Team In Training - Sharing the Fun

This week our TNT coordinator asked if I'd mentor on the run team. I was already running as a participant and the team could use one more mentor. Without even thinking about it, I said sure. If TNT needs a mentor, I'm in it to win it. Mentoring is fun and it a great way to give back to Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Certainly there's also fundraising which I'm happy to do, but helping people reach their endurance race goal is a thrill.

Whenever I think about mentoring, I think about how much there is to learn about endurance events. Going into my first marathon, I had a ridiculously full fuel belt. I wanted to be prepared for any and all possibilities. It's as if I was packing for a camping trip, not a race. If you click on that first photo, it'll take you to the flickr page which lists everything I managed to pack for the race. That's not all. There's another photo of my race outfit and a third of my post race gear bag. The second photo is my gear/clothes for my second TNT event with a much smaller fuel belt and a lot less stuff. I was absolutely prepared for that race, but coaches and mentors and experience had taught me what was important to carry and what's okay to forget. Now, I carry even less.

Of course, this means that Steve is mentoring the cycle team and I'm mentoring on the run team. One of these days, Steve and I are going to need to align our event calendars.

Check ✔

The race was absolutely beautiful. In fact, the all the events of the Marathon weekend were beautifully planned and executed. I'll say this for Nike (and for Team in Training) - they did a fabulous job making this event special.

Any yes, at the end of the event they do have hot men in tuxedos who give you a Tiffany jewel box that contains your finisher's medal.

Maybe I'll write about it later, but for now let me show you my swag. Oh, yeah and click to see it larger so you can appreciate that Tiffany necklace.

On Your Mark

Tomorrow is the Nike Women's Marathon. We've had a nice, albeit busy, weekend in San Francisco. Actually, it's been such an emotional, topsy-turvy, got-what-I-wanted-now-what week that the actual race will be a nice break for me.

Tomorrow will be a beautiful day here. This course is gorgeous. I can't wait.

I'm only doing a half marathon because I don't want to exhaust myself before the full marathon in Dublin next week. I'm officially turning off my worrying brain for the duration of the race.

I'm looking forward to it.

Ready

Yesterday was the 20 mile training walk. It was fine. Twenty miles is a long day, but I felt pretty good for the entire session. I'm not sore or stiff today. The top of my left quadriceps is a bit tweaked, but other than that I'm absolutely fine.

From this point onward, there's really nothing I can do to increase my strength or endurance for the events. It's simply too close to the races and the body needs time to rebuild itself. This is a weird time during marathon prep; there's nothing left to do. Stretch everyday. Eat right. Get enough rest. Wash your hands frequently so you don't get sick. Basic good health stuff but that's it. There's nothing marathon specific on my to do list.

Next week is our final training session. The following week with is Nike Half Marathon. The week after is the Dublin Marathon.

I'm as ready as I'm going to be.

Choose Your Own Adventure

I finally filled out my recommitment form today. For Team in Training participants recommitment is the real decision to do the event. Before that, you've agreed to train. Now the commitment is financial. At recommit you're accepting responsiblity to raise the full amount of funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. If you don't meet your goal, you're agreeing to donate the remainder yourself. The official recommit date was Wednesday. I've been out of the office so I haven't had a printer to print the forms. Our Team in Training coordinator kindly agreed to bring me a set of recommit forms to today's training session.

For the past few weeks, I've been kicking around an idea. This session Team in Training participants are training for 1 of 2 events - either Nike Women's Marathon or the Dublin Marathon. I wanted to do both, but signed up for Nike since all my friends were doing it. But Dublin just called to me. For the last few months, it seems as though everyone I know has gone to Ireland for work or vacation.

About two weeks ago I asked Steve what he thought would happen if I did the half marathon at Nike (October 21) then the full marathon in Dublin (October 29). Other than the fact that I might get sore, he couldn't find a reason not to do it. I asked a few other people, and they didn't have a good reason either. I'm fit. I'm strong. I train consistently. In truth, everyone is sore after a marathon. Soreness is no reason to skip Dublin.

When I filled out my recommit forms, I was still massaging the Nike+Dublin idea in my head. That's the decision point - not the money, which I'm going to raise anyway - but the event. Selecting the Nike Half Marathon means I can go to Dublin too. It's hard for me to do half of anything, but two full marathons in 8 days is insanity. I stared at the form for a long while, and finally checked off the half marathon box.

That's the adventure I choose - 2 continents, 8 days, 39.3 miles.

Nike Women's Half Marathon and Dublin Marathon - Get Ready, Because Here I Come!

Training Logs - Nike Women's/Dublin/Silver Strand

November 4 - 10
Week's Goals:
- Cross-Train
- Rest for Silver Strand Half Marathon on 11/11.

Sunday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Monday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Tuesday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Wednesday
Goal - Join gym, Weight train
Actual - Join gym, Weight train

Thursday
Goal - Gravity class
Actual - Gravity class, 5 mile walk

Friday
Goal - Workout Assessment
Actual -

Saturday
Goal - Rest
Actual -

October 29-November 3
Recovery week

Monday
Dublin Marathon

Wednesday
8 mile hike, low intensity

October 22 - 28
Rest week for Dublin Marathon

October 15 - 21
Rest week for Nike Half Marathon

Sunday
Nike Half Marathon

October 7 - 14
Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Tuesday
Goal - 3 Miles easy
Actual - 3 Miles easy

Wednesday
Goal - 3 Miles easy
Actual - Rest

Thursday
Goal - 3 Miles easy
Actual - Stretch

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 8 Miles
Actual - 8 Miles


September 30 - October 6

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch, 3 Miles very easy

Monday
Goal - 3 Miles easy
Actual - 3 Miles

Tuesday
Goal - 3 Miles Intervals
Actual - Yoga cross-train

Wednesday
Goal - Swimming cross-train
Actual -

Thursday
Goal - Rest
Actual -

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual -

Saturday
Goal - 20 Miles
Actual -






September 23 - September 29

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 Miles
Actual - 3.5 Miles Hills,
Weights Upper Body

