I am absolutely overwhelmed right now! Thanks to a post on Facebook yesterday stating that I only had $173 left to reach my fundraising goal, 3 amazing TNT alumni stepped up and pushed me right over my goal! Even though I've been involved with TNT for 6 years now, I continue to be amazed by the amount of support I receive for my personal adventures and for this amazing cause. We are getting so much closer to a cure because of the research made possible by the money raised. We had our Fall season kick-off party last night to welcome the new participants that will be training for the Columbus Marathon, the Nike Women's Marathon (in San Fran.) and the Nation's Triathlon (in DC). One of our honored patients, Leslie Taylor, who is a walk program alumni, spoke about her journey with ALL and her TNT experience. When the training gets tough and I'm exhausted, I have to take a step back and remember the bigger picture. I do this for people like Leslie who is here with us today, living with cancer and she is able to complete marathons. Thank you so much for all of your support. It means the world to me to have so many people in my life that care so much about me to go with me on this crazy journey and support me no matter what. There are less than 6 weeks until race day so be sure to stop back for the training updates and for information about the race!

I've hit a whole new level of exhausted! I think I'm still recovering from my whirlwind week last week and the training just keeps getting more intense. I missed a swim practice so getting back on schedule this week was rough. It's amazing how much you lose when you don't swim more than once a week. It was tough but I got through 1800 yards in just under an hour. Due to my weekend schedule I knew I wasn't going to be able to meet my teammates for the brick workout on Saturday so I did it on my own on Friday. I rode my bike 30 miles (with a strong headwind for a good part of it!), stumbled around for a few minutes and then headed out for 4 miles on foot. This did not go very well. After 30 miles on the bike, my legs were dead. I forced myself to run a mile before taking a walk break. I had very painful shin splints out of nowhere so I had to run and walk to make it home. Saturday wasn't much better but I did hit another milestone! I ran 6 miles without stopping (no walk breaks!). The shins were on fire for the first 3 miles but I stuck with it and it slowly started to feel better. This morning I coached but we just started the fall season (training for the Columbus Marathon and the Nike Women's Marathon) so the miles were really low. It was a great morning for a 2 mile walk. I wish that was all I had to do for the day though! At 3 pm the triathlon team met for a track workout. It's a miracle that I didn't pass out or puke. We had to do sprints which is supposed to help build speed during the longer runs. I don't think it's working and besides, I just want to finish, I'm not worried about how slow I am! Right now my only race day goals (other than finishing) are to not be "that girl" that needs to hang onto a support kayak during the swim and I really want to run the whole 6.2 miles. As I ache all over from the weekend activities, I can't help but doubt myself but I still have 6 weeks to work it out! I'm getting so close to my personal fundraising goal and it means the world to me that I have so many amazing friends and family that support me no matter what I decide to take on!!

All of our TNT participants finished the Cap City 1/2 marathon last weekend! It started to rain about 20 minutes into the race....and then rained until our last walkers were finishing. Luckily it wasn't too cold so 4 hours and 13+ miles in the rain wasn't as bad as it could have been. My training schedule has been a little out of whack because of my work schedule but I'm back on track. I RAN my first 4 mile race on Saturday so that was a huge accomplishment. I've never tried to run a race before so that was exciting. I also did it just a few hours after finishing a huge event at work and about 24 hours after having a table collapse on my legs (long story!). I finished in 45:44. I'm still battling the wind. It seems like the wind picks up every weekend when I'm supposed to do a longer ride! My legs were still tired from work and the race but I was able to finish my brick workout on Sunday. I rode 14 miles (it took an hour because of the dang wind!) and then jumped off the bike, pulled on my running shoes and heading out for a 3 mile run. I got about 15 minutes out and had to take a minute walk break but I was able to run the rest of the way home. Only 7 weeks until the race!!

