I hit a personal best today by running over 12 miles! Still not up to what the rest of my fellow Rock n' Rollers are doing, but definitely a step in the right direction!
See my route and run statistics here
What a difference it makes running with another person ... so much easier to just ignore the little nagging distractions when someone is running beside ya talking & helping to keep ya motivated; once I left the group to finish a shorter route it became much more difficult to keep moving forward!
My knees were hurting by the end of the run; a direct result of not keeping up on the stretching and massage of my IT band! I think that if I work on that consistently this week, next weekends long run should be more pain free.
I feel great today, no real muscle fatigue or lingering aches (except for a bruise on the top of my left foot which hurts when I start running no matter how I adjust my laces, but eases once I get going).
Next weekends group run is 18 miles ... that is a considerable jump from 12, but I think I may just go ahead and see if I can make it work. Otherwise my goal is going to be 16 miles.
Non-running update: Hunter has had a set-back as the second round of chemo did not eradicate the last signs of leukemia in his system. He now has to be put through the rounds of an experimental drug in an attempt to do what chemo could not--eliminate the leukemia so that he can get his bone marrow transfusion.
Send your well wishes through Lenore's blog.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
1st Group Run Post-Chest Cold
I did a modified (by that I mean short!) group run today. 1st time with the group after having crap in my lungs for the last two weeks .. for the most part I was able to breath ok, which was extremely encouraging! I am thinking again I can pull this off and be ready to tackle the RnR on May 31st!
I have a handy, dandy little gps system that I wear on my wrist (just bought it last week), and it tracks my runs! Still trying to figure out how the whole thing works, so I missed the beginning of today run, but was able to capture most of it. I think it is pretty cool, you can see the route I ran along with the rate (kinda slow today, but I was just happy to finish!) I ran.
It was nice being back out running today ... never thought I would say that!
I have a handy, dandy little gps system that I wear on my wrist (just bought it last week), and it tracks my runs! Still trying to figure out how the whole thing works, so I missed the beginning of today run, but was able to capture most of it. I think it is pretty cool, you can see the route I ran along with the rate (kinda slow today, but I was just happy to finish!) I ran.
It was nice being back out running today ... never thought I would say that!
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Been Ill, But Getting Back to It
It has been a while since I dropped any updates on here. Of course it has been a little while since I last ran. Seems mild ailments, and then a cold hanging out in my chest have been trying to slow me down--actually, they have been quite effective!
Today I got out for the first time in over a week, and it definitely felt like the first time--I was dragging. I only put in a little over 4 miles today, not great, but at this point I will take what I can. I still feel that if I can put the last bit of cold behind me the marathon is still well within reach (after some encouragement from coach Andy).
The thing that struck me most today ... Today is a gorgeous spring day; it is sunny, in the mid to upper 60's, and everyone was out at Willamette Park where I was running through. I had just read Lenore's latest blog entry about meeting with the doctors regarding Hunters upcoming bone marrow transplant this morning. I couldn't help but slow to a walk to watch all the children playing soccer, and attacking the climbing structure with vigor ... I couldn't stop from shedding a tear as I thought about what the Thawley's have gone through, and are about to go through. I have great faith that they will all pull through this, but the journey no doubt will be beyond anything I can imagine. My thoughts are with them.
Be Well,
MJ
Today I got out for the first time in over a week, and it definitely felt like the first time--I was dragging. I only put in a little over 4 miles today, not great, but at this point I will take what I can. I still feel that if I can put the last bit of cold behind me the marathon is still well within reach (after some encouragement from coach Andy).
The thing that struck me most today ... Today is a gorgeous spring day; it is sunny, in the mid to upper 60's, and everyone was out at Willamette Park where I was running through. I had just read Lenore's latest blog entry about meeting with the doctors regarding Hunters upcoming bone marrow transplant this morning. I couldn't help but slow to a walk to watch all the children playing soccer, and attacking the climbing structure with vigor ... I couldn't stop from shedding a tear as I thought about what the Thawley's have gone through, and are about to go through. I have great faith that they will all pull through this, but the journey no doubt will be beyond anything I can imagine. My thoughts are with them.
Click on Hunter's pic to visit his blog and catch up on his fight!
Be Well,MJ
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Weekend Update
So, I managed to sleep through my alarm for Saturdays group run. Very bad--no more late night Fridays for the next few months! In lieu of Saturdays run I devised my own 12 mile run around the waterfront today.
My hip was giving me trouble right from the get-go, and finally shut me down at about 9.5 miles. I think I need a good masseuse to work the 'kinks' out of the deep muscles ... If not for the hip pain, I feel like I could have put down the 12 miles fairly readily.
The goal for this week will be finding a good massage therapist to help me out. The one thing I know is that my muscles are really tight, and it is giving me grief (makes me want to find another yoga class that fits my schedule!).
Today's run was fueled by Tricky, Imogen Heap, Poe, NIN & Metallica ... with a little Gleukos sports drink (local Portland company!) thrown in for good measure!
Be well,
MJ
My hip was giving me trouble right from the get-go, and finally shut me down at about 9.5 miles. I think I need a good masseuse to work the 'kinks' out of the deep muscles ... If not for the hip pain, I feel like I could have put down the 12 miles fairly readily.
The goal for this week will be finding a good massage therapist to help me out. The one thing I know is that my muscles are really tight, and it is giving me grief (makes me want to find another yoga class that fits my schedule!).
