There Was No Rain

The storm was supposed to hit us on Saturday so I figured I'd be running in the rain. However, even though it was 59 degrees, there was hardly any rain on Saturday's 11 mile long run.

I ran with a "fanny pack" to start getting used to wearing one. I have run with a smaller one before that holds a water bottle but I wanted to start running with supplies - just in case I need them. It's part of me learing to take care of myself. For some of you that sounds silly, but for those of you who know what it's like growing up not taking care of yourself - justifying why you don't need to stop and go to the bathroom because it might inconvenince or anger the person you are with - then, you can understand why those learned coping mechanisms make it a bit of a challenge to learn to take care of yourself on the course. In a way, it feels like I'm cheating if I carry chapstick or tylenol. But the reality is that those are neccessities that make my running fun and enjoyable.

The run was AWESOME! Lot's of runners out early at 7am. The sky was cloudy and it was nice and cool. I didn't know what to expect my body would do that day but it absolutely rose to the challenge and loved every step I took. I tried a new flavor of Hammer Gel - Banana. GROSS. I had to throw it away and bust out the chocolate. My beloved shimmer chapstick I do not like while running - it's gritty - and I don't like that gritty feeling at all. My Superfeet have broken in very nicely although if I get a new pair of shoes for Christmas I may have to do that all over again.

I AM TRAINING FOR ANOTHER HALF MARATHON - Feb 1st 2009 Superbowl Sunday Surf City Marathon in Huntington Beach. I'm very excited! I'm already ready so I'm staying around the 14 mile mark during the month of January. When I go to Yuba this weekend, they have a spectacular brand new track (I've blogged about it before) and it's nice and safe for a long run. Running in the country can be tricky with all the dogs and the way they drive out there on country roads.

Thanksgiving 2008 - Palm Springs

For those of you who have had the opportunity to run through the town of Palm Springs, let me just say Oh My Gawsh! My family and I stayed there this past weekend and met up with my husbands family to celebrate for 3 days. I ran each morning just after sunrise and it's nothing short of spectacular.

The streets are quiet during the holidays - everyone's still bundled up in bed or sipping coffee so the roads were there just for me to run on them. We stayed in a very upscale Hollywood circa 1950's neighborhood so each street was lined with pristine houses will well kept yards, all with lawns that were all promptly watered early in the morning before the heat of the day. This made the 68 degree weather with humididty very similar to the beach weather I'm used to at home. The sun shines up against the mountains as it's rising and that's amazing too. On one of the days, I followed a local around (or at least she seemed to know where she was going!!) and we went through a zeroscaped park in town that had windly little paths - it was a real treat. This morning, I did 9 miles, during which I saw a fellow runner give me the peace sign (Even though he wasn't running) It made me smile so big! It's awesome when you cross paths with a fellow runner and they say a silent hello. If I had some motrin and a fresh bottle of water, I could have kept going a few more miles, but the heat of the day was fast approaching, so I reluctantly stopped.

I genuinely look forward to our travels because of the new and exciting roads to run on. Everyone kept suggesting that since I was on vacation I should take a break from running. I had to remind them that part of the reason I'm on vacation is to go running! I guess you just have the bug or you don't.

Taking Time Off

After allowing my body to recover a little, I put on an old pair of running shoes (cause I lost one during the race) and tried to go for a run on Sunday. At first, it was like trying to lug around two huge tree trunks. My legs felt heavy, I was breathing really hard, my ipod was broken - so it was just me, God and my broken body. I only ran about two miles and decided to call it a day. I felt like I had never run before in my life.

A couple days later I tried again. This time, I took Kacie for a walk in the jogger down through the harbor. I mostly walked, with a bit of jogging here and there. I still didn't have my new shoes yet so I was out there with no support under my ridiculously flat feet, and they were beginning to get sore. By the time I made it home, I was limping again. I need to take more time off.

My new shoes came yesterday YEAH! I can't wait to take them for a run - or a walk rather. My legs feel sore all the time. I think because I'm not running. Now I know what everyone feels like when they talk about having to take time off from injury. It pretty much sucks.

My First 26.2

I did it! And all in all, it was exactly how I expected it to go. The first 17 miles were just fine and I had to fight through the last 9.2 My unofficial finish time was 5 hrs 45 minutes.

The weather was gorgeous - sunny and cool all day. Brad Kacie and I had spent the night in a hotel there and our friends Dave & Michelle were meeting us in the morning. By race time, my friend Matt and Coach Andrea were still stuck in traffic. I was sure they wouldn't make it. Bummer!

