Violent Ink

On the run

One more thing ... had my TNT group training this morning, and it was another good one. I walked the first two miles with one trainee since she was the only walker and the walk coach was gone. Then I ran the two miles back, and I did it in 25:15 (well under a 13-minute pace). And that was without music, too. I am thinking that I actually do better running without music at this point because when I run with it and I am trying to keep going, I'll notice that it's still the same song, so it's probably only been like two minutes or whatever, but today I went 6:30 without stopping and it didn't feel like it at all. So I'm going to try without the iPod during a week a couple of times and see how that goes.

Whoa

Today was the second training session for the fall season of TNT. I was running with a girl who was trying to go pretty slow because she was sore, and I ended up running most of the 4 miles, including 10:30 nonstop at the very beginning. I don't think I've run that long without stopping in ages! We ended up doing the 4 miles in 53:02, which is under a 13:30 pace. I'm so excited! I didn't know I could do that. So maybe this whole Marine Corps Marathon is doable after all.

P.S. If you'd like to donate to my fundraising effort, you can do so here.

I'm joining the Marines

OK, not really. I'm not interested in going to boot camp and such -- I'll leave that to Judah. But I have signed up for the Marine Corps Marathon through Team in Training. It's at the end of October, and this is going to be a whole new ballgame for a variety of reasons:

1. It's a full marathon, 26.2 miles (my previous events have been 13.1 miles).
2. For TNT, you have to train to run it. (I have done my previous events at what can most accurately be called a walk-run.)
3. They aren't kidding about the running -- you have to get to the 20-mile point by a certain time so they can reopen the bridge to traffic, and if you don't get there in time, you get bussed to the finish.
4. The pace for that certain time comes out to about a 14-minute mile. That's not my current pace, and I don't know if it's gun time or chip time, but I know it doesn't take into account, say, bathroom breaks.

So.

I am petrified, but I am also determined. Yesterday morning, I did a 10-mile walk-run with one of my mentees for this season, Peggy, and we did quite a few intervals of running. This evening, I went out for a three-mile jaunt that I think I can classify as a run-walk -- I ran as much of it as I could manage and pulled an average 12:55 pace. If I can do that six and a half times, I'm golden. (Heh.) Right, so I'm still petrified.

Also, I am fundraising again. I want to try to raise $4,000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. If you can donate, you can do so online here. It's 100 percent tax deductible, and the cause is great. I wouldn't have been working with the group nonstop since last January if I didn't think so. Thanks, y'all. I'm going to try to blog more about my progress this time around.

In sum, OOOH-RAH!

Back in the saddle again

So after a couple of weeks of not training -- two weeks ago, I skipped the long run to go to a Team in Training alumni brunch (more about that later), and then two days later I was in a car accident and too stiff to get out on the road -- I went out for 8 miles this morning, and it was glorious. Overcast skies burned off to sunshine, not a touch of winter in the air, and I feel pretty awesome. I'm still tight through my neck and down my spine, but only to my shoulder blades. That will loosen up, and the accident could have been a lot worse, so I'm counting my blessings.

It's been a rough couple of weeks. All our house-buying stuff had totally fallen through, and we were a little frustrated by that. Plus, we've both had (minor, thankfully) car accidents in the past six weeks and were still dealing with the fallout from that. But the saddest thing is that Judah's grandfather went into the hospital with some breathing problems. He has not been well, but he died peacefully and without pain this past Monday.

But things are going OK, overall. We're counting our blessings, you know? Plus, on Thursday, the home-search situation improved, and we are interested in two of three places we saw. We're going to go look at them again in about an hour and figure out which one we want to make an offer on. And it's definitely spring! And we are both thankfully healthy.

Happy March!

I haven't had a ton of time to post here lately, but life is pretty good. We put in an offer on a townhouse last week, and in a couple of weeks we should find out what's up with that. I'm mentoring in TNT again, but just about everyone is doing the full marathon, so my mentees are persuading me to walk/run more! It's crazy, but good crazy.  (I added a mileage log to this page; it's toward the bottom on the left-hand side.) The cats are still hilarious, and Lucy's new thing is snuggling up to you wherever you are sitting or laying. It's very cute.

Oh, and I desperately need to update my 101 in 1,001 list, which I totally referred to as 100 in 1,000 last time. Whoops.

Gooooooo teeeaaaam!

Today was the first training session for the new season of Team in Training. It was nice, and we had a good turnout. It was chilly, but you could kind of tell it's going to get better from here (though we still might have some ice and snow, but eventually, spring has to come). I'm really kind of wishing I was signed up to travel to Alaska. It would be awesome, but I just don't think it's doable.

We met at Starbucks after training, and I impulsively decided to get a pretty major haircut, and it's basically the exact opposite of what I wanted, thanks to some miscommunication about what I meant about angling. I was trying to get rid of my layers in the front. She angle cut the front, adding more layers. I wanted something totally different, and instead, I got basically the same haircut I have had for the past three years, only four inches shorter. Oh well, it's hair; it grows. In about three months, I bet I can get the cut I was aiming for. (I'm still really pissed, though.)

Walk this way

OK, y'all. Looks like I am signed up to mentor for TNT again, but not for any specific race this time. (I can't afford the travel -- got to take an actual vacation at some point, right?) But I am hoping to train to run-walk, emphasis on run. I felt SO much better after Phoenix as compared to Alaska that I want to keep on building on what I have and try to finally break down this mental wall I have against running. I can do fits and starts of running, but I want more! MORE!

I just went out for a 1.5-mile loop (despite the cold and my cold) and ran some. I know I can do this. I just can't slack my way through it like I have with so many other things.

#s

9/26: 3 miles walk-running

9/28: 2 miles walking (and 20 minutes on the arc trainer, but that doesn't count)

9/30: 1/2 mile walking

10/2: 3 miles leisurely walking

Week to date mileage: 8.5 miles

September mileage: 24 miles

October to date mileage: 3 miles

Season to date mileage: 27  miles

Numeros

I'm going to try to keep my numbers post down to one a week because otherwise ... yawwwwwwn!

9/19: 2.5 miles walk-running

9/21: 1 mile walk/run

9/24: 4 miles walk

Week to date mileage: 7.5 miles

Month to date mileage: 18.5 miles

Season to date mileage: 18.5  miles

Numbers

Met with a trainer Wednesday to get back into weight training, and ow my arms. Going back this afternoon.

2nd TNTsession today: 4 miles/1 more mile at gym

Week to date mileage: 11 miles

Month to date mileage: 11 miles

Season to date mileage: 11  miles