16 Weeks to Bay To Breakers!!!

Today was 16 weeks from the Bay to Breakers. It's time to plug in your present times to get a training schedule at Runner's World (sorry I'm too lazy to program it here, check the link to the left.) Be honest with yourself and see what it gives you. 16 weeks is plenty of time to get ready.

Oh, and if you needed incentive..... There will be a beer bash at Casa de Twin Peaks after the race!!!!

hit a snag- help!

hey there drunkies... i need some thoughts/advice.

the last two weeks i have been thrown off my running track (so to speak) by unforeseeable/uncontrollable circumstances and i am not sure how best to proceed from here.

two weeks ago, it SNOWED here in the city. it has not snowed (meaning inches of snow that stuck on the ground for days) in the city for at least five years so, needless to say, the city came to a stand-still for the three days it took people to get even a little bit of the snow cleared. this also means that people don't have snow shovels, or if they do they only shovel the walk right in front of their own house/store/building. therefore, i had three days that i was not able to run. i got two runs in towards the end of the week and did okay- kept my pace, didn't have trouble completing the runs, etc.

well, then the week after that (last week) i got sick. i had a lingering sore throat and fatigue that kept me from doing anything other than the most essential work. i missed another two runs, only getting in one run last week once i felt better. i went on that run and found that i barely stayed on pace and couldn't do the entire run without breaking with a small bout of walking (and that was my short 2 mile run- nothing major here, folks).

and then i woke up yesterday morning with a weird pain in my foot. our cat (the one that Sixpack just loves) had slept on my legs for a while in the night, pinning my legs down in a strange position. not only was i still feeling worn-down from being sick, but also my foot had this new pain (it is a sore-muscle-cramp kind of pain in the top of my foot, kind-of in between my pinkie toe and next toe in). it only got worse after going on a walk so, yet again i didn't run. i took it easy the rest of the night and iced it while watching a movie. it still hurts this morning... :-(

my two questions: what the fork is going on with my body? (i guess that's more of a rhetorical question) and what do i do about getting back on track/ how much have i screwed up my momentum (i just started this training earlier this month)?

thanks much for any advice/thoughts/liquor you can offer to ease my suffering/worries. cheers!

p.s. i should note that i don't have health insurance (still) and so going to the doctor is out of the question. blarg.

7 Miles

I don't have too too much to report, since I've dialed things back a little because my cold has moved south into my chest. There are a few things to report though:

I finished 7 miles today for the first time since the marathon. It was pretty relaxed. I never pushed it, and finished with a 9:15 average. I was pleased, but coughed up some really interesting things afterwards. I'm now considerably lighter without all of that lung weighing me down.

Tessa's running is getting better. We decided to have a little race about a week ago. She would run 2 miles and I would run 3- the first one home wins. She beat me (about 22:35 to 24:30)! I really didn't have much of a chance since I set off on a blistering pace that melted the hair off my ankles and couldn't sustain it- BUT Tessa had to up her pace as well. I would have taken her if she had run the same speed of her previous two runs. I'm proud of her progress, and all it took was me chasing her for her to get faster...kinda like all my elementary school crushes.

I'll be running in Frankfurt this week, since I'll be researching at archives there. I'll let everyone know what its like to run along yet another German river (ooh, look! A barge!).

Post-Race Run

Went out today with Jenn and Mike from the German Department. It was the first meeting of what will soon be Drunkrunners Berkeley. We headed out to do a 2 mile run and decided at the one mile marker that none of us had run far enough. So, we stretched it out to 3 miles, and I have to say it was a nice run. It was relaxing and invigorating to get back on the road. All info I have read has recommended a few weeks off after a Marathon, and absolutely no running during the first 7 days after race. Today being day 7, I thought it was time.
We did well, without pushing ourselves. total run time was 26 and some change. Not bad. My knee is still nagging a little bit. I'm going to go see the doctor this week, just in case I need to visit my new best friend Mel -- My PT that got me back on track -- and do some more therapy. I'll see what they have to say.
I'm thinking the next marathon will be the San Francisco Marathon. Before then the Bay to Breakers and a couple of 10Ks. There's another Angel Island race coming up that I think I'm going to do. That one was a lot of fun.

Week in Review:

Miles: 3

Time: 26:50

Average: 8:51

Overall Impression: Thank God I'm Not Needing A Knee Brace After That Race (TGINNAKBATR)

This is for P.P.

I took a week off this last week, lower back pain and when I would run the top of my left foot would kill me before the end of my runs.After a month of going to the chiropracter and getting no results, I finally went to my Dr. and he looked me over said I have a bad disc. I said I've already taken a week off of running and can't take anymore off. He said keep up with your goal, don't stop, here is a note to the P.T. She as well told me not to stop running, She said I have a bulging disc, but the back pain and and the pain in my foot was from the fact that my left hip is a lot weeker than my right. So when my left leg gets fatigued the pain increases and shoots down to my foot. Do these stretch's and these strength excrercises and stick with the running, just listen to the pain as to how far you run. So the moral to this story, not all doctors think running is evil.

Last run: 6miles

Time:66min. 12sec.

Pace: 11min. 2sec.

The Risks of a Marathon (according to 'Grey's Anatomy')

Hear ye, hear ye. Listen up and take note all you marathon trainers and tv addicts. If, like me, you believe EVERYTHING you see on CSI, ER, and Grey's Anatomy,then you will understand my shock and horror at last night's episode. A young man arrives in the hospital after having collapsed and passed out after 12 miles of the Seattle marathon. He hurts his knee. Everything seems kosher. No biggy.

BUT THEN! [GASP]

His legs start to swell at an alarming rate and they CUT HIS LEGS OPEN WHILE HE IS STILL AWAKE in order to relieve the pressure.

[GASP and GAG!].

Anywho, let this be a lesson to all of us, fake tv doctors warn us that taking aspirin the morning of a race can KILL YOU DEAD! ;)

This is our poor, fellow runner.

