THANKSGIVING

Had a great day. Ran my first Berbee Derby - 5,000+ runners on a cold, wet and windy day. Finished the 10K in 50:58, my new personal best. Went to have dinner at the Madison Club with Christopher & James' mom, and James even got to join us. Spent the rest of the afternoon/evening on the couch watching football and reading the Black Friday ads! What more could I ask for???

In looking back on the year, I think about what I have to be thankful for...it's certainly seems fitting that I could be angry that cancer took someone at such a year age. However, it provided me and my family an opportunity to reevaluate what is truly important in our lives. We definitely spent more time with family & friends this past year and less time worrying about if the house was clean enough to eat off the floor. There's something to be said about scheduling your priorities rather than prioritizing your schedule...

Happy Thanksgiving to you all, and keep in mind the words of a short poem - life treasures are the things that often come without price - family, friends and health.

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME...

Well, it's been 3+ weeks since my last post. It certainly has been a busy few weeks! Enjoyed Halloween and then was off to the WPRA State conference. That was an adventure. I have decided that next year I will be a participant only! I did partake in a little run while I was spending time at the Kalahari Resort.

Training has certainly had it's ups and downs. Last week was a great week weather wise and I was able to run 3 days during lunch. Great opportunity to clear my head if nothing else. I was also able to take part in the team run on Saturday - 10 miles. Felt pretty good and wasn't sore the next day which is a good sign. Another busy week this week with work. Have gotten 2 of 3 runs in so far. Have to figure out when I am going to get my long run in this weekend. Planning to head to IL to see my new nephew - Benjamin William. He was born 11/3. Weighed in at 6 lbs, 9 oz and was 19 inches long. I'll post a picture just as soon as I figure out how to get the picture message from my phone to my computer!!!

Recommittment is 2 1/2 weeks away. I still need to raise $1000 to make my total requirement. PLEASE consider donating if you can. Keep in mind all the people you could potentially help. Granted it won't bring back Dick, but think of Andrew and maybe he might be able to live to 64 because there is a cure. Andrew attends daycare with Christopher. At 2 he was diagnosed with Leukemia. He turned 5 on Sunday. Tomorrow he will have to be put under general anesthesia to undergo a round of chemo. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers. This is why I do this...

FALL 15K

Well, it had been one week and one day since my last run. Today was the Fall 15K Race in which the proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Several members of the team participated. I had elected to run the relay option - 3 people running a 5K each - with Jo and Roz, 2 teammates. Roz has never run a race before. We picked here up at 7:30 am (James & Christopher came along and volunteered at one of the Water stations with fellow TNT alum). She said she was nervous, but James told her it's just like a training run except there might be a few more people and at the end you might be able to get your time. We met Jo and the rest of the team at the LLS tent. Shortly before we were to start, Jo received a phone call that her grandfather was in the hospital and not doing well. The team all agreed that Jo needed to leave (thank goodness her husband was there to drive her). At that same time James & Christopher headed out with the vehicle. This was prove to be important when Roz & I had to figure out how to get her to the relay exchange point as Jo's husband was originally going to drive us. Roz & I went to the team orientation and wondered how we should get to the exchange point. We were so fortunate that a group of ladies were also doing the relay. The team's name is JNJ and I wish I had gotten more info! These 4 women had all been roommates and now get together once a year - one even flew in from France! Well, they were so kind. They drove Roz to the exchange point while Nicole (one of the team members) and I headed to the start. These ladies stood with Roz and helped her out and even gave me a ride back to the finish so I could see Roz!

Anyway, Nicole and I were off to a really good start until I felt this sharp pain in my foot. I was trying to figure out how I would have gotten something inside my shoe. I had to stop because it was getting quite painful. In the bottom of my shoe was stuck a SHARP stick. It went through the sole of my shoe, the padded insert and was like a needle point driving into my sock. I was trying to get it out when a fellow team member stopped to help me. Mike is my witness as to how long and sharp this thing was!!! I ended up having to pull it out of the bottom of my shoe with my teeth!!! When I finally got my shoe re-situated, I tried to run with Mike for a while (he's way too fast) and had to let him go ahead. I made it through the 10K in about 55 minutes - which isn't too bad considering I had to stop for a while with that stinking stick!

I saw Roz finish and she did really well. She said she got a little nervous and walked a bit, but she looked strong coming across the finish line. Thanks to the JNJ team for your support too! All the TNT participants finished and for many it was the longest race they had even done (Roz & I ended up being the only relay that ran for TNT.) Congrats!

SICK

UGH! I have this chest thing going on in which I have no voice and now I'm starting to cough (and this lovely green stuff is coming up). I have not run again since Saturday as I have no energy. I have had to teach though which stinks and is not helping with the recovery! Tomorrow is the fund raising clinic. I'm looking forward to meeting more of the winter team since I have been unable to make the recent team runs. We have a race coming up this Sunday - the Fall 15K. I am going to do the relay with 2 teammates - Jo & Roz. I hope to feel better by then.

Well, I managed to get in a few runs this week. I started the week off well with the listed Monday & Tuesday runs. Wednesday was a rest day and I tried to play catch-up with housework. Thursday was a scheduled 5 miles that I didn't get to. James left on Friday for his annual hunting trip to North Dakota. James will be scattering some of his father's ashes in the hunting land they both enjoy. Friday was another busy day with sister-in-law Erica coming for the day to take Christopher to Pumpkins in the Park - one of my infamous events at Parks & Recreation. We were then able to spend the afternoon all together.

I did manage to get 4 miles in this morning before going to teach fitness classes to cover at Parks & Rec. I spent the afternoon catching up on computer stuff. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm hoping to get a run in!

