Marathon Challenge

I saw an article about this show in Runners World, and have been waiting for an air date.

It will now air on Oct 30 on your local PBS. It is called Marathon Challenge.

The show will take 13 non runners and Pippig, a Boston Marathon winner will coach them from non runners to marathon runners.

The website, which is linked above has their training schedule and tips. I hope it is as good as I have hyped it up in my mind.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 12

I put the clipless pedals back on the bike, and drum roll.... I can do it! I took right off this time with no problems. I practiced quite a bit on Tuesday and I am going to get back out there this evening and practice some more. I did have one tiny accident. I saw Andrew falling off his bike and I tried to jump off my bike with out clipping out. I think I will remember now after the flesh donation to my street.

On the running end of things, it is going well. Last week at running clinic Coach Andrea ran next to me and asked me how was my day. I could not answer!! I had no breath in me left to put one word together. She told me I was running too hard. They would like us to run at a conversational pace since we are not trying to break any world records just cross that finish line and cross it healthy. I learned my pace is more at a 12.30 min mile. I am now running where I should be, which in turn let's me and my leg enjoy it. I do not have the terrible pain in my leg after running. My leg is still a little bothersome the next day. I ice it as soon as I get home and Ibuprofen after a run, and the day after. I am still holding my runs back to 3 times a week, and follow the groups training schedule. I pride myself in actually not pushing myself, but gradually increasing my time as stated by the schedule. This week we will be moving in to the 10min run/1 min walk. This is where I was at before the stress reaction, so keep your fingers crossed.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 11 (b)

My apologies for a double blogging session again, but I have something important to say. I used to say that when my Mom would tell me to hush, "but, Mom I have something really important to tell you." I went for a 3 mile run on Sunday with Rita. The run went really well. Mile 1 was really good ran all of it. Mile 2 was rough walked most of that. Mile 3 was good ran most of that. When I made it to the 3 mile marker I tapped like it was my finish line. We went to Memorial Park, which has a crushed gravel path, and is a lot easier on the legs. I am going to have a tough time in a month with that 5K, if my leg behaves and lets me get there first. After my run on Sunday, I iced my gimp leg and took my Naproxen. It felt fine till later in the evening on Sunday. It began to bruise again, but in a different spot and bigger. I know it is not from bumping into something because these bruises look different. The one I have from when I first had my stress reaction was a little small one, which is still there just barley visible.

For some reason, I think I have lost 40 punds in my ankles

Now there is a longer one on the same leg, but on the right side of the shin. I debated with the notion of calling the Dr. like if I ignored it this would all go away.

I have also dealt with this thought that keeps creeping in to my head. Will I ever be a runner? Maybe, I am not meant to run? Maybe, I need to lose more weight to not put so much stress on my legs? Maybe my form sucks royally? Than, I have my Cuban mom saying, give up running it is messing you up, just stick to cycling. What the hell? Does she not understand running is what I envision myself doing. It is in my heart, and in my dreams I picture this thinner me, running contently and happily. I called Dr. McDreamy, and I have an appointment Thursday. After spinning this morning I have been icing my leg on and off, and elevating it when I sit down for a bit, hmm..like to blow up my blog! Seriously, no bullshit it feels better this evening. Even the bruising as not as prominent as it was yesterday. I tried to get the best of the crap pictures I took, hopefully you can see what I am babbling about. TX Runner Girl, count me in on that Tour de Donut Ride.. It looks like so much fun!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 11