Luckily, he survives! Whew! What would I do without fake tv medicine?

In running news: I have been watching tv. ;) Once my job interviews are over (next week), I will be back pounding the pavement.

This Week:
Distance: 4 mi.
Time: 36.12
Overall Impression: Hate the Treadmill when it rains. Run faster outside. Grrrr! (HTTWIR.RFO.Grrrr!)

Welcome Mamaschu

A shout out to our newest member, Mamaschu! You may know of her as my twin sister Dawn. And yes, we look exactly alike!!!!!

Welcome Mamaschu!! We look forward to hearing how your training is going! Keep us posted and we'll keep you inspired!

Your spiritual leader,
Sixpack Chopra

Goals Goals Goals

I think it's great that Don kept the floor for a day. It's like removing your point guard right before game's end so that the crowd may give him, and only him, a standing ovation. He deserves it.
Right now I'm actually sick in bed. I have an odd cold that leaves me with just enough energy to crawl downstairs and watch bad television. Last night I did get up to eat a red curry duck but that was about it.

If you remember, about a month ago I configured three four-week goals with www.Nike.com/nikeplus (in addition to the race Don and I have to 300 miles.)

Basically, they looked like this:

Distance: 50 miles
Speed: 10 runs in under 9:30
Frequency: 15 total runs

I have, officially, reached all goals with over three days to spare. Of the three, the frequency goal fell the quickest because I was running two-a-days at least twice a week. Adding a quick two or three miler in the morning really adds up! The speed work fell quicker than I thought too. Two mile runs are inherently fast runs, and it didn't take long to get my rhythm back from the duldrums of pre- and post-marathon fatigue. I underestimated the freshness of my legs, and I'm feeling fast. The last one to go was the distance, but that's partially attributable to a few days in Vienna and another couple of days off this weekend when some friends from London arrived on our doorstep. I wanted to be over with it by Friday, but managed to sneak out the door after we dropped them off to push me over, with three days to spare.
SO, once the clock runs out on those goals (day after tomorrow, I think), I'm setting up a new four week challenge to keep my motivations up during this late arrival of winter:

Distance: 65 miles
Speed: 10 runs under 9:00
Frequency: 16 total runs

The speed looks like a bigger jump than it is. My first goal was set artifically high (which I didn't know at the time, but I subsequently exploited it for cheap ego boosts). I'm not altering the frequency goals much because I will be running less two-a-days once I feel like I have a better base. Other than that, the distance should be doable.
I realize my posts have been both dry and sparse since I started again. I need distance for creative motivation, and will start working on that soon:)

I would love to hear what goals everyone else has set for the next week, two weeks, or month! It would be great to look back on the posts after we all have acheived them:)

Congratulations again Donno! You did a fantastic job. Now get healthy, you've got an eager challenger for first to 300 miles:)

How to Run a Marathon

So, the day was more eventful and more interesting than I had expected. Let’s start at Saturday night. I was staying with my friend’s Kirsten and Antje in Pacific Beach (a part of San Diego) and we decided to go out to dinner at George’s a nice restaurant in La Jolla with a stunning view of the ocean. With dinner we enjoyed a bottle of Miner Family Rosato, mostly because I couldn’t believe they had it. It was stunning, and frankly the best part of the meal. After dinner we walked to the Hard Rock Café and enjoyed a beer before heading back to the apartment for what was expected to be a nice night’s sleep. WRONG! The neighbors were having a party. When they all left at 3 a.m. I finally fell asleep for more than 10 minutes in a row.
Up at 5:15 I made breakfast and got on the road. I made record time to Carlsbad and thought I was in the clear. One half hour later I entered the mall parking lot with 30 minutes to stretch, go to the bathroom and get to the starting line. I made it with a couple minutes to spare.
I had signed up the night before to be a member of the 4:15 pace group. The first 8 miles were a relative breeze. Our pacer was great and she kept us all on track, even through the hills. At mile 11 the trouble began. We had been away from the ocean for the past 6 miles and there was no breeze and no shade. It was excruciating. I will from here on out do the best I cannot to complain about San Francisco Fog. I noticed I was having troubles regulating temperature and that I had stopped sweating. Mind you I was drinking two or three cups of whatever I could get my hands on at each station. Just before the 12 mile marker I decided to take a walking break, and that was the last time I was still in hopes of catching my pace group. While trying to recuperate, I was passed by another gal that had fallen out of the pace group and she encouraged me to try to catch the PG with her. I gave it a shot, but had to stop and walk again a short time later. I simply had no energy left. No pain, just no energy. She went ahead and I called it a day. She rooted me on when we came face to face at the ½ way point turn around. I was sure I had seen the last of her. By the way, her name was Lauren.
At mile 15 or 16 I caught up to her and she was in a lot of pain. I ran with her for a bit and eventually decided that we were going to get through this together. I was drinking more and feeling a little better, but was still needing a lot of walking. Remember: NO FUCKING SHADE!!! I learned a lot about Lauren today. She went to the Air Force Academy in Colorado, did her undergrad at USC and is now stationed in Little Rock, AR with the AF and is awaiting being shipped to Irag in April. Why had she decided to run a marathon today? Because she wants to make sure she runs one before she dies, and felt it was a wise idea to do it before being shipped out. I was stunned, and frankly, this was when it became my mission to get her across that finish line. For the next 7 miles our only goal was to pass the 24 mile marker before noon. We converted at this point to a Jeff Galloway marathon. We’d run for a bit then we would walk ¼ to ½ of mile, then run a bit, rinse and repeat.
Because the police had to open the streets, anyone that didn’t make the 24 mile marker by noon would be turned away and not allowed to finish the race. It was thus imperative for her and to me, to reach the 24 by noon. Along the way we caught up to another 4:15 PG guy and helped encourage him to keep going. It was also his first marathon. We were able to keeping him going for another couple miles, but at 22.5 miles he fell behind and encouraged us to go ahead. We pushed on and hoped for the best for Pete.
After crossing the 24 we only had one more obstacle. I have a rule (those who know me well, know there are a lot of rules – no reading the fortune before finishing the fortune cookie, etc.) and that rule is that there is no walking after mile 25. None. Not until you’ve crossed the finish line. So we did it. We running along swimmingly until we hit the 26 mile marker. It was here that my left hamstring decided to cramp up. I thought I was going to have to walk. I stopped for a second and tried to stretch it. That didn’t work. I tried to run, but I was on the verge of cramping so bad I would fall down. I realized I couldn’t bend my left leg. So for about 50 yards I looked like I was playing with one of the those jump rope things you attach to your ankle and swing around it, while simultaneously jumping the rope with your other foot. I’m sure the spectators were impressed that I had run the whole race that way. Just give it a try. Go outside and run a few yards while not bending the left knee. It was quite amusing. I tried running again and it worked. We turned the corner into the mall parking lot and kicked it in. I had said several times that you were still doing good as long as you are passing someone. When we turned into the parking lot there was a guy walking that we could take. Yeah, I know it’s cruel, but we had to do it. The last 1/10th of a mile was an all out sprint. We crossed at 4:48 give or take. It was awesome!! Pete crossed the finish line about a minute behind us, so he managed to finish too. It was great!!
Interestingly my day had begun with a goal of shattering my personal record and turned into a day of supporting others. Honestly, I think the latter was the better option. I’ve got my whole life to beat that PR, Lauren may never have another chance to run marathon.
I’m feeling good now. Had a beer in the bar at the airport and will be boarding the plane soon. My knees are sore, but that’s nothing new. I don’t feel the hint of injury that I had in July. I’m guardedly excited that this might have been an injury free race.

