TNT '08 Practice 6 and 7

Last Saturday I was in the pool, then I attended a TNT information meeting at a local library. No one showed up for information.

This Saturday I was in the pool, aqua running once again. I shared a lane with two sisters from the fall team. In the adjacent lane, a passive-aggressive old man did odd things. Apparently, he felt the sisters had chased him out of his favorite lane. (The sisters said he gave them the lane, then wanted it back.) In any case, Pops treded water, staring at us and loudly singing songs from the 1940s. ("Mairzy Dotes and Dozy Dotes," etc.) In addition, he would cough deeply and make complicated snorting sounds as if preparing to hack up a sofa. Eventually, I got out, the sisters moved to another lane, and Pops bobbed around, being an aquatic hemorrhoid.

Afterwards, I visited the Winter Team aid station on a dam north of the Rose Bowl. Beautiful day for running. Or, in my case, watching people run. Later, we barbecued and listened to inspiring talks from leukemia sufferers and/or relatives of same, thanking Team in Training for the money they raised and the good it does.

All of which more than made up for Mairzy Dotes.

Aqua Running

Aqua running this morning before practice. Even in the water I had to ease up on the knee. (This is gonna take awhile to heal.) Tomorrow should've been my first 20-mile run. Technically, I'm supposed to aqua run for as long as I'd be running were my leg not screwed up. That said, I'll be plowing through the chlorine on Sunday for 3 hours, 19 minutes and 20 seconds.

Alone with my thoughts while the skin shrivels up.

No Running for Now

Either a bone bruise or a stress fracture on the left knee, according to the learned Dr. Smith. Now begins a tussle with my HMO to obtain an MRI. Visit a doctor, have him recommend the treatment, pray a health accountant Okays everything, get an appointment, then get an MRI so I may learn whether it's a bone bruise or a stress fracture.

Meanwhile, no running; light walking.

A contributing factor may have been my running gait: landing on the heel, feet too far forward.

From past experience, the greatest challenge now facing me will be to avoid putting on 20 pounds.

TNT Practice Five

Eight miles today. I woke up late and arrived at practice just in time to miss our campaign manager chewing out the staff for being late. As the Team run north into the hills, I was amazed how crowded the trails have become with Pasadena Marathon trainees. Lots of ice bags at the finish line. Last season, the eight-mile run saw the same thing: people hurt from running faster than their pace — except for Coach Alfredo, who twisted his ankle on a rock. Overall, 'twas another hot day and I'm happy to be finished.

Eighteen miles tomorrow. I'm gonna arise early, for once, and hit the trails before 7:30 AM. I need to upgrade my mental game, as I find myself fighting "the quits." A fair number of folk know my goal. Several have expressed interest in actually traveling to Sacramento to cheer me on. Shooting for a Boston qualifier, I'm feeling anxiety I didn't feel for Eugene.

But it can be done. It will be done. I'll do it.

Tomorrow.

Today I'll eat Doritos and watch football.

Six Miles for TNT, 16.8 for my Boston Qualifier

Team in Training practice four: first six miler for the team yesterday. Small turnout due to the holiday weekend. There is a very steep hill past the two-mile mark that our Team negotiated for the first of many pleasant times. Cloud cover held for most of the run, but it was muggy and warm. For awhile, I was awash in TNT alumni as Blanche, Anna, Nick, Ernesto, Katie, FJ and Raul all ran past at various speeds. Most are training for November's Pasadena Marathon.

This morning I ran 16.8 miles. As before, I woke up late (7:00 AM), and didn't get started until after 8:00. Luckily, I watered up all day Saturday. Temperature rose to 86 degrees plus humidity. I did well on the Pasadena Pacer eight-mile route — finishing two minutes ahead of pace. I then transitioned to the Team in Training eight-mile route which felt tougher, even though the Pacer grades are longer and steeper as they rise steadily out of the Arroyo and into the Flintridge Hills. It may have to do with my legs tiring as I enter a second uphill/downhill cycle, coupled with the rising mercury.

In any case, I finished in 2:41, hitting my 9:35 pace right on the nose.

My August total was 130.5 miles. I'll be needing new shoes for the race.

And maybe somewhere to run that's cool and flat for a change.

Coaches Mugging It Up

Coach Dave and I instruct new runners in proper finish line form. No matter how tired you are, play it up big for the cameras.

