Thursday, October 30, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Every Runner Needs a Massage
Yesterday I treated myself to something that I wouldn't normally spring for--a massage.
The running books agree: massage is essential for distance runners.
But I figured, not being a particularly fast runner, or a wealthy one, that this was something that could be skipped.
Now that I'm injured, I've been trying to figure out ways to fix myself as quickly as possible. Holly came to mind. She is someone I know from theater, who is Licensed Massage Therapist and practices out of her home. Once, while doing "Anything Goes" this past May, I jammed up my foot pretty badly by running down the hall in high-heeled sandals (smart move, Casey!) I literally couldn't walk in my character shoes without sharp shooting pain. Holly took me aside, took my foot in her hands for a few (painful) minutes, and the next thing I knew, I could walk again--pain-free. This was especially helpful since I had 5 minutes before I had to be on stage, singing and dancing in front of an audience.
I could go on about some other examples of Holly's incredible healing abilities and sensitivity to people's health issues--there are many--but I'll stop here for now. So I made an appointment.
I had no idea how messed up my entire body had gotten from two months of beating on it for long distances. When she massaged my glutes....owwwwww.
So the moral of the story is, spring for a massage. It's so worth it!
The running books agree: massage is essential for distance runners.
But I figured, not being a particularly fast runner, or a wealthy one, that this was something that could be skipped.
Now that I'm injured, I've been trying to figure out ways to fix myself as quickly as possible. Holly came to mind. She is someone I know from theater, who is Licensed Massage Therapist and practices out of her home. Once, while doing "Anything Goes" this past May, I jammed up my foot pretty badly by running down the hall in high-heeled sandals (smart move, Casey!) I literally couldn't walk in my character shoes without sharp shooting pain. Holly took me aside, took my foot in her hands for a few (painful) minutes, and the next thing I knew, I could walk again--pain-free. This was especially helpful since I had 5 minutes before I had to be on stage, singing and dancing in front of an audience.
I could go on about some other examples of Holly's incredible healing abilities and sensitivity to people's health issues--there are many--but I'll stop here for now. So I made an appointment.
I had no idea how messed up my entire body had gotten from two months of beating on it for long distances. When she massaged my glutes....owwwwww.
So the moral of the story is, spring for a massage. It's so worth it!
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
The good people from the Office of Alumni Relations sent me a few more shots from the hockey game. Don't I look teeny next to these guys?
In other news...I think Casey deserves a huge hug from all of her friends, family, and supporters right now. To watch the clock tick down to race day and be forced to the sidelines for even a short amount of time... I can only imagine how she's feeling right now. The good news? 2 weeks may seem interminable, but in the grand scheme of things, it could be much worse. In no time she'll be back on the bike path, kicking butt and taking names. I ran 6 miles on Saturday and though I was going to die. Casey laughs in the face of 6 miles. 6 miles, what? It'll be real funny in Arizona, when she's running laps around me, taunting me to the finish line... but in the meantime, give her some love!
~RSF
Good news...sort of
I went to the doc today and he belives I have tendinitis in my knee and foot. The cure? No running (stick to biking or swimming) and 2 aleve, twice a day, for the next 2 weeks.
This is good news, right?
Has anyone else noticed that the less I run, the more I blog? Is this a coincidence? I think not...
Does anyone even read this blog?
This is good news, right?
Has anyone else noticed that the less I run, the more I blog? Is this a coincidence? I think not...
Does anyone even read this blog?
Saturday, October 25, 2008
Pictures from Becky's Big Night!
At the RPI/UMass hockey game on October 19, Becky was presented with a $500 check from the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity toward her fundraising for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
Becky's parents attended the game to see her "honored on the ice."
Norris, her TNT mentor and manager of the RPI Field House where the game was played, beamed with pride.
Becky's friend and TNT co-conspirator, Casey, also came to the game to show her love and support. However, she was taking the pictures, which is why she isn't in them. So here is a random picture of her from a completely different night.
A New Challenge
So I am injured.
