16 1/2 miles

What a weekend! Yesterday was the 23 mile run for the training group however since I have only done 13 miles up to this point I only went as far as I could without over doing it.

We started at 6am! It was a dark and COLD morning as we all met up in Griffith Park. It definitely took a while to warm up.

Lucky for me 2 of my friends from the Sat group walked with me the entire time! We had so much fun talking and walking. We walked from Griffith Park to Glendale to Burbank back to Griffith Park and through it (up the mountain) to the Hollywood side and back... then through Burbank again. You can say we walked a good portion of LA. LOL:)

Ian stopped at mile 13 due to back issues so me and Triana continued on. Other than a little fatigue after 5 hours and some muscle soreness I felt great. Nothing out of the ordinary and my sacrum was totally fine, thanks to not having the pounding of the pavement from running.

I stopped at mile 16 and 1/2 although I could have kept going. I didn't want to push it too much considering we are so close to the race now. ONLY 3 WEEKS AWAY! :) So me and Triana toasted with the most delicious snack ever on a long run like this (Ritz cracker, peanut butter and pickle) and then she caught up to another group and finished the 23 miles and I got a ride back with a couple others that stopped as well.

When we got back to the site they had an isle with balloons on each side that we had to run down so that we could go through the tape! (finish line) After we ran through they gave us APLA Medals for training with them this year! I'll be honest... I almost cried. But I kept my cool :)

After I got my medal I went to the pasta buffet they had set out for all of us to eat. I made a delicious plate of food and headed for the ice pools. They had baby pools filled with ice water that we could put our feet in. We took our shoes off, and put our feet in plastic baggies and dipped them in the ice. I have to say this was a much easier way to get into a pool of ice. So we all discussed how we could make it easier to submerge our entire bodies when we are at home. The conclusion...giant garbage bags! LOL And you better believe I am going to try it!

When I got home Davy had Epsom salt, Gatorade and bags of ice waiting for me to use at my leisure. Thank you so much for all your support baby! I took a shower and we ordered pizza and watched Modern Family. Then I took the longest nap ever...6 hours! I woke up at 10pm and when I did my body ached like you wouldn't believe! Behind my right knee and my left hip are the most sore so I iced again and Davy rubbed me a little bit. I went back to sleep around midnight and woke up this morning at 7am. I'm still pretty sore so I soaked in an Epsom Salt bath and self massaged my legs and hips. It helped a little.

Soon I have to go to work so I think IB Profen will be my new best friend today :)

But all in all... I can say I am not as scared of the 26.2 miles today as I was all last week.

I can do this and I can't wait! Honolulu, I will see you very soon! :)

10 mile recovery 10.7.10

so as you know I am training to walk the marathon now. Its been cool. It definitely took a bit to get used to it. But I am still maintaining 15 minutes per mile. The funny thing is I realized that when I was run/walking I was speeding up my run and slowing down my walk which averaged to 13-14 minutes per mile. When walking I have to stay consistent. so its been a challenge that way but I think I got it now. :)

My back is not better. I still hurt after working out or even walking a long time. I will find out this week if my insurance will cover the MRI. Until then I am training with one of our personal trainer Ambassadors from the store with New Zealand fitness 3 times a week. We are working on strengthening my upper body and my legs to hopefully release some of the tension from my sacrum. I will let you know:)

So... Sunday we did 10 miles. Its the last recovery run we did to prepare for the long one this weekend. This Sat is 23 miles. (I will go as far as I can)It went well. I am really maintaining my walking speed and I got to be with my group this week. I miss them. We keep getting split up. We started as a group of 7 and we are down to 4. It makes me sad. I really miss the others. But its nice to be going through this journey with my team. They give me hope and push me further when I think I cant make it.

I'll be honest. I'm really nervous for the Marathon. Since the furthest thus far that I have gone is 13 miles. Even power walking for long distances get me pretty inflamed. No worries. I will complete this challenge. I'm just expressing my fear. If I wasn't scared wouldn't you be a bit concerned? LOL:)

Well the LOOOOONG training run is just a couple days away. I look forward to sharing it with you. Stay tuned.

XOXO

p.s the marathon pic above is a moving truck we went passed and I had to take a pic. :)

Runners Commandments

My cousin found this online and shared it with me. It's awesome! Take a moment and read...

Text
The 53 Runner’s Commandments

By Joe Kelly

1. Don’t be a whiner. Nobody likes a whiner, not even other whiners.
2. Walking out the door is often the toughest part of a run.
3. Don’t make running your life. Make it part of your life.
4. During group training runs, don’t let anyone run alone.
5. Keep promises, especially ones made to yourself.
6. When doing group runs, start on time no matter who’s missing.
7. The faster you are the less you should talk about your times.
8. Keep a quarter in your pocket. One day you’ll need to call for a ride.
9. Don’t compare yourself to other runners.
10. All runners are equal, some are just faster than others.
11. Keep in mind that the later in the day it gets, the more likely it is that you won’t run.
12. For a change of pace, get driven out and then run back.
13. If it was easy, everybody would be a runner.
14. When standing in starting lines, remind yourself how fortunate you are to be there.
15. Getting out of shape is much easier than getting into shape.
16. A bad day of running still beats a good day at work.
17. Talk like a runner. “Singlets” are worn on warm days. “Tank tops” are worn to the beach.
18. Don’t talk about your running injuries. People don’t want to hear about your sore knee or black toe.
19. Don’t always run alone.
20. Don’t always run with people.
21. Approach running as if the quality of your life depended on it.
22. No matter how slow you run it is still faster than someone sitting on a couch.
23. Keep in mind that the harder you run during training, the luckier you’ll get during racing.
24. Races aren’t just for those who can run fast.
25. There are no shortcuts to running excellence.
26. The best runs sometimes come on days when you didn’t feel like running.
27. Be modest after a race, especially if you have reason to brag.
28. If you say, “Let’s run this race together,” then you must stay with that person no matter how slow.
29. Think twice before agreeing to run with someone during a race.
30. There is nothing boring about running. There are, however, boring people who run.
31. Look at hills as opportunities to pass people.
32. Distance running is like cod liver oil. At first it makes you feel awful, then it makes you feel better.
33. Never throw away the instructions to your running watch.
34. Don’t try to outrun dogs.
35. Don’t trust runners who show up at races claiming to be tired, out of share, or not feeling well.
36. Don’t wait for perfect weather. If you do, you won’t run very often.
37. When tempted to stop being a runner, make a list of the reasons you started.
38. Never run alongside very old or very young racers. They get all of the applause.
39. Without goals, training has no purpose.
40. During training runs, let the slowest runner in the group set the pace.
41. The first year in a new age group offers the best opportunity for trophies.
42. Go for broke, but be prepared to be broken.
43. Spend more time running on the roads than sitting on the couch.
44. Make progress in your training, but progress at your own rate.
45. “Winning” means different things to different people.
46. Unless you make your living as a runner, don’t take running too seriously.
47. Runners who never fail are runners who never try anything great.
48. Never tell a runner that he or she doesn’t look good in tights.
49. Never confuse the Ben-Gay tube with the toothpaste tube.
50. Never apologize for doing the best you can.
51. Preventing running injuries is easier than curing them.
52. Running is simple. Don’t make it complicated.
53. Running is always enjoyable. Sometimes, though, the joy doesn’t come until the end of the run.

