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.