Team in Training Update 4

Money raised: $1,860 (just $640 to go!)
Training days: 5
Miles logged: 6

This update will be packed, as I've had two track sessions and a Saturday run since I saw you last!

The big news, though, is that I've managed to kick away my crutch: walking. Yep, I may be awfully slow, but I'm running now. All the way!

It started at last Saturday's six-mile run (intimidating to say the least, as I'd only ever gone four before). I set my brand-new watch to time intervals so I could spent two minutes running and one minute walking. As we start each run in packs based on our pace, I had company. I'd jog ahead of some teammates and run on my own for two minutes, then walk and hear them slowly catch up.

When I made it two miles in, at a water-stop, Coach Jay had a suggestion for me as I tried some electrolyte beverage and beef jerky. Slow down and run with a teammate, Joanne, who would almost catch up to me during my walking minute.

Mentally, I rolled my eyes. Joanne runs the whole time. I can't run! Whatever, Jay. I'll try and you'll see. I'm just not there yet.

So I fell in step beside the two of them. We talked about our progress so far, and the miraculous healing power of ice for my painful shins. And before I knew it, and entire mile had flown by. Not only had I run the whole way, but I talked the whole way too!

What's going on?

I stuck with Joanne like glue that day, and together we finished the course, running the remaining three miles. We talked about our lives, our families, and everything under the sun. The miles just slipped away. One second, we were back at the water-stop. The next, we hit the public restrooms a half-mile from our finish point. Then I was in my car, heading back home.

The rest of the day, I reminded everyone of my accomplishment (mostly just trying to believe it myself). I ran five miles today!

This from the girl who got winded after 3/4 mile on the treadmill just a month ago.

So at last night's track, I tried to repeat the feat. And did! I just ... ran. Not as fast as most of the others, but faster than walking. And every loop I made around the track surprised me. Next one, I'll have to walk, I'd think ... and run around again.

But even I have my limits. When Coach Ed let us know that we'd be dividing into groups based on our paces and doing some running after that, I made it into the "Cheetahs." Ha ha. We were gearing up to do a 1200 (three laps around the track), an 800 (two laps) and a 400 (guess). As distance went down, intensity was supposed to go up.

I felt confident in my 1200.

I felt tired in my 800.

In my 400, I felt like my lungs were going to bounce out of my chest. I had to stop and walk. At the end, Coach Ed let us in on a surprise: Another 400! This time, Mentor Jackie ran with me. As I gasped for air, she talked and laughed ... then had the audacity to challenge me to run a little faster in the home stretch. Just the last bit of track.

That. Was. Enough.

"I don't have any more!" I burst out, petulantly. And what did she do? Ran ahead of me!

There was nothing for me to do but catch up. She coaxed that little bit extra out ... it was awesome. Track was done. I could go home to my couch and ice my aching shins, eat the pizza that my hubby had waiting for me, and enjoy a nice hot bath and glass of wine before bed.

Team in Training Update 3

Money Raised: Somewhere around $1,200
Days of training: 3
Miles logged: 4

Today, three things happened: I ran four miles. Outside. Without my iPod.

Well, four: I survived.

OK, five: And wanted more.

Today was the third Team in Training workout this season, and that's what we did. We ran. Some went four miles, most went six. For me, it wasn't the first time I completed a four-mile run; I was doing those at the gym in July to prepare for TNT.

It was, however, the first time I've run outside, with other people and, as aforementioned, without my iPod.

My iPod is my running crutch. It motivates me (try avoiding a burst of speed when Destiny's Child is shrieking, "I'm a SURVIVOR, I'm gonna MAKE IT" in your ears); distracts me (it's hard to pay attention to splintering shins and aching lungs when you're flipping through Maroon 5 and P!NK to get to Long Beach Dub All Stars); and times me (confession: When I say "run," I mean "jog/walk intervals"). Without it, I had to rely on ... myself.

