good news this week people! i went to see the doctor because the weekend before last i had both a long run AND a pole dancing lesson in the same day, and the next day there was a pesky pain in my shin that neither went away right away nor bruised up. being slightly paranoid, i make a doctor's appointment just to be safe. i kept running, but carefully. on tuesday i ran into coach lisa right before the big hill, and we were reminiscing of the time i switched to the 1/2 and then the afternoon before the race i switched to the full and ran in record time (you can read about that miracle run here if you are so inclined). she also chatted me up the big hill which of course was a very welcome distraction.
my doctor asked what was wrong and i prefaced my tale of shin pain and stripper poles that i knew it sounded silly but i really didn't know if the pain was serious or not. the laughed, made me hop around a bit, sat me on the table, pressed around, moved my foot this way and that (all no pain) and sent me on my way with the sage advise to "keep off the pole". she explained if i didn't have pain while running i was probably okay and if i felt any of that i should just call and we'll go straight to bone scan. sounds good to me.
the next morning i ran again. it was hot and pollen-y and i felt kinda heavy in the legs. oh and there was coach lisa again! that was about the extent of the excitement for the run.
so then this weekend my bff from college was coming to visit, and i planned to do my long run, but then her husband also came, who is *also* one of my good friends from college, and really between friday pm and sunday afternoon when they left there was no time between the eating and walking and socializing. (we did walk a lot though!)
on sunday when i dropped those friends off, i picked up my hs friend mel, her husband and daughter near penn station and walked and walked and ate and played in the park. around 3:30 i was unable to resist the urge to have a beer and by the time i got back to brooklyn it was 6:00 so no run for me on sunday.
i got up this morning and intended to run for 1.5 hours. i had checked out the schedule and next week everyone is running shorter (for 1.5 hours) and so figured i'd just flip flop the runs and run short this weekend. i headed out towards the brooklyn bridge planning to do a wide loop, but about 2 and a half miles in suddenly started getting terrible cramps. ug. i tried to run through, but to no avail. at smith and 9th i made the decision to jump on the train and call it a day. i was a bit bummed but if i haven't learned by now that one run doesn't make or break you, i've learned nothing at all :)
tuesday's run: 4.4 miles
thursdays's run: 3.9 miles
today's run:4.0 miles
season mileage to date:101.4
up next:another 4-ish miles tomorrow
Thursday, April 08, 2010
Saturday, April 03, 2010
red hook runnin'
another eh week in the running. not in the feeling but in the amount.
after last week's run i had a bachelorette party. it was good times, but the item of note was that we started off with a pole dancing class, complete with spinning around and hanging off the pole. i noticed when i got home i had a variety of bruises and aches, but there was one spot that was troublesome, very achy, tender and bruised feeling right around the spot i had had the stress fracture. fall out from a pole dancing or broken leg. awesome. i opted to make a doc's appointment just in case, and got some time with her on wednesday.
sunday i was too hungover to run - i am getting "old" and cannot deal with the hangovers like i used to be able to - and monday and tuesday were pretty much torrential rains in nyc, so it was wednesday before i got out again.
wednesday was amazingly pretty though. it wasn't really sunny, but with all the rain having just passed by, the flowers and trees had started to bloom overnight. the birds were going crazy, all twitterpated. it was a lovely run.
wednesday night i felt ill and that lasted into thursday morning, so there was that day out, and friday morning is not a good day for the running since we're supposed to rest before the long run so there was another week gone. boo.
i ran with the team this morning, meeting them at the park at 8:15. it was a little chilly but i opted for no jacket, which turned out to be a smart choice. we were running for two hours - to red hook, back through carroll gardens, up to the park again, and finishing off whatever time we needed to.
i loved running through red hook. there is a really cool park down behind the ikea that is really cool, especially in the morning with no one out there! i caught up with coach lisa, told her i was going to hit the docs next week and she agreed that it was a smart thing, and better safe than sorry.
anyway, our delicious city run took us out by the water and the water always makes me feel reflective and peaceful and lucky. then back up to smith street, and up third which is both industrial near the lovely gowanus and also one of the most picturesque streets in park slope - wide, leafy, and lined with classic brooklyn stoops. up the hill, and up and up into the park. i had about another 40ish minutes so i figured i'd do a loop and change until my time was up.
the park was a breeze. so many people out, but not so many that it was annoying. and the grass was so GREEN, the vibrant lovely green only new spring grass can be. my only complaint was that the damn water fountains were not yet on! come on parks department! its waaaarm.
anyway, i finshed up by running a bit past our meeting point and back and thus landed just shy of 11 miles. i'm consistently running about 11 minute miles, which i think is a bit too fast, so i need to take a measured effort to slow it down next week. i have to go to boston again tomorrow afternoon so i'm going to try to run in the morning before i leave...lest it get to wednesday and i find i haven't run again.
wednesday's run: 4.4 miles
today's run: 10.8 miles
season mileage to date:89.1
up next:3 miles EZ
after last week's run i had a bachelorette party. it was good times, but the item of note was that we started off with a pole dancing class, complete with spinning around and hanging off the pole. i noticed when i got home i had a variety of bruises and aches, but there was one spot that was troublesome, very achy, tender and bruised feeling right around the spot i had had the stress fracture. fall out from a pole dancing or broken leg. awesome. i opted to make a doc's appointment just in case, and got some time with her on wednesday.
sunday i was too hungover to run - i am getting "old" and cannot deal with the hangovers like i used to be able to - and monday and tuesday were pretty much torrential rains in nyc, so it was wednesday before i got out again.
wednesday was amazingly pretty though. it wasn't really sunny, but with all the rain having just passed by, the flowers and trees had started to bloom overnight. the birds were going crazy, all twitterpated. it was a lovely run.
wednesday night i felt ill and that lasted into thursday morning, so there was that day out, and friday morning is not a good day for the running since we're supposed to rest before the long run so there was another week gone. boo.
i ran with the team this morning, meeting them at the park at 8:15. it was a little chilly but i opted for no jacket, which turned out to be a smart choice. we were running for two hours - to red hook, back through carroll gardens, up to the park again, and finishing off whatever time we needed to.
i loved running through red hook. there is a really cool park down behind the ikea that is really cool, especially in the morning with no one out there! i caught up with coach lisa, told her i was going to hit the docs next week and she agreed that it was a smart thing, and better safe than sorry.
