Week 5 - Completed!

Today was my first ever 10-mile run. I've finally hit double digits! Despite some chronic health issues this week, I completed today's workout, pushing through the pain and finishing in a respectable 2 hours (okay, it was just over 2 hours, but still... not bad for 10 miles and feeling like crap)! Oh, and by the way, this was all starting before 5am, as I still had to get to work on time. Wow, it's really dark at that hour, especially in the country!

Helping to keep my mind off things that were bothering me was the fact that I had several "Forrest Gump" moments: Morning moonlight filtering through the trees, lighting my way as best as possible; Horses taking a break from their grazing to watch me with their long faces and big sweet eyes (yes, I actually say "hello" to them, and they say it back, in their own horsey way); Thick, cool mist rising off of the pond on Davis Rd. These things are incredibly peaceful to me, and they are a real highlight of my early mornings on the road. It also helped that the temperature was only about 60 degrees this morning... not bad for late July in Maryland!

In the past week or so, I've been learning a lot about training, cross-training, and the importance of monitoring my heart rate, hydration and carbs. One of my mentors is a good friend who's saintly enough to answer all of my silly questions, and I think this training program would be a lot harder than it is without his support, advice and assistance. He even ran last week's 8-miler with me. So, to Brian H, I send many thanks! :)

Also, just this morning, I received an email from Marchica and Deppa LLC.  They have issued a match-challenge grant, and any donations will be matched by them up to $5000.  So, that being said, let's get those donations rolling in and get our soldiers the help they need! Thanks!!!

p.s. If you are not comfortable donating online, you can always send me a check at my work address (I'm in the process of moving, so work is best):
Attn: Suzy Quintavalle -YRF
Earth Treks Climbing Centers
7125-C Columbia Gateway Dr
Columbia, MD 21046

Update 7/16/08

I'm about to finish my 4th week of training, and I'm still feeling really good.  My cardio is good, my legs are getting stronger, and my long runs really aren't as bad as I thought they might be.  Yesterday's run (5 miles) left me with a little pain after I tweaked my ankle, but things are better this morning (those of you who know me are aware of my ankle-breaking tendencies, so you're probably not surprised by this most recent episode).  Ice and rest can do wonders!

I knew going into this training that having a good attitude would be extremely important, and I'm finding that to be more and more true as the weeks go by.  I take it one step at a time, literally, and before I know it, the miles are behind me and I feel great.  Since starting training, I've lost about 10 pounds, which has helped me in many ways... I feel better, I look better, my clothes fit better (some are actually too big now), and my climbing has improved drastically!  

I've received several donations from folks already... thank you so much!  Most of the time, I'm able to determine who the donations are from, but sometimes it's difficult because I might not recognize an email address.  If I don't thank you personally for your generosity, please don't be offended... it's just that I don't know who you are.  That being said, thanks to all of you, in advance, for your support... it is not going unnoticed!

Tomorrow's a day off, and I will do 8 miles on Friday morning before work.  I'll post more in another couple of weeks... until then, donate all you can for our Wounded Warriors, and tell everyone you know to do the same!  Love to you all... -Suzy Q  :)

Independence Day

I'm almost done with my 2nd week of official training.  As of tomorrow, the marathon is 14 weeks away.  I've been feeling great so far, although my really long runs are still in front of me, several weeks away.  Tomorrow I'm scheduled to run 6 miles... longer than I've ever run at one time before.  However, I've found that if I take this training one day at a time, it is totally do-able.  I can't be doing a 6-mile run while at the same time worrying about the 10- and 14- and 18- and 26-mile runs that are ahead of me.  Those don't matter today.  They will matter on the days that I run them, and that is the only way I can approach this training.

My "bible" right now is "The Non-Runner's Marathon Trainer", by Whitsett, Dolgener and Kole (no, they are not a law firm).  It's a terrific resource, and if you're not a runner (as I was not prior to this undertaking), and you've ever thought about doing something like this... you should check out this book.

More important than the book, though, is the support I'm getting from friends and family.  Sure, a lot of folks initially thought I was crazy for doing this (and some probably still do), but they are still supporting my craziness nonetheless.  Then there are the folks who are already marathoners, and when I tell them what I'm doing, I get the most positive responses imaginable:  "Awesome! I'm so excited for you!", "Anytime you want a running partner, call me!", "It doesn't matter if you weren't a runner before... I know you can do this!".  I can even hear Scott with his ever-popular, "Right On!".  This support is what helps keep me going, and I thank each and every one of you!

Happy Independence Day.  :)