Racing to Save Lives

1 mile at a Time

**don't miss my daily journal below**

Welcome to my Team In Training home page. Pictured here is my hero Evan. Who turned 9 at the end of August. Around Thanksgiving of 2005 Evan, then five yrs old, started having episodes where he was unable to walk. Initially doctor's put it off as growing pains. After much persistence from his mother, Allison, & many doctor visits, Evan was properly diagnosed with Acute Lymphocyrtic Leukemia (ALL) in February of 2006. Evan was admitted to Miami Children's Hospital. His treatment started with having a port put in, a catheter to the heart, chemotherapy, & many blood & platelet transfusions. There were many sleepless nights for Evan & his family. He suffered through loosing his hair, mood swings & A LOT of pain. But, Evan was extremely brave through it all. Which was helpful in keeping his mother & family strong. Fortunately, Evan is currently in remission & has just recently finished out his chemotherapy.

To honor Evan & endure a little pain of my own (LOL), I'm training to participate in a few endurance events as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training.

• The Palm Beaches Marathon Festival Half Marathon on Dec 6
• The Walt Disney World Full Marathon in Orlando Jan. 9-10, 2010

All of us on Team In Training are raising funds to help stop leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin lymphoma & myeloma from taking more lives. I am completing these events in honor of all individuals who are battling blood cancers. These people are the real heros on our team, & we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Please make a donation to support my participation in Team In Training & help advance LLS's mission. Please help me to help my hero. - Thanks for your support!

See my daily progress

11/28 - practiced with the spring team, I have signed up to be a mentor (which yes, means I signed up for a 4th marathon) and can't wait to help them on their journey to the Disney Princess in March. Practice was good, did 4 miles walking and saw the dr after practice. I have been cleared to gradually add running back to my schedule and he hopes to not see me again. Next marathon is next Sunday and I can't wait to do it.

11/22 - and we are off. The race was great, I walked the whole 13.1 miles and was able to average less than a 14 1/2 minute miles so I am pleased. Best part was no soreness and the crowd and event was amazing. Very emotional day for me but what a great feeling to finish.

11/21 - so excited to be here in St. Pete, we only went a few miles this morning to warm up for the race tomorrow. I am feeling good, can't wait to get to the starting line.

11/14 - Made practice this morning, we were only supposed to do an hour but since I haven't been practicing I walked 2 hours and made it 8 miles. I can do this even walking. I am getting excited about next week :-)

11/12 - walked 2 miles tonight to losen up, leg feels great still, hope I can start running again soon.

11/7 - Today is the Mock event to get ready for the 22nd, I walked 7.5 miles and feel ok, legs will be tight tomorrow though.

11/5 - My boot came off today, now to move on with training, can't do much but Dr. said I can do Saturday practices and will have to walk the St. Pete's 1/2 marathon on the 22nd. Walked a mile tonight to see how I feel, it was weird cause my leg felt like jelly.

10/23 - Yea my cast comes off today & I am supposed to get a boot. Hope I don't have to wear it too long. Fundraising this weekend at the Canes & Dolphin games

10/12 - OK my friends, was able to rent a wheelchair for only $8 so to the Dolphin game Jamie and I headed. I must say, "I Love the Jets fans" they really made it worth the blisters on my hands and the aching arms/back I will have in the am. - THANK YOU

10/9 - had the MRI this morning and guess what, I am broke. Guess I am not crazy when I kept having odd pains. The bad part is that I did not get the boot I was told I would get with a stress fracture. It was worse than expected. I got a hard cast, to make it a little better I chose my team color purple and am making a fashion statement. Only 2 weeks in this and then to the boot and we shall see from there. Keep checking in for my updates. Won't be fundraising tomorrow but will try and borrow a wheel chair to do Monday :-)

10/8 - Saw the dr. this morning and even though I am feeling less pain and haven't done anything all week, I have to go for an MRI tomorrow morning. Not looking forward to it. If I have a stress fracture, I will be placed in a boot, that does not sound fun to me. The good news is no matter what I would still be able to at least walk the St. Pete 1/2 and run/walk the W. Palm 1/2 if I allow myself to heal. I will heal and continue on my quest to complete all 3 events and raise money for my cause. Looking forward to this weekends fundraising at the Canes & Dolphins games again.

