Long Run - Leadbetter to Crane School and Back

Time: 7:00pm, run for 2 hours, 10 minutes, walk for 30 minutes
Meal: ProVantage Protein Shake (1 scoop blended with 1/2 a banana & 2 strawberries in 8oz. of rice milk) @ 6:30am. 8 oz. Cytomax at 6:55am. Vanilla Hammer Gel @ 40 minutes, Tropical Hammer Gel @ 1 hour, 20 minutes, Chocolate Hammer Gel at 2 hours
Distance: Approx. 13 miles (View Map)

I've been dreading writing this entry because I wish I could write something triumphant about this practice. For anyone who knows me, you know that I'm very persistent in the commitments that I make and that I'd rather die than admit defeat. This was supposed to be a 3 hour run and after 2 hours and 10 minutes I had to throw in the towel and walk the rest of the way. You have no idea what a disappointment this was to me, I really wanted to cross that 3 hour milestone! But, as friends have pointed out, I did run for 2 hours and 20 minutes...which is still incredible in and of itself.

So, why did I have to throw in the towel you ask? If you'll remember from last weekend's 10-miler race, I started experiencing some sharp pain in my left foot at about mile 8. I was able to manage sucking it up for the remaining two miles, but I walked from the finish line about 125 yards to the bathroom and, by the time I got there, I could hardly put any weight on that left foot. I took it easy for about a day and a half - trying not to walk on it and riding my bike instead of running. By Monday night I was running again, but was still aware of some mild discomfort. "Mildly Uncomfortable" is how I would describe the sensation in my left foot during my run on Tuesday and also during the (more intense but ultimately successful) track training on Wednesday.

This morning, at only 15 minutes into the run, I must have landed on it just right (or, in this case, just wrong) because that sharp pulse of pain came back with a vengeance on the bottom outside of my left foot. I had to stop for a moment to let it pass, but when I tried going again the pain came back on that stride relentlessly. Not wanting to give up, I found a stride that was comfortable and didn't disturb that part of my foot. I pressed on for 2 more hours, putting weight/landing on only the ball of my left foot...essentially limping as I ran. I stopped at a water stop at about 1:50, where Lucas (one of the ever-so-patient coaches) noticed my limping. His suggestion was to take it super easy and to, in fact, not complete the full 3 hours of the practice. I put up a small fight, insisting that I could do it, but he kindly reminded me that one day of defeat is worth avoiding any long term damage that could pull me out of the game for further practices or, worse, the final marathon. At that point, I only had about 3 1/2 miles to get back to my truck and a compromisable stopping point. Unfortunately, I made it only about a mile before my foot completely gave in. I ended up hobbling sheepishly the final 2 miles, passing up the offer from everyone passing me by to send someone back to pick me up. Maybe I couldn't run that final stretch, but I certainly wasn't going to get driven back!

I can barely put any pressure on my left foot - I am icing it and taking it easy. There is some extreme tightness in my left calf, most likely from overcompensating and landing on the ball of my foot. The good news is that I already had an appointment scheduled with the Orthopedic doctor on Monday for the problems I had been having with my knees...my knees aren't even bothering me anymore so hopefully he'll be willing to take a look at my poor left foot.

I think I'm going to have to take it easy until I can get a doctor to look at it and give me the O.K. to keep training. I really, really, really, hate to admit that but it's where I am at. But I'm trying to stay optimistic about the whole thing...hopefully the pain is just linked to some tight muscle and can be resolved with a new stretch (as was the case with my knees). I guess I'll know more Monday.

Ahhh...the woes! Anyway, I'll keep you posted...

Track Training, Santa Barbara City College

Time: 6pm, approx. 1 hour, 30 minutes

• 4-lap warm-up
• 2-laps strides
• 3 x 1200 (3 laps @ 2:05-2:15 each, 1 lap easy - repeat 2 more times)
  
• 1 x 1600 (4 laps (1 mile) @ 2:10 each (8:40 minute mile)
  
• 2 laps cool-down
  

Meal: Late lunch at 3pm - salad with lettuce, tomato, onion, cucumber, chicken and 1 cup brown rice (added for carbs). Clif Bar at 5:30.

