Changing My Approach to Training

My approach to training for the Oakland Marathon has changed. I joined Team In Training before I started my new job and at that time the schedule would have worked but now that I have a very long commute and don't get back home til close to 9:00pm every night, it just doesn't work. That's one excuse and I know it's an excuse but the fact is there...I haven't been going to the training or buddy runs.

I still am committed to doing the marathon and I am still committed to raising the money for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society with Team In Training but I'm going to have to find a way that works for me while I am finding my new routine.

While I haven't been running I have been doing other things that hopefully will get me where I need to be. The last time I went to a track work-out with Team In Training I felt completely out of shape because of how hard and fast my heart was pounding. That leads me to believe that I need some serious cardio training. I've always been very thin so I've never felt the need to exercise. Unfortunately, my heart is not in shape because of that. The last couple of weeks I've been going to dance cardio classes because if I'm going to work out it's going to have to be fun. Running is just not fun to me right now and neither is any other cardio machine at the gym. I've also gone to a couple of Qi-Gong/Tai Chi classes.

Tomorrow I am meeting with a personal trainer. I'm scheduled to meet with her once a week for the next five weeks. I need someone to push me because I don't have it in me to do it alone right now. When I start to feel uncomfortable running or on the elliptical I usually just stop and I feel lost when trying to do a routine on the machines.

I just got back from the gym and I did 3.11 on the elliptical machine.  It's a modest attempt at trying to get back into training but at least I did something. I had gone intending to run on the treadmill but they were all taken.

I know that I am very far behind in my training if I'm trying to run the entire 26.2 miles but the goal I originally set is to finish the marathon and to do it to support my dad. I may be completely insane to think this but on that day I know I will have the determination to cross the finish line with my dad and I feel like I will be able to do it even at the rate I'm going now. I think I'll walk the uphills and walk/jog the rest. I am going to step up my training and the personal trainer and the cardio classes is my way of doing that for now. If anyone out there thinks my theory isn't making sense...please let me know, I'm open to suggestions. I have 67 days to go.

Exceed All Expectations

Today was Kickoff Day for Team In Training!!!

We met at UC Berkeley (Go Bears!) for the official start of the season and we got a lot of good info, including our workout schedules.  We also heard from some honorees and their stories were very inspiring.  I know my dad will be proud of me no matter what distance I run for him but now that I have decided to run with Team In Training I have a lot of people counting on me.  I owe it to my team, my chapter, our honorees, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to do my very best at raising funds to continue to improve and save lives.

Our schedule didn't have us set to run until tomorrow but the stories I heard today inspired me to start today.  I went to the gym and I ran 1mi. in 12min 53sec. and then I biked for 1mi.  Mama Lisa said we shouldn't do more than what is in the schedule, especially if we are new to running but I thought 1mi. wouldn't be so bad.  As I ran I saw a large sign on the wall that said, "Exceed All Expectations".  I really liked that and decided that was going to be my motto.  That is a motto not just for my training, but a motto that's good to live by in all areas of my life.  I'm starting a new job on Monday where expectations will be high but I'm confident that I can even exceed expectations there.

This little trial run I did tonight was a good lesson for me.  I forgot to bring the sensor for my ipod Nano so that I could use Nike+.  I need to be sure to remember that for now on.  I also am thinking that when I run outdoors I'm not going to have to wear a ton of clothes because my temperature definitely did rise and that would have been uncomfortable if I hadn't been able to remove my shirt (I ran in my sports bra but it covered everything).  My music was also a little boring.  I think I might try listening to an audio book and see if that's any better.

The schedule tomorrow says:
Easy Run (20-30 min.)
OR
Cross Train
Stretch 15-20 min.

I'll do the 20-30 min. run tomorrow but I don't think I'm at the point yet where I'd call that "easy".  Right now, that's kind of my max.

An estimated 110,960 new cases of blood cancers will be diagnosed nationwide this year alone; some 55,100 patients will die.  Please consider sponsoring me by donating to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on my Team In Training webpage.   Become part of the cure!

http://pages.teamintraining.org/sf/Oakland10/sharton

Thank you!

Not Looking Good for Dad

I received the following email today from my dad:

Good Morning Sarah,

    I know you don't want to hear it, but there will be no daily log. My depression is much stronger than I am. I'm tired of all these dreams I have only to lose out to the depression. I know that I will never be able to move out of this area and will never be able to focus on my health. Everytime I get a good start, something happens and I sink back into a deep depression. I seriously cannot handle anymore setbacks or failures. For now I am working on getting my weight down and maybe get some jogging in. I'm not going to think about the pressures of the spring marathons. If it happens, great. If not, it is just another failure and I will except it. For now it is day to day, crappy weather and no future in sight. Hope you can understand and not get on my case about it. There is nothing that can be done.

