30 days!

Today, October 6, 2011, marks just 30 days from the 2011 ING New York City Marathon! Wow! Everything finally seems to be falling into place, and my excitement for the race is outweighing my nervousness. For one, I reached my fundraising goal of $2620.00 for Team for Kids just in the nick of time! The deadline for meeting my pledge amount is today, but I reached my goal yesterday (and surpassed it today, raising a total of $2670.00). I am so amazed by the overwhelming support of my friends, family, acquaintances and even a few strangers! I had close to 60 different people contribute, including a cat (Otis!) and my family's dog (Rio!). I literally wouldn't be running this race without everyone's support, and it's difficult to truly express my gratitude. As a thank-you to all, I will stop spamming Facebook with money requests. Hooray!

Now that I am (mostly) sticking to my training schedule, my long runs are going much better. I recall a weekend back in August where I attempted 15 miles, but I got a late start and found myself shuffling along, parched and baking in the 90+ degree heat. That was discouraging to say the least. Then about 2 weeks after that, I ran 16. I made sure to get a much earlier start, and it was a huge improvement: I successfully completed the run without feeling like I was going to die, though it still felt a bit slow. Finally, this past weekend, I ran 18 and it felt great! I didn't just survive my run, I felt strong and was able to push the pace in the last few miles. I didn't know that was possible! I give some credit to having actually stuck to my training plan this month, but I mostly credit cooler temperatures (around 50 degrees - perfect!) and this nifty little guy:

I usually don't like carrying things in my hands when I run, so I was hesitant about purchasing something like this, but after realizing what a difference even a splash of water makes on a long run (and testing a friend's bottle), I took the leap. I was also able to smash a pack of GU and a few Clif Shot Blocks into the little pouch, which made for a nice little mid-run boost. Although my bottle only holds 12 ounces, it was perfect. I didn't want to spring for the 22 ounce bottle (bigger, heavier, more expensive), and I feel confident that I chose right. I rationed my 12 ounces throughout my run, but drank when I wanted to and felt satisfied. Yay!

So, now that my fundraising is completed and my training seems to be going well, I am getting EXCITED for the race! To add to my anticipation, I received this in the mail last week from Team for Kids:

Front

Back

Rad!! The jersey was delivered to my work in a mysterious and unexpected package, so when I opened it and realized what it was, I immediately put it on over my work clothes and tromped around, harassing my coworkers for donations........it worked! 

Psyched as I am about the jersey, I will not be wearing it for the race. My sister Melissa is making us super secret matching shirts! Can't wait! And speaking of Melissa, she is coming to Bend next week! During our visit, we will run our last long training run together - 20 miles - before we start to taper. I am so glad we will be together to motivate each other through this last long haul before race day. However, we are going to have some fun while she is here, too! We'll be hanging with family and friends, hiking, climbing, ale-trailing, and maybe even seeing some cycle pub action if we can pull a crew together. 

Two of my favorite things - beer and cycling.

Needless to say, fun will be had by all.....can't wait to see you, sis!

Inspiration.

Update: I "officially" began training for the 2011 NYC Marathon on July 4, 2011. By "officially," I mean that July 4th was 18 weeks from November 6th, and I use Hal Higdon's 18 week marathon training program. However, I ran the Smith Rock Summer Classic Half Marathon on July 9th (in my Vibrams!), so unofficially, I am ahead of schedule.

Longest run yet in my Vibram FiveFingers. Photo by Brian Mosbaugh.

I am NOT ahead of schedule on my fundraising, but I am not panicking yet. I have raised $905.00 so far, with $1,715.00 left to go. (Help please!)

The most exciting news is that it looks like my sister Melissa will definitely be racing with me. She is in the process of getting married, moving to England and job searching, so there was a period there where she wasn't sure she would be able to run the marathon. I was having some serious mixed feelings because I don't want to just run the NYC marathon, I want to run with with my sister. I am thrilled that she will be able to run, and it will be our "last hurrah" before she moves to England. It feels like things are really starting to take shape, and this has had me reminiscing about when this NYC Marathon seed was planted. Time for a trip down memory lane....

Melissa moved to NYC in August-ish of 2008. I was in my third year of law school in Harrisburg, PA, just a three-hour train ride from the city. This was a huge deal because we hadn't lived this close to each other since she had gone off to college at the University of Pittsburgh. I went to visit her over Halloween, 2008, which was also the weekend of the marathon that year. We were Sarah Palin and Miss Wasilla for Halloween.

What's the difference between a hockey mom and a pitbull?

On Sunday, we watched Melissa's friend Dawn run the marathon. At that point, I had just run my first half marathon, and it was a disaster. I had been having issues with my IT band all summer and ended up walking the last 6 miles of the race. It hardly counted as having done a half marathon, aside from the fact that I eventually managed to cross the finish line. Anyway, Melissa lived just a block from Central Park at that time, so we got up early on a crisp, beautiful autumn morning, got coffee and bagels, and walked along W 59th Street just in time to see the first wheel chair racers finishing.

Talk about inspiration. 

