October 7, 2010

It’s just T-minus three days until I run the Chicago Marathon. I can’t believe it’s already here. As I look back on the summer I have to admit that it’s been hard, but much easier than I thought it would be, and it’s gone by in a flash. That said, I’ve never run the full 26, so it remains to be seen how I’ll hold up. I have to admit, it’s a bit scary.

I thought I’d use today’s blog to talk about some of my friends who’ve been affected by blood diseases and whose names will appear on my jersey, along with the names of others whose names have been sent to me by friends over the past few months.

Ron Russell is my colleague, Genni Russell’s husband. Genni and I have worked together since 1989 and I’ve known for many years that Ron has coped with myelofibrosis since he was 19 years-old. He’s now 62 and has been suffering through regular blood transfusions since 2008.

The most important thing I’ve learned from Genni and Ron is that families do everything they can to find avenues to wellness. Genni and Ron have traveled to the Mayo clinic, volunteered for clinical trials, etc. Whatever it takes to find a cure; all the while managing an illness that saps his strength and presents challenges on a daily basis. Yet through it all they both continue to work and maintain amazing attitudes.

Rick Perko, my former neighbor in Fayetteville, NC, was diagnosed with B-Cell Lymphoma about a year ago. Since then, he’s endured six rounds of chemo and radiation treatments, but thankfully, he’s now in total remission.

Brad Cox, the brother of a friend of mine, had Lymphoma. It’s been ten years and he’s still cancer free and a survivor.

I wanted to talk about some real-life examples because it brings home the reality that the people who are dealing with blood diseases are your friends and neighbors. After sending out donation requests for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society and deciding to do Team in Training, I’ve heard stories from so many people about their experiences. I had no idea how many are affected by blood diseases prior to taking on this challenge.

I am honored to be running for this cause and so proud that I’ve been able to raise more than $4,600 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. There’s still time to donate, if you haven’t already. Thanks again to everyone!

September 20, 2010

I’m not sure how, but I’ve missed a couple of weeks of blogging; actually, a couple of the most important weeks. I’ll chalk it up to a new school year, a wedding, and a holiday weekend, the list goes on. I’m sure everyone can relate!

Since my last blog I’ve completed TWO 20-mile runs. I did a 20-miler on September 3rd and then another one yesterday. In between, we ran a 12 mile recovery run. I have to say that my first 20-miler went better than my second, but I managed to finish it thanks to my running partner Kristin. She pulled me through the last five miles.

The fun part was the ice bath afterward. An entirely new experience for me, but highly recommended for muscle recovery after a long run. I think my daughters got a little too much joy out of pouring 20 pounds of ice into my bath water…never thought an ice bath could be a bonding experience. For that matter, I never thought I’d be taking one! So, while I froze in the tub they stood there and giggled. Ah, the joys of motherhood. I’m not totally convinced it works since I can barely move today (smile).

The Chicago Marathon is less than three weeks away. I can’t believe we’re almost there. All our long runs are completed and this week begins something called ‘tapering’ which basically means shortening our runs and allowing our bodies to recover in preparation for the marathon.

My official Team in Training jersey arrived this past week. I’m very excited and humbled to wear it. I will add all the names that friends and family have given me and run in honor of them. Here’s an updated list:

Rick Perko, Greg Caisson, Ron Russell, Brad Cox, Pat McKinney, Bob McKenzie, Drew Gandy, Ashley, Logan and Jenny. Please email me if I’ve forgotten anyone who you’d like me to add.

I’m so excited to report that I’m 99% of the way to reaching my $4,500 goal! That means with your help, I’ve raised almost $1,000 more than I needed to in order to participate in the Chicago Marathon. Including checks en route, I’ve raised $4,451.20 for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It’s so amazing to see everyone’s generosity, especially during such tough economic times.

Thanks so much for all your support!

August 27, 2010

I lost my momentum a bit this week after our 16-mile run last Saturday. Not just my running momentum, but my blogging momentum. It’s taken me all week to recover and I’m staring at a 12-mile run tomorrow. Last week’s run shredded my legs and I’ve been nursing them back to health all week. I did manage a six-mile run on Tuesday and a five-miler on Wednesday but had to take yesterday off. I’m contemplating a short cross-train today, but it’ll be something that is light on the legs.