On Track

As promised I'm keeping on track and did my maintenance walk last night. My dear friend Maggie came over and walked with me. It was so much fun! We drove to my favorite lit park at 8pm and headed for the path. It was a beautiful misty and brisk evening so we were snugly warm in our layered clothing.We maintained my average speed of 15 min per mile. We did 4.5 miles! The funny thing is she forgot her walking shoes so she ended up doing it in her Ugs. LOL :)

We had an awesome time talking and sharing. I'm always inspired when I hang out with her, being another singer and such a positive light. It's nice to be able to share intimately with a friend.

After we were done we came back to my house and toasted with chocolate soy milk (its good for muscle recovery)! YUM!:)

Thank you so much for coming out with me last night Maggie. It means a lot to me to have such support and company along the way!

Namaste

WE DID IT!

With all the help of those who donated so generously I have raised $3200!!!

This was not possible with out the help of others. Thank you to everyone that has donated to sponsor me on this amazing run to fight AIDS.

You are all heroes! Heroes to those you may never meet and heroes to me!

Thank you from the bottom of my heart. I can't say it enough!

Now its time to catch up on my walks and finish this Marathon! Honolulu here I come!!

-Namaste

Maintaining Walks and Kicking Ass

Yes I am late on my blogs a by a couple of days but I want you to know I am in action!

Last Friday (Oct 15th)...Though I didn't blog about it I went for my maintenance walk in the park for an hour. It was a beautiful brisk day and I listened to my I-pod. I am averaging 3 miles every 45 minutes. Yes it's a much slower pace than my usual 5 or 6 miles per hour but it is OK. I'm still doing it. I forgot to take a pic tho :)

Then Sunday (Oct17th) was to be a 6 mile recovery run with the AIDS Walk. However I chose not to go and do it on my own. I'll be honest... I didn't want to have to find parking with 30,000 people in Santa Monica. LOL Would you?! But no worries I kept my word. Sunday I took advantage of having most of the day off before I had to teach. Davy and I like to take every 17th of the month and celebrate being together. Since our Anniversary is July 17th. So we did.

Monday (Oct 18th)I worked at Lululemon from 12-7pm and I knew when I got of work I HAD to do 6 miles. So, the minute I got home Davy and I changed our clothes and headed for the park. Although it was dark the lap in the park is lit. 2X around is one mile. We only had to go around 12 times! LOL we started at 7:36pm and finished at 9:40pm (we had a couple bathroom breaks, stretch breaks along the way) We also had to slow my pace down a bit since my hamstring started acting up. UGH! But we had a great time. It was a gorgeous misty night and we got to catch up and talk. Not to mention we got a great workout along the way :) "Thanks for being such a support on this journey babe, I love you!"

Today I will be walking for about an hour just not sure when yet. I'll let you know how it goes!

Onward and Upward!

I May Be Walking But I'm Still a Bad Ass!

I woke up nice and early Tues morning to take one of my maintenance walks. It felt good to go since I haven't been doing many of them due to my injury. However since I have chosen to walk the marathon it guess it made it easier to know that I was just walking and didn't have to worry if I was hurting myself.

I clipped on my water bottle belt put on my hat and headed out the door. I walked in silence which I really enjoyed. It was a beautiful brisk morning so I just took in the air and let my thoughts go free enjoying the silence.

I walked at my usual pace of 15 minutes per mile alternating at 14 minutes per mile. I did about 3 miles in about 45 minutes.

When I came home I rubbed down my IT band with the dough roller I bought specifically for that purpose. (it works :) I stretched my hamstrings and hips really good, took and ice cold shower to tame the inflammation, took some IB Profen and got ready for my day.

That seems to be the usual routine now after I am done walking. It helps.

Well that's it for now. Please don't forget to donate. We are almost there. Every little bit helps!

Walking the Marathon

Sunday Oct 10th
So I have made the choice to walk the marathon. My back is not getting better and the pounding of the payment just makes it worse. When I walk it doesn't seem to affect it as much. So Sunday was a 10 mile recovery run for the team from their 18 miler last week. Since I did 10.5 miles last week I only did 8.

It was really fun! My team reunited this week. It was so nice to run/walk with them again. One of the girls is injured as well so she walked with me but we stayed close to the group since they weren't going as fast. I enjoyed catching up with her as well as getting know know her even more. Through conversation we learned that we both have a reoccurring anxiety dream that we didn't graduate high school! HAHAHA random I know but kinda cool! We both had problems with one class our senior year that would cause us not to graduate if we failed it. I guess that anxiety never really left us. Weird :) oh yea I tried the vanilla flavored goo on this walk. Yum! (just saying)

So I finished in about 2 hours making my walking speed at about 15 min per mile which is good its just 2 minutes longer per miles than I was originally training. Not bad!

I am $450 away from making my fund raising goal. The deadline is Oct 22nd. HELP!

Thank you.

So I have to be honest with you. Over the last week I have been pretty discouraged. My sacrum starting hurting really bad again after my 10.5 mile run. The pain settled in a couple days after.

My doctor last week said I should probably get an MRI to make sure I don't have a slipped disk. I'm scared. I haven't run again this week due to fear of injuring myself even more. My left hamstring is still slightly pulled and my IT bands are so tight my knees hurt.

I don't mean to sound like a downer but this is what I have been dealing with. I just want to run again. However I can power walk if I have to. And I will. I'm NOT giving up that's for sure!

I wanted you all to know this because if it weren't for your support and all of your generous donations I don't know where I would be. I am moved to tears by all your support. You truly give me the strength to complete this. Thank you so much!

I have $640 left to raise by Oct 22nd.
http://apla.convio.net/site/TR/Events/NationalAIDSMarathonTrainingProgram-MARATHONONLY?px=1502753&pg=personal&fr_id=1080

Last Weekend

October 2nd, 2010
Hey All,
Yes I'm late on this blog. Sorry.

SO Last weekend I ran with the Sat group since I had an appointment on Sunday I couldn't miss. What a fun and amazing group!

It was their 18 mile run! Great job everyone! I did 10.5 miles since I'm still recovering. Along the run the training team had us all play a game. Before we started we all had to wright our favorite Broadway Musical on a sticker and wear it the whole run to start the conversation. Then at each water stop they had a set of questions to give us to answer as a group about Broadway. So each time we stopped we had to answer the previous questions and get a set of new ones. At the end of 18 miles they would tally up each teams correct answers. The team with the most wins! I LOVED this game, because I LOVE BROADWAY. We ended up singing songs from our favorite shows the whole way. It really made me realize how much I miss the theater. So I will be doing a Broadway cabaret review very soon! (I'll let you know)

I got a ride back to the training site by some volunteers at the 10.5 mile mark.

