Running Code 3

Bittersweet

12 June, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.2 Comments

039 — Our incredible journey began 22 years ago …

Twenty two years ago, I was a young college graduate, not really “just” starting my life, but moving forward onto bigger and better things. I was about to deliver my first child, a child for which I had prayed and longed for for as long as I could remember. I was excited and happy and ready. I had waited for what seemed my whole life for this event, and I knew that it would be of epic proportions. Little did I know what life and God had in store for me!

My Samuel came into this world, wide-eyed and ready to go. He was always one to do things early – talking at 6 months, walking at 9 months, speaking in full sentences by the time he was one. I knew … I knew that he was smarter than the average child, and I’m not saying that just because I am his mother and I’m biased, I write the truth. He could write his full name by the time he started preschool. He took things apart, and could put them back together. He could ride a two wheeled bike with no training wheels by the time he was three. Always running, always going, always talking, asking questions, but always ready to settle down and be held and read to him. We read a lot together. By the time he was six, he was reading series of books, Goosebumps, to name one. Barnes and Noble was our second home, and still is to this day.

He had a wild imagination. Always making things up, sometimes in life also, getting himself into some mischief. But he was always a good boy. ALWAYS. Model student, straight A’s, in the band, swim team, water polo. I never had to bug him to do his homework, it was always done.

From the time he was a small child, it was always drilled into his head that he would go to college – no ifs, ands or buts … He would go, but he never questioned it, he just knew that he would go, and he wanted to go. He graduated from high school with an outrageous GPA or 4.85, at the top 5% of his class, and was accepted to several colleges, but chose Fresno State because his friends had also chosen this school.

His college years were, in his words, fairly easy. Much easier then the rigorous International Baccalaurate (IB) that he was enrolled in during high school. He chose Journalism as his major, no surprise here as he is an excellent writer, and Japanese as his minor. He continued to get good grades, got the internships that he needed in his chosen field of study. He worked his junior and senior year for the Medonta Paper, then the Fresno Bee, and the college paper.

I’m not sure how it happened though. All I know is that I received a text message from him one day asking to borrow some money to purchase his cap and gown?!? Oh my God! I’m not sure when exactly he was set to graduate from college. COLLEGE? Really? When did this happen? This was for real! I mean, I knew that it would happen someday, just not so quickly. I had to think quickly. I had to get into the right mindset, you know, the mindset of a mother who is about to have a child graduate from COLLEGE!!! What the heck?

His graduation from high school didn’t bother me as I knew that he would still be dependent on me, that we would still be connected, still be my “baby.” This was BIG though … COLLEGE! Wow! This would be the event that would cut the apron string that connects us, although I know that he will always need me, this would be the event that would make him into a “man.” And just this thought, brought tears to my eyes that rarely sheds them. This event that would be a happy, exciting event, would tug at my heartstrings, and cause me to wonder if I did a good enough job with him, for him?

At the Mass Media and Communications Commencement on Friday, he was awarded the Outstanding Print Journalism Student Award. His professor, Dr. Rice, gave an excellent speech about how he has grown as a student of journalism. It was an amazing feeling to know that someone has watched over him during his time at Fresno State, and watched him grow as a person into his chosen field of study. I felt very proud of my child, who has worked so hard to achieve all that he has.

Where did the time go though? It seems like just yesterday, I was pregnant with this rambunctious little boy. It seems like just yesterday I had delivered him into the world and held onto him for as long as I could, rocking him to sleep every night. It seems like just yesterday that I read him countless numbers of books before bedtime. It seems like just yesterday that we shared our love for the Harry Potter series and would have to buy two of each book that came out because we both wanted to read them at the same time and were not willing to wait! I grew up with him. He was my buddy, my first born, the one person I have loved the LONGEST in my life. And here he was … graduating from COLLEGE trying to make his Mama cry!!!

Unbelieveable! But … I kid …

I am extremely, EXTREMELY proud of my child. He has brought me nothing except joy in my life, and it has been such an honor to be his mother. It has been a pleasure to watch him grow from a small infant into a smart, confident, handsome young man.

Writing this blog post reminds me so much of the book Love You Forever by Robert Munsch that we read together over and over and over for years. The lines, “I’ll love you forever. I’ll like you for always. As long as I’m living, my baby you’ll be.” ring true and close to my heart as I remember holding my baby close reading that book to him.

As he moves forward and starts into the next phase of his life, it is somewhat bittersweet to know that he’s gotten older when I only wished for him to stay a small child so I could continue to hold his hand. I wish him much happiness. I pray for his continued success. I look forward to see what the future holds for my baby boy. God please continue to shine down on my son. Watch over him, protect him, keep him safe. May he always know that I love him dearly and would do anything for him. May he always know that I will always provide him with a soft place to fall. May he always know that I did the best that I knew how for him with what I had.

Thank you, God, for blessing me with this incredible child. Thank you for trusting me enough to be his mother. And to my Samuel … I will always, ALWAYS love you, son. Always.

041 — It has been an honor to be your Mother, Samuel. I have been so blessed by your presence in my la vida loca!

Slaying Dragons – Ninja Style

21 May, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

At the beginning of the year, I took the time and wrote out some things that I intended and aspired to achieve this year. As I amped up my training, I knew that achieving some of these goals would be of epic proportions! Some seemed far-fetched, others seemed silly, and yet others appeared to be waaaay out of reach. Yet, they are my goals, and I didn’t believe that they are far-fetched, silly, or way out reach. As I had written them, I whole heartedly believed that each and every thing that was written was well within my reach and definitely achievable.

2012 began full of promise, although I was nursing a shoulder injury that would not let up, or appeared to not want to heal.

The first quarter of 2012 ended so badly that I lost focus and had to reset myself. I continued to run and do whatever I could when I felt that I was capable of doing so. I still went to Crossfit when I could, I kickboxed still, and I even ran all of my races in March literally gagging and coughing before each race. I had gotten so sick at the end March that I literally could not get out of bed, let alone run or do any sort of exercise without being winded. I had a really bad cough and sinus congestion, that eventually progressed to full blown bronchitis!

