swamp thing & salmon

First of all I have to congratulate Jamie and Mary for 'escaping from Alcatraz'! Way to go!

Last Thursday, after Abby got done teaching her swimming lessons, we headed down to Wenonah lake for an open water swim. My new wetsuit had just come in the mail, and i didn't want to be standing out in the rain at the lake putting it on for the first time so we just grabbed our regular swimsuits and headed out the door.

We got to the lake and were a little timid because of the cold water. After getting used to the water we took one lap around the lake and Abby was nice enough not to leave me too far behind! The cold water played havoc on my breathing, but I just need to remember to stay calm. Abby then chose to swim a little more without me. It was no great feat of endurance, just about a 1/4 mile for me, but enough to get a feel for the open water and get covered with muck. Everyone was emerging from the water just covered in dark brown slime. It was quite disgusting. I pictured myself emerging from the water covered in muck just like the swamp thing!

When we got home I was so excited about my new wetsuit I couldn't wait until the next day to try it on. So I shimmied it on (it fit wonderfully) between stirring the soup I was making for dinner. The wetsuit is a Fit2Race Sockeye wetsuit. I figured if Mary could swim so fast in hers that maybe I'll be able to swim adequately in it. Anyway, Fit2Race looks like a great company that I'm proud to support.


Abby also got a new Orca race singlet which she looks super fast and sleek in! Hopefully we'll have some photos from Parvins (Parvins State Park Triathlon - www.dqtridu.com) after this weekend.

On Saturday we rode our bikes down to Jules and Betsy's house. I slept in a little longer than I wanted, but overall it wasn't too hot and uncomfortable. We finished our 38 miles around 10am. We both agreed that all of the running we've been doing has helped our aerobic capacity and made the ride much more enjoyable. We've only been on our bikes three times since the beginning of the year, but the 12 miles on Saturday shouldn't be too bad (it's mostly flat). I'm a little concerned about my oly in Jim Thorpe in July, but my goal is just to have fun.

I've been sick since Saturday morning (before we rode I had a sore throat) and I have been coughing a lot, but the doctor told me I just have a cold. I'm hoping Abby doesn't pick it before our race this weekend. Well, I should get some sleep. Sweet dreams everyone!

I know it has been a while since the promised re-cap, but I suppose this is better late than never.

I'll start at the beginning. (This race recap will be blurry at best since it is seems like so long ago that it happened).

It was a cold (40's), windy and rainy day in the bizarre town of Long Branch, NJ. A last minute stop at the running store secured me the most incredible long sleeve performance shirt that a girl with a tank top could ever hope for hours before the start of a frigid race. After the race start was delayed 3 times, we finally heard the gun and we were off!

Mile 1: Lots of people, lots of excitement. We ran along a fellow Team In Training teammate, Heather, who is also a blood cancer survivor. (She's awesome).

Mile 2: People playing music, legs feeling good. Crowd starting to thin out a little.

Mile 4: Wow, I already ran a 5k. This rocks!

Mile 6: This is when the rain started to fall a little harder and my brain started churning. I started to think about Casey and all the names I proudly wore on my shirt, and I started to lose my breath in the moment, but then I looked over at Heather,a survivor, smiling, and bouncing along, and then at Ken, with his broken foot, winking at me, and I knew the rain wouldn't stop us.

Mile 7: CLAUDIA, MEGAN AND LINDSAY!!!! I really can't tell you how much of a boost it was to see them. At that point, I felt like I could run the whole marathon!


Mile 8: The only hill in NJ, which happened to bring with it no spectators, and lots of cold rain. Luckily, at the top of the hill was our Team in Training water stop and Therese and her husband were there to cheer us on.

Mile 10: All I remember thinking was, "If I had done the Broad Street run in Philly today, I'd be done now. Man I'm stupid".

Mile 12: First signs of real pain in my poor toes (wet socks + existing blisters = ouch) but we were headed up onto the boardwalk for our final mile and NOTHING was going to stop us. WE saw our cheering section again and my toes pain slipped away.

In the last half mile, as we ran along the grey and misty ocean, I started to think about my shirt again, and all the brave people who had fought battles with blood cancer. I started to cry, hysterically. It was the culmination of all the feelings I had been holding on to for this entire journey. A sense of accomplishment, of pride, and of genuine joy and sadness. I cried until the finish line and probably a little after.

