It had been over a week since my last run....and it felt SO good to be back out running. A little over a week ago E and I were on a training run and after a mile my ankle and left leg started to get shooting pains going through it. I pushed through another half a mile and couldn't go any further. By the end of my shift the next day I could hardly walk. Hobbling into the ER.

If it was a "thorough" visit, I wasn't aware of it. They took 2 x-rays of my tibia and fibula, and the doctor touched my foot. The doctor than came in the room and said "it's a stress fracture....no running for 4 to 6 weeks. And take it easy." Then poof! He was gone. WHAT?!?! Ok, first off...what does "take it easy mean"? Can I walk? Work? And no running for 4 to 6 weeks. Tears came out faster than I could stop them. With no direction on my physical limitations and emotionally shot down I took off for home.

Thankfully I was able to get into Rebound with a PA on the following Monday. My leg/ankle felt better but I hadn't done anything physical since that ER visit. I was armed with all my questions for the PA. They took some more xrays, this time they did some of my ankle too. He viewed the films, actually moved my ankle and checked it out and told me he didn't think it was a stress fracture. I got the go ahead to run again. The verdict at the moment is that I have a growth on the back of my ankle that is impinging a nerve. My fibula that I broke 8 years ago never healed "appropriately." It isn't anything too bad and there is nothing they would do about it. So that could adding to the pain.

The run today was great! I did 4.2 miles, I was tempted to do 5, but I didn't want to push it. No need to push the leg now! Time to ease slowly back into training.

Well I have been slacking at updating this page! I am excited to be 5 weeks in and 25% of the way to my goal of raising $1500 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We are up to 7 miles this week. I remember when 2 miles was a challenge....now it is just a warm up. My focus this season has been on getting faster. You could say I am getting there. This past weekend was a 6 miler through Downtown Portland. The first 3 miles were terrific. My first mile was sub-9 min, while my second mile was sub-10 min. For me this is GREAT! Unfortunately at mile 3 I got a massive cramp in my calf that I couldn't get out. I was faced with the gut check question of do I finish the last 3 or "just do them later".....well I pushed through, and by mile 5 is was relaxed a bit and I fell back in my groove to finish with an overall 10 min/mile. (Once again, this is pretty speedy!)

As a family we are running together. CB was in her first 5k on June 4th. She was atrooper, and did great.

Training has officially begun! This past saturday we had our first official team run, and it was AWESOME! I am now up to 12 mentees :) One of them is even the mom of a former patient of mine! I couldn't believe when we started talking. It was another reminder of why I am out there every day running to find a cure for cancer.

One of our honored teammates has just gone in to the hospital to begin conditioning for her bone marrow transplant next week. She is about my age. Another reason to be out there running.

I did a 3 mile run on my own last night....hence the "one foot in front of the other." I had a pretty steep hill to get up, and at times I was wanting to stop. Reminding myself WHY I was running, and taking it one step at a time I completed the run with a high five from E and pushing myself the last 50 yards!

Racing to Save Lives

Welcome to my Team In Training home page.

I'm training to participate in my 3rd endurance event as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing this event in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training and help advance LLS's mission.

I hope you will visit my web site often. Be sure to check back frequently to see my progress. Thanks for your support!