In April, I ran in Elk Grove without much incident, but the following week I had committed to running Hollywood with my gal pal Alexis. I should have bowed out of this race. I should have just let it go, and DNS’d it. But I was committed. I should have been committed instead. I was sick as could be. Fever with sweats, coughing, diff breathing … it was BAD … So bad that I broke down and asked a doc to write me a script for antibiotics! I should’ve just let it go. That was the worst “run” ever … But it was fun.

Two weeks after Hollywood, I felt well enough to start training again. Slowly but surely getting back into a routine, although somewhat sporadic. I took the time to start seeing an accupuncturist about my “issues,” and I had finally gone in to see my Physical Therapist, Todd, who diagnosed my “shoulder” problem as a rib joint problem. Wow! Who would’ve thought. So I began working on the exercises that were prescribed to me and low and behold … the pain got better. A LOT better! The range of motion in my right arm had improved significantly and I could even do a lot of the moves that I was “restricted” from doing – such as overhead presses, etc. However … I ran a race at the end of April on uneven pavement and ended up injuring BOTH of my ankles! BOTH! Can you believe it? Although it seems as if I can’t catch a break, I don’t look at it that way. I believe that everything happens for a reason.

May started off with a BANG! I had a really good workout and felt like a million bucks. I could tell that my shoulder was getting stronger. My feet were a slightly different story, but I know that they’ll get better. Aside from running the Diva Half in SF, I have been really good about keeping my feet wrapped, compressed, soaked, and whatever needs to be done to expedite it’s healing. I can tell you that I have forgone any running – even short distances in the meantime. I’ve been rowing instead of running. But I still continue to train. My trainer still pushes me hard during our sessions. He know that I am capable of so much more. He tells me all the time that there IS a beast inside of me, and once my beast is unleashed there will be no turning back. I roll my eyes and laugh at him, and I mutter under my breath during the workouts, “Beast. Heh. Whatever.”

Recently though something’s been happening … I feel that beast of mine. I feel her attempting to escape, to get out. She has been poking her head out here and there … slowly, silently, like the Ninja that I believe I am … I believe that my beast is also. When she makes an appearance it’s subtle … It’s a weight or a move that I poo-poohed never believing that I could lift it or do it, or a race that’s run where I hit an unbelievable time. Recently, she reared her not so ugly head when I was told to do a pull up. Mind you, I could bust out strict pull-ups not that long ago, but in recent years my upper body strength has waned. But … I hoisted myself onto that bar thinking, “Yeah, this isn’t happening …” But I would try. I would try because I had set a goal. I would try because I trust my trainer. I would try because … Because I heard a voice that said, “You can.” Once I heard the voice, the voice that I knew was my Ninja Beast … I did it. And I did it over and over and over … without difficulty.

I’m slaying dragons, accomplishing my goals, one at a time with my Ninja Beast that lays low inside of me. Look out though, cause like my trainer says, when she’s unleashed, there is no telling what I CAN and WILL accomplish.

ninja girl — F*ck Yeah! Silent, Strong … Slaying dragons one at a time … Beware!

My Drug Of Choice While Running

27 April, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

Drugs, gimme drugs, gimme drugs (My Chemical Romance) … Hahahaha! If you really think I’m going to write about which performance enhancing drug I use while running, you won’t find me writing about any type of pill. I’m not big on drugs or medications, so you’re out of luck. I don’t drink – ever, nor do I smoke. Let me tell you what my drug of choice is while running … It’s music. Gotcha. I’m BORING, remember. So straight and narrow, boring, predictable, plain Jane. Honestly, if truth were to be told, the only performance enhancing drug that I use pre-run is a Tall, Triple, Non-Fat, No whip Mocha from Starbucks. No magic tricks to gettin’ it done. I’m fairly good at motivating myself and gettin’ what I need to do, done.

They say that listening to music while running or during any exercise, can increase your performance by about 15%. It lessens your perception of your exertion and causes a distraction from just how hard you’re working.

iPhone Pics 610 — Row. Row.'s Running Machine!

I remember getting my first walkman many, many years ago. My dad had bought it for me as a gift, along with several popular tapes such as Madonna, Journey, and REO Speedwagon. It was one of the BEST gifts that I have ever received. My little Walkman was small enough to tote around with me as I ran way back then in high school. Throughout the years, it had been replaced with other Walkman’s, and then Discman’s, then recently several iPods. In the last 7 years I’ve gone thru one original iPod, two shuffles, two nanos, and two iPhones … Yep. I’m pretty passionate about my music. I’m happy to say that I have passed this passion down to ALL of my children who have also gone thru several Apple products! It’s pretty amazing how technology has progressed! I love my music!

For every race that I have run, I make sure that it’s okay to wear head/earphones and to use devices such as an iPod. The majority of races do allow them, and I am thankful for this because I am not sure that I could run without my tunes.

I know. I know. I could run without my music. Really, I could. Would I want to? Would I choose to? If given a choice, no, I would not choose to run without it. Running with my music helps me blunt the pain of running. It helps distract me from the miles that I have yet to run. It blocks out the mindless, irritating chatter of the other runners that at times drives me incessantly crazy, and helps me to refrain from saying things that I know I should not! Running or working out with music truly helps me run/workout harder, longer, faster. I can push just a little further, and I am able to do *that* much more, and gett’er done!

My music, is MY music. Playlists chosen and made of my own accord. I pick music that has a good beat, mostly top 40, Pop, hip/hop, alternative, some crazy rap. I like music that has good lyrics because at times I’ll start belting out in song mid-run! If you’re near me, I may serenade you, so be forewarned.

My last playlist had artists such as The Wanted, Linkin Park, P!nk, Madonna, Calvin Harris, Maroon 5, Trapt … I had a DJ, DJ D Ferreira, mix on there. When “Glad You Came” came on, I thought of my friend, Sharon, who just started running. It brought a smile to my face to think of Sharon because she’s focused and determined, and excited to run her first 5K. I love that she comes to me for advice. When Maroon 5’s “Payphone” came on, I thought of my gal-pal, Linda, who was running SLO. I thought of her, and in my mind ran beside her, wishing her well, and hoping that she was okay. When “Headstrong” came on by Trapt, I thought of my daughter, Grace, singing the lyrics which are so badass and crazy. To envision her singing it, with her head bob, and serious face … always brings a huge smile on my face. D Ferreira’s mixes are always lively and upbeat! He’s been mixing music and sharing them for several years now, and I have so many of them, and am so thankful that he shares!