While running the Hudson-Mohawk Half Marathon two weeks ago, I acquired some persistent pain in my left foot and right knee. I thought it would go away if I took it easy on the running for a few weeks after the race, but it's now two weeks later and I'm still in pain when I run. I shared this with our wonderful mentor, Norris, who advised me to go to the doctor, and get in touch with the TNT coaches. He also told me that the first thing the coaches would tell me was to stop running for 1-2 weeks.
I was not happy to hear this.
See, once you start running, you get pretty addicted to the feeling. I am not a biochemistry expert, but my understanding is that running causes your body to produce endorphins, which make you feel great. Well boy have I been feeling great these days! Sure, I feel good because I am raising money for an important cause, I'm meeting a lot of wonderful people, and I'm getting in good shape...but it's less a feeling of thoughtful satisfaction about meaningful endeavors and more like a "la-la-la I love life I feel WONDERFUL!" feeling.
When you stop running, even for a few days, you sure miss those endorphins. I mean, don't get me wrong, I feel fine. But fine feels more like crappy when you've had two months of "la-la-la-I love life WONDERFUL!"
So today I went to the group run, bringing my trusty canine companion, Stella, and just walked around a little bit. I was glad to be there, but it was sad to be on the outskirts of the activity, rather than in the middle of it.
And it's a little scary. I have 3 months, and I have hundreds of miles of training to put in before January 18th. I need to get better, and I need to get better quickly.
But maybe having this setback is part of the process. It was almost going a little too smoothly before. I was leaping up in mileage way before the training schedule called for it, and my speed was increasing significantly with each 5k race I entered. I was starting to think that this whole marathon training thing was going to be a piece of cake. And now I am back to reality.
TNT is based on the indisputable fact that training for a marathon is a huge challenge. That's why it justifies significant financial sponsorship from family and friends. That's why there are coaches, mentors, weekly group runs, clinics, and hundreds of miles of training.
And of course, a few aches and pains while training for a marathon are nothing compared to the ups and downs of going through treatment for cancer, but maybe this is a good reminder that setbacks are a part of every challenge that can and will be completed.
While running the Hudson-Mohawk Half Marathon two weeks ago, I acquired some persistent pain in my left foot and right knee. I thought it would go away if I took it easy on the running for a few weeks after the race, but it's now two weeks later and I'm still in pain when I run. I shared this with our wonderful mentor, Norris, who advised me to go to the doctor, and get in touch with the TNT coaches. He also told me that the first thing the coaches would tell me was to stop running for 1-2 weeks.
I was not happy to hear this.
See, once you start running, you get pretty addicted to the feeling. I am not a biochemistry expert, but my understanding is that running causes your body to produce endorphins, which make you feel great. Well boy have I been feeling great these days! Sure, I feel good because I am raising money for an important cause, I'm meeting a lot of wonderful people, and I'm getting in good shape...but it's less a feeling of thoughtful satisfaction about meaningful endeavors and more like a "la-la-la I love life I feel WONDERFUL!" feeling.
When you stop running, even for a few days, you sure miss those endorphins. I mean, don't get me wrong, I feel fine. But fine feels more like crappy when you've had two months of "la-la-la-I love life WONDERFUL!"
So today I went to the group run, bringing my trusty canine companion, Stella, and just walked around a little bit. I was glad to be there, but it was sad to be on the outskirts of the activity, rather than in the middle of it.
And it's a little scary. I have 3 months, and I have hundreds of miles of training to put in before January 18th. I need to get better, and I need to get better quickly.
But maybe having this setback is part of the process. It was almost going a little too smoothly before. I was leaping up in mileage way before the training schedule called for it, and my speed was increasing significantly with each 5k race I entered. I was starting to think that this whole marathon training thing was going to be a piece of cake. And now I am back to reality.
TNT is based on the indisputable fact that training for a marathon is a huge challenge. That's why it justifies significant financial sponsorship from family and friends. That's why there are coaches, mentors, weekly group runs, clinics, and hundreds of miles of training.
