to October 2007, when he relapsed again. In January 2008, Matthew received a life saving bone marrow transplant, and he has been cancer free for 5 years. Without the hard work of LLS to find treatments and cures for blood cancers and the fundraising efforts of the members of TNT to fund that research, Matthew’s story might have had a different ending.

It was Matthew's story that inspired me to sign up for my first Team in Training event years ago and it is Matthew who has has once again inspired me to return to TNT for another season of running and fundraising.  No one should have to go through the things that Matthew has endured, especially a child.   It would be so incredible if someday a cure was found so no one would ever have to suffer from a blood cancer again.  With your help, we can make that happen!

If you want to read more about Matthew's story, you can do so here.

Week 7: Run Recaps

Well, this is another easy recap post to write because I once again didn't do any of my runs.

Ugh.

I'll spare you the boring, whiny details but my job has been frustrating and stressful for the past 6 months or so, and the past two weeks it has been kicked into overdrive. I am so bad about letting stress get to me and affect my life outside of work.  Last week I managed to keep myself together and stay on track but this week I let it get the better of me.  So, instead of running on Tuesday I made a date with a book and some junk food.

By the time my work week was over and Thursday rolled around I was ready to face my runs, but then my hip starting giving me problems and I was worried about running and making it worse.  My right hip has given me issues for years when I go from sitting to standing.  It's hard to describe but it is like it catches and won't release my leg into a straight position, but it never hurts.  This past week it has gotten a lot worse where I'm noticeably limping not only when I first get up but often when I try to walk, and it is quite painful.  It seems to be getting worse instead of better, so I'm not quite sure what to make of it.

I seriously feel like I am falling apart and have felt that way for years!  I read about runners who are 60, 70, 80 and have been running all of their lives.  I haven't even hit 40 yet and I feel like I just need put out to pasture.

Sigh.

Oh well, tomorrow is a new day and a new week.

Week 6: Run Recaps

Tuesday
This was my first run at the Y, and I ran 3 miles on the treadmill.  I'm hesitant to go back to my current shoes so I was sporting an old pair.  When I was done my ankles were sore but they didn't actually hurt.  My knee, on the other hand, was talking to me - but what can I expect running in shoes that are more than 10 years old?  (Before their recent resurrection, they had been relegated to my "emergency shoes" that I always carry in the back in my car just in case I have to walk a long distance unexpectedly.)

Thursday
Today's run was a 4 miler at the Y. I decided to give another old pair of shoes a try, and I'm happy to report that my ankles were completely pain free. My knee wasn't thrilled by the end of the run, but it definitely didn't hurt as much as it did on Tuesday, either. Of course, the shoes I wore don't have quite as many miles on them, either.

Friday
Today was another 4 miler at the Y, only I decided to give my current running shoes another go.  I tried to pay attention to them while I was running, and I've come to the conclusion that running with them feels like they are forcing my feet to roll out so I'm running more on the outer portion of my feet.  My ankles were hurting a little during and after the run, and I think if I keep running in them I'll end up right back where I was a few weeks ago.  So, it looks like its time to buy some new shoes.  Of course, with these shoes my knee felt a-okay.  If it's not one thing it's another.

Saturday
I logged 3 miles on the treadmill in an old pair of shoes, and once again my knee was killing me when I was done but my ankles were fine.  My plan is to alternate my shoes to spread out the aches and pains that each of them seem to cause until I can make it out next week to buy some new ones.

Sunday
Today was a little cross training by way of another hike. Due to time constrains, I once again hiked the Wind Cave Trail since it is the closest one to where I live. I'm not going to lie and say it was easy, but it definitely felt a lot better than it did 5 weeks ago. I guess I'm slowly starting to get in better shape.

I didn't take many photos this time, but here is one of me at the start of the hike...

Fundraising: $25 donated - thanks Tabitha!

Did You Know

Did You Know...

Every 4 minutes someone is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

Approximately 140,310 people in the US will be diagnosed with a blood cancer this year

Blood cancers will account for 9% of the new cancer diagnoses this year.

More than 1 million Americans are currently fighting a blood cancer.

Every 10 minutes someone dies from a blood cancer.

Approximate 53,000 Americans will die from a blood cancer this year.

Blood cancers will account for 9.3% of cancer deaths this year.

Did You Know...

The overall 5 year survival rate for patients with myeloma was 12% just 50 years ago.  Today it is 41.1%!

The overall 5 year survival rate for patients with leukemia was 14% just 50 years ago.  Today it is 56.5%!

The overall 5 year survival rate for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma was 40% just 50 years ago.  Today is is 86.3%!

The 5 year survival rate for children under 15 years old with acute lymphocytic leukemia was 3% just 50 years ago.  Today is is 90.5%!

The 5 year survival rate for children under 15 years old with Hodgkin lymphoma is currently 95.6%!

The 5 year survival rate for individuals under 20 years old with non-Hodgkin lymphoma is currently 84.7%!

Did you Know...

You can make a difference by donating to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help fund research for even better treatments, and maybe even a cure. Wouldn't it be amazing if someday all of these blood cancers had a 100% survival rate? Together we can work to make that happen.