anyway, our delicious city run took us out by the water and the water always makes me feel reflective and peaceful and lucky. then back up to smith street, and up third which is both industrial near the lovely gowanus and also one of the most picturesque streets in park slope - wide, leafy, and lined with classic brooklyn stoops. up the hill, and up and up into the park. i had about another 40ish minutes so i figured i'd do a loop and change until my time was up.
the park was a breeze. so many people out, but not so many that it was annoying. and the grass was so GREEN, the vibrant lovely green only new spring grass can be. my only complaint was that the damn water fountains were not yet on! come on parks department! its waaaarm.
anyway, i finshed up by running a bit past our meeting point and back and thus landed just shy of 11 miles. i'm consistently running about 11 minute miles, which i think is a bit too fast, so i need to take a measured effort to slow it down next week. i have to go to boston again tomorrow afternoon so i'm going to try to run in the morning before i leave...lest it get to wednesday and i find i haven't run again.
wednesday's run: 4.4 miles
today's run: 10.8 miles
season mileage to date:89.1
up next:3 miles EZ
Sunday, March 28, 2010
Saturday, March 27, 2010
running in the jungle
cold? who says its cold!? i love this weather for running.
okay, it is way colder than it has been. when i left the ny1 thermometer was rocking a whopping 29 degrees. i wore my gloves but forwent the hat, which i regretted for the first 10 minutes.
but wait - let me back up for a recap to the week...it won't take long.
sunday instead of running, the boy and i biked around the brooklyn and ended up riding about 15 miles, which is pretty much the equivalent of a 3-4 mile run (they say 4-5 bike miles "equals" 1 run mile). monday i had to travel to boston for the day which made that day pretty much a wash, and my plan was to run tuesday morning. but we got stuck in boston for HOURS and thus i did not get home until 1am monday night. i tried to drag myself out of bed at 6:30 to run but it simply wasn't happening. thursday morning i ran but had to cut my 4.4 miles short due to terrible stomach pains. blah.
so back to today. the team is running a race in the city tomorrow and i have a friend's bachelorette party tonight which meant i was on my own for the run. i am tired of the park for the long runs, and the flat flat route to coney island bores me to tears so i opted to hit the brooklyn bridge.
once i warmed up it was perfect out there. the first few miles as always were a little "clunky" as i worked out the kinks, but once i got to the bridge i felt a bit smoother. the tourist contingent wasn't too terrible yet, although why people feel the need to walk 7 PEOPLE ACROSS is beyond me. i crossed the bridge, turned around almost at the end, and headed back. i had my first gel of the season as i left the bridge (mmm double latte!), crossed paths with my coach from last season, jim, and waved hello, and suddenly noticed the REAL cruising had set in. that moment when you're running where you are just going...your don't notice your legs, or your breathing, you are just going and i smiled wide. it was the first run this season that i've gotten to that place and this made me very very happy.
i kept up the pace down 3rd avenue and the city scape on that avenue - construction, housing projects, garages, the gowanus canal - starkly contrasted the softness of the park. the sidewalk narrowed so i moved into the bike lane, running with the cars zooming by, and i felt a bit bad ass. my only regret was that i was ipod-less, for surely i would have been blasting welcome to the jungle, and only that could have made the run more perfect.
thursday's run: 3.7 miles
today's run: 9.1 miles
season mileage to date:73.9
up next:3 miles EZ
okay, it is way colder than it has been. when i left the ny1 thermometer was rocking a whopping 29 degrees. i wore my gloves but forwent the hat, which i regretted for the first 10 minutes.
but wait - let me back up for a recap to the week...it won't take long.
sunday instead of running, the boy and i biked around the brooklyn and ended up riding about 15 miles, which is pretty much the equivalent of a 3-4 mile run (they say 4-5 bike miles "equals" 1 run mile). monday i had to travel to boston for the day which made that day pretty much a wash, and my plan was to run tuesday morning. but we got stuck in boston for HOURS and thus i did not get home until 1am monday night. i tried to drag myself out of bed at 6:30 to run but it simply wasn't happening. thursday morning i ran but had to cut my 4.4 miles short due to terrible stomach pains. blah.
so back to today. the team is running a race in the city tomorrow and i have a friend's bachelorette party tonight which meant i was on my own for the run. i am tired of the park for the long runs, and the flat flat route to coney island bores me to tears so i opted to hit the brooklyn bridge.
once i warmed up it was perfect out there. the first few miles as always were a little "clunky" as i worked out the kinks, but once i got to the bridge i felt a bit smoother. the tourist contingent wasn't too terrible yet, although why people feel the need to walk 7 PEOPLE ACROSS is beyond me. i crossed the bridge, turned around almost at the end, and headed back. i had my first gel of the season as i left the bridge (mmm double latte!), crossed paths with my coach from last season, jim, and waved hello, and suddenly noticed the REAL cruising had set in. that moment when you're running where you are just going...your don't notice your legs, or your breathing, you are just going and i smiled wide. it was the first run this season that i've gotten to that place and this made me very very happy.
i kept up the pace down 3rd avenue and the city scape on that avenue - construction, housing projects, garages, the gowanus canal - starkly contrasted the softness of the park. the sidewalk narrowed so i moved into the bike lane, running with the cars zooming by, and i felt a bit bad ass. my only regret was that i was ipod-less, for surely i would have been blasting welcome to the jungle, and only that could have made the run more perfect.
thursday's run: 3.7 miles
today's run: 9.1 miles
season mileage to date:73.9
up next:3 miles EZ
Sunday, March 21, 2010
running non-stop, literally & figuratively
i've been quiet for the last two weeks, i know. i've been trying to keep my head on straight and run and work and find moments of oh you know, just living, which have been harder and harder to come by.
i am very happy this week though that i went back to making time for running even if it is in the morning. i am a totally stress case these days, a temperament that does not suit me well and i shudder to think what mental state i would be in without the running. running in the morning really helps set a certain tone for the day, a little clear head space before work madness sets in.
since we were last here, i had one bad week of running. i ran on monday and then with travel and the torrential raining i didn't run for the remainder of the week. this made me feel pretty shitty both physically and emotionally. i pulled myself out of my pity party and jumped back in on monday morning early...6:15am early. maybe this is not THAT early for you early birds but for me, it's damn early. and with the spring forward it was dark.
since i hadn't run my 7 miles that weekend i decided to increase my short runs to help make up for it. so monday and thursday i ran almost 4 and a half miles each day (vs the typical short run 3 or 30 minutes). i had to work late wednesday and so unfortunately had to miss practice. we're starting hill training which is great training because it makes you very strong...although i am a bit afraid of the hills given last season's injury.
