Somewhere over the Rainbow Saturday

On Los Gatos Creek trail

To bring those new to this up to speed, I am a 55-year-old Fat woman, who started out July 8 to train for a half marathon, walking.  I am going to do the Monterey Big Sur.  I have joined Team in Training which supports the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.  The first miracle will be me making 13.1 miles. The second will be me raising $2400 for the cause.  Towards that end I have started fund-raising. I am writing on-line about this regularly.  And I am singing a benefit concert August 27.  I used to sing with the Arizona Opera Chorus, plus I did a few small parts in productions in Tucson, as well as give concerts. I tended the University of Arizona for voice.  I have also performed in Spokane Washington as well as done a few things around the Bay area. But in all honesty, this will be the first real concert I have given in several years. I also decided to go down to Santa Cruz and sing on Pacific Ave. and throw my hat down.

Thursday, I practiced with my accompanist for the first time.  It went reasonably okay. I thought she was going to do a good job.  That was the day when I realized I might be getting sick with a UTI, and so I started chugging the cranberry juice.  Friday morning I went to the doctor to get tested.  Also on Thursday night I went to Los Gatos High School and we used the track to figure out our pace.  Our walking team captain is Lisa.  And she knows so much about how to get a pace going. She says that ideally the right  foot should strike the ground 180 times a minute.  I tested out at about 45 strikes a minute.  But the rest of the team were stellar I could tell they were doing really well. Because shortly after we started they were a quarter of the track ahead of me.  These people have  wings on their feet. I am awestruck.  But that’s okay, I got to say hi and great going to everybody at least twice for every round of the track I made. I haven’t talked about the others on the team and I think I should start doing that so I will try to start featuring them every week as well as a snap shot of them.  Lisa talked to us a while about how the foot should strike the ground and where to hold the arms to keep the hands from swelling.  Chris is the exercise coach and he had us doing planks.  Standing on one foot then another. Doing lunges and arm swings.  Each exercise I tried to do but on all except the marching in place I only got about three repetitions done before I had to quit.

But it was a really good workout, and although we (I) didn’t get that far, only  1.25 miles,  my legs and arms were exhausted afterwards.

Friday morning I went into the doctor to get tested and it turns out I have a light inflammation and the rest of the results won’t be in until Monday, so I am spending the weekend swilling cranberry juice and water, as well as using D-Mannose,  a home remedy that is sometimes held to be of help.  Friday, my husband and I went down to Santa Cruz. He had an optometrist appointment, and I took my music for the concert and stood on the sidewalk and sang my way through them with a hat on the sidewalk in front of me, wearing my Team in Training t-shirt.  There were a few things I didn’t know. First of all apparently the local musicians who play there were very curious about me standing there singing opera.  I had a few long and curious stares.  Plus, somebody, drove by a car more than two or three times with music blaring loudly and hooting at me on the sidewalk.  Then when I was nearly through a very nice police officer came up and told me that I was being complained about being too noisy. So, I had to move 100 feet from where I was.  I asked how far that was and he told me 50 squares of pavement. So, I moved, and then finished my music.  Five people gave money to me.  And I raised a total of $9.00 for one hour’s singing. So, I have considered going back, and playing bad flute music for a while, or  take a Reader’s Digest oldies but goodies, down there and sing them.  The other idea is just to set up a table and chair and make a sign and ask for donations.  Why there? Well, they have a rather open policy.  And it is a tourist thoroughfare so it is somewhat a likely spot to get donations.  More on this later.

Saturday morning I felt better so I went out to the trail, trying for 3 miles. I miscalculated how far I go so when I got home, I found out I went 2.78 miles not the 3 I had aimed for. But I was close, very close.  I did some stretches afterwards which helped. But I am beginning to see that stretches before and then after are important so I am going to try to start getting some in.

After I got  back to the apartment, I got some somewhat discouraging news.  My accompanist wrote to me she couldn’t make the concert engagement. So I am going to have to find someone else.  Tonight I am making up flyers and tickets  to start early sales to the concert.  So, hopefully I will start getting some money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society for that. Who will I get to play for me? I don’t know. But, if I have to I will sing to CDs, or try to play for myself, or find some fine Irish songs to sing without accompaniment.

But the good news is I got an envelope in the mail with a donation today. And so things are still moving on.

Two Point 75 Tuesday or 10,000 Steps

This morning I got up at 4:30 am because we had a Buddy Training, not sure what that means because I have no buddies to walk with in the group. At any rate, I went to the Campbell Park by 6 am all geared up and read to go.  I had my special shoes special clothes, heart rate monitor, pedometer, water belt with my phone/camera, and in the other pouch, my kleenex and pro air (albuterol inhaler).  So I was all set.  I set off down this trail which I thought was a there and back again kind of trail.

