i re-joined the group training sessions today.. and ran 5 miles!
each saturday all the team in training members get together in Central Park at 830 am for our 'long run' of the week. i have been dreading this because i am behind schedule as far as mileage goes, so i am not even running as far as the beginners. today i planned on running 4.5 miles. a respectible jump from the 3 i've been running. the middle loop in the park is 4 miles, so i was having a hard time figuring out how to tack on an additional half mile. i could have just run 4 easy, but it felt a bit wimpy. then i remembered that if i throw in the lower loop i have a 5 mile run! 5 miles is only .5 more than the 4.5 i was planning on.. michael (my PT) seemed ok with 4.5 so surly he wouldn't be too mad at me for pushing it to 5. AND this would put me in striking distance of the beginners who were running 6-7.. watch it newbies, i'm hot on your tail!
i had my ipod and took it easy. legs were feeling pretty good. lungs kickin ass.. as i rounded the bottom of the park i started slowing down, but just in the nick of time i fell in behind a bald dude who was running just a tad faster than i had been. it energized me, gave me something to focus on and pulled me up the hill and through that last 3/4 mile. thanks bald dude!
now, i want to take a minute to talk about a more serious topic.. on tuesday i had an appointment to see a breast specialist at columbia presbyterian. a few months ago my doctor had felt a lump and ordered some tests. the tests came back clear, but i was having some pain in that area so she felt we should just get a second opinion. it's a stressful thing, but i kept telling myself that i'm too healthy to have cancer.
i know full well that this is not how cancer works, and after hearing so many speaches at TNT events i knew that these survivors were blindsided as well. so that made me a little nervous, but i had keep reciting my little mantra anyway. as i waited for the doctor there were passing nurses talking of masectomy patients, breast removal and reconstruction. this was no joke. mantra, mantra, mantra.. the doctor decided a needle biopsy would give us a difinitive answer and was almost sure it would come back benign.
* can we discuss the fact that even though benign is a positive it's not a very happy sounding word. i have to always check with myself "which one is benign and which is malignant? mal = bad so benign must be good" i really think they could have picked a better word. something that sounds happy rollling off the doctor's toungue.
the flip side to my tnt experience teaching me that no one is 100% safe from cancer is that you can get served up this devistating piece of news and handle it. the world would not swallow me up, i would not instantly break into a million pieces. i would cry, and probably, knowing me, kick something but i would deal with it. i would fight with everything i have and hopefully win.
needles suck. needle biopsys suck more. needle biopsys in your boob when you're hungover SUCK THE MOST!!
the doctor told me i'd have the results in 4-5 days and she'd call me either way. luckily things moved fast and on thursday i got the call.. benign... and remember, benign = good.
so, to everyone who has shared their story at a tnt event, thank you. you were definitely with me this week.
miles run: 5
favorite song of the day: 'you know i'm no good' by amy winehouse
Saturday, June 30, 2007
Saturday, June 23, 2007
strong and 60
man, there is somthing to be said for getting up early. i peeled myself out of bed today.. so tired, but determined to run both days this weekend. i'm going out tonight making tomorrow more difficult, so today was a must.
i got dressed and got outside to find an amazing day. it's 60, sunny and slightly breezy. this was my first strong run since early march. my ankles were strong and painless. the limp was gone, and i felt like i was even running at a quicker than normal pace. even in my first few runs back i've been maintaining a respectible 10 minute mile so by quicker i'm thinking i was pushing towards a 9.
now kids i have decided to share the key to my running/recovery success.. it could be the physical therapy 2x a week, it could be the 1200mg of calcium i've been taking every day, it could be the strength training.. it could even be the yoga with all it's stabelizer-strengthening poses. but NO, i really think it's the killer mix i've put on my ipod. it contains just the right ammount of rockin songs to get you up the hills, and some slower beats to keep your pace in line.
so here is the secret recipe (this works when played in order, or on shuffle. and that is the beauty of a perfect mix)
1. icky thump - the whitestripes
2. invincible - ok go
3. baby fratelli - the fratellis
4. hang me up to dry - cold war kids
5. postal blowfish - albert hammond jr
6. keep the car running - the arcade fire
7. think i'm in love - beck (not me, the singer)
8. sitting in the park - quixotic
9. hard to live in the city - albert hammond jr
10 you know i'm no good - amy winehouse
11. baby blue sedan - modest mouse
12. tango - lady sovereign
13. level - the raconteurs
14. get over it - ok go
15. what ever happened - the strokes
16. the truth - la rocca
17. gone - pearl jam
that's it, 17 steps to a better life.
miles run: 3
song that got me up the hill: #2
i got dressed and got outside to find an amazing day. it's 60, sunny and slightly breezy. this was my first strong run since early march. my ankles were strong and painless. the limp was gone, and i felt like i was even running at a quicker than normal pace. even in my first few runs back i've been maintaining a respectible 10 minute mile so by quicker i'm thinking i was pushing towards a 9.