At the start of the race I was so excited I almost cried. I had all my gear and supplies. After singing the national anthem, we were off! I started off at my usual 10:45 per mile. There were over 18,000 people running in all of the races that day and the marathon & half marathon was the biggest group.

To be a part of that was spectacular. All the thousands of bobbing heads running forward together was wild! As I was trying to pass some of the walkers, other runners were flying by me. It started to thin out a little by mile 3 and up at mile 11 the half marathoners split away. That was really nice because then it was basically empty. I refuelled again at that point with Hammer Gel and got really excited - out there all by myself. Just then, my right foot acted up again. The pain was severe enough for me to stop a couple times to see if I coule stretch it out but mentally it took it's toll. At the halfway point, I saw my coach, Andrea! She had sprinted to the starting line - ran up all the way to the pace group we agreed to meet and passed me during all of that. She was about 1.5 miles ahead of me. (She's a Maniac! (lol)

We finally met up and started running together at about mile 15 or so. She told me that she talked to Brad on the phone and they were trying to cheer me on at mile 6 but we missed each other. That was really encouraging. I was doing okay until I hit mile 17 - 17 was the longest I had run in my training. Even though I wasn't thinking about that, it still hit me physically - I was fatigued and pushing through the pain in my legs, and foot. My shoulders and upper back became tight and that's no fun to run that way. So I ran as much as I could and stopped to walk when I had to. And it wasn't walking like you normally walk. It was fast L O N G strides, so it all still hurt. I remember thinking, if it hurts anyway, I might as well be running =)

It was really great running with Andrea because she showed me that you can have fun on the run. She would stop to hoola-hoop with college students when we ran through campus, she stopped to dance with another group. She would heckle back at the crowd - jeering them to come run with us... It was soo much fun. She even wanted to run in and buy some pizza right in the middle of it!

At mile 22 I ran the entire mile because that's my lucky number. It felt good, considering I was feeling quite fatigued. I walked and ran up to mile 24.5 and was trying to run the last 1.7 - right about then, we saw Brad on a skateboard with a video camera. It was really cool! At mile 26 Michelle was there with Kacie and I got really excited - she was too! My firend Matt who I thought didn't make it, had finished about 15 minutes BEFORE me and was there with Dave at the finish line.

It was such an awesome experience - There were other really great stories that were told that day. Dave had to swim in the Hyatt pond to retrieve a skateboard, we lost our lawn chairs and cooler and we had a super fun lunch at Gladstones.

The course was beautiful. What an accomplishment! As for my full Marathon Days - I'm putting them on hold and sticking to half marathons. I'm running Huntington Beach in Feb and San Francisco in July. I'll dot some 5k's & 10k's in there too. I've never even run one of those cute little races yet.

THANK YOU to all of you for your kind words of support and encouragement. And keep reading because I'm still running.

Tapering...

Hey Everybody! I've been getting some great feedback from all of you - it is really encouraging and I thank you for taking two minutes out of your day to read up on my little blog.

Well, it's that time - time to Taper: "to become gradually more slender toward one end." As I draw closer to race day, my training has begun to taper off. Instead of increasing my mileage every other week, I will actually decrease my long runs. I will continue to train during the week, staying around 4 miles per day and my long run this weekend will only be 6 miles. This will give my body time to rest & gain strength for the 26.2 mile adventure.

For those of you who have decided to take up running, keep it up! Don't get discouraged because not every run is going to be a good run. You just keep going and run again another day.

Woo Hoo Super Feet!

Check out my 1/2 marathon pic! (BELOW)

Sunday's run was already behind by two miles. I was supposed to be doing 22 but with the injuries and taking time off, I had built up and trained to run 20. By the time I was only half of the first mile in, my left foot started acting up. I tried to fight through it, hoping the pain would go away but at mile 5 I knew that running 15 more miles today could quite possibly end my running career all together. So, I only ran 5 miles on Sunday. Big bummer because finding 4 hours during the day to run by myself is impossible when you are responsible for managing a family.

I went back to Road Runner to double check my shoes and buy some "Super Feet" - Orthodics that slip right into my shoes. IT'S A MIRACLE! I ran 2 miles yesterday with them and NO PAIN! I ran 3 miles today with them and I notice that I'm standing up straighter, there's still no pain and I can feel the muscles in my legs working differrently than before. It's amazing to me that this little arch support can do so much. Boy, do I wish I would have gotten these before. I have really flat feet, so these orthodics keep my foot and ankle straight when I run, instead of rolling inwards toward the ground. It's like, I didn't have any shocks to begin with and then I totally wore out whatever was in my foot, and now I have new shocks! I feel awesome! I can't wait til Sunday's 10 mile.

