Mid-week Thoughts

1. I am a terrible, terrible, terrible racer. "Races" are what caused my mental anguish to a point that I quit cross country my senior year of high school. And I was decent back then! I have a 10k coming up this weekend - a real one, not a virtual one. The Virtual 10k was fun. The real 10k scares me. It scares me so much that I was driving my running route on Monday and was completely intimidated by every.single.mile. Any tips on how to get past my mental block on racing? I feel better, now, having a few (10) years under my belt and I know I am racing myself, and no one else matters. But, the thought of being in a race situation just makes me want to stop running. I'd rather go do 16 miles, uphill both ways, and in the snow.

2. My children puked starting Saturday night, and it ended yesterday, finally. On my run Monday (the one I was freakishly intimidated over) I went into it feeling tired, gross, and slow. I was sure I was doing 12 minute miles, and I was fine with it. Here were the actual results:

1 - 9:37
2 - 9:22
3 - 8:52 (Huh?)
4 - 11:53 (Oh yeah. Walked a good part of that one after I hit the 5k mark.)

Turned out to be quite a great run. I really needed that. Then I had my bootie handed to myself on a platter in the very easy Yoga class that night. Running before Yoga = Hard.

3. Ran 8 miles with some teammates this morning. Very very windy. Great temperature - upper 50's. I just never knew (or I had blocked it from my mind) what an energy sucker the wind can be. I felt like it was a crawl. And then when the last two miles felt super fast, they weren't. Doh!

1 - 10:16
2 - 10:00
3 - 10:03
4 - 9:57
5 - 11:34 (this was when we stood around taking layers off. Super hot.)
6 - 10:13
7 - 10:14
8 - 9:54

4. While a rough running week, and rough family week with so much sickness, it has been a great week in many other ways...

* My Team is awesome. I'm thankful more and more every day for their support and friendship.

* My Coaches are fabulous. And knowledgeable. And caring. And awesome.

* I hit the $4,000 mark: my original fundraising goal for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I plan to shatter that original goal, and get myself to the $6,500 mark. There is nothing that will stop me. Every dollar raised is a dollar that is going to something so much bigger than myself. I love it. Truly life changing.

* I turned in my "recommitment" paperwork for the Rock 'n Roll San Diego marathon. After I finished filling it out, I breathed a sigh of relief, and felt awesome. I smiled. And got excited! As I folded it up to put it in the envelope, I got quite teary. It was an emotional and intense moment. What an awesome feeling to have come so far. Yay!

* Blogger support has been, and always is, incredible. Thank you all so much for your words of advice and friendship. Warm fuzzies.

Getting my run in tomorrow will be tough. Has to happen sometime, though. Might be late and on the treadmill. Friday is off, and Saturday is the big race. Freaking.Out. We have a "boot block" Saturday afternoon from 11am - 4pm, benefitting The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. If you're a local and you cross the intersection of Central and Hillside, honk for my Team, and bring some change to throw in our buckets! 

Have a great rest of the week!

Tall Mom's Virtual Race for the Cure (10k report)

My friend and Team in Training teammate, Michele, and I signed up for Tall Mom's 10k. We had 15 miles scheduled to run that day, though, so we dedicated the first 10k of our 15 miles to the Virtual Race. Obviously, going 15 miles total, we were not at all racing our 10k. We were just proud to participate!

Michele's number stood for the date June 26, 2010 - our marathon in Seattle. Whoot! Mine said "In Honor of Dorothy" - she's my mother-in-law and a breast cancer survivor.

After our first 3.1 miles of the 10k. Happy as can be!

Our finish was quite amazing. Look at all of those spectators! (Ha.) The guy on the left in the picture is my Coach who is the incredible runner, who also has the dog that is running her first marathon in April.

We had a lovely 10k. We were excited to have 6.2 miles of our 15 finished!

And finally, with our race bibs on again after 15 miles. (We didn't wear them during our race as we only had two safety pins between us, and it was really windy that day. Slackers!)

We finished our 10k in approximately 1 hour, 5 minutes. We averaged an 11:04/mile for the entire 15, so that was good. My Coach always says you can't run too slow for your long run days. His long runs are typically 4 minutes slower per mile than his marathon pace, so he can't be completely out of touch with reality. I figure that "Slow is sexy" and "Slow is the new Fast" are my new slogans for life. Or at least for the long runs. Who can aruge with that? 

Sunday Shout Out: Week Nine

This was an awesome week. Mentally, physically, etc. I am so thrilled and thankful that I can run again! I even ran my first ever half-marathon!

