Race day is coming (and hit 100%)!

I leave for Disney one week from tomorrow. I am getting excited! I haven't tapered in a very long time and it feels a little different than it did with swimming. I really don't care about my time...I just want to finish!

I also am so happy to announce that I have hit my fundraising goal of $4,000! Yay! Thank you to everyone for helping me save lives!

I have a 3 mile run on Saturday...looking forward to it and hoping there is no freezing rain. Not good for klutzy Dani :)

Treadmill-a-thon!

Due to the blizzard that dumped approximately 20 inches of snow on DC, I was unable to run my 12 miler outside. I ended up doing 9 miles on the treadmill on Sunday. I really tried to push it to 12, but my body and mind were like "no more"!!! Felt pretty good up until mile 7.5 or so. Hopeful that the adrenaline and atmosphere at Disney will just push me to 13.1. Not too worried.

Off to North Carolina tomorrow for Christmas. 18 days until the big race!

22 days!

I have 22 days before I run 13.1 miles. Wow! I have my 12 miler this Saturday...I am hopeful that I can make the whole thing...I still have a sinus thing going on and don't want to make it any worse. I was able to run about a mile on the treadmill last night without much pain/fatigue (I also did 25 minutes on the elliptical). I am going to try and do about 5 miles tonight at the gym.

Work has been very, very busy, but I can see the end coming. I am off to NC on Tuesday for Christmas with the family. Running will be tricky...it is SUPER hilly around my parents place, but I think I have figured out a loop I could run without getting too winded!

Being sick stinks!

I was unable to run this past Saturday due to being sick...ugh. Most likely due to the fact that I ran 9 miles in the snow last week! I am doing my best to rest and recuperate because I have a BIG run this Saturday: 12 miles.

I am getting very excited about the actual race...it is literally just around the corner. Wow.

I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday season!

9 miles in the snow? No problem!

The picture on the right shows you exactly what my view was like for a solid 5 miles of my 9 mile run on Saturday. Pretty yet, treacherous for a clutz like me! I survived. A little achy, sore, and exhausted, but still alive, so all in all, a good run.

Let's hope that the next two Saturday's aren't as snowy.

My first Turkey Trot and 93%!

I completed my first road race ever on Thanksgiving morning...a 5 mile race in Del Ray (Alexandria, VA). I felt pretty good and was able to pick up my pace the last 1.5 miles. I then proceeded to eat way too much food that afternoon and felt ill...but, that is what you are supposed to do on Thanksgiving, right?!

I have acheived 93% of my fundraising goal...yee-haw! Just need approximately $250 more to hit my goal of $4,000. So amazed and inspired by all of my friends love, support, and generosity.

9 miles this Saturday...wowsers.

8 miles...wowsers!

Yes, I did 8 miles on Saturday morning. I felt pretty good...I was able to run with someone for the first 4 miles which helped make the time pass a bit quicker. My knees were hurting from the start which was a bit of a pain (literally!), but fortunately I was still able to do the run. The best news is that I wasn't as sore as I expected to be the day after the run. Yay!

I have 48 days until the race...plenty of time!

7 miles

I did it...7 miles this past Saturday morning. It was a cold, rainy morning (getting to be a pattern!) so my knees weren't that happy, but I did it! I switched to a 5:1 run/walk ratio and it felt good. I also enjoyed the trail we ran on...there were a ton of cardinals all along the trail and they kept me going with their bright red feathers and chirps. I have found that it is the little things that make a big difference as far as distracting you along the run :)

8 miles this coming Saturday...

75% of my fundraising goal!

WOW! I have hit 75% of my fundraising goal. Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of my supporters. All I can say is: YOU ROCK!

Ran on the treadmill at the gym last night b/c the weather was crappy. The treadmill hurts my knees more than running outside. My gel ice bag has become my friend :)

Getting ready to do 7 miles on Saturday morning. Wish me luck!

6 miles!

Yes, I ran 6 miles on Saturday. That is DEFINITELY the most I have ever run before in my life. Felt pretty good. We are running 7 miles this Saturday.

Fundraising is going well. I am so thankful to all of my amazing friends and family who have been supporting me in this effort. It is so nice to know that I have a community of supporters. I still need about $600 to reach my goal.

I also just found out that my parents are planning on coming to watch me run at Walt Disney World. YAY! It will be so nice to have them cheering me on. It will be just like the good old swimming days :)

So lucky to live in DC!

I went on an amazingly beautiful run last night from my office in Georgetown, along the Potomac river, past the Kennedy Center, to the Memorial Bridge, and back around the Lincoln Memorial. The sun was setting, ducks were quacking, there was a full moon right over the Lincoln Memorial, and the temperature was just right. It felt fantastic! The best thing was I felt pretty strong and comfortable on my run...about 4 miles and no real pain during the run. Yay!

68 days!

I am about half way through the process and am feeling pretty good! Training is going well. Fundraising is going well (only need about $1,300 more to reach my goal). This past Saturday was a recovery day, but this coming Saturday will be 6 miles. I am definitely getting to the point of "first time Dani has ever run that far" :) It is nice to have new achievements to look forward to.

