2.75 miles (48:42, 18:05 average minute per mile)
3.04 miles (45:10, 14:51 average minute per mile)
3.00 miles (50:00, 16:44 average minute per mile)
Mark
October 10, 2011
TRAINING UPDATE
Made it through another week last week. It was a harder week, with Amanda gone for work all week. I am always amazed by how much energy Rowan has. I wear out long before she does, but we make a good team. I pushed hard on one of the days to see if I could do a 15 minute mile pace and paid for it the rest of the day and was quite sore. It is possible though! I ended up skipping this past weekend's walk due to pure fatigue and my symptoms were not cooperating. Big week ahead with our re-commitment date for Team Challenge. Here are the latest trainings:
2.75 miles (48:42, 18:05 average minute per mile)
3.04 miles (45:10, 14:51 average minute per mile)
3.00 miles (50:00, 16:44 average minute per mile)
Mark
2.75 miles (48:42, 18:05 average minute per mile)
3.04 miles (45:10, 14:51 average minute per mile)
3.00 miles (50:00, 16:44 average minute per mile)
Mark
October 9, 2011
Nobody Said It Was Easy
So, turns out that training while traveling for work isn't as easy as I thought it would be. Before I left last week, I had a spotless training track record. Hadn't missed a day or a mileage milestone. Naively, I thought it would be easy to keep up -- hotels have gyms, after all!
Two things I hadn't planned on: loooong meeting days and crowded hotel gym.
I was to walk 3 miles on both Tuesday and Thursday last week. I flew to New Jersey on Monday evening, the long flight in an itty-bitty Folger's can of of an airplane setting the stage for the rest of the week. Tuesday morning, I was to be at the conference room at 9am, so I headed to the hotel gym at 7am...and found that all 3 treadmills were already snagged.
Instead of finding somewhere else to walk, I got on the stationary bike for about 20 minutes, waiting. By the time one machine became free, I only had time for 1 mile before I had to go get ready for my meeting. *wrinkles nose in frustration*
Two 12-hour + days later, it's Thursday and the same thing happens. This time, I was too tired to wait, and considered completely blowing it off. But in the back of my mind, I knew that would be a mistake. And somehow "they" would know! So, I completed what turned out to be only a 9 hour day, and walked 3 miles (which ended up to be 16 laps) around the hotel's massive parking lot. I didn't know my way around Iselin, NJ, and was nervous about getting lost.
Yay me, right?
Well, hit the weekend and I'm beat. Tired. Done. Kapute. I got home Friday afternoon, ended up working late Friday night, spent Saturday 'catching up' with the fam and planned to walk our scheduled 6 miles today (Sunday), but...57 million errands and one munchkin meltdown later it's 8pm and no walk.
This is the first weekend training amount I've missed. I'm a bit frustrated with myself. I mean, I'm sure missing one isn't going to be the end of the world, but it's worrisome. I am worried about having enough 'oompf' to finish this thing. I need to get my rear back in gear.
This week is supposed to be 2 miles on Tues/2 miles on Thurs/4 miles on Sat, but I'm going to amp it up and do 4/4/4 (at least). It won't make up for the missing 6 miles, but it'll still be pushing myself a bit further. Saturday is our "re-commit" date where we say that no matter what, regardless of fundraising efforts, we will contribute $7,200 to CCFA. It's then that this is all very, very real.
I leave again on Sunday for 3 days, am home for 2, and leave again on Friday for 4 days. During that last 4 day stretch, we're supposed to walk 8 miles. I am going to have to reconfigure the training calendar and try to wedge that 8 mile walk in on Thursday before I leave. Oy.
October is going to be a tough, tough month for me to stay on track with the training schedule. I'm going to have to buckle down in November if I'm going to get through this.
-- Amanda
Two things I hadn't planned on: loooong meeting days and crowded hotel gym.
I was to walk 3 miles on both Tuesday and Thursday last week. I flew to New Jersey on Monday evening, the long flight in an itty-bitty Folger's can of of an airplane setting the stage for the rest of the week. Tuesday morning, I was to be at the conference room at 9am, so I headed to the hotel gym at 7am...and found that all 3 treadmills were already snagged.
Instead of finding somewhere else to walk, I got on the stationary bike for about 20 minutes, waiting. By the time one machine became free, I only had time for 1 mile before I had to go get ready for my meeting. *wrinkles nose in frustration*
Two 12-hour + days later, it's Thursday and the same thing happens. This time, I was too tired to wait, and considered completely blowing it off. But in the back of my mind, I knew that would be a mistake. And somehow "they" would know! So, I completed what turned out to be only a 9 hour day, and walked 3 miles (which ended up to be 16 laps) around the hotel's massive parking lot. I didn't know my way around Iselin, NJ, and was nervous about getting lost.
Yay me, right?
Well, hit the weekend and I'm beat. Tired. Done. Kapute. I got home Friday afternoon, ended up working late Friday night, spent Saturday 'catching up' with the fam and planned to walk our scheduled 6 miles today (Sunday), but...57 million errands and one munchkin meltdown later it's 8pm and no walk.
This is the first weekend training amount I've missed. I'm a bit frustrated with myself. I mean, I'm sure missing one isn't going to be the end of the world, but it's worrisome. I am worried about having enough 'oompf' to finish this thing. I need to get my rear back in gear.
This week is supposed to be 2 miles on Tues/2 miles on Thurs/4 miles on Sat, but I'm going to amp it up and do 4/4/4 (at least). It won't make up for the missing 6 miles, but it'll still be pushing myself a bit further. Saturday is our "re-commit" date where we say that no matter what, regardless of fundraising efforts, we will contribute $7,200 to CCFA. It's then that this is all very, very real.
