4:30 am Wake-up Call

I am mentally and physically preparing for my 21 mile run in the morning...

the last long run before San Diego.

At 5am, while you are peacefully dreaming away the morning, please send some good vibes my way.

My shins will need them!

Heartbreaker

So True...

End of the Season

This week marks the end of our baseball season.

I love baseball, but four games a week has gotten old

and

I'm tired.

Great job, boys!!

Whiskey Row 1/2

On Saturday, I ran the Whiskey Row 1/2 marathon in Prescott.

It was a grueling race!

For the first 6 1/2 miles, we climbed about 1000 ft., winding up a mountain. Several times throughout the race I heard runners second guessing their decision to run this one. I have to admit, I was right there with them!

The Whiskey Row marathon is described as "one of toughest in the United States" and that's no exaggeration. It was a beast!!

The Whiskey was a great training race for my marathon in 4 weeks, but I'm glad it's over. I finished with a time of 2:02 and considering the difficulty,

I'm happy with that!

Heavy Hitter

This handsome fella hit two homeruns at last night's game.

Awesome job, Little Man!!

Love/Hate Relationship

Love


Hate
I am in a dysfunctional relationship.

I'm in love with the run...On those days I am consumed with thoughts of it; When is my next one? How will I get faster/stronger? Running is my serenity. I leave this world and escape into my own thoughts. I work through life's issues, talk with my mom, plan tonight's dinner. The run is where I leave all of my worries and frustrations on the pavement. It makes me physically and mentally strong and the feeling of complete and total exhaustion after a run is one of the greatest highs you can experience. And...finally, I have a pair of calves I can be proud of.

But, sometimes I hate running. I ran eighteen miles yesterday morning. Two miles in, my knee ached and this nagging, terrible pain in my ankle decided to make an early appearance. The pain doesn't go away. My willingness to acknowledge it does. I run on. I spend at least 2 hours/day icing, alternating between my right knee, left ankle, and right calf (and sometimes, strange as it sounds, my left forearm). I wear this magnetic knee stabilizing brace at night. I have a side of ibuprofen with my breakfast, lunch, and dinner and my physical exhaustion has, at times, impaired my mental keenness (I ran straight into a garbage can on a run recently). For all of these reasons, at this very moment, I hate running.

However, like most people in any dysfunctional relationship, I will acknowledge all of damaging and destructive effects of my running and then I will ignore them and hope they go away.

Because, after all, the run is just too good to give up.

Thank you, thank you, thank you. After so many of you have generously adopted my marathon miles, I only have one more left. After all 26 miles are sponsored, I hope to continue to raise as much $$ as possible. If you donate, you will be listed to the right as an additional sponsor. This morning, I attended the funeral of a friend's mom who died last week of pancreatic cancer. Again, we were reminded how devastating this disease is. On May 31st, I want to cross that finish line knowing that I have raised as much as I can to contribute to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network in honor of my mom. Thank you for supporting me. It helps me get through those painful days!

26.2 for Mom

I will have days when I don't know if I can run a marathon.
I will have a lifetime knowing that I have.

I have been waiting until my legs decided that they can endure 26.2 miles. And... now that I am almost done with the most intense part of my training, I want to invite you to join me in raising money in honor of my mom!

On May 31st, I will be running the San Diego Rock-n-Roll Marathon. I am using this opportunity to give to the Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to advance research, support patients, and create hope for all those affected by pancreatic cancer.

I am hoping that you will become a part of this important and exciting experience by adopting one of my miles. If you would like to support my run in honor of my mom, please choose a mile to adopt (the available miles will stay posted on the right side of my blog) and donate a minimum of $50. To do so, simply click on the "26.2 for Mom" button on the right and follow the directions. I know times are tight and if you are unable to adopt a mile, please click anyway and make a donation in any amount. Every little bit makes a difference!

As many of you know, I have been wanting to run a marathon for a long time. Combining my love for running and doing what little I can to fight this devastating disease seemed like a great opportunity. My mom did not just sit back and watch life from the sidelines. She got in there, got involved, and made a difference. She changed people's lives and I know that she will be with me the entire 26.2 miles whispering, "You can do this!"

Trouble