STARTING OVER

On August 31, Dick lost his battle with Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. I received the call while I was sitting at a meeting, having just been asked to be the coach for the Team In Training Triathlon Team starting in April 2010. As part of the process of becoming a coach, I need to shadow the 2010 winter season coach, attend Triathlon coaches training and training sessions with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. In shadowing the current coach I will be assisting with clinics (the same ones James & I had to attend), assisting with team runs and mentoring current team members in regards to their training, fund raising and maybe just life in general. We are preparing the team to run either PF Chang’s Marathon in Arizona or the inaugural Rock ‘N’ Roll Mardi Gras Marathon in New Orleans. Unfortunately, the chapter cannot afford to send both the coach and myself to these events; only the coach will get to go. That’s why James & I have decided that I would also become a member of the team and fund raise, so I can be part of the team running the Rock ‘N’ Roll Marathon in New Orleans on February 28.

I am ecstatic for the coaching opportunity; having begun to miss coaching and working with my triathletes. Had it not been for Dick suffering from this disease we wouldn’t have become a part of Team In Training. Dick served 14 months Active Duty in Vietnam. He underwent 14 months of active treatment before succumbing to this disease. Ironically enough, when I complete this marathon, I will have spent 14 months as an active member of Team in Training before assuming the role of coach. I am running in memory of Dick, and as a member of TNT I need to raise $2660. (Please note 75% of the money raised will go back to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for research, patient aid and education. It’s not to “send me” to New Orleans.)

Well, last Sunday I ran a 10k race - the Literacy Run as an event for the Pi Phi alum club. I ran okay and finished in 53:47 - a personal record for me. I haven't managed to run since...
The week was busy, and I claimed I was tired and I put it off. I taught 7 aerobics classes this past week. It was today though when after teaching Zumba I got an opportunity to speak with one of the participants that I realized only I can motivate myself. This student has lost a lot of weight and found joy in Zumba. She was talking about how she has gone out to get certified and it going to start teaching classes. She tries to make every Zumba fundraiser, party and class she can. She is so excited for Zumba and that's when I realized I need to get excited for the marathon! I know it must sound strange, but I haven't really been excited for the marathon itself, but rather the people and cause that I am working with. As I tell others, how do you expect to take care of others, if you don't first take care of yourself??? I guess I'll be focusing on myself for a little while...

IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME

Wow, it's been a long time since my last post and a lot has happened since then.

August 2 James & I ran the Inaugural Chicago Rock N Roll 1/2 Marathon. We spent Saturday, the day before the race walking all over the city. James is too cheap to pay for a taxi! We were having to push the stroller loaded with stuff and also carry it up stairs. James managed to hurt his leg doing so and needless to say we did too much the day before the race. We attended the Team In Training Inspiration dinner at the Hilton - it was small and nice. My brother, sister-in-law, cousin and her husband all stayed downtown and watcher Christopher so we wouldn't have to worry about him during the race. We stayed at the University Club of Chicago (my friend Christine noted that place is a little "uppity" but we got a good deal).

It was great to be able to walk out Sunday morning and be just blocks off the start line. James and I were in corral 5 of 21 and crossed the start line 5 minutes after the gun went off. James thought I started out too fast, he kept up, then tried to pull away. I caught him at the end (Christine is my witness) and we both finished in 1:55! A PR for me, and one second slower for James. The course was nice and there were a lot of people cheering which was great. A good experience, except for the expo.

August went by fast as James made another trip home to see his dad. I'm glad he did and wish I would have gone too. On August 31, 2009, James' dad died.

A WEEK TO GO!

A week from today is the Chicago 1/2! Boy the summer has flown by! We spent the weekend in Bertha. It was a lot of traveling for the little time we spent, but well worth it. Dick was having some really good days. We spent 2 hours on Friday afternoon having family photos taken. We decided to have the photographer take one of James & I in our jerseys with Dick. Even the photographer cried...

We got it 2 runs. We ran 8 miles yesterday - quite the head wind. Had some good hills, so of course I ran rather well:-) Today we did a quick 4 miles (I don't think it was quite 4 otherwise we are really quick). Of course since it was short and flat, James took off today. Have a few more days to get some shorter runs in and on Friday we will head down to Chicago. Hoping that some family & friends will be there to cheer us on.

SATURDAY NIGHT

Well, it's Saturday night and I am so tired. I didn't get a run in today (or yesterday for that matter). The weather in Wisconsin has been cool and windy. My run on Wednesday had me battling the wind so much I don't think I made a lot of forward progress! Apparently, it's warmer in parts of Alaska right now...

The 1/2 is 2 weeks away and I am feeling drained! I have to get myself into gear and try to get excited. So much to do at work and home that I am finding it hard to fit in training. I am also back to teaching classes regularly at the club; I really didn't miss not having to teach...We are heading back to Bertha next weekend to see Dick and to have family photos taken. I am looking forward to it and hope to be able to get some good runs in.

MARATHON UPDATE

It's been 2 1/2 weeks since the marathon...hard to believe. The marathon went well. I finished in 4:24 (4 hours 24 minutes) and averaged 10 minute miles. James finished in 4:37. I felt really good until the last 2 miles or so! The day was sunny and 75 degrees (which is so not Seattle weather). It actually felt pretty warm by the time we were done due to the lack of cloud cover and shade along the course.

The course itself was very tough. A LOT of hills. Miles 15-20 seemed to be a gradual incline the entire way. The scenery was beautiful. Although I didn't see it, there was a bald eagle along one part of the course that participants were stopping to take a picture of because it was so close. We ran along the Washington Bridge (I think that's the name) and had an unbelievable view of Mt. Rainier - many people stopped along the bridge to take photos as well. I didn't stop myself except to walk through the later water stations. I was having a hard time coordinating running and drinking my water. (Just call me Grace.)

