Running for the Future

My mother-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer over the summer. She is the 4th woman in her family to battle this disease. Her mother and niece are survivors and her sister lost her fight. The clock has started for my daughter and I don't think I will ever hear it stop ticking. 

Being 11 hours away, I feel helpless. I can't sit next to my amazing mother during treatments, make her dinners, or clean her house. I can call, text, send her funny pictures of my kids but I can't be THERE.

and it's killing me.

But I can run and although there are many charities near and dear to my heart, I have never ran a marathon as a fundraiser. Basically, I hate asking people for money. Even if it's for a good cause.

Well, times they are a changin'.

On December 13, 2014, I will be my running my 6th marathon, the Rocket City Marathon, in Huntsville, AL. I will be running to raise money for the American Cancer Society in the hopes that someday our mothers, sisters, aunts, and daughters will be free from this disease.

I ask you to support me, foremost, in prayer. This will be an emotional race for me. I'm not just running it for myself but for my family. I also covet your prayers for my mom, Robin, as she endures months of treatment and uncertainty. In addition, a dear friend of mine, Tom, was also recently diagnosed with cancer and is also facing treatment. Some of you or someone you love may have been given this life changing diagnosis - please know that even if I don't know their name, I am praying for them. Praying for God's strength, wisdom, and love during this difficult trial.

Secondly, I ask that you would consider donating. $1 a mile. $5 a mile. Pick a dollar amount, 1-26, and I will pray for you during that mile. Every dollar counts towards defeating this disease. 

 

I have created a fundraising page, http://main.acsevents.org/goto/LJZP, where you can easily donate online. 

Thank you for you support, prayers, and love. Together we can make a difference.    

26.2 Training: Week 3

Week 3 is all about me being a wuss. I, unfortunately, live in a town where dog owners feel it unnecessary to leash their pets. Some dogs bark, some bark and chase, while others just come up from behind you and scare the ever living day lights out of you. Which is what happened to me on Wednesday.

I was running along, minding my own business, when all of the sudden there was a dog. I've seen this dog before and while he's not particularly aggresive, he is quite persistent. I was afraid he would continue to follow me and the uncertainty of his behavior is what unnerved me the most.

After I stopped semi hyperventilating, I firmly told him (using my best stern mommy voice) to go home and started to walk slowly backwards. After a minute or two, he lost interest and bounded back up the hill towards, what I'm assuming, is his home.

You know what aggravated me the most about the whole incident? The distance I lost; having to walk just in case he decided he wanted to chase me again.

grrr.

I spent the rest of the run composing an angry letter to the dog owners of my town that I would never have the guts to actually send.

Thankfully, the rest of the week was uneventful. Saturday's long run of 6 miles went well and gave me a much needed ego boost.

This week the mileage increases, including a double digit long run. Hold onto your hats, things are starting to heat up!

Week 4
Tuesday: 3
Wednesday: 6
Thursday: 3
Saturday: 11

26.2 Training: Week 2

I'm sorry this is a little late. I was feeling particularly lazy after Saturday's long run that took place in a billion percent humidity and I've been reading a string of good books recently so I got distracted.

A good book can do that.

Anyhoo, week 2 went well. I bumped, or should I say ran into, my running partner on Tuesday so that was a nice surprise. Wednesday's run was hot as was the rest of my runs last week. I would literally give a toe not to have to run in the heat. I just keep telling myself I am going to be super fast when the weather cools down and I am SO thankful this marathon is in December.

Week 3 is a step down week. I LOVE step down weeks with a passion that is borderline scary. There is nothing that can lift you out of a marathon training fog like a step down week. My rookie marathon training buddy showed some signs of disappointment when she realized we were only running 6 miles for our long run this week. Just wait, I told her. Just wait and you will fall in love with step down weeks too.

Week 3
Monday: 3 mi
Wednesday: 5 mi
Thursday:3 mi
Saturday: 6 mi

Want more?  Week 1 Recap

reality.

A kind neighbor that we don't know very well stopped by my house today to offer me some vegetables from her garden. My kids, unknowingly to me, answered the door. At that moment, G started screaming. I scooped him up off the changing pad, in just his diaper, and made my way past the swim floaties, puddle jumper, skateboard, empty box, and freestanding fan that have found a home in my hallway. I avoided the backpacks and the sneakers that were abandoned the second their owners came through the door. I glanced at the table that still had the remains of lunch and a Nalgene bottle serving as a vase for a beloved sunflower.

When I finally made it to the door, I looked down and realized I was wearing the same clothes I had worn to the gym earlier that morning. Which means I smelled the same as I had when I left the gym that morning.

All I kept thinking as this wonderful woman was telling me about her bountiful garden was "please don't look past me into my house. Please don't look into the pit of despair."

