Thanks For The Support

Wow! That's all I can say right now. Just, wow.

Your support and generous donations have been more than I thought would ever come out of this. I took a little vacation to Vegas this past weekend and when I came back, I checked my online donation page and WOW! You guys are the best! I've reached my goal of $3500! I could not have done this without you. 

So, I've decided to try and set a new goal of $5000 and see how much I can raise by July 20th. Your generous donations just keep coming in and it just blows my mind. I feel blessed to have people like you in my life.

I'm speechless. Thank you soo much!

I will keep training and pushing myself to make you all proud so that I can cross that finish line!

Half Way There

Team Challenge -- is just that. Yesterday we had a 7.5 mile course at Torrey Pines State Reserve. We did the trail and beach run. Though this time I chose to train with the power walkers due to an email I got from our endurance manager that said for the "wunners" this terrain would be best trained with the walkers. So April and I joined them this week. I have to say that those power walkers train just as hard as us runners. I figured it wouldn't be as tough as our run training, but it's just as hard. The walking coach, Devon, is great. She pushed us and gave us personal tips for our gait - exercises and such. She showed us the power walking moves and got us to 14 minute miles. 

In order to be in the race, you have to be no higher than 14 minute miles. No problem. We've got that covered. Between walking and running, we've got it in the bag.

The training yesterday was so exhausting. Granted I haven't really been running more than about 4 miles when we go out for about an hour run so to do 7.5 miles was definitely a push and a challenge. If I'm already exhausted after 7.5 miles, how the hell am I gonna do the other half. But you know what? I'll get there. I'm pushing my endurance to get there. I WILL get there. 

I loved the view of our training though. We were coastal and so once we made it up to the top of the Torrey Pines hills - wow. The view was spectacular. We walked down the hill to the beach and along Blacks (for those of you that don't know Blacks beach, it's our nudie beach - mostly gays - though there were no nudies while we were there) We went out to the ghettie and then back along the beach all the way to the parking lot - about a mile back. 

I was proud of myself for sticking with it. Half way there.

I CAN DO IT!!

Energized

Hey everyone! I just got back from a 2 mile run with my dogs and I'm feeling great! I think that the new inhaler is actually starting to work! Usually at the end of a run I am dead tired and out of breath -- but today, the out of breath isn't as bad as it usually is and I'm not completely exhausted. Hungry, yes. But not super exhausted. 

My mile time has been staying pretty consistent lately. I'm still around 12.5 minute miles, but my asthma seems to be improving ever so slightly. And for that I am thankful to my new doctor!

We have a 70 minute run this Saturday at Torrey Pines. I hope all goes well. That place has some hills, but on the bright side, it'll be a nice view of the pacific and the weather is going to be great. Of course I'll lather up in sunscreen. I think I'll actually be tan by the time this run is over.

Thanks to everyone for your support and generous donations. I'm half way to my goal! Keep 'em coming!

The Little Runner That Could

Wow. The run today was a little more intense this time. We ran for an hour at Mission Trails and I guess we ended up choosing the rockiest of trails. I found it tough to run down or even up the rocky hills. The rocks were protruding from every where. The entire trail wasn't like that, but a lot of it was. I felt like the little engine that could. "You can do this," I kept telling myself. It got hot fast and I got out of breath earlier than I have been. The doctor put me on a new inhaler on top of the one I already have. I don't really think it's doing much different but maybe it takes a while to really see results. It's only been about a week since I started using it. Now I have to take Flovent twice a day, every day and if I feel I need my albeuterol inhaler, to use that when needed. 

So I fell behind everyone, but I had my tunes to keep me going. I think I need to make a new playlist. I've been listening to the same music every time I run, so I think it's time to change it up. I've also been thinking that I should just get one of the tiny MP3 players. My iPod is so big and clunky to have strapped on my arm. It's almost worth it to spend the money to get one of the iPod shuffles or some cheap MP3 player (but the problem with that one is that it has to be Mac compatible. My PC laptop is non-functional at the moment). If anyone has some suggestions, please let me know. Though I have no clue if anyone is actually reading this, but if you are - thanks for reading!!

