Finisher

2:00 am is when I woke up and looked at the clock Sunday morning. My alarm was set for 4:45 am. I laid in bed with my heart racing, trying to take steady breathes to calm myself and relax until my alarm finally went off. My roommate, Emily, and I got dressed, put together our gear bags, took medications, supplements, and anything else needed for this big day. Sarah met us in our room and we put her donor's names on the body parts they bought and then headed down to the meeting point.

Everyone walked together to the starting area and found their starting corral. Sarah, my mentor Amy, and I started together. Mom and Dad met up with us and took pictures and wished us luck. They were there to send me off from the starting line. I was surprisingly calm. I was just cold and hoping we would start soon so I could warm up.

We finally started and Sarah, Amy and I took off together. The first half of the race was incredible. We saw all the major sights. Fisherman's Warf, Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and many scenic views. This also meant that the first half was incredibly hilly. Mile 6 was a mile long hill. But the good thing for me is that uphills are my strong point. It is easier for me to push myself on an uphill then a straight away.

There were many cheer zones and powersong points along the first half. The powersong points were points that Nike played a given song over and over and that was the powersong. It really pumped us up. It is truly amazing how the cheer zones and powersong points are so influential on how you feel.

Right before mile 10 we had to go to the bathroom, so there was this little line of trees that we hopped behind for a second and then hit the road again. about mile 11 Mom and Dad were there to cheer me on. It was really great to see them. This is where the half and the full split from each other. So Sarah, Amy, and I went off toward Golden Gate Park. At mile 14 I was still feeling really good and I was excited that I was over halfway done. I felt so amazing for the first half of the race. I am really proud of my first half.

But then mile 16 hit and I hit my first wall. Fortunately it was a small one. I rubbed some bio-freeze on my knees and hips and kept going. I saw Mom and Dad again some where between 16 and 18 and it pumped me up for the hardest part of the run. At mile 18 I hit my second small wall. Sarah was feeling great and I was slowing down. I told her to go ahead because I wanted her to run her race her way and I didn't want to hold anyone back. Amy was having more trouble then me and she was falling behind. So Amy found another team member and stuck with her since they were more compatible and then I was on my own.

I was fine until mile 20. Here is the thing. The second half of the race is through the park and then around this lake that is about 5 miles around. So from miles 18 -23 it is this lake that you can barely see through the trees on one side of you and crap highway on the other side of you. There are no cheer zones and there are no powersong points. There are a few people scattered that are cheering for you, but that is it. It sucks. To top it all off, it had started drizzling around mile 13, but at this point it is really raining. And mile 20 was my great wall of China. I hit hard.

Something inside of me snapped. I was exhausted and I lost control. I had to use everything in my power to keep myself from crying. It was the hardest mental struggle I have ever been through. If you are crying, you can't breathe, and if you can't breathe, then you can't run. And I was determined to keep running. I was an emotional mess. I was upset and that became anger, and eventually it turned into pure determination. But I will get to that in a moment.

At mile 23, a coach from another Team in Training started running beside me. She asked me if I was doing alright. I told her I was, but she continued to run with me in silence. I guess I looked like I wasn't doing so well. Then I saw coach Jenn and waved at her and she took the place of the other coach. She asked how I was doing and when I told her how I was feeling she said it was totally normal and not to give up because I had less then 3 miles left and I am a marathon finisher. She told me I didn't look so good and made sure I really was okay and then went off to make sure everyone else was doing alright. I felt a little better after that but I still desperately wanted to be done.

Then slightly after mile 24 the 5:30 pacer girl started to pass me and something else inside of me just snapped and I said in my head, "Oh, fuck no. No no no. You will not fucking beat me." And I started running. Like full on running. I ran all the way to the finish line in the pouring rain and finished strong. Mom, Dad, and Aunt Lauren were there cheering me on as I passed the finish line and that meant so much to me.

I got my Tiffany's finisher's necklace, my finisher's t-shirt and went back to the hotel where I took a very hot shower and relaxed until dinner time. Even though I didn't have the emotional capacity or brain power to be proud of myself after the race, I am very proud now. I am a marathon finisher! And I plan to do it again next year. But I am going to stay home and do the one here. Maybe you can be there to cheer me on! Thank you to everyone who has been following and has supported me. It has meant a lot to me and I appreciate it.

Up next: 26.2!

Woke up early and checked into my flight. I was officially the first person to check in. That is the first time I have ever been able to do that.

Then I strapped on my running shoes and was out the door for my last run before the big one! It was beautiful outside, and my run was brisk and good. I think I am definitely ready for this marathon.

I am packed and ready to go. I leave tomorrow morning and am excited to spend the weekend in San Fran. I will post one last time when I get back after the marathon to let you all know how it went. Thank you for following along during this adventure in my life. Thanks for sharing and supporting.

Autumn Rains

I woke up this morning, snuggled up to future hubby, and declared that since it was raining I was going to sleep in. And I did exactly that. I got up a little later and it was still raining, so I read some of my book and then made lunch and watched some tv. At that point I got dressed to run because I thought it had stopped raining but I was wrong. My roommate informed me that it was only drizzling, and I decided to buck it up and go anyway.

I stepped out the door and it was only drizzling. Unfortunately, it started raining hard after I rounded the corner. I thought about turning back around, but I was like, just do it. Get it done. And I am so glad that I did. It was a fantastic run. The rain actually felt nice and the temperature was perfect. The path was covered in the most beautiful assortment of fall leaves and my pace was quick and enjoyable. It was a great run. I am hoping this is a good sign for this weekend.

I'm getting nervous and excited all at the same time. I am now doing laundry so that I will have clean clothes to pack for this weekend. One more short run before THE RUN!!

Jumping Jolly Fish!

I woke up at four this morning and my brain went, "Oh Sh*t! I have to run a marathon in a week!". Needless to say, I didn't get much sleep after that. I finally got out of bed and pulled myself together and left for my last team run before the marathon.

It was gorgeous out this morning. It was cool without being too cool and even though it started out a little dark, it meant we only ran into the sun for about 20 minutes. I started out at a decent pace. I made friends with a girl who is doing the KC half. She is running with a bunch of her friends. So we chatted to the first water stop which was her turn around point and then wished each other luck and took off in separate directions.

I don't know what happened, but when I say I took off, I mean I took off. I was running 10 minute miles which is almost 2 minutes faster than my normal time. I ran out to the second water stop, stopped to thank one of our coaches for doing so much for us throughout training, and then took off again. I got back to the first water stop in no time. I was feeling really good. So I said thank you to our volunteer because he has been there almost every morning with us to provide the water stop and he is a really great guy.