It was exhilarating to jog past my own expectations, and set a new bar for myself. It was frustrating to have to stop and walk as often and for as long as I did. It was wild to run to a cheering finish line. It was surprising to have stopped and wished I'd have pushed myself to run more than I walked.

It was unnerving to start looking forward to next Saturday's run within minutes of finishing this one.

The best part was the pride I wore like a badge all day today.

"What's up, fellow drivers. I just ran four miles. I'll run further next week."

"That's right, Safeway check-out lady. I ran four miles this morning. I'm doin' it again next week."

"Costco Sample Guy, you can't tempt me with your mayonnaise salad today. I'm in training. Four miles today."

And to you, much-beloved readers. Today, you are not as cool as me. Today, I ran four miles.

But I still love you.

Wanda's Pretty on the Inside

I have a tree full of ripe apples in my backyard.

I also have a $2,000 fundraising deficit to fill.

Putting those two ideas together, I invited a friend over on Sunday to help me make some apple pies and apple butter for a Team in Training bake sale fundraiser. She had the apple butter recipe, and I was to crank out as many pies as I can.

As we were working (she, peeling, coring and slicing; me, rolling out crust after crust), we chatted and shared stories. She asked me how Team in Training was going, and I told her.

Then there was a heavy pause.

"You know my mom has myeloma, right?" she asked quietly.

Myeloma is a blood cancer included in the far-too-many blood cancers that The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society fights through patient support and research. Therefore, it's one of the blights I'm raising money (and running) to help.

I asked her mom's name. "Wanda," she told me.

"Then we'll call these 'Wanda Pies'," I decided.

But my crusts were not behaving well, and required a lot of patchwork fixes. The top crusts looked battered, and the edges ... I'd rather not claim them. "Rustic" was the word my friend used. I called them ugly, and noted that they wouldn't be winning any beauty contests.

"We'll call them 'Wanda's Pretty on the Inside Pies'," I joked. And the name stuck.

The name works on another level. As my friend's mother's cancer progresses, getting around is becoming a little bit more difficult. She's become self-conscious about needing more help to get around. While her appearance hasn't changed and her daughters still find her beautiful, her perception has.

I imagine that, like my pies, Wanda is also pretty on the inside. So the name sticks.

If you'd like to support people like Wanda without buying a pie, please visit http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/nikesf09/smillergl9. No amount is too small to help.

Team in Training Update 2

Money Raised: $460
Days of Training: 1
Lesson learned: Don't run in old shoes! Just don't do it! Everything they say is right!

We had our first Team in Training group workout on Saturday morning. I didn't think I was nervous about it until I carefully laid my clothes out the night before. And double-checked my shoes. And loaded my iPod with a whole slate of new songs.

And went to bed with butterflies. "What if no one likes me?" I whined to Matt, snuggling up pitifully at bedtime.

"They probably won't," he teased, deadpan, not taking his eyes off the television.

But everyone was very friendly, and very supportive through the workout! We ran some laps, did some stretching, a few exercises for this and that, then a timed mile (mine: 12:34) and a run/walk clinic.

Three hours later, after a mini-buffet and a chance to meet our honorees (individuals on our team with a blood cancer), I left with a spring in my step, ready to greet the day.

Somewhere between the track and my front door, that spring turned into dead weight. I crawled to the shower, crept to the couch and--much later--limped my way through the grocery store. After lunch, I waved my white flag, set up the hammock and crashed until dinner.

Which I ravenously devoured.

So maybe I was tired. Maybe I was sore. Maybe I still don't like to pick things up after I drop them on the floor.

But I'm still ready for the next training! Go team!

Husband

Now that I am married, my life is a partnership, right? We collectively pool our strengths to cover our individual weaknesses, correct?

So ... if I still only check my rosemary plant weekly, but Matt joyfully spends his free time tending to the Little Garden That Could, does that mean I can once again give up on the whole "green thumb" idea?

This guy has taken to having a yard to care for like a duck to water. He can't get enough of it! And it makes him happy to see things grow. Do two of us really need to take responsibility for all the plants in our life?

