Off Topic: The not-so big one!

I just survived my first REAL earthquake! I've been in a couple where you hardly realize what is happening until it is over- not so much with this one. This was kind of a slow build- It started out smaller where my desk and monitor were shaking, and everyone in the office realized it was an earth quake. Everyone just kind of stopped what they were doing and started giggling in that way you giggle when something really strange is happening. I, on the other hand, think I shreiked. Totally understandable, but I also covered my mouth with one hand and my head with the other, like that was going to protect me if any debris started falling. I started to climb under my desk, but remembered that was for hurricane/tornado drills circia 3rd grade.

Then it just kind of stopped, and that was it! Pretty cool...

CNN info:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/US/07/29/earthquake.ca/index.html

Epicenter map:
http://earthquake.usgs.gov/eqcenter/recenteqsus/Maps/US2/33.35.-119.-117.php

Week 10: 11 miles is a lot of miles.

So I'm not sure why it took me so long to recap yesterday's training.

Oh sure, yesterday was kind of busy- I had a friend in town (hi Mindy!) that I had to take to the airport, and then I drove to Irvine to go see John Mayer (no, no Jennifer Anniston sightings) at Verizon Wireless. (Big thanks to Tracy Becker and the Live Nation digital folks for the tickets!) Today at work was nutty, so there was no time to dash off a quick recap. So all that makes sense.

But I'll admit that I had some time right after I got done running, before I took Mindy to the airport. But let's be honest, right about then, all I really wanted to do was sit on the couch and kind of revel/wallow in the knowledge that I had just run 11 FREAKING MILES.

Yes, that's right folks. 11 MILES. And I am not lying, or stretching the truth by telling you that 11 miles is a long way. Oh sure, going 60 miles an hour down the freeway, 11 miles is a drop in the bucket. But 11 miles when you're running them is quite a long way. According to my really cool GPS watch (on loan from the fabulous Jen Butler,) I burned 1,097 calories. Yeah, that's a lot of calories. It took a little over 2 hours, and I will admit that I hit a little rough patch at mile 7.5.

I was cruising along for the first 7.5 miles. We ran about 2 miles along the beach, hit a water stop, turned up San Vicente and ran all the way to Brentwood to water stop #2 (if you'll remember my blog from 2 weeks ago, this was the stretch where I got sidelined by the banana I had for breakfast.) I am happy to report I made it all the way there feeling great this week. That was about 5 miles into the run. Then we did a loop around the Brentwood Country Club Golf Course, back to the water stop, which was about a 2 mile loop. Well, I got to the water stop at the beginning of my group- we always wait for everyone else to catch up before starting off again. I SHOULD have continued moving, stretching, but I didn't. I drank some water and chatted- didn't stretch like I should have been. Well, when we started up again, I immediately felt pain in my left hamstring. It was pretty bad- there were a few minutes there where I wasn't sure if I would be able to keep going. But I slowed down and walked it out, pausing to stretch quite often, and slowly I worked the pain out and was able to catch up to my group at the next water stop (they had all passed me by this point.) We continued on back to the civic center all together- 11 miles down!

Usually I feel like I could keep going- that I'm glad to be done but I've got a little bit left in me. Not so much this time. I was completely ready to be done, but really proud of myself for hanging in there and getting it done.

Now if I can just get through the 13 miles next week! Can you believe it?!?! Pretty much running 1/2 a marathon next week! Stay tuned...

Thank you!

Some thanks:

First off, thanks to BOB & DEE McDONALD! I've known the McDonalds just about my whole life- as long as I can remember. They live down the street from my parents in Austin and are wonderful people.

Next, thanks to ERIN & ANDREW OLIVER! Erin is someone else I've known just about my whole life- 24 years to be exact. We've been friends since we were 5- I spent as much time at her folks house as I spent at mine, growing up. Erin & Andrew got married last year and I love the both of them.

Finally, thanks to CRISTINA & STEPHEN COX! Steve & I went to college together and recently found each other again on facebook. Ain't technology the best? It is so great to be able to reconnect with people you might otherwise lose touch with.

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated! I can't tell you how much it means to me- the coordinator for West LA Team In Training called me today to talk to me about incentives for big fundraisers- she wanted to see if I thought I could get to $7,500! I think that might be a lofty goal, but who knows- I've gotten so much support from so many friends near and far- it just might happen!

