Running Update

This week finished up the 30 minute run. I was able to do 2.4 miles during that time frame. This next week's goal is a 35 minute run. After that, I start on mileage with a 3, 4 and 5 mile run. I'm still having faith in my training program. If I show up and do the time, I'll be ready and prepared for race day. That's all I have to hold on to - the faith that I will be successful, because I have prepared. That's what motivates me to go to the gym and make sure I do the time. In fact, it reminds me of when I did theater and my nightmare (literally) was performing on stage and I couldn't remember my lines. I always went over board with my lines, making sure I knew them cold, because I couldn't stand the thought of being on stage and freezing. I'm running and preparing for the two races and believing I will be successful, because I've put my time into preparing. I don't want to "freeze" or be unable to finish the race on race day.

I found out at my doctor's appointment that I won't be having the surgery before the race. I thought it would be a weekend recovery, but not so much. I will not be able to run for eight weeks after the surgery, so the surgery is on hold until June. I go in April to have a consultation with the doctor on what to expect. Now I'm regrouping and working on plan B. It's all good, because I'm still able to run. It's just going to be different than what I thought.

I went to Sierra Running Co. with Tiff on Saturday to look at running shoes. I found a great pair of Asics that I'm looking forward to using tomorrow. I really appreciated the sales clerk who had me try on the $99 and the $125 shoes and ask, "Is there really a difference?" I didn't think so, and neither did he.

I saw a gal at the gym who had on a runfresno.com t-shirt and when I went to the site, found out that Fresno has it's own marathon, Two Cities Marathon! It takes place on Sunday, November 7 and has a half marathon component, so I'm thinking about doing that race also. How fun to have a race in my own home town! The race is also a qualifier for Boston.

The Chronicles of the Last American Hero

Connor wrote to us a rather funny version of his trip from the MTC to Michigan.

Dear Mother and Father,

It's been a long time since I've been free to write you, but a lot has happened over the last six days. I left the MTC by stagecoach bus at 4:00 a.m. The ride was rocky and thankfully I was able to nap a little during the one hour ride to the Salt Lake City train station. While I was there, I sent a telegraph to Dad. I am thankful the lines were still standing. Father and I had a good chat and I miss you both.

There were six of us traveling, Elders Seely, Clawson, Bryd, myself and two sisters, Rawson and Davies. I was the transport leaders.

The train left the station at 7ish, and we got to Atlanta, GA about 11ish. The trip was fine and I practiced shooting with my Henry Rifle that mom bought me while we were in Provo. There was an open car and around 9:30, a herd of buffalo went by and I shot two of them in the eye.

At Atlanta, I gave everyone permission to contact home using telegraph. Sister Rawson used that new telephone device and contacted her parents. It's very interesting technology.

While we were all contacting our love ones, I failed in my duty to keep an eye on our train. Well, it left without us. ha, ha, ha. But, thankfully, Eleder Seely and I kept cool heads and I gave instructions to Sister Davies to use the telephone to contact the mission office and Elder Seely to check with the ticket counter to see if there were any more trains leaving for Lansing.

Fortunately, there was a 5:28 train leaving for Lansing. We were so blessed! Sister Davies made contact with Mission President Jones and I informed him of the situation. He took it calmly and was thankful we used our heads.

We arrived at Lansing at 7:25 p.m. Thankfully, the Mission president and his wife were there, along with the two assiistants to the president, an Elder Barney and Clownery. They brought two stagecoaches. All the Elders rode in the one that was in obvious need of repair, while the sisters left with President Jones and his wife.

We arrived safely at his house and we had Italian food called pizza. We woke up the next day and well,

to be continued....

25 minutes

Last week I was able to finish up with a 12 minute pace for the whole 20 minutes. Today I started 25 minutes and I was able to keep the pace, so I did just over 2 miles in my allotted time! I'm still not trying to look too far ahead in the training schedule. Big numbers scare me. I'll just take it a little at a time and see what happens.

Running a 12 Minute Mile

This week's goal is to run 20 minutes. I've been able to jog for 35 minutes, so I knew the 20 was going to be fine, so my goal is to increase my speed. I went for a 5.0 on the treadmill, which is a 12 minute mile. Today, I was able to do a 12 minute mile!!!! The first time I've ever been able to run like that! I slowed to a 13 minute mile after I reached the mile marker and finish with 1.6 miles in a 20 minute run. Way cool!

Last night I registered to run the Boston's Run to Remember on May 30. This is the half-marathon that Maddie is running in, so we'll get to do it together! I made flight reservations last night also and I'm going to Boston on the Friday before and then leaving on the following Tuesday for North Carolina and staying the rest of the week with my sister! I'm so excited and psyched for this experience. It's cool that I'll get to do training with Maddie, albeit a country apart, but still a common goal.

Speed Bumps in Training for the 10k in May

Training for the 10k is coming along with occasional speed bumps along the way. This week finished with 35 minutes of jogging/walking. I was able to jog the whole time except for Thursday. After jogging on Wednesday, I was just too tired to jog the whole time Thursday. I jogged for a bit and then finished off by walking the rest of the 35 minutes. Saturday I did the whole 35 minutes jogging and went about 2.7 miles. Actually, that's quite an accomplishment as I am not and have never been a runner. I used to barely be able to run 5 minutes! Next week begins the running only weeks. It starts with 20 minutes, progresses to 35 minutes and then starts in on mileage.

When I'm jogging sometimes I write what I want to say on my blog in my head with all my physical complaints, my lower calves hurt, my hands/wrists hurt, my foot is going to sleep and so on. Fortunately, my complaints are sorting themselves out. I'm going faster and my lower calves aren't hurting like they were, I'm tucking my thumbs inside my fist and that helps my hands/wrists not hurt and I switched to my old running shoes and my feet don't go to sleep.

I have one problem though that I'm not able to fix on my own. I'm dealing with exercise incontinence in my running. It's been a problem for about two years and I've managed it, but the other day it got the best of me and I said enough! I saw the doctor and I'm working to solve the problem. How great to have no worries about running, doing jumping jacks or other high impact exercising! I forgot how much I miss that. I wouldn't have said anything about it in my blog, but when I was talking to my friend JWo about it, she said she's read articles in magazines about it and wondered how many woman don't exercise because of it. I love to exercise and can't imagine my life without it and thought if I could share with other women that this is something that can be overcome, than it would be worth whatever mild embarrassment I might suffer by sharing a little TMI. Barbara Woolner, a runner, wrote brief article about incontinence in Runner's World magazine. "I got a couple hundred letters from women aged 15 to 61, most of which said, 'I thought no one else had this problem.' The typical letter was full of frustration, helplessness and embarrassment, plus delight that someone finally talked about the problem."

If you're having a problem with exercise incontinence, there are solutions and you don't have to suffer or give up on being active. Call your doctor and set up an appointment and be proactive with your health! I'll keep you posted on what happens with me. Maybe it'll be a solution for you too.

Salsa Dance Lessons

Well, the Year of Movement is progressing well...tonight, we began SALSA dance lessons! So much fun! Randy and I are taking the lessons with two other couples I know from work. Somerford Place is generously allowing us to use their activities room for our lessons. I met our teacher, Gabi, when DeAnn and I went to the Starline in November. He makes the moves look so easy and he teaches so patiently. I am working on channeling my inner Latina and sashaying my hips in time to the music.