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...