Tonight's practice proves my theory about training by myself vs. training with others. I had such a difficult time on my Monday and Tuesday night runs this week that I was really worried about this track workout because the coaches usually push us pretty hard. But tonight I felt really good. The knee and foot pain was still present, but I had no problem sucking it up and completing the workouts within the time we were given. Yes, I pushed harder than usual but my body didn't resist as much as it had earlier in the week. Even at the faster pace I was able to keep up conversation (I forgot to bring my iPod) so I feel really great overall about the practice.

Something else that I found to be true tonight is that I wasn't nearly as tired as I have been after work. This morning I actually slept in until 8am (as opposed to waking up at 7am on Monday and 6am on Tuesday). I got to bed late last night so it was still only 8 hours of sleep but I found that I had much more energy today. I think the extra hour in the morning might be helping to give me some extra "umph" in the afternoon. Between now and the marathon I think I might take more advantage of my flexible work schedule.

The purpose of this journal is to record everything that's happening, so here's my warning that I'm going to be fairly candid here. For the past couple of weeks I have been experiencing some depression. Last week I wrote it off to being sick and having stress in other parts of my life, but I definitely recognized a high and a distinct crash tonight after the workout. I felt so GREAT driving home, but by the time I got there (literally minutes away) I found that my mind was racing and I was feeling worried, overwhelmed and hopeless. I can't pinpoint what exactly was getting me down...pretty much anything that popped into my head: work, family, relationships. Anyway, I'm saying this because I was able to find a place to just observe how I am feeling and pay attention to what was happening in my body as a result. The more I question it the more I think that, with all this training and the toll it is undoubtedly taking on my body, perhaps I am experiencing some sort of nutritional deficiency. I haven't been very good in the past about paying attention to my body, but I do know that things can shift drastically in my physical and emotional condition as a result of any sort of chemical imbalance.

The short amount of research I did on the subject tonight didn't turn up much - really all I read was that depresssion the week after the marathon is really normal and is to be expected. I'm still trying to find some information on nutritional deficiencies that may result from this kind of intense training that I could possibly link to the depression. I'd say the good news in all of this is that I'm getting better at reading my body. It feels healthy to recognize that I may be feeling insecure and down on myself emotionally but that there could be a perfectly good physical reason for feeling this way.

The body...and the brain...work in strange ways. Anyway, I'll keep you posted on my research about this stuff.

Run - Home to Chase Palm Park Soccer Field and Back

Time: 7:15pm, 30 minutes
Meal: ProVantage Protein Shake (1 scoop blended with 1/2 a banana in 8oz. of rice milk) and about 8oz of Gatorade at 6:45pm.
Distance: Approx. 3 miles

Remember yesterday when I said I didn't think it could be any more difficult to motivate? Well, I was wrong. I am even more exhausted and dragging my behind today. I'm getting a solid 8 hours of sleep and being pretty good about nutrition and rest, but I'm still just so tired! People at work even commented on it today. I guess I have to give myself some credit - I'm doing pretty good sticking to the training schedule, just getting over a cold, and balancing other life stuff (including Scott's broken ankle and inability to drive himself places). OF COURSE its exhausting!

Anyway, this run was difficult. My trademarked phrase "Flu Legs" was back in full effect. O.K. it's not tradmarked and it's just my way of describing the muscle fatigue I feel going on down there. Everything hurts. It hurts during and hurts after. Stretching feels great, but doesn't make the pain go totally away. Again, I can hear Lucas telling me to try and push it - but it's just so hard when my energy is so low and I am clearly not good at self-motivating!

All that being said...

I feel grateful that I am part of this team. I feel grateful that, when I'm training on my own, I have the thoughts of what I'm doing it for to keep me going. I think of all the people suffering from blood cancers - and all the people on the team who are struggling through it with a loved one of theirs. I am grateful that I don't personally know anyone faced with this illness currently, and proud to be a part of helping to find a cure for those who are. I think of the people I know who have battled cancer in the past or currently battling non-blood cancers (my aunt, for example, is deeply in my thoughts as she is currently battling breast cancer). When I find myself feeling whiney, selfish, worried about my own exhaustion I realize that it's nothing compared to what these people are going through. I am just thrilled to be having this experience!

