Side tracked by cold from hell

So, it has been a while since I have blogged or run due to a very annoying cough/chest cold. I am hopefully finally "on the mend" and looking forward to running this Saturday with the team.

We are getting so close to race day!!! I am looking forward to hugging some Disney characters again and just soaking up the energy and fun that is Disney World.

On another note, Molly is growing like a weed and is 6 months now. I have definitely had a hectic few months getting used to life with a puppy. We are looking forward to going down to North Carolina next week for 12 days and spending time with my rents and Mattie (their 6 month old black lab/australian shepard). Should be fun!

Turkey Trot and 12 miler!

I had a big running week last week. I did my second Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. The weather was about the same...cold and threatening to rain. The rain held off for the run which was good! I wanted to break one hour (12/min miles). I felt pretty sore in the beginning...shins were not happy. The spectators were great. The kids yelling "Happy Thanksgiving" were precious. At around mile 4, I wanted to see if I could pick it up and not stop to walk. I think I ran the last mile in about a 10:30 pace. As I came into the finish, I knew it was pretty close to 1 hour. I finished at 1:00.30. That is ok by me!

On Saturday, we had our 12 miler. I had never done more than 9 miles in training last year. I had done 10 miles a few weeks ago, so was not too nervous about the 12 miler. I wasn't feeling that great (cold) and the weather was not good...windy, in the 30's. I said to myself...just see how you feel and you can always turn around and come in early. It was a 6 miles out and 6 miles back run. For the first few miles, my knee was not feeling good and it was a concern...wasn't sure if it would hold up for the entire run. I pushed through it and before I knew it I was at the halfway point. One of the TNT coaches, Rich, came up to me on his bike and biked with me for about 1.5 miles. That was very helpful as it took my mind off of the run and we just chatted. The last 3 miles were rough, but I was able to get through using a 3 min run/2 min walk ratio. Felt very proud of myself at the end!

We have 8 miles this Saturday. No problem! :)

2 x 8 milers and back pain

It has been a bit since I have updated my blog. Sorry! I ran 8.5 miles by myself Sunday 11/7(couldn't do the group training b/c I was managing one of the water stops). Felt pretty good. I have to admit that running with my ipod makes the miles go by much quicker! I ran 8 miles this past Saturday in Rock Creek Park. It was BEAUTIFUL. I have to say that 8 miles is becoming "no big deal" for me...never thought I would say that!

I got a massage and facial on Sunday and told the masseuse that my lower back was a little bit sore, I have a history of throwing it out, etc. During the actual massage, it was sore and I could feel it tightening up as she was loosening other muscles in my upper back and legs. By 5:00 that night, my back was a mess. I didn't technically throw it out again, but it is not in good shape. I am really, really frustrated!!! I hate having back issues. I don't think the running hurts it, but I also know that I can't run 10 miles this weekend and not expect to have some pain. I will see how it progresses and make a "game time decision" on Saturday am. I have 6+ weeks until the half marathon, so I am not too worried. I just need to be smart and take care of my back.

I am hitting the final stretch in my fundraising. I need about $900 more to hit my goal of $3,000.

Running 10 miles with wings is harder than it sounds

So, last Saturday's training was the "Halloween" themed training and we were encouraged to dress up and run in some form of costume. As a mentor, I felt the need to put in some sort of effort. I figured I could be some sort of fairy so I looked online for some fairy wings and a tutu.

This is the result:

I am proud to say that I won the halloween costume contest and got $50 towards my fundraising. Making a fool of yourself for a good cause is always a good thing :)

I started off the 10 miler with the wings on. I didn't really notice them for the first mile or so. After a bit, I good feel the one wing folding over onto the other one creating a not so aerodynamic aspect to my running. I did get a lot of looks, smiles, snickers along the trail. I am happy I was able to entertain everyone. The tutu was really classy with the water belt. Nice look, let me tell you! At around mile 4, I had to take the wings off. I was struggling. I knew I had 6 more miles and I was not feeling good. I ended up walking more than my normal 4:1 ratio and that helped. (probably ended up doing a 2.5/2.5 ratio for a solid 4 miles) At the water stop at mile 7, I gave myself a good old pep talk and said "you can do this". I did it. My first 10 miler. That is the most I have run since I ran the 13.1 miles last year at Disney!

I was pretty sore the rest of the day and on Sunday. I was actually worthless as far as productivity. Running KILLS me, but I do enjoy the feeling of accomplishing a goal!

11 miles this weekend!

