5 Days Till Go Time!!

Well, once again, I’ve let too much time pass since my last post.  But that is because of the simple fact that I have been so busy with work, school, the Crescent City Cafe, and TRAINING!!!  After my last post, I did the 10 mile run with the whole Louisiana team in Baton Rouge.  That was a wonderful experience, because we had the chance to meet our honored Teammate, Sarah Hull.

On December 1, 2009, Sarah, who was 20 weeks pregnant was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin anaplastic large T-Cell Lymphoma, an aggressive cancer. CHOP Chemotherapy was begun on December 26, 2008.

Sarah’s baby, named Meg, miraculously endured four rounds of chemo over a three month period.  On March 23, 2009, Meg was born as 5lbs, 4ozs of perfection. Chemotherapy was completed on May 1, 2009.  Sarah has had two negative PET scans and is determined to become a survivor.   She is now expecting her second child!

While it was tough to wake up at 3:45 on a Saturday morning and drive to Baton Rouge for a 10 mile run, it was totally worth it because we had the opportunity to meet Sarah and hear about how the funds we raise for the LLS directly benefited her.  Meeting Sarah has made the fundraising and training experience so much more meaningful to me.

Following that run, I ran a distance of 13 miles or more every single weekend for 7 straight weekends.  The distances were as follows: 15, 14, 16, 18, 13, 20, 15, and finally a taper run this past weekend of only 10 miles.  These distances, with the exception of the last two, were all done in the dead heat of August and September in New Orleans.  I had to wake up around 4 a.m. for nearly all of them.  I’m not gonna sugar coat it- it was tough.  The first 15 mile was very hot and much of it was spent in direct sunlight.  For the 14 mile run, we went to Diamond Head, MS, to do some hill training, and wound up running through a thunder storm (which was neat, and I was just grateful for the break from the heat!).  The 16 mile run was intense as well, and I was very thankful to have one of my running buddies, Amanda, there to encourage me through to the end.

The 18 mile run was the most challenging run of my life.  I had to miss the group run on Saturday, and wound up doing the run by myself on Sunday.  I got started at 5 a.m., but even at that time in early September in New Orleans, it was still brutally hot and humid.  I finished the first 10 miles in a little over two hours, which is pretty normal for me.  But it took me three hours to complete the last 8 miles, because the heat just zapped me.  I would later learn that the heat index temperature was 116 degrees.  If I would have been thinking straight, I would have quit and called someone to come pick me up.  But at that point I was a little crazed and thought it necessary to keep going.  I wound up walking the entire last two miles, which was very disheartening.  During the last mile, it was a struggle to even keep my eyes open- I just wanted to pass out right there on the ground.  All I kept thinking was, “how am I ever going to do 8 more miles???”

When I got home, I called my Mom and cried.  I told her how discouraged I felt, and how scared I was that I would either not be able to do the race, or that I would lose heart all together and quit.  I knew I needed an attitude adjustment, but I didn’t know what it would take.

The next weekend I lucked out, and we had a slight break in the heat and a lower mileage run of only 13 miles.  And I had the team with me, so I wasn’t alone with my thoughts the whole time.  It was a great run- it was just what I needed to restore my faith in my ability to run long distances.  The following weekend, we completed our 20 mile run (it actually wound up being 20.5!), and after that, I knew I had made it.  I was pretty tickled all day that I had run over 20 miles!  In our training program, that is as high as you go before the actual marathon.  Ever since then, we have been tapering with a 15 mile run and a 10 mile run this past weekend.

My asthma has played a part in this challenge, but my eczema has been even more challenging.  The extreme heat, sweat, and dehydration have taken a real toll on my skin.  It has always been sensitive, but lately it has been downright angry with me all the time.  Especially the skin around my eyes and my mouth.  All vanity has had to go out the window.  ”I’ll worry about looking pretty again after the race,” I find myself thinking when I look at my broken skin.  But as I read magazine articles and stories about the health obstacles that other people overcome to race, it really puts things into perspective.  Training for a marathon isn’t easy for anyone… that’s why not everyone does it.  But I have to say- if I can do it, almost anyone can do it!

I am so excited to go back to San Francisco and tackle this challenge that I have been wanting to accomplish for many years now!  I am nervous about the hills, but mostly, I am relieved that the training process is over, and now it’s time for the race.  I have raised over $3,400.00 (way over my fundraising minimum), thanks to the support of so many wonderful donors, to whom I am very grateful.  Between this year and last year, I have been able to raise over $11,000.00 total!  It is a wonderful feeling to know that these funds make a real difference in the lives of people like Sarah Hull.  This Sunday, I will run in honor of Massimo and Mike.  I ask that if you have kept reading to this point and you feel so inclined, please say a prayer for these people and their families, and for my health and safety during the run, and for the health and safety of all the other runners.  More stories to come after the race.  Thank you, much love, and God bless!!

The next time I write, I will be an official marathon runner… (!!!)