So … music, while not for everone, is for me. There IS a correlation between better running performance while listening to music. However, when making out your playlist, you have to be sure that you’re picking out music that suits you and your run. If you pick out music that is too slow or dreary, it can slow you down and dampen your performance. If you pick out music that is too fast, you can ultimately tire yourself out way before you’re to finish. Pick out music that you like, that makes you happy and puts a smile on your face. If you’re out for a strength run, or a tempo run, then make sure that you have that heart pumping music to push you thru. The slower music may be good for times when you just want to get out there and move, no time goals, just out enjoying the outdoors. Music helps me power thru the miles when they seem long and painful. It works like a drug for me, truth be told. And while music may be my drug of choice while running, just plain old running and working out does it for me – Exercise Endorphins are the BEST!

Right now, I listen to all of my music via my iPhone. I have thousands – and I do mean THOUSANDS of songs stored on my iTunes account, so I have much to choose from. My power songs are Fat Boy Slim’s “Rockafeller Skank” and “Headstrong” by Trapt. The earbuds that I use are called V-Moda’s that I got from Costco. My playlists vary from race to race to prevent boredom. Honestly, I don’t run with both earbuds in my ears, usually only the left one in, the right one out, and my volume is usually set to below medium (I like to hear … sometimes). There are those times though when both earbuds are firmly planted in both ears – and that’s when I’m surrounded by too many people and I need to block out the chatter.

I know that a lot of us run with music. What’s your favorite? What’s your power song? What’s on your playlist? Most importantly, what’s your drug of choice while running.

Running The Lines – Double Race Weekend Craziness

27 April, 201227 April, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

It’s no secret that I’m a little crazy. No secret. For me to sign up for back to back races is no big deal. I get a lot of crazy looks, and some sarcastic comments, but I’m used to that by now so I don’t react or respond. That’s their opinion, and what they think has nothing to do with me …

It is crazy, but like I said, I am crazy but in a good way. I’ve already discussed obsessed vs. addicted, and have decided that I am neither. I am enthusiastic and dedicated to my fitness … I am committed. I’ve been fortunate also to have been blessed with free and discounted entry fees into some really cool races. I can’t complain … I’ve run some really cool races this year and have been having a lot of FUN! This weekend was no different.

053 — Noah was awesome to run with his crazy Mama!

Saturday you would’ve found my clan and I in Lathrop at the first annual Survivor Mud Run NorCal. I was able to score two entries via Schwaggle for Chris and I! We were “IN.” However, at the last minute, Chris was unable to get Friday night off, so my boy, Noah, stepped in and took his Dad’s place. It was cool though, as my friend, Alexis, was running with her boys, and one of her son’s, Connor, is friends with Noah. It was an awesome morning of fun! We were in the second wave and we had a lot of fun! 3.5 miles with 16 obstacles! Yeah! Too much fun!

090 — Stopping to pose at the water stop!

083 — Towards the finish - feeling strong.

I found the course to be fairly easy. After the uphill start, then the downhill led us straight to the first obstable … mud crawl! There were several mud pits, a cargo net climb, plank walk, tires, heavy net, monkey bars, pipe crawl, stair runs, rope web … It was all fun and crazy. The only thing was was that I ran alone because my friend, Alexis was running with Lisa, and my Noah was running with Connor and another friend, Matthew. I am okay running alone, ’cause really, I’m not ever really “alone.” I met some really nice people along the way as I ran an encouraged those that I passed. Also, I forget that people recognize my crazy self, and my friends working the water station recognized me immediately! I really had a great time. One of the most memorable moments was running by some women, saying a few words of encouragement, only for them to tell me, “Your shirt is awesome! And your ass rocks, too!” That fueled me for the rest of the run and I just had a lot of fun! A lot of people were surprised that I had enough energy to encourage people. Heehee … don’t they know that I’m usually just talking to myself?!

069 — Chillin' after an ice bath & foot scrub by FF Stockton!

My stats were pretty good for the run. I felt that it could’ve been so much better had people actually moved over and along for the obstacles ’cause I zipped thru all the obstacles, but a lot of my time was wasted waiting for others whining and worrying how they were gonna get thru! Really? Ah, well … It was all for fun, yes, but I’m a little competitive. I was happy to have my brother, Patrick, and my sister-in-law, Camille there. This was their first race, and they had a great time! My brother was pretty excited.

082 — With my son and my brother, Patrick!

For an inaugural/first event in Lathrop, it was well organized. I’m sure it’s because of the fact that the event was held at Dell Oso Farms which has holds a yearly Corn Maze every Halloween that attracts thousands upon thousands of people from all over NorCal. Packet pickup was organized, as was parking. I enjoyed the post-race expo and the food court. I love that my local Fleet Feet (Fleet Feet Stockton) was there and that I got an ice bath for my feet that was awesome!

Thanks to my friends at On Your Mark Events, Chris and I were fortunate enough to gain entry into the Inaugural Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon on Sunday. We were planning to run San Louis Obispo, but for one reason or another, it just didn’t workout. This half in Calistoga was perfect. The size was right, too!

0400 came quickly! Chris and I left pretty early because we were unsure of the traffic. Fortunately the drive was uneventful, and again, this event was well organized for an inaugural! We were able to stop for our customary Starbucks breakfast and rest for a minute before the race started. There were enough porta potties to accomodate everyone. Same day race registration seemed to go easily for those who decided to run at the last minute.

The race started on the track of the high school. We wrapped around the track once and headed out onto the road which would eventually lead us to Silverado Road – the main road for this half which was an out and back. It was an awesome run – all rolling hills, beautiful scenery, water/aid stations every 1.5 – 2 miles that were well stocked and had happy volunteers! I enjoyed looking at all the beautiful houses, the rows upon rows of grape vineyards, and counted the seemingly endless spas. I talked to other runners, and encouraged them as we ran together. Can’t forget that there were a good amount of Calistoga Police and CHP officers there – and they did a great job of directing traffic and keeping us safe on the road.

