It's Getting Better All The Time...

It has been two weeks since I have sprained my ankle. While I am not quite running yet, but I am happy to report (as I sit here with an ice pack strapped to my foot) that there is definite progress in the right direction.

I have been walking without crutches for over a week! I started physical therapy sessions last week, which have been extremely helpful.

Over all I have only missed about a week of training. I have started working out ever since the physical therapist has cleared me to go wild on a stationery bike or an elliptical machine last Tuesday. My scheduled 13 mile run last weekend became a 2 hour and 15 minute workout on a bike and an arc trainer. Boring--yes, but so worth it.

While my foot continues to display a wide range of blues and purples, I feel very optimistic!

Everyone around me--my family, my friends and my colleagues--has been extremely supportive, and I am infinitely thankful to you all! My blues is over. I am excited and optimistic. I hope to begin the transition back to running very soon.

The Rules Have Changed

Two days ago I had to toss my training schedule out the window. It was a very sad moment, and I will preface my explanation of what happened by firmly stating that I am still planning on training for and running the Boston Marathon this year. So what happened?

With just over 13 weeks left till the marathon I managed to fall down the stairs in our apartment building and sprain my ankle. Nick had to come and carry me back to our apartment. There were a few tears, and a few x-rays. Now there are the crutches and a lot of hopping around.

Nick and I have very different memories of the prognosis the doctor gave me on the speed of my recovery, but we agree that my foot is definitely getting better. The swelling is decreasing, and today I have started very carefully putting some weight on it.

Before this accident, I was very much looking forward to getting into the routine of running and strength training. I was excited about being able to add extra miles and track workouts to my schedule this year. More than anything, I was hoping to have a season without injuries.

Since clearly such "utopia" is not to be, I am determined to see the bright side of things. I did not break any bones, nor did I damage any other parts of my body (not even my brain) during the fall. My previously nonexistent upper body strength is growing at lightening speed with every crutch step I take. I have over 3 months before the marathon--the same accident 2 months later would have left me with no chance of running the race. The injury is just another challenge along the way.

More importantly, in the grand scheme of things my sprained ankle is a scratch compared to the suffering the cancer patients endure, and the courage and the strength they muster in their fight against cancer. I will only work harder on trying to heal and rehabilitate while thinking about the people I am running for. They endure radiation and chemotherapy--I can definitely overcome a mere sprained ankle and run the marathon for them.

Walk Running in Walla Walla

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Spending Christmas in Walla Walla is as wonderful as ever. In anticipation of large dinner and a busy morning tomorrow, I went for a run this morning.

Ever since I woke up with a stiff hip over a week ago, I have pulled back a bit on my running. However, under Jack's guidance I have been slowly building the miles back up by doing some "walk running." This morning I did 52 minutes of 1 minute walking and 3 minute running in the fields.

I love running in the wheat fields in Walla Walla. Even though the Blue Hills were hiding in the fog this morning, the rolling hills and the bare fields surrounding me were as beautiful as ever.

Thanksgiving Day Run

There is no better way to prepare for a holiday dinner than to go for a hard and fast run. This is exactly what my friend and fellow DFMC runner Bess and I set out to do.

We chose to run the Boston Volvo 5K Road Race mainly based on its location and starting time, and it turned out to be a very nice race to run even with the rather noticeable hill at the beginning in the first mile. Unfortunately, this was not a PR for me, but I enjoyed the race immensely.
Clearly Bess and I were far from the only ones with an urge to run on Thanksgiving Day morning. Over a thousand people ran the race along with us, and at the same time there were numerous other races taking place in the Greater Boston area. Even the New York Times published a blurb about the urge to run on Thanksgiving.

Handmade Cards

Last week I explored silk screen printing. I cut out my little tree design from paper, and taped the paper to the screen. Then I screen printed a few greeting cards.


I am offering them to anyone interested for a $3 donation to DFMC per card. The cards are white with a deckle, blank inside, 5" x 6 7/8", and come with matching envelopes. I would also be happy to ship these granted that I am reimbursed for the shipping costs.

Training Or Not Training

Many people ask me if I have already started training for the Boston Marathon. Have I? Most marathon training programs are about 18 weeks long. With the race being over 5 months away, I have not officially started on any programs. However I am running.

My goal is to have no injuries, to get stronger, stay strong, and then get even stronger. To do that, I am running 4 times a week for a total of about 25 miles. Each week includes a tempo run, an interval workout, and a 10 mile run. This regimen leaves 3 more days per week for other exciting activities--1 day for rest, and 2 days for stength training.

I will start a yet-to-be-determined training program around mid December, because it is not sufficiently cold yet for all those long runs.

Why Run So Many Miles So Many Times

I am running the Boston Marathon in memory of my aunt Ada, who died of cancer almost a year ago at the age of 60. Her father had to bury his only child. Her grandson, who was not yet two years old at the time, would not remember his grandmother who spent so much of her time taking care of him.

My aunt Ada was technically my second cousin--she was my dad’s cousin, but I always called her my aunt. Growing up I did not see her very often, as we lived in Moscow and her family lived in Sevastopol, a large port town in Ukraine on the Black Sea. Thus the rare occasions when I did get to see her were extra special. Later on, when her family and I were living in the Seattle area, we spent more time together.

Always upbeat and energetic, she always knew which movies to watch and which ones to skip, and what new book to read, and which noteworthy musician was giving a concert in town. Whenever presented with a chance, she tried to feed me into a food coma. More importantly, she was a great listener, and always knew how to make people relax, talk and feel better.

Aunt Ada’s death came as a shock to my family, as we knew nothing of her illness. Aunt Ada was diagnosed only a few months before she died, and she did not want people to know that she was sick. She was always a strong woman.

I run in memory of my aunt Ada, but I also run for the living—for the cancer patients both old and very young, for the families, for the children, for everyone affected by this terrible disease. If we put our efforts together, we can conquer this monster. I hope you will join me in the fight by supporting cancer research at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute.