3 Sisters 7 Days

I’m with Terri. Hiring a running coach aside, there’s likely no way to increase our chances of qualifying for the Boston Marathon other than cross-training. Not only were we just plain burned out by “just” running during our training for the 2010 San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll marathon, but I also suffered the onset of iliotibial (IT) band pain. Certainly, cross-training will help to develop muscles oft-neglected by running exclusively, and – hopefully – prevent (additional) injury. It will also combat boredom in what promises to be yet another long, hot summer.

Terri has taken up mountain biking and bike commuting. Although my current “recovery and training” plan include biking, my tack is a little different. I’m just going “back” to how I trained for my previous marathons: biking to work as often as possible, walking nearly as many miles as I run, practicing yoga daily, rock-climbing, and getting in the pool on most of the truly hot afternoons.

Bicycle commuting: In addition to reducing the stress on my joints, generally, riding to campus and back will require me to use overlapping sets of muscles in distinct ways to help limit my chances of injury.

Balancing walking and running: Amounts to “time on my feet.” I’d just tried doubling my workouts a couple of times before my IT band started hurting, but I like the idea of increasing my cardiovascular conditioning and running economy by getting more workout in each week than there are days. For now, one of my “runs” is a fast-paced walk.

Yoga: Without it, I’d be even less balanced. In addition to increasing the frequency and duration of my practice, I’ve incorporated asanas that stretch the IT band – Pigeon, Reclining Hand Foot Pose, Square Pose – and strengthen the core.

Rock Climbing: While climbing doesn’t have a direct impact on running, it’s a great way to improve the mental fitnessmental fitness long-distance running requires.

Swimming: Another low-impact route to cardiovascular fitness and alternative way to build upper body strength. I haven’t been able to find an adult class that suits both my budget and my schedule, so I’ve been swimming pretty sad looking laps at the community pool while  kids SPLASH and play nearby.

Two weeks into it, I’m on a roll.

Juliann and I have been on a mission to figure out this whole running thing.  How little can we actually train and still cross the marathon finish line in good spirits?  Well, as it turns out, there are some shortcuts you can take in the beginning of the training process especially if you have run a marathon before.  Now that we have done our homework and have done the full 16 week training program in the past, we are ready to focus on the important long runs beginning 8 weeks leading up to the event.

June 6th is the San Diego Rock ‘n Roll Marathon so this past weekend made it 8 weeks out.  At 8 weeks, we start the really long runs and we must do 3 long runs between week 8 and week 3.  I missed the 3 hour run this past weekend due to a 1/2 marathon and since I opted out of adding an additional hour to the 1/2 marathon, I need to run for 3 hours this weekend.  Since this weekend is full I set time aside this morning for the long run before heading to work. I was ready to go, I had my pasta last night, the alarm was set for early this morning and I had already planned out my before run meal (peanut butter toast with a banana and a cup of coffee).  Though it was storming last night with hail/wind/snow and rain, I didn’t think the storm would continue through the night- I had to run in the morning, there is no way the storm was going to stick around.

Well, I was wrong! It’s brutal out there.  I swear we are in January not April!

So, on to Plan B. Before this morning there was no plan B.  Looks like I will be squeezing 3 hours of running early tomorrow morning or Sunday morning…I am tired just thinking about it.

We are approaching mid January and I could not be more prepared to start off the new year right.

Since the Holidays are over and work has come to almost a halt, I find myself able to take on more than expected.  Last November I was supposed to be a mentor with Team in Training, but the Colorado Springs Team in Training group was smaller than expected and I was busier than expected with holidays, so I postponed my volunteer commitment until the new year.

I had such a great experience last winter/spring training and fundraising with Team in Training that I am excited to be on the mentor side of things.  It is such a good cause to be a part of -  saving lives and being  part of such a great organization.  I mean, I am a huge advocate of running, so to be able to train someone to run a 1/2 marathon or a whole marathon from scratch is simply crazy.  I can’t wait to see the transformation of the participants…I do hope they enjoy running as much as I do.

We had our first meeting for the season last night, it looks like we should have a pretty big group. We signed up ten people.  We still have about 6 more information meetings and a kick off party to go.  My position this season will be focused on helping the runners/walkers fund raise and keeping them on target with their training.  I will be dedicating Tuesday evenings and Saturday mornings for training and I will be coming up with at least one fundraising event for the participants.  In addition to mentoring, I will be taking advantage of the training as well because I will be running the San Diego Marathon in June.

I am looking forward to 2010 knowing I am on the right track…

Side note: Team in Training is an organization that raises money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) through various running/cycling and triathlon events.  The goal is to train individuals to complete a goal, such as a marathon, while fund raising for LLS. Last year I raised $4,000 and ran my very first marathon in San Diego.