10/4 & 10/5 - this weekend a bunch of fellow teammates and I from TNT joined forces at the Canes & Dolphin games to gather donations towards our goals. Thank you to Jamie, Andi, Cheryl, Pauline, Loic, Libby, Kim, Lisa and Martha for a great weekend of fundraising. Hope to do it again next week. Way to go TEAM.

10/3 - up before dawn today, WOW is it getting earlier :-).

We started out at 6am today for an hour and 45 minutes. I was able to start the day with 3/2 run/walk intervals, but after the first mile and a half had too much pain. I did an hour and 25 minutes day and made it 5 miles. Not bad for a slooooooooooooo walk after a good start. I have promised my coach no more practice until my next appt. on Thursday. I promise

9/30 - was feeling a little better so Kevin and I hit the road for a 3/1 walk/run interval for 3 miles. That didn't happen, the pain at just over half a mile was excruciating. We turned around and headed home, ankle up and iced with meds on board. I can't take this sitting around stuff. I was getting so used to getting out I was enjoying it. We shall see how practice goes on Saturday, otherwise I do nothing till the next appointment next Thursday. :-(

9/26 - I know I said I would take it easy but I did go to practice, I made it 5 miles out of 6 for the day. Ankle did pretty well and only got sore about half way thru. Today Valerie had us at 3/2 walk/run intervals, next week we hope to mix it up to 3/2 run/walk intervals to see how much further we can get. Practice today was up to an hour and a half, next week even longer AND earlier....................yuck, but I will be there.

9/24 - well got up this morning and the ankle did not want to work so off to the Urgent Care I go. They take x-rays and find some old stress fractures I never knew I had but they aren't what is hurting me. So I was handed a referal to see a foot & ankle specialist. Thankfully they had an opening today. After too much poking, twisting and stretching my ankle (can you say OUCH) the dr says I have acute (not a cute....LOL) posterior tibial tendonitis. He said to try and not train if I can help it for 2 weeks. I know I should listen too him but I also know I will get too far behind if I just sit on my fat butt for that long. So I will take today and tomorrow off and go to training on Saturday to see what I am capable of. I promise not to push it even though my new friend Vicodin and co-hort ice pack says I will be just fine. :-)

9/23 - Headed out to do 6 miles tonight and up my intervals to 4/2 outside. Well about 30 minutes into my training I got dumped on, cats and dogs, even ducks were falling from the sky. I turned around and headed home. Did only 2.9 miles and was beyond wet when I got home tonight. Hope I don't catch a cold, also that pain in my ankle is screaming to not take another step. May need to hit the dr in the am .

9/22 - hit the treadmill tonight for 50 minutes of training. Decided to up my run time and shorten my walk time to a 4/2 interval. Getting closer to my goal of being able to run a mile at a time with shorter walk (rest) periods. Exactly 2 months until my first event, I am getting a little nervous but will continue to do my best.

9/21 - instead of training today, Jamie (fellow TNT participant) and I went to Landshark stadium to meet the Dolphin and Colts fans for the Dolphin season opener and get some donations. We did however walk about 3 miles and sweat our butts off in the process. The best part is we collected just over $600 in donations (to split) to help in our goals. We will have to do this for every home game this season.

9/20 - today was an off day but Jazz (my lab) and I, decided to do a mile and talk to our neighbors for donations. Wasn't too bad till the rain started, will have to continue on Tuesday. Tomorrow I will be off to the Dolphins game to collect donations from the tailgaters with Jamie, hope we do well.

9/19 - week 6 TNT training, up before the crack of dawn, again, but its all good. A little ankle pain today but we shall see if it is just the uneven pavement. Today our practice went from 45 minutes to an hour and 15. When I heard that, my body said, nooooooooooooooo, then I thought about it and said I do this on my own so I should be able to do it here. Guess What?? We did it. Coach Valerie kept us going at 3/2 intervals and for 5 miles, YEA we are getting there. Next week goes to an hour and a half, I better get my butt moving at a faster pace.