Again I took off. But this time I stopped when crossing one of the bridges because I heard splashing and when I looked over this HUGE fish was jumping vertically out of the water and then going straight back in. I'm not really sure what it was doing, but I couldn't stop watching. So that took about a minute or so. I ran the rest of the way back to my car and felt great the whole time! It was refreshing after the 8 being so dissapointing. I really hope this doesn't mean the marathon won't go well. But I'm not going to think that way. I'm sure it will go well.

I can't believe there is only one week left! I'm glad today went well, and I am looking forward to the big day!

Daydreams

This morning's run was quick, easy, and enjoyable. I was halfway through before I realized that I hadn't been paying any attention to my surroundings. While it was wonderful to just dive into my thoughts and forget everything else around me and enjoy the rhythm that my run had become, I realized that it was very unsafe of me.

Fortunately the run went smoothly, and as far as I know, nothing bad happened. This weekend is my last weekend run before the BIG RUN!! I am really looking forward to the marathon. Today I picked up my tickets and jersey and other stuff for the marathon. It is right around the corner!

Thank you all again for following along!

Cold air = hot showers

I made the mistake of not checking the weather before leaving the condo this morning. It was COLD outside. But I was already out so I decided just to suffer through.

My run started out fast because I was so cold. But I quickly realized that wasn't going to last long because it was hard to breath in the cold. Next time I will wear more clothing because my arms and fingers slowly got more and more stiff to the point where I almost couldn't move them by the time I got back.

On the upside, my path in my park is back open and the main road I run on is almost finish of construction. It looks like I am going to get my running route completely back soon! And when I got back I took a scalding hot shower and it felt incredible. I miss the way hot showers make me feel when it is summer and miserable out.

Sunday Sarah and I did not go boot-blocking. But Sarah, I assume because she felt bad that I was so close and we didn't get to go, donated the last $50.17 that I needed to reach my goal. It was completely unnecessary and incredibly sweet of her. So a big thank you to Sarah. I am officially at my goal. If you have not given and would still like to give, please give to Sarah. She is still working towards her goal. Thank you for reading and sharing with me.

Adopt a kitten

Thursday's run was a catastrophe of construction detours. I'm leaving it at that.

Today's run wasn't great, but it wasn't terrible either. It was cold this morning so I dressed a little warmer, but appropriately enough that all I ended up shedding was my gloves. So I am happy with my ability to gauge how many layers to wear.

On the way out to the turn around point I felt great. Sarah and I were running at a pretty decent pace and we were killing the hills in the route. At the turn around I suddenly got one of the worst cramps I have ever had in my life. I slowed to a walk and told Sarah to keep going. I knew that when you were in a rhythm and feeling it, it is a real let down to stop. And I knew that last week was really hard on her, so I wanted her to have a great week this week, and she did. So I picked it up to a slow jog and stopped at the restroom 1/4 of a mile from the turn around point. When I headed back out there was this kitten that popped out of the bushes and kept jumping in front of my feet every time I went around it. I finally said to it that it needed to stop because I didn't want to hurt it. For a small moment I thought about picking it up and taking with with me. But it was really clean and it looked healthy and there are houses right on the other side of the house, so I figure it must be an outdoor cat. Especially since it was so friendly and not skittish or stand offish. But it was really cute and that is the second time I have run into a cute cat this week. Then I managed to jog at a pace decent but not as fast as the way out with only a slight cramp.

I am slightly disappointed with my run today, but truth be told, it doesn't really matter. It is probably good if today and next weeks runs are bad so that the marathon is great. The point is that I ran all of it except about 10 steps and I got the mileage in. My marathon goal is to cross the finish line. I know I can do that, and that is what matters.

Tomorrow Sarah and I are going boot-blocking. I am only $50 away from my goal thanks to a generous donation from my aunt. Thanks for reading and supporting!

Beware of man hole

My run was a struggle today. Getting started was fairly simple because I let myself sleep in since the weather is so beautiful even at 9am. But once I made it out of my complex I just wasn't in the mood to be running. I ran the whole thing, but it wasn't very quick and I wasn't very happy about it.

To add to my good humor, my park path is now officially closed. They are finishing up repaving the trail. Which is good, because it needed it, but why do they always have to close trails when the weather is perfect? So I ignored the closed path signs like everyone else in the park and ran on the grass next to the path. Then when I hit one of the main roads that I run on, there were construction men for half a mile! There have been one or two on that sidewalk for a couple of weeks, but I thought they would be done by now. Unfortunately they have multiplied and they are making my running route impossible.

I was so close to giving up but I focused my mind on running and making sure that I will be ready for the marathon in 3 weeks. I can't believe it is that soon!

Sunday Sarah and I didn't end up boot-blocking, but we are planning on going next weekend. I am about $300 away from my goal. Please help me get there!

Feelin' Good

I got a great night's sleep last night. I woke up feeling ready to run. I got out to the meet up point and the weather was perfect. I had decided to not think about the mileage and just think of it as a morning run. I think this really helped my mental state for the run.

During our pre-run announcements, coach Helen informed us that one of our fellow team members was in the hospital with a blood-clot in her head. This was very upsetting because Melody is such a wonderful person. She is a run/walker who has been training with us but is meeting up with old girlfriends at the Nike marathon to do it with them. She always has a smile and a positive attitude. Sarah and I were very sad, and we hope that she can at least come to the marathon and support the team and her friends even if she can't participate.

For the first part of our run, Sarah and I discussed Melody and how worried we are for her. We also discussed, of course, wedding plans. The first out and back was quick and easy for both of us. We were both feeling like it was just a warm up and we felt really good about it. The weather was also holding up which was giving us an even more positive outlook.

The second out and back was a little rough on Sarah. At the turn around point Sarah was having mental trouble, and I was having a small cramp in my rib cage. So we both slowed a little. I took a GU and at the water stop I hydrated and I was feeling much better. Sarah, though, ended up getting foot pains and had to slow to a walk. She encouraged me to keep going, so I did, but I felt really guilty about it. I really wanted to be there for her and to help her through it, but she ended up only being 30 seconds behind me at the next water stop. Then she started out ahead of me on the last leg home and I ended up catching up to her and running with her for a little while again. But by that point I was feeling great and I was ready to push myself. Sarah was a really great motivator and kept encouraging me to push forward so I did. Again she came to the finish line 30 seconds behind me. She is really incredible. I don't think I would have been able to push through foot pain the way she did.

I made my way home and sunk into an ice bath that hurt so good. When my 20min was up I turned on the shower to scalding and took a 20min shower. It was incredible. I am really happy with my run today. I think that if I have a run almost as good as today for the marathon, then I should be able to finish in 5.5 hours. I know that is really slow for most people, but it is really good for me and I would be thrilled with that time.

