Running in the sun...

Day 10: This is the first day of running 20 minutes, 5 minutes walking, 10 minutes running, 5 minutes walking. Michael and I left the house around noon and sweated all the way to Mosswood Park and back. A gorgeous sunny day. Too bad we had to run in it. Too hot. No shade. I felt all sticky and yucky, and my fingers started to swell. (They always do when it's hot.) But what a good feeling every time I increase my running time and find that I can do it!

A Fun Race...

Tonight I signed up for the San Francisco Bay to Breakers, which is on May 21. It's only about 7-1/2 miles across the city. Not that I will be up to running 7-1/2 miles at that point. I'll only be running 30 minutes that day. But I'll walk the rest of it, and maybe even run a little more. I just want to come in under 2 hours, which I have never done before.

Michael will be with me. Several years ago we went dressed as squirrels and got rained on and ended up taking the bus! Yes, it's cheating. But it's not like there was prize money at stake. We got our picture taken near the finish line anyway, so who cares?

That year we walked. This year, there is no way I'm wearing a costume if I'm running. Waaaaayyyyy to hot!

Another marathon...

Day 7: Tonight was the first time running 15 minutes at a time. I went out after dark and ran to Berkeley on Regent Street and back. I will not run at night again. Too hard to see the uneven, cracked places in the sidewalk. I was worried about tripping or twisting an ankle. But it did feel great to run in the open air. And this run feels good because going towards Berkeley is a slight incline and then coming back is a little bit downhill. It feels great to be able to run a bit faster and easier on the way back.

Tonight, I registered for the SF Nike Women's Marathon on October 22. This will be a good schedule for me. I'll run the SF Half Marathon on July 30 and the Nike Women's full marathon on October 22.

Break Away!

Day 4: Running on the treadmill at the Berkeley 24-Hour Fitness. The first day running 10 minute intervals. I began with trepidation. But I had Kelly Clarkson on my iPod and Wife Swap on the TV monitor and the first 15 minutes were over before I knew it! Looking out the big glass windows, I felt like I was flying!

Plus, earlier today, I went back to See Jane Run and bought another pair of running shoes. This time: Asics Gel Revolution II for Women. So I wasted money on the first pair of shoes and can't return them because I already wore them outside. But these just fit so much better and feel great so far. They are the same size: 8-1/2, but for some reason my feet don't slide in them like they did in the Saucony shoes.

Running up that hill...

Day 3 of Program. I put off running all day. I did not want to do it. I whinged and whined. It was a black cloud over my head. I bargained with myself and almost copped out. The weather sucked. The ground was wet. Finally, Michael offered to go with me.

We ran around our neighborhood a bunch of times, 5 minutes running and 5 minutes walking for 30 minutes. We ran up a hill that Michael didn't even think was a hill. Oh yes, it was. He ran circles around me, but at least he was there.

Thank you!

Day 1 of Preliminary Training Program

I started the preliminary training program today. Here is a chart of the preliminary training program, which I will fill in as I complete each day.

My right knee was already sore before I went to the gym, so I bought a knee strap and also a knee brace with a hole in it for aligning the knee cap. I don't know which will work better, but I do know that I need something on the right knee. This leg is weak. Strange, because it is my dominant leg. Nevertheless, whenever Tuelo gives me one-leg balancing exercises to do, she practically has to hold me up when I'm on this leg.

I ran on the treadmill at the Montgomery Street gym. Alternating 5 minutes of running and 5 minutes of walking for 30 minutes. It sucked. I got very hot. But man, did I feel good when it was over!!

Hmmm...

The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer arrived today! Sadly, the promise of training you to run a marathon in 16-weeks has a catch that was not divulged on the Amazon.com web site. The 16 weeks does not begin until you are able to jog continuously for 30 minutes! The authors stress that it is extremely important to slowly work up to the 30 minutes so as to train the bones and muscles of the feet and legs and to avoid injury. The book includes a preliminary training program which must be completed before the official 16-week program begins.

You begin the program at your current level. The first 4 weeks are walking only. I can skip those because I can easily walk 15 minutes/mile for 45 minutes. Week 5 is intervals of jogging 5 minutes and walking 5 minutes for 30 minutes. This is where I will have to begin.

My knees are already sore from the work outs with Tuelo and the running/walking on the tradmill that I have been doing. And I don't even run for 5 minutes at a time! Realistically, I won't be ready for the marathon by July 30. This is sad for me because I already announced to everyone that I was going to do it. But I don't want to ruin my knees. I don't want knee replacement surgery when I'm Mom's age. And I don't want to injure myself so that I can't complete a marathon at a later date.

I think I will have to switch to one of the half marathons on July 30. I don't think I will get a refund of the full fee that I paid. (The half marathon is less expensive than the full marathon.) But it's just money, right?

Training Guides...

One Wednesday, I ordered The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer from Amazon.com, which promises to train you to run a marathon in 16 weeks. I have about 16 weeks before the San Francisco Marathon on July 30. I hope the book arrives soon.

In the mean time, I picked up a couple of other books at the Berkeley library today: The Complete Book Of Running For Women and The Beginning Runner's Handbook: The Proven 13-Week Walk-Run Program. Tonight, I have already read The Complete Book of Running for Women from cover to cover. I am so excited by all this!

I just hope that I will get past all the reading and buying accoutrements and actually have the fortitude and stamina to do all the running! No, I know I can. That's what I told myself a few mornings ago when I was walking as fast as I could the 5 miles from my house to Lake Merritt BART station before work. My shins were on fire as I walked. But I kept repeating, "I know I can do this. I know I can do this." Which I think is a much more powerful mantra than simply, "I can do this."

Shoes...

Most of the advice I have been getting from people is to make sure I have good shoes. A few days ago, I bought a pair of Saucony Stabil MC5 running shoes from See Jane Run. They are especially for people with over pronation, like me. (That means that your ankles roll inward too much when you run. This is common among people who have flat feet.)

I'm not sure how I like them. I think they may be too big. I bought size 8-1/2 based on how my feet swelled when Michael and I took our long walk. But I can't seem to lace them tight enough (even with the special runners lacing trick that I have learned) to keep my toes from banging into the ends when I go up and down hills. Unfortunately, I have already worn them outside, so I don't think I can return them.