There and back again trail at Campbell Park. NOT

Well what I found out if you walk far enough you find there is a nice wooden bridge across a creek where you can cross and loop back on another trail, which is slightly curvier and has more up and down to it, thus more fun.   Next time I go walking I am going to take pictures of the many ferile cats that were lined up along the trail.  I even saw a few squirrels.  Considering that this is a mini wildlife area in the middle  of the city of Campbell, it has more wildlife than I thought.

You know I thought I would be the only crazy person up at this hour. But apparently insanity runs rampant, and I counted somewhere between 20 to 30 people who were walking/running the trail this morning.

The other amazing thing besides the fact that I managed to walk nearly 3 miles today was that instead of my heart rate getting steadily faster.  Somewhere around the middle it calmed down and steadied out at about 104 bpm.

So by the time I finished did my stretches and got i the car I was feeling pretty good about myself. I wasn’t sore, didn’t feel very tired. All was great.

When I got home, I got out of the car, and the first clue was when I started to get up, and heard this creaking and rumbling through my hips.  Somehow during the drive back to the house the signal had gotten from my brain to my legs that I was tired.

Well have a good day all.

And as always:
Please click here to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is a really good cause.

Remember my goal is to raise $2400 by September 13, 2011. Thanks for your support.

The Uphill Downhill Adventure

This morning we met at 8 am at Santa Teresa County Park for a group run/walk.  The point of this exercise was to build up our core.

On the trail, Santa Teresa County Park, South of San Jose, California

At 6:30 am my phone’s alarm woke me up.  I staggered around for about a half an hour in and out of the bathroom, taking various pills. When I looked in the mirror my hair stood on end and I looked like had a mohawk, good enough I thought.  I will just squash a hat on this and I will be fine. Next was loading up my travelling bag with all of my accessories: Food scale, sun lotion hand cream, plastic bowls, raisins, kleenex, water, phone, extra hat. In my shoulder bag, I loaded up on ibuprofen, allergy tablets, my two inhalers and my pill-box.  I took an extra pair of socks as well and I was ready to go.

Santa Teresa park is about 21 miles away and 31 minutes over an intersecting group of highways and then county roads.  Never having been there i didn’t realize it was up in a rolling set of hills that are part grassland, part brush.   I finally decided I was there when I saw a bunch of people with Team in Training T shirts stuffing money into the parking box.  The cost for parking at this luxurious dust bowl is $6.00.  I dutifully put my cash in and then drove on to the other parking lot where everyone was gathered.

So we gathered round and did a series of stretches aimed at tiring us out before we begin walking.

Then we are divided up between the fastest and slowest. The fastest go first. I was dead last. So with sunglasses, travelling bag which now only contained inhaler, water bottle, extra hat and kleenex as well as cell phone we were off.  The trail started off at a slow grade up.  And as I watched everyone moved ahead and out of sight.  I thought, “That’s okay, I’ll catch up with them, they are going to burn themselves out by going so fast at the beginning.”  After the first set of runners passed me the second time I figured that I possibly was being a little overconfident.  So the first part of this was a series of hills, where I would climb, it would level out. I would pant in the shade and drink water, and watch to see if my heart rate was going down, then I would trek up the next set of hills. Finally there was one killer hill that I thought I would never make it up and finally I even got to the top of that one. By this time, my head was sopping wet, so I took my Team in Training shirt off and just had my yoga top on.

A little further on there was someone just standing at a point on the trail which I figured was  there to make sure I hadn’t fallen down a hill somewhere.  “Are you okay? Can you breathe ? Are you all right?Oh…your back is red would you like me to put sunscreen on it. So I dutifully stood there while sunscreen was slathered on my neck and back. At this point I had made it two-thirds of the way and all I had to do was walk down hill.

And that was where the trouble began for me, because I have weak ankles. So while other people leap and slide down hills. I take baby steps to keep from breaking my neck. So the last part of trail was probably the longest for me and the most difficult because I spent it trying to keep up right.

I am thinking that next time I should bring some walking poles. At any rate, I huffed and puffed it into the finish area. And the rest of the group was gathered there. And they all clapped for their slowest member as I dragged myself in.

At the end of the trail

There are older people than me there, some in their 70s, these people just whiz past me at the speed of light.  I will have to just keep trudging on and hope that eventually my stubby legs speed up.

