Phase I - Week Ten
07/30/07 - 08/05/07
Week Total: 17.5 miles
Even though I am a very positive person, I surrounded this week with negative things.
Prior week with 16 miles ended badly. I was poisoned with an overdose of something I prefer not to mention. So this week started slow, and I did not feel well throughout. In top of that I had a bunch of No this, No that.
1) No husband: I came back to Washington to be separated again from my adorable husband who knows till when.
2) No short drives to work. I had to go back to the routine of driving 60 miles/1.5-2hrs a day to do the route home-work-home.
3) No water. I realized that during this week I drank only 4 glasses of water, 1 glass of milk, and 5 cups of coffee.
4) No food. I also realized that I had lost my appetite with the consequence of daily headaches. In top of that I realized that I have 9 more pounds that when I was 9-month pregnant with my Alejandra. This was a shocking revelation. So, I would like to have... 26 pounds less?.
5) No motivation of continuing running around Lake Serene, as the lap is too short. Having to run at least 4 miles per training day, I cannot see myself running lap after lap after lap.
6) No speed. Ok, I don't plan to do time but finishing, however I feel terrible slow. If I keep running slow, I would master running slow.
I could not fix #1 and #2 for the moment, so I put that in my pipe and smoked it.
#3 & #4 were residues obviously of my poison situation. I did not want to ingest anything. I attacked the issues forcing myself to have a bottle of water per hour and a yogurt or fruit every 2 hours. In regards my weight, I recognize that I am still thin and a lean person. However "the inexplicable weight gain" (READ: aging, perimenopause, GETTING OLD) is just killing me. I normally eat well, maybe around 1500-1700 cals a day, a lot of carbs, very little fat and my proteins. Eating less I cannot do. That would be unhealthy, so I would bear with the weight... Would I? I still want to get rid of 26 lbs.
For #5, I went during the weekend to Green Lake & Alki Beach. The former is one of the "Seattle’s most beloved parks". With a running trail of 2.8 miles, it changes its character throughout the course. Alki is one of my favorite spots in Seattle. Also with a 2.8 miles trail, the run by the beach is accompanied by the sea-salt smell, the view of the sound with ships, boats, and sailboats, and the beauty of Seattle skyline.
For #6, even though I ran on Saturday about 3 minutes faster for a particular distance, Sunday was again slow... Something to think about it. Still 16 weeks to go
Nice Green Lake Aerial Picture from a Seattle guy studying at Ohio State.
http://blogs.salon.com/0001970/categories/allThingsBuckeye/
Phase I - Week Nine
07/23/07 - 07/29/07
Week Total: 16.3 miles
About 30 years ago, I read the book "The Loneliness of the Long Distance Runner", by Alan Sillitoe. I remember my fascination when the protagonist got lost in his thoughts during his solitary runs.
This week I knew that I was ready for more, and wanted to start running a little bit longer. By no means my actual runs are considered long runs, but I needed a process to jump from 7 miles done last week to 16 miles required for next week.
On Saturday, when I hit the beach, with its delicious salty smell and the smooth ocean waves sound, I started to "write" in my mind, my running memoirs. I got totally lost in my thoughts and without noticing, I had past all my landmarks, turned around, and got back to my point of origin to complete 4 miles. On Sunday, I ran 5.8 miles, and beyond my expectations, I completed successfully over 16 miles for the week.
Certainly, Long Beach and running on its shore made a difference, but the big driver was the ability of applying the art of abstraction and reaching the loneliness of the long-distance runner.
Week 9 - Mileage: Tue: 2.5 / Wed: 2.2 / Thu: 1.8 / Sat: 4.0 / Sun: 5.8
Lessons Learned:
1) Abstract yourself. Write a story long enough to forget that you are even running. But, be aware: you don't want to be "abstracted' in a busy street or unsafe place.
2) Keep pushing.
Phase I - Week Eight
07/16/07 - 07/22/07
Week Total: 7 miles
I was born and grew up between the mountains and the sea. Always wondered which of the two I liked more, as if was needed to make a decision. But my structured mind required that decision.
When I hiked (that happened to be daily), the cozy roof made of dense vegetation, under the dew on the leaves, the smell of the plants and the wet soil made me say: "Yes, the mountains are my favorite." But when I went to the beach, I died for being hours laid down on the sand, swimming & playing with the waves, and having dinner at the marinas enjoying the warm sea breeze. Then I said: "No, the mountains aren't. The sea is my favorite. I am as restless as the ocean is."
I was leaving with that incongruent situation for almost 30 years. But one day being at Naiguata, the highest summit (9,069 ft / 2,765 m) of the Venezuelan Coastal Range which run east and west along the coast of the Caribbean Sea, I had the fortune to see over my left shoulder down below, the magnificent city of 6 million, and over my right shoulder, the ocean. That moment was unique, and it was recorded forever in my life. The question of favoritism ended, and I understood that I loved both the same.
This running week happened between the mountains and the sea. The first part of the week was in my home state (Washington), running by the woods, among tall trees, dense vegetation, and enjoying the smell of wet soil and plants. The end of the week occurred in my second home, in Long Beach, CA: running by the beach very early in the morning, enjoying the ocean mist and the salt sea smell.
Could I ask for more?
Long Beach Running Trail
Week 8 - 2 days: 19r + 1 day: 24r + 1 day: 28r
Lessons Learned:
1) I got to the point that I can run beyond what the plan has established, without compromising anything (Plan this week was 15r but I started with 19r and ended with 28r)
2) Wear your running shoes for walking if you need to.
My Asics Gel Kayano 13 have helped me A LOT with my severe overpronation (especially my left foot, see Phase I-Week 2). I worn yesterday my Saucony just to walk downtown Long Beach. My left ankle was in constant pain. I woke up the following day with the pain. I was concerned. Laced my Asics up, went running, and NO PAIN. Conclusion: The Asics support my ankles in a way that other shoes don't.
