Tina's Team In Training Page

Racing to Save Lives

I did it! 13.1 miles and still smiling! WOO HOO!

It's official, I've lost my mind! I'm currently training to run the Kaiser Permanente 1/2 marathon (13.1 miles) on February 5, 2006. In case I haven't made it clear in the past, I should make it clear now, I absolutely postively hate running. It seems ridiculous to me to run if nobody is chasing me, and yet I continue to subject myself to this awful "sport" day in and day out.

Why am I running? I am running because I hate cancer more than I hate running. In the last few years, 13 of my friends and family have been diagnosed with some form of cancer, Some have won their battle, others have lost, and many are struggling to continue their battle. I hope that by knowing millions of people are working for a cure, it will give those that are struggling the extra courage to keep on fighting. We need to find a cure, and we need to do it now.

Of my 13 friends and family who have battled the dreaded c word, 2 of them have been diagnosed with blood cancers. Last fall I was in shock when my friend Rosie was diagnosed with Leukemia. It never occured to me that Leukemia affected the young and healthy. Today, Rosie is in remission. Recently, my Uncle Bobby was diagnosed with Multiple Myeloma and was given 6 months to live. Thankfully, he has found a much more optimistic doctor since then and is currently undergoing treatment.

This run is in honor of all my friends and family who have galantly battled cancer:

* Mrs. Caggiano * Mr. Caggiano * Auntie Betty *
* Mrs. Chiao * Mr. Chiao * Grandma Bradley *
* Aunt Mary Catherine * Grandma Geise * Auntie Eliza *
* Rosemary * Ma Owens * Uncle C.D. * Uncle Bobby *

Please consider making a donation to to help advance the Society's mission. Together, we will find a cure! Visit this site often for updates and a good laugh at my expense!

If you'd like to donate via check, please make the check payable to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and snail mail it to me at:

34284 Lennox Court
Fremont CA 94555

If you are donating, please don't forget to check if your employer will match your contribution. Thanks!

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*Note: All of these postings can also be found in my blog. So, if you'd like to make a snarky comment, feel free to do so there.

02/05/2006 tnt: setting a pr
I did it! I set a personal record, baby! 13.1 miles in 2:33:something!

The morning started off crazy hectic! I was running late and looking for teammates and friends amongst an enormous crowd. Grr, I should've taken a crowd photo. It was completely insanity trying to find anyone even though we had a designated meeting spot. So, it was a good thing Mikey carpooled with me so he was stuck with me for 13.1 miles. I did find Christine and Dennis at the beginning of the race. Dennis, the ultra runner boy, was kind enough to let me put my shirt and gloves into his backpack for the race... Then I never saw them again! *sigh*

Poor Mikey was sicker than all get out. Which was a good thing for me, since it made him slow down to my pace, and forced him to be my running buddy the whole way. Ha! We followed coach's advice and didn't rush out of the gates like everyone else on the downhill. We took it easy most of the race just trying to maintain a steady pace and keep Mikey from hacking up a lung. Everything was going smoothly for a while, we even took a picture with the bisons in the park!

Then, we embarked upon the great highway. Now, I was forewarned about the horrible great highway, but I still fell victim to it. The problem is, while you're running out, you see all the faster runners on the other side going home! So, the whole 3 miles I'm looking for the stupid turnaround. I should've known better, but I lost it mentally and I was beyond ticked off between miles 8 and 10. But, as soon as I made it around the turnaround point, I knew I was on the home stretch and I was good to go again!

On the home stretch, I got to see some of my teammates heading out to the turnaround point and since my energy level was back up to par, I was screaming at the top of my lungs cheering them on! Granted, everyone around me thought I was a complete spaz.

And then it was back into the park for the last half a mile and into the finish line. Who the heck put an uphill finish into the race plan!?! I thought I was going to die! Thank goodness Coach Gary ran me up the hill, and I was able to make a strong finish!

I have to say, all the cheering from TNT was beyond awesome. It really kept my spirits up and my feet moving! Thank you the TNT coaches and mentors, thank you to my wonderful teammates, thank you all of the wonderful honorees, and thanks to my awesome husband for being out there to support me, encourage me, inspire me, and to help me achieve a personal best! You all rock, and I can't wait to see you all at Nike!

02/02/2005 tnt: east bay rocks!
We had our sendoff party last night. The coaches give us a final hurrah and a gameplan to properly prepare for the big day. All week I've been feeling off and not very excited for the race, but last night brought my motivation back up to par. This race is gonna be mental, so I really need to be in the right mindset and I think I'm almost there again.

A super hardy thank you to all of my supporters! Our East Bay team has raised over $83,000 so far! And, the season isn't even over yet!

Brenda, our wonderful honoree, will be cheering us on with gusto on Sunday. She said she will be holding a sign for all of us to see. It will state "I AM ALIVE, THANK YOU EAST BAY!" How much more inspiration do you need than that?

GO TEAM!

01/31/2005 tnt: feeling blue
My leg is acting up this week. And, so is my mind. With all this rain and lack of sun, I'm just not feeling up to snuff these days. Thanks to Lisa's encouragement, I went out for a short jaunt even though everything inside of me didn't want to.

3 very uncomfortable miles in 32:00. I just couldn't seem to find my rhythym today. My shins were screaming, but I made it back in one piece and without stopping.

total mileage to date: 134.5

01/30/2006 tnt: treadmill running
It's not a yoga day since there is no strength training or cardio workouts the week prior to the race. I have no idea why, that's just the way it is. The calendar tells us to do a 3-5 mile run today. It's raining out.

