Rookie on the Run

OK, I'm jumping on the Nikemom's T.G.I.F. Foto Friday bandwagon. The theme for this week is, "America's Next Top Runner". Here are two of America's Next Top Runners: This was taken several months ago. My boys (age 3 & 6 at the time) were running via the Wii Fit. I'm sure Jimmy Buffet shirts and sliding-down shorts will be the "hip" running apparel one day.

Thanks for all the comments regarding my infatuation with my new shoes! I'm happy to say that I still love them. I ran almost 3 miles today and they feel amazing! I felt no pain in my joints while running. My ankles and knees didn't complain at all after my run! Saturday is our training group 10-mile run. This will be the true test of our love... through uphills & downhills... in dirt or on concrete... for better or for worse... if my Kayanos remain faithful, I will pledge my undying love. At least until I wear them out.

"Good-bye, Not-So-Old Friends " I changed my running shoes. I was happy with my previous pair... except that I've been having ankle and knee pain. Even with the insoles I purchased last week, my joints have been nagging me while I run. I bought my running shoes and insoles at Road Runner Sports . They have an incredible return policy! They give you 60 days to try out your shoes and 30 days for the insoles. If you aren't happy, they will take them back. So, I decided to exchange my shoes for a pair with more cushion. I wanted to do some research first, so I went online. I went straight to Runners' World and stumbled upon a video of their Editor's Picks for shoes. The first pair reviewed looked like a winner to me... Asics (ding!). Stabilizing (ding! ding!). And cushiony (ding!, ding!, ding!). The shoe was this one: This is the Asics Kayano 15 . It is built for those who need stability and also has added cushion. The laces are designed to foll...

As I mentioned in my previous blog, I was excited about my Saturday group-run because it was supposed to be a trail run. Well, due to all that "torrential" rain we had last week, the coaches decided to bypass the trail and stick to the paved roads. I was disappointed but I figure it's better than getting my new running shoes covered in mud. This run was tough! At the start of the run, there was a hill that went on and on and on... I ran as much as I could. Walked. Ran. Walked. Sort of ran. Walked. And so on. I know hills are our friends but I don't like them. When the route did flatten a bit, it was a little easier but I was probably taking it too easy in order to baby my ankles. For the whole nine miles, I alternated between running and walking. It wasn't the "high" I got after my 8-miler last Saturday, but it was still fun- and the longest route I've done so far. For my mid-run "snack", I chose the Cliff Gel in Mocha flavor. ...

This was a non-running day for me. I have a 9-mile run scheduled for tomorrow. I'm particularly looking forward to this one because it's mostly a trail run. I'm thinking it will be like hiking- only faster. Last week, the coaches for my running group told us to start bringing some energy-type food to eat during our runs. In a strange way, I'm excited about this... I'm now running long enough distances to consume those mysterious, funny-shaped packages that I've seen at the check-out counters at the athletic stores! So, which to buy? Well, I had a credit at Road Runner Sports so I decided to try out a bunch. Here is my collection: I haven't decided which of the gels I will try out during my run tomorrow. It's a tough choice since the idea of downing a mouthful of gel doesn't sound very appetizing-- I don't care what flavor they call it! As of tonight, I'm leaning toward the Mocha Cliff Shot since it has caffeine and it's going to b...

This is going to be a short one... I have had a headache all day (I get a killer headache at the same time every "month"). I just wanted to thank those of you who gave advice and encouragement about the pain I was feeling in my ankles. I'm happy to report that I got out there again this morning and was able to run mostly pain-free. Yay ! I started out running like a little old lady but gradually got back into my slow but steady pace. Honestly, I didn't want to run this morning. It's been nice snuggling and watching Curious George with my littlest boy in the morning. But once I got going, I felt so good and happy to be out there again! I knew I could get my snuggling time in after my run. Anyway, that's all. I'm looking forward to reading everyone's blogs... looks like some good ones (gotta find out what the green guy is about!). I'll probably catch up with y'all tomorrow. :)

February 17 Training Assignment: Run 40 minutes Actual: None Listening to My Body My ankles are still griping at me. By griping, I mean, they hurt! I haven't run since Saturday and have missed two training days. This is discouraging and frustrating. Saturday's run was such a "high" for me. Now, I'm waiting for my ankles to feel better and tell me it's OK to start running again. I would run and try to ignore the pain but I'm afraid of causing even more damage that would keep me from even more training days. Searching for Solutions Today, I went to our local Road Runner Sports to find out if the cause of my ankle pain could be due to my shoes or if an insole would help. In case you don't know, Road Runner has an incredible return policy. If they fit you for shoes, you have 60 days to use them to see if they will work for you. If they don't, you can return them. That's better than Nordstrom's return policy! I explained my problem to...

February 16 Training Run: 35 minutes It's Raining, It's Pouring It's raining here today. When it rains in San Diego, it is a major news story. The anchor men and women jump into action, put on their serious faces, and give names to the news-worthy weather. Names such as, "Storm Watch 2009" or "The Biggest Storm of the Year" . Never mind that it is only February. Never mind that it's just rain... rain we need in order to stave off the constant threat of drought. I love the rain and I was looking forward to running in it. I was excited about trying out my new running rain-jacket to make sure it really works. I got the jacket on clearance a couple weeks ago and debated the necessity of it. Here was my chance to justify the purchase. Fashion and the Average Soccer Mom The only problem was, my ankles and my right knee have been hurting since yesterday morning. I'm sure the pain is mostly due to the 8-mile run on Saturday. My ankles and kn...

