Abby
This week was a not so good running week. Things were just off. I felt tired and burned out and as the last entry testified, I just didn't want to run. I never felt injured, but my legs felt like lead, and my runs were sluggish, especially those at the first part of the week. After taking Thursday off, things started to turn around a little.
Thursday was supposed to be a running day, but I had reading to finish for my 1:00 Milton class and after teaching Kaplan, I did not have the energy to run. It was truly a shame, because Thursday was a fabulously gorgeous day. It was mid to upper seventies and sunny and I found myself slipping outside just to sit for a few more minutes before class started and enjoy the weather. Figures that the one great weather day last week was one of the few days that I did not run.
However, maybe taking Thursday off helped me recover a bit. My Friday run, I was feeling strong at the end of the two mile portion so I picked up the speed a bit. One strategy for building speed overall is to do just that. Speeding up the last third of your training runs helps your body learn to move quickly when it is already tired and is a much more effective place to run quickly than earlier in a race. Anyway, that extra push at the end of that run was a blast. I charged up the hill by the church and then carried that speed down the hill into my complex, feeling great.
Saturday at our Group Training Session, I ended up going at a good clip again. Four of us had decided to do five miles instead of four (well five of us if you count Su... I'll explain in a moment). Anyway, somehow I ended up running with this guy (I can't remember his name for the life of me) who had decided not to bring a map, and who was much faster than I was. Anyway this guy, lets call him Mark, set a fast pace, but not so fast that I couldn't handle it. I firmly believe that I could have stayed with him for the whole run, but I would have been very tired at the end and he would not have been. Anyway Mark and I caught up to a group of three San Diego runners who were going slower and we settled in with them for awhile because they knew the route. But when we got to the second water stop, three of us decided to go ahead. So now it was Mark, Kreuger and I. Now Krueger is forty-three and in spectacular shape. That man could have put both Mark and I to shame. He can run 10 miles at an 8 minute mile pace, so our "fast" pace was not taxing him at all.
Anyway, the three of us were all doing well when we saw Su, all alone, tooling down the other side of the road. I shouted over at her to find out what she was doing and discovered that she had decided at the last minute to do five but was accidentally running the loop backwards. I talked her into joining us and we all ran together for another half mile or so and then the boys started to pull in front. Su looked really tired and I didn't know whether to try and stay with the boys or stay with Su. I decided that since we weren't really supposed to go all out on these runs slowing down would be the best option. But I think that bothered Su more than if I'd just kept going. At this point we were back on the course that all the runners had been on, so the solution came about half mile later when we caught up to some other runners and Su ran with them, while I tried to catch the guys.
Needless to say, I failed. But I came close. They were never out of sight, and I think if we had gone another half mile or so I could have caught them. Regardless, again it felt good to go a little faster. Although I don't think we actually went five miles. I tried to clock the distance using g-maps pedometer this time, and if I got it right the run was almost exactly four miles and I think that TNT's blatant exaggeration is flat out mean. I would have run five miles, but they thwarted me. Evil TNT.
I didn't want to run today but I was being such a grumpy pain in the ass that I made myself go. Despite my speedy Friday and Saturday runs, my run today felt great. I timed it and pushed the end again. This one was 3.4 miles at a sub nine pace. Which isn't crazy fast, but definitely respectable. So the second half of the week fared much better than the first.
This week's clinic's focus was fundraising, which was fitting as I now have my letters 98% ready to go (there are a few problems with some of the labels). Most of the presentation was pretty repetitive (there is a huge fundraising section in my binder) but at the end things got a little more interesting. There was a guy who set up a not-for-profit company with the purpose of supporting team in training fundraising and cancer research because his seven year old son is currently in remission. He makes camouflage t-shirts that are customizable. Apparently the morning after his son was declared officially in remission he came downstairs wearing camouflage. When they asked him why, he said it was because he was fighting a war and he didn't want the enemy to find him. I can't find the guy's website (I grabbed a flyer, but am not sure where I put it, but his story was very moving).
I also found out there are little purple bracelets like the Lance Armstrong bracelet to show your support for the cause. I bought some to sell or give in return for a donation, mainly because it feels like a less awkward way to ask relative strangers for money. I don't really have a strategy yet, but Kristen is going to sell some to her friends. Yay Kristen.
Anyway, I was searching the internet for different bracelet options (there is a 'cancer sucks' bracelet and a red leukemia bracelet as well) when I came across a really moving website about a little girl named Abby. Abby is a four year old who is now in remission after a two year bout with Leukemia. Her parents set up the site to keep friends and family informed while she was sick. One of the things that they did is create a slideshow illustrating a year in the life of their little girl. It is heartwrenching. Having never had to watch someone I love go through chemotherapy it was an important thing for me to see. It helped me understand better what team I am on and what I am fighting for. As Su said it reminds you that "people are so fragile, yet so resilient." I am so glad that Abby has won her fight against cancer.
Next time I have bad day, or week, or run, hopefully I'll remember Abby and her family and get some much needed perspective and inspiration.
