Sick = Rest

Miles in 2013: 451
Days until NYC: 118

That's right folks - I only ran 6 miles this week.  After my run Tuesday morning (which really wasn't bad with some pretty consistent mile repeats)  I came home took a nap and woke up with a sore throat.  Not a good sign.  By the time I woke up the next morning I was full on sick, aches, chills, hot flashes, miserable.  I even went to the doctor who was nice enough to tell me that I hadn't been sick long enough to really have bronchitis yet but gave me a hearty dose of antibiotics and steroids.  Here it is 4 or 5 days later and I still feel terrible.  Luckily, this week had 2 "on your own" runs, both of which I planned on doing, and both of which I missed.  Apparently this was my bodies way of saying that I needed to rest - ok, ok, ok I get it.  I'm hitting the pavement Tuesday regardless of how I feel because I am going stir crazy!  I also have 16 miles on Saturday, and a 5k (with a medal of course) on Sunday.

At the doctor's - sick ain't fun

On  a side note, I received my registration code for the charity spot for the NYC Marathon and am officially registered with my transportation and baggage options all selected.  I'm also 57% of the way to my fundraising goal!  If you haven't had a chance yet check out my fundraising site and make a donation if you can.  If you've already donated, thank you so much and how about you suggest it to a friend that they match your donation!

Almost Half Way!

Miles in 2013: 445
Days until NYC Marathon: 125

 

I clearly am super excited to be running the New York City Marathon!  Training for an early fall marathon in Central Florida during the summer time is not fun!  Saturday I did 14 hot, sweaty, humid miles at a 12:36 moving pace!  It was what I needed to get to 100 miles run this month!  I think it will be the first of many 100 mile months especially while training for NYC and the Dopey Challenge!  This week I should have between 20-25 miles even with the holiday thrown in there.

100 Miles in June!

After 14 miles!  Our first matching outfit of the season!

A great Dopey gift from Dennis to keep us inspired for all this training

I also got to meet up with Jen on Friday.  We spent the day doing a much more fun cardio workout - SHOPPING!  Since I've lost about 85 pounds in the past 2.5 years most of my work clothes are falling off of me.  It was great to get some new threads that actually fit.  Jen and I also planned out some of the stuff we want to do while NYC (she's excited for the trip too!) It's a good thing that I'm running a marathon while I'm there because most of our list was places to eat!

Best of all, I'm happy to report that in just 2 weeks, I'm already almost halfway to my fundraising goal!  47% of the way there!  A huge thank you to those of you that have already donated!  I couldn't do this without you!  If you're still interested in donating here is my fundraising site!  I also still have everything in my Etsy shop being sold and added to my fundraising efforts.  I am confident with everyone's support I will be able to hit my goal soon!

 

47% Already!

 

 

 

26% of my Goal!

Miles in 2013: 400
Days until the NYC Marathon: 135

I finally was able to set up my fundraising website for my spot in the NYC Marathon on Monday.  I am so glad to say that I'm already at 26% of my goal!  I have had some very generous donations already and I am so thankful and appreciative of everyone's support.  I still have 4 months to reach my goal, but am glad to have had such a strong start!  I had a great chat with Shannon today and I think we came up with 2 great locally based fundraisers to help me reach my goal... stay tuned!  I still have items for sale in my Etsy shop and all of that money will go towards my total as well!

This morning I ran a great 6 miles, and have 12 on schedule for tomorrow.  Training is moving along and I can't wait to take NYC by storm!

Thanks again to everyone who as already donated or is planning on donating!  Feel free to share my blog and fundraising info with anyone - it helps spread awareness and every donation helps!

and.... I'm In!!!!

Miles in 2013: 382.2
Days Until the NYC Marathon: 142

I'm in!  I have a spot on the charity team for the 2013 NYC Marathon!  I will be officially running and fundraising for The Pink Agenda.  I am so excited to have a spot for this race.  Jen will be joining me in NYC for the weekend.  We are going to celebrate her one year cancer free anniversary, laugh, cry, enjoy the city, oh yeah and I'll throw in a quick 26.2 mile run!  I can't wait to see Jen at the finish line!

In the meantime, it's time to start fundraising.  My official fundraising page through the crowdrise platform should be able to be set up in the next week and as soon as it is I'll be sure to post the link.  Until then, I am also selling everything in my Etsy Shop and donating all of that revenue to the charity.  Check it out, there are NYC prints, an inspirational quote print, and custom pet portraits up for grabs.  I have plans to make a few other items as well so check back in a few weeks for new items.

