See Katy Run

OManK714

2011-02-21T19:30:00.000-08:00

In case he reads this, just wanted to send a shout out to my favorite person in the world. Thanks for an amazing long weekend!

And Running, Running

2011-02-20T20:57:00.000-08:00

The "law school is like a marathon" analogy still holds true, and "surviving" seems to be my Pee-wee Herman word of the semester. "One hot mess" was the theme for last semester, but things seem to be getting a little bit easier despite facing new and increasing challenges on a regular basis.

Since it has been awhile since I last blogged, I suppose that I should provide some updates for any of you that might still be reading this:

First, Owen and I got married! It was the perfect day even though it poured buckets all day long. We really enjoyed being surrounded by family and friends. Then, we flew to Hawaii, (Maui and Kauai), for two glorious weeks. When we returned from Hawaii, I started my new job and began law school shortly thereafter.

I attended law school orientation in August. Orientation seems like one big blur right now, but I recall enjoying the experience much more than I thought I would because it alleviated some of my 1L fears. Following orientation, we hit the ground running in Torts, Civil Procedure, Legal Research and Writing, and Contracts. I actually enjoyed the reading assignments - even though I tackled many of them at 4:30am before work or at 2am after a long night of classes. I did not, however, enjoy the feeling of constant burnout without really knowing whether I was making any sort of progress in the right direction. I put so much time and energy into law school - but I did not receive a single grade until finals came at the end of the semester. Imagine running a marathon without knowing whether you are on track to finish - or even on track at all. I almost jumped ship on several occasions, and the stress came pouring out of my eyes fairly often. I kept with it all nonetheless as a newlywed - working Monday through Friday from 8:30am to 5pm - while simultaneously taking four classes downtown, three nights each week from 6pm to 10pm. I survived finals, which actually felt like a vacation because I took some time off from work. Unlike many of my classmates, my goal last semester was simply to finish, but I exceeded my own expectations and actually found myself starting to enjoy law school.

Here I am today. I am gearing up for spring break next week, and my 1L year will be behind me in less than two months. This semester seems somewhat easier only because I know what to expect now, and I am much more organized. I no longer contemplate quitting. I seem to have a little more time on my hands because I am getting faster at the assignments, so I signed up for Bodyscapes. Twice a week before work, I workout with a trainer. We do all kinds of different exercises, and it is such an efficient workout. Last semester, I did not get a single ounce of exercise into my system, so I decided to do better this semester. Exercise has made all the difference in the world for me because it is such a tremendous stress relief - and I can almost fit into my work pants again (lol)!

This weekend has been pretty fantastic because Owen and I were able to spend some time together on Saturday, and we went to visit my family yesterday. Today, I am going to buckle down again to finish my Criminal Law and Civil Procedure assignments, in addition to a fifteen page trial brief.

Not sure if I will be able to keep up with blogging on a regular basis, but I will definitely do my best to check in here and there. Well, I guess I had better get back to work. Bye for now blog - until we meet again.

Our Wedding

2009-09-04T06:22:00.000-07:00

I hope to transform this blog over the next few months. I'd like to shift the focus away from running and start to include non-running related posts. Do you think that I should change the name of my blog? Any suggestions or ideas are certainly welcome!

Anyhow, I wanted to use this post to tell you about my primary reason for not participating in the 2010 DFMC. While the LSAT and graduate school are certainly major life-events, nothing is more important to me than Owen. Together, we are in the process of planning our wedding and our new life together. We still couldn't be more excited! Yes, life is busy, but we made a promise to each other that we wouldn't "sweat the small stuff." Weddings are traditionally very stressful events to plan, but we're actually having a pretty good time. Yes, we've got things to do and people to see, but we're getting the job done. Our wedding won't be the grandest wedding of the century. It will be simple, but we'll be married and that's what matters. I've decided that I don't necessarily care about shi-shi lala. This is not a show. As a retired Disney on Ice skater, I've participated in PLENTY of shows. This is something different. This is about two people coming together to say "I do." We're looking forward to bringing our friends and family together to celebrate this special day with us.

The funny thing about "I do" is that it is often accompanied by things "to do." Here's the latest update:

We decided to do an outdoor ceremony in June. We'll be married in front of the gazebo and 600 acres of rolling hills (unless it rains). If it rains, we're getting married in the tap room downstairs or outside with umbrellas (lol). It's like Jack always says, there's no bad weather, just bad clothing!! There will be a cocktail hour to follow the ceremony - drinks on us! Our reception will take place in a big, old barn. We booked our officiant, our DJ and our photographer. We also booked the flights for our honeymoon - at no cost!! Owen's dad gave us his air miles and we're flying to Maui and Kauai for to weeks!! We cannot even thank him enough!! My sisters, Patty and Anne, will both be my Maids of Honor. Owen's sisters, Katherine, Megan and Maureen, will be my bridesmaids. My two best friends, Marielle and Emily, will be readers at our wedding. Owen's brother, Brian, will be his best man. Timmy (my brother), Mike (Patty's boyfriend), and Pete (Katherine's husband) will be groomsmen. AND - my dad is going to walk me down the aisle. Our colors will be white and lemony yellow. I picked yellow because it always makes me smile. It will brighten up the barn and it will look nice against the green grass outside. I've started looking at wedding dresses. I actually have a dress - but I think I'm going to sell it on ebay. Below is our plan for the next two months:

1. Finalize guest list
2. Choose our florist;
3. Purchase a dress;
4. Select the bridesmaid dresses;
5. Purchase our rings;
6. Register for gifts;
7. Choose hotel(s);
8. Start adding music to our queue;
9. Transportation; and
10. Mmmm - CAKE! :)

Again, we're really on top of things. We're just going to tackle this list - one thing at a time and keep it simple. Life is good.

The 2009 Boston LSAT Marathon

2009-09-04T05:22:00.000-07:00

I took almost a month off from all things athletic following the marathon. Then, something happened - I became super-workout girl. I attempted streak running for awhile - two days to be precise. Now look at me. I haven't done a lick of exercise in more than three months with the exception of one very slow, very short run in July. Despite the fact that it was both short and slow, I loved every second of that run. Why? Because I ran for me. It's wonderful to run for a cause that you truly believe in, but it is also important to do things that benefit you. Okay, I know. This is starting to sound like a Suze Orman show. But, it's true. You need to do things for yourself every now and then. It is for this reason that I've decided not to run the 2010 Boston Marathon. UGGGHHHHH!

Those words. I hate saying them. I really want to be part of the 2010 DFMC. It's such an incredible experience, but I'm going to take this year off to do other things. For example, I'm going to apply for school. I've completed the GMAT and I'm going to take the LSAT on September 26th. I'm hoping to get into a part-time JD/MBA program in the Boston area. If you are familiar with law schools in the Boston area, you know that there's only one of these programs in the entire city. Fingers crossed.

There are actually a lot of similarities between running the marathon and preparing for the LSAT. One of my lesson booklets actually shows a picture of marathoners on the cover.

a. Both the test and the marathon require an incredible amount of endurance. It is for this reason that my weekends have been consumed by full-length practice tests. Fun!

b. Pacing is also important. If you don't pace yourself properly, then you just won't finish on time. Note the if-then statement.

c. You can attempt to go at it alone, but you'll to much better with a good support system. Ben is my "Jack Fultz" for the LSAT.

d. Proper fuel is key. Did you know that mints are supposedly helpful? I need to avoid the mid-test trip to the vending machines and the resulting sugar crash.

e. Practice. Practice. Practice. Run. Run. Run. Do your homework!! If you do not do the required workouts, then you will not succeed.

f. Again, the biggest lesson is not to put too much pressure on yourself. Yes, you want to cross the finish line with a perfect 180, but both the forest and the trees are important.

g. Work with the tools that you have. You might not be the fastest or the strongest or the brightest. Learn to use the tools that God gave you to fulfill your maximum potential. Understand your limitations.

Anyhow, you can see that there are a lot of similarities between the marathon and the LSAT. I've been taking a Kaplan course since May and I'm gearing up. The Kaplan course is highly recommended btw! I haven't started the taper yet; I still have a few more 20+ milers to go before then.

One Goal Down, One More to Go!

2009-07-22T15:12:00.000-07:00

SUCCESSSSSSSSSSS! I reached my $10,000 fundraising goal for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute! Can you believe it?!? That's a small car!!! I worked so hard - for such a long time. I didn't do it alone either. So many of you supported my 2009 run for the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge through contributions and motivational emails to sharing personal stories and cheering me on along the route. Much thanks goes to my roommate, Kay, as well. She put forth great efforts to organize FIVE fundraising events with me throughout the season AND she ran just about every run with me in training. Thank you Kay and all from the bottom of my heart for your generosity - I could not have done this without you!!!

Together, we have reached our fundraising goal. We must be confident that these 10,000 dollars will not only improve the quality of life for those battling and surviving cancer, but that at least one of these 10,000 dollars will be used to discover the cure that we have been longing, searching, praying and hoping for....

With Love,
Katy Counihan

Day ?

2009-06-07T05:49:00.000-07:00

I attempted a streak, but it only lasted two days. My schedule was so packed on the third day that I would have had to run at 11pm to finish my mile for the day. It was then that I decided that streak running just isn't for me right now. Perhaps I will come back to it later on?! People are always looking for unique, larger than life athletic events (like the marathon) and I think it would be really neat for someone to organize a one year running streak for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Then, all could become members of the National Running Streak Association. Streak running does not seem that difficult at first, but maintaining a streak is just as hard as running the marathon.

While I failed miserably at streak running, I have remained quite active! I'm actually getting ready to say hello to my old friend, heartbreak hill, in a few minutes. I exercised eleven days in the last two weeks, and I feel AWESOME! I found some great workouts at fitnessmagazine.com and have been hitting the gym.

Anyhow, I just wanted to fill you in on the status of my running and let you know about my cut-a-thon happening on the 14th!!

Come to Safar at 235 Newbury Street in Boston on Sunday, June 14th from 12-5pm for a hair-cut and blow-dry, appetizers and beverages!! The cost is only $20/men and $30/women - amazing prices for a Newbury Street haircut! 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge! Walk-ins welcome or email me at kcounihan@gmail.com with questions! I'm now only $887.95 away from reaching my $10,000 goal for Dana-Farber, so your support is greatly appreciated (as always)!

Day 2

2009-05-13T04:42:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 12, 2009
3 Miles
Perfect conditions for a running streak (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since May 11, 2009):
Total Miles Logged: 5
Total Time Running: 50:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged May: 5

Yesterday, I completed a nice, easy run around the lake. I've been trying to work running into my daily routine, so I ran 1.5 miles to Newton Center, paid for my LSAT class, and ran 1.5 miles home. It was an expensive run - costing $333.33 per mile!!

I felt a little bit of pain on my left side, so I'm going to take it nice and easy today. The reason that I started running every other day during marathon training was because my body didn't react very well to running multiple days in a row. With this in mind, I'm going to build in some easy one-milers every couple of days to give my body time to repair itself. I've got a two-day streak!

Day 1

2009-05-11T17:55:00.001-07:00

Monday, May 11, 2009
2 Miles
Perfect conditions for a running streak (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since May 11, 2009):
Total Miles Logged: 2
Total Time Running: 20:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged May: 2

I did it! I didn't want to do it. I was scared to start running again (for some odd reason), but I did it! I ran my first two miles since the marathon! Owen and I went grocery shopping this afternoon and I ran home from the store. I turned on the Nano and moved to the sounds of "Geek in the Pink," "L-O-V-E," "Bubbly," and "Pretty Woman." I could feel my heart working hard for the first time in three weeks, and it felt good. I found myself smiling mid-run. I was reminded of my very first run through the corn fields in Sunderland, when I started running to get into shape for the U.S. Collegiate National Figure Skating Championships in Hawaii. I woke up early before class, pulled on my cotton sweatpants, and gave it everything I had just to get to the next telephone pole, stop sign, and mailbox. I've come a long way.

I decided not to pace myself for the first mile, so I got off to a fast start. For twenty minutes, I forgot about work, worries, chores, lists, and all of the little things that create unnecessary stress in my life. I focused on me. It felt good.

Owen commented on my speed as soon as I got home. That felt good too. Today marks the first day of my running streak. Only 364 more days to go until I can officially become a member of the U.S. Running Streak Association! Talk to you tomorrow!

So ... Now What?!?

2009-05-10T16:47:00.001-07:00

So ... I just finished the Boston Marathon. I still have a lot of thank you notes to send out. I'm planning a wedding and I'm getting ready to take the LSAT in September. Then, I'm hoping to get my JD/MBA at Suffolk University while continuing to work at Dana-Farber.