124 — Signature running pose - Running Code 3 - Shaka!

For the most part, I ran this race “alone” … Silverado Road was closed to the public, so I was able to run the entire race down the middle, following the yellow double lines that separated the lanes. I really enjoyed running the lines – following it the entire way, although it probably was not the smartest thing as the road was slightly crooked. Another thing I enjoyed was seeing my shadow as I ran – crazy bouncing pony tail, but steady, and strong body. I ran behind a really nice girl for the majority of the race from about mile 3 to close to the end. I would learn at around mile 10 that her name was Becky, and I thanked her for letting me run beside and behind her. She was equally grateful to have run behind me “following my wings” from mile 7 until mile 10 then we ran together until the end with another runner named Jason. It was fun running behind Becky as her gait is more like a “prance.” She runs on her tip toes. She was very sweet, and I had a nice time running with her and Jason. As the race was an out and back, we ran together on the track towards the finish line and high-fived each other at the end.

I was happy to see Chris after I hit the turn around of “the big tree.” He looked like he was doing okay, trucking away, and he laughed as he passed me saying, “I feel as if I’m running the wrong way.” Neither one of us is fond of out and back runs, but it was still a really nice run. The playlist that I had made for this run was absolutely perfect. I really enjoyed be-boppin’ and singin’ along to what I had on my iPod.

The only complaint that I had about this half, and there was NOTHING that any race director or anyone could do about it – was that it was tooooooo HOT! Seriously when we started it was already 60s. I was sweating and huffin’ and puffin’ before we hit mile 1. I dumped water down the back of my head and down my back at every water stop. I have learned that I’m very comfortable in 40 – 50 degree weather. 60s and above not so much if I’m running long distances. I’ve gotten really good at gauging the temps and knowing what to wear. It’s funny because I can tell you that I have worn capris for only 2 races this year … I have worn shorts, a tank top, and arm sleeves or a running bolero for every other race I have run. The weather has just been good to me this year in regards to running. That and, like I said, I’ve gotten really good at figuring out what I’m comfortable in.

104 — Stick a fork in us ... We're DONE!

The post race hydration and nutrition tent was well stocked. I drank cups of cold water, and ate some really good snacks. I sat in the shade for awhile, waiting for Chris, and got to know other runners who also sat beside me. When I saw Chris, I got up and took his picture, and he asked me to run to the finish with him which I thought was really sweet. So I ran beside him around the track as he made his way around to the finish line. It was a nice, fun gesture, and I truly enjoyed running beside him.

Can’t complain. I had a really great time at both runs! I’d do them both again! I had an awesome weekend! Next up for me is the San Francisco Divas Run. My racing schedule can be found here. It’s going to be a fun, fun summer! You ready? Let’s gooooo ….

Obsessed or Addicted?

17 April, 201217 April, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

132 — Resting is an IMPORTANT part of any training ...

The last two months have been rough on me and my body. I’ve been sicker than I have been in a really LONG time. But I’ve worked through it and I’ve gotten considerably better and am at almost 100% … because I’ve actually taken the time to rest and take care of myself. Being sick was actually more like a “forced rest” for my rib joints that have been injured, and it was a blessing that I finally went to see my Physical Therapist.

I’ve gotten a lot of flack from people though about my exercise habits, especially while sick. Not a little, but a lot. People like to say things to me like, “You’re obsessed.” Or, “You’re addicted.” Really, people? Maybe I am, but which one am I? Let’s look at the definitions and then figure out which one I am, obsessed or addicted …

The World English Dictionary defines obsessed as: (noun) A persistent preoccupation, idea, or feeling. In psychiatry, they say it’s a persistent idea or impulse that continually forcesits way into consciousness, often associated with anxiety andmental illness. Ohhhhkaaayyy … so an obsession is something that dominates your thinking or your thoughts, right? That can’t be all that bad.

Addiction, on the other hand, is defined by Dictionary.com as: (noun) The state of being enslaved to a habit or practice or to something that is psychologically or physically habit-forming, as narcotics, to such an extent that its cessation causes severe trauma. So, of the two, obsession or addiction, this is the worse of the two, right, because it implies that it affects your mood and behavior negatively. This is BAD.

I’m neither. Seriously … I do think about my exercise habits, but not to the point where I think I’m going to kill myself trying to do it. Honestly, in the last couple weeks, I have NOT exercised consistently at all. My trainer has sent me texts wondering if I have fallen off the planet. I’ve run a few races, but not at 100%. The last race I ran, I practically had to walk because I was so sick. So … I know my limits. I understand and know when I can’t push and should stop. What most people are seeing though are my Facebook posts that I “ran” a race or that I went to workout. It’s not consistent, people. Yes, I love my workouts. I love working out and getting physical, but I know when I can and can’t and shouldn’t … I know. Ask my friends that I workout with … They will vouch that I have NOT been in the box hitting the gym consistently at all. Ask my running partners … They will tell you that I have not been running as far or even as much as I should. My husband will tell you that I go to races sick and gagging, but I still run because 1) I already paid for the race, and 2) I wouldn’t run if I really physically couldn’t. Ask my trainer, and he’ll tell you that I’ve been missing in action, and he’s been big on me getting better so he tells me to get better then get my a$$ back in the gym. Over the last few weeks, I could be found lounging on the couch or in bed chillin’, and taking more vitamins and even a round of antibiotics that I usually would NOT take.

So obsessed or addicted? I believe that my behaviors border on obsession, but … I believe that the word we’re looking for here is dedicated. Defined, dedicated means: (adjective) wholly committed to something, as to an ideal, political cause, or personal goal. I have fitness and training goals, and I LOVE training and working out, however not to the point where I’d say I’d kill myself if I didn’t. I like to joke that I am somewhat “OCD” about my workouts, but I’ve been known to be lazy at times, so “addiction” does not fit me. It’s dedication, not obsessed, nor addicted … I am DEDICATED.

Misc iPhone 065 — Shhhh! Shut up already!