Week 9: The HILLS are alive with the sound of...panting.

So today we took a little field trip to Griffith Park for this morning's run. I'd never been there before, and it is a really cool park in the middle of LA- I had no idea how big it was. We had to be there at 7:30 AM, and it is a good 1/2 hour away from my house, so it was an early morning. Low and behold, there was some sort of construction or something, so even at 7 AM on a SUNDAY, there was traffic. I was stopped on the 110 freeway for about 10 minutes. Gotta love LA!

So today's run was 8.5 miles, but I might venture to say that it was the toughest run we've done so far. The first 1.25 miles was flat, and then we went off the asphalt for some trail running. Our coach Marissa said it would be hilly, and she wasn't lying. The next 3 miles were INTENSE. We're talking about some hills that were steep inclines where we'd be going uphill for a 5 or 6 minutes, and then pretty steep downhills for the same amount of time. We basically did 1 1/2 miles through the trail to a water stop, then we turned around and did the same thing back. The tough thing about that was knowing on the first half- ok- this downhill is going to be a TOUGH uphill on the way back. It was a WORKOUT and I know I'm going to be sore tomorrow, but I'm glad I conquered it. A girl I was running with has done the Nike Women's marathon in San Fran before, and she said the hills today were worse than the ones there, so that was good.

So after the hills we were only through with about 5 miles of our 8.5 mile run. We came off the trail and did a 2 mile loop around a golf course, and then jogged another 1 1/2 miles up back to where we started.

It was a good workout, and I felt MUCH better than I did last week. I think I made better food choices, and it was overcast and cool, which really helped. I'm back to feeling good about it, even though I had several "what the heck was I thinking" moments on the trail today.

Thanks!

Big thanks to JULIA RUBINER! Like Jeannie, I know Julia through my good friend Lisa Jenkins. She's 1/5 of the snarky women, and I could listen to her and her sister Joanna tell stories all day- they are a hoot. I should send Lisa a fruit basket or something, to thank her for introducing me to so many cool ladies.

Thanks

Big fat thanks to REID PRICHARD! Reid and I started at House of Blues at about the same time. Then Reid got a great job offer in Seattle and moved up there for a couple years- I got to visit once which was a lot of fun. Then they moved back to LA for a year, but Seattle proved too tempting, and they recently moved back. I'm sad I don't get to see more of Reid, but hopefully we'll make it back to Seattle soon!

More Thanks and mid-week hill training!

First off, today was a great fundraising day!

Thanks to ABBIE CONLEE, who I shared many great adventures with a few years ago when the two of us picked up and moved to Martha's Vineyard for the summer to sell overpriced T-Shirts and live it up on the east coast. It will always be one of my very favorite summers, and every spring when the weather starts to get warm, I start to reminisce about it. People say you can never go back in life but sometimes I really wish I could go back there! There is no one else I can imagine spending that summer with, and I wish I got to see her more often!

Next, JEN JONES! Jen and I share a special bond- we're both in love with US Marines! Jen's Fiance Keith is currently serving in Afghanistan, and it is so nice to have a friend in LA who knows exactly what I'm going through. Keith is one lucky guy, because Jen is the coolest.

Also, thanks to DAVE FORTIN! Dave and I worked together at House of Blues, and I have always been a little bit awe-inspired by Dave. He's been doing triathlons for as long as I have known him, and I distinctly remember overhearing him describe some of his latest training runs and bikes and swims while I was eating a chili cheese dog and fries. It feels so much better to now be in the healthy club!

JEANNIE LONG also gets big thanks!! I know Jeannie through my good friend Lisa Jenkins, and I'm so glad Lisa introduced us. We have a fun group of snarky women who sometimes lunch, and I hope we all lunch again sooner rather than later.

And thanks to JEANNE HART! Jeanne is a fellow TNTer who I've actually never met- she's completed 2 TNT events already and will be serving as the PR captain on the Long Beach team soon and just wanted to show some support! That's one of my favorite things about TNT- I really feel like I'm part of this really large family now- everyone who has ever completed an endurance event through TNT is so supportive and encouraging! I know I will be now from here on out, for the rest of my life, too. It is a great organization full of the best people who are working for a great cause, and really want to see you succeed. What more can you ask for?