Today’s Stats:
Distance: 26.2 miles
Time: 4:45:34
Average: 10:54 per mile
Overall Impression: Mother Theresa Move Over, Sixpack Chopra Is In Town! (MTMOSCIIT)

Do they know something we don't know?

I couldn't help but chuckle while checking in here that this is the ad that showed up on googleads:

ServSafe Alcohol (TM)
Alcohol safety training: classroom and online options.

We can engage in Online drinking now? That's amazing!!!!!

T minus 24hour

It's 24 hours and 34 minutes until the gun for the race tomorrow. I'm ready psyched and can't wait to get there. I actually didn't sleep well last night dreaming that I was going to miss my plane because I had read my watch wrong (those who know me, know I look at my watch at least 10 times an hour) and was going to miss the last boarding call. So, I will try to get some rest tonight. Although I'm not incredibly concerned as studies have shown that only extreme sleep deprivation has an impact on running times.
I'm going to sign up today to run with the 4:15 pace group and I'll give that a whirl. If for some reason I can't keep up I can always slow down and maybe meet up with the 4:30 pace group, but what I'm really hoping is that at mile 20 I'll find the 4:15 group too slow and I'll burst ahead in a ball of flames and scorch the finish line.
I'll be sure to post ASAP and let everyone know how I fared, in the meantime you can follow "unofficial" results at: www.carlsbadmarathon.com

This just in: "athletes consume more alcohol than non-athletes. Moderate to large intakes may promote weight loss due to its substitution for carbohydrate..." From Eating for Endurance. I think we are on to something here.

Peace

Everyone needs a "Good" Laugh so here I go

I am all the way up to 2 miles for the week. (running that is/more lke jogging)
Extending it by 4 Electric Poles every Monday.

At this pace, I will be up to 1 mile per day without walking by February 5.

Not bad for a Short, Fat Fart

Alcohol - "0"

Both are unbelievable, especially the latter.

The real test for me will probably be Saturday. Going "Ice Fishing" with my old buddy Tom and Son-In-Law Brad. There will be a couple of grills out there and multiple 30 Packs. Can I stay at "0"and will I still go out to exercise?

One More Good Reason to Run

More good news for your body! (My only question: does this counter the killing of brain cells by alcohol consumption?)

This report was on CBS News this evening: Boosting Brain Power May Be Steps Away...

Good Morning "ALL"

Please allow me to introduce myself. From here on I will be refering to myself as "30 Pack". Not a spin off of 6 pack, as he claims, just a slight comparison thereof. I am, just a "30 Pack", much shorter and much wider than the famous 6 Pack. And I might add, "much slower". I really got the name from my long time fishing buddy Tom Short who says "It ins't Beer unless it comes in a 30 Pack". Yes, we have been known to finish one or more off in one setting. Especially out Ice Fishing. You don't have to carry a cooler to keep the beer cold.

For the past couple of weeks I have been receiving a considerable amount of entertainment and inspiration from reading everyone's input and commentary. Up to now, I have simply had nothing to add. When I arrived home last evening all enthused to go out for my workout, as I pulled up in front of the garage the temperature indicator in the car read -6 F. At that point it became a test of my willpower. You see, I have not run for about 20 years and have a much longer way to go than the rest of you. I did go out. I made my now standard 1.6 miles. By the time I got back to the house my glasses were so frozen over I was running off of the driveway.

I read most of you refering to "Time". I can only refer to time at this point by measuring it with a Calander." It is getting better though. I got new shoes last weekend, which made a tremendous difference. I put the Steel Toe shoes back in the closet for the time being.

Finally, "Yes 6-Pack, you have been an INSPIRATION to the rest of your family, and it is because of you and Forest that the rest of us are working hard to join everyone who may read this at Bay to Breakers. And for that you shoud be proud."