This week in summary:
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: rest
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: 4-5 miles (I think it was 4)
Sunday: 3 miles
Total: 18-19
Thursday was supposed to be a running day, but I had reading to finish for my 1:00 Milton class and after teaching Kaplan, I did not have the energy to run. It was truly a shame, because Thursday was a fabulously gorgeous day. It was mid to upper seventies and sunny and I found myself slipping outside just to sit for a few more minutes before class started and enjoy the weather. Figures that the one great weather day last week was one of the few days that I did not run.
However, maybe taking Thursday off helped me recover a bit. My Friday run, I was feeling strong at the end of the two mile portion so I picked up the speed a bit. One strategy for building speed overall is to do just that. Speeding up the last third of your training runs helps your body learn to move quickly when it is already tired and is a much more effective place to run quickly than earlier in a race. Anyway, that extra push at the end of that run was a blast. I charged up the hill by the church and then carried that speed down the hill into my complex, feeling great.
Saturday at our Group Training Session, I ended up going at a good clip again. Four of us had decided to do five miles instead of four (well five of us if you count Su... I'll explain in a moment). Anyway, somehow I ended up running with this guy (I can't remember his name for the life of me) who had decided not to bring a map, and who was much faster than I was. Anyway this guy, lets call him Mark, set a fast pace, but not so fast that I couldn't handle it. I firmly believe that I could have stayed with him for the whole run, but I would have been very tired at the end and he would not have been. Anyway Mark and I caught up to a group of three San Diego runners who were going slower and we settled in with them for awhile because they knew the route. But when we got to the second water stop, three of us decided to go ahead. So now it was Mark, Kreuger and I. Now Krueger is forty-three and in spectacular shape. That man could have put both Mark and I to shame. He can run 10 miles at an 8 minute mile pace, so our "fast" pace was not taxing him at all.
Anyway, the three of us were all doing well when we saw Su, all alone, tooling down the other side of the road. I shouted over at her to find out what she was doing and discovered that she had decided at the last minute to do five but was accidentally running the loop backwards. I talked her into joining us and we all ran together for another half mile or so and then the boys started to pull in front. Su looked really tired and I didn't know whether to try and stay with the boys or stay with Su. I decided that since we weren't really supposed to go all out on these runs slowing down would be the best option. But I think that bothered Su more than if I'd just kept going. At this point we were back on the course that all the runners had been on, so the solution came about half mile later when we caught up to some other runners and Su ran with them, while I tried to catch the guys.
Needless to say, I failed. But I came close. They were never out of sight, and I think if we had gone another half mile or so I could have caught them. Regardless, again it felt good to go a little faster. Although I don't think we actually went five miles. I tried to clock the distance using g-maps pedometer this time, and if I got it right the run was almost exactly four miles and I think that TNT's blatant exaggeration is flat out mean. I would have run five miles, but they thwarted me. Evil TNT.
I didn't want to run today but I was being such a grumpy pain in the ass that I made myself go. Despite my speedy Friday and Saturday runs, my run today felt great. I timed it and pushed the end again. This one was 3.4 miles at a sub nine pace. Which isn't crazy fast, but definitely respectable. So the second half of the week fared much better than the first.
This week's clinic's focus was fundraising, which was fitting as I now have my letters 98% ready to go (there are a few problems with some of the labels). Most of the presentation was pretty repetitive (there is a huge fundraising section in my binder) but at the end things got a little more interesting. There was a guy who set up a not-for-profit company with the purpose of supporting team in training fundraising and cancer research because his seven year old son is currently in remission. He makes camouflage t-shirts that are customizable. Apparently the morning after his son was declared officially in remission he came downstairs wearing camouflage. When they asked him why, he said it was because he was fighting a war and he didn't want the enemy to find him. I can't find the guy's website (I grabbed a flyer, but am not sure where I put it, but his story was very moving).
I also found out there are little purple bracelets like the Lance Armstrong bracelet to show your support for the cause. I bought some to sell or give in return for a donation, mainly because it feels like a less awkward way to ask relative strangers for money. I don't really have a strategy yet, but Kristen is going to sell some to her friends. Yay Kristen.
Anyway, I was searching the internet for different bracelet options (there is a 'cancer sucks' bracelet and a red leukemia bracelet as well) when I came across a really moving website about a little girl named Abby. Abby is a four year old who is now in remission after a two year bout with Leukemia. Her parents set up the site to keep friends and family informed while she was sick. One of the things that they did is create a slideshow illustrating a year in the life of their little girl. It is heartwrenching. Having never had to watch someone I love go through chemotherapy it was an important thing for me to see. It helped me understand better what team I am on and what I am fighting for. As Su said it reminds you that "people are so fragile, yet so resilient." I am so glad that Abby has won her fight against cancer.
Next time I have bad day, or week, or run, hopefully I'll remember Abby and her family and get some much needed perspective and inspiration.
This week in summary:
Monday: rest
Tuesday: 3 miles
Wednesday: 5 miles
Thursday: rest
Friday: 3 miles
Saturday: 4-5 miles (I think it was 4)
Sunday: 3 miles
Total: 18-19
posted by Lynn at 8:43 PM
1 Comments:
First of all, your link is broken (extra "http").
Secondly, I don't think anyone ever "wins" the fight against cancer...
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