Running with Bubbles

Half-marathon training
Week six, day one

Two miles today. Once again, Monday morning proved too tough to get up early, so I ran after work and found a good route from my house through Highland Park. As soon as I get some reflective gear so cars can see me, I can run outside in the mornings too!

Three different people this weekend asked me about how I get through the longer runs when I’m tired and my body hurts. If it’s a group run, I chit-chat with my teammates and people watch at the lake. If I’m alone, I run from zombies or just zone out to music. But the truth is, when the distractions don’t work, I remind myself how much more pain the people we’re fighting for are going through. I saw some of what Angi went through and there are so many adults and kids fighting this disease that I figure my sore hamstrings and achy feet aren’t really worth thinking about.

It’s funny, too, how quickly two miles has turned into something I can just bang out really quick before we run errands. As time goes on, these runs will get easier, I think. I wish I could say the same for the fights of all of the people battling leukemia and lymphoma.

Half-marathon training
Week 5, Day 4

I must have checked the training schedule 10 times this week. Unfortunately, every time it said the same thing: “White Rock Lake, 8 miles.” Three weeks ago I ran four miles for the first time, and now I was supposed to run eight?

Well, okay. It’s a good thing these are group runs because I’m sure on my own I would have found an excuse to stop at mile 5 or6…or 2. You know, “my toe hurts…I’m sweaty…my ponytail is loose.” But I went out with about 6 other people in my pace group and I was keeping up well until we passed mile 3 and ran up a hill. By the time we got to the top, I was having a hard time breathing and I wasn’t sure I’d make it.

Mark noticed I was struggling at the turn around and offered to stay back with me if I needed to go slower. He then asked if I had taken in any nutrition. I had some powerade…oh and Ryan gave me a sport bean that I tucked into my pouch instead of eating. I wasn’t sure how a jelly bean would help me breathe but figured it was worth a try.

What do you know…it worked! I made it. I ran EiGHT MILES. Ate another bean while stretching, came home and took the advice to take a cold bath, and I actually feel pretty good!

Although I think I’ll be wearing flats to my sister’s wedding tonight. Look out week six, I’m coming for you!

Half-marathon training
Week 5, day 3

Two miles on the track at the gym again this morning. For once I’m looking forward to “falling back” in hopes that it will allow me to run outside in the morning before work. (I’m not sure about the safety of the Katy Trail in the dark if I’m alone – anyone have thoughts on that? Maybe if I carry pepper spray?)

Two miles takes less than half an hour so usually I can just zone out but today I needed a little distraction from those 32 laps so I ran from zombies. I forget where I heard of the “Zombies, Run!” app for my iphone but it was well worth the cost (I think it’s $9.99). It’s an ongoing story about survival in a township after zombies take over the surrounding country. You play the part of a runner who is tasked with getting supplies, saving other survivors, and various other missions. The story is told in between songs from your own playlist and, if you run outside, you can choose to add zombie chases.

Yeah, it’s silly, but sometimes you need to be distracted from the task at hand! Before I knew it, the two miles were done and I had saved the township from a traitor. Not bad for 7 a.m.

Half-marathon training
Week 5, Day 2

Two miles on the track at the gym this morning. Like a lot (most) of you, I started out this morning thinking about a morning 11 years ago, where I was and what I was doing and remembering our nation’s tragedy on that day.

Then I started thinking about the fact that eleven years have passed. I would never have guessed where I would be 11 years after 9/11. It’s not perfect (I’d love not to still be fighting with my weight) but it is so much better than I could have imagined that day. Eleven years ago I never would have signed up to run a half-marathon. Not only because I didn’t know Angi then, but because I didn’t have enough belief in myself to think that I could run 13.1 miles or raise $3000. And now I know I can, with help from my friends and family, and proper training and coaching.

Turns out, there are a lot of things we think we can’t do, when the truth is that we just don’t know how to do them and we’re afraid to ask for help. In the past 11 years, I’ve learned that life is too short to be afraid.

Half-marathon training
Week three, day three

Since I didn’t have to go to work today, I was able to get up a little later and do my two miles on the Katy Trail. Much better than the track or the little park in my neighborhood and I finished in about 26 minutes.

This will be my last training update for a week (I know you’re very sorry to hear that!). I also will have to do my next four workoutson a treadmill. I don’t ever run on a treadmill, not so much due to boredom (can’t be worse than the track) but because I’m so clumsy I always think I’m going to fall off! So wish me luck to keep my feet on the straight and narrow, and I’ll see you at the end of week four (which is six miles and “hill weekend” – gulp!)

Half-marathon training
Week three, day two

Two miles today, which meant I had to start before the sun came up, which meant running on the track at my gym. It’s not a very big track. 16 laps to a mile.

1….2…..3

The first five are always slow, but I learned a while ago to count off the laps on my fingers because around lap six it gets kind of zen and I lose track of what I’m doing.

8…9…10

Before I know it, it’s lap 16 and I’m half done. All those small little turns around the upstairs floor of my gym add up and eventually I make it to my goal.