Slow to start but feeling stronger

I can't wait til my postings are as impressive as others on this blog!! I appear to be related to the turtle at this point in training. I printed off the training schedule from Runners World which is 16 weeks, so I went ahead and allotted myself 2 weeks for bringing myself up to speed. I entered the slowest possible mile and the least amount of miles/week and it still seems impossible for my fat ass!! I have been focusing on increasing water intake, decreasing caloric intake, not smoking and just walking for now. I can walk 2 miles in 30 minutes and only jogged a 1/4 mile 2 times. I lost 4 pounds and am starting to feel better already. I bought new shoes and a cute running outfit, but haven't sported the outfit yet. Forced to take the day off today due to snow and few sidewalks in the neighborhood. Hoping weather improves this week. I have avoided alcohol mostly, but found a new wine shop on Riverside and had to check it out. I bought myself a new ale and enjoyed that immensely. I don't think I'll worry about increasing my alcohol intake at this point. I still need to think about the calories involved until I lose a little more and can at least run!! Besides.....they don't call me Sandi for nothing!! (Just kidding, I think most know I love to drink!!

my first week - an update

okay, o holy sixpack, here's my update from freezing cold PNW (and yes, i can complain about the cold now... it has been below 30degrees for about a week now, and it's killin' me).

i ran 9 miles last week.

yeah, i felt pretty good about it. each run felt progressively better/ easier and my time picked up significantly after each run. i really need new shoes soon, though. and ear buds. both suck significantly.

i drank an indeterminable amount of booze last week. during the week i possibly had one glass of wine per day (maybe some days no wine, other days two glasses)... but friday and especially saturday put me into the "indeterminable" range. friday night we went out (for the first time in AGES) and went to this great little club near us. DJ Aquaman was there (how could we NOT go see DJ Aquaman!?!), he was uber nerdy as he masterfully spun his funky beats, AND there were really awesome breakdancers there, tearing the floor up. i had 2 G&Ts before we left the house, and 1 beer at the club. saturday we had two friends over for dinner and, well, we drank most of the sauce we had in the house. luckily i drank water along they way, which made sunday not-so-bad in recuperation.

so, yeah, i drank just fine amounts. i probably could have imbibed less on saturday... definitely NOT more... but it was all good in the neighborhood.

Tscherman Tank

Since Don has been officially deified, it appears that we're evolving towards a "Jonestown for Runners". This begs the question: Are they going to start serving Kool-Aid at the marathon's drink stations? If so, would you drink it?

As I'm not training for anything now and still within my self-prescribed minimum four week base-building routine, I have a little time to experiment more with the beer/running combo.
I noticed that completely matching beers with miles is actually complicated because, inherently, it means you have to ask yourself to stop drinking at some point. This is all fine after one beer, maybe two. And definitely after twenty or so. But stopping after four beers? Come on, I'm just finding my groove! That's the sweet spot! Drinking is an art, and that's like asking a writer to intentionally subject himself to writers-block.
Anyway. I think this week my beer-to-run comparisons read thusly:

Mon/Tues- 2 Beers to 4 miles
Thu/Fri- 800 beers to 3 miles
Sat/Sun- 3 Beers to 6 miles

As you can see, there is some pretty wild variations, and Thursday was the result of a university reception for fellows/researchers in which they were serving (literally) kegs of beer. Nonetheless, I've found I can drink approximately half my distance and still come away unscathed. Of course, like I said, I'm not training for anything yet. For those of you running BtoB, I would double the beer and halve the miles. That hill is a bitch.

Seriously though, I have ten days left in my orignal recuperation plan. Then I officially go into hyper ass-kicking mode. Possibly. (Updates on that in ten days.)
Last week's Runs

Distance: 17 Miles
Avg. Time (min per mile): 8:46
Long Run: 6 Miles
Overall Impression: I Alternate Between Very Pleased and Very Nervous. (IABVPaVN)

All in all, the runs have been pretty good. I fatigue earlier and my lactate threshold is negligable, but I'm pleased with my early pace. When I add speed work to it in a few weeks, I think I should be in a better place than before the marathon. I'm still hesitant to add too many more miles yet, since I want to keep my legs intact and functioning...
Of course, this is all contigent upon whether my IT Band holds up. It gets tight, as it did earlier, but it never tightens like it did in October. It slowed me down during the second half of the six miler on Sunday, but I still finished with a negative split, so I'm not really complaining. I seriously have to stretch all day to make it work though. Non-stop. I'm stretching as I type this, and I'll be stretching when you read it.

PS: Tessa is now running two miles, twice a week. We'll have her on here in no time.

You want an Update? You can't handle an Update!

Just kidding.

I was a total invalid this week due to my foot and the lack-o-snake oil. However, I woke up Saturday morning without the usual "f*&#@ that hurts" as I put my foot on floor, so....

Update Reponses:
ZERO = big, fat ZILCH

SUCKY SUCKY SUCKY distance for me in the grand scheme of things. Didn't feel good about it but my foot certainly feels better.

I did much better on the drinking bit. I don't like to talk numbers, but lets just say Smirnoff isn't going out of business anytime soon.

This was an honorable amount, especially since I have been given the task to drink for myself, Smells, and Sixpack. Whew! This is a heavy burden to bear alone!!!

Tomorrow's plan is to put on my old running shoes (until I figure out what is wrong with the new ones) and try to run 3-4 miles. Keep your fingers crossed and your snake oil at the ready.

Jogi-jogi and Forest, I will be putting tunes in the mail to you this week (Sixpack has given me your addresses). I won't try to defend my workout music tastes (No comment out of you, Deetschei), so take what you like and leave the rest! :)

A Call for an Update

I suggest we start the week with a chime in on where we are all at. If you are a drunkrunner, please answer the following questions:

How many feet or miles did you run last week?

Was this a good distance for you? Did you feel good about it?

How much did you drink last week?

Was this a good amount for you? Do you think you could have drank more? (Afterall, I'm probably the only one that couldn't have drunk less.)

I'll start:

13 miles run

It was a great distance, kept me running while allowing some rest.

One glass of wine.

It's way more than the doctor wants, but it was a nice Burgundy. Couldn't pass up the chance.

