My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
I did it! This Saturday was our longest training run to date, and Andrea and I officially ran 13.1 miles! That is the exact distance of the half marathon, so I know I can really do it! Don't get me wrong, that last mile was not pretty, but we attempted to keep talking and reminding each other that we were almost done until we made it to our little finish line. Mile 12 took us to the part of the trail in Reston where we did our first trail run of the season back in August (where Andrea and I realized that we run at the same pace). It was kind of surreal to be back there, remembering how three miles exhausted us so much at that time. Then, there we were, about to complete the whole half marathon distance. The amazing thing is that outside of coming down with a cold, my body really didn't suffer too much. Maybe I really am becoming a runner!
The week before, I did not participate in the training run because I chose to do the Jingle All the Way 10K instead. The course and starting point were the same as the Veteran's Day 10K, except that the tents were filled with the sounds of Christmas carols and the smell of hot chocolate. People were dressed as elves and reindeer, and there was even someone in a full Santa costume. In addition, I got to see the Juggler. There's this guy who juggles while he runs, and apparently he even runs marathons while juggling. It's pretty impressive to watch.
It was a really chilly race, and I felt like the cold air was working against me. Still, I sped up when I saw the time clock at the 5k marker and realized that I was a little behind where I wanted to be. I also moved as quickly as possible for the last mile once the finish line was in sight, and I attempted to sprint for the last .2 miles. I managed to shave about 50 seconds off my last 10k time, so I was pretty proud of myself. However, between running a bit faster than usual and not stretching enough after the race, I paid for it the following day. Still, it was a good experience, and I'm definitely glad I did it.
That was my last race before Phoenix, and this weekend was the last time I will run 13.1 miles before the big race, as well. I'm more excited than ever, and I can't wait to cross that finish line. What I nice belated Christmas present to myself that will be. Happy Holiday to everyone!!!
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Monday, December 22, 2008
Saturday, December 13, 2008
Thank you Border's Shoppers!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Thank you so much to the Border's shoppers who made today's gift-wrapping venture far more successful than last week! I want to send a special thanks to the man who had us wrap just about all of his Christmas gifts, and then gave a very substantial donation. It really meant a lot to those of us who were wrapping today!!
For anyone who took one of my business cards today in hopes of finding out more about TNT, you can visit the local chapter's website via the following link: http://www.teamintraining.org/nca/
Tomorrow I'll be running in the Jingle All the Way 10K, and next Saturday is our full 13-mile run. I'll be in Arizona before I know it!!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Thank you so much to the Border's shoppers who made today's gift-wrapping venture far more successful than last week! I want to send a special thanks to the man who had us wrap just about all of his Christmas gifts, and then gave a very substantial donation. It really meant a lot to those of us who were wrapping today!!
For anyone who took one of my business cards today in hopes of finding out more about TNT, you can visit the local chapter's website via the following link: http://www.teamintraining.org/nca/
Tomorrow I'll be running in the Jingle All the Way 10K, and next Saturday is our full 13-mile run. I'll be in Arizona before I know it!!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Saturday, December 6, 2008
12 Miles and Feeling Good (Sort Of)!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Today was my first 12 mile run!! I'm so proud of myself, and I can't believe I made it. After a pretty draining 10 mile run two weeks ago, I was a little nervous about how this one would go, but it really wasn't bad. The coaches had send out an email saying that they would be there earlier than usual in case anyone wanted to get a head start. Since Erin was planning to get there early as well, Andrea and I decided to meet at 7:15am and start our run as soon as possible.
I was a little disappointed to see that there was no bathroom anywhere near where we were running, which meant no pit stops and no place to change after we were done. Fortunately I didn't have to use the rest room during the run, and Andrea and I made the decision to locate a gas station or similar establishment after finishing up, where we could get out of our soon-to-be wet and freezing clothes.
The run itself went really well, and we spent the whole time talking, as usual. It was insanely cold out, to the point that the water in my bottle started to freeze and my thighs got so numb that I couldn't feel it when I touched them. Since Andrea and I started earlier than most people, we were at the head of the pack for a change. It felt good to know that we would be finishing earlier than usual, and we kept ourselves busy by breaking the run into smaller segments (only four miles until the first water stop, only two miles until we pass it again, etc.). Every now and then we'd see Coach Jim, who would tease us for cheating somewhere along the way, since we were so far in front of everyone else.
Before I knew it - well, about 2 hours and 20 minutes later, but who's counting? - the run was over, and we gratefully gulped down non-frozen water at home base. Andrea accidentally poured some on me when I was stretching on the ground, but I was already so cold and covered in sweat that I barely noticed! We also munched on chocolate peanut butter brownies and piping hot pizza slices, even though it was only 10:00am. Hey, I had just run 12 miles - I deserved a reward!
After our sketchy changing session in the bathroom of a local McDonald's, Andrea drove me home so that I could shower and quickly eat a bit more food before heading over to Border's. I had arranged to wrap gifts for 6 hours in return for donations to the cause, although I actually wound up staying for 7 hours. Wendy, one of my teammates, was there helping me for about 5 of those hours, and I was very grateful. Having her there made the time pass more quickly, and she was also more vocal about attracting customers. Plus, she's a way better gift wrapper than I am, and she gave me some pointers. I came away with a new little chunk of money for my fundraising efforts, and I got to spend most of the time sitting down, so I can't complain. Thanks to the Border's employees and the kind people who made donations today!!
A couple of weeks ago, Dave and I baby-sat for five children all under the age of five as a fund raiser. While they were adorable and their parents were very generous, I don't think I could have done that today after running 12 miles! I have another Border's fund raiser next weekend, and my father said that he'd pass my fund raising information down to his friends and church groups, so I'm hoping to continue my efforts for another couple of weeks. Every little bit helps!
Next week is a down week for mileage (only 6), so I might do the Jingle All the Way 10K instead of going to training - I haven't decided yet. In two weeks, we have to run the full 13 miles, so then I'll really be able to say that I am officially prepared for a half marathon! Wish me luck!!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Today was my first 12 mile run!! I'm so proud of myself, and I can't believe I made it. After a pretty draining 10 mile run two weeks ago, I was a little nervous about how this one would go, but it really wasn't bad. The coaches had send out an email saying that they would be there earlier than usual in case anyone wanted to get a head start. Since Erin was planning to get there early as well, Andrea and I decided to meet at 7:15am and start our run as soon as possible.
I was a little disappointed to see that there was no bathroom anywhere near where we were running, which meant no pit stops and no place to change after we were done. Fortunately I didn't have to use the rest room during the run, and Andrea and I made the decision to locate a gas station or similar establishment after finishing up, where we could get out of our soon-to-be wet and freezing clothes.
The run itself went really well, and we spent the whole time talking, as usual. It was insanely cold out, to the point that the water in my bottle started to freeze and my thighs got so numb that I couldn't feel it when I touched them. Since Andrea and I started earlier than most people, we were at the head of the pack for a change. It felt good to know that we would be finishing earlier than usual, and we kept ourselves busy by breaking the run into smaller segments (only four miles until the first water stop, only two miles until we pass it again, etc.). Every now and then we'd see Coach Jim, who would tease us for cheating somewhere along the way, since we were so far in front of everyone else.
Before I knew it - well, about 2 hours and 20 minutes later, but who's counting? - the run was over, and we gratefully gulped down non-frozen water at home base. Andrea accidentally poured some on me when I was stretching on the ground, but I was already so cold and covered in sweat that I barely noticed! We also munched on chocolate peanut butter brownies and piping hot pizza slices, even though it was only 10:00am. Hey, I had just run 12 miles - I deserved a reward!
After our sketchy changing session in the bathroom of a local McDonald's, Andrea drove me home so that I could shower and quickly eat a bit more food before heading over to Border's. I had arranged to wrap gifts for 6 hours in return for donations to the cause, although I actually wound up staying for 7 hours. Wendy, one of my teammates, was there helping me for about 5 of those hours, and I was very grateful. Having her there made the time pass more quickly, and she was also more vocal about attracting customers. Plus, she's a way better gift wrapper than I am, and she gave me some pointers. I came away with a new little chunk of money for my fundraising efforts, and I got to spend most of the time sitting down, so I can't complain. Thanks to the Border's employees and the kind people who made donations today!!
A couple of weeks ago, Dave and I baby-sat for five children all under the age of five as a fund raiser. While they were adorable and their parents were very generous, I don't think I could have done that today after running 12 miles! I have another Border's fund raiser next weekend, and my father said that he'd pass my fund raising information down to his friends and church groups, so I'm hoping to continue my efforts for another couple of weeks. Every little bit helps!
Next week is a down week for mileage (only 6), so I might do the Jingle All the Way 10K instead of going to training - I haven't decided yet. In two weeks, we have to run the full 13 miles, so then I'll really be able to say that I am officially prepared for a half marathon! Wish me luck!!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Sunday, November 16, 2008
Another Eight
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
This past Saturday we went back to Rock Creek Park, the place that Erin and I had trouble finding the first time around. This time we made it there in plenty of time, and the Water Station people found their way, too. Andrea and I did another eight miles relatively easily, in spite of the humidity and pockets of hot and cold air along the course. Who would have thought that eight miles could be just another Saturday run for me?!
I'm still struggling to meet my fundraising goal, so I'm trying to come up with some ideas for how to reach the minimum. I have two weekends of gift-wrapping coming up, and I think I may set up a happy hour. I also am offering myself as a Spanish tutor, with all of the proceeds going to the charity. If anyone has any additional ideas, please do not hesitate to let me know!
This coming Saturday requires another ten mile run. I'm looking forward to having a second double-digit run under my belt, especially after the last one went so well. I am going to spend my short runs this week doing intervals to work on my speed. I may not be able to do anything about losing to 78-year-old men in races, but I can certainly reduce my pace by a few seconds!
