updates (training and otherwise)

This weekend was a good one as far as marathon training and friends with cancer goes...

Ran 5 hot and steamy miles in Alexandria with the Team on Saturday morning. Nice to run somewhere I've never been before, and to run with new friends. One of my new teammates works with my husband, which was a delightful surprise!

We had our seasonal honoured teammate brunch at the LLS office, and heard some pretty inspirational stories. One of our teammates got her 5 year "all clear" on Thursday, so that was cause for great celebration!

Because I am also in training for the Marathon by the Sea in St John NB in August, I was scheduled to have run 14 miles on Saturday. But I spent too much time talking to people at the brunch, and it was too hot by the time I got home to be bothered with going back out for the remaining 9 miles.

So the dogs and I hit the trails yesterday morning. Four hilly miles with a quick mid-way break for Remy to have a swim in the lake. Then three hilly miles with Lando, and an even quicker break because he would only go ankle deep in the lake... then another two solo miles. I know it's not the same as running 9 miles without breaks, but... one must do what one can to meet all of the household exercise requirements.

Maya has been bed-ridden with a flare of immune mediated polyarthritis, so she is doped up on pain-killers, barely able to walk through the house to go out for a bathroom break. So, no running for her.

My friend Jenn completed her last chemo on Friday. She came out to relax at our place yesterday, read books in the hammock, was forcibly and enthusiastically snuggled by the dogs, had a nice quiet dinner... and talked about plans for the future. Specifically, running plans for the future. She's participating in a Ragnar event this summer, and training for both the Chicago and Richmond marathons in the fall... and planning to run Flying Pig with the Team in the spring. (This is the girl who went to the gym with her portable chemo bag to get in her regularly scheduled 4:30am workouts!)

Talk about not letting life pass you by...

I will be running Richmond Marathon with her in November (if I'm able to keep up with her!). So my goal for the season (beyond just preparing to run 3 marathons in 4 months), is to get faster.

Tonight... yoga.

Tomorrow, speed work...


In other news, we will be having a community yardsale on Saturday. All proceeds from my table will go to LLS. My first fundraiser for the season!

If you'd like to be the very first person to donate... you can do so right here.

more love

love more.

be kind.

be compassionate.

be brave.

love more.

love more.

love more....

summer on

As I often do at work, I'm listening to music... today's music selection is The Tragically Hip live in Abbotsford. So, I'm singing along as I work. Processing credit card payments, speaking with customers, and in the back ground I hear Gord Downie talking to his people, to me... My new call to action.

"Summer on, people! Summer on! Take care of each other. Drive the speed limit. 

Wear life jackets.  Summer on!!"

crossing the Fraser River, summering on... 1977.

fools (like me) run half marathons without training

Having done pretty much nothing in the way of exercise since Paris Marathon, I ran the Ex2 Adventures Fountainhead Off Road Half Marathon yesterday.... Not an ideal training regimen. I don't recommend it. Fountainhead is a challenging course, very hilly (some very steep and rooty), a few water crossings, and in June when the temperatures can be expected to be in the 80s at least.

Yesterday was not too hot, but terribly humid. There had been substantial rain the night before so the trail was slippery in many places (and ankle deep mud in a few!)... and it was tough. I finished, but about 30 minutes slower than I had hoped.

Thanks to Ex2 for putting on another great race. As a back of the pack runner (at their races at least!!) it is really gratifying to be late on the course but still find friendly and gracious volunteers, and to still have lots of food and drink available at the finish line.

Now that I’m over the pneumonia, it’s time to choose my next TNT event. This time around, I’ve decided to run the Detroit Free Press International Marathon (running through Detroit, across the border into Windsor, and back to Detroit! How fun is that going to be??)   Training for a marathon during the hot and humid Virginia summer can be pretty daunting. But, not as daunting as a cancer diagnosis (which is why I continue to train and fundraise with TNT  year after year). Raising $3000 is pretty daunting too, but with your support, I know I can do it!

It takes more than one person to make a team... and I'm asking you to be on mine. Send me some kind words of encouragement. Offer to join me for a mid-week training run. Make a donation. Make me dinner! Host a fundraiser. Ask your friends and families to make a donation... Help me to help the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society find a cure for blood cancers.

Our donations will go to fund treatments that save lives every day. Our donations will fund new research. Our donations also go to maintaining patient support programs, including financial assistance, peer-to-peer support groups, and caregiver support.

Patients (and their families) need these programs, they need cures and they need our support.

Please make a donation in support of my efforts with Team In Training, on behalf of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, and help to get us all closer to a world without blood cancers.

THANK YOU!!!!!

It's A Good Life If You Don't Weaken

I am sure you all know how I feel about it by this point... but in case I haven't said it explicitly enough up 'til now... Cancer can just fuck right off.

withdrawal sucks

so... a week or so ago, with the encouragement of my coach and doctor... i withdrew myself from America's Most Beautiful Bike Ride.

six weeks of no activity due to coming down with pneumonia following the Paris Marathon has left me feeling grossly unprepared for a 100 mile bike ride. and there is just not enough time to regain the fitness...

i hated having to make that decision, but it is the right one.

i can do AMBBR next year, i can do another ride later this year, or i can do another endurance event (marathon) later this year... with the Team.

fear not, to all of you who so generously supporting my fundraising efforts for the Century ride. you money will not go to waste... LLS will put it to good use, supporting patients and their families, helping to find new treatments, etc.

i will be lacing up my shoes later today to head out for my first run in 6 weeks, and see how it goes... with any luck, it won't take me TOO long to bounce back.

i'll keep you posted on my next TNT adventure, once i've made a decision about what it will be.

thanks again.

Paris marathon report (ish)

So, it's been a few days since the Paris marathon and I've thus far said nothing about it... not because it wasn't a great experience (it was!!), but because there's been a lot going on.

First off, it was a whirlwind two week adventure... first week gallivanting about southern England, visiting family, running the Thames Bridges Trek in London in wild weather and going to concerts.

running Millennium Bridge (#14 out of 16 bridges) in pouring rain

Second week, cold and rainy Paris, birthday dinners, catching up with old friends... and then a very hot and sun-burny day for the Paris marathon.

Two weeks of travel and late nights and cold weather had taken a bit of a toll, so I didn't start the race at my best... suffered in the unexpected heat... but thoroughly enjoyed the first 18 miles of the race. Particularly the parts where my husband and my friends showed up several times along the course to cheer me on. I really struggled for the last 8 miles, as could be seen in my seriously diminishing speed over those miles.

approximately Mile 18, still smiling..

The following day, hopped on a couple planes.. spent almost 18 hours in transit between hotel and home, and was struck down with a terrible cold. Which turned into pneumonia. So, I've pretty much done no activity more strenuous than walking the dogs for the last three weeks.

My energies have been focused on getting myself healthy, and on supporting family and friends who are having babies, having health issues, and dealing with other difficulties in life.

On a happier note though, I had friends in town from Canada and Europe this week, so have been trying to squeeze in some visits. Having them here, and having them meet each other, has brought me joy.

Getting stressed out about missing so much cycle training. AMBBR is in 6 weeks, and I'm so very far from prepared!

Also, so very far from having reached my fundraising goals... If you're feeling flush, and would like to help me to help LLS find a cure for blood cancers... please donate here:

http://pages.teamintraining.org/nca/ambbr16/MTataje