Mile 13.1: 2 hours and 37 minutes later, hand in hand, Ken & I crossed the finish line together, the way we started.

In the moments after the race, our excitement got the better of our good sense and we failed to go inside and put on dry clothes and get warm. Instead, we stood in the freezing rain and waited for our friend Emily to finish the full marathon in an impressive 3:40!


The ride home was painful as our muscles had completely seized up and Monday proved to be hilarious for anyone who saw us try to walk. It was in this pain that I decided that I would never run this distance again. . . and in Ken's wisdom that he knew I would reverse this statement within days.

I have since signed up to be a mentor for the fall season of Team in Training, which means I will be doing the Philadelphia Endurance Run (half marathon) in September (Ken is still undecided as to whether or not he will join me). We have also signed up for our favorite sprint triathlon at Parvins State Park, and Ken is registered for his first oly, the Anthracite Triathlon!

The weeks after the race held this incredible sense of "nothing to do". It is a feeling that Ken and I are not familiar with at all as I am a bit of a scheduling overachiever and take great pride in my ability to attend 2 weddings, a shower, a bar mitzvah and a board meetings in one weekend. So, having "nothing to do", no training runs, no exams to study for, no meetings to attend; left us in unfamiliar territory that closely resembled sloth.

We caught up on our DVR'd programs, spent some time in the kitchen and even managed to read a book! And not a socially conscious non-fiction sure to enhance my concern for the world today read, but a fun book! About camp! We also spent a week on vacation in Ithaca, NY to celebrate my sister's graduation from Cornell.

All in all, it was nice to slow down, however, we're finding it's more difficult to pick up the pace again. But, with races to run, and blogs to be written, we must prevail! or at least get off our butts and get moving. More to come ... at some point.

The Short Version

WE DID IT!!! We ran 13.1 miles in the rain and wind AND raised $5,100 to fight blood cancers. We are sore, and tired now though, so a full post will have to wait. I believe John Cougar Mellencamp said it best when he sang, "it hurts so good".

A million thank yous to all our friends and family who have supported us along the way. We never would have made it without you. Also, a special thanks to Claudia, Megan and Lindsay for standing in the rain for 3 hours to see us finish!

well-wishes, epsom salts & a big thank you

Hi everyone! Ken here with my first blog post!
Usually i just let Abby handle the writing, but i thought it was important for me to personally address my foot situation. First and foremost i want to send out a HUGE thank you to everyone who has sent me well-wishes, good thoughts and prayers! I can't tell you how much it has meant to me!
Once the doctor told me i had a stress fracture in my foot (although the x-rays did not confirm anything), i was told to stay off my foot and elevate, ice and motrin everyday. So my plans changed from a slow taper leading up to race day to a grinding, painful stop.
After the weekend of our last blog, a new pain started in my foot in a different location and it hurt with every step i took for a week. Somehow, with everyone's postive vibes from all over America focused my way, i have been able to stay positive about running the 13.1 on Sunday and let me make this clear - i can't stand not being able to run. My jealousy of Abby running without me and all those people i saw every day walking without limps just kept growing over the past two weeks. All i want to do is run, feeling my feet just gliding along below me, and sweat. I've never been so jealous of people sweating before.
Last week we had a TEAM meeting to pick up Abby's race shirt and receive some more information on the day-of proceedings. While we were leaving i mentioned to the coach, Mike, about my foot, and he suggested i use epsom salts. Apparently epsom salts are some wonder drug that our current culture forgot about! What a difference after just one epsom salt wrap around my foot! The swelling went right away and after a few days of epsom soaks i was feeling like the swelling had dissipated enough for the rest of my foot to heal properly.
Luckily, the last two days I've been able to walk without too much of a hitch. Today was Abby's last planned short run before the race so we decided that i should take a shot at running to make sure i can at least make it to the start line on Sunday!
We went over to Crow's Woods, where we first started training for triathlons 4 (5?) years ago, which is a short loop around some soccer and softball fields. We stretched well and decided it was time to test it out.
This is how it went...
step. step. (Abby) How does it feel? step. (Me) Jeez, i just took two steps, but so far so good. step. step ... at this point I just try to think about anything else other than the fact that I'm running on a stress fracture that is not even three weeks old.
We made it about a mile and a half and other than some tightness in the rest of my legs, which I expected after a week of limping back and forth to work, it went really well!
Now we are ready to face our challenge on Sunday. We are decorating our shirts tonight, Abby will be donning her short TEAM shirt (not made for tall girls) and I will be proudly wearing my Team Katharine shirt. Don't worry, there will be pictures!
I must write a couple sentences about my wife. Abby has been so amazing through everything, but she's always amazing so I'm sure no one would expect anything less! She has found solace in her running and has been able to stay focused and motivated while i was laying on the couch. She has also kept my spirits up and supported me in any way she can, even when I was just being a cranky ole' poop.
So thank you all again for all of your support, all of your well-wishes, all of your prayers, all of your positive vibes, all of your thoughts ... and thank you to Casey for inspiring both of us.