Donations this week:

Nickki is a friend that I've known for many years, though we've become much closer in our friendship in the past year. She is literally one of the most stunning women I have ever met, and her heart shines through and makes that beauty even more intense. She is awesome. I love to do Yoga with her, I love to spend time with her (when we can!) and she makes me smile and laugh. One of those people you hang out with and then leave with a skip in your step, and thankful for the time together. My little girls love her, too - and she has always been so kind to them. I adore you, Nickki! Thank you for everything.

Tom & Sheri are friends that I knew from Church while I was in high school. Tom is always a joker, and always has a fantastic smile to offer. Sheri and I worked together at the bank for several years, also. Seeing them when I go back to visit is always such a wonderful treat. Sheri always gave (and gives!) the best hugs. They are truly a couple that I will never forget. My life is a little sweeter with them in it. Thank you both so much!

Erica & Jeff are such a fun couple. Seriously. When we get together there are guaranteed laughs! Jeff and my husband played hockey on the same team for a while, and now they are rivals. I love knowing that they can go beat on each other on the ice, and be game to have a beer together all in a short amount of time. Erica and Jeff just moved into their new home, and I am thrilled for them. Despite all they have going on, they were kind enough to think of me and to be proud and supportive of what I have happening. I am beyond thankful and very lucky to know you both. And your gorgeous sons. We love you! Thank you.

Cindy and Scott rock. That's all there is to it. Cindy is one of my Mom's dearest friends from her days of teaching (Cindy is a school psychologist). Cindy is a breast cancer survivor - she has an appointment with the oncologist on the 26th to make sure she's still in the clear. Not only will her name be on my jersey to honor her battle, but so will her sister (Clariece - breast cancer), her sister-in-law (Colleen - breast cancer), her cousin (Diane - breast cancer) and in Memory of her sister, Beverly, who died on 7/30/09 of breast cancer. Pretty staggering info. Cindy came out for a little party we had on Saturday, and I am so thankful she did. I'm so lucky to know her. We're all thankful for you, Cindy and Scott! Thank you so much. I'm proud to have your name on my jersey!

Mike is one of my buddies from grade school! He saw my birthday plea for donations on Facebook, and was kind enough to donate to my cause, in honor of his Grandfather who passed away last year. We reconnected at our 10 year reunion (well, his reunion - I moved before graduation) and then via Facebook. I was truly blown away by his kindness. Mike, thank you so much. So glad to have met you way back in 3rd grade!

Samantha is my cousin. (Making my Uncle Mike her uncle as well, and Clayton her 2nd cousin. Or first cousin once removed? Whatever...) She was the key to our happy marriage after my first daughter was born. Sam was our babysitter once weekly for our date nights from the time K1 was just 6 weeks old. We loved and trusted her and I truly believe she was our angel. Of course, she went out and got married (to Dan, a wonderful guy - we're thankful for him, too!) and continued to babysit...until they decided it was time to have a family of their own. Can't say I blame them, but we truly miss seeing Sam and Dan as often as we used to. They now have two precious boys, and a third on the way. Bless her - she'll have three under three! We just adore them, and need to make a bigger effort to get together. No excuses. Just do it! You guys will always always always have a special place in our hearts and in our life. We love you! Thank you.

Denise. Gosh. I don't even know her! Her donation came along with Samantha's and I just opened it early this morning and haven't had a chance to call to ask who she is! How about the kindness of strangers, though?! Such an incredible thing. Someone out there believes in this cause and believes in what I'm doing so much that they were moved to help. I'm just blown away. Thank you.

In Other News:

That half marathon I mentioned? It was on the treadmill. Yep, Mother Nature messed up our Team run for Saturday morning. I was faced with two choices: hope that Sunday would be a better running day or just do it and get it over with. I started off with 12 miles on the schedule, but decided that if I'm doing this on a treadmill, I deserve to really enjoy it. So I added an extra 1.1 to the schedule, and decided to make a half-marathon out of it. It was flipping amazing! I can absolutely see why people enjoy half-marathons. As it was a long run day, I did keep it slow - probably a fast walk for some of you(!).  I set the treadmill to an 11:06 pace (McMillan says 10:53 to 11:53) and didn't go up or down in speed. Got into my zone, fueled perfectly, and honestly had an awesome time. I smiled a lot! Not a stich of ankle pain. Hips got a little tight, and are tight today. I suppose that is to be expected...but what do I know? This was my very first time! I'm STILL pumped!

This truly made me even more excited for the 26.2's coming up. What a wonderful feeling.

Here's to a fantastic week...and no more snow! While the treadmill and I were friends on Saturday, I can't wait to get back with my Team. Have a safe and happy week!

