Walk it out

So....Coach mom and I had a training run...well....walk this past Saturday. We went to the Alameda Bay Trail.

I've resolved with myself that running isn't really for me, afterall. I told mom and coach mom that the last month and a half has taken it's toll and keeping up with a running schedule was a bit much for me. With work and school on my plate I didn't have the time needed to prepare to run a 1/2 marathon. I will walk my upcoming event. I am not ashamed, nor embarassed. I set out to complete a 1/2 marathon by my 40th birthday, which I will. However, I will not run it. I am okay with that and I've shared it with mom that I am okay with not running. Coach mom thinks I will run/walk as we've set out to do from the beginning.

What's been most fun about the last six months is spending a few Saturdays with my mom. We didn't always talk while on the trail, but mom was always encouraging. Sometimes, we went to the farmer's market, breakfast, or to Target after our trainings. Sometimes Saturday mornings turned into all day with a trip to the mall and lunch/early dinner. It was our time to hang out and talk when needed. She, mostly. (sorry mom, but it's true). It was a time to enjoy my mom alone.

With this last Saturday's walk at the Alameda Bay Trail, it was peaceful, calm, and enjoyable. The weather was good, we chatted a good portion of the six mile walk, but most importantly, it was a pressure free walk for both of us.

Our event is this coming Saturday, June 5th and I'm as ready as I can be. My best friend, Yvette has even caught the marathon bug and will be out there with us, too. We will be getting our race packets this week and will soon be talking about what time we will meet. I'm sure this entire week will be spent talking about this Saturday's event.

Thanks mom/coach mom for your encouragement and here's to a great run/walk this Saturday.

I Love You!

Trail Kindness

Last Saturday, Coach Mom and my sister participated in the Stepping Stones run/walk for Developmentally Challenged Youth. It was a well attended event and the San Leandro Marina (SLM) was a bit more crowded than usual. I didn't participate in the event (cause I am a cheap-o), but that was my training run/walk spot for the day. I took off for my 7-mile run/walk way early than the event started as I don't really like it when the trail is super crowded.

I am run/walking, doing my thing grooving to my ipod and making some great time. I am at the 4-mile mark and I make an adjustment, but in the process, I drop my phone.

Meanwhile, I'm still run/walking along in an area I hadn't been before and it looked a little sketchy. Not in a total dangerous way, but in a way that told me to not go too far along this portion of the trail. I checked my pocket to grab my phone for the time and realized I dropped my phone. I was not up to buying a new phone this day and I was thinking about the many numbers I hadn't memorized...petty thoughts, but my thoughts, never the less. I hadn't gone too far from where I had previously dropped my phone and there weren't too many people along the trail behind me. My phone could be on the trail. I traced my steps back and back again, but to no avail.

I saw a man and a woman talking and asked if they had seen a phone along the way and neither did, but the man let me know that someone on a bike had mentioned to them that he found a phone and was going to try to the owner. I was more than excited. I asked if I could use their phone to call my phone hoping the finder would answer. Sure enough, he did! Ironically, I saw the kind man along the way, twice pedaling along!

The kind gentleman told me to finish my run/walk and to call him, on my phone, of course so I could get his address to pick up my found phone.

I was so thankful that he found my phone. He didn't make any crazy calls, called my work and left a message of a lost phone found on the SLM trail, and took a message for me!

I had many kind encounters on the trail this day. The man who mentioned the biker picking up my phone, a lady who let me use her phone, and the man who found my phone.

There are kind people out there.....I met thee kind people on the trail. Thank you all very much for being kind.....

