Must Attack Everything!

Bad Blogger, Bad!

I haven't updated in exactly forever! Sorry 3 people who read my blog...

Well, as the 3 of you may have heard, I finished my first half marathon on October 19th, received my Tiffany Finisher necklace, and am quite satified with myself. I've kept up training, and have big plans for more 1/2 marathons and 10k's. I do run for chocolate and champagne, thank you very much, and am looking forward to my first Bay to Breakers.

In other news, I've started Weight Watchers. I really, really want to lost 40 lbs and am willing to work very hard to accomplish this goal.

Adult Prom 2008

Thanks to everyone who made our fundraising so successful! And thanks to everyone who made our thank you party, Adult Prom 2008 so much fun. And a big thanks to Fun Bobby for showing up in drag...

pic's of that forthcoming!

My Life As A Bleeding Heart Liberal

Walnut Creek doesn't have many homeless, but there are a few homeless people I see rather consistently driving around town. In particuliar there is a homeless fellow by the name of *John that I know. And by know I mean for the past 2 years when I see him and have cash I stop and give him some money and sometimes food. I've actually formed a routine for this, as I only drive through downtown in the AM when I need to get gas.

Why? Because he reminds me of my Dad; in more ways than just physical appearance. Do I mind that he probably drinks away my money? Not at all.

I'm officially worried; as I have not been able to find *John for the past several weeks. I'm hoping he hasn't been relocated.

PET scan update

The results from my mom's PET scan weren't awesome. Unfortunately they show cancer has returned to her bones, mainly her spine and pelvic bones. Her pain level is high, and at her Doctor's insistence they've put her on morphine in addition to her other pain meds.

Chemo was supposed to start yesterday. They are changing up the treatment, instead of a weekly treatment they are going with one that is every 21 days. She'll go get an infusion, and be sent home with 'bags' of chemo that will last 3 additional days. But with the Hurricane Ike bearing down on Houston her Doctor wisely chose not to start yesterday. So we're looking at her beginning this new treatment Tuesday.

Renewed Purpose

Training is going great! It's amazing to contemplate activities that before seemed unreachable (ie participating in a marathon and possibly hiking Half Dome.) I'm unsure how much of my marathon I'll actually run; speedwalking seems more my pace these days; but that really isn't the point. The point is raising money for an important cause while getting in shape.

This morning I got news that my dear and oldest friend's Aunt was diagnosed with Lymphoma. Mindy and her Aunt are in my thoughts; this ones for them.

Today my Mom is having a Pet Scan. After 2+ years of nearly constant chemo, surgery and radiation she deserves a break. So let us all send good thoughts her way! I'll do my best to keep everyone updated, but it gets hard to talk about so if I don't mention it feel free to ask.

BFFs

Adult Prom...2008

Mark your calendar for September 27th and dust off your dancing shoes because it’s time for Adult Prom 2008! This is not your boring, stuck-up high school prom; this is Adult Prom where spiking the punch is not only allowed, it’s encouraged.Join the Team In Training girls for a Re-Do of one of the craziest, monumental nights of your high school career - maybe you blew off your first prom, maybe your date was a total nightmare, or maybe you didn’t make it much farther than the back seat of your limo! Whether you go stag, come with a group, or bring a date, this is your chance to relive that special moment (without any of the teenage drama & anxiety). All are welcome! A date is not required.

Dress up if you would like (don your original prom gear if you dare), but formal attire is not necessary. We will be requesting a donation of $20 per person for entry to Adult Prom 2008. All proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Please get your tickets in advance from Jeannine, Jess, Laura or Paula.

The Nike Women's Marathon***

This is the description of the Nike Women's Marathon that Runnerworld.com provided for their article "Marathons You Should Run In 2008" :

Where: San Francisco, California


When: October 19


Age of Race: Running since 2002


Highlights: Hills, Urban, Great Foods, Lavish Fuel Stations, Entertainment, Cool Schwag, Star Power



Every marathon is 26.2 miles and every hotel is a place to sleep, but what sets them apart from the rest are the amenities. This marathon has special touches galore--most geared toward the 95 percent of runners who are women, including a "coat check" to drop your warmups at 2.5 miles; a "pedi-care" station for blister treatment or a change of socks; a Ghirardelli chocolate stop; and a Tiffany's necklace given to you at the finish by a fireman dressed in a tux.