As promised, this week held many unforgettable moments. Jamie and Trey's beautiful wedding, an incredible 3.2 mile run with my favorite Hokie, and a PR (personal record) in the Clean Air 5k (after a 6 mile run!). But perhaps the most important, and devastating event of the week, was that Ken's foot injury was "classified" as a hairline fracture, an hour after our Run in Remembrance for the hokies on Thursday morning.

During our run, it appeared that Ken's pain was getting sharper with every step, and in the last 1/2 mile, I could really see the grimace on his face. When we arrived back home, he called the doctor and got in for an appointment immediately. She diagnosed him with a foot fracture and sent him for x-rays. The good news, relatively speaking, was that the fracture was so small, that the x-rays did not pick it up, potentially meaning a much quicker recovery time. The bad news, was that Ken could not run in his speedy race on Saturday, or at all, for an undetermined period of time. For Ken, "undetermined period of time" translated to: Long Branch Half Marathon Race Day: May 3rd. After much discussion, we decided that we started this journey together, and our plan is to finish the race the way we started. Together.

Having said that, I still have a good bit of training to complete on my own while Ken takes the next 2 weeks to recuperate. Saturday morning was the first time I have ever run any distance without Ken. He still hopped on his bike though, and met me at my 3 mile turnaround along Kelly Drive with extra fuel and tons of support. On the way back, he rode along side me for a little while, and later told me he felt like Rocky's coach. After the 6 mile run, which I finished faster than ever, we headed (hobbled) to the starting line for the race, and I took off for another 3.1! I learned a lot about myself in those next three miles. I learned that I am so much stronger than I ever imagined I could be. I realized that if I put my mind to it, I really can accomplish anything, and most importantly, I was reminded that your source of inspiration, doesn't need to be right beside you, to keep pushing you along. In the solitude of those last three miles, I ran with Casey and Ken, and 1400 other Philadelphian's who were just out for a run. It was the most empowering run of my life, and I now know that I am ready for 13.1. I am ready to reach my final fundraising goal, and I am ready for whatever comes next.

A huge thank you to everyone for their words of encouragement, incredible spirit, and continued support. We're almost to the finish line, but we'll never stop fighting.

We headed to Hanover, PA for easter weekend and were able to try out a new long run. Per the recommendation of our most recent issue of Runner's World, we decided to head out to the battlefields of Gettysburg to enjoy a crisp easter morning in the park. As our race date approaches, our distances have been ramping up and down to allow our legs a good taper. This week, we were thrilled to ONLY be running 6. (It should be noted that every single time I say "only", I end up having a tough run. Maybe I'll learn someday). It was on this run more than any other, however that I realized how my memory of elevation change is severely impaired. It was comforting to know, on the third major hill we ran up, that Ken also was terribly shocked by these difficult climbs. From my previous experience at the park (which was in a car), I remembered rolling hills and small slopes. My mental recollection of our run yesterday, however, may as well have been a climbing expedition! We took it in stride though (pun intended) and finished our 6 miles with a minor, unclassified injury to Ken's foot, and a lot of great pictures.

