Twice in one week

Wow. I am actually updating twice in one week. This week has been very stressful on the family front. Running has been a God Send. Last night I made my way over to the local highschool at about 4:30 PM and ran 5 miles at a pace that is much quicker than I run on average. I got 5 miles in in 52 minutes. This is pretty unheard of for me. I just ran round and round and round without giving thought to anything. I just let my mind go blank, zoned in on my ipod and let my feet fly. It has to have been the easiest run yet. I really needed it. It was eerie running in the dark. There was just enough light from the nearby parking lot to see the lines on the track. Because fall sports are over, they are not lighting the track anymore. I felt safe and I am glad to know I can see enough to run. I really want a treadmill for home, but so far I have not found one on Craigslist that I can afford. So running in the dark at the highschool will continue for now.

Tomorrow our group run is 250 minutes. That should put us at about 18 miles. It seems like our long runs have upped in mileage much faster than I remember doing the first time around. I just hope the migraine I have had for 3 days is gone by tomorrow morning.

It's been a while!

I guess I better update. I live in the Pacific Northwest. It rains - ALOT - in the fall, winter, spring and even summer lately. Our group has really lucked out since training began. Our long runs have been rather pleasant and rain free until yesterday. Yesterday the first 1/3 or so was not too bad. It was a little humid and warm - 65F. Then the rains hit - down pour. I had rain dripping off my hat. Then the winds picked up. The turn around gave us a great tail wind that pushed us right along. My shoes had pools of water in them. But you know, it was rather pleasant. I didn't mind the pouring rain at all. I suppose if it had been 39F I would have not been so content with the rain. Yesterday though, I was.

I am a little sore today. My calf's are tight. I am sure it is because I only got 3 short runs in last week. I am still struggling with the short runs. Fitting them in is difficult. I am in dire need of a treadmill. The cost is just beyond our budget unfortunately. This week I will be able to squeeze in my short runs today, Monday(supposed to be a rest day), Tuesday and I am hoping with any luck on Thursday.

The long runs have been going surprisingly well considering I am not getting in adequate short runs. I feel great on the long runs. I have energy, I am not burning out part way through and after I have little to no recovery time to deal with. I am bouncing back quickly.


I am still suffering from my fall. I have an knee that is a bit tempermental and some residual bone ache, but nothing that isn't manageable and easy enough to put out of my mind.


I am a bit worried about the fundraising aspect. I still need $700.00 and am not sure what to put together to bring it in within the next month. I will send out another mailing to everyone that didn't respond the first go around. I am also hoping to secure at least one more luncheon or even brunch. I have to cover it otherwise, and that isnt' doable! Eep.

It is pomegranate time. I love them. I used to eat them all winter long when I was in college. This morning's breakfast is oatmeal, a little honey and pomegranate seeds. Yum!

The perils of running with Lupus

I am still having a hard time figuring out my schedule during the week to get 4 short runs in. Instead I have at least managed to get 3 short runs in, but I have made them longer to get the mileage up to where I feel a comfortable base is being created. We have a schedule conflict on Wednesdays, so no one gets home until after dark. I won't run our lonely unlit roads in the dark. I feel unsafe on them during the day with the crazy driver's and logging truck traffic. Night running is definately out. I wish I could afford a treadmill or gym membership.

Today's long run included a pretty big wipe out by your's truly. We were turned around heading back in and I lost the sense of my left leg. This is something that has been happening since the Lupus invaded my body. I just lose all sensation of my left leg or my right arm. I can see it, but my brain isn't registering that limb. Today I dropped pretty hard to the ground and not only did I fall, but I tumbled a couple times as well. It makes me feel completely incapable of doing anything at all. The emotional impact of losing control is worse than the actual loss of control. I feel like an idiot. I hate that my body does this. My knee is pretty messed up and my leg is bruised from the shin to the ankle and the skin torn off in a couple of places. I am stiff. I am mad. I hate this. I will not stop running. I can't. Running saved me from myself and there is no way I am going to stop.

Running gave me something that I needed in my life. It gives me that time to process all that my day entails, from fighting for my child's developmental and medical needs, to wondering each day if I am going to continue to hold down employment in the mortgage lending industry. I think I would be insane if I didn't have that outlet.

So, I broke out the big bad pain pill, will ice and heat the knee and see how I am feeling tomorrow.

update time

I got reminded that I haven't updated in a while. I am really remiss about posting here. My life is a bit crazy. Then again isn't everyones?

