Sunday's 10 Mile Long Run

My longest run yet - 1:49:49

The first 5 miles were awesome! It felt soo good to be out on that run especially after my defeating attempts in San Felipe due to the high humidity. The weather was perfect on Sunday, I actually ran with a pack around my waist for the first time and that worked out just fine. I brought sport beans with me to refuel at the 1 hour mark, but I ate them too soon.

I thought I was at my 1 hour mark at 5 miles, but my time was actually better than that. Right when I ate the beans, my whole body shifted into a different mode. All the blood rushed to my stomach and my run became difficult. I tried and tried to get my body back to that happy place but it didn't happen until the very end.

Mile 9 and 10 were pretty grueling mentally. My right ankle was a little sore and I didn't have that spunk in my step I had prior to eating the beans. Added to that was a slight miscalculation on my part of my "finish line" I thought I was going to end down at Cove road but instead, I had an extra mile left - so I turned around and ended just past Golden Lantern down in the harbor.

So, a few things I learned on this run - take some Tylenol, (carry some too) eat protien right after the run (I'm going to follow Andrea's ritual and go to In-N-Out) and wait until running a full hour to refuel - possibly try power bar or shot blocks. Can't wait till next week's long run! 12 miles....

Rob Biagi

As my marathon training continues, I am hit with yet another reason to run. My friend Rob Biagi, a singer/songwriter/performer of Christian Family Worship - was diagnosed with Leukemia over the 4th of July weekend. Here's details pulled from his website...
www.robbiagi.com

7.1.2008 - ROB BIAGI'S LEUKEMIA
In a freaky, "one-in-a-million" case, Rob Biagi has been diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. We say "freaky, one-in-a-million case" because it was exactly 9 months ago (to the day) that Rob's youngest daughter Natalie was diagnosed with another type of Leukemia: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. That makes two Leukemia patients in one family with very different versions of the disease (extremely rare). And if you add in Rob's son Matt (who has had nearly 65 potentially cancerous moles removed from his body in the last 18 months), that's a large burden for any family. The Biagis need prayer, encouragement, and help from you.

THE DETAILS ON ROB:
Rob had just finished a week-long VBS in Carrollton, Texas when he discovered a large lump below his ribcage. He visited his doctor first thing Monday, and tests were begun. His doctor instructed him to go to the Emergency Room at Hoag Hospital. The results showed that Rob's spleen was extremely swollen, and that his white blood cell count was extremely high.

Rob was then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit overnight, then to the Oncology (Cancer) Floor. More tests were run (CT scans, a bone marrow biopsy, 2 blood transfusions and several rounds of antibiotics). The tests revealed that Rob (like his daughter Natalie) has Leukemia. Rob's Leukemia is very different from Natalie's, however, in that Rob will NOT go through aggressive chemotherapy and steroid treatment (which has resulted in hair loss, LOTS of pain, swelling, and a LONG recovery period for little Natalie).

Rob's type of Leukemia is a life-long condition that will be treated by regulating his white blood cell count with medication. His daughter Natalie's Leukemia has been aggressively treated, and will most likely go away, never to reappear.