I also would like to point out that the people who are such “experts” on letting me know that I have obsessed and addicted behaviors, have BMIs over 30+ and are no where near active in any way shape or form and they should just keep their mouths shut – verbally and physically to keep the crap that they say from spewing out, and to keep the crap that they feed themselves from getting in! Really, don’t people have better things to do than comment on MY behavior, when they have absolutely NO room to talk about their obsessions and addictions with lack of exercise and with their love of carbs and junk food?

Bitter much? Naw, just tired of people who think they know everything about me when they don’t even know me … Let ME worry about ME. Okay … I know that I’ve really gone round and round with this over the last few posts so I’ll get off my soap box now. I’m done. Before I sign off, have a peek at this article … It’s a really good article on foods that can help you heal and recover. Have a great day, everyone!

Hard Headed

13 April, 201213 April, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

It’s been over a month now that I’ve been fighting a really nasty cold that turned into some serious bronchitis. No joke. A month.

It started off as mild allergies – sniffling here and there and maybe some sneezing, then turned into a full blown cold, then the flu, back to a cold, then dwindled down to allergies, then recently, back to some serious a$$ kicking in the form of a fever/chills, severe congestion, couging, which travelled down to right under my neck right around my collarbones complete with some serious bronchospasms. A month of this, and yes, I have rested.

Okay … I’m a liar. I have rested for the most part, however, it’s been rough sitting still. For two weeks, I did nothing except run two times (a half one week, and a 5k the next) – nothing in between. Both times I ran sick, and both times I did well. The next race, I ran really sick, however, at that race, too, I did fairly well. I ran, Elk Grove’s Running of the Elks, I was not sick, and did really well, however, two days later, I ended up severely ill! What the heck? Can’t a girl catch a break? I mean, geez Louise already!

Before we get any farther, I am an adult, and I have been a nurse for MORE than half of my life. Although I am a nurse, I’m NOT a fan of conventional, modern medicine. I don’t take medications except for the occasional tylenol or ibuprofen, and even that is few and far between. I haven’t taken an antibiotic for years … I mean YEARS, and I still refuse to do so. I am a big fan of preventative health care, and can be seen shaking my head at “reactional medicine.” I guess I’m just tired of taking people who don’t take care of themselves at all, and who make tons of excuses for their health (i.e., I don’t have enough time, I have kids, I’m too tired, it costs too much, etc.). So many people want a pill to take care of their illnesses or for weight loss, but can’t seem to realize that if they had just taken care of themselves they would not have been in the position that they were in to begin with. There are NO magic pills for anything!!!

So … yes, I’ve been sick, and, yes, I have been working out and running thru some of my illness when I can. I am a big girl, and I know my own limits. I don’t need people telling me that I’m not going to get any better because I never take the time to rest. What? (Mind you, this is a nurse colleague of mine who does ZERO exercise or exertion telling me what to do.) I am the BEST expert on my own body, and I really don’t need an opinion from someone who knows absolutely nothing about me. Contrary to popular belief, I HAVE been resting, trust me. It may not seem like it, but I have been. I know my body and I know when it’s time to stop. And last week, I did break down and asked for a prescription for a Z-pack which I did take. No one forced it down my throat, I took it because I knew that I needed it. Last week, I even covered my shift because I knew that I was too sick to go to work when I could have just called in sick and left my shift open and my co-workers short. (Who does that?)

shoulder-scapula — We forget that the rib cage goes ALL the way around. Source for pic.

On a bright note, I got some news about my injured shoulder. I was able to FINALLY get a referral and got in to see my favorite Physical Thearapist, Todd! As you can remember, I’ve had this injured, bum right shoulder since December. Despite resting it as much as I can, it hasn’t really healed. I’ve resorted to alternative medicine in the form of accupuncture which has made a remarkable difference (that’s another blog post for another day)! But going in to see Todd made all the difference as he was able to fit all the pieces together and come up with a real diagnosis! What I thought was my shoulder all this time has actually NOT been my shoulder, but rather my rib joints! What the heck? Who would have thought? Seriously, Todd was able to pin point all my areas of pain and make a concrete diagnosis. “First thru third rib joint irritation secondary to muscle strain (tight pecs and lats).” He showed me that when he pushed the muscle out of the way of the ribs that were affected, that my pain was alleviated. That’s true because the huge knot that’s in my back, when I have it pushed down, there is no pain what so ever, and my ROM is much improved! Who would have thought? That’s why I think Todd is the greatest PT ever! He’s helped me thru a lot of my issues regarding my musculoskletal system. So I now have exercises to help stretch the muscles that are injured, and he has assured me that I will heal, but that I need to be patient … something that I am not good at!

So … my lessons … be patient and take care of myself… I will heal. I have NO doubt that I will. Those that don’t know me can just shut up. I have no time for naysayers. Leave me alone. I know that I’m hard headed – I’ve been called that my entire life, so it isn’t anything new. I’m tenacious. I’m good, and I know what I’m doing. I’m busy getting well, and besides … I’m going to do whatever I want to do anyway. =)

Gutting It Out At The Oakland Half Marathon

30 March, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

Over the last two weeks, I have really done a whole lot of nothing. Seriously, in all honestly, I have been sick … really sick. What started out as allergies, turned into a full blown head cold, that eventually turned into bronchitis complete with bronchospasms, with a touch of a 24 hour flu thrown in for good measure in between that head cold and bout of bronchitis. I haven’t fully recovered, and I really have no business doing any kind of strenuous exercise until I’m close to 100%, right? But being Row., I really don’t heed my own advice quite that well, and I like to test things out and push if I can get away with it.

