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!