Running with Bubbles

Marathon Training

Week eight, day four

Earlier this week, I was looking over my training schedule and noticed I had 13 miles yesterday. I told Tony, “doesn’t it seem weird that last year it took me the whole season to get to 13 miles and now I’m doing it eight weeks in?” He just raised his eyebrows at me and said, “I told you that running a full marathon was crazy.”

Friday night before we turned off the lights to go to sleep, he said, “You know you can run 13 miles. You’ve done it before.” “Yeah, I know,” I said. So I ran 13 miles yesterday and it wasn’t too bad, actually. I had great company and just about the time I thought the humidity was going to kill me, the rain started. It didn’t rain but for about half a mile and after that it was much cooler.

Nonetheless, I was right to be nervous. From here on, the runs get longer and I’m going to be in new distance territory. The marathon, which still seems so far away, is in about three months. My fundraising dollars are due in two and a half months, and I’m nowhere near where I wanted to be by now on that end. This is my fault – I have fundraising ideas that I simply haven’t implemented. I need to get out there and ask just as much as I need to keep running, cross-training, and eating right. It’s time to Bubble Up and get things done. So yeah, I’m nervous. But I’m going to do it anyway. You never know what you can do if you talk yourself out of trying.

Marathon training

Week seven, days 3 and 4

Yesterday afternoon, we went to Whole Foods to pick up something for dinner. I was chatting with the cashier about the weather (as you do) and mentioned that I wasn’t crazy about having to run back to our car in the rain. “Just be glad you have a car,” he said. Turns out he walks to and from work no matter the weather. Yep, pretty lucky we have not one car but two.

I was too busy to post on Thursday’s run, which I did outside at lunch in 90 degrees. But it was a good busy. I’m lucky to have friends and a husband to spend time with at Shakespeare in the park, a show at the Winspear, and the state fair. I’m lucky to have a job that keeps me busy and challenges me, and it even pays me enough to keep me in running shoes.

Yesterday’s nine miles was a slog through high temps and higher humidity. My whole right leg hurt starting at mile 5. But yet, I’m lucky. I’m lucky to have been introduced to Team in Training and to have been given the opportunity (twice!) to be a mentor for the team.   I’m lucky to have Coach Joe and my team captain Karen to teach me how to run an endurance event and how to raise money. I’m lucky to have friends and family who read these updates and who generously open their wallets for a cause that means so much to me. Most of all, I’m lucky to have the ability (and stubbornness!) to run, and to keep running until I reach my goal.

I’m lucky to have my health. I’m not undergoing tests and chemo and radiation and the side effects that go with them. I’m not watching Tony or my parents or my sister or my nephew or niece having to go through any of that and wondering if they will be one of the ones who makes it.

Call it lucky. Call it blessed. Heck, call it crazy if you want. All I know is that I am grateful for the life that I am living.

Marathon Training

Week six, day four

Before this season started, I was at Leadership boot camp with my Coach, team captain and fellow mentors. Ryan and I were discussing the running we had been doing over the summer, and she said, “wow, you really love running now, huh?” And I immediately answered, “No. I effing hate running.”

I started running because I was frustrated and angry that my friend was sick. I kept running because I didn’t know how else to deal with my grief over her death. And now I run to raise money in her honor.

I’m not a “natural runner,” whatever that is. I’ve never gotten a “runner’s high,” and I don’t know what that is either. I’m slow, I breathe heavy and I sweat a lot. I’m sure my form leaves a lot to be desired and that I don’t look all that cute out there either.

I hate running.

But I have to admit, on days like today? A day when a father told a story of his eight year old dying from AML a week or so after diagnosis, and thanked us for what we do to fight blood cancer? A day when the temperature was perfect and the breeze was just right? A day when my knees didn’t hurt and the Loving hill didn’t look quite so steep?

I sorta, kinda, love it too.

Marathon training

Week one, day four

I was thinking the other day how nice it was that I’m not nervous about starting my training like I was last year. And then I had the dream.

Do you ever have anxiety dreams? They’re not nightmares, exactly, but I’ve had them occasionally when I’m stressed out about something. Before finals my first semester in law school. Before my wedding. Before a big day in court, sometimes. And a few times during training last fall.

The other night, I dreamed that it was the day of the marathon. It was somewhere by a river and it was pouring rain. I was there in old school fleece sweatpants, a hoodie, and some kind of random sneakers. No nutrition. No water. And I was late, so I had to start running right away until I got to a Walmart where I had to stop for water, food, and appropriate clothing. And a poncho. Oh, and somewhere in there was a zipline that, at the end, dropped you 20 feet into the raging river.

When I woke up, I thought, “huh, I guess my brain doesn’t think I’m prepared for a marathon.” And then, for the first time since I signed up to do this, I got that feeling in the pit of my stomach. That feeling of, what the heck did I sign up to do? What makes me think I can run 26.2 miles when I’ve barely made 13.1?