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
This past Saturday we went back to Rock Creek Park, the place that Erin and I had trouble finding the first time around. This time we made it there in plenty of time, and the Water Station people found their way, too. Andrea and I did another eight miles relatively easily, in spite of the humidity and pockets of hot and cold air along the course. Who would have thought that eight miles could be just another Saturday run for me?!
I'm still struggling to meet my fundraising goal, so I'm trying to come up with some ideas for how to reach the minimum. I have two weekends of gift-wrapping coming up, and I think I may set up a happy hour. I also am offering myself as a Spanish tutor, with all of the proceeds going to the charity. If anyone has any additional ideas, please do not hesitate to let me know!
This coming Saturday requires another ten mile run. I'm looking forward to having a second double-digit run under my belt, especially after the last one went so well. I am going to spend my short runs this week doing intervals to work on my speed. I may not be able to do anything about losing to 78-year-old men in races, but I can certainly reduce my pace by a few seconds!
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Sunday, November 9, 2008
My first race!!
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
I competed in my first race today! It was only a 10k, but I was still proud of myself. I knew I could do it, because Andrea, Kate, and I easily banged out a 6 mile run during training yesterday, so I was prepared. The race was called the Veteran's Day 10k, and I had heard about it from Petra. It started up near the DC side of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and went down to Haine's Point (home of our Hurricane Hannah run...see the "liquid sunshine" post from September for more details on that) and back. At 7:30 this morning Dave dropped me off at the Lincoln Memorial so I could walk over to the starting grounds.
As a newbie, I was completely clueless about how these races work, so I didn't realize that there would be a baggage check. Therefore all I brought with me was my debit card, my metro card, and a few quarters for calling Dave, all of which I had crammed into the pockets of my tiny running shorts. I would have brought my cell phone and maybe a pair of pants for afterward had I known I could have left them behind.
The starting grounds were dotted with food tents, a small bandstand blasting music, and of course an unsightly cluster of port-o-potties. As I grabbed a cup of water from the refreshment table, I heard an announcement that "Sarge" would be leading all interested people in a warm-up by the bandstand. I was curious as to who Sarge was, but also a little intimidated by the sudden vision of an army vet screaming orders into my face as I tried to keep up with jumping jacks. Fortunately, Sarge was not nearly that scary, and actually turned out to be quite funny. He also taught us a ton of new stretches that worked our hip flexers, and other muscles that I don't often think about before a run. He did of course make us drop and give him 10 at the end of the warm-up, but I did my best not to look too pathetic.
Following the stretches, everyone was corralled over to the starting line, where a marine sang the National Anthem and DC's Mayor Fenty wished us well before joining the runners himself. Before I knew it, we were off! There were about 2,000 of us, which is approximately 18,000 less than what I will see during my half marathon, but it was still good practice to try manuveuring around others. I needed to make sure that I passed people with enough space on either side of me, and that I looked behind me before moving to the left or right to avoid a collision from behind, much like switching lanes on a highway. By the time I got comfortable with my pace, people had spread out far enough that I had plenty of space to myself.
Sometime shortly before I hit the 2 mile marker, I saw a police motorcylce coming from the opposite direction, heading towards the start/finish line. I thought, "it couldn't be...", but it was - the first runners were already within 2 miles of the finish line, and were going to cross it in a few minutes. It was amazing to see people running with such speed, and all I could do was clap while running as the first 20 of them whizzed by me. Incredible!
At the two miles and four mile markers there were water stops, and I got to practice grabbing a cup from an extended hand and drinking from it, while trying not to lose my momentum. The first time I sloshed water all over my face, but I was a little more prepared two miles later. Both times I was careful to throw my cups into the garbage cans, unlike so many runners who just crushed their cups and threw them on the ground. I know that this is common practice in races, but it really didn't take much effort for me to toss my cup in the provided recepticle. All the same, I thanked the handsome young soldier who was running around collecting the fallen paper goods, and he cheered me on in return.
My legs naturally started to get a little tired towards the end of the race, but they didn't really hurt, and I didn't get winded at all. This lead me to believe that I can probably push myself a little harder during other races to improve my speed. I decided whil I was running that I'm going to sign up for a 5k in the near future to do some of this speedwork.
Even though I wasn't that exhausted, I was super excited to see the finish line up ahead of me. There was a man near the line with a computer that read our D-tags, which were the time chips on our shoes. He called us out by name as we crossed the line. It was a little odd to hear "And here comes Autumn Yates. Good job Autumn!" from a total stranger as I was finishing, but it was kind of exhilarating too. I grabbed a water bottle and looked up at the clock to see that a little more than an hour and ten minutes had passed since the start of the race, and I found out at the results board later on that my exact finishing time was 70 minutes, 23 seconds, with an 11:05 minute mile. I also came in 623rd place for the women. I was pleased for my first race, but I definitely think I can do better, especially after I learned that the 78-year-old oldest runner beat me by about 14 minutes!
Following the run I got some food, picked up the long-sleeved shirt that I checked, and sat down to watch the results announcements. The top ten finishers for both men and women each got monetary prizes and windbreakers, and the top three finishers in each 5-year age bracket (from under-19 all the way up to 74-79 years old) also got prizes. In between, they pulled names from a bucket for a variety of door prizes. I won a $25 gift certificate to a local running store! That was a nice surpise. Now I can get some winter gear as my longer runs start to get chillier!
On the way to the metro, I took the long way so I could pass both the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials. The race was, after all, in honor of Veteran's Day, and the monuments were bustling with somber on-lookers searching for the names of lost loved ones, as well as others who were there for the same reasons as I was. It's heart-breaking to see so many names on those walls, and I'm glad that I could participate in an event on a holiday that honors their memory.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable morning, and I am proud of myself for completing my very first race. I think I might start an album so I have a place to put my race bibs and pictures, because I have a feeling that this will be the first of many.
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
I competed in my first race today! It was only a 10k, but I was still proud of myself. I knew I could do it, because Andrea, Kate, and I easily banged out a 6 mile run during training yesterday, so I was prepared. The race was called the Veteran's Day 10k, and I had heard about it from Petra. It started up near the DC side of the Arlington Memorial Bridge and went down to Haine's Point (home of our Hurricane Hannah run...see the "liquid sunshine" post from September for more details on that) and back. At 7:30 this morning Dave dropped me off at the Lincoln Memorial so I could walk over to the starting grounds.
As a newbie, I was completely clueless about how these races work, so I didn't realize that there would be a baggage check. Therefore all I brought with me was my debit card, my metro card, and a few quarters for calling Dave, all of which I had crammed into the pockets of my tiny running shorts. I would have brought my cell phone and maybe a pair of pants for afterward had I known I could have left them behind.
The starting grounds were dotted with food tents, a small bandstand blasting music, and of course an unsightly cluster of port-o-potties. As I grabbed a cup of water from the refreshment table, I heard an announcement that "Sarge" would be leading all interested people in a warm-up by the bandstand. I was curious as to who Sarge was, but also a little intimidated by the sudden vision of an army vet screaming orders into my face as I tried to keep up with jumping jacks. Fortunately, Sarge was not nearly that scary, and actually turned out to be quite funny. He also taught us a ton of new stretches that worked our hip flexers, and other muscles that I don't often think about before a run. He did of course make us drop and give him 10 at the end of the warm-up, but I did my best not to look too pathetic.
Following the stretches, everyone was corralled over to the starting line, where a marine sang the National Anthem and DC's Mayor Fenty wished us well before joining the runners himself. Before I knew it, we were off! There were about 2,000 of us, which is approximately 18,000 less than what I will see during my half marathon, but it was still good practice to try manuveuring around others. I needed to make sure that I passed people with enough space on either side of me, and that I looked behind me before moving to the left or right to avoid a collision from behind, much like switching lanes on a highway. By the time I got comfortable with my pace, people had spread out far enough that I had plenty of space to myself.
Sometime shortly before I hit the 2 mile marker, I saw a police motorcylce coming from the opposite direction, heading towards the start/finish line. I thought, "it couldn't be...", but it was - the first runners were already within 2 miles of the finish line, and were going to cross it in a few minutes. It was amazing to see people running with such speed, and all I could do was clap while running as the first 20 of them whizzed by me. Incredible!
At the two miles and four mile markers there were water stops, and I got to practice grabbing a cup from an extended hand and drinking from it, while trying not to lose my momentum. The first time I sloshed water all over my face, but I was a little more prepared two miles later. Both times I was careful to throw my cups into the garbage cans, unlike so many runners who just crushed their cups and threw them on the ground. I know that this is common practice in races, but it really didn't take much effort for me to toss my cup in the provided recepticle. All the same, I thanked the handsome young soldier who was running around collecting the fallen paper goods, and he cheered me on in return.
My legs naturally started to get a little tired towards the end of the race, but they didn't really hurt, and I didn't get winded at all. This lead me to believe that I can probably push myself a little harder during other races to improve my speed. I decided whil I was running that I'm going to sign up for a 5k in the near future to do some of this speedwork.
Even though I wasn't that exhausted, I was super excited to see the finish line up ahead of me. There was a man near the line with a computer that read our D-tags, which were the time chips on our shoes. He called us out by name as we crossed the line. It was a little odd to hear "And here comes Autumn Yates. Good job Autumn!" from a total stranger as I was finishing, but it was kind of exhilarating too. I grabbed a water bottle and looked up at the clock to see that a little more than an hour and ten minutes had passed since the start of the race, and I found out at the results board later on that my exact finishing time was 70 minutes, 23 seconds, with an 11:05 minute mile. I also came in 623rd place for the women. I was pleased for my first race, but I definitely think I can do better, especially after I learned that the 78-year-old oldest runner beat me by about 14 minutes!
