Before I get started on this post, please let me tell you all that I am 52% to my goal of $1600! Yikes...it took me like 10 weeks to get here and I only have TWO MORE WEEKS to raise another $755. One of my own teammates on Team in Training just donated $100!! So AWESOME!! Please...whatever you can donate will be SO APPRECIATED!! It doesn't have to be $100 obviously! I am just SO grateful for whatever you can spare.
Now....
CHECK. IT. OUT.
So...almost a week ago I ran 20 miles. Just like that. That will be the longest run I do before the marathon...it's all downhill from here... Until December 14th, that is...then it's 26.2 miles!!
Tomorrow morning, I run 16 miles with my Team In Training teammates. Kids...it's COLD out there. But I'm going to get ALL bundled up and off I go!! I've been running my shorter distances this week in the cold and it's a bit uncomfortable at first, but after about 10 minutes it's all good. I'm looking forward to it and the camaraderie with my TNT girls.
Happy Sunday Football Day!!! Go Lions! (Yes…still a fan…this year will be their year, I’m sure of it.)
Speaking of football…my fave team, the great Michigan Wolverines, weren’t so great last night. They had their ASSES handed to them last night by Notre Dame. It was devastating, HOWEVER…my pain is eased slightly by the fact that Notre Dame’s head coach, Brian Kelly, was the head football coach of my alma mater, Grand Valley State University, when I was a student there. And he was an acquaintance, a SUPER nice guy, and I always root for Brian Kelly. So be it.
So, this past week started ROUGH, as you know from my last email…BUT…I put my big girl panties on and finished up the week running 19.8 miles.
(TOP SECRET: I almost went out last night and ran 0.2 miles just so I could round it up to 20 miles. I’m really surprised I didn’t.)
Below is the picture Coach Joe took of me a couple weeks ago when I won the coveted PURPLE SNEAKER AWARD for raising the most money that week. (?? - I still think it was a mistake, but hey I’ll take it!) I have to thank you all for your support…going to my website and donating what you can!
And here is why I’m doing it…and why you need to help me… (Ok…maybe I’m using the guilt tactic now…….whatever works!)
That was during Uncle Paul’s first ever round of chemo at Medical City Dallas. SUPER TROUPER!! Miss that face and that smile so profoundly.
This week, I have a super busy week ahead. I’m going to bake my Nani’s famous Molasses Cookies and "give them away" at work on Tuesday morning… I am also going to browse the internet and Pinterest for more FUN fundraising ideas. One of the runners in my group did the Ice Bucket Challenge and raised $800 last week!! WHAAAATTT!!! I’m wondering if I should do that????? What do you think???
So…when I tell people I’m running this marathon, most have the reaction of “I only run when someone is chasing me.” That’s the most common thing I hear. So, during one (or more) of my runs, I thought about that statement. First of all…if you only run when someone chases you…you’re gonna get caught. Because you’re gonna be out of shape. ALSO…you don’t HAVE to run fast to be a runner. Or hell…you don’t have to run at all really…just get out and walk! Heck…you just might even be motivated to jog for a few minutes…and the next thing you know you’re signing up for a 5K!!
Also I hear…”I CAN’T RUN.” Well, that’s not true. Quadriplegics can’t run. People with a broken bone in one of their legs can’t run. People lying in hospital beds can’t run. Dead people can’t run.
If you saw the people that I see out there running, walking or otherwise GETTING IT DONE, you’d be amazed. People start running at all stages of life. They are at ALL levels of fitness. Running is completely mental (just like most things you try to achieve). If you tell yourself you can’t do it…well then you can’t. But, anyone can do anything they put their mind to…or at least they can TRY LIKE HELL.
PLUS (oh no…I’m not done), running is probably the cheapest, easiest sport out there. You put your sneakers on…and you run. Now…if you want to run seriously and put in some serious mileage…then getting the best pair of shoes for your feet and your body is essential. (go to a running store and they will look at your gait and recommend a shoe). Yeah, it might cost $100, but it’s the best $100 you can spend on yourself.
{climbing off my soap box}
Part of why I recommend it so highly is because it makes me feel SO DAMN GOOD. And I want everyone else to know that feeling. Yeah…it does kinda hurt at first, until your body gets used to it, which doesn’t take long…maybe a couple of weeks as long as you start out slow. If anyone wants any advice from a non-athletic person (ME) on how to get started running…EMAIL ME!
And now…the OBLIGATORY KELLEN PICTURE!! I entitle it - “MUST. PLAY. CAN’T… STOP…”
Blessings! Tari Anne
Before I start berating myself for not getting my weekly digest out sooner…here are some cute pics of my boy!
