Great news!

I was in Arkansas last week, and had a chance to visit one of my honored teammates, Miss Billie. She has three more chemo treatments to go, and the doctors say her cancer is gone! So so great!

Also, I'M AN AUNT AGAIN! My newest (of 3) nephews, John Austin, was born yesterday. Looks like his big brother, too too cute!

Now to my running. I was in Arkansas last week, and it was TOO HOT to run! I tried to do 5 miles last week, only got 3 in before I thought I'd pass out. I swear, the SUN is hotter down South (it is closer to the equator and all). My Gatorade got hotter in 3 miles, than it does running 14 miles in DC! Then I missed the second run, because I hung out with my family... and it was 100 degrees! Oh yeah, by the way, I got a new fuel belt (because the one I have is way too small). Here is a pic of it, I got the pink one...

You can buy these things at http://www.fuelbelt.com/. Very handy!

Anyway, when I was in Arkansas, I got to hang out with my nephew Noah. Such a cutie! He was saying my name... MandEEE! Caught a cold and stomach thing from him, so I missed out on the big run last Saturday (16 miler, SO mad I missed it). However, you can't be too mad about getting sick from a 1 year old. I wasn't about to not let him give me sugar, or feed me olives (which I normally hate), or share my strawberries with him. So it was definitely worth getting sick over.

I ran last night, 5 miles, and I could DEFINITELY feel the little break I took. It was harder on my lungs, so it is really noticeable now how much better my asthma has gotten since I've started running. It was also harder on my legs, but I can say that my calves didn't cramp up like they have been. And I kept to my usual pace, even though I walked more than usual. It helped that the weather has gotten better, the high is now in the 80's.

So, that's my update. Also, just to let you know, I now raised $2,570.00. I have $1.230.00 to go! If you can think of anyone that might like to donate, please forward my information to them. It would be greatly appreciated!

Have a blessed day,
Mandi

14 miles and whaddaya get?

Sore sore sore knees, thighs and calves is what I got. I can honestly say that this is the first time during my training that I felt as though someone had beat me up! I spent Saturday night icing my legs, drinking Gatorade, and pretty much being miserable...


So, I was reminded the other day of the time I volunteered at Arkansas Children's Hospital. I mainly worked in the play area. You would think that running and raising money for The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society would have jogged those memories, and it has, but I haven't let myself REALLY go there until recently.

It was a very fulfilling experience, but something that could often be draining. So many kids were there with many different types of illnesses. They never let us know what conditions the children had, and we weren't ever to ask. Their time in the play area was supposed to be one where they wouldn't have to think about any problems.

What I'm remembering most are the chemo patients. These little kids would come in, during their chemo treaments. They would be hooked up to the i.v.'s and machines that was pumping the live-saving chemicals into their blood. They played as if nothing was wrong, dragging the stands as far as the electrical chords would allow. Running as fast as they could, laughing and playing, acting as though they had no care in the world.

It was tough in that you got to know some of these kids, but then you never knew their outcomes. Did they go on to survive and be active, robust teenagers and adults? Did they lose the fight, even after all of the treatments and surgeries they went through?

Let me tell you, volunteering in that way is something that can be very fulfilling, and I would encourage anyone to give it a try...

So, fast foward to last Saturday. It hurt. Hurt bad. Especially the last 2-3 miles. Oh my gosh, did it hurt. It hurt all day and all night. 14 miles is a little over half the distance of a marathon. I'm not gonna lie, I had about 1 minute of doubting that I can do this. But it went away. So what if I hurt, so what if it hurt for a whole day? It's still not near what cancer patients go through. If they can take the pain to save their lives, then I can certainly take the pain it takes to run this marathon... and help raise money to find a cure.

Mandi

P.S. If you can guess where I got the title from... I'll give you a cookie!!! Here's a hint: I should have waited until the 16 miler to use that title, but it's all I could think of Saturday night...

Hot Town, Summer in the City

Wow, it's hot outside. Really really hot. So hot, it reminds me of home, which wouldn't be so bad if I wasn't training for a M-A-R-A-T-H-O-N. Oh yeah, and walking to and from work everyday. By the time I get home... let's just say it's not pretty!

Went for a run this morning, 6 am, it was 81 degrees, and really humid. Gross. I did 4 miles. Which is NOT gross. It's good. It feels good. I would go as far to say it feels great. My legs and feet are sore pretty much all the time, and it feels great.

I don't really have a point to this entry, just wanted to write. It's been awhile, it feels good to write. Two of my favorite things to do are to write and to run. Who would have thought run would be in there? Certainly not me!

I guess what I want to say is that I'm grateful. Grateful that thanks to my brother and sister-in-law, I get to be an aunt again... soon! As in any day now. That will make 2 nephews, and one neice or nephew for me (they want to be surprised, again). Also, that my aunt is okay. Very lucky, and okay. I think of the impact my aunts and uncles had on my life growing up, and how I want to be good aunt, too. The person I am today... let's just say I owe them a lot! I am fortunate to have a great family. A close family. Very loving. Yes, I am fortunate.

Sooo, as of this morning, I have logged in 133 training miles. That's a lot of miles! It's something that takes dedication, I'm so glad to be doing it. And so happy to be raising money for such a worthy cause. It seems like since I signed up for this, leukemia and lymphoma has entered my life any many ways. Ms. Billie, who kept me in the church nursery, and who I would say impacted my life in a big way, because she is a truly kind-hearted person (a great example!) was diagnosed after I started this. I found out about Joanne's husband, too. I am learning more and more about this disease, and feel proud to be raising money to help others. To help find a cure.

So that's it. Thanks for reading my rambling post today. May your day be full of hope and blessings.

Mandi

Run for 5 miles, what?

Okay, so I've been doing the week day runs by myself. This time, I ran with Stephanie and Tiffany. I met Stephanie through the TNT MySpace page, and she has been graciously inviting me to her weekly group runs. This time I finally went!

So, it was just the three of us, and tell me that they try to run the whole time. If you have read my earlier entries, I have been doing run/walk intervals. Haven't even attempted this. We were going to do 5 miles. I gotta say, I thought I couldn't do it. I just told them I would try, but if they needed to, they could leave me behind. Well, I did it! We ran for over 4 miles! Decided to walk the last bit, due to some aches and pains.

Let me tell you, never thought that would happen. So, I am very grateful to Stephanie and Tiffany. Wow, very cool!

It was a great run, started at 7:30, so it wasn't so hot, and the sun was going down. We ran down the Mall, past the Washington Monument, then around the Tidal Basin (where the tourists go to see the Cherry Blossoms). So pretty. By the time we go there, the sky was a pretty pink, great view from when we ran in front of the Jefferson Monument (my favorite).

So, thanks again, Stephanie and Tiffany!

Mandi