Yoga Veto & That Darn Cat!!!

Yoga = No Good
This makes the third time in my life that I've attempted to commit to regular yoga routines (via DVD, not classes-- friendlier on a student budget) and while the qwest begins enjoyably, I always end up with a back injury. Even modifying the routines to avoid the 'twisty' moves doesn't seem to help. So I am officially giving up on yoga. Oh well-- I'll look into something new for cross training days.

That DARN Cat
Many of my runs are done on Katy Trail near my house. Paticularly during peak hours, Katy trail can resemble rush hour traffic with masses of runners, bikers, walkers, roller bladers, etc. heading in a variety of directions at varying speeds. You would think that small, furry animals would be wise to avoid the trail during these times- and generally, they do. However, there is one cat who seems to think he can take it all on. This cat will lay spread out on his side right in the middle of the trail while runners jump over him, kids swerve to miss him on their bikes...and he seems completely unconcerned about the whole thing. I see him nearly every run on the trail, always in the same spot. To be honest I'm not sure whether to be annoyed or impressed by his bravery.

Night Runs?
For the first time I changed up my long-run schedule and did my 14 miles on a Friday night after work. This was actually pretty enjoyable, the only problem being that it's starting to get dark earlier. For the last 3 miles I ran circles around my apartment complex because it was getting too dark and deserted to feel safe on Katy Trail alone. The run felt pretty good and I definitely slept well that night. What was really appealing is that I had an entire weekend to do something other than a long run or recovering from a long run. I'll admit, that was fun. :) I may do it again in the future.

New Month = New Schedule
October brings the fun of deciding how to change up my running schedule. This month, I think I'll focus on the fun of the 1 mile 'sprint' in addition to my regular training miles. (I put sprint in quotes because I'm certain that my mile times would not qualify as a sprint-- although it is as fast as I can go, so I don't know how else to describe it). :-) When I was working on 1 mile runs before (sometime last year) the fastest I ever got was 8:13. (Stop laughing-- I worked hard for that mile!!) lol. So...maybe with a little practice I can set a personal 1 mile PR by Halloween. We shall see.....

This week:
Monday- Morning 5k/3 miles
Tuesday- Low Back Strengthening/Stretching/5 miles
Wednesday- Morning 5k/REST
Thursday- 1 mile/3 miles
Friday- 1 mile/REST
Saturday- 14 miles (partly via the DRC Loop 15k race)

Texas Marathon Mile 11 Sponsor

Jean Groce (right of Pluto)

What is your hometown? Rochester, TX (ever heard of it)

Where do you live now? Duncanville, TX

What is the furthest distance you've ever run or walked? 13.1 miles

What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday morning? Running with my DRC friends, and then going to breakfast with them.

What is your favorite workout song, or song that gets you up and moving? Anything by Count Basie or Duke Ellington

What is the first thing you think of when you think of Texas? The place where nobody makes fun of my accent.

What is the bravest thing you've ever done? Bringing two children into the world. Second bravest thing: Joining my very first DRC half marathon training program in 2007, when I didn't know anyone and had never run more than 3 miles. Both of those Bravest Things were life changing experiences, to say the least!

What is your favorite candy? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, for sure!

What is the biggest goal you're currently working toward? Completing the 2010 Disneyworld Half marathon, with my daugter and daughter-in-law, before the sag wagon comes along.

Where is your next vacation destination? A week at the Four Seasons Resort in Whistler, British Columbia, for my husband and me, courtesy of our generous daughter!

What movie inspires you the most? A League of Their Own. If those ladies had the courage to get out there and play baseball....

In what state would you like to see Anna run her next marathon (after Texas)? California. How about the Long Beach Marathon? It's coming up soon. And Anna absolutely HAS to run the Disneyworld Half marathon next year.

Why did you choose to sponsor mile 11? It's in honor of the January 11 birthday of my Dad (Bob King) and his twin sister (Lella Elkins), both of whom died of cancer.

Why do you want to become a marathon mile sponsor to support the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation? Because Anna is such a marvelous friend, and I have the greatest admiration for her and her efforts for this cause!