Following the run I got some food, picked up the long-sleeved shirt that I checked, and sat down to watch the results announcements. The top ten finishers for both men and women each got monetary prizes and windbreakers, and the top three finishers in each 5-year age bracket (from under-19 all the way up to 74-79 years old) also got prizes. In between, they pulled names from a bucket for a variety of door prizes. I won a $25 gift certificate to a local running store! That was a nice surpise. Now I can get some winter gear as my longer runs start to get chillier!
On the way to the metro, I took the long way so I could pass both the Vietnam and Korean War Memorials. The race was, after all, in honor of Veteran's Day, and the monuments were bustling with somber on-lookers searching for the names of lost loved ones, as well as others who were there for the same reasons as I was. It's heart-breaking to see so many names on those walls, and I'm glad that I could participate in an event on a holiday that honors their memory.
All in all, it was a very enjoyable morning, and I am proud of myself for completing my very first race. I think I might start an album so I have a place to put my race bibs and pictures, because I have a feeling that this will be the first of many.
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Saturday, November 1, 2008
Running for Office
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
I ran TEN miles this morning! I still can't believe it. Erin was out of town, so I went over to the O&D Trail in Vienna with Dave. The O&D is one of many "rail to trail"s in the area, meaning that old railroad tracks that were no longer in use have been paved over to create scenic wooded trails. The foliage is at its peak around here, which made the trail extra pretty.
Fortunately Andrea was there today, and she and I ran together. I am truly grateful that I have a teammate that runs at the same pace as me! We keep each other motivated, keep our paces up, and make the whole run go a whole lot faster. Today was no different, as we spent the entire ten miles talking about work, family, and recent little anecdotes (Andrea's kids sound adorable by the way, and I can't wait to eventually meet them!). It's nice to have someone else to discuss the week with too, especially since she was a teacher before she became a full-time mom. The more I run with her, the more I know I am going to miss her when she goes to Disney and I go to Arizona!
Today there were two water stations instead of one - no, nobody got lost on the way to setting them up this time! - , and they were lovingly manned by members of Petra's and Miriam's family, as well as Monique. Monique is training with us, but she also ran in the Marine Corps Marathon last Thursday. She had her impressive medal around her neck as she cheered us on from the sidelines and took pictures. Most of us stopped to inspect her new piece of jewelry and congratulate her on her accomplishment. Pretty soon I'm going to be getting a finisher's medal too!
Coach Jim ran with us for a little bit on the way out, as well for the tail end of the run as we were coming back to the rec center. He's such a nice man, and he seems genuinely concerned about each of us and our health. He is always reminding us to drink more, he checks in with everyone to make sure we don't have any injuries, and he knows all different sorts of stretches to suggest when something hurts. While he was running with us, I got to learn a little more about him. It turns out that he has two boys, ages 16 and 23. Never in a million years would I have guessed that he was old enough to have a 23 year old son. It's becoming more and more obvious maintaining an active lifestyle and knowing how to take care of yourself are an important step in preserving one's health, no matter how old you are.
As I said before, Coach Jim was with us when we finished the 10 miler. I was a little tired, but I was so proud of myself. Jim told me that just by looking at me he could tell that I could have gone even farther today. None of the coaches had ever said anything like that to me before, and I realized that he was right. I had been running a long time, but I was still energized and in good spirits. There is now no doubt in my mind - I am officially a runner, and I am definitely capable of running this half marathon (and maybe a full marathon some day)!
When we got back to the parking lot, I realized that I had put my stuff in Tina's car instead of Jim's, and so Dave and I had to wait a long time for her to return from the trail with her key. Although this prevented us from leaving as early as we both had hoped, I was happy that Dave got a chance to meet some of my team members. It's strange to have this whole separate world that my husband isn't a part of, so I was really glad that he was able to come hang out today. After all, we are going to be spending a decent amount of time with these people in Arizona, and it will be good for them to not be strangers.
Once we got my stuff from Tina's car, we popped back home for just a few minutes before heading back out to vote. Today is the last day for absentee voting in Alexandria, and we wanted to make sure that we didn't have to wait in crazy lines on a work day. The line was still two hours long today, but we did our best to pass the time quickly. Standing in line for two hours is not the easiest thing to do after running for 10 miles, but my candidate has been "running" for two years, so it was the least I could do. :-) Basically, I had two monumental firsts today - the first time I ran a double-digit mileage count, and the first time I voted in person in a general election (the past two times were by absentee ballot, since I was in college and then graduate school). I have never felt more in shape or more patriotic than I do today!
Tonight we will be attending an event at my school. It will be a tented party in the school yard, which probably means another two hours of standing. This has definitely been an exhausting day, and I am looking forward to getting into bed tonight. I think I've earned it!
Thank you to everyone for reading, and for all of your support!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
I ran TEN miles this morning! I still can't believe it. Erin was out of town, so I went over to the O&D Trail in Vienna with Dave. The O&D is one of many "rail to trail"s in the area, meaning that old railroad tracks that were no longer in use have been paved over to create scenic wooded trails. The foliage is at its peak around here, which made the trail extra pretty.
Fortunately Andrea was there today, and she and I ran together. I am truly grateful that I have a teammate that runs at the same pace as me! We keep each other motivated, keep our paces up, and make the whole run go a whole lot faster. Today was no different, as we spent the entire ten miles talking about work, family, and recent little anecdotes (Andrea's kids sound adorable by the way, and I can't wait to eventually meet them!). It's nice to have someone else to discuss the week with too, especially since she was a teacher before she became a full-time mom. The more I run with her, the more I know I am going to miss her when she goes to Disney and I go to Arizona!
Today there were two water stations instead of one - no, nobody got lost on the way to setting them up this time! - , and they were lovingly manned by members of Petra's and Miriam's family, as well as Monique. Monique is training with us, but she also ran in the Marine Corps Marathon last Thursday. She had her impressive medal around her neck as she cheered us on from the sidelines and took pictures. Most of us stopped to inspect her new piece of jewelry and congratulate her on her accomplishment. Pretty soon I'm going to be getting a finisher's medal too!
Coach Jim ran with us for a little bit on the way out, as well for the tail end of the run as we were coming back to the rec center. He's such a nice man, and he seems genuinely concerned about each of us and our health. He is always reminding us to drink more, he checks in with everyone to make sure we don't have any injuries, and he knows all different sorts of stretches to suggest when something hurts. While he was running with us, I got to learn a little more about him. It turns out that he has two boys, ages 16 and 23. Never in a million years would I have guessed that he was old enough to have a 23 year old son. It's becoming more and more obvious maintaining an active lifestyle and knowing how to take care of yourself are an important step in preserving one's health, no matter how old you are.
As I said before, Coach Jim was with us when we finished the 10 miler. I was a little tired, but I was so proud of myself. Jim told me that just by looking at me he could tell that I could have gone even farther today. None of the coaches had ever said anything like that to me before, and I realized that he was right. I had been running a long time, but I was still energized and in good spirits. There is now no doubt in my mind - I am officially a runner, and I am definitely capable of running this half marathon (and maybe a full marathon some day)!
When we got back to the parking lot, I realized that I had put my stuff in Tina's car instead of Jim's, and so Dave and I had to wait a long time for her to return from the trail with her key. Although this prevented us from leaving as early as we both had hoped, I was happy that Dave got a chance to meet some of my team members. It's strange to have this whole separate world that my husband isn't a part of, so I was really glad that he was able to come hang out today. After all, we are going to be spending a decent amount of time with these people in Arizona, and it will be good for them to not be strangers.
Once we got my stuff from Tina's car, we popped back home for just a few minutes before heading back out to vote. Today is the last day for absentee voting in Alexandria, and we wanted to make sure that we didn't have to wait in crazy lines on a work day. The line was still two hours long today, but we did our best to pass the time quickly. Standing in line for two hours is not the easiest thing to do after running for 10 miles, but my candidate has been "running" for two years, so it was the least I could do. :-) Basically, I had two monumental firsts today - the first time I ran a double-digit mileage count, and the first time I voted in person in a general election (the past two times were by absentee ballot, since I was in college and then graduate school). I have never felt more in shape or more patriotic than I do today!
Tonight we will be attending an event at my school. It will be a tented party in the school yard, which probably means another two hours of standing. This has definitely been an exhausting day, and I am looking forward to getting into bed tonight. I think I've earned it!
Thank you to everyone for reading, and for all of your support!
My Fundraising Webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Monday, October 27, 2008
Falling Behind While Running Ahead
http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Eeek! I am falling behind in my blogging again! Sorry to all of my regular readers (if I have any), but I will try and catch you up on how things have been going in my little running universe.
Columbus Day Weekend: Running is For the Dogs
For Columbus Day Weekend - and my wonderful husband's birthday - a group of my college friends decided to rent a cabin in Cooperstown, NY and take in the baseball festivities. I had never been there before, but the town is quite adorable, and somewhat Gettysburgish in its quaintness. We passed time seeing the sites, taking a brewery tour, eating lots of food (of course), and playing cards in our campground's Adult Room, which was nothing more than a few couches and a projector screen TV.
Since I couldn't run with my team, I decided to get up on Sunday and run in Cooperstown. I had mapped out a route on mapmyrun.com, which I thought would get me around just fine. Perhaps I should have printed it instead of trying to commit it to memory. In any case, things started off well because Susan accompanied me for the first 2 1/2 miles or so. After she returned to the cabin, I attempted to remember the route, but wound up on a lonely - and very creepy - dirt road in the woods. The road eventually let out on a more open road, but by the time I hit a lake and a State Forest, I knew that I was completely lost. During that time, I was also chased by dogs on two separate occasions, so I was not exactly a happy camper. Fortunately I had my cell phone with me, and after placing a call back to the cabin, Tim was able to use the GPS to locate me. He said the same thing happened to him not too long ago, so fortunately nobody razzed me too much about getting horribly off-track. That's the last time I run alone in the wilderness!