I leave again on Sunday for 3 days, am home for 2, and leave again on Friday for 4 days. During that last 4 day stretch, we're supposed to walk 8 miles. I am going to have to reconfigure the training calendar and try to wedge that 8 mile walk in on Thursday before I leave. Oy.
October is going to be a tough, tough month for me to stay on track with the training schedule. I'm going to have to buckle down in November if I'm going to get through this.
-- Amanda
September 30, 2011
GETTING IN A GROVE
This week's walks called from 3 miles each, which I have to say after doing 6 miles on the weekend, makes it seem like no big deal. It was the first week since training started that I did not have a lot of pain during and after from my abscesses. I am thrilled by that. Hopefully now I can get into a good groove of health for awhile and be able to train normally. The weather has been wonderful, I love the the fall, which makes it much easier to walk outside in the beautiful weather. Here are the results from the two walks.
2.94 miles (49:35, 16:52 average min/mile)
2.96 miles (51:22, 17:20 average min/mile)
October is shaping up to be a good month, I cannot tell you how good that feels to have that outlook. The past three months have been so hard with all of the complications and setbacks. It just makes what I am doing all the more important. I can do this. This weekend we are scheduled to do another 3 mile walk. I will have to see if I can come up with a new route, as it will be a family affair with Amanda, Rowan and I.
Mark
2.94 miles (49:35, 16:52 average min/mile)
2.96 miles (51:22, 17:20 average min/mile)
October is shaping up to be a good month, I cannot tell you how good that feels to have that outlook. The past three months have been so hard with all of the complications and setbacks. It just makes what I am doing all the more important. I can do this. This weekend we are scheduled to do another 3 mile walk. I will have to see if I can come up with a new route, as it will be a family affair with Amanda, Rowan and I.
Mark
September 27, 2011
FUNDRAISING UPDATE - THANK YOU!!!!!!!
Just
I said something today that I never thought I'd hear myself say: "I just have to walk 3 miles this morning."
Last week it was more like, "Somehow I have to get 2 miles in before my first meeting." But after that 6 mile hike on Saturday? The word 'just' slipped in. Quiet, subtle, practically unnoticed.
What's more? When I got back to the car after finishing the 3 miles, I wasn't even winded. Now, granted it took me an hour to finish, so I have to step up the pace if I'm to finish within the allotted time. But right now, I'm feeling a smidge of accomplishment.
I need to find a new way to stretch, too. Because for the first mile? My shins ache. Like whimper with every step, want to sit down on the sidewalk and call for a ride home ache. A work colleague suggested that I extend one leg and slowly spell out the entire alphabet in the air with my foot to work out those muscles. I tried that while on a conference call earlier -- lemme tell you, 26 letters is a lot when your muscles are already weary. But I can see how it would help stretch out and strengthen those muscles.
I think I may just start out slow. After the first mile, my legs feel warm and I can walk faster. Everyone will leave me in the dust at the start of the marathon, I know it. But maybe the old Tortoise and the Hare parable will work in my favor....
This week's training schedule is 'just' (see, there it is again) 3 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Coming up in a couple weeks, though, we have an 8 mile walk. We'll need to start thinking of paths that won't take us too far away from civilization, for these longer walks. When we walk together, we have to think about things like distance from bathroom to bathroom, what to eat before the walk (not just for energy), how much to drink, all of that. When I'm alone, I can forget about that. My speed and endurance are all I have to concentrate on.
Well, that and how much my legs hurt.
But Mark can never forget. And oddly, that keeps me in check. Keeps me remembering. Keeps me thinking that for me it's 'just' sore muscles. It's 'just' fatigue. It's 'just' for now. When the walk is done, I can recover. But his Crohn's is never going away. And so, I'll whimper for a little while, but then keep walking.
-- Amanda
Last week it was more like, "Somehow I have to get 2 miles in before my first meeting." But after that 6 mile hike on Saturday? The word 'just' slipped in. Quiet, subtle, practically unnoticed.
What's more? When I got back to the car after finishing the 3 miles, I wasn't even winded. Now, granted it took me an hour to finish, so I have to step up the pace if I'm to finish within the allotted time. But right now, I'm feeling a smidge of accomplishment.
I need to find a new way to stretch, too. Because for the first mile? My shins ache. Like whimper with every step, want to sit down on the sidewalk and call for a ride home ache. A work colleague suggested that I extend one leg and slowly spell out the entire alphabet in the air with my foot to work out those muscles. I tried that while on a conference call earlier -- lemme tell you, 26 letters is a lot when your muscles are already weary. But I can see how it would help stretch out and strengthen those muscles.
I think I may just start out slow. After the first mile, my legs feel warm and I can walk faster. Everyone will leave me in the dust at the start of the marathon, I know it. But maybe the old Tortoise and the Hare parable will work in my favor....
This week's training schedule is 'just' (see, there it is again) 3 miles on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. Coming up in a couple weeks, though, we have an 8 mile walk. We'll need to start thinking of paths that won't take us too far away from civilization, for these longer walks. When we walk together, we have to think about things like distance from bathroom to bathroom, what to eat before the walk (not just for energy), how much to drink, all of that. When I'm alone, I can forget about that. My speed and endurance are all I have to concentrate on.
Well, that and how much my legs hurt.
But Mark can never forget. And oddly, that keeps me in check. Keeps me remembering. Keeps me thinking that for me it's 'just' sore muscles. It's 'just' fatigue. It's 'just' for now. When the walk is done, I can recover. But his Crohn's is never going away. And so, I'll whimper for a little while, but then keep walking.
-- Amanda
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