Why JDRF

Why do I host this 5K to earn money for Juvenile Diabetes?  Take a look to the right of your screen.  See that kid flipping you off...that is Joe (he isn't flipping you off btw he, is flipping off Diabetes, or showing a cut that wouldn't heal because of the stupid disease).  He is my nephew and when he was 3 1/2 his mom realized he was way to thirsty and hungry and peeing excessively.  Joe was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes when he was just 3 1/2 yrs old.  The diagnosis completely changed my sister's world and that of her entire family.  They had to learn to be a pancreas for Joe because, his went belly up.  Since that day Joe has endured 10-20 finger pricks a day, a site change for his insulin pump (large needle placed in his booty that delivers his insulin) every few days and sometimes a third needle to his arm where he wears his Continuous Glucometer.  The kid is phenomenal and diabetes doesn't slow him down or define him.  He is an amazing hockey player, in fact he is an extraordinary athlete all around.  His being so active requires my sister and her husband to be on their A game.  They have to be the perfect pancreas so that he can lead the life of a normal kid. 

There isn't much I can do to help but, I have hope.  Hope that with research one day someone will create a closed loop system to act as a pancreas for Joe.  Hope that his life will be as normal as possible.  Hope that he will grow up to be a strong healthy kid with no side affects from this horrible disease.  Hope that someone will come up with an answer as to why Type 1 even happens.  Why does a persons body attack it's own pancreas and shut it down?  What I can do is support JDRF, support the research necessary to get answers.  This is why I host this 5K and pray that I can make a difference.

This year we are celebrating Joe's Birthday with a 5K.  The Virtual 5K will be on the weekend of April 28/29th (Joe's Birthday Weekend).  The cost to register will be $15.  The raffle of prizes will be huge like last year and this year to earn extra entries into the raffle you can pay an extra $5 for every 5K you want to run after the initial for an additional entry.  So if you want two entries you can pay $20 and run a 10K.  Or three entries would be $25 and a 15K.  More money for JDRF + more running = all good.

We already have the following raffle items:
6 Gift Cards from Road ID
1 hat from Head Sweats (left over from last year still trying to get more for this year)
1 necklace from CreativebyLiz
Crocheted items by Cindy Roeing
1 package by Todd and Moore Sporting Goods

WAHOOOOOOO!!! We are getting there.  I sent out a ton of emails asking for raffle items and got a few responses but I will continue to work this.  I know we can earn more this year. 

JDRF Virtual 5K - 2012

Alright folks: I am starting to plan the fundraiser for this year.  Once again 100% of the profits will go to JDRF.  We raised 3.5K last year and I know we can do better.  So that being said I would love input on how you all think we can earn more?  I am open to all suggestions/criticisms/ideas. 

I want to move the date of the run from June to April.  I know I need to find a way to better track who has entered the race, I am going to contact JDRF about their site about that.  I also think I should raise the registration price from $10 to either $15 or $20 (thoughts). I will once again contact a ton of companies about donations but if any of you have ideas about companies who would donate, let me know.  The more the better.  Also we could use a better logo for this years race, anyone handy enough to make one? 

Ok people let me have it...how can we earn the most money for JDRF????

Struggle

I have been struggling with my motivation lately.  Sometimes it is so nice to not run and just have almost zero pain from injuries like my foot that, I get caught up in not running.  I took most of December off due to a back injury.  You all know my back if I push that sucker when it is on the brink it will show me who is boss so, I wisely (yes I am still congratulating myself for this stroke of genius, hey it doesn't happen often let me bask in the glory of a smart decision) took time off and didn't push the back.  It started to feel better by the time Christmas rolled around but, we had a house full and it was easier to just extend my break.  Then as I was feeling ready to run again it was the week before Disney and I had thought who cares I will just run this week and not taper but, a nasty flu had other plans for me so I laid around praying to the porcelain god.  Then somehow I don't know how I ran a 1/2 and full while winding up my bout of the flu.  You would think when I got home from the races I would have felt like training again knowing I have a 50 miler in 1.5 months  but it wasn't so.  I just didn't feel it last week.  I did get out for one awesome 6 miler and got in some hrs on the elliptical but nothing great.

Today

(insert serious happy dance)

TODAY however...

(like singing and waving arms and twirling happy dance)

TODAY

IT WAS DIFFERENT.  I did my elliptical and was thinking of calling it a day and then I called myself out and hit the mill.  I started off jogging at a 10 mm and suddenly that wasn't enough.  I tapped the pace down and kept running, at 3 miles I thought: "ok I will do 5, lets go"  so I began doing a progression and dropping the pace every .1 miles until I hit 6:30mm and I would run that pace until I was ready to break and then put the pace back at 10mm and work it again.  It felt AWESOME!!!!! to do the 6:30.  I mean I definitely feel how much I have lost in my legs but at least they can do some sibilance of a speed workout.  I ended up doing 7 miles because I was having so much fun. 

I feel great.  I think I might even do this 50 miler in March.  I was beginning to think I would drop it but now, well, I might just have a chance to get my legs back in time to do it and have fun.  Man I love running, it just gives you so much.

Happy Running Everyone!! Hope you find your legs today.

Oh Goofy...That Really Hurt!

