For those of you who have been paying attention I was training for the Nike Women's Marathon to raise money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. When I signed up I knew that I had to recommit in July - what was explained to me at the sign-up meeting as well as the kick-off was that we had to recommit, that meant that if we signed the paperwork for recommitment we had to cover the costs for the final amount $2,800.
I knew I could make the fundraising goal by Oct. 3rd which is what were told. At recommitment, we needed to sign a contract saying that we would either raise all of the money or cover the remaining costs.
Therefore, imagine my surprise when I received my recommitment instructions 2 weeks before recommitment.
In order to recommit, we had to have raised $700.00, otherwise we had to put the remaining balance on a credit card or come up with the total $700.00. At this point, I was short $390.00 and unfortunately, I was in the midst of taking a class in the daytime and working at night which left me 0 time to actively fundraise to get the whole amount.
So, unfortunately, I had to discontinue my training with team in training. I hope that they will let me carry over the money I have raised thus far because people donated to me assuming as I did that I would be running October 19th.
So for all of you who donated I will keep you posted about the money you so kindly donated. But I will continue to run, because it has to be part of my lifestyle now.
I will continue this blog in another format: as a forum for writing, keeping myself focused on writing about my history: the Philippines, the U.S. and my family.
Keep reading!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Wednesday, July 2, 2008
So Far Away...Day 40
I'm currently spending time with my family in Livermore and it's very bittersweet. Because I love cuddling my niece and watching Xman play with Uncle Fomhead and ninong Wayne, ninang Tracey, and cousin BELla.
But I don't get to train with my partner in crime Casimiro Llamas, Jr and the rest of my team in training partners. It makes it very difficult to get up off the couch when I am cuddling my little niece and laughing it up with my little brother! But I need to remember that the marathon is approaching and I need to utilize every day so that I am working toward my goal rather than being my own worst enemy and not pushing my body.
So I suited up and headed out for my training. I ran around my sister's neighborhood and I did about 3 miles total. I ran a lot of pavement today and at the end of my run I realized why our Coach said not to run on pavement but rather pack dirt.
Because pavement is very hard on your body. And it is very unforgiving when you have to run more than 2 miles. As I was stretching I could really feel the effects of running on a surface with no give. And I realized that if I run on pavement all of the time when we get to the day of the marathon, running on pavement is actually going to really hurt my body. This way I push my body to train, but I don't punish every day by not providing a ground that offers a little bit of cushion.
But I was really proud of myself for getting out there and running the miles on our run schedule. It was a little bit more difficult to run alone when I am use to running knowing that others are running the same path.
But the end of the run I felt such a sense of accomplishment.
Exhaustion was wearing a smile and actually helped to spur me on to complete my mileage for today.
I know it's the end of the day and you're probably exhausted too, but take just a few moments to donate to a worthy cause and do what those with blood cancers cannot: being exhausted by choice, not because your body is being exhausted in its fight against cancer!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
But I don't get to train with my partner in crime Casimiro Llamas, Jr and the rest of my team in training partners. It makes it very difficult to get up off the couch when I am cuddling my little niece and laughing it up with my little brother! But I need to remember that the marathon is approaching and I need to utilize every day so that I am working toward my goal rather than being my own worst enemy and not pushing my body.
So I suited up and headed out for my training. I ran around my sister's neighborhood and I did about 3 miles total. I ran a lot of pavement today and at the end of my run I realized why our Coach said not to run on pavement but rather pack dirt.
Because pavement is very hard on your body. And it is very unforgiving when you have to run more than 2 miles. As I was stretching I could really feel the effects of running on a surface with no give. And I realized that if I run on pavement all of the time when we get to the day of the marathon, running on pavement is actually going to really hurt my body. This way I push my body to train, but I don't punish every day by not providing a ground that offers a little bit of cushion.
But I was really proud of myself for getting out there and running the miles on our run schedule. It was a little bit more difficult to run alone when I am use to running knowing that others are running the same path.
But the end of the run I felt such a sense of accomplishment.
Exhaustion was wearing a smile and actually helped to spur me on to complete my mileage for today.
I know it's the end of the day and you're probably exhausted too, but take just a few moments to donate to a worthy cause and do what those with blood cancers cannot: being exhausted by choice, not because your body is being exhausted in its fight against cancer!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Walking the Mall Day 39
Casimiro and I really wanted to swim today, but every pool in our complex was full of people. We thought about being rude and just starting to swim, but we realized how selfish that was. So we had to come up with a new plan. Because both of us really wanted to be outside so we decided that walking around the mall both inside and out would be another fun and different cross training day.
So we dressed and headed over to Fashion Fair. Unfortunately, the mall was closing in 30 minutes. But along the way we saw our friend Jannisha at work so we went and surprised her.
We went walking around the mall and hoped to catch a glimpse of our friend Angelica also the first person to donate to both of our donation sites! Yay gelatin! But alas she was not there.
Once the mall closed we decided to walk around outside until we smelt the waft of the sewer. Thus our walk was cut short, but we did get in a good half hour. I really love training with Casimiro because he is always willing to train in unusual way. As long as we get in some cardio he's down for anything! This has been a great experience thus far.
So today's exhaustion had very little flavor because we didn't really exhaust ourselves. Rather we worked up a pleasant little sweat!
Please donate to our websites it's no sweat. Just go to our links below and donate!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
So we dressed and headed over to Fashion Fair. Unfortunately, the mall was closing in 30 minutes. But along the way we saw our friend Jannisha at work so we went and surprised her.
We went walking around the mall and hoped to catch a glimpse of our friend Angelica also the first person to donate to both of our donation sites! Yay gelatin! But alas she was not there.
Once the mall closed we decided to walk around outside until we smelt the waft of the sewer. Thus our walk was cut short, but we did get in a good half hour. I really love training with Casimiro because he is always willing to train in unusual way. As long as we get in some cardio he's down for anything! This has been a great experience thus far.
So today's exhaustion had very little flavor because we didn't really exhaust ourselves. Rather we worked up a pleasant little sweat!
Please donate to our websites it's no sweat. Just go to our links below and donate!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Happy Feet Day 38
Today was a fun training day. My training partner Casimiro works with a girl that djs on the side. She was going to be performing at a small restaurant in Visalia. So Casimiro kindly paid for my cover so that we could dance the night away.
Because we get silly and neither of us has gone dancing exclusively together we decided that we were going to dance the whole time.
So our training day was to go dancing for almost 2.5 hours straight. We had so much fun pseudo salsa dancing, pretending to bachata and cumbia, stamping our feet getting a little freaky with on another and just generally being silly.
I don't think I have ever used my calves for such a long time and really worked my thighs, hamstrings, and glutes.
Today was one of the funnest training days to date. Mainly because it was out of the ordinary and I have never sweat so much. I was so glad that Casimiro dragged me out of my funk and onto the dance floor of the tiny Visalia restaurant.
Exhaustion tasted like sweat, laughter, and feet sliding to great tunes!
DONATE Please make our goal happy too and donate!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
Because we get silly and neither of us has gone dancing exclusively together we decided that we were going to dance the whole time.
So our training day was to go dancing for almost 2.5 hours straight. We had so much fun pseudo salsa dancing, pretending to bachata and cumbia, stamping our feet getting a little freaky with on another and just generally being silly.
I don't think I have ever used my calves for such a long time and really worked my thighs, hamstrings, and glutes.
Today was one of the funnest training days to date. Mainly because it was out of the ordinary and I have never sweat so much. I was so glad that Casimiro dragged me out of my funk and onto the dance floor of the tiny Visalia restaurant.
Exhaustion tasted like sweat, laughter, and feet sliding to great tunes!
DONATE Please make our goal happy too and donate!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
Whole Foods to Fresno High Day 37
Today was a mentor training day and we had to meet at Whole Foods on Palm/Shaw to run 6 miles. Today was also my friend's baby shower and I had stayed up with Casimiro prepping last minute items for the shower. We went to bed about midnight so when the alarm went off at 5:15 am I was seriously considering opting out, but I knew that I would feel guilty about not doing the Saturday morning run.
We got there just in time and my regular running partner Sara was there. It was nice that she was happy to see me because I miss her at our weekday runs. She is the only one that runs at my pace and talking to her always makes the runs go by faster.
Especially today being a longer run and I had never run beyond 5 miles so 6 seemed a little intimidating.
When the mentor told us the route I was surprised, we were to run from Shaw to McKinley and back. I was surprised because I thought the distance alone was 6 miles but it was only 3 miles.
I do have to say it was fun to run down neighborhoods that I normally drive past. Especially when we got to the street my mechanic is on. I never would have anticipated running from Whole Foods to my mechanics. It was a great feeling. And when we finally got to our destination and I ran past Fresno High I knew that I was going to be okay for the marathon. Because I had teammates that are motivating and I was able to motivate myself to run hard and make it back to our starting point.
I am really starting to enjoy running through the streets of Fresno and getting to know the limitations as well as how far I can push my body.
It is also very nice to see my partner in crime Casimiro my mentor Jafar and one of my teammates Dori hanging out waiting to congratulate us for a good run!
Exhaustion tasted like accomplishment and a reminder that it is team in training because it is a team effort. Every team member needs to cross the line with their teammates cheering them on all the way!
Aside from crossing the finish we need to reach our fundraising goals. Help us out!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
We got there just in time and my regular running partner Sara was there. It was nice that she was happy to see me because I miss her at our weekday runs. She is the only one that runs at my pace and talking to her always makes the runs go by faster.
Especially today being a longer run and I had never run beyond 5 miles so 6 seemed a little intimidating.
When the mentor told us the route I was surprised, we were to run from Shaw to McKinley and back. I was surprised because I thought the distance alone was 6 miles but it was only 3 miles.
I do have to say it was fun to run down neighborhoods that I normally drive past. Especially when we got to the street my mechanic is on. I never would have anticipated running from Whole Foods to my mechanics. It was a great feeling. And when we finally got to our destination and I ran past Fresno High I knew that I was going to be okay for the marathon. Because I had teammates that are motivating and I was able to motivate myself to run hard and make it back to our starting point.
I am really starting to enjoy running through the streets of Fresno and getting to know the limitations as well as how far I can push my body.
It is also very nice to see my partner in crime Casimiro my mentor Jafar and one of my teammates Dori hanging out waiting to congratulate us for a good run!
Exhaustion tasted like accomplishment and a reminder that it is team in training because it is a team effort. Every team member needs to cross the line with their teammates cheering them on all the way!
Aside from crossing the finish we need to reach our fundraising goals. Help us out!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Running Around FSU Day 36
Today was supposed to be a mentor run at Woodward Park. But there have been fires burning all week in California. Since we live in a Valley a lot of the smoke has been traveling toward us and then getting trapped mixing with our already polluted air.
My asthma has been kicking in strong because of it and the heat has not been helping. Even though our coach pushed our practices back to 7pm it was still a bit too hot, muggy, and thick for my irritated lungs. So Casimiro and I decided to run at 8pm. I had the routes with mileage around Fresno State and today was supposed to be a 4-mile day.
So we mapped out our route and planned together what we had to do. At first it wasn't so bad, my asthma was starting to kick in but I had my inhaler just in case. Which was a good thing because after about 2 miles my breathing turned into a wheeze and I was sucking in oxygen through inflamed bronchioles making it sound as if I were breathing in air mixed with water. But I knew I would be okay and I wanted our run to be beneficial to both of us so I encouraged Casimiro to run his pace and I promised not to run so hard that I would be in danger of passing out.
I can be pretty stubborn, but I have been reminding myself that this is a lifestyle change so if I want to continue this I need to listen to my body and my training partner.
So I kept running but then I forgot there was a parade to honor the baseball's teams state champ victory. As I was running through the dorm parking lot exhaust fumes were blowing hard in my face so I ran through it, but then decided to walk because I could feel my lungs becoming irritated with fumes. I didn't want to take another shot of my inhaler because I had already done it 15 minutes before.
I walked about 5 minutes and then went back to interval training. But I started wheezing and getting light-headed. Since I promised I would stop if I felt like passing out decided to do a 2 min/1 min respectively run/walk. But I ran to the end. Then Casimiro and I stretched out and walked home feeling tired yet good about sticking to our training.
Exhaustion tasted like smog, fumes, feet hitting pavement and muscles that needed a good buddy stretch!
Stretch your dollars and donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well as cheering us on in our training!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
My asthma has been kicking in strong because of it and the heat has not been helping. Even though our coach pushed our practices back to 7pm it was still a bit too hot, muggy, and thick for my irritated lungs. So Casimiro and I decided to run at 8pm. I had the routes with mileage around Fresno State and today was supposed to be a 4-mile day.