Race Results

Actual Race time was 2:48:03
I finished 35 out of 38 in my age category (30-34)
I finished 832 out of 879 racers that day!

Here are 4 photos from the race photographer...

http://socalphotos.printroom.com/ViewGallery.asp?userid=SoCalPhotos&gallery_id=1275479

Camp Pendleton's Hearbreak Ridge

2:40:00 As all of you have been such an encouragement and excited to see "How I did" on race day, My response has simply been "I finished!"

Boy - Did I underestimate THAT course! There's certainly something to be said about blind faith. I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I knew I would finish the race (there was a 3 hour limit) I knew I wouldn't win a medal. I didn't know how physically and mentally hard it would be.

I ran at the end of the pack the entire race. Come to find out, this is NOT a good race to start with. HA! This race is part of a series entitled "Hard Core Race Series" not pansy weenie series... hmmm. But seeing that I gave birth to my daughter at home, I could surely run 13.1 little miles on a hill course. Childbirth was a little easier...

I was pacing with a very nice lady named Paula from San Diego. We were talking about how you use different muscles groups to run different courses. That was the first thing I had to conquer.

Next came the "electrolyte refueling" They mentioned there was water and gatorade at each mile. That didn't seem accurate as I only saw gatorade 3 times on the course. Which means I was running on an empty tank once I reached about mile 5. I brought a Power Bar with me (which is exactly what I always do) but I couldn't choke it down.

My third mistake was with my ipod - I always - always - run with music the whole way. I know that I don't do well if I'm running & talking with someone because it breaks my concentration. I could run with someone as long as we weren't talking, but for some reason I felt compelled to talk with this nice lady. So, not only did I not have any energy, it was also very hard to concentrate. And let me tell you about the hills....These hills were the equivalent of running up Cove Rd. in Dana Point Harbor a couple of times, with smaller hills in between. Yea - like that! And remember - this was 13.1 miles.

The good news is that I finished! I did it! I did a great job of keeping my normal steady pace for the first 6 miles, then walked/ran back the second half. My injuries from last week didn't bother me either.

So you know what this means? 4 Weeks until the Long Beach Intertantional Marathon!
Woo-Hoo!

Sunday's 17 Mile Run

My Run on Sunday started out good. It was early and cool - 6:30am 65 degrees - I ran down through Doheny Beach first and then out San Juan Creek Trail. I was just past the 10 mile mark, when suddenly my aductors (top inside of my quads) were hit with a shooting pain I inadvertently incurred the day before while riding our bikes down to the Harbor for the Tall Ships Festival.

I kept going - praying and asking God for help to get through the second half of my run. I slowed down a little bit, struggling through it. As I came up on the 17 mile mark, I just couldn't endure any more of the stabbing pain which had distributed itself through my knees and ankles. I was so bummed, I cried.

I could hardly walk but my car was about a mile away. Just then, Brad & Kacie showed up in the dune buggy, honking the "Aaa-ooo-ga" horn. It was serendipidous to say the least.

The good news is, that this is the second long run I've done without the energy drinks and as a result, my post run recovery has been much easier. I was tired of course, but I didn't have the bad side effects of nausea (there's other bad things, but I won't gross you out)

This coming weekend of the 13th will be my VERY FIRST RACE EVER!! Camp Pendleton's Heartbreak Ridge Half Marathon. WOO-Hoo!! Wish me luck!

Post Run Recovery

I've found that I've been having trouble with recovering after my long runs - so badly that I was pretty much lying in bed for the remainder of the day. I've shared with you before that I had felt "hungover" and I thought to myself that surely there was a better way.

Ya know, part of training is not only building on the distance I'm running, but to also key into my body and giving it what it needs. This is a process of trial and error because what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for me. To my dissappointment, the XS energy drinks (Amway) that I had been using, could quite possibly be the culprit. I didn't use them the last couple of runs and I'm not going to use them tomorrow - I'll be running 19 miles. I did go to REVO in Dana Point (bicycle shop) and the owner there was extremely helpful. He suggested I try out an electrolyte mix instead of G2. I drank it all week to introduce it to my body and I really like it (more than G2) But here's the really cool thing...