50/50- Half way there!

This past week I reached two milestones in my training and fundraising.

I completed my first 12 mile run of the season (almost half of the full marathon distance), and I made it to 58% of my fundraising goal.  I figure if I average those two factors, all together I’m about 1/2 way there!  (Hey- I never claimed to be a math wizard) The marathon is just over 2 months away, and I know I still have a lot of work ahead of me to be ready in that amount of time- both in training and in fundraising- but it’s good to know I’m making progress.

This past Saturday I completed the most boring 12 miles of my life- in the gym!!  I would never recommend it to anyone, but it was necessary.  I had an early morning commitment Saturday morning with the Crescent City Cafe, so I had to miss the Team In Training group training session.  And I had plans Saturday night, so I knew I couldn’t do it then; likewise because of those plans, I knew I would not want to get up early on Sunday morning to try to get the miles in.  So my only option was Saturday afternoon.  One problem- New Orleans was hitting 100+ degrees outside last weekend.  So what was I to do?  12 miles in the gym!  I did a combination of treadmill and track as follows: 4 miles on the treadmill, then 4 miles around the indoor track (32 times around; 8 laps = 1 mile), then 2 miles on the treadmill, then 2 miles on the track (16 times around).  I used a counter (like the kind ticket-takers use at events) to count my laps as I went around the track.

While it was the most dull run I’ve ever had, on a plus side it was air-conditioned, and at least I was able to do some people watching (there are no TVs in front of the treadmills in my gym).  And, I’ll admit it- when I would get bored running around the track, I would try to race people.  Now, I am not fast by any means, but I can usually find at least one person who is slower than me who I decide to secretly race.  My unknowing opponent this time was a somewhat elderly gentleman.  His outfit resembled Cliff Huxtable’s running ensemble in the episode of the Cosby show where he decides to have a rematch with his old college opponent- stirrup sweatpants and all.  Now, I’m not putting him down- this guy was tough!  It took all of my focus to stay ahead of him while maintaining a comfortable pace- I think he was secretly racing me too!  In the end though, as always, the race was with myself, and I felt really relieved that I made it through.

I have continued attending the Marathon Bootcamp classes, and I am getting a little better at the exercises each time!  After the first one, my whole entire body was so sore that I could barely move for three days.  But I’m getting more conditioned as I go along and feeling less sore after each class.

My asthma is so-so.  We’ve been having a lot of rain n New Orleans this week, which causes it to flair up a bit, but it hasn’t interfered with my training much at all, so I am counting my blessings.

As always I am so appreciative to those of you who have helped me make it to almost 60% of my fundraising goal!  The money you have donated is already going to help patients and families who are stricken with this horrible disease.  If anyone out there is still interested in donating, it’s not too late!  Please visit: http://pages.teamintraining.org/la/nikesf10/gmcbri

This Saturday I’ll be waking up at 3:45 a.m. to drive to Baton Rouge for a state-wide group run- 10 miles!  (We’re stepping it back a notch after climbing up to the 12 miles last weekend)  I’m not looking forward to waking up that early, but I am looking forward to meeting the teammates from the rest of the state.  More updates soon!

Marathon Boot Camp- Cross Training

The beauty of being at this stage in my running hobby is that I have already realized that I love running more than almost any other form of exercise (except of course dancin/shakin it, but that’s a given).  Today, I was reminded of why.

This year, as part of my marathon training, I’m trying to train better, harder, and smarter than ever before.  That means doing something more than watching TV while completing a mindless hour on the elliptical machine on my cross training days.  It means really focusing in on core training, building upper body and leg strength, and working on my speed.

While I am up to 9 miles now in my long run distance (going for 10 this weekend!), I still have a ways to go on total body fitness.  So tonight I attended the Team In  Training Bootcamp class as my cross training for the day, and boy was it ever humbling!  I felt completely out of shape and like a total wimp.  For an hour straight we did various combinations of lunges, pushups, sprints, planks, crunches, and a little something called “but-kicks.”  When we finally finished, all of my muscles were trembling with fatigue… but it was worth it!

Even though I felt lost and completely uncoordinated for half of the time, I felt so accomplished afterwards that I can’t wait to go back next week and try to do everything better than I did this time.

Other than that, training has been going great!  We have done some hill training, and as I mentioned before, we’re gearing up to do 10 miles this weekend.  And beyond all that, I have had a great time bonding with all of my Team In Training teammates.  We’ve been going out to breakfast after most of our long runs, and we’ve had a shoe clinic and a nutrition clinic where we’ve gotten to learn about those interesting topics together.  Last Friday, one of our coaches hosted a benefit comedy show as a fundraiser for the Leukemia Lymphoma Society and we all went together and had a great time!  Training with the team and making great friends through the process is one of the most rewarding aspects of my participation.  I feel so blessed to have it in my life.