I ended up running on the treadmill and I was bored to tears. The treadmill is a real test of your mental toughness... I'm a wimp. While I was easily cruising at a 10:00 minute mile pace, I was beyond bored! All I could do was stare at the screen. Maybe I should've found something more interesting to watch than "News Hour with Jim Lehrer.". Anyhow, I only lasted 2 miles.

total mileage to date: 131.5

01/29/2006 tnt: gung hay fat choy
It's the year of the bumpases! Lastuka showed up with a "red packet" full of goodies for us. Wine gums and aero bars! Yippeee!

6:02 miles in 1:04 today. The first 2.5 miles were horrible, I couldn't seem to find a rhythym so I turned back and suddenly it all came together. I was cruising on the way back and even went past the finish line to make it a solid 6 miler.

My confidence is shot about running 13.1 miles. Hopefully it will come back on race day otherwise I'll be walking!

total mileage to date: 135.5

01/28/2006 tnt: measly miles
Our mileage is winding down in prep for race day in 8 days. I ran with Kristi today on the Alameda Creek Trail somewhere around 5 miles in around 57:00. Go figure, we both have a garmin, and mine shows 4.85 miles, and hers shows 5 miles, but the same time. You think I've been getting jipped this whole entire time? Sheesh.

total mileage to date: 129.5

01/27/2006 tnt: 667
My race number showed up in the mail last night. I'm 667. I was quite thankful that I was not 666 and I'm feeling sorry for the poor sap that is.

At track we had to run one hard mile then one easy mile. I did the first mile in 8:45 and nearly died. I ran the second mile in 11:01. So, two miles in 19:46. Probably my fastest 2 miles ever. The lesson was to show us that our "slow mile" wasn't that much slower... I don't get the lesson, 2:16 seems like a big difference to me. But, whatever, the overall 2 miles was faster.

I think I'm still recovering from the hard mile today. Holy cow that was a butt kicker.

01/24/2006 tnt: a reminder of why
It was 3:30pm and I was still in my pjs jammin' to some tunes. I was in no mood to run. But, the sun is shining, and my weather bug was reporting 63 degrees. So, off I went. I was slow, sluggish, and burping frozen pizza... finally clocking 4.05 miles in 47:00.

I got news today that thanks to the last round of chemo, Ma Owens' has lost almost all usage of her legs (neuropathy) and has been relegated to a wheelchair. Fighting cancer is a total bitch. In order to get better, you have to pummel your body and fill it with chemicals that can cause a million other problems.

In case you need the reminder, this is why we are running. Because our legs work. We are running to raise money to fight blood cancers. Granted, Ma Owens' is not fighting a blood cancer... You cannot honestly tell me that if we find a cure for one cancer, we won't have the upper hand on all the other forms of this beast.

total mileage to date: 124.5

01/22/2006 tnt: maybe it was guilt
Who would've thunk the day would come... I went out to run an easy 4-6 miles today and ended up going 9.25 in 1:45. I headed west on the Alameda Creek Trail and when I was about to turn around, I saw the stick that said "Bay 2 miles." Well, gee, who wouldn't want to go see the bay on such a gorgeous day like today? I just kept on truckin' along as bikers went whizzing by me, and I finally arrived at my destination where I rasied my arms and screamed "Wahoo!", popped a cliff shot, chatted with a biker, then headed home.

I think maybe I kept going because I felt kinda guilty for cutting my run short yesterday. Albeit, for most people 10.6 miles wouldn't be considered "short." If it wasn't guilt, then it must've been the broken record that was stuck in my head. I must've sang this little piece of a song a couple hundred times to myself, and probably a few outloud: "I'm on top of the world, looking down on creation, it's the only explanation I can find. Since the day you came around, is the day that I was found, sitting up on top of the world." Don't ask, I have no idea.

I'm pretty happy, I averaged an 11 minute mile on the way out, and ended up finishing the whole thing just a bit faster than a 12 minute mile. I've been thinking... signing up for this Team in Training deal was the best birthday present I've ever given myself, and it's making for a phenomal 2006 and an awesome way to spend being 30. I rock! ;)

total mileage to date: 120.45

01/21/2006 tnt: i did it again
Another 10 miles today. 10.6 in 2:06 to be exact. I started the run with Kristi and when we took a fairly long port-a-potty break, Mikey caught up to us. The run was pretty fun and easy with good company. Actually, I think it was around mile 7 when I started singing to them. Well, Kristi questions whether or not it should be considered "singing"... Hmf, you don't deserve those socks. :-p

I popped a carboom at the 9.8 mile mark thinking I'd go a bit past the 10 mile mark but since there was no more path, I stopped. Note, don't pop a carboom right before you stop running. I was so hyper for a good couple hours afterwards, so much so that Matt commented on how hyper I was. I bet having a nice big cup of coffee when I got home didn't help me either. :)

I've decided, anything past a half marathon would become work and would more than likely be very unpleasant. At least when I stop at 10 miles, I'm still happy, laughing, and have enough energy to jump up and down and cheer at the top of my lungs. That's how I want to end, not crawling gasping for air.

My leg is good! I forgot my compression wrap, but it turned out fine! I took an arnica last night and iced my leg... and something worked!

Chien is right on about 50% of your effort will go into your last 25% of the race. The last mile was *tough* (thus the last minute carboom). It's all mental at that point... I just kept envisioning the end and it couldn't come soon enough!

total mileage to date: 111.2

01/20/2006 tnt: ok, it wasn't final
I just figured out the donation deadline was only for people that hadn't met their minimum... So, keep those donations coming! Every dollar counts, and brings us one step closer to a cure! Thanks a million times over to everyone!