So we mapped out our route and planned together what we had to do. At first it wasn't so bad, my asthma was starting to kick in but I had my inhaler just in case. Which was a good thing because after about 2 miles my breathing turned into a wheeze and I was sucking in oxygen through inflamed bronchioles making it sound as if I were breathing in air mixed with water. But I knew I would be okay and I wanted our run to be beneficial to both of us so I encouraged Casimiro to run his pace and I promised not to run so hard that I would be in danger of passing out.
I can be pretty stubborn, but I have been reminding myself that this is a lifestyle change so if I want to continue this I need to listen to my body and my training partner.
So I kept running but then I forgot there was a parade to honor the baseball's teams state champ victory. As I was running through the dorm parking lot exhaust fumes were blowing hard in my face so I ran through it, but then decided to walk because I could feel my lungs becoming irritated with fumes. I didn't want to take another shot of my inhaler because I had already done it 15 minutes before.
I walked about 5 minutes and then went back to interval training. But I started wheezing and getting light-headed. Since I promised I would stop if I felt like passing out decided to do a 2 min/1 min respectively run/walk. But I ran to the end. Then Casimiro and I stretched out and walked home feeling tired yet good about sticking to our training.
Exhaustion tasted like smog, fumes, feet hitting pavement and muscles that needed a good buddy stretch!
Stretch your dollars and donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society as well as cheering us on in our training!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Back in the pool Day 35
Well I am back on track thanks to my motivating partner Casimiro Llamas, Jr! After begin away from training for a week and getting back by attending hill training I am feeling great about going back to training. So today was a swimming day. In the very beginning we had swam on our cross training days. But unfortunately, the weather cooled down (funny for Fresno) and we couldn't find an indoor pool so we started doing more Pilates, toning and stretching as workouts.
But now that we are back to 90 + degree weather, swimming thankfully is back on the roster of cross training.
So we decided to go to our complex's pool to do our cross training. When we got to the pool we realized we had forgotten a clock so we couldn't time ourselves. Instead we decided that if we swam 25 laps that would be about 30 minutes. The workout felt good even though I felt a little weak and tired. The pool was a lot longer than the pool we normally swim in so one lap felt much longer and I felt I was exerting much more.
But Casimiro and I swam steadily enjoying one another's company, watching our neighbor swim with his two young kids. Then eventually it was the three of us doing laps in the pool.
As we finished up the last lap I could hear the big clock at Fresno State near the Student Union chiming the hour. Casimiro and I were so excited to realize that we had swum for a complete hour! Each time we surpass a goal we set both of us feel motivated and ready to take on the next phase of training.
Today's exhaustion tasted like joy mixed with satisfaction and pride in one another.
Now that it's hotter you probably aren't going out as much, so spend some of that money helping those with blood cancers that can't be out in the sun.
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
But now that we are back to 90 + degree weather, swimming thankfully is back on the roster of cross training.
So we decided to go to our complex's pool to do our cross training. When we got to the pool we realized we had forgotten a clock so we couldn't time ourselves. Instead we decided that if we swam 25 laps that would be about 30 minutes. The workout felt good even though I felt a little weak and tired. The pool was a lot longer than the pool we normally swim in so one lap felt much longer and I felt I was exerting much more.
But Casimiro and I swam steadily enjoying one another's company, watching our neighbor swim with his two young kids. Then eventually it was the three of us doing laps in the pool.
As we finished up the last lap I could hear the big clock at Fresno State near the Student Union chiming the hour. Casimiro and I were so excited to realize that we had swum for a complete hour! Each time we surpass a goal we set both of us feel motivated and ready to take on the next phase of training.
Today's exhaustion tasted like joy mixed with satisfaction and pride in one another.
Now that it's hotter you probably aren't going out as much, so spend some of that money helping those with blood cancers that can't be out in the sun.
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
I fell off the track but now I am back Day 34
Well as many of you know I had been away from my training for about a week because some big things happened in my family.
I was really frightened to run because between the heat and the notoriously bad air which now had smoke from fires burning all across California and my asthma I didn’t know if I was going to do this. But I finally came back and just in time to participate in hill training at Woodward Park. I can’t lie. I was scared! I hadn’t worked out in a week and last time we had done hill training I had almost passed out. And since we have already been in training for over 30 days I knew that hill training was going to be tough. But surprisingly enough it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined. We warmed up with a 2-mile run, stretched and then lined up to do our sprints, high knees, and lunges. Funnily enough, I think because I had a break from working out my muscles weren’t that sore during or after. I felt really good. Then we went to killer hill. The hill I had almost passed out after trying to run backwards. So I was intimidated to say the least. Especially because coach said we would run up the hill go around and down (about the size of a high school track) and that we were to do that 3 times without stopping to rest. And then we would do 2 more running backwards up the hill and then around (facing forward thank goodness). I was so proud of myself and my other teammates because we made it all the way around and then ran back to a spot where the mentors were kind enough to have cold towels, popsicles, Gatorade, and water! I felt like such a kid. All of us standing around sucking on popsicles, with ice cold towels draped around our necks just happy to be finished and getting cool.
After each training I am always apprehensive about my ability to finish the marathon, but when I sit down to write these blogs I realize just how far I have come in a little over a month and half. If I can go from couch potato to running bug I can eventually tackle the 26.2 miles around beautiful San Francisco. Exhaustion tasted like red, blue, and orange popsicles with ice cold towels on skin thirsty for some relief from the heat and dirt!
We don't always do everything we can, but in this instance you can! You can donate to a wonderfully worthy cause!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
I was really frightened to run because between the heat and the notoriously bad air which now had smoke from fires burning all across California and my asthma I didn’t know if I was going to do this. But I finally came back and just in time to participate in hill training at Woodward Park. I can’t lie. I was scared! I hadn’t worked out in a week and last time we had done hill training I had almost passed out. And since we have already been in training for over 30 days I knew that hill training was going to be tough. But surprisingly enough it wasn’t nearly as bad as I had imagined. We warmed up with a 2-mile run, stretched and then lined up to do our sprints, high knees, and lunges. Funnily enough, I think because I had a break from working out my muscles weren’t that sore during or after. I felt really good. Then we went to killer hill. The hill I had almost passed out after trying to run backwards. So I was intimidated to say the least. Especially because coach said we would run up the hill go around and down (about the size of a high school track) and that we were to do that 3 times without stopping to rest. And then we would do 2 more running backwards up the hill and then around (facing forward thank goodness). I was so proud of myself and my other teammates because we made it all the way around and then ran back to a spot where the mentors were kind enough to have cold towels, popsicles, Gatorade, and water! I felt like such a kid. All of us standing around sucking on popsicles, with ice cold towels draped around our necks just happy to be finished and getting cool.
After each training I am always apprehensive about my ability to finish the marathon, but when I sit down to write these blogs I realize just how far I have come in a little over a month and half. If I can go from couch potato to running bug I can eventually tackle the 26.2 miles around beautiful San Francisco. Exhaustion tasted like red, blue, and orange popsicles with ice cold towels on skin thirsty for some relief from the heat and dirt!
We don't always do everything we can, but in this instance you can! You can donate to a wonderfully worthy cause!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Saturday, June 21, 2008
It's back! Taste of Exhaustion Day 31
For those of you who have been reading my blogs, you may be wondering what happened to days 25-30? Well I will try to make this as brief as possible. In a nutshell, my little bro was scheduled for knee surgery up in Chico, Cali and I was going to drive up Friday the 13th so that I could hang with him in the hospital, spend the weekend with him, come back to Fresno for a work meeting and then drive back up to Chico Tuesday or Wednesday.
My brother calls me Friday morning and says that our older sister was having contractions and was now at the hospital with our brudda-in-law. Needless to say, my sister went into labor the same day my brother's knee surgery was scheduled. So essentially I had a change of plans. I drove up to Livermore Friday night and then hung out at the hospital with my cousin waiting for the baby to be delivered (finally my sis had to have a c-section b/c the baby did not enjoy being squeezed by the uterus and was distressed). So I ended up leaving the hospital about midnight and by the time I finished feeding the cats and cleaning up their litter boxes it was like 1am.
But I was so adrenalized that I could not sleep and ended up falling asleep at 3am. But I was so excited I ended up waking up at 6am.
I wanted to go for a 3 mile run, but I was running on 3 hours of sleep and there was no one to watch the Xman for me so I forewent my run & decided instead to put together the baby's bassinet (since they weren't expecting her until July 4th) they hadn't put much together. Afterwards, Xman and I had our baby fix and then headed up to Chico to spend time with my lil bro.
Unfortunately, Saturday night my brother started spiking a fever about 3am and because there was a risk of infection my bro had orders to go to the hospital immediately if his temp hit 102. So from 3am to about 5am I was monitoring my bro's temp every 30 minutes. By 5am his fever broke and he was down to 97.5! But just to make sure, I decided to check his temp at 7am. So 2 hours later I was up checking his temp and it got down to almost 96 woohoo!!!
But on so little sleep from tonight and the night before, I was not going to attempt to do any kind of exercise or 3 mile running. So I opted for grocery shopping, cooking and playing with my lil bro's hamster Mo. My little bro was dying to meet our new niece and my sister wanted to see my lil bro. So I decided to take my lil bro back up to Livermore and spend Mon-Thursday because I had to meet with my private student on Friday afternoon.
So basically I drove from Fresno to Livemore on Friday. On Saturday Livermore to Chico. On Monday Chico to Livermore. On Thursday Livermore to Chico and then Chico to Fresno...and I came back to Fresno on Friday at 1am... But the whole week I was up in Livermore, I was cooking, cleaning, holding my niece, doing laundry, making sure Xman didn't feel neglected, helping my lil bro as needed (he has to watch with crutches & his wound is fresh so he really needs to lay down and recover), getting water, cleaning cat poo, feeding cats, and making sure my sister, brudda-in-law, and lil bro were cool beans. Technically, I was supposed to stay with my lil bro for a week after his surgery and then when I was supposed to stay with my sister & brudda-in-law during the week of the baby's due date. But instead baby B.E.L decided it was be nice to have the whole family together in Livermore.
But it was not rigorous at all I was not the only person doing dishes or laundry, but I decided that this past week was going to be rest week from running and cross training.
Which now brings me to Day 31 June 21st, which I was terrified of because I had not run since June 12th nor had I done any exercise. And I knew today was a four mile run day...I was scared plus my asthma has been kicking in...But surprisingly I ran very strong!
As I was running I looked around and realized that we had actually run around an area of Woodward Park that takes us out to the exit for Cobb Ranch near Madera. I was floored I could not believe I had run so far and at the end of the 1.5 miles I felt really strong. I was seriously contemplating going the extra mile-literally-but I knew that I felt good now, but I still had to run back another 1.5 miles and there were two hills, one of which I had never run before. So I thought it best to turn around.
The interval training is really helping...I feel like a strong runner and I run faster during my run intervals. I kept a very good pace b/c I noticed that I ran my intervals on the same path going back as going there.
It was a good call! Because when I got to the hill I had never ran, it was steeper than it looked at the end. And I pushed myself to run up it and by the top I was pumping my arms like mad...it felt good, and it almost kicked my ass but I didn't let it...it felt good to push myself. So I made friends with the hill instead. And then when I hit the next hill, I pushed myself to run. This hill not as steep but a bit longer than the first. When I ran up that hill I saw the destination and I felt pretty damn good...I was sweaty, exhausted, and seriously needed some liquids...and I could feel my body going into cool-down...So I stretched which felt sooo very good and then waited for Casimiro, because he had run the 6 miles - he by the way is an awesome runner and my main motivator.
When he got back we congratulated one another for a job well done. And I was surprised that after a week of no exercise or running I had run 4 miles with two hills at about an 11 min/mile pace...I know I won't always have a run day like today, but this will go in my motivational file for when I have a bad run day.
Hey all, please donate to the cause we are running for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So please go to our website and donate!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
My brother calls me Friday morning and says that our older sister was having contractions and was now at the hospital with our brudda-in-law. Needless to say, my sister went into labor the same day my brother's knee surgery was scheduled. So essentially I had a change of plans. I drove up to Livermore Friday night and then hung out at the hospital with my cousin waiting for the baby to be delivered (finally my sis had to have a c-section b/c the baby did not enjoy being squeezed by the uterus and was distressed). So I ended up leaving the hospital about midnight and by the time I finished feeding the cats and cleaning up their litter boxes it was like 1am.
But I was so adrenalized that I could not sleep and ended up falling asleep at 3am. But I was so excited I ended up waking up at 6am.
I wanted to go for a 3 mile run, but I was running on 3 hours of sleep and there was no one to watch the Xman for me so I forewent my run & decided instead to put together the baby's bassinet (since they weren't expecting her until July 4th) they hadn't put much together. Afterwards, Xman and I had our baby fix and then headed up to Chico to spend time with my lil bro.