I am about 1/3 of the way done with my fundraising thanks to some very generous donors!  In case anyone is interested in helping me get a little further, the link to donate is: http://pages.teamintraining.org/la/nikesf10/gmcbri

All the money that is raised starts helping those who are affected by blood cancers immediately!

So, moving on to miles in the double digits… more updates to come!

I’m Baaaaack!

It has been quite some time since my last blog entry, and much has occurred in my running life.  Last winter, I trained for the Mardi Gras Full Marathon.  It was a rough road.  I thought training in the heat of the summer was hard, but training in the winter is an entirely different beast.  I can’t imagine trying to run in the snow!  The freezing temperatures were bad enough.  I had complications from both my asthma and my joints- my asthma is always at its worst in the cold.  In December, I came down with a pretty bad case of bronchitis.  But I continued to train, and the day I accomplished my first 16 mile run was a glorious day!  Later that week, on a “short” 10 mile run I began to experience the worst shooting pain in my left knee, which knocked me out for a few weeks.  I still get this persistent pain in my left knee, but to a much lesser degree.

In January I accomplished my longest training distance to date- 18 miles!  That same month I also had the opportunity to travel to New York and to Cannes, France for work.  These trips were really interesting, but they took a toll on my immune system.  While I was in France my asthma got really bad and I wound up with pneumonia and a busted ear drum on the flight home.

So, needless to say, I was not in good shape to run a full marathon the following month.  I was, however, able to run the Mardi Gras Half Marathon, and it was great!  I’m thankful I was able to do that much at that time, but I still feel slightly disappointed that I wasn’t able to accomplish what I originally set out to do.

So I’m gonna give it another go!  I’m all signed up for the Nike Women’s FULL Marathon in San Francisco, October 17, 2010!  I am so excited to go back to that course and tackle the whole thing.  And after training in the winter, I have a new appreciation for training in the summer.  Even though it’s already miserably hot here, and it’s only going to get hotter, it’s much easier on my lungs and my joints!

I’m also very excited to be training with Team In Training again.  This time I’m serving as a mentor.  I’ll be helping the other participants with their training and their fundraising.  Who ever thought that I would be helping other people learn how to run?  But in spite of my lack of athletic ability, I have found myself in love with running.  I got up at 5 AM this morning to help lead a 3 mile run and a fundraising clinic, and they all went really well!  I also love the mission of the Leukemia Lymphoma Society.  After connecting with so many families who are affected by blood cancers, I am even more motivated to do what I can to make a difference in their lives.

So please join me on this journey!  Donate on my fundraising page if you can (http://pages.teamintraining.org/la/nikesf10/gmcbri), and come for a run with me.  This thing is just too good for me to keep it all to myself

There are no words…

Dearest Reader,

It has been almost a month since my last post, and since that glorious day when I ran my first 1/2 marathon.  I apologize for taking so long to write about it.  It was such a meaningful experience for me that it was difficult for me to put it into words.  And it was important for me to savor it for a little while before putting it out there for the world to judge, good or bad.  I had to hold onto the moment for a little while- put a fermata over it- before I could move forward and write about it.

Also, I’ve just been insanely busy with work and school and other extra-curricular activities… I’ve barely had time to breathe let along blog!   But here I am, home early from work at 8pm with some free time on my hands and inspiration in my head, so without further ado…

THE TRIP

San Francisco is my new favorite place.  I always loved it when I used to go there on recruiting trips for work, but this was the first time I ever went for fun, and I am completely enamored of it.  We stayed in a hotel a few blocks from Union Square, where there was a huge Nike Expo set up for us.  We had access to all sorts of running info and gear.  There is a massive Nike store on the edge of the square, and it was all decked out for the marathon.  On the outside wall of the store, they had plastered a huge list of all of the names of the participants in the race, and Amy and our other teammates and I each took turns finding our names on the wall!  There were 20,000 names total, so it was very rewarding when I finally found my name.

Friday: The first night, Amy and I met up with my old friend Charlie, one of my best friends from college.  He is one of the reasons I ran this race, so it was especially good to get to see him over this particular weekend.  We walked all around the area where we were staying, and just enjoyed the local views.

Saturday: Amy and I got up early and went to the Union Square Expo and to the Nike store and got some awesome commemorative gear, including these Day-Glo orange sweatshirts that say “Nike Women’s Marathon.”   Then we went for a 15 minute jog from our hotel down to the Pier, and I’ll be darned if it wasn’t the most beautiful view I’ve ever seen in my life!  The temperature was perfect and the sky was flawless.  I was so excited for the race , and I do believe I was in one of the best moods of my life.

Then Charlie and his cousin came and picked us up and we went to Haight-Ashbury and had lunch in that area.  Then Charlie and his cousin took us to the beach right by the Golden Gate Bridge, and we skipped stones into what Charlie’s cousin called, “the Specific Ocean.”  It was the first time I’ve ever seen the Pacific Ocean!!  I took one of the stones as a keep sake.