I knew running a marathon would be challenging. I didn’t expect it to be so much fun!

Terri and I had been training – consistently – for more than 16 weeks to complete our first full marathon; about two months ago, Jeanna managed to persuade another sister, Francine, and our youngest brother, Danny, to join her and a friend in the marathon relay. Last Sunday was THE day: the annual San Diego Rock ‘n’ Roll Marathon.

Getting to the starting line was an event in itself.

We arrived in San Diego Saturday night, just in time to pick up our race numbers, tech tees, and “goody bags” before heading for the Expo. After buying out the New Balance booth’s remaining stock of running skirts, we attempted to browse our way to the exit. No luck. One security guard followed Danny and me, while his buddy watched Francine. In response to every one of Danny’s arguments, which included lost revenue (shouldn’t you guys be encouraging us to BUY?) and other “prey” (there must be 200 OTHER people to harrass!), “our” security guard loudly and intently pointed the way out. At the exit, he cautioned the attendant at the door NOT to  let “these two” back in!

Back in our room – yes, all FIVE of us shared ONE double room – you’d think that Danny, as the only male and youngest member of the family would volunteer to sleep on the floor. Not a chance. He had the nerve to plop down on the bed and flip some basketball game on?! It was a short game (for Danny, anyway) because I demanded he turn the t.v. off when I climbed into bed between Jeanna and Terri (slightly more room there than between my remaining sibs in the other bed) to read.

Although I was the last one to fall asleep, I may have gotten the most shut eye. Terri was up in the night to quiet the snorers (apparently, I just “make noises” and so was left alone) and then woke everyone but me before dawn when she turned on the lights to eat and dress for the race. I was awake before Terri left (with her Team in Training buds) at 4:30 AM, but didn’t get up. That turned out to be a mistake.

Jeanna, who was running the first leg of the marathon, and I left the hotel for the trolley in plenty of time, but missed THREE “special events” trollies that rolled in and out of the TRAIN station while we were waiting on a platform at the TROLLEY station! By the time we reached the starting line, the “Star Spangled Banner” was ending; we started behind the “walkers.” Not an auspicious beginning, to say the least.

The first half of the run, at least, was more festival than work out.

Granted, I never saw the elite runners who, according to Francine, who ran the final leg of the relay, practically glided past the 21-mile marker. But once I moved ahead of the walkers, the range of running performances was as astounding as it was entertaining. I passed more than one Elvis and a jogging juggler, followed a banana (think “Fruit of the Loom”) for a while, and witnessed a genuine beer run as two or three male runners raced to snag a two-ounce cup of beer.

This was all IN ADDITION to the bands, cheerleaders – especially the guys with enormous balloon boobs! – and hydration “theme rooms.” It was all…almost…enough to distract me from my aching feet, but not quite. I swear the miles from 14 on got longer and longer…

The important thing is that ALL of us made it!

After dodging walkers, retying my shoes to restore circulation in my toes, and treating an asthma attack, I crossed the finish line in five hours and 7 minutes, just ahead of our relay team, and over an hour after Terri, who finished in less than four hours!! With a 3:56 time, she placed in the top 10% of her division. Just call her “Speedy.”

It has been extremely hard these past few weeks walking out of REI (my newest place of employment) without a new item in hand. It’s just crazy being around all the cute things in that store! It doesn’t help that I work in the footwear and clothing sections of REI. I can find a use for just about anything. So far, I have convinced myself and Maz that I need a rain jacket to run in and a new pair of running shoes and now a new flip flops.

Okay, I admit, I am new to the whole Chaco phenomenom, but these shoes are great! They may look a little odd at first, second or even third glance, but the construction of the shoe is amazing.  These sandals have all the support you need; you can wear them all day and not feel pain. 

Chaco makes many different styles, I believe the most familiar is the sandal that isolates" the toe .  Since I come from a family with enormous toes, I believe my toe gets enough “isolation” as it is, so I opted for the cute flip flop approach. Finding a comfortable flip flop has been a goal of mine for at least six weeks now.  I have worn anything from the cheap $5 shower shoe to Reefs and Teva’s.  So far I have enjoyed the Reef the best, but there is no spunk in the Reef.

Anyway, I have been spending quite a lot of time in the shoe department at REI and I fell in love with the Hipthong Garden Chaco in Red. 