Happy Birthday to Meeeeee!

Friday is my birthday. I will be (in one hour, from the time of me writing this) 29- years-old. The REAL 29. (If you want a running story, stay tuned. It's going to be at the end of this post after I sort out any age issues I might have.)

I remember when my Mom was 29. That's creepy.

Here's the thing. I am not freaking out about it too much at the moment. But when I stop to think about it...I get freaked out. I mean...I'm as old as my Mom. (Well, as old as she was, anyway. She turned 50 on St. Patrick's Day!)

My Mom and I. (1981)

And believe me...I don't think 40-something is ancient. My husband is in his (mid to late) 40's. However, this is just one of those "weird" years. Everyone says the 30's are better than the 20's. That you come into your own. And honestly, after the way my 20's started out, I think I am going to love my 30's. That said, I remember thinking 29-year-olds were really old.

On the flip side - my 29th year is going to be awesome. My first marathons in June. Traveling to San Diego for the first. Seattle for the second. (I'll be doing my hometown marathon in October, too!) My first major fundraising efforts, which has proven to be a life-changing experience. I'm growing up and loving it. I'm finding out how amazing giving back can be. My daughters are ages 5, 3, and 1. They're getting bigger and it is getting easier to take time for myself. My husband is healthy and still lights my fire. Gotta love that.

Our Family. November 2009

(Photo taken by Chantel at Breathtaking Photography.)

I truly believe that what we experience shapes us into who we are - I try not to look back with any regrets. This year I am choosing to always look ahead. To look forward and to always be sensitive to the battles that everyone is facing.

So, here's to a great year. Freaked about age or not, I'm looking forward.

Now for the running story. I mentioned that Wednesday I would be running with a running rockstar. (Sorry, Coach. Your dog is booting you from me talking about you.)  I had the pleasure of running with a dog. A future-marathoning dog, named Pavlov.  Her Daddy calls her "Belle". She is a 4-year-old chocolate lab. Pavlov adores running; she has done a 16-miler, and has "no problem" doing 10-12 miles at any time. (I should add that running with a dog that has already done a distance 6 miles beyond my furthest was a very strange experience.) She'll be ready for her first marathon in a month or so...but needs to get some long runs in before then, says her Daddy.

Two days later, I am still trying to wrap my brain around the marathoning dog. Even more crazy...she'll have a faster time than me, by far. (Enter "The Twilight Zone" theme song...) I wish I could tell you about my Coach and his running awesomeness, but I am so thrown by his dog, I can't! 

Workout update:

Wednesday: 6 miles (9:50-something pace.)
Thursday: 4 miles (10-something pace, on a treadmill)

I am so so so sore. Thrilled to be back to running - was a rough two weeks without it. 12 miles coming on Saturday - another mileage PR day! It was 65 today...and will be 30 and snowing Saturday morning. Fabulous!

Have a great weekend!

Good News. No, GREAT news!

Yesterday was my first day back to running in 16 days. I hacked it out on a treadmill, as I was nervous there would be pain. I ran jogged four miles! It brings me great joy to report that it was completely painless. Whatever happened with my ankle is gone, gone, gone. Officially!

Before I got on the Treadmill, a woman in the locker room saw my Team in Training bag and asked what event I am doing, and mentioned that one of her friends just did a marathon with the Team. Then she asked if I am a survivor. While I am not, just hearing that made running even more special. (Because I CAN.)

While on the treadmill, I wanted to focus on my form and enjoy that first run post-injury to the fullest. I didn't take my Ipod (I rarely do when I run. Except on the treadmill.) and I didn't turn on the tv. I concentrated on how thankful I am that I can run. (Or jog. Whatever.) I enjoyed the feeling of running again, and was thankful I wasn't on a bike or the Arc Trainer. It totally rocked.

Other News:

*I purchased new shoes today. Not sure what the "rule" is for changing shoe types/brands, but I didn't really like my other pair. My one-year-old was kind of a punk at the store. She suddenly changed her tune and befriended the dark-haired chick (at First Gear. All the local people know who I am talking about.) and hugged and snuggled on her. That was awesome.

*I CAN RUN AGAIN!!!!!!!!!!!  Did you forget that fact?

*Tomorrow I have the unique opportunity to run six miles with a complete running rockstar. Looking forward to sharing about that later this week.

Be safe out there, and be thankful that you can run. Happy Tuesday! Don't forget your green tomorrow.

Sunday Shout Out: Week Eight

Eight weeks in. Booyah! Shazaam! Score! Whoohoo!  'Twas a week full of me realizing how many awesome people I know. As usual. Plus another week of realizing how many awesome people I have had the pleasure of "meeting" through blogging. I am seriously blown away by all of the support from every part of my life. How lucky am I? Quite lucky, I'd say.