The Cap City 1/2 marathon is this weekend so Team in Training is gearing up for that. I will be coaching my walkers in that race so I won't be able to train with my triathlon team that day. I'm hoping the weather cooperates so I can get in my 35 mile ride on Sunday instead. We'll see how my legs feel after the 1/2 marathon also!! I've had to get a little creative with my training schedule lately because of work and coaching but I'm still plugging along! I ran 5 miles for the first time EVER on Friday at the gym (darn rain!) and then ran 4 miles on Saturday. By the time I walked 6 miles with the Cap City team on Sunday, I was more than ready for my scheduled rest day on Monday! I was back in the pool last night though and swam a whole mile! (32 laps or 64 lengths of the pool!!) That was reassuring but I continue to be pretty slow on the bike. I made it 16 miles in about an hour tonight. Slow and steady will have to be my motto for this race! I'm guestimating that whole race will take 3.5-3.75 hours. Maybe I should think about how "easy" that will seem compared to my marathon PR of 6:46....

It was another tough training week! On Saturday the Team went on a 30 mile bike ride in 25mph+ winds! It is the furthest I've ever gone on a bike and with the wind, there were times I didn't think I'd make it back to the car! I was pedaling but not covering a lot of ground. My legs were extremely tired the rest of the day but I had to do a track workout on Sunday! I wasn't coaching so I was able to join my teammates for my first track workout which consisted of a timed mile (10:24) and several drills. I was surprised that I was able to run 400 (1 lap around the track) in 2:12! That would be under a 9 minute mile! I certainly can't run that fast for a whole mile yet but it did make me realize that I'm not the slowest runner known to man and I do have more than one pace. I'm getting super close to my fundraising goal! Thank you so much for your support. It really means a lot to me and it makes a difference. If you are interested in Team in Training, let me know! We are getting ready to start recruitment for the Columbus Marathon, Nike Women's Marathon in San Francisco and the Nations Triathlon in DC.

I've been slacking in my training updates but I certainly haven't been slacking in the actual training. We are now working out 6 days a week (Monday is the rest day!! I'm beginning to LOVE Mondays!). The intensity really picked up this week. Our group swim practices are now lasting a full hour and I ran 4 miles on Friday! That is the furthest I've EVER run before so that was exciting (and slightly painful). I can racewalk 26.2 miles in a marathon but running 4 miles was monumental! Saturday was the hardest workout though! We had our first brick workout as a team. A brick is doing 2 sports back to back (swim-bike or bike-run). I started the workout by falling off my bike. Graceful as always. I was still in the parking lot talking with a teammate with one foot on the ground and the other foot clipped into my pedal. I somehow lost my balance and tipped over to the side with my foot clipped in and couldn't get out fast enough. Once I dusted myself off and fixed the bike, I rode 18 miles! That is the furthest I've been since last summer. Immediately following the ride, I put the bike in the car and headed out for a 3 mile run. After hopping off the bike, your quads feel like concrete and running is REALLY hard. I made it a mile and a half before needing a walk/water break but then ran the whole way back! YEAY! I coached the Cap City 1/2 Marathon team yesterday. I was pretty sore but still managed to walk 3 miles out with our fastest walker (a few years ago I couldn't keep up with this person for even a few yards but I can now hang close for about 3 miles!!) and then I ran 3 miles back and waited for the rest of the team to finish 10 miles. It is their last "long" workout before the 1/2 marathon! Now they begin to taper and rest for their big race. Coaching while balancing my tri training has been a bit of a challenge but my walkers always provide lots of inspiration and support. I'm getting so close to my fundraising goal also! I'm less than $600 from my goal! Please feel free to pass along my website to your friends and family!!

I think I've gone off the deep end! I finished my third workout in 24 hours. The weather has been beautiful so I have felt like I have to take advantage of it in case it doesn't last! Last night after work I finally got my bike of the trainer in the basement and went for a 16 miles ride. I couldn't believe how much more power I have now after riding all winter on the trainer and 6 weeks of spinning classes. This morning was another 6 am swim practice with the triathlon team. Some of the drills are really hard and I sometimes feel like I just want to climb out of the pool and go back to bed. But I made it 1200 yards (which is 48 lengths of the pool) and somehow managed to keep my energy up all day (with the exception of 2-3 pm which is when I drag on normal days). The marathon teams are now meeting during the week on Tuesdays and Thursdays and the weather was so nice that I decided to join them! I ran with the team for 2.5 miles (with some cheerleading from some wonderful alumni to get through the last .5 mi when my legs felt like concrete blocks). That is EXACTLY why I do this with a TEAM because they keep me going when I don't think I can.