This is how it all started … I had the makings of a head cold, complete with severe congestion and sore throat when I ran Sacramento’s Shamrock’n Half Marathon. I had to call in sick to work for two days after this half because I felt pretty bad. After running, I got worse and what was just a head cold progressed to this awful coughing because I was so dang congested. I was starting to feel better by day 5, and I even went back to work on Friday, worked a full 12 hours shift, and proceeded to rock a 5K immediately afterwards. Um … yeah, not the best idea, but I did it and did well. But … there’s always a but … I ended up getting worse. My coughing was so bad that I couldn’t sleep so I broke down and asked one of my Doc’s to write me a prescription for some Super Duper Cough Medicine which I took. I slept so well, but that night I felt as if I had a hangover from the med. Then I felt as if I were dying – so debilitated that I could barely get out of bed, and I vomited. Only once, but I vomited and I never vomit. I believe that the last time I even came close to vomiting was 11 years ago when pregnant with my daughter. Ugh. Gross. The achiness went away, but the head cold was now in my chest – a nice appearance of bronchitis which had me coughing all the time because my bronchioles were always in such a fit of spasms. I felt as if I were trying to cough up my right lung! Mind you this is now 3 weeks into this. And I besides the two runs, I haven’t worked out at all. It’s been like a forced rest for my poor shoulder.

Well … You’d think I’d learned my lesson from all of this right? Except I signed up to run the Oakland Running Festival this weekend. Yeah … crazy. Any other sane individual would’ve bagged the race and DNS’d it. But no … Not Row.

Saturday night, I fell asleep without incident. I was pretty whipped, and knew that I had to get some good rest in. About an hour into my sleep, my daughter, who likes to sleep with music, turned on her radio to go to sleep except it was at FULL blast, and not only that it was house mixes – bass thumping, heart pumping music. There went my sleep – I could not fall asleep afterwards for nothin’. I did finally fall asleep at about 3 o’clock only for the alarm to ring right at 5!!! It wasn’t even a fitful nap due to all my coughing, and add on the fact that I’m for some reason nauseated and I know that I’m in for a delightful run!

I cough and hack and gag all the way to Oakland. I try to eat my breakfast sandwich, only to feel as if I’m force feeding myself and start choking. I’m whining to my husband. I can’t decide what to wear for outerwear. I feel out of sorts. I know that he feels bad for me, but there’s not much that he can do. He even offered to let me stay in the car and sleep while he took my bib so I’d get a time, etc., but I wasn’t going to let that happen. I’d decided to just shut up, suck it up, and run.

019 — What it looked like the day of packet pickup. Oh and that truck in front of us said, "Marathon" at the top. Another sign!

022 — It turned out to be a beautiful day for a run!

The weather turned out to be surprisingly beautiful where it had been forecasted to be a torrential downpour. (Well, I don’t know if it was supposed to be a downpour, but it sounded good.) We had a lot of time before the start so we did the customary prerace cheezing, porta potty pit stops, and what not. The half marathon had a late start time of 0915 so we had lots of time to kill.

029 — And Chris' view of the START! LOL!

The race started promptly at 0915. Chris was behind me, however, I lost him before we even hit mile one. I felt kind of bad because I always feel as if I should run with him, but he never wants me to wait for him. He wants me to run my race. I was doing well, surprisingly, but I figured that with my lack of sleep, my coughing and nausea, I’d just run to run. However, I felt good. But I felt it at by mile 2. Not the sickness, but the ankle ache on my left side. I figured I’d just let it go, that it was tolerable. I continued to run the streets of Oakland – thanking the volunteers, high fiving the police and firemen, and taking in the sights. Like I said, the weather was perfect, and aside from my little ankle ache, I was okay. That is until about mile 9 when the tiny ache became a real ache and I could feel myself running crooked to compensate. This lead to my balance being thrown off, so now not only did my ankle ache, but my left knee was starting to whimper a little. But I talked to myself, my body and I told it that we could do it for 40 more minutes, that we could tolerate this pain for a little longer, that we were strong, and that we were okay, that we would be okay. Essentially, I told my body that it had NO choice. I said, nicely, that we would just have suck it up and just gut it out the rest of the way. Just like that. You know, like when you talk to your kids … you don’t give them choices, you tell them what they’re going to do and they don’t argue back, and if they do, you whack ’em!

At mile 10, I thought of my friend, Audrey, when I saw someone who held up a sign that read, “Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.” I smiled, and told my body that what we were experiencing was just that … Temporary. I reminded my body that we would be okay, despite the now crying left knee. Just a little ache. We were gonna be okay. Every time we went up hill, I smiled and said that this was my sled pull for the day, my mini WOD, and thought of my friends at CrossFit 209.

We got to Lake Merritt … People kept saying that it was “just a jaunt around the lake and you’re done.” Yeah right. Lake Merritt is HUGE!!! These people surely had a skewed sense of measuring! I know that they only meant to motivate, but it was really deceitful! Mile 11, more crying from the knee, just a little louder, and not only that, but my shoulder was also starting in and my right arm went numb. Mile 12 … still whimpering, but Rockafeller Skank comes through on the iPod and I tell myself and my poor knee that it’s just about over. We got this. We take off just a tad faster. We push hard. We have no clue where we are time wise because I decided stop looking at my Garmin at mile 3. I just know that I have to dig a little deeper and rise up … so I do. I push hard and just go. It takes a few before I can spot the finish line and it’s just slightly up an incline. And before I know it, I cross that finish line and I couldn’t be happier. I immediately thank my body for pushing through, for sucking it up, and gutting it out when the going to rough. I’m really proud of myself. Despite all the odds that were stacked against me – the lack of sleep, the crazy sickness, the shoulder, ankle and knee issues – I finished! I’m really proud of myself for getting the work done!!!

Best of all, I’m proudest of my body for not listening to my head.

Highlights of my race: Best sign I read was, “Where’s everyone going?” Running thru the Wall of Fire! Seeing the Raiders in all their make up! And cheezin’ for every camera I saw – and I saw a LOT!

Updated Racing & Workout Schedule

23 March, 201223 March, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

Here it is, the second quarter of 2012! Yikes, where have the last three months gone? It’s been a great year so far, can’t complain. I’ve been doing what I love and having a great time with some awesome people.

I’m ramping up my training schedule, people! Time to get even more serious about what I’m doing and put more thought into what I desire to achieve and how I’m going to get the results I desire! I have a ton of aspirations and goals, and believe you me, I am going to attain all of them!!!

If you’re looking for me during the week, you can find me in the mornings with my gal pals Alexis, Lisa, and Becky, along with our BAD A$$ trainer, Gabe Subry, in the box at Cross Fit 209 Sport. This is a great box to workout in, and we have a lot of fun as we get fit and super strong.

