Well, I'm officially 6 days out from my half-marathon on May 1st, and I'm getting really excited about it. Now that I've trained six days a week for the past few months, and have completed a 12-mile course, I know I can knock out 13.1 miles on the big day.

Right now I'm in the "tapering" phase which means slightly less working out and slightly more rest. I did a 6-mile course on Saturday, and now I'm supposed to do about 30 minutes of walking each day until Saturday, at which point I rest until I hit the course in Humboldt on Sunday morning. We have our big send-off dinner event tonight where I'll get my race jersey and details about the event.

I did my software raffle today, and here are the big winners:

Photoshop 5.0: Clare McLean

Creative Suite Design Premium: Tedy Nadile

This afternoon I'm headed out to grab more electrolyte tablets and socks (since I've already worn out 2 pairs of mine!). Then, it's just a matter of following the training plan until Sunday.

Wish me luck!

You read that right! I did my longest distance to date this past Saturday. 10 nonstop miles on the Los Gatos Creek Trail. With my half-marathon less than a month away, the weekend distances are starting to get really long! My total time on the trail was 2 hours 38 minutes, which means I'm averaging about 15 minutes per mile. I myself am astonished that I can walk consistently at a good, brisk pace for that long! I'm feeling really confident about the 13.1 mile course. This weekend was the first time my body *really* started feeling (and complaining about) the distance. By the last mile and a half, my quads and hips were aching, my feet were getting tired, and I was really looking forward to hitting the finish line. I did it, though, and I didn't hit the wall!

I've got 10 more days to hit my fundraising goal, and I only need to raise another $262.06 to make it! Can I count on your support? Every dollar matters! Please help support blood cancer patients, their families, and the hospitals, universities, and researchers whose work contributes to major scientific and medicinal breakthroughs for patients of all ages. Your donation will make a real difference in someone's life. And don't forget, it's tax deductible!

This past Saturday was our longest training session to date. Our goal: to complete 8 miles. The great news is: Mission Accomplished! I finished 8 miles at a really good pace, which is amazing considering the absolutely awful weather conditions!

I was so excited to go down to Santa Cruz and train along the bluffs, right next to the crashing surf. My excitement cooled way down as soon as I realized how strong the wind was, and how likely we were to get completely drenched during our outing due to the massive rainclouds sweeping in from the west. However, I set out, determined to complete all 8 miles, regardless of the weather.

To make a long story short, by the time I completed the course, I had been through Noah's Ark-grade rainstorms, 3 bouts of pea-sized hail, had stopped to wring out the hems of my pants 3 or 4 times, and was sopping wet from head to toe, even underneath my rain jacket! Those last few miles were truly a testament to mind over matter. I told myself that I could not cheat the course and try to shortcut my way back to the car, because I wouldn't be training properly, and most importantly, I'd be cheating all of you, my supporters, who have generously given to LLS on behalf of my efforts! I just kept telling myself to keep going until I saw my car, at which point I could hop in, change into dry clothes, crank up the heat, and go get an enormous cup of coffee. All of which I did after I hit that 8 mile mark!

Today I completed my half-marathon training midpoint goal: the St. Paddy's "Go Green" 10k here in Los Gatos, just down the road from where we live. I got up before the crack of dawn (and believe me, Daylight Savings didn't help!) and drove myself over to the course.

It was a great day for the event--not too hot and not too cold, and I felt like I did really well! Let's remember that I walked, I didn't run...that said, I kept up a really steady pace, I remembered to drink my sports drink and have a snack halfway through to keep my energy up, and I crossed the finish line in exactly 1 hour and 30 minutes, which was exactly what I was shooting for! That means I'm averaging a pace of slightly over 4 miles an hour.

I saw a lot of my fellow TNTers at the event, running and walking the 1/2 marathon or 10k courses. It was great to see other trainees out there kicking butt, knowing that they'd also met or exceeded their fundraising goals.

As for me, I'm now at 82% of my fundraising target, with just over $500 to go to meet my $3,000 goal! Thanks everyone for your support and your generous donations to LLS. Every team training day is an opportunity to honor those who have fought and won, as well as those who continue to fight blood cancers. Even when I'm feeling low-energy or less-than-motivated, seeing these folks and knowing their stories keeps me going.

Hi everyone,

I've just sent in my registration paperwork for the 1/2 Marathon, and have recommitted to my fundraising goal of $3000 for the event. I'm getting closer by the day, thanks to so many of you, my friends and family, who are supporting me and this great cause! I've got less than $1,000 to go, and every dollar counts.

This past Saturday was our weekly long-distance workout. I knocked out 6 miles in a little under an hour and a half, which bodes well for my overall 1/2 marathon pace. (Namely, that I won't be on the course for 4+ hours!) The workouts get progressively longer until we get close to event day, which will be our longest distance day.At this point, I know I'll be able to do 13.1 miles!

This coming Sunday, in honor of all my fabulous Irish extended family members, I'll walk the Los Gatos "Go Green" St. Patrick's day 10k course for my distance workout, which fits in just perfectly with the TNT training program.

If you haven't already, please donate to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society on behalf of my efforts. And remember, $20 buys you a chance to win either Adobe Photoshop 5.0 or Adobe Lightroom 3, and $50 buys you a chance to win the Adobe Creative Suite Design Premium 5.0!