An Autumnal 8 miles

Wow. What a beautiful day to run it was last Saturday. We ran in Rock Creek Park in DC. We started out at Pierce Mill and went North towards Maryland. It was a bit chilly, but we warmed up quickly! I was so happy about the views along the run...beautiful changing leaves, the sounds of the creek burbling, birds chirping. Here is what the majority of my views looked like:

There were the occasional "bee swarming" aka cyclist groups that whizzed by you making it a bit adventourous :) We also had to run up a killer hill at the turnaround point at 4 miles. But, what goes up, must go down!

We have 10 miles this weekend. I am a little concerned b/c my achilles tendon is sore (both legs). I think it is from my new shoes (grr!), but I am stretching and icing and will see how it feels on my 3.5 miler tonight.

New kicks make me happy!

Why is it that the purchase of new shoes, new gear, etc. make you so happy? Last night I picked up my new running shoes. I went with the Nike Lunar Eclipse...they are VERY soft/cushiony and I am super excited b/c they aren't men's shoes (b/c I am a size 11, I usually get stuck with ugly men's shoes!). Here is a cool pic of the construction of the shoe:

I am debating trying them out this Saturday for our 8 miler or waiting for a shorter distance. Such a dilemma :)

I had two great training runs this week. Tuesday night was with Katie (my fellow TNTer) along my "fav" route (http://danifrot.blogspot.com/2010/09/my-favorite-route.html) and Thursday night was from OAI in Georgetown through Rock Creek Parkway for 3.5 miles at a 11:50 pace (very fast for me!). Feeling good about my running progress thus far!

Last but not least, I am almost to $2,000 in my fundraising. Thank you to my rockstar friends and families. I so appreciate your support (financially and emotionally).

Just keep running...

...It has been a difficult week to stay motivated on running. The weather earlier on in the week had been cold and rainy. Blah! I actually got a mani/pedi on Tuesday evening instead of running (sorry, coaches, a girl has to do what a girl has to do :) I did make it out on Thursday night for a nice 3.3 miles along Rock Creek Parkway. That is such a great trail. I am so lucky to work and live so close to so many awesome trails...it is almost a sin not to run on them!

We had 5 miles this past Saturday. BUT, the coaches gave us "bonus miles" by having us do about 5.6 miles. I was not very happy about it when I started my run, but survived and felt pretty good afterwards.

I went for a swim on Sunday for my cool down workout. Felt great! I also went for a LONG walk in the woods with Molly. She loves it in there. I am really enjoying watching her grow up and get more and more confident in the woods. She is pretty good about coming back when I call her name...but, I know I need to ensure that she understands the "recall" command.

We have 8 miles this Saturday. I am hopeful that I am in a better "running mood" this week.

Eight miles!

I ran 8 miles this past Saturday and was pleasantly surprised that 1) it wasn't too painful and 2) I was able to do it with a 4:1 run:walk ratio. We ran on the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda. When I first moved to DC and was crashing on Pam's couch in Bethesda, I used to walk/bike along this portion of the trail. It goes all the way down to Georgetown. It is beautiful....here are some views from my run:
We ran downhill the first half and then uphill for the last 3 miles. Ugh! That last mile was p-a-i-n-f-u-l! I averaged about 12:30 miles which is pretty good for me. We have 5 miles this Saturday (yay!).

I am above 50% of my fundraising goal!!! Thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone who is supporting me. It means a lot and helps me get through these long runs!

A great 7 miles!

It is always a good thing when you surprise yourself. I went into this past Saturday's run with a little trepidation. 7 miles felt really long. I had some concerns. But, as I have done before and as my shirt told me to do, I "just did it".

We started off at Roosevelt Island off of the GW Parkway in Arlington, VA. We headed south on the Mt. Vernon Trail. The views were amazing:

I ran a little bit faster than my normal pace and it felt fine. I did the 7 miles in 1:29/12:40 miles. That is doing a 3:1 ratio. I might go up to 4:1 next week for our 8 miler. (yikes!)

I never in a million years thought I would run this far repeatedly. I had always been a "non-runner". I think that is what makes doing it so fun...I prove myself wrong every time I do more mileage. It is definitely a great confidence booster!

I am almost to 50% of my fundraising goal...just need $160 more! My friends and family ROCK!

Molly says donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!

I have the cutest puppy ever! We stopped by some of my teammate's bake sale today. I put my running singlet from last year on Molly. She is a trooper. I promise, I won't be one of those dog owners that dresses up my dog in outfits (ok, I do plan on putting bandanas on Molly when she is older, b/c labs look so cute with bandanas on!). This was for a good cause :)

We ran 6 miles yesterday on the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda. I was worried I wouldn't be able to run due to my knees and my back. But, I tried it out telling myself I could stop and walk at anytime...next thing I knew, I had done the 6 miles. Very proud of myself!