Phenomenal Woman

I just wasn't feeling my training this weekend. I don't know what my deal was, but I gave it a shot. After about one mile into my run/walk, I let Coach Mom know that I wasn't feeling it. She suspected something was up because she asked me multiple times if I was tired as we drove to Alameda Bay Farm. Yes, I was tired because I went out the night before. But the truth of the matter, I've gone out on Friday's, before and had no problem training the next morning. I let Coach Mom know that I will do our planned course, but I would walk and run if I could. I began to walk and the sun began to emerge from the clouds. I couldn't help but notice my shadow. My mom, not Coach mom in this case, always told me that I don't walk, but I sashay. After checking my shadow walk, I couldn't help to notice that mom was right! I do sashay!

I went for a walk, today, too. Sunday's are usually a lazy/rest day for me. My schedule will be a bit off the next two weeks because I have school, so I decided to hit the pavement. I'm so glad I went out today. The weather was good, I felt good, and my feet felt good. I got some new sneaks!

I couldn't help but notice my shadow, again today. While listening to my ipod and sashaying along, I thought of Maya Angelou's poem, 'Phenomenal Woman'.

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I couldn't remember the exact verse, but I certainly was able to remember that I am a woman Phenomenally. Phenomenal woman, that's me.

Monterey Trail....

I ran my longest run to date yesterday along the beautiful Monterey trail. I don't know the official name of the trail, but it was along the beach and sand dunes of Monterey. Oh what a view! I saw a TNT group on a training walk, cyclists, people playing beach volleyball, and folks learning how to kayak. I'm just a cruzin up the trail enjoying the view.

I felt great knowing that while I was on a get away, I still committed to myself to train for an endeavor I set out for myself in January. I was most excited to call Coach Mom to let her know what I accomplished. She was very proud of me. I was proud of me!

Runner in the making.....

Coach Mom and I took our run/walk training to Alameda Bay Farm. It was a breezy morning with a bit of haze over the bay. I kinda wished it would have rained the night before to clean the air. It would have made for an even more beautiful view while on the trail. One thing Bay Area folks take for granted, I think, are the beautiful views, landscape, and the serenity of the trails. You can live anywhere and with a 15-30 minute drive, you could find yourself at a Regional trail.
In addition to increasing mileage, Coach Mom is changing my run/walk ratio from 2:1 to 4:1, which is pretty huge....for me! This means I'm running longer than I am walking. I'm very excited about my progress as it's been very slow, but steady. I will alter my run/walk ratio based on when I'm tired, admittedly, but for the most part, I stick to Coach Mom's signals. Who knows...perhaps I am on my way to becoming a full-blown runner....for now, I'm a runner in the making!

Seeing my people....

I've recently noticed something new as I've been out on the trail or at least the San Leandro Marina (SLM). I'm seeing a lot of my people, my cousins, AKA Black people! For the longest time, I wouldn't see a lot of my people out on the trail, but lately, I'm seeing Black people out in droves. That makes my heart smile and for good reason. We have a history of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol among other diseases. I like seeing that so many of us are taking control of our health. We are walking at what ever pace our body will carry us and that is a great thing! As the weather warms up and the day light is longer, I hope to see many more of us out on the trail. Here's to movin what our mama's gave us!

Change of Venue

Training is going well, thus far. I'm doing more running than walking these days and I must say, I'm very proud of myself. The last few run/walk sessions were at the San Leandro Marina (SLM). While I love SLM, it is becoming a bit too crowded for me. Even at 7:30am! Mostly because I am noticing quite a few training teams getting ready for the Oakland Marathon, which is March 28th and for events in June (Rock n Roll). I've seen Team In Training, SF Aids Foundation, and a Gay & Lesbian Oakland run team. So, needless to say, the trail is crowded! Time to change my venue, for now.

This past Saturday, coach mom and I went to Lake Chabot. I've not been out there in a while. I forgot about the rolling hills out there, but it was a good change of pace and a great way to step up my training game.

With daylight savings, my hope is to train after work and get some lunch time walks in, too. I want to fully run this 1/2 marathon, not run/walk it. I mean, I know the most important thing is to finish. Well, I have no doubt that I will finish, but I want to I want to join the club. The runners club!


Wish me luck on the trail.....