01/19/2006 tnt: marathon pace
Tonite's track workout was a simple one so as not to cause any issues for the big run on Saturday. We ran 2 miles at our "marathon pace." The whole idea was to keep a steady pace and not blow out of the gates. Frankly, I always blow out of the gates and just gradually slow down over time. Maybe this isn't the right way to do it, but I have yet to collapse, and my speed usually picks up again near the end. So, I must be pacing myself ok.

My leg is getting worse again. It almost seems like it's back to it's old ways. I will work on stretching and strengthening it more. And, start taking the arnica again. It was doing so well, I kinda forgot the "daily maintenance" routine.

I had full intentions of eating well tonite in preparation for Saturday's long run. I even went to the grocery store, which for anyone who knows me, is a complete shock. Anyhow, I got busy with stuff, and pretty much didn't get around to eating. Now, I'm a bit frightened and interested in seeing how this will affect the 10 miler...

01/19/2006 tnt: holy cow, how did i forget
I can't believe I forgot to blog it! Brenda, our honoree, completed her first marathon, the PF Chang's Rock n' Roll marathon in Phoenix this past Sunday! She totally rocks! Last year at this time Brenda was busy battling leukemia... today she is in full remission and active as ever! GO BRENDA! :)

01/17/2006 tnt: i feel like forrest gump
I don't know why, but the buddy runs seem so much harder than the log runs. Maybe it's because I assume it's a shorter run, so I don't pop any gels, usually don't carry water, and it's so early in the morning, I usually haven't eaten or even woken up really. It probably doesn't help that my buddy runs are also solo runs since I run a bit faster than my buddies.

All I wanted to this morning was get back into my warm car, go home, and take a nap. I was struggling during the whole run and then I finally got back to the car and lo and behold I couldn't stop myself. I decided to continue on the extra one mile loop and when I got back to the car the second time, I still couldn't stop myself. The other trail was closed, so I ended up doing loops in the parking lot and finally stopped because I had nowhere else to run really. And, how silly did I look running loops in the parking lot?

So, 3.5 in 43:00. That brings my total mileage into the hundreds! Woot.

total mileage to date: 100.6

01/16/2005 tnt: a final plea for donations
This is a quick final plea for donations. The race is 21 days, and our fundraising deadline is Friday, January 20th. This is a great cause, and it would mean a lot to me if you could sponsor me. Every dollar counts, so no donation is too small! Plus, it's tax deductible for you! ;)

Visit my webpage (ok, you're on it) to make an online donation, or you can mail me a check. All information is on the website. Thanks to everyone that has supported me not only monetarily, but with your wonderful words of encouragement! Now, lets go do the damn thing!

01/14/2005 tnt: oh so sloshie
I'm beginning to feel like the postman. Neither rain, nor wind, nor sleet, or snow will keep me from running! Ok, maybe I'm exaggerating with the sleet and snow part since I'm now a Californian at heart. But, holy moly, they weren't joking when they said the Winter teams are the most hardcore.

I met up with Shelli, Tristen, and Sarah at Alameda amidst heavy rains. As I stood there waiting for them to show up, I couldn't even bring myself to do a warm up run because it was so darn cold and wet. Thank goodness for the motivation of "team!" As soon as they showed up, off we went into the rain! I must've hit every puddle just wrong and my shoes were squishing water the entire way. Tristen made a good point by saying we couldn't get much wetter so we may as well continue on.

And on and on and on we went! I finished 10 miles in 2:02. Not too bad considering we took a couple stretch and bathroom breaks! My leg got kinda iffy at that 5 mile mark, but I adjusted the compression wrap, and it helped a bit. The last mile was pretty tough because it was against the wind, but I didn't feel like I was dying at the end. So, I'm pretty confident this 13 miler will be a-ok... Just load me up on CarbBooms!

total mileage to date: 97.1

01/13/2005 tnt: i don't know diddly
Last night's track workout was a lesson about our pace. We were supposed to run 1.5 miles and give a prediction of our finishing time. The one who finished closest to their predicted pace won a sweet pair of socks.

My half-marathon pace is about a 12 minute mile, or even a bit slower. But, running 2 miles or less, I can push myself into a 10 minute mile. I predicted a 17 minute finish for 1.5 miles. I ended up finishing in 14:53. Needless to say, I didn't win the coveted socks.

The lesson was supposed to be "Know your pace, and don't deviate." I don't think that was a good lesson plan for 1.5 miles since the distance was so short, everyone was pushing themselves! Oh well, I got the point but not the socks.

01/10/2006: tnt: forced to run
No buddy run this morning since my mentor has the flu, Miriam is busy filming for a newscast today, Jett is sick, and well, nobody else really shows up. In a way it was nice because I got to sleep in... but then I had to self-motivate to run by myself today and my heart just wasn't in it.

I'm still a bit sore from snowboarding on Sunday. My poor 30 year old body just doesn't bounce back like it used to and this cold is still kicking my butt. But, I did the damn thing! I went out and ran 3.5 miles in 38:50 on the Alameda Creek Trail. I was getting tired and bored on the run, so I took a minor detour into Coyote Hills, and the new scenery kept me going for a bit longer.

A lesson learned... always bring your water bottle and compression wrap! I wasn't planning on running more than 2 miles just because I was feeling lazy, but then I just kinda kept going and was wishing I had some water and my poor shins were killing me from snowboarding!

total mileage to date: 87.1

01/07/2005 tnt: super 8
When I woke up at 6:15, it was dark, damp, and gloomy. I was pretty fearful of this run given my wonderous cold, and hearing from people about how cold it is running next to the water. But, by the time we got to Alameda, it was an absolutely beautiful day with sun and blue skies!