The same thing happens in fundraising. I noticed today that I am almost 1/3 of the way to my goal. Thanks to everyone who has donated so far! I know some of you have also gotten emails from me and some of you will be getting letters. I apologize if there is overlap but I want to make sure everyone has an opportunity to contribute. Remember, even $5 or $10..heck even $1 helps!

29…30…31

I’m working on some fundraising events too. Some great friends are helping me put together a wine tasting that I hope we will host some time in late September or October. And once the regular season starts, Tony is going to help me run some football squares.

Even with counting on my fingers, I wasn’t sure at the end if I was on lap 31 or 32. So I did one more just in case. Never hurts to do a little extra, right?

Half-marathon training
Week Three, Day One

You might notice that this update is kind of late. That’s because I couldn’t convince myself to get out of bed this morning. “It’s dark out…maybe it’s even raining (it wasn’t). My head kind of hurts. I’m tired. It’s just a mile, I’ll do it later.”

So I ran a mile after work today. I didn’t want to do it then either – that’s why I usually work out in the morning. Went out the front door feeling grumpy. It was humid and hard to breathe, mosquitoes were biting me, my neighbor’s yippy dog almost took a chunk out of my leg.

About halfway through I started to think about something my friend Lesia posted yesterday about Angi. On her facebook page, Angi had the quote, “I live life like a child at a carnival, all bright-eyed and excited.” And she really did.

Me? Not so much. I’m a worrier, a planner for the worst case scenario, waiting to see what might go wrong. Maybe it’s an occupational hazard, but I suspect I was like that way before law school. But after I thought about Angi and how happy and optimistic she was every day, the second half of the run was a lot better. I noticed how green the grass in the park was. I smiled at the kids riding their tricycles on the path. Even that yippy dog looked kind of cute.

And tomorrow, when my alarm goes off, I’m going to remind myself how lucky I am to be able to get up and run.

Half-marathon training
Week two, day four

Second group run today, first time out at White Rock (where we’ll be training on Saturdays from now on). AND – I did something I’ve never done before! I ran FOUR MILES! The most I’ve done before today was a 5k, which is 3.1. Whoop!

There were about seven of us in the 13-ish minute pace group, and we kept with the intervals. Run 3 minutes, walk 1. The miles go by so much faster when you’re in a group chatting than when you’re counting them out by yourself. It wasn’t bad at all (okay, my legs are a little tired, but not as much as I feared).

Oh, and for those of you like me who are more likely to be going to bed at 6 am than to be getting up at 6 am – my goodness there are a ton of runners and bikers out at the lake by 7! So that’s what people who don’t stay up late on Fridays do on Saturday mornings. And for the next 5 or so months, I’ll be one of them!

Half-marathon training
Week two, day three

Saturday after we finished our run, I decided to take advantage of our discount at RunOn. I needed new shoes for two reasons: 1) I’ve had the same pair since I started couch to 5k last fall, and 2) I suspected that going to the clearance rack and pulling off a pair marked “running” wasn’t really the best method to choose shoes.

Enter Earl, an older gentleman who was full of advice about running and shoes. He asked me a few questions, twisted and squashed my shoes, and confirmed that I was due for some new ones. Next he pulled out that metal foot-measuring thingy (I don’t think I’ve stood on one of those since 6th grade).

Earl: Your left foot is a size 10.

Me: Yep.

Earl: And your right foot is a size 10.

Me: Yuup.

Earl: (frowning) And your shoes are a size 10.

Me (wondering if poor Earl is all there): Yuuuuup?

Well, turns out that your running shoe should be bigger than your foot. Which might explain my occasionally blue toenails. So, Earl grabbed a few pairs of size 11s and we discussed the pros and cons of having six feet rather than two while I tried on shoes, jumped around and ran through the racks of socks and shorts and such. It was no contest – the Brooks Adrenaline felt fantastic! So I said, “goodbye, Earl” (not in a Dixie Chicks kind of way) and took my new shoes home.

Did I mention they’re white with bright purple accents? I think Tony still suspects I picked them by color.

It has made such a difference already! My half mile this morning was truly easy: my knees felt good, my hips didn’t hurt. Unfortunately, they haven’t given me any superpowers, but I’ll take what I can get. Thanks, Earl!

Half-marathon training
Week two, day two

One mile in weather that couldn’t decide whether it was raining or just super-humid. Since I started running last year, there seems to be one run every few weeks that’s just hard. I can’t seem to remember how to breathe, my legs feel like they weigh 100 pounds each, I trip over my shoes, etc. etc. Today was one of those days. Nothing to do for it but just keep running!

So, speaking of “just do it,” so far I have raised $425 in Angi’s memory for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! I call that a pretty good start. If you would like to make a donation or further follow my training, please check out my page athttp://pages.teamintraining.org/ntx/wdw13/estepp . And if you can’t make a financial donation, I can still use your help! Currently I’m collecting items for silent auctions and/or raffle baskets. I’m also looking for a place to hold a wine tasting, preferably inside the loop (I have the sommelier and the wine part handled. Although if you have wine you’re not using, I can probably take it off your hands – LOL!). So if you can offer assistance along those lines, please let me know here or via message!

Remember, all donations are tax deductible and may be matched by your employer, too. Thank you all for all the support, both financial and emotional!