Now, what happens when I really like something is that I start visualizing myself wearing it onall different occasions. I can wear the Chaco flip flops to work; I can wear them to take Sammy walking; I can do a short hike in them I can wash the car and garden in them; AND I can wear them on the plane to CA this Friday. But best of all, I can wear them after my 26.2 mile Marathon this weekend. Man, I couldn’t come up with another shoe to do the “after marathon” job as well as this Chaco could.  With all reasons above and wanting them for a few weeks, I felt justified purchasing them, so I did .

I have yet to wear them because I’m sure Maz wouldn’t approve of this purchase (he keeps telling me everything I need is in the garage – the Honda Pilot) so they have been nestled under the bed for now.  Maz leaves for Las Vegas on Wednesday, so maybe then I can indulge in my great find.

It’s been more than 30 years since Lisa Lindahl and Polly Smith sewed two jockstraps together to create the first sports bra – the Jogbra – intended to immobolize women’s breasts while “jogging.” Since then, scientific research has confirmed what we women have long known: our breasts move when we do – five to eight inches up-and-down, side-to-side, and in-and-out in an overall pattern that resembles a Figure Eight. The speed of this movement varies with the type of exercise, so that how fast your boobs bounce while running is actually more likely to cause sagging and other damage than the amount they move. Add to this, many women experience breast pain while running.

Lucky for us female runners, scientists and athletic sportswear manufacturers have joined ranks to create a wide array of bras designed to minimize breast motion during every sport. But it took Victoria's Secret, the Limited Brands company known for sultry, slinky lingerie, to give sports bras sex appeal. At the risk of sacrificing my feminist credentials, I love the new VSX line of sports bra by Victoria’s Secret because they’re the closest thing to fun, sexy sports bra I’ve ever found.

The VSX line includes a number of encapsulation bras in which each cup is separately molded to provide the most support in terms of limiting up-and-down, side-to-side, and in-and-out movement as well as a variety of traditional, compression bras, which limit only the up-and-down motion, and minimum support crossover bras.

My favorite is the Triple System Tech Bra, which looks, adjusts, and closes like my everyday underwire bra and features three layers of coordinated support:

• Mesh “shell” for cooling ventilation and support;
• Molded cup spacer for subtle shaping, stability, and coverage;
• Cushioned underwire frame to reinforce support and motion control;

and Body-Wick technology to move moisture away from the body. It’s available in neutral tones as well as bright summer colors to suit your fancy or your work out wardrobe.

I also like the Seamless System Bra, which is a low-cut shapely version of the standard racer-back compression bra with an adjustable strap under the keyhole opening in back that makes it easier to get into and out of. Technical features include:

• Nylon microfiber fabric for comfort and support;
• Seamles technology to reduce chafing;
• Knit-in mesh for ventilation;

as well as Body-Wick technology. I was just surprised with this bra as I was with my first seamless Champion bra. It actually IS supportive, and so, so soft! It’s invisible under every racerback running tank I own and comes in bright hues that coordinate with tanks and shorts available at Adidas, Nike, etc. as well as at Victoria’s Secret.

15 miles in my new Asics Nimbus with a Spenco cushioning insole and the balls of my feet felt great, plus I had no new blisters or black and blue toes – this thanks to my Injinji toe socks.

I know what you’re thinking…striped knee socks circa 1975. But no, these things are designed to isolate and hug each toe to reduce friction and prevent blisters and other such damage to toes. I was skeptical, but they really are comfortable – thin, soft, and they didn’t feel any different than ordinary socks once I had my shoes on. At the end of my run, my feet were cool, dry, and undamaged.

But the tips of my toes were sore. Very strange. After a bit of research, I learned that it’s best to leave a little space at the end of your (toe) socks, in addition to space in your shoe’s toe box, to prevent the pressure of socks and shoes against tender toes with each step in a long run or walk. I’ll try it on my final “long” run (11-12) miles before the San Diego Rock 'n' Roll Marathon on the 31st.

I admit it. I’m open to ANY justifaction for new shoes. But this time, I was ENCOURAGED to consider new running shoes.

My feet are a mess. Bruised toes. Calluses. Blisters – both the generic kind and big blood blisters. This is all in addition to my recovering (from a sprain) right ankle and really sore feet. I spent nearly an hour massaging the balls of my feet following an 18+ mile run on Saturday.

I honestly thought the problem was overpronation. In fact, a UCLA specialist on the biomechanics of running confirmed that I overpronate. So when I sprained my ankle, I figured I should invest in stability shoes (again, after an overlong reliance on clearance running shoes). I purchased two pairs: New Balance 767 and Nike Zoom Triax+. Although I can really feel that the Nikes have more cushion, I prefer the New Balance’s generous toe box and snug fit at the ankle. But BOTH pairs left my feet sore, blistered, and black and blue at the end of a long run.