Saturday, October 18, 2008: Has anybody seen the water stop, or the starting point for that matter?
On our way to this training, Erin and I got horribly lost and wound up taking a joyride throughout the district of Columbia. I definitely should have brought Samantha - the new GPS that I got Dave for his birthday. We eventually found our starting point at about 8:00, 15 minutes after we were supposed to be there, when we actually should have been early. It turns out that a bunch of other people got lost too (including Andrea, who didn't get there until I had almost finished my run), so nobody had started running yet. The coaches made the announcement that half marathoners were only supposed to do a recovery run of 6 miles, and that the water stop was the turn-around. This would not have been a big deal, had the water stop set-up person not gotten lost in the park! To make a long story short, I wound up running right past the place where the water stop should have been, and did somewhere between 7-8 miles instead of 6. I kept up a really good pace, though, and I also spent most of the time chatting in Spanish with another runner. My first bilingual run - yay! This was definitely one of my more achy post-run days.
Saturday, October 24th - Eight is Enough
This past Saturday's starting point was much easier to find, as it was in my hometown of Alexandria. It was drizzling as I did my eight miles, but I didn't mind. I guess if you run in a hurricane at the beginning of the training, it puts everything else into perspective for you! Andrea couldn't be there, so I did the first few miles more or less on my own, with the exception of a run-walker who I chatted with on occasion when her intervals placed her near me. She gave me really good advice: I need to figure out my pace, and during the race I need to look for the people who run holding pace numbers. Apparently there will be different people running with signs that say "8 minute mile", "10 minute mile", etc. I need to find my guy (probably 11 minutes), and stay within eyesight of him, so that I don't get so excited on race day that I run too fast and tire myself out. I've heard that it is pretty common to use up a lot of your energy in the first few miles because of all of the commotion around you, which actually makes your pace a lot slower once you've tired yourself out. Hopefully this won't happen to me.
On the way back, I ran with a really nice woman named Elizabeth, who ran at pretty much the same pace as me. It definitely made the time pass a lot quicker than during the first four. I can only imagine how quickly my weekday runs would fly by if I just had someone to run with!
This coming Saturday is a 10 miler. My first double-digit run...oh my goodness!!
Eeek! I am falling behind in my blogging again! Sorry to all of my regular readers (if I have any), but I will try and catch you up on how things have been going in my little running universe.
Columbus Day Weekend: Running is For the Dogs
For Columbus Day Weekend - and my wonderful husband's birthday - a group of my college friends decided to rent a cabin in Cooperstown, NY and take in the baseball festivities. I had never been there before, but the town is quite adorable, and somewhat Gettysburgish in its quaintness. We passed time seeing the sites, taking a brewery tour, eating lots of food (of course), and playing cards in our campground's Adult Room, which was nothing more than a few couches and a projector screen TV.
Since I couldn't run with my team, I decided to get up on Sunday and run in Cooperstown. I had mapped out a route on mapmyrun.com, which I thought would get me around just fine. Perhaps I should have printed it instead of trying to commit it to memory. In any case, things started off well because Susan accompanied me for the first 2 1/2 miles or so. After she returned to the cabin, I attempted to remember the route, but wound up on a lonely - and very creepy - dirt road in the woods. The road eventually let out on a more open road, but by the time I hit a lake and a State Forest, I knew that I was completely lost. During that time, I was also chased by dogs on two separate occasions, so I was not exactly a happy camper. Fortunately I had my cell phone with me, and after placing a call back to the cabin, Tim was able to use the GPS to locate me. He said the same thing happened to him not too long ago, so fortunately nobody razzed me too much about getting horribly off-track. That's the last time I run alone in the wilderness!
Saturday, October 18, 2008: Has anybody seen the water stop, or the starting point for that matter?
On our way to this training, Erin and I got horribly lost and wound up taking a joyride throughout the district of Columbia. I definitely should have brought Samantha - the new GPS that I got Dave for his birthday. We eventually found our starting point at about 8:00, 15 minutes after we were supposed to be there, when we actually should have been early. It turns out that a bunch of other people got lost too (including Andrea, who didn't get there until I had almost finished my run), so nobody had started running yet. The coaches made the announcement that half marathoners were only supposed to do a recovery run of 6 miles, and that the water stop was the turn-around. This would not have been a big deal, had the water stop set-up person not gotten lost in the park! To make a long story short, I wound up running right past the place where the water stop should have been, and did somewhere between 7-8 miles instead of 6. I kept up a really good pace, though, and I also spent most of the time chatting in Spanish with another runner. My first bilingual run - yay! This was definitely one of my more achy post-run days.
Saturday, October 24th - Eight is Enough
This past Saturday's starting point was much easier to find, as it was in my hometown of Alexandria. It was drizzling as I did my eight miles, but I didn't mind. I guess if you run in a hurricane at the beginning of the training, it puts everything else into perspective for you! Andrea couldn't be there, so I did the first few miles more or less on my own, with the exception of a run-walker who I chatted with on occasion when her intervals placed her near me. She gave me really good advice: I need to figure out my pace, and during the race I need to look for the people who run holding pace numbers. Apparently there will be different people running with signs that say "8 minute mile", "10 minute mile", etc. I need to find my guy (probably 11 minutes), and stay within eyesight of him, so that I don't get so excited on race day that I run too fast and tire myself out. I've heard that it is pretty common to use up a lot of your energy in the first few miles because of all of the commotion around you, which actually makes your pace a lot slower once you've tired yourself out. Hopefully this won't happen to me.
On the way back, I ran with a really nice woman named Elizabeth, who ran at pretty much the same pace as me. It definitely made the time pass a lot quicker than during the first four. I can only imagine how quickly my weekday runs would fly by if I just had someone to run with!
This coming Saturday is a 10 miler. My first double-digit run...oh my goodness!!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Hills
I did my required four miles today. It's funny, but I'm more exhausted now than I was when I ran eight miles on Saturday. I think I couple of factors come into play here: 1. I'm running alone instead of with Andrea and the others, 2. I put in a full day of work and dealt with a 45 minute commute before starting my run, and 3. My neighborhood is way hillier than any of the trails we run on during training. My coaches say that hill training is really beneficial, and I know that it will build up my stamina and make me able to go faster on flat terrain, but it still isn't any fun. Hopefully Cooperstown isn't super hilly, because I'm looking forward to another not-to-difficult (albeit lonely) eight miler when we go out of town this weekend.
In related news, one of my coworkers is doing the Nike Women's Marathon a week from Saturday. She has to go out to San Francisco for it, and she's really looking forward to it. I'm excited for her, and I can't wait to see that Tiffany's necklace that she'll get in lieu of a finisher's medal. To me, the hills of San Francisco are worth it for the bling that you get to flaunt afterward!
In related news, one of my coworkers is doing the Nike Women's Marathon a week from Saturday. She has to go out to San Francisco for it, and she's really looking forward to it. I'm excited for her, and I can't wait to see that Tiffany's necklace that she'll get in lieu of a finisher's medal. To me, the hills of San Francisco are worth it for the bling that you get to flaunt afterward!
Sunday, October 5, 2008
And the winner is...
...Karen! Karen, a cyclist who knows someone on my running team, won my raffle for the long weekend at the lakeside cottage in Upstate NY. Congratulations Karen, and thank you to everyone who entered! Check out the video below to see my friend pull the winning ticket:
I haven't been updating my blog since I started the raffle, since I wanted the information and cottage photos to be the first thing that potential entrants saw. Now I feel like I can finally catch everyone up on the past three Saturdays!
Honored Teammate Picnic
The honored teammate picnic was on Saturday, September 20th. After an easy four mile run we gathered by the canal at Fletcher's Boathouse for bagels and cake. While we were eating, people on my team got up and shared their personal stories. Monique shared the story of her sister, who died 20 years ago of complications from Leukemia, and she explained that thanks to all of the hard work of fundraisers like us, patients are far more likely to survive now from the same disease. Marc stood up with his two year old daughter and explained that she had been fighting Leukemia since January, which is why he decided to do a Team in Training event. In addition, Sarah, who is currently undergoing treatment but is still training for a half marathon, attempted to share her story but got too choked up to do so. Her husband stepped in and explained the details of her treatment, in addition to thanking us for all of the fundraising work we were doing. There were many others who also talked about friends and family members who were battling a blood cancer, or who unfortunately lost their battle. It was an emotional morning, and it reminded us why we are out there doing what we're doing.
Running with Cows and Horses
On Saturday the 27th Dave and I had to attend a wedding in Upstate NY (congratulations Eric and Diana!), which meant that I would have to miss Saturday Training for the first time. Since I knew I would be a little too busy to run on Saturday, I chose to get my six miles in on the Friday. I used www.mapmyrun.com to plan a route in the secluded area surrounding my mother-in-law's house, and proceeded to exhaust myself running up steep hills through the lakeside farmland. At one point, I was worried that I missed the cross street (literally named "Cross Street") to get back to a road that I was familiar with. There were plenty of little dirt roads that cut into cow pastures, but they looked like they turned into driveways as they got closer to the farmer's barns. I was really starting to get nervous, but eventually I did come upon a hilly, narrow, gravelly little road called Cross Street. There was a sign that said the road is closed between November and April, and I thanked my lucky stars that it was only September (I think I would have cried if I had had to turn back the way I came). I soon discovered the reason for the sign, as the road was really more of a treacherous little path that is probably impassible in the cold NY winters. As I attempted to run down it, I decided to try the Energy Gu that I had picked up at the Bethesda training. It was caramel flavored, but it had caffeine in it and it basically tasted so disgusting that I barely had any of it. I'm definitely going to stick with sports jelly beans! In any case, I made the lonely 6 mile trek and I was very proud of myself. It's really starting to get easier!