By the way, a visit to Dr. Nicole today revealed that the problem in my left foot is most likely related to my calf muscles. She did that painful deep-tissue stuff and it seems to have loosened up a little. It always amazes me as to how all this stuff is connected! :-)

Run - Home beyond Cabrillo Bath House and Back

Time: 8pm, 45 minutes
Meal: ProVantage Protein Shake (1 scoop blended with 1/2 a banana in 8oz. of rice milk) at 7:45pm.
Distance: Approx. 4.5 miles

Ugh...I am SO TIRED!! I'm sure it has something to do with being sick and using up all my energy to get over this but motivating for this has never been so difficult! On Saturday, Lucas (one of the run coaches) recommended that I push myself harder during my weekday runs in effort to help my pacing for the Saturday long runs. This proved to be extremely difficult...I realized about 1/2 way through the run why doing the Monday night team "buddy" runs might be more beneficial than attempting to do it by myself. That and it was dark, cold, and my energy level is at its lowest at the end of my work day.

The good news is that I fought through it and did it. Again, I have to be proud of myself for these little victories! My overall exhaustion amplified the pains in my achilles and my foot - but obviously it was tolerable and I didn't have to limp to finish the run.

Bike Ride - Home to Los Positas, Modoc, Carrillo, and Back

Time: 4:15pm, approx 50 minutes
Meal: ProVantage Protein Shake (1 scoop blended with 1/2 a banana in 8oz. of rice milk) and about 8 oz. Gatorade at 3:45pm.
Distance: 9.3 miles (Map)

Today was a rainy day so I wanted to make sure the rain had let up before I headed out. Well, I thought it had but you'd be surprised at how wet you get, even when it's just drizzling, when you're riding at 30-40 miles per hour! About 1/3 of the way through I thought maybe this wasn't such a good idea, seeing as how I'm getting over a cold and all, but actually it was really fun! I enjoy the adventure of being in the elements and toughing it out. Although it does make me wish I had the right gear for it! (I had on my biking shirt/shorts and a rain jacket - the jacket didn't breath nearly as much as I wanted it to...)

It was a good ride with some pretty decent hills. The bike was a good cross-training solution to keep weight off my left foot, and I tried not to overexert myself - again, to keep on my path of recovery from that damn cold!

A hot bath felt great afterwards, by the way. That, a good stretch, and some homemade Vegetable Beef soup (courtesy of Scott's mom Donna) made for a really great, mellow evening!

Santa Barbara 10-Miler

Time: 7am, Warm up with team. Race at 8pm - Race time 1:38:59
Meal: ProVantage Protein Shake (1 scoop blended with 3 strawberries in 8oz. of rice milk) at 6:45am. EAS "Endurathon" During Race Energy drink at 7:30am, Orange Hammergel @ 40 minutes into race, Rasberry Hammergel @ 1 hour, 20 minutes.

I was worried about taking the week off from training because of that nasty cold and was really nervous before the race. I won't say the day was easy, but I am certainly pleased with my results. I finished in 389th place (whoo-hoo!), and 71/88 in my age group. To be fair, the age group is 19-29 and I'm on the teetering tale end of that group so I dont feel too bad about my place. Actually, given the fact that I'm not naturally athletic and this was my very first race, I'm just pleased that I finished and came in at under a 10-minute mile average (9:54/mile). That's faster than my pace for the past several long runs!

I still didn't feel 100%. I tried to stick around for the rest of the team to finish but at some point I realized it was time to get off my feet, out of the sun, and home to take a quick nap to recooperate. I've managed to take it good and easy - anything not to disturb this cold again!