I don’t know. I’m sure I can do this. I’m sure it’s going to be hard. And I’m sure that’s not the last time I’m going to feel anxious. A marathon is serious business. Then again, I’m fighting for a serious cause.

Half-marathon
Recap and what’s next?

I’ve been putting off writing about the race because for once I don’t know what to say. It was amazing. It was awesome. It was emotional. Sometimes it was fun. Sometimes it was awful. I am so so glad that my husband and Joel were there to cheer me on, and that Mark and Stefani were there to run with me. Mark especially helped me when I felt like I couldn’t keep going. Even when I told him I felt like punching someone (aka the “bite me” zone), he stayed with me and insisted we would go at whatever speed I wanted. I never doubted I would finish, though. It wasn’t fast and it wasn’t pretty but I got there anyway!

So, I did it. And now that almost a week has passed, I think I’ll do it again. Coach Joe encouraged me to apply to be a mentor for the summer season of TNT, and I was selected. I won’t be raising money this season; instead I’ll be helping other people with their training and fundraising. And as long as I’m training, I’ve decided to run the San Diego half-marathon on June 2.

I’ll be moving my training posts and musings to a blog instead of facebook posts, and I’ll have a link here once I get it all set up. Thank all of you for reading, liking, commenting, donating, and generally supporting me through this process! I ran 13.1 miles. I raised $4120 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Angi’s memory. Looking back now, it’s still hard to believe. It just goes to show that if you keep at it, you can accomplish whatever crazy goals you set for yourself!

Thanks again, and as always, keep your head up – that’s where the Bubbles are

January 5

Half-marathon training
Week 21, day 4

No, I didn’t run six mikes this morning even though I was super bummed to miss our last lake run! Still congested and slightly feverish so a day of rest for me. I did go to the lake though to see everyone and to pick up my race packet and I’m so glad I did! Look what I got for race day:

Half-marathon training
Week 22? Day 2
R-10

Wow, the holidays and the weather have really affected my running and my status updates! We are now 10 days away from race day and I did my last loop of the lake this past Saturday. Yes, it was extra cold at 7 a.m. and I actually decided to go back to sleep and run later in the afternoon, but my brain was awake and ready to go so out I went!

Haven’t run since then and am feeling itchy and moody, so I hoped to get in a run at lunch today. Work wouldn’t let me do that so instead I’ll do a couple of miles on the trail after work and before we go see Les Mis tonight! As Coach Joe would say, it’s a GREAT day!

Half-marathon training
Week twenty, day three

Three miles yesterday at the gym. I thought maybe I’d do them on the treadmill, but the months since Jamaica have not improved my treadmill abilities. I ran laps on the track instead.

The race is almost here and I am so excited! Angi’s fiancé Joel is coming to Orlando with us to watch the race and cheer me on. It means so much to me to have him there. And just because I’ve hit my fundraising goal doesn’t mean that it’s too late for you to support me either ~ you can make donations up to a month after the race! But why not make a donation now and get that end of the year tax deduction?

R(ace) minus 15 days and counting down..

Half-marathon training
Week twenty, day two

I’ll never forget the first time it snowed in New Haven. It was the night before our torts final, and some friends and I took a study break to pick up some food and rent a movie. We were walking down the street; they were all playing in the snow and I was shuffling along carefully when KABLAM! I fell and broke my ankle. I was in the hospital for five days and still have a plate and ten screws in my ankle to commemorate the experience.

So it’s probably not a surprise that I despite 16 years in snowy climes (Detroit, New Haven and New York), I am a complete wimp about snow and ice. I even turned down going to Les Mis last night because I was worried about the sidewalks being icy. Due to the ice and the cold, I originally planned to do my four miles at the gym today. But when I saw that the streets were dry, I decided to go to the Katy Trail instead.

The hill up to the trail was a little slick, but it was mostly snow on mulch so I was fine getting up there, and the trail looked dry and clear on the main path. If you’ve run the Katy Trail, you might have already figured out what I forgot – there are a lot of bridges on the trail. And every bridge was still 90 percent covered in ice.

So my run today kind of went like this: run. Come to a complete stop. Carefully stomp my way over the least frozen part of the bridge. Start running again. Despite that little issue, I had a fantastic run! Mother Nature 0, Liz 1!

Facebook wants to knows how I am feeling. I am feeling lucky and grateful and blessed! I was just getting ready to send in the football square money to LLS along with a few check/cash donations when I realized…

Once these checks post I will have raised $4000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society in Angi Ring’s memory. Thanks to all of you, I am officially a “rock star”!

AND – I now have 107 individual donors. 19 days from now when I run the half-marathon, I will have 107 people behind me cheering me on and Bubbles above me. With support like that, how can I not succeed?

I had three goals with TNT: 1) raise $4000; 2) have 100 or more individual donors; and 3) run a half-marathon. I have met goals one and two and will finish my third goal at Walt Disney World on January 12!

Thank you all and Merry Christmas!