I’m so pleased that I’ve now raised nearly $3,900 including checks that are en route to LLS. I’ve had such amazing support from everyone and it carries me through on days like last Saturday. I just received my flight schedule for Chicago, so it’s all beginning to feel real. When my jersey arrives, I’ll be adding the following names to it, as I run in honor of these folks who are coping with blood diseases:

Rick Perko

Greg Caisson

Ron Russell

Brad Cox

Pat McKinney

Rob McKenzie

Drew Gandy

Ashley

August 18, 2010

I surprised myself last Saturday. When I went to bed Friday night I was extremely apprehensive about my Saturday morning long run. In fact, I really didn’t know how I was going to get through it. Even though I’ve been running regularly for more than three months the idea of running 15 miles was alien to me. I’m the person who thinks in the back of my head, that’s crazy. Yet, there I was prepping to run 15 miles. Driving to the run I kept shaking my head thinking, “You’ve totally lost your mind. What were you thinking?!” But I drove anyway.

We always begin our long runs at a place called Colonial Lake in downtown Charleston. I arrived just as the sun was coming up and proceeded to do my stretching. I didn’t really talk to anyone because I was talking to myself in my head trying to conjure up some bit of confidence to get me through the morning. I’d been nursing a bruised knee and was concerned it wouldn’t be up for such a challenge.

At around 6:05 am we headed out. I felt like I was running into the abyss. As the run progressed, I started to feel pretty good. My knee was holding up and the weather was relatively cool; it was actually going really well. At mile 8, I still felt great; at mile 10, I was still going; by mile 13, I was tired but motivated and when I could see the end of the line I was stoked. I couldn’t believe I’d survived a run that I thought was impossible. It was extremely liberating, and gave me renewed confidence to keep pushing forward.

Sadly, I learned that a friend of mine, Rick, was diagnosed last fall. Thankfully, he’s doing extremely well. His neighbor was also diagnosed and is doing very well. I’ll be adding Rick and Greg’s names to my running jersey.

This week was a big fundraising week, and all my donors pushed my over my minimum goal to $3,636! I’m still trying to raise $4,500 so send in those donations if you’d still like to support LLS and me. I can’t thank everyone enough for your donations.

August 7, 2010

Today was a gift. For the first time all summer the temperature was in the 70s for our run. Wow, what a difference a few degrees can make. We only had to run 10 miles since it was a recovery run but I have to admit I don’t really understand the concept of a recovery run. It’s a TEN MILE run…how can that induce recovery? All I know is it was 3 miles fewer than last week and five miles fewer than next week’s distance.

Because of the weather, it was a great run. It was such a relief to not be dying from the heat and humidity. We also had a nice breeze today which was heavenly. Don’t get me wrong, I was still sweating like crazy, but it was much, much more pleasant than usual.

Do you remember that game we played as kids where someone would say, “What’s your definition of gross?” Then, everyone else would try and come up with the grossest thing they could think of and everyone would scream eeewwww. Hopefully, I’m not the only one who played that. Anyway, while running today I thought of a new one, so here it goes…”What’s your definition of gross?” My answer… Peeling off my sweaty clothes after running ten miles. I guess you can’t really relate to that unless you’ve experienced it but suffice it to say a shower takes on a whole new meaning after a long, long run!

As I mentioned, next week is a 15 mile run…the longest I’ve ever done. So please pray for me and my knees to hold out and for cool weather again.

My fundraising is going phenomenally well thanks to all my wonderful friends and family. As of yesterday, and including a few checks that haven’t posted, I’ve raised $2,986.20 and am 85% of the way to meeting my minimum goal of raising $3,500. It's a testament to all of you that my fundraising has gone so smoothly. Thank you, thank you, and thank you!

August 1, 2010

13 miles…yesterday was the big day. I have to admit I was apprehensive, despite the fact that I’d run 12 miles the Saturday before. It was a new route on a hot (but not as hot as it could’ve been), humid day. Joe was my partner for the run and thank goodness for him. He really pulled me through when my legs felt like lead and mentally I wasn’t sure if I could run any more.

Before we’d even gone four miles one of the ear buds on my iPod died from getting sweat in it. Isn’t that nice? The other one continued to work for the duration which was a good thing. I needed it on the never-ending bridge we ran across. Yes, I said bridge…the James Island connector, to be specific. We ran up and down hills, over the bridge and back…by the time it was over we’d completed 6+ miles of our run and honestly, I was ready to stop. Not ready to quit, just ready to be done. Check out the route here: http://www.mapmyrun.com/route/us/sc/charleston/933128067028361901.

But, we powered on making water stops along the way and actually, one pit stop. We also ran (pun intended) across a hobo who decided to partake in our pre-positioned water and Gatorade. It was mile ten and we didn’t have then energy to care too much. We just opened new bottles and moved on.