ROUTE: The course takes you past so many scenic areas that many runners carry cameras. From Union Square, you run through the Financial District and Fisherman's Wharf; along the bay with unobstructed views of Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge; up into the eucalyptus and cypress forests of Presidio National Park; five miles apiece in Golden Gate Park, along Ocean Beach, and around Lake Merced; and finish on the ocean. The city's steep, cable-car hills are avoided, but three hefty climbs at miles six, eight, and 11 mean you should run to have a good time, not to run one.




ENTERTAINMENT: There are 39 stations with live music, DJs, and cheering squads, plus two more bands at the finish.




SPECTATORS: Some wait at the finish, which is near miles 11 and 16. Others take free shuttle buses to two of the four cheer stations, where comedians keep them in good cheer.



REFUEL: Fourteen fluid stations and seven food stations with Luna Bars, Luna Sport Moons Energy Chews, bananas, granola, or chocolate. Postrace spread features Bear Naked granola with yogurt and bananas, and to wash it down, Jamba Juice smoothies.




SCHWAG: Technical T-shirt, loaded goody bag, plus the Tiffany's version of a finishers' medal. The Nike Expotique also offers massages, manicures, and yoga classes.



STAR POWER: Nike athletes give expo talks; 2007 speakers included Joan Benoit Samuelson (who also led a pace team) and Brandi Chastain.


Umm...a fireman in a tux giving me out the schwag? I like this race even more. Except for the part about 3 hefty climbs...hill repeats here we come!

***please note- men are welcome to run. The article notes that women out number men 20:1 in this event. There are some seriously smart dudes. Just like the guys in High School who took Home Ec.

Introducing Kiki!

As part of my never ending quest to be both quirky and not so bright I've adopted another (feral) kitten. Last week my co-worker mentioned the four kittens he and his wife had rescued; I was basically strong armed. Guerilla salesman tactics such as showing me pictures and sharing cute stories. How can a girl resist a little gray fluffball such as Kiki.

Kiki is about 9 weeks old; she will socialize better than Gabby. When I rescued Gabby she 9 months old. Experts don't recommend attempting to socialize a feral kitten older than 12 weeks.

So far there has been the normal sibling rivalry. Gabby is jealous and afraid of Kiki. All in all they are both doing fine. In fact Kiki has taught Gabby a few things such as how to play with ribbon.

Here is Gabs stalking our new arrival-

Currently there seems to be some territorial issues involving the cat condo I purchased for Gabs last year. You know, the one she never plays in. It's kitten paradise and Gabs seems to recall it belonging to her...

I swear I won't turn into the crazy cat lady who just talks about her cats. But there just so darn cute...

To Be Continued!

Success!!!

Our fundraising efforts this weekend were uber successful. Details and pictures forthcoming; for now thank you everyone!

Randoms From My Day

I was driving home and stuck in traffic on 24. I put on my BlueTooth (I don't break the law) and called my Mommy. During the course of the conversation I began to gesticulate wildly for an extended amount of time. The gentleman in the lane next to me caught my eye, started laughing at me and imitating me. It was awesome. I smiled and waved, he continued for another moment then waved and smiled back.

Earlier today at Safeway the man ahead of me was literally buying Gin (Seagrams Club Size) and Juice (OJ in the big gallon jugs.) That's all he needed for his Thursday.

Training Progress

I’ve been training for almost 2 months now. Overall I’m rather pleased with the progress I’ve made; I’ve lost 12 lbs in the last two months and can see a noticeable difference with my appearance. Because so much time has been spent exercising I’ve been incredibly conscious of my eating habits. Last weekend while hiking I noticed that my balance and coordination have improved tremendously.

And…I haven’t been training hard enough. There are one million excuses I could give you, all of which would be bullsh*t. Truth be told, I haven’t been training hard enough because I’m embarrassed that I’m overweight. I’m scared of people judging me and making fun of me. I know that some people have and will; I also know that some people (my friends whom I love more than I can express) have the attitude that it is incredible that I’m trying.