When I crossed the finish line I stopped running, however my body felt like it was still in motion. My victory photo looks terrible considering I was so dizzy and my stomach was really upset. After that I had to sit down with my head between my legs until I was able to see straight. I somehow managed to get myself over to the TNT tent and check in to find that Dick's cousins were waiting there to congratulate us. It perked my up a bit, however I still needed to spend time in the restroom emptying my insides:-) They seemed surprised that I finished before James, however the rest of us probably weren't:-)

The experience as a member of Team in Training was unbelievable. There were over 1400 TNT participants that raised over $4 MILLION for LLS at the Seattle RNR Marathon. I would recommend this program to anyone. We were treated so well by the staff! It was nice having a coach bus to take us to the start line in Tukwilla while the regular participants went by school bus! Team in Training also had a tent at the finish line area with food and beverage available to us - it was great! They even had a shuttle available to take us back to the hotel. Our coach actually suggested walking, however the enormous blister on my one untaped toe really hurt along with my feet, legs and rest of body!

That night there was a Victory Party hosted by TNT. We went for a short time - to eat some food primarily. We came back and kept moving - did a little shopping - to help alleviate the soreness. The plane ride home was difficult. I had the window seat and 2 people were seated next to me. I was unable to get up and move for the 4+ hours. Little stiff and sore when we landed.

It took a few days to fully recover, but we are now back to the grind. We will be running the inaugural Rock N Roll Chicago 1/2 marathon on August 2 in honor of Dick and James' b-day. We have teamed up with the Chicago IL Team In Training for the Inspiration Dinner. We would really like to have some of our IL friends and family cheering us along the way. Our friend Tina was on the course in Seattle around mile 18-19; she had a great sign and gave us a well needed hug and told us to keep going. It was great. She also took some pictures, and all I have to say is "God Bless Texas!" (For the picture of the Clydesdale athlete with no shirt and the small Texas flag as shorts.) We could really use a little inspiration, so if you could join that would be great. Check out the link for the race: http://chicago.competitor.com/

SHORT UPDATE

So, in the midst of writing my last post. The ceiling began to leak in our room - really leak! (It was the outline of the bathroom above us.) Needless to say we are now in a new room - bigger with quite the view of Seattle (Space Needle, buildings downtown and the water)! Off to get ready to meet our friend Tina!

WE'RE HERE

WE ARE IN SEATTLE!!! We arrived yesterday at 11 am local time. There are 28 of us from Wisconsin - runners, family, friends, coaches, mentors and support staff. After being herded through the airport to collect baggage, boarding the shuttle and checking in at the hotel (Crowne Plaza on 6th & Seneca), we were finally able to run into Subway and get some food! Then we once again herded together to board the shuttle to the Expo to pick up our race packets. (I keep referring to our group's traveling as herding because James and a fellow teammate kept "mooing" when ever we had to line up and get moving - so typically of James, no?)

We got to the Quest Expo Center to pick up our race packets - no line it was easy. Then we entered the Expo - we spent 3 hours just perusing the vendor booths and listening to speakers. It was very cool to see all the different people! We received many free samples of things and purchased several souvenirs. When will we ever run the INAUGURAL Seattle Rock N Roll Marathon again?

After the Expo, James and I went with 2 of our teammates Lia & Leann. We went to the Crab Pot. It was pretty cool. James took a picture of the huge pots of food that were dumped on the table for us to eat.

We are up early this morning (well actually it's sleeping in for us since it's really 8:30 am CST). We are watching the morning news which is featuring the Rock N Roll marathon. There are 25,000 runners slated to run! Today we are spending our free time with Tina, one of my college friends. We will post more later!

LESS THAN 2 WEEKS TO GO!

Hard to believe, but at this time in 2 weeks we will just be returning from Seattle! Another very busy week with work - both the previous one as well as the one in front of me. Most of our summer programs start this week = lots to do!!! We did manage a team run and lunch yesterday. We traveled out to Mt. Horeb to run the hills and dine at Leann's home. They own about 60 acres in a beautiful area. The views were gorgeous. My rear end is a little sore from the hills. Unfortunately, upon completion of the run yesterday the top of my foot began to hurt - BAD! from my big toe to my ankle. It has swelled and it is sore to walk on. So, we decided to skip the group run with the fall team today to rest.

Our "rest" was comprised of traveling to the Wisconsin Dells - shopping at the outlet mall and going to Noah's Ark! (How pathetic that on my day off I go to a waterpark...) Christopher really enjoyed it. We are all a little pink, but not too bad. The water was so cold it numbed my foot and made it feel better. Now, it's getting sore again. I hope this is nothing serious...

It's been a week since my last post, but our lives continue to be quite hectic. My car was in the shop all last week being repaired from my car accident. (I was rear ended as part of a 4 car crash!) It is as good as new.

I have worked alot - of course - in the past week. The weather has not been cooperating with me, so the pool finally opened today. I spent the day on deck due to being short staffed. I am a little sunburned. I have somehow managed to get all my runs in - including the 3+ hour one on Sunday (after work). My knee remains a little stiff and sore, but it's improving.

Tonight was the official send-off from the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. It's official we have our purple jerseys to be worn for the race. We also received our tickets and information for the race weekend. It's only 2 1/2 weeks away!!!

A final note that we can still take donations through tomorrow. PLEASE, consider donating if you haven't done so already. Apparently, James & I are in the lead for the top fundraiser for our area - THANKS!

Don't forget we hosting our own send-off party on Saturday, June 20 starting at 3pm. Eat, drink & be merry. (Please RSVP by June 18.)

IT'S JUNE ALREADY???

I can't believe it's already June! We have 25 days until the marathon! We only have 8 more days to accept donations that will count towards our total. Thank you so much to everyone who has donated! We couldn't have done this without you!

I have worked everyday since mid-May with the exception of the 1/2 marathon day...I am exhausted and have had a hard time fitting in running. After working a full day both Saturday & Sunday I came home to start my long run at 5:30pm. I actually felt pretty good! I was surprised. I didn't get 16 miles in, but I did manage a 1/2 marathon distance before deciding to head back home. I wasn't sore either as I thought I might be. Today turned out to be a pretty good weather day, and I was actually home by 5pm tonight, so both James & I decided to do a long run. I ran about 9 miles. It certainly did not feel as good tonight. It really took a while to loosen up and I could feel myself limping a little at the beginning. I felt okay when I finished. I tried some "BODY GLIDE" tonight - it's suppose to prevent chaffing. I keep getting a line from my sports bra that really hurts. It seemed to help tonight. James got 8 miles in as well and seems to feel pretty good. Our only problem is that "we stink" according to Christopher and need to take a shower!