Saturday evening Amy and I joined our teammates and walked to a convention center with the 4,000 other Team In Training participants.  They threw us a massive pasta party to load us up on carbs before the race.  During the party, they had several speakers talk to get us all inspired.  First they had someone come speak about the fundraising, and they let us know how much money we had all raised together for that particular race.  They broke it down in terms of miles, and told us that for each mile we were about to run, we had raised $5 million… putting it in that perspective really got me excited.  Then they brought out a running guru to talk about the different things we’d go through during our runs- from physical to emotional highs and lows.  Then a woman spoke about how the LLS had personally affected her.  She spoke about what it was like when she learned that her mother was diagnosed with Leukemia, and then what it was like when her father was diagnosed with the same disease a few years later, and then, finally, when she learned that she herself had Leukemia at age 23.  She talked about the support that the LLS provided her family, and about how the LLS had covered many of her treatment costs that ultimately helped her to become healthy again.  There was not a dry eye in the house.

Sunday:  I’ll get to the race, but after the race, Charlie came and picked me up and we went down to Fisherman’s Wharf and watched the Sea Lions.  They were mesmerizing!  I don’t know why I found those blubbery stinky creatures so fascinating, but I did.  Sunday night, Amy and I attended the TNT victory party with the rest of our team, and danced our legs off.  After the run.  I don’t know how we did it, but we had fun.  It was a pretty funny sight to see everyone trying to move.  It was a wonderful ending to one of the best trips I’ve ever taken in my life.

THE RUN

Ok, so this is the part that’s really hard for me to put into words.  It’s just running, but running in an event, and on top of that running for a cause, is a completely different experience than your average run.  For starters, it was once again the longest run of my life: 13.1 miles!  But aside from that, it was also the most beautiful and exciting run of my life.  We started in Union Square, ran to the coast, past Alcatraz and the Golden Gate Bridge, and through the Presidio hills- they were definitely the hardest part of the run.  All along the route, there were people cheering for us, giving us water, gatoraide, oranges, doughnuts (at mile 2), and Ghirardelli Chocolates (at mile 11).   It is quite a feat to eat doughnuts and chocolate while you run!  There were inspirational signs along the route that read things like, “Run Like a Girl!”  Here’s a photo of the starting point:

There was music playing at many points during the race, which really helped me feel motivated.  Running this race meant a lot to me for a lot of reasons.  For starters, I never thought I could become a runner, let alone a distance runner.  The word “runner” used to be an illusive title- one that I could never really understand or attain.  And low and behold… I did!  Throughout the race, I just kept thinking, “I’m doing it!  I’m doing it!”  I couldn’t believe it- I suppose it was like the feeling children get when they ride a bicycle for the first time.  You feel like the possibilities are endless.  You feel like you’re flying.  You feel so completely empowered.  For me, growing up asthmatic and generally un-athletic, it was an especially exciting accomplishment.

But beyond that, the run was very emotional for other reasons as well.  While running with the other 20,000 race participants, I saw many other TNT participants, and people who were running in honor of loved-ones.  One woman had, “For Dad” written on her back.  One woman had a photo of her baby printed on the back of her shirt that said, “In Loving Memory.”  I ran with the name “Massimo” on my back in memory of a 5 year old boy who lost his battle to Leukemia last February.  His grandmother is my mother’s friend.  I didn’t know how much this name would come to mean to me, but I’ll talk more about that later.  While I was watching all of these people around me run, I realized why the running and the fundraising make sense together.  Before I kind of thought it was a nice idea, but in the back of my mind, I would sometimes think, “couldn’t I just fundraise and not run?”  But when I was running I realized that running in honor of someone can mean just as much, if not more, than fundraising for their disease.  When you run in honor of someone who you have lost or who is sick, it’s like you’re saying, “I love you so much and I would do absolutely anything I could to help you or heal you, but I am incapable of actually healing you, so instead I will put myself through one of the most grueling things I can imagine in honor of you.  It won’t save you, but it will demonstrate what great lengths I would go to in order to prove my love.”  I was moved to tears as I saw the sea of people running for loved ones.  It was one of those moments that restores your faith in humanity.  For many, running is all about love.

I finished the race in 2 hours and 50 minutes.  Pretty slow!  That averages out to a 13 minute mile, which is slower than my usual pace, but I think the hills had something to do with that.  We also stopped a few times to refuel, fix my ankle brace, and take pictures.  I was running with 3 other women who were running the whole marathon, including Amy.  Because they were running the whole, we were pacing ourselves a little.  At about mile 9 I decided to break off and go for speed the rest of the way.  For some reason at that moment I thought I was closer to the end than I really was!  I trucked it the whole way for the last 4 miles, and I think I ran the fastest I’ve ever run.  Crossing that finish line was an incredible feeling- I think it was one of the most positive environments I’ve ever seen!