Being a stay-at-home mom can be awesome. It can also set you up for a lot of guilt and unreasonable expectations. It could stand to reason that if you're home all day, your house should be clean. Or atleast the spaces that neighbors can see if they peer over your shoulder while standing in the doorway.

By 4:00 p.m. beds should be made, laundry that was washed on Saturday should be put away, and you should know what your family is having for dinner.

That was not the case today.

And it's not because I had an overwhelming or stressful day. The kids were relatively well behaved, although admittedly a tad bit eager to bring every book, car, and baby doll into the living room.

The truth of the matter is that I started reading a book after lunch and other then putting the girls down for rest, I did nothing else but read. And you know what? It was a good book. And after I finished it it, I cuddled with my two youngest children, put the laundry away and cleaned up my living room.

The beds can wait until tomorrow.

26.2 Training: Week 1

I have a selective memory when it comes to running marathons. When I sign up for one or start organizing a training plan, it seems exciting, fun, and even easy. Then it starts and I am quickly reminded that sometimes it is not fun and definitely not easy. Especially when training starts in August. In the South. 

Week 1 is done. It wasn't pretty. I can't seem to get comfortable or get settled in quickly enough. This morning it took 6 miles to find my groove, which is a shame because it was only an 8 mile run. 

There are a few things I need to work on including properly fueling during a run and stretching more regularly. I have a nagging soreness in my hip and a stiff toe joint situation going on with both my big toes. I'm such an old lady. 

I'm having those doubts that are common when you start training for a marathon. What if it never gets easier? Can I really do this? Do I even WANT to do this? Will I be ready? I actually had to stop and remind myself that I've felt this way before and still managed to cross the finish line. Then I invoked my mantra: "Trust the Training". I tell people all the time if you put in the miles, you will do it.

Time to take my own advice. 

Week 2 

Tuesday: 3 mi
Wednesday: 5mi
Thursday: 3 mi
Saturday: 9 mi

my kids.

Kids say the darnedest things. Here are a few gems from the last couple of DAYS (not weeks. DAYS.)

while watching the PGA Championship 

Me: did you just try to hit your sister with the remote control?

W: mmmm. I don't know.

Me: give to me.

W: but I want to fast forward! There are commercials and TALKING!

Me: little boys who hit their sisters with remote controls have to watch commercials.  

during bedtime prayers...

E: thank you God for pickles

W: (whispering to Seth) pickles? When did you have pickles?

E: (whispering to W) you didn't finish your dinner.

Turn around to see E with a pair of scissors about to cut her hair

Me: NO! NO! NO! We DONOT cut our hair. Paper! We only cut paper! 

E: but Ms. Monica uses scissors to cut hair.

Me: *deep breath* She went to school for that.

E: Mommy what are we having for dinner? 

Me: probably something you won't like. 

E: what is it? Tell me. 

Me: noodles. 

E: I don't like that!

Me: see? I told you.

Me: tomorrow we start swim class! 

E: but I don't want to drain!

Me: drain? You don't want to what?

E: drain! you know DIE! in the pool!

Me: do you mean drown? You don't want to drown in the pool?

E: yes! drain!

I don't know about you but I'm thankful school started today.

26.2: Number 6

Marathon training starts tomorrow!

Woohoo!

I am actually that excited. I love training. I love having a schedule and counting down the weeks to race day.

This will be my 6th marathon but it will be chock full of firsts.

It will be my first marathon training and racing with a partner. I somehow managed to convince my running buddy, Austina, to join me in Huntsville this December. It will be her marathon debut and I can't wait to cross that finish line with her.

It will be my first time training and racing a long distance as a Mom of 3! I foresee many stroller runs in my future. It will also be my first time training and racing within a year of having a baby. G will be 9 months old on race day. Craziness.

Oh, and did I mention my husband is also training for a marathon? There's a whole lot of running going on in this house these days.

This marathon marks the start of my big push to get into the 50 States Marathon club. I need 10 states to join and I'm putting my head down to power through these last 5. I'm hoping to get Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Kentucky marked off within the next 2 years (and maybe a 50k somewhere in there but I'm not saying that out loud yet).

For this race, I'm using Hal Higdon's Novice II training schedule. I'm a big fan of Hal and have used his training plans for all my long distance races. I'm sticking with running 4 days a week and cross training/strength training twice a week. I'm also hoping to make yoga a more regular thing which if you know me at all is something I say all the time but never actually do. However, as I get older (and more creaky), I appreciate the benefits that yoga provides. I need to make it more of priority. I also plan to drink my weight in chocolate milk and eat Fruit Smoothie Honey Stingers like they're going out of style. Yay for marathon training!

I'll be posting weekly updates on my training (if I don't fall sleep while typing) and the day to day goings on of a Mom training for a marathon.

I have big plans and I'm glad you'll be along for the ride!

Week 1:
Tuesday: 3mi
Wednesday: 5mi
Thursday: 3mi
Saturday: 8mi