Now I Understand!

I'm well into my marathon training with 2 long runs under my belt (10 and 12 miles) I have begun to understand what it means to have "black toes", "chafe" in areas that should not chafe, taking "ice baths", "fartleks" and "pickups".

I have had runs that when I was done I seriously wanted to cry, or could barely walk due to cramping muscles are chaffed thighs!

Garrett my fiancee can not understand why I take and tolerate an ice bath when he can hear me screaming from the other room.

I'm getting nervous and I am doubtful at times if I can really pull this off. I am scared!

I run on the treadmill, run on the track, at the beach and anywhere I can. I sing out loud to the songs that pump me up and I even at times find myself doing the "Rocky" salute!

I have never been one for "self motivation" as far as working out, but I do find myself motivated when I gear up for a run.

I proudly wear my headband 26.2 and wonder if anyone really understands what that means.

You understand I am not an athlete, I have never been one for running or training unless I was being forced to. But I am on a mission and I have forgotten lately why. So I look at my pictures of Johnathon and I remember the long nights in the hospital, the long days after his passing, it is then that I remember WHY I am doing this.

Thanks for your continued support in my efforts to train for this marathon.

Still here!

Just an update to let you know I'm still here and still training. I have been busy with the kids now that they are out for the summer. I'm still training and it is harder some days than others. Right now the hardest part is finding the time to run before it gets too hot. I'm on the count down now it is about 15 weeks before Chicago and I am scared and nervous. I just take it one day at a time and keep moving forward. I have a few races coming up in July, so that will keep me busy and motivated.

Thanks for all the support and I will be back with more updates.

The Count Down Begins!

On Sunday, October 11, 2009, 45,000 runners will take to the streets of Chicago to participate in one of the world’s major marathons, the 2009 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. I will be one of those runners.
The countdown to the Marathon begins, I have 20 weeks of training that starts this week. I am nervous and worried that I won't be ready in time. October in Chicago will be hot and most of my training is going to take place here in the hot humid weather of Virginia Beach.
I will also start to get more aggressive with my fundraising. My goal is $3200.00 and we are now at $2373.00. I would like to exceed that goal and shot for $5000.00.
If you have not donated please consider doing so. For those of you who have donated, thank you for your very considerate donation to this cause.
As I get closer to running in Chicago I will keep posting my random thoughts and training progress.

My Inspiration!

1/2 Marathon down, 1 Marathon to go!

Well! I finished my first 1/2 Marathon today and what a beautiful day for it! Here are the stats:

There were 60 finishers in the Female 35 to 39 age group and 868 finishers in the 1/2 Marathon division.

My overall finish place was 611, in my age group finish place was 28 and my gender finish place was 235. My time 2:20:23.89 gave me a 10:43 pace per mile.

My 3M time was 31:09.85 for a pace of 10:23 per mile
My 6M time was 1:02:55.03 for a pace of 10:35 per mile
My 10M time was 1:46:23.53 for a pace of 10:52 per mile

I finished and I had such a great time with friends and family that were there to cheer me on! Thanks to those that cheered me in spirit wish all of you could have been there too!

I was introduced at the awards ceremony and had my letter about Johnathon read to the crowd. It was so awesome to be recognized for doing what I have set out to do. I feel like Johnathon has touch so many lives still and he continues to today, I am so happy that he was a part of my life if even for such a short time. He has helped me spread the word about Childhood Cancer even 10 years after he has left he lives on still through stories and spirit.

I feel more motivated than ever and feel so blessed to have the friends that I do that support me so much!

With each race and each time I talk about Johnathon I get that much closer to finding peace within myself and being able to finally find away to put all of this at peace within myself.

Thanks for sharing in my journey and allowing me and Johnathon into your hearts!

Tears and Fears about 1/2 Marathon

So it is soon upon me that I will be running my first 1/2 Marathon. I feel completely unprepared and terrified! I feel like I am no where near ready and I feel sick to my stomach when I think about it.

So much has lead up to this point and I feel so overwhelmed at times. When the workouts are hard and I have a bad day I question whether or not I am going to be able to run a full marathon. I question myself and my courage. I question if I have set my goals too high. I get scared.

Then I remember the courage that my son showed everyday of his very short life. I remember the courageous face I had to put on every time I walked into that hospital. I remember holding back tears so that my son would never see me cry. I remember never showing how scared I was, and I was scared, very scared.

Then I remember why I started all this, to just remember and honor my little boy! I'm scared I will be honest with you there. But I will do it and I will finish and then I will work toward the next race and the next one until I find myself in Chicago with thousands of others running for their own causes and memories. Running for their own healing or soul searching, running to run.

I have so much love and support from all of you that at times that is enough to get me out of bed and on the road. But some days are easier than others, some days I just want to "give up".

But Johnathon never gave up, he fought to the very end, he never gave up, he just had to let go.

On Saturday I will be introduced at the Dismal Swamp Stomp and my story told of why I am running.

Please try to join me there for this big day, and if not please pray for me to have the strength and courage to complete this race.

My story was published on the Dismal Swamp Stomp press page here is the link.

http://www.dismalswampstomp.kalerunning.com/press_releases.html

Wounded Warrior 5k

I finished another race! I did the Wounded Warrior 5k(3.12 miles) on Saturday the 28th. It was really nice and a nice ceremony for the fallen men and women of our armed forces. Very nice running weather. The race was along the boardwalk at the beach. There were a little over 700 people that turned out to run. So it was a little crowded.

In my age group I placed 12th and paced 216th overall. I had a personal best of 28:48. I am feeling the pain today! My knees are killing me!

I have a couple more runs before my first 1/2 marathon on April 18th. I am scared to death, every time I think about running the half, I feel like I'm going to throw up! But for the first time I feel confident that I can actually finish it. So I continue on the road to the marathon in Chicago and continue with the training.