A friend of mine just recently purchased the Japanese technology (machine) that process' water - making it more alkaline for the body. The benefits are that it get's rid of free radicals vey quickly, hydrates the body more efficiently, provides more oxygen to the muscles and I've felt like I've had a lot more energy overall. AMAZING!! I am aware that ther very idea of this might be a "placebo effect." But I have to say, that my short runs this week (less than 4 miles) have been awesome! I ran faster than usual and for the first time in months, my cardio was actually getting a workout!

I used to have to drink coffee, or an XS energy drink or something to get me moving in the morning before the run. I always thought to myself "how do runners do this? THIS SUCKS!!" My trainer says she doesn't drink anything like that before a run and I used to think she was nutz. But I now wonder if her body is better hydrated, with better nutrition and performs at a different- better level than mine.

In the past on all of my long run days, I've felt crappy. Last weekend's 10 miles wasn't soo bad, but I didn't feel my best. I am curious with the new water and the new electrolyte mix-- how I will feel after the 19 miles Sunday. For me, the running itself is not the hardest part. The hardest part is figuring out what my body needs to properly replenish it.

Saturday's 16 Mile Track Run

2:52:48

Hello everybody! There's a lot going on right now - Rob's Ministry is growing. We received a tremendous response to the reminder email he sent out for Natalie's concert at the Crystal Cathedral last weekend. (I was so sorry I missed it but God has been using me in other ways.) We've booked another 2 concerts as a result and that is Exciting!!

For this weekends Long Run I was up in Yuba City visiting Brad's Grandparents - It was awesome! Perfect weather and even though it's been 100+ degrees the previous week, we were blessed with it being a little bit cooler.

My long run was initially planned to sprawl out over the countryside, running through peach & almond orchards for the 16 miles. But once I got there, I was reminded of the several dogs that get spooked that early in the morning and come out to attack someone running by their house. My Aunt Lyn suggested I use the new "Geweckie" race track they had just built there in town. It was the first time I ran on a track and at first I felt liky a gym rat but I played a little game to avoid the idea of having to run around that track 64 times.

The run was awesome - I finished strong again (like I did the previous long run) and the weather stayed cool the entire morning. I listened to a lot of worship music and phedipidations podcast and really enjoyed my time alone out there on the track.

I wish I would have checked first because I missed a 5k that I could have run Friday evening - that would have been fun, but - oh well! Maybe I'll remember to check the next time we travel.

Saturday's 14 Mile Long Run

Saturday's 14 mile Long Run was terriffic! I ran long and what I thought was slow, but in fact I was at my normal pace. I just didn't have the anxiety I normally do of getting done quickly. I'm trying to slow down and appreciate the running as well as the challenges of running these long distances. I had Phidipidations loaded up in my ipod along with some fantastic worship music and really really enjoyed the 2.5 hours.

In addition, I didn't feel a bit sick post run. That was equally amazing! I made sure to eat really good the day before and drink plenty of water - the other thing I did different was to walk for about a mile after I was done running. (I had to in order to get to my car!) I am hopeful that those changes will be key to my post run recovery.

So yeah - And I know I'm addicted because later on that afternoon I was already planning the music and podcasts for this coming Saturday.

Not Every Run is Easy

My training was going just fine until about 3 weeks ago. I started to get some pain in my knees and particularly the top of my right foot. So after careful consideration and running on it a few more times, I decided to take last week off from running and give it some time to heal. It seems to have helped!

However, I have noticed that the last few runs have been a challenge. At first, I was disheartened to learn that not every single run would leave me feeling energized. It was sort of like the dissappointment you feel when you find out there's no Easter Bunny - kind of a bummer. The long runs especially have been brutally difficult to recover from. Too much lactic acid, dehydration and not enough protien have left me curled up in the fetal position in my bed for the entire day. So I've been doing a ton of research on the internet, trying different things to help with my symptoms and am hopeful to have things ironed out as soon as possible!

In the meantime, I'm starting to raise monies for the Biagi Family - www.nataliebiagi.com - I'm putting together a flyer to go door knocking to help raise some money. There's several neighbors who have stopped to chat with me during my run who seem sincerely proud of my accomplishments and goals. Hopefully, they'll be able to help out and support me too!

So - YOU TOO can help out! You can donate directly on little Natalie's website by check or credit card - EVERY LITTLE BIT HELPS!

Sunday's 10 Mile Long Run

My longest run yet - 1:49:49

The first 5 miles were awesome! It felt soo good to be out on that run especially after my defeating attempts in San Felipe due to the high humidity. The weather was perfect on Sunday, I actually ran with a pack around my waist for the first time and that worked out just fine. I brought sport beans with me to refuel at the 1 hour mark, but I ate them too soon.