Donations this week:

NY Wolve @ Never Quit, Never Stop came out of nowhere and decided to support my efforts. I hadn't even hunted him down to beg or anything! He's a great guy who is quite entertaining. He has young kids, so can appreciate what I experience trying to fit it all in. Also, he and my husband have lots of similarities - they even attended the same University. I have a feeling they would hit it off. Thanks again for your support. You are appreciated.

Julie @ Julie's Running Blog is a beautiful woman who happens to be a fellow runner. She's a fast runner! Bonus, she's beautiful on the inside, too! Julie has been nothing short of supportive and sweet to me since we "found" each other. Julie is a Mom, and it is great to see how many parents out there have an interest in not just parenting, but also in doing things for themselves. Keeps us all sane, right? Julie, you are awesome. You will smoke me if we ever run together, but it would be fun to at least start a run with you...even if I do finish 30 minutes behind. You rock. Thank you!

Richard and Beth are my Uncle and Aunt who live in Texas. Well, one of the sets that live in Texas, anyway. (I swear, it seems like my entire family is migrating south! Smart people!) Their daughters and I are friends on Facebook. It is so wild because they seem like they should still be little girls...but they're all grown up! Richard and my Uncle Mike (who is a Lymphoma survivor) are brothers. That makes them Clayton's Uncle and Aunt, too. Having the support of people who also love Clayton and Mike so much is just awesome. And incredibly appreciated! Thank you both so much. Love you guys!

Scott and his wife Julie are wonderful. Scott is a partner at the law firm with my husband. I appreciate having their support so much. Julie sent a good luck message along with their donation - even that little acknowledgment and kindness speaks volumes to me. Made me smile and gives me that push when I need it. Thank you both so very much!

Hal and Steph are one of my favorite couples. I have known Hal since before I had kids. He was my client at the gym way back in the day. Steph started training with me post-kids (mine, not hers...but hers, too.) and has since become an incredible friend. We love to get together with them whenever our schedules work out. Having a job like mine is awesome because clients become family, and even better - they become friends. Thank you guys so very much. You are loved!

Rachel @ Make a Run for It is an incredible woman - a California college girl! She has participated with Team in Training for several events, and still runs with her Team in California. The pictures she posts are quite amazing. Nothing like training in paradise! Most exciting of all is that Rachel is considering running her FOURTH marathon in fabulous, sunny, amazing San Diego! I, selfishly, want her to do it. Meeting her would be fantastic! Also, her first marathon was Seattle RnR last year. So of course I was giddy to meet another person who had run that race! Rachel is just fantastic. All around. I truly appreciate her support. Rachel, thank you. And I will see you June 6. Right? Right. (Keep me posted!)

Dan and Val are our neighbors, technically! Same neighborhood, anyway. Dan is a partner at the law firm with my husband. He and Val are hilarious. They have three beautiful kids, and I swear I remember when they were little like my girls! I think this means I am getting old. I absolutely appreciate having your support. Thank you both so much!

Roxi and Joe are my Aunt and Uncle. (My Step-Mom and Roxi are sisters.) Roxi and Joe were having kids back when I was in high school. I cannot belive how gorgeous their two daughters are. Facebook is totally awesome for keeping in touch with family. It just is! I'm so thankful to be in touch and to be able to watch those two beautiful ladies grow up. Thank you Roxi and Joe for always helping to make family gatherings fun. I always enjoyed your family - still do. Sending you love from Wichita!

Rick @ Marathon Man Runs Again is awesome. He reminds me so much of my Dad! Cracks me up, and his commentaries are hilarious! Rick is getting ready to run the New York City Half Marathon. He was recently released from physical therapy (whoohoo!) and now just has to not get injured. I like his style. Not running certain races aren't an option. That is exactly how I feel. Cheers to Rick aka my running Dad. Good luck and hope your back is better ASAP. Thank you so much. Your kindness is so touching!

Monica is a friend I met...gosh...over three years ago. The night I met her I was giantly pregnant, though she claims she had no idea until I told her. Seriously, I had K2 a month later! She was too kind and so much fun. I always joke that when I grow up, I want to be like Monica! She is truly an amazing hostess - can cook and decorate and is incredibly creative. I admire so much about her. Monica is the friend who used Jedi-mind control (laughing so hard right now) to "convince" me to become a Vegetarian. (Back story, a mutual friend suggested, after hearing I had given up meat, that Monica had forced me. As if she went around twisting peoples arms, and as if I am a weak minded little wuss! Neither of which is true.) Anyway, my three year Veg Anniversary is coming up and I have Monica to thank for her support and love while I figured it all out. Thank you so much, Monica and Matt. (And Liam and Maya!) You guys are awesome!