I ran with Kristi today... She's the one that got me into this mess all for a free pair of socks! Of which, she still hasn't received. Sheesh, all this exertion for a non existent pair of socks. :-p

Today I took a vanilla-orange CarbBoom at the beginning of the run. Not very tasty, but it didn't have me gagging like that gnarly Power Gel. Whatever is in that CarbBoom must've worked, I felt like today's run was fairly effortless! I think if I had to do a full 13, I would've taken another shot around the 6 or 7 mile mark. But, overall, I felt well hydrated, my leg is in great shape, and my cold seem to have dissapeared during the run. Too bad it comes right back when you're done.

8.05 miles in 1:36. Yeah baby, I did all 8 miles!

total mileage to date: 83.6

01/05/2006 tnt: one hard, one easy, lots of hacking
Coach overheard me talking to someone else on the team about waking up last Saturday to a torrential downpour and crawling back into bed. So he started to comment about how that's being "wimpy." But oh no, I corrected him with as much voice as I had left in me, and let him know that I did end up running that day and that's how I ended up with this nasty cold! And, damnit, here I was at a track workout hardly able to breathe, so don't be calling me a wimp!

Last night's track workout was run 2 miles alternating between 1 hard lap and 1 easy lap. 8 laps total. I finished the first hard lap in 1:52 but finished the last hard lap in 2:30ish... The whole thing took 21:12. I thought I was going to die on the last hard lap. After I finished my 8 laps, I quickly hovered over the grass and hacked my lungs out. Wow, you really build up a lot of flem in 2 miles when you're sick! I'm sure you wanted to read about that! ;)
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01/03/2006 tnt: running with a head cold
Every day since the New Year, I seem to wake up just a little worse off then the day before. I've been sucking down the airborne, but I don't think it's having any effect. Guess I won't bother wasting my money anymore.

Anyhow, I didn't want to be a wimp, so I got up in a bad bad mood at 5am to go run with my teammates. Only Sara showed up. Nice. Poor Sara is having foot issues, and I've got a head cold from hell, so it was a short run. Actually, my gps gave out part way through, so I'm going to guess a little over 2 miles. It was long enough that I felt utterly nauseaus afterwards, so I hurried home to take a power nap before heading into work.

total mileage to date: 75.55

12/31/2005 tnt: serious headwinds
We're in the midst of a winter storm here. Meaning, heavy rains and strong wind gusts. I woke up at 7:15am with the intention of going to Lake Chabot to run with my teammates, but given it looked like a torrential downpour was going on, I wimped out and crawled back into bed.

Now, don't go getting the idea that I'm not taking this thing seriously and your donations are going to go to waste. I did check the weather report which called for lighter showers later in the day, so I was patiently waiting for the lighter showers which ended up showing up around 9am.

And off I went into the strongest headwind I have ever encountered. But, hey, I was dry! The wind was so unbelievably strong, I had to hold onto my hat, I was blown off the trail a few times, and I came to a complete halt at times. It only got worse as I got closer to the bay at which point I decided to turn around at the 2.5 mile mark. All I could think about was Coach saying "At least you get to experience the weather!" and "Everything moves forward."

On the return run, there was a point where the wind hit me in the back so hard, I felt like I was flying. I felt like I was 5 again and could run forever! I even met a deer on the trail and we stopped and watched each other for a bit, then I waved at him, and off he went leaping through the rushing water and into the fields. It was uber cool.

Yeah, did you note that? "Rushing water" The normally dry mud creek was filled with rushing water today. How's that for a storm! So, don't question my dedication... I did the damn thing, the whole damn thing! 6.01 miles in 1:13

total mileage to date: 73.55

12/29/2005 tnt: dedication or stupidity
Apparently track workout was cancelled tonite, and 5 of us missed the memo. It was cold and wet, and we could've easily just gone home and curled up on our couches. But, either we're dedicated or stupid. We decided to do circuit drills again, just for the fun of it. It was pretty funny since nobody there had done them before except me, so they were in for a fun time. :)

We did all the laps and all the drills, no cheating. Who needs coach anyhow? ;)

12/27/2005 tnt: last run in la la land
I ran towards Dockweiler beach today, at least that's what it said on the bench. I got pretty caught up in the scenery so it was a fairly easy run. My leg was acting up in the sense that it got really tight and sore, but bearable

I saw a lady running the opposite direction of me with an entire flock of birds following her. I was a bit concerned that she was going to get pooped on, and I thought she seemed frazzled that the birds were following her. Later I figured out she wasn't the least bit worried, in fact, maybe she was trying to count them all to make sure they were all there. When I found her later, she was pulling bread out of her pockets and feeding them all on the beach... thus why they were apparently following her. Bizzare if you ask me.

Matt took the ladies for a nice walk on the beach while I was off running. Apparently, when you walk 2 goldens, you're da bomb on the beach. While Matt was busy dazzling strangers with my dogs, I ran 3.25 miles in 35:20

total mileage to date: 67.54

12/25/2005 tnt: keep on moving
Every time we visit LA, eating is the passtime of choice. Especially during the holidays! After all of the holiday eats, I was dying to get my body in motion in hopes of working off some of the grub. Even Big Mama and Matt came on down to the beach to walk with me. My mom managed to flail around like a maniac in an attempt to cheer me on... too bad it wasn't me, but some 50 year old guy. I'm sure he deep down inside he had some appreciation for her insane antics.