People have generously donated and assisted me in my fundraising. I can’t let them down. I can’t let my teammates down, and most importantly I can not and will not let my honorees down. This all came to me last weekend thank goodness! It’s not to late to give it my all, after all Team in Training is still recruiting people for their fall season which includes the Nike ½.

Tuesday I faced one of my biggest fears and went to the track workout. It was hard; Paula has the patience of a saint with me; I did it (ok, most of it.) Muscles in my body that rarely see use are screaming still. Yesterday I downshifted and did some gentle yoga to soothe my body. Today I didn’t want to, I didn’t want to start a run still sore; but I did. I pushed and I ran (my pace is sloooow) for 14 minutes straight; I walked and then ran for another 4 minutes. Then I walked more and ran for another 10 minutes. All while incredibly sore.

I didn’t become overweight overnight and I won’t become thin overnight either. People will make fun of me; those people aren’t worth me worrying about. I’m lucky. Today I thought a lot about our honorees; I cried thinking about their struggles. If only their biggest worry was someone making fun of them.

I keep seeing the gorgeous smile of Maddie, who is 12 and has leukemia, in my mind. Justin, recently diagnosed with Hodgkin’s disease. Maddie and Justin come and cheer us on at many training events. They are there, to cheer us on. It should be the other way around.

I thought about Brenda, a wife and mother who passed away. Cole, who passed away when he was not even 2 years old. Chris, not even 20 years old when he passed away, who lived everyday of his life to the fullest. Sonny, husband and father. The courage these families show, dealing with their grief while staying involved with the LLS.

It kind of puts things back in perspective.

Starting From Scratch

Yesterday I had an epiphany; my new promise to myself is that I will no do things just to prove that I can. I'm not speaking of physical challenges; but putting myself in situations likely to upset me because I like to pretend I'm tough. Here's a secret: I'm not tough.

It's also time to start from scratch. Ro knows what I mean; time to forget the past and move on. Easier said than done, but I'm going for it. This is scary, it means letting go of a few people that I genuinely care for. But I won't have room for potential new people without doing this.

Yuck! If I seem grumpy the next couple weeks...

Topless Pilates

High Sierra was a blast. Plus the TNT gals that went were super good and we worked out 2 of the days we were there. The first workout was a pilates class that the nice festival organizers put on. We leisurely walked over, laid our sarongs on the ground, and noticed the woman that decided to participate in pilates without wearing a shirt or bra. Yep. That is how hippies roll.

The next morning we decided to recreate our circuit training. There may have been adult beverages involved...We thought the area we picked would be relatively secluded but it seemed as if many people were around and watching. One woman asked to join us, but changed her mind when she saw what we had planned. As we ran by a few people commented "thats what I should be doing" or "I wish I had that kind of stamina."

All in all training is going great! I feel good about being able to do circuit training at 5000 feet in smokey air.

Begging for Money

You don't really ever want to have to see this again, right?

Odds and Ends

I'm getting ready for my next two weekends away from home. Up first is of course the High Sierra Music Festival! Great advice from Paula:

-Nalgene bottles: There are no cans or bottles allowed in the main stage area (they're ok at all the other stages). We typically pour beers into a nalgene bottle and take it in. Do not buy an expensive one, and if you already have a nice one, do not use it. Your bottle will smell of beer, no matter how many times you wash it.

-Beer and Water: It can get kinda expensive if you buy all your drinks from the festival vendors. You can always pick some up in town, but keep in mind that you don't want to run out at 2am when everyone is in super party mode. (And don't forget to be prepared for Shot O' Clock).

I'm always prepared for Shot O'Clock, although my tolerance has gone way down as of late due in part to losing weight, drinking less and exercising more. (Side note- anyone think that I'm losing weight because I'm drinking less and exercising more? Hmmm...)

My quote to Paula last night about the festival: "I'm placing personal hygiene low priority for my Festival experience."

Although I am planning on working out, so I'll probably take at least one shower. So everyone in our camp "The Coop" hopes.

I had a fantastic run Monday night on the Iron Horse. I walked out the distance I wanted to run, and ran back home. Why hadn't I thought of this sooner? Coated my legs in Tiger Balm and went for it. Doing the same tonight.