After watching the wheelchair racers fly past to the finish, we headed over to 1st Ave. to catch the runners as they passed mile 17, just north of the Queensboro Bridge. 1st Ave was packed with spectators, friends, neighbors and families, and the energy was electric! People were chattering, laughing, cheering, snapping pictures and ringing cowbells. Before long, the elite male runners flew by, followed closely by the elite females.

Elite female runners approaching.

Flyyyyyying.

Some time after the elite runners came by, the masses of people that make up a field of 40,000+ runners flooded 1st Ave like a tidal wave. There were all ages, shapes, sizes and colors imaginable. Some people wore costumes. Some people had their name on the front of their shirt, and we screamed out their name as they passed. We even managed to catch a glimpse of Dawn as she rolled by, looking comfortable and smooth at mile 17. Who knew you could get an adrenaline rush while standing on a sidewalk drinking coffee and eating a bagel?

After we saw Dawn cross mile 17, we headed back across town to post up around mile 22 in Central Park. We remained there for the rest of the race, watching people complete the last few miles to the finish. It was incredibly inspiring to see so many different people achieving their own level of greatness.

Melissa and I made so many happy memories that weekend. I remember talking with her about how amazing it would be able to run the NYC marathon "some day." At that point, a marathon seemed so daunting! I had barely survived a half marathon just a few weeks before, so I couldn't even comprehend running twice that distance. From that point on, Melissa and I would go on runs together in Central Park whenever I came to visit. We even tried rollerblading....but that's a hilarious adventure to be told another day. The point is, we had been inspired, and the NYC Marathon seed was planted.

Melissa and me in Central Park.

In March of 2009, I took another stab at the half marathon distance and finished the National Half Marathon in Washington, DC, in 1:48:27 (still my PR!). I moved to Portland, OR, in May of that year, and Melissa came to visit me in October. We ran an all-women's half in Vancouver, Washington, dressed alike in pink, and we giggled when spectators commented, "Look, twins!" It was Melissa's first half marathon and she rocked it! I loved running side by side with her, encouraging each other onward to the finish line. In November, 2009, I ran my first full marathon in Seattle. It wasn't as disastrous as my first half marathon, but I wouldn't describe it as a pleasant experience. I hit the wall somewhere around mile 20, and that was before the hilly part. I learned some lessons about training (e.g., don't skip long training runs), and improved by about 40 minutes when I ran my second marathon in Portland in October, 2010.

Melissa and I tried for the NYC Marathon lottery in 2010, and when we didn't get in, we agreed to make sure we would get a spot in the 2011 field. She qualified by running at least nine NYC Road Runners races throughout the year, and I qualified by pledging to raise money for Team for Kids. There are so many aspects of this race that make November 6, 2011, particularly meaningful. Not only will we be participating in one of the top races in the world, in one of our favorite cities, but when we run together this November, a dream that began 4 years ago will come to fruition. It will be Melissa's first marathon, and her last race before moving across the Atlantic. What a way to say goodbye to four years of living in New York City! I am inspired by my sister and ecstatic to be able to share this experience with her. I know that it is one we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. And you bet we will be dressed like twins on Nov. 6th (right, Melis??)!

Fundraising Day 1

Hi, friends! So, first things first: I've decided to run the 2011 New York City Marathon, on November 6, 2011, and I've decided to do it with Team for Kids, a charity organization that raises funds for low-income schools and community centers around the world to combat childhood obesity, foster youth development, and build character.

So, most importantly, here is the link to my fund-raising page. Right now, the amount raised is a very sad $0.00, but it's only Day 1, so that's okay!

Today is my first OFFICIAL day of fund-raising, simply because it is the first day I posted the link on Facebook and Gmail and sent it around the office. However, today is a big deal, because it is the first day of what I anticipate to be an excellent and life-changing adventure! And what better way to document such an adventure than to write about it from start to finish?

Now, although this is Day 1 of fund-raising, it is not Day 1 of my NYC marathon experience. My sister Melissa and I tried to register for the 2010 race via the lottery system last January, but neither of us was selected. This year, my sister qualified through the New York Road Runners by running at least nine NYRR qualifying races. I was determined to get in so that I could run with my sister! On November 8, 2010, I attempted to get in via the early-bird lottery and even posted a silly photo of myself eating a power bar on the NYC Marathon's Facebook page, but...I was not selected. Therefore, my final option to get into 2011 was to either start running a hell of a lot faster in order to meet the qualifying time of 3:23:00 or to qualify by raising money for a charity. The charity option makes me feel like I'm running for something bigger than myself, which is great!

I selected Team for Kids as my charity because I love kids, I think their health and education is immensely important, and it breaks my heart to hear about the growing percentages of obese children and other similar effects of too many inactive kids eating unhealthy food. I genuinely believe that if I can make even a small improvement to the lives of some kids, a marathon is no big deal next to that.

So, here I am! It's day one. I get to run a marathon with my sister in one of the most wonderful cities in the world in just over 11 months!

AND in the time it took me to write this post, I got my first donation! Sweet!