Thanks for all of your support so far on this amazing journey!

The Waiting Game

Miles in 2013: 354

Last I posted I had just finished the Sarasota Half Marathon with Jen and was a little over a month away from the Kentucky Derby Marathon.  I ran a few races in between those.  My first 15k, and a 10k.  I had a great time in Louisville with Elie for the Kentucky Derby Marathon. The marathon wasn't easy, the "ring of Hell" that was all hills in the middle of the race was not enjoyable - but, I took off another 40 minutes of my time!  I finished with a 5:43!

Riverside Dash 15k

 



Heart Healthy 10k

PR in Kentucky

 

After the marathon I got back to running quicker than I have in my previous 2 marathons.  I ran a 5k for Lung Cancer, and kept my training in maintenance mode.  Our new season of Marathonfest starts back on Tuesday and I'm ready to get back to training hard.  It already feels like the middle of July, so I have no doubts that this will be a miserably hot and humid summer!  Several of us got the crazy idea to sign up for the Dopey Challenge during Disney Marathon Weekend.  If you thought I was insane for doing the Goofy last year, this is even worse!  4 days, 48.6 Miles, a 5k, a 10k, a Half, and a Marathon!  In addition to training for Dopey I am crossing my fingers that a charity spot for The NEW YORK CITY MARATHON comes through this week!  I didn't get a spot in the lottery, but I emailed in my charity application last Thursday and should hear back this week.  This week was also the 1 year anniversary of Jen being diagnosed with breast cancer.  It's been a rough year, but I can definitely say that this one will be even better!  Her thank you blog to me made me cry like crazy!  I am so happy to say she is doing great, looking great, rocking an adorable hair style and living life to the fullest! 

For now, cross your fingers that I get my charity spot and then be ready for me to start all my fundraising requests!  Jen and I already have flights and a hotel booked for NYC Marathon weekend, I can't wait to hug my friend at the finish line!

Sarasota Half Finishers

Miles in 2013: 182
Days until the Kentucky Derby Marathon: 39

This blog is a special one.  This weekend I went down to Sarasota for the First Watch Sarasota Half Marathon.  I went down and stayed with Jen for the race.  Saturday night Jen and her whole family, me and Kathleen and her husband met for dinner at Pei Wei.  It was great to have two of my favorite cancer survivors (remember Kathleen is a 14 year Lung Cancer survivor) get to finally meet each other.  It was a nice evening sitting outside on the patio talking and enjoying each other's company.  After dinner Jen and I got all our race day stuff together before heading to bed.

The next morning we were up bright and early and headed down to the race start.  Leah and her mom, and Carolyn got there about the same time as us so we all piled in Leah's "batmobile" to keep warm.  Eventually with Kathleen in tow, we headed to the corrals where we eventually met up with Amy.  Jen and I had matching shirts (sorry Leah!) with a little play on Bon Jovi's "Livin on a Prayer" they read "We're 13.1 there... Livin on a prayer.  Take my hand, we'll make it swear!"  which I think was the perfect sentiment for the day.  Jen truly has been "living on a prayer" for 9 months now.

The race started and we took off towards the Ringling Bridge and St. Armand's Circle.  We ran some intervals and walked up the bridge together.  Leah, her mom, and Carolyn took off for a very speedy half, and Kathleen and Amy ran a pretty nice race together.  Jen and I worked our way out to the circle and back.  What was great about this was seeing all the Sarasota runners that she knows, and all of the Orlando runners that I know along this part of the course.

Somewhere along the way we started walking alot, but were keeping a pretty awesome walking pace!  Around mile 9 near Ringling the the 3 1/2 hour pace group leader passed us, but there were still lots of people behind us.  Slowly, those people started to pass us by.  Jen's goal had been not only to finish this race, but also to not be the last finisher, so I promised that I would let her finish in front of me!  By mile 10 or so, we were the end of the race and the pace bus was right behind us.  I had a little chat with the bus driver and informed him that we WOULD be finishing so he needed to not pick us up.  Everyone in the bus (mostly medical staff I think) was great and encouraging and said that they were just there to make sure we were ok and that they would let us finish.  After a quick joke about the driver enjoying his view (I was wearing some pretty sweet Nike tights), Jen and I kept walking.  There were some emotional moments along the way, and I do remember saying to her "You have been to Hell and back this year - what's a few more miles?"  Around mile 11, two of Jen's friends came and walked with us for a half mile or so.  At mile 12 girls from my training pace group started to slowly meet us with us.  First Leah and her mom, then Kathleen, then Amy, Chris, and Patrick, and then Carolyn.  I am tearing up right now just thinking about how I spend hours and hours of my life with some of the greatest and most supportive people.  These ladies had already run 13.1 miles of their own, and walked a mile back to support me and my best friend that they barely knew.  I cannot begin to say just how wonderful they are and how I am forever grateful to them for that final mile.