When I got back they had delicious food and physical therapists waiting for the runners to return. So I got iced down and stretched by professionals. It was great!

Unfortunately I had to work a few hours after. So I went straight home and took a 2 hour nap. It helped a little. But I was definitely a space cadet, especially since I'm out of shape compared to the other runners now. LOL Now I remember why I have Sundays off for this.

I'm Back!

I ran 8 miles today! Whoo hooo! It feels so good to be back! :)

Here's the lo down...
The pain in my sacrum is caused by severe inflammation due to 2 different factors. 1. I pulled my hamstring a bit in my left leg. 2. my spine is so straight that it allows pretty much no cushion when I run so the vertebrates just bounce on top of one another which causes the inflammation at the base of my spine. (my sacrum) With these 2 things consistently causing inflammation in the same area the inflammation has had no where to go except for consistently building up. I'm still seeing my Dr. and he gave me the clearance to start running again after he taped me up to release the pressure. Fortunately running doesn't do any further damage it just aggravates the inflammation.
(How many times can you say inflammation? LOL)

So today.. I ran with the 15 min per mile group and Davy came to donate his time at the site.(I earn $20 towards my fund raising each time someone volunteers) We ran an interval pace of 2-2 instead of 3-1. It was good. I felt strong for most of the run. around mile 6 it got a little challenging. But mostly for my mind. :)

I got to know some new people which was really nice. I'm running with such an amazing group! It's fun to learn why people signed up for this marathon.

When I got home I decided to take an ice bath to reduce the any future pain/inflammation aggravation. It was my first time doing it. OMG NOT the most comfortable thing I have ever done! However I think it helped. I video taped the process so you can see how it went. :)

This training process is and has been amazing! I wouldn't take a second of it back. How sweet this victory will be on Dec 12th after I finish running 26.2 miles and cross the finish line.

I love it!

p.s next Sunday my group will be running 18 miles! GO TEAM! I will be doing 11! GO ME:)
.

I'm a Healin' and Times a Ticken'!

So I am active again which is good. My Dr has ordered me to get X-rays before he does any further treatment. It could be a spinal something or other ( I don't remember the name) a stress fracture or just the pulled muscle that attaches my leg,butt and groin together with lots of scar tissue build up. Either way its fixable! Whoo hoo:)

Currently I ice 3 times a day, stretch a lot and take Ibprofen. Which is all helping a little. I can't really run until I'm healed so I am power walking. Which gets my heart rate up and works me out a bit:) I joined my training group this last Sunday. They ran 8 miles to recover from their 16 mile run last week (that I power walked 3 miles). But this week was fun!

Reenah is such an amazing teammate. She walked with me almost the entire time! We did intervals the same as when we run/walk except when it was time to walk we power walked faster. It was fun! At mile 4 they served us water and had snacks for us. They had Ritz crackers, peanut butter and pickles. I wasn't brave enough to try it so I ate a cracker with a pickle instead. LOL Reenah loves them tho! LOL

At the water stop we picked up a runner with us who needed to walk due to an injury. She was awesome! A singer like me:) Through conversation we found that we are both currently working on getting a lounge/restaurant gig singing standards and show tunes. It was really nice getting to know her. Reenah ran the rest of the way once I had someone else to walk with. (Thanks Reenah for sticking with me as long as you did)

Although the route was 8 miles we got a ride back at 7 miles due to our injuries. No worries though, 7 miles was a stretch for me since I have been out of commission for the last several weeks. It was good.

When we got back to the training site I stretched real good for about a half hour and even had a teammate that's a physical therapist rub down my I-T Band. OUCH! But, it was helpful:)

It felt good to be back and due a substantial amount of mileage this week. What an amazing adventure this has all been and I'm not done yet! :)


My fund raising has been going great but the pressure is on! My deadline is this coming Monday Sept 27th! I have $1200 more to go.

I need 12 people to get 10 of their friends to donate $10 each and I'm there! WE CAN DO THIS! PLEASE HELP!

Copy and paste this into your URL bar to go to my donation page and sponsor me with a donation!

http://apla.convio.net/site/TR/Events/NationalAIDSMarathonTrainingProgram-MARATHONONLY?px=1502753&pg=personal&fr_id=1080

Progress

I want to let you know I am making progress. The chiropractor I am seeing is working out my muscles that are pulling on my ligaments that cause my sacrum pain. It's lots of rubbing, stretching and icing.

The cause of all this... My running form. I practically run on my tippy toes, in return my body has gone in shock. Apparently the way I run is perfect for sprinting but awful for long distances.

I was able to power walk 3 miles on Sunday with my training group. Although they did 16 miles. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't jealous but I will not feel sorry for myself. I just keep thinking about how awesome its going to be crossing that finish line on Dec 12th after going through all of this.

Before we all ran on Sunday we all got new shirts for the new company APLA is turning into. Team to End AIDS. They filmed us and we got extra pep talks. It was a lot of fun! We are the last official group to run the AIDS Marathon with the APLA Training program so its kind of cool to be a part of it as well as support their transition:)

Also...I have to say Ive only been gone for 2 weeks but when I came back on Sunday for my walk, my training group had all separated into separate groups! I don't like it! I have to get back and bring the Peaceful Warriors together again!

Anyway that's it. I'll keep you updated!

XOXO

p.s I'm almost there! 74 more people at $20 is all I need! PLEASE HELP!

oh my sacrum!

So... some of you know now that I have been in a lot of pain for the last month. At first I thought I was just tight from running but now its painful to sit for long period of time (like being on the computer) as well as stretching or kneeling down. My dear friend Elinore has been so helpful giving me personal yoga instruction and supplements to take to release the pain but now I am going to a sports chiropractor since my insurance kicked in. The sharp pain in my sacrum keeps persisting when I stand or bend over and my muscles in my left leg seem to pop out of place in certain stretches. My run coach has instructed me to not run or speed walk until I am recovered. I have missed the 14 mile run, a 7 mile run and this weekend I will be missing the 16 mile run, not to mention all my maintenance runs.

I'll be honest it makes me really sad. However I still have time to catch up when I get better and it gives me more time to do my fund raising. Looking at the bright side since feeling sorry for myself is not going to get me to finish that 26.2 miles. I will finish this run! :)

I am currently at $1692.00!
Only $1508.00 more to go! Come on friends we can do this! If you and everyone you know donates $10 or $20 we can make it in no time:)

The deadline is Sept 27th!