I thought I was at my 1 hour mark at 5 miles, but my time was actually better than that. Right when I ate the beans, my whole body shifted into a different mode. All the blood rushed to my stomach and my run became difficult. I tried and tried to get my body back to that happy place but it didn't happen until the very end.

Mile 9 and 10 were pretty grueling mentally. My right ankle was a little sore and I didn't have that spunk in my step I had prior to eating the beans. Added to that was a slight miscalculation on my part of my "finish line" I thought I was going to end down at Cove road but instead, I had an extra mile left - so I turned around and ended just past Golden Lantern down in the harbor.

So, a few things I learned on this run - take some Tylenol, (carry some too) eat protien right after the run (I'm going to follow Andrea's ritual and go to In-N-Out) and wait until running a full hour to refuel - possibly try power bar or shot blocks. Can't wait till next week's long run! 12 miles....

Rob Biagi

As my marathon training continues, I am hit with yet another reason to run. My friend Rob Biagi, a singer/songwriter/performer of Christian Family Worship - was diagnosed with Leukemia over the 4th of July weekend. Here's details pulled from his website...
www.robbiagi.com

7.1.2008 - ROB BIAGI'S LEUKEMIA
In a freaky, "one-in-a-million" case, Rob Biagi has been diagnosed with Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia. We say "freaky, one-in-a-million case" because it was exactly 9 months ago (to the day) that Rob's youngest daughter Natalie was diagnosed with another type of Leukemia: Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia. That makes two Leukemia patients in one family with very different versions of the disease (extremely rare). And if you add in Rob's son Matt (who has had nearly 65 potentially cancerous moles removed from his body in the last 18 months), that's a large burden for any family. The Biagis need prayer, encouragement, and help from you.

THE DETAILS ON ROB:
Rob had just finished a week-long VBS in Carrollton, Texas when he discovered a large lump below his ribcage. He visited his doctor first thing Monday, and tests were begun. His doctor instructed him to go to the Emergency Room at Hoag Hospital. The results showed that Rob's spleen was extremely swollen, and that his white blood cell count was extremely high.

Rob was then transferred to the Intensive Care Unit overnight, then to the Oncology (Cancer) Floor. More tests were run (CT scans, a bone marrow biopsy, 2 blood transfusions and several rounds of antibiotics). The tests revealed that Rob (like his daughter Natalie) has Leukemia. Rob's Leukemia is very different from Natalie's, however, in that Rob will NOT go through aggressive chemotherapy and steroid treatment (which has resulted in hair loss, LOTS of pain, swelling, and a LONG recovery period for little Natalie).

Rob's type of Leukemia is a life-long condition that will be treated by regulating his white blood cell count with medication. His daughter Natalie's Leukemia has been aggressively treated, and will most likely go away, never to reappear.

Saturday's Long Run

I finally had the opportunity to catch up with a friend of mine from high school - we had not seen each other for over 14 years and guess what? She's a marathon nut! How cool is that? She's helping me train for LB and I'm totally stoked to have her back in my life - Thanks Andrea!

So, we ran the Dana Point Turkey Trot course down at the Harbor Saturday evening just before dark. The place was packed! Between Summer Solstice, Grad Night and a typical summer evening in DP, there was hardly any place to park. Maybe something else was going on, I dunno but we had a blast people watching and chatting along the beach as we ran.

We did 6 miles and I forgot to start my Nike Nano to track the run (sheesh!) but Andrea had her Garmin, so we were okay. I've been looking at those things and although I LOVE all the podcasts I subscribe to, I am thinking about getting something that's easier to use to track my running. Anyone have suggestions? It's really difficult to mess with an ipod nano when you're sweaty.

Okay, enough about my sweat - Have a great week ~ Happy Running!

Saucony Progrid Omni 7, Size 10

Today, I went to A Snails Pace in Laguna Niguel off Alicia Parkway. I love how they take the time to watch you run in several pairs of shoes and help you pick the most perfect ones. At first, I thought I might get some New Balance or Nike's but with my "severe over-pronation" Saucony's are the ones that fit me best.

I can't wait to run in them tomorrow! Hee Hee...

Weight Watchers Essay Contest Entry

In April 2007, I gave birth to my daughter, in my home, underwater, in a birthing pool without pain killers. After I accomplished that, it changed the way I thought about what I could do. Surely, if I could do that, I could learn how to take care of my body.