Tuesday
Goal - 3 Miles Intervals
Actual - 5 Miles Intervals

Wednesday
Goal - 4 Miles Aerobic
Actual - Rest

Thursday
Goal - 5 Miles Intervals
Actual - Rest

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 19 Miles
Actual - 18 Miles




September 16 - September 22

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 Miles
Actual - 3 Miles Hills

Tuesday
Goal - 5 Miles Intervals
Actual - 5 Miles Intervals

Wednesday
Goal - 4 Miles Aerobic
Actual - Cross Train

Thursday
Goal - 5 Miles Intervals
Actual - Rest

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 14 Miles
Actual - 14 Miles



September 9 - September 15

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch sort of

Monday
Goal - 5 miles
Actual - rest

Tuesday
Goal - rest
Actual - rest

Wednesday
Goal - Cross Train
Actual - Weights, Pilates

Thursday
Goal - 5 miles Intervals
Actual - rest

Friday
Goal - rest
Actual - rest

Saturday
Goal - 12 miles
Actual - 12 miles


September 2 - September 8

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - rest, Labor Day

Tuesday
Goal - 5 miles Intervals
Actual - 5 miles Intervals

Wednesday
Goal - Cross Train
Actual - Weights, Yoga

Thursday
Goal - 5 miles Cardio
Actual - 5 miles Cardio

Friday
Goal - rest
Actual - rest

Saturday
Goal - 18 miles
Actual - 18 miles

August 26 - September 1

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - 3 miles

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual - Rest

Wednesday
Goal - Swim
Actual - Swim

Thursday
Goal - 6 miles Intervals
Actual - Skip- Padres game

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 13 miles
Actual - 11.5 miles


August 26 - September 1

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - Rest

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual - Rest

Wednesday
Goal - Swim
Actual - Swim

Thursday
Goal - 6 miles Intervals
Actual - 5 miles

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Yoga

Saturday
Goal - 9 miles
Actual - 9.5 miles




August 19 -August 25

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - 5 hilly miles

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual - 3 miles

Wednesday
Goal - Goof-off
Actual - Rest

Thursday
Goal - 6 miles Intervals
Actual - 4 miles

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 15 miles
Actual - 15 miles


August 12 -August 18

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - 5 hilly miles

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual - 3 miles

Wednesday
Goal - Goof-off
Actual - Rest

Thursday
Goal - 6 miles Intervals
Actual - 4 miles

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 15 miles
Actual - 15 miles




August 5-August 11

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - rest

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual - 5 mles intervals

Wednesday
Goal - swimming
Actual - swimming

Thursday
Goal - 4 miles Intervals
Actual - 4 miles Intervals

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - Rest

Saturday
Goal - 8 miles backdown
Actual - 8 miles





July 29-Aug 4

Sunday
Goal - Stretch
Actual - Stretch

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - rest

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual -

Wednesday
Goal - Swimming
Actual - Swimming

Thursday
Goal - 6 miles Intervals
Actual -

Friday
Goal - Rest
Actual - rest

Saturday
Goal - 13 miles
Actual - 13 miles



July 22-28

Sunday
Goal - Cross Train
Actual - Yoga

Monday
Goal - 5 miles Hills
Actual - 5 miles Some Hills

Tuesday
Goal - 3 miles Easy
Actual - Cross Train

Wednesday
Goal - 5 miles 80-90%
Actual - Swimming - Yeah!

Thursday
Goal - 6 miles Intervals
Actual - 6 miles 10k pace

Friday
Goal - Rest Whee!
Actual -

Saturday
Goal - Iron Girl 10K
Actual - Iron Girl!

Starting One, Completing Another

Last Saturday, I started training for the Nike Women's 26.2. This is a whole new Team In Training experience - new coaches, new teammates, new training system. When I got to the training session, I found out that I was supposed to take some time off after the marathon. They said that the rule of thumb is 1 day/mile for endurance events. Who knew? Truth be told, I only went to training because we go out to breakfast after training and I really wanted some pancakes.

On Sunday we had our celebration for our TNT marathon and half marathon finishers. That was the final wrap up of the Spring TNT season. It was a great party, but it was sad to think that some of those people won't be part of the next training session. I'll miss seeing them every Saturday. Of course, it's hard to keep raising money so I suppose lots of people can't participate more than once or twice.

Run Together

Or in my case - Walk Together. Nike Women's Marathon, here I come.

Every time I see that logo, I start singing Come Together by the Beatles. But my brain is wired funny that way.

The new fund raising page is here.

Nike Women's Marathon - Run Like A Girl

Last week I officially signed up for Nike Women's Marathon. There was a very nice TNT Alumni cocktail reception hosted by Nike and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Actually I'm a pre-alum of TNT since I haven't finished my first event yet, but lets not pick nits.

I checked out the fund raising commitment and it's only $1500 even though it's a travel event. I knew it was a lot smaller amount as an alum, but I wasn't sure how much. That's cool.

It's a win/win. I love TNT and the cause is so near to my heart. Nike Women's, here I come.

Next!

Okay, I'm barely halfway through training for my first marathon. Yet, I've just signed on for my next marathon - The Nike Women's Marathon, October 21, 2007.

Here is why I couldn't resist -

• San Francisco. muah!
• There is a candy mile - an entire mile of the race is people giving out Ghirardelli chocolates. Candy!
• Pedicure stations.
• The finisher's medal is from Tiffany's and it's given out by San Francisco firemen wearing tuxedos.
• The entire event benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.