Unfortunately, Saturday night my brother started spiking a fever about 3am and because there was a risk of infection my bro had orders to go to the hospital immediately if his temp hit 102. So from 3am to about 5am I was monitoring my bro's temp every 30 minutes. By 5am his fever broke and he was down to 97.5! But just to make sure, I decided to check his temp at 7am. So 2 hours later I was up checking his temp and it got down to almost 96 woohoo!!!
But on so little sleep from tonight and the night before, I was not going to attempt to do any kind of exercise or 3 mile running. So I opted for grocery shopping, cooking and playing with my lil bro's hamster Mo. My little bro was dying to meet our new niece and my sister wanted to see my lil bro. So I decided to take my lil bro back up to Livermore and spend Mon-Thursday because I had to meet with my private student on Friday afternoon.
So basically I drove from Fresno to Livemore on Friday. On Saturday Livermore to Chico. On Monday Chico to Livermore. On Thursday Livermore to Chico and then Chico to Fresno...and I came back to Fresno on Friday at 1am... But the whole week I was up in Livermore, I was cooking, cleaning, holding my niece, doing laundry, making sure Xman didn't feel neglected, helping my lil bro as needed (he has to watch with crutches & his wound is fresh so he really needs to lay down and recover), getting water, cleaning cat poo, feeding cats, and making sure my sister, brudda-in-law, and lil bro were cool beans. Technically, I was supposed to stay with my lil bro for a week after his surgery and then when I was supposed to stay with my sister & brudda-in-law during the week of the baby's due date. But instead baby B.E.L decided it was be nice to have the whole family together in Livermore.
But it was not rigorous at all I was not the only person doing dishes or laundry, but I decided that this past week was going to be rest week from running and cross training.
Which now brings me to Day 31 June 21st, which I was terrified of because I had not run since June 12th nor had I done any exercise. And I knew today was a four mile run day...I was scared plus my asthma has been kicking in...But surprisingly I ran very strong!
As I was running I looked around and realized that we had actually run around an area of Woodward Park that takes us out to the exit for Cobb Ranch near Madera. I was floored I could not believe I had run so far and at the end of the 1.5 miles I felt really strong. I was seriously contemplating going the extra mile-literally-but I knew that I felt good now, but I still had to run back another 1.5 miles and there were two hills, one of which I had never run before. So I thought it best to turn around.
The interval training is really helping...I feel like a strong runner and I run faster during my run intervals. I kept a very good pace b/c I noticed that I ran my intervals on the same path going back as going there.
It was a good call! Because when I got to the hill I had never ran, it was steeper than it looked at the end. And I pushed myself to run up it and by the top I was pumping my arms like mad...it felt good, and it almost kicked my ass but I didn't let it...it felt good to push myself. So I made friends with the hill instead. And then when I hit the next hill, I pushed myself to run. This hill not as steep but a bit longer than the first. When I ran up that hill I saw the destination and I felt pretty damn good...I was sweaty, exhausted, and seriously needed some liquids...and I could feel my body going into cool-down...So I stretched which felt sooo very good and then waited for Casimiro, because he had run the 6 miles - he by the way is an awesome runner and my main motivator.
When he got back we congratulated one another for a job well done. And I was surprised that after a week of no exercise or running I had run 4 miles with two hills at about an 11 min/mile pace...I know I won't always have a run day like today, but this will go in my motivational file for when I have a bad run day.
Hey all, please donate to the cause we are running for Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So please go to our website and donate!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Saturday, June 14, 2008
Slacking in the Central Valley - Day 24
Okay, so for those of you who can count...days 20-23 are missing...I don't know where they went. But I do know their omission cost me dearly on Day 24. We had to run another 3 miler today.
Unfortunately, I missed hill training on Tues which meant technically I had not run since Saturday June 7 Day 19...
So here we are on Day 24 in almost 100 degree weather and me having not ran in almost a week...for the first time I realized I cannot miss any practice days and especially cannot miss any run days. The cow pasture kicked my ass. I had to run 2/1 intervals - run 2 minutes walk 1 because after 12 minutes of the sun blazing down on my arms, no water or anything to hydrate me I was feeling exhausted. Although, I had my inhaler & used it twice, my chest still felt constricted & I was totally winded.
I could not even do my cool down jog back to our stretching rock...
Exhaustion today tasted like the color orange - my exhaustion today warned me never to miss anymore run days or workout days otherwise it will set me back way too far. I have worked too hard to get to 4 miles to have to start from scratch no good.
But blogging helps, because not blogging means I'm not living up to my end of the training bargain.
But that doesn't mean I am giving up rather I am owning up to my weakness, admitting defeat, but gracefully (I hope) getting back on the workout horse.
Luckily, my training partner in crime Casimiro Llamas, Jr. kicks my ass & literally takes down my name (we have to sign in and out)....
So a special thanks to him for diligently, gently, yet kindly not allowing me to slack.
But continue to cheer us on by donating to a worthy cause...Please click on our links and donate to the wonderful cause we are running for...
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Unfortunately, I missed hill training on Tues which meant technically I had not run since Saturday June 7 Day 19...
So here we are on Day 24 in almost 100 degree weather and me having not ran in almost a week...for the first time I realized I cannot miss any practice days and especially cannot miss any run days. The cow pasture kicked my ass. I had to run 2/1 intervals - run 2 minutes walk 1 because after 12 minutes of the sun blazing down on my arms, no water or anything to hydrate me I was feeling exhausted. Although, I had my inhaler & used it twice, my chest still felt constricted & I was totally winded.
I could not even do my cool down jog back to our stretching rock...
Exhaustion today tasted like the color orange - my exhaustion today warned me never to miss anymore run days or workout days otherwise it will set me back way too far. I have worked too hard to get to 4 miles to have to start from scratch no good.
But blogging helps, because not blogging means I'm not living up to my end of the training bargain.
But that doesn't mean I am giving up rather I am owning up to my weakness, admitting defeat, but gracefully (I hope) getting back on the workout horse.
Luckily, my training partner in crime Casimiro Llamas, Jr. kicks my ass & literally takes down my name (we have to sign in and out)....
So a special thanks to him for diligently, gently, yet kindly not allowing me to slack.
But continue to cheer us on by donating to a worthy cause...Please click on our links and donate to the wonderful cause we are running for...
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Discovered something cool on Day 19!
so today was our first 4-miler and I was really nervous because the last couple of training days have been off-days. And I was getting a little afraid that I wouldn't be able to go 3 miles much less 26.2! Yikes
And the last couple of days I have been a bit dizzy (perhaps an inner ear thing?) my balance has been off too, so crossing fingers. Now that I have started running it's funny because I have been hoping for ailments as long as they don't affect my ability to run...
I am really beginning to feel the groove of this whole running thing. Even though I was a bit discouraged on Thurs, I came out this morning hoping for a new day!
And it was definitely a new day. I discovered I have really let go of my stubbornness. I was feeling a little light-headed, nauseous and dizzy, but I didn't want to not train because we learned before we went out on our run that Bryna one of the honorees that we run for is going to be undergoing intensive days of chemotherapy in order to kill most of her bone marrow so that they can transplant other bone marrow.
And from what I understand it is painful, and leaves you feeling dizzy and nauseous. So I decided then and there that I needed to find a way to run through my dizziness and nausea because mine is not being caused by chemo.
So I decided I was going to do interval training today. Basically, it's a walk/run strategy to give your body mini breaks during the race. And one of my teammates was recovering from the flu, so I wanted to keep her company just in case she got sick and needed help.
We did 4/1 which means 4 minutes of running/1 minute of walking. And let me say that doing this I felt so much better & I didn't even noticed that we had run 4 miles today. My body felt like it was only a 2 mile run...
I spoke to the coach who told me that interval training was a good deal & that the ideal way to do it is to continual increase the length of running and decrease the length of walking.
So for next training I'm gonna do 8/1 8 minutes of running 1 minute of walking. Today's interval training gave me a renewed sense of hope for the marathon.
And I have to give props to my off day training partner (in crime jajaja) Casimiro because I'm pretty sure that his running pace has gotten faster, I'm pretty sure that he was running at least a 9-10 minute/mile pace. Way to go 'Miro!
And Sara my running partner today kept me talking and motivated.
I am hoping too that the interval training will help me increase my speed.
But we shall see.
Today's exhaustion tasted fresh, pure, and new as I discovered a way to keep motivated and confident about my ability to run 26.2 miles! YES!!!
Just as the interval training gave me a renewed sense of confidence for the marathon, give Bryna and some many other people living with blood cancers a renewed sense of hope by donating to my and Casimiro's marathon efforts to help the LLS!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
And the last couple of days I have been a bit dizzy (perhaps an inner ear thing?) my balance has been off too, so crossing fingers. Now that I have started running it's funny because I have been hoping for ailments as long as they don't affect my ability to run...
I am really beginning to feel the groove of this whole running thing. Even though I was a bit discouraged on Thurs, I came out this morning hoping for a new day!
And it was definitely a new day. I discovered I have really let go of my stubbornness. I was feeling a little light-headed, nauseous and dizzy, but I didn't want to not train because we learned before we went out on our run that Bryna one of the honorees that we run for is going to be undergoing intensive days of chemotherapy in order to kill most of her bone marrow so that they can transplant other bone marrow.
And from what I understand it is painful, and leaves you feeling dizzy and nauseous. So I decided then and there that I needed to find a way to run through my dizziness and nausea because mine is not being caused by chemo.
So I decided I was going to do interval training today. Basically, it's a walk/run strategy to give your body mini breaks during the race. And one of my teammates was recovering from the flu, so I wanted to keep her company just in case she got sick and needed help.
We did 4/1 which means 4 minutes of running/1 minute of walking. And let me say that doing this I felt so much better & I didn't even noticed that we had run 4 miles today. My body felt like it was only a 2 mile run...
I spoke to the coach who told me that interval training was a good deal & that the ideal way to do it is to continual increase the length of running and decrease the length of walking.
So for next training I'm gonna do 8/1 8 minutes of running 1 minute of walking. Today's interval training gave me a renewed sense of hope for the marathon.
And I have to give props to my off day training partner (in crime jajaja) Casimiro because I'm pretty sure that his running pace has gotten faster, I'm pretty sure that he was running at least a 9-10 minute/mile pace. Way to go 'Miro!
And Sara my running partner today kept me talking and motivated.
I am hoping too that the interval training will help me increase my speed.
But we shall see.
Today's exhaustion tasted fresh, pure, and new as I discovered a way to keep motivated and confident about my ability to run 26.2 miles! YES!!!
Just as the interval training gave me a renewed sense of confidence for the marathon, give Bryna and some many other people living with blood cancers a renewed sense of hope by donating to my and Casimiro's marathon efforts to help the LLS!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Thursday, June 5, 2008
26.2 - 3 = 23.2 miles to go after Day 18
My hand slipped and I lost my first blog...yuck...basically, today I learned that the filipina asthma treatment ain't gonna work. For those of you who don't know what that it is simply mind over matter as well as pushing past the discomfort until your body does what you tell it to.
It's sort of martial law for the lungs: "you'll open up and allow oxygen in if I have to force it through using brute force." Well, so far it's been working, but now that we are increasing intensity and distance pushing my lungs ain't gonna do it.
I am putting away my stubbornness along with my winter clothes so that I can run this marathon correctly without losing consciousness, cuz you kinda need that to run...jajaja
So marathon training is teaching me to get rid of some very bad habits and learn to deal with my limitations. Sometimes, we have to shake of what we learned as kids and start from scratch. So I'm starting from scratch. And I need my inhaler, if I am going to make it. Especially, because we ran on pack dirt and the last mile or so was completely unshaded and the finish was one mini hill. But after 3 miles, a mini hill looks like a mountain! But I pumped my legs even though it felt like I was running on quicksand and my lungs burned hotter than the sun beating down on my legs.
Even though it felt like my lungs were gonna fly right out of my mouth and every poorly-oxygenated step made me want to stop and walk, I kept telling myself to keep the rhythm of my breath as a marker. And that if I could just go around this corner or down this stretch, I would be okay.
And that my faithful readers took me 3.5 fucking miles today!!! I have walked 3 miles before I have even run/walked 3 miles before, but I have not run 3 miles straight in 2 years. And today I ran 3.5 miles!
So I just need to tell myself 23.2 more miles of pushing myself.
Exhaustion tasted like the acquiescing of my stubborn streak in order for me to train properly and finish strong.
See the unbelievable has happened - I let my stubbornness go. If I can let go of my stubbornness for a good cause, how about you let go of a few greenbacks for a good cause! Please donate! Thanks!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
It's sort of martial law for the lungs: "you'll open up and allow oxygen in if I have to force it through using brute force." Well, so far it's been working, but now that we are increasing intensity and distance pushing my lungs ain't gonna do it.