8 Miles!!
Yesterday we were back at Fletcher's Boathouse, but this time for an 8 mile run. I was happy to be surrounded by my running buddies, and Andrea and I chatted easily along the path. We ran from Georgetown to Bethesda and back, which was no small feat. Still, it really wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. The shorts and sports beans that I purchased at the Army 10-miler Expo the day before helped. I still can't believe I ran 8 miles!
Following the run, Erin and I borrowed a table from Tina and proceeded to run a bakesale in front of Giant for the next four hours. It was pretty successful, and we each walked away with $98 for our fundraising webpages. People were so generous, and some came up to us and thanked us because they had lost loved ones to a blood cancer, and they were just genuinely happy to see us out there raising money for the cause. I was exhausted from the run and nervous about the fundraiser, but it was so rewarding and inspiring to hear people's stories. Now I know more than ever that I need to meet my fundraising goal. Thanks so much to all of you who have already donated!
Saturday, September 20, 2008
Enter to win a long weekend/three nights at a lakeside cottage in NY!!
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Here's my most recent fundraiser to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society:
I just wanted to let everyone know that I am raffling off a three
night stay at my mother-in-law's lakeside cottage in Upstate NY.
A $10 donation to my Leukemia and Lymphoma Society webpage buys you a chance
(two chances for $15!) to stay at this beautiful secluded spot on Owasco Lake,
one of New York's famous Finger Lakes, during the off-season (September-June)!
Just so you know, my mother-in-law usually rents this out for $400-$600 for the
same amount of time!
If that's not good enough, here are some additional perks: the cottage
is both kid and dog friendly, and the winner has the option of
extending their stay - based on availability - in exchange for an
additional donation to my webpage!
The cottage is small but cozy, and has a kitchenette, two bedrooms, a
full bath, and a living room with satellite TV and wireless internet,
if you choose to bring a laptop. The bedrooms sleep 4 total and the
living room has a pull-out couch, which allows you to add an
additional 1-2 people if you don't mind being squished. The cottage
has its own deck that provides lovely views of the lake (I
particularly enjoy being out there at sunset!), and is just a few feet
away from a private staircase that leads directly to the lake. Down
there, you can hold a bonfire on the beach, canoe, or kayak (provided
the water isn't too cold).
If you want to do more than sit by the water and enjoy the beauty of
your surroundings, some nearby attractions include museums and historical
sights, vineyards and winetrails, the charming town and great shops of Skaneateles,
and bigger cities such as Rochester and Syracuse. I'm pretty sure that the nearest
place to ski is about an hour away, but if you're a ski enthusiast, let me know and
I can double-check for you.
If you are interested, you can do the following:
1. Check out the photos above.
2. Enter the raffle by visiting my fundraising webpage and donating
$10 for one chance or $15 for 2.
3. Send me an email at autumn.yates@yahoo.com to let me know that
your donation is for the raffle. I will send a reply confirming that
I received your message and donation.
It's that simple! I will pull the winning ticket on Sunday, October
5th, so that the winner still has some weekends to choose from if they
want to use the cottage in the fall. Make sure you buy your chance
now before it's too late, and thank you for supporting my fundraising
efforts!
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Chugging Along
It's amazing how Tuesday's Back to School Night can leave me exhausted for the rest of the week. I think it's because I'm not used to putting in a 13 hour day at school, nor do I ever hope to be. My running also got a little thrown off, too, because I had to switch from a Tuesday run to a Monday one. My legs were still feeling Saturday's 5 miler and Sunday's humid jog, so Monday definitely hurt. Now I know why Mondays are supposed to be rest days. Fortunately this Wednesday was just a cross-training day instead of a running day, so I was able to get home nice and early and use the ellyptical. I had the gym all to myself, which was great.
Today is another 3 mile run, and then I get to rest tomorrow before Saturday's 4-mile run at Fletcher's Boathouse. It's just a recovery run, which explains why it's less than last Saturday. Following the run, we are going to have our Honored Teammate Picnic, during which Personal Honored Teammates (loved ones of team members who have survived a blood cancer) are invited to partake in the activities and share their stories. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and very inspiring. This is good news, since my fundraising has hit a lull and nothing motivates me more than a reminder about the real reason why I'm doing this. I have a bake sale coming up with Erin at the Giant on Duke Street, and I am still working on getting on the list to do gift wrapping at Border's. I also sent an email to the Wonderland to see if they would be willing to let me do some sort of fundraising Happy Hour, but they haven't gotten back to me yet. I'm thinking about talking to the people at Chevy's in Pentagon City, too, and perhaps contacting some other places. I'm definitely starting to feel like I have two jobs!
In related news, thank you to those of you who have been clicking the ads on the left side of this blog. So far, I've made $3.78 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society just because a few people have done nothing more than click on a few ads. Please continue clicking, as my goal is to raise $100 that way!!! Thanks everyone for your help!!
Today is another 3 mile run, and then I get to rest tomorrow before Saturday's 4-mile run at Fletcher's Boathouse. It's just a recovery run, which explains why it's less than last Saturday. Following the run, we are going to have our Honored Teammate Picnic, during which Personal Honored Teammates (loved ones of team members who have survived a blood cancer) are invited to partake in the activities and share their stories. I think it's going to be a lot of fun and very inspiring. This is good news, since my fundraising has hit a lull and nothing motivates me more than a reminder about the real reason why I'm doing this. I have a bake sale coming up with Erin at the Giant on Duke Street, and I am still working on getting on the list to do gift wrapping at Border's. I also sent an email to the Wonderland to see if they would be willing to let me do some sort of fundraising Happy Hour, but they haven't gotten back to me yet. I'm thinking about talking to the people at Chevy's in Pentagon City, too, and perhaps contacting some other places. I'm definitely starting to feel like I have two jobs!
In related news, thank you to those of you who have been clicking the ads on the left side of this blog. So far, I've made $3.78 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society just because a few people have done nothing more than click on a few ads. Please continue clicking, as my goal is to raise $100 that way!!! Thanks everyone for your help!!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
I love my new hobby!
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Woohoo, no tropical storm this weekend! This morning's run went really well. Erin and I left for Bethesda at about 7:00 this morning. Andrea was at that wedding and Keri was home sick, but I ran most of the way with Kate, who's office is only a few blocks from where I work! Kate definitely had me going at a really fast pace, and I talked so much that I got a bit winded by the end, so I let her go on ahead of me. Still, I was only about the 6th person to get back to our starting point, since the fastest people mainly do the marathon and therefore had to run three miles longer than me.
I chatted with people as they came in, and then changed in the car once Erin came back. She has since showed me which set of keys in the key box are hers, so now I don't have to wait for her in order to grab my stuff. Once everyone was present and accounted for, a bunch of us went and got bagels at the place across the street. We crowded around a sidewalk bench and chatted as we ate. I got to hear about different runs and fundraising ideas, and Erin and I decided that we're going to do a bake sale at a nearby Giant to try and raise some extra funds. So many people have these great ideas that will probably put them way over what they need to raise, so I really need to step it up to meet the minimum requirement. My donors have been so generous, though, and I definitely can't complain. Thank you so much to all of you who pushed my fundraising total into four digits!
All in all, I enjoyed my five mile run this morning, and I'm having a great time with the new company I'm keeping. Every training makes me fall more in love with Team in Training and it's mission, and I can see why people come back year after year. Good friends, good health, a good cause, and good food afterwards - it's addicting! Next week's six mile run will be a distance record for me, and I'm so excited. Wish me luck!
Woohoo, no tropical storm this weekend! This morning's run went really well. Erin and I left for Bethesda at about 7:00 this morning. Andrea was at that wedding and Keri was home sick, but I ran most of the way with Kate, who's office is only a few blocks from where I work! Kate definitely had me going at a really fast pace, and I talked so much that I got a bit winded by the end, so I let her go on ahead of me. Still, I was only about the 6th person to get back to our starting point, since the fastest people mainly do the marathon and therefore had to run three miles longer than me.
I chatted with people as they came in, and then changed in the car once Erin came back. She has since showed me which set of keys in the key box are hers, so now I don't have to wait for her in order to grab my stuff. Once everyone was present and accounted for, a bunch of us went and got bagels at the place across the street. We crowded around a sidewalk bench and chatted as we ate. I got to hear about different runs and fundraising ideas, and Erin and I decided that we're going to do a bake sale at a nearby Giant to try and raise some extra funds. So many people have these great ideas that will probably put them way over what they need to raise, so I really need to step it up to meet the minimum requirement. My donors have been so generous, though, and I definitely can't complain. Thank you so much to all of you who pushed my fundraising total into four digits!
All in all, I enjoyed my five mile run this morning, and I'm having a great time with the new company I'm keeping. Every training makes me fall more in love with Team in Training and it's mission, and I can see why people come back year after year. Good friends, good health, a good cause, and good food afterwards - it's addicting! Next week's six mile run will be a distance record for me, and I'm so excited. Wish me luck!
Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Updates
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
First of all, I recently gave Google permission to start running advertisements on the left side of my blog. In exchange, Google will pay me about 10 cents for every time that one of my blog readers clicks one of these ads. You don't have to buy anything, just click the link! Any additional money that I make off of this will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as part of my fundraising effort. Therefore, please check back every day and click the ads even if I haven't written any new posts!
In addition, I wanted to let everyone know that as of a couple of weeks ago I added a second Personal Honored Teammate. My neighbor Joyce's grown son has suffered from four bouts of a rare cancer in his blood vessels, and the doctors are currently monitering this fourth and most recent return. My thoughts are with both Trey and his family.