And while I'm on the subject, let me brag on my husband a little bit more:

A few weeks ago, we decided to switch duties: I was to take over the household budget. I was intimidated. Matt hates it so; and I've never been able to accurately balance a checkbook. But with the spreadsheet he's worked up, it's been fun! I think it speaks to the organizer in me (some would say "control freak." But some can just shut up!). And yes, everything balances.

So while I was concentrating on the budget on Saturday, Matt was flitting about the house. He'd mentioned something about doing laundry, but I had a bit of a tangle in the ATM-fee category to deal with. By the time I looked up, a couple hours later, something was different ...

The house was clean. And swept. And vacuumed.

Even the front bathroom was spotless.

He'd done all the chores while I was doing the budget. I couldn't believe it. Without much to do, I sat back down to address some envelopes for Team in Training fundraising while he sped off to Home Depot (a just reward).

When he came back, I was once again deep in busywork. Once I was done, though, I looked out in the backyard to see him putting the finishing touches on ... a hammock! We've had one for years, and only recently had a backyard to put it in. I'd begun asking him about where it would go, but never really planned on having it up.

But there it was! On a perfect, sunny, 75-degree summer day, even! As soon as the last rope was secured, I scrambled to get two old throw pillows and "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows." I threw myself into the hammock and only got up to pour a bowl of cherries for a snack.

As I rocked, read, and spit cherry pits in the lawn I could hear Matt inside, finally resting and playing "MarioKart: Wii."

It was a good day. With my favorite husband.

Team in Training Update 1

Money Raised: $330 (13 percent of goal)
Days of training: 0
Miles run in one session: 3.5

Sunday morning, I decided to issue myself a challenge. Do six miles on the treadmill, however long it takes. See if it can be done.

Six miles, you see, is what the Team in Training running coach said we'd be doing Aug. 1, during our first session at the track.

By slowing down my running speed, and doing 2:1 intervals (two minutes of running and one minute of walking--although you'd call it more jogging/walking for me!), I made it 45 minutes and just over 3.5 miles before calling it a day.

No, I didn't make it to six miles. But I got past 2.5, which was the most I could do last week before nearly collapsing on the treadmill. I pushed past the 20-minute mark, which is generally my cue to move on to something more interesting, like breakfast and "16 and Pregnant."

So while I didn't make my goal, and am still miles away from feeling prepared for my first session with the team, I couldn't have been prouder of myself on Sunday.

As a bonus, the treadmill said I burned my way through 500 calories. So maybe this will help me with a couple other goals as well!

Team in Training

This weekend, I did something totally out of character.

I signed up to run a half-marathon. But in case that's not enough of a personal challenge to take on, I'll be running it with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training, and fundraising $2,500 to boot.

Basically, I'm committed to doing two things I don't enjoy: Running, and asking people for money.

The strange thing is, I'm excited about it. I have this feeling that I can run 13.1 miles, but currently my mind and body get in the way. I also think that $2,500 spread around 50 or so people, a handful of fundraisers and a couple corporations isn't such a terrible thing.

This morning, I decided to get a jump start on the coaching and training that begins Aug. 1. I hopped on the treadmill and started doing 2:1 intervals. After 20 minutes and less than 2.5 miles, I hit the emergency stop button and flopped over, panting.

This is not going to be easy.

But I keep thinking of how nobody expects me to do this. When I texted some family members and close friends about my decision, there was a heavy note of surprise along with the support and encouragement. A good friend suggested that hell may be freezing over.

I told my husband over the phone, and while I know he believes that I can do anything, I'm sure my announcement raised an eyebrow or two.

So I think about changing people's perceptions of me; and of changing my own perception too. I think about how I'll feel during training when I can run for 20, 40, 60 minutes without collapsing. How it will be to run by friends and family cheering on my accomplishment.

And I think about what might run through my mind when I cross the first finish line of my life.

To show your support, please visit my Team in Training Web site at http://pages.teamintraining.org/sj/nikesf09/smillergl9.