I would like to keep up with my running now that the marathon is over. WHY?! Because it gives me discipline and focus. It's a great way to keep in shape and it's a stress relief from my day-to-day activities. Running makes me feel good all over, so why not keep it up?! I haven't run since the marathon, and I'm starting to feel like a blob. I've been wanting to get back out there, but my mind gets in the way every time. Exercising and maintaining a healthy lifestyle is so important to me, which is why I've decided to give streak running a shot. This does not mean that I will be running hundreds of miles in a month though!

A running streak is defined by USRSA as running at least one continuous mile within each calendar day under one's own body power (without the utilization of any type of health or mechanical aid other than prosthetic devices). Treadmill running is allowed!

Monday, May 11, 2009, will officially mark the first day of my running streak. My general goal is to run home from work and to fill in the rest of the gaps with shorter, easy runs to give my legs a break. I will use this blog to track my progress. If I can run everyday for one year, I will qualify for membership in the United States Running Streak Association. Do you think I can do it?! Well, there's one way to find out. Here we go!

The 2009 Boston Marathon and Beyond

2009-05-10T15:20:00.000-07:00

The marathon. Sigh. It's done. I'm not quite sure where to start. I slept eight or nine solid hours. I ate a very Special-K breakfast. Kay and I boarded the B.A.A. buses around 5:45am. And - we ran 26.2 miles.

This might sound funny, but the race wasn't the highlight of my training this year. Last year, the marathon felt like a CELEBRATION! I crushed my goal! I overcame injury after injury and conquered the 2008 Boston Marathon (all for Dana-Farber). This year, I do not feel that I have reached my goal. While running was an important part of my 2009 DFMC experience, my ultimate goal was (and still is) to raise $10,000 for innovative cancer research at Dana-Farber. The good news is that there's still time to fundraise, and I've got a PLAN! I just got a call from Safar on Newbury Street, and we're in the process of planning another cut-a-thon! Do you think I can raise another $907.95? I'm so close! More to come!

The marathon itself was not my best run this year, but it felt FANTASTIC crossing the finish line in Copley Square. One of my teammates called the race a 26.2 mile schmooze, and that's just what I did! I hugged and high-fived my way from Hopkinton to Boston. My favorite part of the entire race was seeing my dad (alive and well!) at mile 10. He was so proud of me, and I thank God every day for giving us this opportunity (life). Another highlight was seeing Peter and Mrs. Lorenz in Wellesley because I know just how much this experience meant to Kay, and then seeing the Kellett clan on Commonwealth Avenue. I gave Katie Goodfellow a huge hug on Boylston Street and crossed the finishline after running for five hours, fifty-one minutes and forty-three seconds.

Again, I'm still working hard on my fundraising goal and I cannot thank you all enough for supporting my run!! So many of you sent me the names of your loved ones who have battled cancer, and I would like you to know that it was an honor to carry their names to the finish line. Your loved ones gave me the strength and motivation that I needed to run 26.2 miles for Dana-Farber. It was an emotional experience, and I thank each of you for trusting me with your loved ones.

I'm in the process of sending out my thank-yous and 100 Grands, so be on the lookout! People are already starting to ask me whether I'm going to sign up for the 2010 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. The marathon itself is currently up for debate (with the upcoming wedding and a JD/MBA on the horizon), but my heart is in it for the long run. Thank you to the DFMC volunteers, Jack and Jan for organizing this program for Dana-Farber. Aunt Joan, you are in my thoughts and prayers. Finally, Owen, thank you from the bottom of my heart for your love and support. As always, LOL :).

The End

2009-04-29T16:12:00.000-07:00

Monday, April 20, 2009
(26.2 Miles)!!!!!!!!!!!
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 518.2
Total Time Running: 100:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142
Total Miles Logged April: 62.2

Saturday, April 11, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 492.0
Total Time Running: 94:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142
Total Miles Logged April: 36

Thursday, April 9, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 482.0
Total Time Running: 92:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142
Total Miles Logged April: 26

Tuesday, April 7, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 476.0
Total Time Running: 91:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142
Total Miles Logged April: 20

Sunday, April 5, 2009
(8 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 470.0
Total Time Running: 90:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142
Total Miles Logged April: 14

Thursday, April 2, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 462.0
Total Time Running: 89:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142
Total Miles Logged April: 6

Saturday, March 28, 2009
(20 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 456.0
Total Time Running: 88:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 142

Thursday, March 26, 2009
(8 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 436.0
Total Time Running: 83:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 122

Tuesday, March 24, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 428.0
Total Time Running: 82:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 114

Win 100 GRAND!!!

2009-04-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

This is not a joke -- even though it is April Fool's Day!! Go to http://www.rundfmc.org/katyc2009 and make a gift of $15.00 or more to my online fundraising page on April 2nd (anytime before midnight) and you will receive 100 Grand!!

Settle down, settle down! I'm clearly talking about a 100 Grand candy bar -- even though you will be rich!*

*Rich with caramel, milk chocolate, and crispy crunchy goodness.

With your help, Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge will be rich too!! Again, just make a gift of $15.00 or more on April 2, 2009 and email me at kcounihan@gmail.com with your name and home address and I will gladly send you a 100 Grand candy bar (and a little love note) to thank you for your generosity!

Do you think we can raise 100 Grand?!

March 20th

2009-03-23T20:01:00.000-07:00

Dear Friends,

I'm writing because I have a lot on my mind right now, and I really need to share my thoughts. March 20th leaves a bitter-sweet taste in my mouth for a couple of reasons. For starters, the 2009 Boston Marathon is coming up on April 20th -- exactly one month from tomorrow! I'm nervous. I'm excited! I'm gearing up. I just ran a successful 18-miler, but I really, REALLY need your support because ....

I'm running in memory of my lovely grandmother, Rita V. Higgins, who passed away just one year ago -- on March 20th. She was perhaps my favorite person on this Earth, and I miss her more than you could ever imagine. I would not be the same person that I am today, if it weren't for my 4'10" tall grandmother.

Tomorrow is also the first day of spring -- my grandma's favorite time of year. This is the first spring that we will not be celebrating together.

Please go to http://www.rundfmc.org/katyc2009 to make a special gift online in support of my run in the 2009 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Your support on March 20th is especially important to me because it would also be a gift in memory of my grandmother. Every gift is greatly appreciated, whether it be $5, $15, $26.20, $100, or $1,000. Tell your friends. Tell your family. I have raised $5,000 thus far, but I really need your support in order to reach my $10,000 fundraising goal for my grandmother.

Please contribute to my run for innovative cancer research. Your support is greatly appreciated on March 20th.

Many thanks,
Katy Counihan

B.A.A. Charity Clinic

2009-03-23T19:20:00.001-07:00

I attended the B.A.A. Charity Clinic a few weeks ago, and it was AWESOME! I was so bummed when I couldn't attend last year, so it was great to be able to participate this year. DMSE planned a quick run before the clinic, but I wasn't able to make it to the run. I did, however, make it in time for the trail mix consisting of chocolate chip cookies! BRILLIANT!

Then, we watched a video of the 2008 Boston Marathon. I really hope that nobody saw me, but I got so excited and sad all at the same time. I became so incredibly emotional that tears started streaming down my face. I'm so glad that I sat in the far right corner of the auditorium. It was then that I truly realized how passionate I have become about the DFMC.

Dave McGillivray (my idol) and his team spoke about the Boston Marathon. They gave us some insider information about registration and hydration. Josh Nemzer ran us through the race route in about ten minutes (or less). Chris Troyanos gave us some medical advice.

I heard Dave McGillivray speak a couple of times before, and really enjoyed both of his presentations. Then, I read his book, "The Last Pick" and became even more interested in his story for a variety of reasons. For starters, Dave ran across the country for the Jimmy Fund!! If I had been working for DFCI at the time, I would've reviewed his pre-event plan and budget. Dave described the review process a little bit, and I really enjoyed reading about how thrilled he was to find that his plan had been accepted! Now, I'm just waiting for Dave to call us up to tell us that he's going to be running the Great Wall of China! It was nice reading Dave's story because I was able to relate to it on many different levels.

Anyhow, I introduced myself to Dave McGillivray following the clinic because I figured that I might as well go for it while I had the chance. I was totally shy and silly, and I really just said, "Thanks for everything!" After all, if it weren't for Dave's philanthropic spirit, I might not have the opportunity to run the Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber!

Hello Kevin Counihan

2009-03-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

Dear Kevin Counihan,

I'm not sure if we're related, but I regularly see your name listed as a participant in Boston-area road races. Looking forward to running in the pack behind you in the 2009 Boston Marathon! Best of luck out there (from one Counihan to another), and I hope that you will consider sponsoring my run for Dana-Farber at http://www.rundfmc.org/katyc2009 should you read my blog. Much appreciated!

Many thanks,
Katy Counihan

22091

2009-03-23T19:10:00.000-07:00

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That's my number!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Don't forget it!!! :)

Thanks Pete!

2009-03-23T19:04:00.001-07:00

I was running home from work the other day, and I was almost to Heartbreak Hill when someone yelled "RUN KATY, RUN!" out their car window. I couldn't tell who it was at the time, but it gave me just the boost I needed to get home during what was not an easy run. I found out a few days later that the driver was Pete!! THANKS PETE!! :) ... That made my run! :)

A Running Stream of Consciousness

2009-03-23T18:47:00.000-07:00

I'm going to use this post to ramble on for a little bit because it's been awhile since my last post. A TON has happened over the last month!! Owen and I got a new apartment together, and we are totally loving our new life! I've discovered a ton of new runs, and I'm still running with Kay on a regular basis. I also got into the habit of running home from work every couple of days, and I'm hoping that I'll keep up with the routine following the marathon.

The weather is starting to warm up and I had an AWESOME 17-miler a few weeks ago. It was my favorite run this year because it felt so great running in just a long-sleeved t-shirt. We got our 18-miler in, and we're gearing up for our 20-miler this weekend! I'm pretty pumped because I feel like I'm doing things right this year. I've been going for regular massages at the Boston Bodyworker (Natalie is highly recommended), and I feel good! I'm not going to do anything silly. I'm just going to keep on keepin' on, and take things one day at a time.

When I logged my mileage this afternoon, I noticed that I'm already well over the 400-mile mark! This is truly amazing considering some of the injuries that I battled last year.

I just discovered Arnold's Arboretum and it might just be my new favorite place to run!! Did you know that there are Redwood trees in Boston!?! It's true! Arnold's Arboretum is a secret (well, er public) garden in JP. There are tons of paths and it's quite hilly, but the view of Boston from Peter's Hill is well worth the effort. I can't wait to do this run again soon!

It's almost 10pm, and I'm in the process of washing my running clothes. I have no idea what I'm going to do with my time following the marathon!!

I'm still working on my fundraising -- BIG TIME! I sent an email to my Facebook Friends, and I'm in the process of organizing another cut-a-thon at Salon Acote. I really hope that we can pull it together! I'm setting up a table at the annual West Boylston High School Play Competitions on Friday night to collect contributions, and I'm looking into setting up a table at Walmart. Finally, I'm contemplating one more fundraiser, but I'd really like your feedback and suggestions.

Should I conduct a) an organized dog walk or b) a frisbee tournament?! Please comment!

Finally, I'm past the halfway mark with my fundraising!! I've raised over $5,000, but I still have a LOOooOoOOooooNNNGGggG way to go to reach my $10,000 fundraising goal! Please go to http://www.rundfmc.org/katyc2009 to sponsor my run! :)

You GO Daddio!

2009-03-23T18:35:00.001-07:00

Have you ever seen those intense mom and dad runners? You know who I'm talking about -- those parents who take their toddlers out for a quick twelve-miler after work. Are you wondering where I'm going with this post?! I'm starting to wonder myself. Basically, I just wanted to tell you about the dad I saw running up Heartbreak Hill. I'd guess that the guy was probably about forty-two years old, and he was pushing his toddler up the infamous Heartbreak Hill. GET THIS -- he was ALSO pushing his six-year old son on a bicycle up Heartbreak Hill! The POOR DAD!! His toddler was crying, and his six year old was whining about how he wasn't going to make it. I have a hard enough time just running up the hill. IMAGINE running up the hill with two small children! I stuck behind the bunch for a bit during one of my long runs because the scene made me chuckle outloud. Bottom line: that's dedication! Hats off to all of those parents who run with their children!

A Note to a Teammate - Listen Up!