And of course, a few aches and pains while training for a marathon are nothing compared to the ups and downs of going through treatment for cancer, but maybe this is a good reminder that setbacks are a part of every challenge that can and will be completed.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Lesson 3,598: People will always continue to surprise you...
Last week, I received some incredible news, just at the point when I needed it the most. I've had a cold that has kept me down for the count for about two weeks on my training, and pressures from my job that seemed completely overwhelming. With recommitment looming, my fundraising goal seemed to be moving further and further out of reach. My conviction was faltering, and I was starting to seriously consider bagging this whole idea, wondering who I thought I was to be able to take on such a task? In the face of an economic crisis the likes of which have not been seen since the Great Depression, who am I to ask this of my friends, coworkers, and loved ones? But last Monday, something happened that changed the game.
I drove into work, the whole time thinking about how to approach the topic with our local LLS chapter directors, and about whether or not continuing on the path to the race was really a good idea. I got in, turned on my computer, and there sat an email - from the Vice President of RPI's Lambda Chi Alpha (LXA) and Class of 2009 President. LXA had just been recognized by the Rensselaer Alumni Association with its annual Community Service award - a $500 donation to the charity or charities of LXA's choice... and LXA had decided to award that entire $500 donation to me and my race. When I read the email, I couldn't decide whether to laugh or to cry. Any thoughts of quitting the race were quickly put to rest. If a group of young men - almost all of them complete strangers to me - could believe in me and my cause, then I needed to stop doubting myself and do a little believing as well.
Tomorrow night, Casey, Mom and Dad will join me at the Houston Field House on the RPI campus as the Engineers take on UMass... and LXA hands me a "big check" out on the ice. Hopefully I won't fall on my face... and hopefully I'll have some great pictures to share with you all! With the $500 donation from LXA and my pledges that are currently en route to the processing center, I am officially at just over $1,500 - about 40% of my fundraising goal, and almost halfway there! I have a long way to go, but my hope is renewed... and now I have to get down with some serious training!
~RSF
I drove into work, the whole time thinking about how to approach the topic with our local LLS chapter directors, and about whether or not continuing on the path to the race was really a good idea. I got in, turned on my computer, and there sat an email - from the Vice President of RPI's Lambda Chi Alpha (LXA) and Class of 2009 President. LXA had just been recognized by the Rensselaer Alumni Association with its annual Community Service award - a $500 donation to the charity or charities of LXA's choice... and LXA had decided to award that entire $500 donation to me and my race. When I read the email, I couldn't decide whether to laugh or to cry. Any thoughts of quitting the race were quickly put to rest. If a group of young men - almost all of them complete strangers to me - could believe in me and my cause, then I needed to stop doubting myself and do a little believing as well.
Tomorrow night, Casey, Mom and Dad will join me at the Houston Field House on the RPI campus as the Engineers take on UMass... and LXA hands me a "big check" out on the ice. Hopefully I won't fall on my face... and hopefully I'll have some great pictures to share with you all! With the $500 donation from LXA and my pledges that are currently en route to the processing center, I am officially at just over $1,500 - about 40% of my fundraising goal, and almost halfway there! I have a long way to go, but my hope is renewed... and now I have to get down with some serious training!
~RSF
Monday, October 13, 2008
Oh, the horror...
While Casey was running her half marathon, I encountered what could possibly have been my running arch-nemesis this weekend. Mr. Ding-A-Ling. Oh, sure, he seems harmless enough... but have you ever tried running through a suburban neighborhood being followed by the ice cream man? It was, quite possibly, the longest mile and a half of my entire life. No one should ever be forced to run to the ice cream truck jingle...
~RSF
~RSF
Sunday, October 12, 2008
Long Time No Blog
Okay, so I'm not breaking any records for keeping up with this blog. But there are some exciting things to report on since the last time I wrote, which was, what, a month and a half ago?
1) I have officially (well, actually UNofficially, because 5-10 donations have not yet been processed) raised just over $2,100 for Team in Training. So $1,700 to go, but at least I'm over the hump. Time to hit more people up for money!