The week ahead holds a few important runs. Most notably, on Thursday morning, 4/16, we will be running 3.2 miles for the 32 members of our Hokie community which we lost on 4/16/07. Following this tragedy two years ago, Ken and I met with other Virginia Tech alumni in the Philadelphia Area to determine how we could help and how we could heal. We brainstormed for hours, and felt incredible comfort in the presence of our Hokie Family. It was there that we all decided that a Run in Remembrance of these individuals would be an incredible tribute to their lives, as well as a way to celebrate our incredible Hokie community. Lots of red tape and concerned participants seemed to squash our efforts, but I was so happy to see a few weeks ago that the race will finally be taking place this year on the Virginia Tech campus. Unfortunately, Ken and I will be unable to travel to Blacksburg for the memorial as we did last year, so we will be running on our own. . . but not running alone at all. In an attempt to continue the solidarity that we all felt in those months after the tragedy, we started an email chain, reaching out to any and all runners we could think of, and inviting them to run 3.2 miles with us, no matter where they were. If you are reading this and would like to be a part of our extended Hokie Family, please feel free to join us, by putting on any orange and maroon you have, and hitting the pavement or treadmill. Support is what gets us through the tough times, and helps us to enjoy the good times even more.

Speaking of good times, Jamie and Trey's wedding is Saturday, but before we party hard, we need to run hard too! We have a 9 mile run scheduled for the morning, the first 3 miles of which are the Clean Air Run! Ken has joined the competitive team for his office, which means he will be stretching his Kenyan legs and running nearly twice as fast as we usually do (as I have mentioned before, I am quite slow). I will run at my usual pace, allowing him a chance to recover at the end, before joining me for another 6 miles along the Schuylkill River.

Please keep Kenny's foot in your thoughts. He'll be needing it with this tough week ahead.

Yes I Will

Since we started running outside, I have forgone the Ipod as there are so many more interesting sites and sounds (or cars and potholes) that I could easily miss if too entranced in my tunes. That does not, however, mean that I have left the music behind. The music plays in my head like the soundtrack to my life, and true to form this week, the song which stuck in my head was "Yes I Will" by Michael Franti. It just kept playing over and over again, pushing me mile after mile, and was there with me when we finished our 12 mile run on Saturday.

It was a windy (40 mph gusts) but beautiful sunny day. We headed down to LBI to participate for the second year in the Ship Bottom Sprint for Life 5K to benefit Leukemia and Lymphoma. The only difference between the race this year and the race last year, was that before this years race, we ran 9 miles. Oh, there was one other difference. . . we ran the actual race 1 minute FASTER than last year! We also had the opportunity to do our training run with a great group of girls, and their incredible coach Alanna from the north jersey TEAM. Overall, it was a really fabulous day and has us feeling really confident about our progress, and our ability to complete the Long Branch Half. Yes we will!

Am I a Runner?

I have been asking myself this question a lot lately. It started during our triumphant 10 mile run last week, and has been pestering me ever since. We were once again left behind by the team, which I suppose is understandable, since they are all a bit faster, but none-the-less, it made me question whether or not I was really a runner. If I cannot keep pace with the other girls that are training, and my coach doesn't bother to come back for us, do I deserve to call myself a runner? Am I really more of a jogger? Does that take away from my accomplishments?

Kenny is obviously a runner. He floats along like a gazelle most days, and while I know this has also been challenging for him, his body and mind were made for running. It just seems to look good on him, no matter how bad he is hurting.

I, on the other hand, am not obviously a runner. Claudia reminds me often, that I am an athlete and have great hand/ eye coordination, but that doesn't necessarily mean I can run. And I know, that when I am hurting, it is as obvious and not so pretty.

So I decided to do some research, and get to the root of this concern. First stop: Webster's Dictionary for a definition:

Runner, n.
1) one that runs : racer

Run, v.
1)to go faster than a walk ; specifically : to go steadily by springing steps so that both feet leave the ground for an instant in each step


As I am "one that runs", I was feeling ,much more confident, but I just needed to check "jog" before I was satisfied.

Jog, v.
1)to run or ride at a slow trot ; to go at a slow, leisurely, or monotonous pace
While my running had been slow by some standards, it certainly had not been "leisurely",so JACKPOT! Webster's thinks I'm a runner!

But what about other runners. What do they think running is?

I looked a little further, and found that the late Dr. George Sheehan, a best-selling author from the 1970s running boom, once wrote that the difference between a runner and a jogger was a signature on a race application. In other words, if you're motivated and enjoy running enough to train for an organized race, you're a runner -- regardless of your speed or experience in the sport.