In related Honored Teammate news, Jean has been feeling a lot better recently. She discovered that she can drink creamsicle shakes from Walter's, a hotdog stand that has been a staple for decades in Larchmont. Mom reports that she has also been up and around, doing small chores around the house. I'm so happy for her, and hopefully her strength will continue to improve as we get closer to the holiday season. It's not officially Christmas Eve unless Jeannie is sitting at my mom's kitchen table making the ladies of the family (and my poor, outnumbered Dave) laugh hysterically!
Well, it's back to work for a little while, and then it's time for my Tuesday run. I think I'll run on the mall again today!
First of all, I recently gave Google permission to start running advertisements on the left side of my blog. In exchange, Google will pay me about 10 cents for every time that one of my blog readers clicks one of these ads. You don't have to buy anything, just click the link! Any additional money that I make off of this will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as part of my fundraising effort. Therefore, please check back every day and click the ads even if I haven't written any new posts!
In addition, I wanted to let everyone know that as of a couple of weeks ago I added a second Personal Honored Teammate. My neighbor Joyce's grown son has suffered from four bouts of a rare cancer in his blood vessels, and the doctors are currently monitering this fourth and most recent return. My thoughts are with both Trey and his family.
In related Honored Teammate news, Jean has been feeling a lot better recently. She discovered that she can drink creamsicle shakes from Walter's, a hotdog stand that has been a staple for decades in Larchmont. Mom reports that she has also been up and around, doing small chores around the house. I'm so happy for her, and hopefully her strength will continue to improve as we get closer to the holiday season. It's not officially Christmas Eve unless Jeannie is sitting at my mom's kitchen table making the ladies of the family (and my poor, outnumbered Dave) laugh hysterically!
Well, it's back to work for a little while, and then it's time for my Tuesday run. I think I'll run on the mall again today!
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Pictures as Promised
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
Here are some photos from yesterday's wet and wild event. The first one is of me and Petra, and shows just how soaked to the bone we were after running. The second one is of Petra and Erin demonstrating the wind speed that we felt out on Haine's Point. Enjoy!
Saturday, September 6, 2008
Liquid Sunshine
My fundraising webpage: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
(Thanks to all who have donated so far. I'm up to $925 in donations that will help save lives!!!)
Ok, so if I had to choose between running in 100 degree weather or running in the rain, I think I would choose the rain. That said, I don't think I ever foresaw running in a hurricane. However, that is exactly what I did this morning!
Today's 8:00am run was scheduled for Haine's Point (the national park past the Jefferson Memorial and along the Potomac). When we stretched and warmed up at 7:45, there was really only a light drizzle. By the time our run was well under way, it started to come down harder. Andrea and I continued to keep each other's pace up, and chatted with ease about our families, education, and past jobs. The coaches cheered us on, calling out that the torrential downpour was just "liquid sunshine." Haha, sure. Still, I think the rain kept us cool and motivated, and we finished our 4 miles easily. We weren't really even out of breath, and I think we both could have gone farther!
When we got back to the parking lot the rain was really picking up and the wind was crazy. Many people were standing there barefoot because everyone's sneakers were soaked through, and the staff was signing people out under an umbrella. I did get my tote bag prize for already raising over $600 (woohoo!), and I was able to use it for some of my soaking wet stuff. I returned home looking like a drowned rat, but all in all it was actually fun! I'll post a couple of pictures once Erin and Keri send them to me.
For those of you wondering about the first week of school, it went really well. I was able transition nicely back to work, and I feel like I'm prepared for the weeks ahead. I'm still figuring out the running/work balance, but I'm getting there. I tried out the Bethesda buddy run, but it was just too far away. I may try the buddy run on the Mall on Thursday, but other than that I think I will stick to running on the Hill and maybe doing one run at home each week while it's still light out.
That's about it for now. This Hurricane Hannah survivor is going to go relax and enjoy a lazy, rainy Saturday on the couch! Check back soon for pictures!
(Thanks to all who have donated so far. I'm up to $925 in donations that will help save lives!!!)
Ok, so if I had to choose between running in 100 degree weather or running in the rain, I think I would choose the rain. That said, I don't think I ever foresaw running in a hurricane. However, that is exactly what I did this morning!
Today's 8:00am run was scheduled for Haine's Point (the national park past the Jefferson Memorial and along the Potomac). When we stretched and warmed up at 7:45, there was really only a light drizzle. By the time our run was well under way, it started to come down harder. Andrea and I continued to keep each other's pace up, and chatted with ease about our families, education, and past jobs. The coaches cheered us on, calling out that the torrential downpour was just "liquid sunshine." Haha, sure. Still, I think the rain kept us cool and motivated, and we finished our 4 miles easily. We weren't really even out of breath, and I think we both could have gone farther!
When we got back to the parking lot the rain was really picking up and the wind was crazy. Many people were standing there barefoot because everyone's sneakers were soaked through, and the staff was signing people out under an umbrella. I did get my tote bag prize for already raising over $600 (woohoo!), and I was able to use it for some of my soaking wet stuff. I returned home looking like a drowned rat, but all in all it was actually fun! I'll post a couple of pictures once Erin and Keri send them to me.
For those of you wondering about the first week of school, it went really well. I was able transition nicely back to work, and I feel like I'm prepared for the weeks ahead. I'm still figuring out the running/work balance, but I'm getting there. I tried out the Bethesda buddy run, but it was just too far away. I may try the buddy run on the Mall on Thursday, but other than that I think I will stick to running on the Hill and maybe doing one run at home each week while it's still light out.
That's about it for now. This Hurricane Hannah survivor is going to go relax and enjoy a lazy, rainy Saturday on the couch! Check back soon for pictures!
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Shopping Takes the Pain Away
Fundraising Page: http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/pfchangs09/ayates
First of all, I have decided to put my fundraising page at the beginning of each post, since my mom wasn't able to successfully copy and paste from the little description at the top left of this blog. Hopefully this will be easier for anyone who is trying to move between this page and that one!
Well, 6:45 definitely came around early this morning, and Reston is a longish drive from here. I'm so happy that Erin is my neighbor! We all met in front of Reston's Potomac River Running store, and seeing the fun goodies through the window was a primary motivator for getting me through my run. The trail wasn't far from the store, and after stretching and taking off it became apparent that Andrea and I run at pretty much the same pace. This was great because it allowed me to keep my speed up, and it made the run go by faster. I'm pretty sure that's the fastest I've ever done three miles, and I wish I had a watch with me to prove it. Andrea said running with me had the same effect on her, so hopefully we can make it a regular occurance!
As promised, we all got to file into the running store after we finished our end-of-run stretching. I was finally able to get my Virginia is for Runners Shirt! I'm glad I waited, because this store had one in a pretty baby blue, and the other franchise only had them in white and gray. Maybe at some point I'll get back to purchase the kelly green one that they have (their $25 each, so fortunately for Dave I'm going to try to limit myself to just two.).
I also purchased the water belt I had been dreading. Wearing it makes me feel like a dork, but it will come in handy during those long runs later on. Plus how dorky can it be if everyone around me is wearing one too? I rounded out my purchases with some high-energy gummies and jelly beans, a moisture-wicking visor, and two more pairs of balega socks (one of which was free with my coupon!). I spent a small fortune, but fortunately our 10% Team in Training discount made it hurt a little less. I'm so excited to try out my new goodies tomorrow!
When I got home, I discovered that my fundraising total climbed a bit higher, and I reached the minimum that was needed by September 2nd in order to qualify for a free TNT totebag. Yay! I love free stuff!
Tuesday the kids come back, so hopefully I'll be able to keep up the positive attitude regarding my new workout regime.
First of all, I have decided to put my fundraising page at the beginning of each post, since my mom wasn't able to successfully copy and paste from the little description at the top left of this blog. Hopefully this will be easier for anyone who is trying to move between this page and that one!
Well, 6:45 definitely came around early this morning, and Reston is a longish drive from here. I'm so happy that Erin is my neighbor! We all met in front of Reston's Potomac River Running store, and seeing the fun goodies through the window was a primary motivator for getting me through my run. The trail wasn't far from the store, and after stretching and taking off it became apparent that Andrea and I run at pretty much the same pace. This was great because it allowed me to keep my speed up, and it made the run go by faster. I'm pretty sure that's the fastest I've ever done three miles, and I wish I had a watch with me to prove it. Andrea said running with me had the same effect on her, so hopefully we can make it a regular occurance!
As promised, we all got to file into the running store after we finished our end-of-run stretching. I was finally able to get my Virginia is for Runners Shirt! I'm glad I waited, because this store had one in a pretty baby blue, and the other franchise only had them in white and gray. Maybe at some point I'll get back to purchase the kelly green one that they have (their $25 each, so fortunately for Dave I'm going to try to limit myself to just two.).
I also purchased the water belt I had been dreading. Wearing it makes me feel like a dork, but it will come in handy during those long runs later on. Plus how dorky can it be if everyone around me is wearing one too? I rounded out my purchases with some high-energy gummies and jelly beans, a moisture-wicking visor, and two more pairs of balega socks (one of which was free with my coupon!). I spent a small fortune, but fortunately our 10% Team in Training discount made it hurt a little less. I'm so excited to try out my new goodies tomorrow!
When I got home, I discovered that my fundraising total climbed a bit higher, and I reached the minimum that was needed by September 2nd in order to qualify for a free TNT totebag. Yay! I love free stuff!
Tuesday the kids come back, so hopefully I'll be able to keep up the positive attitude regarding my new workout regime.
