I am running to raise money for blood cancer research, and most of all, to help prevent cancer from taking more lives.

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Day 88, February 25th- News, News, News

Okay Good News, I am about $800 away from reaching my fundraising goal and I could use your help in reaching other folks. the deadline for dying my hair is February 28th so we have got to get cracking on sending more funds my way. I do thank all of you who have contributed to the LLS mission so far but I could use a few more folks to chip in. Other news is that Anu, my physical therapist, tells me that I might be able to start running again (short distances at first) but hey its good news. Right? I am starting to feel that my goal of running 26 miles is fast approaching and I need to take off running....

And if you live in the NOVA area, please stop by at Chick-fil-a on March 3rd between 6-8pm and enjoy some yummy food. Chick-fil-a has generously offered to donate 20% of the profits to LLS. Everybody has to eat so come on out and help The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society next Wednesday. See ya there!

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Day 83 February 20th Sat out training this week but was a great cheerleader

Physical therapy has taught me two things: one you better do what the PT tells you so you make progress and two don't push yourself  too soon or you  might end up with a permanent injury (thanks Jana for the encouragement). This week Anu, Physical Therapist, has asked me to stop running and do other endurance activities. I have pumped up my rowing to about 3200 meters (2 miles), cycling, ellipitical trainer and swimming. Rowing is working out the best because it doesn't bother my hamstring and it keeps me in shape. Cycling is more difficult; it tends to bother my left hip more and for some reason I seem to hit the middle bar a lot with my knees.

My mentor Jenn and I both had injuries that we are trying to work through so we thought it best to still come to practice and cheer on our teammates. It was nice to see all  TNTers of National Area Chapter out running in the 20 degree weather. While standing on the curb, Jenn and I met a man who is a psychologist in DC and works with at-risk teens. He has started a chapter of http://www.teensrundc.org/. He was a nice man and has a heart for his teens.


The shoes that will help get me across the finish line. My TNT staff contact, Amy, sent an email out to us a few weeks that encouraged us to write messages on the bottom of shoes such as "Cancer Sucks" or "Beating cancer one mile at a time." So I did:

The words on the bottom of my shoes have faded away but the meaning is still there for me. Its a friendly reminder of why I get up so early on Saturday mornings to go train.

Don't forget to vote in the hair color poll. There are only a few more days left....

Thursday, February 18, 2010

Day 81 February 18th-Hamstring injury and Special Thank yous

So I wrote on here a few days ago that I had what I thought was a knee injury. Come to find out after going to see the doctor that I have a hamstring injury. I started physical therapy on Tuesday at Patriot Sports Medicine in Fairfax and I saw Anu (she a young physical therapist who definitely knows what she is doing). Anu is very nice and is legimately concerned about my well-being. On Tuesday, there was a physical therapist student named Terry observing and asking questions. After Anu did the evaluation on my left leg, this is what she diagnosed me with: my hips were out of alignment, my left IT band was very tight, my left hamstring was tight towards my glute region but painful and sore behind my kneecap. She did some poking and massaging on my leg as well as showed me some exercises that I need to do twice a day.

She told me that I have to rest my legs for the next week. Anu will do another analysis on my leg next week so I hope I get good news. Physical therapy twice week for the next 4 weeks. I am torn right now as to do I still continue the training for the marathon with hopes that I will be ready in time or do I switch races to a later date. I don't want to switch races because I have developed relationships with my coaches and teammates. I want to be there with them when they and myself cross the finishline. At the same time, I don't want to injure myself too bad that I won't be able to exercise without pain for the rest of my life. Okay a little dramatic here but hey its what I am faced with.

I will update this with pictures very soon. I am going to practice on Saturday in Pierce Mill in the district. I will take some more pictures of my teammates and update on Saturday afternoon or Sunday. Thank you to all supporters who have sent cards, letters and donations my way. I would like to especially thank my hometown community of Gray, Georgia for supporting my efforts. I know that I may not be there with you physically but I am definitely with you spiritually. I would also like to thank my coworkers at George Mason University in Fairfax, Virginia for the never-ending words of encouragement and support during my training and fundraising. I would like to apologize if I dominate the conversations with running tidbits. I promise that I will be more mindful about it in the future. I couldn't say thank you to you guys without mentioning my family. You guys are the best that anyone could ever ask for. You all rock!

Stomping out cancer one mile at the time

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Day 72 February 9- Snowed In for 6 days and Counting

Snowflakes are kisses from heaven. If that's true, then I have been blessed this past week.

Picture courtesy of Washington Post's Snow and Ice Pictures

From the tagline above, you might have guessed that I have been snowed in for 6 days and counting. I haven't been to work since last Friday at 10:30am.  I am starting to miss work and coworkers. My apologies for not updating my blog this past week. It took me over 3 days to dig out my car. I have to say that my cat Dip has been enjoying the company while I am at home. She even gets in my lap now (something that she has never done before). My mom says that she is trying to tell me that she misses me. I guess Mom really does know best.