These knees were not made for running

I was reminded all too quickly, how my body (particularly my knees) does not like running. Ever since I was a teenager, running has not been my friend. When I was a swimmer and we had to run for our dryland work, I was always the one doing endless sit-ups on the side of the track. The doctors said I had bursitis, patellar tendenitis, arthritis, and many other things. All I knew was it hurt when I ran.

I joined Team in Training last year b/c I wanted to try something new and have a goal to train for. While running last year, I spent much time after each long run icing my knees. It was all worth it when I went to Disney and actually experienced the race.

So, I am doing it again... but, not without the pain. Last night I ran 3 miles and the previous night I had ran 3 miles. Nothing too fast, just easy pace. I woke up in such pain last night and had to ice my knees several more times to calm them down. I need to explore other options to alleviate the pain whether it is new shoes, inserts, knee sleeves, stretches, physical therapy, etc.

We have 6 miles this Saturday...wish me luck!

4 miles and reminder of why I am doing this

This past Saturday we had a "drop back" day, i.e. went back to 4 miles vs. going up to 6 miles. My body appreciates this! The run started off pretty rough...my shins were not happy. About 1.5 miles into it, I also got some sharp pain in my left big toe...it eventually went away, but I know I need to address it. Maybe new shoes, definitely new stretches, etc.

After our run we had our honored teammate picnic. We had yummy bagels, donuts, fruit, and coffee and were able to hear from our honored teammate, John Draper, about his successes in battling blood cancers and his views on life, running, etc. He is truly an inspiration. I am also really heartened by the fact that the research that LLS is doing not only helps blood cancer patients, but many other diseases like Alzheimer's, breast cancer, among others.

I am supposed to do hill repeats tonight...positive attitude...I will do it!

Molly Update

I feel like Molly is going to be a big equation in my Team in Training efforts this year. She effects my training (i.e. "puppy mom exhaustion"), my fundraising (i.e. "puppy mom exhaustion") and my overall mentality (i.e. "puppy mom exhaustion")

She is growing like a weed! I am still getting used to being a dog mom. Being a cat mom is much easier! For all of the exhaustion and bleeding on the arms, how can I not love my puppy when she looks like this?!

My favorite route

Ahh...there is nothing better than running along your most favorite route. Here are a few images to show you how beautiful it can be to run in Washington, DC: The Georgetown Waterfront boardwalk


Key Bridge and Potomac River


The statues on the Memorial Bridge...one of my favorite images of DC!


2.5 miles in about 35 minutes. Felt pretty good. My body is slowly adjusting to running again. I am starting to feel my age...I know, I know. I am not that old :) It is just interesting when you have been an athlete the majority of your life, you start noticing when you don't have that same stamina.

I am looking forward to making this run my "Tuesday run".

5 miles in Old Town

We had a group run on Saturday starting out in downtown Old Town Alexandria and then along the Mt. Vernon Trail along the Potomac River. My body is not exactly "on board" with the increasing mileage, but I survived my run using the 3:1 run/walk ratio. We started out along the streets of Old Town with views like this:


The uneven cobblestones were a bit tricky for a clutz like me, but I survived :)

We then made it down to the river and took a left onto the Mt. Vernon Trail. The views were great...we even saw a very big frog along the way! This is what I saw for mile 1.5 through mile 3.5:

I ended up walking the last 1/3 mile due to the fact that 1) it was all uphill and 2) my knees were not happy campers. I went home and iced for a bit and then went to a brunch where I chowed down. I am still pretty sore today. I need to stretch a lot these next few days. As much as I don't like the pain that I feel from running, I also don't like cancer, so I run!

I am 33% to my fundraising goal...woo-hoo!

25% of fundraising goal!

Thanks to Emilie Manhart for pushing me over and above 25% of my fundraising goal!

I am hoping to get out tonight for a nice 2 to 2.5 mile run. This weather is PERFECT for running. We have 5 miles this Saturday in Old Town Alexandria. I think I will be sticking with the 3:1 run/walk ratio. I had a great 3 mile run on Monday on the Capital Crescent Trail in Bethesda.

In other news, my puppy has doubled her size in 3 weeks! 12.5 pounds. She checked out great at the vet (thank you Dr. Britty!).

Beautiful 4 miles

What a beautiful morning it was today. The humidity has FINALLY left the building and we had nice, cool temperatures and crisp air. We had a 4 mile run at Hains Point in Washington, DC. It is a penninsula that has great views of the Potomac River and the monuments. I decided to do a 3:1 run/walk ration today. It was good decision...I felt great! If all of my runs feel like this, I am golden!

I treated myself to a pedicure after the run and BOY did that feel good!

I got my fundraising letters out this week and am looking forward to getting closer to my goal of raising $3,000. This morning we were reminded of the cruel nature of Leukemia and Lymphoma in that a 23 year old woman lost her battle yesterday. I am honored to run and raise money to find a cure for this disease.