I am trying to keep this blog focused on my training and not so much my personal life. It isn't always easy as everything is very interwoven.

My family is so great about working with my running schedule. Although I am finding it hard to squeeze in my short runs. I don't take lunch at work - I take it the last half hour of my schedule so I can be home on time to meet my son's bus. With the daylight hours shrinking it is getting to be tricky to get the run in before dark.

Last week I had a crappy cold that has been going around. I ran only 1 short run and then the long run. Was I ever stiff and sore the next day. This week I am making sure the long runs are in as they should be. I am finding that I can run longer stretches than I have ever been able to. I know it is a mental thing. I am sure the first time I trained I could have pushed and run longer stretches, but I didn't. I just kind of made sure I kept injury free and healthy enough to cross that finish line. This time I find that running is easier than walking. Granted many people walk faster than I run, but that movement is friendlier to my body than walking.

The weather this month has been ideal. I am not looking forward to the rain that I know is going to be here soon enough.

Fundaising is going pretty well. I lost my corporate sponsor, which was a disappointment. But with the economy as it is, they are feeling the pinch more than most, so I completely understand. I have another group of letters going out and we have the Texas Hold Em Party that needs to be finalized.

Fairhaven Waterfront 15K

Yesterday was the Fairhaven Waterfront 15K. I was really doubtful of my ability to complete this race of 9.3 miles. I fretted about it all week long. I missed a couple of my short runs last week due to extenuating circumstances and really did not feel at all prepared for Saturday. I can't wait until the pictures are done.

It was worked into our training schedule as our regular Saturday long run. It is the longest stretch I have run since I got sick. I completed it, and I ran it at a pace faster than I thought I could. I am so thrilled. Even more importantly I feel great today. I recovered very quickly. I was able to go out and get a nice easy paced run in early this morning and I have no aches or pains from all that running.

We are having a perfect extended summer. I am so glad for that.

Next week we have a fundraising event to coincide with the move in weekend of WWU. Hopefully we will have a decent turnout and sizeable donations.

Right now, I am going to go make Blackberry jam.

Back To School and all that jazz.

I am trying to adjust to the school schedules starting around here and fitting my running in during the week. I prefer to run first thing in the morning, but find I am running at night instead. The mornings are too dark now at the times I get up. Soon it will be too dark to run in the evening safely out here where I live. I am going to have to figure out how to get my runs in mid day.

I got a Nike+. I really like it. I guess I like to see for real just how slow of a runner I am. But you know.. I ran the solid 40 minutes today - no walk breaks. I might be slow, but I can run and I will finish what I set out to do. It took me a long time to be ok with being so slow. It was hard to have everyone pass me coming and going on the long runs. But eventually I settled in to being ok with the fact that I am who I am and I run slow. I think I am running pretty fast - then I look at my Plus and see I am cruising at the speed of 13.1 minute miles. Mario Andretti of the track I am not.

I am starting to get donations in the mail. It is so exciting to see those return envelopes tucked in the junk mail and bills when I arrive home from work. It keeps me going. My family - all of them - extended and immediate are incredible. I just love them and am so fortunate in my life to have them.

I will be adding my grandpa Henry Kinnune to my honored list. I put his name on my wristlet to wear as I train. He died of Leukemia long before I was born. My cousin sent in a donation and asked I run the marathon in his honor. Not only will I do that, but I will also train in his honor.

This weekend we run 90 minutes and then I have been asked if I wanted to sell hot dogs again at our local grocery store. The last time we did that a couple weeks ago a bit of a fiasco occured with the group following us. We were treated very poorly by some of the group members. I let the store manager know what happened. As a result I am being set up to fundraise in conjunction with a big store event - a Tail Gate Party to kick off the Seahawk's NFL season. The store is donating all the food fixings and I just need to sell them and keep all the proceeds for my marathon.

Sometimes it pays to speak up.

Procrastination

Yesterday I really did not want to run. In fact I came pretty close to convincing myself I could skip out. Then I started thinking about why I am running and training for a marathon and the people I am running in honor of. They can't skip out of Chemo or radiation. For them it is life or death. And sometimes death still wins over life.

So I begrudgingly put on my running gear, drove to the track and ran. It was a great run and I felt so much better after.

I think I might have made it beyond the initial hump of running. I have been able to run the entire short runs on our training schedule with no walk breaks except a 3 minute warm up and 3 minute cool down.

I know that there will be bumps in the road, but today I feel accomplished.