Friday, August 29, 2008
work + training = craziness
OK, so running all summer hasn't been that big of a deal, considering that during the parts of the day that I wasn't running, I was doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. This week I went back to work so that I could attend meetings, plan my lessons, and set up my classroom. After I was done, I went running on Capitol Hill on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and I am exhausted. On the plus side, I have been falling asleep early and sleeping very soundly (although this meant missing parts of the DNC that I tried to stay awake to watch). I'm wondering what it's going to be like once the kiddies come back. I may have to start running at home at least once a week after work, at least until it starts getting dark earlier. Then on the other two days I could either run on the Hill or with a buddy run group. There is a group meeting up in Bethesda on Wednesdays, so I'm going to try that next week, I think. It's just frustrating to have to go so far in the opposite direction just to run with other people. Ugh, I think I'll feel less uneasy once I have established a working routine.
Tomorrow we run in Reston, and Erin is picking me up at 6:45 (eek!). Afterwards, we're going to Potomac River Running, so I can finally get some fun new toys. More updates on what I buy later. :-)
Tomorrow we run in Reston, and Erin is picking me up at 6:45 (eek!). Afterwards, we're going to Potomac River Running, so I can finally get some fun new toys. More updates on what I buy later. :-)
Saturday, August 23, 2008
And they're off!
Today was our first group run. I thought I might have a hard time getting up at 6:40 so that I could meet Erin in front of her place at 7:00, but I woke up before the alarm. I guess I was excited, in that kid-on-the-first-day-of-school way. Poor Erin was definitely more exhausted than me - she has friends visiting this weekend, and they didn't arrive until 4:30 this morning!
We got to the track at the local high school decently early, and after listening to the coaches and captains chat for a bit (I'm going to have to get used to hearing them talk about how much we're helping cancer patients without crying every time), they sent us off for a one-lap warm-up before stretching. I had no idea that you are actually supposed to break a sweat, stretch, and then begin your workout. I suppose that's the benefit of training with people who know what they're doing!
After stretches, the coaches sent us back to the track, where they told us to run at a comfortable pace and count our laps for the next 30 minutes. I ran for a while next to one of the other team captains, and we chatted about work and politics. At about the same time, we both realized that I was going slower than I could, and she encouraged me to not worry about her and pick up my own pace. I did 10 laps (2 1/2 miles) in the 30 minutes. I probably could have done more had I sped up sooner, but I'm fine with that for now.
When everyone had cleared the track and reported our lap count to our respective captains - so they could split us into pace groups for the next run - we headed over to the library for an athlete's clinic. The first speaker was a chiropractor and physical therapist who advised us on how to prevent certain injuries and what to do if we got them. His company offers free consultations to Team in Training runners, which is good to know in the event I hurt myself (knock wood, fingers crossed).
Next up was a guy from Potomac River Running, although not the one that I went to. He explained the gate analysis process that I went through, and also showed a variety of products. This included clothing that wicks moisture; high protein gels, jelly beans and cubes; body glide to prevent chafing; and other little gadgets and tools. It turns out that next week we will all go to the store in Reston before or after our run. Since he gave us each a coupon for a free pair of running socks with our purchase, I think I'm going to get another pair of my balega socks as well as the "Virginia is for Runners" shirt that I liked so much!
Afterwards, the coaches pulled tickets for another raffle (this one was free), and the prizes were a t-shirt, running socks, a $25 gift certificate to PRR, and $50 towards our fundraising page. Keri, who was sitting right next to me and had just one number off from me, won the gift certificate. Lucky! The raffle concluded the meeting, so we walked back to our cars, chatting about the Nike Women's Marathon/Half Marathon in San Francisco, during which a firefighter in a tuxedo presents you with a Tiffany's necklace on a silver platter upon completing the race!
Overall, it was a good workout and an informative meeting. Everyone is so cheerful and passionate about what they're doing, and it's really nice to meet and spend time with new people. I think this is going to be a really good season.
In related news, I got a complete physical on Thursday, and the doctor says that I'm in perfect shape to do an event like this. She even said that I already have the unusually low heart rate of a person who runs on a regular basis. I'm starting to feel more and more like a runner!
We got to the track at the local high school decently early, and after listening to the coaches and captains chat for a bit (I'm going to have to get used to hearing them talk about how much we're helping cancer patients without crying every time), they sent us off for a one-lap warm-up before stretching. I had no idea that you are actually supposed to break a sweat, stretch, and then begin your workout. I suppose that's the benefit of training with people who know what they're doing!
After stretches, the coaches sent us back to the track, where they told us to run at a comfortable pace and count our laps for the next 30 minutes. I ran for a while next to one of the other team captains, and we chatted about work and politics. At about the same time, we both realized that I was going slower than I could, and she encouraged me to not worry about her and pick up my own pace. I did 10 laps (2 1/2 miles) in the 30 minutes. I probably could have done more had I sped up sooner, but I'm fine with that for now.
When everyone had cleared the track and reported our lap count to our respective captains - so they could split us into pace groups for the next run - we headed over to the library for an athlete's clinic. The first speaker was a chiropractor and physical therapist who advised us on how to prevent certain injuries and what to do if we got them. His company offers free consultations to Team in Training runners, which is good to know in the event I hurt myself (knock wood, fingers crossed).
Next up was a guy from Potomac River Running, although not the one that I went to. He explained the gate analysis process that I went through, and also showed a variety of products. This included clothing that wicks moisture; high protein gels, jelly beans and cubes; body glide to prevent chafing; and other little gadgets and tools. It turns out that next week we will all go to the store in Reston before or after our run. Since he gave us each a coupon for a free pair of running socks with our purchase, I think I'm going to get another pair of my balega socks as well as the "Virginia is for Runners" shirt that I liked so much!
Afterwards, the coaches pulled tickets for another raffle (this one was free), and the prizes were a t-shirt, running socks, a $25 gift certificate to PRR, and $50 towards our fundraising page. Keri, who was sitting right next to me and had just one number off from me, won the gift certificate. Lucky! The raffle concluded the meeting, so we walked back to our cars, chatting about the Nike Women's Marathon/Half Marathon in San Francisco, during which a firefighter in a tuxedo presents you with a Tiffany's necklace on a silver platter upon completing the race!
Overall, it was a good workout and an informative meeting. Everyone is so cheerful and passionate about what they're doing, and it's really nice to meet and spend time with new people. I think this is going to be a really good season.
In related news, I got a complete physical on Thursday, and the doctor says that I'm in perfect shape to do an event like this. She even said that I already have the unusually low heart rate of a person who runs on a regular basis. I'm starting to feel more and more like a runner!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Running Machine
Today I wanted to try out my new gear on my run. I know you're technically not supposed to run for too long in new sneakers, but it wasn't too hot yet and I was enjoying myself. Before I knew it, my new pedometer informed me that I had run five miles! I realized that I wasn't breathing heavy at all, until it was time to make it up that darn hill, which I did without stopping. My legs felt a little jello-like on the hill, but I wasn't in any sort of pain, and overall I've felt really good all day (although tomorrow may be a different story). Five miles, woohoo! I'm so proud of myself! :-)
Monday, August 18, 2008
Potomac River Running
Since today is a "rest" day in terms of exercise, I decided it would be a good time to do some sneaker shopping. Team in Training has partnerships with some specialty shops, and Erin recommended a store called Potomac River Running. They have a few locations, and I set out for the one in Arlington this morning.
The store is absolutely amazing! It's connected to a Bike store that is also a TNT-suggested shop. When I walked in, I explained to the sales associate that I was going to be training for a half marathon in January. He immediately had me get on a treadmill in the store, which had a video camera on the floor behind it. As I started to jog, my heels - which were being recorded by the video camera - showed up on the TV screen in front of me! It was a little bizarre watching the backs of my own feet as I ran, but this gave the associate a chance to see what kind of foot placement I had. He said it allows him to determine if my feet lean in or out when I run. Fortunately my feet don't do either, which most likely explains why I haven't suffered from shin-splints. Since I didn't need any corrective shoes, he had me get off the treadmill and take off the sneakers so he could inspect my arch. He then went off to collect a bunch of low-arch, non-corrective sneakers for me to try on.
He stayed with me for over a half hour while I tried on different pairs of running shoes, having me trying them out both on the treadmill and while running around the store (apparently this is a pretty common practice, so nobody even looked in my direction as I was weaving around the bicycles). He also showed me a different way to tie laces that reduces heel slippage without affecting circulation. I finally settled on a Pair of Nike Air Pegasus sneakers in a 7 1/2, which felt super comfortable and seem to have the support that my old running shoes have lost over the past year. My heel stayed in perfectly, so I didn't even need to use the alternative shoe-tying method. Since I'm trying to make these sneakers last throughout the training period, he suggested that I only wear them when running, and stick to my old sneakers for doing errands and just walking around.
After picking out my shoes, I wandered around the store a bit more, checking out the other merchandise. I resisted the urge to by a Virginia is for Runners t-shirt or any half-marathon paraphernalia, and stuck to a pair of running socks, a new sportsbra, and an inexpensive pedometer. Fortunately, being a Team in Training participant meant that I got a 10% discount on everything, which made me very happy. They even plugged my history into the computer so that it would be easier to help me pick out sneakers in the future. Overall, the store and the service were awesome, and I would recommend this place to anyone. I'm excited to try out my new gear tomorrow!
The store is absolutely amazing! It's connected to a Bike store that is also a TNT-suggested shop. When I walked in, I explained to the sales associate that I was going to be training for a half marathon in January. He immediately had me get on a treadmill in the store, which had a video camera on the floor behind it. As I started to jog, my heels - which were being recorded by the video camera - showed up on the TV screen in front of me! It was a little bizarre watching the backs of my own feet as I ran, but this gave the associate a chance to see what kind of foot placement I had. He said it allows him to determine if my feet lean in or out when I run. Fortunately my feet don't do either, which most likely explains why I haven't suffered from shin-splints. Since I didn't need any corrective shoes, he had me get off the treadmill and take off the sneakers so he could inspect my arch. He then went off to collect a bunch of low-arch, non-corrective sneakers for me to try on.