In the evenings, when I’m not working, you can find me at Central Valley Krav Maga/American Martial Arts Academy. I’ve been a member here for 10 years now, and I love the atmosphere and the people! The instructors are awesome, and I truly have made some great friends here. It’s a great place to workout your frustrations, build your confidence, and just have FUN!

With that being said … This next quarter of my running brings me to some really great venues!

Starting off on April 1st, we’ll head off to Elk Grove for the Inaugural Running of The Elk Half Marathon. This should be a fun little event. I’m looking forward to seeing my friend, Shiloh, and running with Chris!

The following Saturday, I’ll be heading off to Hollywood with my gal pal, Alexis, to run the Inaugural Hollywood Half Marathon! How cool is this?!? Running with the stars, down the walk of fame, and a Red Carpet finish? I’m really excited about this race!

On the 21st, Alexis and I and our boys, Connor and Noah, will be making an appearance at the NorCal Survivor Mud Run in Lathrop. 3.5 miles and 16 obstacles!!! Yeah! TONS of people are going to be at this crazy venue, and I’m excited to see how it all plays out.

The next day, Chris and I will head up to Calistoga to run the Inaugural Napa Valley Silverado Half Marathon. I am certain that I am in for a treat for this run. It’s going to be a BEAUTIFUL venue!

Finishing off the month, I’ll run the Asparagus Festival’s Great Spear It Run 5k! I’m looking forward to running this crazy race with my gangsta gal, Erika Rae! She’ll get me in top speed condition! Lots of inaugural races in April. It’s sure to be a great month!

May will bring me to San Francisco as I run the The Diva Race Half Marathon with my friend Rosie. This will be Rosie’s first half, and I am honored to be running beside her. She’s worried, but I am sure that she will do far better than she expects. It’s going to be a fun weekend!

Next, you’ll find me in Fresno on the weekend of the 20th for my oldest son’s college graduation (yes, I did say COLLEGE) and for the 2nd annual California Classic Weekend! I ran this fun half last year which took the runners on a nice little tour of Fresno. My favorite part was running thru the zoo! So much fun!

Then I’ll close off the month with a crazy 10K run on Memorial Day for the Stockton Rotary’s Run to Eradicate Polio. Last year I ran with Erika and had a really fun run.

In June, we’re heading up to So Cali!!! It’s the beginning of summer vacation, so we thought we’d take the kids up to the beach. Chris and I will be running the Ojai to Ocean Half Marathon! I may consider changing this to a full marathon, but I haven’t decided just yet. It’s all up in the air as of yet. I’m registered for the half for sure which will be a great run regardless! That and I can’t wait to spend some time at the beach! =)

I’m considering running the inaugural She Rocks The Trails run in mid June along with my pals Alexis, Becky, and Lisa! If not this race, we can always run Brazen Racing’s Trail Quake Half Marathon which is part of their Ultra Half Series! Either one will be a FUN venue!

If you’re looking to keep up with me and my crazy adventures, you can always find my racing schedule here at My Racing Schedule. I update this site regularly. It’s a great tool to use, it’s easy and it’s free on iTunes! You can also find me on Daily Mile and on Bia.com! =)

That being said … I’ll do what I always do … Ask you to come along for the wildest, craziest ride ever! It’ll be fun, and we’ll get in shape and get strong in the process! Together! Trust me … I’m crazy fun to workout with! Just ask those that do … they’ll tell you! Train HARD! Train SMART! Eat WELL! And, most importantly, have FUN while you’re at it!

Finally, An Official 5K In the Books

19 March, 201224 March, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.1 Comment

As crazy as it may sound, considering all the running that I do, I have never run an “official” 5K. Never. I’ve run lots of 10Ks, tons of half marathons, and a handful of full marathons, but not one 5K. Not one until yesterday, and it was a pretty memorable one …

Since the beginning of this year, 2012, I have been running a lot. My average has been 2 half marathons a month, with a 10K thrown in for good measure when it can be fit in. I like the short distance of a 10K … it’s long enough to get you running hard, but yet short enough to not really make you want to kill yourself. As I was researching races for my hubby, who’s running 52 half marathons this year (yes, I did write FIFTY-TWO, but that’s another blog post in itself), I got to thinking that I wish I could run more, however, my work schedule is not quite as flexible as his is. I could, however, manage a 5 or 10K after working my 12 hour night shift without much difficulty, so I thought I’d register for a few. And I did …

I like to sign myself up for a lot of the local races because 1) they’re close to home, and 2) because they’re fun and not so crowded. Signing up for the Stockton Shamrock Shuffle was made without much thought. The venue is on my way home from work, and it’s relatively close to my house. The 0830 start time was perfect – an hour after I get off work which gives me enough time to change, drive on over, and grab my bib and goodies before the start.

Here’s the thing … As I have never run a 5K, I had NO clue how to “race” it, so I sent out an S.O.S. to my friends on my FaceBook Page, Running Code 3, and out to my friends on Twitter, and I got some interesting responses! My hubby commented, “Run fast!” And I just laughed, except the suggestions that I got were basically along the same lines … “Sprint.” “Slightly uncomfortable pace mile 1, slightly more uncomfortable pace mile 2, kick it into “Puke & Rally” pace for the rest!” And then I thought I’d seek the advice of my old running coach, Speedy Sasquatch, and he laughed when I asked and said, “Um … one foot in front of the other.” He sent me an email shortly after and broke it down for me and basically said the same thing everyone else was telling me. So I braced myself … Here we go!

The morning of the race was pretty uneventful. I was tired, yes, but I had just finished working a 12 hour night shift. I got there at about 0800, picked up my bib, T-shirt, and my official Shamrock Shuffle Glass. Did the things I needed to do to get ready – like put my bib on, then locked up my car and headed to the Starbucks which was right across the street from the start to use the facilities. I didn’t know of anyone who had signed up to run this race, however, as I was waiting in line at Starbucks, out of the restroom pops my friend, Michelle, from work. I was happy to see her and we chatted for a bit, then she took off with her hubby and son. (As a side note, I never knew that Michelle was a runner. I saw her at the Sacramento Shamrock’n Half the week prior, and that’s where I learned that she was a runner.)

