Running with Bubbles

Half-marathon training
Week 13, day 4

In the fall of 1989, I was applying to law school. I had worked hard to keep my grades up in college and taken the LSAT. I had catalogued my extra-curriculars and worried over my essays. That spring, I waited to hear back. One of my recommendations got lost for Yale and had to be resubmitted. I still remember talking to the admissions office on the phone and telling her that if I hadn’t gotten in, I needed to fed ex my deposit to Harvard that day. She said, “well I can’t tell you our decision over the phone…but I wouldn’t send in that deposit if I were you.”

I sent my deposit to Yale instead, applied for housing, pored over the information they sent me and finished my senior year. I packed up all my belongings and flew to New Haven at the end of August to start my first year of law school. And despite all of that, it wasn’t until the first time I walked into the law school that it hit me – I was going to Yale.

So what does that have to do with running? Today it hit me – I’m running a half-marathon. Yeah, I signed up in August, and I’ve been following the training schedule and raising money. I recommitted, got my hotel room in Orlando and booked flights. But it wasn’t until I was driving to the lake this morning that I really believed it. In January, I’m running 13.1 miles in the Disney half-marathon to raise money for LLS.

Today’s eight miles were rough – my knees were really hurting today for some reason (I’m guessing the front blowing through tomorrow). But it didn’t concern me. I ran with Shana, Jennifer and Kelsi and we got our eight miles done.

Over the course of the season, different people have asked me what I’m doing after Disney. Will I keep running? Do another race (some of my teammates are already signed up for spring)? Take time off? Every time, I’ve said, “I have to get through this one first.” Because at some level I didn’t feel sure I would be able to finish. Today, while I was stretching, someone asked, “what are you doing after Disney?” I thought for a moment, and said, “I haven’t decided yet.”

Half-marathon training
Week thirteen, day three

I have plans for sushi with friends tonight (I’m driving to Euless to eat sushi. Not a sentence I ever thought I’d say) so I did my two miles before work. Easy peasy, out and back through HP.

Good things: 1) I felt accomplished before even coming to work, 2) it was nice and brisk outside, great temp for running (and yes the sun was up), 3) there were fewer children/strollers/walkers on the sidewalks to dodge.

Bad things: 1) waiting on the light at Lemmon and the Tollway. Even when I had the walk signal, I wasn’t sure anyone was awake enough to realize I was there ~ talk about a fartlek! 2) the sprinklers in front of Whole Foods are set at a perfect height to spray you in the ankles.

Pure luck thing: the only danger from the two unleashed dogs I met was that they might lick me to death, as they were giant black balls of love. I’m guessing a lab-St. Bernard mix.

Saturday is eight miles but Coach Joe canceled the hills – I’m ready!

Half-marathon training
Week thirteen, day two

Boy, was I grumpy last night. It was dark. I wanted to stay home and watch the election returns (I wouldn’t miss anything.) Wasn’t my knee still kind of hurting after it “slipped” a little on Saturday? (No, it wasn’t. My knee was fine.)

The truth is I love the Tuesday night group but I always feel anxious about joining them because I’m the slowest runner in the group and can’t keep up with the faster people. The speed at which I run seems to be the only speed I have. Of course, this feeling is 100% about me and my lack of confidence in my running. Stefani had said she would be there (she was) and we run together most of the time on Saturdays. And none of the faster people or coaches ever complains about having to wait for me or rolls their eyes when I show up. Yeah, time to quit blaming other people for my insecurities.

So I went, and I ran my six miles with Stefani, and the faster group even stayed with us for the first three or so. And it was much, much better than running alone, just like it always is.

It just goes to show you, you shouldn’t believe everything you think.

Half-marathon training
Week thirteen, day one

Late again ~ still adjusting to the time change I guess! I worked a little late yesterday and it was already almost dark when I got out of the garage, so I decided to do my two miles on the track at the gym. It’s not that bad…the surface is easier on my knees than the concrete sidewalks of Highland Park, and the track loops around the upstairs of the gym so you can look down and see weight room, cardio machines, basketball court, bootcamp class, basketball court again….

The problem with it, I think, is that you have to keep count of your laps, which means you are constantly aware of how much longer you have to go! By now I know where to turn around when I run outside, so I can ignore how much farther it is.

But either way, I got my two miles done and even did them about 1 minute per mile faster than normal. Now I’m on my way to meet the Tuesday night group. I guess eventually I was going to have to run in the dark! Week 13 day 2 update to follow!

Half-marathon training
Week twelve, day four

For once, I didn’t have miles on my mind as I drove to the lake this morning. You see, every week before we run we talk about fundraising, we talk about training, and then we have a mission moment where a team member talks about how and why they joined TNT – and I had agreed to do the mission moment today.

I don’t have any problem talking in front of people (duh) but I was a little worried about saying what I wanted to say without crying too hard. This is what I said:

Ten years ago, my friend (Donna Sue Ashley) did a 100 mile bike ride with team in training, and I thought, “That’s really cool. Someday when I get in better shape, I should do something like that.” Five years ago, my other friend (Elisabeth Wilson) did a triathlon with TNT, and I thought, “that’s really cool. Someday when I get in better shape, I should do something like that.”