Night Run

Last night I went a beautiful night run with Reena. We met up at the Hazeltine Park at 7:45pm. The sun was just about down and it was my first run in almost 2 weeks since I have been taking it easy on my back. We power walked a good portion of it to appease my body but we did run a bit. I feel fine when I'm running it's after I feel the consequences. Today it was hard to bend over without the shooting pains and I could feel my butt muscles near my sacrum tense up throughout the day. However it was really nice running last night.

Reena and I made a packed to really go for it this month with our passions. For me it's making 108 hair flowers for the 108 yoga mala month. (Sept is the national yoga Mala month celebrating 108 passions/earthly desires, by doing something your passionate about 108 times) I am also committed to getting a weekly cabaret gig this month as well as practice for an upcoming performance with an aerial dance company that has asked me to sing for them. I am focusing on my passions this month and pushing my limits. Reena is doing the same. I'm very excited!

As far as my back goes I called a physical therapist to get a quote. Unfortunately I can't afford it until my insurance kicks in. Until then I am going to see my acupuncturist and see a sports massage therapist. Starting tomorrow. Wish me luck.

p.s How old do you think we look?:)

Fundraising Party 8.29.10

I woke up early again Sunday morning to volunteer for my training group as well as pick up a Karaoke machine for the party that my team mate Yaisa loaned me.

It was another beautiful morning for a run with the sky perfectly over cased and a cool breeze. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't a bit jealous that they were running their 14 miles. But I sucked it up. At least I got to be there for my team:)

I poured water at mile 8. It was fun being able to see everyone that was running and cheer them on. Since I'm usually running I don't get to see them all the whole time.

I left a bit early so I could go back to my family and spend the rest of the time I had left with them before they went back to Vegas. When I got home my niece Emma was already dressed for the party even tho it was 6 hours away:) She was so excited!:)

Davy, my brother, Emma and I proceeded to get ready for the party as well. We went to Ralphs to get the remainder of items we needed for the BBQ then took over all the items to set up the party. Sara and Chen were so generous with their home by donating their backyard for this. We set up all the food and drinks (some of which were donated by Trader Joes) along with a few tables, a tree full of leis and island music! We were ready to go with a silent auction and lots of booze!:)

My niece Emma was in charge of selling the leis for $5. She took her job very seriously. She sold them by asking each person when they came if they would like to buy a beautiful flowered necklace for $5. And she made sure everyone paid, including myself:)I love her!

The party started at 4pm and guests started to arrive. We had guests coming and going the whole 4 hours! It was so lovely to see everyone's face. I had lots of my close friends as well as others I didn't expect! I even met new people!

Coach Jared came around 5pm and hung out for an hour with all my guests. It was nice getting to know him a bit more:) Before he left he made an announcement to the party to let everyone know what this cause is all about and how their donation is really helping. It was so amazing! Thank you!

My friend and yoga teacher Holli requested I sing a song. I wasn't planning on it but I thought it would be fun. So Davy played the guitar and we performed a song that he, myself and our friend Trey wrote together called Here I Am. It was so nice to sing for them. I think they liked it too. :)

At the end of the party the silent auction was not so silent as the remaining bidders had a bid off to win their prizes. LOL. The prizes included a 3 session acupuncture session with Valley Acupuncture, a 1 hour photo shoot with Cerreah Laykin Photography and a 5 class package at Urban Lily Yoga and a yoga mat from Lululemon.

The winners: Sarah and Chen won the yoga package, Briana won the photo package and Aris won the acupuncture package that he split with Bri since they went to war for it:) LOL

The overall total raised for this awesome party...$337 + $45 that Bri owes on Monday =$382!

Whoo Hooo! Thank you so much everyone for your support and your generosity!! It means the world to me that you support me on this cause and remember you are also saving lives!!

I love you!

14 mile/6 mile 8.28.10

so as many of you know my lower back/butt have been bothering me for weeks. At first I thought I just needed to stretch it but its quite painful to do that. I also get sharp pains that shoot from my butt to my pelvis when I bend over or squat and stand up. Its not pleasant to say the least. I can run and walk just fine its after that seems to hurt me the most. So I have been taking it easy. I'll be honest I took it so easy this last week I didn't run/walk at all.

This weekend was our 14 mile run! Since I got Saturday off to spend with my brother Craig who drove in from Vegas I got up early to run/walk with the Saturday group. Wow they have a big group! It was super inspiring. Before our run a man spoke about how he lost his wife to AIDS and how it completely transformed his life. Going from republican "fag hater" (his words) to a loving all liberal actor. His message was to live the life you want and who cares what others think. Life is too short! It was a beautiful and moving speech. Thank you!

Just before everyone ran I went to coach Jared and told him my back issues. He told me to power walk 6 miles and to take it easy. We are still early in the game and there is plenty of time to catch up without injuring myself.

So... that's what I did! Unfortunately nobody else was walking so I was a lone ranger but it was nice. I even got some tips from a guy who has done 26 marathons in his life. He taught me how to walk so that I could keep up my speed. The tip: walk with arms above the waist just as if I were running so that when they swing back and forth they give me momentum. It worked!

I'll be honest at first having to walk was hard on my ego but I made a conscious decision to drop that and be thankful that I CAN walk 6 miles! It was a beautiful day and I finished around 9:30am.

I grabbed a snack and went home to spend the entire day with my brother and niece. We went to Travel Town and the Zoo! It was a blast. By the end of the day the heels of my feet gained trophy blisters :)

It was a great day!

Costume run part 1

Sunday was a fun day!

We all dressed in costume for our 6 mile recovery run. The person that gave us the biggest donation got to pick the costume we ran in. LOL My friend Deidra won the contest with a $100 donation. The costume... Marilyn Monroe.

That's right, 6am I woke up so tired I could barely open my eyes and my stomach turned but I made myself get up seeing Davy was already up and in the shower ready to volunteer I had to. I'll be honest I was quite the grump attaching my wig and putting on makeup. Not because I had to wear a costume but just the sheer fact I had to wake up. I went to bed close to 2am the previous night. Davy and his band were playing at my new favorite hot spot downtown 1st and hope. I couldn't miss it:)

After lots of moans and grumbles I got out of it when I got to the training site. My lower back/butt and knee are still hurting me. I took it easy most of the way which seemed to be fine with the group since they were all dealing with things as well. Yiaesa's knee is hurting her and she had to walk the whole way so Sage stayed with her. Reena wasn't feeling well so I stayed with her. and Samantha's father passed away last week so she wanted to run so Cena stayed with her. It all worked out. I have to say we have a pretty supportive team we hang with each other making sure each one makes it. Which we did:) We also found a penny along the way. We must be on the right track;)

After completion we all went out to breakfast at this little spot we pass every week along our runs. We had delicious breakfast and got to hang. It was nice. Davy and Reena's friend Sara volunteered so they came with us. It was nice introducing everyone to Davy.

