Hello readers,
I am sorry it has been so long since my last post. Things have been a little bit hectic.
First of all, let me begin with a big thank you to Gloria Pfister. Martin Thoolen, Forrest Sawyer, and of course, Grammy for their generous donations to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I am now at 40% of my goal and chugging forward. It is such an amazing cause and I am so proud to be a part of it.
So lets see what has happened since my last post. Oh yes, I ran 12 miles the Saturday before last despite my decision to run a little less. The twelve was split into 6 miles out and six miles back. Feeling fatigued and starting to get sick, I decided to make it an 11-mile run and turn around at the 5.5. I guess my subconscious decided that I should run the full 12 because I got a little lost toward the end and went too far. Thanks to the kindness of other runners, I found my way back and realized that despite my plans to do less, I had done the full 12 miles.
This weekend is the Santa Cruz Half Marathon. I can not believe it is already here. I'll let you know how it goes!!
Dodge
Friday, April 9, 2010
Friday, March 19, 2010
Thank you!
I wanted to take a moment to send out a big "thank you" for the very generous donations to LLS. The cause is amazing and your support is so inspiring!
Poppy, thank you so much for always being there when I need you. I wish you did not live so far away, because I would be running by your house for sure. When we run on the Los Gatos Creek Trail, through Vasona Park, I am always reminded of train rides with you and Grandmom. I know I have your love and support in everything that I do, and it means the world to me. I love you Poppers.
Uncle Wheels, Auntie Donna, Sam and Jake, thank you so much for your support, not just today, but always. Times can be very trying, but ours is a family I know will stick together and grow stronger in the hard times. During the long runs, my mind often wanders to the people in my life that care for and support me and you guys are always there. :) I love you!
Thank you and I love you.
Dodge
Poppy, thank you so much for always being there when I need you. I wish you did not live so far away, because I would be running by your house for sure. When we run on the Los Gatos Creek Trail, through Vasona Park, I am always reminded of train rides with you and Grandmom. I know I have your love and support in everything that I do, and it means the world to me. I love you Poppers.
Uncle Wheels, Auntie Donna, Sam and Jake, thank you so much for your support, not just today, but always. Times can be very trying, but ours is a family I know will stick together and grow stronger in the hard times. During the long runs, my mind often wanders to the people in my life that care for and support me and you guys are always there. :) I love you!
Thank you and I love you.
Dodge
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ten Miler!
I did it!
I had nervous butterflies all week about Saturday's ten mile run. Although I knew that I could do it, I have never run that far before and the idea of panting my way all the way to the five mile mark only to turn around and do it all over again made me slightly queasy.
I actually did much better than I expected, even getting the occasional burst of energy and picking up speed. The cool thing about distance is that my mind begins to wander and once I start daydreaming, its hard to make me snap out of it. (Ask my parents, this is probably the source of my selective hearing growing up.) the rhythm of my Nikes on the trail became the metronome for my thoughts, providing a beat upon which my imagination composed a melody of fleeting thoughts and loosely knitted story lines. Before I knew it, I was turning around.
The run was at Shoreline park, a sprawling landscape of dusty trails, tall grass, and sparking water. The weather was perfect for a run. A slight breeze kept the sun from overheating us and the cloudless sky was the perfect canvas to fill with positive thinking. Corny, right? I can't help it. My cure for negative thoughts while running is to fill my head with positive ones. It is starting to spill over into my life outside of running as well. I don't mind. :)
I'll leave you with a photo of some of us post run. Still smiling!
Dodge
I had nervous butterflies all week about Saturday's ten mile run. Although I knew that I could do it, I have never run that far before and the idea of panting my way all the way to the five mile mark only to turn around and do it all over again made me slightly queasy.
I actually did much better than I expected, even getting the occasional burst of energy and picking up speed. The cool thing about distance is that my mind begins to wander and once I start daydreaming, its hard to make me snap out of it. (Ask my parents, this is probably the source of my selective hearing growing up.) the rhythm of my Nikes on the trail became the metronome for my thoughts, providing a beat upon which my imagination composed a melody of fleeting thoughts and loosely knitted story lines. Before I knew it, I was turning around.
