A New Beginning?

The L.A. Roadrunners began its training season once again.  It seems that everyone is there except me 😦  Even though I really want to go,  I had to be honest with myself and realize that I don’t have the time.  Work this year is twice as hard.  I’m nonstop.  There are days when I don’t take my break, and lunch is always a hurried affair.  These days I don’t have time to check my email 😦 (that’s always very important.)  If I was exhausted last year, this year it’s 10 times worse.  Furthermore, I have additional commitments on the weekends making it even more difficult.  I want to do marathon #2, but I don’t see how.

Nevertheless, I went for a run last night.  I left the house late (8:30), so I was in a rush to finish the 3 miles.  The last mile was difficult.  My legs were killing me, and I was out of breath.  So much for “aerobic pace.”  But, I got home safe and sound.  If I keep running, I’ll leave the house much earlier.

My legs were fine today, but I had a difficult time going up and down the stairs.  My left knee was hurting too.  Maybe because I didn’t wear the knee straps in hot pink last night.  I don’t remember where I put them 😦  (I’m forgetting everything.)

Final numbers:

3.04 miles

35.20 minutes

11.38 pace (of course, that was only a lucky thing)

PS.  I went to the mall today and weighed myself in one of those machine in GNC.  The results were catastrophic, but I seemed to have gained one inch in height!  I’m now 5’1”!!!

Final results:

133.5 lb.  (I gained 8 lbs… not 7.. 😦  )

25 BMI (supposedly it’s ideal)

Let’s see how much I can lose in a few months.

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200 Años

¡Felicidades México!

Son 25 años pero no me he olvidado de tí.  Algún día regresaré para quedarme.

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Maratón Ciudad de México

The Mexico City Marathon is scheduled for September 12, 2010.
😦 And I get to be stuck here. ¡Que tristeza! Pero algún día se me hará!

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The Numbers

Time:  30 minutes

2.26 Miles

Pace:  13.16

AYYY!

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Jogathon 2010

Each year, around this time of the year, we hold the Jog-a-thon.  It’s purpose is to raise money which will fund our school’s field trips.

On Monday, we had a pep rally.  The bear paid us a visit and we did the official cheer!

On Friday the children received their hats and T-shirts.

At 9:15, after going to the bathroom and putting sunblock, we headed to the track where the 3-6th graders were running already.

Once at the track  we receive our snacks.  Then, we had a wonderful Half-Time Show.

Finally, it was our turn to run.  I lost my class at the starting line.  For some reason, I was stuck with the kindergarteners.

The little ones were running so fast and were exhausted within the first lap.  Pretty soon, I was passing people…. (I’m only good at passing 4-8 yrs. old)  I was cheering for them.  Some of them began to run when they saw me.

We had  run for about 10 minutes when they said to stop.  I had only run 3 laps… THREE!!!  Not even a mile… I was enraged.  I’ve waited one whole year for three laps!  Then I went to get a medal from one a volunteer.

I received a medal and I didn’t even run a mile!

Afterwards, we had our closing speech, and we returned to school. Once in school, one girl wanted to throw up.  I understood her well, that’s how I had felt during the marathon.  This time, though, I was dizzy. I was dizzy for the remaining of the day.

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Jog-a-thon 2010

Unofficial Results:

Jog–a–thon

May 7, 2010

3 laps around the track

0.75 miles

Time:  ?? (about 10 minutes)

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Pep Rally

We had our pep rally today!  The bear showed up to boost our morale, and we did the cheer, too “Fight… fight…fight…”  

Four more days until the next Big Day.  I can’t wait despite the knee.

 

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Life.. Life… Life

I was so angry yesterday that I set a new personal record.  One mile in exactly 10 minutes.  Not bad despite the bad knee.  Now, why couldn’t I have done that during the marathon?  

Why am I so angry?   WELL.. (with an attitude)  Life is playing a very nasty trick on me right now.  Actually, it’s playing TWO nasty tricks on me.  One at home; one at work.  

I can handle the one at home, but I’m not sure about the one at work.  The vicious cycle is repeating itself.  The same people, the same room.  Three years ago I was a mess; am I going to let that happen again?

What bothers me is that I don’t understand why this is happening AGAIN.  What have I done to deserve this?  But now, I’m older and wiser.  I even have the albino hair to prove it.  It came out three  years ago.  It’s probably still there to remind me not to make the same mistake.  But, my only sin was, and still is, being too nice.  Is that really so bad?

