Race Report: 2011 Los Angeles Susan G Komen Race for the Cure 5k

With Will before the race

Today is my 1 year Runiversary!
I went back to the very first race I ran: The Susan G Komen Race for the Cure in Los Angeles.  This was at Dodger Stadium.  It was a beautiful day, great weather!

We got there at 7:45 am.  I was a team leader this year and I wanted to meet with everyone before the race!  They had a gate up to separate the runners from the walkers.  That was a good idea but one of the woman "in charge" was drunk on power and she was yelling at the runners to go lined up 20 minutes before the start so we had to take our pictures minus 3 people.  Sorry Julie! :(

My TEAM minus a couple people, I am in the middle with the hat.

All of these fine people walked except me and Rebekah my wonderful babysitter.  She is on the far left in pink top.  Shana, in the pink survivor t-shirt is the reason we did this!

After that I headed to the starting line with Rebekah:

Lot's of people at this race.  Lot's of pink everywhere, lot's of survivors, this is a special race.  I was feeling OK, not great, thanks to the allergy season in action here in California.  Right at the start we had to go up  a nasty HILL.  I remembered from last year.  That was hard.  It is long and steep.  I had trouble breathing during that but I kept telling myself that it would go down eventually!  And it did!  Rebekah and I stayed together for the most part.  First mile pace faster then I thought.  I was wondering if I could keep this for another 2.  I don't like 5k I am so not a sprinter.

They had 3 water stations on the course and I decided to skip all of them, I did not want to walk and I cannot drink and run.  Rebekah stopped at one but she caught up with me at the end.  At the second station some guy took a cup and tripped on someone and his water ended up on me making me look like I had peed on myself! Thank you dude in the black hat!



Nice look I know!  Jonathan said " Mom you KNOW they have toilets here!!!"

I finished 6 minutes faster then last year: 29:52.  I placed 10 in my age group.  This is my first time under 30 minutes for a 5k.  I am happy with that considering the HILL at mile 1 and that I am not 100%.

   



With Rebekah at the end.  She beat me by 22 seconds! I am OK with that.  She is 16 yrs YOUNGER then me!!!



With Julie from The HotLegs Runner

Julie it was so nice to meet you today!  I look like a giant next to you!!!

Jonathan working on his quads!!!



C is the enemy

Last night I received some devastating news.  The daughter of a friend of mine was just diagnosed with leukemia.   Little Lola is only 3 yrs old.  This breaks my heart.  Life is a B... sometimes, little 3 yrs old girls should not have to fight the big C.  My friend just went through a nasty divorce (ex not a nice guy, she needs police escort to access her house to move her stuff out),  she now has to dig deep to go through this next fight.  

I started running because of another friend of mine.  Her name is Shana.  She is a fantastic human being.  The bravest person I know.  She was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 at age 36.  She has 2 young children just like me.  She went through a double mastectomy.  She never complained.  She never said "why me?".  She was so strong and optimistic.  The best attitude ever.  A true warrior.  I did not know how to help her.  I was MAD as hell.  I said why her many times.  A good person like her should not have to fight the big C.  Since I am a horrible cook it would not have been the best thing to bring food over - trust me -.  So I decided to run the SUSAN G KOMEN RACE FOR THE CURE in her honor.  I had no clue what I was doing as far as training.  I did not care.  I raised $860 and I ran my first 5k on March 14, 2010.  She was there with me, with no hair and no more boobs but smiling and alive.

Next month I am going back to Dodger Stadium to run this race again.  I know I will run it faster then last year but this one is not about time and PR and all that running stuff.  I am doing it in honor of Shana, who is on my team and will run/walk the 5k, and also in honor of Bill's stepmother Laura who was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2010.  I hate the big C.  If you are in the LA area and you want to join my team for this race please go here. 

http://lacounty.info-komen.org/site/TR/RacefortheCure/PSD_LosAngelesCountyAffiliate?px=7801885&pg=personal&fr_id=2042

If you know a survivor or someone who lost their fight and you want to support me you can use the same link to make a donation.