Happy back-to-school! (At least if you live in Texas…)
Kellen’s first-day-of-preschool-haircut…
And…behold…his first day of Preschool (at the same school he’s been going to since he was 7 weeks old…..)
OK…now on to the the beratement. (That’s apparently not a word…I just made it up.)
This last week has been hard for some reason. Not physically…just mentally. And unfortunately, for me, it’s like a slippery slope. Once I get hard on myself…it’s quite hard to stop and it just builds and builds until…. I take a really hot bath and read a motivating blog. Or eat a whole 10” pizza from Domino’s. Or drink a really cold icy Coke. Or spend time with Kellen looking at the moon and telling him why he can only see half of it.
I have slacked this week and skipped a run or two. I have taken too many naps. I have eaten like crap. Time for a DO OVER!!
After dropping Kellen off at school today, I went on a 5 mile run. And it twasn’t pretty. First of all…I should have gone earlier because it is STILL 90-billion degrees here in Dallas and also pretty humid. There was a pleasant breeze at times, thank God. Also, I drank 2 cups of coffee and ate some “Sports Beans” (jelly bellies with caffeine in them) and I was WAYYY over-caffeinated and super jittery and anxious. Lastly, I did the RunKeeper suggested training run which said to run a mile at a 10 minute/mile pace, then walk/rest 2 min, then repeat that combo x 2. Well…I didn’t have my Garmin on this time, so I couldn't really check my pace (my iPhone was zipped away in a pocket). So I ran at what I thought was a 10 min/mile pace and I was DYING. Phrases that entered my head - “THIS SUCKS.” “I SUCK.” “I CAN’T BREATHE.” “IT’S TOO *expletive* HOT AND I’M OVER IT!” Among others. I ended up just walking a lot. I sort of embraced the fact that it was going to be a sucky run/walk and that was that.
Well…I just went back on RunKeeper to see what my actual pace was. 8 - 10 minutes/mile. No WONDER it sucked…I WAS FLYING! OK, so I’m notsogood at guessing my pace. Oops.
After the run, I drank a lot of lovely cold water and decided to take a hot bath (not really supposed to take *hot* baths after a run, but I didn’t care). I simmered in that bad-boy for a good hour or more and read a very inspirational blog called “Shut Up and Run”. This girl is 47, has 2 kids, took up running 5 years ago and now has done 2 Ironmans. (IronMEN? That doesn’t sound good.) AND she’s hilarious and an awesome writer. (BUT…she talks way too much about farting and how much she does it.)
She has one blog entry entitled, “How to Dig Deep When You Want to Quit.” It was what I needed to read. And I’ll probably go back and read it again and again.
So, the moral of my story is that I’ve had a mentally tough week so far…but I’m not going to let it get too far and I’m going to keep going. Last Saturday was my 2nd group “long” run with my North Texas Team in Training peeps. It was awesome!! I received my official t-shirt…
PS…I hate white t-shirts…they are unforgiving.
Also…last week I won the “PURPLE SNEAKER AWARD” for raising the most money that week! YAY…BUT I didn’t raise ANY money last week! Maybe it was the most money overall? I don’t know but my fundraising has stalled. My initial email brought a few awesome donations, then nil. So PLEEEEASE…even if you can only afford $5…I would appreciate your support!! I do have 14.5 weeks left but I would love to reach my goal well before that so I can focus more on training. SPREAD THE WORD! (mental note…maybe I should start sending my weekly emails out on Fridays??? i.e PAYDAY?)
Tari Anne
Greetings my lovely people!
I have to say WOW. Since my email to you all…I have already raised $275 towards my goal of $2500. My goal WAS going to be $1600 (which is the minimum), but I thought…SILLINESS, I’m raising more that that! Let’s just say there may be a lot of baking cookies and lemonade stands with Kellen in my future…
So, how’s the whole marathon-training-thing going you may ask? Well, I was in New Smyrna Beach, FL last week for our Gephart family reunion and I tried like hell to get up before my dear sweet 4 yr old to go running on the beach. It was absolutely awesome running on the beach at 7am, but I ended up going only 3 times during our week vacation and logged only 11 miles. BUT, this is quite okay…considering the training plan they gave me had me running only 5 miles last week. Nothing like running to the sunrise, the sound of ocean waves and the feel of the ocean breeze. I know that Uncle Paul did many of that same exact run and I got a certain peace from knowing that. On Thursday, we scattered some of Uncle Paul’s ashes into the ocean right in front of the family condo. It was an experience I can’t put into words.
Paul, Matt and I dared to get into the ocean…Paul did the honors:
Beforehand, we had a lovely random stranger on the beach take a family photo which I plan to get enlarged and on canvas… Kellen was SUPER HAPPY about it. (But that’s one of the things that make it such an amazing picture!) FOUR GENERATIONS in that picture, it was Grandma Josephine’s 92nd birthday that week! She’s Aunt Ida’s mom, on the far right…and she is nothing short of amazing!