I promise I will give my titles some interesting meaning once I do this 5K in October. Entering it as my title keeps reminding me how bad I want to run this 5K . I went on my ride this past Saturday with the group. I barely slept Friday night, I was very excited and nervous at the same time. I don't want to think how I will be the night before a race or something. I have been known to get super excited about stuff for a week before, than not sleep and, get sick. I think I have been sick on at least 2/3 of all our vacations or big events. I woke up early and ate a granola bar as Shane filled up my tires, loaded my bike, filled my water bottle, and grabbed my helmet and gloves. He has been pretty supportive of all my new ventures lately. I explained to him to answer his phone if he saw any unknown numbers since I put to contact him in case of emergency in my helmet, and I was on my way. The meeting place is right off where I used to live in The Woodlands. It is such a nice area with plenty of open road, great scenery, small rolling hills. Perfect! I got there and hung out around my car for a while being shy. Than I said fuggettabout it! I found the group leader, Kelly, who is super sweet. I introduced myself to the other ladies on the ride, than we were told the safety rules and we were off. I was so scared the first 10 minutes. In my head thoughts like; What if I fall? How the hell do these little skinny tires hold my ass? If I hit a small pebble will I jolt off this bike? Why the fuck does the chic in front of me keep slowing down so much, I know I'm gonna side swipe her tire and kill myself? I was one in front of the back of the pack, I would say about 7 in our group, I was informed of some calls I need to make such as car back, debris, and I will tell you one more I learned later. I started chatting with the other lady pacing the back of the ride. She had done a few triathlons and was really nice. I started to relax at this point, and more importantly feel comfortable with the bike. I got the hang of turning, shifting, stopping. I was feeling good now! We made a stop about 45 minutes in to it at a park, chit chatted, re hydrated(did I mention there was no way in hell I was going to try to grab my water bottle while in motion) we discussed the next portion of the ride, and she told us it would be nice open road with not much traffic. I started at the before to last spot again, and at this point I was feeling comfortable enough to pick up my pace. That is when I learned my next call out, "on your left" LOL! I was passing people up. I was right behind the tri girl. I used her as my pace marker. I am so glad that spinning really prepared me for this. I was in love. The breeze was blowing in my face and I swear I had to remind myself to stop smiling so big before I ate a few bugs. I actually braved up a bit and looked at the ponds and the serenity consumed me. It was me, my bike and the road! I finished up and stretched. Kelly, said I did great and had a pretty good pace and would probably be able to move up to the next group after a couple more rides. My goal is to get back to the clipless pedals before switching groups. I am in love with cycling. I took it up as a way to do something while not running, but I never knew it would be so much more than I anticipated. I went to the cycling club meeting last night, and I won a door prize. Is cycling trying to suck me in or what?! I was telling Kelly during the ride that I wanted one of these. It is a wireless on board computer so I can know my speed, average speed and distance. Yaa!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 10 Part II

Me and my big girl bike...where do I start? Shane bought the used bike on Craigslist a couple of weeks ago as an early birthday present. It is a used 1999 Trek 2100 with a lot of owner upgrades including a Liberator seat with a cut out for, hmm... pc term, protect soft tissue. The previous owner tells me she treated it like her baby. It is in excellent condition except for a few cosmetic nicks on the frame. The people at the bike shop were pretty impressed telling me it is a great entry level road bike that handles really well, being a novice I smile and say, thanks. The bike parked in my garage for a week while I think about where I want to ride, and how to lose a little of the fears I am having. I had been doing spinning now for close to a month. I fell in love with cycling hard and fast. I wanted to maximize that feeling by going outdoors. The bike has the SPD clipless pedal system, which I have the shoes for from indoor cycling, but the bike in the gym is stationary. Even, with the stationary bike at the gym it took me a solid 4 classes to finally clip in and out quickly. Here is an example, on what clipping in should look like, mind you she is on a bike trainer so her bike is balanced for her.