I am putting away my stubbornness along with my winter clothes so that I can run this marathon correctly without losing consciousness, cuz you kinda need that to run...jajaja
So marathon training is teaching me to get rid of some very bad habits and learn to deal with my limitations. Sometimes, we have to shake of what we learned as kids and start from scratch. So I'm starting from scratch. And I need my inhaler, if I am going to make it. Especially, because we ran on pack dirt and the last mile or so was completely unshaded and the finish was one mini hill. But after 3 miles, a mini hill looks like a mountain! But I pumped my legs even though it felt like I was running on quicksand and my lungs burned hotter than the sun beating down on my legs.
Even though it felt like my lungs were gonna fly right out of my mouth and every poorly-oxygenated step made me want to stop and walk, I kept telling myself to keep the rhythm of my breath as a marker. And that if I could just go around this corner or down this stretch, I would be okay.
And that my faithful readers took me 3.5 fucking miles today!!! I have walked 3 miles before I have even run/walked 3 miles before, but I have not run 3 miles straight in 2 years. And today I ran 3.5 miles!
So I just need to tell myself 23.2 more miles of pushing myself.
Exhaustion tasted like the acquiescing of my stubborn streak in order for me to train properly and finish strong.
See the unbelievable has happened - I let my stubbornness go. If I can let go of my stubbornness for a good cause, how about you let go of a few greenbacks for a good cause! Please donate! Thanks!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Day 17 - S-t-r-e-t-c-h-i-n-g feels gooooood!!!
Today was low impact stretch day because after Tuesday's intense hills workout with my near-loss of consciousness I really needed to stretch out my muscles because it felt like my legs were two taught rubber bands ready to snap.
If you have never done intense yoga-like stretching, you cannot imagine how much of a workout it really is. Trying to stretch muscles that are in resistance makes you sweat like you're in a sauna.
And by the end of the 45 minute stretching session I could feel the blood rushing into my muscles, warming them up and lengthening out.
I am really hoping that today's 3 mile run will stretch out my muscles.
The best thing about this training has been my mental attitude. Every day that I get through a training reminds me there is another day I can add to getting my body and mind ready for San Francisco.
The taste of exhaustion was warm and inviting-my spot in front of the fireplace near the dying glow of heated firewood.
Keep my partner and I feeling warm by donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
If you have never done intense yoga-like stretching, you cannot imagine how much of a workout it really is. Trying to stretch muscles that are in resistance makes you sweat like you're in a sauna.
And by the end of the 45 minute stretching session I could feel the blood rushing into my muscles, warming them up and lengthening out.
I am really hoping that today's 3 mile run will stretch out my muscles.
The best thing about this training has been my mental attitude. Every day that I get through a training reminds me there is another day I can add to getting my body and mind ready for San Francisco.
The taste of exhaustion was warm and inviting-my spot in front of the fireplace near the dying glow of heated firewood.
Keep my partner and I feeling warm by donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
Day 16 - Consciousness almost got lost...
Wow! Today was a coach's hills training. For those of you who don't know San Francisco very well it's hilly. So the marathon course has two hills in it therefore, we have to train for hills.
Before I go into details, I have to say that my teammates are supportive, beautiful people because they sacrificed their own training to make sure I was ok.
Basically, our first mile was the horse trail with a lot of small hills, which is ok. But when you have to run hills continuously it becomes a practice in masochism. You just have to love pain, love to push yourself. The coach's practice really helps us to push ourselves and to realize that this pain will eventually subside. So that when it comes time to do 26.2, we will approach it with confidence.
I have to say that I was able to go back to my sprinting roots. One of our exercises was to run two sets of 100m wind sprints. Something I love and something that I did all throughout high school. Short distance sprinting has always been relaxing for me.
So I loved doing the sprints because I have to do a lot of wind sprints to tire. This gave me renewed confidence in my ability to get back into physical shape.
Then the coach took us to a crazy big hill and we had to run up it twice, which was okay until we had to run backwards up the hill. That burned my glutes and hamstrings big time and unfortunately, all the blood rushing to my very "meaty" thighs meant that the blood was rushing from my head. Which in turn made me light-headed to the point of dizziness. Luckily, that was our last activity because afterwards, I nearly passed out.
First I got the shakes, then I got the "hearing through a tunnel," then the blackness started to close in, so I sat down immediately. That's when the coach told us to jog back. But I knew if I stood up I would just end up on the ground and seriously needing some CPR. And since we all had runner's breath I thought I would be polite to my teammates and stay on the ground and conscious. So my two teammates Donna & Casimiro sat with me until I could get up with passing out, which meant that they didn't get to jog back and they didn't get to do all of their workout.
I was so appreciative and touched that they forewent their own training to make sure I was ok. Coach even ran back to make sure I was ok, and he reassured me it was going to be ok. That sometimes this happens, but the more we train the less this will happen.
Exhaustion today tasted like camaraderie, exhaustion tastes best when it's shared with people who understand that even if your mind can go on, your body may not agree.
So once again to my teammates THANK YOU!
Please donate to LLS. My teammates and I are all training to help find a cure.
Show your camaraderie by working with LLS and donating to a worthy cause!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Before I go into details, I have to say that my teammates are supportive, beautiful people because they sacrificed their own training to make sure I was ok.
Basically, our first mile was the horse trail with a lot of small hills, which is ok. But when you have to run hills continuously it becomes a practice in masochism. You just have to love pain, love to push yourself. The coach's practice really helps us to push ourselves and to realize that this pain will eventually subside. So that when it comes time to do 26.2, we will approach it with confidence.
I have to say that I was able to go back to my sprinting roots. One of our exercises was to run two sets of 100m wind sprints. Something I love and something that I did all throughout high school. Short distance sprinting has always been relaxing for me.
So I loved doing the sprints because I have to do a lot of wind sprints to tire. This gave me renewed confidence in my ability to get back into physical shape.
Then the coach took us to a crazy big hill and we had to run up it twice, which was okay until we had to run backwards up the hill. That burned my glutes and hamstrings big time and unfortunately, all the blood rushing to my very "meaty" thighs meant that the blood was rushing from my head. Which in turn made me light-headed to the point of dizziness. Luckily, that was our last activity because afterwards, I nearly passed out.
First I got the shakes, then I got the "hearing through a tunnel," then the blackness started to close in, so I sat down immediately. That's when the coach told us to jog back. But I knew if I stood up I would just end up on the ground and seriously needing some CPR. And since we all had runner's breath I thought I would be polite to my teammates and stay on the ground and conscious. So my two teammates Donna & Casimiro sat with me until I could get up with passing out, which meant that they didn't get to jog back and they didn't get to do all of their workout.
I was so appreciative and touched that they forewent their own training to make sure I was ok. Coach even ran back to make sure I was ok, and he reassured me it was going to be ok. That sometimes this happens, but the more we train the less this will happen.
Exhaustion today tasted like camaraderie, exhaustion tastes best when it's shared with people who understand that even if your mind can go on, your body may not agree.
So once again to my teammates THANK YOU!
Please donate to LLS. My teammates and I are all training to help find a cure.
Show your camaraderie by working with LLS and donating to a worthy cause!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Monday, June 2, 2008
Day 15
Today was a core and lower body workout, but I did not have my partner in crime so it wasn't as fun as it normally is - we usually cheer each other on while making fun of ourselves struggling to strengthen muscles that are angry we are making them work rather than sitting on the couch.
The more we workout and run the more I feel my body getting stronger. But just like everything else I need to break my body back in. Because some days I feel strong, energetic ready to take on the day.
Today my core felt good and although the core exercises were difficult they weren't impossible. And I can really feel myself getting stronger, but when I was working on my legs I could tell that although the running is making them stronger, there are muscles in my legs that still need to be strengthened to carry me the 26.2 miles.
I am becoming very excited. And I am realizing that this marathon is not only challenging me physically, but mentally. I have been thinking a lot about my life and the direction it's heading and whether or not I am happy about it.
So I am really glad that I am training my body and mind. And as I add mileage it gives me time to think about what will happen next.
Stay tuned...
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The more we workout and run the more I feel my body getting stronger. But just like everything else I need to break my body back in. Because some days I feel strong, energetic ready to take on the day.
Today my core felt good and although the core exercises were difficult they weren't impossible. And I can really feel myself getting stronger, but when I was working on my legs I could tell that although the running is making them stronger, there are muscles in my legs that still need to be strengthened to carry me the 26.2 miles.
I am becoming very excited. And I am realizing that this marathon is not only challenging me physically, but mentally. I have been thinking a lot about my life and the direction it's heading and whether or not I am happy about it.
So I am really glad that I am training my body and mind. And as I add mileage it gives me time to think about what will happen next.
Stay tuned...
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Day 14
Today was a light workout, well actually not really a workout, but a stretching session.
I was in the Bay Area because someone threw my sister a baby shower and we were in San Jose from 12-5 and before that I was making potato salad & cookies.
So I decided after I got home to stretch out my poor, tight, shortened muscles. I felt really good and I just spent 45 minutes stretching everything out - lengthening muscles that had been cramped with all of the driving I did.
The taste of exhaustion was languishing in my own skin, feeling my muscles becoming sleeker and longer.
Until tomorrow...
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
I was in the Bay Area because someone threw my sister a baby shower and we were in San Jose from 12-5 and before that I was making potato salad & cookies.
So I decided after I got home to stretch out my poor, tight, shortened muscles. I felt really good and I just spent 45 minutes stretching everything out - lengthening muscles that had been cramped with all of the driving I did.
The taste of exhaustion was languishing in my own skin, feeling my muscles becoming sleeker and longer.
Until tomorrow...
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Friday, May 30, 2008
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 12
Writing this blog everyday is a good part of this training because it's another component of my discipline: chronicling this journey.
So today was a mentor run & basically we just ran 2 miles and we were done. And tomorrow is a rest day! It's getting to the point where I'm a little bummed that we have a day of rest, but I know that come 10 miles my body will thank me for doing that.
Although, I achieved my goal of running the entire way, that still needs to stay a goal. My asthma has been kicking in & I am really trying to train my lungs. But this lack of oxygen is not allowing me to be an efficient runner. I am fatiguing because my body is not receiving enough oxygen to get me through. So my goal throughout is to run all the way...no matter what.
It's not my body that hurts after the run, but my lungs feel tight, my throat is very dry and burns, and I have serious cotton mouth because my lungs refuse the breath of air I send them. So this constant fighting of lungs versus breathing is the only major pain that has come along with this running.
The one thing I am trying not to be intimidated by are the hills in San Francisco. There are some hills on our Woodward Park route & sometimes they kick my ass. So I don't want the thought of hills during 26.2 miles to frighten me off. I try my best to retain a constant speed as I run up the hill, which can feel a little like torture, but I know there will be hills...So I hope to kick their ass when it really counts on Oct. 19th.
One thing that helped was the mini conversations I am beginning to have with myself, I almost stopped to walk, but something inside told me I could hold on, that I need to push through, because it's not the first 24 it's the last 2.2 miles...
But I ran the 2 miles straight through and I was even able to quasi-sprint the last 100 yds! The feeling as I crossed the point at which I started was as refreshing as cold water in 100 degree weather.
One thing that I am slowly changing is my mindset. I need to remember that my body is different it is not the same as it was when I played basketball, field hockey, and track and field. So now I have to learn how to love the shape of my body and realize I can sculpt it. But even then there is an underlying foundation that will determine how much I can sculpt and how much I can shape. So I have to learn to love what I've got to work with.
But every day that I run I gain a new appreciation and respect for what it has done for me. And so part of this marathon is giving back to my body and making it strong and healthy again. Remembering that my body has transformed to what my life has required of it and as I age so will my body. But if I take care of it then it will become my support system and carry me through other life changes.
My next goal is to run at a little quicker pace as well as run every mile even if I have to go at a snail's pace.
So today's exhaustion tastes like struggling. Struggling against gravity, against my perception of who I was with what I am today, struggling to learn to love the person I have become, and struggling to understand that every day is a chance to change.
I need to learn, even though my life has been a combination of pleasure and pain I need to give back to this world that has given me so much. Even as it took away other things. Running is teaching me to respect cycles and the changes that come because of that cycle.
Since you can't be there to cheer us on at our practices please go to our pages and cheer us on by donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We're running not just toward a finish line, but with your donations we're racing toward a cure!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Thank you for reading my faithful readers!
So today was a mentor run & basically we just ran 2 miles and we were done. And tomorrow is a rest day! It's getting to the point where I'm a little bummed that we have a day of rest, but I know that come 10 miles my body will thank me for doing that.