When we left Davy said he wanted to take a nap. I didn't. In case you don't know I hate taking naps. I always feel like I'm wasting time when I take them even when I need them. But ironically I started talking giberash. It was a clear indication I needed one. So on our way home we stopped at Trader Joes to pick up their donation for the fund raising party. They donated lots of yummy snacks! Then we went home. The moment we both laid down we were out. I ended up sleeping for about 4 hours. UGH. I needed it though. Since we didn't get much sleep the night before.

We finished the night at the John Mayer concert. All in all it was a good day!

Why this matters...

An email I received on why this matters....

WHY THIS MATTERS

Every season 1 particularly kick-butt Alumni signs-up for our program.
We'll call him J.R.

Several years ago J.R. visited a doctor because he was slowing down; he
couldn't think as quickly as he used to. The doctor discovered that J.R.
had a degenerative brain disease and that his HIV status was exacerbating
the situation.

The most shocking part about this news was that J.R. didn't know he was HIV
positive.

The only time he might have been exposed to the virus was many years prior
during a visit with an Ex in another state. They had had drinks, etc...
We've all been there. They had not been in touch for a long time since
then.

So J.R. tries to contact this Ex...

...and finds out that he had already died of AIDS. J.R. did some research.
His Ex might have known all along about his HIV status and never told J.R.

Know why APLA matters? APLA matters because they have counselors for HIV+
men and women to seek advice and guidance on how to talk to lovers -past and
present - about HIV/AIDS.

APLA matters because they give support, dignity, community, and constructive
identity to HIV+ men and women.

APLA matters because their efforts PREVENT THE SPREAD OF THIS DISEASE IN THE
FIRST PLACE.

I need you to finish this program for J.R. I need you to finish this
program so that other people never have to experience a situation like
J.R.'s.

That's why this matters.

Your contribution really does make a difference!

Please make a donation and sponsor me in this this run for life.

http://apla.convio.net/site/TR/Events/NationalAIDSMarathonTrainingProgram-MARATHONONLY?px=1502753&pg=personal&fr_id=1080

12 miles and feeling it!

12 miles... so here it goes....

I tossed and turned through out the night in anticipation for the 12 mile run and quite nervous about the email I had received earlier this week regarding pooing your pants. I set my alarm for 5:15am to give myself enough time to wake up, eat, stretch and poo.LOL As my alarm went off I stiffly got out of bed fighting my eyelids to stay open. I hobbled down the stairs as usual and poured myself a big bowl of frosted mini wheats with almond milk. I have tons of time I thought to myself feeling slightly proud of myself for actually getting up earlier than usual.

After I ate my delicious cereal I went back upstairs to put my running gear on. I was so excited to wear my new running belt!(side story... I got my belt at Target the night before. Its was the last one there. I spoke outwardly how I didn't want to spend $20 dollars on a belt I couldn't try on, since it was in the package. A man that worked there over heard me, opened it up and let me run around the store with it. After I approved he sold it to me 10% off since it was opened! Whoo hoo for me!)

Around 6am Davy woke up so he could volunteer at the run.What a sweet man! I love you baby. I had already made him his morning coffee. We had to leave around 6:30 to pick up our friend Leddie who was going to volunteer with him.Your awesome too Leddie! At 6:15am I realized I still haven't gone to the bathroom! OH NO! I don't drink coffee but i made myself drink just a bit to my motor running if you know what I mean ;) No worries. I made it happen. LOL

We arrived at the site in gorgeous Griffith Park at 6:55am. Davy and Leddie checked in and got their site maps to set up their water station for us while we did our warm up and weekly cheer. At 7:10am I am the only person from my pace group there!

Here comes another freak out! I was so scared I was going to have to run my pace on my own. I don't even have a watch! Just as we are about to run my group shows up! Thank god!

We ended up starting late but at least we started:)

I felt great throughout the entire run. I even made friends with a cat along the way. However it wasn't that way for every one 3 people didn't make the 12 miles due to knee pain and other injuries one of them being my team mate. She really gave it a good shot before they made her stop and get in the car. We gave her a head start as we stopped for a bathroom break so that we could catch up to her as she walked. She made it this way for about 8 or 9 miles. Poor girl she really gave it her all.

We ended our run going up hill at mile 11. This is going to be more frequent in our training since in the Marathon we will be running up Diamond Head in Hawaii. (look it up if you don't know what it is) We will be going up Diamond Head at mile 7 and mile 22. Do you think Ive lost my marbles yet? :)We all celebrated with ice packs at the end of this one:)

So how do I feel now? Well I wake up every morning limping from the sheer stiffness of my body. My knees are tight and sore and my left heel stabs me with sharp pains if I walk on it just wrong and I can no longer hop into any yoga poses due to my right foot feeling like its going to break when I land on it. Other than that?... I am having the best time of my life!! :)

I really am. I love my life and I love running!

Next run is a 7 mile recovery run in costumes! Yes costumes! and you get to pick which one! Biggest donation this week gets to choose:)

The week after... 14 miles and my fund raising party!!

An email worth sharing LOL

This was an email sent by one of our program Reps this week preparing us for our 12 mile run today. I thought it was an email worth sharing since it has had me freaked out all week that I wont be able to poo! LOL...

DON'T SH*T YO PANTS!

Here's a list of things that commonly cause "runner's trots" (AKA they can
make you sh*t yo pants) while running:
o BOOZE!!! All kinds... beer, wine, the hard stuff (I like a
Tanqueray and cucumber! But NOT the night before a run.)
o Excessive caffeine
o Excessive fiber
o Excessive dairy (Ugh. I love dairy, but dairy don't love me.)
o Greasy foods

Tips to avoid sh*tting yo pants:
o Avoid excessive booze, caffeine, fiber, dairy and greasy foods the
night before your long runs.
o Wake up earrrrly so you can start your POOP MOTOR and hopefully go
#2 before you leave your house.
o Bring a little TP or a wet wipe with you.
o Abandon your shame. If you need to poo and the park bathroom stall
has no door, go anyways. Also, in an emergency it's better to poo in the
bushes than to poo down your leg. Just sayin.

Remember only you can prevent poo accidents.


BOOBIES AND NIPPLES

Ladies: I know it can be awkward to ask male staff about bras and
boobie-related matters. Please trust that a) Coaches Biff and Scott are
both happily married, b) neither Matthew nor myself are boob guys, and c)
we're all super professional anyways. But hey I get it if you're shy. You
can also speak with Coach Monica this weekend or Coach Cindy at the
Wednesday Night Track Workouts (info at bottom). Regardless, I encourage
you to PLEASE call A Runner's Circle to
make an appointment to be properly fitted for a sports bra if you don't
already have a stellar one.

Gentlemen: Every season fellas dismiss our warning to put bandaids or
nip-guards on the nipples to avoiding chaffing and "bloody nipple."
Ignoring our advice is all fun and games until you hit the shower after a
long run and... well... you'll see how that feels. "AH!!!!!!
OHHHHHMYOUUUUCH WHYDOESGODHATEMEEE???!!!!" is what your neighbors will hear
you scream from the bathroom.