Lunch is over, back to it!

Something Happy

The next few weeks (months?) are going to be crazy...

Friday morning I'm leaving for the High Sierra Music Festival. This will be my first Festivaaaaal, and the devotees of the event assure me it will be my first of many. The next weekend I'll be going on a camping/fishing weekend for Tyler's BDay.

My family didn't camp. I've only been camping about 5 years, I'm still a novice newby. I love camping, for 2 big reasons. One is the sense of community, the other is how capable it makes me feel. Often during a camping trip you're working together with someone accomplishing something that at home would take maybe 10 minutes. But when you're camping you have to be resourceful.

Making coffee- at home it takes about a minute. Measure water, grind beans, place in coffee maker, hit a button and come back in 5 minutes for your coffee. Camping it goes something like this: start fire to heat water (or light up the camp stove), heat water, measure coffee grounds, transfer hot water and grounds into french press, wait about 5 minutes and press. You have to work for that coffee just a little more, and it tastes better for it.

Still have to keep training through these trips. There are yoga and pilates classes up at Festivaaaal. And Hula Hoop! Hopefully I'll be able to get in a long walk/run.

And to clear up any confusion regarding my thoughts about testing for the Brca mutations and the measures some women go to to prevent breast cancer: I'm not going to have genetic testing and while I understand why some women opt to go these routes it isn't even a possibility to me. I'm going to be proactive about mammograms, self exams, healthy lifestyles, etc. No worries! Just the ramblings of a crazy girl :)

To Test...Or Not To Test

Yesterday I received some all around bad news, Gram has breast cancer. I'm keeping my fingers crossed that it is early stage, we'll know more tomorrow.

In case you're not keeping score I am. My mom has breast cancer, both of my Grandmothers have or have had breast cancer along with assorted maternal Aunts. This raises the question for me of genetic testing for the Brca genes. As I've already spent a considerable amount of time pondering this I believe my answer is no.

I don't really see any value for me. I don't think that finding I have a mutation on this gene would be useful. With my family history I already have yearly mammograms (or sonograms as the case may be for me.) I'm losing weight, I've cut back on alcohol and don't smoke.

What else could I do? Well some women opt to have a preventive mastectomy. Ok, but this surgery isn't going to remove 100% of your breast tissue, so it doesn't guarantee you won't have breast cancer. But it does lower your risk by 90%.

The other new therapy for women who have this genetic mutation is chemoprevention. That's right, Tamoxifen for those who don't actually have cancer. Early studies show this lowers your risk by 49%.

With those numbers I can see why some women opt for the testing, and take these measures.

My *good* news is that none of the women in my family developed breast cancer before menopause.

Where does the money go?

There are two major elements to Team In Training, and so far I've been focusing on the training. But why are here? For the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In exchange for coaching and the support of a team we are raising funds for this organization.

75% of the funds we raise go directly towards research and patient services. That's an amazing figure when you really think about it- and not one that many organizations can boast. My experience with watching a loved one cope with cancer shows that patient services are just as important as the research.

Straight from the LLS, here's a breakdown of what our money can do:

$1000 supports one week’s salary for a medical researcher at UCSF, Stanford, or Berkeley who may discover key information to developing curative treatments for blood cancers.

$500 provides a blood cancer patient with financial assistance for one year.

$500 allows 10 patients to log on to a webcast and hear the latest information in treatment for their disease.

$200 provides a Family Support Group Program for one year for a patient and their family.

$150 allows 5 patients to make a First Connection with a trained peer volunteer.

$100 provides 3 patients access to an information teleconference.

$75 is the average cost of tissue typing to become a bone marrow donor.

$50 is the cost of a CT scan

$40 is the cost of sending a comprehensive packet of information for children with cancer.

$35 pays for transportation expenses for a patient living in Northern California’s most rural areas to treatment at a comprehensive cancer center.

$25 covers a single prescription co-payment.

$5 is the cost of sending a newly diagnosed patient information about support and their disease.

So you know what- if you're thinking you'd like to donate something to this cause, but feel like what you could spare isn't enough think again. Nothing is scarier than the unknown. If you can only donate $5 you should feel great because you're helping to educate someone newly diagnosed with a blood cancer. If you can spare $10 you're helping to cover the cost of their medication.