Although, I achieved my goal of running the entire way, that still needs to stay a goal. My asthma has been kicking in & I am really trying to train my lungs. But this lack of oxygen is not allowing me to be an efficient runner. I am fatiguing because my body is not receiving enough oxygen to get me through. So my goal throughout is to run all the way...no matter what.
It's not my body that hurts after the run, but my lungs feel tight, my throat is very dry and burns, and I have serious cotton mouth because my lungs refuse the breath of air I send them. So this constant fighting of lungs versus breathing is the only major pain that has come along with this running.
The one thing I am trying not to be intimidated by are the hills in San Francisco. There are some hills on our Woodward Park route & sometimes they kick my ass. So I don't want the thought of hills during 26.2 miles to frighten me off. I try my best to retain a constant speed as I run up the hill, which can feel a little like torture, but I know there will be hills...So I hope to kick their ass when it really counts on Oct. 19th.
One thing that helped was the mini conversations I am beginning to have with myself, I almost stopped to walk, but something inside told me I could hold on, that I need to push through, because it's not the first 24 it's the last 2.2 miles...
But I ran the 2 miles straight through and I was even able to quasi-sprint the last 100 yds! The feeling as I crossed the point at which I started was as refreshing as cold water in 100 degree weather.
One thing that I am slowly changing is my mindset. I need to remember that my body is different it is not the same as it was when I played basketball, field hockey, and track and field. So now I have to learn how to love the shape of my body and realize I can sculpt it. But even then there is an underlying foundation that will determine how much I can sculpt and how much I can shape. So I have to learn to love what I've got to work with.
But every day that I run I gain a new appreciation and respect for what it has done for me. And so part of this marathon is giving back to my body and making it strong and healthy again. Remembering that my body has transformed to what my life has required of it and as I age so will my body. But if I take care of it then it will become my support system and carry me through other life changes.
My next goal is to run at a little quicker pace as well as run every mile even if I have to go at a snail's pace.
So today's exhaustion tastes like struggling. Struggling against gravity, against my perception of who I was with what I am today, struggling to learn to love the person I have become, and struggling to understand that every day is a chance to change.
I need to learn, even though my life has been a combination of pleasure and pain I need to give back to this world that has given me so much. Even as it took away other things. Running is teaching me to respect cycles and the changes that come because of that cycle.
Since you can't be there to cheer us on at our practices please go to our pages and cheer us on by donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We're running not just toward a finish line, but with your donations we're racing toward a cure!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Thank you for reading my faithful readers!
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 11
I can't believe it will be almost 2 weeks since Casimiro & I started our training for the Nike Women's Marathon.
We each received our first donation from our awesome friend and supporter Angelica Ambrose! Thanks Gelatin Ambrosia! Your money will go to a great cause.
Today was cross training day and we did Pilates today. I love Pilates because it appears deceptively simple. By the end of the workout I was sweating and stinky. But anytime I do Pilates I always finish feeling really strong, which was no exception today.
Which was very nice especially after yesterday's workout. I needed something to boost my confidence & Pilates does that for me. Because its rigorous, graceful, and relaxing...Concentration is very important in Pilates which will be very helpful as we get farther up in miles. I will need to be able to focus and concentrate on running strong and efficient.
Again, having a motivating training partner is very helpful. And the nice thing about the workouts is that I do not want to miss a day because in my mind running a marathon means that every day counts toward a stronger body.
The taste of my exhaustion is the gentle ebb and flow of my breath in coordination with the movements of my body...YUM! *DEEP SIGH*
Please donate here are the links again!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
We each received our first donation from our awesome friend and supporter Angelica Ambrose! Thanks Gelatin Ambrosia! Your money will go to a great cause.
Today was cross training day and we did Pilates today. I love Pilates because it appears deceptively simple. By the end of the workout I was sweating and stinky. But anytime I do Pilates I always finish feeling really strong, which was no exception today.
Which was very nice especially after yesterday's workout. I needed something to boost my confidence & Pilates does that for me. Because its rigorous, graceful, and relaxing...Concentration is very important in Pilates which will be very helpful as we get farther up in miles. I will need to be able to focus and concentrate on running strong and efficient.
Again, having a motivating training partner is very helpful. And the nice thing about the workouts is that I do not want to miss a day because in my mind running a marathon means that every day counts toward a stronger body.
The taste of my exhaustion is the gentle ebb and flow of my breath in coordination with the movements of my body...YUM! *DEEP SIGH*
Please donate here are the links again!
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 10
Ok, so today is the first day I finally understood the meaning of the phrase "pride goeth before a fall." So for those of you who have been keeping up with these training blogs, Day 1 I was so excited that I was able to run a 12.59 minute mile until today...
So for today's practice coach decided to break us into groups based on how we ran that first mile. Which was cool beans because if you remember from another blog I was always a sprint sport player so, technically based on my previous mile time 12.59 is pretty slow. But it ain't slow when you have to run at that pace for 1.5 miles after already completing one mile. And if that wasn't enough, we had to do the line.
So before I continue, let me recap the practice up to this point. We ran two laps straight (on our own at our own pace) took a water break and then ran two more laps straight.
Then coach says we are going to run 4 laps in teams that he created using our mile run. And then after the 4 laps a quick water break and then we would go again. My first thought was "ah shit, I'm f**ked," especially when I noticed that all the people on my team usually run ahead of me during our pacing runs...especially because we were running the line...If you've never run the line it consists of the following - everyone runs in a line and the person at the end has to sprint to the beginning of the line.
Which is cool when you're in great shape, but when the only shape your in is round (which unfortunately I am at present - just keepin it real for you folks!) running the line can be stressful.
Which brings me to the best part of this workout: I have stress induced asthma, and I haven't really had a major attack in a couple of years. Usually the stress that causes my asthma attacks is related to physical stress. Which is not a stress I've experienced for a while [insert embarrassed laughter here].
At first I was feeling good, we had already ran a mile and the pace was pretty good, but the people on my team were running at a 10 min/mile pace. Which is cool when you're only doing one mile and one mile only. But we had already run a mile and we still had another mile and a half to go....and we had to sprint about every 100 meters.
But after mile 3 I was seriously sucking wind. And for those of you that have asthma, basically when you're asthma breathing you sound like a balloon that is slowly leaking....every time you try to suck in a breath your bronchials in your lungs close off like a scorned lover with his back to you. And each breath sounds like that high-pitched noise balloons make when you let the air out slowly by constricting the balloon opening with your fingers. Which is quite appealing ;-)
Every intake of breath is being forced through this tightly squeezed tube. So basically, I am running and the poor person in front of me had to keep hearing this wheezy breathing behind her...which if you've never heard it before is a sexy as it sounds ;-)
And sometimes when my asthma turns on, my ability to screen my language turns off. So right around the time I started wheezing I had to sprint to the front of the line. And when I thought my lungs were going to burst into flames I muttered under my breath "fuck, fuck, fuck," but my teammates heard and they were like WHOA...and when I got to the front of the line I had to get a couple of "fucking shits" in there too...Which thoroughly offended my teammates because no on talked to me after that. OOPS...hopefully that was a one time team.
My body was fine, but my lungs were completely constricted. So exhaustion was kicking in because my muscles were barely getting any oxygen. Toward the end though, just when I thought I was not going to be able to take in any oxygen and I was literally going to collapse into a brown puddle on the Clovis West Track, I heard the coach's wife telling me "this is the most important moment, when you're body wants to give up if you can push yourself past that, you'll be okay" that's all I needed to hear, I took my last sprint and basically collapsed on the grass trying to get my breath back.
But my team in training teammates Donna & Casimiro both congratulated me on a job well done. And Sara one of my other teammates knew pressure points to help me breath, so that was very encouraging. And as I was signing out coach Jenny tells me remember it's not the 8 miles, when you're running 10 but the last 2 that are important. So I'm adopting that as my new mantra "it's not the first 24 miles it's the last 2.2 miles that count."
TMI warning...
And just because I can't resist...Those of you who have asthma will totally understand this...as you get your breath back your body starts to expel all of the liquid that has built up in your lungs. Which brings on several things: coughing, spitting, and sneezing. So essentially I was coughing and then spitting out this sort of foamy stuff, which oddly looks like snails when you toss salt on them...and I've been sneezing every since practice finished and oddly it feels good to sneeze...hmmm???
So today exhaustion tastes like air being sucked through a straw and my body and mind willing to push, but this time it's my lungs resisting like a petulant child refusing to go to bed. But this all this pain is definitely for a good cause SO...
Remember, I'm still in the game guys so in lieu of congratulatory high-fives if you can give me two high five dollar bills to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. One for me and one for my friend Casimiro who has been an excellent training partner. Your donation and our participating in this race will help those with blood cancers. Thanks All!
The links are below:
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
So for today's practice coach decided to break us into groups based on how we ran that first mile. Which was cool beans because if you remember from another blog I was always a sprint sport player so, technically based on my previous mile time 12.59 is pretty slow. But it ain't slow when you have to run at that pace for 1.5 miles after already completing one mile. And if that wasn't enough, we had to do the line.
So before I continue, let me recap the practice up to this point. We ran two laps straight (on our own at our own pace) took a water break and then ran two more laps straight.
Then coach says we are going to run 4 laps in teams that he created using our mile run. And then after the 4 laps a quick water break and then we would go again. My first thought was "ah shit, I'm f**ked," especially when I noticed that all the people on my team usually run ahead of me during our pacing runs...especially because we were running the line...If you've never run the line it consists of the following - everyone runs in a line and the person at the end has to sprint to the beginning of the line.
Which is cool when you're in great shape, but when the only shape your in is round (which unfortunately I am at present - just keepin it real for you folks!) running the line can be stressful.
Which brings me to the best part of this workout: I have stress induced asthma, and I haven't really had a major attack in a couple of years. Usually the stress that causes my asthma attacks is related to physical stress. Which is not a stress I've experienced for a while [insert embarrassed laughter here].
At first I was feeling good, we had already ran a mile and the pace was pretty good, but the people on my team were running at a 10 min/mile pace. Which is cool when you're only doing one mile and one mile only. But we had already run a mile and we still had another mile and a half to go....and we had to sprint about every 100 meters.
But after mile 3 I was seriously sucking wind. And for those of you that have asthma, basically when you're asthma breathing you sound like a balloon that is slowly leaking....every time you try to suck in a breath your bronchials in your lungs close off like a scorned lover with his back to you. And each breath sounds like that high-pitched noise balloons make when you let the air out slowly by constricting the balloon opening with your fingers. Which is quite appealing ;-)
Every intake of breath is being forced through this tightly squeezed tube. So basically, I am running and the poor person in front of me had to keep hearing this wheezy breathing behind her...which if you've never heard it before is a sexy as it sounds ;-)
And sometimes when my asthma turns on, my ability to screen my language turns off. So right around the time I started wheezing I had to sprint to the front of the line. And when I thought my lungs were going to burst into flames I muttered under my breath "fuck, fuck, fuck," but my teammates heard and they were like WHOA...and when I got to the front of the line I had to get a couple of "fucking shits" in there too...Which thoroughly offended my teammates because no on talked to me after that. OOPS...hopefully that was a one time team.
My body was fine, but my lungs were completely constricted. So exhaustion was kicking in because my muscles were barely getting any oxygen. Toward the end though, just when I thought I was not going to be able to take in any oxygen and I was literally going to collapse into a brown puddle on the Clovis West Track, I heard the coach's wife telling me "this is the most important moment, when you're body wants to give up if you can push yourself past that, you'll be okay" that's all I needed to hear, I took my last sprint and basically collapsed on the grass trying to get my breath back.
But my team in training teammates Donna & Casimiro both congratulated me on a job well done. And Sara one of my other teammates knew pressure points to help me breath, so that was very encouraging. And as I was signing out coach Jenny tells me remember it's not the 8 miles, when you're running 10 but the last 2 that are important. So I'm adopting that as my new mantra "it's not the first 24 miles it's the last 2.2 miles that count."
TMI warning...
And just because I can't resist...Those of you who have asthma will totally understand this...as you get your breath back your body starts to expel all of the liquid that has built up in your lungs. Which brings on several things: coughing, spitting, and sneezing. So essentially I was coughing and then spitting out this sort of foamy stuff, which oddly looks like snails when you toss salt on them...and I've been sneezing every since practice finished and oddly it feels good to sneeze...hmmm???
So today exhaustion tastes like air being sucked through a straw and my body and mind willing to push, but this time it's my lungs resisting like a petulant child refusing to go to bed. But this all this pain is definitely for a good cause SO...
Remember, I'm still in the game guys so in lieu of congratulatory high-fives if you can give me two high five dollar bills to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. One for me and one for my friend Casimiro who has been an excellent training partner. Your donation and our participating in this race will help those with blood cancers. Thanks All!
The links are below:
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 9
Hello all and welcome to Day 9. I was looking back at some of my other blogs & I kind of sound like I'm on one of those reality tv shows or someone found this mysterious diary logging some strange ritual.