In the spring of 2011, my dear friend Angi had a bad pain in her side. At first she thought it was her mattress, and then she thought maybe she had kidney stones. She didn’t have health insurance, so she went to the emergency room at Parkland. Within 24 hours, she had been diagnosed with ALL and started 30 days of chemo.

I told the rest of Angi’s story and my running – her chemo, couch to 5k, how I ran my first 5k at the Turkey Trot not long before she got her bone marrow match. I told them how the transplant was successful but then the infection came. I told them how I signed up for the half-marathon around the time she went back in the hospital, and how I was sitting at Subway the day after kick-off when I got the news that she was being taken off the ventilator. I told them that she passed away that afternoon at the age of 42. I took a really deep breath and went on:

Team in training has been a wonderful experience. I’ve met amazing people, learned some terrible jokes, and run farther than I ever thought I could. But it hasn’t been easy. I’ve never been athletic and certainly not a runner. I was always the person who said we didn’t need to run unless the bar is closing. So sometimes it hurts, and sometimes I don’t want to get up early and run 9 or 10 miles.

(And here’s where the tears started to spill over) But I would run to the moon if I could just bring Angi back. I can’t do that, of course, but if I can run a few miles and raise a few dollars, maybe that will help save someone else. And I think Angi would have wanted it that way.

Recovered from my speech, did my nine miles and started to drive home (after a jump start of my car from some teammates – thanks Shorty and Ryan!). All of a sudden, Elton John’s “Your Song” came on the radio, and I sobbed the rest of the way home.

I miss you, Angi. Every. Single. Day.

Half-marathon training
Week twelve, day three (yes I miscounted the weeks yesterday)

Two miles today, so I changed clothes at work and stopped at the Katy Trail on the way home. Skip a little traffic and get the run done early so I can come home, shower, and have my jammies on before dinner.

Only problem with this plan is when you forget something. Luckily, all I forgot today was a ponytail holder so I just grabbed a rubber band off my desk. Hey, I don’t worry about looking cute when I run!

The worst time I ever forgot something workout-related was when I lived in Manhattan. I used to sleep in my gym clothes, go straight to the gym and then shower and change there for work. This was back in the days when we were required to wear skirt suits and pantyhose to work (yes, in the 90s – I’m not that old!) Anyway, one time I got dressed only to find that I had forgotten my bra. I had to wander around the city until Victoria’s Secret opened so I could buy a bra and go to work!

Anyway…two miles done, chicken, rice and peas for dinner, and tomorrow’s Friday – works for me!

Half-marathon training
Week eleven, day two

Met up with the group last night for our six miles and was really happy to see Jennifer there. She is having problems with her IT band and we run at the same slow pace, so I wouldn’t be keeping anyone else back. She’s also just a lot of fun to talk to, especially because about halfway through every run she starts planning what she will have to eat after the run. A woman after my own heart (even though I rarely want to eat much of anything after running). A few weeks ago she and I discovered that we went to the same high school, except that she is about 15 years younger than me. It’s a lot more fun to run with friends instead of alone!

Anyway, got my six in despite continuing issues with my back and hamstrings. I’m glad today is a cross-training day; I’m going to make sure to get in some good stretching before bedtime tonight!

Half-marathon training
Week twelve, day one

Okay, note to self: before you plan a route that includes running around the AA center, make sure there is not a Justin Beiber concert going on!

Two miles yesterday – as our miles increase during the week, Mondays have been staying at two miles which is a great way to finish recovering from Saturday’s long run. I’ve been neglecting my stretching again which was affecting my calves and my lower back is bothering me. The back is either from not stretching my hamstrings or one of those over-40 moments when you reach for a pen and throw your back out. It did loosen up after running yesterday and I’m hopeful I’ll make it through six miles tonight as well.

When I started with TNT, I was advised to start fundraising early before training got more intense. I now totally understand that advice! It’s not just that the runs take longer; I need more gear, more time to stretch, and more time to sleep (I’m sleeping more than I have since college these days!)

So, I am still $315 away from my first goal with a couple of months to go. I did finally update my fundraising page with a new post and new picture, so please go check it out!

Half-marathon training
Week eleven, day four

Wow what a run! Today was our mock race at the lake – my group did 9.3 miles (one loop around). They had a starting and finish line set up, people to cheer us on, cookie medals and we finished with excellent barbecue (and Snickers cupcakes!)

My wonderful husband came out with me and rode his bike around the loop, stopping a couple of times to cheer for us as we ran. It was early and it was cold, but for the first time in a while I felt really good and the run was…okay, not easy, but not as hard as usual.

I’m starting to think I might actually pull this half-marathon off. Go team!

Half-marathon training
Week eleven, day three

Man, this week has been crazy with work and just general obligations. Four miles yesterday and Tony decided he would come with me to keep me company and so I wouldn’t have to worry about it getting dark. On the way home some idiot decided to make a left hand turn from the right lane and hit my car. I immediately thought, “screw running, let’s get a bottle of wine.” But we had our running clothes on so we hit the trail.

It was a great evening for running, 65 degrees and misty but the trail was almost completely deserted. For the first time all week I felt pretty good running and it turned into a good time (although I’m still wondering about the young guy with a bear head and hands on running down the trail with his friends). And by the time we were done, the stress of the week was gone and I was so glad I decided to go ahead and get my miles in.

Went to Arlington tonight to celebrate my nephew’s 12th birthday – ready to hit the lake tomorrow in the cold!