The run was at Shoreline park, a sprawling landscape of dusty trails, tall grass, and sparking water. The weather was perfect for a run. A slight breeze kept the sun from overheating us and the cloudless sky was the perfect canvas to fill with positive thinking. Corny, right? I can't help it. My cure for negative thoughts while running is to fill my head with positive ones. It is starting to spill over into my life outside of running as well. I don't mind. :)
I'll leave you with a photo of some of us post run. Still smiling!
Dodge
Friday, March 12, 2010
800-800-800-800
Whew!
Last night at track rocked me in a good way, and in a bad way. We did 800's until we had no more left to give. I'm getting better at keeping pace, thanks largely to Manan and his epic pace-keeping abilities. (Thanks, but you're still faster than me.)
It is hard for me to resist the urge to rocket off to an unsustainable speed when I get the burst of energy. Sounds like a good problem to have, right? Not so much. Since that burst usually tires me out and leaves me very unhappy and sluggish for the rest of the run.
I had my first brush with the wonderful world of random running pains which took the form of a sharp cramp in my calf muscle. It felt like a "charlie horse" of the calf muscle, if that even exists. Anyway, it felt like the icy fist of a highly trained and agitated arm wrestler with a grudge. The solution seemed to be at the bottom of a water bottle, as many solutions are. (That's what they say, right?) I was surprised that it came down to hydration, since I've been making an effort to properly fuel my body. Oh well, live and learn.
I'm gearing up for tomorrow's ten mile run, both mentally and physically. I have serious butterflies, but no doubt that I'll finish it with an exhausted smile on my beet-red face. Shoreline, here we come!
Go Team!
Dodge
Last night at track rocked me in a good way, and in a bad way. We did 800's until we had no more left to give. I'm getting better at keeping pace, thanks largely to Manan and his epic pace-keeping abilities. (Thanks, but you're still faster than me.)
It is hard for me to resist the urge to rocket off to an unsustainable speed when I get the burst of energy. Sounds like a good problem to have, right? Not so much. Since that burst usually tires me out and leaves me very unhappy and sluggish for the rest of the run.
I had my first brush with the wonderful world of random running pains which took the form of a sharp cramp in my calf muscle. It felt like a "charlie horse" of the calf muscle, if that even exists. Anyway, it felt like the icy fist of a highly trained and agitated arm wrestler with a grudge. The solution seemed to be at the bottom of a water bottle, as many solutions are. (That's what they say, right?) I was surprised that it came down to hydration, since I've been making an effort to properly fuel my body. Oh well, live and learn.
I'm gearing up for tomorrow's ten mile run, both mentally and physically. I have serious butterflies, but no doubt that I'll finish it with an exhausted smile on my beet-red face. Shoreline, here we come!
Go Team!
Dodge
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Santa Cruz Half!
Just a quick update and them I'll let you resume your Tuesday morning business.
I signed up to run the Santa Cruz Half Marathon! Come run with me or cheer us on!
Check it out here!
Dodge
I signed up to run the Santa Cruz Half Marathon! Come run with me or cheer us on!
Check it out here!
Dodge
Monday, March 1, 2010
Bring it!
Hello readers!
Wow, I wish that I had done this blog entry right after the eight mile run on Saturday because then you would have been able to experience the pure, unbridled enthusiasm that was coursing through my veins afterward. Alas, I was more in the mood to frolic in the beautiful, golden sun than sit in the pallid glow from a laptop screen.
I was very nervous about this run, especially because it is the longest distance I have ever done without stopping. Luckily, I had my team there to support me and not much time to question why, exactly, I was about to put myself through this test of physical endurance.
I have found that although the physical portion is a challenge for me, keeping a positive attitude is my greatest obstacle during the runs. This is when it helps to hear a breathless, yet fervent, "Go Team," from a fellow runner. I try to offer as many as my enervated lungs will allow.