Ok ladies and Gents wish me luck on my 12 miles today! :/

why we run part 1

I wanted to share Daniel's story with you so you know just how much your donations make a difference...



Hi. My name is Daniel and for the past year, it’s been really tough. Not just because I have no money and it’s hard to make some at my age. A month after turning 20, last year in August, I got a call after I was tested for HIV just for the heck of it, and they said I tested positive…I was in shock and crying for days…I don’t know who I got it from, since I was promiscuous, but fact was I got it. I had thoughts of suicide…not only did my parents not know I had it they also didn’t know I was gay…I was alone and didn’t have a lot of friends to lean on. I was so fortunate to meet people that were connected to APLA and wanted to make sure that I didn’t die. Now I go to GLB center and to APLA and use their services, totally for free. I just want you guys to know that when you donate or get people to donate money to APLA, I am an example of the life you are saving and keeping alive. That’s why this is so important to me. Without people like you, I wouldn’t be here. I’m pressing on and I will die with the disease, not from it. Thank you.

My motto, "I will die WITH it, not FROM it"!

Recovery Run

Just to keep you in the loop I did do my 2nd maintenance run last week. I just got busy and didn't blog. However, not too much to talk about that run. I ran 3.3 miles to the park, around the park and home again. I finished my audio book The Goal along the way. Met up with one of my neighbors during my run. She's apparently a pretty fast walker! I have been keeping true to my goal of 1 maintenance run on my own per week and its getting easier. I still prefer to run with others tho:)

Yesterday Sunday August 8th was my mommy's Birthday (Happy Birthday Mom!) and my 5 mile recovery run from last weeks 10.
From now on we will be doing recovery runs in between our long runs. However as the long runs increase so will our recovery runs. Example: last week was 10 miles so this week we did 5. Next week we will do 12 miles so the week after that will be 6 miles, so on and so forth. Until eventually a recovery run will be 10 miles! WOW!

Bring it on! I say:)

This recovery run was amazing! My dear friend Tiffany, from Vegas came out to visit with her really good friend Anna for the weekend. (it was awesome to see her, its been far too long) They volunteered on Sunday to do water for the runners and earned my fund raising $40! Thank you soooo much girls! It means so much to me. I know getting up at 6am is hard:) You really are Rock stars!

We arrived at the site 10 till 7am. We did our usual warm up as they told us a story about a guy running this marathon that has HIV. He wrote a letter sharing his story and thanking all the fundraisers for helping him maintain his life. He said without this program he would not be able to take his medicine that keeps him alive. It was very moving. It really brought my attention back to the fact that this really isn't about me and what I'm doing really does affect the lives of others. SO powerful. (I will share the letter in another blog so you that you all know what your contribution really is doing.)

Today our pace group leader along with 3 others of the group were all absent! Shannon and I are the only ones that showed up! WOW! I cant believe it! I have a feeling their 12 miles next week aren't going to be the easiest. :/

However today we all had to name our pace groups. What was our team going to be called? Shannon and I had all the power to name it!WaaHaaaHaa...;)

We had a really good run and got to know each other a lot better. It was really nice. We mostly talked about fund raising and the benefits of running in our lives. We both agreed running this marathon is teaching us patience and compassion with ourselves as well as unlimited health benefits. After our amazing conversations and are alignment with reaching inner peace, we agreed on The Peaceful Warriors as our group name. I feel really good about that! After all running this marathon has been my Zen Master! :)

P.s I won an AIDS Marathon hat for reaching $500 + in the first month! Whoo Hoo! Thank you everybody for your generosity! $2555 left! We can do it!

I love my job!!

As most of you know I work at Lululemon Athletica in Calabasas California. Its an amazing store. If you think its just a retail store your dead wrong! Yes we sell the best Athletic gear you can imagine, especially for yoga and running but its sooo much more than that! Its really a culture. The base of the company is to elevate mediocrity to greatness!! So what is my job then? My job is to educate our guests not only about the clothes but the fitness classes in the area. My job is to hold my team accountable for getting what they want in life. My job is learn and to grow. My job is to take classes so that I can educate on them as well as make friends in our community. Why am I going on about this? And how does this pertain to running you ask? Well every Monday night we have run club at 6pm. The lovely Sabrina Madden (a store Lulu and friend) coaches it. I always work on Monday nights and haven't had the opportunity to run with them. But last night on my shift I got to support the run club by running! Amazing right!?

At 6pm runners show up at the store. They are all decked out in our Lulu running gear and ready to go. Mostly the same faces but a couple newbies. Everyone marks the board with how many miles they ran this last week. I added 15 next to my name. Although I haven't done run club often I have my name up there to track my mileage since I am running:)The highest mileage for one of the runners was 34! WOW!

So were off to the courtyard to stretch a bit and learn what the course was. It was a straight shot up pkwy Calabasas. Incline! Sabrina, Amy and I stayed together pacing ourselves with a run/walk up the hill chatting and sweating together. I really love those girls!! We went up 1.5 miles then started back for the store to finish at 3 miles. The others proceed up to 2.5 miles to finish at 5 miles. They eventually surpassed us going down the hill. Fast runners! We all met up together for our cool down to walk to the doors of the store.

SO MUCH FUN! Thank you Michelle for letting me run during my shift:) Maintenance run 1 of 2...done. 1 more to go before another long run:)

Anyone want to join us next week at 6?

10 miles!

10 miles! I did it! but..... WOW!

I'd be lying if I said I wasn't intimidated when I woke up Sunday morning. 10 miles is journey I have never traveled on these 2 feet. But I pushed through my fear.

When I arrived at the sight in Griffith park 10 minutes to 7am we did our usual routine... got our maps, met with our groups, put sunblock on and did our cheer. (you'll see it in the video) :)

We started out at a slower pace this morning as we warmed up and conserved energy. I have such a great group of people to run with! we saw some really cool houses along the way. Even took some pictures being silly. We stopped for 2 bathroom breaks along the way. I think those delicious electrolyte jelly beans I was eating along the way made me have to pee a lot. LOL. When we stopped at Burger King for the bathroom one of the girls thought it would be a good idea to eat salt packets to get the sodium back up in our bodies. (a little trick of the trade) I did it! SOOOOOOO Gross!! I'll stick with my jelly beans:)

My head played lots of tricks on me going through the run. examples: its kept saying... its too hot, your too tired, are you sure you should be doing this? my toes hurt ect... sometimes it had me convinced but I shook it out and kept going.

