100 Days to My Marathon

So that happened.

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 20:17:40 -0700

So today was the Honda LA Marathon! There were lots of concerns about the weather, because for days the forecast was for rain, maybe even thunderstorms. Luckily, the rain came early, making Saturday at the expo a pain. However, we had great weather for today’s event - cold, but dry, starting in the high 40s, staying in the mid-50s. I wish I had been able to run - would have been a great day to go for a PR!

I walked a pretty good race today. I finished I 5:43:09, an average pace of about 13:05 minutes per mile. I ran about 3.5 miles, including the last mile. I crossed the line feeling pretty good.

I am sore now, but not too bad. I’ve done some stretches, relaxed, showered, and have made the traditional post-marathon trek to Ben & Jerry’s. Right now I am watching the marathon on TIvo.

To anyone who has been following my updates - Thank you! I appreciate your support and interest! Maybe this will morph into a future blog on training for the Disney half or the Long Beach marathon!

My name on the pace car.

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 05:36:56 -0700

My name on the pace car.

2 hours to go!

Sun, 18 Mar 2012 05:35:21 -0700

At Dodger Stadium. Fingers crossed the rain gods will leave us alone. Pace group ready to go! Both excited and disappointed about today! Next year I am kicking this race’s butt!

Twelve hours from now...

Sat, 17 Mar 2012 18:09:00 -0700

So, twelve hours from now I will be at Dodger Stadium, in the Roadrunner reserved area - best benefit is the private access to extra bathrooms! I’ll post some pictures of the stuff I will be bringing and wearing. We hit the 99 Cent store for supplies (gloves, umbrella, etc.), as well as CVS and the supermarket.

The Expo was pretty fun, but completely soaked! There was a small brook running through the official merchandise tent! I bought a hat, t-shirt, and waterproof running vest I will try tomorrow. One of the cool things was that I could get my name and number printed on my t-shirt - I’ll post that as well.

Currently trying to relax and try some yoga stretches. Hopefully I’ll actually be able to sleep when I go to bed at an extremely early hour. Then I get up at stupid o’clock to catch a bus from the Santa Monica Civic Center.

I am thinking I need to keep myself from getting too excited and running more than I should. I think I am going to start walking with the pace group I’ve been going with, and then maybe run the last two miles. Will be a different, and more difficult experience.

Less than 48 hours to go!

Fri, 16 Mar 2012 21:24:39 -0700

Did another two mile run today, about a 9:30 pace, felt a little stiff, but overall doing well. Thinking of walking most of the marathon until near the end. We’ll see!

Better weather forecast right now! Keep your fingers crossed!

What does he know, anyway?

Thu, 15 Mar 2012 20:10:29 -0700

Yesterday I went to the local high school and ran 2 miles on the rubber-based track. I felt good overall, and ran about a 9 minutes per mile pace. The knee felt fine.

Today I went to see the doctor again. He seemed a little surprised that my knee wasn’t hurting or swollen or anything. He recommended that I run 2 miles every other day for a month, and then do 3 miles every other day for another month. Seems kind of excessively cautious to me. Definitely leads me to think that I should walk more for the marathon on Sunday, and maybe only run a mile or two. Meh. Means a long walk in the cold and rain!

I’ll do another two miles tomorrow and see how I feel. Then on Saturday I get to go to the marathon expo and get my stuff. Going to be an interesting experience!

I supposed I better get used to this.

Tue, 13 Mar 2012 20:57:39 -0700

So I took a break from walking/running today by going back to the pool. Did my 40 minute “speed workout,” and it felt pretty good. I hadn’t been to the pool in maybe two weeks. Despite some bureaucratic nonsense when I tried to renew my card (apparently the ID card they gave me doesn’t count as an ID card), it was a good experience. There was some trouble with tiger sharks swimming in my lane, but we adjusted to each other and mostly stayed out of each other’s way.

I say I should get used to this, meaning being wet. Apparently, the forecast for the marathon on Sunday call for rain - AGAIN!!! Last year it felt like Noah’s Ark was going to float down the street past all of us runners, and we are supposedly going to get another winter storm this Sunday. ARGH! I was already worried about the extra time and effort walking would take. Now I could be soaked and freezing (well, below 50 F) for all that extra time. Last year the walkers and other at the back of the pack had real medical issues because of the cold and wet. Come on, Southern California - get your weather act together!

Countdown!

Mon, 12 Mar 2012 19:47:35 -0700

Only six day to go until the marathon. I reported that I did 5 miles walking on Saturday, then ran the final mile of practice. Yesterday I did the PT exercises that I haven’t done for too long. It was a good workout, but I felt the fact that I missed a few workouts. Tonight I walked 4 miles, including the CA Incline, then ran 1.25 miles. I was a little bit under a ten minute per mile pace. It feels like I am just getting warmed up when I have to stop! The knee feels pretty good, a little stiff, but I think that’s due to not running at all for so long. It feels better than it did last summer when all these problems started!

