ugh!

i'm still feeling like i have lead weights attached to my limbs.... and have no reason or explanation why.

fundraiser at Uno's was something of a flop as well.... in spite of weeks of e-mail advertising by myself and my teammates, putting flyers on windows, and sitting at a table in front of the restaurant and handing out flyers as people walked in. really, how much easier could it be?

so, a lot of effort in organizing for very little return.

ugh.

feeling very discouraged at the moment.

however, the sun is shining and it's not too cold. i'm going to drop some things off at the Salvation Army and then go for my Thursday afternoon 4 mile run.

things can only get better.

set-backs and keeping on going...

i feel as though i was fighting myself pretty much every step of the way during my run this morning.... where i'm normally just getting warmed up by 2 miles, today i was pretty near done in by 2 miles. where normally in 45 mins i'm a little over 4 miles... today i had a hard time getting to 3 miles in 45 mins. and after 5 miles, i packed it in for the day before i hurt myself.

it was supposed to be a ten mile day... but nothing helped. more gatorade... didn't help. a Gu... didn't help. more water... didn't help. turning up the tunes... made me feel better, but didn't make me run any better.

it was just a struggle.

so tomorrow, i will go out and try to do it again.... maybe tomorrow will be a better day.

***

just checked my e-mail only to find that my Famous Dave's fundraiser on Thursday only brought in a grand total of $18. and i know for certain that 8 dollars of that was from the bill at our table.

all that energy put into getting out the word.... and it's a pretty effortless way to contribute to a good cause. just go for a meal, and the restaurant will make a donation...

however, the lovely people at Famous Dave's are going to round the donation up to an even $50.... which lifts my deflated fundraising spirits just a little.

hopefully today's Uno Chicago Grill fundraiser has a better turn out.

deep sigh.

getting my gear together to go spend the evening there.

wish me luck!!!

fundraise, run, fundraise!!

okay, fundraiser #1 completed last night... still waiting to hear how well we did.

tomorrow morning, ten mile run... solo, as if i want to have the truck i have to drive my sweetheart to work.... and if i run with the team, i won't be back in time. and i need the truck to do fundraising tomorrow.... hence the solo ten mile run. beurk!

then we're off to Uno's to try to raise some more money....

it's all go go go around here ;)

unfolding

I almost never read the electronic updates I receive from Runners World.... I get the magazine in the mail every month, and find it much more satisfying to hold it in my hands and flip the pages. Much nicer than staring at the computer screen and scrolling down....

However, for some unexplainable reason, when the Runners World update landed in my inbox this morning, I opened it... clicked on some random links (and registered for a draw to win some yoga gear, and a new car!)... and then came across an article about stolen moments. I have of course since then deleted the e-mail, and cannot now find the article on their website... but, in essence it was a story about unexpected gifts. Little bits of time that turn out differently from the way in which you had planned or expected... snow days where you get to stay home with the kids and realize just how much you've been missing them; begrudgingly taking the dog out for a quick walk on a cold and blustery day, and having it turn into an awesome run that left you feeling exhilarated and excited to do it again...

And she finished her article with the following quote:

I love when joy is tucked into a corner of life like a note, and I unfold it.

Kristin Armstrong, Runners World

It's always there, isn't it? We just have to keep our eyes and minds open enough to recognize that note when we see it, and then to remember to unfold it...

I like reminders such as these... taking your mind and your heart to new places. They remind us to really see the world, to be aware of the beauty in every day life. And they take us to those places where joy is tucked in like a little note.

four hilly miles

so, there is this paved trail that runs along a fairly major road, and it starts about a mile and a half from my house. this is where i had planned to do my mid-week runs when we first moved here, and then it snowed and the trail was a mess....

and then i finally got out there and ran it. problem is, it pretty much starts at the bottom of a long, and fairly steep hill. this has not been doing wonders for my motivation, let me tell you.

the sun is shining, and i feel like a run.... and then i start thinking about that hill, and i don't much feel like running any more.

this afternoon, i finally got smart. i drove myself to the top of that hill, parked the truck... and carried on with my run. still hilly, still along the edge of a busy road.... but no longer something to dread.

i had a great run... and i'm looking forward to Thursday's great run too, starting at the top of that hill.

more tasty fundraising opportunities!

Another fundraising opportunity!! This time in Manassas...

January 23, Uno Chicago Grill (10701 Bulloch Dr, Manassas... just off the 66 and Sudley Rd) will donate 20% of your bill to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, as long as you show up with one of our advertising "tickets".... see below.

I shall also be guest serving that evening. So far, we haven't exactly discussed what that will entail, but come on in and check me out in action!! I promise not to drop your food in your lap.

If you're interested, or know someone who might be... download the ticket below, distribute widely (wink wink), print it and bring it to the restaurant with you so that you can make a difference in the life of someone with a blood cancer simply by having dinner.

Couldn't be easier.

honoured teammates

Ran 6 miles with the Team Saturday morning, in the snow, uphill both ways, with a wind in my face... okay, so not uphill both ways, but otherwise... all true.

Then we had our "Honoured Teammate Picnic", where some of the people we are running for come in and share a post-run breakfast with us, and talk about their experiences with blood cancers, with Team in Training and the LLS, and about how what we do has impacted their lives. Very inspirational...

The photo below shows me still red-faced from the run, and our honoured teammate Carsten and his sister. Carsten was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was in kindergarten... he told us that some treatment days were really painful... "kind of like some of your long runs"...

Kind of puts things in perspective, doesn't it?

another chilly day for a run..

this morning i got up early to go staff the TNT booth at a local 5km race. as all the participants were collecting their race numbers and such in the local gym, i was kind of itchy to be participating too.... but as they began to stream back in after the race, saying what a hard race it had been due to the wind and cold temperatures, i was kind of glad to have missed it.

went out for a run on my own this afternoon though.... still blowy and cold, but at least as soon as i got home i was able to step into a warm shower to recover, rather than stand about waiting to hear the winning runners in each age category.

i like running in the winter, even if it is cold. i definitely prefer it to the August heat and humidity!! but it does have it's challenges...

c c c cold!

well, first group run of the year was a cold one! cold and windy and blue skies and sunshiney... glorious, really. except my legs felt like lead, and i just couldn't seem to find my rhythm for some reason.

it's still cold and windy and sunshiney... so blowy the power went out for a few hours.

which has made it rather frosty in the house.

making a hot chocolate to warm me while the heaters take their time in heating up the house.

not one of my mentees made it out for the run today.

:(

hoping that it is just the holidays... i know some people are still away until tomorrow.

next run, i hope to meet them all at last!

FUNdraiser!! Come eat some BBQ and support the efforts of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!

Famous Dave's BBQ in Woodbridge VA (2430 Prince William Parkway) will be hosting a fundraiser for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society on Thursday January 21, 2010.

Dine in or take out - Between 11 am and 10:30pm, if you let your server know you're there for the fundraiser, 10% of your check will be donated to the LLS at the end of the night. Better still, save the flyer below, print it and present it to your server so there can be no mistaking the fact that you're there for the fundraiser!

It's a great opportunitiy to enjoy some tasty BBQ and help to save someone's life at the same time! (And help me to meet my fundraising goals too)

Happy New Year!

2009 was quite the year... lost my mother-in-law to cancer, and four days later lost another friend to cancer. two weeks later, ran my first marathon. my husband retired... and found a new job. i completed my Masters degree. we bought a house, and moved two weeks ago...

2010 is looking to be a big year too... in a good way.

may the coming year bring you great happiness, success, adventure, love, and joy.