Group Run #2

So yesterday was my second run with the group from Team in Training. It was another freezing cold morning on the Niskayuna Bike path. This week was only slightly warmer in that it wasn't windy so that helped. It's difficult to force myself out of bed at 5:45 AM on a Saturday when it's still dark out and I know that it's cold without even looking.

But again, I remember that I'm not doing this for myself. I'm doing this for Sammie and all of the other sufferers of Leukemia & Lymphoma. That's motivation for sure. So, I managed to get up and get out for them.

I am still one week out of the official training schedule. The training schedule for the half is 16 weeks long. And we are currently still outside of that 16 weeks. So for now we are working on our base mileage ..... the recommendation is that we be able to run 4 to 5 miles comfortably. Last week I successfully completed 4 miles with no problem, so this week I decided that I would go for 5. I set out and had a partner in crime this time. We did it. We chatted the entire time about running, dogs and buying houses. I couldn't believe how quickly we were done and that I had managed to complete 5 whole miles without stopping. It felt great and I feel awesome today, so success! Georgia and I will be heading out this afternoon for an easy 3 to keep moving. Next week we officially begin the 16 week training and I'll be completing 6 miles. The good news is that I know that I can do it. And now back to fundraising..........

Can a dog be too old to train?

Not that I think 5 is too old .......... So, I have decided that for some of my running one of my dogs needs to come too. While we live in a great house on a great street, when you have to run many miles per week this means that you may need to run somewhere not right near your house. And I'm always weary of people and what they are doing. So, I figure that if I take a dog with me I'll be safer ... smart thinking? Never mind that she's a golden retriever. Who cares about the part where if someone tries to get us, she'll just lick them to death.

Anyway, when we got our dogs, we stupidly never taught them to heel. People in their early 20's should realize that eventually you will need your dogs to behave. So when G (short for Georgia) and I go running, she is sniffing this, checking out that and quite frequently cutting in front of me, nearly causing a butt on collision between her butt and one of my knees. This is a major obstacle to how much we can get done, mostly because of my frustration level.

I recently had the idea to buy one of the super short leashes in an attempt to overcome this "training" hurdle for the both of us. Well on Sunday, we gave the new short leash a shot. G was not a big fan of it for probably about a mile. She kept jumping around, biting it, etc. Again with the frustration level. Eventually she got the drift and realized that if we were to keep going she was going to need to stay right beside me and pretty much just deal with it. I have to say that once she settled in, she was a real trooper. We put in three miles in about 18 degrees. I am proud to say that I am the more fit of the two as I had to prod her along through the second half of the run. I'm going with the fact that this is new to her as to why she slowed up. It couldn't possibly be her age for in dog years her and I are very similar in age....... What a great time to train for a half-marathon together. :)

Running in 14 degree weather.....

So if you can run in 14 degree weather, I'm beginning to think that you might be able to do anything. I got up this morning at 5:45 AM to get ready for my first Team in Training run. We were to meet at the Niskayuna Bike Path at 7:00 AM. I woke, ate a Cliff bar, dressed and tried to ignore the fact that it was bitterly cold outside.

There were quite a few people at the bike path when I arrived. They had quite a turn out considering that it was 14 degrees and it was wickedly windy. Because of the weather they only did a short introduction in order to get us moving. Being my first training run I decided that I would do 4 miles. I was out and back in about 45 minutes. Not too bad for my first 4 miler.

After getting back into my warm car and waiting a few minutes for my thighs to unfreeze, I headed out to go and pick up Collin. The best part was that it was 7:50 AM and I could leave knowing that I was already done for the day......... No trying to figure out when to hit the gym, etc. Now if I can just stay on this high so I can hit the gym first thing in the morning again tomorrow?!?! Here's to hoping.

Training Progress

Alright, so training update thus far. So far this week I've logged about 6 miles. I've only gone running twice. I plan to head out again tonight after work to get in another 3 miles. It's super tough getting it done on the treadmill because, as I've already said, it's boring!

My first group training run is on Saturday morning at the Niskayuna Bike Path. I believe that we're encouraged to do 4-5 miles. I say encouraged because we are not actually in training yet. Meaning that we are not in our 16 weeks of official training just yet.

Anyway, will keep you posted as to how it goes and what my total is for the week. Hopefully we are somewhere between 12 - 15 miles. Here's to it!

And so it begins................

For those of you who don't know, I picked up running last September as a way to get out of the house and get moving a little bit. I was amazed at the amount of mental sanity that it brought me. It gives me time for myself where I don't have to think about anything else. Anyway, I started running in September and I kept going. I ran my first 5K on November 1st at Emma Willard in Troy, NY. My second 5K was the Turkey Trot in downtown Troy on Thanksgiving Morning. I managed to shave two minutes off my time between the two races.

It quickly became dark (winter) and very cold here in NYS. So I convinced Dan that our family would benefit from joining the YMCA. Really, I just wanted to keep running. So, I began running on the treadmill. Since then I've heard many people refer to it at the dreadmill and now I definitely know why. It's BORING! But, I've managed to keep doing it, but just not as many times per week.

Recently, I decided to check out an informational meeting for the Team in Training program through the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. They train athletes to compete in endurance events in exchange for the athlete fund raising for the Leukemia & Lymphoma society. I was so inspired by the cancer survivors who spoke about the support they received from the program during their treatment and how it has enabled them to train and run a marathon themselves! I left the meeting certain that this was something that was so much bigger than myself.

So, it's official, I have lost my mind and I have joined the Team in Training Team and have begun training to participate in a Half Marathon in Lake Placid, NY on June 13th, 2010. I know, totally crazy. Trust me as I'm finishing a 3 mile run it dawns on me that in a matter of a few months I will not be finishing 3 miles, but instead 13.1. Ouch!

Anyway, I ask that you consider helping me to reach my goal by donating to support not only me, but also all of the folks that I'm running for at:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/uny/lkplacid10/sfiskx

Keep checking back as I plan to update here how the physical training and process of preparing for this event is going. Stay with me as I prepare to do the biggest and most meaningful thing in my life that is not about me ....................