A Video About The Cause

Only 3 Miles

Definitely a very bad running day for me today.  My calves and ankles are swollen for some reason and my right calf was really uncomfortable running on the treadmill. So I just cut it off at 3 miles.  I hope whatever that is will clear up quickly.  Today has to be my last run here because I have to pack up my running clothes because I leave tomorrow.  I hope I find running outdoors to be a lot more enjoyable.

Time now to push for fundraising to fight cancer.  I updated my Facebook Race 4 Cancer page yesterday.  September is ending so I changed the cover to this really nice image from the Team In Training site.

 

It seems like a good reminder that they are making progress in the fight against cancer.  Click that image to make a donation to help with the fight.

The Treadmill Again

5 more miles but only 2 more days before I fly home and get to run outdoors again.  I can't wait!  The training schedules says 20 miles for tomorrow.  20 on the treadmill!  Chances are fairly slim that I will really do that but I will give it a try if I wake up with enough time before I have to go to work.  I've been reading a book called Running with the Mind of Meditation: Lessons for Training Body and Mind. I think both my body and my mind could use a little of the wisdom in that book! My right calf seems to want to ache and swell lately so I gave it the old snow in the ziplock bag. That worked really well.

10 Miles

I had a great rest day yesterday but back on the treadmill again tonight.  10 miles while watching several episodes of Big Bang Theory on the TV.  I am so ready to get home and have the chance to run outdoors again.  Good workout on the treadmill though.

I sold a greeting card through Red Bubble though.  I only made a few cents but every little bit counts towards my Team In Training event.  Gotta help find a cancer cure.

Great 5 Mile Run

I felt great today doing my 5 mile run on the treadmill.  But for some reason I feel like a slug now.  Maybe it was that long treadmill run from yesterday catching up with me.  I am dying to get outside and run even if it is in the pouring rain or snow.  It's just not really possible here because there is not a place to do it.  But only one more week until I go home.

It's getting down below 20 degrees now.  Winter is definitely here now.  When I go home maybe it will still be fall, although I hear that it snowed a little there today too.  San Francisco will be nice in a couple of weeks when I go there to run the Nike Women's Marathon. I hope my training this month helps me to speed up to a more reasonable pace when I get down there.  I hate feeling rushed trying to beat the time limit clock during my last few miles.  I feel pretty good about my training this time though. 

Long Treadmill Run

17 miles on the treadmill today.  Whew, that gets hard after a while.  It also gets really hot running indoors like that.  But unfortunately where I am right now, it is really the only option.  It is 20 degrees but that temperature is not a factor so much as the condition of the ground.  We have about 6 inches of snow here in Deadhorse.  Even that would not be a problem except there is no place to run except the road. At this time of year, it becomes the ice road and it just isn't possible to walk out there with the truckers.  It has no shoulder at all and getting hit by a truck would be a really bad thing.  So while I am here for the rest of the month, it's going to be the treadmill.  But I get a really good endurance workout on the treadmill, so I think it is very valuable.  Thank goodness we have one here!

I got another donation to my Team In Training fund yesterday.  That is so exciting.  I like to run but I love when I see progress in my efforts to raise money to fight cancer.  Please feel free to help with a donation by clicking the September is blood cancer awareness month picture below:

Cancer be gone!

Big Snowstorm

No chance of running outdoors today.  Several inches of new snow everywhere and probably not even a good day to drive anywhere.  So I did my 9 mile run on the treadmill.  I felt pretty tired and it wasn't one of my best runs.  But I did go over the 100 mile mark for this month.  So that is a good thing.  I'm taking a rest day tomorrow since my next run is supposed to be 17 miles.  I hope I wake up early enough to do that one.  I guess Sunday will be an alarm clock day. 

I love seeing all the snow outside.  It covers up all that mud!

I donated $500 to my Team In Training fund today.  I know I will need to donate a lot more from my own pocket because I have not been having much luck with donations or fundraising projects on my last 4 or 5 events.  I'm happy to share my earnings with this very important cause though.  Every day I hear about some other person taken by cancer.  It really has to be stopped!

Outdoors For A Change!

It was cold, right around freezing, and I ran on fresh snow, but it was dead calm.  So unusual for Deadhorse at any time of the year.  The little road I ran on was the only one around here that was not thick mud.  It was nice running on the snow.  It was only an inch or two deep, but it covered up the mud.  I do get a bit tired of the treadmill.  I ran 8 miles out there and got back to my hotel before the snow started to fall.  It's coming down again now.

A little snow around Colleen Lake

Snowing Hard

Yes, winter has arrived here in Prudhoe Bay.  Another treadmill run for me.  It was a nice 6 miles and I did some speed intervals to vary my workout and try to improve my speed.  I'm still managing to keep up with the Nike Women's Marathon training program. It's a tough one, but seems to be a good one.  I need a marathon maintenance training program though.  I do so many marathons lately that basic marathon training that lasts for 6 months doesn't seem very effective!  I just added two more marathons to my race agenda. Since I will be in New Orleans for the February 2nd race, I signed up for the Mississippi River Marathon for the next weekend since it is reasonably close. Then for the following weekend I signed up for the Myrtle Beach Marathon.  That gives me events three weekends in a row.  Each run will be training for the next one!  I won't have to worry about getting in any long runs in between.