I think this notion would have been enough to answer my question, but the icing on the cake, was a comment posted to our blog last week about running hair, where Mary said, "Those perfectly pony-tailed girls are joggers. Real runners have wacky hair."

So there you have it! It is official. Three well researched points that prove that I, like my wonderful husband, am a Runner. After all, would a jogger go out running at night in the rain, just to meet their training miles?????



Also, it should be noted that 2 of my favorite girls finished their first half marathons this week. Big big hugs to Liz Bryan and Ashley Nolan. I am so proud of them!!!!

To succeed...You need to find something to hold on to, something to motivate you, something to inspire you. -Tony Dorsett

Since beginning this journey on Anna Maria Island, a little under 2 months ago, we have run over 100 MILES. 100 MILES!!! That is the distance between Philadelphia's City Hall and Times Square in New York, and we have covered it on our feet!

On Saturday, we ran 10 MILES, the longest distance either of us had ever run, racking up our 100th mile and feeling a sense of accomplishment that we won't soon forget. There is something very special about hitting double digits in a single run. It was something that I never thought I would experience, and to be here now feels incredible. It was only when I went to write this entry that I realized that we must be getting close to the 100 mile mark. I looked through my weekly training logs, and as I added up the miles, I couldn't help but feel overwhelmed by how far Casey has brought us. I would never have done this without her. But even more important than the miles we have covered is the money we have raised. I am 75% of the way to my fundraising goal, and have reached a point where EVERY SINGLE DOLLAR I am raising is going directly to the cause. Every step we take brings us closer to a cure, which will truly be the ultimate finish line.

We have a full week ahead with lots of meetings, deadlines and miles to run. The big excitement will be waiting to hear how our friend Ashley Nolan did in her first half marathon ever in JERUSALEM, ISRAEL, which will take place on Thursday. She's running to raise money for diabetes in honor of her sister, so make sure to keep her in your thoughts!

Memoirs of a Diary Dropout

It is now that I remember why I have 13 or 14 journals/ diaries with only the first 4-5 pages filled out. It is now that I recall that I am absolute crap at sticking with them. For it has been at every "important" juncture in my life, which I have started a memoir of some sort to capture the feelings and the moments I was experiencing: the first day of fifth grade, the first day of public high school, my last year in senior row at camp, going off to college, moving in with ken, again when ken proposed, and then another on our honeymoon. They read like literary masterpieces (in my eyes) and then they dropped off without a warning, which is why I think I may have trouble keeping with them. Not to say that the previous blog entries have been masterpieces, but I believe that I am analyzing my entries too much, making it more of a chore than anything. . . so, starting today, as it comes out of my head, it's going into the blog.
Starting NOW!

Running hair: No one talks about running hair. It's absurd really. We discuss blisters, knee problems and hydration for hours on end, but no one addresses the hair. I bring it up mostly because until last week, when we ran 9 miles (yay!), I was under the impression that I looked absolutely stunning as I was jogging about Philadelphia. You've seen the girls before, with the perfect ponytail, and the coordinated outfit. . .I thought I was her, albeit a slower version, but her none-the-less. Until I got home and looked in the mirror, which apparently, I had never done before. This is what I saw:
Well, at least now I know that I can never really take myself too seriously. The good news is, that I really hadn't planned on it anyway.

I'll do anything for a t-shirt: Many people have heard me utter these words before, and truth be told, it may have been part of the reason I entered into the world of triathlon. Now I am running for a much bigger reason, and more important goal, but it doesn't make me love the t-shirts any less! Here's one we got from a 5 mile race this weekend. I finished in under an hour, which for me, was a really good run. Also, it was officially the longest road race we had ever competed in. Very exciting.


Ten miles loom for next week, but I am up for the challenge. I never thought I'd say this, but I think I am really beginning to enjoy running.

“Friendships born on the field of athletic strife are the real gold of competition. Awards become corroded, friends gather no dust.” - Jesse Owens

It was February 27, 2005. I was returning home from a weekend in the mountains with my camp girls and excited to see my husband-to-be. Kenny greeted me at the door of our apartment in Haddonfield, with the eyes the likeness of a small child who has just seen a shiny new toy in a storefront window. He handed me a paper and said "I'm going to do this." The "this" on the paper was the Parvins State Park Triathlon on June 25, 2005. He went on in a hurry to explain that he would need to train to swim one quarter mile, bike twelve miles, and then finish with a 5K run (3.1 miles). I hugged him and joined in his excitement, and promised to do my best to help him train for the swim, pick out a bike and cheer him on for the run. I remember being so enamored by this man I was going to marry in just 7 months. He had always been an athlete in my eyes and a track star from his high school days, but years of architecture school and cubical life had made us both slower, older versions of our once fit selves, and this was certainly not a challenge to be taken lightly.

