luluorange’s Training Blog

Went to the gym, my favorite treadmill was open, I quickly ran to it and hop on.

This treadmill has all the channels on TV plas closed caption option so I can read the screen and know what was being said and listen to my ipod while I run.  Talk about multi-tasking.  hahaha!  

This weekend’s long run with Leggers are scheduled to be 20 miles, I am not sure I can complete the mileage since I was off for almost 4 weeks and last week was only my first week back.  I am going to try and listen to my body, last Saturday’s 9 miles was easy, so I am hopeful that this will be “not too difficult”.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/02/2008
• Total Time: 00:40:00.00
• Distance: 3.8 miles
• Average Pace: 10:31.58/mile

My mom came to visit this weekend, since she moved away two years ago, we have not seen each very much.  We had a great time this weekend, she walks for an hour everyday, so early in the morning, we got dressed and walked around the neighborhood for an hour.

It was nice bonding time to spend together, I didn’t realized how much I miss her until she’s here.

Workout:

• Type: Walk
• Date: 11/30/2008
• Time: 07:05:49
• Total Time: 1:00:00.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 20:00/mile

We did Temescal Canyon route, it is about 5.5 miles of hills in the canyon, a one and half mile of downhill drops us at PCH by the beach and we took the bike path back for a total of 9-mile run.

It was a glorious run, the cool weather, the scenic route, the ocean and the wind.  I feel like I was flying.  So happy to be back on running.  

My ankle felt a bit of irritation during the last two miles, I certainly couldn’t quit then.  Our pace leader got sick mid-way of the run, so I stepped up. Given that I became the default pacer since I have the Garmin Forerunner GPS watch, I had to keep the group on pace and call walk breaks every 8 minutes.

Overall, I had such a great time and I hope next week’s long run will be just as cool.

Below, my daughter insisted that she has to be part of my blog, so she pushed me aside and took over the computer to say hi to you readers.

hi -kacey! [her daughter] p.s. I’m way cooler 8D i can’t run at all!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/29/2008
• Total Time: 1:34:00.00
• Distance: 9.3 miles
• Average Pace: 10:06.06/mile

I was supposed to meet with my pace group, they are set to run 9 miles.  I know I had to hold back and not jump in with that distance.  I went on a run by myself.  The weather was beautiful, it’s been raining for a day and the sky and air were clear.  As I head out on the Venice boardwalk, a police patrol car was drinving along side of me for about 1/2 a mile with handsome cops waving at me.  It was funny.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/27/2008
• Time: 16:19:10
• Total Time: 00:52:00.00
• Distance: 5.07 miles
• Average Pace: 10:15.38/mile

May the holiday season fills you with appreciation for all you have in your life.

Take good care of yourself and your family.

Yeah, I feel good, back on the road with wind in my hair.  I also did the 3 sets of stairs by Santa Monica canyon.  Stretch deep after, took my time.  Awesome day.

I iced my ankle and took it easy for the rest of the day, this is my week off and I am taking full advantage of it.  :)

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/24/2008
• Total Time: 00:30:13.00
• Distance: 3.06 miles
• Average Pace: 9:52.11/mile

I have been on this roller coaster ride of “yeah, I think I am ok now to start running” and “oh, I am still not 100%”.  Last week, went to see the doctor for a return check up.  She said my peroneal tendon is healing but not complete, she also said that resting means, no activity!  I took it to mean, as long as I am not running, I am resting, so the spinning, lifting, walking doesn’t count.  I guess I was wrong.  :(

My doctor did admit that even if she would put me in a walking cast for two weeks, she can not garentee that I would hit the ground running.  In fact, I would probably need rehab after that.  I strongly oppose this suggestion and we agreed on a alternate training schedule.  

As is, I am working with a modified training schedule for February 1st marathon since I have been off of running for about three weeks, the doctor asked me to cut the mileage further down to 50% for two weeks and if I feel ok, do 75% for a week.  If I am doing well with that, continue on with my regular training.  But if at anytime, the pain returns, I must scrap the marathon idea and sit out for the next one.  I was VERY disappoited at this news for a few days (hence, no posting).  This can not happen to me two marathons in a row, I just can’t accept it!  

I restarted running on my treadmill both Saturday and today, just slow short runs.  I felt good on both days which is encouraging.  I just have to take it easy and NOT overdo it to send me right back to where I started.

A year ago, I would not have even thought about running a marathon, now…  I want it so bad, I can taste it!  I see the problem with training for a marathon, the journey is so long, anything can go wrong.  I am certainly not the first person to sit out a race, I just didn’t think it would happen to me.  Arrogant, huh? The bright side of this story is, this has made me very humble, it’s like learning to walk again.  At my peak condition, I wouldn’t run anything less than 5 miles, it was not worth getting dressed for.  Now…I am grateful to run 2 with no pain.  Funny how perspective changes.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/23/2008
• Time: 17:16:00
• Total Time: 00:26:00.00
• Distance: 2.3 miles
• Average Pace: 11:17.97/mile

I was ok with not running the race due to my injury.  I went out there on Saturday to meet up with my club members who are running the race.  To show support, to wish them luck, ran a symbolic mile with them.  It was all good.

Then the news came Saturday late night, due to the raging fires that were burning all over Southern California.  The Pasadena Marathon official was consulting with AQMD (air quality management district) to see if it is safe to run.  The temperature raised to 92 degrees in Pasadena on Saturday, they were predicting about the same on race day.  Between the road closure due to fire, race participants unable to even pick up the packets on Saturday at the Expo.  The race officials sent email to all participants at 4am Sunday morning to cancel the race.

I feel the pain for all my friends at the running club, I know how disappointed they all were.

Who could have predicted this?

Ran gingerly, trying to pay attention to the injured area to notice any wierd sensation.  I felt fine.  Told myself to only do 3 miles, the mind goes right back to where I left off three weeks ago as far as mileage is concerned.  I have to reconciled the body with the mind and just be grateful to be back running.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 11/17/2008
• Time: 14:58:58
• Total Time: 00:29:00.00
• Distance: 3 miles
• Average Pace: 9:39.71/mile

I am really feeling the effect, I have been off of running for three weeks.  I think my heel is healed, there are certainly no pain.  What I have is stiffness and tightness, and this general sense of restlessness and discomfort from lack of workout.  It’s really affecting my mood too, I am just cranky.

I have decided it’s time…starting next week, gradually build back my mileage to pre-injury.  I am only 11 weeks away from my next marathon.  I got to get a move on.

This is the Pasadena marathon weekend, if I hadn’t gotten injured, I’d be running it.  Making a new personal benchmark of my first marathon…  I wish all the runners at this race best of luck!!!