My week of running

First let me say that this has been the busiest month long vacation I have ever had. It's just been nonstop. I still haven't accomplished all of what I wanted to get done, but I did get a good bit done, which is great. Next week classes start, so I have to get in gear for that. Although I only have one class and my exams. Seems simple right? But that's not running. That's me whining about my life, which I really have no right to do.
So here's running. I'm on taper so I was not expected to cover much ground this week, but with injuries I've been having troubles even with those. Injuries you say? Not serious ones, but I'm really starting to accept a certain amount of pain as the way things are.

Injury 1: Would you believe I may have broken a toe? I've been taping it to another toe for a week and it is doing well, but as soon as I forget to tape it, I have a bit of pain. If it's truly broken, this means 3 broken toes in my life. Only 7 left. Not bad.

Injury 2: Shin splints, still a problem, but stretching and a nice slow warm up run really helps. I'll be getting up very early the day of the marathon so I will have time for a jog around the mall before the race. Yes, the race starts at a mall. I love America!

Injury 3: Anyone remember the left knee pain I was whining about before the last marathon? Well, it seems to be back. I'll be making a PT appointment on Monday so that I'm already in the system if things go wrong next week, but I'm hoping with the rest, i.e. inactivity, of this week, it will work itself out. It doesn't hurt once I get running unless there's a hill. Going down hill is really not cool, but as I understand there aren't many hills in the San Diego course. Nothing like SF anyway.

So, with all that going on, I still managed to do 11 of the 16 miles I was supposed to do. I decided to not do today's 5 thinking the stress to my knee could worsen the pain, and be more detrimental than the missed run would be.

Overall impression:

Total miles: 11
Time: Not so easy to calculate without my excel spreadsheet, which I've not been good at keeping up now that I have the Nike+
Average mile: 9:46
Overall Impression: Sixpack, Please Help Me Keep It Together Long Enough To Cross The Finish Line (SPHMKITLETCTFL)
-- Does God pray to himself?

mwuuahahahaha

not to be outdone by Sixpack's marathon proselytizing to his family...

i have managed to intrigue my mother, who turns 50 later this year, that doing a marathon would be a great way to "celebrate" her momentous occasion too.

she is not sure yet whether she is going to try to run, or if she is going to walk, but i think i have gotten her interested enough that she'll at least train in order to come up in october to walk the portland marathon.

the thing that worries her the most about doing it? she'll have to eat breakfast every day (as of now, she gets through most days on only her coffee jump-start), as well as two other square meals.

o mighty Sixpack, we may have yet another drunk runner to join the stumbling ranks.... i'll keep you posted.

p.s. first week of running has gone well. i feel good and am inspired to make this happen.

Help being offered

Forest, first a few questions.

Are you running 5 miles everytime you go out?

Are you pushing yourself everytime you go out and run, or do you occasionally just go for a jog?

Some advice:
You should be making sure there is one long run of the week. If 5 miles is it, then great. During this run, your only goal right now, should be to finish it. Trust me, when I run 20 miles, I check my pace at the end, not during it. The key is to put the miles on, not to win the race on your long run. If it's a little slower, don't worry too much.

Make sure you are continuing to eat your carbs and good stuff. Rest two days a week. And mostly, don't worry about your time if you are able to do the distance.

Any other suggestions folks?

I need help

At least more than what a therapist can do. My times are continually going up higher instead of lower. I think a new play list with no memories attached may help, but I need some advice on what to do other than that. My pace on new years day was 9min 38sec for a 5 mile run. since then my time has just gotten worse with last nights 5 mile run being the absolute all time low of 10min 48sec pace. Any pointers on how to get out of this downward spiral? I don't want it to drag me down! I have a long way to go to run a marathon and my will power is dropping because of my times. PLEASE HELP ME!!!!!

40 Must be a Time for Drastic Change!

I would like to thank everyone for the warm welcome into the Drunk Runners. I jokingly said 6 months ago (or a little more) that I should quit smoking and try to start running in order to join my brothers in the Bay to Breakers in May '07. Now, I've really committed myself to it. On Jan 2, 07 at 3 pm I vowed to be a non-smoker. Although that in itself seems to be a battle. I'm finding that living without smoking isn't so bad. My experience says all habits must be replaced, not quit. So now I'm walking soon to be running to save my life instead of smoking it away. I'm totally pumped since the whole family is going to be involved. Hopefully, all have committed and will look forward to this, too. I decided that if my Mom and Dad were going to do it, then I had to. I hope that this all leads to an even better life, at least a better way of life. I've always been the one sitting in the stands wishing that was me, but now it's going to be me. No more idleness and watching everyone else. I'm seeking the freedom of perseverance and sweat!! I'll be looking here often for nudges, pushes and shoves in the right direction. I'm disappointed in myself for letting all the hard work go to waste that I put in a few years ago. Starting this training would not have seemed like so much work, but I can't look back now. Just focus on the Bay to Breakers: running with my Dad and spending an amazing time with my family in an amazing city!! That in itself is enough to motivate me for now! Starting from scratch and praying for strength!! Sandi

Trust Me, I'm NOT a Doctor!

I have several theories as to why the health care system in the U.S. lags behind that of our brilliant European counterparts. Case in point: $30 copay, an hour and twenty-five minutes waiting to see the doctor, and 10 minutes actually spent with the doctor, I was no better off than before I entered his office. (The total cost of my visit was actually $175!!!)

These are some of the "gems" of wisdom that one apparently gathers after years of arduous medical study and practice:
"Take 2 Advil or Aleve twice a day."
"It should feel better in a few weeks."
"Stop running."
"Buy good shoes."