I am planning my first fundraising event, a "friends and family night" at Aqui in Campbell. I must say that the response is very inspiring. Thank you so much to everyone who is coming, every time I see a new RSVP, I get a little flutter in my stomach. I am so happy to be a part of this cause and touched to see the number of people who are getting involved.
Thank you!
Until next time,
Dodge
Wow, I wish that I had done this blog entry right after the eight mile run on Saturday because then you would have been able to experience the pure, unbridled enthusiasm that was coursing through my veins afterward. Alas, I was more in the mood to frolic in the beautiful, golden sun than sit in the pallid glow from a laptop screen.
I was very nervous about this run, especially because it is the longest distance I have ever done without stopping. Luckily, I had my team there to support me and not much time to question why, exactly, I was about to put myself through this test of physical endurance.
I have found that although the physical portion is a challenge for me, keeping a positive attitude is my greatest obstacle during the runs. This is when it helps to hear a breathless, yet fervent, "Go Team," from a fellow runner. I try to offer as many as my enervated lungs will allow.
I am planning my first fundraising event, a "friends and family night" at Aqui in Campbell. I must say that the response is very inspiring. Thank you so much to everyone who is coming, every time I see a new RSVP, I get a little flutter in my stomach. I am so happy to be a part of this cause and touched to see the number of people who are getting involved.
Thank you!
Until next time,
Dodge
Friday, February 26, 2010
8 Mile Anticipation
Oh glorious sun with your shimmering rays of warmth that surround me like the embrace of a dear friend, why must you come for moments so fleeting and vanish into memory?
This blustery, cold, windy, rainy weather is getting old. Even as I type, the ominous, hazy, white sky seems to be mocking me with a rumbling, "you'll be running in this soon."
Tomorrow, we step up the group run to eight miles, marking a new record for the longest distance I've run without walking. Needless to say, the butterflies in my stomach have all had their espresso this morning and are not being shy about flapping their powdery wings.
The great thing about training with Team in Training is that we are all in the same boat. I used to avoid doing formal races because I wasn't sure I was physically or emotionally strong enough to tough it out until the end. While TNT provides excellent physical training, I have to say that the emotional support and team spirit is what leaves me coming back for more. (The runner's high might have something to do with it as well.)
Last night, we did another track workout and I shaved some time off of my mile. That is something that I never thought I would be saying, especially this early in the game. Afterwards, we headed to Willow Street for a Hang With the Gang. There, I found out that some of my team mates are actually reading my meandering blog posts! *Yay for not shouting into the abyss!* Thanks for reading, guys! Go Team!
It was at Willow Street that my awesome TNT mentor, Tamara, planted the idea of running the Santa Cruz Half Marathon in my mind. It would be right on track with my training and a good way to experience a race before my marathon...
Who's with me?!
Dodge
This blustery, cold, windy, rainy weather is getting old. Even as I type, the ominous, hazy, white sky seems to be mocking me with a rumbling, "you'll be running in this soon."
Tomorrow, we step up the group run to eight miles, marking a new record for the longest distance I've run without walking. Needless to say, the butterflies in my stomach have all had their espresso this morning and are not being shy about flapping their powdery wings.
The great thing about training with Team in Training is that we are all in the same boat. I used to avoid doing formal races because I wasn't sure I was physically or emotionally strong enough to tough it out until the end. While TNT provides excellent physical training, I have to say that the emotional support and team spirit is what leaves me coming back for more. (The runner's high might have something to do with it as well.)
Last night, we did another track workout and I shaved some time off of my mile. That is something that I never thought I would be saying, especially this early in the game. Afterwards, we headed to Willow Street for a Hang With the Gang. There, I found out that some of my team mates are actually reading my meandering blog posts! *Yay for not shouting into the abyss!* Thanks for reading, guys! Go Team!
It was at Willow Street that my awesome TNT mentor, Tamara, planted the idea of running the Santa Cruz Half Marathon in my mind. It would be right on track with my training and a good way to experience a race before my marathon...
Who's with me?!
Dodge
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