Conversations in the group help keep my mind off the voice in my head. :)

I found a lucky penny and gave it to my group leader. "Find a penny pick it up and all the day I'll have good luck. But if I give it to a friend then our luck will never end" Then a training buddy in my group, Samantha, said that when you find a penny it means your on the right track in life. I love that!! I knew I at that moment to not doubt myself. I was on the right track. Funny thing is... Sage, our group leader, found a penny later and gave it to me. We are all on the right track!! :)

We finished 10 miles at 2hrs and 38 min (with 2 bathroom breaks) so we ran it exactly at 14 minutes per mile! WHOOO HOOO! The best part... as we crossed the 10 mile marker one of the girls had the Rocky Theme song playing on her I-phone!! We all felt pretty bad ass! :)

I went home right after. I was so hungry and very tired. I had to work at 2:30 and I desperetly wanted to take a nap. Davy and I went out to breakfast to celebrate. When we got home it was 12:20pm. I realized I may not get to sleep, I had so much to do! I walked in the door, leaned against the wall and started to cry. I mean really cry! Sobs and all! Davy got me some water and put me to bed promising he would wake me up in 40 minutes so I can get ready for work. When 1pm hit Davy came into the room and gently woke me up by taking my socks off and rubbing my feet.

I have the best boyfriend in the whole wide world. Thank you so much sweetie for supporting me and taking care of me. I love you so much!!

1:30pm I left for work.

8pm went to a party for our store manager.

What a day!!

OMG I am running 10 miles tomorrow morning!! Let me tell ya... I'm a little intimidated! I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow:)

Until then I wanted to share a list of things that I have learned so far on this journey...

1. drinking chocolate milk or soy within the first 15-20 after a run help the muscles recover faster
2. to be careful not to over-hydrate because it can make you loopy and go to the hospital
3. to make sure not to dehydrate so that you don't die
4. My legs chafe after 4 miles in shorts. I must wear muscle compressing crops on long runs.
5. to align my breath with the rhythm of my steps. (counting helps).
6. The IT band is the band that connects the hips to the knees and when running it gets so tight my knees start to hurt after about 6 miles
7. the proper way to run is on the balls of the feet.
8. when running up hill lean slightly forward.
9. when running down hill run more flat foot
10. be sure not to eat lots of bad food the day before a long run. It make you fart.
11. gel packs of electrolytes are needed around 8 miles or more to keep energy up
12. it helps to run with people to take your mind off.. well, your mind/body

I know there's much more but I have to go to bed. I will continue to post my learning another time. Wish me luck on those 10 miles in the morning!!:)Goodnight!

5:45am and ready to run!

Rise and shine!! its 5:45am!! I woke 15 minutes before my alarm went off knowing I had to run before I started my day today. I felt great tho! I got just enough sleep and I felt refreshed as I looked out my window to see the sun still rising.

I got myself ready and took the i-pod.Its 6am now as I hop in my car to drive to my favorite near by park to run its dirt filled track. As I pulled up to the park and parked my car I was shocked at how many people were there doing the same thing! There is quite the community of runners here! :)I got out of my car excited for my morning run. I have to say I even felt a little proud of myself. I started to warm up with a fast pace walk.I couldn't believe how cold it was this morning. This is southern California right?LOL.

so anyway, I pretty much felt out my average pace of 3-1. I still don't have a watch to keep the time so I just found a nice rhythm and walked when my body told me to.

It was a beautiful morning and a beautiful/peaceful 2.6 miles. It was definetly a fantastic way to start the day. I should get up this early more often!

When I got home I drank a glass of delicious chocolate soy milk to help my muscles recover, took a shower, got ready for my day and headed off to yoga with my wonderful Lulu family, after that... off to work with my wonderful Lulu family. What a day! Its 7pm and I am winding down. I think that's it for me today.

Goodnight:)

Short and sweet just like my run:)

Yesterday I woke up with plans to go to pilates with my friend/co-worker Gabby and to work on my fundraising, then I realizd I have to do a maintainence run today. I cant afford to miss any at this point. I will be running 10 miles this Sunday with my group. 8 miles kicked my ass this week and I did my runs last week. it just goes to show how much I will have to maintain my weekly runs to build my endurence. So, today I put on my new running gear from, of course Lululemon, I grabbed got my i-pod and headed out the door. I am currently listening to The Goal, its a book I got from the Core Library at my work.

I didnt have a watch or pedometer so I fingured I would just wing it. I ran for about 2 miles in about 25 minutes around my neiborhood. I love my neiborhood and all it's cute little houses and trees:) It makes me happy and so does running:)

8 Freakin Miles!!

Wow... What can I say?! I did it! I RAN 8 MILES!!

Today I started off awake and refreshed at 6am. To tell you the truth I didn't think about the 8 miles in detail so I wasn't freaked or anything. I was excited to see my training group and get going!

7am we are all there ready to go. The coach talked to us briefly about the importance of hydration. Apparently too much or too little can be dangerous. No worries, me and my team were fine the whole way. Today's trail started in Griffith Park and eventually led us through Glendale and back. As we charged up a gorgeous street filled with trees that shaded our path and houses that looked like they each popped out of a fairy tale book the incline took its toll. 1.3 miles of incline today is the start of our training for running Diamond head in Hawaii. OMG we're going to run up Diamond Head! Half way up the hill it hit me... I will be running 26.2 miles! Can I really do this???? The fear and doubt got loud. KEEP GOING. STOP THINKING. So, I continued in conversation with my group and that loud annoying voice in my head quieted down. Thank goodness. At mile 5 someone's sprinklers were spraying their beautiful green grass so we all took advantage of it and ran through them. aaaahhhhh.... The coolness of the water and fresh air feel so nice! We finished 8 miles today in 1 hour and 48 minutes! That was with 2 bathroom breaks too! So, we are doing very well and keeping a steady pace. (yes we are still run/walking at at 3-1 pace that averages between 13 and 14 minutes per mile)When we finished, the training group had peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cookies, pretzels and fruit ready for us. And boy was I hungry!!! We had our snack, took some pictures and then my group asked me if I would lead them into a stretch as I did last week. I felt so honored:) of course I will! So I lead them into some yoga stretches that felt OH SO GOOD after 8 miles:)Thank you to my yoga mentors, Kamila and Elinore. If it weren't for my yoga practice over the last 3 years this journey would be a lot more difficult and how would I ever lead my team into an awesome stretch?! Namaste.

Now its 9:30am and I have to get home, have a real breakfast, shower, get ready for work and say goodbye to Davy (he's going to Russia for a gig for 3 days). All this and get to work by noon!

By the time I got to work I felt like passing out. SOOOOOOO tired. For the rest of the day I pretty much felt like a babbling mess. But its all good. I made it and I feel great about my accomplishment today. This Sunday... 10 miles!

running=energy

Thur July 22nd Reena came over at 5:50am ready to go for 1 of our runs. I had previously tracked mileage from my house to the park I like to run at. It is exactly 1 mile away from my door step to the park. So at 6pm sharp we headed out of my house onto the warm pavement. It was a beautiful day with a cool breeze. The day was winding down and we were just getting started. We paced ourselves at our regular 3-1 pace conversing and bonding along the way. Once we arrived at the park we took the long trail around the park which is 1.2 miles. Definitely breaking a sweat but loving every minute and going strong. My shins and feet are start to ache but I'm OK we keep going. We did 2 laps before heading home. We finished feeling great as Davy took our video and photo as we came around the corner! Whoo hoo! We finished our 4.6 mile maintenance run in 1 hour flat!!