My Aunt Anne lives in Texas. See? My entire family is trying to move to Texas! She is a sister of my Uncle Mike and a Great-Aunt to Clayton. My Aunt Anne has always been incredibly kind and loving. She is generous and helpful and a very sweet woman. I took for granted being able to see her at all family events. Now I don't get to see her as often, and I must insist that all family who have left for Texas get your butts back here. Now. (Was that forceful enough?) Seriously, though. I can't wait for us to all get together again. Sending you a giant hug and lots of love. Thank you so much, Aunt Anne!

Chad and Rhonda are the parents of my 5-year-old's very very very very best friend. At school, our girls are inseperable. I am totally ok with that. We love their family! Many play dates are planned during spring break, and one of these days I am sure our 1-year-olds will love playing together, too. My three-year-old just fits in with everyone and loves their family, too. I am so moved beyond words to have their support. You guys are such a great family and we are thankful we met. Can't think of a sweeter bestie for Kamy. Thank you so much!

In Other News:

What an awesome week! My ankle is 100% pain free, I was reminded again how lucky I am to know such amazing people, the running blogger community has come together and shown me amazing support, AND I saved myself $2,500 by not having the bone scan. Score!

Funny, though. The "no needles this week" joke was on me. I went to the Dermatologist for my skin check and had a mole removed. No big deal. Had the three-year-old with me, and didn't want to be a total wuss in front of her.

I am enjoying the last few days as a 28-year-old. Friday will be my first 29th birthday! Though I hear things keep getting better with age, so I'll just enjoy it all as it comes. Happy Week, everyone!

YES!

(Thursday's workout was 45 minutes on the Bike. Nothing too exciting.)

Today is awesome. Today I feel amazing after my 120 minutes on the Arc Trainer. My ankle - amazing. My legs - amazing. My mental state - incredible. I wanted to high-five every person I came in contact with. I even had a goofy grin on my face the last 30 minutes! Even now I can't wipe the smile from my face!

Compared to my 10 miles two weeks ago, I am in heaven. I think the key was that I did 10 miles (too fast) two weeks ago, and with my tank on "Empty". Today I experimented with a couple of Clif items.

I started off by having a packet of Shot Gel - mocha flavored - 15 minutes before I started. Honestly, it was quite...sweet. Sickeningly sweet, though if you're a big fan of chocolate, you'll love it. (I would rather spread it all over a cupcake.) Also, it had caffeine, and I don't think I need that.  After I hit 60 minutes, I started in with the Shot Bloks - Margarita flavored. I had one every 20 minutes. Looking back, all I would have changed is that I would have started the Bloks sooner. I started getting headachy and feeling rotten about 45 minutes in, and maybe having one would have been good. Even if just making me think it helped. Of course, I am also not used to sucking down a package of frosting pre-workout, either. So I started off feeling queasy anyway.

That said, the second 60 minutes was awesome. And just kept getting better. I was so thankful and pumped that I felt so phenomenal! I cannot wait to get back at it with my Team. Heck, I can't wait to get back to running, period!

Also, my Mom did some Kineseo Taping to me this week. I kid you not. I call it "magic tape" now. My ankle pain was greatly reduced immediately, the next day was just mild, and completely gone as of yesterday. I kept the tape on through my workout today, then took it off. My coach suggested that I make sure it isn't "masking anything serious" (which I don't think it could/would anyway) so I took the tape off, put my recovery socks on, and still - the ankle feels incredible. Not even an inkling of pain. I am pumped!

I am going to try a nice, easy jog on Monday. Everything in me wants to do it tomorrow, but I am going to take one more day off. Patience...I'm learning.

My cousin posted an update on Clayton's CaringBridge website today. He has 22 weeks of chemo left - he was diagnosed two years ago! What a day of celebration it will be when that part of life wraps up for them. That means that by the time I finish my second marathon in his honor, he should have 7 or so weeks of chemo left. That final countdown has to be full of emotion. Anytime I think of Clayton (and I think of him all.the.time) - it makes this training easy. Makes the thought of running two marathons 20 days apart easy. I am so proud to do this for their family.

Looking forward to writing up the Sunday Shout Out tomorrow. This was another week with full of blogger support. You are all awesome! Thank you.

Bone Scan Update

Perhaps a more appropriate title would be "Lack of Bone Scan Update".