He stayed with me for over a half hour while I tried on different pairs of running shoes, having me trying them out both on the treadmill and while running around the store (apparently this is a pretty common practice, so nobody even looked in my direction as I was weaving around the bicycles). He also showed me a different way to tie laces that reduces heel slippage without affecting circulation. I finally settled on a Pair of Nike Air Pegasus sneakers in a 7 1/2, which felt super comfortable and seem to have the support that my old running shoes have lost over the past year. My heel stayed in perfectly, so I didn't even need to use the alternative shoe-tying method. Since I'm trying to make these sneakers last throughout the training period, he suggested that I only wear them when running, and stick to my old sneakers for doing errands and just walking around.
After picking out my shoes, I wandered around the store a bit more, checking out the other merchandise. I resisted the urge to by a Virginia is for Runners t-shirt or any half-marathon paraphernalia, and stuck to a pair of running socks, a new sportsbra, and an inexpensive pedometer. Fortunately, being a Team in Training participant meant that I got a 10% discount on everything, which made me very happy. They even plugged my history into the computer so that it would be easier to help me pick out sneakers in the future. Overall, the store and the service were awesome, and I would recommend this place to anyone. I'm excited to try out my new gear tomorrow!
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Kick-off
This morning I went to the Team in Training Kick-off at a hotel in Rosslyn. They had breakfast waiting for us in a room with wall-to-wall windows over looking Georgetown and the Potomac- so beautiful!
During breakfast and the speeches, I was able to sit with my teammates. There are four of us in total: Keri, a bubbly accountant who just started running about a year ago; Andrea, a friendly former teacher who has three children under the age of five (yikes); Tara, who looks like she's probably a few years younger than me, and also seems nervous about both running and fund-raising, and a fourth woman who was sitting at another table but joined us briefly at the end (I'm not sure what her name was, but I'm sure I'll find out more about her as we start training together). Our team captain is Erin, who also happens to be my neighbor!
Throughout the breakfast, the room was full of energy as staff members, volunteers, and coaches got up to share information about different components of the program. Colin, who won this year's "Man of the Year" award for raising more than $100,000 for the cause, also got up and told his story. He was diagnosed with a form of Leukemia ten years ago, and shared his experiences with cancer and Team in Training with a light-hearted sense of humor (although he still managed to make me tear up). He recently completed an iron-man competition...whew.
While the speeches were going on, two volunteers were walking around selling raffle tickets for two dollars a piece or 20 bucks for an arm's length (Although it looked like way longer than the typical arm. The volunteer joked that Michael Phelps measured them out for her before leaving for the Olympics). I bought two tickets, and several winners were chosen at the end of the event. The first three winners were given gift certificates to local biking and running stores, and the fourth person won a Team in Training duffle bag with a bunch of cool stuff inside.
The final two winners split the money that was collected in the raffle, which will be posted to their fundraising pages. They each got about $438! I definitely wouldn't have minded that addition to my fundraising total! I can't complain though - thanks to the generosity of family, friends, and several kind-hearted souls that I keep up in touch with via Facebook, I have raised $300 after just three days of fundraising! I still have a ways to go, but I definitely have faith in myself that I am going to reach my goal by the end of the next five months.
Our first group run is this coming Saturday at 7:00am. As far as the ungodly hour goes, at least our runs will be over with early so we can get on with our day. In addition, once it starts getting colder, we'll switch to 8:00am runs. Erin said she'd either call us or email us this week to talk about the first run and possible buddy runs. Thus it begins.
I have one final announcement, regarding my run today: After about 20 minutes of trail running, I came back to Beauregard Street and was able to run up the hill without even thinking about it!!!
During breakfast and the speeches, I was able to sit with my teammates. There are four of us in total: Keri, a bubbly accountant who just started running about a year ago; Andrea, a friendly former teacher who has three children under the age of five (yikes); Tara, who looks like she's probably a few years younger than me, and also seems nervous about both running and fund-raising, and a fourth woman who was sitting at another table but joined us briefly at the end (I'm not sure what her name was, but I'm sure I'll find out more about her as we start training together). Our team captain is Erin, who also happens to be my neighbor!
Throughout the breakfast, the room was full of energy as staff members, volunteers, and coaches got up to share information about different components of the program. Colin, who won this year's "Man of the Year" award for raising more than $100,000 for the cause, also got up and told his story. He was diagnosed with a form of Leukemia ten years ago, and shared his experiences with cancer and Team in Training with a light-hearted sense of humor (although he still managed to make me tear up). He recently completed an iron-man competition...whew.
While the speeches were going on, two volunteers were walking around selling raffle tickets for two dollars a piece or 20 bucks for an arm's length (Although it looked like way longer than the typical arm. The volunteer joked that Michael Phelps measured them out for her before leaving for the Olympics). I bought two tickets, and several winners were chosen at the end of the event. The first three winners were given gift certificates to local biking and running stores, and the fourth person won a Team in Training duffle bag with a bunch of cool stuff inside.
The final two winners split the money that was collected in the raffle, which will be posted to their fundraising pages. They each got about $438! I definitely wouldn't have minded that addition to my fundraising total! I can't complain though - thanks to the generosity of family, friends, and several kind-hearted souls that I keep up in touch with via Facebook, I have raised $300 after just three days of fundraising! I still have a ways to go, but I definitely have faith in myself that I am going to reach my goal by the end of the next five months.
Our first group run is this coming Saturday at 7:00am. As far as the ungodly hour goes, at least our runs will be over with early so we can get on with our day. In addition, once it starts getting colder, we'll switch to 8:00am runs. Erin said she'd either call us or email us this week to talk about the first run and possible buddy runs. Thus it begins.
I have one final announcement, regarding my run today: After about 20 minutes of trail running, I came back to Beauregard Street and was able to run up the hill without even thinking about it!!!
Thursday, August 14, 2008
I think I can, I think I can, I think I can...
The other night my neighbor/captain and I were talking about the hill by our complex and how difficult it was to master. I confessed that I had never been able to run all the way up the hill. I have attempted it before, but it is about a quarter mile of painful steepness. Therefore, I had relegated myself to running down the hill at the beginning of my workout and walking up it as a cool-down after running a couple of miles.
The coach overheard us complaining about it and suggest we tried the repeating technique. In order to make the hill easier to tackle during a longer run, he said we could focus an entire workout just on the hill itself. As simple as that sounds, it never occurred to me before.
This afternoon I tried it, and after running down and turning around, I was really surprised when I was able to make it all the way back up the hill for the first time ever! I was even more proud of myself when I did it two more times! I only ran for about a mile and a half, but it was definitely worth it.
The coach was right, it was a lot easier when I just focused on the hill and nothing else. I think I will try another workout where I do five or six hill laps before I incorporate running up the hill into a longer run. Woohoo!
The coach overheard us complaining about it and suggest we tried the repeating technique. In order to make the hill easier to tackle during a longer run, he said we could focus an entire workout just on the hill itself. As simple as that sounds, it never occurred to me before.
This afternoon I tried it, and after running down and turning around, I was really surprised when I was able to make it all the way back up the hill for the first time ever! I was even more proud of myself when I did it two more times! I only ran for about a mile and a half, but it was definitely worth it.
The coach was right, it was a lot easier when I just focused on the hill and nothing else. I think I will try another workout where I do five or six hill laps before I incorporate running up the hill into a longer run. Woohoo!
Wednesday, August 13, 2008
All signed up!
I can't believe I am going to run in a half marathon! I was the kid who always got picked last in gym, and who consitently finished every race far behind my peers. This made me apprehensive about even attending a Team in Training information session, but I decided to go anyway.
The meeting was last night, and I was one of about only five people who was not there to speak or sign people up (they have been having meetings in various locations throughout the past couple of weeks). I got to meet team captains - one of whom lives on my block! - a coach, and a Hodgkin's survivor/athlete who has been in remission for ten years.
The coach talked about how he sometimes gets people who can't run a mile (I can at least do 3 or 4!) and by the time the training period is up they are crossing the half marathon finish line. The cancer survivor talked about her battle with the disease, and how she continues to do Team in Training events to give back. Everyone was so empowering and encouraging that I signed up on the spot!
The thing I am most concerned about is actually the fundraising. We are all required to raise $3,800, and I am worried that I won't be able to make it. Fortunately, I have five months to raise as much as I can before I have to pay the difference, so I am going to give it all I've got!
This weekend is the kick-off session, where we get our training schedules and meet the coaches that we will specifically be working with. I'm really excited, and I'm looking forward to the team runs that start on the 23rd. Hopefully I will be able to find some buddies to run with me during the week (I don't think I will be able to keep up with my neighbor).
Well, this is going to be an adventure, but I am excited to get started! This one's for you, Jeannie!
The meeting was last night, and I was one of about only five people who was not there to speak or sign people up (they have been having meetings in various locations throughout the past couple of weeks). I got to meet team captains - one of whom lives on my block! - a coach, and a Hodgkin's survivor/athlete who has been in remission for ten years.
The coach talked about how he sometimes gets people who can't run a mile (I can at least do 3 or 4!) and by the time the training period is up they are crossing the half marathon finish line. The cancer survivor talked about her battle with the disease, and how she continues to do Team in Training events to give back. Everyone was so empowering and encouraging that I signed up on the spot!
The thing I am most concerned about is actually the fundraising. We are all required to raise $3,800, and I am worried that I won't be able to make it. Fortunately, I have five months to raise as much as I can before I have to pay the difference, so I am going to give it all I've got!
This weekend is the kick-off session, where we get our training schedules and meet the coaches that we will specifically be working with. I'm really excited, and I'm looking forward to the team runs that start on the 23rd. Hopefully I will be able to find some buddies to run with me during the week (I don't think I will be able to keep up with my neighbor).
Well, this is going to be an adventure, but I am excited to get started! This one's for you, Jeannie!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