2) I have scheduled my Team in Training fundraiser for December 7, 2008 at 2pm. It will be a jewelry party featuring the work of my good friend Laurel Burns. Her jewelry is gorgeous! (I am going to make an e-vite or a website with some pictures so you all can see some samples.) Ten percent of her total sales from the party will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
3) Today, I ran the Hudson Mohawk Half Marathon in 2 hours and 27 minutes and managed to stay alive. My knee started hurting around mile 5, which I think was due to the chilly weather (it was an absolutely gorgeous fall day, but eventually you just need to give up on shorts and wear pants). But I made it! I can only imagine what 26 is going to be like...
4) About a month and a half ago, I met a woman at a race--one of those kick-ass runner types--whose 30-year-old daughter had just gotten a leukemia diagnosis. An atypical age to get leukemia, and apparently not the best kind of leukemia to get. I ran into this woman at the half-marathon today, and found out that her daughter is doing well so far. Not out of the woods yet, but her treatment is proceeding how they want it to at this point. I'm so glad that the money we are raising through Team in Treaming is contributing to better outcomes, and I hope that hers continues to be good.
5) I ran a 27 minute 5k a few weeks ago. Which is a snail's pace for people like...Norris (our speedy mentor) but for me is tantamount to an Olympic sprint.
I will try to keep blogging more regularly, but for now I need a long nap and probably some more food when I wake up. Ahhh, running...
1) I have officially (well, actually UNofficially, because 5-10 donations have not yet been processed) raised just over $2,100 for Team in Training. So $1,700 to go, but at least I'm over the hump. Time to hit more people up for money!
2) I have scheduled my Team in Training fundraiser for December 7, 2008 at 2pm. It will be a jewelry party featuring the work of my good friend Laurel Burns. Her jewelry is gorgeous! (I am going to make an e-vite or a website with some pictures so you all can see some samples.) Ten percent of her total sales from the party will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.
3) Today, I ran the Hudson Mohawk Half Marathon in 2 hours and 27 minutes and managed to stay alive. My knee started hurting around mile 5, which I think was due to the chilly weather (it was an absolutely gorgeous fall day, but eventually you just need to give up on shorts and wear pants). But I made it! I can only imagine what 26 is going to be like...
4) About a month and a half ago, I met a woman at a race--one of those kick-ass runner types--whose 30-year-old daughter had just gotten a leukemia diagnosis. An atypical age to get leukemia, and apparently not the best kind of leukemia to get. I ran into this woman at the half-marathon today, and found out that her daughter is doing well so far. Not out of the woods yet, but her treatment is proceeding how they want it to at this point. I'm so glad that the money we are raising through Team in Treaming is contributing to better outcomes, and I hope that hers continues to be good.
5) I ran a 27 minute 5k a few weeks ago. Which is a snail's pace for people like...Norris (our speedy mentor) but for me is tantamount to an Olympic sprint.
I will try to keep blogging more regularly, but for now I need a long nap and probably some more food when I wake up. Ahhh, running...
Friday, October 10, 2008
I might go faster BACKWARDS...
So after two weeks of being sick and not running a step, I hit the road again yesterday... but I had one important thing to do first. After thinking I was breaking land-speed records at a 10:30 pace and running 4 mile jaunts with ease, the time clocks at a few recent races made it apparent that I was living in a world that we'll call "Becky's Fantasy Running Land". It became very clear to me that I was lacking one thing (no, not my grip on reality) - a properly calibrated Nike+ sensor. So yesterday afternoon, I warmed up and hit the treadmill for a quarter of a mile to track and calibrate my distances properly. What did I discover, you ask? Well, suffice it to say that I do not run a 10:30 mile. On a good day, I run an 11:40 mile. On a normal day.... 12:05.
4 miles tomorrow for me. At the rate I'm going, that'll take me just about an hour.
Please send Casey your love and support - she's running the Hudson Mohawk 1/2 on Sunday!!
~RSF
4 miles tomorrow for me. At the rate I'm going, that'll take me just about an hour.
Please send Casey your love and support - she's running the Hudson Mohawk 1/2 on Sunday!!
~RSF
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