My left knee still had some discomfort but I really feel like the pigeon pose stretches (a yoga stretch) and the foam rolling is paying off. Once I'm warmed up I seem to totally forget about it. But, as I'm learning that if it isn't one thing it's another, my newest injury seems to be popping up in my foot on the outside of my arch and also on my achilles. I started to experience some sharp, spasming pain in my foot at about mile 8 but was able to suck it up 'till the end. After passing the finish line I booked it to the bathroom, but by the time I got there I was completely limping and could only put pressure on the ball of my left foot.

The problem in my foot doesn't surprise me. If you'll remember, the people at Santa Barbara Running videotaped the way my feet hit the ground when I run and I clearly land on the outside of my left foot (called Supination). The more I run, the more I can even notice this visually as I look down on my feet. The people at SB Running said that there wasn't much I can do about it, that it's "just the way I naturally run" but I do find myself trying to compensate for it. If it becomes too much of an issue maybe I'll try orthotics in my running shoes.

Anyway, it was a successful race. I am so proud to be a part of such a great team and feeling great about my progress as a runner!

Being Sick is a Drag

I've missed almost an entire week of training because I came down with, yet, another cold. It's really bumming me out - what will really suck is if I have to miss the SB Chardonnay 10-miler on Saturday.

Anyway, I'm just trying to take it easy so I can get back to normal. This is the 3rd time I've gotten sick since training began. I wonder what's going on in this body of mine???

:-(

Long Run - Mesa Albertsons to San Ysidro

Time: 7am - 2 hours, 45 minutes
Meal: 6:30am - ProVantage Protein Shake (1 scoop blended with 3 strawberries in 8oz. of rice milk), 7:00am - EAS "Catapult" Pre-Race Energy Fuel, 1 Clif Shot (raz) at 1:45, 1 Hammer Gel (chocolate) at 2:20
Distance: Approx. 15 miles

SUCCESS!! I can't tell you how thrilled I am by my performance during today's training! It was such a tremendous improvement over last week - My body felt good, my attitude was right on, the weather was terrific and the ocean views were inspiring! Most notably, my legs did not have any real issues for most of the run. It wasn't until the 2 hour mark that I began to feel that familiar "flu legs" feeling, but by then I was almost done and it didn't take much to perservere through it.

I also learned the importance of the right dietary supplements to get me through the practice. That pre-race energy fuel was like crack on speed as a performance enhancer! It's primary ingredient is Alpha GPC (400 mg), which is noted to support the release of human growth hormone (hGH). According to bodybuilding.com:

Ageing and prolonged stress - including athletic endeavors like marathons or 'ironman/ironwoman' events are associated with decreased hormone production, especially reduced secretion of human Growth Hormone (hGH) from the anterior pituitary. These life events are also associated with lower levels of free choline in the blood and tissues. Concomitantly, both quality of life and lifespan decrease, sexual desire and potency diminish, muscles loose both protein (mass) and tone, and body fat levels increase.

I also found some less biased information on this natural supplement here. Of course, the secondary ingredient was caffeine (199 mg). Considering that a can of Coke only has 54mg of caffeine, I'm beginning to understand why this stuff gave me such a burst of energy. I'm sure, in the long run, such large doses of caffeine cannot be good for your body.

While energy is nice, my primary concern was to reduce the onset of muscle fatigue (a.k.a my "flu legs"). Dr. Neal recommended a dietary supplement called "Pro Vantage", as he found that one scoop of this stuff per day has really enhanced his training performance. I'm not sure if it was this stuff, the Catapult pre-race fuel, or a combination of the two but I was very successful in thwarting that muscle pain in my legs. As I mentioned, it wasn't until right about 2 hours that the pain came back. I found, mentally, it was easier to tolerate since I was 2/3 of the way through the practice.

