Thanks for all the support!

I'm very grateful to everyone who has been supportive of both my fundraising and my running these past few years. While I believe Team For Kids is a very worthy cause, I was a little worried about asking everyone to donate to the cause for a second year. But it turns out I had little need to worry - I'm already halfway to my fundraising goal thanks to the many who've donated for a first or second time!

I'm also looking forward to marathon day (yes really) - the past two years I've had a great group of both friends and family come out and cheer me on. It really did make a difference to look forward to seeing them out there when running for hours upon hours. Here are a few of my friends last year - this was the second year that they made tshirts and they managed a laugh out of me when I saw them at mile 24!

20 Miles...well not exactly 20

I ran with Team For Kids this morning. Here you can see the route we did - we started on 168th street ran up a few blocks and over the GW bridge, did most of the miles in Palisades park in NJ, and then turned around and came back. The route doesn't look so bad right?? Well, it was quite possibly (okay definitely) the worst run I've ever had.

I still don't know what happened exactly but I slowed down considerably after mile 6 and then pretty much lost it all by mile 12. I ended up walking quite a bit of the way back after that - and even had to take breaks from walking to just lean over! I felt a nauseous, could barely lift my legs and my back was severely hurting for the second half of the run. It actually hurt more when I walked then when I ran. Overall it was a disaster and I had really been looking for the run to go smoothly and be a confidence booster. Oh well. It was one of those days where I continually asked myself - why do I do this? Is it really supposed to be enjoyable? And then I kept telling myself - I'm never running a marathon again! Okay, I'm going to run NY, I know that, but I sure hope I feel a lot better that day.

I was somewhat comforted to hear that almost everyone had had a really tough time out there... it was a combination of hot, humid, and really hilly. I don't do well at all with any of those, and especially not the hills. Once I get behind on a hill I find it hard to catch up to my group and then I get frustrated. I think for the 23 miler I might move back a group, so I get at least get one solid long run in and have some company.

I hate to say it but I dont think there is anyway I'm going to meet my original goal for the marathon of 3:40. Now I'm more focused on just breaking that 4 hour barrier again, by the way I've been running even that might be tough! 6 more weeks until marathon day, I need to get busy!!

44 DAYS UNTIL THE MARATHON

aaaaahhhhh!

Running with the Rabbits

Bob created another video - this one from when Team For Kids were joined by the Rabbits for a Thursday night practice a few weeks ago. The Rabbits are one of the youth running groups in the city that the funds raised by Team for Kids has started. Take a look and see how much fun the kids and Team for Kids had!

Run with the Rabbits Video

I want to thank all those who've donated to Team For Kids on my behalf already this year...

Mom and Dad
Aunt Nina and Uncle Ken
Lauren Rennard
Kate Jennings
Christine Sample
Seth Ingram

I am 1/4 of the way to my goal thanks to you!

If you have not given and would like to please do so! No donation is too small and it takes just a moment. Use my marathon entrant number (18916) and the "To Donate" link to the right. The Rabbits and thousands of other kids will benefit from your donation!

18 Miles Down!

I ran an 18 mile training run with Team for Kids this morning! I am SO happy it is over as I had anxiety all night for some reason, and then even dreamed that I ran and finished it, so when I woke up I was not so happy to have to do it "again." Despite this it turned out okay. We started on West 72nd street and ran all the way up the west side to the Fort Tryon Park and the Cloisters, did a little loop there and then ran down, over the GW Bridget to NJ, turned around, and back to West 72nd. I felt fairly good until about mile 14, those last 4 miles were very slow but I still managed to finished around a 9:15 pace I think. I'm slowly getting a little faster, but not quite where I'd like to be yet. There was a huge TFK turnout, with many wearing their new bright green shirts. My sister Lisa ran with us as well, she finished about 10 minutes ahead of me.

Everyone always says you should take an ice bath after your really long runs. I can't do it, it just seems like after 3 painful hours of runnning, do I really want to torture myself all over again? I did manage to give my feet an ice bath today though, they really needed it (I'll spare you the details), and then I took a glorious 2 hour nap! The good thing about running that far is that you can be as lazy as you'd like for the rest of the day and eat whatever you like as well. I'm thinking about dinner already :)

Fundraising is going well - thanks so much to all who've helped me raise $440 thus far. I still have a long way to go towards my goal but I'm confident I can do it. Here is a pic of me after finishing last year. I managed to wear those orange freebie sunglasses as a headband the whole race last year without even knowing they were there. I hope this year I'm feeling as good as I seem to be here...

Worst Blogger Ever

Okay, so blogging is not my best skill. As you may notice I have not logged on here in quite a while. Thankfully my training and fundraising has been going at least a little better than my blogging. I have had a hard time fitting in the time to run this year more so than the previous two years. Somehow the job did not cooperate in being quiet over the summer! But I've had a good past week and a half and am finally beginning to feel a little more confident. In NH over labor day weekend my sister and I ran 15 miles on a rollar coaster route. Definitely the best hill workout I've ever had. I've been just a little sore all week but am gearing up for an 18 miler with Team for Kids on Sunday. We'll be running up the West side and over the GW bridge into NJ. I think if that goes well I'll be feeling much more prepared for November 5th!

I am still trying to organize a fundraiser happy hour in NY in the coming weeks - if anyone has ideas on a good bar that would be willing to host let me know!