Note from Anna:
My DRC experience would not possibly be the same without Jean! She is always a smiling, wonderfully supportive friend. Jean even has a nickname among some of her DRC friends of 'Fairy Godmother'. Thanks for your support Jean!

Tour de Fleurs 20k

Saturday's long run was a nice break from regular weekend runs.... the annual Tour de Fleurs 10k and 20k race at the Dallas Arboretum served as the setting for my 12 miles this weekend, and for 4,000 other Dallas area runners. I neglected to bring my camera, and race pictures haven't been posted yet-- so here are a few pics of the arboretum in the fall I borrowed from their website....

It is so beautiful...I love it here!! It was a great setting for a pre/post race event. The 12 mile course looped around White Rock Lake and through a few neighborhoods. I was surprised how many people (many of them DRC members) came out to the streets just to cheer on the runners.

I wasn't feeling my best this week, so decided to take this race at an easy pace and just see how things went. In typical fashion for me, the first 6 miles or so were less than pleasant, and then around mile 7 I finally started to get into my running groove. Luckily, right about that time I finally came across Danielle at a water stop--who had put in a lot of miles prior to race start and was using the race as a way to wrap up her last 12. This would be her last long training run before the Chicago Marathon on Oct. 11th. So although Danielle was understandably exhausted by this point in the race already, I was so glad to join her for her last few miles. Danielle has been the picture of perseverence training for this marathon. If you remember, her first marathon was the same one I ran in Oklahoma-- with horrible weather circumstances!!! To be honest, if Oklahoma was my first marathon I'm not sure if I would have run another one-- it was really that bad. So for people like my friends Danielle and James to not only survive Oklahoma conditions for their first marathon, but then go and register to run Chicago (which required long training runs in the Dallas summer heat).... I have nothing but the greatest admiration and respect for them!!!

Danielle and I both made it to the finish line of Tour de Fleurs. I think Danielle was just excited not to be running anymore (I'd feel the same way if I'd just run 20 miles rather than 12), but I was excited for the post-race party and free food I'd been hearing so much about! Well, lesson learned....if you want in on the post-race goodies at Tour de Fleurs, either run the 10k race, or pick up your pace A LOT for the 20k. All the free food and post-race party fun was shut down by the time I finished. :( Oh well! My friend Ashley and I made up for it by making a trip to Harry's for a celebratory post-race hot dog and custard. Now that's a way to celebrate a long run! :)

This week's schedule:

Monday- Morning 5k/3 miles/Strength Training

Tuesday- Yoga/6 miles

Wednesday- Morning 5k/REST

Thursday- Yoga/3 miles

Friday- Morning 5k/REST

Saturday- 13 miles

Sunday- Cross Training Day

Texas Marathon Mile 22 Sponsor

Mark Olateju

What is your hometown? New York City

Where do you live now? Garland, TX

What is the furthest distance you've ever run (or walked)? 18 miles

What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday morning? Running or racing

What is your favorite workout song, or song that gets you up and moving? Jamming, by Bob Marley

What is the first thing you think of when you think of Texas? Best place in the world!

What is the bravest thing you've ever done? Killed a snake in the house.

What is your favorite candy? Reese's Peanut Butter Cups

What is the biggest goal you're currently working toward? Running my first full marathon

Where is your next vacation destination? Jamaica

What movie inspires you the most? The idea of failure.

In which state would you like to see Anna run her next marathon (after Texas)? Mississippi

Why did you choose to sponsor mile 22? It's usually the point at which most runners hit the "infamous" wall. All Anna has to do is think of me talking trash, er, speaking words of encouragement, and she will fight through it.

Why did you choose to become a marathon mile sponsor to support the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation? If Anna's backing it, and it's a cause close to her heart, then it's defintely worthwhile.

Note from Anna: It's a little bit hard to believe I'm actually friends with Mark, only because in terms of pace groups for marathon training, we are at complete opposite ends of the spectrum. (That would be me at the slow end, in case you were wondering). My guess would be that Mark has run and won nearly every race available in the Dallas area, and probably several other cities as well. But if you look at who Mark spends time with at DRC events, it's runners of ALL paces and ability levels. He is a never ending source of encouragement for any new runner or walker. Mark could also be named the unofficial photographer of DRC- frequently with a camera in hand capturing any memorable moment.