I only had one GU pack (and it was a Clif Shot so I was a little nervous after almost barfing from the mocha last week), so I waited it out as long as I could, finally sucking it down at about 1:45 (thankfully the raz was tolerable). I wonder, if I had stayed on top of those, if I could have kept the pain at bay even longer? We were reaching the final stretch once we hit the last water stop at about 2:20. I knew I only had 25 minutes to go - but it was all uphill and my legs were killing me. One of the mentors offerred me a Hammer Gel - I hesitated but decided to give it a shot...the best decision I could have made! It was amazing how much better my legs felt for the duration of the run, and how steady I was able to maintain my pace. I suppose the next step is to do a little more research on all these performance enhancing nutritional supplements to find out (a) how much of my experience was physical vs. mental, (b) what the side-effects may be from using them, and (b) which have the most natural ingredients and a lesser likelihood of causing more harm than good to my body during and after this marathon training.

In any case, I felt great about the practice. I came in right at 11-minutes per mile, which is still slower than I wish it was but I can totally live with it. I am pretty sore (as usual), but stretching well helps. My only complaint is that I feel like I may be coming down with yet, another cold so I'm just trying to take it easy...

Track Training, Santa Barbara City College

Time: 6pm, approx. 1 hour, 20 minutes

• 4-lap warm-up
• 2-laps strides
• One 800 fast (2 laps)
• One 400 cool down (1 lap)
• One 3200 fast (8 laps or 2 miles)
• 3 laps cool-down
  

Meal: Veggie burger at 1:30pm, salad at 4:00pm

Although my practice this week continues to be discouraging, I'm proud to announce that I actually did complete the 3200 with the rest of my group, coming in around 2 minutes, 10 seconds per lap. (There were plenty of times during the training that I thought I might have to quit). I just almost vomited aftwerwards and had to walk during my cool-down because I just didn't have it in me for even a light jog. Everyone kept asking me if I was OK...yes I'm o.k. - I'm discouraged and feeling a little whiney (almost cried during the 800) but mostly I'm dissappointed because I'm feeling defeated by the week! I hate defeat, I don't take it well :-).

My problems were three-fold: (1) Of course, muscle fatigue, (2) physical endurance/energy and problems with asthma (the first time I've experienced athletic induced wheezing), and (3) I'm feeling a bit blue this week which is affecting my attitude and, therefore my perserverance. I want to be clear that my overall attitude is not as negative as this may sound, I'm just trying to record an accurate account of how I'm feeling through all this.

Anyway, it felt good to actually complete the practice, no matter how difficult it was, and I'm still confident that I will get over this hump of muscle fatigue and be just that much better. I'm also aware that I didn't eat a Clif bar before practice like I usually do, and I'm sure that's what affected my endurance during the fast training. The good news is that I was so distracted with pushing to complete the 3200 that I couldn't even feel my legs. The fatigue came back during my cool-down, but I am continuing to ice my shins and my knees, using the foam roller to activate the muscles, and stretching throughout the day.

The interesting day will be the 2 hour, 45 minute run on Saturday...

Cross Training - Elliptical @ Spectrum Club

Time: 9:30pm, 20 minutes
Meal: Macaroni-and-cheese-and-sausage-vegetable-surprise at 7pm

Another day of taking it easy since my legs are still really sore. I went in to see Dr. Nicole after work today and we're still trying to resolve the issue. Turns out I don't really know what I'm talking about (duh) - the core of the problem still lies with my IT Bands (part of the quadracept muscle, on the outside of my leg, which runs from my butt to down below my knee). "IT Band Friction Syndrome" is actually one of the most common injuries for runners. There's a good explanation of it here. The pain is prominent in my left knee/leg, and she explained that it can sometimes result in shin splints (which makes sense since my shins were really killing me yesterday). She did a lot of deep tissue work up near my glutes, on my shins, and around my knees (one word - OUCH!! I guess it has to hurt if its to heel). I need to continue using the foam roller, be better about stretching (she even gave me a few more stretches), and give my body a little more time to warm up prior to my workouts.

Under her recommendation, I did the ellliptical machine tonight in lieu of running since it's a little bit lower-impact. This was a lot easier on my body but its clear that I have a lot of work to do on my legs since they are still sore! I did stretch for about 20 minutes before and 10 minutes after. I really, really, really need to get in the habit of stretching a lot and allow ample time for it.