Still no new donations for my Team In Training event in New Orleans.  Hoping to find a way to fundraise for that. 

Click here if you would like to help!

 

PLEASE!

THANK YOU!

Ran 5 Miles

I did my 5 mile run on the treadmill today.  It is snowing outside and looks downright nasty out there.  The Nike Women's Marathon training plan called for speed runs but I don't know exactly what their recommendations mean.  So I just increased my speed for intervals and it felt like it accomplished the task.  It was a really good workout.  I do wish I could run outdoors again but it's not looking too good out there for that. I'm really happy to just get in the required number of miles.  I am up to 80 miles for this month so far and it's only the 17th.  I'm happy with that so far.  I have 7 marathons scheduled so I guess I don't want to be doing any slacking!

I need to get with the fundraising though.  I would love to come up with some great idea but so far, most of my donations have just come from me!

7 Mile Treadmill Run

A shorter run today, 7 miles again on the treadmill.  It's getting pretty winter-like out there.  If it isn't too windy, I may try bundling up and running outdoors sometime this week because it seems to finally be freezing up outside.  It has been too muddy to even walk out there most of this month.

I finally figured out how to make the necessary donation to the Japanese earthquake victims to enter the ECO Slow Marathon in Japan. So simple - just go to westernunion.com and I was able to make the donation directly to their bank using my credit card. 

One of my pictures sold on Red Bubble so I made a donation of the sale price of $90 to my Team In Training fundraising page.  The fundraising is moving pretty slowly though.  My pictures aren't exactly selling like hotcakes! 

Must cure cancer, must cure cancer, must cure cancer.....

 

エコ スロー マラソン印旛 ECO SLOW MARATHON INBA 2014 :

I am signing up for this marathon.  Such a wonderful idea and to help the poor victims of that terrible Japanese earthquake.  I love doing marathons with a purpose.  You can even pick up trash along the way! The last time I was in Japan I didn't see much trash so it could be challenging to actually find some!  I wanted a good excuse to go back to Japan and it looks like I have found one.

エコ スロー マラソン印旛　ECO SLOW MARATHON INBA 2014 :

Long Run

It was snowing when I woke up.  So I had to do my long run on the treadmill.  15 miles, close to 3 hours of running on a treadmill.  I entertained myself by watching Aliens and Predators on TV. I could just pretend I was also running from those slimy ridiculous monsters.  What a silly movie!  But it did help pass the time.  I felt pretty good on that run.  I think my endurance is improving even if my speed isn't.  It is time for some new running shoes though.  I was having some weird cramps in my toes and my right foot kept going numb.  They are close to 500 miles now.

I added a couple more upcoming marathons to my 2014 marathon agenda.  Northwest Passage Marathon up in Nunavut, Canada for July, and Rock 'n' Roll Liverpool for May of next year.  So now I have 6 marathons to train for.  That should stimulate me to run and not get too lazy. Friends are trying to talk me into doing the Paris Marathon again. I'm really starting to like that idea. Guess I need to keep working on my French.
I'm seeing the world 26.2 miles at a time!

7 Today

I made it even though I woke up a little late.  I started to go outdoors to run but the weather was moving in quickly and I could see that it might not be such a good idea to subject myself to it.  So I ran my 7 miles on the treadmill instead.  I definitely run faster on the treadmill but I think running outdoors is a more realistic workout.  But either way, getting in shape is what it is all about.  I added the Maui Oceanfront Marathon in January to my list of upcoming events. 

But getting myself in shape is only part of my reason for running.  It's the cause that matters most.  My Team In Training mentor sent a photo today of Nate, a little guy with cancer.  This was Nate the last Friday the 13th when he was intubated to save his life.  This is the same torturous and promising treatment that gives neuroblastoma kids an extra 20% chance at life. 
 

 

But now he has recovered and is back in school and healthy. That's what I want to see, all kids with cancer back in school and healthy.  That day will come with needed funding for research into better prevention and treatments through donations to fight cancer. 

 

Help support my efforts to end this disease by making a donation today here. 

 

 

Athens!

I just signed up for the Athens Classic Marathon for November. The perfect training run for New Orleans.  I can't wait to see the lighting of the torch in Marathon, Greece.

Today was a rest day from running but I did the Ballet Beautiful exercises for cross-training.



Click Here to Fight Cancer



A Beautiful Day to Run

I woke up to bright sunshine and only 48 degrees but with very little wind.  It was a glorious day to go for a run down by Franklin Bluffs and Caren Pond.  I ran 5 miles, the recommended mileage for today with the Nike Women's Marathon training program. The beautiful weather is no longer with us though.  The fog is so thick right now that I hope I can find my way over to work.

