It's been a chaotic few weeks! I did a roadblock fundraiser a few weekends ago so I have officially raised over $10,000 since I started my TNT journey 4 years ago. I am going to continue towards my goal of raising $4500 this time around and I am getting so close!! Thank you so much to everyone that has supported me and continues to support me! I've backed down in the mileage some to rest up for this weekend. The Nike Marathon in San Francisco is in just 5 days! I will be coaching over 20 people (mostly runners!!) so I am a little anxious but definately excited. We are going to have so much fun and from what I've heard, this race is even bigger than Disney. Disney usually has 2 seatings with about 2500 people at each for their Pasta Party the day before the race. Nike has one seating...but there were over 8000 people in one room last year. And we are all there for the same reason! I can't wait to share with you the grand total of how much the event will raise for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society once I get back to town next week!

(14 miles) It was an early morning (what was I thinking when I agreed to a 7 am start??) but the weather was PERFECT. I was only going to do 10 miles but it was so nice out and I was having a great conversation with another Disney participant that I just kept going. I'll be headed to San Francisco to coach the Nike Marathon in just 18 days!

(13.1 miles) Today was the New Albany 1/2 Marathon and I had a great race! I got a personal record of 3:18 (unofficial)! I was even faster for the second 1/2 of the race which means I'm improving with my starts. If I start slower and warm up, then I can have a faster average. My fastest mile was mile 11 and I did 14:12 which might be the fastest mile I've EVER done!

(12 miles) The weather was beautiful this morning for the group training! We had a few sprinkles but then the sun came out. It was only about 62 when we started. I wish we could order that kind of weather on race days! It was a good 12 miles and I did it in 2:50 which is a great pace for me but I was definately feeling it in the last mile. My goal is going to do the New Albany 1/2 marathon in 3:20, which will be a personal record at the 1/2 marathon distance.

(10 miles) I had a great training today despite climbing the hill at Highbanks twice. Though there is a mile loop that we all think is short, my best pace was a 14 minute mile. I even managed a 15 minute mile as I climbed that evil hill. The New Albany Walking classic is just 21 days and I'm really excited for it. It is a sold out race and should be a lot of fun. If someone told me 4 years ago that I would be this excited to walk 13.1 miles, I would have laughed.

(8 miles) It was good to get some miles in after not having a great training last weekend. I coached for 4 miles and then was able to get in another 4 miles at my race pace. I have the best walk trainers that help me out and they are now coaching me and will be in Orlando with me to push me along! It was really hot when I finished today and I'm over the heat! I'm ready for fall training! Only 27 days until the New Albany 1/2 Marathon and 139 days until the Disney Marathon!

I didn't get any training in today. I did hear that one of our team heros (honored patient or survivor) passed away last night. It is a sobering reminder that we still have a long way to go. There is a cure out there but the funding hasn't caught up so a clinical trial can be done to make those cures become a reality. This is why I'm going to keep fighting, keep training and keep fundraising! Please spread the word and pass along a link to this website to everyone you know!