The picture isn't complete without mentioning that I'm now wearing a hydration belt that sort of looks like a hoster but holds water instead of weapons. I was also armed with Gu (for energy) and Sport Beans, which are energizing Jelly Beans providing carbs and electrolytes. The tools of the trade, I'm learning...

I decided in the end that most of the pain of the run was mental…not knowing the route, not knowing how much further I had to run, not knowing if I could do it, not…not…not. The truth of the matter is…it is possible to run this far, and I could do it, I just needed to prove it to myself. With the help of Joe pulling me along, I somehow made it to the end.

As of this writing, and including checks that are en route to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I’ve raised $2,295 and am nearly 66% of the way to raising the $3,500 required to participate in the Chicago marathon. I wouldn’t have made it this far without the generous support of my friends and family. Thanks so much!

July 28, 2010

Believe it or not I made it through my 12-mile run last Saturday. It was a bit of a challenge since I was in Boone, NC for Brad's family reunion. No way was I going to run up and down mountain roads for 12 miles, especially since it was the hottest I've ever seen it in Boone. I did get a break from the humidity, which was a welcome change.

I ended up doing an outdoor/indoor run, mostly because it was hot and sunny and I had forgotten to put on sunscreen. Luckily, Brad’s relatives who live in Boone directed me to The Greenway Trail which was a six-mile round trip through a beautiful stretch of woods. I thoroughly enjoyed it, but man was it hot. So, at the six-mile point I decided to find a gym. Thanks to the GPS feature on my phone I was able to locate a gym right around the corner and quickly headed over to continue my run.

After a bit of searching I found the gym and literally ran in, paid my $10 to work out and jumped on the treadmill to run my remaining six miles. The bad news is that I had forgotten my jog bra so I looked like a hippie runner with only my jog ‘top’ on. Needless to say, the support was lacking. Good thing I was the only one in the cardio room.

Upon my return I had two additional donations waiting in my mailbox which was quite exciting. Because of the lag-time for mailing in donations my site doesn’t reflect that I’ve now raised $2,095 and am nearly 60% of the way to raising the $3,500 necessary.

I can’t thank all of my donors enough for your support and encouragement! Until next time…

July 18, 2010

Yesterday’s run was hell. That’s the only way to describe it. I was tired, dehydrated, headachy, hot and pretty much miserable when I completed my 7 mile run at 7:30 am on a sweltering and humid Charleston morning. Not only had I not drunk enough water, I had forgotten my most essential accessory: my iPod. The Team in Training folks want me to wean myself off it, but my running playlist gets me through when I’m about to lose faith. When Billy Idol screams ‘sweat, sweat, sweat’, or Nickelback grunts, ‘Hey, I wanna be a rock star’, it keeps me going. Needless to say I was hurting.

Through it all I kept telling myself, “This may be hard, but it’s nothing compared to what the people we’re running for are fighting.” It’s not chemo…it’s a run; and there’s no comparison. So I ran and finished, even if I limped to the end and didn’t end looking like a champion.

I’m so excited to let everyone know that I’ve raised $1,720 toward my goal of $4,500. The entire amount isn’t reflected on this site yet because I have some checks to mail in, but I’m 38% of the way to my goal and 49% of the way to what I have to raise to participate--$3,500.

Thanks so much for all your support!

July 13, 2010

Nearly 10 years ago I ran the Army 10-miler in Washington, DC. Last Saturday, almost 10 years, one child and three moves later I ran my first 10-miler since then as part of my training for the Chicago Marathon. It was my fifth long run in preparation for the marathon on October 10th.

The difference this time was that I had actually prepared sufficiently for a run of this length. In 2000, I decided about a month before that I would do the run and trained quite a bit, but I didn’t have the benefit of Team in Training’s progressive training schedule to help me along.

This time, the run was still a challenge, but I wasn’t in too much pain afterward and the next day, I felt great. I’m pretty sure after the Army 10-miler I had trouble walking for a few days post-race and probably didn’t run again for weeks afterward. It’s been three days since Saturday and I’m about to head out for a three mile run which seems relatively easy at this point.

One other difference was that I ran on a treadmill this time to escape the heat. When I was at about the five-mile mark an elderly man began walking on the treadmill next to me. After a couple of minutes I noticed a very unpleasant odor wafting at me from his direction. I looked over to find that he was chewing tobacco and spitting into a cup while 'working out' on the treadmill. I couldn't believe it. Seemed counter-productive to work out while dipping. Luckily, he didn't hang long so I didn't have to endure his odor for much of my run.