Anyhow, three years ago I was exercising, but the Tae Bo was making me aggressive and angrier.  This time, I went running.  After that mile, I was so exhausted that I went home.  I felt better; but I still had a nightmare.  

We’re currently studying plants.  Yesterday I watered our little garden with a hose.  In my dream, I forgot to close the water supply, and I flooded the school.  Hahaha… silly dream, silly me.

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Am I Ready?

Of course I’m not ready, I feel like I’m missing a few things, and I’m still trying to decide whether I should take an extra sweater to keep me warm in the wee hours of the morning, or whether to take my fuel belt with my HUGE bottle of water, or take something less heavy.  Too many things to worry about.

But, while I make up my mind, I would like to present my official LA Marathon number:

Anyone who knows me, knows the importance of those initials.  I should copyright it.

My mom was thrilled that ALL my initials were on the bib.  That’s because she was upset last week when she saw that the 20 Miles Certificate (I did receive one!!!) was missing my middle name.

“But, mom, at least it has both last names,” I said.

“But, this is important and it needs to have all your names.”

“But… but it’s just a paper,”

“But, it’s important,” she said.

In the meantime, my dad had taken the certificate to frame it and put it in the wall along with the 13.1 medal.  My parents…

What was thrilling about my bib, was the accuracy of its information.  When I first got it, I checked my name, but nothing else.  No one in my family saw the mistake either.  Five pairs of eyes and no one saw that NVGM is really 19 years old!

If it hadn’t been for Mr. M who keeps me updated, I wouldn’t have known.  Now I have to wait until after the marathon to clarify the information.  YUCK!   Why do I have to reveal my real age?

Finally, here are a few goodies that came with my bag, and a few others that I got at the Expo.

Time to eat more pasta, and take some vitamin C.  I’ve had a sore throat since yesterday.  I think the kid’s gave me something again.  I can’t get sick now.

PS.  I may not have written about it because I was too stress, but I did go out and ran on Tuesday and Thursday.  I broke one record:  I ran one mile in 10:14 minutes.  Previous record was 10:15.  It’s just a second, but it made me happy.

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The Expo

After the good wishes from the children and coworkers (even my boss… ) it was time to pick up my bib at The Expo located, where else, but the Dodger’s Stadium.

I hadn’t been to Dodger’s Stadium in about 15-20 years, and I didn’t know what to expect.  I went by Silver Lake and Echo Park, places that I have very little recollection.

At the entrance, I was greeted by a huge sign wishing me good luck.

Once in the parking lot, I got lost, as always, and even though I was following the herd of people, some how, I infiltrated myself here:

Well, the gates were open, and I’m curious.  I got some strange looks by the workers, but no one said anything; security didn’t come after me either, so I guess it was ok.

Finally, I found the The Expo.

I spent about an hour there getting the bib, and medium sized T-shirt which I doubt I’ll wear since it’s so small I can hardly breath.  The volunteer said that there were no large size T-shirts.  How is that possible?  What makes them think we are that skinny?

The volunteer offered me a men’s small size shirt, but I refused since then I’ll end up looking… like a guy.  And I’m tired of looking like a guy since that’s how I look like whenI wear the Roadrunner T-shirt.  You see, the RRs made the same mistake.  They made their T-shirts too small and women were stuck wearing an XX-Large or a men’s shirt.  I was stuck with a small men’s size, and it’s huge for me.

Ok, enough complaining about an old story.

I saw my PLs at the Roadrunners booth, and after thanking them for saving me when I was first injured, they encouraged me to be back.  First day of training for the 2011 marathon:  September 11, 2010.

I got some goodies and even though they said not to eat anything, I couldn’t resists and had some soy milk and coconut water.  It was 4pm, and I hadn’t eaten anything since 7am that morning.

The winner’s car  was on displayed and I thought of  KT who earlier had left me a message wishing me good luck, and asking me for a ride around the neighborhood in my new car if I won First Prize.

What really excited me was the Start Line lined with flags from all over the world, and it reminded me of the building in Windward with all the flags on the roof.

Mexico

I wish I could have stayed longer, but it was really hot, and I was starving.  On my way home, I saw signs on the bus stops warning passengers of route changes, as well as signs on the streets warning drivers about street closures on Marathon Day.  Then suddenly, it hit me, the distance that I’ll be trying to accomplish tomorrow.  Ay.

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