WHAT A WEEK

The week has flown by considering I have worked quite a few hours already and have ALL weekend to work. This is a really busy time of year for me. The pool opens a week from tomorrow and there is so much to have ready. I also have 2 new responsibilities this summer - a new concession stand to run and the Concerts in the Park series (a park commission member oversaw these the past 10+ years, but decided to retire this year). I am feeling quite overwhelmed trying to manage work and running...

Sunday and Monday my knees (and James' knees) were very sore. Otherwise I felt okay (besides being tired). We met our coach Jackie for an easy 4 mile run on Tuesday. I was very stiff and my right knee just didn't seem to bend that well. I really didn't feel as if I had "warmed up" or loosened up during the entire run. My right knee has continued to be stiff and sore this week. Wednesday & Thursday I worked late and didn't run. Today I spent the day at the WPRA Aquatic Seminar. Upon arriving home I knew I needed to run. James & I decided to run together and James opted to push Christopher in the stroller. We ran about 5 miles. I felt myself limping the 1st 2 miles or so, then I finally felt a little looser and my stride seemed easier to manage. It was really the last 1/2 mile in which I felt sufficiently warmed up and comfortable with my running. We will see what my knee says tomorrow.

June 10 is our fundraising deadline. We want to raise as much as we possibly can and encourage you to share our cause with others - THANKS!

MADISON 1/2 MARATHON

James and I competed in and completed our 1st 1/2 marathon today. Our day started at 4:30am when we all got up to get ready to head to the course. We were out the door by 5:30am - we piled into my mother-in-law's minivan (my mom & dad, my inlaws, Christopher, James & I) and were to the Alliant Center parking lot by 5:55 am. My father didn't really think that we needed to leave that early...until they began realizing and hearing about the several mile back-up on the highway trying to get to the Alliant Center. In the long run they were very happy that we had left so early!

It was the first time our parents had seen us run. James finished in 1:54 and I finished in 1:57. It was great to have Dick at the finish line! The whole thing was a little overwhelming for everyone involved and instead of heading to Brat Fest, we headed home and prepared a big breakfast. Needlessly to say we have spent most of the day relaxing!

James and I lined up with the pace group for the 2 hour time. The group started off much faster than the 9:10 mile pace we were suppose to be holding. Our first 5 miles was at a faster pace than we had run for CrazyLegs. The 2nd half of the race was tiring and both of us really slowed down. We definitely can not start that fast for the full marathon! I had taped my toes and parts of my foot that had blistered last weekend on my long run. No blisters there, but on a toe I didn't tape!

At least tomorrow we have the day off from running; James is on call and I do have to work for a couple of hours. The next 2 weeks are going to be tough - I will be working alot, plus I have to run! (Less than 2 weeks until the pool opens.) As a reminder, we only have until June 10 to submit donations. So, if you can encourage anyone to make a final donation to our cause we would greatly appreciate it!

DANO WINS MAN OF THE YEAR!

I am pleased to say that Dano, our TNT teammate, won the inaugural LLS Man of the Year Award last night - Congrats!!! I will post some pictures soon!

Tomorrow is the Madison 1/2 Marathon. We are currently resting on the porch passing the time. Getting a little nervous as this will be the longest run in terms of a race that we have done. I am hoping it goes okay. We will be leaving at 5:30 am to get to the race. We will post after we finish tomorrow!

ANOTHER WHIRL WIND WEEK

Say that 3x fast! It's been nearly a week since the last entry - time has flown by. Last Wednesday I ended up teaching 3 classes at the club - I was pooped! Thursday night I was back at the club teaching one class. On Friday night I got in the 5 miles that I missed on Thursday. Then the weekend came...I hosted fitness instructor trainings at the Sun Prairie PRF. I participated in the Yoga workshop on Saturday - I think Tammy Zee was trying to kill us during the final class of the day. I woke up on Sunday SORE! (It might have been the 3 yoga classes on Saturday.) I opened the building and decided it would be in my best interest to run the 18 miles I missed on Saturday.

OUCH! I hurt really bad by mile 16 and had to stop - blisters on my feet and I had managed to rub the skin raw around the outer edge of my sports bra! I went back to finish the rest of the Pilates workshop and could hardly move by the end. It was just great that I had to run a swim team coaches meeting after the training and spent another 2 hours at work!

Monday flew by - there is so much to do to be prepared to open the pool and to start summer programs. I worked late and then went to teach a yoga-pilates combo class at the club. I was very nice to the participants considering I was so sore. Today also flew by. I managed to get a 4 mile run in tonight. My need really hurts and is bruised, so I must have done something over the course of the weekend!

On a very sad note, James' Aunt Dietta died last night. She was 95. She was a very special lady and a great supporter of what we are doing as well as Dick in general. Dick is back in Rochester to have some appointments at the Mayo clinic. Funeral service will be Friday morning and we will attempt to make it.

Friday night is the Man/Woman of the Year event and we are scheduled to work registration. We are also slated to run the Madison 1/2 Marathon this Sunday. I wonder if anything else could be added to our plate this week...

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers.

FACEBOOK

I joined face book today although I am not a huge fan of it. It seems to be the only way I can get some TNT and Zumba info though. I am really hoping by being on facebook I draw more people to our cause. I sent in $26 today in donations, bringing our total to $9828! We are so close to $10,000 - please encourage friends to give up a Venti Latte and make a donation to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society! You can do it online in your pajamas! We have until June 10.
http://pages.teamintraining.org/wi/rnrseatl09/rebeccaandjames

Today is a horrible weather day. I did manage to get a 9 mile run in last night with Teammate Karen (car-in the garage). Thanks Karen! We enjoyed a nice dinner after the run. Poor Karen had a little mishap, but at least we were able to get it off the ceiling (don't worry Karen)! I am sore and had to teach 2.5 hours worth of class tonight. I think I will feel worse tomorrow.

