Training Books
As Coach Al said, "running is 90% mental..." Taking those words to heart, and as a bibliophile, I've been reading books about amazing feats of endurance and survival. Some favs are--"Into Thin Air" (Everest, frostbite, lack of O2 and freezing to death), "Alive" (plane crash, team work, cannibalism and the sheer will to survive), "Swimming to Antarctica" (iceberg swimming, rogue waves and persistence) and "Touching the Void" (falling into a crevasse, broken leg and impossibility of survival). As I'm running and feel a good whine coming on, all I need to do is remember that others had it way worse than me, persevered and lived to tell their tales.

Off The Couch
Okay, what about the 10% physical? X-training has been kicking my butt...The sessions Monday and today have been killers...plus, my calves are still sore from Friday's workout. My trainer extraordinaire, Scott Meister, has created workouts for muscles that haven't moved in years. I can't believe that I'm paying money to be tortured.

I'm still slow as can be when it comes to running, but my distance has vastly improved. For someone who used to only run "when being chased", and now running up to 9 miles on my own free will...its time to say that "The pigs are flying"! This Saturday's run will be a challenge --- 14-16 miles for us Nike runners. If you see me at the Berkeley Marina, please kindly roll my inert body to the side, so I won't get trampled by the other runners.

Shout Outs
Of course, I can't do all of this alone. Some special folks are my family; friends dealing with cancer; Coach Al & Mama Lisa of TNT---such encouragement and inspiration; Therese, Sandra, Portia, Monica, and other TNT mentors and teammates; All of you who generously donated to my run!; Scott--who has the unenviable task of getting me into shape; and the wonderful gang at Fleet Feet Pleasant Hill.