Franklin Bluffs & Sag River

7 on the Treadmill

It was a really nice day and looked perfect for a nice run outdoors.  But they were tearing up the road and making vehicles wait for an undetermined amount of time.  So I quickly gave up and went back in to the treadmill.  I got a really good 7 mile run though, and was also able to watch the president's speech on the TV in front of my treadmill.  So it turned out to be a really good run.  I wouldn't have wanted to miss the speech.  I always seem to run faster on the treadmill because I have no choice but to keep up with the belt.  Now to find a way to translate that speed onto the road!

The Haul Road

I ran a nice 6 miles up and down the Dalton Highway.  It started out as a beautiful sunny day at 40 degrees with only a 10 knot wind.  But I ran the last two miles in a thick fog.  I'm glad I had my bright yellow biking jacket on so the truckers could see me out there. It felt great to be running outside on the road instead of on the treadmill.  I am hoping there will be more days like that this month.

4 Miles

Today was definitely an indoor treadmill day.  It's icy cold, horrible, and windy not to mention totally foggy.  I did a really nice 4 mile run on the treadmill and added some incline.  I'm going to try to follow the Nike Women's Marathon workout plan for the rest of the time between now and October 20th when I do the Nike Marathon.  It looks like a reasonable method.  It's been hard to follow a strict plan because of my recent traveling and the extra marathons that I ran.  But between now and the next marathon, I should be able to follow it fairly strictly, as long as I have access to the treadmill.  Running out there in the Arctic blast is not going to be reasonable or even possible a lot of the time.

I'm having exactly zero luck with fundraising so far.  I've been promoting my fundraising page on Facebook but that's about all.  I'm hoping to find some way to do some more efficient fundraising.  But for now, I will be concentrating on getting myself into better shape.  I am still ridiculously slow, and I really hate that!!



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Back Indoors

The good weather promptly left and the cold, wind, foggy weather is back.
I had hoped to do that 18 mile long run advised by the Nike Women's Marathon app but I found that on the treadmill I just got too hot and too tired.  I did go for 8 miles while watching Life of Pi on the television. 

Nice weather, Ran Outdoors!

It was a beautiful day!  I ran only 3 miles because that is what the Nike Women's Marathon training site suggests for today.  I don't know about being able to do the 18 mile run that it suggests for tomorrow.  But I will give it a try if I have enough time.  It was 52 today and the wind wasn't too obnoxious, although it was challenging running into the wind.  I went for a drive and saw a few musk ox and some tundra swans along the way.

Tundra Swans

5 Today

For some reason, today was hard for me.  I got up a little earlier than usual, probably too early.  My 5 mile run on the treadmill seemed to drag, but I did manage to get through it.  Could be it's just mental based on the dreary sight I see when I look out the window today.  I really want to run outdoors but today can be described only by words such as dank, dark, dreary, dismal, and the most descriptive - slimy.  It is so muddy out there yet not even really raining.  With the permafrost, the water is just standing everywhere and the road is incredibly slippery. I think a person could disappear and drown in mud out there today.  So of course, I had to relegate my run once more to the treadmill.  The way this month is going, I may have to do all of my training on the treadmill.  But it does enable me to artificially push my limits simply by speeding up the treadmill belt.  So maybe that is a really good thing.  My goal is to increase my pace, and it seems that I may be making slight progress. 

Of course the most important goal is the cause.  I'm so happy I am finally signed up for another Team In Training event.  The finish line of ending cancer is more important than any other finish line I try to cross.

Keeping this in mind for this month too.

End Cancer!

 

 

A Short Run

I didn't have much time today but did find time for a 3 mile treadmill run.  Yesterday my bad ankle swelled up and was quite painful so I took a rest day.  But today it felt fine and still felt good after the run.  The weather is terrible and muddy, foggy, and cold. So until it improves I will stick with the treadmill and the other workout equipment.  I get really hot running indoors though.  But I do find it is easier to push myself because I can increase the treadmill speed and force myself to go faster.  It seems like a good training routine.

Inside and Outside

I started running outdoors but first it started to snow, then it started to rain, then in started to rain and snow.  But that didn't bother me so much.  It was the 2 inches of mud that had collected on each of my shoes so that it felt like I was running with 10 pound weights on each foot.  After a mile or so, I decided to turn around and head for the treadmill.  I ran another 4 miles on the treadmill and was able to do some sprints and really push myself.  I think that was a better workout.  Then I did some lifting with the various machines there in the new fitness center at the Prudhoe Bay Hotel.  That felt pretty good.  Trying to take off a few pounds and get some strength as well as pick up some running speed.  This should be a good month for that.  I might be doing a lot of it indoors though if this nasty weather continues.  I think summer is over here on the north slope of Alaska.

Run For Cancer

Finally I found a Team In Training event that doesn't conflict with my work schedule.  I just signed up for the Rock 'n' Roll New Orleans Marathon on February 2, 2014.  Here is the link to my new Fundraising page. I'm glad to finally have a Team In Training event in my future.  I feel kind of lost without one.  This one should be interesting.  Hopefully I can pick up my pace to something more reasonable than my last few.  At least this one has a 7 hour time limit so I should have no trouble making that one.  But I certainly don't plan on taking that long.  But the most important thing isn't my running performance, but the cause.  I really want to see an end to cancer in my lifetime.