But this is Day 9 for the Nike Women's Marathon, yes. Beautiful day literally and figuratively. The sun was out but there was a great breeze and the weather was like being in the Bay Area. And my favorite number is 3 so for those who love math 9 is 3 squared YES!!!
Ok, well today was the upper body and the core. I was really surprised how strong my upper body actually is considering my previous physical lifestyle [snicker, snicker]. And I can definitely tell that a strong upper body and core muscles will help carry me past the 10 mile mark. It just feels really good to get comfortable in my own skin again. To feel my muscles getting stronger, lengthening, holding me up, improving my posture, helping to match my outer strength with my newly developing inner strength. It's like the petals of a flower blossoming open attempting to increase its surface area to capture as much of the radiance of the sunlight as possible.
My physical strength is doing just this allowing me to become more positive and therefore able to take in that radiance so that I can absorb it and share that with those around me.
Each day, the taste of exhaustion becomes layered and transforms each time I combine it with a different flavor. Exhaustion with confidence tastes like a spot on hardwood floor warmed by the sun.
*DEEP SIGH*
Don't forget that each step my friend and I take is a step closer to helping those with blood cancers, the links to donate are below. Think of this as a jog-a-thon for adults.
Abrazos!
Just copy & paste into the address bar
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
But this is Day 9 for the Nike Women's Marathon, yes. Beautiful day literally and figuratively. The sun was out but there was a great breeze and the weather was like being in the Bay Area. And my favorite number is 3 so for those who love math 9 is 3 squared YES!!!
Ok, well today was the upper body and the core. I was really surprised how strong my upper body actually is considering my previous physical lifestyle [snicker, snicker]. And I can definitely tell that a strong upper body and core muscles will help carry me past the 10 mile mark. It just feels really good to get comfortable in my own skin again. To feel my muscles getting stronger, lengthening, holding me up, improving my posture, helping to match my outer strength with my newly developing inner strength. It's like the petals of a flower blossoming open attempting to increase its surface area to capture as much of the radiance of the sunlight as possible.
My physical strength is doing just this allowing me to become more positive and therefore able to take in that radiance so that I can absorb it and share that with those around me.
Each day, the taste of exhaustion becomes layered and transforms each time I combine it with a different flavor. Exhaustion with confidence tastes like a spot on hardwood floor warmed by the sun.
*DEEP SIGH*
Don't forget that each step my friend and I take is a step closer to helping those with blood cancers, the links to donate are below. Think of this as a jog-a-thon for adults.
Abrazos!
Just copy & paste into the address bar
Roxanne Villaluz's Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.'s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 8
Today was a day for Pilates. Because my IT band is inflamed I am really trying to stretch out my muscles so that I don't strain it and make it worse.
It felt great today. I had forgotten, however, how strenuous Pilates can be. But afterwards it felt great to work on my core because that is what is really going to get me through those miles of the marathon.
Ok, so the TMI has begun because sometimes when you work out a lot after not having worked out at all, your system starts to clean itself.
So let's just say that I could have started a campfire with the gases I was emitting today.
But I digress. It was pretty funny because that use to happen when my basketball team would have a really tough practice. And luckily they weren't gas mask worthy.
All in all, I feel myself getting stronger every day and this strength is reminding me that I can run this marathon. And it will be doable.
Today's exhaustion tasted like muscles lengthening and strengthening.
Lengthen and strengthen your dollars today by donating to LLS support my friend and I's training for the Nike Women's Marathon
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
It felt great today. I had forgotten, however, how strenuous Pilates can be. But afterwards it felt great to work on my core because that is what is really going to get me through those miles of the marathon.
Ok, so the TMI has begun because sometimes when you work out a lot after not having worked out at all, your system starts to clean itself.
So let's just say that I could have started a campfire with the gases I was emitting today.
But I digress. It was pretty funny because that use to happen when my basketball team would have a really tough practice. And luckily they weren't gas mask worthy.
All in all, I feel myself getting stronger every day and this strength is reminding me that I can run this marathon. And it will be doable.
Today's exhaustion tasted like muscles lengthening and strengthening.
Lengthen and strengthen your dollars today by donating to LLS support my friend and I's training for the Nike Women's Marathon
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 7
I reached my first goal today! I ran 2.2 miles straight! I was so excited. And the best part about today's training was that when we were approaching the end I thought it was the half way point and I really could have run one more mile.
Wow, this is amazing for me. I know for me what made it easier for today's run was the rain. I really love running in the rain because your running provides the heat and the cool air and rain act as a cooling system.
Each day of training motivates me and every time I complete a practice successfully that goal of 26.2 miles is definitely in my grasp.
Especially since I spent so much time on the couch this past semester and to go from no exercise a week ago to running 2.2 miles straight is very exhilarating!
So I am going to continue my goal and make sure I run at every practice.
My next goal is indirectly related, by Wednesday of next week I need to have my fundraising letters completed and sent out. And I need to start working on my fundraising website. And make sure I start advertising for fundraising for Casimiro and I.
And what I thought was a pulled hip flexor was actually my Iliotibial (IT) band which is basically a band of fibers that act as a stabilizer along the side of your leg originating from the hip to just under the knee. So I just need to really stretch my lower body so I don't cause damage to my knee and the rest of my leg.
Exhaustion tasted like wind in my face, rain in my mouth, my sweat-drenched, rain-soaked hat, and the sound of feet pounding the road. Delicious!
And there is nothing more delicious than donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), so please donate to my and my friend's pages to help support us and the society as we train towards a cure!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Wow, this is amazing for me. I know for me what made it easier for today's run was the rain. I really love running in the rain because your running provides the heat and the cool air and rain act as a cooling system.
Each day of training motivates me and every time I complete a practice successfully that goal of 26.2 miles is definitely in my grasp.
Especially since I spent so much time on the couch this past semester and to go from no exercise a week ago to running 2.2 miles straight is very exhilarating!
So I am going to continue my goal and make sure I run at every practice.
My next goal is indirectly related, by Wednesday of next week I need to have my fundraising letters completed and sent out. And I need to start working on my fundraising website. And make sure I start advertising for fundraising for Casimiro and I.
And what I thought was a pulled hip flexor was actually my Iliotibial (IT) band which is basically a band of fibers that act as a stabilizer along the side of your leg originating from the hip to just under the knee. So I just need to really stretch my lower body so I don't cause damage to my knee and the rest of my leg.
Exhaustion tasted like wind in my face, rain in my mouth, my sweat-drenched, rain-soaked hat, and the sound of feet pounding the road. Delicious!
And there is nothing more delicious than donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), so please donate to my and my friend's pages to help support us and the society as we train towards a cure!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Addicted - training rest day
Okay, so this summer I decided I had to put myself out there and do something I normally wouldn't do: challenge my writing and show it to more people. I have realized over the past year that I have a new addiction: writing.
I almost overdosed this semester on it, but like every addict, even one bad trip isn't enough to keep you away from it. How did I even get here? Ah, the song of any person addicted to something they sometimes wish they weren't. And I only say this because sometimes, I can't stop. I get a great idea and I don't stop, not to eat, sleep , shit, meditate, change the channel, drink, sometimes I even forget to breathe. Because for me the action of words coming together is like breath, sometimes my words feel like my lifeblood poring from my fingers to the page.
And so sometimes, when I get so caught up, I don't know how to feel about this new found addiction. But I do remember my first word hits. I received my first taste of creative nonfiction in the Fall of 2007. Since that day I have searched for opportunities to push myself further in this genre. After taking my first and only "Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop" at Fresno State, I have become a greedy participant. I want more. A writing and word junkie looking for her next fix and just like all addicts the thing that keeps me away from the opportunity to get a really wonderful word hit is funding.
Of course, as I stand here with my cup hoping that my words are tip worthy, I understand anyone considering filling my coffers wants to know where the money will go? I can definitely say that any coins that plop in my cup will go to feed my writing habit. A habit that I do not want to quit and that thankfully will not release me from its wonderful grasp. And the next legitimate question is why I am not able to feed my own habit? My funding has been very limited since I decided to return to school to obtain a single subject teaching credential in English Literature.
Therefore, in order for me to devote time to gaining competence I wanted to devote more time to learning and focusing in on the coursework. Consequently, I traded full-time work for part-time work, which affected the size of my bank account. As a single mom of a 9-year-old boy, we have always managed to get by and even with less money coming in we have always had the essentials: food, water, and clothing.
And even with my writing addiction the size of my bank account has not been a big issue. Because up to this point all I have needed is my laptop, my gray matter, a printer for hard copies, and a willing audience. But, now that I have the opportunity to feed my habit with a much larger fix money is suddenly becoming an obstacle.
But I hope that somewhere amongst the syntax, semantics, and pragmatics and other particulars of language, my words will be good enough to get me into the writing workshop this summer.
Sometimes when words come it's the reversal of any high, instead of ingesting something like alcohol to feel euphoria, it's the action of producing that pumps my adrenaline, it's the action of putting myself out there that gives me my fix.
When you finally find the pulse of your passions, don't ever lose how you found it and don't ever let anyone take that away from you.
I hope I'll find myself in July, drunk on words.
I almost overdosed this semester on it, but like every addict, even one bad trip isn't enough to keep you away from it. How did I even get here? Ah, the song of any person addicted to something they sometimes wish they weren't. And I only say this because sometimes, I can't stop. I get a great idea and I don't stop, not to eat, sleep , shit, meditate, change the channel, drink, sometimes I even forget to breathe. Because for me the action of words coming together is like breath, sometimes my words feel like my lifeblood poring from my fingers to the page.
And so sometimes, when I get so caught up, I don't know how to feel about this new found addiction. But I do remember my first word hits. I received my first taste of creative nonfiction in the Fall of 2007. Since that day I have searched for opportunities to push myself further in this genre. After taking my first and only "Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop" at Fresno State, I have become a greedy participant. I want more. A writing and word junkie looking for her next fix and just like all addicts the thing that keeps me away from the opportunity to get a really wonderful word hit is funding.
Of course, as I stand here with my cup hoping that my words are tip worthy, I understand anyone considering filling my coffers wants to know where the money will go? I can definitely say that any coins that plop in my cup will go to feed my writing habit. A habit that I do not want to quit and that thankfully will not release me from its wonderful grasp. And the next legitimate question is why I am not able to feed my own habit? My funding has been very limited since I decided to return to school to obtain a single subject teaching credential in English Literature.
Therefore, in order for me to devote time to gaining competence I wanted to devote more time to learning and focusing in on the coursework. Consequently, I traded full-time work for part-time work, which affected the size of my bank account. As a single mom of a 9-year-old boy, we have always managed to get by and even with less money coming in we have always had the essentials: food, water, and clothing.
And even with my writing addiction the size of my bank account has not been a big issue. Because up to this point all I have needed is my laptop, my gray matter, a printer for hard copies, and a willing audience. But, now that I have the opportunity to feed my habit with a much larger fix money is suddenly becoming an obstacle.
But I hope that somewhere amongst the syntax, semantics, and pragmatics and other particulars of language, my words will be good enough to get me into the writing workshop this summer.
Sometimes when words come it's the reversal of any high, instead of ingesting something like alcohol to feel euphoria, it's the action of producing that pumps my adrenaline, it's the action of putting myself out there that gives me my fix.
When you finally find the pulse of your passions, don't ever lose how you found it and don't ever let anyone take that away from you.
I hope I'll find myself in July, drunk on words.
Addicted - training rest day
Okay, so this summer I decided I had to put myself out there and do something I normally wouldn't do: challenge my writing and show it to more people. I have realized over the past year that I have a new addiction: writing.
I almost overdosed this semester on it, but like every addict, even one bad trip isn't enough to keep you away from it. How did I even get here? Ah, the song of any person addicted to something they sometimes wish they weren't. And I only say this because sometimes, I can't stop. I get a great idea and I don't stop, not to eat, sleep , shit, meditate, change the channel, drink, sometimes I even forget to breathe. Because for me the action of words coming together is like breath, sometimes my words feel like my lifeblood poring from my fingers to the page.
And so sometimes, when I get so caught up, I don't know how to feel about this new found addiction. But I do remember my first word hits. I received my first taste of creative nonfiction in the Fall of 2007. Since that day I have searched for opportunities to push myself further in this genre. After taking my first and only "Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop" at Fresno State, I have become a greedy participant. I want more. A writing and word junkie looking for her next fix and just like all addicts the thing that keeps me away from the opportunity to get a really wonderful word hit is funding.
Of course, as I stand here with my cup hoping that my words are tip worthy, I understand anyone considering filling my coffers wants to know where the money will go? I can definitely say that any coins that plop in my cup will go to feed my writing habit. A habit that I do not want to quit and that thankfully will not release me from its wonderful grasp. And the next legitimate question is why I am not able to feed my own habit? My funding has been very limited since I decided to return to school to obtain a single subject teaching credential in English Literature.