On a completely separate note, I cannot believe it is already November 2?! I know I say this every year, but time really does fly!!! I am looking forward to the holiday season. Yummy food!

Chicago run

I spent the weekend in my old stomping grounds of Northwestern/Chicago. What a great city! I went for a 5 mile run on Sunday afternoon through the streets of Lincoln Park. The run was a tough one. I was by myself and my shins hurt from the get go. I got some good stretching in at the end and am feeling much better.

My fundraising continues to go well. I only need about $1,600 to make my goal of $4,000!

I have been talking about the marathon a lot the last few weeks and I am really getting excited to run it at Walt Disney World. I will probably hug all of the characters along the route :)

5 miles!

It was rainy, cold, and wet, but I did it! It was on a beautiful trail up in College Park, MD. I saw a REALLY big water bird by the river we were running on...still not sure what kind it was...looked like a medium size gray dog, though!

I am averaging about 12 minute miles with my current run/walk ratio (4:1) It feels pretty good. I went for a run on Sunday and it didn't feel as good :( There is a muscle in my right hip/butt that is not feeling so hot...it is hard to ice it!

I will have to do my next Saturday run (5 miles again) on my own in Chicago...hopefully I can convince one of my friends to do it with me!

50% by October 15th!

I am so amazed by the generosity of my family and friends. I only have about $300 to go until I hit the half-way point of my overall fundraising goal of $4,000. I am trying to get there by October 15th.

I had a great run on the mall last night. Ran around the reflecting pool, up around the Washington monument, and back around the reflecting pool again. Love, love, love DC in the Fall. Gorgeous!

4 miles x 2!

Yes, I ran 4 miles on Saturday and again on Sunday! Yay me. My run/walk routine is working well. I am currently doing run for 4 minutes/walk for one minute. My back is holding up pretty well (thanks to LOTS of stretching!)

5 miles next week!

Back pain struggles and new gear

Yes, it was bound to happen...my darn back finally gave out. I am definitely bummed, but determined to rehab it so that I can complete this 1/2 marathon. I am completely fine with walking the entire thing if I need to...it is not about the time for me...it is the goal and the cause.

My body continually reminds me that I am no longer the athlete that I once was...but, that is OK. I know that I can do this if I put my mind to it.

On another note, I am having fun buying all of the "running paraphernalia" such as a pink Timex watch to monitor my run/walk ratio, new shoes to ensure that my over pronating/flat arches don't kill me, and a "hydration system" aka belt with water bottles attached to it. I have the gear, I just need to get my body to work :)

97 days?!?

Yes, I have 97 days until I run my half-marathon. I don't know if that is scary or feels like just the right amount of time to train. I am going to go with the latter :) I am feeling pretty good in my training...still spinning as much as I can as that provides a GREAT cardio workout.

I am fighting off a cold. I am hopeful that it will just "go away" peacefully. I have 3 miles this Saturday...I think I am going to start incorporating the run/walk training method and see how it goes. I really don't want my knee to get any worse.

25% of fundraising goal!

Wow! Thanks to my amazing friends and family, I am at 25% of my fundraising goal. You rock! I am so inspired to continue to train and support this amazing cause. I will be training and running in honor of several people:

• Catherine Heslep


• Matt Hartl


• David Yaunches
  

Tomorrow I have a 3 mile run...no problem!

3 miles!

I feel the need to post each time I do an additional mile :) Ran three miles last night. Woo-hoo!

Body is feeling pretty good. Lots of stretching and just taking it at my own pace.

Thank you to everyone who is supporting me! I am at 20% of my goal now!!!

2 miles!

I am proud to say that I ran (well, jogged) 2 full miles yesterday. Very proud. I will definitely need to take it slow as I build up to 13.1, but I have plenty of time.

Looking forward to training in this beautiful fall weather!

Shin Splints and other aches and pains

Well, it is only week one of training and I am already concerned about my bodies ability to maintain a regimen of running and walking. I know I have 4 more months of training and I will eventually be able to find a good pace, but for now, it has been painful!

I am looking forward to starting the official Team in Training efforts! I know that when I have a group of people to train with it will feel better. It always did on those long, hard, and seemingly never-ending swimming sets I did!

Amazed and inspired

I had thought I didn't really know anyone with Leukemia, Lymphoma, or other blood cancers. Boy, was I wrong. Just in the short time that I have been fundraising for this effort, I have learned of 4 friends who have been affected by these diseases. I am so honored to race in their honor and work towards the goal of curing this disease!

20 weeks and counting!

I have created a blog to provide updates on my Team in Training efforts for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I will be running a half-marathon in January at Walt Disney World. I am so excited! This is something I have wanted to do for a long time and I finally took the plunge!

I know that my old swim coaches would get a chuckle out of me running a long race like this. I was usually the one complaining in the back or the one that had to stay behind and do endless sit ups (Pine Crest) or ride my bike (Northwestern - loved those rides up Sheridan Road!)

I will provide you with updates on my training. Thanks for visiting!