I didn't go through with it. I would venture to say most people in the same situation would opt out of it, too. Here's why.

* I don't think I have a stress fracture
* Doc doesn't think I have a stress fracture
* Hospital called the night before and gave me a heart attack when they said I needed to pay my deductible of $2,500 the next morning!

Honestly, the last part was the kicker. I don't generally keep that sort of money laying around...at least not for tests that aren't 100% needed. Sure, no harm in knowing for sure. But given that I can walk, I can do Yoga, I can bike, I can use the elliptical, etc. etc. etc. all without much pain at all...it just seems unnecessary. That isn't to say that if I was seriously injured or in a more intense amount of pain that I would get it taken care of. But I will not waste money - especially $2,500 - on a scan that, in all likelihood, would tell me all was well.

So, no needles yesterday!

I am taking the rest of this week to continue cardio (without running), then I will see about next week. But I would think I'll be good to go with 2-3 weeks of not jogging, given that it is a "sprain". Have I mentioned that I think it is tendonitis, and not a sprain? As long as it isn't a fracture, it is ALL good.

Wish I had a more exciting update on my training.

Monday: 75 Minutes of Yoga torture (went to the hardest class, accidently) and 80 minutes on the Arc Trainer

Tuesday: 15 minutes stationary bike, 25 minutes stretching

Wednesday: 60 minutes stationary bike

I'm pleased to report my ankle isn't bugging me too much. I'm just trying to be patient so it won't flare up again once I get back to running.

Here's to a great rest of the week! Thank you for all of your support.

Sunday Shout Out: Week Seven!

Another week passed. Another moment of shock that it was another week!

For anyone new to the blog - welcome! The Sunday Shout Out is my time to stop and thank each person who has donated to the Leukemia & Lympoma Society to help me reach my fundraising goals. While it is long-winded, it is incredibly important for me to do, as each person who donates is not only helping me, but is donating to such an important organziation. 

Donations this week:

Travis and Sophie are a darling couple! Travis is a partner at the law firm where my husband works. I rarely get to see them, and haven't even met their darling baby daughter, yet. (No good!) But regardless, it is awesome to have their support. And, if I could look half as put together as Sophie does anytime I see her, I'd be in heaven. She's awesome.

Jim and Janneanne are family on my Dad's side. (Yay family!) I used to see Janneanne when we both worked in the same building, but she has since retired. She is such a wonderful woman, and I am so proud to honor three of her siblings who lost their battles with Cancer. It is an awful thing, but I am thankful I can do this for her. I love you guys!

Meggan and Tyson are my dear friends from McPherson. Meggan and I actually met on a "blind date" of sorts. I had my first baby girl, and wasn't doing too well, mentally. My Mom and Meggan's mom are good friends, but I never knew Meggan because we were never in school together. So, my mom and Meggan's mom knew Meggan and I would be good together as friends, and they set us up. They were right. I adore Meggan and her friendship. She came into my life at a time where I needed an angel and a friend, and she means more to me than I can probably ever put into words. I love you both! Thank you, Meggan and Tyson! Give hugs to sweet Grayson for me.

Duncan and Maggie are relatives on my Dad's side of the family. I talked about their daughter, Kristen, last week in my shout out. I am so incredibly thankful for their support, and it makes me smile that I have such a big, supporive, and awesome family. Also, I sort of teased Duncan on Facebook and (lovingly) called he and my Dad "old guys" - and I think this means he forgives me. Ha! However, he is a Grandpa....  Seriously, thank you both so much. I'm so thankful to have you in my life.

Rod and Pam are friends that I have known a long time. Their daughter, Emma, and I were best friends back in the day. (Third grade!) Pam was always such a loving and kind Mom - and I am thankful to know her, and to still be in touch with their family. They are going to be Grandparents soon! It makes me smile to know that I've had such awesome people in my life, and who are still part of my life. Thank you so much, Rod and Pam!

My Aunt Terri is...well...she's awesome. Mind you, this is not even an Aunt related to Clayton. Despite that fact, she was so touched by what I am doing that she shared it with her boss. Her boss wanted to donate. And one of her coworkers wanted to as well. She went above and beyond and now these two women I have never even met have donated money to help me reach my goal. Mary asked that I honor a high school boy with Lymphoma that she knows, and Millie and Terri asked that I honor the husband of one of their  coworkers who has Lymphoma. I am so proud to do this for all of you. Terri, you are a testament to the fact that it just takes one person to create a domino effect. I truly appreciate you sharing this with your coworkers, and I appreciate that you were all so kind. Your email made me cry! You are awesome and I love you. Thank you.