Therefore, in order for me to devote time to gaining competence I wanted to devote more time to learning and focusing in on the coursework. Consequently, I traded full-time work for part-time work, which affected the size of my bank account. As a single mom of a 9-year-old boy, we have always managed to get by and even with less money coming in we have always had the essentials: food, water, and clothing.
And even with my writing addiction the size of my bank account has not been a big issue. Because up to this point all I have needed is my laptop, my gray matter, a printer for hard copies, and a willing audience. But, now that I have the opportunity to feed my habit with a much larger fix money is suddenly becoming an obstacle.
But I hope that somewhere amongst the syntax, semantics, and pragmatics and other particulars of language, my words will be good enough to get me into the writing workshop this summer.
Sometimes when words come it's the reversal of any high, instead of ingesting something like alcohol to feel euphoria, it's the action of producing that pumps my adrenaline, it's the action of putting myself out there that gives me my fix.
When you finally find the pulse of your passions, don't ever lose how you found it and don't ever let anyone take that away from you.
I hope I'll find myself in July, drunk on words.
I almost overdosed this semester on it, but like every addict, even one bad trip isn't enough to keep you away from it. How did I even get here? Ah, the song of any person addicted to something they sometimes wish they weren't. And I only say this because sometimes, I can't stop. I get a great idea and I don't stop, not to eat, sleep , shit, meditate, change the channel, drink, sometimes I even forget to breathe. Because for me the action of words coming together is like breath, sometimes my words feel like my lifeblood poring from my fingers to the page.
And so sometimes, when I get so caught up, I don't know how to feel about this new found addiction. But I do remember my first word hits. I received my first taste of creative nonfiction in the Fall of 2007. Since that day I have searched for opportunities to push myself further in this genre. After taking my first and only "Advanced Creative Nonfiction Writing Workshop" at Fresno State, I have become a greedy participant. I want more. A writing and word junkie looking for her next fix and just like all addicts the thing that keeps me away from the opportunity to get a really wonderful word hit is funding.
Of course, as I stand here with my cup hoping that my words are tip worthy, I understand anyone considering filling my coffers wants to know where the money will go? I can definitely say that any coins that plop in my cup will go to feed my writing habit. A habit that I do not want to quit and that thankfully will not release me from its wonderful grasp. And the next legitimate question is why I am not able to feed my own habit? My funding has been very limited since I decided to return to school to obtain a single subject teaching credential in English Literature.
Therefore, in order for me to devote time to gaining competence I wanted to devote more time to learning and focusing in on the coursework. Consequently, I traded full-time work for part-time work, which affected the size of my bank account. As a single mom of a 9-year-old boy, we have always managed to get by and even with less money coming in we have always had the essentials: food, water, and clothing.
And even with my writing addiction the size of my bank account has not been a big issue. Because up to this point all I have needed is my laptop, my gray matter, a printer for hard copies, and a willing audience. But, now that I have the opportunity to feed my habit with a much larger fix money is suddenly becoming an obstacle.
But I hope that somewhere amongst the syntax, semantics, and pragmatics and other particulars of language, my words will be good enough to get me into the writing workshop this summer.
Sometimes when words come it's the reversal of any high, instead of ingesting something like alcohol to feel euphoria, it's the action of producing that pumps my adrenaline, it's the action of putting myself out there that gives me my fix.
When you finally find the pulse of your passions, don't ever lose how you found it and don't ever let anyone take that away from you.
I hope I'll find myself in July, drunk on words.
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 6
Well today, my exhaustion was almost overpowered by a sense of pride. If you read Day 4 I pulled a hip flexor at the second coach's practice. At first it seemed like a general pulled muscle so I went home did the R.I.C.E thing.
But every time I would get up to go do something I would feel this stabbing pain near my hip. So Day 5 I took it easy and swam for 30 minutes using mostly my arms. So if my arms aren't killer by the end of this, I really did something wrong.
Anywho, I stretched and rested after the swimming and iced it quite a bit. So when I woke up this morning I had a dull ache, but very little pain. So I thought, I can go to practice no problem.
I am a very, very stubborn person and I decided that I just needed to tell my body it wasn't hurting and I could run through the pain. But then humility crept up on me telling me that I don't need to push myself this hard so early on in these low mileage practices. Because soon enough when more mileage is added on I will be putting my body to the test.
So I really had to talk myself through this. I could push myself to run thereby injuring myself permanently and having to drop out of the training even before mile 5. Or I could swallow my pride along with some exhaustion and humility rest up get back to almost 100% so that I can continue on.
I have to say that doing the team thing has been great because we have mentors and coaches & both of them have been very supporting and supported the decision that I made today. Which is such a shift from the old days where my coach would yell at me to suck it up.
This time I'm not sucking it up and pushing myself to injury I am sucking it up to realize that I have to rest so that I can continue on.
Exhaustion tasted a lot like pride washed down with humility. And it tasted so good!
Tomorrow is a rest day before Saturday practice. So my faithful readers you can take a break from reading about my training & maybe I'll post something a little more creative.
So stay tuned my faithful fans (oh wait, didn't I swallow humility today, oops!)
During this break, please donate to the LLS using the donation pages provided below. My friend and I are training together!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
But every time I would get up to go do something I would feel this stabbing pain near my hip. So Day 5 I took it easy and swam for 30 minutes using mostly my arms. So if my arms aren't killer by the end of this, I really did something wrong.
Anywho, I stretched and rested after the swimming and iced it quite a bit. So when I woke up this morning I had a dull ache, but very little pain. So I thought, I can go to practice no problem.
I am a very, very stubborn person and I decided that I just needed to tell my body it wasn't hurting and I could run through the pain. But then humility crept up on me telling me that I don't need to push myself this hard so early on in these low mileage practices. Because soon enough when more mileage is added on I will be putting my body to the test.
So I really had to talk myself through this. I could push myself to run thereby injuring myself permanently and having to drop out of the training even before mile 5. Or I could swallow my pride along with some exhaustion and humility rest up get back to almost 100% so that I can continue on.
I have to say that doing the team thing has been great because we have mentors and coaches & both of them have been very supporting and supported the decision that I made today. Which is such a shift from the old days where my coach would yell at me to suck it up.
This time I'm not sucking it up and pushing myself to injury I am sucking it up to realize that I have to rest so that I can continue on.
Exhaustion tasted a lot like pride washed down with humility. And it tasted so good!
Tomorrow is a rest day before Saturday practice. So my faithful readers you can take a break from reading about my training & maybe I'll post something a little more creative.
So stay tuned my faithful fans (oh wait, didn't I swallow humility today, oops!)
During this break, please donate to the LLS using the donation pages provided below. My friend and I are training together!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 5
I use to dislike swimming until now. Now it's a great way to push myself to do better. I am definitely not a strong swimmer, but swimming has been the best cross training because it's low impact, highly aerobic and great for strength training.
Especially because I pulled my hip flexor and it is killing me. Getting in to the water and swimming helped buoy me up and I wasn't really worried about hurting myself.
Because of some prior commitments, today's workout was 30 minutes of swimming and some light stretching. My body is really beginning to feel it and every day I can feel my body give way and understanding that we are in fact running a marathon.
It was resisting me for awhile, like butter under a hot knife my body is acquiescing and allowing me to push it beyond the limits of what I have been doing these past two years.
Today was also an excellent day because aside from being able to say done with day 5 I have finally completed my last paper for my English Subject Matter Competency. Now it's on to my teaching credential programs and I can't wait to get into the classroom.
So on top of getting ready for this marathon, I am deciding to relax and prepare for my final year!
Today's exhaustion flavor is relief, the feeling of being done and moving on. As I stepped out of the pool I took a deep breath in and the breathing out like a modified sigh was today's taste of exhaustion.
til tomorrow!
Help the LLS don't let others sink...please donate to the LLS using our donation pages
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Especially because I pulled my hip flexor and it is killing me. Getting in to the water and swimming helped buoy me up and I wasn't really worried about hurting myself.
Because of some prior commitments, today's workout was 30 minutes of swimming and some light stretching. My body is really beginning to feel it and every day I can feel my body give way and understanding that we are in fact running a marathon.
It was resisting me for awhile, like butter under a hot knife my body is acquiescing and allowing me to push it beyond the limits of what I have been doing these past two years.
Today was also an excellent day because aside from being able to say done with day 5 I have finally completed my last paper for my English Subject Matter Competency. Now it's on to my teaching credential programs and I can't wait to get into the classroom.
So on top of getting ready for this marathon, I am deciding to relax and prepare for my final year!
Today's exhaustion flavor is relief, the feeling of being done and moving on. As I stepped out of the pool I took a deep breath in and the breathing out like a modified sigh was today's taste of exhaustion.
til tomorrow!
Help the LLS don't let others sink...please donate to the LLS using our donation pages
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The Taste of Exhaustion - Day 4
bile in the mouth, trying to choke it back, forcing my body against its will to run every lap.
The taste of exhaustion is bittersweet because today I ran every step of the way. Today was a day for the coaches to watch our running form and my form was on point.
But when it was time to do our stretches, I was feeling some heavy discomfort on my left side, which to my chagrin was a pulled muscle. So tonight I was writing and icing my muscles and I am hoping that tomorrow when I get up I will have the familiar ache and stiffness, but that I will be ready to go tomorrow for swimming.
And I definitely want to be ready for Thursday's longer run.
Each day I learn what exhaustion tastes like: today exhaustion tastes like muscles resisting what the mind wants it to do.
I hope tomorrow's exhaustion tastes better.
Please make a donation to LLS and support us as we train towards a cure
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
The taste of exhaustion is bittersweet because today I ran every step of the way. Today was a day for the coaches to watch our running form and my form was on point.
But when it was time to do our stretches, I was feeling some heavy discomfort on my left side, which to my chagrin was a pulled muscle. So tonight I was writing and icing my muscles and I am hoping that tomorrow when I get up I will have the familiar ache and stiffness, but that I will be ready to go tomorrow for swimming.
And I definitely want to be ready for Thursday's longer run.
Each day I learn what exhaustion tastes like: today exhaustion tastes like muscles resisting what the mind wants it to do.
I hope tomorrow's exhaustion tastes better.
Please make a donation to LLS and support us as we train towards a cure
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Taste of Exhaustion - Day 3
Ok, so I've never trained for endurance before (as if this isn't obvious). Most of the sports I've played have required as much energy as possible in the shortest amounts of time. With the exception of field hockey, but I was the goalie, so it was still short bursts of all my energy.
Basketball & track and field just require you to run through the pain for no longer than 15 minute intervals with breaks in between. But training for this marathon requires me to sweat, run, swim, strength train for 60 minutes of exhaustion and a little more than mild discomfort.
So I have found new and inventive ways to trick my body into doing what I need it to do even if it wanted to give up 5 minutes ago. Never has the phrase "mind over matter" been so true. Okay so it may sound really dumb, but I basically say one more minute or one more pull up or one more backward push-up. Funnily enough if I take it one at a time I can get through a lot.
I discovered this because after yesterday's "hot walk," I thought 60 minutes of swimming would be much easier than 30 minutes of walking under the sun.
Of course, after 30 minutes of swimming I realized that one thing that is required when you swim is consciousness and if you can't keep your head above water you need the ability to breathe underwater. Unfortunately, I didn't think I could remain conscious for another 30 minutes of swimming & I don't have gills so we (my training partner, Casimiro and I) had to figure out something else.
So we decided to do exercises in the pool, which I have done before using a stair in the deep end and the diving board. After 50 reverse push ups, 33 bicep curls, and 33 tricep extensions and treading water in between sets I thought I was gonna drown. But I figured were done until I looked up a the clock and noticed we still had 5 minutes left of the 60 minutes. So we said "fuck it" let's just swim.
Normally, I would have thought it's just five minutes, no big deal and gotten out of the pool. But then I thought about the 26.2 miles and I realized that every minute, every step, and every intake of air I take gets me one step closer to the finish line in San Francisco. Which takes me to my ultimate goal sprinting across the finish line. I know it sounds insane. But every race I have ever run, any time I have had to run or swim, or whatever requires me to cross a line or beat a time increment, I have pushed myself to go as fast as I can until I cross whatever line I need to and this can be no exception. Even if I only sprint the last 50 yards I want to cross that finish line going as fast as I can.
So today I learned that the taste of exhaustion is sweat, sometimes tears, muscle fatigue, desire, doing your personal best, and pushing yourself until every fiber of your being says no more and you ignore it and keep on going.
Until next time my faithful readers!