9/17 - still not feeling we tonight but, I decided since Friday is an off day, we will make it 5 miles if I come crawling home......LOL. I headed out late, I like going in the dark when there is no sun but darn do I still sweat up a storm. Made if 5.2 miles tonight in an hour and 15 minutes. The calves are worked but could have kept going if needed. Did 3/3 walk/run intervals tonight, even though I developed a pain in my ankle. I really wish I had a partner, even with the Ipod I get a little bored. I so look forward to my Saturday training to have people to talk and run with.

9/16 - well I only made it 2.4 miles tonight, my body is just not cooperating and my belly forced me home before the 5 mile mark. I so can't wait to move so my nerves stop getting the best of me.

9/15 - Yeaaaaaaaaa, Biggest Loser season 8 is on, that guarantees 2 hours of training every Tuesday. Did the treadmill tonight for 1.5 hours and then took Jazz for a walk. You should have seen my pathetic dog watching me from the couch. I could hear her brain saying, "mom please, please, please take me for a walk. So we finished outside this evening for a total of 4.75 miles. I think the treadmill is off when it comes to measuring distance but oh well. I still did it :-)

9/14 - got off late from work, had a late dinner and didn't make it out to train. I feel horrible, will have to make it up tomorrow.

9/12 - week 5 TNT training, wow its getting harder not easier to get up in the morning and today we moved practice up a 1/2 hour. Lef the house in the dark, I only do this when I am going fishing.......LOL. Today was a GREAT day, ran/walked with one of the coaches again and her pace is working for me. I need to stay with steady intervals so that I will get thru my events and that is what her goal for us is. This week we did 3/2 walk/runs again for 3.5 miles and I felt awesome afterwards and could have kept going. My calves are still getting tired but I am pushing thru and they are working with me now. Hope they losen up some more.

9/10 - wanted to go another 5 miles tonight, but I can't even keep my eyes open. Not only am I exhausted but the rains have started, pouring and thunder is an understatement. It took a lot of coaxing but I have given in to the treadmill tonight. I made it 30 minutes before my body said, "hunny you don't have it in you tonight"........LOL At least I can say I tried. Will just have to get up on my relax day early and do at least another 45 minutes.

9/9 - Had a goal to do 5 miles today if it killed me. Guess what? Not only did I do it but the calves/shins were just moderatly tired as if over worked instead of tight and rebelling to the point of crippling. Only took an hour and 12 minutes (4.1 mph average - 3 walk/3 run) not bad for the first try. Note to self, never ever eat shelled salted peanuts an hour before running, not fun to burp up during the run................LOL.

9/8 - headed out tonight to make 4 miles but at 3/4 the winds picked up and the thunder rolled so home I came, just in time for the sky's to open and the cats and dogs come pouring down. Only 1.5 walking with Jazz tonight. Hope the weather holds tomorrow night.

9/7 - decided instead of running/walking today I would go diving. I did 3 dives that averaged an hour each, 2 of which were against the current and took me almost a mile down the beach each time. So today, I will say I made it 2.5 miles :-D

9/6 - have to say I took the day off to go fishing with my dad, haven't seen him in a long time and it was a much needed rest day with NO work.

9/5 - week 4 TNT training, trained with a coach this week, she pushed me when I needed and let me rest when the legs were done, BUT I did make it 3.2 miles doing 3 minute runs with 2 minutes walks . As long as I continue to move forward , beleive in myself and keep my promise to my Honored Hero, there is no stopping me. I WILL do this.

9/3 - need to start getting more workouts in to losen my legs more. Went out this morning since I have TNT training tonight due to the holiday weekend. This evening threatened to be horrible in the rain, so I wore my old sneakers (who wants to destroy $125 sneakers and $45 insoles in the rain). Will NEVER do that again, OUCH blisters, old sneakers are for gym workouts not OFF road ones.........LOL. Made it to the end of the beach with a mixed run/walk intervals and my coach (THANK YOU), for a total of almost 6 miles today. Glad tomorrow is a rest day :-D

9/2 - back to the daily grind, went just over 2.5 miles with the dog this morning, I can actually say she held me back. She doesn't like the fast paced walk or run................LOL, sorry Jazzy Girl

9/1 - TNT dinner tonight so I took the opportunity to meet with my new friends and share thoughts, feelings and experiences. What a great group of people.

**Sorry I had to delete August updates to make room for new daily updates