Dick spent the day at the Mayo clinic. He will be starting a new medication. Yesterday he was at the VA getting assessed for grab bars and a wheelchair. Next Wednesday he will need to return to Mayo, and he said tonight if he feels well enough he would like to come to our house after the appointment and stay for the weekend. We have the Mad City 1/2 marathon on the 24th and he would be able then to see us run. How exciting - please keep him in your thoughts and prayers!

Save the date - June 20. We are contemplating hosting a little send off party for ourselves as a way of thanking all of you for your help - financially, spiritually, emotionally. THANKS!

MONDAY AGAIN

Well, another busy weekend has come and gone. I was fortunate to be able to run with the TNT group on Saturday. We ran (for the most part, barring a few minor arguments) the Madison 1/2 Marathon Course. It was cool, windy and a little wet, but we managed to do it okay. Surprisingly enough I wasn't sore on Sunday and I did manage to get my 3 mile recovery run in just fine. After the run Coach Jackie talked to us about nutrition and preparing for the marathon. I have been wearing my heart rate monitor which also tracks calories burned for all my workouts. These long runs I'm burning better than 1000 calories a time!

James managed to get his 13 miles in Sunday morning as he decided to come home from hunting on Saturday. He too said he wasn't really sore. It might be a good sign for both of us. Jury duty began this morning for him and luckily it was decided his services would not be needed this week. He still has to report for next week.

The remainder of the week James will be on call and I will work lots - including the entire weekend to cover a training we are hosting and to train staff. I have invited teammates over to run tomorrow night as it is the only night I have available this week. We have 9 miles to do. Hopefully, I won't be sore after that run!

TGIF

While I'm very glad for the weekend to be here, it is sure to be another busy one. We are slated to run 33 miles this week; I have gotten all but 5 miles in so far. Next week is slated for 39 miles - I'm not sure I'm going to make it.

James has been in Prairie du Chien this since Thursday turkey hunting. He claims to have not gotten one yet. Tomorrow is Christopher's first day of soccer. He has been talking about soccer since his birthday when someone bought him a net that yells "GOAL" when he makes one. I'm hoping that the coach can manage a group of 3 year olds! After that I am going to race over to our team run. We are running the Madison 1/2 marathon course, which will be good practice for the event that is 2 weeks away! Then after that we will partake in the birthday party for a neighbor. Very busy day...

Sunday is Mother's Day. I hope to be able to relax...Happy Mother's Day!

A BUSY FEW DAYS

It has certainly been a busy few days in the Price-Anderson household. In between being out of town for work, James has worked several cases. Then today he left to spend the next few days Turkey hunting - got to love it. Work for me is getting very busy and the days have flown by trying to get everything done I need to.

Saturday we welcomed a new niece to the Anderson clan - Sylvia Maya weighing in at 8 lbs. 12 ozs and measuring 21 inches long! Saturday evening our oldest nephew attended his high school prom - the picture is of him and his long time girlfriend. We both did manage a long run on Sunday and in between we attended Kelli's father's wake in Milton, Wisconsin.

If that wasn't enough, James & I decided to extend our TNT tour...that's right on August 2 we will be running the inaugural Rock N Roll 1/2 marathon in CHICAGO!!! We both felt it was a pretty good way to celebrate Dick's birthday. Therefore, all my Chicagoan friends and family, we fully expect to see you at the finish line cheering us on! (Did I mention the race starts at 6:30 am???)

Finally, our we have just over 1 month until our fundraising deadline of June 10. If you check our website we are at $9802.70. While we do have a little outstanding, we would really like to be able to say we raised $10,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. So, if you know of anyone that might be willing to donate, PLEASE pass our information to them! (I guess I'd be willing to do another Zumba Party if that would get us to $10,000!)

WHAT'S REALLY IMPORTANT

I'm usually not up this late - it's 11 pm and I have a full day tomorrow, but I felt it important to share this message. On Wednesday night my mentor Kelli decided to go out with her father for dinner to celebrate his birthday instead of running with me. Yesterday, her father died unexpectedly of a massive heart attack. All this time I have been preparing for the marathon I have been thinking about the possibility of Dick not being here to see us run the marathon, not that another teammate would be missing their father. I spoke with a fellow City employee this morning about not putting off all those things we always do because we just don't know what tomorrow will bring. At least Kelli didn't put off that birthday celebration...

Dick went home tonight. He's doing good. Don't wait until there's a "Dick" in your life to decide what's really important and don't take it for granted that you have tomorrow...

IT'S GETTING HARD

Well, I did manage to get in 7+ miles tonight. I didn't run last night as my knee was hurting after teaching class. Work has been very busy for us both this week. James will hopefully return in time from his flyout to leave for a meeting in Chicago tomorrow morning at 5am...I have to cover at work this Saturday and James is on call so we will not be participating in the Lake Monona 20K; we will have to find some other time to get the 16 miles in we are slated to do Saturday.

It seems like we have hit a little plateau in terms of donations and training. We really continue to need your support, especially in trying to get these miles in to be ready for the marathon in 8 weeks! Remember to check-in with us and if you can send an encouraging note/email/message. We hope to have some updates on Dick's progress late on Friday.

A WET CRAZY LEGS!

As most of you living in the Midwest have probably experienced it yesterday too, here in the Madison area we have received a lot of rain. Therefore, the best way to describe our Crazy Legs experience is to say WET, WET, WET! Despite the rain (and lightning and thunder), we did rather well. James finished in 41:15, while I finished in 42:35. I think it's because I had to start 3 heats behind James. I guess having a last name starting with "A" pays off occasionally! It was a really good experience in how to maneuver with so many people. (Over 18,000 people participated in Crazy Legs.) Seattle's event has sold out with 25,000 entrants! A big thank you to my sister-in-law Erica for coming up to watch Christopher, and to our neighbors for letting us warm up in the hot tub after the race!