Mark also has a sense of humor.....When Mark contacted me and said he wanted to sponsor a mile of my marathon, I told him that in honor of his 'speediness', that whatever mile he chose I would run at my fastest, thinking that as a sprinter, he'd choose a mile in the 5k or 10k range. Nope....Mile 22!!!! LOL!! Nothing like a good challege thrown down to inspire us to be our best! :)

THANKS for your support Mark!

Running, Rain and Good Samaritans

Wet weather has come to visit Dallas, and has decided to stay a few days. Saturday morning was a 12 mile run with one of my favorite running buddies. We started at 6:30am and made a running tour of local Downtown and Uptown Starbucks. Who needs waterstops, portapotties or running energy snacks stuffed in your shorts pockets every run?? Starbucks has everything you need and there happens to be one at least every mile or so. (This is one of the best advantages to living in a big city). Not to mention when you finally finish you are perfectly situated to kick back on the patio and enjoy a great breakfast!

The weather was mainly just drizzly when we started out, and varied in intensity the first few miles. However the last 3 miles were without a doubt in pouring rain. It was fantastic!!--but not easy. I love running in the rain, although this was probably the furthest I'd ever run in rain this heavy. An hour after the run I was more exhausted and sore than I expected to be for that distance-- and it finally occurred to us that it was likely due to the 10 or so extra pounds of water we had collected in everything from our hats to our shorts to our socks and shoes. We were soaked!!!

Our last Starbucks stop we stood outside the door pitifully trying to squeeze enough water out of our clothing to pass for acceptably entering the store. However our efforts were to little avail. Fortunately a good Samaritan passing by noticed our predicament and kindly volunteered to get our order for us. Random acts of kindness... :)

This week has been absolutely amazing for mile sponsors!!! A lot of DRC members in particular have really stepped up for the cause and I couldn't be any more touched by their support and generosity. Keep an eye on the blog in the next few days for new sponsor spotlight posts. There are some great ones coming up!

This week:
Monday- Morning 5k/3 miles/Strength Training
Tuesday- Yoga/5 miles
Wednesday- Morning 5k/REST
Thursday- Yoga/Team Sprinkles Meeting/4 miles (must find time for that workout somewhere)
Friday- Morning 5k/REST
Saturday- Tour de Fleurs 20k Race at the Dallas Arboretum (REALLY excited for this race!) :)

Texas Marathon Miles 13 & 26 Sponsors

Roxanne Olvera & Greg Hall


What is your hometown?
Roxanne- Laredo, TX
Greg- Dallas, TX

Where do you live now?
Dallas, TX

What is the farthest distance you've ever run?
Roxanne- 13.1 miles
Greg- 26.2 miles

What is your favorite way to spend a Saturday morning?
Roxanne- being outside- running, biking or swimming.
Greg- running

What is your favorite workout song, or song that gets you up and moving?
Roxanne- "The Rising" by Bruce Springstein
Greg- "The Little Things Give You Away" by Linkin Park

What is the first thing you think of when you think of Texas?
Roxanne- The beautiful Texas hill country and the Fightin' Texas Aggies.
Greg- Home.

What is the bravest thing you've ever done?
Dating each other.

What is your favorite candy?
Roxanne- Peanut M&M's
Greg- anything with peanuts (Peanut M&M's, Snickers, Boston Baked Beans)

What is the biggest goal you're currently working toward?
Maintaining a loving and respectful relationship for the rest of our days

Where is your next vacation destination?
Berlin (Germany, not Texas) to cheer on Greg when he runs the Berlin marathon!

What movie inspires you the most?
Roxanne- Band of Brothers
Greg- Schindler's List

In which state would you like to see Anna run her next marathon (after Texas)? New York (can we come too?)

Why did you choose to sponsor miles 13 and 26?
Mile 13- symbolizes that point in the marathon when perception plays an important role in the rest of your race. Alone it is a great acheivement. While the view may be that only tougher times lay ahead, the truth is that you have already climbed to the mountain's peak and all that remains is the downhill to the finish. As in running and in life, perception or attitude will ultimately be the key to your pursuit of happiness or success.