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Today was XT, went to the gym and did 30 minutes on eliptical...so boring...and worked on my 6 packs...I mean my 2 packs and on my tooth picks aka my arms.
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GIVEAWAYS for both MEN (see that Chris K?) and women:

1. Julie has a great giveaway: A Fuel Belt!!!!

2. Still time for this great Giveaway that I really hope I will win!!! : Mike over at 26.2ismycooldown.com is giving away a Tanita BC-1000

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santa race-biggest looser and the big battle

Ran 2 miles on treadmill...shins still hurting...worried for Sunday's 10k race.
I got bells for the boys to bring at the Save room for Santa 10k, I am sure my husband will LOOOOVE me!!! ha ha!!!
Got some Chrismastsy socks but not sure I should wear different socks for a 10k...I don't need to get blisters or others kind of pain...we will see, they were $1 so no big deal.

Last night I watched the Biggest Looser.  It was the marathon episode.  Those 4 people should be really proud to have finished it.  The winner was a gal and she did really good.  I have lost more weight then one of the final 4 contestant....does that make me a biggest looser?!!!

Yesterday I went to the taping of the Tonight Show and so I was disconnected from Internet and all the news.  After I came home I saw Elizabeth Edwards on the TV (sound was off) and I told my husband how sad I was that her cancer was winning the battle and he said "she died" and I said "no, no but she will soon and it is just so unfair" and he looked at me and he said "Sweetie, she died today".  I could not believe it.  Just like that she is gone.  This brave woman is gone and her children have to go on without her.  This makes me so sad and furious.  Breast Cancer is what got me running.  My friend fought breast cancer. She is 37 yrs old and she has 2 young kids.  She went through hell and back and as of now she won the battle but in the fight she lost both her breasts and all her hair, but she won the big battle and she will be running, not walking,  the next Susan G Komen race for the cure with me and my team. 
My hope is that one day they will ALL win the battle and leave cancer hanging in the dust.

RIP Elizabeth Edwards.

Tips for my Susan G Komen team!

All right ladies here are some tips for you !

First of all remember you have PLENTY OF TIME to get ready to walk or run this thing
If you are going to try to run the 5k and you are not a runner right now this is for you.
I am no expert on running so these great tips come from a real expert: Jeff Galloway.

• Start by Walking.
  Everyone needs to feel comfortable and successful right from the start. Begin by walking for 30 minutes. Keep doing this until it feels easy.
• Walk Briskly.
  When normal walking becomes easy, walk briskly for 30 minutes and monitor your heart rate every 5-8 minutes. If it seems below the target zone, pick up the pace. Many people will never want or need to go beyond a brisk walk, provided they can maintain their target pulse rate.
• Insert a Few "Jogs."
  When you are comfortable walking briskly and want to step up the pace, simply insert 3-4 "jogs" of 100 yards or so (about the length of one football field or a city block) into your 30-minute walk. Warm up by walking slowly, build into a brisk walk and then do the short jogs when you feel ready.
• Increase the Running as Desired.
  Increase the running segments as you feel stronger, always avoiding discomfort. You may eventually fill in the 30 minutes with slow running - or you may keep your walking breaks. You're using the running to push the heart rate above the threshold and the walking to keep from getting uncomfortable.

Right now it is still too early to start a training plan but it is a good time to start moving a couple times a week!  The Holiday season is almost here so perfect timing to burn a few calories right?  So all you need is wakling/running shoes and off you go!!!

Training plan for my Susan G Komen team!

All right LADIES!
I wanted to offer this running plan for you to help you prepare for our race.  You have PLENTY of time to get ready for this trust me:  If I can do it,  you all can!!!


I want to thank you for joining our team and please if you have friends who want to be a part of this great event tell them to join!  This race started it all for me, I ran it thinking that will be it and well I never stopped.  9 5ks races later,  I am getting ready for the next step and will run my first 10k next week and a half marathon in January.  Who knows what this will do for you!!!!


One thing for sure, you will be inspired by all these survivors and I dare you not to cry that day!  You will see lots of pink, lots of shirt with messages honoring loved ones who fought the battle and sadly lost it and for the ones who are still fighting and for the survivors who represent hope for all!


You will not forget this event and I bet you will want to come back with me every year!


Ok so here is the link to the running plan called:
The Couch-to-5K ® Running Plan
http://www.coolrunning.com/engine/2/2_3/181.shtml