2009-03-23T18:34:00.001-07:00

We still have over a month to go! Don't start questioning your abilities now. You've got this one! Crank it on the arc trainer and in the pool. Strengthen areas that need strengthening. Prepare your body and your mind. This is your battle to win. Not sure what injury you're dealing with, but walk-running might be okay. Do what you can every other day. Spend four hours on the elliptical. Give your body time to heal between workouts. Go for massages, and S-T-R-E-T-C-H. I struggled with injuries last year (primarily ITB and peroneal tendonitis). I didn't run my first 14-miler until mid-way through March. My longest run before the marathon was eighteen miles and I made it to the finish-line during the 2008 Boston Marathon in 5:30 -- thanks to some great advice! :)

You can finish. It's okay to walk. Just go out there and give it your all. Your donors cannot be disappointed if you give it your best. AND, keep collecting those dollars!!! Dana-Farber needs them!

All Caught Up!

2009-03-23T18:05:00.000-07:00

Saturday, March 21, 2009
(12 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 422.0
Total Time Running: 81:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 108

Thursday, March 19, 2009
(8 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 410.0
Total Time Running: 78:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 96

Tuesday, March 17, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 402.0
Total Time Running: 76:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 88

Saturday, March 14, 2009
(18 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 396.0
Total Time Running: 76:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 82

Wednesday, March 11, 2009
(8 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 378.0
Total Time Running: 72:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 64

Tuesday, March 10, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 370.0
Total Time Running: 71:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 56

Sunday, March 8, 2009
(17 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 364.0
Total Time Running: 70:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 50

Friday, March 6, 2009
(3 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 347.0
Total Time Running: 66:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 33

Wednesday, March 4, 2009
(8 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 344.0
Total Time Running: 65:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 30

Monday, March 2, 2009
(6 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 336.0
Total Time Running: 64:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 22

Sunday, March 1, 2009
(16 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 330.0
Total Time Running: 63:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95
Total Miles Logged March: 16

Friday, February 27, 2009
(5 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 314.0
Total Time Running: 60:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 95

Tuesday, February 24, 2009
(3 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 309.0
Total Time Running: 59:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 90

Monday, February 23, 2009
(7 Miles)
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 306.0
Total Time Running: 58:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 87

DFMC Events

2009-02-22T17:20:00.000-08:00

We conducted a series of successful events to raise additional funds for DFMC over the last couple of weeks:

On February 8th, Kay and I conducted "If Looks Could Cure" at Salon Acote! We were expecting approximately 40 people to participate in our event, but the final number was closer to 80 attendees! People got their haircuts on Newbury Street, and we provided refreshments. Salon Acote donated its venue and its stylists, and the event was extremely successful, raising almost two thousand dollars!

On February 11th, I conducted a deep water running session at the Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center. The pool was generously donated at no cost to us! Jack Fultz volunteered to coach the session, and we had approximately twenty attendees. The session raised almost five hundred dollars, and everyone had a great time! We also surprised Jack with a cake, wishing him a happy 2:11 on February 11th in honor of his personal best!

On February 18th, Kay and I conducted the Skate to Freeze Cancer 2 at The Skating Club of Boston. The skating club generously provided the arena and skate rentals, and Mickey and Minnie Mouse (and other stars from Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy) joined us! We encountered a snowstorm during the evening of the skate-a-thon, so we had several cancellations at the last minute. Still, we raised over $2K for Dana-Farber! Following the skate-a-thon, Mickey and Minnie visited kids at The Jimmy Fund Clinic!

Thank you to everyone who participated in our fundraising events! We are thrilled with the results of our hard work, and we are already planning our next round of events including another potential cut-a-thon in May and a skate-a-thon in April. I'm almost up to the halfway point with my fundraising!

Running of the Brides

2009-02-22T16:05:00.001-08:00

Got a great workout in this week during Running of the Brides! I found a great dress (not the one in the video clip below), and I was on the news! Check it out and feel free to read the email that I sent to my team following the run below:

http://wbztv.com/video/?id=73230@wbz.dayport.com

OMG! We made it on the news, (LOL - and probably the Christian Science Monitor), team!!! Mo, thanks for sending me this video!! That's hilarious!! Emily, we didn't end up getting the dress in the video. This was the first dress that I tried on -- thanks to Katherine!! I have no idea how she managed to get it so quickly!

The whole experience was so fun -- definitely sets the tone for our entire wedding, and I'm glad that I didn't have to do that by myself! Could you imagine!?! Between our strategy, 80's funk beat music machine and cardboard cutout sign, we definitely had the BEST, ragtag team there!! Can you believe some girls slept on the sidewalk overnight?!? CRAZY!! I love how we strolled in at 7:45am with Donuts!! My favorite moment was when we started running, and someone from the team was like -- "Oh. We actually have to run!?!" Patty charged straight through the madness with Anne. We lost Katherine and Mo. I laughed uncontrollably by an empty rack while Marielle took pictures. Then, Katherine came running with A REAL DRESS!! That's when WBZ news started filming! Then, the bartering began! Does anyone know who that random woman was who "formed an alliance" with us?! So strange!! Mo, I'm so glad you weren't trampled! ;) ... Thank you all for helping me find a great dress at a great price! LOL - and let's hope that I still fit into it in 2010!! :-P

Lots of love,
Katy

P.S. I showed the dress to my mom and dad today ... and they both love it! :) ... Dad said that I, (Insert we), couldn't have found a more perfect dress! :)

Just Catching Up!

2009-02-22T15:38:00.000-08:00

Saturday, February 21, 2009
10:15AM (13 Miles)
Washington and Hills
Weather: 35F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Sluggish. Slow. Harder than usual today. Feel semi-wiped out this week, which is strange because I'm on vacation. We were supposed to run 16, but we ran 13 instead. We stopped at Dunks for bagels at mile 13, and we walked a little bit. Okay. Okay, a lotta bit. Kay's knee started bothering her, and she didn't bring fuel. We decided not to push ourselves today because we haven't missed a run in three months. We hopped on the T at BC. Got off at Cleveland Circle. Hopped on the T at Reservoir. Ran home with our bagels from Brookline Hills. Still give this run a decent gut rating.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 299.0
Total Time Running: 57:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 79

Thursday, February 19, 2009
7:00PM (8 Miles)
Hills
Weather: 35F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Ran the hills backwards and forwards. Stopped at Star Market to use the ladies room, but the door was locked. Good run in general.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 286.0
Total Time Running: 54:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 66

Tuesday, February 17, 2009
9:30AM (5 Miles)
BHAC
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Indoor workout at the gym! On vacation this week. Ran and tried out a new machine! Loved it!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 278.0
Total Time Running: 53:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 01:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 58

Sunday, February 15, 2009
2:30PM (15 Miles)
Random Hills
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Great long run! Slow pace.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 277.0
Total Time Running: 52:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 57

Thursday, February 12, 2009
7:30PM (8 Miles)
Hills
Weather: 35F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Long day. Ran with Kate and Kay. Felt the ITB coming on during the last mile. Slowed the pace. Felt better.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 262.0
Total Time Running: 48:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 42

Tuesday, February 10, 2009
7:00PM (4 Miles)
Weather: ?
Conditions: ?
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Just catching up with my blog!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 254.0
Total Time Running: 47:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 34

Monday, February 9, 2009
5:30AM (7 Miles)
Weather: ?
Conditions: ?
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Just catching up with my blog!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 250.0
Total Time Running: 46:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 30

Friday, February 6, 2009
7:00AM (4 Miles)
Local Loop
Weather: ?
Conditions: ?
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Did a four mile recovery run today. Busy week!!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 243.0
Total Time Running: 45:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 23

Skate to Freeze Cancer 2 - Feb. 18th

2009-02-17T20:17:00.000-08:00

Hi Boston!

I'm running the Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, so I've organized a kid-friendly fundraiser (tomorrow, Feb. 18th from 5-7pm at The Skating Club of Boston)! Join stars from the cast of Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy in a skate-a-thon to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute! Skaters are asked to raise only $25.00, and the top ten skating fundraisers will each win two tickets to Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy!

Rumor has it that two famous mice are in town for our skate-a-thon, and we have some great giveaways lined up as well (including passes to the New England Aquarium, a family membership to the Puppet Showplace Theatre, Learn-to-skate lessons at The Skating Club of Boston, ice cream giftcards, skating-themed DVDs, cupcakes, Red Sox Hats, etc...)!

Please go to http://www.skatetofreezecancer.blogspot.com for more information, or feel free to email k.s.lorenz@hotmail.com with questions. Hope to see you tomorrow!

Many thanks,
Katy Counihan

Over the Hump

2009-02-05T04:43:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, February 4, 2009
7:00PM (14 Miles)
Beacon to the Hills
Weather: 24F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

This run kicked cancer's a$s! Our group fourteen miler is scheduled for Sunday, but we won't be able to make it because we have our fundraiser at Salon Acote. Saturday, we're setting up a table at the Skating Club of Boston to register skaters for the Skate to Freeze Cancer 2! Go to http://www.skatetofreezecancer.blogspot.com for more information! We can't get our long run in on Friday because Kay has plans on Friday evening. Tonight, I'm going to a Celtics vs. Lakers game with Owen. SoOooOoo, we decided to get it in on Wednesday this week. And ... it ROCKED!

My blog followers might remember that my breaking point occurred last year during my 13-mile run, so this year we decided to skip the 13-miler altogether. We ran a solid 14.1 miles last night, and we ran at a great pace!

The Marathon and Running Programs Office would be so proud of us because we wore our reflective gear and carried plenty of fluids, fuel, T-passes, money, a debit card, extra gloves, and quarters in case we had to make a phone call. We carb loaded on Tuesday night and nibbled/hydrated all day long on Wednesday. We were ready! And, boy did we have fun!

Our run took us out past Boston College and down Beacon for many miles. I didn't really "discover" Beacon street until my 18-miler last year. I always take Beacon into the city, but it's wonderful following Beacon into the 'burbs because the road widens and we can run in the breakdown lane. We didn't have to worry about snow and ice either! We turned onto Chestnut for a little while, and we found it scarier running down Chestnut than along Beacon. We really watched out for traffic because the road was so narrow. Kay expressed a little bit of "road runner rage" when a woman was driving and talking on her cell phone without paying attention to her surroundings (us). We actually jumped into a snowbank at one point. Whenever a car neared, we yelled "We're here!"

We were THRILLED when we turned onto the hills. We walked for just a moment, so that we could refuel. I broke into my Chocolate Outrage flavored Gu (the only one I had in the house). I didn't think that I was going to like it very much, but it was delish! It was sort of like eating chocolate frosting in the middle of my run! It gave me such a huge shot of energy! When we got past the hills, we stopped at Dunkin' Donuts because Kay had to pee for the second time during our run. Our first stop was at Pete's Coffee in Newton Center. The guy at Dunkin' Donuts was beyond nice! He filled our water bottles and cheered us on as we left the store! Thank you Dunkin' Donuts!! From there, it was an easy three miler home!

I'm so glad to have that run behind us. My body really seems to appreciate running every other day. I got a massage the other day, and that really helped too. I'm stretching and doing all the things that I didn't do at the start of my training last year. My legs aren't too sore this morning, which is a very good sign. We stretched on the kitchen floor for almost a half hour when we got home last night, and we called "the boyfriends" to let them know that we made it home. Owen called me before the run to wish me luck because he knew that this run would be mental challenge for me, and I was so excited to call him to say, "I did it!" Go DFMC!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 239.0
Total Time Running: 44:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 19

Skate to Freeze Cancer 2

2009-02-03T20:20:00.000-08:00

Lace up those skates! Help find a cure!

Join stars from Disney on Ice presents World of Fantasy for a Skate-a-thon to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Wednesday, February 18th, 5pm-7pm
The Skating Club of Boston, 1240 Soldiers Field Road, Brighton, MA.
Cost: $25.
But don't stop there!

The top 10 participants who collect the highest dollar amount in flat rate pledges will receive 2 tickets* to Disney on Ice presents Worlds of Fantasy at the TD Banknorth Garden, February 13-22, 2009. **Performance date and time TBD**

To participate:

Please visit www.skatetofreezecancer.blogspot.com to download a free registration form. Return the form, along with your $25 check or money order made payable to "Dana Farber Marathon Challenge" to:

Dana Farber Cancer Institute
Attn: Katy Counihan
10 Brookline Place West, 6th floor
Brookline, MA 02445
Questions? Email k.s.lorenz@hotmail.com today!

*100% of your $25 gift and any additional fundraising will benefit our run for the Claudia Adams Barr Program at Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston.

Newbury Street Haircuts to Benefit My Run!