I hung around the finish line for a little while to take it all in.  I had a true moment of humility when I saw one of my teammates, Seth, cross the finish line for the whole marathon about 20 minutes after I finished the 1/2.  Cool.  And he has a metal plate in his foot!  Oh well, I suppose we each did our personal best (or is that just something we slow runners tell ourselves? )

When we crossed the finish line, there were firemen dressed in tuxedos holding silver platters with our medals on them.  And our medals just happened to be commemorative Tiffany’s necklaces packaged in those gorgeous “Tiffany Blue” boxes.  I’ve never had anything from Tiffany’s before!  Needless to say, I haven’t taken off the medal since the race.  I should clarify something- though this was officially a women’s race, men were allowed to participate too.  There were 19,000 women and 1,000 men.  But everything about the race was geared towards women, so the men just had to deal.

Because the race experience was so much fun, I thought to myself, “there is no way I can let this be the last time I do this.”  I was very thankful that I had already signed up for the Mardi Gras Rock & Roll Marathon, and this time I will be running the whole thing.  And I just realized something cool the other day: when I run the whole 26.2 miles, I will be exactly 26 years, 2 months, and 2 weeks old.  Pretty cool, hu?

AFTER THE RACE

So earlier I mentioned that I ran with the name Massimo on my back during the race.  A few weeks before my run, I met Massimo’s grandmother, and told her that I’d like to run in honor of him, if she didn’t mind.  She said that she and her daughter, Massimo’s mother, would like that very much.  So before I ran, I was sure to have Amy take a picture of my back so I could send it to them.  I told my mother that I ran with his name on my back, and she in turn told her friend that I’d completed the race with Massimo’s name on my back.  I thought that would be the end of it.

Then about a week after the race I got an email from Massimo’s mother telling me how much it meant to them that I had worn his name on my shirt.  The email moved me to tears, because I never knew that wearing his name would have such an impact on her.  Sometimes it can be so humbling when you do something that you don’t think is that big of a deal, and then someone lets you know how much it really means to them.  I didn’t know how to respond, but I told her how honored I was to be able to run for her son.  A few days later I came home to find a cookie bouquet from them, and a few days later, a letter about Massimo with a few photos of him.  This past weekend when I was home, and I saw my mom’s friend, Massimo’s grandmother, again.  She and I just hugged and cried.

I suppose I felt inadequate to bring these kind people who had been through so much pain any kind of comfort or joy…  who am I to be able to help them through this?  I am a flawed, sometimes terrible person!  I still have so much to figure out.  Yet somehow God, through his grace, has been able to use my running jersey to give this family some tiny bit of comfort in their immense time of pain.  It has added a whole new level to this experience for me.  This is another one of those things that is impossible to truly describe- where the line between pain and beauty is so fine.  I can hardly understand it myself, but I am so very humbled and blessed by this aspect.

So… that’s pretty much everything in a nutshell!  For an entry titled, “There are no words,” this is quite a long entry!  But I suppose I am the least concise when I have the most trouble putting my thoughts into words.

For everyone out there who has supported me through this journey with donations, prayers, and pep-talks, thank you!  I hope that this is only the first step in a long career of running and fundraising for the LLS.  Onward and upward!

San Francisco, Here I Come!!!

I am so excited I can hardly type!  I leave for San Francisco on Friday!!  My race is on Sunday!!  All of the past 5 months of hard work will finally pay off.  It is a dream come true!

I am looking forward to fall weather, to visiting with my old friend Charlie and some other West Coast friends, to galavanting around a different city with my best friend Amy, and to run-run-running!!!

Because this weekend is the culmination of my 5 month journey, I feel that now is a good time to reflect on my journey thus far.  Here is a list of lists:

Favorite music to listen to while I run:

1. “Sweet Georgia Brown”- Ella Fitzgerald version (my middle name is pronounced “Brown,” and I was named after this song; who wouldn’t want to run to an upbeat song with their own name in it??)

2. “From the Corner to the Block”- Galactic feat. Juvenile (it’s all about New Orleans and I used to intern for Galactic’s management; home town connection)

3. The entire Radiohead “In Rainbows” album

4. Aretha- enough said

5. “Roses are Free”- Ween

6. “I Could Never Be Your Woman” -White Town (one of my favorite songs in 6th grade that I rediscovered with my best buddy Scott Prather in college)

7. “In the Mean Time” -Spacehog (one of the greatest songs of ALL TIMES.)

8. “Eye,” “Ava Adore,” and “Perfect” -Smashing Pumpkins

9. Anything by Queen

10. Anything by Outkast

Favorite things to do when I run, besides run (obviously):

1. I often imagine that I am either a wild horse or an indigenous person of some sort who has to run across the open land as a primary source of transportation.  Weird, I know.

2. Sometimes I just get so excited about the previously mentioned songs that I break out into song mid-run… and then I get weird looks, but hey- it’s worth it!