Yesterday, I got an invitation to go skiing with two coworkers at Whitetail Ski Resort in Mercersberg, PA. I had a lot of fun skiing on the mountain but my legs were killing me. I had to get off the blue trails and hit up the green trails because it was less work on my legs. I didn't realize that skiing could do that to me or my legs.

Many of you know that I have sent out my letters asking for donations-the response has been amazing. Keep sending those forms back to me as well as the words of encouragement. You guys are the best! Today I got an email asking me to recommit to the Team In Training mission from my staff contact-Amy. You have seen her picture on the blog before.

Things to do tomorrow:

Fill out recommitment forms
Write thank you notes
Send out more letters
Go for a short run in the snow (what day would my day be if I didn't run in the snow?)
Stretch and workout my quads

If you have a chance, please do vote on my hair color for Race Day.


Thursday, February 4, 2010

Day 67-February 4th Do you really need 4 gallons of milk?

Okay people preparations are currently underway for 16-24 inches of snow. YES 16-24 inches of snow. From the National Weather Service "WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM EST SATURDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN STERLING VIRGINIA HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW WITH NEAR-BLIZZARD CONDITIONS... WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 AM FRIDAY TO 10 PM EST SATURDAY. THE WINTER STORM WATCH IS NO LONGER IN EFFECT.

* PRECIPITATION TYPE... HEAVY SNOW.

* ACCUMULATIONS... STORM TOTAL ACCUMULATIONS OF 16 TO 24 INCHES."

At first, I didn't believe it but I decided to be prepared if something happened. I went to the grocery store (Wegmans) at 8:30pm. You would have thought the world was coming to an end with the length of the lines and the scarcity of food on the shelves. Believe me when I say that the check lines were extremely long. It took me about 30-40 minutes to move my way up to the cashier. They had people from all other departments bagging groceries and checking people out i.e. bakers, customer service representatives, dairy department. It was crazy.

Then when you think that you have been waiting an eternity to check out, these two older women get into it with each other. One lady cut in front of the other lady. Drama, drama, drama. I felt for the shift supervisor, who was a young lady by the name of Samantha. She had to break the ladies up-I think I would have called the police. Here I was at the end of my line (in the middle of an aisle), standing on my cart to watch the action. I guess I should be ashamed of myself for enjoying the two women bicker, but I was bored and time stood still. Did they really need all of that milk and eggs in their cart? I think not.

I got an email from my coaches that said they were moving practice from Saturday to Sunday. Moving 12 miles from one day to the next-uhh well there is no harm in doing that but it does delay my recovery. Oh my legs are going to be sore. I am pushing to complete 5 miles on a good note and maybe possibly more.

I am hoping that the roads will be nice and cleaned off but one can dream right? I guess I really do miss the South Georgia weather and people of course(no snow to deal with). So if anyone in the NOVA area is feeling extra generous on Friday or Saturday and they drive a 4x4, feel free to stop by my house and lend a hand shoveling some snow. I am thinking if we get 2 feet of snow that I will be digging my car, driveway and sidewalk out for a few hours. Many hands make light work. Do I have any takers?

Thank you to all of those that have participated in the polls to dye my hair on Race Day. A special thank you to all of you who have showed your support to me in many ways. The memories that you have shared with me about your racing experiences has been the best ever. Notes to remember: mile 21 will be tough but you got to get over that barrier, drink plenty, toenails will fall off but they will grow back :). I am doing my best to update my fundraising website with the totals. Check back later for a better look at how much we have raised together. And remember this Cancer stinks!

Day 62-January 30th Ran in the snow 2nd time

Okay many of you know that I live in the Washington DC area. There are times when it occasionally snowed but nothing major-boy was I wrong about this one. We started the run at about 8:15am and by 9:30am the snow came falling. We were on the Capital Crescent Trail (Bethesda part) again and the trail was getting slick. Our coaches told us to call it a day when we reached the meeting point. Because my knee is giving me problems, I managed to run 1 mile and walk the next 4. I was happy to leave and I didn’t waste any time doing so. The snow was coming and I wanted to make sure that I got home in one piece and not a body bag. People up here go crazy when precipitation falls from the sky.

For this run, we had all the marathon/half marathon teams together (DC, Maryland, Virginia and Walk Team). It was nice to have more encouragement out on the trail. It sounds silly but when your knees, ankles and feet are saying ‘no more, no more’ you have wonderful teammates that give you the "You can do it" or “Go TEAM.” Encouragement on the trail from TNTers is 100% awesome.

Knee Injury Update: So my low mileage may sound like I am slacking off but I am trying to give my knee some healing time before I put on more heavy mileage. I am doing the icing 2-3 times a day. I have also started bulking up my quads a couple of times a week. My coaches said that my quads are too weak to hold my knees in the proper form so let the bulking up again.  Lunges, squats and leg presses oh my!