Um, DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Why do doctors feel the need to "hate" on running - don't get me wrong. I loved to get fired up about a good "hatin'" but this seemed wrong. Where are the kudos for getting out and exercising? (Oh wait, here's another gem: "You aren't exercising. You are training!!! Olympic athletes have trainers. Do YOU have a trainer?") I can't believe how bad I was made to feel when I revealed that I wanted to run a half-marathon and a marathon this year. His jaw practically unhinged when I divulged that I run on asphalt. I had to bite my tongue to keep from asking him if he was planning on writing me a prescription to sit on my fat, lazy ass in front of the tv while stuffing my face with deep-fried chimichangas and hunks of extra sharp WISCONSIN cheddar. (That does actually sound really deliciously naughty!)

Anywho, the long of the short is that Sixpack has an amazingly wonderful miracle docotor, who actually listens to his problems and sends him to P.T., while not making him feel like an "evil-doer" for running. If the "2 Aleve a day" and the "stop running" doesn't help, I am going to see a sports doctor. NOT RUNNING IS NOT AN OPTION.

I should have asked for some snake oil before I left the doctor's office. Blast!

Welcome 4 more!

As your spiritual leader, I have been busy of late with evangelism. With the help of brother Forrest, we have added 4 new DrunkRunners in the past week. Yes, it is true. My entire family are now followers of the DrunkRunner way (although not all drink). They are yet to establish nicknames, but I'd like to introduce to you, Sandy Patti (sister Chris), Emo (father Emery), Rosie (mother Rosealee), and Mouse (twin sister Dawn).
All of our new inductees are working hard to lose weight and make their way to the top of the Hayes Street Hill!!!! And they will do it. Word is they have established a competition for the "Biggest Loser" in the Backman clan. Hopefully they will share the results as the competition continues. Emo and Sandy are really hoping to run the race. so, lets all give them a DrunkRunner Welcome as they log on register with their various new nicknames!!!!

In other news, I'M IN TAPER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I can't tell you how happy I was to only run 3 miles yesterday. It was a glorious feeling. Tomorrow it's 5 miles, but nowhere near the ordeal of two weeks ago with 39 miles in a week. Of course, I'd better get used to the idea if I'm going to make it to Boston. Don't forget. That's the goal! I won't report on the run, but will share that I am very confident that things will go well in San Diego. I'm hoping to break 4:15, which would mean I still need to chop off an hour before Boston, but it can be done.

Nothing else here.

BRRRR!!

Hey kids, just thought I'd let you know winter has finally hit Wisconsin. 70 minus 40 for highs and the night time lows are forcasted to be at70 minus 70. That means it will be a little chilly for me as I run in the late evening or early mornings, so the snot moustache will be in full force. I'll try to get some pictures posted so you can all laugh and relish in the weather you are having. Wish me luck on my cold weather training I'm going to need it. Do they make a pair of Nike thermal pack running boots.

can't get you outta my head

yeah, i just can't get you outta my head.

damn you, kylie.

i officially started running again today. it has been two years since i trained regularly... and a year since i ran at all... and so to get myself pumped up and out the door, i put together a rockin' playlist for my ipod shuffle.

it got me thinking about how important music can be for training... a particularly rockin' song can pull you out of a funk, can keep you from hitting a wall (hopefully just in the figurative sense- if you are literally hitting walls when running, perhaps you are taking your duty of drinking for Sixpack a little too seriously and you have more problems than a kick-ass song can cure). i am working to get together a collection of truly inspiring songs in my "run, forest, run" playlist (that's a little nod to you, forest f. gump).

i read an interesting tidbit today about listening to music while running, and there is a whole website devoted to music for running... and it seems that in order for a song to be good for running, it needs to have over 80 beats-per-minute (BPM). you can even calculate your own pace and fine songs that match your running pace, if you are so inclined.

anyway, for me, just something upbeat works well (though, when i am deciding whether i want a song or not, i imagine my cadence while listening to the song to see if it matches, so i guess i kinda do that in my mind already).

so far i have just over 2 hours, but would like to double that. i would like to propose a music trade. i am offering to send a CD with my playlist (thus far) out to any of you... and am hoping that some of you could return the favor (note: i am happy to send a CD to any of you regardless of whether you send one to me). my playlist ranges from johnny cash to kylie minogue, ol' dirty bastard to tori amos... never a dull moment.

my first run of 2007...

distance: 2
time: i'll keep that to myself for now... but i am feeling just right after the run- i feel like i pushed myself, but i won't be crippled tomorrow.

Drinking for Three, Running for One

In lieu of Don's condition I, too, have decided to offer up my liver. I was probably drinking enough for him before anyways.

Onto last weeks runs. I set the new goal of putting in 20 miles a week. I am not currently training for anything, so the times are really just a pride thing. This week I managed to log 16.3, but couldn't finish the last 4 due to a foot injury. Dayton suggested it might be related to a pronation problem. Having surfed the web, I am inclined to say it is a result of supination (under pronation) resulting from placing more pressure on the outside of my foot when I run. Grrrr! I hope it is not due to the new "kicks," but I am hard-pressed to identify any other cause. I can walk on the ball of my foot just fine, but when I put pressure on the rest of my foot, I get a shooting pain up my ankle and into my heel. Alack, alas. I ran three days, ending with a 7 mi. run with a good average time of 8:53 for that run.

Distance: 16.3
Time: 2:25:07
Average Time/Mi: 8:54
Overall Impression: Still hanging in there but really wish my foot didn't hurt (SHITBRWMFDH)

Oh, for those who are not in possession of the the Nike+ipod and have very poor math skills like myself, here is an EXCELLENT pace calculator.

Return to your Roots

See, this page was once nearly called 5 Drunk Kenyans in honor of Julie's rather convincing argument that the key to Kenyan dominance in marathoning is directly attributable to the amount of vodka they drink the night before. It was a pretty simple equation: As the Vodka increases, times decrease.
Ultimately our lawyers weren't having it, for PC reasons beyond my comprehension, and we were thusly dubbed DrunkRunners.
Out of concern of cosmic imbalance set about by Don's recovery, I decided (subconsciously and intuitively, apparently) to up my own alcohol intake to test a modification to Julie's theory. I'm recursively naming it the "Beer a Mile" hypothesis, and it simply states: "For Every Mile You Run on Sunday, You Must Drink A Corresponding Amount on Saturday. This will make you fast. And stuff."
I tested this inadvertently by drinking five imperial pints (2.5 liters) during a disastorous FA Cup Match on Saturday Night, deciding not to eat dinner, and subsequently rationalizing all the behavior as "Science".