since the weather has turned nice, on friday i rode to and from work for the first time from this apartment. was a tad stressful - the ride through downtown brooklyn - but once i was on the brooklyn bridge it was worth it. beautiful morning, not too crowded and infinitely better than being packed into a subway like a can of sardines. its a little over 6 miles each way so adding that to my routine a few times a week i think will be great cross-training. (side note: i will NEVER take the brooklyn bridge home as weaving through the tourists not looking where they are going and wandering into the bike lane made me crazy!)
finally, practice yesterday was going to run to the connection to the cause event that happens each season. i was not going to be able to attend so i ran in the park on my own. the crew had to run 90 minutes (i almost said 90 miles, ha!) and if they got to the event great, if not they would subway it the rest of the way.
since i had only run 6 the weekend before, i wasn't sure if i should go for 8, but figured if i had been with the team i'd run by time, so i'd just do that anyway and see how many miles that resulted in. it was almost HOT out at moments but then others the gorgeous spring breeze would kick in. i ran to the park, two loops and then back to my apt, zig zagging about until the 90 minutes was done. lo and behold i had run 8.2 miles and felt very good about it.
today i think we have an EZ 30 minutes on the schedule and i'll hit that a bit later as today is a brunching day! enjoy the rest of this lovely spring weekend and i'll see you in the park.
miles run since last post: 20 miles
season mileage to date:61.1
up next:3 miles EZ
i am very happy this week though that i went back to making time for running even if it is in the morning. i am a totally stress case these days, a temperament that does not suit me well and i shudder to think what mental state i would be in without the running. running in the morning really helps set a certain tone for the day, a little clear head space before work madness sets in.
since we were last here, i had one bad week of running. i ran on monday and then with travel and the torrential raining i didn't run for the remainder of the week. this made me feel pretty shitty both physically and emotionally. i pulled myself out of my pity party and jumped back in on monday morning early...6:15am early. maybe this is not THAT early for you early birds but for me, it's damn early. and with the spring forward it was dark.
since i hadn't run my 7 miles that weekend i decided to increase my short runs to help make up for it. so monday and thursday i ran almost 4 and a half miles each day (vs the typical short run 3 or 30 minutes). i had to work late wednesday and so unfortunately had to miss practice. we're starting hill training which is great training because it makes you very strong...although i am a bit afraid of the hills given last season's injury.
since the weather has turned nice, on friday i rode to and from work for the first time from this apartment. was a tad stressful - the ride through downtown brooklyn - but once i was on the brooklyn bridge it was worth it. beautiful morning, not too crowded and infinitely better than being packed into a subway like a can of sardines. its a little over 6 miles each way so adding that to my routine a few times a week i think will be great cross-training. (side note: i will NEVER take the brooklyn bridge home as weaving through the tourists not looking where they are going and wandering into the bike lane made me crazy!)
finally, practice yesterday was going to run to the connection to the cause event that happens each season. i was not going to be able to attend so i ran in the park on my own. the crew had to run 90 minutes (i almost said 90 miles, ha!) and if they got to the event great, if not they would subway it the rest of the way.
since i had only run 6 the weekend before, i wasn't sure if i should go for 8, but figured if i had been with the team i'd run by time, so i'd just do that anyway and see how many miles that resulted in. it was almost HOT out at moments but then others the gorgeous spring breeze would kick in. i ran to the park, two loops and then back to my apt, zig zagging about until the 90 minutes was done. lo and behold i had run 8.2 miles and felt very good about it.
today i think we have an EZ 30 minutes on the schedule and i'll hit that a bit later as today is a brunching day! enjoy the rest of this lovely spring weekend and i'll see you in the park.
miles run since last post: 20 miles
season mileage to date:61.1
up next:3 miles EZ
Sunday, March 07, 2010
o water where art thou?
work has reached a new level of frenzy and when i finally got home friday night i made the executive decision that i needed to sleep as long as i needed to saturday morning, otherwise i was likely going to be dragging my tired self all weekend or worse, get sick. it was a much needed rest - i slept a full 11 hours, which is pretty unusual for me since i only need 6-7ish.
that meant i had to run on my own today, which at this low mileage is still doable. i intended to get up early (8) and get out there but there was unexpected drama in the neighborhood - a fire in an apt building across the street! this started a little before 1am and between the craziness and the 5 ladder trucks + others out in the street it was 2 or 2:30 before i made it to bed and so by the time i got up and out of the house it was 10ish.
it was gorgeous out! spring is almost here, although part of me refuses to be fooled, and the park was appropriately crowded. i had planned a route exactly 6 miles when you consider the to and from the park. i was a little winded the first mile or so but then settled into an appropriate pace and made my way 'round the park. my biggest drama today was lack of water. i have not found my fuel belt from last season and the water fountains are not on yet.
6 miles is pretty much the longest run i'll go without water. by the end i was definitely parched and chugged not one but two pints when i walked in the door.
each run is getting a little better and easier, which is good. i'm trying to run lightly and gently without risking my little bones and i think it is going well. i even got the bike tuned up for cross training today. all in all...things seem to be moving nicely forward.
today's mileage: 6.0
season mileage to date: 41.1
up next: 3 miles EZ
that meant i had to run on my own today, which at this low mileage is still doable. i intended to get up early (8) and get out there but there was unexpected drama in the neighborhood - a fire in an apt building across the street! this started a little before 1am and between the craziness and the 5 ladder trucks + others out in the street it was 2 or 2:30 before i made it to bed and so by the time i got up and out of the house it was 10ish.
it was gorgeous out! spring is almost here, although part of me refuses to be fooled, and the park was appropriately crowded. i had planned a route exactly 6 miles when you consider the to and from the park. i was a little winded the first mile or so but then settled into an appropriate pace and made my way 'round the park. my biggest drama today was lack of water. i have not found my fuel belt from last season and the water fountains are not on yet.
