Fairhaven Waterfront 15K

Yesterday was the Fairhaven Waterfront 15K. I was really doubtful of my ability to complete this race of 9.3 miles. I fretted about it all week long. I missed a couple of my short runs last week due to extenuating circumstances and really did not feel at all prepared for Saturday. I can't wait until the pictures are done.

It was worked into our training schedule as our regular Saturday long run. It is the longest stretch I have run since I got sick. I completed it, and I ran it at a pace faster than I thought I could. I am so thrilled. Even more importantly I feel great today. I recovered very quickly. I was able to go out and get a nice easy paced run in early this morning and I have no aches or pains from all that running.

We are having a perfect extended summer. I am so glad for that.

Next week we have a fundraising event to coincide with the move in weekend of WWU. Hopefully we will have a decent turnout and sizeable donations.

Right now, I am going to go make Blackberry jam.

Back To School and all that jazz.

I am trying to adjust to the school schedules starting around here and fitting my running in during the week. I prefer to run first thing in the morning, but find I am running at night instead. The mornings are too dark now at the times I get up. Soon it will be too dark to run in the evening safely out here where I live. I am going to have to figure out how to get my runs in mid day.

I got a Nike+. I really like it. I guess I like to see for real just how slow of a runner I am. But you know.. I ran the solid 40 minutes today - no walk breaks. I might be slow, but I can run and I will finish what I set out to do. It took me a long time to be ok with being so slow. It was hard to have everyone pass me coming and going on the long runs. But eventually I settled in to being ok with the fact that I am who I am and I run slow. I think I am running pretty fast - then I look at my Plus and see I am cruising at the speed of 13.1 minute miles. Mario Andretti of the track I am not.

I am starting to get donations in the mail. It is so exciting to see those return envelopes tucked in the junk mail and bills when I arrive home from work. It keeps me going. My family - all of them - extended and immediate are incredible. I just love them and am so fortunate in my life to have them.

I will be adding my grandpa Henry Kinnune to my honored list. I put his name on my wristlet to wear as I train. He died of Leukemia long before I was born. My cousin sent in a donation and asked I run the marathon in his honor. Not only will I do that, but I will also train in his honor.

This weekend we run 90 minutes and then I have been asked if I wanted to sell hot dogs again at our local grocery store. The last time we did that a couple weeks ago a bit of a fiasco occured with the group following us. We were treated very poorly by some of the group members. I let the store manager know what happened. As a result I am being set up to fundraise in conjunction with a big store event - a Tail Gate Party to kick off the Seahawk's NFL season. The store is donating all the food fixings and I just need to sell them and keep all the proceeds for my marathon.

Sometimes it pays to speak up.

Procrastination

Yesterday I really did not want to run. In fact I came pretty close to convincing myself I could skip out. Then I started thinking about why I am running and training for a marathon and the people I am running in honor of. They can't skip out of Chemo or radiation. For them it is life or death. And sometimes death still wins over life.

So I begrudgingly put on my running gear, drove to the track and ran. It was a great run and I felt so much better after.

I think I might have made it beyond the initial hump of running. I have been able to run the entire short runs on our training schedule with no walk breaks except a 3 minute warm up and 3 minute cool down.

I know that there will be bumps in the road, but today I feel accomplished.

Long runs and weekends

Last week was one of those weeks that were go go go go. It was an up and out the door in the early morning and not get home until 9-10PM 3 out of 5 weeknights. By Friday I was wiped. I did get my runs in and by Saturday I no longer feel like I am running knee deep in water. Maybe I am turing a corner? Only time will tell.

Saturday was the most and longest stretch I have run at one time since I fell ill. It was a great easy pace, fabulous company and perfect weather. We went a bit over time, but it felt ok.

I spent the rest of the day on my feet hawking hot dogs for a good cause. We did ok. Not spectacular, but hey $ toward goal is $ toward goal. We got some honking horns and shouts of "Go Team", sad stories and triumphant stories.