In the fall of 2007 I weighed 194 lbs. I felt trapped, like I was not allowed to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. I had always struggled with my weight. I was never taught how to prepare food properly. Added to that was my complete denial of the benefits of exercise. I needed a program that would change my thinking.

The change came when my goals changed. I didn’t want to lose weight for my vanity anymore. I wanted to teach my kids how to nourish their bodies and I wanted to truly enjoy a sport as a hobby. I knew if I did those two things then the weight loss would simply be a side affect.

That September, I put my 6 month old daughter in the stroller and started to run. I used a pocket radio and listened to anything I could get reception on. One day a song came on the radio that was really intense and I couldn’t stop running. I ran an extra 4 minutes because the song made me feel unstoppable! I set another goal: If I kept running for 90 days -I’d buy myself an mp3 player.

After 3 months, I had only lost 10 pounds because I hadn’t yet changed the way I was eating. A friend of mine mentioned that she was joining Weight Watchers and asked if I wanted to join with her. I said yes and it changed my life. The weigh-ins held me accountable and the meetings began to change the way I prepared food. I tracked what I needed to eat with the online tools.

Today I am training for my very first half marathon. Whether I’m in San Francisco or San Clemente, I’m always on the lookout for a good 5 mile trail. Even if I’m in the middle of no where, I challenge myself to run for an hour so I can listen to music and podcasts on my mp3 player. People say I inspire them and that makes me feel good.

Long Beach Marathon

When I decided to run the Long Beach Marathon this October, I caught up with my old high school friends and found out my friend Andrea is running the full marathon. She sent me her training schedule and it got me thinking that I might train to run the full marathon too. I'm already up to running 7 miles on my long runs anyway - I think the full marathon would really push more so than the half. I can't wait to keep you posted.

This morning I ran 6.5 miles in 1:14:55 - I would like to improve on that time a bit. The weather was nice and cool - overcast today. I listened to Steve Runner's latest podcast. WOW - Loved it. If you don't listen to that one, you're missing out.

It's Father's Day and we are headed inland for a pool/bbq party later. I'm excited as it will be nice to get into warmer (hot) weather. Should be 85 degrees there today.

The most exciting part of my day today is that I'm going to get some NEW SHOES! The last pair I bought was back in February and they are WELL worn. Way overdue for a new pair. I can't wait! I'll let you know what I got tomorrow.

Nice Weather

This morning Kacie woke me up at 4:30 and needed some comforting. It must be hard to be a 14 month old baby. So after checking emails and updates on my friend Chris, I had some time to kill before the day began. So I went for a run. I love running here around 6:30-ish in this little beach town. I was listening to some of The Extra Mile Podcast archives from August of last year. For those of you who run in extreme heat and humidity, my hat's off to you. I am blessed with just about perfect weather 90% of the time. I have to remember that when I don't feel like running. I think of Marathon Chris in Florida where my sister-in-law is having a heck of a time getting outside to run. Too humid she says. I also got to thinking about my life the past few years and what motivated me to start running. On my 30th birthday, my husband took me sky diving. When I was 31 I gave birth to Kacie at home underwater with no pain killers. At 32, I'll be running my first marathon (this year) which now has me thinking, what challenge will I tackle next on my "Life To Do List?" I started running so I could get in shape to keep up with my kids and set a healthy example for them. I dropped 44 lbs and eat in a whole new way, but the running has become a lifestyle habit. I'm so excited to find a new route, download the latest podcast and share it with you in this blog. Thanks for reading. Happy Running!

Running for Chris

Well, I didn't think my first post would be this deep but God works in mysterious ways. I began running back in September last year (07) because I wanted to get into shape. I had two children and and extra 50 lbs to show for it. So I began walking after I dropped off my son Kaden at preschool. I joined Weight Watchers that November and dropped 45 lbs. by March 2008. I always talked about running a marathon but was never really serious. When I started listening to The Extra Mile Podcast, I thought to myself, "Self, if I can give birth at home under water- without any pain killers and if I could drop all that extra weight I had been carrying ALL MY LIFE, then surely I could run 13 miles!" (YES- I will have the birthing video posted shortly)

I registered for the Long Beach Marathon as well as the World Wide Half just this past Sunday. The very next day I got word that my friend from High School died suddenly in the mddle of the night. It has shook our group to the core.

Please donate whatever you can to help his family - money, clothes for the boys, summer camp monies... Any and all ideas are encouraged. I'll have more on my fund raising efforts in the next blog - once I've had a chance to let the dust settle a bit.

Thanks for visiting...