This week is a pretty busy week (again) and we hope to be able to keep up with the 35 miles we are slated to run. Dick is scheduled to make a return trip to the Mayo Clinic on Tuesday. Please keep him in your thoughts & prayers. He has had a couple of really good weeks without chemo, and we will anxiously await test results and word on what will happen next.

TIME FLYS

Well, it's hard to believe it's been 1 week since my last post - where has the time gone. I always thought that things would slow down as I got older, but it really seems to be the opposite. The week went fast preparing for the first days of summer registration at the Park & Rec department. Thursday, Friday and today the work day has flown by while I feel I have accomplished little except processing the hundreds of registrations and talking parents through which swimming lesson level is the best for their child...everyone seems to be on track to be the next Michael Phelps!

We did manage to squeeze in a group run and dinner last Wednesday with members of Team Wisconsin. It was great to be able to sit and visit with team members about the trials and tribulations of training and life! And, if you can believe this, Dano's wife is a Pi Phi!!! Dano is this great guy who has done multiple events for TNT basically because he sees how leukemia & lymphoma affect those around him. Dano is a candidate for the LLS Man of the Year. There is a black tie dinner May 22 to announce the winner and we hope to be able to attend to support Dano much like he supports the rest of us! Check out this web link because the Man of the Year Award is in part a fundraiser and he needs your support!
http://wi.ironman.llsevent.org/pledge/index.cfm?mid=DANO

And, oh yes, training...this Saturday is Crazy Legs! We are slated to run it and of course this week would be completely booked for James. Wasn't it last time before the big race??? We did manage to get in most of our training runs last week. Saturday was so busy for us we had to run our long run on Sunday. James went first for the 14 miles, I got about 11 in before it started to sprinkle, but got home before the heavy rain. (I hate running in wet, sloshy shoes.) I should be able to get in most runs this week before the event. James on the other hand will be lucky to get another run in before Saturday. He will be in the Wisconsin Dells for a conference spearheaded by the UW, and of course he's on call. Send us good vibes - we need it!

IT'S MONDAY ALREADY???

Wow, hard to believe it's Monday already. The weekend, even with the extra day off went really fast! James and I ran together on Saturday an got 12+ miles in. Both of us experienced some sore knees yesterday, but at least we made it. That's the farthest either one of us have run at one time! This week we are up to 32 miles total. We are hoping to get an easy 3 in today (since neither one of us did yesterday).

This week will be a busy week for both of us. James is on a long call stretch and is currently on his way to Rockford, IL for a recovery. Summer registration starts on Thursday and I expect to be working some extra hours Thursday & Friday to manage everything. Saturday is a very full day and I don't think we can squeeze in the 14 mile run we are scheduled to do - might have to try on Sunday. Please be sure to check in with us this week, as it will be tough to be motivated to try to get the miles in with everything else on our "to do" lists.

IT FEELS LIKE FRIDAY!

Well, it was kind of a Friday today - tomorrow is considered a holiday at the City and I have the day off - YEAH! It was a busy week with the mailing out of our summer brochure. I also conducted a Zumba Party for my friend Megan, the Recreation Director in Columbus, yesterday. It was a lot of fun - 30 women having a great time dancing!

It is really getting tough now with the training...it is getting harder to get these long runs in after work and when needing to complete the other 100 things on my "to do" list. Christopher is good about riding in the jogging stroller, but honestly it's getting really hard to push him for more than an hour! Saturdays are long runs are scheduled. This week it's 12 miles. I'm going to pay our babysitter to watch CJA since that will take me 2 hours or so to complete. So, if you have any extra time these upcoming Saturdays/Sundays that you wouldn't mind watching Christopher while we run we would greatly appreciate it.

We have one more request...when everything posts that is outstanding, we will have raised $9984.70. We would really like to say we raised $10,000 for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thus, if you or anyone you know would be willing to donate (the $16.30 we would need) we would greatly appreciate it. Of course, a huge THANK YOU is due to everyone and what they have done to help us. We couldn't have done this without you!

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE we need your support as the training gets harder. Drop us a line of encouragement (or a phone call) to make sure we stay on track!

ZUMBA PARTY SUCCESS

What a day!!! We had our Zumba Party this morning - it was awesome! I was extremely nervous that we would have people (and that I would mess up or trip in front of everyone)! We had a great turnout and raised $580 in donations! A HUGE thank you to everyone who participated and/or donated! A big shout out to the ladies, my fellow instructors, who helped me pull this off - I appreciate it so much. James was able to be there the entire time and he took several pictures - hopefully we can figure out how to post them!

I was floored this morning when I returned to the gym. James was speaking to someone that looked really familiar...it was my cousin's husband! They drove over 3 hours to take part in the party - as a surprise! It was great! We even got to enjoy lunch with them after the party - thanks Tammy & Ray!

Tammy mentioned she read about the Zumba Party here on the blog. I honestly don't know how many people actually read this on a regular basis, but her comments give me hope that there are people out there reading this blog. Don't forget to post comments!

What a great day...I hope this means it will be a great week (minus the 4-8 inches of snow they are expecting here later tonight)!

WHAT A WEEK!

What a roller coaster week it has been. First off, Dick was released from the hospital and plans to return home to Bertha tomorrow. Chemo has been discontinued for the time being as it obviously is not helping. The test results also confirm that the chemo was not helping and causing him to become very sick. He will spend the next 3 weeks receiving a steroid treatment 3x a week. Thank you to everyone for your thoughts and prayers.

Secondly, the benefit for Dick this past Sunday was unbelievable. Mind you, Bertha is a town with a population (if I remember correctly) of 407. Over 500 people attended the benefit raising more than $8000! A big THANK YOU to everyone who contributed, came, sent kind words, etc. Your generosity is quite overwhelming.