I'm having a slow, frustrating, typical PMS week (too much information? Too bad!), so I think its a good time to also work on my attitude (especially because this leg thing is really discouraging) and my focus during workouts this week.

Easy Run - Downtown Santa Barbara

Time: 5:45pm, approx. 25 minutes
Food: Mexican buffet for lunch @ 12:30, a Vitamin Water right before the run

This is my rest week since I've been working so hard to catch up with the rest of the team, so Lucas (run of the run coaches) advised me to take it easy this week. I was supposed to do some cross training yesterday but it just didn't happen...my only excuse is that I just didn't feel like getting out of my pajamas :-).

So, what would have been a 40-minute run today was cut to about 25 minutes. Even still, it was 25-minutes of what I have affectionately been calling "flu legs". As soon as I started to lightly jog my muscles tightened, and I could feel the same pain in my legs as I did during the long run this past weekend. I'm really trying to just suck it up, but to be honest I'm getting frustrated by the pain.

As for my knees, the pain started on the outside of my left kneecap. When I tried adjusting my posture and concentrating on the heel-toe land again, this pain moved to the front of my kneecap, just below the patella. No matter how hard I tried I could not achieve heel-toe with my left foot - my left shin was just too stiff, I couldn't extend my heel. I'm sure I got a little obsessive-compulsive about the whole thing, and the more I thought about it the more I tried to correct my movements and the more I hurt. The pain in my left knee eventually moved to the inside of my kneecap. Overall, I could feel the most discomfort in my knees, my shins, and my quads. Contrary to my conclusions the other day, it didn't even feel like I was engaging my hamstrings.

At some point I realized I was thinking too hard so I tried to stop thinking and just let my strides fall naturally. I am practically limping on my left side, as the most comfortable land is on the ball of my foot. All in all, I feel really good about my heightened sense of awareness in my body. When I've experience muscle pain in the past I could usually just point you in the general direction but not really pinpoint exactly what was happening. There's a little of that going on, but I am much more aware of exactly which muscles are causing me problems, which makes me confident that, with the help of Dr. Nicole, I will be able to work on these muscles - loosen the ones that are tightening up and strengthen the ones that are weak - to reach my optimal performance. Like any practice or exercise, this is merely a plateau and a challenge that I'll need to overcome in my training.

I had an appointment immediately after my run. Afterwards (about an hour and 15 minutes later) I ran from the office to my truck (less than 1/2 a block) and noticed that my muscles were much looser - and I could easily land heel-toe on my left side. It proved to me the importance of (1) warming up and (2) stretching. It's critical that I pay special attention to these preventative practices as I continue my training.

Long Run - Dos Pueblos High School to (near) HWY 154

Time: 7am, approx. 2 1/2 hours
Meal: Protein Shake - Myoplex (1 package) in 15 oz. of rice milk
Distance: Approx. 13.5 miles

I can't believe I ran for 2 1/2 hours this morning! The distance I covered was more than that of a 1/2 marathon...am I crazy or what? Waking up was hard to do (isn't there a song about that? No??) but I actually felt raring to go when I left my house at 6:45. The only mistake I think I made was drinking (almost) the entire protein shake that I made. 15 oz is a lot to swallow (literally), and I think it weighed me down a little during the run.

It only took about 5 minutes for me to feel the discomfort in my knees (usually I don't start feeling it until at least 20 or 30 minutes). I'm trying to concentrate on improving my posture (literally standing up straighter during the run) and landing heel to toe rather than landing flat or on the balls of my feet. I found this to be quite a challenge, and realized that I'm resisting the heel-toe land because I am afraid of hurting some other part of my leg (I could really feel it in my hamstrings). What I am realizing is that my hamstrings are weak so I am overcompensating with my quads, which has been causing the knee pain. Amazing how this all comes together, huh? Anyway, I have the most trouble with poses that require hamstring strength during my yoga practice. The last couple of weeks I have just skipped these poses, but I'm beginning to think maybe I should be trying a little harder so I can strengthen that muscle in my legs.