3. Think about everything I have to do for the evening/next day/week, and mentally organize it (boring!)

4. Pray… and marvel at the wonders of the out doors (or the wonders of air-conditioning if I’m inside), and feel very, very grateful for my life

5. Count down the miles

6. Look for landmarks I’ve seen before

7. Stick out my arms and let myself feel like I’m flying (sometimes this is accompanied by the singing- I get weird looks either way)

8. When I feel too exhausted, I remind myself that, “If you think running is hard, try chemo,” the TNT motto.

9. Talk to good friends who I may happen to be running with

10. Once again, feel very very grateful that I have had the opportunity to overcome my illness to acquire this skill, and get excited about how much farther I can run than I could when I started

***

This week has been extra crazy with work and school and preparing for my race.  I had an Accounting mid-term on Tuesday night (I think I did alright; at least it’s over!), and I’m teaching lots of night classes this week, and my computer broke down until today so I will be getting Mon-Wed’s work done pretty much all in one day tomorrow!  My asthma has been acting up due to the barometric pressure changes in the air (i.e. we’ve had a lot of rain).  But I just have to get through tomorrow and then I’m home free!!  I hope the cooler weather in San Francisco doesn’t aggravate my asthma.  I’m going to have to be extra careful.

I just can’t wait to see the whole mass of people gathered for this event.  I also can’t wait to lear how much money the Louisiana Team has raised, and how much money TNT has raised nationally- all for this one race!!  I just love seeing people come together like that for such a great cause.  I am honored to be a part of it.

Well, that’s all I have for now.  I have learned so much and been humbled quite a bit through this whole process.  I will give another update when the event is over.  I want to end with the opening line from the Gnarls Barkley song, A Little Better: “Now I can sing you the story line, and if you like my story, fine, but aint none of the glory mine… I feel better.”

Last Long Run Before the Race… Fundraising Goal Met!

This Saturday was my last long run before I run my first 1/2 marathon in San Francisco in 2 weeks!

It was supposed to be a 13 mile run, but my friends and I got a late start (4:45 a.m. instead of 4:00 a.m.) so I ran out of time to do all 13.  I did a little over 10, and I was ok with that for several reasons:

1) I kind of didn’t want to run my race distance for a training run; I want to do the distance for the first time during the event!  I’ve already made it to 12- I know I can do it- so what’s another 1.1 miles?

2) The reason I had to quit running by 6:50 a.m. was because I had to go help run a breakfast cafe that some friends and I organize as a monthly service project.  It’s called the Crescent City Cafe (http://www.crescentcitycafe.org).  I figure it’s enough work to count for the last 3 miles

3)  At the end of the day, sometimes you just have to count your losses.  I’ve come to realize that you’re not going to have a perfect run every time.  I had a great 10 mile run, and I’m happy about that.  I know I could have gone 3 more miles if I’d had the time!

My race is 2 weeks from yesterday!!!  I could not be more excited to go to San Francisco and participate in this event.  I think it will be really neat to see all of this work pay off and to actualize this dream that I’ve had for so long.

Last week, I met, and exceeded, my fundraising goal of $7,500.00!!  I am currently at $7,560.00.  I am so touched when I look at all of the names on the donation list (http://pages.teamintraining.org/la/nikesf09/gmcbride).  I truly have the most caring and generous people in my life who have contributed to this effort.  I couldn’t have done it alone, and I am so appreciative to each and every donor who gave what they could.  The neat thing about this list is that while there are some very sizable donations, for which I am very grateful, there  are quite a few $5-$25 donations.  It’s just neat to see how every bit adds up!

To those of you who have donated, please know that RIGHT NOW your donations are going to help those who are affected blood cancers.  It’s a wonderful gift that you’ve given them.

Please also know that your support has helped me so much in my running.  Training for this event has come to mean so much to me.  Besides the obvious benefits of exercising, I feel that I really have internalized the benefits of service to others.  Through this and working with the Crescent City Cafe, I have seen my outlook on life transform.

Last fall, I wasn’t in the greatest place emotionally.  I lost two grandparents in the span of 3 months.  I was dumped by my boyfriend -don’t worry, it turned out to be not that big of a loss anyways .  I was really struggling to find purpose in my job.  I was struggling with my health issues, and because of all of this, was also battling anxiety.  I was grateful for an extended Christmas vacation, when I went home to Houston for a while to decompress.  But when the day came when I had to go back to New Orleans, I had a bit of a meltdown thinking about going back to all of my problems.  I was crying to my parents about how lost I felt, when my Dad said something that  really stuck with me.  He told me that the best way to help yourself is to help others, and he recommended that I find ways to get involved in service.

While I appreciated his advice, I didn’t go looking for ways to help out.  But I did pray that God would open some doors.  And almost without me knowing that it was happening, I suddenly found myself drawn to several different outlets for service, including the Young Leadership Counsel of New Orleans, the Crescent City Cafe, and LLS’s Team in Training.  I think my involvement in these things has made all the difference in my attitude towards life.  They have given me some of the most rewarding experiences I’ve ever had.