And until next time, I hope to see you as a donor on our LLS pages!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Basketball & track and field just require you to run through the pain for no longer than 15 minute intervals with breaks in between. But training for this marathon requires me to sweat, run, swim, strength train for 60 minutes of exhaustion and a little more than mild discomfort.
So I have found new and inventive ways to trick my body into doing what I need it to do even if it wanted to give up 5 minutes ago. Never has the phrase "mind over matter" been so true. Okay so it may sound really dumb, but I basically say one more minute or one more pull up or one more backward push-up. Funnily enough if I take it one at a time I can get through a lot.
I discovered this because after yesterday's "hot walk," I thought 60 minutes of swimming would be much easier than 30 minutes of walking under the sun.
Of course, after 30 minutes of swimming I realized that one thing that is required when you swim is consciousness and if you can't keep your head above water you need the ability to breathe underwater. Unfortunately, I didn't think I could remain conscious for another 30 minutes of swimming & I don't have gills so we (my training partner, Casimiro and I) had to figure out something else.
So we decided to do exercises in the pool, which I have done before using a stair in the deep end and the diving board. After 50 reverse push ups, 33 bicep curls, and 33 tricep extensions and treading water in between sets I thought I was gonna drown. But I figured were done until I looked up a the clock and noticed we still had 5 minutes left of the 60 minutes. So we said "fuck it" let's just swim.
Normally, I would have thought it's just five minutes, no big deal and gotten out of the pool. But then I thought about the 26.2 miles and I realized that every minute, every step, and every intake of air I take gets me one step closer to the finish line in San Francisco. Which takes me to my ultimate goal sprinting across the finish line. I know it sounds insane. But every race I have ever run, any time I have had to run or swim, or whatever requires me to cross a line or beat a time increment, I have pushed myself to go as fast as I can until I cross whatever line I need to and this can be no exception. Even if I only sprint the last 50 yards I want to cross that finish line going as fast as I can.
So today I learned that the taste of exhaustion is sweat, sometimes tears, muscle fatigue, desire, doing your personal best, and pushing yourself until every fiber of your being says no more and you ignore it and keep on going.
Until next time my faithful readers!
And until next time, I hope to see you as a donor on our LLS pages!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Day 2, Check!
26.2 miles the approximate distance between Fresno and Mendota: the number of miles I am eventually going to run in October 19th, 2008
Feeling inspired I had the best idea. According to my Team in Training schedule I was supposed to do 60 minutes of cross training. I thought perfect a 30 minute walk in the neighborhood near my parent's house, then follow that up by swimming for 30 minutes in their pool.
Sounds like a plan right? Of course, I decided the best time to take this walk would be umm about 1:30 in the pm. But all I kept thinking about was the relaxing dip in the pool.
But after 15 sweat-soaked minutes out in the 100+ degree weather, I realized why we (Xavier, my friend and partner in training, & I) were the only ones outside not in a car. But I pushed on, knowing that my training was definitely for a good cause. Plus I looked back and saw my 9-year old son sweating, but nevertheless right behind me encouraging every step of the way. And when I looked over at Casimiro he was just doing it!
So I uselessly wiped my profusely sweating forehead and pressed on.
I think what was killing me too was trying to keep my walker's form. We have been encouraged to cross train so I had to force myself to walk not run. Although, I understand the importance of form I always feel like an uptight school marm or the Road Runner when I'm speed walking.
My arms tight against my sides, swinging like mad with the tight little steps.
But I digress. So after 30 minutes of walking on hot-ass concrete while cars drove by spewing fumes we made it back to my parent's house where the cool pool awaited.
So excited to be inside with central AC, I didn't mind stretching and sweating before getting into the pool.
Feeling good & stretched out I went outside only to discover that the pool needed to be skimmed. Because as much fun as that would be I did not want to swallow pine seeds, bloated bugs, and whatever else falls into a pool. Once I finished swearing, skimming, and sweating some more. I jumped right into the cool water.
Finally, I was totally ready to relax & then I remembered we first had to swim for 30 minutes straight. But I was ready. So I started my breast stroke and I'm pretty sure I heard my entire upper back and arms scream from disuse. But I pushed through until my arms went numb and then I happily swam. And I am proud to say that we (I & Casimiro) swam for 30 minutes straight. After about 30 minutes of relaxing, I got out of the pool to be reminded immediately that water buoys up tired muscles. Thereby, fooling one such as myself to think that I handled those 30 minutes like a swimming veteran
So basically, getting out of the pool was like trying to extricate myself from tar, wearing steel toed boots.
But I am excited to say that I did it! Another day under my belt. Although I am thoroughly exhausted, each day is providing more and more evidence that I can run those 26.2 hilly SF miles & make it to the end smiling.
Please donate and help me and my friend raise funds for the LLS
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Feeling inspired I had the best idea. According to my Team in Training schedule I was supposed to do 60 minutes of cross training. I thought perfect a 30 minute walk in the neighborhood near my parent's house, then follow that up by swimming for 30 minutes in their pool.
Sounds like a plan right? Of course, I decided the best time to take this walk would be umm about 1:30 in the pm. But all I kept thinking about was the relaxing dip in the pool.
But after 15 sweat-soaked minutes out in the 100+ degree weather, I realized why we (Xavier, my friend and partner in training, & I) were the only ones outside not in a car. But I pushed on, knowing that my training was definitely for a good cause. Plus I looked back and saw my 9-year old son sweating, but nevertheless right behind me encouraging every step of the way. And when I looked over at Casimiro he was just doing it!
So I uselessly wiped my profusely sweating forehead and pressed on.
I think what was killing me too was trying to keep my walker's form. We have been encouraged to cross train so I had to force myself to walk not run. Although, I understand the importance of form I always feel like an uptight school marm or the Road Runner when I'm speed walking.
My arms tight against my sides, swinging like mad with the tight little steps.
But I digress. So after 30 minutes of walking on hot-ass concrete while cars drove by spewing fumes we made it back to my parent's house where the cool pool awaited.
So excited to be inside with central AC, I didn't mind stretching and sweating before getting into the pool.
Feeling good & stretched out I went outside only to discover that the pool needed to be skimmed. Because as much fun as that would be I did not want to swallow pine seeds, bloated bugs, and whatever else falls into a pool. Once I finished swearing, skimming, and sweating some more. I jumped right into the cool water.
Finally, I was totally ready to relax & then I remembered we first had to swim for 30 minutes straight. But I was ready. So I started my breast stroke and I'm pretty sure I heard my entire upper back and arms scream from disuse. But I pushed through until my arms went numb and then I happily swam. And I am proud to say that we (I & Casimiro) swam for 30 minutes straight. After about 30 minutes of relaxing, I got out of the pool to be reminded immediately that water buoys up tired muscles. Thereby, fooling one such as myself to think that I handled those 30 minutes like a swimming veteran
So basically, getting out of the pool was like trying to extricate myself from tar, wearing steel toed boots.
But I am excited to say that I did it! Another day under my belt. Although I am thoroughly exhausted, each day is providing more and more evidence that I can run those 26.2 hilly SF miles & make it to the end smiling.
Please donate and help me and my friend raise funds for the LLS
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
the hottest day
This is the official start of my "runner's" blog. I say runner in quotes, because until I finish the marathon I am a runner in training. Aside from fundraising my other goal will be to be able to remove the quotes from "runner," when I cross the finish line.
I actually woke up this morning at 5:45am ready to run, which is good for me especially since I only get up that early unless I need to go bathroom (I know it's TMI), but I suspect that as I add mileage to my training the TMI will only get worse.
I officially finished two one mile intervals. And I ran up my first hill after running 1/2 mile. Of course I had to slow down and walk just a bit because I was determined to race up the hill and after doing that I got more than just runner's high.
The second mile interval was timed & I was really proud of myself because after walk/running one mile with a hill, I sprinted the last 200 yds of this second mile interval crossing the "finish" with a time of 12 min 59 sec, which was so great for me because I am a certifiable couch potato.
The most exercise I get is walking to and from Fresno State & from my apt. to the mailboxes.
Although, I walk/ran both miles, I am glad to say that I walked about 5% and ran the other 95%. The best part of this experience for me is learning to pace myself and set very small goals that will be achievable so that I am spurred on for the next challenge.
So my next goal is to be able to run two miles without walking. When that happens you will definitely hear about it.
The one thing I will definitely need to remember is to put sunscreen on my face, get a pair of sunglasses and a hat. There is nothing more thrilling for an out of shape use to be athlete than running on asphalt at 7:30 in the morning while Fresno's blazing hot sun beats down on your black head of hair, trying to suck in as much polluted air as possible so you don't collapse.
But in reality I have to say that every time I thought I couldn't do it, I looked down at the Team in Training bracelets we were given & the names of the people we are running for & I knew that stopping was not an option.
So my first day of training was wonderful, but I know muscles I didn't even know I had are going to hurt, but this pain can be no worse than the pain of chemo, continual IV injections or whatever other pain blood cancer patients must endure.
On that sentimental note, until tomorrow all!
Please donate to LLS...instead of a high-five how about a five dollar for LLS!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
I actually woke up this morning at 5:45am ready to run, which is good for me especially since I only get up that early unless I need to go bathroom (I know it's TMI), but I suspect that as I add mileage to my training the TMI will only get worse.
I officially finished two one mile intervals. And I ran up my first hill after running 1/2 mile. Of course I had to slow down and walk just a bit because I was determined to race up the hill and after doing that I got more than just runner's high.
The second mile interval was timed & I was really proud of myself because after walk/running one mile with a hill, I sprinted the last 200 yds of this second mile interval crossing the "finish" with a time of 12 min 59 sec, which was so great for me because I am a certifiable couch potato.
The most exercise I get is walking to and from Fresno State & from my apt. to the mailboxes.
Although, I walk/ran both miles, I am glad to say that I walked about 5% and ran the other 95%. The best part of this experience for me is learning to pace myself and set very small goals that will be achievable so that I am spurred on for the next challenge.
So my next goal is to be able to run two miles without walking. When that happens you will definitely hear about it.
The one thing I will definitely need to remember is to put sunscreen on my face, get a pair of sunglasses and a hat. There is nothing more thrilling for an out of shape use to be athlete than running on asphalt at 7:30 in the morning while Fresno's blazing hot sun beats down on your black head of hair, trying to suck in as much polluted air as possible so you don't collapse.
But in reality I have to say that every time I thought I couldn't do it, I looked down at the Team in Training bracelets we were given & the names of the people we are running for & I knew that stopping was not an option.
So my first day of training was wonderful, but I know muscles I didn't even know I had are going to hurt, but this pain can be no worse than the pain of chemo, continual IV injections or whatever other pain blood cancer patients must endure.
On that sentimental note, until tomorrow all!
Please donate to LLS...instead of a high-five how about a five dollar for LLS!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
Any goal begins with first step
Hello all my wonderful readers! Well tomorrow is the start of a new adventure, one that I had attempted to take two years, but sometimes life intercedes and you make the best of it.
But this time I have the appropriate support and I am so very excited.
I will take my first steps in my training for the Nike Women's Marathon the first towards the final goal of stepping across the finish line after taking a 26.2 mile running tour of San Francisco.
The adrenaline is pumping so hard right now I hope I can get some sleep!
My friend Casimiro Llamas, Jr has so wonderfully agreed to join me on this journey. But more importantly this training is to help raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So be on the lookout.
You all know how much I love asking for help [insert sarcastic smiley] so this must be something very important to me, because I will be asking for lots of help in the next 5 months.
Stay Tuned because I will be updating all of you on my progress every day!
I will try my best to make these entertaining so that you can't wait to read what I'll do next...or at least enough to make you all feel as if you must must donate to this very worthy cause!
Instead of congratulations, donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would be a wonderful way to say congratulations to my friend and I on this wonderful new journey!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
But this time I have the appropriate support and I am so very excited.
I will take my first steps in my training for the Nike Women's Marathon the first towards the final goal of stepping across the finish line after taking a 26.2 mile running tour of San Francisco.
The adrenaline is pumping so hard right now I hope I can get some sleep!
My friend Casimiro Llamas, Jr has so wonderfully agreed to join me on this journey. But more importantly this training is to help raise funds for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. So be on the lookout.
You all know how much I love asking for help [insert sarcastic smiley] so this must be something very important to me, because I will be asking for lots of help in the next 5 months.
Stay Tuned because I will be updating all of you on my progress every day!
I will try my best to make these entertaining so that you can't wait to read what I'll do next...or at least enough to make you all feel as if you must must donate to this very worthy cause!
Instead of congratulations, donating to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would be a wonderful way to say congratulations to my friend and I on this wonderful new journey!
Roxanne Villaluz’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/rvillaluz
Casimiro Llamas, Jr.’s Team in Training Website
http://pages.teamintraining.org/cca/nikesf08/cllamas
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