The Aftermath

Not sure what I did but I did it good…The aftermath from White Rock

After the White Rock marathon, I took two weeks off from running to give my body a chance to recoup. Two Saturdays ago, I thought I would go for an easy 3-mile run to jump-start my training for the Cowtown half marathon. I was very, very wrong…I didn’t even make it to the end of the block (which is only three houses down from our house) and my knee started hurting. So here I sit at the doctor’s office with a little electric acupuncture.

From The Daily What

Christmas Miracle of the Day: From The New York Times comes the heartwarming tale of a charming couple from Chelsea who mistakenly received hundreds of letters addressed to Santa and decided to try and fulfill them.

Happiness - The Greatest Gift

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Marathon Running

The Good: 

• Shiny new medals
• Lots of new friends (who are equally as crazy about running as I am, if not more crazy.)
• New "wardrobe" - I love my running clothes. I wish my job would let me wear running clothes to work...
• The Expos

The Bad:

The approximately $500 that was spent to get my IT Band to cooperate so I could run and receive shiny new medals.

The Good and The Bad: 

I need new pants... 

"Pants, like pants that you wear!" - S. Wagner

Running means smaller waist but bigger booty which equals pants buying dilemma.  

The Ugly:

Yep, those are my toes. 

The big toe is a “souvenir” from the Marine Corp Marathon and the index toe is from White Rock.

 

2 in 34

Since I never posted about the Marine Corp Marathon, because I am a totally blog slacker, I am going to recap both marathons.(Well, I will recap as much as I can remember.)

On October 31, I ran The Marine Corp Marathon in Washington D.C. it was my first of two full marathons.

Ken and I flew out early Friday morning so we could spend a few days in D.C. and turn the whole trip into a mini vacation with Dianna and Will. Friday afternoon the four of us went to the race expo to pick up race packets and it allowed Dianna and I to buy lots of running “essentials” that we just had to have.   

Friday night Ken and I met up with Ken’s sister (Tami) to take a night tour of the monuments with about 120 eighth-graders.  We spent most of Saturday taking in the sights of D.C. and getting swept up in the Sanity vs. Fear rally (it probably the best people watching I have ever seen.) 

Sunday morning can and it was marathon day. The race seems like a blur. There are some miles I remember very clearly and then some miles I don’t remember at all.  I know both Diana and I crossed the finish line. I know we both accomplished something that most people never even attempt and I know I am still so incredibly proud of both of us. 

34 days later…Diana and I were at it again.  This time it was White Rock Marathon and we were running with Team In Training. The week leading up to the marathon was hard, I had zero excitement do it all over again. I wanted to run and I knew I was running for a my Honored Hero Jim and all the other TNT Honored Heroes but I was missing all of the giddiness I felt when I ran MCM.  The nerves were back in full force and deep down I wanted to run I was just questioning my ability. My runs the week before White Rock were awful! I couldn’t find my rhythm and everything hurt. During a 2 mile run I just stopped, turned around, threw a temper tantrum and started walking home (seriously you can ask Ken he was there.) 

When the alarm went off Sunday morning I was feeling good, I was ready, I knew I would be fine and I would finish. That morning was cold. My teammates and I huddled in our coral for warmth contemplating if we had enough "disposable" clothing. 

Then the gun went off...and we waited and waited some more finally at 8:30 we crossed the start line. The first few miles hurt, my toes were numb from the cold and it hurt every time my foot hit the ground. Finally around mile 3, I had warmed up and found my comfort zone. I lost Dianna around mile 5 when I had to exchange my relay bracelet but found her around mile 7. (Side note: Ken ran the second leg of the White Rock Relay and he did an amazing job! I am so proud of him!!) Dianna and I were making great time and feeling pretty good. We saw my friend Lisa with all her signs at mile 15 (thank you, Lisa!  You are amazing!) We grabbed some much needed snacks and fuel from Ken and Will at mile 16.  

