I had a few really great realizations over the past week and a half.

• I actually enjoy running (this occurs just after the "I think I might as well die of a heart attack right here right now" part.) Then it is just fun.
• Planning a post-workout dance party is fun. I planned to get off the tredmill and then boogie down in front of everyone. The prospect of doing this was incredibly motivating. (If I run this 3 miles, I can have a dance party) worked. Then, by the time I was done, I chickened out and was dead tired....
• Telling yourself you ar a gazelle may or may not actually help
• Running outside is WAY harder than the gym, but when you decide to run at 10:30pm, you don't have much choice.
• I actually have a desire to drink water. I have always hated it, but I feel like I have to have it.
• I have more motivation to eat healthy because you can be sure that when you don't, you feel like CRAP when you run. Actually bought some fast food the other day, took a bite, and then gagged. Let's be honest, I'm not a perfect eater, but anything's better than fast food.
• Running in spandex is way easier than running in shorts. No bunchies=good. :)
• Get a water bottle with a strap on it. Don't carry around a metal water bottle and expect it to be comfy. (Still haven't done this)

That's about all I can think of at the moment. Happy reading!

I thought I was going to die. But then, I didn't. The first week of training consists of walk/running for 30 minutes 3 days during the week, and a 3 mile run on Saturday. I am not going to be able to attend the group runs for the next 3 out of 4 weekends because of training for my new job. I'm not very happy about it. So, it's looking like I'll have to do them on my own. :( So, it will be interesting to see how well I do in general. My very first day, I got to the point where I almost cried. I don't think it was about my ability or inability to actually run, but my appearance to other people. I felt a little bit like the people driving in the cars next to me must be thinking to themselves, "Eww...who does that girl think she is, trying to run?" It really got me down because I place my value in the hands of other people instead of just recognizing that there are things I need to work on and improving them. So, I just need to remind myself that my value does not change based on my appearance, or even someone's perspective on my appearance. The only opinions that truly matter are mine and God's. The end.

On a totally random note, I learned 2 things about running clothing:

• Shorts ride up. Pretty sure I flashed more than I even know. Solution: Spandex leggings under my shorts for a while. At least until I can fit into regular running shorts.
• Shortish shirts have a tendency to raise up too...which meant I had to run holding my shirt down. Ask me if that was awkward. Haven't found a solution to this one yet. I prefer running in a tank top. If I have to run outside all summer training for this thing, I want to at least be brownish. :)

Some stuff I learned about running shoes:

• You cannot wear socks that contain cotton. Actually, you can't wear anything that contains cotton unless you want to be running with a sandpaper shirt on your body. (At least that's what I was told) It retains the moisture (i.e. sweat) and chafes you.
• You must go to a running store to purchase them. They look at the way you walk, the way you run, and then provide suggestions on what may work for you. I spent 2.5 hours there last Saturday trying to find the perfect shoe. I finally found it. They're white with teal in case anybody is wondering. Asics brand.

Other stuff:

• If you want to feel like crap all the time, eat crap. The end.

Thanks for reading! More updates and pictures coming soon!

Well, this is most likely going to be the hardest thing I've done in my life thus far (at least in terms of challenging my body) but I'm excited to see what comes of it. I have been trying to get in shape for probably at least the last decade, but I never had the motivation to make it happen. I was talking with one of my massage clients one day about how I wanted to start getting into running, but had no idea how to make that happen. He mentioned the Team in Training program. He explained that they will take any runner, whether they know anything about running or not, and they will train them to run a marathon, or a half marathon. I am pretty sure the words out of my mouth after that were, "Oh! That's cool! I could never run a marathon." Well...I did a little bit of research online at teamintraining.com and filled out a request for information online. I signed up to attend an information meeting, just to see what this whole thing was all about. As it turns out, I liked it so much I decided to run a marathon. Here's why: I can go from not running to a marathon in the next 5 months or so. The cause is incredible. LLS funds research to find cures for blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma, myeloma, and Hodgkin's disease. I got really emotional as I was hearing about these things, so I decided to become a part of making positive changes in the lives of people with these issues. This leads me back to the part about this being one of the hardest things I've done with my body. I am very overweight. For this reason, I am signing up with this program. I would never just run a marathon without proper conditioning. Pretty sure I would die. This way, I have all the information I need to run in a healthy way. Also, it appears that I will be working with not one but two personal trainers. (It pays to be able to trade massage for things I need...) I suppose the moral of this particular story is that somewhere around October, my body is going look and work differently than it has in the past. While this is one of the hardest things I will ever experience with my body, people battling blood diseases and cancers would be significantly harder. People fight these diseases and win. Who am I to say that I can't fight my fatness and win. I will.

Teams are made up of individuals. Without them, there is no team.

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I have a mission-to help find cures and more effective treatments for blood cancers. To accomplish that mission, I’m participating in a sports endurance event as a member of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Team In Training. Like the other members of TNT, I will be raising funds to help find cures and better treatments for leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma. I’m improving the quality of my life by participating and with your support, I can help improve the quality of life for patients and their families as well.

Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training and help advance the research for cures.