1st Race!

I ran my first race on Saturday! I did it! I ran in the Andy Payne Memorial Run and I finished! Okay I walked about half, but at least I didn't come in last. I left that place to one other person. I feel really good about not finishing last, but I do wish I came in at a better time.

I have been doing well with training thanks to coach Cliffy :) He has been great about going out with me and has really helped me to establish a good beginning pace for running. I have been doing at least 2 miles a day and am trying to run at least half of whatever my goal for the day is. I didn't do so well last night. I was able to run a little over half a mile and got a little dizzy so I sat down for a bit and walked the rest of the way.

I am really excited about the Nike Women's Marathon. Training through the summer is going to be tough but I have a great source of encouragement with Cliff and Team In Training. I have a fundraising clinic tomorrow night that I'm sure will be very helpful.

I know that I have not been the best about keeping this blog up, but I will try harder to post on a daily basis. Have a great day ya'll!

I just might be insane!

It has been a while since I last posted. It has been a fairly busy week with a lot of changes in my workout routine.

On Sunday I decided to go with my husband to Lake Hefner to Bike on the trails there. Somewhere along the line there seemed to be a misunderstanding between us on what we were going to do. I thought he was intending for me to bike the whole course (9 miles) while he jogged whatever he was going to jog. Well that was what I thought! Apparently he thought I would bike alongside him and somehow that was not communicated (oh well). I don't think I will be doing that again. I started cycling around the Lake and started having problems with my right knee hurting as well as what I thought were gear problems (cliff thinks the brakes are dragging on the rear wheel). I ended up walking more than 1/2 the distance and cycling wherever there was a moderate slope. Cliff met up with me in his truck at about my 8 mile mark and asked if I wanted a lift :) My hero! Needless to say I was extremely sore on Monday morning.

On Tuesday Evening I attended a meeting for the Oklahoma Chapter of Team in Training which trains athletes to compete in various types of races to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I have decided to walk/run in the Nike Women's Marathon in October of this year. I am so excited! It is going to be a tough because not only will I be training for a marathon, but I will also have to do alot of fundraising. I need to raise $3,300.00 by October in order to go. 30% of the money I raise will go towards my travel and accomodations & 70% will go to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society towards research for blood diseases. I am really nervous about the fundraising part and hope to have my funds raised by the August recommitment deadline so I could relax and focus on training as the marathon approaches.

During the meeting I was informed that all participants would have an honoree (someone with Leukemia, Lymphoma or another blood related disease) that would be assigned to us, or we could choose an honoree that we knew. I have chosen my nephew Toby who was diagnosed with Accute Lymphocytic Leukemia (A.L.L) when he was 4 years old. I told him about the program and that he was my honoree and the first thing he asked me was if this was similar for Race for the Cure. I told him that it was very much like that, and he became very excited that I would run in his honor.

Pray for me ya'll. I will try to post here as much as I can so everyone can keep up with my training progress. If anyone has any questions as to what the team in training program is all about you can email me or find out about it on the link I have provided to the Nike website. Have a great day!

P.S. On my last run out I made it to 3 Minutes! Yay!

Running day 6

I didn't reach my goal last night and needless to say, I am a little bit disappointed in myself. My goal was to increase my running time to 3 minute reps. I think I officially run out oxygen at 2 minutes. I just couldn't get past the 2 minute barrier. I know it will get better as I continue to run, but I can't help feeling just a little frustrated.

I did continue to finish my routine and added some distance and another 2 minute rep to make up for my short fall, so it really wasn't a failure. Today is a rest day and I am thankful for it! Maybe I can hit the trail tomorrow with a fresh prospective. Till then have a great day.

Vivian

Running day 5

I didn't do so well this time out. Cliff went out with me last night and although he was extremely encouraging I only made it through my 1 & 2 minute reps but started to feel kind of sick at that point so I slowed down and walked the rest of the way. I've been going through some yucky stomach stuff and I have tried to just keep working out through it.

I got up at dark 0'clock this morning (5:20 am) to make it to the gym by 5:40am for an early morning workout. I was able to do 20 minutes on the treadmill and another 20 on the eliptical trainer. I really ought to do this more, it's such a nice way to start the day.

Today is a rest day. I will post again after my next run. Have a great day!

Running day 4

I didn't actually run yesterday. My training schedule called for a break in the routine so I thought I would walk or cycle at Lake Hefner. Unfortunately the weather didn't look so great so I decided to visit my so-called 24 hour gym. When I got there at 7:30 pm I found that they are only 24 hours from 5:30 am on Monday - 10:00 pm on Friday, with Satuday hours from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm and Sundays from 10:00 am 6:00 pm. I was a little bummed out about that.

Since the gym was not an option I decided to go back to my regular park for an extended walk. I walked approximately 2 1/2 miles. I went a little farther on the trail than I've gone before. It would have been pretty uneventful if I had not discovered my park's lack of porta-potties. Needless to say, my walk home was much faster than my walk to the park.

My training schedule for today has an increase in running time so I am a little anxious about that. I will post how I did later, until then ttfn.