I did some research on the net and found a local group in my area, The Woodlands Cycling Club. I figure with a group I would be motivated, learn some much needed pointers, meet other cyclists, and of course safety in numbers. I sent them an e-mail and was invited to join the Ultra Beginners Group for a 13 mile ride tomorrow, Saturday. I was excited this whole past week. I took my bike to the shop on Wednesday, where I had gotten my cycling shoes since they were so friendly and helpful. I got everything adjusted to where it should be for me. Except the handlebars, I feel they should be a little higher and inclined more towards me. It is at the highest level it can be at now. The guy at the bike store said if after my ride on Saturday it does not feel comfortable to bring it back and he can order a piece to incline it 45 degrees and bring the bars up a little higher. I take all this information go home and park my bike back in the garage thinking on Thursday I will go for a short ride in the neighborhood and be ready to go on Saturday. I take Lil' Buster to school, hit a spin class, and run home to go ride my bike. I take it in the sidewalk so Ill have grass on both sides for a fall. I do as I thought I should one foot on the ground, clip in the other, rotate the pedals and clip the other one in. Sounds easy enough, right? Fast forward to 10 minutes later and 2 bloody elbows, and 1 bloody knee. I freak out and do something I have not done in a while, cried in frustration. A few hours later, I take a breather call the bike shop, and the guy tells me to bring it in and he would put some good ol' fashioned pedals on them. He told me not to worry get the hang of being on a bike again and than I can switch back to the clipless pedals. I ride with Lil' Buster yesterday afternoon, which he was so excited to be riding bikes with his Mom. I than waited for Shane to get home and rode around the neighborhood for a few hours, practicing starting, stopping and shifting, there is 21 gears on that bad boy. I stopped for about 50 minutes for the community meeting, but than jumped back on the bike and felt the breeze blowing in my face...I was smiling ear to ear! I am feeling much more comfortable with it now, a lot of the fear is gone. My shoulders hurt from tensing up, but I did that with spinning the first few times too. Monica, sent me an awesome email. In it she gave me step by step instructions on clipping in, a video link as seen above, and a go get em' tiger pep talk. Thanks, biker chic...... I will try the clipless pedals again in a couple weeks and I will succeed. I will try to get a good nights sleep tonight and be ready for my ride tomorrow morning!

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 10 (b)

I thought I would post some pics from the running training clinic I just received. They need to let people know when they are taking our dayum picture so I could suck in and pose. Vince, the Lisa Foronda pic was the best I got 4 ya.

LIVESTRONG CHALLENGE 5K Training Week 10

I never know how to start out my posts. Do I say hi, warm up to u all a bit or just jump in.

So, how u doin' (Joey style)?

I hit a spinning class today. I only got 45 minutes in with dropping off Lil' Buster at Preschool at 9, and class starting at 9 gets me there at 9:15. It was good though, "whoo hoo Rachel" did not waste time with the climbing and jumps. It felt great! I must be getting somewhat insane because I am now an avid fan of the jumps. I know I am going to disappoint people now, but this is a blog so I have to straight forward. I ran yesterday. The running clinic started, and my leg has been feeling really well. I do not have the tenderness I had been having. I know, I shouldn't have done it, but I did so let me elaborate. The group was cool. They paced us out. They called up the people who could run a mile. Now, recall that before I was injured I was only doing 6min Run/1min Walk. I figured with all this cross training, I was feeling confident and could hang a mile. I paced in at 11 min mile. Whoop there it is! My leg felt great afterward too. When I got home I iced it and took Naproxen to aide in the leg recovery. I called Mc Dreamy today. He said if it felt good then it should be fine. He still suggested I take it easy and run twice a week for now, and if I feel any discomfort back off STAT. It was nice to run with a group. The coaches are cool, and I can tell they will be motivational and full of advice. It is great because the coaches volunteer. They do it for get this, the love of the sport, so you know they are totally there for us. The first day was good all we had to do was pace out 1 mile, and nothing else to run. Next week we will be in business. The first few weeks should not be too rough since it is that beginning training schedule, I had been following anyho. I will just run on clinic days, which is Wednesdays, and find another day fairly spaced out. I am guessing Sunday, we will see since that will be the day after my long, outdoor bike ride (13 measly miles).

Strike measly...you're right Monica, huge accomplishment for

even trying tomorow!

OMG! I can not believe, me TV trash watching Viv, is actually booked full with a workout schedule. Holy shit! I am glad that I have DVR with Dancing With The Stars and Grey's Anatomy returning soon. Damn, times have changed. Sorry, if I am seriously rambling. It is so hard to concentrate with Peyton Manning on my screen, and than he is in most of the commercials, so I cant get in any concentration. I will be back tomorrow with the bike and pedal drama!