It was probably only 3 hours later, that I turned to Ken and asked if he thought I could do it too. I remember so clearly, the way he said without any hesitation, "Of course you can," and really, the rest is history. I was 25 pounds heavier, and had not run in nearly 5 years, but Ken stood by me, and we trained together everyday. In the chaos of planning a wedding, it was nice to find quiet time to be together, whether on our bikes, or while hoofing along the streets of our quiet town. And on June 25, we earned the right to call ourselves triathletes. I was so proud of Ken that day, finishing strong, and in a respectable time. He waited for me at the finish line, one of very few people left, as I was the last person to cross the finish line. But I finished, and that moment will stay with me forever.

Since that fateful race, we have completed 7 more sprint triathlons, nearly 2 dozen 5K's and our first half century bike ride. I never thought we'd come this far, across so many miles. And we're not done yet!

After 2 great runs on Tuesday and Thursday, Saturday's 8 mile run, was a big test of will and determination. My toes were hurting and my breathing was shallow due to some upper respiratory issues I had during the week. At the beginning of our team runs, someone always shares a mission moment and this week, I shared Casey's story. She was with us all for 8 miles as Ken reminded me of our mission and coached me through the tough miles with support and loving kindness.

So, as we train for this half marathon, I can't help but think of all the people who have helped us to believe in ourselves along the way. Our friends and family who have cheered at the races, shared their homes, called to see how we're doing, and shown their support through donations and time. We would not be here, at mile 8, without them.

We're half way there!

The beginning of the week was incredibly hectic, with deadlines at work, miles to run, and laundry seemingly taking over our entire home. Tuesday night was rough on the treadmill, trying to stay focused, but another amazing message from my dear friend Claudia made me realize that I am certainly not alone on this adventure. I queued up my IPod, to start the 4 miles and was on my way. About 2 miles in (approximately 6 songs), I got bored and distracted, and as I started to slow down, something incredible happened. We Are Family, by Sister Sledge came on, and I was transported to the Race for the Cure. My mom is a 5 year breast cancer survivor and in previous years, we had done the race together to raise funds for cancer research. We Are Family was our team name, and also, our family mantra for many years. So now, I was running for yet another reason. My mommy. The joy and excitement from that song got me through the other 2 miles and Tuesday's workout was now in the books.

Ironically, this was not the first time there had been divine intervention with the shuffle feature on my IPod (yes, I think God controls my IPod). It happened when I first ran all the way around Cooper River (Do You Feel Like We Do, Peter Frampton), and again when I ran my first 5 miles on the treadmill (I'm Alive, The Hooters). It's amazing how a familiar song, and a big smile can help you push through.

Thursday was even better, with a great line up of television on at the gym, I was completely distracted and the 5 miles went by quite quickly.

And then came Friday. I had been gravely concerned about the distance my team had been running together in my absence. That, combined with the looming deadlines at work, malfunctioning computer (because it only doesn't work when you have a deadline), and even larger piles of laundry, made Friday just awful. I could not seem to get out from under anything. For every positive step I took, there was some counter action that made me sink deeper and deeper into self doubt about my capabilities. Great friends made the day bearable, and an incredible husband calmed my fears about the looming 7 miles ahead for Saturday.

Also, keeping it all in perspective helped greatly. Claudia's mother in law (Kerry's mom) was in surgery nearly the entire day for open heart surgery. Our thoughts stayed with her, and reminded me that every minute I have is really a gift, and would best be spent enjoying what I'm doing, instead of worrying about it.

So, after a bit of a sleepless night (I can't tell my subconscious not to worry or not to give me running nightmares), we woke to a cold (26 degrees) morning and got dressed for the big run. We met the team at the River, and as the coach said "who's running 7 miles today?", my hand sprung up like it was on voice activated release. My mind and my body were ready for this challenge. As we set off, I began chatting with some of my teammates and was comforted to find out that they were also nervous about the distances, and sometimes struggling during the week. I believe the coach said it best " Misery loves company", and we all certainly loved each other . .. for the whole 7 miles. That's right. We ran SEVEN miles!!!!!