February 14 Group Run: 8-miles Red Robin & Yummy French Fries A new milestone for me on Saturday! The West Coast Road Runners met early in Carlsbad, CA to embark on an eight mile run up the coast. I was nervous about this because my training runs during the week were not the greatest. The night before the run, we went to Red Robin for an early Valentine's Day family time out. I ate lots of french fries and most of my Whiskey River Chicken Burger. So, so yummy!! I was tempted to get a chocolate malt for dessert but I decided against it. I was pretty full and worried about how all the food might effect my run... but I figured it couldn't make my run any worse than it had been all week. Valentine's Day on the Coast Sounds romantic, but my morning on the coast was strictly for the purpose of running. And what a perfect place to run! A few hills, yes, but mostly running right next to the water along the "strand" which leads from North Carlsbad to Oceansid...

January 11 Training run: 40 minutes (did about 3 miles) January 12 Training run: 30 minutes (did about 2.5 miles) I can't say that this has been my best week running since I started nearly 4 weeks ago. It seems like I was feeling more successful a last week. I was running and thinking this morning (I can do both!) about why this might be the case this week. I've been reading that it can be a long process getting your body in the right shape for running. While my heart and mind might be ready, my body is going through a cycle of tearing down and rebuilding as it adjusts. I'm hoping this is just one of those weeks when my body is readjusting itself to fit my training. I feel I need to focus on getting more sleep and eating more balanced meals. I have had a busy week with unexpected problems (broke a molar yesterday...). I haven't been eating as well or as often as I should be. So, time to get back to basics! Meanwhile, I'm already thinking about other races I ca...

Monday, February 9 Training Assignment: Run 35 minutes My body was not a happy runner this morning. Maybe I'm worn out from the 7-mile group run on Saturday. Or maybe from sprinting around during my soccer game yesterday. Maybe my body was letting me know that it was miffed about having to run on the treadmill at the gym. In any case, I did the 35 minutes assigned by my training coach, but I was so tired. I felt like I did the whole run wondering how much longer I had to go. That only makes it seem even more laborious. Even now as I write this, I feel worn out. I think I'm going to take a day off tomorrow- which is supposed to be a running day- and run on Wednesday instead. Wednesday is supposed to be a "rest" day but I think I need that rest now! As an extra bonus, it's supposed to stop raining by Wednesday so I will be able to do my run outside. I'm also hoping my bruised foot and blood blister I got when a 19 year-old girl stomped on my 38 year-old...

February 7 Saturday Group Run: 7 Miles Carlsbad, CA In spite of the possibility of rain, the West Coast Runners met for our seven-mile run this morning at 7:20. This is the longest run I've taken on to date. There were not as many runners this morning, probably due to the weather. The forecast said there would be rain all through the county this morning but when we got to our meeting point, the sky was only cloudy. No rain... just nice and cool. The run went well! I kept my usual slow pace but I ran most of the seven miles. I enjoyed running along, watching the waves pound the rocks and sea cliffs. There was even a rainbow in the sky (but no matter how fast I ran, I couldn't find the end & get that elusive pot-o-gold). It was a great feeling to get to the finishing point, knowing I had completed the full seven miles. This is addicting! After our run, the coaches talked about proper gait and stretching techniques. Good information. I realized I need to work on ho...

Today I registered to run in a 5K called the Carlsbad 5000 . I was not planing on running any other races before the Rock & Roll Marathon but I when I heard about a group putting together a fund-raising team for a little boy I know, it was a no- brainer decision to join the team and sign up. Here is some background regarding this boy's situation: Last school year a fourth grader who attended the school where I taught was hit by a car while chasing his skateboard down his driveway and into the street. Daniel was struck hard by a car driven by a teenage boy (who was going the speed-limit, by the way). Daniel suffered many injuries, including fractures and major head-trauma. He was placed in a drug-induced coma in order to let his brain rest so the swelling could go down. After numerous surgeries and months in the hospital, Daniel is home. He is confined to a wheelchair and has extremely limited movement. He currently attends special day classes at his local public school. ...

February 5 th Assignment: 35 minute run Actual: 4 miles (about 60 minutes) Random Thoughts Filling my Attention-Deficit-Disordered Brain Do you think it's possible for me to get to at least a 13 minute mile before the Rock & Roll Marathon on May 31? At my current rate, I worry I'll be dragging myself across the finish line long after the officials, spectators, and other runners have cleared out and gone home. Seven-mile run coming up on Saturday... it's supposed to rain. What do people wear to run in the rain? My hands got sooooo cold running in the morning this week. How is it possible to be cold and still sweat at the same time? It's so strange to be cooling down and warming up at the same time. My body didn't know what to do with itself this morning! Why was Michael Phelps so stupid as to toke it up... especially when he knows he's a public figure who will likely be photographed while doing it? I need to find a good running bra. I'm small-framed ...

February 4 Non-Running Day I haven't had much chance to blog this week so I have some catching up to do.  Guess it's good there isn't a whole lot of new stuff to blog.   Running/Training I've been keeping up with the training schedule set by the West Coast Road Runner coaches.  I've even added a little bit of time to my weekday running because I'm hoping it will help prepare me for the seven-mile Saturday run coming up.  I'm not over-doing it... just pushing myself a little more.  We'll see if it helps to keep me from getting my butt kicked by seven miles of San Diego coastline (which can be a little hilly).   A New Attitude When I started this adventure of training for a marathon, I never expected to start loving it!  At best, I hoped I'd learn to tolerate it.  I used to see people running and I'd think, "Ugh!  That looks miserable!  Why would anyone want to do that?"   Now, when I see people running while I'm out doing errands I f...