Tomorrow Sarah and I are boot-blocking on our normal corner from noon-2. Please tell everyone to come donate all their spare change. Every penny helps save lives. If you would like to donate more or by credit card, please visit my fundraising page by clicking the link above this post!

Welcome to the dark side

My run this morning was good and bad all at the same time. I pushed hard and ran fairly quickly, which was good. But my chest was constricted and I was having trouble breathing. Why? Because I knew that when I got home I was going to step over into the dark side.

For work, I have made my fb account public and created a limited profile group for work friends and others who I do not want to share everything with, and I have opened a twitter account and linked it to my cell phone. I am not saying that I was forced to do this or that it isn't necessary to be linked into the world with which I want to make my career, I just feel like personal relationships are changed in a way that is both good and utterly bad by social media. And I am having a hard time dealing with the fact that once you become part of social media, people seem to think it is okay to cut off the in person, personal side of the relationship.

So today's run was filled with thoughts of making sure that I work hard to keep my personal relationships human, and anything social media to do with work, my running, or invites between my friends for parties.

I pushed really hard up my steep hill and felt really good about the whole run. Even with a tight chest I really felt like I had a good run. Saturday is my first 22 miler. I'm a little nervous, but I'm ready. I know I can do it.

Sunday Sarah and I are boot-blocking. Please come support us!

Squish

Getting out of bed this morning was a struggle. I knew I needed to get the run in early because the weather is supposed to be miserable today, but I just didn't want to get out of my comfortable bed. Fortunately my future hubby nudged me out and I got out the door relatively quickly.

At the very beginning of my run there was a dead snake in the middle of the road. I almost stepped in it but fortunately I just missed it. Poor little sucker had obviously been run over and squished to death. I was a mixture of sadness and disgust.

My run was all over the place. I started off slow and then got really fast. Then I slowed down again and got really fast. This happened 3 times. But it was one of my fastest times ever. And I felt really good when running. So I was pretty happy by the time I got home.

I had one creepy moment. On the last leg of my run, there was this guy walking and as I passes I said good-morning, like I do to everybody that I pass. He responded with a good-morning and a how are you. So I said good, and you. And he responded with not great, but I will be. And then I had run far enough ahead that I didn't need to respond, but the way he said it just creeped me out. That spurred the last of my run to be fairly quick.

Anyway, I am home and safe and getting some work done and getting ready to go dress shopping again! I am hoping to get out and boot block with Sarah again this weekend. Please send everyone you know to come give us your spare change. Just dig through the couches and I know you will find some! Help support finding the cure for blood cancers.

Last Minute Decision

Wednesday was kind of a wash. I worked from 7-4 for AAF-KC and when I got home it stormed for the rest of the evening. Thursday I woke up and decided to make it a resistance training day and run my short distance on Friday so that I could run my long distance on Monday since I would be missing Saturday's run due to Yom Kippur.

This morning I woke up and thought, I don't really want to run 8 on Monday and then 22 that Saturday. So I decided last minute to run my 8 today. So my training schedule is slightly off this week.

I started at 8am this morning, which is later than I would want to start for a long run, but fortunately the weather was really nice and I didn't have somewhere to be until 2. I did the 8 miles in 1 hour and 35 minutes. I am really proud of myself because halfway through I got a cramp in my side and in my foot and still pushed through. I also made sure that my route was pretty hilly since the route TNT is doing this week is known for its hills.

Unbeknown-st to me, they have torn up half of the path in the park on my route. So a bit of my run was make shift. But it made it worth it to see a man walking his very large dog while smoking a pipe. I felt like I was in 101 Dalmatians. It wasn't a Dalmatian, but it was one of the dogs in the call line, and Pongo's owner smokes a pipe when walking him.

Anyway, I am very happy with my run today. And I am happy that I made the decision to just get it done. I feel more comfortable about doing 22 next weekend.

Fundraising is very slow. Boot-blocking is pretty much all I'm doing to get the last $400. Sarah is looking for a company to match a $500 donation or to give a sponsorship which is a minimum of $1000. Please, If you know any companies that would be willing to help, let me know. Thank you for all your support!

poor tootsies

I find it amazing how resilient our bodies are. I woke up to future hubby's alarm and made my way out for my run. My muscles and joints were ready for it. It was like I didn't run 20miles two days before. Unfortunately, my toes were not ready for it. I had some MASSIVE blisters on my toes after the 20 miles and they were very unhappy when I went running on them today. So my run started off slow and painful.

After about 3 quarters of a mile though, I got used to the pain and picked up the pace and set a rhythm. The weather was beautiful again and my run went swiftly after I got used to my toes. Halfway through the run, a round fruit (I'm not sure if it was an apple or not, but it was green) fell from a tree right as I was passing under it and it missed me by inches and fell with a huge thud and it scared the bujesus out of me. Other than that, my run was pretty uneventful.

I took my ipod with me for the first time in awhile. It was nice to listen to music while running again. The people driving by must have been laughing at me because the upper half of my body was dancing to the music. Mainly robot because I found this is the easiest dance to do while running.

All in all it was a good run. Now off to work for my first time at my internship under Sarah! I'm super excited! Thanks for the support.

Physically painful, mentally acceptable

The weather could not have been more perfect for my 20mile run. The sun is starting to rise later now, so instead of it being light by the time we started running, it was still dark for half an hour. Sarah and I found that this made it difficult to run. Especially since it had rained the night before and the path was covered in debris.

The first out and back, which was supposed to be 10 miles except because of poor directions we got lost and it was more like 10 1/2 miles, took us just a couple of minutes over 2 hours. On the second out and back, Sarah and I were already feeling sore and we were getting worried it was going to be a problem. Fortunately, my mental state was in a really good place, so even though Sarah was struggling a little I helped her get through it. We started bio-freezing our knees, and I also did my hips, and that helped a lot. The last 2 1/2 miles I slowed down a beat and Sarah picked up the pace a beat so we ran separately.

The thing I love most about running with Sarah is that conversation is really easy, but silence is also really easy. With some people conversation is easy but silence is awkward, but some of my best times running with Sarah is when we are both in our groove and just running next to each other. It is its own conversation. I also like that Sarah is comfortable pulling ahead at the end. Sometimes it is hard to pull away from a partner because you feel like you are letting them down, but in our case it works because neither of us feel like we are holding the other back. Sometimes I wish I could pick up the pace like she does, but I run the whole thing and finish, and that's what really matters.

I hobbled home and future hubby helped me into an ice-bath. The ice melted within the first 10 minutes, but I sat in there doing a crossword puzzle and drinking chocolate milk until my 20 minutes was up. It was a good ice-bath. Cold enough that it was uncomfortable getting in, but not so cold I was worried about frostbite.