When I woke this morning I was worried about soreness and tightness, but felt great all day. "

I am destined to be a very slow runner - always I think. I am ok with that. I get passed by most runners. I just keep plodding along. My goal is the finish. My purpose is to honor those that have had their lives turned upside down by a blood cancer.

I found a quote today that sums it all up for me. "The race doesn't always go to the swiftest or the fastest it goes to the one who keeps on running. "
-unknown

General Update

I got my fundraising letter done. I will work on getting it in the mail by the end of this week. I am pretty pleased with it, if I do say so myself.

Saturday's kickoff was wonderful. We have such a great team. I hope everyone makes it through recommitment. I put together Nalgene bottles for my mentees and filled them with pretzels, jolly ranchers, dark chocolate and GU packs. Things many find helpful as the runs progressively get longer. We had a short run - 45 minutes on Saturday and then a fundraising clinic after. It was cold windy and rainy.

Sunday I got my 30 minutes in early in the morning and felt pretty wiped out the entire day. Yesterday I didn't do any running. This morning I slept through the alarm so that means my run looms in front of me all day long. I prefer running first thing in the morning. Then it is out of the way.

My youngest has strep and was up off and on all night. By the time I finally fell asleep, the alarm didn't register in my brain at all.

I am hoping the runs start getting easier soon.

Yahoo news has a great article about running. It reaffirms my madness and love for running. Running Goodness.

Time to air the place out and dust out the cobwebs!

I am officially in the clear to train for a marathon again. After my last post in March I got very ill and was eventually diagnosed with Lupus. My last post in March signalled the point I stopped running. I spent the next several months visiting doctors, having blood tests, transfusions, and a multitude of other tests until the offical word was given.

I spent the spring and early summer figuring out the new body I have, trying a variety of horrific medicines and learning to live with chronic pain. So after all that I have been given go ahead to try to run and train for another marathon. Lupus has been more devastating to me on a personal level than a physical level. While the pain can be intense and difficult, the emotional aspect of not understanding my body clearly and having to learn to seek help and realize I can't do all I once did is far worse for me. I had to drop out of training for Anchorage and that marathon was important to me on a very personal level. My very closest childhood friend lives in Anchorage and I haven't seen her since I was 18. I was hoping not only to see a glimpse of Alaska, but also to try to make contact with her. Life continues and all I can do is keep moving forward.

This takes me to my new quest - training for Walt Disneyworld in January 09. This was my first week back running since March. It has been tough. Not only do I have the hot days of summer to contend with, but I am at square one. I feel like I am running in knee deep water. But I ran - 3 minute run, 1 minute walk intervals and I hit every day on the schedule.

I am excited and determined. Every Friday is blood test and weigh in day. As long as I maintain my platelet and iron counts and not drop in weight I get to keep running. So far so good!

I have to say, emotionally the running has been good for me this week. It momentarily lets me forget about my Lupus.

Off to take a pain pill and a handful of vitamins and minerals and then slumber here I come.

Must be more consistent

I need to be more consistent about blogging here! I am training and trying to be diligent in my running. Our group runs are great. The season is much different that my first. This is just as wonderful as last season. I definately hope to run Nike again, but not for a few years. I have some other runs to accomplish first.

It feels sort of strange training for a half marathon instead of a full this go around. I feel sort of like I whimped out.

I was late for yesterday's group run, but I did get my required time in. Lake Padden is so muddy. My shoes were just trashed. It took three cycles through the wash to get them clean. I let them dry out under our propane fireplace. I definately prefer summer training to winter/spring training. I don't like the dark mornings and cold rain.

This last week was crazy personally and the daily runs helped my sanity. I can't imagine life without those runs. I don't want to imagine life without those runs. Running has made me a much better, calmer, happier person. Skinnier too!

I am failing in the fundraising aspect this go around. I just haven't gotten off the procrastination train and powered through. My goal is to get as much in $ donated as I can in the next 2 weeks. I want to hit the half mark by April 7.