Okay! I had permission to go for a run today. The main objective was to see when my IT band would start hurting. It was 51 degrees - this is PERFECT running weather. I put on my shorts, long sleeve dri-fit and a hat. Out the backdoor I went. I also had to pay close attention to my form, making sure my knee wasn't turning in. I hit the 1/2 mile mark - no pain! This is where the pain started last time I tried to run. I hit the 3/4 mile mark - Soreness!! Fuck you IT BAND!! I stopped running - as my PT instructed me too. My leg got a weird numb feeling on the outside of my knee. I walked home. It felt good to just go those 3/4 of a mile. But I also am frustrated! I really wanted to go 2 miles. Fucking shit.

I am not crippled, but I feel like one everytime I go to PT. I have to stand on my right foot and not allow my knee to turn inwards - but it does. The muscles in my hip/ass area are not strong! I stand on my left knee and it is fine!
I might be retarded guys!
Good news - I am allowed to go for a 1-2 mile run tomorrow - depending on how far I get before the old IT starts to hurt.

I am now in week two of 8 weeks of Physical Therapy. I have IT Band syndrome. I have about 6 stretching and strengthening exercises I have to do 2x a day - as well as attened PT 2x a week. The muscles in my right hip area are weaker than my left, so my knee turns in when I run, which caused the IT band pain. So now I have to strengthen it so that my right and left sides are equal. I am going crazy though. I want to run, I have been going through runners depression, the daily endorphins I used to release are no longer there. I am told I may be allowed to run a mile or two by the end of next week. Good thoughts!

My knee was feeling better last wednesday, so I did a 30 minute workout on my elliptical. The next morning, my knee was stiff and sore. So I made an appointment with a doctor. I was feeling strong on Saturday so I decided to go for a run, just a mile. 1/2 mile into the run, my knee was getting sore and almost painful I completed the mile and was glad that atleast I still had pain for the doctor! Results? I have to get an MRI. The doctor thinks I could have a small tear.
I just want to run!

My Legs Did It!

The Weekend-The Race-The Story

Friday Oct. 20th

We took a 6:45am flight out of Newark. By the time I sat in my assigned seat, I had been awake for 23 hours. When we arrived in San Fran, Glennis, Hammy and myself were starving. We walked to an italian restaraunt and ate some pasta. We were walking Zombies, exhausted from our cross country flight, but we had to pick up our Race Packets at Nike Town.

I felt a surge of energy and some tears start to hit the back of my eyeballs. Nike Town had a wall of names. All 15,000 racers were listed.




Smiling on 3 hours of uncomfortable plane sleep.


I saw this and thought I was dead for a moment. Then I realized I wasn't.

After this it was nap town. Wait no. I got some ice cream. Then it was nap town. I crashed hard for a few hours, but I didn't want to be on a wacky sleep schedule. Friday Night we decided to check out Chinatown.



Here I am at the entrance. Tickling the lion's single testicle is a sign of respect.



Dogs are not only pets, but decoration for your car window in San Fran.

After our little trip to Chinatown, we realized we should rest our feet a bit. So we headed back to the hotel to get our sleep.
No, wait. We went to a diner and ate greasy food. Then we went to bed. We had an 8am call time in the lobby of the hotel to go for a 20 minute run with the rest of the group.

I woke up ready to shoot a commercial for the product "Gross."


Red Eye!


After our run, I went on a Double Decker Bus Tour with my mom and aunts. I flew my mom out to San Fran as a birthday/xmas present, and my aunts live in the area. After the tour we had a pasta dinner at 3pm for the Team in Training runners. The Nike Women's Marathon is a benefit race for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. 4500 of the 15000 runners were part of Team in Training. Those 4500 runners raised over 16 Million dollars. Powerful.
After the Pasta was had a NYC chapter meeting, then we were on our own until 5:30am Sunday Morning, When we had to meet in the Lobby to walk over to the start line together.

Glennis, Hammy & I made a trip back to Nike Town to look at shit. Then we all got some dinner to take back to our rooms, so that we could get a proper nights sleep. I slept pretty well.

Now it is time to talk race.
My training began on May 13th. 5 plus months of training. Over 450 miles of pavement pounded. 8am long runs on Saturday Mornings and a new found love. A love for running.

As soon as I woke up, I went right for the toilet. Gross SPO!. I did not want to waste time on the course making any poopy potty stops. Mission Accomplished. The race started at 7am. We met at 5:30, walked over to Union Square for a stretch, bag drop. I went to my spot in the starting line around 6:30 and decided to just focus, breath and relax.

7am - I'm off and running. I got to the starting line within a minute or so. I was frustrated in the first mile. There were people lined up in my coral that should have been much further back - walkers and slower paced runners. The sidelines were pretty bare except for the homeless, who cheered us on.

The first 6 miles were pretty flat. Then came miles 7-26.2. HILLS. I was not expected this many hills, but I pushed through them, and I was on pace. I had a goal time of 4 hours and 10 minutes.

(I love this photo - too bad my eyes are shut!)

Things were going well up until Mile 21.
The last 6.2 miles (or last 10k) should be your fastest, as long as you play the course correctly. So once I passed the mile 20 marker, I picked up my pace a bit, nothing dramatic, just a little bit. Midway through mile 21 - my knee started to feel off, and I started to tighten up just above my right ass cheek. I pushed through it. I knew what it was - it was my iliotibial (IT) band. Basically it was irratated and hurting. I ran through the pain till about mile 22. I stopped for a moment to stretch it out. I took a step after I stretched it and pain shot up my leg, I audibly let the few spectators know. I decided to walk it off, maybe that would loosen it up. I walked at a fast, long stride for about a 1/2mile. Then started running again. The pain was retarded. A coach (not from nyc) asked if I needed help, I denied any. I did not want anyone to keep me from finishing. I stopped and walked some more. I ran the walked on and off up until about mile 24.5, it was now time to ignore the pain. And thankfully I saw a NYC coach who helped me for a bit, running next to me, she let me go and I found another NYC coach, she helped me for another chunk of space, then I saw the finish line and a third nyc coach.


Here I am, on the final stretch, in pain. You can see it on my face!

He got me going, and then let me go for the final stretch, I don't remember the pain, I just remember the pride I had, I was about to complete a marathon.


Just a few more feet!

I ran through, touched the pad and then the pain shot back. I took my finishers medal (A neclace from tiffany's) went to the port-a-potty ( i had to pee for about 10 miles) and cried while I peed. The emotions just came pouring out (along with my pee pee). I wiped myself like a lady and then straight to the medical tent I went.

(That is me in the pink headband. San Fran Firemen were hanging out the Tiffany's boxes.)

It took three medics to tell me what I already knew. Put ice on my knee. Thanks!

I found my friends and family, and now had the marathon behind me. All of my hard work was now on a silver chain around my neck. I finished in 4 Hours and 30 minutes. 20 minutes off my goal, but I have a good excuse!

But more importantly - I raised $5500 dollars to fight Blood Cancers. Yippppeeee!!!

I already know I'll run San Fran again. I have not defeated this course yet. And I know I want to run NYC at some point. So my marathon tales are not over. More Legs to come.

Thank you everyone for our support! It truly meant a lot!