Sarah and I boot-blocked today and we did really well!! We each made $145 in 2 hours! I am almost to my goal so that is really exciting. If anyone reading this blog knows a company that is willing to match donations or do a sponsorship, please let me know. Sarah is on the lookout for one and if anyone can help it would be appreciated. Thanks for all the support!

Tunnel Vision

When you are driving, and you get to your destination and can't remember the actual drive there because you were lost in your own thoughts... this is called tunnel vision. It is said to be more dangerous than driving while exhausted, drunk, or high. I had tunnel vision while running today and that scares me a little because it means I have no idea what was going on around me and that is very unsafe.

Anyway, today's 2 mile run was extremely fast. I was out the door and the next thing I knew I was back to my complex. My thoughts were completely taken up by wedding planning. I went venue shopping and it was utter failcakes. The first two venues did not have my date available. I knew the first one didn't but I wanted to look at their hotel for guests anyway, but the second one told me on the phone that they had my date and when I got there they told me they had a hold on my date and it probably would not come available. The third place says they fit 250 people, but after being in there, 175 I think would be the most you could fit comfortably. And that made me so sad because it was such an AWESOME space. But I had a cousin who used a very small space and had to flip it, and it was so miserable. Everybody hated it and I don't want people to remember my wedding that way.

So today I have 3 more venues and I hope it goes better than yesterday. Saturday I have 20 miles. It is my first time. I am nervous in the way that I am always nervous. But I know I can do it because I did 18 and this is only 2 more miles. Sarah will be there to push me through when I'm struggling. I really appreciate her.

We might go boot blocking Sunday. We will see if we are moving.

This weekend's smell is brought to you by the letter B

Saturday morning I had my 10 mile run. I started off really fast for me because I started running with my mentor Amy. I realized fairly quickly that I was not going to be able to keep that pace up so I slowed her down a little, but it was still a quick pace.

I liked the pace at first because it was cold that morning. It was cold enough that my arms and hand were going numb and getting that slight burning feeling. As the sun came out it got warmer and my arms were fine, but my hands were still really stiff by the end of the run and I had kept clenching and unclenching them throughout the run.

Amy and I caught up with what is going on in both our lives and chatted about our weekend plans. We both have plans to BBQ and when we were talking about camping and BBQing a burning wood smell came our way. It smelled like someone was BBQing at 6:30 in the am. I guess they could have been started a smoker or something that takes a good portion of the day, but it was really strange.

I stayed with Amy for the first 4 1/2 miles but then I had to drop behind and go my own pace if I wanted to be able to run the whole thing. I wasn't going my slow pace but a decent pace for me and I was happy. At the end of the run I ended up kicking it for the last half mile. I saw the finish line and just started running fast, it wasn't planned, it just happened. I managed to get all 10 miles in in 2 hours! That included my water stops which means my shorter run pace is picking up. I was really proud and stoked.

This Monday morning I woke up to future hubby's alarm and groaned. I was sooo tired, I just wanted to go back to bed. But I couldn't because it was the only time today that I had to run, and I needed to run because I am going WEDDING DRESS SHOPPING today!!! So I wanted to get a run in so that I could feel good about my body. It is completely mental. When I exercise I feel better about the way that I look then days that I don't even though my body doesn't change that much from one day to the next.

Anyway, after a slow start, I got out the door and did a quick and easy 3 miles. I had a lot to think about with what underwear I am going to wear to try on dresses, and what outfit I am going to wear since I have to go straight to a Labor Day party afterwards. I also thought about what kind of dresses I want to try on and that fact that I am very excited and even a little nervous. I can't believe I'm actually getting married! 6years together. You know it is going to happen but knowing it will someday happen and it actually happening are so different. It is hard to explain.

Halfway through the run I was in the park that I am always telling you about and there is a HUGE cookout going on. Kids all over the playground, adults milling about, and then it hits me with the full force of being in a very small apartment. The smell of bacon. Don't get me wrong. I don't dislike the smell of bacon. That is neither here nor there to me. But when you are running, fresh air is really what you want to be smelling. Anyway I got through the park and back to the streets and fresh air.

I haven't been fundraising since boot blocking. Maybe Sarah and I will go again next weekend. Anyway, I am off to go shopping! Thanks for sharing this with me.

Stormy Bliss

I woke up this morning to a major storm. I love storms so I was very happy. But then I realized that meant I needed to push back my run and I really like to get it out of the way so I was a little disappointed about that.

A little after 10am I got out the door with Atreyu because it had been 30 minutes since the last thunder rumble. It was the most perfect weather. I couldn't have asked for better. I do think I am going to stop taking Atreyu running with me though because he puts up such a fight until the end and it is getting very aggravating. Other than him being a nincompoop the run went really smoothly and it was over before I knew it. We got home and Atreyu was suddenly brown and black instead of white and black so I threw us both in the shower and got the rest of my day started.

This weekend is 10miles, what we consider a short mileage at this point. Sarah is going to be out of town and I know I am going to miss her. I look forward to running with some of the others though and by myself. I am sure I will run with Amy for some of the time so that will be nice to catch up with her.

Future hubby donated all of his chunk change to my cause and it ended up being about $73. He is so wonderful. Thank you all for your support!

But I don't wanna

Getting out of bed this morning was a struggle. It was the first time in about a week that I had slept the whole night through and when future hubby's alarm went off this morning I realized that I still need several more hours to make up for a week's lack of sleep. But I pulled myself up and SLOWLY got ready for my run.

At this point I have stopped checking to see if I want to run. It's not really an option, I don't look at it as, am I excited to get out the door? I don't usually even not want to go, it is just a matter of routine at this point. It's like brushing my teeth or getting dressed before leaving the house. It doesn't really matter if I want to or not because I am going to do it anyway so why ask myself if I want to or not. I realized that my Monday and Wednesday runs had become this way for me. Because halfway into my run this morning, my brain said to me, 'you know, I'm not really in the mood for this today, lets stop and go home'. Fortunately I was already at the halfway point so I just told my self to keep going and I would get home faster. It was just a sign of how tired I am physically and emotionally.

Atreyu did awesome today. There were A LOT of doggies out today and as we passed by he always looked at them curiously but never misbehaved. It kept telling him what a good doggy he was and he looked up at me every time with his tongue out like 'hu hu hu, thanks mom!'

Yesterday Sarah and I boot blocked and we each made $100 in under 2 hours! It was great. Sara's parents also gave me a $50 donation in honor of her so a big thank you to them! I am getting close to my goal, please help me finish getting there. Thanks for all your support.

Just get home, just get home.