2009-02-03T20:08:00.000-08:00

Kay and I have organized a hair cut-a-thon at Salon Acote (just in time for Valentine's Day) to raise money for our run for Dana-Farber! Enjoy haircuts, appetizers, beverages and giveaways at Salon Acote located at 132 Newbury Street on February 8th to benefit Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Haircuts cost only $30 for women and $20 for men. This is an amazing deal for a Newbury Street haircut, and the best part is that 100% of the proceeds will support innovative cancer research because the stylists are donating five hours of their time at no cost! Contact (617) 262-5111 to schedule your appointment between 11am and 4pm. Walk-ins are also welcome! We'll be there on Sunday to collect cash and checks made payable to "Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge." Forty people have already signed up for a haircut, and we hope to more than double that number! Feel free to email me at kcounihan@gmail.com if you'd like more information!

Dear Sock God, It's Me Katy.

2009-02-03T19:56:00.000-08:00

I just sent an email to WrightSocks, asking for a $5,000 contribution. I already have a TON of good things to say about their socks, but you bet that I will tell the world about their socks if they sponsor my run for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute! Fingers crossed. Will keep you posted!

WHOA!

2009-02-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

The economy is in rough shape, but this has been an AWESOME week for fundraising! I received not one, but two $500 contributions!! I danced around my room both times, and now I know what it feels like when a Major Gifts Officer receives his or her first HUGE contribution for an organization!

Whenever someone goes above and beyond to do something special for someone else, I make a mental note. $500 means 50 hours of work to some people. In today's economy, it means food on the table and a roof overhead. To some, $500 could mean a new television or a new computer. In this case, $500 means that the human race is one step closer to a cure. I'm so appreciative of the thought that went into both of these gifts (and every gift) for that matter. If anyone cannot afford to make a contribution, notes are greatly appreciated too! Support comes in all shapes and sizes, and all of it is greatly appreciated when training for the 2009 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber!

Thank you, Thank YOU, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart to everyone who has sponsored my run because Dana-Farber is doing great things, and it's a cause that I fully support! It is also an honor to run in memory and in support of your loved ones. If you would like to sponsor my run, please go to http://www.rundfmc.org/katyc2009. The marathon is just around the corner!

Splish Splash

2009-02-03T19:20:00.000-08:00

Monday, February 5, 2009
7:00PM (5 Miles)
Neighborhood Loop
Weather: 36F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

This run was pretty hilarious. Kay did a high split over a puddle. While I was busy making fun of her, I stepped in one (ankle-deep). My shoes squished for three miles. Karma is a .... I would fill in the rest of that sentence, but I'd like to portray Dana-Farber in a positive light. LOL. Talk about deep water running!

So ... I'd also like to use this post to apologize to my readers. Some of you might be following my blog because I've accidentally led you to believe that I'm really, REALLY fast. One of my readers pointed out that I'm always running at a 10mph pace (according to my stats). I meant to post that I'm running a 10 minute mile (or a 6 mph pace). You see, I'm actually very slow. My dad tells me that, that's okay because I get more for my fundraising dollars!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 225.0
Total Time Running: 41:15:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!
Total Miles Logged February: 5

Wind Tunnel

2009-02-03T19:10:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 31, 2009
8:00AM (12 Miles)
Watertown Run
Weather: 26F
Conditions: Sunny and Windy
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

Kay and I had a great group run today! We got our 12-miler in! I was a little concerned about Kay because she suffered from some pains on the right side of her stomach (likely caused by dehydration). We walked for a couple of minutes, and the pain subsided before it caused her more grief. Eventually, the problem subsided. The hill getting to "the hills" was tough, but the last stretch of the run was even tougher because we were faced with a nasty headwind. I sort of felt like I was a football player trying to rush the ball with a hundred obstacles in my way. Kay described it as "running two miles with every step." I hope the marathon isn't that windy. Felt great to get the mileage under our belts on Saturday morning because we had the rest of the weekend to relax.

We had a great run nonetheless, and Jan gave us the opportunity to promote all of our fundraising events!! I'm thrilled because we've actually had a lot of signups as a result!

Mentally, running is easier this year because I know I can do it. I'm running more, but I'm probably more cautious this year because I know what happens when you get off track. Note to self: Just keep at it! You're doing the right thing!

Finally, check out my stats below!!! I finally hit the 100-mile mark in a single month!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 220.0
Total Time Running: 40:15:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 108.5 <<<< CHECK THAT OUT!!!!

A Run and A Rental

2009-02-03T18:58:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 29, 2009
6:45PM (7 Miles)
Owen's House Run
Weather: 26F
Conditions: Icy
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 6 mph

This was my first run to Owen's house this season. We were hit by a nasty storm, so the sidewalks were sheer ice in some locations. I was forced to run in the street during most of it. I was in a bit of a hurry because we made an appointment to sign our new lease following the run. Can you believe it!? It's our first apartment!! I'm so excited! I stretched and changed into one of Owen's shirts and fleece jackets; I didn't even have time to shower! GROSS! Our real estate agent must've had second thoughts about renting to us when she saw my attire (and probably smelled my attire) that evening. Looking forward to finding some new running routes near our apartment come March 1st!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 208.0
Total Time Running: 38:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 96.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Record Setting Run

2009-01-27T04:25:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 27, 2009
6:15AM (5 Miles)
Brookline Ave.
Weather: 18F
Conditions: COLD!
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

We finished an easy five-miler this morning. We didn't talk a lot today. We just did our thing. Exciting news: our easy five-miler just put us over the 200-mile mark!!! AND ... if all goes as planned, we'll log over 100 miles in January!! I never ran 100 miles in a single month last year. I've been thinking about getting a car for a little while, but who needs a car when you've got legs!!

I just bought three new pairs of Wright Socks because I started getting massive blisters on my little toe. My new Wright Socks feel SO good! I couldn't feel my blisters at all today. Wearing new socks was a real treat for my feet!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 201.0
Total Time Running: 36:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 89.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Watch Out for Otter-Dogs!

2009-01-25T16:35:00.000-08:00

Sunday, January 25, 2009
7:30AM (11.5 Miles)
Wayland Run
Weather: 5F
Conditions: COLD!
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

Karen picked us up at the Chestnut Hill T-stop for our group run. THANK YOU, KAREN! If it hadn't been for Karen, we might've snoozed this morning. We left the house at 6:45AM, grabbed a couple of bagels at Dunks, and hopped onto the T. Karen drove us out to Wayland for our group run this morning. The Town of Wayland did a great job plowing the route. We didn't have to worry about many cars, and it was nice to run outside the city. We were surrounded on all sides by wildlife preserves, so the scenery was beautiful. Most of the DFMC team ran ahead of us, while Kay and I led the back of the pack. I used to try to keep up with my teammates, but I find that I feel much better if I run at my own pace. It's difficult to keep up with the Dana-Farber Kenyans, but it's comforting knowing that others (no matter how fast) are out there at the same time and running for the same reasons. Together, we run.

The first water stop was located at the 3.2 mile mark. I found it amusing that it was located on Water Row. Not sure if anyone else noticed that? Kay and I pressed on towards the second water stop. I stopped to give Roy a hug at the Lincoln Sudbury HS before we braved the icy sidewalk for a couple of minutes. The street signs were really funny today! We ran past Frost Lane -- how appropriate considering Kay's water bottle froze! I seem to have the strange ability to keep my water from freezing! More to come re: my super power! We turned around just before the 6 mile mark, and headed back.

On the way back, Kay had to PEE! And I mean PEE! There was no stopping this girl. She sprinted ahead of me, and I've never seen her run so fast. She contemplated going behind a couple of trees, but decided to hold it. We arrived back at the High School, but all the doors were locked. She almost went behind a snowbank until we noticed all of the parked cars near the gym. SUCCESS! We ran down the stairs (literally) and through the school (literally). We ran straight into the bathroom because we didn't want to lose any mileage or give our muscles time to cool down. Then, we ran through the school hallways and we followed the hockey team out of the school. We actually accompanied them on their long run for a few minutes.

We wound our way back to the water stop, where we enjoyed Gatorade slush puppies and frozen peanut M&Ms. Let me tell you, those were the best M&Ms and slushes we've ever had in our entire lives! THANK YOU DFMC volunteers! I always worry about the DFMC volunteers because they have the harder job out there. The runners are able to stay warm because we're moving, but the DFMC volunteers must FREEZE! They always take good care of us, and they are never without a smile!

We only had three miles to go after the water stop. It was then that we had to watch out for otter-dogs. There were "wildlife crossing" signs posted along the route, and there was a picture of an animal on each one of them. The problem, however, was that we couldn't tell what kind of animal it was. It had the head of an otter and the legs and tail of a dog. Watch out for otter-dogs! You bet I would be running fast if an otter-dog came out of the woods. Sigh. The things that keep you preoccupied during a long run can be semi-outrageous sometimes! At least we have a good time out there and make the best of the cold weather!

After we finished our long run, we went flyer dropping on Newbury Street. I am so ready to crash for the evening and it's only 8pm. Well, goodnight readers!

P.S. I have received almost 19,000 hits on my blog!!! If I only had one dollar for every one of those hits!! I would surpass my fundraising goal! If you are reading my blog, please take the time to sponsor my run sometime this week at http://www.rundfmc.org/katyc2009. Your support is greatly appreciated as I press on towards my $10,000 fundraising goal!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 196.0
Total Time Running: 35:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 84.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Fundraising Update

2009-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

A lot has happened since my last post! We held our bowling event and raised approximately $900!!! Can you believe it!?! It was so nice getting together with friends and family after work, and we are pleased with the outcome.

I sent out a ton of letters and messages, and the contributions are coming in. My Aunt Doris sponsored my run in memory of her friend Debbie. Last year, Debbie sponsored my run too. The note that accompanied my aunt's gift read, "This donation is given in memory of my friend Debbie Petersen - Died from Cancer 6/26/08." I thought of Debbie during my long run, and I will continue to think of her during my training. I called my Aunt to thank her for her contribution, and we had such a wonderful conversation. It turns out that she used to be a "tom boy" too. She excelled in baseball, and people called her "Slugger Higgins" because she only hit home runs. I hope that my aunt will be able to join my parents out on the route on Marathon Monday. This experience has brought us closer together.

I mailed ribbons out with all of my letters, and asked friends and family to write the names of their loved ones on the ribbons. Yesterday, I received a contribution from my Aunt Pat. The name on the ribbon was "John Edward Counihan." I do not remember my grandfather because he died from lung cancer not long after I was born. It will be an honor to wear his ribbon on my singlet during the marathon. My Aunt Pat's contribution was her last Dr. Martin official titled donation because she just retired!

We have 15-20 people scheduled for Deep Water Running on Wednesday, and we're receiving emails about the Skate to Freeze Cancer 2! The hair cut-a-thon is in full swing as well! Will post event-specific updates tomorrow!

Log It!

2009-01-24T19:10:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 24, 2009
7:30PM (5 Miles)
Pond Run
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Warm. Dark
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

Awesome run with Kay! Got a little lost, but loved the new route!! We ran all over Brookline and off the beaten path. Checked out the beautiful houses, and visited the snow-covered reservoir. This might've been my favorite run this year! We were only supposed to run four, but we accidentally ran 5. Our next run is an 11 miler!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 184.5
Total Time Running: 33:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 73

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Thursday, January 22, 2009
7:30PM (5 Miles)
BHAC - Treadmill
Weather: Indoors
Conditions: Hot!
Gut Rating: 4
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

Got off to a rough start, but found my pace after playing w/ the buttons on the treadmill. It was so hot! Not the best run. Kay ran in the morning today, so I was on my own.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 179.5
Total Time Running: 32:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 68

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Tuesday, January 20, 2009
7:00PM (7 Miles)
BHAC - Treadmill
Weather: 8F
Conditions: Dark. Cold.
Gut Rating: 4
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

This run was TOUGH! I did seven miles on the treadmill without music or television to distract me! Stared at the wall for seven miles. If I can do that ... I can run another marathon.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 174.5
Total Time Running: 31:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 63

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Sunday, January 18, 2009
7:00PM (2 Miles)
Treadmill
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Hot!
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

Jammed to the tunes. Cranked it on the treadmill. Watched figure skating!!! ... GREAT RUN!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 167.5
Total Time Running: 29:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 56

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Saturday, January 17, 2009
9:30AM (10 Miles)
Hills x 2
Weather: 10F
Conditions: Sunny and Coooold. No wind.
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

Awesome long run with Kay! We ran the hills twice and finished in under two hours! Discovered that I have the strange ability to keep my water bottle from freezing! LOL. First double digit run!! Felt great after my massage last night!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 165.5
Total Time Running: 29:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 54

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Thursday, January 15, 2009
6:00AM (7 Miles)
BC Run
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

We found a new route this morning and saw the sun rise! I enjoyed this one, but Kay wasn't feeling well. We cut through Boston College.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 155.5
Total Time Running: 27:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 44

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Tuesday, January 13, 2009
7:00PM (3 Miles)
Neighborhood Loop
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

We ran all over creation tonight.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 148.5
Total Time Running: 25:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 37

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Monday, January 12, 2009
6:30M (9 Miles)
Hills
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

Today was a roommate run! Kate, Kay and I ventured out for our long run today. I got faster as the run progressed. Felt AWESOME!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 145.5
Total Time Running: 25:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 34

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Laundry

2009-01-10T10:06:00.000-08:00

Runners have a lot of laundry, especially in the winter when we have to dress in layers. I almost can't keep up with it! I know some guys wear their running clothes on multiple occasions, but I don't want to scare away my donors. Since I have the Zipcar today, I'm going to do some of my laundry over at Owen's apartment.