Anyhow, 2.04 miles in 20:32. My legs were relatively ok, it seems to be just normal shin splints at this point. Although, now my knee is kinda bugging me on the front, like something is poking me. No biggie.

total mileage to date: 64.29

12/24/2005 tnt: 6 lonely miles
I'm down in LA for the Holidays, so I had an opportunity to run on the beach today. It was hotter than all get out, but hey that beats my teammates who have to run in the snow! I did get a "GO TEAM!" out on the path today, and another gentleman who knew what was up and thanked me for doing the run. Don't forget, your worst day of training beats someone's best day of chemo.

Thanks to Kristi, I tried out a Razz Sorbet Cliff Shot, and it was postively delicious in comparison to that gnarly Tangerine Power Gel. I also gave my new fuel belt a go, and it was really comfortable to run with. Although, I was having difficulty getting the bottles in and out, but hopefully the elastic will give over time. I'm kinda wondering if I should've gone for the 6 bottle version... but we'll see.

My leg really didn't bother me at all today, I'm going to attribute it to the Arnica that Ginny gave me. Arnica is a homeopathic anti-inflamatory, and I think it must be working wonders!

So, 6 miles in 1:08. I bet if my watch showed seconds, it'd be like 1:08:59. Good thing it doesn't. ha

total mileage to date: 62.25

12/22/2005 tnt: more circuit drills
It's been raining endlessly here, so the track was pretty dog gone wet as expected. We had to run on the outside, and leap over puddles, but hey, remember, NO WIMPS! Tonite was all about the circuit drills again, and I'm zonked. Finished in 30 minutes.

1 lap, 25 squats, 15 crunches, 15 push-ups, 25 squats, 1 lap, 15 supermans, 15 push ups, 15 left leg squats, 15 right leg squats, 1 lap, 25 squats, 15 crunches, 15 push-ups, 25 squats, 1 lap, 15 supermans, 15 push ups, 15 left leg squats, 15 right leg squats, 1 lap, 1 victory lap.

12/20/2005 tnt: new kicks
I ran in my new shoes today, and I didn't notice too much of a difference. The pain was still there, but it definitely wasn't searing through my leg like it usually is. I wasn't feeling the impact quite as much, but then again, I kept the run short. I tried running on grass as much as I could and kept ending up in mud, but I'm sure anything was better than asphalt.

When I was done running, I bent over to touch my toes. I always hesitate with this step because I know the big "riiiiiip" feeling will always follow. Today there wasn't much rip! I have no idea if it was dumb luck, the new kicks, or running through grass, but whatever.

Anyhow, 3.3 in 37:44. My times are dismal. I could whine and tell you it's my leg, but I think the reality is, I'm just a pansy.

total mileage to date: 56.25

12/17/2005 tnt: power gel and gatorade
We ran at the San Leandro Marina again this weekend. We had a nice clinic from Patty Torza about strength training, and got some great tips on some exercises to do to help improve our running. I choked down a tangerine power gel about 10 minutes before our run. That stuff is absolutely disgusting and had me gagging like no tomorrow, but apparently it works. The run was pretty easy for me today, and had my leg not acted up, I could've easily gone much farther.

When I got the water station at 1.75 miles, I was pretty annoyed because my right leg was so sore, I couldn't put it down. But, nonetheless, I had to at least do 4 miles, so I headed forward to the 2 mile mark where I waved off all my teammates and turned home. What a lonely run back knowing I was the first one back because I had to cut my run short. After some grumbling from my leg, I eventually made it back, and decided to go another mile on the nice grass path. The grass was great for my leg, and it made 5 miles seem like a breeze.

I don't think the compression wrap did much for my leg, I was still feeling the impact pretty good on the right leg. At Mama Lisa's recommendation, I went to LaFoot in Berkeley and got fitted for another pair of shoes. The PT wasn't working, so unfortunately I couldn't get any advice on my aggravation, but I did get a nice guy who I think did a much better job of fitting me for shoes than lousy Transports. I'm now running a pair of Brooks Addiction 6 and can't wait to give em a go here soon.

5.05 miles in 57:07. Slow day, but if you had been out there freezing your butt off with us, you'd realize why. I don't think I got reasonably warm until mile 2. At which time I did a couple minutes of stretching. And, man, that wind we were running into was miserable and dehydrating!

total mileage to date: 52.95

12/15/2005 tnt: bad eats
Apparently what you eat *does* affect your running. Yesterday I ate disgusting foods, ramen and mac and cheese. Today didn't fair much better since I started the morning with left over mac and cheese, then headed out to an indian buffet for lunch. And, let's not forget, tis the season... meaning, the lobby of our office building was full of free holiday foods, cheese, shrimp, cookies, oh my!

Today we did circuit drills which had me regretting all of the "food" I had eaten in the last two day. What exactly are circuit drills you ask? Here we go:

1 lap, 20 squats, 10 crunches, 10 pushups, 20 squats, 1 lap, 10 supermans, 10 pushups, 10 left leg squats, 10 right leg squats, 1 lap, 20 squats, 10 crunches, 10 pushups, 20 squats, 1 lap, 10 supermans, 10 pushups, 10 left leg squats, 10 right leg squats, 1 lap, then a final victory lap! Phew! My quads are a aching tonite! Fun Fun Fun!