LONG STORY SHORT: I took it easy, didn't overexert anything, and still managed my five miles with an 8:44 avg. Imagine my pleasure! (The hypothesis seems to have been proved, but I hesitate to add it may only be safe for shorter distances.)

Anyway, for those of you keeping score, last wek was my first week back from the infirmary (excluding two days of running to end 2006), and it didn't begin until Wednesday. I still managed 12 miles through Sunday, and the IT Band is holding up alright. My fastest 2 miles were at an 8:22 avgerage, and my fastest mile was an 8:05...Let's keep our fingers crossed that I can meet all of my monthly goals on the ol' Nike+ and then start training for that Halfie. (Speaking of Nike+, I need to calibrate mine. I'm pretty positive it's calibrated for 10 minute miles somehow, and any time you run different than that, it affects the distances. I've gotten 3 different readings for one 2 mile stretch in the past two weeks. Granted, they are all within .1 mile of each other, but I think it's time for calibration anyway.)

No more drinking?

Folks, I've kept this a little quiet over the past week for good reason. I went to the doctor at the end of December complaining of a sore throat. Mind you, a sore throat that had bothered me since November. She said I was to take Prilosec, stop drinking and give up caffeine. Now, you all know me well and know that there are three things I can't imagine living without. One being oxygen, the other two being coffee and beer (not necessarily in that order). So, I've been put on the diet from hell.
I didn't say anything, as there are certain things one must do on vacation. Drinking is one of them. I offer these pictures as proof.

These pictures are from a German Restaurant on 3rd Ave. - Rolf's - in Manhattan. We stopped because of the Matterhorn painting on the side of the building, and walked in to find the Liberace Christmas Collection hanging from the ceiling. Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the gayest not gay bar in the whole world. I'm pretty sure that I can say that with reasonable assurance. What you are getting here is just a sampling. These are the just the decorations in front of and behind me, as well as those behind Steve. There is still another half of the bar and the dining room covered in decorations.





With all due respect to my brethren, I didn't know something like this was possible. There's a bar here in SF, Marlena's, that everyone raves the christmas decorations of. It's a pathetic Kmart Blue Light Special display compared to Rolf's. It was simply amazing, and well worth the damage I may have caused to my intestines while enjoying a few beers here. However, the doc says these need to be the last beers for awhile.
It is with this that I announce my intention to abstain, for the most part, for the next month. I have the marathon in a couple weeks and then I will have a few weeks after that to recover before beginning the next training. I'm hoping that after a month things will clear up and I will be able to begin abusing my body again. At the moment I can't decide if it is the caffeine or the beer that I miss most. It's a toss up. But, when you bring in Rolf's the answer would absolutely have to be the beer.

Cheers

greetings fellow masochists

your newest drunken runner here... from the dreary and yet lovely pacific northwest. allow me to introduce myself (i have had my first cup of tea this morning, so it should be mostly pleasant).

i hail from the hippy haven of santa cruz, calif. but met our very own sixpack chopra at Chimp U in SF and am now his parter-in-crime at Reactor Press. i just relocated back to the US after living in japan for two years.

my endurance event madness started years ago just before i first moved to SF. i got into running with a friend and did a 10k. and then a few years later did an olympic-length triathlon to raise money for the leukemia&lymphoma society (with TNT- Go Team!) in honor of my father-in-law who died from leukemia a month after i married his amazing son.

this year i turn 30... and while my body was languishing in the two-and-a-half looong weeks i spent with the in-laws in Florida for xmas this year, i thought to myself, among many other less productive and more hateful things, "gawd, everyone in the south is fat and lazy. i can't wait to get back to the PNW and get back to my normal life-- eat not-fried food and get moving on a regular basis."

and then i thought about how i turn 30 this year and how for the most part i am ok with it and how i am generally healthy and active... but the part of me that is NOT ok with turning 30 needs to do something drastic... and since i don't like cars, much less sports cars, and since i already have done the piercing and tattoo thing, i figured that running a marathon was a crazy drastic thing to do in my 30th year.

so here i am, thanks to sixpack encouraging me to join the ranks of the drunk runners.

i specifically wanted to mention... i read over a few of the most recent posts and there is a book i read/used while training for the tri that i think would be helpful for you, especially sixpack and forest (who mentioned eating in relation to training):

Eating for Endurance, by Dr. Phil Maffetone

i think it's out of print, but there are used copies on amazon, and maybe elsewhere. it is really worth picking up. he goes through the science of food and what your body needs for endurance event training and what foods are best (and worst) for training. i will say he is a huge advocate for nuts and avocados (the fruit of the gods). plus, since he does not include alcohol on the "worst" list, he is right up our alley (and i don't count the fact that alcohol is technically not a food- it has calories, right? and it nourishes the soul, right?). i don't follow his recommendations to the letter, but i learned from this book and found that i did really well with how i ate for the tri training.

cheers and happy new year to you all... jogijogi-chan
(name explanation some other time. "joe-ghee-joe-ghee-chawn" is the pronunciation... just say it in a japanese accent and you'll be fine).