Practice Three Plus Me

A child's run yesterday for the Winter Team — 3.1 miles. Coach Alfredo and I again were assigned pace assessments. Four new members were sent on their way, walking and running around the Rose Bowl. Meanwhile, the fall team held a half-marathon for the rest of Greater L.A. Team in Training plus alumni. Big honking turn-out! Raul, FJ, Coach Katie, Sean and numerous other running chums sped by as I searched for our new guys amid the press of Rose Bowl exercise traffic. All were found and received official times plus a valuable TNT water bottle.

My own step-back week began today with 12 miles. I ran a Pasadena Pacer six-mile, out-and-back course. Begin at the Rose Bowl Aquatic Center, run up Salvia Canon to Linda Vista then up some more into the Flintridge Hills. Continue along rolling streets to Fairlawn Ave. (across from Desconso Gardens), then back. The course resembles the letter "M" with a steep uphill, down, up, down. Finished a bit ahead of schedule, drenched in sweat. Stretched out under California Oaks, humming with yellow jackets.

Now I'll ice something or the other.

Second Practice

TNT Winter Team logged four miles yesterday. My job was to time three new team mates running their initial 5K assessment. I almost lost them in the crowd, as the team was finishing up at the same time. But my trio eventually received times as well as fine snack food provided by the Fall Team.

I couldn't help but note that many of the pace groups ran the four miles too quickly. This seems to happen every season. People think they're "winning" or "bettering their run" by speeding up on the longer distances. It's difficult to explain that the goal is to teach their bodies to endure several hours of race day running. New runners think that because they can go faster, they should. Thankfully, there's always Coach Pete and the rehab pool.

After the run, Doc Smith from the Pasadena Pacers gave an injury clinic. I learned that my slight knee pain is caused by tight hamstrings. In addition to stretching and the roller, this will require icing. So I scored an official Doc Smith ice bag. Most ice bags freeze in odd, rigid positions like frozen lakes. Doc Smith bags are cold but malleable, wrapping easily around joints and conforming to injured areas. These bags rawk!

New TNT Season, First Practice

The Winter Team began nice and early today with a bracing 3.1 mile run. For some, it was a bracing walk, but nevertheless everyone completed their loop of the Rose Bowl. From here, half-a-hundred brave folk, most of whom have never run or walked more than six miles, will set out to conquer the marathon - or the half-marathon. I'm looking forward to helping them succeed.

Speaking of marathon training, fifteen miles awaits me tomorrow. "Unexcited" would describe my thoughts on that. Next week begins the countdown for the California International Marathon. Morgan, Ernesto and other current and former TNT folk may head up there to cheer me on. Very decent, these TNT types.

Jimmy Freeman and Kate Martini wed yesterday. My first TNT coach plus the coach who encouraged me to dream big are now husband and wife. I wish them all the best on the rocky, rewarding road of marriage.

Now to sleep, perchance to wake up really stinking early.

Haunted First Responder

I'm now certified to handle heat exhaustion, ankle sprains and ghost bites.

With Winter Season starting Saturday, I needed a First Aid class. Last night, I attended one in Pasadena. The class was held in an old mansion just off of Orange Grove, a street fat with mansions. Apparently, the dwelling had been donated to the Red Cross many years before. There were only four of us students and the instructor. As the rest of the staff left and dusk gave way to night, our instructor told us the place was haunted.

A student had once wandered to the third floor where he heard strange sounds. Gusts of air rushed past him in places where there shouldn't have been drafts. He prayed desperately and ran like mad — a prudent action under the circumstances. Our instructor closed with a careful, "But I've never seen anything," and we left matters at that. (Though no one wanted to be the last one out.)

I thought about it later. If you were frightened enough to have a heart attack, the ghosts could provide CPR and tend to any bruises you suffered while collapsing. Then, once you came around, they could scare you again.

Perhaps they'll get their own series on the Sci Fi Channel.

(Feel free to work in "ghost writers.")

I will Coach Once More

Winter Season for the San Gabriel Valley Team in Training officially begins tomorrow. You got people training in your basic endurance events — marathons, half-marathons, 100-mile bike rides and triathalons — coupled with raising money to fight blood cancers such as leukemia and lymphoma. Once again, I'll be a volunteer assistant coach. I've found that helping runners overcome doubts and fears to complete a marathon is its own reward. Being paid in sacks of gold is also rewarding, but in a different, more earthy way.