12/13/2005 tnt: 30 second diagnosis
To everyone that instilled paranoia in me about my leg, you are all hypocondriacs! So, I broke down and went to the doctor today only to find out that WebMD rocks! I think i'm 2 for 2 with WebMD now, so I don't think I'll ever go to a doc again... In fact, I'm going to start charging for my searching services. :-p

Anterior Compartment Syndrome. Very simply, the muscle is trying to expand outside of it's casing. The popping is simply a tear in that casing. Doc said to stop running for 3 weeks, to which I said, no way. It was nice to get a doc that understands the go go go mentality, he said the pain may get worse over time, but he assured me no permanent damage will be done. So, I've got the go ahead to push my limits til February and come back if I'm still broken after that.

This morning was a 3.4 mile run in 37:48. I could've easily gone farther, but people were waiting for me in the parking lot, so I didn't want to hold everyone up on my account.

total mileage to date: 47.9

12/11/2005 tnt: easy run?
It would've been easier for me to just stay home, grab some waffles, and curl up under a blanket. I mean, what better way to spend a Sunday morning! I'm a bit sore from yesterday, and oddly enough, it's my upper body, not my legs. It must be because I'm still holding too much tension in my shoulders.

Anyhow, I stuck to the training schedule, and hit the Alameda Creek Trail again. My trusty gps last showed 2.61 miles at 27:00 minutes before it died. Given I turned around at the 1.5 mile mark, and ran well past my starting point, I'm pretty certain I ran 3.05 (yes, the .05 was on purpose, what can I say, I'm an engineer!). So, given those numbers, using my high school math skills, I should've clocked in around 31:33. Lets round that up to 32:00.

The first 2 miles were horribly painful. I think going out is always much harder than coming in. The last mile was fairly groovy except for the whole gps deal. Only a very very minor aggravation in the shin today, so things are looking up.

total mileage to date: 44.5

12/10/2005 tnt: running with the great mikey p
Today was a mentor led run at the San Leandro Marina. The marina looks so different during daylight! It was a great day to run. Mikey came with me today, he claims he's out of shape but is a big fat liar. He ran the 5 miles easily and quickly, and I just tried to keep up. But, he did get me my fastest time yet finishing up in 53:19. Still not a 10 minute mile, but hey, it is an improvement!

The first mile we did in 10:14, and I was happy to see that at mile 2.5 our average speed was still 5.8. I tried to pick it up near the end to make up some time, but my legs were like lead, so it didn't happen.

I should've carried water, but I haven't gotten a new water bottle belt yet, so I got a bit dehyrdrated. Otherwise, everything was ok and my shins held up well on the asphalt.

total mileage to date: 41.45

12/8/2005 tnt: running in the dark
Track workout tonite was dissapointing. We just had to run 17, 19, or 21 minutes straight around the track. So, no butt kicking. I opted for 19. I was pretty happy to finish the first mile in 10:13, but apparently slowed way down finishing 1.75 in 20:30. Bummer.

Good news is that running on the track was easy on my shins. Everything is feeling pretty good lately. As Bob Gicy would say... "Yippeeeee!"

total mileage to date: 36.45

12/7/2006 tnt: don't forget the rain gear
I went for a short jaunt around Lake Elizabeth today after Callie's visit to the Fremont Retirement Villa. Wouldn't you know it, as soon as I went to start my run, it starts raining. And of course, I left my rain gear at home because it was nice and sunny when I left!

I think I'm tense when I run, I need to loosen up a bit. But, I was trying to run semi-fast today because I was freezing cold and getting wet, a gnarly combo that's sure to lead to a cold. FYI, I can't run fast! I nearly died at a mile, so I took a short 10 second walk, and powered through to the end. My shin was uber unhappy with me, but whatever.

So, 2 miles in 21:20. I was aiming for a 10 minute mile and was doing ok til the last mile where I slowed down. Dumb.

total mileage to date: 34.7

12/6/2006 tnt: 11 miles
Heh, ok... I didn't *run* the 11 miles, I ended up biking it. I was supposed to do a 40 minute buddy run today, but ended up biking instead since my shin is still a bit aggravated. I'm turning over a new leaf, I'm slowing myself down *before* I get injured. Turning 30 must've made me wiser. hee hee.

I made it to the end of the Alameda Creek Trail where it hits the bay. It was neat because when I got there, I looked at my gps and thought "oh, wow, that was 6 miles, I ran that distance last week!"

What is it with me and parts going numb? It must be the way you lean on a bike or something, but my hand is tingling as I type this... Anyhow, 11.2 miles in 54:20. Hah, wouldn't it be great to run that fast? :)

Hopefully I can make a short run tomorrow!

12/3/2005 tnt: my goal was five
My goal today was to take it easy and only run 5 miles. I'm proud to say, I ran 6 in 1:08 thanks to a wonderful lady named Sylvia. She kept me going every step of the way, and was wonderful to chat with. She's a super fabulous lady who's out making the world a better place by doing great things. She's running a non-profit that helps foster kids through a variety of ways. I was so engrossed with what she did, I didn't want to turn back because I wanted to hear about all the wonderful work she did! It was well worth 6 miles!

A few notes, the water bottle fanny pack has go to go! I dropped it off at mile 2 and at the Isherwood bridge, and it made a huge difference to run without the extra weight bouncing around on my back. So, I think I'll try one of those 4 little bottle waist belts next time. Also, wicking underwear totally ROCKS! I should've invested in these sooner, especially since I got them off the clearance rack at REI.

My shin got yucky on me during the run, but then it just went numb so it stopped bothering me. I was able to ice it immediately after the run which I think has helped a great deal. I'll be taking tomorrow off, and Monday is yoga... So, hopefully Tuesday will be good.