Road Trip

2009-01-10T09:56:00.000-08:00

Looks like the group run was cancelled for the weekend due to the incoming storm. I'm going to do some crosstraining on Sunday and do my long run on Monday instead.

On a different note, I'm full steam ahead with my fundraising. I just drove to Lowell to drop off a bunch of flyers for the Skate to Freeze Cancer at the Colonial Synchro Classic with Kay. Thank goodness for Zipcar! There will be over a thousand skaters in attendance at the event, and the Skate to Freeze Cancer will be posted on the jumbotron and announced over the loudspeaker. I hope that everyone picks up a flyer at the registration desk!

We're hoping to conduct two separate skate-a-thons, and I may conduct a third one on my own at UMass Amherst with the help of the UMass Figure Skating Team. We're currently trying to book the ice for the skate-a-thons. Our dates are still tentative. FMC Arenas has graciously offered to donate the ice in April, and we're still working on securing ice for our February event in the Boston area. We'll be sure to keep everyone posted!

Recovery Run

2009-01-09T04:48:00.000-08:00

Friday, January 9, 2009
7:00AM (2 Miles)
Rt. 9
Weather: 22F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

This morning, we completed a two-mile recovery run. I chuckle a little bit on the inside whenever someone uses the words "recovery" and "run" in the same sentence. I understand the concept of a recovery run, but it's funny to me how runners recover from running by running more. When I skated for Disney on Ice, I used to find it humorous when we'd go skating on our days off. I'm think I'm beginning to like running, and I suppose that's a good thing because I'm training for a marathon.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 136.5
Total Time Running: 23:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 25

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Multitasking

2009-01-08T04:38:00.000-08:00

Thursday, January 7, 2009
6:00AM (7 Miles)
BC Loop
Weather: 40F (took off my jacket)
Conditions: Dark ... then Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 11 mph

Last night, we decided to work on our fundraising in exchange for our mid-week long run. We prepared an Evite for "If Looks Could Cure" and for "Deep Water Running for Dana-Farber." To make up for our run, we completed our long run early this morning. It was pretty dark when we left the house, but the sun was shining when we returned. We really watched our footing because it was still fairly icy from our last storm.

We completed a new route today, which naturally means that we got a little lost. I have such a good sense of direction in the car, but I could defintely use a GPS during my long runs. I used to keep maps with me, but they would disintegrate in my pocket. Not very helpful if you ask me! Anyhow, we asked for directions at Boston College and took a shortcut through campus. I was looking out for Katherine and Tricia, but they probably weren't wandering around school at 6am.

We're right on schedule with our training, and my body feels pretty good. I'm a little more cautious this year because I know what happens when you're not careful. Marathon training hasn't been too stressful. I just wake up and run. I've come to the conclusion that fundraising is the bigger challenge.

I've been working SO hard on my fundraising events. I almost have too much on my plate, but I would never admit it in person. To put things in perspective, we have events on January 21st, January 28th, February 8th, and possibly on February 18th and April 3rd. I'm sending out my fundraising letters and I'm asking for $10 contributions from my Facebook friends. And - that's not all! I'm also getting married, studying for the LSAT and working a full time job. You only live once, so you might as well do it all!

Last year, I asked my Facebook friends to sponsor my run, but I didn't get a huge response. This year, I'm asking my Facebook friends specifically for $10 contributions. I figured that this was a good "ask" because things are pretty tight fro many people this year, and I haven't seen some of my Facebook friends in awhile. My $10 dollar mission on Facebook has been really successful so far because I received gifts from many people who did not contribute to my run last year. It can take a little while to request contributions from all of your Facebook friends, but I would definitely suggest this fundraising tactic to my DFMC teammates!

Speaking of multitasking ... I'm blogging and stretching at the same time! I should join the circus or something. Oh wait. I already did that! LOL. Have a great day!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 134.5
Total Time Running: 23:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 23

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Round Two

2009-01-05T19:18:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 5, 2009
6:00PM (5 Miles)
Neighborhood loop
Weather: 41F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 4
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 mph

The ice thawed, so we decided to run five miles this evening. I wore my new, blue running top from Brian and Kate. Thanks guys! We definitely ran faster than usual, but my body felt tired after my first day back to work in eleven days. It was nice having Kay's company because she really kept me going tonight.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 127.5
Total Time Running: 21:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 16

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Knockin' Down Cancer

2009-01-05T04:16:00.000-08:00

Please join us for bowling, pizza and drinks... The more the merrier!

Location: Lucky Strike, 145 Ipswich Street, Boston, MA 02215

When: Wednesday, January 21, 6:00PM

Who doesn't love to bowl? And what if it were for a good cause?

Kay and I are running the 113th Boston Marathon in April with the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team and we are raising money to help their efforts to find a cure for cancer. We would love your help.

$25 gets you in and covers the cost of bowling, shoes and pizza for two hours! 100% of all money raised will be going to Dana-Farber's Claudia Adams Barr Program for Basic Innovative Cancer Research.

Please respond to this post if you would like to be added to the Evite. Hope to see you there!

Best Efforts

2009-01-05T03:56:00.000-08:00

Monday, January 5, 2009
6:30AM (0 Miles)
Neighborhood loop
Weather: 25F
Conditions: Black Ice
Gut Rating: N/A
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 0 mph

We woke up nice and early this morning to run five miles, and I was really feeling it today. Unfotunately, we stepped outside and onto a skating rink. Our street was sheer ice! Tires were spinning around us and getting nowhere. For some reason, we thought that sidewalk/road conditions would be better along the main drive, but we were wrong. Despite the black ice, we contemplated running for almost twenty minutes before we decided to turn around and head inside. On to "Plan B"! Instead of running on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, we're following a Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Sunday schedule this week. Tonight will be my first crosstraining day in a long time. Yahoo! Way to ring in the New Year!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 122.5
Total Time Running: 20:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 11

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

If Looks Could Cure

2009-01-04T18:16:00.000-08:00

Enjoy a haircut and blow-dry, appetizers, beverages, and giveaways at Acote Salon on Newbury Street to benefit the Claudia Adams Barr Program in Basic Innovative Cancer Research at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Contact the salon at (617) 262-5111 to schedule your appointment.

Date: Sunday, February 8, 2009 (Just in time for Valentine's day!)

Time: 11:00am to 4:00pm

Location: Acote Salon, 132 Newbury Street, Boston, MA 02116

Price: $20 for men, $30 for women (Please bring cash or a check made payable to: "Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge")

This event is being organized by two marathoners (me and my roommate) who will be running the 2009 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

A very special thanks to Acote Salon for donating its salon and stylists to make this event possible! Thanks to Acote Salon, 100% of the proceeds raised will benefit innovative cancer research!

Let me know if you're coming! :) ... Hope to see you there! :)

Deep Water Running for DFMC!

2009-01-04T18:01:00.000-08:00

Deep water running is a good alternative workout for those suffering from ITB syndrome and other running-related injuries. It's also great for cross training!

Jack Fultz has volunteered to coach two back-to-back deep water running workouts for the DFMC team!

When: Wednesday, January 28, 2009 from 6-7pm and 7-8pm

Where: Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center, 60 Tappan Street, Brookline, MA (Parking available ... and it's a 2 minute walk from the Brookline Hills T-Stop on the D-Line)

Cost: $25 for a one-hour session (includes one hour of pool time, coaching, and belt rental)

*Participants will also be entered into an opportunity drawing to win a FREE 3-month membership at the Beacon Hill Athletic Club. (Fair market value: $177).

Respond to this post if you'd like to participate - with your name, email, and availability (6-7pm, 7-8pm, or both sessions). Space is limited, so register EARLY!

100% of the proceeds supports the Claudia Adams Barr Program and the registration fee is fully tax deductible.

*No purchase necessary to enter the opportunity drawing. Maximum 10 entries per person.

Thank you to the Evelyn Kirrane Aquatics Center for donating the use of its pool to make this event possible!

All Caught Up

2009-01-04T17:54:00.000-08:00

Saturday, January 3, 2009
8:00AM (8-Mile Run)
Watertown
Weather: 24F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who Knows?

Today was my second group run. Susan (not "Suzie") picked us up at our house. Today was Kay's first group run. It was not my favorite run thus far, but we got the job done. Eight more hours in the bank! I'm officially caught up with my blog posts! Now, I need to catch up with my cross training.

Friday, January 2, 2009
9:00AM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who Knows?

We stopped by the Brookline Pool to check out the deep water running belt situation. More to come!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 122.5
Total Time Running: 20:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61
Total Miles Logged January: 11

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Flying

2009-01-04T17:42:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 31, 2008
8:00AM (6-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Snow is on the way!
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who Knows?

Today, I felt like a bird out of its cage. I ran, FAST! It was my last run before the New Year. We left the house at 8:00AM, and the snow was scheduled to start at 9:00AM. Kay stretched for a couple of minutes, while I completed my final lap around the reservoir. I flew!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 111.5
Total Time Running: 18:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 61

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Lucky Number Four!

2009-01-04T17:36:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 29, 2008
7:00AM (4-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who Knows?

You know what goes perfect with a four-mile run? Answer: a four-hour test. I completed the GMAT and ran four miles. Talk about a productive day!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 107.5
Total Time Running: 17:45:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 57

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

A Jolly Jaunt

2009-01-04T17:20:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 24, 2008
7:00AM (4-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who Knows?

Twas the day before Christmas, so we laced up our shoes. We went for a run, and resisted the "snooze." The end. Sorry, it's much too late to be creative. My running buddy and I were separated over the holidays. We were both supposed to complete a six miler and a two miler on our own, but I got sidetracked with my GMAT studying. I know, I know. No excuses. Bah humbug!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 103.5
Total Time Running: 17:05:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 53

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Yax Tracks Anyone?!

2009-01-04T17:01:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 22, 2008
5:30PM (7-Mile Run)
Woodland
Weather: 25F
Conditions: Snowy/Treacherous
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 12 min/mile

Kay's brother gave us a ride out to Woodland tonight. We actually feared for our lives during our run. It usually takes us about five minutes to run from the T-stop to the fire station, but I'd estimate that it took at least twenty minutes. Snowbanks covered the sidewalks, so we were forced to run in the road at times. READ: SCARY! The roads were much narrower than usual, and the cars were a little too close for comfort. We stomped through the snow until we saw that no cars were coming. Then, we sprinted as if our lives depended on it! Let me tell you, it took us forever to get to the fire station, but we were FAST when we had the opportunity! We must've looked so crazy to the oncoming traffic. Next time, we're asking Kay's brother to drop us off at the fire house. I think I'm going to invest in Yax Tracks or snowshoes before I attempt that run again!

The rest of the run was a breeze compared to the first half-mile. I never thought I'd call Heartbreak Hill "a breeze." It was such a relief to get to the carriage path because Newton takes great care of it. Although this run was difficult, it was my favorite thus far. Kay had a great run too, because her knee didn't bother her!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 99.5 (LOL - could I be any closer?!?)
Total Time Running: 16:25:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 49

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Tuesday, Thursday, Friday - One Big Blur

2009-01-04T16:46:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 19, 2008
(3-Mile Run)
Brookline
Weather: ?
Conditions: ?
Gut Rating: ?
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: ?

Thursday, December 18, 2008
(7-Mile Run)
Brookline
Weather: ?
Conditions: ?
Gut Rating: ?
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: ?

Tuesday, December 16, 2008
(4-Mile Run)
Brookline
Weather: ?
Conditions: ?
Gut Rating: ?
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: ?