I’m getting nervous about the race! I am way better prepared than I was when I tried to walk the marathon 7 (?) years ago, but not as prepared as I was last year. I’ll have to figure out how much I can run and how much I want to walk. Whatever I do, I now I’ll have lots of support out there!

Practice makes perfect

Sat, 10 Mar 2012 09:53:51 -0800

Today was the final day of practice for the LA Roadrunners. We did 6 miles. I walked the first five with the walking group I’ve been with the past few weeks, but then I ran the last mile. Again, the body felt a little stiff at first, but I loosened up as I went along. I definitely feel like I could go farther. A couple more one-mile runs, and then I see the surgeon again for a check on the knee. Keeping my fingers crossed that things keep going well!

The walkers in my group asked what I was planning on doing for the marathon itself. I haven’t decided yet. I am thinking of alternating running and walking. I qualified last year to start in corral B, the sub-4 hour corral, but there is no way I could do that this year. I did get the sticker for my bib so I can pretty much start in any corral besides the elite corral. The walkers start in corral D. We do get to start in the first wave - one of the benefits of being in the Roadrunners.

The best benefit is that we get access to one of the levels inside Dodger Stadium, so we have access to a couple extra sets of bathrooms. That is a HUGE advantage!

Wll do either PT exercises tomorrow, or hit the pool again. Then I will walk and run again on Monday. Hard to believe the marathon is a week from tomorrow!

RUNNING!!!

Thu, 08 Mar 2012 21:08:12 -0800

So today is the six monthiversary of my knee surgery, meaning it’s been over seven months since the last time I ran. The doc said I could gradually start running again, so after I did a 4 mile walk, I ran just over a mile, and it felt GREAT! I was a little stiff, and my body was in a little bit of shock, but I felt like I was flying. I did a nice easy 9:30 or so pace. Waiting to see how I feel tomorrow, then I will try anothr mile on Saturday after Roadrunner practice (a six mile walk).

Hoody hoo! I’m back, baby!

Almost there!

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 19:25:40 -0800

I walked a quick 4 miles yesterday, working the hills as much as I could. I was faster on the hills than on the flats.

Running starts day after tomorrow - I feel like it’s Christmas, or my birthday!

Dodger Stadium!

Sat, 03 Mar 2012 12:52:37 -0800

This morning I got up at stupid o’clock and went to Dodger Stadium for Roadrunner practice. The roads and parks around the stadium have a lot of hills, so it’s great for a hill workout. We did 9 miles, starting with one 6-mile loop, and then a 3-mile loop. Great weather, great views, and great hills. I kept walking ahead of my pace group, especially when we hit the hills. The last three miles I did on my own, but when I finished I walked back on the course and met the group, and walked in with them.

5 days until I can run again. Then I have to decide how much I want to run during the marathon itself, if at all. Just two weeks from tomorrow!

Rabbits Rabbits Rabbits

Thu, 01 Mar 2012 18:41:05 -0800

Happy March 1st! This means two things: I can start running in one week, and the marathon is in 17 days. Yikes! When I run next week, the doc said to try a mile at a time, three times the first week, and then go see him again to report how it felt. I figure I’ll do it on the track at the high school for the soft rubber surface. I am really looking forward to it, and am also a little nervous!

Yesterday I walked four miles at a pretty good pace - the last mile was under 13 minutes, and I averaged just under a 13 minute per mile pace. Felt good, even though half of it was into pretty heavy winds. Included the California Incline for a nice hill.

The day before that I was back at the pool at Santa Monica College. Did 5 minute warm-up, 15 X 1 minute hard effort followed by 1 minute easy recovery, then 5 minutes cool-down. Felt like a good speed workout.

Saturday’s practice is supposed to be at Dodger Stadium for more hill work. Haven’t decided if I am going to go, but I am leaning towards it right now. Then the taper begins officially. Going to be a long week!

18 Miles Today - Ugh.

Sun, 26 Feb 2012 14:53:00 -0800

Today I walked 18 miles on my own. I missed the regular Roadrunner practice because we volunteered for the Film Independent Spirit Awards. It was our seventh year volunteering - always a fun and exciting time. Plus, we can walk to the awards, since they are held in a tent on the beach just down the street here in Santa Monica!

Today’s walk was tough. Jen suggested that it was because I was tired from volunteering, and I think she is right. Walking takes so much time - I really think it’s harder to walk those long distances than it is to run them. I was stiff and sore when I got back, but some stretches helped. The blister situation was greatly improved by some separators, like little wraps on put on the toes that have been bothering me. They were fine today, but the bottoms of my feet are really tender.

I can start running again a week from Thursday. Literally counting down the days!

Stretch!