It took some time to get used to, but I felt pretty good about my posture and focused on the heel-toe land by about 45 minutes into it. While I was still aware of discomfort in my knee, it wasn't nearly as bad and I started to become aware of the rest of my leg muscles which, at the time, seemed like a good sign that I was using them equally.

At about 50 minutes I ripped open a Cliff Goo Mocha and sucked it into my mouth. Yeah, remember a couple of entries ago when I explained how much I hated Power Bars? This disgusting paste touched my tongue and instantly reminded me of everything I hate about them. It encompassed every excrutiating detail of why I think they're so terrible and, for a minute I continued to jog along while still holding it in my mouth trying to figure out what to do. I really wanted to swallow it - I knew I needed the energy, but every time I tried I instantly gagged. I had no choice, it was so disgusting I had to spit it out. A runner behind me (who had no idea what kind of ordeal I was going through) just happened to see me spit a huge blob of brown goo into a patch of weeds - apparently she thought I had vomited (I might as well have) because she stopped to make sure I was alright. Lucky for me, the next water stop was only minutes away so I could rinse my mouth and try again with my second Goo pack, a Hammer Gel that was apple-cinnamon flavored. Still, not good, but at least I could swallow it! The biggest problem here was that I was only 1 hour into the run and had used up the last of my goo packs...which slowed me down at the end of the race.

By the time I turned around at 1:15 my legs were really hurting me. Whereas, before, I could pinpoint areas that were sore (the sides and tops of my knees, the middle of the back as well as the insides of my thigh) I couldn't differentiate at this point. The only way I can describe the way my legs felt is that it was like having the flu from the waist down. I could tell my pace had slowed quite a bit, as people who were quite a ways behind me began to pass me at about 1:30 - 1:45. I always want to be the best I can be and in some group cases like this I have a tendency to get competitive, but I've really been getting over that lately in the effort of making sure I'm taking care of myself.

For the last 45 minutes, I had slowed down to warm-up pace (mostly because my body just couldn't go any faster). I kept visualizing being back in the parking lot and stretching these poor legs of mine. Despite all this, I realized how great it was to be thinking "Wow, only 45 minutes left, whoo-hoo!" It would have been easy to think of 45 minutes as being a long time but I'm glad my attitude continues to be upbeat.

I made it in 2:35, which was a little over 11:30 minutes per mile. This was a full minute-per-mile slower than last week but I'm certain it was the last hour or so that dragged that down. All things considered, I am ecstatic that I finished and that the leg pain improved greatly once I began to stretch (man that felt GOOOOD!) One woman even told me I was her inspiration! Yeah, I know, I couldn't believe it either but she said she could see me ahead of her during almost the entire run and I helped her to keep up her pace. That was a nice compliment, especially because I was feeling sort of disappointed that I had to slow it down so much.

In sum, the best things I learned were that I'm confident I will get better at the heel-toe land with more practice, which will improve the strength in my hamstrings (and I should also make sure I'm working on my hamstrings in my other training like Yoga), a second goo pack would have helped me a lot at around 1:45 for that last 45 minutes, but the GU brand (espresso) is my favorite and the remaining mocha Clif shots in the world should be protested against and thrown into a pit of hot, molten lava. :-)

Cross Training - Yoga at Spectrum Club

Time: 1:15pm, 1 hour
Meal: Veggie soup at 12:20pm

I felt more exhausted this week than last, and didn't have it in me to hold or even try some of the poses. Part of the problem, I think, is that this instructor seems to be more interested in the "body" aspect of yoga and not so much into the "mind" or "spirit", so I'm finding his method to be a little fast and more strenuous than I am used to. I didn't even try the standing splits, it just wanted too much strength from my hamstrings that I could muster up the energy for.

I think I was a little more focused this week and less concerned with trying to keep up with the rest of the class. There is some peace in finding a place where you're comfortable knowing and understanding your own limitations and conscious about not trying to push it...

I'm really feeling great about my training, and 4 people this week have complimented me on how much weight I appear to have lost (FYI - I haven't lost any weight, but I definitely know it has been more property allocated in my body since my pants are fitting better). I'm nervous about the 2:30 run on Saturday, but really looking forward to it at the same time!