I don’t claim to be a person with extraordinary advice to give, but I do hope my experience can be a bit of inspiration for others who are looking for ways to be more fulfilled.  And for me, the combination of service and exercise has been exponentially rewarding!

Anyways, enough mushing about me.  I feel so blessed to have each person who is reading this in my life, and also those who aren’t seeing this

I will do another update before the race!

Love,

Georgia

12 miles! 2.5 weeks till San Fran!!!

This past Saturday I had one of those runs that you dream of having when you envision yourself running… It was one of the best runs of my life, and once again, another greatest distance.

I was in Houston for an engagement party, and usually Houston is even hotter than New Orleans.  But on Saturday I lucked out and it was 70 degrees, breezy, and overcast for the whole morning.  It became a hot sunny day later on, but I got my run in while it was still cool outside.  It was a very freeing run.  The pavement on the streets in the neighborhood is nice and there are no cracks, so I was more sure of my footing than I usually am in New Orleans.  I had been very worried about my ankle… on Thursday night when I was running 6 miles I rolled it again.  But on Saturday my ankle gave me no problems on my whole 12 mile run!  Of course, I rolled it again later that day when I was just walking around the house- go figure…

But during this run I felt light and capable- something I never thought I’d feel when running when I first started.  I only had to stop for walking breaks 3 times.  I hadn’t had a really great run like that in a long time, so I think it was necessary to have this run for my peace of mind before going to San Francisco.  It makes me feel a lot more confident, because I have proven to myself that I can run much more easily in cool weather, and it will be cool in San Francisco.  There will be hills, but nothing makes me drag more than heat, humidity, and sun bearing directly down on me.  I feel very confident now!

Next Saturday will be a little crazy because I will be doing a 13 mile run before completing my monthly service commitment at 7 a.m.  So I’ll probably have to go around 4 a.m.  My run this weekend took me exactly 2.5 hours.  I was a little hesitant about doing 13 miles, since it’s almost my race distance, and I kind of wanted to save it for the race.  But now I’m thinking that it will be a good idea to do 13 before the race, because the hills in San Francisco will add an additional challenge.

My heart has been behaving itself- no episodes since last weekend, so that is more good news.  I only have a little more to raise to meet my $7,500.00 fundraising goal!  Thank you to everyone who has donated recently!

That’s all for now; more updates to come after my 13 mile-er!

Doozy of a Day!

Well, it has been quite an interesting past few weeks in my running life.

Two weekends ago, I got up at 3:45 a.m. with my two friends Amy and Tori, and drove to Diamondhead, MS.  We got there at about 5:30 a.m. to train on running hills.  I ran 11 miles.  It was once again the furthest distance I have ever run, and by far the most challenging!  The hills have a way of making your heart rate soar, and your sweat pour!  While it was the most challenging run I’ve ever faced, my body was cooperating with me for the most part, and though I had to walk some towards the end, I felt like I’d given it my all.  Sometimes on long runs my legs just stop.  They feel so heavy and sore that they just quit running, and I find myself trudging along for a little while until I can work up the strength to run again.  But we made it, and it was kind of a fun road trip!

The next weekend, which was this past weekend, was a different story.  Once again, I ran with Tori and Amy.  Tori’s husband Craig rode alongside us and kept us entertained.  We ran 8 miles through City Park, the Lakeview neighborhood, up to the lake, and back down through the park.  It was a bit of a treacherous run.  To begin with, we had to dodge traffic and mosquitoes most of the time.  I still have mosquito bites all over my legs!  Then, while we were running through the Lakeview neighborhood, I tripped over a crack in the sidewalk!  I fell in a way that I rolled my right ankle, and scraped up my left shin and the palms of my hands.  But at the time, I felt ok to keep running.

Probably not the best idea, as my ankle is still swollen (though feeling a lot better today!).  Still, I made it through the run.  After we finished, Amy and I got in my car to drive home.  I had been in a resting state (lower hear-rate) and was cooled down and almost to my home when the strangest thing happened.  My heart rate shot through the roof!  I had to pull over the car, because my vision started dimming, and I could barely catch my breath.  Amy tried to take my pulse, but couldn’t count it because it was racing so fast and such an erratic rhythm.  I’ve felt this feeling before- a fluttery feeling in your chest- almost like a muscle twitch- but you know it’s your heart.  It doesn’t hurt, but it feels very strange.  Usually, it only lasts about 10 seconds, but this time it wouldn’t stop.  It lasted for about 5 minutes, and my chest became very tight, and I was having trouble breathing.  Amy took me to the emergency room.  On the way there, I called my Mom, and she told me to cough to try to settle my heart.  It worked!

I got to the ER, and of course, my heart had settled by the time I got there.  Amy and I stayed there for 3 hours while they ran all sorts of tests.  All of the tests came out negative- they couldn’t find anything wrong with me, which I guess is a good thing!  They said that they think it’s just something that happens to certain people and it’s really a benign condition, but that the coughing usually works to settle it.  Still, I’m going to have some more tests run this week to be sure it’s not something more serious.