now kids i have decided to share the key to my running/recovery success.. it could be the physical therapy 2x a week, it could be the 1200mg of calcium i've been taking every day, it could be the strength training.. it could even be the yoga with all it's stabelizer-strengthening poses. but NO, i really think it's the killer mix i've put on my ipod. it contains just the right ammount of rockin songs to get you up the hills, and some slower beats to keep your pace in line.
so here is the secret recipe (this works when played in order, or on shuffle. and that is the beauty of a perfect mix)
1. icky thump - the whitestripes
2. invincible - ok go
3. baby fratelli - the fratellis
4. hang me up to dry - cold war kids
5. postal blowfish - albert hammond jr
6. keep the car running - the arcade fire
7. think i'm in love - beck (not me, the singer)
8. sitting in the park - quixotic
9. hard to live in the city - albert hammond jr
10 you know i'm no good - amy winehouse
11. baby blue sedan - modest mouse
12. tango - lady sovereign
13. level - the raconteurs
14. get over it - ok go
15. what ever happened - the strokes
16. the truth - la rocca
17. gone - pearl jam
that's it, 17 steps to a better life.
miles run: 3
song that got me up the hill: #2
Thursday, June 21, 2007
lesson learned
so here's an addendum to the previous yoga post..
the classes i take are focused on your body and movements and not so much (directly spiritual) but they sneak it in every now and then. last night the instructor was getting us to relax between poses. you have to lie down on your back with your arms at your side. eyes open staring at a spot on the cieling.. letting all the stress go and bringing your heart rate down, focusing on breathing. as she was directing us to do this she said something that stuck with me.
'just lay there and be still. let everything go and don't move. if you have the urge to wipe the sweat or fix your hair, , just resist it. see what happens if you just rest. just take a minute and wait it out.'
seems like this could apply to many things. i am very reactive and want to take charge and, if need be, fix things. what happens if i just stay still and wait....
the classes i take are focused on your body and movements and not so much (directly spiritual) but they sneak it in every now and then. last night the instructor was getting us to relax between poses. you have to lie down on your back with your arms at your side. eyes open staring at a spot on the cieling.. letting all the stress go and bringing your heart rate down, focusing on breathing. as she was directing us to do this she said something that stuck with me.
'just lay there and be still. let everything go and don't move. if you have the urge to wipe the sweat or fix your hair, , just resist it. see what happens if you just rest. just take a minute and wait it out.'
seems like this could apply to many things. i am very reactive and want to take charge and, if need be, fix things. what happens if i just stay still and wait....
man, for someone who hates to work out i sure spend alot of time torturing myself.
last week i started running outside again, and i'm keeping up with crosstraining in between. Saturday i was installing a roofdeck which required carrying 50lb boxes of wood tiles to my roof. i'm too proud to ask for help, so saturday i managed to get 14 of the 20 up. that's 700 pounds of tile up 3 flights of stairs. i already knew this would be my workout for the day so i didn't feel too guilty not running. i took the stairs slow and told myself i was strengthening my legs with each step. (and apparently my arms and back and almost every other muscle in my body that was screaming at me on sunday morning!)
last night i headed back to yoga to try and stretch out all the knots in my body that are still hurting from the manual labor. evening classes are rough.. the room is extra hot from all day classes.. i'm extra hot from dealing with work and the subway... and the class is jam packed. it's 'hot' yoga, so every gets REALLY sweaty. now you pack us all in together and it's not a pretty sight. i picked my spot near the window (which the instructor sometimes opens giving us a breath of cooler NYC air) and was quite happy until this dude moved in right next to me.. he peels his shirt off to reveal his full hairy back. and chest. and arms. (these are moments i feel like my life turns into a sitcom) i had visions of hairy back sweat somehow getting on me. not to mention the fact that just looking at all that hair was making me even hotter (temperature wise, people!!) it seemed like the equivalent of playing tennis on a 103 degree day in august with a wool sweater on!
it wasn't the greatest performance, i struggled through the class.. but struggling through it is better than not going at all. and i'm happy to report that no back sweat go on me, and i survived the heat.
this morning i woke up early and went for a 3 mile run before work. each time gets a little easier. and today i signed up for the Cow Harbor Race (10K) in september. it will be nice to run in my hometown.
temp at 7am: 75
new on the ipod: 'icky thump' by the white stripes
last week i started running outside again, and i'm keeping up with crosstraining in between. Saturday i was installing a roofdeck which required carrying 50lb boxes of wood tiles to my roof. i'm too proud to ask for help, so saturday i managed to get 14 of the 20 up. that's 700 pounds of tile up 3 flights of stairs. i already knew this would be my workout for the day so i didn't feel too guilty not running. i took the stairs slow and told myself i was strengthening my legs with each step. (and apparently my arms and back and almost every other muscle in my body that was screaming at me on sunday morning!)
