I stink.

Literally.

I had a REALLY good workout at the gym this afternoon- I take a cardio-circuit class three days a week. It consists of a lot of cario work (about 45 minutes worth), 10 minutes of free weights and 5 minutes of abs. It's killer. We do base/suicide runs, pliometrics (that's a fancy word for jumping around a lot) and stairs. Oh my lord, the stairs. My gym is in the basement of the building I work in (how convenient!). The downside? My office is 8 stories tall. Add the basement and that's 9 floors' worth of stairs we're running. Some days we'll do them three times in a row, then jump on the bikes and so a mini spin class. You get the picture. When I got back into it after I'd run PF Chang's, I actually passed out in the middle of class because it was so tough (or I was so unprepared). It was 99% the latter but I like to brag it was the former.

Anyway, I've been really intense about this cardio class in hopes that my core will be up to par come training time. I've formed this theory in my head that part of I reason I got injured last season was because I stopped going to cardio class and I let my middle get all soft. When you're running, optimally, your core is engaged most of the time and if your core is weak, other parts start to compensate and injuries happen. That's the super simple way of saying it.

So, without trying to tire myself out TOO much, my goal is to keep going to class at the gym and add the training in when it comes time. I've already made a deal with the instructor though- no stairs on Fridays (at least, not for me). While the stairs are an AWESOME workout, it usually takes a full day to get back to baseline, and with our LSD (Long Slow Distance, you hippies) runs on Saturday, it's just not something I'm willing to risk. The other stuff (weights, jumps, abs) I'm fine with. Just no stairs.

I had one of those "at least I'm not going through chemo" moments today in the middle of class- we were in the middle of 20 base runs (one run counts as running the length of the room and back again) and my legs were jello-0 jigglers. I had a side cramp and was really REALLY tired and I thought to myself "Are you F#@*#@ kidding me? You ran a marathon and you're tired from THIS? What about the patients with Leukemia and Lymphoma? What about chemo and radiation??" So yeah, I sucked it up......I know, it sounds corny right? It's just, whenever I struggle with something and think "I am NEVER going to make it", I do remember why I'm doing it, and the little boos of energy that follows is a feeling I wouldn't trade for anything.

How fortunate I am to get to volunteer to run for those who can't. That *I* am being supported by YOU to do something so amazing- not to run a marathon, but to find a cure. Thanks so much.