6 miles is pretty much the longest run i'll go without water. by the end i was definitely parched and chugged not one but two pints when i walked in the door.
each run is getting a little better and easier, which is good. i'm trying to run lightly and gently without risking my little bones and i think it is going well. i even got the bike tuned up for cross training today. all in all...things seem to be moving nicely forward.
today's mileage: 6.0
season mileage to date: 41.1
up next: 3 miles EZ
Wednesday, March 03, 2010
not rain nor snow nor wintery mix...
kept me from running this morning.
the cold and dark really makes me want to crawl back into bed and when i looked out side and saw the rain sprinkling down i walked back towards the bed, poised to climb back in...but i knew there would be no running that night (work event) or thursday (trip up north) i turned my butt around and reluctantly bundled up in my running clothes.
when i left it was spitting out, but not too cold until the wind picked up. i headed to the park and as i got there the rain changed over to snow which was slightly more pleasant even thought it melted as soon as it hit my face/head/arms/etc. i planned on running 4-4.5 miles so had to decide if i was going to cut through the park or go all the way around it. i ended up cutting through wellhouse drive and once i was in the middle realized the course of the race that past sunday had changed - there was a bunch of construction. also because of said construction not everywhere was plowed so i had to navigate patches of ice and snow because there was no way i was turning around.
when i hit the hill i was hit by a gust of wind which made me feel like i was running in place. it seemed like it was raining and snowing...blah! the grotesque wintery mix. i trecked on, feeling generally okay, not particularly fast or slow (except for when the wind pushed at me). when all was said and done i felt good (my cardio has already improved a great deal) and glad i was had my inclement weather run complete for the day.
today's mileage: 4.0
season mileage to date: 35.1
up next: practice saturday
the cold and dark really makes me want to crawl back into bed and when i looked out side and saw the rain sprinkling down i walked back towards the bed, poised to climb back in...but i knew there would be no running that night (work event) or thursday (trip up north) i turned my butt around and reluctantly bundled up in my running clothes.
when i left it was spitting out, but not too cold until the wind picked up. i headed to the park and as i got there the rain changed over to snow which was slightly more pleasant even thought it melted as soon as it hit my face/head/arms/etc. i planned on running 4-4.5 miles so had to decide if i was going to cut through the park or go all the way around it. i ended up cutting through wellhouse drive and once i was in the middle realized the course of the race that past sunday had changed - there was a bunch of construction. also because of said construction not everywhere was plowed so i had to navigate patches of ice and snow because there was no way i was turning around.
when i hit the hill i was hit by a gust of wind which made me feel like i was running in place. it seemed like it was raining and snowing...blah! the grotesque wintery mix. i trecked on, feeling generally okay, not particularly fast or slow (except for when the wind pushed at me). when all was said and done i felt good (my cardio has already improved a great deal) and glad i was had my inclement weather run complete for the day.
today's mileage: 4.0
season mileage to date: 35.1
up next: practice saturday
Monday, March 01, 2010
winter running race and more!
yesterday i ran the first race of the season - a 4-miler in prospect park
when i left the house, trusty ole ny1 said it was 34 degrees so i thought for sure that the ice would be gone. not so! i almost fell on my butt 5 or 6 times between my apartment and the number pick up joint, which was a mere 4 blocks away (long blocks but still). i hit up the school and got my number, tee shirt and new chip. these new chips are disposable, which is easier but definitely crappier for the planet. given that it takes all of 5 seconds to get your chip clipped off, i'll take the earth-friendly non-disposable sort we used to have.
there were lots of people at the race - a few thousand at least. us team in trainers met up near bag watch and headed over to the start together. it was warming but by the time we started i was freezing my toes off. i also started in a fast corral - i was in the 5000s, where usually i'm in the back, and i felt slightly out of place. finally it was time to go and we were off.
i got passed by many folks, which i kept telling myself was fine. since i was in a corral with faster runners i had to put ego aside and let them pass - i knew right around the corner was the massive hill in prospect park and i knew better than to take off too fast up that thing.
on the hill i found myself passing a person here and there and once i cleared the hill, i fell into a nice steady pace. the first mile appeared to be very slow - about 12 minutes but i wasn't really bothered as the start is very slow and so is the hill. i felt like i was cruising as i headed into mile 2 and sure enough when i was done...it was around a 10 minute mile...ooops. too fast! i tried to put on the breaks and lightly run down the hill. i am super mindful of not thumping down hills with heavy legs lest it hurt my stress fractures.
once i hit mile 3 (still around 10:30's or so) i definitely started loosing a bit of steam but still cruised along, getting a little winded but pressing on. finally, i was at the last little uphill, finish line in sight and knew i finished somewhere in the 10:45/11 minute mile pace.
uuuuuug. i crossed the finish line and for the first time in a long time felt like i was going to puke. i had gotten food poisoning friday night and saturday was still touch and go, so i think i was still feeling a little weak and at the end of the race i grabbed some water and fled the crowds for a little non-claustrophobic air. after a few puffs and some space i felt much better grabbed and apple and headed home. there was a team in training gathering afterwards but i had a cooking class all day that i had gotten as a present to the boyfriend so had to take a rain check.
i got home and check my time and as it turned out my time was 42:53 - which left an average pace of 10:43min/mile.
today i managed to hop out of bed early...6:45 in fact...and go for a morning run. it was so temping to get back into the bed...but i rationalized back at my sleepy self, knowing i wouldn't get running if i didn't run then. i had set out my clothes the night before and so threw on clothing, brushed my teeth (which somehow wakes me up) and headed out.
i only had to run 3 miles - getting to and from the park was a little dicey because of all the ice and snow, but once i was in the park i was fine. i did a little down and back action and made it back home in no time flat. the legs felt fine, no aches and pains and when i was done i was happy to have gotten the run in. always feels better to be done with the running/exercising before the day even really begins.
sunday's mileage: 4.0
today's mileage: 3.2
season mileage to date: 31.1
up next: group run or equivalent wednesday
when i left the house, trusty ole ny1 said it was 34 degrees so i thought for sure that the ice would be gone. not so! i almost fell on my butt 5 or 6 times between my apartment and the number pick up joint, which was a mere 4 blocks away (long blocks but still). i hit up the school and got my number, tee shirt and new chip. these new chips are disposable, which is easier but definitely crappier for the planet. given that it takes all of 5 seconds to get your chip clipped off, i'll take the earth-friendly non-disposable sort we used to have.
there were lots of people at the race - a few thousand at least. us team in trainers met up near bag watch and headed over to the start together. it was warming but by the time we started i was freezing my toes off. i also started in a fast corral - i was in the 5000s, where usually i'm in the back, and i felt slightly out of place. finally it was time to go and we were off.
i got passed by many folks, which i kept telling myself was fine. since i was in a corral with faster runners i had to put ego aside and let them pass - i knew right around the corner was the massive hill in prospect park and i knew better than to take off too fast up that thing.
on the hill i found myself passing a person here and there and once i cleared the hill, i fell into a nice steady pace. the first mile appeared to be very slow - about 12 minutes but i wasn't really bothered as the start is very slow and so is the hill. i felt like i was cruising as i headed into mile 2 and sure enough when i was done...it was around a 10 minute mile...ooops. too fast! i tried to put on the breaks and lightly run down the hill. i am super mindful of not thumping down hills with heavy legs lest it hurt my stress fractures.
once i hit mile 3 (still around 10:30's or so) i definitely started loosing a bit of steam but still cruised along, getting a little winded but pressing on. finally, i was at the last little uphill, finish line in sight and knew i finished somewhere in the 10:45/11 minute mile pace.
uuuuuug. i crossed the finish line and for the first time in a long time felt like i was going to puke. i had gotten food poisoning friday night and saturday was still touch and go, so i think i was still feeling a little weak and at the end of the race i grabbed some water and fled the crowds for a little non-claustrophobic air. after a few puffs and some space i felt much better grabbed and apple and headed home. there was a team in training gathering afterwards but i had a cooking class all day that i had gotten as a present to the boyfriend so had to take a rain check.
i got home and check my time and as it turned out my time was 42:53 - which left an average pace of 10:43min/mile.
today i managed to hop out of bed early...6:45 in fact...and go for a morning run. it was so temping to get back into the bed...but i rationalized back at my sleepy self, knowing i wouldn't get running if i didn't run then. i had set out my clothes the night before and so threw on clothing, brushed my teeth (which somehow wakes me up) and headed out.
i only had to run 3 miles - getting to and from the park was a little dicey because of all the ice and snow, but once i was in the park i was fine. i did a little down and back action and made it back home in no time flat. the legs felt fine, no aches and pains and when i was done i was happy to have gotten the run in. always feels better to be done with the running/exercising before the day even really begins.
sunday's mileage: 4.0
today's mileage: 3.2
season mileage to date: 31.1
up next: group run or equivalent wednesday
Saturday, February 27, 2010
i think i'm paranoid
jumping back into marathon training into after being injured is a very different game mentally. to put it plainly - i am paranoid of getting hurt again and its affecting how i run.
through out training for the first marathon, there was constant worry over my physical ability to run a marathon - can i really do this? am i crazy? 26 miles is a long damn run! etc. etc.
then after the 2nd, i feel like i had built up some level of confidence in my running, my ability to train and ultimately complete the 26.2. not that i am fast or a good runner but i felt that while hard, and time consuming and full of effort, i CAN run a marathon, and even get a tiny bit faster each time. when i was running last summer, i felt comfortable enough to push myself during training, which, maybe was part of my demise.
the stress fractures have, sadly, killed a bit of my confidence and made me a little bit more cautious as to how i am approaching the running.
not to say that i am not training, but when we're doing repeats or pounding up and down the hills, i will certainly be mindful of how hard i'm pushing until i feel like the danger of inciting the anger of my bones has passed. will this pass? i'm not sure. i certainly hope so, but i think it will only come with time and distance runs that will put me more at ease.
tomorrow, we have a race in prospect park - just 4 miles, easy breezy i think, snow and ice aside! see you on the road.
through out training for the first marathon, there was constant worry over my physical ability to run a marathon - can i really do this? am i crazy? 26 miles is a long damn run! etc. etc.
then after the 2nd, i feel like i had built up some level of confidence in my running, my ability to train and ultimately complete the 26.2. not that i am fast or a good runner but i felt that while hard, and time consuming and full of effort, i CAN run a marathon, and even get a tiny bit faster each time. when i was running last summer, i felt comfortable enough to push myself during training, which, maybe was part of my demise.
the stress fractures have, sadly, killed a bit of my confidence and made me a little bit more cautious as to how i am approaching the running.
not to say that i am not training, but when we're doing repeats or pounding up and down the hills, i will certainly be mindful of how hard i'm pushing until i feel like the danger of inciting the anger of my bones has passed. will this pass? i'm not sure. i certainly hope so, but i think it will only come with time and distance runs that will put me more at ease.
tomorrow, we have a race in prospect park - just 4 miles, easy breezy i think, snow and ice aside! see you on the road.
Thursday, February 25, 2010
Wednesday, February 24, 2010
1st practice of the season
because of the travel and some other things, tonight was the first official practice i've made it to.
from what i hear, tonight was actually not terrible weather for the practice. it didn't feel too cold, and i made it out of work with plenty of time to make it to our bag drop before practice without working up a pre-run sweat.
today's workout was alternating effort levels between e2 (typically slow saturday run) and e3 (picking up the pace from there, slightly upping the pace) for 1/4 turns. i ended up running with a guy who happened to be in my mentor group and we chatted for some of the run (the parts when we weren't huffing and puffing) and before you know it we had run 5 and 1/2 miles.
i came home a little sore but i happily ate some steak and now am sleepy enough for bed.
today's mileage: 5.5
season mileage to date: 23.9
up next: XT Thursday
from what i hear, tonight was actually not terrible weather for the practice. it didn't feel too cold, and i made it out of work with plenty of time to make it to our bag drop before practice without working up a pre-run sweat.
today's workout was alternating effort levels between e2 (typically slow saturday run) and e3 (picking up the pace from there, slightly upping the pace) for 1/4 turns. i ended up running with a guy who happened to be in my mentor group and we chatted for some of the run (the parts when we weren't huffing and puffing) and before you know it we had run 5 and 1/2 miles.
i came home a little sore but i happily ate some steak and now am sleepy enough for bed.
today's mileage: 5.5
season mileage to date: 23.9
up next: XT Thursday
Saturday, February 20, 2010
kiddie alarm clock
i woke up to three adorable little children sneaking about my room...at 7:30 am. so much for sleeping in!
ah well. it was a good excuse to then get up and run.
i have been feeling a little stiff and today i was supposed to run 4-5 miles - i decided to play it by ear, run down to the pier, see how i was feeling and then make a judgment call then. it was another gorgeous morning (does one ever take this for granted in cali?), a little chill in the air but the rain had stopped leaving just lovely sun shining over the damp ground.
i reached there pier and while, as usual, i was a bit winded, my legs were feeling fine so i decided to go for about 4.5 miles, which was not that much more. the way back towards the end was a little bit of a struggle but i kept it nice and slow and steady since we are supposed to be doing long, slow distance.
i got back, stretched, saw my lovely red exercise face (i can't wait until that goes away) and was glad i had the kiddies to wake me up and get me out of the house nice and early.
today's mileage: 4.6
season mileage to date: 18.4
up next: 30 minutes EZ on sunday or monday
ah well. it was a good excuse to then get up and run.
i have been feeling a little stiff and today i was supposed to run 4-5 miles - i decided to play it by ear, run down to the pier, see how i was feeling and then make a judgment call then. it was another gorgeous morning (does one ever take this for granted in cali?), a little chill in the air but the rain had stopped leaving just lovely sun shining over the damp ground.