last night i headed back to yoga to try and stretch out all the knots in my body that are still hurting from the manual labor. evening classes are rough.. the room is extra hot from all day classes.. i'm extra hot from dealing with work and the subway... and the class is jam packed. it's 'hot' yoga, so every gets REALLY sweaty. now you pack us all in together and it's not a pretty sight. i picked my spot near the window (which the instructor sometimes opens giving us a breath of cooler NYC air) and was quite happy until this dude moved in right next to me.. he peels his shirt off to reveal his full hairy back. and chest. and arms. (these are moments i feel like my life turns into a sitcom) i had visions of hairy back sweat somehow getting on me. not to mention the fact that just looking at all that hair was making me even hotter (temperature wise, people!!) it seemed like the equivalent of playing tennis on a 103 degree day in august with a wool sweater on!
it wasn't the greatest performance, i struggled through the class.. but struggling through it is better than not going at all. and i'm happy to report that no back sweat go on me, and i survived the heat.
this morning i woke up early and went for a 3 mile run before work. each time gets a little easier. and today i signed up for the Cow Harbor Race (10K) in september. it will be nice to run in my hometown.
temp at 7am: 75
new on the ipod: 'icky thump' by the white stripes
Tuesday, June 12, 2007
what do you want first, the good news or the bad?
the bad news is that i didn't get into the NYC marathon. they get so many applicants that they hold a lottery to decide who runs. roxi, the rookie and i all got shut out.
the good news is that i am guaranteed entry into the Nike Marathon in San Francisco on Oct 21st. so to all my friends in SF, i'll be there!
the better news is that i ran 3 more miles today, outside! it's a struggle, my cardio has gone to shit over the past few months and my steps are a bit unsteady.. i'm afraid of all cracks in the sidewalk and curbs and dead rats... but, i'm gonna keep at it and i'll be ready for late october!
the good news is that i am guaranteed entry into the Nike Marathon in San Francisco on Oct 21st. so to all my friends in SF, i'll be there!
the better news is that i ran 3 more miles today, outside! it's a struggle, my cardio has gone to shit over the past few months and my steps are a bit unsteady.. i'm afraid of all cracks in the sidewalk and curbs and dead rats... but, i'm gonna keep at it and i'll be ready for late october!
Monday, June 11, 2007
3 long miles
i am not sure i was supposed to, but yesterday i went out for a run in my neighborhood. it was cloudy and cool all and looked on the verge of rain all day. the impending rain meant that the normal weekend washington heights crowds would not be out. the sidewalks would be pretty clear.
i was thinking of going to the gym for a run on the treadmill (treadmill is easier on your bones than the pavement) but it is a long trip for a 15 minute workout. so, i mapped out a 2 mile run which would equal about 20 minutes. of course, my leg was feeling good and once i got going i decided to run my old 3 mile loop to the top of amsterdam ave and back. if it really started to hurt i could always walk.
by the end of 3 miles i was definitley feeling it, and thinking that it might not have been a smart idea.. but i was sick of taking baby steps. if i was going to get back into training i was just gonna have to do it. and to be honest i had also read roxie's blog from the marathon.. i was feeling jealous and frustrated.
ice and tylenol followed the run, and today i'm feeling pretty good. i'm going to attempt this 1-2 more times this week, and if that goes ok I will be back at the group training run on saturday!!
miles run: 3
tylenol: 3
outbursts during soprano's finale: 33
i was thinking of going to the gym for a run on the treadmill (treadmill is easier on your bones than the pavement) but it is a long trip for a 15 minute workout. so, i mapped out a 2 mile run which would equal about 20 minutes. of course, my leg was feeling good and once i got going i decided to run my old 3 mile loop to the top of amsterdam ave and back. if it really started to hurt i could always walk.
by the end of 3 miles i was definitley feeling it, and thinking that it might not have been a smart idea.. but i was sick of taking baby steps. if i was going to get back into training i was just gonna have to do it. and to be honest i had also read roxie's blog from the marathon.. i was feeling jealous and frustrated.
ice and tylenol followed the run, and today i'm feeling pretty good. i'm going to attempt this 1-2 more times this week, and if that goes ok I will be back at the group training run on saturday!!
miles run: 3
tylenol: 3
outbursts during soprano's finale: 33
Thursday, June 7, 2007
like, WHOA!
First i must say, Thanks to my friends at Beautiful Decay magazine!!
OK, i just got home from hot yoga (bikram) for the second time. i will reiterate that i am not a yoga type person but this class is intense. it was in a new yoga center on the upper west side and they were still getting a handle on the heating system and how hot is too hot... let me tell you, it was too damn hot!