    I had to let you know why you are not getting a daily log. Sorry I started your day off with negative news.

    Love you,

       Dad

I'm going to call him and tell him that I love him.  It sounds like he's very down right now and like he said, there's nothing that can be done.  That's how his depression is.  I don't think there's anything anyone could say right now to make him feel any better.  At least his note didn't sound completely hopeless though.  He did make it seem like the marathon may still happen.

Originally I had said that if it got to a point where I felt my dad was giving up on running the Oakland Marathon that I would tell him that I am planning on running it with him as a way to maybe motivate him to keep trying.  I don't think this is the time though, it's too early.

I met with my Team In Training mentor today to talk about my fundraising plan and answer any questions I have about that or training.  We have our kickoff event this coming Saturday.  That will be the official start to my training and I'm really looking forward to that.

I am really determined to make this work.  I know my dad has a lot of regrets in life and there are things that he wants to do now that he's not able to because of his depression.  I do not have any diseases or illnesses that would prevent me from doing this so I want to do it for us both.  Hopefully we will be at the start line together on March 28, 2010 with our numbers on ready to run 26.2 miles.  

Thank you for reading this...you are part of my journey.  And thank you so much to those of you that have been emailing me and/or posting your comments in support of what I'm doing.  I really appreciate it.

Dad Joining Blog But He Doesn't Know

Earlier today my dad and I were talking and he mentioned someone he met that might be able to help him train smarter.  I asked him if he had ever heard of Team In Training.  First he said he thought that was just around in my area (California).  Then he said that if it's by him it would be in Chicago (he's in the suburbs) and he's not going to Chicago.  While I continued to talk to him about it I got on the site and found a nearby chapter for him with an upcoming informational meeting.  (Of course I found one!) And then he said that the program is designed for people just starting out.  I told him that it's for all levels of athletes and he could tell him that his goal is to decrease his time and they would work with him for that.  I said he'd just have to raise money for the charity.  That would be an obstacle with his condition, even more so.  The direct response was, "I'd like to raise money to pay my bills." (Wouldn't we all?) I didn't go there though, just encouraged him to at least check out the information meeting.

Well, he just called me again and he said that if I'm really interested in his training (I asked him to mail me his first running log from 1989) then he could send me an email every day with an update on his progress.  I told him that he could do that or he could start a blog and share it with the world and get feedback and make connections.  He told me that he didn't think anyone would be interested.  I do though.  I think he's fascinating and I know there are others like him that could relate to him and his struggle.   If he does this comeback I know his mental state will improve to some degree and hopefully he could be an inspiration to others. 

Since he doesn't want to give blogging a try I asked him if I could have free rights to publish anything online that he emails me.  I told him to put parentheses around anything that is private but I made sure other than that, would it be okay for me to use it and he agreed.

He said those emails will start tomorrow so starting tomorrow this blog will have two authors but one of them won't know.  After the marathon I will share this blog with him but until then, it's just between us....my readers to be and me.

My Motivation to Run a Marathon

My dad is currently training to run the Oakland Marathon on March 28, 2010.  He used to run marathons and other running events but he suffers from chronic depression so that amongst other things has prevented him from a lot of his potential.  We talk on the phone a lot and I try to help encourage and motivate him when he gets good ideas like this but when he's low, he's very low and the periods of high don't last long enough.  I'm hoping that he will stick through his training and complete the marathon.  I remember once before, years back that we were talking and I had gotten the idea that after he dies I would run a marathon to honor him.  I don't know how but at the time it seemed appropriate for me to share that idea with him.  He told me that if I was really serious then he'd rather me just do it while he's alive.  Makes sense.  Well, I think now is the perfect time for me to do this for him.

Instead of telling him now and getting his hopes up, I've decided to make it a surprise.  I know he'll be thrilled and I love to surprise people.  I'm not sure how training is going to go.  Maybe I'll have to switch it to just doing the half marathon.  I don't think I've mentioned this yet...my dad is the only runner in the family so this is a huge challenge for me.  I don't know how his training is going to go either.  He's in Chicago and winters are rough, much harder to train there than here in the Bay Area.  If it gets to a point where he is talking about giving up and I think I'm still on track to being able to do it then I will tell him that I've been training and hopefully that will be enough motivation for him to continue.

Goal: Going from 0mi to 26.2mi.
Oakland Marathon, March 28, 2010 with my dad

I registered for Team In Training yesterday and started training today and did 1.99 miles. Check back soon for more on that next time.