Today's run was fueled by Tricky, Imogen Heap, Poe, NIN & Metallica ... with a little Gleukos sports drink (local Portland company!) thrown in for good measure!
Be well,
MJ
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Here We Go
So, this blog was originally created to display some of my photography (a hobby I love). But that is put on hold for a while (the blog, not my photography!).
Instead this blog will start as a chronicle of my training with Team In Training to run the Rock N' Roll Marathon in San Diego on May31st!
Along with the training, I am also raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To learn more, or donate, please visit my page @ http://pages.teamintraining.org/or/rnr09/mjohnsoucf
This first entry is just playing a little catch up.
I have never run before starting this particular endeavor, and the thought of taking on 26.2 miles seems more than a little daunting (with less than 4 months training--due to time lost lately it is more like 3 months!).
Why do this at age 40? First, I decided I needed to do something major that I had never done before--push myself to a personal milestone. When I saw the Team in Training brochure I knew it was what I was looking for--it was at the same time I started reading Lenore's blog about Hunter's fight against leukemia. So, I am running this race in Hunters honor; when it is hard to find the motivation it is this little boy, and his fight that pushes me forward. Please visit Hunter's blog @ http://healinghunter.blogspot.com
A very special, and sincere thank you to Lenore for allowing me to use her photos, and share Hunters story. Much love to the Thawley family.
The running ... I have lost over two weeks of training due to an unexplainable illness, and a bum left knee. But, I am over the illness, physical therapy has worked well, and I just finished my first "race," the Portland Shamrock Run! I completed the 15k race in just under 10 minute miles--considering it was the first time running on my knee in a couple of weeks I feel great about the outcome.
The Shamrock Run ... It was wet, cold, and windy. An altogether perfect March day in Portland! The highlights: Heading up the last hill of Terwilliger and hearing the bagpipe players before I could see the top of the hill--it was a great pick-me-up for that last hill battle! Something about that sound that moves you, seriously it should have been playing along the entire route! The last 1.5 miles I felt like I could have pulled over and laid down in the gutter & been ok with it ... of course seeing the finish line, and having the thought of Hunters battle playing in my mind kept me moving forward; actually, "Hunter" became a mantra of mine during that last push on to the finish. Once I stopped I experienced a sense of numbness from the top of my head all the way down to my feet for a few brief moments--I don't know what that was about other than my body asking me what the hell I thought I was trying to do to it!
I felt stiff a couple of days after, but I feel great now.
The Shamrock's 15k (~9.3 miles) was the longest I have ever run in my life. This Saturday I will top that in our group run of 12 miles ...
I was thinking after the Shamrock ... if I could somehow pull off 10 minute miles in the Rock N' Roll that will be about 4hrs and 40min of non-stop running ...
Instead this blog will start as a chronicle of my training with Team In Training to run the Rock N' Roll Marathon in San Diego on May31st!
Along with the training, I am also raising funds for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. To learn more, or donate, please visit my page @ http://pages.teamintraining.org/or/rnr09/mjohnsoucf
This first entry is just playing a little catch up.
I have never run before starting this particular endeavor, and the thought of taking on 26.2 miles seems more than a little daunting (with less than 4 months training--due to time lost lately it is more like 3 months!).
Why do this at age 40? First, I decided I needed to do something major that I had never done before--push myself to a personal milestone. When I saw the Team in Training brochure I knew it was what I was looking for--it was at the same time I started reading Lenore's blog about Hunter's fight against leukemia. So, I am running this race in Hunters honor; when it is hard to find the motivation it is this little boy, and his fight that pushes me forward. Please visit Hunter's blog @ http://healinghunter.blogspot.com
Below is a picture of Lenore, Zen, and Hunter as they packed up and headed back to Doernbechers for Hunters second round of chemotherapy.
A very special, and sincere thank you to Lenore for allowing me to use her photos, and share Hunters story. Much love to the Thawley family.The running ... I have lost over two weeks of training due to an unexplainable illness, and a bum left knee. But, I am over the illness, physical therapy has worked well, and I just finished my first "race," the Portland Shamrock Run! I completed the 15k race in just under 10 minute miles--considering it was the first time running on my knee in a couple of weeks I feel great about the outcome.
The Shamrock Run ... It was wet, cold, and windy. An altogether perfect March day in Portland! The highlights: Heading up the last hill of Terwilliger and hearing the bagpipe players before I could see the top of the hill--it was a great pick-me-up for that last hill battle! Something about that sound that moves you, seriously it should have been playing along the entire route! The last 1.5 miles I felt like I could have pulled over and laid down in the gutter & been ok with it ... of course seeing the finish line, and having the thought of Hunters battle playing in my mind kept me moving forward; actually, "Hunter" became a mantra of mine during that last push on to the finish. Once I stopped I experienced a sense of numbness from the top of my head all the way down to my feet for a few brief moments--I don't know what that was about other than my body asking me what the hell I thought I was trying to do to it!
I felt stiff a couple of days after, but I feel great now.
The Shamrock's 15k (~9.3 miles) was the longest I have ever run in my life. This Saturday I will top that in our group run of 12 miles ...
I was thinking after the Shamrock ... if I could somehow pull off 10 minute miles in the Rock N' Roll that will be about 4hrs and 40min of non-stop running ...
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