Julian is awesome. He and I have been friends for years - we attended the same high school. I have been broken down on the interstate with him on the way to a concert. Took a theatre arts class and thought he hated me. We have traveled in Europe together. (Best high school trip. Ever.) And because he is a Columbian citizen, we all felt bad each time he was pulled aside and strip-searched (not really) at every.single.airport. Julian is doing his first Century Ride (100 miles) soon, and he also holds the "marathoner" title, too. All around athlete, I'd say. He is an incredible and talented artist, and works for Laika in Portland as a storyboard artist. If you are familiar with the movie Coraline - he worked on it! Julian, you rock. Thank you for always being you.

This week was quite touching, as my new running blogger friend April at Mommy's Fit for the King was kind enough to donate. I have been getting to know April since starting this blog, and she is a beautiful and fun woman. And obviously quite kind-hearted. And she has incredibly precious kids - three boys and a step-daughter. April knows what this means to me after reading my story and Clayton's story. She truly went above and beyond. She is always so supportive and kind, and this just took the cake. Thank you so much, April. I'm so glad to know you!

Bloggers, I'm finding, are an incredibly supportive bunch. I was blown away when I received the donation notification in my inbox...from Lorian at Running Guarantees Sanity! Oh my goodness. Warm fuzzies! Lorian is one of the most kind, most motivating, and most incredibly supportive bloggers out there. Her three sons are nearly the same ages as my three daughters. I'm hoping she'll make her way to Kansas for a race one of these days so we can meet and run together. Well, I'll try to keep up with her, anyway... When I sent a quick email to thank Lorian, she said she couldn't think of a better way to celebrate that I had run my first ever double-digit mileage. How sweet is that? Lorian, you are so fabulous. I'm thankful we keep in touch and I look forward to running with you sometime. I don't doubt it will happen. Thank you again!

Danny is my Mom's cousin - so Clayton and my Uncle Mike makes this quite personal to him. Danny and his wife, Linda, are so kind and supportive. I swear, it seems like I never get to see them! Thankfully for Facebook, we are able to better keep in touch. Danny was always so fun to be around while we were growing up. We all love him so much! Always so funny and kind. I'm thankful, as always, to have such a huge and loving family. Thank you so much, Danny and Linda!

Bill is a hilarious guy. I laugh when I say, "guy" in relation to him...when he greets anyone, even a female, he says, "Hey guy!" Bill and I worked together at the law firm where my husband works. He has since retired, and I obviously don't work there anymore, but he was awesome. One of the best chief operating officers ever. What a fabulous man. He was kind and fun to be around, and I really believe he did a lot of good for the firm. It was nice to work for someone who was so easy to work with. I'm so thankful that Bill was so kind and supportive to me back then, and now as well. Thank you, Bill!

Jim and Bertie are relatives on my Mom's side of the family - this is important to them based on it being in Clayton's honor (and for my Uncle Mike). Bertie is so beautiful. I even have memories of her from when I was really young. I have always loved her speaking voice. She has always stuck out in my mind as someone that I will never forget. Jim and Bertie - I am so appreciative of your support. Thank you so much!

Mike and Shannon are my Uncle and Aunt. You've heard about Mike before - he is the Lymphoma survivor! My Uncle Mike is hilarious. I mean, he is one of those guys who loves to tease and loves to laugh. I grew up loving him, and he still has a smile that lights up a room. I hope it is ok that I share this story. I don't remember too much from when he was going through his treatments. But there is one instance I will never forget. My Aunt Shannon threw a surprise party for him. It was when he wasn't feeling great. I remember him smiling that smile. A while later, I looked over and he was in a chair, bent over with his head in his hands. I don't know why that moment sticks out in my head. Maybe because I knew in that moment how horrid he felt. Or maybe it was just that it broke my heart to see him hurting. Whatever it was, it makes me tear up to think about. He had to go and lay down after that. He got through it, and now he's back to his crazy and fun antics. I'm just so thankful for his life. I really am. I love you both. Thank you so much.

Michelle and JonRoy - well, you've heard a lot about them, too! They are Clayton's Mom and Dad. Let me tell you...when you get a donation from someone who has a son still having chemo for Leukemia, it breaks your heart. And it makes your heart swell up to twice its normal size. And it makes you cry. And it humbles you. And it shows you that they are strong. And it reminds me that they are proud of me. And that, my friends, is all the motivation I need. Michelle and JonRoy - I love you and your family so much. Thank you for the inspiration. Thank you for the support. And thank you for allowing me to do this for Clayton.

In other news:

Whew. This post was not only time consuming, but emotional. So many amazing people, so much kindness, and so many incredible connections. As always, it was worth every minute spent writing it.