In 3 weeks, Kenny and I have more than doubled our distance and now find that we are more than half way to our goal, both in miles and in fundraising. We have had the pleasure of meeting so many committed people, and the joy of truly training our bodies to do something new. The support we have found in the strangest places has helped us to push through the pain and stay focused on our mission. So, with Casey in our hearts, and blisters on our toes, we look forward to the next week, the next challenge and the next milestone.

Some days you eat the bear, some days the bear eats you

It was Thursday around 7pm when the bear sunk his sharp white teeth into me. I am finding that my body had been quite exhausted from the sudden increase in mileage, but I was still able to put in my 4 miles on Tuesday. My feet were burning, and I was terribly bored of the treadmill, but some positive messages from family and friends filled my mind and helped me to push through.

Thursday was different. It could have been the illnesses that are swarming through the office and the pool where I teach, or it could have been that my body finally said enough, but those 5 miles could have been 100. I barely made it through Mile 1 before I found myself making faces like a child who has just eaten their first brussel sprout. Coming up on Mile 2, my head started to spin, and I began side stepping on the treadmill, which is when I stopped, for fear of falling off, and went to splash some water on my face. It was at this point, that I genuinely felt like giving up. Kenny looked worried, and I just didn't know if I could make it. But something pushed me to get back on (I remembered the reason), and I finished with a pathetic combination of running, limping, panting, gagging and walking.

It was not glamorous by any stretch of the imagination, and it certainly didn't feel like any accomplishment, but I think it taught me a very important lesson about running, and another really important lesson about the person I want to be. It may not have been pretty, but I did it, and the more I train, the more I realize that that may be the reality of race day . . . and in the end, WHEN I cross the finish line, I will have raised money for a very important cause and I will have completed something I thought was impossible.

This weekend, we went to Mink Pond for an Ice Fishing Derby, so I missed another team run. It turned out that even though the team was scheduled to run 5, they ended up running 7! Coming off of my awful performance on Thursday, I was just hoping to get in the scheduled 5 without passing out. We headed to Cooper River, with bellies full of shamrock shakes and heavy legs from a weekend in the snow. Mile 1 was alright, Mile 2 a little better, and before I knew it, we had run 5 1/2 miles! My longest run to date. I felt really, really fantastic about it, and again, felt like I could have done more, but it was getting dark, and cold, and we hadn't yet unpacked from the weekend, so we headed home.

So, I guess I am learning that the road to success is not a straight line. There will be good days and bad days, and occasionally moments where I feel like I just want to quit, but I will remember the reason, and I will push through. For while the road may not be straight, it sure has made for an interesting journey so far.

"Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you're right." - Henry Ford

On Wednesday, I had the pleasure of meeting my new team. I arrived at the meeting apprehensive, and didn't feel any better walking into the room with all these athletic looking people. I was hoping to find someone who looked less prepared than I was, or at least someone more terrified. While I did not find anyone fitting that description, the positive side was that I may have been that person for someone else!

I sat down at my table, labeled "run" and dug into my packet, feverishly looking for the workout schedule. I passed by nutrition, fundraising, shoe clinics, and more to finally arrive at the sheet which would be my bible for the next few months. WHAT? I am supposed to run 5 miles this weekend? Are you kidding me? I am just meeting my team, just coming off of the high of my 3.7 mile accomplishment, and you want me to do what? I guess the look on my face showed my concern because someone across the table said, "Don't worry, you can do it," followed by the dreaded, "how far can you run now?" I replied, somewhat sheepishly (yes, I can be sheepish), "3.7 miles". I was sure they would laugh me out of the room, but I was so wrong. My new teammate said," Well, if you can run 3 miles, you can run 26.2!" From that point on, I decided I would no longer worry about my 13.1, and knew that my new teammates would be there to support me (or tell me huge exaggerations of the truth) from this point forward. I just have to keep putting one foot in front of the other.