Kaci and I

The Goofy Challenge is a 1/2 marathon followed by a full marathon.  As I posted previously I scored a free entry into both races as did Doug (he only wanted to run the 1/2).  We ended up making a fun family weekend out of ht opportunity.  Needless to say Chloe had a blast and it was amazing to see Disney  through her eyes and pure joy. 

On Friday Doug and I ran to the expo and grabbed out race packets while Chloe and my mom went to play by the volcano pool.  On Saturday AM Doug and I had to get up at 0315 to get to the race.  Thank goodness our room was right next to the transportation center so it was quick to get to the monorail station.  We met one of my Running Mom's, Kaci at the start and we all hung out and tried not to freeze as we waited for the start of the race.  Unfortunately last week I ended up with a pretty nasty flu and I wasn't quite over it by race day.  Doug and I had decided to run the race together no matter  but, I was bummed that my flu issues might hold him back.  I tried to buckle down and run hard but as most of you know if you have GI issues going into the race running hard isn't going to fix them.  I could hit just under a 9mm without having serious stomach cramps but any faster than that and my stomach went bonkers so that is the pace we stuck to.  Doug was a trooper about going slower.  It was just awesome to get to run the 1/2 with him and I hope we get to do it again soon.  He is an amazing runner and I just adore it when we spend time together doing things like this.  We finished in just under 2hrs and made it back to the room in time to join Chloe and Nana for the days adventure at Epcot.

Doug and I at the finish

We had to get a picture with the Army Man

Doug and I mid -race

Oh my I think my picture on Sunday morning before the Marathon says it all.  Don't I look scared?  I was so nervous.  I know I can run a marathon that isn't the thing it was the worry about my stomach.  It had hurt so bad the previous day and, I was nauseous almost the entire day at Epcot so, I was super worried about how it would hold up and I didn't want the marathon to go on forever, ughhhhh...  So with a sense of dread, I turned on my podcasts and started what would be the longest marathon I have ever run.  It took FOREVER!!!!!! and a Day.  I had to make multiple stops for GI issues and of course to get some pictures taken but, in the end I just trucked along at a super slow pace that allowed my stomach to stay semi settled.  With 2 miles to go I just didn't care about the GI stuff anymore and picked up the pace to get the thing over with.  This was the hardest I have EVER worked for a marathon finish.  I am proud that I stuck it out but, part of me wonders why I did.  Why don't I have an OFF switch?  A common sense button that tells me when I should just bow out of a race.  I think this is one of those races where I might have proved I can gut up any race but a smarter runner would have taken the day off knowing that there is just no way to have a good race while recovering from the flu.  You need fuel to race a marathon especially if your eating has been off for a week.  But if your stomach is wonky you can't fuel on the run so what are you left with?  A super slow race.

I am a bit disappointed and am not quite sure where I am going from here training wise.  I am supposed to run a 50 miler in March but I will have to start training for that soon if I don't want another miserable race and well I just don't know how I feel about that right now.  I really miss CrossFit and the awesome feeling I had at the end of each of those workouts but I don't want to be injured again so, I need to figure out what my plan is...

Happy Running everyone!

Before the Marathon

Chloe posing for a picture as we entered Epcot.  It was absolutely amazing to see Disney with her.  We had a great time.

Goofy Here I Come

So hard to post when I am not running...

After the last post at Thanksgiving I did Crossfit a few more times and really injured myself.  In only a few months of doing Crossfit I was able to hose up my shoulder and re-injure my back.  I know this will come as a surprise to most of you but, I don't actually need any more injuries.  Needless to say the Crossfit experiment is over.  I don't know if it was because I was going to hard at the workouts and not listening to my body or, if the workouts and exercises themselves are flawed but it just didn't work for me.  Don't get me wrong I was feeling super strong with the workouts but, they were destroying me at the same time.  With Crossfit there isn't much flexibility to work around injuries and it was really a sport in and of itself.  I have been doing some Tabata style interval work for cross training and that seems more my speed.  I can pick exercises around my current injuries and I don't need any extra equipment. 

And....back to that back injury well as you all know I have a history with my poor back and it doesn't take kindly to punishment.  So once I felt the tell tale signs of it herniating again I actually backed off this time.  I know I know....I am shocked myself....almost got an elbow injury patting myself on the back for that genious move.  I stopped running.  I have done some easy interval workouts and you know what?  It feels totally better.  Wahooooooooooooo!!!!

Welllllllll, that Wahooooo!!!! is sort of like a wahoo.  Because while I am super happy that my back doesn't hurt and although my foot still does hurt my biggest problem at the moment has to do with some dude named Goofy.  Yes, I managed to get a free entry into the Goofy Challenge this weekend.  I signed up two months ago when I was feeling strong and thought it was a brilliant idea to run a 1/2 and a full in one weekend.  Now I find myself not having run in a month with 5 days to go till the Challenge and I am a tiny bit scared.  Oh who am I kidding I am SUPER DUPER worried about how frickin bad this might SUCK!  I know I can finish both races but, I mean, come on, I haven't run in a month.  Some of you wise folk out there might say: screw the race, enjoy your weekend at Disney.  The rest of you know me well enough to not even mention the smarter choice. 

And so with that I will sign off my first post of the new year and report back on the suck factor of two races back to back after a month off.

Happy Running Everyone and enjoy a New Year full of AWESOME running!