The class is an hour and a half and it felt more like 3 hours. its great for strengthening my legs so i stuck it out even when i wanted to puke. ** side note.. roxie and i were talking about how i've been down lately with my runnig progress, and at times think it would just be easier to give up. but for some reason that is not an option for me. she tried to boost my spirits by reminding me that i'm strong and determined and i'll be back in no time. i told her how sometimes i think that i'm not really as strong as i think i am. meaning, that my body is not that strong it's just that my mind is stronger. i could easily be one of those mothers who lift an entire car to free their trapped child *** ok, back to the hotter than hell yoga. i finished the class, showered and headed to the subway home.
Right around 96th street i realized i forgot my shoes in the locker room. (relax, i was wearing flip flops) i figured i'd call and have them hang onto them until tomorrow. then at around 145th street i remembered i forgot my skateboard on top of the lockers. THEN as the train pulled into 168th street i realized that I ALSO forgot my sweaty workout clothes on the bench. So essentially i walked out of there almost emptyhanded. I was lucky to have pants on.
the quick ride home turned into a there and back and there again 2 hour commute!
towells sweat through: 3
dollars raised to save lives: 5040.00
OK, i just got home from hot yoga (bikram) for the second time. i will reiterate that i am not a yoga type person but this class is intense. it was in a new yoga center on the upper west side and they were still getting a handle on the heating system and how hot is too hot... let me tell you, it was too damn hot!
The class is an hour and a half and it felt more like 3 hours. its great for strengthening my legs so i stuck it out even when i wanted to puke. ** side note.. roxie and i were talking about how i've been down lately with my runnig progress, and at times think it would just be easier to give up. but for some reason that is not an option for me. she tried to boost my spirits by reminding me that i'm strong and determined and i'll be back in no time. i told her how sometimes i think that i'm not really as strong as i think i am. meaning, that my body is not that strong it's just that my mind is stronger. i could easily be one of those mothers who lift an entire car to free their trapped child *** ok, back to the hotter than hell yoga. i finished the class, showered and headed to the subway home.
Right around 96th street i realized i forgot my shoes in the locker room. (relax, i was wearing flip flops) i figured i'd call and have them hang onto them until tomorrow. then at around 145th street i remembered i forgot my skateboard on top of the lockers. THEN as the train pulled into 168th street i realized that I ALSO forgot my sweaty workout clothes on the bench. So essentially i walked out of there almost emptyhanded. I was lucky to have pants on.
the quick ride home turned into a there and back and there again 2 hour commute!
towells sweat through: 3
dollars raised to save lives: 5040.00
Congrats to my pinch runners!
Last weekend was the marathon in San Diego that I should have been running.. Roxie and I were texting all weekend so I got a play-by-play on the pre-race festivities. Sunday she called me after the race to report that she decided to go ahead and run the full marathon. She's been battling shin splints for the past few weeks and had resigned herself to only running a half-marathon for self preservation. I KNEW she would end up running the full... she is like me. When she sets her mind on a goal there is no stopping her! No only did she push herself to finish the full 26.2 miles, but she beat her time from the phoenix marathon!! Roxie is indeed a rockstar! The rookie had also been having problems with injuries, but he also manned-up and ran the race! He didn't suceed in breaking the 4 hour mark, but he came damn close... and we all know that sometimes the rookie pushes himself a bit to far.
I was happy for roxie when she called from the race on sunday, but i was really sad to have missed it! I've been trying to stay focued on my progress and not get discouraged.
Yesterday I upped my run to 15 minutes on the treadmill.. and i have to say that treadmill running is tedious enough, but when you are literally counting each painful step it gets a bit unbearable! I wanted to just say fuck it and quit.. but that is not how i am wired. So, i finished the full 15 and hopped onto the eliptical for another 15 minutes of cardio before doing some strength exercises.
Today I'm headed to yoga for the seccond time.. i am hoping to make this part of my regular training routine. The rumor is that the NYC marathon announces it's lottery picks any day now so cross your fingers that i get in!!!
my minutes run: 15
friends' miles run: 52.4
I was happy for roxie when she called from the race on sunday, but i was really sad to have missed it! I've been trying to stay focued on my progress and not get discouraged.
Yesterday I upped my run to 15 minutes on the treadmill.. and i have to say that treadmill running is tedious enough, but when you are literally counting each painful step it gets a bit unbearable! I wanted to just say fuck it and quit.. but that is not how i am wired. So, i finished the full 15 and hopped onto the eliptical for another 15 minutes of cardio before doing some strength exercises.
Today I'm headed to yoga for the seccond time.. i am hoping to make this part of my regular training routine. The rumor is that the NYC marathon announces it's lottery picks any day now so cross your fingers that i get in!!!
my minutes run: 15
friends' miles run: 52.4
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