Finally, thanks to BILL JOHNSON! Bill is my 2nd cousin, I guess. Or maybe another 1st cousin once removed? I think it is the same amount removed as Susan Kennedy. He's my mom's first cousin, and he's great. I have the most wonderful family! I wish I just got to see them all with a little more regularity.

Ok, so we did our first mid-week hill workout. It was pretty tough at first, but I got the hang of it and finished strong! We did 3 minute intervals where we ran up a pretty steep continual incline hill for 3 minutes, and then jogged back down. We repeated it 5 times. I know it sounds not too tough, but my butt is burning! I just kept thinking about what a workout it was getting and that got me through. I like these mid-weeks because it is always easier for me to work out with the group than by myself.

Beginning of the middle update

Those of you who know me pretty well know that my fiancé Patrick is a marine who is currently deployed in Iraq. This is our 3^rd deployment, and I’ve always said that getting through a deployment is a bit like running a marathon- it is an endurance event- not a sprint.

I’m glad that in just 3 short months, I’ll be able to say with some authority, whether or not a deployment is in fact like a marathon. I’m beginning to suspect that it may more closely resemble TRAINING for a marathon, and I’ll tell you why:

The toughest part of a deployment to me is the beginning of the middle- the part where the homecoming still seems ages away, and it already feels like the deployment has been going on forever.

I kind of feel that way about training right now. The first few weeks were new and exciting- each week I surprised myself with how far we ran. Then you get down into the thick of it when it turns into just plain hard work. Last Sunday I ran 9.5 miles, and it was a great accomplishment- I’m so proud of myself for knocking it out. I prefer to look at it like a 10k plus a 5k all in one morning. A 15k if you will.

But There are still 3 months and many miles left to go, and I must admit that this evening I was feeling a little bit overwhelmed by how many more runs I have to go before the big day. And I was tired and just didn’t feel like running. I had made up my mind that I was just going to skip tonight’s run and pick up tomorrow. Then I got an email from one of our coaches that said the following:

Finding it’s tough to get out the door for your midweek runs/walks? Very few of us are skilled enough at biochemistry to get in the lab to help find a cure. Does that mean we should throw our hands in the air and say its someone else’s problem, there’s nothing I can do about it? Absolutely not. TNT has already funded research that has directly saved lives, and that funding came from people just like you. Chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML) used to have less than a 20% survival rate. Drug companies had done some initial research on Gleevac but had decided not to pursue additional research. Then LLS came in and funded the additional research, and patients using Gleevac now have a 95% survival rate after 5 years. How’s that for everyday people like us making a difference? The lead researcher responsible for Gleevac wanted to show his appreciation to LLS, so he went and joined TNT, fundraised, and ran the 2003 Rock ‘n Roll Marathon himself. So when you’re faced with the temptation of a comfortable couch versus going for a run, remember that you’re a part of something much bigger, and getting those shoes on and getting out the door is part of a much bigger fight. And helping to win that fight is something to be immensely proud of.

That was enough of a kick in the butt to keep me going for the rest of the week. I’m running for something much bigger than myself, and what I’m doing is really important. I am running for my cousin Ashley, who just celebrated the one year anniversary of her diagnosis with ALL T-Cell Leukemia. She’s doing much better, and you can read her story at ashleywingo.com. Her fight, and the one that all cancer patients go through is tough, and I feel like a weenie for even thinking about sitting on the couch.

I am proud to report that our West Los Angeles team has raised over $88,000 to date. I am humbled and honored to report that I am currently the lead fundraiser for our team, with my donations totaling $4,450, thanks to the generosity of all the folks who have donated thus far. My goal is to exceed the $5,000 mark, which will make a huge difference in the fight against Leukemia and Lymphoma. If you’d like to make a donation in the fight against Leukemia, you can do so by visiting my fundraising page here: http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/nikesf08/apolk

Week 8 is great...kind of.

First off, I want to thank DALE AND BETTY ZINN! I have known the Zinns a really long time- they live down the street from my parents and are wonderful people. Thanks so much!

Now, on to the details. This morning was our 8th long run, and I went 9.5 miles this morning. I prefer to look at it as a 10k & 1/2, or a 15k. For some reason, putting it in those terms really illustrates how long it is.