The Year in Review

We are a week into this new year of ours and I have to say, my running so far this year has been pretty good. Steve and I are on vacation in NYC and I have been able to run in Central Park twice, which has really been great. It's a giant part, actually smaller than Golden Gate Park, but 100 times more usable than GGP. There are paths everywhere and one gets the feeling that one could get lost if not careful.
On Thursday I went for a 10 mile run, which took me from the hotel - all the way through the park to the north side - and zigzagging all the way back to the hotel. I'm pretty sure it was 10 miles. My brand spanking new Nike+ chip malfunctioned a bit. I had read that you have to put it to sleep to go through security, so I did, however, it didn't wake up properly, so 1/4 mile into the run it was telling me that "activity had stopped". It was go back to the hotel, or just trust my running watch and my internal pace as I always had. Therefore, I could have done as much as 11 or even 12 miles. Most likely 10-11. I don't regret it though, it was a beautiful run.
I'm still having shin issues off and on. This may be a battle I have for a while. I've been careful about stretching, but I think it might also have something to do with increasing my pace. The next race I will be doing more speed work as we did the last time. With some speedwork I should be able to get my shins/calves in order. If not, it's back to the PT.
My marathon is coming up in 2 weeks, and I'm very excited about that. It's in Carlsbad, CA. I'll go down on Saturday and stay with my friend Kirsten from Lörrach and then go to the race all by my lonesome on Sunday. Start time is a much more sane 7:30 - My start time in SF was 5:30. I'm going to try to hang with the 4:15 pace group, which would mean taking a half hour off my last race. I'm pretty sure I can do it, but some taper is going to have to happen before then.
I'm still feeling pretty beat up, which is funny since I have again managed to skip quite a few workouts. Maybe that's why. I really need to get a grip on those. I try not to beat myself up over missed workouts, but, for example, I'll have to postpone a 10 mile run tomorrow until Monday, because we will be flying in the morning. That will put a little crunch on next week, but not too much.
I'm gonna stop bitching now and just say that I can't wait for the next round and to get all of you ready for the Bay to Breakers.

Running Log:
Miles: 14
Time: 2 hours or so
Overall impression: Thank God for El Nino, For I Ran In New York Without Freezing My Balls Off! (TGFENFIRINYWFMBO)

Nutrients

Just a short one today. I'm only running 15 miles a week right now, with two days of cross training and it's whoopin my ass. I primarily live on chicken and salads and my energy level keeps going down. I need some help with a good diet for a fat man in a thin mans body at least now. I don't want to put weight back on, but with the running I shouldn't. I need to keep my energy level up and the weight off any suggestions.

First run of the

I got up at the butt crack of 8:00 a.m. on new years day after a night of over indulgence and headed to Middleton for the new years day dash. A five mile computer timed event, the first of the year, hell the first of my life. It was a balmy 41degrees with twenty mile an hour winds and the sun was a shinin. A beautiful day for a run.
I was a little tight to start but everything came around for me, I finished in 48min 14sec, with a pace of 9min 38sec a personal best for me. But I was out classed the whole way I came 152ND out of 284. but on a positive note My last mile was an 8min 57sec another personal. I ran right from the finish line to the bar and washed the race down with beer and yes sixpack chopra it was a stout.

My goals for the year:

Simply keep up the training and finish the Mad City Marathon. I have signed up to be a charity runner for the American Cancer Society. With only a 1,000 $ in donations they'll give me free training, what a bargain. Oh and the use of exclusive Porto potties, I wonder if they will follow me through the whole race with one Sixpack chopra I hope so.

The T.T.'s (now P.P.'s) Year in Review

I suppose this is a bit overdue. Hey! I've been busy trying to become a productive member of society ;)

Looking over my running log I, too, am proud of all that we have achieved this year. Apparently, I decided that keeping track of my running in April, May, and June was too much of a hassle (and those where the best months!). Here are my prized accomplishments this year:

1) keeping up with the Pacemaker and Sixpack Chopra on our timed sprints - who knew I could run a 7:20 mile??? I haven't done that since 6th grade!!!
2) running 12 miles!!!!!!! holy crappoli. I am the girl that always claimed I only ran when someone chased me! Only drawback: chafing! Yikes.
3) running and finishing MY FIRST RACE EVER!!! 12k schmelv-k. It felt amazing.
4) keeping up with my running. I lapsed briefly when I first got to Texas (the pool, damn it, the pool is to blame! and those pesky vodka tonics in the blazing Texas sun at 1 in the afternoon. but I digress). I have been running regularly now for an entire year and not just the usual 3 milers.

Here are my stats for the 8 months of running I managed to record to some degree:

Total Miles: approx. 300 - (I estimate it to be probably closer to 400 for the 3 missing months)
Total Time: 34:38:30
Best Time: 8:10 mi during a 2.5 mile run
Best Time for Longer Distance: 8 miles at an average of 8:30/mi last Feb.
Worst Time: 10:00 mi on a 3 mile run

Anywho, my goals for the new year include:

1) keeping up with running, even when I am a big stressball
2) running and completing a half-marathon
3) training for a marathon

With my spiffy new running accoutrement (this snappy ironman watch keeps track of up to 50 laps and my splits - why isn't it called ironwoman???)
and my awesome new shoes - feelin' no pain in the knees!
I am well on my way to achieving my goals. Now all I have to do is buy this new fandangled Nike+iPod so I can kick your asses ;) Did you miss me? I am also toying with getting a Shuffle - they are soooo small and lugging around this video ipod is slowing me down (at least that is what I tell myself). Does Nike+iPod work with the new shuffle too? I must investigate.

As for my drinking year in review, I would have to say that many an easy-pour gallon jug of Shmirnoff have fallen prey to my insatiable thirst. I believe that I single-handedly help support the Russian economy. Oh, speaking of Vodka - you MUST try this Polish vodka called Buffalo or something similar. It has blades of grass infusing in it. Tasty. Tastes like lemon.

So, all in all, I would say that it has been an excellent year for running and if we make our regular offerings to Sixpack Chopra, I am sure that 2007 will be even better. When is B2B again? I feel the need to represent. I have to file my diss. in person by May 18th and graduation is May 11th, sooo... don't count me out just yet. (That means lots of travelling, especially if I am gonna make it to London for the nuptials!!!!)

Yay to us! And Yay to Don's entire family!!!!