Taper? Psych! I'll just run a few extra miles...

What a fantastic week! First, I am in awe at the amount of grace and kindness that so many friends and family have shown in my final week of fundraising. I can hardly believe that I am only $188.04 from reaching my goal of $2,900 to benefit Leukemia & Lymphoma treatment and research!! With only two days until my fundraising deadline (Monday, May 24), I'm sending up my prayers that I am able to reach my goal. I truly believe that this can happen. While this journey has given me a look into more sadness than I knew existed as a result of cancer and has made me a more sympathetic person as a result, it has also shown me the beauty of the human heart! How wonderful everyone has been to support me both emotionally, spiritually, and financially as I have made my way from barely being able to run three or four miles at a time to being capable to reach new physical heights and provide thousands of dollars to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. THANK YOU!! Each of you have blessed my life more than I can say. I am truly grateful for this experience!

On top of my excitement at nearing my fundraising goal, I am so thrilled to be working with the Team in Training group from Northwest Ohio. What a fabulous group! They are such wonderful people, so dedicated and energetic. I have been inspired by them to set new goals and work toward reaching them. I'm excited to be working with our coach, Ernie, who is very hands on and very knowledgeable in the sport of running. Ernie has participated in two Team in Training races, but has completed a number of others, including a Century run (a 100-mile run that took him about 30 hours to complete - CRAZY!?). While I do have a general plan given by TNT that I have followed throughout my training, Ernie creates personalized plans for his runners to train for their races. As I am so far into my training, there isn't a need for a new plan, but I mentioned last week that I began my "taper." This means that four weeks before my race I ran my longest pre-race mileage (10-miles), and then I began working my way down to lower miles. However, Ernie's San Diego runners begin their taper THIS WEEK as they ran their longest mileage. SO what did I do, you ask? Taper, schmaper! I ran over 10 miles rather than the 6 that I intended!! :-)

I simply love running. When I complete a run, I feel so alive!! I'm full of energy and so thrilled that my body has carried me so far. I am officially addicted!! ;-) I am looking for my next races, and I hope to complete a full marathon sometime in the future. Perhaps one additional half and then a full? I'm still debating... Regardless, I am committed to working hard to improve my running abilities! Upcoming goals: work on my arm strength and core strength to improve running ability and time (and the toning will of course be a great bonus) AND work on my speed through interval and other training. I am so excited to see how far I'm able to push myself and to one day improve my speed and race finish time.

I just can't say enough about this experience... Team in Training has provided me with emotional wealth through learning sympathy, grace, altruism... And I have gained physical wealth through this extraordinary opportunity to see just how capable the human body is and become healthier and happier in the process.

And in two weeks, all of these newly acquired notions will be tested... It's almost time for San Diego!! :-D