Speaking of Grandma Josephine…Kellen wanted a picture with her!! (How stinkin’ SWEET!) So here you go!
Back to the here and now. This week, I started out with a bang on Sunday and did an 8.5 mile run around my neighborhood and LOVED it. I know…I be CRAZY. HOWEVER…let it be known that I am by NO MEANS a fast runner and I don’t run the WHOLE way. I run about 3 - 3.5 minutes and walk for one minute. (It’s called the Galloway method and I LOVE IT) My average pace started out at 12:30 min/mile and now I’m at around 11 min/mile. I use an app on my iPhone called “runkeeper” to keep track of my distances and pace…BUT, the app has been wanky (not sure that’s a word, but I’m going with it) and has been telling me that I’m running more than I actually am…so I am using my fancy Garmin watch as well. I can upload my Garmin to runkeeper, so it’s all good.
So, it’s Thursday…and this week I’ve run 22.3 miles so far. (I.E. probably 20 miles actually). Yes…I run a lot more than my training plan says…but I’m not hurting at all and I feel good, so I’m going with it. I’m also [supposed to be] lifting weights twice a week (which I’ve done once so far…oops).
Saturday I finally get to meet in person my coaches and mentor. We have Coach Joe (who is a Baptist preacher; don’t know why that’s interesting, but it is) and Susan, who is my mentor and “pace leader”. We were told to run our fastest mile and give the time to Coach Joe so that he could put us into groups based on our speediness (or not so speediness). So I’m in Susan’s group. Every Saturday morning we run around White Rock Lake in Dallas…which is a VERY pretty area. And a large portion of the Dallas Marathon winds around it, so that’s a bonus. It can be quite hilly and windy though…not a bonus. I can not wait to meet these people I’m going to get to know over the next 17 weeks. (Yes…you’re gonna get 17 more emails from me…WOOHOO!)
Another awesome part of being a part of all this are the little fundraising events. For example, after the run on Saturday Sept 6th, there’s a “Hero Breakfast” for $10 at White Rock Grill and Bar, to raise $$!! I’m hoping that some of you Dallas area friends can make it! It’ll probably start around 8:30 am.
Another way I am PERSONALLY going to try to raise money is to sell cookies, breakfast, WHATEVER at my work on Tuesday mornings. Every Tuesday at 9am, everyone is in the office for “Debrief” and it’ll be a good time to promote my cause…with my boss’s blessing OF COURSE. Of course, my boss is ALSO running the Dallas Marathon… :)
This shall wrap up the WEEK 2 Tari-In-Training Digest! Thank you all for your love and support as usual, and please spread the word!
With much love…
Tari Anne
Another reason why I’m doing this craziness…
On September 11, 2009, just three days shy of turning six months old, Cutler was diagnosed with AML and was immediately admitted into the hospital. The first round of chemo began the next day. After completion of the first round of chemo, Cutler was said to be in remission but the doctors thought it would be best to perform a second round of chemo while beginning the search for a bone marrow donor. Because Cutler’s brother was not a match, an unrelated donor was found via cord blood and the stem cell transplant was performed on December 3, 2009. On February 8, 2010 Cutler was sent home with a g-tube in place until he could learn to eat again. After a return trip to the hospital in March 2010 due to an infection from his main line, Cutler has remained hospital and infection free. He has been meds free since August 2010 and now leads the normal life of a four year old super hero.
Anonymous | $100.00 |
Peg Hall | $100.00 |
Ida Gephart | $100.00 |
James Taylor | $100.00 |
Tari Anne Roth | $100.00 |
Nerissa Draeger | $75.00 |
Susan Lynch | $55.00 |
Andrew Clinton | $50.00 |
Sharri Olsen | $50.00 |
Ryan Sanders | $50.00 |
Thomas Lee | $50.00 |
Amanda Morgan | $50.00 |
Tina DeWitt Schonhau... | $50.00 |
Julie Balluck | $50.00 |
Michelle Cloninger | $50.00 |
Jenn Nuara | $50.00 |
Matthew Gephart | $50.00 |
Sam Rutledge | $50.00 |
Johnny Spring Break ... | $50.00 |
Tari Anne Roth | $50.00 |
Dean Somes | $25.00 |
James Springer | $25.00 |
Anonymous | $25.00 |
James Sheppard | $25.00 |
Sarah McLellan | $25.00 |
Jennifer Tomasik | $25.00 |
Elizabeth Tilton | $25.00 |
Vincent Andolina | |
Mike & Phyllis L... | |
Paul Gephart | |
Courtney Hedgpeth | |
kelly vanetten | |
Jamie Nelson |
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