Sarah, the girl that kept me going at Danville, kicked butt and did 8 miles today! Not just an ordinary 8 miles, the poor girl was bleeding from bad shorts and she kept on going! Run Sarah Run!

total mileage to date: 32.7

12/1/2005 tnt: cancelled track workout
Who knew I'd be so bummed out about a cancelled track workout. I should be screaming for joy and jumping up and down because I don't have to run in this horribly disgusting weather we have. But for some odd reason, I was really looking forward to having my butt kicked into shape tonite.

I ended up on the treadmill today at 2.5 incline. I read somewhere that you should set your treadmill to an incline to simulate the resistance of the wind etc of the outdoors. Who knows if it's true or not, but I figure it won't hurt.

I made a logical decision to *not* donate blood today, because my goal was to run 4 miles. Unfortunately, I only made it 3 miles in 33:18. The time stinks, but I did walk from mile 2.25 to 2.5. Maybe I should've just gone ahead and donated blood. :-p

I do have a perfectly good reason for cutting my run short. My right shin has been acting up again for a little while now, and I've been pretty much ignoring it, hoping it'd go away on it's own. The last time I had this same issue was about a year ago. Let me explain to you, these are not your normal run of the mill shin splints. My right shin goes completely numb after running. You can probably hit it with an axe and I wouldn't flinch

Anyhow, custom orthotics and new shoes solved the problem before, so I popped into new shoes today. Yes, the $120 pair. I stupidly thought that by wearing these new magical shoes, my problem would magically go away... I think I just aggravated my shin more today. And, thus why I cut the run short! Plus, my goal for Saturday is 5 miles.

I know I should probably put the kabash on the running for 2-3 days and just focus on icing my leg every day, but I can't bring myself to do it. I hate falling behind, it's the nasty competitive side in me.

Mom, if you're reading this, pretend you didn't! :)

total mileage to date: 26.7

11/29/2005 tnt: rain or shine
Unless you're a wimp, you run rain or shine. Today was a good test of my wimp factor, and I passed with flying colors. I jumped out of bed at 5am and headed into the rain for our Tuesday buddy run. It was a slow, wet, and tiring run today, but I'm proud of myself for not wimping out. So, 2.73 miles in 31:14.

total mileage to date: 23.7

11/26/2005 tnt: correr en mexico
Even though I was "vacationing" in Mexico, I stuck to the training plan. Unfortunately, there wasn't a nice beach path to run on, so I was forced to run out on the smog filled Mexican streets. I managed to do 2.5 miles in 28:32 which I'm not complaining about since I managed to survive the humidity, traffic, and smog. Breathing was a real task since I felt like I had my mouth around the bus' exhaust pipe the entire time. I was smart enough to carry my own water thinking the humidity was going to kill me. But, it wasn't the humidity that got me, it was learning to drink on the run in traffic that nearly killed me! Anyhow, I stuck to my training, and kept my pina coladas to a minimum even though I was on "vacation"!

total mileage to date: 21

11/24/2005 tnt: my turkey trot
I didn't make it out to a real turkey trot today, just did my own run. 3 miles, 32:43. I'm working on getting down to a 10 minute mile. Ran past some homes at 7:30am that were already cooking thanksgiving dinner, mmm, smelled good!

total mileage to date: 18.5

11/22/2005 tnt: team estrogen?
Another early morning run today at the San Leandro Marina. I think I must do my best running when it's so darn early. Maybe it's because my body is still asleep and doesn't quite understand what I'm doing. The buddy runs are probably as close to effortless running that I get. Today was nice, I was able to chit chat with Kat insteading of gasping for air. I think that helped pass the time really easily. She even brought her little pup Marvin who is the sweetest little guy.

I forgot my garmin foretrex 101 today, so I'm guestimating here based on last week's distance, and the time the last person finished today. 2.6 miles in 27 minutes.

At the end of the run, we joked about being Team Estrogen given all the women on the team. And, the one man that was there, Dennis, was an obvious runner and took off like a bat out of hell. Guess we're scaring the gentleman off. Christina made a good crack that Dennis would grow man boobs after running with us! Go Team Estrogen?

total mileage to date: 15.5

11/19/2005 tnt: new shoes, a ripoff
We ran at Berkeley Marina today, 2-4 miles for half marathoners and 4-6 miles for full marathoners. Someone asked if we could go ahead and train for the marathon even if we're only running the half marathon. Coach said no because then you would be overtrained on the day of the run. The schedule has been set so that you "peak" on race day. Coach stressed that it's better to run less than more. Well, I can certainly get on that bandwagon!

I ran 4 miles in 44 minutes. I felt like I was dying during the last mile, but I'm pleased with my run today. Everyone really did awesome today.

If you're looking to understand the title of this post, you can check it out on my blog. I figured brevity was better here.

total mileage to date: 12.9

11/18/2005 the power of a word
I know this won't seem important to a lot of you, but it demonstrates the power of one word: cancer. My girl Angel, the dog in the picture, was diagnosed with a form of sarcoma today. After hearing the vet mention lymphoma a number of times, I have no idea if this is better or worse. Cancer is *not* the end of the world, it certainly won't be for my dog. Even though I know this, as soon as my vet mentioned the word cancer, I immediately broke down. I know my girl will beat this, I'm just amazed at how much power that one stupid word can hold. The only way we're going to take away the power of the word, is to find a cure for the damn thing.

