Moving up in mileage!

Training is getting more and more challenging, but I really am enjoying it! We'll see how long I say that... : ) Today, as I do every Saturday, I had group training with the rest of the Raleigh TNT team. Each week, the coaches choose a new location to run, each time being at a park of some sort in the Triangle area. This week, we ran at North Cary Park that has a slightly hilly trail going throughout the park. The view is wonderful as a good portion of the run is either through the woods alongside a creek or next to a pretty lake. As I have been training with the team, I really come to love trail running. While running in the 30 degree weather can be rough, I warm up quickly. It's wonderful to have such beautiful scenery to see and fresh air to breath as I run.

Each week, we run a different amount of miles. My teammates have each chosen to run in a different race; those running in Nashville on April 24 are moving up in mileage much quicker. However, I have a bit longer as mu race is on June 6 (thank goodness!). Beginning weeks ago at 2, I am now running 5 miles! However, what is a God-send is that we only do one long run per week. During the week, I work out on my own an additional 4-5 times per week by running shorter mileage (2-3 miles), cross-training, and strength training. We have a chart that shows us the most appropriate succession of work outs. Our group training sessions are our longer runs where each week we will increase our mileage each week depending on our race date. This week, as I mentioned, I ran 5 MILES! Next week, I will run 5 again, 6 for the following two weeks, 7 for the next two after than, and so on. I'll peak at 11 miles and then taper off for the final few weeks before the half marathon. I won't actually run the full 13.1 miles until I race on June 6!

This week, we began EARLY! At 7:30 AM we were hitting the trail! We often begin slightly later, but this week they hosted an injury prevention and nutrition clinic. I was really excited that I was able to attend this. It was very beneficial to learn more about being safe and taking care of my body as well as learning important nutrition tips. I learned that I should be eating "3 in 3," the tree most essential macronutrients (carbohydrates, protein, and fats) about every three hours. I LOVE that being a part of this event is helping me to think more clearly and positively about being healthy and leading a well-rounded life. I feel so happy, constantly becoming fitter and healthier everyday! : )

One additional important part of my day is that I made friends! I'm so thrilled to be meeting wonderful people who are also part of my team. At our first training, my teammate Brittany and I learned that our pace is very similar, so we ran together. So this week, we paced together again. We were able to talk as we ran to learn more about one another and to keep each other motivated. Brittany is also working toward the half marathon in San Diego like I am, so we'll be in this together from beginning to end! As we completed the run, we met and chatted with Chelsea, another one of our teammates. Chelsea is working toward the full marathon in San Diego. While she has completed other races before, this is her first full marathon. She is a great runner! She runs about a 7 to 7 1/2 minute mile!! I'm not completely sure what my pace is, but it's likely closer to 9-10 minutes on a long run. Both women are fabulous, and both insiring to me in their own ways. I was so thrilled to go to Starbucks for coffee and to learn more about one another after our training. Brittany works as a nurse in a pediatrician's office here in Raleigh, and Chelsea actually travels over an hour each week from Greenville, NC where she is a part-time MBA student at Eastern Carolina University. She also works full-time in a hospital's financial department. I'm so excited to begin a friendship with these women!

Finally, and MOST IMPORTANTLY... I am truly feeling more and more connected to the cause as I immerse myself more in its purpose and history. Leukemia, Lymphoma, and other blood cancers affect so many people. Being 9% of all cancer cases diagnosed each year, blood cancers are prevalent. In addition to that, Leukemia takes more lives of children under 20 than any other cancer. I'd like you to visit this website if you have a moment: Healing Hunter. This is an incredible and heart wrenching story of a family whose young son is fighting Leukemia for his fourth time. What makes this time different, however, is that this time will be his last. After 9 chemotherapy treatments and numerous other surgeries, this sweet boy is no longer able to fight for his life. The above website is Hunter's mother's blog detailing Hunter's fight. It will truly make an impression on you. As I viewed it, I couldn't help but cry and think, "I want to be a part of the cure..." I hope that you will consider being a part of the cure also by donating to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...