Fri July 23rd
I started my morning working at Lulu.I worked 11-5pm. Always a blast.. especially when 27 boxes arrive at the store. LOL:) Davy and I had plans to leave at 7pm to go see a friend of his play a show downtown. However I knew I had to get 1 more maintenance run in before Sat. Saturdays are my day of rest. NO EXERCISE. I have to rest for my Sunday long runs with my group. So I left work at 5 to arrive home at 5:30pm. Davy said he would join me so we threw on our running clothes, hat and shoes and headed out on my new trail to do a quick 4 mile run. YUP THAT'S RIGHT I SAID QUICK 4 MILES! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT??? LOL:) This former non runner can actually say and do a quick 4 miles! I love it!! We ran/walked my pace of 3-1. Amazing! We finished in 45 minutes with plenty of time to shower and get ready for date!! As I was showering I could feel the energy serge through my body and let the water wash away the day.Running has definitely given me more energy. My body feels strong and lean and my mind is becoming clear. Thank you baby for a great run and all your support. I love you!

Tomorrow Sunday July 25th I will be running 8 miles with my training group!! Must get lots of rest tonight. I have to wake up at 6am and be ready to run at 7am sharp. Then 12pm off to work.

I let you know how it goes tomorrow.

Love and light,
Angela

3 blogs in 1. Playing Catch up...

ok so I fell a bit behind on my blog so I will do 3 entries in this one each starting with the correct date:)

July 13, 2010
Fund raising Plan of Action

Today I had an amazing day. I worked at Lulu then headed off to my 1 on 1 fund raising coaching session held with coach Mathew at my favorite hot spot in Sherman Oaks, Crave Cafe.

I arrived several minutes early as usual and we started our session. He asked me to bring the number of friends/contacts I have in my phone, email and Facebook. The answer as to why I am doing this Marathon, any ideas I currently have to raise the money and what have I done thus far.

Here's a copy of my answers and my fund raising plan:

Why did you sign up for this marathon?

Talking with BF about wanting to travel (saw the Take One and started dreaming about accomplishing the goal of a marathon and completing the fundraising goal)

AIDS Marathon – performed for AIDS Walk in Vegas and done AIDS Walk in Vegas

What have you done so far to fundraise?

Blog – started from the point of registering (gmail – blogspot)

FB

Sent email from personal account

Text every person in phone

Made a few calls

At $275 currently

What ideas do you already have for the future?

Friend offered back yard to have a party (performances)

Poker – BF – charity poker event

Yard sale (all friends stuff)

Tell me about your job, friends, family, hobbies, background, schedule, and residence.

Born Michigan

From Vegas

In LA 1 year

Lulu Lemon Athletic apparel – best company ever (goals, athletic culture, fitness – community)

How many people are on your mailing list, Facebook / Myspace, Twitter.

FB – 500+ (both Vegas and LA friends)

STEP 1:

FIRST - !!!!!Customize your webpage at www.aidsmarathon.com Letter/Photo or Video

Correspondence:

· Email Campaign – 100 emails (first send from website then from personal)

· FB Campaign – BLOW IT UP

· Handwrite at least 10 letters with self-addressed stamped envelopes for non-tech people

STEP 2:

· Poker event in Vegas in AUG

· BBQ party – fill out the bill (other performers); decide on how you’re going to get donations (door cover, donation bucket); figure out booze (sponsor, byob (in exchange for reduced cover charge)); additional donations inside party (raffle lower value items (movie passes, restaurant coupons, running gear) and auction high value/ package items (spa package; fitness package; shoe tickets));

· Yard Sale – friends help with item donations

· Plan all events for late AUG or early SEPT – work correspondence first!

I am super excited about this plan!!!

I am currently at $425.00

If I raise $75 more by the end of July 19th I win an awesome hat!!! Come on peeps I need you!! :)

July 16, 2010

Rainy days

BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP BEEP.... The buzzing sound of my alarm is going off. It's 7:15am. I hit snooze. I have time. I don't have to meet Sara for a maintenance run until 7:30am. I shut my eyes. My phone rings. Its Davy. (he had been away for work so I answer). Are you up baby?, he asks. I say yeah my alarm just went off. Im meeting Sara at 7:30. Its 7:25 he says.

OH SHIT!! WHY DID I THINK I HAD TIME????

I quickly let him go so I can throw on my running clothes and head out the door. I arrive 5 minutes late. Thank goodness the park is just down the road and thank goodness Sara is so understanding.

It's now 7:35am we start our run in beautiful Balboa park. It was a muggy day with an overcast sky. I love it when its cloudy. Its easier to run in than the sun.

We had nice conversations and a great run!! It was really nice running with her again since it had been awhile since our last run together. We did 3.5 miles in 35 minutes at a 3-1 pace. Sara is quite the runner and I ended up pushing my speed a little but it was good.

Time to go home and get ready for work. I had to work at 10am. I hopped in my car and within a matter of seconds the rain came pouring down!! We just made it!! Whoo hooo for early runs!!! :)

Thanks Sara!! Your awesome!

July 18, 2010

7 Miles

Ok here we go!! I did all my maintenance runs this last week and ready for mile 7!! Oh crap I'm gonna run 7 miles today!!!GULP. The anxiety of uncharted territory set the flight of butterflies in my tummy. Am I really doing this????

YES! I AM RUNNING A FRICKEN MARATHON:)

I had to stop thinking about it and get dressed. I put on my lovely Lu's and head out the door at 6:35am. I stopped at the gas station for a bottle of water and a bottle of Power Aid. Since my last run I was supposed to try out gels to re-energize myself during these long runs. However I did not so I thought Power Aid would be my next best thing.

Today our pace group leader Sage was absent so we led ourselves and even had a new runner added to our group! Today we were an all women power house group!!

It is so much fun getting know everyone and we all push each other along. Sometimes we even sing our favorite marching song... I love running... I love running....Running running... Running running. LOL Guess you would have to hear it. :)

The first 2 miles are always the hardest but at about mile 3 my body starts going on automatic. The power aid really helped too!

It was a hot and sunny day this morning but we got through it. We even ran through people's sprinklers along the way when we could to cool us down and at mile 2 and 4 they had water stations set up for us with water and oranges!

We finished 7 miles in 1 hour 30 minutes at a 3-1 pace!! GO TEAM!

After we finished I led my pace group into a yoga stretch to open up our hips, shoulders and stretch the T-band in our thighs.

Who would of thought?? I LOVE RUNNING!

8 miles... bring it on!! :)