I realized that I left my Garmin in the car 5 minutes before the start of the race. However, since the venue was small, I was able to get a quick warm up run in as I ran to my car to grab it.

What’s a 5k? 3.1 miles, right? How hard could it be, com’mon? Okay … let me just say that if you’re just running 3 miles, it’s all good, cause you’re just running. If you’re “racing,” it’s a different story. But I never had run one before, remember, and I didn’t know how to run it or what to expect, so however this race ended for me would be a PR. I figured I’d just run.

Before I even got to mile one, I thought, “CRAP! This is too fast. This is WAY too fast. WTEfff?” I’ve never run this fast before. As I hot footed it onto Weber Street towards mile two, I was getting sick. Literally. Over the last week I’d been nursing a nasty head cold which has been trying to turn into bronchitis. I’d been coughing and severely congested. I felt okay running except my throat was really dry and it made me feel as if I was suffocating. I wanted water to wet my throat, but it’s a 5K … there are no water stops. So … I sucked it up and told myself that I’d be done sooner than I thought. It was all I could do. I just kept telling myself that I would be okay. Regardless of how I really felt, which was crap, I still took the time to thank the Police Officers and volunteers who were there. I was thankful that my playlist started to play Rockfeller Skank just when I needed it to … Mile 2 to mile 3. I love the extended version that I have of Fat Boy Slim’s Rockafeller Skank. It runs about 7 minutes long and it helped me truck away at a good pace. I had no clue where I was time wise because I really didn’t want to know, nor did I want to take the time to look. I had a mini goal, but at this point, I was pretty whipped and I wanted it to be DONE.

As I eased back onto Center Street from Weber, I could clearly see the finish so I sucked it up and pushed even harder. I could see the clock and I could see that I was well within the goal that I had set for myself so I pushed just a little more and before I knew it I was DONE for real this time. 26:20. I wanted to see a 26 on the clock and I got it.

I was happy to be done, but even happier that I had hit the goal that I had set. I really had no idea that I had it in me. I figured I’d run the 9:30 or 10 min/mile pace that I usually run. Something happened though. Something happened to me. Holy crap! What the eff?! Where did this new, speedy Row. come from? 8:28min/mile pace? Seriously? SERIOUSLY? For real? Wow! I impressed and amazed myself, let me tell you. I was pretty happy. After I got a little bit of water and congratulated the other runners that had finished before me, I made my way back to the finish line and cheered the other runner on. It was an awesome feeling.

254 — #1! First Place in my AG! Whoo Hoo!

I was tired, but I stayed for the awards and the raffle, and for a little cup of Peet’s coffee. I talked to my friend, Michelle, and her family as we waited for the raffle to start. When the announcer, Mark from On Your Mark Events, got to our age group, we were surprised to learn that Michelle had taken third, then I learned that I had taken first. FIRST!!! Really? Yeah! What a great surprise!

267 — Sportin' the Red, White, & Blue. Me with Michelle & her son Ryan! We ROCK!

What a great way to ring in my very first 5K!! A PR, of course, and a first place finish! I was very pleased and overly excited! I couldn’t ask for better. I am truly happy to have had such a great, blessed day. Huge thank you to my friend, Erika Rae, who talked me through my crazy doubts. She rocked the Modesto Marathon Half the next day by competing a Sub-2 half. Also, a big thank you to my friends who gave me crazy, fun advice on how to run a silly 5K! Looking forward to my next adventure!

The Power of Paper and Ink

5 March, 2012R. Wallen, R.N.Leave a comment

439 — It's the little things that make me happy ...

There’s something about the power of a good book that lulls me … that takes me to places where I can only dream of going … that can empower and motivate me. I love books. “Real” books, not the electronic versions. I love being able to touch the pages, smell the ink on the paper, highlight and tag words that inspire me. I love book marks.

When I was younger, I thought I’d be a librarian or a journalist because I loved, and still love reading and writing so much. What I have learned though is that I don’t have to be either … I can still love reading and writing without having to be a librarian or a journalist.

I had a collection of Scholastic Books as a child. You’d remember them … getting the newsprint flyer with books all over them. I’d save my money and buy a few here and there. I loved them, and if it were up to me, I would have kept them, but it was not. I remember coming home only to find that they were no longer there. I remember the devastation, and I believe that this is where my hoarding of books stems from.

iPhone Pics 581 — These are my "main" bookshelves ... There are more ... =)

As I’ve gotten older, I’ve amassed quite a collection of books. I mean a HUGE collection. Not a few, but a lot. It’s so difficult for me to get rid of them so I just keep them. I don’t mind, but I believe that my family does because they take up so much space in our house. I believe that they’re a part of me. All of them. They have helped shape who I am today.

I clearly remember teaching myself to read, and the elation and joy I experienced as I read the words. I remember how proud I was when my first grade teacher, Mrs. Isabel Corpus, told my mother that I was the BEST reader in her class after my mother doubted my ability and expressed that she believed that I was not smart enough. I still remember that day so vividly.

041 — My leather portfolio, my Moleskine Journal, and my Mont Blanc pens ... A few of my FAVORITE things!

Books were, and still are my best friends. They speak to me, teach me, and guide me and I don’t have to talk back. My journals are my best friends also … I speak to them, and they listen, often providing me with the answers that I seek.

There’s power in paper and ink. I am thankful for what they have provided for me throughout the years. I am thankful that I am able to purchase them. I share the ones that have touched me with others who I believe will feel the same.

There was a time when if you wanted to find me, you’d find me curled up with a book in hand. I am happiest when I am able to curl up with book in hand. I haven’t been able to do that lately … just read. I’ve been so busy and tired, and there’s just so much to do around the house that my reading has taken a back seat. I carry books or a book with me wherever I go … there’s always one in my purse, a few in my backpack, and it makes me happy to see it there. But lately I just haven’t had the time or energy and it’s affected me in a way that I cannot explain.

I’ve been seeing signs though … signs that have been telling me that I need to get back into reading. I think I’ll heed that advice and go curl up with a good book.