Thirdly, James and I made our total fundraising goal by April 1. Yes, we have raised over $8500 to date. Our goal was to make the 50% mark by April 1 (we needed to in order to continue), but to already be at our required total is unbelievable. We can not begin to thank everyone enough for everything you have done for us so far - the donations, notes, emails, thoughts, prayers, etc. Please don't stop though; the hard part is actually upon us - training to be able to finish the marathon.

Training is going to start getting quite challenging. We are scheduled to run a total of 27 miles this week. The runs are getting progressively longer each day. It is beginning to get challenging to be able to fit everything in 24 hours that we need to do. The weather really isn't helping either; it is getting very boring to be looking at the same spot on the wall while running on the treadmill these miles. Please continue to check-in and encourage us; we will need to be able to get to Seattle.

Finally, the ZUMBA PARTY is this Saturday!!! I was on the NBC 15 Morning Show this morning (very briefly) to talk about the party. It will be at the Princeton Club East in Madison from 11am-12:15pm this Saturday. Members are able to come for free, but asked to make a donation. Non-members are welcome with a $10 donation. All proceeds will benefit Team in Training.

TODAY

Well, yesterday was my birthday...it wasn't a great day. Dick was hospitalized yesterday upon arriving for his appointment at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester. He is at the Methodist hospital.

Our summer brochure was due to the printer yesterday; of course we have had a few glitches...at least I have a fabulous secretary who can trouble shoot the graphics program! What would I do without her!

On a more positive note, I will be on NBC 15 Morning Show in Madison on Wednesday, April 1 at 6:40 am to talk about the Zumba Party and Team In Training. YEAH! I expect everyone who gets NBC 15 to be watching!

ACT NOW!

It's been a while since the last post, but it's been a long week. I'm getting down to the wire when my summer brochure is due to the printer - TUESDAY, my birthday!!! I leave work thinking of all the things I have to do yet! I had another busy week covering classes and we managed to get in all our runs this week - yeah! I haven't been feeling well since Friday; I usually get some knock me out bug around this time every year...I was hoping it would miss me this year.

Some upcoming events for us -
Sunday, March 29 Benefit for Dick at the Bertha-Hewitt school. From 11am-1pm burgers, hot dogs, chips, and bars (this wouldn't been a small town fund raiser with out dessert bars!). James and his 3 siblings will be present.

Wednesday, April 1 - we have to sign our recommittment papers agreeing to come up with what ever money we have not raised yet. THIS IS WHERE YOU ALL COME IN! We are so close to having the $7800. Please, if you have considered donating or you know someone who might, please try to do so by April 1!

Saturday, April 4 Zumba Party at the Princeton Club East in Madison. 11am-12:15pm - dancing, refreshments and door prizes. Members of the PC can get in free (I'm asking for a free will donation), and non-members are welcome for $10. This is HUGE, as the PC does not usually allow non-members into the club for classes.

Thanks for ALL your support - we could not do this without you.

Post-Race Day

Well, we made it through the Shamrock Shuffle 10K! Both of us have sore quads and knees today, but I think a lot of that is due to running on the pavement and uphill. I am really proud of James since he has had little time to run the past 10 days - work has been busy and so has life! WE had to slow down and walk a little towards the end, but we made it. Oh, and we were pushing Christopher in the stroller too, so that added just a few more pounds (about 40!). It was cute last night before he went to bed, Christopher told me "I'm proud of you mom."

We only have $1200 more to raise for our fundraising commitment. We would really like to meet this goal by April 1 when we have to sign our "recommitment" papers and pledge to raise whatever we haven't so far. So, we are asking if you have ever considered donating, please try to do so soon. FYI - If you mail us a check it will take 10-14 days for it to post to our account. If you are not in a position to donate, we understand, but please if you can send our information on to anyone that you think might donate we would greatly appreciate it. Remember - this one's for Dick!

Race Day Tomorrow!

It's Saturday night and we are home trying to relax. It was another long week for both of us. I taught several classes this week in addition to everything else. Work for me is quite busy - our summer brochure goes to print March 24!!! Every day I leave work thinking about how much I have to do - there and at home!

Tomorrow we have the Shamrock Shuffle. We will be running a 10K (and pushing Christopher in the stroller). The day is suppose to be quite nice - 52 degrees and sunny! Although I am looking forward to the run, I am not looking forward to the section of the course called Observatory Hill!

Reminders - March 29 benefit in Bertha for Dick and April 4th at 11am the Zumba Party!

Another Round of Chemo

Dick started another round of Chemo again today. He was a little apprehensive as first, but it has gone okay. This form of chemo requires a 3 day inpatient stay. Keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

We found out today that the good people of Bertha are planning a fund-rasier for Dick on Sunday, March 29th in Bertha. They are serving hambergers, chips, beans and beverage. The time & location are still being determined. I unfortunately have already paid my way to the Yoga Journal conference that came to Wisconsin this year. James & Christopher are going to try to get to Bertha to be a part of it.

What a BEAUTIFUL Day!

Yesterday and today have been beautiful days - sunny and in the 50s. James & I ran outside Wednesday night for the first time this season. We took turns pushing Christopher in the stroller - he seemed happy to be outside. Today I was able to leave work early and do my long run with our Team's mentor. We had great conversation and the 7 miles passed rather quickly. James was able to run outside too while I headed to the club with Christopher to teach yet another class this week. I am pretty tired and I have 5 classes to teach in the next 36 hours. The weekend calls for rain, rain and more rain. At least we got our long run in today; we don't need to run again until Sunday and it's a short run.

Be sure to check out this week's edition of the Star newspaper - we are featured on page 9 & 10.
http://www.sunprairiestar.com/main.asp?SectionID=4&SubSectionID=129&ArticleID=2435&TM=60438.98
Be sure to check it out!

It's Only Tuesday...