My mantra of the day to get me through my first ever 18 miles was "just get home." Today's run was started with a 3mile round trip route and then we headed onto the trails for a 9mile round trip route, and then went out on the trails again to do a 6mile round trip route. Originally it was supposed to be 3 then 6 then 9, but I asked Sarah if she would want to do 3, 9, 6 so that mentally it would be easier to get through it. If the last trip is shorter it is easier on the mind to say to yourself, its only part of the route, you can do it.

Sarah agreed and apparently a lot of others had the same thought because they were doing the same thing. There were lots of good hills and I did well on them so I feel like I am ready for whatever San Fran throws at me. The first two routes were great. Sarah and I chatted about my engagement and we shared proposal stories and wedding ideas and it really helped the time pass. We were both feeling really good.

Unfortunately, on the last route out both my mind and body were working against me. My body was sore and aching so I had to keep my mind focused but my mind kept trying to tell me to give up. I realized that no matter what, I couldn't get home without getting back to my car, so in order to get myself to keep going I just kept saying to myself, just get home. I started to cramp so I slowed down and was a few paces behind Sarah but I finished in under 4 hours and ran the whole time and I was incredibly proud of myself!

I went straight home and got in an ice bath and it went smoothly this time! I went back down to one bag and wore socks. My feet were a little numb at the end of the 20 minutes, but I lasted the whole 20 minutes and talked to Leah (and Josh) through it to make the time go faster. After I got out of the ice bath I decided to go down to the pool. It was magnificent, just what I needed and deserved. Now for the rest of the day!

Sarah and I are boot blocking tomorrow. Please come give us all your spare change!! Thanks for all your support!

Jambalaya

My future husband woke up early this morning because he had an early morning meeting to get to. So I got up with him, grabbed Atreyu and headed out for my 2 mile run. It was GORGEOUS this morning. The sun was out but not beating down, the air was cool, and there was the best little cool breeze ever.

Atreyu started out dragging again. At one point he dug his heels in and his collar slipped right off his head! So I put his collar back on and we didn't have that problem again. I just kept talking to him and he stayed at least right behind me. Then on the way home again he realized we were almost back and he shot out ahead of me and kept looking back like, "are ya comin'?". And then when we got home it was apparently run around time because he shot around the house like a pinball in a machine. He is so silly. Now he is conked out in his little bed.

The whole run my thoughts were everywhere. It was like a big pot of Jambalaya. I thought about wedding venues. I have all but 2 booked to view. I then thought about the fact that I need to ask the rabbi if women can hold up the chuppa at my wedding. And I also thought about the fact that now that I am engaged I seem to have stopped all normal thoughts and become obsessed with wedding planning. I have turned into one of those girls and I need to stop. So then I started thinking about how ridic excited I am that I got the internship with Sarah at AAF-KC.

I am so excited about learning all there is through this internship and gaining experience and growing. I am hoping that through meeting all the people that I will through this internship I can gain a full time position once the internship is over. I am hoping that this experience will open a whole universe of doors for me. The other great thing about this internship is that it is part time so I can still work for my dad when I am not busy with the internship.

Saturday is my first 18. I am a little nervous, but I know that Sarah will start me out slow and then push me in the end. I know I can conquer it! Then on Sunday Sarah and I are supposedly going to go boot blocking. If you are in our area and would like to join us and help us collect more money we would appreciate it!

Contradiction in mental states

I woke up this morning, put on my running shoes, leashed Atreyu and went out the door. Running today was a mental struggle. I started my cycle last night so I was feeling very sluggish this morning. There was a lot of, "keep going, it's a short run" going on in my head. Then at the beginning of the run I wasn't paying attention and shortly realized I started doing my route the hard way where the really steep hill is at the end, and I usually do that on my 2mile run and not my 3mile and def. not when I feel this way. So then I had to just keep encouraging myself because it was too late and I wasn't going to turn around.

So most of the run was filled with thoughts of just getting through it, but they other part of my brain was racing with excitement. I got engaged Saturday night so this morning I was thinking of all the things I need to get started on. Mostly my thoughts were about getting my ring sized today and trying on my mother's wedding dress. I have been thinking about this for 2 years now, and now that it is here it seems so surreal. It is very weird for me to realize that I am actually getting married to one of the most wonderful people in the world.

Basically my run was full of contradicting thoughts. My body and running mind were sluggish and a struggle, and the rest of my mind was racing with excitement. Thankfully though, I think the excitement got me all the way through my run even if I was slow.

I didn't get to go boot blocking on Sunday, 1) because I got engaged and ended up celebrating with family and 2)because I was unable to get in contact with Sarah. Hopefully next week we will be able to go out there together. Other than that, please still follow along and share my stories with others!

Silent Mile

Today was a special run because it was really in honor of those that we are doing this for. It started out with the TNT intern telling why TNT is so important to her. Then the honored patients said a couple words of what TNT means to them. After a very meaningful opening to our morning Sarah and I set out on our run. The first mile we ran in silence in honor of those we are doing this for and taking time to reflect and think about what all this means to us and what we have accomplished.

On the first mile out I thought about Sara T and others that I know that are affected by blood cancers. I was happy that the silent mile was today because it is Sara's birthday and I am always sad that I didn't do more for her when she needed friends and family the most. She is an incredible person and doesn't let cancer define her, she defines herself. I am glad that I could run in celebration of her on her birthday. I thought of what TNT does for LLS and how LLS saves our loved ones. It really pumped me up to know that I was helping in some small way and that research in this are is making such great strides because of what we are doing.

I was FULL of energy today. I started off a lot faster than normal but I couldn't slow myself down. The first mile and a half had a lot of muddy spots so that slowed me down because I had to walk through those or else I would have fallen and broken something. I almost did fall at one point but a fellow Nike member was nice enough to grab me before anything fatal happened. After that section though, Sarah and I flew through the next 2 1/2 miles. We barely stopped at the water stops and on the way back through the muddy section we went slow through the mud but fast everywhere else.

For the last mile on the way back, I thought about how much I have grown as a runner because of TNT. It is amazing all the things TNT has given me. I am proud of my growth as a runner, and I am proud of my fundraising for something that affects so many. TNT has made something that I started so selfishly become something bigger than me and more important than I could have hoped for. At the very end Sarah took off at a sprint and while I can't sprint as fast as her, I did speed up to what I could and I was only a few steps behind her. I was really proud of myself for this. I am glad that she pushed me or else I totally would have kept going at the same speed and not pushed myself to completion. I feel like Sarah and I are a good running team. I'm really glad that I found her.