i reached there pier and while, as usual, i was a bit winded, my legs were feeling fine so i decided to go for about 4.5 miles, which was not that much more. the way back towards the end was a little bit of a struggle but i kept it nice and slow and steady since we are supposed to be doing long, slow distance.
i got back, stretched, saw my lovely red exercise face (i can't wait until that goes away) and was glad i had the kiddies to wake me up and get me out of the house nice and early.
today's mileage: 4.6
season mileage to date: 18.4
up next: 30 minutes EZ on sunday or monday
Friday, February 19, 2010
*sleepy* run...zzzzzzz
it was so hard getting up this morning. i think the work and stress finally got to me this morning, paralyzing my limbs and not letting me out of bed.
i was supposed to run 30 minutes yesterday but by the time i got done with work it was dark, and all the la folks advised me NOT to run by myself in venice in the dark. i was grumbly but figured if i made up for it today, all would be well.
except today was supposed to be rainy so i forced myself to get up early and i was sleepy. it was overcast and slightly chillier but not much and i did the down-and-back to the pier which was probably slightly longer than 30 minutes but oh well.
the only eventful occurrence was someone on bike yelling "go team!" at the end of my run. i waved back and said hey! the friendly people of team in training are certainly alive and will in california. my left calf was very tight when i got back but after a good stretch, all was well...and i'm more or less ready to run another day tomorrow.
today's mileage: 3.4
season mileage to date: 13.8
up next: 4-5 miles ("long" slow distance) tomorrow or sunday
i was supposed to run 30 minutes yesterday but by the time i got done with work it was dark, and all the la folks advised me NOT to run by myself in venice in the dark. i was grumbly but figured if i made up for it today, all would be well.
except today was supposed to be rainy so i forced myself to get up early and i was sleepy. it was overcast and slightly chillier but not much and i did the down-and-back to the pier which was probably slightly longer than 30 minutes but oh well.
the only eventful occurrence was someone on bike yelling "go team!" at the end of my run. i waved back and said hey! the friendly people of team in training are certainly alive and will in california. my left calf was very tight when i got back but after a good stretch, all was well...and i'm more or less ready to run another day tomorrow.
today's mileage: 3.4
season mileage to date: 13.8
up next: 4-5 miles ("long" slow distance) tomorrow or sunday
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
sunset on the shore
it was a crazy, busy, stressy day. one drawback of being on the west coast, when your office is on the east coast, and your clients are in europe is that the day has to start pretty early. my phone started buzzing at 7:30am, yay!
long story short, i was totally ready for a run at the end of the day today. i headed out just as the sun was setting which provided lovely scenery. i plotted 3-ish mile route to santa monica pier and back and took off in the rosy glow of day's end. the sunset looked just like one of those old 80's postcards of venice beach and once the sun hit the horizon, it sunk heavily.
man, getting *back* into running sucks, i must say. i plodded along, feeling okay but winded, and imagining phantom pains in my shins. the beginning running is always so damn uncomfortable, but one must run through it.
the sun set just before i hit the pier and i turned around, the rest of the run enveloped in dusk. i was glad for the cool air and made it back to the house without having to deal with anything overly painful or exciting. a little stretch and after the shower, had a lovely glass of red...will help with the stiffness tomorrow, right?
today's mileage: 3.4
season mileage to date: 9.4
up next: 30 minutes easy on thursday
long story short, i was totally ready for a run at the end of the day today. i headed out just as the sun was setting which provided lovely scenery. i plotted 3-ish mile route to santa monica pier and back and took off in the rosy glow of day's end. the sunset looked just like one of those old 80's postcards of venice beach and once the sun hit the horizon, it sunk heavily.
man, getting *back* into running sucks, i must say. i plodded along, feeling okay but winded, and imagining phantom pains in my shins. the beginning running is always so damn uncomfortable, but one must run through it.
the sun set just before i hit the pier and i turned around, the rest of the run enveloped in dusk. i was glad for the cool air and made it back to the house without having to deal with anything overly painful or exciting. a little stretch and after the shower, had a lovely glass of red...will help with the stiffness tomorrow, right?
today's mileage: 3.4
season mileage to date: 9.4
up next: 30 minutes easy on thursday
Sunday, February 14, 2010
santa monica in my sights
on today's schedule we were to run 30 minutes. i am sans watch so i ran with my cell phone, this time heading towards santa monica.
may i just pause to say how amazing this southern california weather is? it is seriously sick. i'm not going to say too much more because i know most of my people in the northeast are covered in snow but in just the last few days i have wondered a few times why i'm still living in the north east.
anyway...i ran, and it was hard. i was definitely stiff from yesterday and not running very quickly but i didn't mind. i had read through coach lisa's email this morning and it was a reminder that's its more about time on your feet than distance so i tried my best not to push too hard.
on the way back to the house i saw a group of white-shirted runners coming towards me and lo and behold it was a team in training group out for a run. one of the coaches or mentors spotted me and said "go team! looking good!" and i cheered back at her and it was nice to know there's a santa monica or venice team out there running. in fact, i may look them up next weekend.
today's mileage: 2.5
season mileage to date: 6.0
up next: cross-training on tuesday
may i just pause to say how amazing this southern california weather is? it is seriously sick. i'm not going to say too much more because i know most of my people in the northeast are covered in snow but in just the last few days i have wondered a few times why i'm still living in the north east.
anyway...i ran, and it was hard. i was definitely stiff from yesterday and not running very quickly but i didn't mind. i had read through coach lisa's email this morning and it was a reminder that's its more about time on your feet than distance so i tried my best not to push too hard.
on the way back to the house i saw a group of white-shirted runners coming towards me and lo and behold it was a team in training group out for a run. one of the coaches or mentors spotted me and said "go team! looking good!" and i cheered back at her and it was nice to know there's a santa monica or venice team out there running. in fact, i may look them up next weekend.
today's mileage: 2.5
season mileage to date: 6.0
up next: cross-training on tuesday
Saturday, February 13, 2010
venice beach ain't no prospect park
i've landed in lala land for work, and since there will be a bunch of us out here at various points of time, we've rented a small house right near venice beach.
now, the season of summer training has started and between the weather and the crazy work schedule, i will confess that i haven't done ANYTHING yet. but now that i'm out here in cali for a week or so, its the perfect way to kick start training.