Just something to think about.

More running gear

Just in case you're wondering how an endowed lady like me can run...the Enell sports bra. Recommended by Oprah, and by me. Their slogan "the bounce stops here." In conjunction with another sports bra the bounce has stopped for me.

Tiger Balm + Treadmill = Success

Tiger Balm + Treadmill = Success

Or so I hope. Since I've been having problems with my shins since the beginning of training I gave in and saw the doctor. Although I'm a self-professed hypochondriac I actually hate visits with the doc.

The good news- doesn't look like stress fractures, which is a relief. The advice (which was also given to me by one of the TNT coaches) train on a treadmill for a couple weeks. Treadmills have softer surfaces. The other great thing about the treadmill is I'll feel better about pushing myself. When you're running on the trail and you keep going forward you actually have to get back as well. The couple times I've had intense pain I've envisioned not being able to get back and stopped my run/walk short.

The Tiger Balm is awesome! I tried this out on Monday- it soothes the muscles and actually seems to warm them up as well. And I now smell like chai tea.

Improvement= Training X Rest

Improvement= Training X Rest

Wise words from Coach Tim. Kinda wish he shared them at the beginning of the planned rest week, but I’ll know better next time I see 2 (count them) 2 rest days in one week.

Yep, rest = only working out 5X in one week. With 2 of those being “big” workouts. Welcome to the world of training for an endurance event.

I went on my half hour run/walk this evening, in accordance with the training calendar. No Shin Pain! Go ice, ibuprofen, new shoes and adapting to running.


To quote Paula Kate “running isn’t fun.” Now I know there are many people in the world who would differ that opinion. But to me running isn’t fun. So far it’s been many ups and downs. For sure my VO2 max has improved, I can go further without panting. I can hold conversations while running. I don’t enjoy the jarring motion of running, and I don’t enjoy how badly my muscles ache and burn.

I’m hesitant to attempt to run through the pain, because obviously I don’t want to hurt myself. Sooner or later, with sooner being better I’m going to have to test the waters.

"For Sale: Baby Shoes, Never Worn."

I have no idea if this is the literary equivalent of the urban legend, but the story is that Ernest Hemingway was once challenged to write a story in 6 words, and he wrote "for sale: baby shoes, never worn."

Last year Smith Magazine had a contest where they challenged readers to write a 6 word memoir, and they compiled them into the book "Not Quite What I Was Planning." I haven't read this yet, but yesterday someone was telling me about this. Of course I had to immediately start writing my 6 word memoir. After much deliberation, here it is:

"Don't always have great impulse control."

Training Update

We had our first Circuit Drill work out tonight, which I missed because of traffic. I was kind of dreading this and felt very guilty for missing it, as if I had somehow willed the traffic's existence. (If I do have this sort of power the universe should know I would also like one million dollars...) Traffic combined with those last minute issues at work are going to be obstacles.

But oddly it may have worked out for the best. I had my best run to date, with the least amount of pain since I started. I warmed up with walking for about 10 minutes, then using the 1:3 ratio went for another 32 minutes. 8 minutes running, 24 minutes walking. Might not seem like much, but trust me, if you are not a natural athlete and you've never run before it's an accomplishment.

My new running shoes seem to be making a huge difference. I experienced what I believe to be a normal amount of discomfort for a beginner, not lots of pain. I felt burn, and had shaky legs at the end but was able to keep going. I came home and iced down the legs and popped some ibuprofen and I think all is good.

I'm going to try for the 5:30 am (yikes!) buddy run on Thursday...it really doesn't sound pleasant, but I get so stressed trying to get back to Walnut Creek by 6:15. If I'm not trying of course I'm easily home by then.

The Team

My perfect summer:


High Sierra

Running a mile, as a warm-up to the main event

Raising lots of money for the LLS

A special camping trip for us fishing people in the group

Manresa

Seeing the Counting Crows in September (by myself apparently!)

Tuesday update

I had that rare instance this morning, waking up and just feeling happy. It's happened a few times this last month, since I moved into my new apartment. Something about this space is homier, feels happier.