There was a fundraising faux pas yesterday. My sister called to tell me that I was way over my $5000 goal and I couldn't believe it. I was right not to believe it. Another team member's donations got put in my slot. It will be remedied on Monday. I am still $600 away from my goal. Tomorrow I think I am going boot blocking with Sarah probably around 11am so hopefully that will bring in a nice little sum. Please drive by and give me your change!! Call me or FB me if you want to know where we will be boot blocking. Please encourage others to either drive by with their change or just bring me their change. Thank you for all your support!

Routine

I got up a touch later on Wednesday than I had on Monday to get my run in. Fortunately the weather was still nice outside. The sun was shining and the air was cool. Starting out later also meant that on the way home, school had already started so traffic was gone! Atreyu and I headed out to do the 2 miles together and to start with the slow hill down and end with the steep hill last.

We started out great. Trey ran behind me for the first half but didn't make me drag him, so plus. Then for the second half when the run got harder, he shot out in front of me and kept looking back like, "are you coming?". The run itself felt easy even going up the steep hill. It is nice to know that these really short miles are become like a nice walk around the block.

Once we got back I threw Atreyu into the shower with me and gave him a good scrub down. He gave me the, "why are you doing this to me? I promise to be better." face. Then when I toweled him down he thought that was a game and when I whipped the towel off of him he shot out and around the house like a pinball.

Then I finished cleaning up and got myself out the door to start my day. My short mileage runs are becoming less interesting, but I am happy about this because it means they are becoming easy and routine. Thank you for reading and supporting. Tell those you know to help me raise money to cure blood-related diseases!

Back to school. Back to school.

This morning was incredible. For some reason I had a fire in me and I started out pretty fast for me. I thought about trying to make myself slow down but then decided that since it is a short run that I would just see how long the fire lasted.

The weather this morning was everything I could have asked for. No humidity, cool air, and a cool breeze. I felt like I could fly. On the way out I run past a high school and now that school is back in session, going past the school is a little tricky again because there are cars coming and going from everywhere. But they are pretty good people driving and they wait for me and let me pass.

About half way through my run I hit that park that I told you about in an earlier post and it was glorious. There were no camps there! It was almost empty except the occasional biker/runner/walker. I didn't have to weave through kids or worry about their unpredictability. I slowed down a slight touch about this point but I was still moving faster than usual.

I flew the rest of the way home. Even the half mile slight incline didn't seem to phase me. I got home and I didn't time my run but I new I had gone much faster than usual because I made it back before boyfriend left for work and if I had gone my normal pace I wouldn't have come close to making it back before he left. I feel really great about today.

I am sending out thank you letters for all my recent donations today. I am hoping to decide on a new fundraiser soon. I am about $600 away from my goal!

Thank you for all your support!

meh.

Saturday's run was a mixture of disappointment and pride all mixed into one which equals meh. It was my first 16 miles so I was nervous and excited all at the same time. I got to the trail and the weather was beautiful. I put a quick thank you in to the big man upstairs and then started the run with Sarah and was quickly joined by our mentor Amy.

We started out slightly faster than usual, but not much. It felt like a good pace though so I didn't question it. The trail was a loop of 8 miles that we did twice. The first loop was pretty smooth, although on the way back Sarah started to pick up the pace and Amy and I had to slow her down because we knew we wouldn't be able to do a second loop at that pace.

Before starting the second loop I put some athletic tape on my knees and gave some to Amy because my hips were really sore for some reason and it was making my knees sore. The tape really helped but all along the second loop I kept getting more and more sore. The last 4 miles were actually a little painful for me. I had serious mental struggle with the last 4 miles.

Right at the beginning of the last 4 miles, Amy got sick from over-hydrating/fueling. We walked with her for a minute and then I ran a slow pace with her and Sarah took off ahead of us like her amazing self. Amy stayed with me most of the way but the last half mile she sped up and finished out her mileage with a bang. I slowly made it back to the finish. It was a struggle. In the end I was proud of myself because I didn't give up and walk, I ran everything except that minute with Amy and Sarah, and because I finished 16 miles for the first time. But I was also disappointed with myself because I was so slow and my body was not cooperating with me. I feel like I could have done so much better. So all in all, I feel very meh about the whole situation.

After the run I swung by the waldo-mart picked up 2 bags of ice and went home to take an ice-bath. I was also very fail-cakes at this. I only lasted 10 minutes in it instead of the instructed 15-20. I got in and it was so cold that my feet were in pain. I almost screamed and cried from the pain. It felt good on my legs, hips, and butt, but my feet burned and stiffed. So after 10 minutes I crawled out of the tub and sat on the floor waiting for the burning to stop and some movement to come back to my feet and then I got in a luke-warm shower. I think I am going to talk to coach Jen about this because I was very worried about my feet. I was sore for the rest of the day, but today I am feeling much better if not a little tired.

My boyfriend's family is donating today! So a little more to add to the fundraising pot. I am going to try and boot-block with Sarah the next time she goes out. Please donate if you haven't already and encourage those you know to donate! Click on the link above the posts to get to my fundraising page. Thank you for all your support!

2fer

This post will be covering both Monday and Wednesday trainings because my sister is in town and life has been busy and I didn't get a chance to share before now.

Monday I woke up and did my 3 miles. I decided to take Atreyu, my dog, with me since he had done so well the last time I took him. He did great again although we had trouble with the doggy fountain. When we go to the dog park he drinks happily from the doggy fountain, but the doggy fountain that is half-way through my 3 mile run he was scared of and wouldn't drink from it. All's well that ends well though because I put ice cubes in his water when we got home. The run itself was steady even though it was horribly hot since I didn't get outside until a little after 8.

Tuesday was Tae Kwondo training. The training was a slow-motion muscle memory training day. I love these because they work your muscles in a way you wouldn't believe. Basically each move has to be done very slowly and controlled, held and then repeated several times. I also spoke with my instructor and he has a Judo instructor that he recommends, so I am going to see if I can take some trial classes of that and some Krav-Maga classes. I would like to expand my martial arts knowledge.

Today I woke up an hour earlier because I had a morning appointment and I was hoping it might be a couple of degrees cooler. It was if not only because it was cloudy out and the sun wasn't beating on me. Atreyu came with me again and this time he dragged behind me the whole time. I picked up my pace today for my 2 miles and did my route backwards. That means instead of going down the huge hill and up the slow incline that is half a mile long, I went down the slow decline and up the steep hill that is a quarter mile long. It was a great run. I pushed myself and it felt great. Even Atreyu looked like he really liked it even though he was behind me almost the whole time.

Fundraising is slow. I am not able to boot-block for the next 2 weeks because I have places to be during that time. I am considering sitting outside a Wal-mart nearby or some other fundraiser like that. If you have a suggestion, please let me know. Thank you for supporting me and please share with others.

rupster ronies!