I have to admit that half the time I'm running, I still wonder why I'm doing it. I mean, I know WHY but more like why am I actually running. I can barely keep up with the other runners, my asthma is getting the better of me. I should really just be walking. But I don't like the sound of that - "walking a half marathon." It sounds cooler to say "running a marathon." Am I right? I like the idea of running a marathon and finishing it, but actually doing the long distant running is SO tough. It's a lot harder than I thought. I can sprint in soccer - no problem. But running for miles and miles...I must be crazy! Oh well. I've gotten this far. It's been one month already! I can't believe it. Only 2 more to go. July 20th will be here in no time. 

I finally downloaded the pictures from the benefit party and with Picasa I can embed a slide show on here - so for those of you who want to see the pictures - here they are!

Renewed Motivation

Wow. I can't believe it has been almost an entire month since I last wrote. My whole plan with this blog was to update you at least once a week and I seem to have fallen short of that. So sorry. I'm going to try and not do that now. But let me update you on what's happened the past few weeks.

I got a phone call from one of my friends asking if their band could play a show at my house since they hadn't booked anything for the month of April. I had no problem with that. I enjoy playing host to a party anyways. I don't know why. Hmm.
Anyways, I got to thinking that this would be the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the situation and use it to my benefit - and when I mean my benefit, I really mean the benefit for Team Challenge. I turned it into a small benefit concert for CCFA. I found another band, sent emails to all my friends, and thus became my first "real" fundraiser for this half marathon.
There was a really nice turn out. People jammed out with the band, while others drank. And the more people drank, the more we got them to donate so it really worked out in my favor. I was able to raise $315 dollars! Wow. I couldn't believe it! That was so awesome. I love my friends. That put me $315 closer to my goal. And since I've been feeling like my fundraising has become stagnant, this was a great motivational boost. The only thing that sucks is that the numbers don't show online until the national chapter in NY enters the info and that could take a few weeks. But at least I know that I'm that much closer to $3500.

Then Passover came. I never feel like I eat well during Passover. I mean, I know I do, but because we're limited to certain foods, after a while, matzah just doesn't do it for me. April 19th there was a clinic up in Carlsbad at this place called Velocity. It's like an endurance training facility. I ended up over-sleeping and got there late after hauling ass up to Carlsbad. Got a good work out but I hate that my asthma slows me down. I don't think the albeuteral is working anymore. But more on that later.
I raced home afterwards to get ready for the evening Passover seder. It turned out nice.

Last week I went on vacation to NYC to visit one of my best friends. She's a dog walker so I knew I'd be getting a bunch of exercise with her. I had full intentions to do my workouts while I was there, but I'll admit, I got lazy. Though I DID go jogging in Central Park and Kevin Bacon almost ran into me. He was jumping over some barrier going the opposite direction and landed in my vicinity. Totally didn't see that coming. I was close enough to touch him. My friend really wanted to give him a "high 5" but chickened out. He was trying to be incognito with his baseball cap, but he's so recognizable that it's hard not to know who he is.
I had intentions to go back into the park and jog but dog walking with Jesi tired me out. I don't know how she does it. My feet were killing me. On the plus size, I got LOTS of cross training done.

Now that I'm back home I plan on sticking to my guns and really get out there and run a little more every day. I have to get a better time or at least try and keep a consistent pace. I saw a doctor today that I'm hoping can help with the asthma. He's having me take a new inhaler that's compatible with the one I have now. But he's hoping that I won't have to take it. This new one is some kind of steroid inhaler that's supposed to make breathing a bit easier. 2 puffs, 2x day. It's supposed to start to show some results within 2 - 3 days. Today is #1. Maybe I might get lucky and it'll make tomorrow's run easier.

Tomorrow we have long run in La Jolla Shores followed by a big potluck picnic for us and our honored guests. Unfortunately both my parents have prior engagements. I was hoping at least one would show up. Oh well. I've got my teammates to entertain me anyways. :o)

I'll let you know how tomorrow goes --- sooner than later I hope!

OH! I'll have to put pictures from the concert up. Maybe this weekend. Look for them soon.