Wharf to Wharf!

I am running a 10K down in Santa Cruz in July! It is my motivation to continue progressing towards my half marathon!

This is the training program that will be great for me. In the past Hall Higdon's other training plans have been great for both being realistic (as far as time and energy) and challenging! I am really excited to train for this because it will be a perfect segue into Half Marathon training!

I am hoping to train to run my first half marathon in a certain amount of time...say under 2 hours, but I am being cautious about setting my goals. Their are many things to consider when setting running goals.

I will be updating my calendar to reflect my training plan in one color and my actual workouts in another --hopefully.

I have had a lot of fun playing with the html, widgets, h-refs...etc. It is a definite work in progress. Maybe someday it will function and read like my favorite blog. But then again I don't bake as often as her so it might not be as appealing.

Emotional Running?

Could I possibly become and emotional runner a much as I have been an 'emotional eater' in the past. Let's hope so.

I just found out today that two of my very closest friends in the whole world are confronted with the same worst case situation that I have confronted before. Two different families that I hold close to my heart are both facing the devastation and pain that is pancreatic cancer.

Almost seven years ago my grandma 'Granny' was diagnosed with late stage pancreatic cancer. And I ate my way through the hardest year of my life. One of my closest friends from high school died in December of 2003 and my grandma who was best role model and friend died in January 2004. I cannot even begin to explain the number of calories I consumed.

But, here I am seven years later still trying to recover from the pounds and poor habits I gained during that time.

So, I am confronted with my memories of my own loss while people I love and care for are confronted with pain that can't be described. My heart is broken for them. If I could take away the pain that they will face in the next 6 months I would do anything.

But I can't.

I am going to do everything I can to nurture and care for them. But, I can't let pancreatic cancer get the best of me again.

My first instinct when I found out was to bake a chocolate cake. But that won't help anyone! --They don't ship halfway across the country to Michigan very well. And it will only add a good 5lbs to my hurdles.

I am turning to emotional running instead of emotional eating.

With every step I take I am representing the healthy lifestyle that Granny always wanted for me. The steps that my friend with one leg couldn't run. The strength of those people who represent the greatest generation, but now confront a personal battle that will take every ounce of their perseverance.

And with each step of each run I am going to continue to support and encourage my family and friends to keep putting one foot in front of the other. Confront the pains and sorrows, celebrate the blessings of each moment shared, and work to living a better life with each step and breath.

A major running milestone!!

I was officially selected to run in the Nike Woman's Half Marathon on October 17, 2010! It takes place in San Francisco, which is just north of my home in San Jose and as I think Karly and Jaclyn my friends who walked their asses up and down the street of the city will attest, it is a hilly mess!!

I am so excited to start a dedicated training plan, but since it's not until October I have to be sort of 'careful' not to get over trained and burnt out before go time!

In celebration of the hills that will be coming for me and the beautiful day that is today, I am going to go run the dish which is known as a busy fun hilly run through the foothills near Stanford.

Over the next few months I am totally dedicated to hitting the hills and actually pounding the pavement instead of the dreadmill! My legs totally need to get used to the road rather than my favorite cloud like experience on the 'soft' treadmills at my gym.

Eat More Protein from Runner's World.com

Eat More Protein from Runner's World.com

Eating more protein is something I need to do better at. I don't love protein. I love carbs and I love fat, but for some reason not so much on the protein side of things.

But alas I should try!

Inspiration-you are mine!

To all those people in my life that know I like to pretend to run, and think I am a crazy person, but decided to give it a try and are loving it...you inspire me!

When you run and tell me about it, it reminds me of the impetus of my own running life. It feels great to think back over the milestones that are my running life.

Some of the good memories that make me want more:

Running for conditioning in high school laps through the school. Each full lap including to sets of stairs was 1/3 of a mile. It used to kill me to keep up with the team or finish 4 laps and some very special team captains and coaches would finish my last lap with me and encourage me to finish hard. Those memories have stuck with me through every single last 1/4 of a mile when I just want to give up. I think of Kelly Chapman and Coach Conlan encouraging me to push hard, dig deep, and finish stronger. (This was when I was a lowly freshmen and sophomore.

Then their was Eric Gillman who ran my first loop with me! The four mile run around the block of my high school in the hills. I was PATHETIC. I think he waited for an hour at his car while I finished. But I appreciated it!!

And then their was the entire varsity girls soccer team...they waited a lot of hours for me I think. I was almost the last person to finish every time. At the time I was fine with it, but now I hope I could at least beat a few people. I am not so sure I could, but at least I would try!

Their are so many many more!

But now I really appreciate those people who I have gotten to celebrate their first mile with! Or I have gotten to celebrate other milestones as either they run for the first time ever or return to the fun for fitness!

Their aches and pains are more inspiring than my own. (Is that mean?) I don't mean it to be mean, I mean it reminds me how far I have come, and that maybe in another few months I will go that far again!

And I guarantee you, in the next few months I will have many many many aches and pains. I owe it to myself to hit the pavement and prepare for some outdoor miles, but it won't be without a lot of whining. You better get ready for me to whine about my sore shins, ankles, hips...basically the whole deal.

Distractions? Yes...Running...sometimes

I have been so very distracted lately! I should have finished my second 100 miles (meaning 200 miles for the year) at least 2 weeks ago. Unfortunately I wont be finished until the end of this week. I am at 180 miles right now. I ran all of 13 miles last week. I was on a roll running 3 miles Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, and then life got in the way.

I feel so sluggish when running is not my top priority.

I did run a few miles outdoors! And even though it was painful, it was good. My stabilizing muscles feel so different hitting the pavement then they do on my favorite treadmills. Those treadmills I call my clouds because they are like running on clouds. I feel like I am at least 50 lbs lighter and can go about twice as far because of it. So needless to say running outside is challenging.

I got a new Nike+ chip to help keep track of my outdoor distance and pace. I am newly committed to running 7 miles outside a week. I know that isn't even half of what I should be running per week, actually not even a third, but it is a start at getting back outside and hitting the pavement.

My Running Goals for this week: Monday April 12-Sunday April 18:
Run at least 21 miles
7 miles outside
One run will be at least 5 miles long

Other healthy lifestyle thoughts for this week:
Take my vitamins
Drink 80+ ounces of water a day
Eat 7-10 fruits and veggies a day

My 1st Fries of 2010

My fries were delicious! It has been a long time since I had them! Almost another 100 miles actually ;)!

Dave and I went out on a Tuesday evening to Applebees! I had been planning it for a 100 miles, so it was a holy event. I ordered my favorite applebees meal-Oriental Chicken Wrap with fries and a diet coke! I was so excited!

After the waiter took our order and went to get my diet coke I noticed the little calorie information menu on the table. Obviously, I know that french fries are not really nutritious, and obviously applebees isn't a health food stores.

But when I saw that my dinner was 1,460 calories I almost flipped out! What the heck!!

I took a deep breath and decided that I was going to enjoy it! I ran a hundred miles for that meal!

It just made me think about the choices I make everyday.

Oriental Chix wrap and fries would be a pretty normal choice for me. It would be a sort of bigger lunch, but definitely not out of the question. I might ask for the dressing on the side, but then eat all the dressing anyways or something like that.

After reading the calorie content of that sandwich I just don't think it is a sensible choice unless I am going to go run 100 miles to break even. 1460 is all the calories I should have for an entire day.

Good think I enjoyed the fries!

Once I find my camera cord I will upload the pictures...yes I took pictures of my french fries :).