This week was a rough one, with no running. I am going to attempt to do the Arc Trainer or the elliptical this week in addition to the bike, and see how it goes. I'm renewed and refreshed and ready to be healed and back at it. But, patience will be worth it.

I have been in contact with one of the Coaches for my Team in Training. He gave me the lowdown I needed to hear before officially deciding to do the RnR San Diego Full just 20 days before doing the RnR Seattle Full. Now that we're on the same page (I needed to hear the facts about the physical risks, I needed him to hear why I want to do this) and now we can work together to get me there. YES!

Missed my Team so much last week. Will miss them again this week. Praying that the week after gets me back where I belong.

I won my first Bondi Band from Erica at Run Mommy, Run! Very exciting to get it and test it out. It will be a great bonus to getting back to running after this little injury. Thanks Erica! Congrats on your first 5k!

Have a great week!

Facing My Fears

Ok. More like facing my biggest fear.

Needles.

The best news is that after an Xray, I do not have an obvious stress fracture! Whoooopppeeee! Doc thinks it is a sprain and we're treating it as such. One of my friends asked how long before I can run on it. Forgot to ask. My youngest daughter (18 months) was literally rolling around on the floor, which is much more than my germaphobic brain can handle...then she started using my middle daughter (3 years) as a punching bag. So my mind was on other things, and busy celebrating the lack of fracture.

Here's the thing. Now I have to go in for a bone scan to make sure there isn't a fracture lurking around in there somewhere. There is a needle involved to inject dye into my ankle, then sitting for an hour (like a spa day!) and then having the scan done. I have to plan on being at the hospital for three hours (like a LONG spa day!). Let me tell you, the explanation alone made me all light headed and tingly.

Here is how I am framing this in my mind. My fear of needles is quite intense. So intense that I - being the wuss I am - decided childbirth would be much better without an epidural or any other pain meds because heck if I was going to have a needle anywhere near me. It worked out well! Three great births without pain meds. So now that I know a needle will be stuck in my ankle, I am going to think of Clayton. All the needles HE has been poked with. That my cousin now gives him his chemo injections herself. That Clayton is less of a wuss than me.

And I will breathe.

And I will think of that precious little boy braving far more than I have to.

And I will get through it.

And they will give me the all clear that there's no fracture!

Beyond all of this...any clue how long I should bike before running again? I took this week off by force (husband was out of town and we don't have a bike here), so perhaps if I bike through next week, I will be good to go? Or can I still run on it with an air cast? I'm clueless.

Also, I am 86.35% sure that I will do the Rock 'n Roll San Diego marathon, too! So excited! San Diego and Seattle. It feels right.

Double-Digit Saturday!

TEN MILES. First time ever in the double digits! Whoot!

1 - 10:02
2 - 9:50
3 - 9:33
4 - 9:35
5 - 9:51
6 - 9:35
7 - 9:36
8 - 9:27
9 - 9:56
10 - 9:26
Total Time: 1:37:00

I won't lie. I wanted to croak after mile 7. The pace was really quick for a long run. For me, anyway. When I plug numbers into the McMillan Running Calculator I get that my pace for long runs should be 10:53 to 11:53. So yes, I was dying.

We had our coach tell us about the 100 miler he did (in 17 hours, 27 minutes. He's superhuman.) the second half of the run, so that helped pass the time. But I really think I need to be run smarter and slow it down as the mileage increases. 9-something is great for 6 miles. But 10 miles...wow. Yes, I "can" do it. Obviously. But the cost (much pain in the ankle) might be signaling something.

Honestly, this was the first time I didn't feel amazing afterward. Not even mentally. Proud, sure. I survived! But totally beat down. That has been a hard pill to swallow this week. But the most amazing thing happens - despite feeling down and out, I've received the most incredible notes/emails/comments of encouragement than I have this entire training cycle. It is obvious I needed to hear the words - they have been an incredible source of strength to me. Thank you!

I am forced into resting quite a bit based on my schedule this week, so it truly comes at the perfect time. I am going to ice and rest and get Zero Balanced on Saturday. Considering a massage as well and going to the doc tomorrow to see about some Physical Therapy. Probably not a bad idea, pain or not.

Despite my mental smackdown, I have been so energized with regard to raising money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Clayton's honor. With that said, I am considering doing the Rock 'n Roll San Diego Marathon June 6th! (In addition to Seattle RnR June 26.) What can I say? I know this mental state is just a temporary blah and that I'll be back to being on cloud 9 in no time. Big decision to make in the next month! There is nothing like saving lives to motivate. Truly.