The rest of the evening was filled with laughter and tears. I was introduced to my new running buddy Colleen, and we discovered that she had previously worked at the same firm I do! We also met our honored teammate, who was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was 21. Now 30, he was able to share all of the incredible programs LLS offered him during his journey, and his experience as a TNT alumni. While incredibly inspiring, his story still reminded me of Casey and I had a hard time fighting back the tears. They were tears of power though, and I am positive that they are making me stronger. I ended the night by sharing all of my information with Kenny and showing off my new tshirt!

On Thursday night, we boarded a plane for Tampa, Florida and took off for Jenn Dohner and Vince Elizarde's wedding on Anna Maria Island. I was certainly looking forward to the weekend of fun, sun, and romance. I just love weddings! We arrived at 12:45 am and after some giddy banter with the bride and groom-to-be, we settled in for the night. In the morning, we had some breakfast with the Dohner's and the Elizarde's and unpacked our sneakers and running gear. After a bit of apprehension, we set out for the dreaded 5 mile run. We took it nice and slow and for the first time, I experienced "conversation pace" running. All in all, it took us about an hour to run it, and at the end, I felt like I could have done even more. It still seems somewhat surreal. How was I all of the sudden able to run that distance? Where did it come from? Perhaps it was the anticipation of the camp girls arriving, or the distraction of the clear blue water along the Gulf of Mexico. Whatever it was, it was perfect. I finished the run with some stretching and a Corona on the beach.

The rest of the weekend was spent celebrating, kayaking and walking on the beach. The wedding was beautiful, and it was so nice to catch up with my girlfriends. This week holds a few big meetings, and late nights, so the workouts will be tricky, but I have a new sense of confidence which is sure to get me through the next miles.

Miles and Milestones

"Many of life's failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up." -Steve Prefontaine

If there is one thing I have learned in these few short weeks of training, it is that when I think I am just about done, I can usually find a little more in the tank. It happened again today. We went to Cooper River to "run" the 3.7 mile loop. For me, this has always meant running the first two or three miles and then walking back to the car to complete the loop, exhausted. Today, however, I dug deeper, checked my tank, and as I crested the bridge for the last mile, I felt something incredible. I felt MORE. Suddenly, I had more spring in my legs, more air in my lungs and more courage in my heart. I veered off the path and onto the road so I could really stretch my legs and pick up my pace. It was amazing . . . for about .5 miles, and then, the spring and the air disappeared, and left in their place was pain and a faint weeze. Fortunately, however, the courage and determination remained, and like Kenny always told me, the only way to get where you're going is to put one foot in front of the other. So I did. And for the first time EVER, I ran the entire loop.

This milestone was preceded by several others this week, which leads me to believe we CAN do anything we commit our minds and bodies to. Kenny ran for 6 miles! in 45 minutes for the first time since his high school track days and I tallied a 10 mile total week for the first time ever. I am looking forward to building miles, seeing more trails, and spending more time with Ken.

I meet my TEAM on Wednesday night and I am anxious to see who I'll be training with. Will they think I'm too slow? Will they laugh at my excitement over 3.7 miles? After everything I've read about TNT, I am sure this won't be the case, but alas, I am still me, and will still be nervous. Then again, since I am me, I will probably leave the meeting with a pile of new best friends!

Here we go!

So I guess now I am blogging. I've never done it before, and was never quite sure I wanted to, but this journey I am about to begin requires, no, deserves, documentation. I will attempt to travel 13.1 miles by foot, a "feet" greater than any I have attempted to date. I am excited and scared, and know that we can do it. I say "we" because Kenny will be with be along the journey and I couldn't imagine doing this without him. I also say "we" because I have signed up to complete this half marathon with Team in Training, an endurance charity sports training program which raises money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

I am running for a host of reasons: to prove to myself that I can, to meet new people (we all know I love making friends), but most importantly, to prevent this disease that took a member of our Camp Oneka family so quickly.

I got my first email from my mentor Therese today, and she shared her blog about her experience with TNT. It immediately calmed my fears about running so far, and made me feel like I was not alone. I am now part of a team; a team full of athletes (and non-athletes), a team full of friends, and a team full of HOPE!

With Kenny the Kenyan by my side, Team in Training on my singlet, and Casey in my heart, I will begin this journey. It may take us past May 3, and the finish line in Long Branch, but my biggest hope, is that it takes those fighting the disease to the next event!