Mile 26- symbolizes the mark where the end is certain and is near. It is the point where you know you have made it and you will be crossing that finish line. All that lies ahead is .2 miles of celebration. It is here you recall the positive memories of those 26 miles. The tears come easy as you reflect on your accomplishment. You point to the sky and acknowledge the spirit that guided you through the tough times and you embrace the feeling that you are closer to this spirit than ever before.

Why did you want to become a marathon mile sponsor to support the Susan Mortensen Turley Foundation?
Because we are inspired by how Anna has chosen to honor Susan, who was an inspirational, strong, courageous, and beautiful person.


Note from Anna: Roxanne (also an Oklahoma mile sponsor) has been one of my best friends and sources of support (running and otherwise) since I moved to Dallas. I gain so much from being around Roxanne's ever positive attitude and commitment to succeed despite any adversity in her way. Another great thing about Roxanne is that she shares my adoration for all things ice cream-- so most of our chats together involve ice cream or frozen yogurt in one form or another! :) Recently I've gotten to know the newest person in Roxanne's life....Greg! As president of the Dallas Running Club, Greg has certainly been a huge source of support for my running training. As you can imagine, managing a running club of several thousand members is no easy task! Greg is always happy, positive, and frequently with a camera in hand-- never to miss capturing a memorable moment! This is a big year for both Roxanne and Greg, both as a couple and in the running world... in a few short weeks Greg is off to complete yet another international marathon finish, and this December Roxanne will be running her very first full marathon with me in Dallas. All the best wishes in the world to you both!!!! Thank you!

Long distance running = Boredom???

I played several sports in high school, and even did track for one season, but distance running NEVER appealed to me. Not only was I terrible at it; I was convinced distance running had to be the most boring activity ever invented. In the last 2 years or so I've been running now I have to admit that I've changed my mind. There are so many different types of challenges in distance running (both physical and mental) that I've come to learn the sport is anything but boring!

What I do struggle with sometimes (as I suspect most runners do) is getting bored with my workout routines. I can tell this is happening when I start getting feelings of dreading the next day's workout-- and not getting the same feeling of accomplishment afterwards. I've been running the same weekly routine (including cross training) for a few months now, and this week it hit me that it's time to change things up. Last Wednesday was a 5 mile run on Katy trail that should have been pretty easy for me. But chalk it up to the heat, fatigue, boredom, or whatever- I found myself REALLY struggling not to quit the last mile. This wasn't the first time this has happened- and usually I'll focus on just making it to the next tree or lamppost, or counting my steps to get myself to the finish. But this time I put my sponsors to good use and tried something different. Tracking my distance on my Garmin, I ran each tenth of a mile for the remainder of my run for each one of my sponsors. So whether you are a current or past marathon mile sponsor, I can assure you that for one-tenth of a mile it was YOU getting me through that part of the run. I thought about your reasons for sponsoring, and the encouragement you've given me both for running and throughout my life...and before I knew it I had finished that run. Thank you!!!!

Saturday was the first race I'd run since the Oklahoma Marathon in April, the DRC Breakfast Bash 5 mile-- which of course was preceeded by a 6 mile warm up to make sure we got in our mileage that weekend. (You gotta love it when your warm up is longer than the actual race...lol).

The run went well in spite of the humidity-- which I thought maybe we'd gotten a permanent break from (no such luck)! Afterward we enjoyed free breakfast burritos from DRC, and then Ashley and I treated ourselves to a Starbucks trip and I endulged in my favorite pumpkin muffin.

Random picture Amanda (Oklahoma mile sponsor) took after the race on Saturday. I love how she took this off angle--- goes along with how I felt after running 11 miles in that much humidity... lol.

For the next little while I think I'll try re-evaluating my weekly workout plans each month to avoid the burnout problem. Here's the new plan starting this week:

Monday- Morning 5k / 3 miles / Strength Training (new routine)

Tuesday- Morning Yoga / 4 miles

Wednesday- Morning 5k / REST

Thursday- Morning Yoga / 3 mile Hill Workout or Freedom Run 5k Race (still undecided)

Friday- Morning 5k / REST

Saturday- 12 miles

Sunday- Cross-train