Molly continues to be a handful. She is currently running around barking like a mad woman at my cats. Their worlds have been rocked! My hope is that we will be one happy family once she is out of her crazy puppy stage.

Have a great labor day weekend!

The Hills of Glover Park

I went on a run today right in my neighborhood. I needed to stay close to home due to the crazy Miss Molly. I needed to do 2 miles with hill repeats based off of our Team in Training training schedule. Here is the hill that I ran up 4 times:

I tried to run farther each time. I definitely didn't do hill training last year for the half-marathon and I am hopeful that this will help...plus, I have a feeling I am going to have to be creative with my running locations due to Miss Molly. (I can't believe it has only been 16 days since I first met her...I feel like my life took a huge 180!

I am really enjoying using the nike+ program on my itouch. It is nice to keep track of how far you are running and be able to upload it and track your workouts on the nike website.

Off to bed (but, need to walk the dog first :)

First Group Run...3 miles...umm

...this past Saturday, we had our first group run. I am not sure if it was the heat, "puppy mom" exhaustion, or just that I am out of shape, but it wasn't easy! I did the 4:1 ratio and ended up walking the last 1/2 mile. It might have been the fact that we were on a track as well. I tend to prefer trails when I run...more things to distract me and less of counting down effect (of laps around the track).

I was super proud of my friends Lindsey and Jen. They are going to do AWESOME in their half-marathons at Philly. They were running effortlessly.

I am going to do the hill training this week that our coaches are recommending. 6 x 2 minutes running up a hill. We shall see :)

On another note, Molly is getting more acclimated to her routine in DC. She is the talk of the neighborhood and her puppy waddle is too darn cute :) She literally runs up to people and rolls on to her back to get her belly rubbed. Puppies crack me up!

4 miles this Saturday....might go with a 3:2 ratio. Might be necessary!

So many places to run in DC!

Yesterday was an absoultely gorgeous day in DC. The humidity was gone (thank god!) and the air was cool, the sun was shining, and the lighting was gorgeous when I went out for my run at 5:15 along the Georgetown Canal towpath.

I used my nike sensor and itouch to track my run. I plugged in a 5k workout and started running. Right away I knew that I wasn't going to be able to do a full 5k doing my 4 minute run/1 minute walk ratio, so I just said "do it for as long as you can and then improvise". I ended up running/walking for about 40 minutes and did 4.5k which is about 3 miles which is what I wanted to do anyway!

I also am sooo happy that I am already at 15% of my fundraising goal and it is only 8/26! WOO-HOO!

Puppies and Training?!

So, I was all set to start my training regime for the half marathon and low and behold I decide to adopt a puppy. Threw a real monkey wrench in my training schedule :) I have some minor concerns about my ability to get in the training and still take care of Molly. I think a dogsitter is a priority!

I have already begun fundraising and have raised $400/13% of my $3,000 goal. YAY! I love my friends. You rock!

Saturday morning is our first group run. 3 miles. No problem.

Dani Does Disney...again!

I am very excited to announce that I am going to be a mentor for the 2011 Team in Training Winter Season and will be training for the 2011 Disney Half-Marathon. YAY!

I am really looking forward to getting back into the training program...it was such a great experience last year and felt completely achievable.

I have updated the design template of my blog. I like the open road imagery. Running definitely symbolizes an open road of possibilities to me.

I will begin updating you soon on my training progress!

More Pictures!

Dani and the Country Bears at the Magic Kingdom. Mile 5.5.

Chip, Dani, and Dale! Victory Party at Hollywood Studios.

Dani and Pluto. Victory Party at Hollywood Studios.

Dani, Hook, and a Doc (?) in the Magic Kingdom around mile 5.5.

Dani, Alligator and Prince...Mile 5.5 in Magic Kingdom.

Suffice it to say, I had a blast running the Disney Half marathon. How can you not smile when you get to hug characters along the way! I have already committed to running in 2011...can't wait!

Some pictures! More to come!

Mile 2

Mile 11

I DID IT!

WOO HOO! I made it! It was cold, it was raining/sleeting, it was hard, but I did it! I loved it. Want to do it again next year!!! Once I get photos, I will be sure to post them.

This has been an amazing experience from start to finish. So glad I did it with Team in Training...the cause, the people, and the energy was amazing.

It is always a wonderful feeling accomplishing a goal!

The final countdown!

I leave on Thursday morning for Disney! Yay! 4 days from right now I will be resting and relaxing with the rents having just completed my first half-marathon. Woo-hoo!

Our final group run last Saturday was "interesting"...I got wind burn from the insanely cold wind that was blowing off of the Potomac. At least it was only 3 miles!

The next post from me will be post-race!