Finally, we turned the corner and saw the finish line.  Jen's husband, kids, and parents were there waiting for us.  All my friends sort of drifted away, I took Jen's hand and we ran in the last tenth of a mile.  We crossed the finish line together, hand in hand, and a minute and a half before the time limit of the race.  After crossing the finish line panels Jen turned and asked if we were really done or if we had to go any further.  I assured her that yes, we were done and we had a big hug and some tears.  Later we checked the results, and although we may have crossed that finish line last, 2 girls must have started the race before us because their chip times were slower than ours, so Jen's goal is technically achieved - we weren't totally last!  This was no easy accomplishment for Jen.  It hurt, and she was (and still is!) sore.  I am amazed at her strength and determination to attempt this race and be able to finish it.  She's only 4 1/2 months out of chemo and 3 months out of radiation.  Before yesterday she'd only ever been able to run 3 miles.  I hope as the pain and soreness goes away she looks back fondly and with a very proud heart.  I love her and am so incredibly proud to call her my best friend.

Bon Jovi, Birthday, and Blisters

Miles in 2013: 168.5
Days until the Kentucky Derby Marathon: 47

I've been busy since my last race!  Jen messaged me and asked if I would meet her in Tampa to go see her favorite band, Bon Jovi, perform.  Even though it meant that I'd be getting not many hours of sleep before my weekend training run I said yes without hesitation!  After a dinner at The Cheesecake Factory we headed to the Tampa Bay Times Forum for several hours of Bon Jovi.  Jen had also ditched her wig and is owning her new super cute short 'do!

 

The next morning on about an hour and a half of sleep I met up with the group to run 18 miles.  None of us thought that sounded remotely fun so instead we muscled through 12 miles and called it a day.  Somewhere between my watch and my computer my run disappeared.  Runners who live for their Garmin results know if it doesn't show in Garmin Connect it never happened - but I PROMISE you I did twelve!  Tuesday was Jen's 32nd birthday and I am so thankful that she was able to see this birthday, be feeling and looking good and celebrate!  Here's a little photo montage of 13 or so years of friendship.

Saturday we decided to make up for skipping the 18 miler the weekend before and torture ourselves with 18 miles in the hills of Apopka.  I know I needed to do it (I mean Kentucky isn't what we'd call flat and I DO have a marathon there in less than two months) but I sure felt like they were trying to kill me.  I guess I can thank Dennis for torturing me and keeping me running through the 18 miles and a not so leisurely mile cool down.  He was nice enough to point out that we ran the 19 miles in under a 6 hour marathon pace.  So hopefully the weather will cooperate with me and I'll be able to go under 6 hours in Kentucky!  I have had a blister ever since the Goofy that will almost heal only to get a new one right under it.  Apopka made a whole new nasty blister under it.  I thankfully had a mani/pedi already scheduled at Vida Wellness in Winter Park.  I appologized to the pedicure girl for my feet being such a gross hot mess, if you're in the area I would totally reccomend going there for some spa treatments!

That's right - 19 miles!

Leah and I cute as ever in matching Nike

This thing hurts

 

Thanks Vida!

Coming up this weekend is the First Watch Sarasota Half Marathon.  Jen and I signed up for this almost a year ago, before she had her last baby, before cancer, and chemo, and masetcomies, and radiation.  It's been ugly, but I am so proud to say that my beautiful friend will be joining me on St. Patty's Day as we trug through 13.1 miles together.  It will be my 13th half marathon, and her first, but I can guarantee you it will be the best one I've ever done.  We have some cute Bon Jovi inspired shirts to wear thanks to Big Frog Orlando.  Jen was also chosen to be the inspirational story for the race and will featured in the Sarasota Observer on Thursday and the Sarasota local ABC News 7 at noon!  Be sure to check back next week for a recap of that race!