Track Training & 5K Test Run

Time: 6pm, approx. 1 1/2 hours

• 1600 warm up
• 3 laps strides
• stretch
• 5K - Leadbetter beach to Doubletree round trip
  

Meal: 1/2 a Cliff bar at 5:30pm

I'm so excited after tonight - I improved my 5K speed by almost 5 minutes from last year! I came in at 26:48, which was 12 seconds faster than my goal for the evening. That felt great, and even offset the extreme hunger I felt while running the 5K. :-)

I really tried to eat the entire Cliff bar...I really did...but I just couldn't muscle it down. My appetite has reduced over the past month or so, and I definitely find that I can't eat Cliff or any other type of energy bars if I am not hungry (they just do not taste good to me - consider it the equivalent of drinking cough medicine...my mom knows just how bad that is for me). Anyway, I am curious as to whether my time would have been even better if I had eaten a bit more. This is something I think I can experiment with during Nite Moves, the summer weekly 5K in Santa Barbara that starts on April 25 this year.

Besides feeling a bit famished and my knees being slightly uncomfortable I did pretty well. The foam roller I got from Dr. Nicole is definitely helping. While there is still some soreness, I can definitely feel that it isn't as tight (if that even makes sense).

On that note, did I mention that I saw my doctor for a physical on Monday? I told her about my knees because I felt like I should, and my feeling is that she blew it way out of proportion. She said she wasn't excited about me continuing my training if my knees were hurting, and put in a referral for an orthopedic doctor. She ordered some x-rays, and even the x-ray tech said that he had problems with his knees when he first started running, too, and suggested just getting a new pair of shoes. Anyway, I'm frustrated because I don't think she knows much about sports medicine and, of course, wasn't very responsive to the fact that I've already been talking to Dr. Nicole about it. My experience is that doctors can sometimes be too quick to try and alleviate this sort of thing - and I don't feel like there's anything wrong with continuing the Physical Therapy (foam roller, stretching), buying new shoes, improving my run posture, and going from there. I think I'll skip the Ortho for now...

Easy Run to Calle Ceasar Chavez + Softball

Time: 6pm, 30-minutes + 1 hour softball
Meal: Protein shake at 5:45pm, 2 full scoops in 8 oz. rice milk

I decided to take it easy yesterday since the hike was a bit rigorous and tonight had the potential of going over-board as well.

I felt so good on this run! I really didn't experience too much exhaustion (as I have been) and seemed to keep a steady, consistent pace. My knees were slightly uncomfortable but totally tolerable.

Running before softball really seems to improve my agility during the game, and I feel more confident and focused. And it was a great game! It was a close call, but we managed to take them.

My knees were pretty sore during my sprints between bases, but I think if I had more time to stretch before the game it could have prevented that.

Night Hike - Romero Canyon (Full Moon)

Time: 7:30pm, 2 1/2 hours
Meal: Apple at 7pm Cliff Bar at 8pm, 2 liters of water


I'm sort of cheating with this photo since it was actually taken in 2005. It's still my photo and it still looks the same so, what the hell.

My increased endurance was evident during this hike. What I usually find to be moderately strenuous about this trail (the 2 miles of single-track up to to the cross trails) was a piece of cake. I noticed my knees felt great at the beginning, but I did expereince some discomfort towards the top. Also, on the steeper downhill portions of the fire road, I found my strength waivered a little bit.

That night, I fell asleep with an ice pack on my left knee -- still just exhausted by all this hard work. On a good note, I went in to see Dr. Nicole at Barry Family Chiropractic on Thursday and she diagnosed my knee problem as having tightness in my IT Bands (part of my quadraceps). She gave me a foam roller and a few stretches to do with it to help alleviate the problem. The exercises HURT, so I must be doing them right :-).

Have I mention Dr. Nicole and Dr. Neal rock? There's no way I would have so much confidence about the progress of my training without them and the wonderful coaches of Team in Training!