Two posts in one day!

has anyone tried the vibram five fingers shoe? I'm thinking of integrating some of the bare foot mentality into my training, and seeing what happens.

I think I've created a monster...

... pre-running routine, that is. I just got back from a lovely 12 mile run. I say lovely because it was a million times better than my 10 mile run last weekend - yay! Unfortunately I've created a pre-run routine that can't possibly be broken now. An hour before the run, I took 2 Aleves. I also took 3 capsules of SportLegs (http://sportlegs.com/about/welcome.asp). Then 10 minutes before the run, I used my foam roller and stretched. and stretched. and stretched some more.
I started out my actual run around 11 a.m. (yes 11. Sometimes I'd rather sleep in and run in the heat than get up early.) I decided that a 9 min. run/1 min. walk routine was not enough break for my knee, so I went with an 8/2. My first 6 miles were tough mentally. I was planning on running to the Santa Ana River Trail (1 mile) then 2.5 miles one way, then double back and do 2.5 miles the other way, then the 1 mile home. I got to 3.5 miles and decided I really had to pee so I'd run to the port-a-potty that was only .5 more miles away (vs. 3 miles in the other direction). Then I decided I could at least keep going to 5 and then I'd only have 1 mile extra in the other direction. Then I finally decided to just do all 6 in the same direction, and turn around and come back. On the way out I ran at a conservative pace, and ended up running faster on the way back (maybe because I told myself I was running home...). I have rarely been more excited to see the blue and yellow Embassy Suites hotel that marks Glassell, where I get to turn and go home. Throughout the run I stopped and stretched my muscles when they tightened up, which seemed to help. Now I'm icing my knee, so hopefully it will feel great tomorrow! And my total time was 2:07, about 7 minutes off what I had hoped, but still fine all the same.
And I'm pretty sure that I lied to Eric (sorry). When we were in Colorado hiking at the end of one of the most exhaustive days of my life, I told him that how we felt was how you feel at the end of a 1/2 marathon (he has never run one, and is at the OC Marathon). Well I was wrong. That day was WAY worse than how you feel after a 1/2 marathon. So yay for 1/2 marathons!

Runner's Woes

So my knee bothered me a bit (okay a lot) when I ran the Rock N Roll Marathon in 2006. I took time off, came back, got shoulder surgery, took some more time off, and came back gradually starting in Feb. A couple months ago I built my mileage back up to double digits and started noticing some manageable knee pain. Last weekend I ran 10 and had considerable knee pain and then the next day the middle of my kneecap hurt. I'm almost 100% sure this is Runner's Knee, but I also have issues with my plica on the side of my knee. Kind of a bummer since I'm doing the Nike Women's 1/2 in a month, but then I'm having hernia surgery, so I'll have forced time off.
What to other people do to avoid injury? I suppose I could go 3 weeks on running, 1 week cross training only... hmm...

MUSE

Muse concert = awesome. Probably the best concert I've ever seen. Special effects included:
Dancing robots, Galaga (the space invader-like old school game), War propaganda, the X from the British flag that was ever present, JFK, BIG white balloons, a special guitar that made special screechy noises, Amazing songs!


If you want to listen to them, check out their Myspace - http://www.myspace.com/muse
Songs I recommend - Supermassive Black Hole, Kinghts of Cydonia, Starlight, or Our Time is Running Out. They all sound kind of different, so check them all out!

ONLY negative - the Verizon Wireless Amphitheater sucks. It's hard to get out (everyone is funneled into one area) and then parking is a nightmare. It took us 25 minutes to even move. And we were in the "premium" parking. It was a bummer. Good thing the concert rocked :) And the rain held off until we were in the parking lot!

The CSET was this morning.

And I totally bent over and took it. I wouldn't be surprised if I failed the WHOLE thing. Ok, so there's a slight chance that I did okay. I know that I totally bombed one of the essays... oooh well, it's over for now. I don't have to panic again until Oct. 9th.

Kiva.org

Kiva.org allows individuals to make $25 loans to low-income entrepreneurs in the developing world (microfinance). By doing so, individuals provide affordable working capital for the poor (money to buy a sewing machine, livestock, etc.), empowering them to earn their way out of poverty.

It's a new, direct and sustainable way to fight global poverty, and the way I see it, I get a higher return on $25 helping someone build a future than the interest my checking account pays.

If you have a minute, please check out the site: http://kiva.org. If you need more "reputable" validation than my recommendation , know that they have received great press in publications ranging from The Wall Street Journal to NPR to BusinessWeek.

All the money you donate goes straight to the people who need it - if you can spare just $25, it's really an easy way to help people who are trying to get out of poverty in other countries.

Peter's Canyon

1/2 of Big Red...

So Eric and I have been going out to Peter's Canyon (the same place from my Feb. post, that I now know and love) about once a week and the past two weeks we have tackled Big Red. For the first time, I "ran" up the whole thing, which I have to say is quite an accomplishment. Overall, the run pretty much sucked, but at least we owned the biggest hill in the world. Besides like Everest.

On a side note, Peters Canyon is also the place where I got stung by a bee. In the roof of my mouth. (Good thing I'm not allergic) And I figured it would be best to keep going and keep blood circulating, which turned out to be a pretty good idea, and did keep the swelling down. So take note, if you ever get stung by a bee in your mouth and you're not allergic, go for a run.
CSET is in like 2 days... I hope you're right Addy! I hope I'm overstudying with my 2 prep books and notecards and practice tests...

Actually going to use my blog...

Well I've decided to actually post to my blog now, we'll see how long it lasts...

So, what's going on since my first post...

I'm climbing again.
I'm running alot.
I have a hernia and I'm getting surgery after the Nike Women's 1/2 marathon.
I'm taking the CSET, the hardest test on earth, this Saturday. It's a teacher certification test that basically covers everything in every subject K-8.
I'm taking classes for my Master's degree in Special Ed.
I'm starting to get busy with stuff for the Twin Peaks Ultra that I'm asst. Race Director for - we need volunteers!
etc. etc. etc.