It sure feels like it should be Friday...already off to a busy week. Yesterday was another solid day of interviewing summer staff applicants. At least that's over for now. I have taught everyday since Saturday, will have tomorrow free from teaching (but have a longer run to do) and will teach everyday again until next Wednesday. Oh, yeah besides running I am also suppose to sleep! Ran a bit this morning - only got 2 1/2 miles in before the pain in my foot got to be too much, and Christopher wanted breakfast.

An update on James' dad - he is very tired and wants to sleep all the time; he has no appetite. Tomorrow he returns to the doctor to determine what can be done next. Please continue to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

Zumba Party - Saturday, April 4 at Princeton Club East from 11am-12:15pm. Four instructors and myself will be bringing down the house with some cool rhythms and the premier of Zumba Toning! There will also be refreshments & prizes!

It's Friday!

This week has passed once again and is a blur. James has worked alot as have I. I did manage to run 2 out of the 3 scheduled times. Running still continues to be painful. By the time I'm finished with the run my foot is throbbing. So, that's why I have chosen to run every other day this week.

We met with the Sun Prairie Star newspaper lifestyle editor on Wednesday. She is hoping to feature our adventure in next week's edition of the paper. Unfortunately, we didn't get any action photos as it was absolutely pouring (yes rain)! We continue to plug away at fundraising. I have the Zumba Party April 4 to look forward to. James is going to work at the Alliant Center again for an upcoming concert - Disturbed (apparently, a well know heavy metal group).

A 7 mile run is on the training schedule for tomorrow. We'll see if I make it. More than likely I will have to run on the track at the Princeton Club after I teach spinning.

It's A New Week

It's been quite the busy week. I have taught 10 classes so far this week and attempted to run 3 times. We had an fitness instructor training this weekend as well, so my body is feeling a little run down. I have one more class to teach today and then the load is a little lighter this week. Things are really picking up for me at work as we are in the middle of our summer program planning. I leave work everyday feeling like I still have alot to do!

On a positive note, we have reached our first fund-raiser milestone - we hit $3900 in donations. A BIG THANK YOU to everyone who has contributed financially do our adventure. Without you this won't be possible. We are currently at $4200, so we do have a ways to go to our required $7800. PLEASE, if there is anyway you can contribute, please consider doing so.

Another big THANK YOU, to all of those who have sent notes of encouragement, emails checking in, or have talked to us via phone/in person about our progress. You help keep us going. Please continue to keep us, and the entire Anderson family, in your thoughts and prayers.

I will be mentioning this quite a bit over the next month - A ZUMBA PARTY to benefit team in training. The Princeton Club East has been gracious enough to allow me to use the space for this fund-raiser. Mark your calendars now for Saturday, April 4 at 11 am for a fabulous ZUMBA PARTY!

Updates

It's been a while since my last entry, but I din't have much to expand upon. I started back to "exercise" on Saturday. I taught spin class and my foot was pretty sore by the time I was done. Sunday I did get in 3 miles running. Sunday, Monday & Tuesday I taught 2 classes each night. I'm feeling sore today. I am going to try to get in my miles tonight.

James' dad is hanging in there. He's doing okay - tired. Frustrated that he can't go fishing!

We were supposed to be interviewed this afternoon for a story in the local paper; unfortunately, the editor got sick and couldn't make it. A letter prepared by James' sister Jenny ran today in the Independent News Hearld in Bertha, Minnesota. Being Bertha only has 400 people, Dick jokes that he won't be able to go "uptown" until the story blows over!

Still on the Mend

Well, I am still nursing my left foot, ankle & leg. I am hoping to be able to run with the team on Saturday. We have a nutrition clinic followed by a group run of 6 miles. Not sure if I will make 6 miles at this rate. James has been rather busy this week and has not run since Sunday either. His dad is progressing well with his "ICE" Chemo treatment. Hopefully he will be able to leave the Fergus Falls hospital tomorrow.

Set-back

Yesterday, I slipped and fell getting out of my car and walking into work. I twisted my left foot and fell down on top of it, landing on my left shin and side. By the time I got home last night I was in alot of pain, my foot & ankle were swollen and I had bruises on my shin. I couldn't put any weight on the foot without feeling a sharp shooting pain. I spent the evening icing and elevating my entire left leg! It feels a little better today, but I think I will be off running for this entire week. (And just think I was finally not "sore" after my runs!)

On another note, James' father started his "ICE" Chemo treatments today. He will spend the next 3 days in the hospital recovering. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers and remember this is in his honor.

Thanks for donating!

Today is a beautiful day and hopefully you have been able to get outside. Unfortunately, neither one of us have gotten our scheduled "long run" in for the day (yet)! James spent the day at a meeting in Milwaukee, while I spent the day playing catch-up on life. I attempted to get my 5 miles in, only to be flagged down by the playroom staff that someone went poo-poo other than in the lou-lou. Oh, the joys of a 3-year old.

We are relieved to hear that most are getting their letters today letting them now of our adventure and our desire for a donation. I hope there will be several "visitors" to both this page and our fund-raising page this weekend. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE - if you have anyone you could send notice of our adventure to we implore you to do so. April 1 is not that far away!

Annoyed

So, I am trying very hard to figure out this blog thing...My co-worker tried to show me how today and can't for the life of me figure out how to get back to those sections tonight!

Last night was the Fundraising Training. It was a great opportunity to meet other team members and to hear the ideas for fund-raising everyone had. It was truly amazing to hear the stories of why people joined team in training and that for many this pursuit becomes addicting and they continue raise money for this cause even if they are not personally afflicted by this disease. It brought tears to our eyes to know that there are people out there willing to help in anyway possible to help fight leukemia & lymphoma.

For the second week, I am finding that come Thursday I am tired and sore and am having a hard time getting my run in again. At least Friday is considered a rest day!

Made it through the 1st week!

Well, I have survived the first week of training for Seattle's Rock N Roll marathon. I am sore and tired, but I have managed to get all the prescribed training in! I guess this is minor to what persons with Lymphoma have to go through on a day to day basis! Tomorrow is our fund-raising clinic. Hopefully I will learn lots!