ONE WEEK UNTIL THE MARATHON!! ONE WEEK UNTIL THE MARATHON!!
I'm at it again!!!!! That's right....off and running! Last year was the Wichita, KS marathon and this year the goal is the finish line for the Chicago, IL marathon! I am training and running with a good friend/past roommate, Audrey Hall!
Along with the goal of finishing this race, I have set a goal to raise funds with WorldVision! Below I have described just one of the ways this organization can make a difference. I hope that you will join me in these efforts to reach my second goal for these children! Check back periodically for some updates from my training (below in blue)......
In 2005 more than 2.8 million people died becuase because of AIDS - That's equal to a plague killing off the entire population of Chicago. Every day more than 29,000 children die, mostly due to preventable/treatable diseases and lack of clean water.
But this is not a hopeless situation. Not if people like us are willing to stand up and use their One Life to Do Something about it. I have decided to do something about it. World Vision is a Christian Humanitarian Relief and Development organization dedicated to helping children and their communities reach their full potential by tackling the causes of poverty. Through Team World Vision I....am going to raise all the funds I can to bring smiles to the faces of little children that may not have a bright future right now, but with our help they can!
There are two simple ways that you can support my efforts: 1) Click the link in the text box below, and sponsor a child for $35 per month OR 2) Click on the SPONSOR ME NOW button at the bottom of the page and make an online donation.
-Thank you so much for your support and encouragement!
4/23/07 - EARLY TRAINING: I joined a friend, Renae Mackay (soon to be Sebby) for a kick-start to training April 21, 2007, downtown in Grant park with an early morning 10K run! It was a beautiful day, first sunny day in the 70's, downtown and over 3,000 other people out to run alongside! Renae and I really enjoyed the leisurely jog/run! What a great start!
5/1/07 - This next weekend (May 4-6) I'll be in KS, so I'm hoping for the chance to get a good long run in (maybe another 6-8 miler)! Nothing quite like the open roads of KS to set foot on, and your mom to ride her horse alongside....just beware of stray dogs, they'll follow the whole distance, just ask my sister and I! ;o) hahahaha
8/2/07 - GETTING SERIOUS: Ok, so I've noticed we have about 9 weeks till race day! Eek! Slightly nervous at the moment...but after my run this morning I feel confident! Running a constant 3 miles a day, then my long runs on the weekend (this weekend is 10-13 miles). It's been warm around here so I hope this weekend it cools off a bit even for the early morning run! I've been doing the daily 3 mile runs and also strength training about 30 mintues a day, which has been helpful!
8/13/07 - Ok, changing gears...so in previous training I always do a 3-mile run each day; however I have learned recently that I need to have a "base" mileage of 35 miles per week. So, as you do the math, I need to be running more like 6 miles per day. On Tues. and Thurs. mornings I've joined a running group that sets out at 6am for a good hour run! It's been helpful to push me and get me running the distances I need to. I must say though it is not easy to get up at 5:30am sometimes! :o(
8/28/07 - Sometimes on these Tues./Thurs. runs I am the only one alongside our coach, Howard Larson! Now HE is a RUNNER! I am a joy-jogger compared to him! Anyway; he's a great coach! A few ideas have been really helpful and I thought I could pass them along if any of you ever should decide to do a marathon someday! Which you CAN! **The Three Pointers (as of today): 1.) When you run long distances your body can start to cramp up and you obviously lose a bit of energy along the way too. To combat this, he suggested eating gummy bears...just suck on a couple gummy bears per every 3.5 miles! It replaces the glycogen your body loses and the sugar gives you a bit of energy too! THIS TOTALLY WORKS! I tried it and it worked! You can also use gels (which I did last year), but this works better! And you don't need water to get it down...like you do the gels! 2.) When you run uphill do not push harder or "work" harder. Use the same amount of energy that you do on a flat road. You will slow down; but everyone slows down on a hill, so don't waste your energy when you tackle the hill...you'll need that energy later at say...mile 25 or 26! 3.) Cutting close to the corners (the advice of this morning): He said he's passed numerous people just with this simple advice. When you get to a corner; head straight for it and don't go straight out into the middle of the road; that's a lot of saved mileage if you add it up over 26 miles! **Of course with all advice you have to see what works best for you; but I'm just passing along some stuff I learned that works for me...and is worth a try WHEN you do your marathon! :o)
9/30/07: I have been sick the past two weeks and have not run at all. I was a bit worried that I would not be better in time, but last weekend I did a 16 mile run, so I feel much better and more prepared now. With adrenaline and all the fans to support that day....Everything should go great! I'm really excited for next week to be here, and be done! :o) I can't wait to see all the fans out cheering and see all the other runners that are ready to ruuunnnnn! Hope to see ya there, and please remember to lift up a prayer.....for safety! Thanks for all the encouragment!
ONE WEEK UNTIL THE MARATHON!! ONE WEEK UNTIL THE MARATHON!!