Now, today was not the best run I've had to date. I woke up just not so much feeling it. I was just tired (and I got a decent night's sleep last night.) The week has just been long, and the weekend didn't feel long enough. For breakfast I mixed things up a bit, and instead of my usual granola bar, I added in a banana. I won't be doing that again. At about mile 3.5, I really felt like I might loose my breakfast. We did the same basic route we did a couple weeks ago when we ran 8 miles, and the stretch up San Vicente blvd was particularly hot and that didn't really help. So I slowed myself down, and ended up walking that next mile with another really sweet girl in my group. The rest of the pace group kept going, and I figured they'd pass us once the turned around. To our surprise, when we got to the water stop, they'd all waited for us! It was really sweet and made me appreciate doing the marathon with Team in Training even more.

The way back was much better than the way down. Taking the walk break was the right move- it allowed me to finish strong and still make it 9.5 miles today. Don't get me wrong- I was REALLY ready to be done today- I don't think I had anything left when I finished- I put it all on the table today. It felt good to get it done, but I am exhausted today, and I hope I don't have many more training days like today.

Thanks, Noah!

Thanks to NOAH REDDELL, one of Pat's college roommates, who generously donated to my marathon fundraising yesterday. Noah, can't wait to see you in December! Thanks so much!

In other exciting fundraising news, it was announced yesterday in our weekly TNT newsletter that I am currently the LEAD FUNDRAISER for the Westside LA Team!!! And that was before Noah's donation and a few mailed in donations that haven't hit yet. I am currently at $4,350, well on my way to my new goal of $5,000! Please keep spreading the word- it is only because of your generosity that I've been able to raise so much money so far, and I know I can raise even more for this great cause!

Training Run #7

This morning started with a bit of dramatic flare- the fire alarm in my apartment went off at 6:15. Anyone who knows me knows how much I already hate getting up at 7:15 for our training runs, so this was a particularly rude awakening. But we shook it off, and then my parents came along this morning for our 7th training run. They took off a bit before we did and walked our running route and cheered us on. They took a few photos which have to be some of the worst photos I have ever taken. I have to say that I don't run pretty. I guess that isn't the point, but seriously, all of these photos were terrible! I'm posting the one that is the least bad. You can see my fancy hydration belt in the photo below.
















This morning we ran 5 miles at a 5 mins of running, 1 of walking pace. It was a nice change after last week's 8 mile run. Next week we go (gulp) 10 miles. I know I can do it, but it still sounds daunting.

Welcome Baby Eubank!

This is completely off topic, but I just wanted to send a big congratulations to Mary Lauren and Brett Eubank, who welcomed little Anna Clare into the world early this morning! Little ACE, we're so excited that you are finally here and can't wait to meet you!

4th of July 5k

My parents are in town for the holiday weekend, and they came with me to cheer me on in the 4th of July 5k in Redondo Beach. I was not the happiest camper to be waking up at 6:15 AM on a day off, but I'm really glad I got up early- it was a fun race. A few TNT friends who are in my pace group ended up running the race as well, so it was fun to run the whole thing together. Some other TNT folks ran as well, but they were a little faster than us so we held our own. That's something really fun about a race- you realize that you're not the fastest but you're certainly not the slowest either. Here are a few photos from the race:Mom, Dad & I before the race

Me, Kimberly & Stacey in the back (you can see us waving) at the beginning of the race

You can see my green shirt coming round the home stretch along the ocean...

We ran it in 36:37, running 7 minutes, then walking 1 minute, which is pretty good for us! We all felt great after the race, too, which is a good way to finish!

THANKS!

I got home from work today to find a little love in my mailbox.

First off, just wanted to give a shout out to BRIAN & LISA GALE! Brian was my first boss at House of Blues, and him and his wife are great people. They moved all the way across the country and are sorely missed here in SoCal. THANKS BRIAN & LISA!

Next, thanks to SUSAN & MICKEY KENNEDY! I could explain how I am related to them, but I'm not totally sure if I know... wait, I can do this. Ok, so I'm pretty sure Susan and my mom are first cousins- their moms (Her mom Linda and my grandmother Cleo) were sisters. So that would make us second cousins? Or first cousins once removed? I'm not totally sure how that works. Regardless, they are wonderful folks, and I really appreciate the donation. THANKS KENNEDYS!