Today was an 8 miler. What our coaches call a short run. And it is short, comparably. But when I tell non-marathon trainers, "We have a short run today, only 8 miles" they respond with a snort and say, "yes, only 8". And I have to admit that 6 months ago I would have never believed that I would say 8 miles and the word only in the same sentence.

I did this exact route for my first time ever doing 8 miles back in early May. It was rough for me then and I ended up walking about a quarter of of it because my knees were hurting. This time the run felt great and Sarah really pushed me towards the end because she picked up the pace and I stayed with her until the last quarter mile when I dropped behind about 10 paces. I was really proud of myself and really thankful to Sarah for motivating me to try harder on a shorter run. I enjoy running with Sarah not only because she goes my pace and we have great conversation, but she is so motivated herself, that it is contagious to those around her.

One of my favorite parts about the path that we ran today is all of the PUPPIES!! I love rupster ronies soo much and there were so many cute ones that it makes the run more enjoyable. I also like this path because it is a cute part of town and I shared a restaurant with Sarah that she should check out, and then she shared one with me. I am excited to try this place. If you want to know the place send me a message and I will share it with you.

After my run I chatted for awhile with the other TNT members and purchased some GU for trainings and the actual marathon since we will have to carry our own. The store that I purchased from is a TNT supporter and gives us 20% off on select days, so the discount was a plus. Also they let me mix and match my flavors!

Hopefully next week I can go out and help boot-block. After the jet lag from traveling, I had to go home and recoup. I am still trying to figure out something new I want to do for fundraising. If anyone has a creative idea let me know! Ask around to those you know, and share my stories with them!

What what! (Spoken like a true white girl)

This morning started off a little shaky. I got to the park at 5:20am and it was so dark that I just sat in my car thinking, "I can't run in an empty park in the dark. That's just asking for trouble". Then I saw a clan of GIGANTIC possums waddling across the field and thought, no freaking way am I going out there. So at 5:40 when the sky was a touch lighter, I climbed out of my car and started the loop I had mapped out in reverse because the second half was along a main street and that was well lit. By the time I got around to the park half, it was light outside and there were several other walkers/runners/bikers/soccer players.

The run itself was AWESOME! I had a super steady pace, I felt great for most of it and at the end when I was getting tired, I just told myself repeatedly how well I was doing. In the end, it took me 2hrs and 50min to do 14.25 miles and 10min of that time was fuel/water stops. So if I do the math I did approx. a 11min 15sec mile steadily.

Throughout the whole thing, the strangest thing happened to me. The temperature was decent, though the air was muggy, and I was drenched from sweat, but my entire upper body including my scalp was covered in goosebumps. The hair on my arms were sticking straight up even though I was hot and dripping with sweat. My mom says that means that my body is working correctly and my sweat is cooling my skin, but it was so strange.

My mind raced with thoughts the entire time because I decided not to take my ipod since I don't use it for regular trainings. I thought about everything from different ways to wear my hair, to if I have everything packed for tomorrow, to what I would say in this blog. It made the time pass pretty quickly.

I am so proud of my run today. I ran by the waldo-mart on the way back to get some chocolate milk and ice. Then I promptly made myself an ice-bath, but I should have gotten more ice because my body melted the ice within 10 minutes of getting in. I drank my chocolate milk and talked on the phone with my sister while I was soaking and let myself run on the high that I had run the entire 14 miles and at a good pace.

Unfortunately, the high came to a crashing low after a horrible interviewing process with a company that I should never have bothered wasting my time with. But I have decided that even though I lost 4 hours of my day and was frustrated, it can't even touch my excitement at what I accomplished this morning.

Thank you for sharing this triumphant moment with me. It means a lot to me that I am not on my own. But I also remember that while this is a big moment for me, it is also for something so much bigger than me. Please spread my achievements with friends and help me raise money to save lives!

Public does not mean you can dominate!

I decided to do my 3 mile this morning instead of yesterday because I am doing the 14 mile on my own on Thursday and I didn't want to do my short runs on Mon/Wed and then my long run the next day. So I will stretch tomorrow and then do my long run this Thursday since I am leaving for ITALY! on Friday.

Anyway, back to this morning. I went on my run about 8am which is way too late to be running in this heat. I will start my long run at either 5 or 5:30. My small loop goes through a public park near my place where apparently at 8am a running camp for kids starts. So halfway through my run I am tripping over kids who are either a) zooming past me cause they are doing sprints, b) walking the loop as a group therefore making a blockade across the path, or c) walking back and forth across the path from the field to the picnic tables where their water is. While I understand that it is not my path and it does not need to be cleared for my goddess-like presence, I do feel that the camp counselors should talk to the kids about path courtesy, such as not forming a blockade and looking at the path before crossing it to make sure they don't cut somebody off. I feel like this is not too much to ask.

Off my rant though, today was a decent run except for the kids. I went a touch faster than usual and even though it was hot I felt good. I'm hoping that if I start early on Thursday, then that run will go well too. After my run, I went to Tae Kwondo where I got an EXCELLENT workout in. We really worked on our forms which works every muscle in my body and leaves me winded. I am proud to say that my step-jump-sidekick is starting to look really awesome. Unfortunately, my high-low switch block still has a booty shake going on.

I got a couple more checks in the mail for my fundraising and I am still waiting on one of my larger donations that was promised to me. I am thinking of doing a dinner event. I need to speak with the owner of the restaurant who is a relative of mine. I think it could be a big event if I do it right. I feel a little greedy fundraising like this when others haven't hit their minimum. I also realize it is charity so it is hard to call it greedy, but that is how I feel.

Thanks for following and share my stories with others and help fight blood-related cancers!! Come back on Thursday to see how my first 14 miles on my own goes!

Women problems.... hrumph!

My Saturday morning 10 mile run left a lot to be desired. We ran Shawnee Mission Park loop again which is more like 9.5 miles (2x around), but I did it and smoothly 2 weeks ago. Yesterday though, our coaches told us to push ourselves a little, so Sarah and I started out a bit faster than usual and even though I was breathing a little heavier than usual I felt like it was a pace I could handle. About half a mile from the finish of the first loop I got cramps like you wouldn't believe. My lower abdomen felt like it had been filled with lead and it made my legs really hard to move and breathing became a chore.

So the second loop I told Sarah to go ahead without me because I know how much keeping pace and running the whole thing means to her and I didn't want to slow her training down. So she went on ahead and the mentor that I ran with the last time I did this loop stayed with me and walk/jogged the second loop. I want to say we jogged a little over a third of the second loop and walked the rest. That means I ran about 3/4 of the entire thing. While I wish it had been better, I'm proud that I got the miles in and worked through the loveliness that is being a woman.