I logged my mileage on a separate sheet of paper, so that I could accurately post it online. Our internet was down for a couple of weeks, so I'm just catching up with my blogging now. We had a nasty storm in Worcester (lots of fallen trees), so I went home to visit friends and family over the weekend. The rest of the week is a big blur.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 92.5
Total Time Running: 15:55:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 42

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

My First DFMC Group Run

2009-01-04T16:33:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 13, 2008
8:00AM (6.5-Mile Run)
Watertown
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 10 min/mile

Today was my first group run! I ran with Sarah Neukom and Karen. It was great to see the rest of the team! Forgot how much I love breakfast at the Mt. Auburn Club! DFMC always takes good care of us after our long runs! Finding transportation to the group runs can be tricky sometimes, but not today! I rented a Zipcar, and picked up Eric Kaye and Sarah on the way there.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 78.5
Total Time Running: 13:35:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 28

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

The Bucket Run

2008-12-15T18:57:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 11, 2008
5:30PM (5-Mile Run)
Brookline Avenue Run
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Serious Rain
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

It was difficult to get going today because the weather was nasty out, but I heard Jack saying, "There is no bad weather, just bad clothing...". It took us at least a half-hour to mentally and physically prepare for this run. We changed several times, and tested the weather in a couple of different "outfits." I told Kay about my top- secret rain gear: a cotton hoody and a waterproof jacket. Few people believe me when I tell them that cotton sweatshirts are the key to a successful, rainy long run. I almost don't believe it myself, but it works every time! I couldn't have survived my 18-miler last year without my hoody. You see, people just want to curl up under the covers whenever the weather is bad, so I've somehow talked myself into thinking that wearing a hooded sweatshirt is just as nice as crawling under my down comforter. The hooded sweatshirt soaks up all the rain, but keeps you really warm. The waterproof jacket protects against the wind and rain underneath the hooded sweatshirt. I find it uncomfortable to wear multiple layers underneath a jacket, so I just wear them on top.

We got off to a shaky start this evening when I accidentally kicked the bucket at the end of my street. We also hit a couple of deep puddles, but my feet dried off pretty quickly. Even though it was "raining buckets," the rain was almost refreshing. I really enjoyed this run with Kay. Five more miles in the bank!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 72
Total Time Running: 12:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 21.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Cold Gums and a Visit from Jan!

2008-12-15T17:45:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, December 9, 2008
7:00AM (4-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Wind, Sunny
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

It was chilly this morning, so I wore my new minty green fitness fleece. There are a few things that every runner/fundraiser should own: an L.L.Bean Fitness Fleece and several pairs of Wrightsocks. FYI - If you are shopping for a runner this Christmas, a wide selection of Fitness Fleeces is currently on sale at L.L.Bean. You can't beat the price at only $25.00. I love them so much that I own six of them! I also never run without my blister-free Wrightsocks! I wish they made Wrightsocks in black and nude, so that I could wear them under my dress shoes at work. I wore Wrightsocks during the marathon last year, and I didn't get a single blister! Lastly, I never run without my "sip," and other runners tease me for it. My "sip" is a miniature water bottle. It holds only eight ounces of fluids, but it's my lifeline. People find it strange when I carry it during road races, marathons, and training runs ... but you never know when you're going to need a sip!

Anyhow, back to my run! My run felt great, but I seem to be struggling with cold hands and gums. I wonder if any other runners suffer from cold gums. How do you warm up cold gums anyways?! Any suggestions? I don't think that I feel comfortable wearing a ski mask because I would feel like a bank robber -- not the best way to raise money for Dana-Farber! I've tried so many different types of gloves in an attempt to solve my cold hand problem, but nothing seems to be working. My hands turn bright red and freeze during the winter. I don't remember having this problem last year. Karen suggested that I try a liner underneath my gloves. If that doesn't work, I'm going to try Katherine Kellett's "mittens over gloves" approach.

One of my favorite memories from this run was that Jan Ross, the Director of Marathon and Running Programs, saw Kay and me when she was driving to work. She saw us before we saw her. She pulled over in her SUV and wished us a good run. This gave us just the burst of energy that we needed to finish our four-miler, and I hope she visits again in the future!

I just noticed that I'm really behind with my crosstraining. Hmmm. A good New Year's resolution!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 67
Total Time Running: 11:40:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 16.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

A Note to a Fundraiser

2008-12-08T20:51:00.000-08:00

You can do it. You can raise $10,000. You just have to buckle down and do it. Stick to the calendar because April will be here before you know it. You started your Facebook group and sent your emails. You contacted the skating rinks to book some ice time for the Skate to Freeze Cancer 2. You're working with the salon on another event. You are on the right track. Just be patient. You will raise $10,000, but you need to work harder. Get to work early. Stay late. That's how you get it done. Ask everyone you know for contributions. Keep at it!

Snowy Sunday

2008-12-07T18:35:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 7, 2008
9:00AM (5.5-Mile Run)
Newton "Flats"
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Wind, Snow
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: 12

Felt good to finish my run in the morning. Ran with Kay.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 63
Total Time Running: 11:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 12.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Where did November go?!?

2008-12-06T19:38:00.000-08:00

November was a whirlwind of a month. Since my "Lone Runner" post, I have logged thirty-four miles (all of them with Kay)! We celebrated a wonderful Thanksgiving and my dad's 65th birthday on November 30th. AND ... I got engaged! Owen asked me to marry him on November 21st. It was totally unexpected! I finished a rather long day at work and went on a quick run with Kay (because Owen and I had dinner plans that night). Neither of us really felt like running. We originally intended to do a quick three miles around the reservoir, but we made it as far as the football field. It was so funny! We lapped the football field a few times and headed back home. Owen showed up while I was getting ready. He seemed like he was antsy for dinner ... so I hurried to get ready. Every time I left my room and came back, he was sitting in a different location. I was about to ask him if he was feeling okay, when he closed the door to my bedroom and took my hand. He said that he had something to ask me. Then, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him! I said yes, Yes, YES! He gave me a beautiful ring, and filled me in on everything that had happened up to that point (the pre-proposal story). I was pretty speechless for a couple of minutes because this was all so unexpected! Then, I got a little teary and started laughing. THEN, I was just so excited! We drove home to tell his parents the news and then drove to tell my dad. My dad's reaction was totally priceless, and I wouldn't change it for the world. He kissed my hand and shook Owen's hand. He couldn't have been happier. Owen and I were so excited that we almost forgot to eat dinner. We grabbed subs around 9pm ... and headed back to my house. I think that I said "oh my gosh" about a hundred times that weekend. Again, this has been a whirlwind of a month ... but I've managed to keep up with my running! Now, I really need to keep up with my fundraising and blogging.

I sent out over two hundred emails a couple weeks ago and started a DFMC group on Facebook. I plan on asking all of my Facebook friends for $10.00 contributions. This was a great suggestion at the DFMC runners' meeting the other day! I guess you could call it my "Aha moment." The meeting on Thursday was excellent. Steve Koppel addressed the economy and how it will impact our fundraising. Tyler collected fundraising suggestions from the audience. Jan handled the "administrative stuff" and Jack talked about training. We also heard from Ryan at the Boston Running Company, who gave a great talk on dressing for the winter. It was a great surprise when we found out that he participated in the Olympic trials in NYC!

Tomorrow will be a busy day. I'm going to run the hills at 9am with Kay. Then, I'm going to take a GMAT practice exam because I'm taking the GMAT on December 29th. I need to write my fundraising letter and secure some ice for the Skate to Freeze Cancer 2. I also need to do my laundry, cleaning, Peapod grocery shopping, and buy gifts for my mom, Owen and Emily. Busy, busy because Christmas is just around the corner!

Please sponsor my run at www.runDFMC.org/katyc2009

Catching Up

2008-12-06T18:08:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 4, 2008
7:15AM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 35F
Conditions: Windy
Gut Rating: 4
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Shouldn't have gone to the Cheesecake Factory last night! Slow, slow, SLOW! A Canadian Goose hissed at Kay and stared her down. I thought that there was going to be a serious brawl.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 57.5
Total Time Running: 09:45:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 7

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Tuesday, December 2, 2008
5:30PM (4-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 45F
Conditions: Dark, Clear
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Nice and warm for a December evening. Water was calm and crystal clear. Easy four miles after the Conference on Philanthropy.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 54.5
Total Time Running: 09:15:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5
Total Miles Logged December: 4

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00
Total Hours December: 00:00:00

Sunday, November 30, 2008
5:30PM (5-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Rain, Wind
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Wore my waterproof shell under my UMass sweatshirt. Downpouring rain. Serious wind. Legs felt AMAZING! Happy 65th birthday, Dad!!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 50.5
Total Time Running: 08:35:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 41.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Wednesday, November 26, 2008
7:15AM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Kay and I are anxious for Thanksgiving tomorrow!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 45.5
Total Time Running: 07:45:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 36.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Monday, November 24, 2008
5:30PM (5-Mile Run)
Newton "Flats"
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Woodland to Reservoir. Great run with Kay!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 42.5
Total Time Running: 07:15:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 33.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Sunday, November 23, 2008
5:30PM (3-Mile Run)
Neighborhood loop
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 1
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

First run as Owen's fiance! Oh my gosh!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 37.5
Total Time Running: 06:25:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 28.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Friday, November 21, 2008
5:30PM (2-Mile Run)
Football Field Run
Weather: 25F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Kay and I did not feel like running. Owen was on the way to my house. Our plan was to run down to the reservoir, but we decided to lap the football field insstead. Little did I know that Owen was going to ask me to marry him tonight!!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 34.5
Total Time Running: 05:55:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 25.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Wednesday, November 19, 2008
7:15AM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 20F
Conditions: I can see my breath!
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 32.5
Total Time Running: 05:35:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 23.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Monday, November 17, 2008
7:15AM (3-Mile Run)
The Fens
Weather: 35F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 4
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Nice Fall day. Not so nice run. Stomach cramp.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 29.5
Total Time Running: 05:05:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 20.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Saturday, November 15, 2008
6:30PM (4-Mile Run)
Comm. Ave Loop
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

We didn't get lost this time! This was a nice, slow run. We decided to run down Comm. Ave. instead of up Comm. Ave. to avoid the massive hill!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 26.5
Total Time Running: 04:35:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 17.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Thursday, November 13, 2008
7:15AM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: I forget!
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 22.5
Total Time Running: 03:55:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 13.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

Tuesday, November 11, 2008
7:15PM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 40F
Conditions: I forget!
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

This was a gross run! I almost stepped on a dead squirrel and the reservoir smelled terrible today!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 19.5
Total Time Running: 03:15:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 10.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00
Total Hours November: 00:00:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

The Lone Runner

2008-11-09T21:01:00.000-08:00

Saturday, November 8, 2008
10:30AM (4-Mile Run)
Worcester Out and Back
Weather: 60F
Conditions: Cloudy
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Today, I was a lone runner. My run started and ended at my parents' home in Worcester. I was hot and slow. I should've looked at the weather before I packed my black running tights and a long sleeved shirt because I would've been more comfortable wearing a tank top and shorts. I completed my run nonetheless!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 23.5
Total Time Running: 03:55:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 14.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

DFMC Karaoke

2008-11-06T18:54:00.000-08:00

Thursday, November 6, 2008
5:45PM (3-Mile Run)
Neighborhood Loop
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Dark and Rainy
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

It was a dark and stormy night ... but I had a great run nonetheless! I actually enjoy running in the rain when it's not too cold; it's almost refreshing. Jack says that there's no bad weather, just bad clothing. I would like to dedicate the following song to everyone on the DFMC team who went for a run tonight!

Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo
Doo-dloo-doo-doo-doo-doo...

I'm running in the rain
Just running in the rain
What a glorious feelin'
I'm happy again
I'm laughing at clouds
So dark up above
The sun's in my heart
And I'm ready for love
Let the stormy clouds chase
Everyone from the place
Come on with the rain
I've a smile on my face
I walk down the lane
With a happy refrain
Just runnin',
Runnin' in the rain

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 19.5
Total Time Running: 03:15:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 10.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Running for President

2008-11-04T19:43:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, November 4, 2008
7:15PM (2-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 3
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Our two-miler felt harder than usual, perhaps because I was up late on Monday night. We tried to vote during our run this morning, but the lines were out the door. We chose not to take a two hour break in the middle of our workout. The line was much more reasonable when I voted this afternoon. It is currently 11:03pm and I'm watching the news coverage of the election. Obama just won!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 16.5
Total Time Running: 02:45:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 7.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

We "Beat a Bag"

2008-11-02T18:23:00.000-08:00

Sunday, November 2, 2008
7:30PM (5.5-Mile Run)
Comm. Ave Loop
Weather: 31F
Conditions: Dark
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

It's been a busy couple of days! I took a free practice GMAT test at Kaplan on Thursday and Friday was Halloween. I picked up my GMAT score on Saturday morning and explored Newton Center and Newton Highlands with Owen on Saturday afternoon. We celebrated Kay's birthday at Kings on Saturday night, and I caught the bus home to Worcester to visit my dad this morning. I arrived back at my apartment at 7:15pm ... just in time for my long run with Kay! It's now 9:34pm, and this is the first "down-time" that I've really had all weekend. I find it amusing when people claim that there aren't enough hours in the day because there are plenty of hours in the day. I would probably run myself ragged if there were more hours to fill. Sometimes, I don't know how we (marathoners) manage to pack it all in. I've come to the conclusion that you don't need to be a stellar athlete or own fancy equipment to complete a successful marathon. The key really is time management. It's important to lead a balanced life, even when you're training for a marathon. Speaking of time management, I'm proud to report that I completed my mileage goal for the week!