I kind of think it was a stress related response to the fall, and the fact that I’d had to fork over quite a bit of money the day before in unexpected car repairs.  That’ll do it!

The good news, besides the fact that I’m a-ok, is that I can still run!  I just have to be careful with my ankle.  But both the ER doctor and my Pulmonary Specialist said I should keep up the running.  Take that, stress-related heart malfunctions!

Next weekend: I am heading home to Houston for a bridal shower, and there I shall run 12 miles!  It will be fun to run in my home-town.  Now, if only fall weather will set in, I’ll be good to go.  My race is in less than a month, and I couldn’t be more excited!!

10 Miles!!! Asthma… Katrina Anniversary…

Well, I can officially say that I have run 10 miles!  I honestly never thought I would say such a thing.  But the run was one of the best I’ve ever had.  We got started on Sunday morning around 4:30 am.  We had to go early because I had to be in my MBA class for 9 am (on a Sunday morning? at Catholic school?).  But it actually wound up being a really good thing that we went so early.  We were blessed by the cold front that settled into the city for the weekend, and it also helped that it was too early for sunshine.  We ran the 10 miles in about 2 hours flat, only stopping twice the whole time to use the bathroom and get more water.  We didn’t walk any of the distance!

I was so excited to have reached this milestone, and to have enjoyed it as much as I did!  Amy and I ran with our new friend Jessica, who is an experienced marathoner.  She really motivated us and helped us power through.  It was neat to run with someone who has so much expertise.  This week I’ve run 5 miles twice without stopping either time!  I am feeling great!

But, the asthma has become a little more of a threat.  Last week I wasn’t allowed to get my allergy shot because I was too asthmatic.  You need the shots to adjust your immune system, so that you don’t react to allergens.  Simply stated, I need the shots to make my asthma and allergies better.  But here’s the catch: if you’re experiencing and asthma symptoms, you can’t get your shot.  So what do you do???

Take more medicine!  Not my favorite answer.  Medicine is so expensive!  Even with insurance.  Plus I just hate pumping myself with more medication.  But if I do it now, then maybe I’ll be able to take my shots again soon, and then I’ll be able to adjust my immune system and get off some of the medication.  Fingers crossed!

On the day that I was denied my shot, I was feeling a little sad and frustrated and defeated.  I had taken a lunch break and driven out to Metairie only to get to the doctor and find out I couldn’t get my shot.  But then I returned to work, and saw my co-worker, who was returning at the same time.  Only she wasn’t returning from a doctor’s appointment- she was returning from the funeral of her good friend’s husband who, at age 27, had just passed away from leukemia.  My co-worker is also a cancer survivor.

Suddenly everything was put into perspective.  And it was weird how just when I was starting to feel sorry for myself about my health problems, I received a direct reminder of how much worse I could have it.  Someone is trying to teach me something.  I don’t believe in coincidences in situations like this.  It was just too meaningful that of all diseases, her friend had just passed away from leukemia- the very disease that is motivating me to overcome my own disease, in order to find a cure for it.  I felt humbled and motivated at the same time.  There is still more work to be done in finding a cure.  That’s why I’m still continuing to fundraise even after surpassing my minimum fundraising goal.

On another note of gratitude and humility, I am very honored to have the opportunity to train in New Orleans.  Even though it’s hot and humid, there’s no other place I’d rather be training.  4 years ago tomorrow, Katrina hit New Orleans and the MS Gulf Coast.  For a while it looked like I would never be able to live here again.  I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to come back, and that I can run up and down the street car line, around the Lakeview neighborhood, and through Audubon Park.  In all it’s hot and humid glory, I am so happy that at this point in my life, I can live and train here.  As I listen to the Treme Brass Band outside my window, I get a little emotional at the thought that this culture and tradition was almost lost.  But thankfully, this wonderful place has endured, though there is still a lot to be done.  I am honored to have the opportunity to serve the people in this city that I love so dearly by living and being involved here.

I suppose life always moves forward.  I have come appreciate change more and more as I’ve gotten older.  Although all good things must come to an end, that also means that all bad things end as well.  And that’s a comfort to me.  There’s always a new adventure to discover!  I think running is kind of an analogy for the way life changes and the choices you have the opportunity to make, and that’s why it’s come to mean so much to me.  After a run, you’ve always experienced a small bit of change.  You know you have just worked very hard, and your work is going to pay off down the line.  But you may have to deal with some sore muscles and dehydration in the mean time.  When I run I feel like I’m taking steps to be an active participant in life, rather than just watching it go by.  I want to keep up with life; I don’t want to feel left behind!

And on that note, I’m now going to head off to my MBA association welcome party!  Tomorrow morning at 6 am I have a group training session.  This time we only have to run 6 miles!!!  Who would have ever though that I’d think 6 miles was easy?!?!  Certainly not me…