Afterwards we yelled “Go Team” and ran back to our cars and I crawled respectively to mine,  and some of us went to the Flames Restaurant to have breakfast.  At first, it was the usual, where nobody talks to me, but I had thankfully brought my Kindle along. So, I opened that up and started reading and pretty soon I was asked about my Kindle. No one can resist interrupting someone who is reading. So, after that there was so much conversation, I didn’t get to read further.  We discussed our fund-raising events, and then we got on the Gotham City Writing School.  I told them I was taking courses there and there was great interest in this.  I told them how many courses I was taking and that it was online and I was hoping to write the next great American novel.

At any rate, there was a lot more discussion, and finally, I slipped away, and came on home here, so I can rest my achy feet, take a shower, and spend the rest of the day washing clothes.

And as always:
Please click here to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is a really good cause.

Part of our wonderful group

Finally Friday, day of fun-d raising

Flowers near our apartment. My husband calls them exploding fireworks.

So today, was a day for 45 minute easy walk, and a lady from church Linda, who is a wonderful Christian woman, sweet, kind, helpful, the real deal, you know? Anyway Linda walked with me and at the same time, we set a day up for me to do a concert at the church. So, I have had classical voice training and have done some professional singing. I am somewhere between a lyric and dramatic soprano. And I am going to do a concert to raise money for Leukemia and Lymphoma research. I also stopped by Whole Foods and asked them about sponsoring me. I left with a phone number. I am also planning on going to Santa Cruz to sing on Pacific Avenue. So if any of you who read this are from the area you can see me singing my little heart out to raise money for the LLS (Leukemia and Lymphoma Society).

So there are two miracles I am looking for here, one is for me to walk a 13.1 mile marathon. The second is to raise $2400 by the middle of September. So here is the deal, I have a recommit date of September 13, 2011. On that date if I have not made my goal, I must provide the organizers of Team in Training, a check or a credit card number to insure that the money is raised. My individual goal is $2400. Why….because this is one of the ways that the LLS raises funds. If I am unable to recommit at that date, I will have to drop out. So its really important that I do this. My husband and I just don’t have that kind of money to give. I will have to raise this money somehow or quit. Now, folks I don’t want to quit. I want to reach the goal not only for myself, but for all the people it will help. I’ve had cancer and it is not pretty. Nor is it fun.
So…I want to help all those people out there. And to my way of thinking this is as good a method as any.

And please folks:
Please click here to donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It is a really good cause.

2.3 Miles Tuesday

Yes that is right folks. I made 2.3 miles today after taking a day off.  I measured it on maps, checked my pedometer, used my tracing watch to time it and I made it 2.3 miles. Silly me thought I was going only 2 but when I actually checked the road mileage it turned about to be longer. So I am stoked.

The last lap was harder so I just started singing, and I am sure everyone listening to me thought I was a nut But I am a nut so that makes it okay I guess.  I am all tooled up for my walks. I have a heart rate monitor, a pedometer, I carry a bottle of water, my cell phone, kleenex to blow my nose and wear a sun hat.  Plus I have my trusty super duper shoes.

So far I am just focused on making it down the street. Eventually I hope to have thoughts about other things other than making it another step.

So Just for fun, I am going to flash us back 20 years and put in a photo of me as I was.

And as always:
Please click here to donate to my goal of $2400 for the Half Marathon at Big Sur.

Monday Day Off

Yes, folks I took the day off today.  I needed a little R & R.  I spent a glorious afternoon napping.  And now I look forward to cooking washing clothes, cleaning the living room, all those tasks that make a house a home.

I used to think that the tasks were there to make my life irksome.  But I suppose I have mellowed over the years and now. I can see the importance in trying to have a serene home.

So, I wash clothes, go through the house and pick up stuff putting things away, clearing tables and chairs of excess stuff so when I look at a room, I feel peaceful.

Also need to consider what new afghan I am going to make.   My husband and I had gotten an anniversary present of a new purple couch and chair and the lovely kittens we have decided to sharpen their claws on them.  So I am making afghan throws to discourage them.

But, we get the additional advantage of making the kittens think we did this for their comfort since they seem to love nothing more than a fresh newly afghan I have made.

Like watching a train crash

NOT.   This is the ongoing saga of  55-year-old woman going where she hasn’t gone before.  A half marathon.  The motivation is to give something back to this world, in spite of being, unemployed and with more time on my hands than seems good, and having gained more weight than I am embarrassed to say.    But, I am persisting and its been over a month since I began this journey so I am pretty happy that I haven’t given up yet.

And as always:
Please click here to donate to my goal of $2400 for the Half Marathon at Big Sur.

Now Back to the train crash in process. NOT!!!