On a separate note, tonight was rather windy. We found ourselves running alongside a white, plastic bag that was blowing down the sidewalk. It stuck with us for a minute or two, and we enjoyed the extra company while it lasted. It reminded me of "Wilson" from Cast Away, but I probably would've named it Gomes after the winner of the NYC Marathon. I found it amusing when Kay and I increased our pace to keep up with it. We couldn't let a bag beat us! It eventually lost steam and ate our dust. Poor Gomes.

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 14.5
Total Time Running: 02:25:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9
Total Miles Logged November: 5.5

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Trick-or-Treatable Cancer

2008-10-31T19:05:00.000-07:00

Today, Halloween, marked my first fundraiser for Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge! My roommate and I dressed up as runners; I wore my DFMC singlet and bib number from last year's DFMC and Kay wore her B.A.A. number and my reflective vest. We went door-to-door in our neighborhood and collected contributions in lieu of Halloween candy. Last year, I gave out letters on Halloween and found them rather unsuccessful. This year, however, was a totally different story! We raised $148.00 for innovative cancer research!

Our neighbors opened their doors and their wallets to a variety of charities this year. UNICEF was most popular and we found that many houses were prepared with a bowl of candy and a separate bowl of quarters. I was concerned that people would think that we're too old to be soliciting funds on Halloween, but there were many other adults dressed as skunks, cowboys, Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz, etc....

To make a long story short, we came home after trick-or-treating for two hours with purple and black spider rings, apples, candy and a whole lot of cash! I also met two people who work for Dana-Farber, a doctor and another gentleman from IT. Lastly, I was impressed by the sheer number of children in our neighborhood! One particular street was blocked off tonight, and a donor reported that they receive almost 1,000 trick-or-treaters on an annual basis!

Halloween has never been a popular holiday in my family for a variety of reasons, but I've come to the conclusion that the holiday isn't entirely "bad" afterall!

Training Log

2008-10-31T18:55:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 27, 2008
7:15AM (2 Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Sunny
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Wednesday, October 29, 2008
7:15AM (3-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 40F
Conditions: Cloudy and Windy
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

Friday, October 31, 2008
7:15AM (2-Mile Run)
Rt. 9
Weather: 30F
Conditions: Sunny (pink skies)
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 9
Total Time Running: 01:30:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 9

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

Cure Cancer Burn Calories!

2008-10-23T19:51:00.000-07:00

Separate from my run for Dana-Farber, I will be running the Brookline High School 21st Century Fund 2008 Walk-Run to raise money for cancer research. This event is a sanctioned 5k road race/walk that starts and ends at the Brookline High School on Sunday, November 30, 2008 at 10:00am.

The 21st Century Fund is sponsoring and planning this event to give groups in the community of Brookline High School the opportunity to raise money themselves for their activities.

I have entered a team in the event called Cure Cancer Burn Calories! to give you the opportunity to run a 5K by my side and to raise your own funds for cancer research. All are welcome to join my team and each participant will receive his or her own fundraising webpage! The cost is only $10 ($15 after November 24th) to run/walk and there is no fundraising minimum, but I hope that you will collect additional pledges from family and friends as part of the Cure Cancer Burn Calories! team. The great news is that the 21st Century Fund will contribute 80% of the pledges raised through my run/walk team to support cancer research! The individual who collects the most in pledges will receive a gift certificate redeemable for a FREE 3-month membership at the Beacon Hill Athletic Club!

If you would like to join my run/walk team, go to http://bhs21stcenturyfund.kintera.org/walkrun/curecancer to register! Please feel free to comment if you have any questions!

We're Live!

2008-10-23T19:40:00.000-07:00

My DFMC fundraising page is LIVE! Please click here to be the very first person to sponsor my run in the 2009 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber!

Thanks,
Katy

P.S. The Black Toe

2008-10-21T19:48:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, October 21, 2008
7:15AM
Rt. 9
Weather: 41F
Conditions: Partly Cloudy
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

I did a nice, easy two miler with Kay before work. The hardest part of the run was getting out of bed this morning. Last October, I was running six and seven milers. This year, I'm going to try not to increase my mileage so quickly. I'm also not going to take a week off at Christmas, but I'll save that topic for a December post.

It felt good to run today. My confidence in my running has improved ten-fold because I know that I am capable of completing the mileage. Kay and I somehow got onto the topic of pedicures and toes during our run (odd I know), which reminded me that I never told you about my post-marathon trauma. Yes, my big toenail fell off about four months after the marathon. I'm currently debating whether I should include a picture of it in this post. Not sure if an image of my toe will portray DFCI in a positive light? It could also scare away potential teammates. Anyhow, my toenail is almost back to normal ... just in time for it to turn black and fall off again! I'm still not sure why I didn't have problems with any of my other toes. Any guesses?

I would also like to share with you that I wore both of my lime green fleeces today. I wore one during my run, and the other during my GMAT class because it is starting to get chilly out there!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 2
Total Time Running: 00:20:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 2

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

SEINFELD SCALE:
XX

Six Months = 182.621099 Days

2008-10-20T18:15:00.000-07:00

Monday, October 20, 2008
7:30AM Workout
BHAC
Weather: Indoors
Conditions: Indoors
Gut Rating: 2
Perfect conditions for a marathon (ha!).
Pace: Who knows?

GET EXCITED! In exactly six months from today, I will complete my second Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber! I'm looking forward to seeing my mom and dad at mile 10. I have a hot date with Owen (lol - and family) at mile 22. My roommate, Kate, will be at Coolidge Corner. I can't wait to open my little envelope -- it's always Christmas at mile 16. The screaming girls at Wellesley at the halfway mark are CRAZY! The patient partners and their families will be in Kenmore Square, cheering beneath my favorite part of boston: the famous Citgo sign. My co-workers and friends will be scattered along the route, and we all know where we can find the finish line! Again, GET EXCITED!

Today also marked the first day of my marathon training. I did a half hour on the elliptical machine this morning before work. Before I blog too much, I have a confession. I haven't worked out in over two months. EEP! I expected today to be difficult, but it wasn't so bad. I think that my body appreciated the hiatus from running, etc. Now, we're back on track!

FUN FACTS: (since October 20, 2008):
Total Miles Logged: 0
Total Time Running: 00:00:00
Total Time Crosstraining: 00:30:00

MONTHLY MILEAGE:
Total Miles Logged October: 0

MONTHLY CROSSTRAINING:
Total Hours October: 00:30:00

GUT RATING SCALE:
(1) Great workout! Could have run twice as far (if I threw caution and The Plan to the wind).
(2) Rewarding effort - felt almost great.
(3) Worked up a decent sweat - had fun in general.
(4) Heart and soul not out here with my body, but...The Plan, Boss, The Plan!
(5) Thank goodness the race wasn't today. I'd rather be doing almost anything else.

SEINFELD SCALE:
X

Live and Learn

2008-10-14T14:33:00.001-07:00

I'm so excited to be part of the DFMC team this year, but the experience is already different in so many ways. Last year, I walked around with a silly grin on my face for several weeks after finding out that I would be running the 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber. Then, I went through a period of denial. No way! I thought, this can't be happening! I'm running the 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber! I think that there was a "deer in headlights" phase at some point in time. Oh my goodness! Ah! I have to run the 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber! After that, I really buckled down and focused on my training because I would be running the 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber. Lastly, I focused on my fundraising because I was running the 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber. This isn't to say that I didn't put a ton of effort into my fundraising. Bottom line: I met my running goal ... but I did not meet my fundraising goal. I should've started my fundraising even earlier.

This year, I'm going to focus my efforts on the harder of the two challenges. After all, I was not accepted onto the team because I'm a runner. Heck, it took me over five hours to cross the finish line last year. I was accepted onto the team because I am capable of meeting my $10,000 fundraising goal. I know what I have to do to raise $10,000 for Dana-Farber ... and this girl means business. My time is limited because April 20, 2009 is right around the corner. I already submitted a pre-event plan and budget for "Trick or Treat Cancer" and I've drafted a list of potential supporters. My goal is to email my contact at Feld Entertainment this week do discuss the Skate to Freeze Cancer 2. There's definite potential to conduct two separate skate-a-thons this winter, one in Boston and another in Worcester. I'm also going to prepare my first batch of letters and make every effort to secure some free ice time this week. Here we go!

Running Cancer Outta Town

2008-10-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

The wheels are turning. I have a few more fundraising ideas:

1. "Doggone Cancer" or "Fetch a Cure": an organized dog walk in the Boston area
2. "Ultimate Frisbee Marathon": a winter ultimate frisbee tournament in Burlington
3. "Trick or Treat Cancer": collecting contributions in lieu of candy on Halloween

Last year, I gave out close to two hundred letters on Halloween to get the word out about my fundraising goals for Dana-Farber. I received a lot of positive feedback from my neighbors, but very few people actually sponsored my run as a result of the letters. This year, I'm going door-to-door dressed up as a runner on Halloween. It's likely that some of my neighbors will declare my efforts a shameless attempt to collect money, but I will definitely generate interest and awareness ... and hopefully raise $10,000 for Dana-Farber in a single night. This activity will also double as a training run!

Owen suggested that I conduct an ultimate frisbee tournament this winter, probably because it will give him another excuse to wear the waterproof socks that I gave him last Christmas. I've done a bit of research and the last "good cause" frisbee tournament raised over $10,000. Not sure if ultimate frisbee enthusiasts will be willing to brave the snow for the love of the game and an even better cause.... If so, I'll book the field!

Have you ever noticed how many dogs there are in the Boston area? Maureen must be terrified! I'm thinking about bringing the local dog lovers together for an organized dog walk to raise money for my run. What do you think?

If I decide to move forward with any of these fundraising plans, I will naturally submit a pre-event plan and budget to Dana-Farber for review and approval.

Lastly, while I have the mic, congratulations to my roommate, Kay, for being accepted onto the DFMC team!!

Chelsey_yeslehC

2008-10-08T05:10:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I found out that one of my best friends from tour, Chelsey, applied to be a member of the 2009 DFMC team! I received a surprise text message saying, "I did it!!! Put my app in ... Annnd now I cross my fingerssssss." Last year's DFMC team had representatives from 30 states and several foreign countries. If Chelsey's application is accepted, she will be my Canadian running mate!

Pick Me! Pick Me!

2008-10-04T06:03:00.000-07:00

My application to run the 2009 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber has been accepted! Still waiting to hear back whether my roommate, Kay, will be my running mate...

With applications pouring in for the 2009 DFMC and my roommates at the apple orchard this morning, the theme of the day is "Pick Me!"

Applying Myself

2008-09-29T22:01:00.000-07:00

This evening, I submitted my application to become a member of the 2009 Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge Team. Again, my fundraising goal is $10,000. If accepted, I am going to reach that goal because I have new fundraising ideas and plans for 2009. For example:

1. Focus more on my letter campaign
2. Tabling opportunities at local stores
3. Skate to Freeze Cancer 2
4. Fundraising events with Kay
5. Collections at local events
6. Selling DFMC "Marathongs"
7. Flyer dropping on Halloween
8. Matching Gifts
9. Soliciting Corporate Sponsorships (e.g. Sandwich Works)
10. Yard Sale

There are several reasons why I want to be a member of the 2009 DFMC Team:

1. I'm running in memory of my grandma who passed away on the first day of Spring in 2008. She battled Alzheimer's for several years, but eventually lost her life to uterine cancer. She was my guardian angel during the 2008 Boston Marathon.

2. I'm running in honor of my dad, who said that watching me run the marathon was one of his proudest moments. Looking forward to seeing him at mile 10 on April 20, 2009!

3. I'm running to connect to Dana-Farber's mission on a deeper level.

4. I'm running in honor of several family and friends who have battled cancer.

5. I'm running in support of Jasmine. Although we've never met, she gives me the strength needed to finish my second marathon for Dana-Farber.