At mile 20 I got to the point where I thought the race was never going to end. Every mile maker I saw was a mile behind where I thought I was. I lost Dianna again around mile 22. My entire left leg started hurting from my butt down into my calf around mile 24 and I started walking.  I walked for a few minutes then I would talk myself back into running. Then I would stop and walk a few more minutes. Around mile or 25 I heard someone yelling my name behind me. I turned around to see Dianna! It was probably the best feeling I had all race.  Once I saw her I knew I would be able to get through the last mile. We ran into our Team In Training coach, David, a little past mile 25. I burst into tears at this point. Not sure why, maybe it was the pain maybe it was the fact I knew I was finally done. We soon picked up Charlene, another TNT coach, who got us to mile 26 and then let us go on our own. Crossing the finish line was Awesome!! Getting a new shiny medal was amazing! Dianna and I totally ROCKED the rock! 

Will I do another marathon? Heck Yes, Chicago Marathon 2011 here I come! Will I do 2 marathons in 34 days?  Heck No!! 

My quote for the week

"26.2 puts the F.U. in fun."
5 more days until White Rock

Help Needed

Hello!

As some of you know, I joined The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Team In Training to train for the Dallas White Rock Marathon. As a member of Team In Training, I am fundraising to help  support the mission of LLS. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is dedicated to funding blood cancer research, education and patient services.

I need your help! I have exactly 6 weeks to raise $600, which equals $100 a week or $14.29 a day.

There are 2 easy ways to donate:

1. Go online to,  http://pages.teamintraining.org/ntxok/Whiterck10/rstrongy9o

2. Bring your donation directly to me*

I greatly appreciate any help and support. All I am asking (begging) is for you to clean out your car, the couch cushions or your purse and bring me your loose change. Every donation will make a difference!

Why did I pick Team In Training?

• Every 4 minutes one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer.
• Every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 148 people each day, or more than six people every hour.

Thank you for all your help!

Pancakes

I think I should give the back details of this story.  When I went to bed on Thursday night my knee was killing and wasn't feeling any better when I woke up on Friday.  After spontaneously  bursting into tears 3 times on Friday (my sincere apologize to Kathryn, Lisa and Jolie who all had to witness this act of spontaneity.) I was able to get into the doctor on Friday and the doctor told me it was my IT Band (see previous post on my thoughts about my IT Band.) The doctor said I would be totally fine to run the Hills, Heels and Him half marathon on Sunday.

This morning Diana, Nicole and I set off for the Hills, Heels and Him Half Marathon.  We were off to a great start and I was feeling great. I was going good and then it hit...the twinge, the feeling of an ice pick being stabbed into the side of my knee. So, I had to walk...I felt defeated by my knee. After biting my cheek to keep from crying I decided I had to make the best of the last three miles and I was going to walk with a purpose.  I was rounding the last corner, I had less than a mile and there he was... This kid was standing there and he was suppose to be giving words of encouragement and you know what he tells me? "They don't give pancakes to the people who walk." REALLY?! That kid better hope I never run into him or I will smack him. Needless to say, I did get my medal and a breakfast taco (I didn't want pancakes.)

Running is a Mental Sport

You hear it all the time, "running is a mental sport."  Your legs can carry you as far as your mind will let them.  If this is true, will someone please tell my IT band that this is my body and ONLY I will tell my knee when it can and can't hurt.  And 10 miles into a half marathon is when it CAN"T start hurting.

Thank you!

Jim Update

I received an email last week from Deana with an update about Jim.

Throughout this summer, Jim has undergone two rounds of treatment to bring his plasma cells in his bone marrow down so they can collect his stem cells. Tests after the second round showed that Jim had a partial response to the medication and the cells were almost to normal levels. Which means Jim can start the process of collecting his stem cells. 

At this time, Jim and Diane have decided to collect the stem cells and freeze them for future use. After the stem cells have been collected, Jim will start on medication to try and control the Myeloma. According to Jim’s doctor the average that the drug could do its job is for about 2 years before Jim’s cells become immune - with Myeloma Jim and Diane have learned that there really is no average, every case is very different. 

On Monday, September 20, Jim had his first day of stem cell collection and he totally ROCKED IT!  Even the nurses were very impresses with how great his cells look, Jim was so proud! As of Tuesday, Jim had enough cells for 3 transplants and was on his way back home. 

Every Saturday I get up before the sun and head out to train. Before we set-off on our morning run the entire team will gather for a mission moment. This is a time when we share a story about our Honored Heroes and why we run. Every mission moment brings a tear to my eye and reminds me why I am there. Every Saturday I run for Jim and all the others affected by blood cancers. 

Thank you to everyone who has supported me thus far. If you would like to show your support, please make a donation to Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

Go TEAM!