Beginning to Fund-Raise

I have officially begun to raise funds for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! My fund-raising efforts will be three-fold:

1. My wonderful friend Christy Bukach has volunteered to donate time and creative energy to make fun and eye-catching postcards that I will send by mail to family and friends. These postcards will feature a description of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Team in Training, ways that you're able to donate (via the internet or check), and a photo of Mason (my puppy) in his running shoes! : ) These should be ready soon, so check your mailboxes!
2. I am collecting items to hold a raffle over the coming weeks for those living in the Triangle area. Some items to be included are: one $20 gift certificate to shop at Harris Teeter at Duraleigh/Edwards Mill Rd. in Raleigh, one Starbucks gift bag (including a bag of coffee, two packets of VIA instant coffee, chocolates, and a large travel mug), two vouchers for a car wash at Auto Bell, one beautiful gift basket containing lots of spa goodies (thanks to the fabulous Lori Bodkin, owner of "Gift Baskets by Lori")two $50 gift cards to attend wine classes at Total Wine & More in Raleigh, and one $100 gift card to attend wine classes at Total Wine & More in Raleigh. I hope to also accumulate more items! I will sell raffle tickets for $5 for two tickets and $10 for five tickets. The drawing for prizes will be held on May 7, 2010.
3. I have begun to seek out company sponsorship by large companies (both local and national) in the area.

To donate directly to my goal, please click here!

Fund-raising definitely has the potential to be a daunting task. While I believe in my heart that this is an incredible cause, it is difficult to conceptualize raising $2,900! However, I am thrilled to be working toward such a noble goal, and I am enjoying visualizing myself reaching this goal. I hope that you will continue to follow my progress along the way and even consider donating your own funds. I am sure that I am able to be successful in contributing this amount to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society to fund research and care for patients!

Let the training begin!

Dear Friends and Family,

I have made the decision to embark on an exciting adventure... For the next four months, I will train to run a half marathon! This 13.1 mile race will be held on Saturday, June 6, 2010 in San Diego, California. How did I come to this decision, you ask? Read on...

As the 2010 spring semester began, I felt that I had done enough complaining about how tired and out of shape I felt. It was time to make a change! I began to work out a few times a week, and I really began to feel great! When talking with a friend a few weeks into my workout routine, she told me that she was training to run in a half marathon race in March. I couldn't believe that anyone would want to do such a thing! How could she run for such a long period of time? However, she explained to me that she takes her time and pushes herself mentally. I let her story sit in my mind for a few days until I finally realized that if she could do it, so could I!

If not today, when? I made the commitment to work toward a 13.1 mile race! My next task was to find a race. In searching, I realized that I didn't want to run simply to run. I wanted to cater to a higher purpose. This is when I found Team in Training! I heard radio commercials about the organization in the past, but I never knew what it was about. I read more about becoming involved and decided that this was the best way for me to reach my goal of a 13.1 mile race while contributing to a worthwhile cause.

As I train, I will also be raising money to support the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. I will raise $2,900! I hope that you will consider supporting me as I raise funds to benefit treatment for patients and research for cures to these terrible diseases that affect billions of people worldwide every year.

In order to track my progress and keep friends and family current on my training and fund raising activities, I will maintain this blog. Please be sure to drop in to see how I'm doing! I thank you for your love and support as I embark on this journey that is sure to change my life...

Alexis

More about Team in Training...

"Team In Training (TNT), The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) groundbreaking charity sports training program, has reached a remarkable milestone of raising $1 billion to support blood cancer research and patient services.

For more than 21 years, TNT has grown to become an unparalleled charity endurance training program. More than 420,000 participants, from first timers to seasoned athletes, have trained with TNT and achieved their best at marathons, half marathons, triathlons, 100-mile century bike rides and hiking adventures." (teamintraining.org)

More about Leukemia & Lymphoma...

"Blood cancers such as leukemia, Hodgkin lymphoma, non-Hodgkin lymphoma, myeloma and myelodysplastic syndromes are cancers that originate in the bone marrow or lymphatic tissues. They are considered to be related cancers because they involve the uncontrolled growth of cells with similar functions and origins. The diseases result from an acquired genetic injury to the DNA of a single cell, which becomes abnormal (malignant) and multiplies continuously. The accumulation of malignant cells interferes with the body's production of healthy blood cells.

Every 4 minutes one person is diagnosed with a blood cancer.

An estimated 139,860 people in the United States will be diagnosed with leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma in 2009. New cases of leukemia, Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma and myeloma account for 9.5 percent of the 1,479,350 new cancer cases diagnosed in the United States this year.

Every ten minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer. This statistic represents nearly 146 people each day, or more than six people every hour. Leukemia causes more deaths than any other cancer among children and young adults under the age of 20. In general, the likelihood of dying from most types of leukemia, lymphoma or myeloma decreased from 1996 to 2005 (the most recent data available)." (leukemia-lymphoma.org)