Afterward, Brad mentioned that I had run nearly a half-marathon (just three miles short) which made me feel like this goal is actually attainable and not just a dream. While I’m still a long way from the 26.2 miles required, I’m feeling more confident that I’ll be able to cross the finish line in the vertical position. I’m also learning that regardless of one’s age, the human body rises to the occasion!

In my initial letter, I mentioned that if you had a friend or family member for whom you’d like me to run to please send me their names. So far, I’m running for Ashley, our Charleston hero, Ron Russell, my colleague’s husband, Pat McKinney and Rob McKenzie. I’m so proud to run with their names on my jersey.

Again, thank you to everyone who’s made a donation. I’ve now raised $1,245 and am 28% of the way to my goal of raising $4,500. I truly appreciate everyone’s support!

July 3, 2010

I've always been big on statistics, so I'll give you a few from my run today. Up at 6:50 am, one pre-run energy bar, four bottles of water and 1/2 a power bar during my run. It took me 1 hour and 47 minutes (I know I'm not fast) to run 9 miles on a treadmill. The good news is that I'm still alive and just a little worse for wear. Sore legs is about my only complaint.

I'm finding that I get a burst of energy at about the five-mile mark which carries me through for a couple of miles. Today the last mile was hard, but by adjusting the speed on the treadmill to a slower pace I was able to make it through.

I'm so excited to report that I'm nearly 25% of the way to my goal of raising $4,500. Thanks to everyone who has made a donation! Have a great fourth of July!

June 22, 2010

I'm happy to report that my training is progressing very well! Last Saturday I completed my second long run; 7 miles on the treadmill. So far I feel great and am getting stronger every day.

Thank you to everyone who has already made a donation. Including checks that I've just mailed to LLS, I've already raised $995 toward my goal of $4,500. A special thank you to my friend, Jon Burns, who took the time to mail me a running care package filled with all kinds of things to help me with my running and keep me motivated. I truly appreciate his thoughtfulness!

I'll continue to update everyone on my progress through this blog. Have a great summer!

May 20, 2010

Dear Friends, Family and Neighbors,

After many years of wanting to support Team in Training and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, I’ve finally come to a place in my life where I actually have the time to do it. I’ve committed to running 26.2 miles in the Chicago Marathon on October 10, 2010.

Team in Training (TNT), a program of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS), was started in 1988 as an innovative way to raise money to fund blood cancer research, education and patient services. Basically, I agree to raise money for LLS and they agree to provide the training I need to succeed in running a marathon. Their model is highly successful. In the last 22 years, TNT has raised more than $1 bil. to combat blood cancers including leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.

If you’re like me, you’ve had friends diagnosed with various types of devastating cancers. This marathon is my small way of contributing to the effort to find a cure. During the next five months, in addition to my own training, I will run twice a week with other TNT participants, including a 6 am run every Saturday morning. We will begin with a 6 mile run on June 12th and will eventually work our way up to a 20 mile run on September 18th. I’ve never attempted to run this distance, but I’m looking forward to the challenge!

I’m writing to you today because I’m hoping you’ll support me in my efforts by making a donation. To participate in TNT I have to raise $3,500. I’ve set a personal goal of $4,500. For those of you who have not been touched by someone with blood cancers here are some facts to illustrate how important this research is:

• These cancers originate in the bone marrow and lymphatic tissue
• Leukemia is the #1 killer of children
• Blood cancers accounted for nearly 9.5 percent of the deaths from cancer in 2009

Every TNT chapter has an honored hero for whom we’re running. Ashley, a local high school senior who was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma on January 14, 2010, is our hero. She’s currently undergoing 6 cycles of chemotherapy; each cycle is 21 days long with 4 days of chemo per treatment. She then begins radiation treatment which will be 5 days a week for 11 weeks. She is an inspiration to all of us who are participating in TNT this fall.

A donation can be made on my personal TNT web page http://pages.teamintraining.org/sc/chicago10/eblaisdell, or by mailing a check. I will be updating my website with pictures and personal entries as my training continues. Please visit often to see how I’m progressing. If you’d prefer to mail a check, please make it payable to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. My deadline to meet my $4,500 goal is September 15, 2010. A few notes about your donation:

• Donations are 100% tax deductible (receipts available upon request)
• Many companies will match your donation. Pick up a matching gifts form from your personnel office, fill it out and mail it in with your donation. It will double your contribution!

Any donation you can make to help me reach my goal will be greatly appreciated. If you’d like me to run in someone’s honor or memory, please send me their name and I will happily write it on my jersey for race day.

Thanks for your support!

Elaine Blaisdell-Taylor