11/17/2005 tnt: just go do the damn thing
Today was the first track workout. We learned a few good tips about form and rhythym. Then we were told to "just go do the damn thing," one of Coach Al's favorite mottos. Super easy day today, we were supposed to run 13, 15, or 17 minutes depending on our level. The goal was to just keep a steady pace. I ended up doing 1.5 miles in 16:10.

total mileage to date: 8.9

11/15/2005 tnt: rise and shine buddy run
Who knew a 5:45am run could feel so good! I grudginly rolled out of bed at 4:50am and shoved a powerbar and a glass of water down my throat and headed on out. I ended up gagging during the whole drive to San Leandro, but the rock in my stomach eventually settled down and went to work for me.

There were about 7 or 8 of us, and everyone was running at a good pace for me. I think it helped a lot that I slowed down, because I felt like I was just gliding along and I could've easily gone further. I ended up running 2.4 miles in 29 minutes. The moon and the city lights were a great distraction to the run. When we completed our run, the perfectly round orange moon began to set behind the city lights, and was just an awesome site! Well worth the 5am wake up call!

total mileage to date: 7.4miles

11/13/2005 tnt: easy run
The calendar states "Easy Run (20-30min) or REST" Note how rest is all capitals and bolded. Is the calendar telling me something? As I was sitting at the kitchen table eating my power breakfast, I was quite tempted to just hunker down for the day, but again, the 13.1 miles kept flashing in my head.

Matt and I (yes! Matt joined me once again!) put on our running garb, and out we went onto the Alameda Creek trail. This trail scares me since I once biked it, and my eyes swelled shut. But, it's a nice trail, and I came out in tact this time. My fortrex said I went 1.94 miles in 20:30 minutes. I should've been paying attention to the darn thing, and just run 2 miles, but I wimped out. Anyhow, for mileage count, I'm going to round up for ease of counting, I promise I'll make up the .06 on another run.

total mileage to date: 5 miles

11/12/2005 tnt: first official run
Today was our first official run, in Danville. We've been named Team Incredible. The energy level you get from all of the people is really great. Everyone is cheering for everyone, and it keeps you motivated.

We did a 1/2 mile warm up jog, which I personally think should've been included in total mileage, so I think I got jipped. ;) But, then we went on ahead with our normal 2-4 mile run. I really wanted to turn back at the water girls at mile 1, but I figured I'd never go 13.1 miles with that attitude, so I moseyd on along to the 1.5 mile mark before turning home.

I met Sarah at mile 1.5, and she was great to run with. She kept me moving even though I wanted to stop. She said we needed to sprint in the last bit, and so we did! We've promised to "be mean" to each other at every run to keep pushing ourselves to the limit, isn't teamwork great! :)

total mileage to date: 3 miles

11/10/2005 pre tnt: isherwood to shinn pond
For all intents and purposes, in all future postings regarding tnt, I will use the word "run". Please keep in mind that for most normal people, my "run" is more like a rapid walk in a bouncy fashion. Let's just continue to use the word "run" to help my ego. Please, just give me a little slack here. ;)

I ran from Isherwood Staging to Shinn Pond and back in about 40 minutes. Horrible! I used to run that trail in 30 minutes, so who knows what went wrong. Anyhow, it's a flat 3 miles, with decent scenery. I wish I could run with my camera, but alas, I'm already a below average runner, so tacking on accessories could only make me even more discombobulated. I'm now icing some gnarly shin splints. I really hope my right knee and my right shin come out of this thing alive. I sure have been hearing a whole lot of popping these days! Ice is my friend!

11/9/2005 pre tnt: yoga
We were given a calendar with what our daily workout should be in order to successfully complete the half marathon. For Mondays, we should do 30 - 40 minutes of "Strength Training." And, in the little box on the side, it says that "Strength Training" includes, pilates, squats, free weights, yoga, etc...

I decided to try yoga for the first time in my life since my company offers free classes. I'm going to equate the experience to the facial massage in Tofino. All I wanted to do the entire time was bust out laughing. The instructor kept saying to "be in the present. don't let your restless mind wander." Meanwhile, all I could think about was debugging code, the heavy breathers around me, and laughing my head off.

Then we all had to become trees and root ourselves into the ground. She said this is a powerful pose and to use it often after meetings. How could one not laugh at that? I admit, I openly chuckled at the comment and was busted for "thinking during yoga". As a side note, don't close your eyes when you try to be a tree, you'll suddenly feel like a tree in the wind, a strong wind... actually, more like a tumbleweed bumbling through the desert with no control of your destination.

We also did a "downward dog" pose that I apparently did wrong, so the instructor fixed me and I was forced to yell "OW!" I never realized yoga was supposed to hurt! Then we turned into pigeons. What is it with yoga? Why do I have turn into earthly creatures to stretch? Do you think pigeon tina is stretchier than normal tina?

Eh, even with my lack of balance, lack of hand/eye coordination, lack of flexibility, and a juvenile sense of humor, I think I will continue on with yoga. Hey, it's free!

11/8/2005 pre tnt: early morning
The first "official" run for tnt is on Saturday, Nov 12. But, I figure it's better to get used to the training regimine as early as possible. So, today, I woke up at 6 am just to go for a short run around the neighborhood. It was dismally dark, cold, and wet, but I did do it! And, I have to say that Matt rocks. He is so extremely supportive that he even got up and ran with me! Too bad I can't convince him to go the whole 13.1 miles. ;)

Anyhow, I'm definitely a "yellow" or "kenyan" as the coach calls em'. Slow and steady and ain't nothin gonna speed me up. haha. I was out for 20 minutes, and probably only went 1 1/2 miles or so. Ah well, at least I kept moving. I did manage to fall off of a curb which didn't feel too good, but I walked it off for about 1/2 a block and ran home the rest of the way. So, have no fear, I'm still in one piece and will keep on running!