This last week hasn't exactly equaled waking up happy. I'm unhappy with my job. I'm overwhelmed with training for the 1/2. And overwhelmed with the fundraising. I'm having some severe shin pain. Oh yeah, I'm completely broke.

But I'm happy.

I started really dieting again about a month ago, and am seeing results already. The diet hasn't even turned me into mega-bitch (yet, just wait for it because it will happen.)

Missed our first track work out tonight because of my shin pain. More than one person has told me that new running shoes will help, which I'm going to get Friday. My legs are actually bruised, a bit swollen and tender to the touch. Ice helps. On my way to my next run I'm going to put heat pads on both legs to warm them up. Apparently your shins are the last muscles to warm up, and the first to cool down.

My house smells like chocolate, I have a glass of a spicy zin and brought home books today. Right there, every reason in the world to be happy.

Training Week 0

On October 19th I'll be running the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco on behalf on Team In Training (TNT). TNT is a program through The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society where in exchange for fund raising they provide coaching for different endurance events. The unofficial motto of TNT is from the couch to the finish line.

The last couple weeks I've been working out and basically training for the training. I was hesitant to do too much running. Yesterday we had our first short group run followed by a series of clinics.

I ran about 1/4 mile yesterday, before transitioning to a walk. Mostly due to shin pain. I need to go purchase better running shoes this week, and always warm up. For me I think the warm up needs to be about 5-10 minutes of a normal walk, without doing this I always end up with shin pain.

A group of 5 of us signed on to TNT together. It seemed as if it dawned on us yesterday that this was going to be hard. But we also have plenty of time to train. On Tuesday we'll have our first track workout, where our coaches will go over proper running form.

We also had a series of clinics yesterday: about proper running shoes, injury prevention and nutrition. Turns out (I did suspect this) that I supinate, meaning I walk on the edges of my feet. This mostly happens when you have high arches, and years of ballet as a child left me with pretty high arches.

Injury prevention was great- I'm really looking forward to learning proper running form. I don't think I'm using my core as much as needed in my running efforts. I'm going to concentrate on my core for cross training days, as well as adding back in some basic yoga everyday to strengthen my core.

Nutrition was the eye opener. In retrospect it seems like a huge 'duh' moment but...we're going to have to basically carb-load the next 5 months to sustain our training. After years of being told not to eat carbs it felt frightening to hear someone talking about making sure you eat lots of carbs. He said words like pasta and rice. My friend reassured me by whispering in my ear "it's okay, if you eat pasta eat whole grain pasta, and brown rice." Which I already do.

And I learned my lesson yesterday about eating before working out. I skipped breakfast, mainly because I got up at the last possible moment. Even with just a short workout I was feeling a lack of energy from not eating. Much better to learn that early in the season, when I only had to make it back another mile than later in the season.

The best email ever

I kind of had a bad day today, but an email exchange with a close friend kept me laughing!

---

---

Dear Jess,

Please give my Tupperware back.

Best regards,

J

From: Jess
Sent: Friday, June 06, 2008 1:28 PM
To: J
Subject: RE: culinary adventure

Dear J,

I've reviewed your request for your Tupperware back, and in light of the snapware top at this time I have to deny the request.

JMM

Dear Jess,

Resistance is futile, you’ll be assimilated. Have a great day! J

Best regards,

J

Dearest J,

You haven't considered how stubborn I am.

(alright, I'll let you get back to work! Don't mistake that kindness for a weakness)

Jess

To my assimilated subordinate:

It has been a long time since I had an opportunity of writing to you, and I gladly avail myself of the present opportunity. I am not certain that I will have a chance of sending this but I will write a few lines any how and try and get it off to let you know that I am among the living.

We have been on a raid into your house to find the Tupperware but I have not time to give you the particulars of our trip. I will write in a few days if I can get a chance to send it and write you a long one. I just came off of picket and found the boys all writing to send by a man that has been discharged who is going to start home this morning. I must close for fear I do not get to send my letter off. Write often I will get them some time. I will write every chance, do not be uneasy when you do not get letters, for when we are scouting around as we have been it is impossible to write or to send them off if we did write. We feel that we’re closing in on our objective and anxious to leave fire hell beast.

- J