i checked out the tnt schedule and today beginners (yes, after the fractures, i have reverted myself back to "beginner") are supposed to run 3-4 miles. we're a few blocks from the beach and the weather is perfect for running - a little chilly in the morning, not too hot.
i headed out around 8:30 to the boardwalk having mapped out a 4 mile out-and-back. until this trip i had never been to venice beach and it is amazing people watching. burnt out hippies with rainbow rvs, a boardwalk full of homeless folks, roller bladers, packs of runners, medical marijuana stands - more eye-candy for a run than you could hope for. between the people watching and the street musicians, the 4 miles - while hard - was quite entertaining.
also it is completely flat. not a bad thing for my first gander back to the running shoes.
at some point the path veers off the beach and i ran through a one way street with other runners, walkers and roller bladers. there were PACKS - and i mean PACKS - of runners all along the route. it was not unusual to see a group of 30 runners jog past. Of course this is california and everyone here does live up to the fit and tan stereo type...well except for the crazy and the homeless.
the other interesting thing about running in venice which was not great was the smells. incense, maryjane and well...human smells...are not exactly conducive to running, especially when say you're struggling through your last 10 minutes. yech.
it was amazing to run in the sun and warm though. good for my soul after the hibernating winter we've been having.
today's mileage: 4.0
season mileage to date: 4.0
now, the season of summer training has started and between the weather and the crazy work schedule, i will confess that i haven't done ANYTHING yet. but now that i'm out here in cali for a week or so, its the perfect way to kick start training.
i checked out the tnt schedule and today beginners (yes, after the fractures, i have reverted myself back to "beginner") are supposed to run 3-4 miles. we're a few blocks from the beach and the weather is perfect for running - a little chilly in the morning, not too hot.
i headed out around 8:30 to the boardwalk having mapped out a 4 mile out-and-back. until this trip i had never been to venice beach and it is amazing people watching. burnt out hippies with rainbow rvs, a boardwalk full of homeless folks, roller bladers, packs of runners, medical marijuana stands - more eye-candy for a run than you could hope for. between the people watching and the street musicians, the 4 miles - while hard - was quite entertaining.
also it is completely flat. not a bad thing for my first gander back to the running shoes.
at some point the path veers off the beach and i ran through a one way street with other runners, walkers and roller bladers. there were PACKS - and i mean PACKS - of runners all along the route. it was not unusual to see a group of 30 runners jog past. Of course this is california and everyone here does live up to the fit and tan stereo type...well except for the crazy and the homeless.
the other interesting thing about running in venice which was not great was the smells. incense, maryjane and well...human smells...are not exactly conducive to running, especially when say you're struggling through your last 10 minutes. yech.
it was amazing to run in the sun and warm though. good for my soul after the hibernating winter we've been having.
today's mileage: 4.0
season mileage to date: 4.0
Sunday, January 17, 2010
what happened after all?
hello friends -
it has been a long time i know, and as i was reading back i realized i never gave you a proper and final update to my double-stress-fracture adventures. before we start new chapters, we must close the old ones, so here is the letter i sent out to my people. some of this will be old news but it is a good round up and apologies for not posting it here earlier...
"It has been a while, and for that I apologize...I'm afraid that I've been procrastinating breaking some bad news, so without further ado, I'll get to it (settle in...it's a long one).
You may be wondering why (or maybe are simply thankful!) I haven't been harassing you all with training and fundraising updates this fall. Well, last month I was diagnosed with not one but *two* stress fractures and so was not able to complete my training and will not be running in this Sunday's NYC marathon.
The trouble started in late August after what I thought was a very successful run in Prospect Park...a successful run apart from a nagging pain in my right shin that wouldn't seem to go away. I took a break, and saw a physical therapist, figuring (hoping) it was a muscle strain. After a few sessions and a few runs that we simply eh, one morning I tried to go for a run and my leg simply said no.
After having run a few marathons, I know the sort of pain you can muscle through, and sadly for me this wasn't one of these.
I went to see a very good sports medicine doctor who immediately recommended a bone scan and said I should go "aqua jog", and I had visions of me and a few older ladies jogging laps at the YMCA and wanted to cry a bit. I called to schedule my bone scan - and it would take me a week before I could get in there for one. All the while all I could think of was the days and weeks slipping away. While marathons aren't about time for me, until these moments I had been feeling so strong and even...fast! (Well, fast for me.) And if I couldn't run this marathon...I wouldn't be running a marathon this year for Bouv and that made me even more gloomy.
I went in for my scan and was surprised to learn having a bone scan meant getting shot up with radioactive material. But don't worry, as the technician kindly patted me on the arm she assured me there are no side effects. This was still troubling.
They took some base scans, injected me, and then told me to come back in two hours. When I did, the lady technician called to the "younger" guy asking if he wanted to "scan the cute young woman". I scowled. As I laid there in the machine, the technologist asked if I was a runner and when I explained that I was training for the NYC marathon, thought it would be an excellent idea to lecture me on the evils of running and how terrible it is for your body. I gave him a dirty look and didn't say anything until the scans came up on the machine...where right on the spot of my pain was a big glowing patch of light.
He said "That's where it hurts?"
"Mmm yeah. Is that a fracture?" I asked.
He said "The radiologist will take you through the scans."
All signs pointed to yes.
The surprise came when the radiologist and his two med students pointed out a second point of light on my left leg scan which was...you know it! A second stress fracture. I still needed to get the "official" call from my doctor with the recommended course of action but there I was with two broken legs. When Dr. Bartoli called a few days later and said no running until early October, reality set in that this season was over. I would be lying if I said I wasn't devastated. The first few weeks I was just so sad. I cursed myself for training too hard. I cursed myself for not cross training more. I cursed myself for not going to the doctor earlier. I felt badly that I had already raised over $2,000 and would the donations carry over and how would you feel about having sponsored me? I was disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to run NYC, but more than that, I wouldn't be running one for Steve like I wanted to.
The good news is that all your donations carry over specifically towards fundraising for my next marathon. Thank you so much of you who donated early on...I hope that you know that your funds are in good hands. Even if I would have to walk it, there is at least one more marathon in my future, I promise!
I will start my next marathon with a fundraising base of $2,228.00 thanks to my awesome supporters!
I hoped by waiting to send this email that I would be able to tell you *which* marathon I will be running in the place of this one, but after a follow up visit to the doctor last week, I still have a bunch of physical therapy to do before I can even start training again. Once I am back on the road, the blog and facebook updates will resume but for now...there's not too much to report.
So after my sad news...I have a story that makes me very happy to share.