I went to Westfield Mall today and walked around the mall for 4950 steps and so I went 1.56 miles.  I was supposed to do 45 minutes easy.  And I figured wandering around the mall was as good as anything else so I did that.  But, I spent a wee bit more time than that I believe about an hour and 15 minutes.  The only things I bought was a bottle of water and a cover for my cell phone.  So, I didn’t put myself in debtors ville for going.

BUT….I had a bright idea I think.  I am going to ask the nearby outside mall Santana Row if I can stand outside and sing for the Team in Training and people can donate if they want and get credit for their donations. Seems almost like a good idea.  If anybody has any other good ideas I would like to hear them.

And….tada, I stayed abstinent another day so far,  no flour, no sugar, and I weighed my meals on my scale. So I feel good about this so far.  If I make it through to the Marathon then I will be a triumphant Fattie in Training.  Who knows maybe not even a Fattie any more.

Whooo Hooo, Whoo Hoo!!!

I walked 2 miles today.  And I didn’t kill myself doing it.  Yeah!!!  I made it 7998 steps according to my pedometer.  And my heart rate stayed stable the whole time.

Whooo hoooo!!! Whoo hoooo!!!

 

And as usual here is my plug for donations to  the fund I am raising for leukemia research.

Please click here donate to my goal of $2400 for the Half Marathon at Big Sur.

Fledgling Friday (continued)

So, after thought and consideration, I went to the medical doctor’s office and made an appointment to be checked out.  The last two times I have participated in TNT events I have experienced a feeling that feels like an adrenaline rush, similar to a panic attack toward the end of each walk.  And I want to be sure that it isn’t something potentially harmful to me.

My Psychiatrist thought that perhaps the higher heart rate is confusing my mind into thinking I am running for my life and thus a panic attack.

A kind of whoa baby we (the body and the brain) haven’t been doing this for a long time, and if you are doing it now it can’t be for any other reason than that you are in deadly peril.

Today, I was supposed to walk for 45 minutes and take it easy and do some stretches. So I did both. My pedometer says I went 7998 steps or 2.5 miles. I am very skeptical of this since 1 mile just about keels me over.  Tomorrow if I wake up early enough. There is a 7:30 am walk at a very nice park nearby.  And so I will go with pedometer zeroed at the beginning of that mile.

And  then find out how it reads my steps for that distance. I kind of think it will come down to that for every step I actually take, it registers 4 steps so I am taking much smaller steps than I figured before now.  I ate my food that I promised today.  So, I have 4 days as abstinent from flour and sugar.  Not sure why I am doing this now.  And so that means my addict is alive and well and attempting to fool me into eating something I’ll regret later.

Fledgling Friday

I made it through another Track session last night.  I thought I’d give you folks a picture of the trail.  My part didn’t look exactly like that but it was on the way for sure.

We did core training for about 15 minutes and then we were timed on how fast we did one mile.  Yours Truly again won the Last Place Slot. Am I good or what?  I did it in 27 minutes and 30 seconds.  Considering that was about 6 minutes faster than I’ve found myself doing it lately, I don’t think it was too shabby.

For those of your interested who don’t know what core training is.  Seems to pit your body against itself, in order to build up the basic muscular frame.  Lunges, balancing work, the ever wonderful plank, gotta love it.

I am going to take my camera next time so I can shoot a picture of how fast the other walkers leave me behind.  We started out together but within 5 minutes, I couldn’t even see the others ahead.  Fortunately, they had people at intervals along the trail to tell you how far you had gotten and point you the way to the next section.

They told me the point was to have fun and be relaxed.  I was relaxed right up to the point I had a panic attack.  But then I calmed down shortly thereafter and finished the mile.

I did not go into this completely unprepared, but  with the addition of a heart rate monitor.  I realized that I needed some other things like some way to carry stuff easily.  I guess I am going to get one of those packs around my waist.  And something to carry the Pilates mat in.

But the new shoes held up beautifully.  I can honestly say that my feet  were not a real issue this time.  But, I can also see that this is like going to army boot camp.  I have stepped into a world I’ve never been in before and these people are seriously hardcore.

Again, as I told the person who walked the final leg with me, if I can do this thing it is a miracle of God, and not due to my efforts.  Because I am clearly am the opposite of what a person would say is marathon material.

Food, how could I forget?  I stayed abstinent from flour and sugar and ate my three measured meals today.  It is a relief to know at least my food isn’t going to make me sick.  And I can look back and be absolutely happy with what I did eat.

And as usual here is my plug for donations to  the fund I am raising for leukemia research.

Please click here donate to my goal of $2400 for the Half Marathon at Big Sur.