It's almost that time... In just a few short hours I'll be getting on my trusty running shoes, my bib and timing chip and of course the glitter-tastic princess tutu and TNT jersey!

You guys have been phenomenal, in just a few short weeks I've raised over $3000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And as proud as I'm going to be of myself for running 13.1 miles, I'm even more proud of all my friends and family (and a few random strangers) for all they have given. Sure I'm giving blood, sweat and tears (hopefully no blood, but you never now) but you all have kicked down your hard earned cash and I love you for it!

Even though the event is tomorrow, you can donate for a bit longer. So take a quick minute, give a little more, and let's kick cancer to the curb!

Okay, I'm set! I've raised funds. I've trained. And now I've decorated!

On January 13th (the cut off day for donations - eek) we made that $2000 fundraising minimum that I needed to reach to participate in the event. Which of course means that you all managed to reach the donation minimum that will get me to wear my fabulous tutu during my run! That's right, I am going to be wearing that tutu all 13.1 miles of the Inaugural Tinkerbell Half Marathon. Oh and did I mention that after you all rocked that minimum amount you kept going? That's right people $2825 to date... You guys are AMAZING!

Of course you know all about the training, because I've whined about it enough. But I'm tapering off now, running short runs and eating cupcakes (or as I like to call it "carb loading"). The training has be hard and fun and really very effective. So as long as the tutu doesn't slow me down too much I may actually make a personal best time for a half marathon. But as I've said before, I already feel like I've achieved that personal best by working with Team in Training and doing this amazing event.

So all that was left to do (besides pack, fly and run) was to decorate my running jersey in true TNT style. Which, if you take a peek at the picture, I'm sure you'll agree that I did a pretty awesome job :) I rocked the glitter puffy paint and went to town on the top. I realize that I sort of took over the LLS theme by adding the pink ribbon, but since my life has been so effected by breast cancer it seemed fitting. And I know that as researchers use the funds raised by TNT that they will also be helping any and all cancer patients.

My Honored Heroes are all types of cancer patients, from AML to Lymphoma, from Breast Cancer to Pancreatic Cancer. Cancer is ugly in all forms people and we have to do everything we can to stop it. I'm running in a tutu to stop cancer...what are you doing? Go on, click that link over there and give.

So it's T-minus 19 days til the big day! I wouldn't say I'm getting nervous necesarily, but I am getting excited. The last half marathon I ran was back in October and then June before that...so it's been a while. And while I have been training the holidays and a busy work schedule have definitely taken a bit out of all the workouts I was doing. I'm starting to think about being to excited to sleep the night before, and how my legs will barely work after mile ten, and how I'll find the strength to get through that last mile and a half that is so hard.

And then I think about all of my friends and loved ones that have battled cancer (some successfully and some not) and I realize I need to just shut up and run. So at this point I'm not expecting a Personal Best time, but I have to say that I already consider it a personal best to be working with Team in Training to do this race!

I suppose I am getting a bit nervous about the fundraising though, we're just $700 shy of the $2000 fundraising minimum and sadly (or maybe happily) $3720 away from me having to run in a full Tinkerbell costume as promised. But I have faith in all of you and I know that we'll make that goal by the end of the week (which is when all the money is due)!

Thanks for all the help and encouragement! We can all do this...we can all end blood cancers (and hopefully all cancers) once and for all!

Wow - look at that... It's my jersey for the run. And now I'm getting a little freaked out.

Not only because I have less than a month to finish up my training, but it also means I only have 2 more weeks to get all my fundraising done! The good news is that you guys are only $1050 away from me running in the tutu. The bad news is you're all gonna need to step up if you want me running in the full Tinkerbell costume... $5000 is no laughing matter. But then neither is cancer.

So use that link over there, click on it, donate. Let's make all my training worth it. Let's end cancer!

See I always thought that fairies were just little folks that floated around and did magic. And I know that Tinkerbell was always supposed to be kind of a kick-ass little fairy. But I really had no idea how much these little fairies ran!

Here's my training schedule for the upcoming week:

Sunday: Long run. 12 miles with miles 3 to 10 being at "race pace" (an important note here - I don't really have a race pace, I just run till I can't run anymore)

Monday: Rest Day (I however will be doing 90 minutes of yoga, cause, hey why take a day off)

Tuesday: 5 mile run at an easy pace (this one I can do)

Wednesday: 45 minutes of cross training (check)

Thursday: Interval training - that's 10 minutes of easy running followed by 6 intervals of all out running for 5 minutes followed by a minute of easy. (I also call this hell, but potato/potahto)

Friday: 3 mile run at an easy pace or rest and recovery (I usually do this followed by beer - which is rest and recovery, I think).

Saturday: 20-30 minute run at an easy pace.

So that's my schedule - this will (theoretically) get me fit as a fairy and ready to run the Half Marathon at the end of January. I personally think it's probably going to take a lot of fary dust, but we'll see.

You know what it will take (besides hard work and fairy dust)? Money... lots of money. That's right, let's not forget that this is fundraiser - so let's get with the funds people! Remember, give early and give often...