Right around the time that I decided to run my first marathon, my co-worker's husband Anthony was diagnosed with leukemia. He needed a bone marrow transplant and we held a bone marrow drive at the office for him. He was a marathon runner himself and I was happy to run in honor of him and his fight with the disease. We exchanged a lot of emails, he enjoyed watching my progress as I learned to run, and was amazing at how generous people were at my fundraising efforts.
About a month ago, on a day I was feeling particularly cranky and sorry for myself, I opened my email to find and email from Anthony that put a big Bouv-style grin on my face. Three years later, Anthony is in FULL remission and running his own marathon to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this January in Miami! I am so excited for him, and so proud. In one of his emails to me what seems oh-so-long-ago, Anthony talked about how he hoped that once he was in remission, he would be one day be able to run a marathon for TNT. So I leave you with a few of his words, and a link to his fundraising website. If you had a few pennies saved for me, I wouldn't mind if you sent them Anthony's way instead. He is a great man and another testament to why we run.
thank you as always for your support of me and the LLS, and i promise - i will be in touch very soon with more adventures in running!
much love
rox
it has been a long time i know, and as i was reading back i realized i never gave you a proper and final update to my double-stress-fracture adventures. before we start new chapters, we must close the old ones, so here is the letter i sent out to my people. some of this will be old news but it is a good round up and apologies for not posting it here earlier...
"It has been a while, and for that I apologize...I'm afraid that I've been procrastinating breaking some bad news, so without further ado, I'll get to it (settle in...it's a long one).
You may be wondering why (or maybe are simply thankful!) I haven't been harassing you all with training and fundraising updates this fall. Well, last month I was diagnosed with not one but *two* stress fractures and so was not able to complete my training and will not be running in this Sunday's NYC marathon.
The trouble started in late August after what I thought was a very successful run in Prospect Park...a successful run apart from a nagging pain in my right shin that wouldn't seem to go away. I took a break, and saw a physical therapist, figuring (hoping) it was a muscle strain. After a few sessions and a few runs that we simply eh, one morning I tried to go for a run and my leg simply said no.
After having run a few marathons, I know the sort of pain you can muscle through, and sadly for me this wasn't one of these.
I went to see a very good sports medicine doctor who immediately recommended a bone scan and said I should go "aqua jog", and I had visions of me and a few older ladies jogging laps at the YMCA and wanted to cry a bit. I called to schedule my bone scan - and it would take me a week before I could get in there for one. All the while all I could think of was the days and weeks slipping away. While marathons aren't about time for me, until these moments I had been feeling so strong and even...fast! (Well, fast for me.) And if I couldn't run this marathon...I wouldn't be running a marathon this year for Bouv and that made me even more gloomy.
I went in for my scan and was surprised to learn having a bone scan meant getting shot up with radioactive material. But don't worry, as the technician kindly patted me on the arm she assured me there are no side effects. This was still troubling.
They took some base scans, injected me, and then told me to come back in two hours. When I did, the lady technician called to the "younger" guy asking if he wanted to "scan the cute young woman". I scowled. As I laid there in the machine, the technologist asked if I was a runner and when I explained that I was training for the NYC marathon, thought it would be an excellent idea to lecture me on the evils of running and how terrible it is for your body. I gave him a dirty look and didn't say anything until the scans came up on the machine...where right on the spot of my pain was a big glowing patch of light.
He said "That's where it hurts?"
"Mmm yeah. Is that a fracture?" I asked.
He said "The radiologist will take you through the scans."
All signs pointed to yes.
The surprise came when the radiologist and his two med students pointed out a second point of light on my left leg scan which was...you know it! A second stress fracture. I still needed to get the "official" call from my doctor with the recommended course of action but there I was with two broken legs. When Dr. Bartoli called a few days later and said no running until early October, reality set in that this season was over. I would be lying if I said I wasn't devastated. The first few weeks I was just so sad. I cursed myself for training too hard. I cursed myself for not cross training more. I cursed myself for not going to the doctor earlier. I felt badly that I had already raised over $2,000 and would the donations carry over and how would you feel about having sponsored me? I was disappointed that I wasn't going to be able to run NYC, but more than that, I wouldn't be running one for Steve like I wanted to.
The good news is that all your donations carry over specifically towards fundraising for my next marathon. Thank you so much of you who donated early on...I hope that you know that your funds are in good hands. Even if I would have to walk it, there is at least one more marathon in my future, I promise!
I will start my next marathon with a fundraising base of $2,228.00 thanks to my awesome supporters!
I hoped by waiting to send this email that I would be able to tell you *which* marathon I will be running in the place of this one, but after a follow up visit to the doctor last week, I still have a bunch of physical therapy to do before I can even start training again. Once I am back on the road, the blog and facebook updates will resume but for now...there's not too much to report.
So after my sad news...I have a story that makes me very happy to share.
Right around the time that I decided to run my first marathon, my co-worker's husband Anthony was diagnosed with leukemia. He needed a bone marrow transplant and we held a bone marrow drive at the office for him. He was a marathon runner himself and I was happy to run in honor of him and his fight with the disease. We exchanged a lot of emails, he enjoyed watching my progress as I learned to run, and was amazing at how generous people were at my fundraising efforts.
About a month ago, on a day I was feeling particularly cranky and sorry for myself, I opened my email to find and email from Anthony that put a big Bouv-style grin on my face. Three years later, Anthony is in FULL remission and running his own marathon to benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society this January in Miami! I am so excited for him, and so proud. In one of his emails to me what seems oh-so-long-ago, Anthony talked about how he hoped that once he was in remission, he would be one day be able to run a marathon for TNT. So I leave you with a few of his words, and a link to his fundraising website. If you had a few pennies saved for me, I wouldn't mind if you sent them Anthony's way instead. He is a great man and another testament to why we run.
"As you may or may not know, I'm a survivor of Leukemia, I was diagnosed with A.M.L I am happy to say that with the help of this very good Clinic and the great staff at North Shore Hospital, I'm in full remission. Though I can never repay you as much as I would like to, and know that I could never donate my blood or platelets that is much needed in surviving many like diseases. I still want to give back for the wonderful help you have given me, so in January I am going to run a full marathon for the Leukemia, Lymphoma society in hope of raising for the now suffering patients who have to go through cancer treatments. I know it will be hard, but compared to dealing with chemotherapy I rather run ten. http://pages.teamintraining.org/nyc/miami10/azagami
Runners run forward, never away.
- Anthony Zagami"
thank you as always for your support of me and the LLS, and i promise - i will be in touch very soon with more adventures in running!
much love
rox
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