My spouse, my sister, and my chiropractor ALL suggested I go somewhere that specializes in running to be fitted. I found TWO within easy driving distance of my home – Running Centers in Temecula and Redlands, CA – and finally made the trip today.

I swear I tried on more different styles of running shoes during the hour or so I was there than I have in the 30+ years I’ve been running. The verdict, I need a bigger shoe because I RUN ON MY TOES! Yes, I knew that; I just didn’t realize that there was any other way to run. And I’m wasting my money, not to mention sacrificing A LOT of cushioning on stability shoes, which stabilize the arch and heel – parts of MY feet that essentially don’t touch the ground.

I ended up with the Asics Nimbus with a Spenco cushioning insole under the footpad that came with the shoes. (This is new; I’ve always thrown those things away.) They’re as close to the “slipper” feeling of Nike's Lunar Trainer+, with the ankle hugging feel that I love in a New Balance running shoe. How did they perfom? Great. I had scheduled a five- or six-mile run today and could feel my plantar fascia stretching and adjusting during my first 1/2-3/4 miles, but that was it.

I’m looking forward to 15 miles this weekend, without a protracted foot massage afterward.

Okay, I have been awaiting the 20-mile run for weeks or even months – now that I think of it, years.

I ran the 20-mile on Saturday, with 19 being the worse experience of my life. My legs were just about to fall off, I couldn’t think of a good reason to actually run the 26.2 mile marathon, and I was actually contemplating throwing in the towel on the whole running gig…But I got over it.  What I didn’t get over was my knee.

We ran through Garden of the Gods – lots and lots and lots of hills.  We did a variety of runs on the road as well as through the trails. I love running on the trails, even though you do run a bit slower since you are spending valuable energy dodging trees, rocks and such.  It’s the “such” that I blame for the frozen green beans on my knee.

I was feeling great. My muscles were perfect, not one single ache…I thought that, if I wanted to, I could run another 18 miles.  I believe I was on mile 6, 8 or 9, running through a shady trail minding my own business and just starting to get into my run while listening to Journey (thanks to good ole Maz).  Then out of nowhere this stump finds my foot and I tumble.  It definitely caught me by surprise. My water bottle flew a few feet, my Gu was no longer in my hand, and my head phones were ripped from my ears.  I seemed to be okay , except for my elbow and the blood running down my leg…

I picked myself up, put band-aids on my knee (I never run without band-aids) re-configured the “tunes,” and continued on my way.  Back to the hills back and the trails for another 10-12 miles.  I did stop by the aid station for a quick clean up but nothing was going to hold me back from completing the 20-miles.

Since the run my knee has only gotten worse. I can’t really bend it, and it is super swollen with gashes all over. It’s been almost 48 hours since my tumble, enough with the lingering pain. So now I am sitting here at 6 AM, anticipating going to work with green beans on my knee.

Leave it to me to be held up in pain from a long run due to my own clumsiness.

A week ago, I was helping my two “biggest” kids prepare for weekend trips – my son was packing for a  Boy Scout backpacking trip in preparation for Philmont this summer, and my daughter was leaving for a Girl Scout camping trip – awaiting a dear friend and colleague’s arrival, and looking forward to a more or less quiet weekend with just the two “littler” kids. Today, I slept in, in part because it was already too HOT to run when I first woke up at 6:21 AM, which prompted me to pull the covers over my head and go back to sleep. I’m sitting here sunburned and STILL sleepy, with my head spinning.

Why? Well, the sunburn is easy. I’ve spent 10+ hours biking, running, and climbing since Sunday.

The sleepiness is a little more complicated. In addition to the high level of physical activity this week, and co-managing (with my spouse) the daily activities of four busy children – the most dramatic of whom has been hobbling around on crutches since spraining an ankle rock-climbing on Monday – I’ve been working again for the first time since our brother, Craig, died at the end of March. While the normalcy of the work day – for me, that consists of mentoring students, writing grants and managing research, and writing – IS distracting, even soothing, it’s also maddening.

It hit me Sunday, just as I was purchasing my new bike – a much longed-for Marin Terra Linda street bike that I’ll be able to use for commuting a couple of times a week. “We buried Craig a month ago today.” Nothing will ever be “normal” again. I think I’ve been “running” ever since.

In contrast to my last bout with this adrenaline enhanced exhaustion during the week just after Craig died, now I KNOW that he’s “here.” (In fact, I swear I felt him grinning when a friend admired HIS gear, which we used climbing yesterday at the Riverside Quarry.) Yet knowing that still makes me cry, rather than smile, and I can’t imagine EVER getting used to ache in the pit of my stomach.

I never knew that loss could be so physically, as opposed to emotionally, painful. No wonder I’m running.