Thu, 23 Feb 2012 23:25:12 -0800

Another yoga night, the penultimate class (got to love chances to use “penultimate”). Felt like it was tougher to do tonight - maybe I was just a little tired.

No working out tomorrow or Saturday because we will be volunteering at the tent for the Film Independent Spirit Awards, which we have been doing for years. It’s always a ton of fun working with this great organization. Keeping my fingers crossed that the weather is better than last year’s!

I will do Saturday’s long walk on Sunday before the Oscars. Going to be a long 18 miles. I’ll have to make sure I have some podcasts to listen to for the journey.

A quick note!

Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:14:00 -0800

It’s been too long since I’ve posted anything here. I spent most of this past weekend at OrcCon at the LAX Sheraton. Played many great games (7 Wonders only once, unfortunately!), won a nice game after laying my best games of Al Hambra ever, saw friends, and had a great time.

Saturday morning we did 13.1 miles. Still having problems with blisters on my pointer toes, so I need to make some changes. Toe socks, new shoes, separators, something. Yesterday I gave those toes a break and went to the pool at Santa Monica College. Did a “speed” workout: 5 minutes warm-up, 15 X 1 minute hard effort with one minute recovery, then 5 minutes cool-down. Definitely likeing being back in the pool. Good cross-training.

Working out without walking

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 22:48:21 -0800

Since I got the bad blisters from last Saturday’s walk, I have been giving my feet some time off. On Sunday I was back in the pool aqua-running. Then Wednesday I did my PT exercises, and tonight was yoga class, which I have really been enjoying. Probably will be taking time off to go to OrcCon tmr, and then another long walk Saturday. Hopefully the toes will be ready for it!

Three days, One post

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 16:57:37 -0800

It’s been a few days since my last post. Let me explain - no, is too much. Let me sum up.

On Friday, after school I did my PT exercises. Going to have to increase some weights and resistances and reps, b/c they are getting easier to do. They take aa long time to do, though! Did I mention before that my second yoga class was last Thursday? I was apparently the only person who practiced the poses! Yay me! Definitely feeling more flexible. Balance is still a challenge for some of the poses.

On Saturdy the LA Roadrunners were scheduled to do 20 milles. My walk pace group waas goingto do 22. Either was a little too much of an increase for me, so I did 16 and had Jen pick me up. The walk wentt really well. We kept a good pace of almost 13:30 minutes per mile, and at mile 14 I had a urgee to start running! I resisted, though. As the walk went on I kept pulling away from the others, but I wwould wait at stoplights occasionally for everyone to regroup. BAD blisters on both of my index toes. Going to have to figure out what I can do about that. I did use some anti-blister stuff, but clearly it doesn’t last long enough. Band-aids don’t work.

Today I went back to the Santa Monica College Pool. It was crowded, but I got good workout in. I did a short speed workout: 5 minutes warmup, 1 minute hard with 1 minute easy ten times, then 5 minute cool down. Haven’t beeen able to do a workout like thaat in a long timee, and it felt great!

So that made five!

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 22:48:01 -0800

Yesterday was five months since my knee surgery. Knee feels fine, just a little stiff every once in a while, and a little weak on stairs, but it’s getting better. Doc wants me to wait another month before running. Le sigh. I will continue walking and doing my PT exercises to strengthen my legs. Now that February is here, the pool at the college will be open again, so I can get back to doing some aqua-jogging. Tonight I had my second yoga for runners class. In just a week I am already noticeably more flexible. I wonder if that’s because of the yoga or the lack of running. In any case, I am enjoying the yoga - very relaxing and good for flexibility and balance.

RoadRunners are doing 20 miles on Saturday. Don’t know if I am ready for that distance. We’ll see what I decide to do!

A disappointing day

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 23:03:38 -0800

So I saw the surgeon again today. He was impressed that I have been doing so much walking. He said it was a good sign that I was showing no pain in my pain.

However, he doesn’t want me to start running yet. He wants me to wait another month, meaning 6 months from the surgery. Then he said I could try a few one mile runs, and then he wants to see me to evaluate how I feel. So I see him again in mid-March. This means at best I will be walking the marathon this year. Meh.

He was really encouraging me to give up running and take up swimming or biking. I don’t see that happening, but I am willing to wait yet another month. Really starting to bother me, though. He said he wants to give the bone more time to heal and strengthen. What he did was poke holes in the end of the bone to encourage more blood, and therefore nutrients, to flow to that spot. Unless the bone is harder, I could compress soft bone and do big time damage. He even said the words “knee replacement.”

What does this all mean. I dunno. Maybe it means I have to give up on the goal of qualifying for Boston. The doc said one option to consider is in a few months do another arthroscopic surgery just to look around and see how the knee is actually doing.

For now, I remain on the sidelines, envious. Will hit the road with another walk tomorrow.