After I finished I ran by the nearby waldo-mart (wal-mart... Justin and I like to call it waldo-mart and I will refer to it that way from now on.) and picked up a bag of ice. I then took my second ice bath, which for some reason was a lot colder than the first, and Justin sat with me and told me when my time was up. After the ice bath was a luke-warm rinse in the shower and off to a nearby busy street corner to boot-block with my other Nike team members.

It went really well. The 12 of us managed to collect almost $1000 in about 2 hours. Each of us will get about $80. The Nike team will be there every Saturday after trainings and I think I am going to join them for quite a few. I'm definitely not done fundraising. I have reached the minimum I need to get to participate in the Marathon, but there is no limit on raising money to helping those in need.

Please visit my fundraising website and donate if you haven't already. Tell everyone you know. You might be surprised by how many people blood cancers have affected, I know I have been.

Run Around

So this week I official switched up my schedule. I ran 3 miles on Monday, then did Tae Kwondo on Tuesday and then 2 miles today. I feel like this was the best decision I could have made. Monday's run was really nice because I rested on Sunday and by Monday morning I was ready to run again and get loose. It was beyond muggy outside. But the run went fairly smoothly and I was happy that I wasn't having trouble getting started.

Tae Kwondo yesterday was sooo much better than it had been when I was doing it on the same days as my running. I was able to work so much harder and put more effort and concentration into what I was doing. I feel like I got a better training. On top of Tae Kwondo, last night I also took a pole dancing class with my girlfriends. It was so much fun! I have lots of bruises now, but it was totally worth it. While it does take a lot of upper body strength, it is a lot about how you hold the pole and position yourself. For anyone that has ever been even slightly interested, I highly encourage you try it. I'm now tempted to get regular lessons, and I wasn't sure I even wanted to take the class in the first place.

Today's run was fun because it rained last night so the air wasn't suffocating me and.... wait for it.... ATREYU came with me!!! It was a short 2 mile run so I figured I would get him some exercise even though he usually hates going more than a mile. Although, today, he slowed down after the first mile and ran behind me for the second, but he didn't just sit down and quit. Then once we walked into the condo he took off in a dead sprint around the whole place and had 10 minutes of run around time. He is such a little faker. Slowing down for the second mile when he obviously had tons of energy to spare. Anyway, we had a really great time together this morning.

10 miles is on Saturday with TNT. I know I can conquer it after the 12 last Saturday. Thanks for keeping up with me! Tell everyone you know to follow me and help fight to cure blood cancers!!!

I said... BRRRR, It's cold in here!

Saturday was my first 12 mile run. The milage is starting to get bigger/longer. It was a really good run though. Sarah and I ran almost all of it together, and Donny ran the first half of it with us too. My pace and breathing was really regular. Towards the end my legs felt really heavy and I had to try really hard to keep myself going, but I think that was more mental than anything else. While most people get a rush toward the end (like Sarah) and go faster, I struggle towards the end because my body realizes it is almost time to stop and starts trying to stop.

Sarah took off about 2 miles from the finish and I fell behind, so I was super surprised to find her walking about half a mile from the finish. When I realized that she was helping a fellow teammate who was having trouble I stopped and helped too. Our mentor ran ahead to get her car and drive our teammate the rest of the way back. While I kept wanting to keep running and finish, I realized that this moment was what team in training was really about. It is about being there for each other and working together as a team. After we got our teammate into our mentor's car, Sarah and I took off at a fast pace for the last quarter of a mile. It felt good at the end to just race like that.

On the way home I swung by Walmart to pick up a bag of ice for my first ice bath. That's right, you read me right, I said ice bath. I got out my laundry basket, filled it with cold water and then poured in the bag of ice and then myself. I called my sister first to have someone take my mind off how cold I was, but she didn't answer. After a few other calls I get a hold of my mother who is with my sister. Instead of getting support and a nice conversation through the serious cold, I got screamed at. I had called to get talked through it and instead they spent the whole time trying to talk me out of it. I was very frustrated. But in the end, the ice bath really helped because normally I am really sore the next morning, but I wasn't really sore at all this morning.

I am really proud of yesterday's run and I know I can conquer this marathon. I am starting to get super excited. We will see what I am saying after the 20 mile run. Keep following along and telling others! Please continue helping me raise money to fight blood cancers.

The Switch Up

During my run today I made an official decision. I am changing my running days to M/W and my resistance days to T/R. I am doing this because my tae kwondo classes are on T/R and they are essentially resistance workouts. And to be going to those classes and running on the same days is making me want to chop my legs off. So during my 2 mile run this morning I said to myself, "Self, starting next week you will switch your running days". And that is how it all went down.

Tonight is the Nike team BBQ. I'm pretty excited. I will be able to get to know my teammates who do not run at the same pace as me. I think it will be a good time, and hopefully the weather will hold out for us.

I am starting to get a little nervous about doing 12 miles on Saturday. I know I can do it, I just get a little anxious before any new mileage number. I will be thinking of all my supporters when I run and that helps me keep going. Please tell others to come support me on my journey!

Oh what a beautiful morning!

It was actually cool this morning when I woke up, and the humidity was minimal and it just made running so much smoother. The milage for today was supposed to be 8 miles, but in the end, it ended up being about 9. Today's run made me feel so much better after the disaster 10 mile walk. I ran basically the entire 9 miles and I felt good while doing it so I am going to chalk the 10 up to being a fluke.

Today I ran with one of my mentors, miss Amy Funk, for the last 4.6 miles. She goes about my pace and we had a really great conversation. I barely noticed the run while I was chatting with her because I was having such a good time getting to know her. We have a lot in common.

Overall today was a really good run, and I am feeling much better about my training!

In the Beginning

So my blog begins. I have started running with Sarah Pikul because she runs my pace and because honestly she is totally awesome and inspires me. She inspired me to start writing this blog so anybody who wanted to keep up with my training could. So I will sum up what I have been doing until now so you can be caught up.

I started training with TNT in the beginning of April because my friend Maggie told me all about the San Fransisco Nike Women's marathon that she completed in 2009. I had been running about 6 miles with the wonderful Seattle and San Deigo teams until the Nike team had its official kick-off.

Once the Nike team came together I have met lots of awesome people that I will be journeying with to cross the finish line and fundraise with to help find cures. Sarah and I found eachother after the kick-off and although at the end she is a hoss and sprints while I continue my slow and steady pace, it is nice to have someone for the majority of the run.

Last Saturday we had our first 10 mile run and I had to do it on my own because I was on vacation. It was dissapointing to say they least. I walked most of it because I was tight and cramping. But I got in the miles and I will do better next time. I won't let it get me down!

Please keep following along and share this with everyone. Thank you so much for your support both financially and emotionally!