A lot has happened since my last DFMC, and I have a lot to look forward to if my application is accepted. My roommate, Kay, also applied to become a member of the 2009 DFMC Team, and I really hope that we'll have the opportunity to cross the finish line together!

Can you believe that my blog has received over 10,000 hits?!? If each one of you contributes $1.00 to my run, I'll easily reach my $10,000 fundraising goal!

Running the 2008 Boston Marathon

2008-06-20T11:29:00.000-07:00

On Monday, April 21, 2008, I ran the Boston Marathon. I woke up a couple hours earlier than planned on race day feeling excited, focused, and a little uncertain about the 26.2 mile task that stretched before me. The days leading up to the marathon was full of second guessing and questions like should I wear shorts instead of pants? Perhaps I should carry a jacket? Gu or pretzels? How much water is too much water? Should I carry gatorade? If I eat this today, will I feel sick tomorrow? Cookie or no cookie? I promised myself that I would do no second guessing on Marathon Monday, but the small questions still lingered. The "BIG" question, the one that taunted me most throughout my training, completely disappeared on April 21st because I knew that I would finish the Boston Marathon on that very same day.

Hillary and her dad picked me up at my apartment around 5am. It was officially game time, and I was ready. I had packed just about everything that I owned into my red B.A.A. bag: bananas, a winter coat, a lime green fleece, gloves, gatorade, water, a change of clothes, bagels, a photograph of my grandmother, my singlet, etc. We arrived at the Copley Marriott just a few minutes before it was time to embark on a mile long walk to the B.A.A. buses ("the only sure way to get to the Marathon start"). I'm so glad that I reinforced the edges of my red bag as Jan suggested because I discovered just how "prepared" I was for the Marathon by the weight of my bag. Some of the other runners poked fun at me for packing so much, but they "took it back" when I loaned them my extra fleece jacket and gloves in the nippy weather.

I stayed close to Hillary and Sarah in the bus line, and we boarded together with the same look on our faces. Oh my God! We were on the bus to Hopkinton! The driver was going to kick us off the bus and leave us to fend for ourselves in the suburbs. Our primary mission that day was to survive. Hillary and Sarah shared a seat together, and I sat next to Jim, another Dana-Farber runner. Sharing a seat with Jim was one of my fondest memories of Marathon Monday because he had the BEST attitude that one could possibly have before running 26.2 miles. It turned out that Jim was not only running the 2008 Boston Marathon, but that he was also getting married and traveling to Hawaii on his honeymoon all in the same week! I had never really talked to Jim before, but his exciting stories and plans distracted me from the hundreds of thousands of little, yellow lines on the road to Hopkinton. It wasn't until we hit "B.A.A. bus traffic" that we realized that we were STILL in the bus on the way to the 2008 Boston Marathon. When we were STILL driving about forty minutes after we piled into the bus, 26.2 miles started to feel like 29.4 miles and 29.4 miles turned into 37.1 miles. We were all about to make a 45.8 mile difference for Dana-Farber!

When we got off the bus, we walked a couple of blocks towards our designated Dana-Farber meeting area. It was a lovely, little white church located just minutes from the starting line. I found it rather perfect that our refuge was a House of God because I had a lot of praying to do that morning!

Kim Chisholm gave me the biggest hug in the world when we arrived at the church. It was such a relief to see a familiar face that morning. It was just as wonderful to bump into Kim as it was seeing my parents later on that day. The Dana-Farber Marathon & Running Program really spoiled us at the church. First, no other team had a warm area to relax before the start of the race, so it was really wonderful being indoors. The church was equipped with large bathrooms and oudoor porta potties. There were several tables of pre-race goodies including everything from bagels and jelly to Gatorade and peanut M&Ms. We had an area full of supplies to do some last minute singlet decorating. Before the race, I wrote the names of some of my loved ones on my singlet using a black marker, but many runners took advantage of the supplies. Uta Pippig gave us some last minute race advice, namely to think of the Newton "Flats" as a "piece of pancake," and Jack Fultz gave me the confidence that I needed to get to the finish line. We heard several personal stories from various runners on the team. It's must've been so hard for them to speak of their loved ones just minutes before the race, but their words brought so much more meaning to our cause.

I heard the jets fly overhead and the sound of the gun to signify the official start of the 2008 Boston Marathon. It was an amazing feeling being in Hopkinton and running the same race as the Kenyans and Lance Armstrong. Two of the DFMC runners actually bumped into Lance before the start of the race, and he sent his best wishes to the DFMC team.

Less than a half hour before the official start, we all gathered on the lawn in front of the church for one last DFMC team photo. It was incredible seeing all 550 runners there together. Our weapons consisted of sneakers, Gu, and Gatorade. We all shared a common task: to stomp out cancer with every step. The photographer stood on a ladder in the middle of the street just to get us all in the photo. After the photo, I headed over to the designated DFMC "Bag Bus" with my overstuffed bright, red bag. I felt so foolish when my bag got stuck in the bus window. Next time, I'll know not to pack so much. It took two volunteers to lift it onto the bus. There, that was done. I felt some jitters when I realized that there was nothing left to do prior to the race. In 26.2 miles, I would reunite with my red "safety blanket," but until then, there was just one thing to do: RUN!

The question: jacket or no jacket remained as I headed over to the starting line with Karla and my other co-workers from Dana-Farber. It had been so chilly earlier in the day, so I headed to the start in my black, windbreaker. It was then, that I realized that I should've gone with "no jacket." The sun was shining, and it was an absolutely perfect day to run the 2008 Boston Marathon.

When I stood "in line" to the start, I realized that I had absolutely no clue which way we would be going. I stood in a sea of people, each person facing a different direction. I heard Jack Fultz, Marathon Champion's voice over the loud speaker. The familiar voice boosted my confidence at the start. I suddenly knew that I would do it. There was no question in my mind that I would finish that race in honor of all of the loved ones that I encountered through meetings and personal stories. I would finish the race in memory of my grandma.

I heard the gun, and we were off and WALKING?!? Oh the torture! Let me free, I said to myself! I want to GO! The advice of my friends and team members, in addition to the sea of people around me, helped me to set my pace. My goal for the first six miles was to run slow and steady. Enjoy it! Take it in! After the hills leveled off, the strategy was to pick up the pace a little bit, but to run as though it was a long, slow training run. It was difficult to run slowly because I knew that I had a lot to look forward to that day, especially seeing my mom and dad at mile 10, Owen and his family at mile 22, and the DFMC cheering section at Kenmore Square. Thousands of people passed me at the start, but I was having too much fun to feel discouraged. I bumped into so many people on the DFMC team, and we were all smiling!

I was disconnected from Hillary, Sarah and Keegan at the start of the race. I knew that they were out there, but I couldn't see them. I came across several water stops and noticed that I was running a consistent 12-minute mile pace. I bumped into Hillary after a little while of running, and we stuck together during much of the race. It was fun seeing people from the office along the route, especially Amy McCallum and Katy Barrett. They popped up every few miles along the race course, armed with fuel.

One of my favorite race memories was bumping into my mom and dad at mile 10. My parents rarely visit Boston, so it was so special just to have them there. It turns out that my dad held the camera up for close to an hour because was afraid that I'd run by without giving him the opportunity to snap a photo. I told him afterwards, that my Kenyan legs had plenty of time for a visit. I was so hot during the first phase of the race, so I gave my mom my jacket and stripped down to my singlet. I gave both of my parents a huge hug and kiss and thanked them for their support before I continued the race.

Throughout the entire race, I was motivated by the crowd. The support was AMAZING! The Wellesley girls cheered for Dana-Farber like it was their job. I will never forget the man who held up his child and said "thank you Dana-Farber for saving my little girl's life." It's hard to stop running when you hear those words. I started to feel a little bit tired around mile 15, so I pulled a photo of my graham out of my pocket. She was my guardian angel during the race. I could hear her telling the story of the "Little Engine that Could." I sang the line to a song that my grandma used to sing often at one point during the race, and it turned out that Hillary was actually singing the same song.

As I approached mile 16, I was greeted by one of the volunteers. I had seen him often at several of the group runs, but we had never talked very much before. He asked me how I was doing, so I ran through "the plan" with him. I was almost to mile 16. At mile 16, I would have the opportunity to take some things out of my envelope. I had packed a green fleece, gloves, pretzels, water, etc. I only took out the pretzels. Next year, I will need to pack some Purell because my hands were beyond sticky from all of the sugar and gatorade. (NOTE TO SELF). I actually found myself sticking to the road beneath me. We really owe a HUGE thank you to all of the volunteers who came out on race day and during all of the other DFMC meetings to help out the team.

I was almost to mile 18!!! I was really looking forward to mile 18 and those Newton "Flats" because I knew them well. That's when the race would begin. Jack Fultz said that it was an 18 mile training run and an eight mile road race. Turning onto Commonwealth Ave. gave me a real boost of confidence. After all, I owned Heartbreak Hill. I ran in the grass for a little while because I knew that, that would be a little easier on the joints. I found myself behind a pack of three DFMC boys, and I follwed them for several miles. I stopped focusing on the fact that I was running up a small mountain, and I stared at their DFMC singlets. I rubbed my own singlet a few times and it gave me strength.

After surviving the hills, I saw the church. THE CHURCH. It was always so reassuring to run by that church on my training runs. It signified that there were just a few miles to go. I ran past the White Mountain Creamery and planned my future rendezvous with a banana split. The Boston College kids were entertaining and then I saw him! It was OWEN! I saw Owen and Katherine, Brian and Pete!!! They were really there at mile 22!! I stopped just long enough to give Owen a hug and continued my first Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge. I blew a kiss to Donna Tyson at Cleveland Circle and I think that I saw Beth Dowd there as well. Not long after that, I was looking for my roommates at Coolidge Corner. I had a hard time finding them at first, but I eventually saw my name on a big poster board. It was such a nice surprise to see the girls!!! I gave Kay a huge hug (as if my life depended on it), and Kate jumped into the race with me! She followed me with her camera and took some really great photos! We ran through Kenmore Square and the sight of the yellow DFMC shirts brought tears to my eyes. I looked for Jasmine, but I never saw her face in the crowd. She gave me hope, nonetheless, and it was wonderful to see everyone else in the DFMC cheering section (including my Fiscal and Regulatory Management co-workers)! Seeing everyone was a real treat! A few minutes later, I turned the corner and saw the Special Events cheering section!! From there, I turned left and saw, in the distance, the FINISH LINE! I ran faster! Then I ran slower. Then I ran FASTER! Kate had to pick up the speed a little, and we chased the finish line together. WE DID IT!

We passed the finish line in five hours and thirty minutes. It was an experience that will never be forgotten. The emotions that you feel throughout the race are indescribable. In 26.2 miles, I felt fear and excitement. I cried and I laughed. The experience was tiring and energizing at the same time. I'm so glad that I ran my first marathon for Dana-Farber. I wouldn't want it any other way. I officially belonged to the family of DFMC veterans, survivors, and fighters. We did it as a team. Each person was a piece of the puzzle, and we worked together (never losing sight of the ultimate finish line: to eradicate cancer).

After crossing the finish line, I was wrapped in a mylar(sp?) blanket. Some volunteers helped me to take the chip off my sneaker and I was awarded a 2008 Boston Marathon medal and all of the bananas that I could possibly eat! A gentleman asked me if I had just finished the Boston Marathon, a question that I found a little bit strange because I was covered in all things liquid and wrapped in a piece of tinfoil, but I proudly responded, "YES I DID!" :)

Kate walked me back to the Copley Marriott, so that I could join the other members of the DFMC team. I changed into some dry clothes and swapped stories with the other members of the team. Dana-Farber generously offered us soup, sandwiches and massages. Owen met me at the hotel, and I waddled to the T station before eventually arriving back at my house. I fell asleep pretty easily that night, but woke up early the next morning, ready to do it all over again...

Longest Run Ever

2008-04-22T00:44:00.000-07:00

I did it! ...

My official time was 5:30:42 ... and I promise to tell you all about it soon ... but it's back to bed for me right now! Thank you everyone for supporting my run because it was definitely one of the most amazing experiences of my entire life!! The feeling that you get from running through eight towns and 500,000 screaming fans (many yelling things like "Dana-Farber saved my life") was totally surreal! I'm still working towards my $10,000 fundraising goal ... and it's not to late to sponsor my 26.2 mile run for cancer research! Holy cow ... I just ran the Boston Marathon!

It's Here! It's Here! It's Here!

2008-04-21T01:36:00.000-07:00

Last night, I went to bed at 9pm. I woke up at 3am ... but I feel good! It's currently 4:38am ... and Hillary will be here in less than an hour! I've just finished reading a bunch of "first marathon" stories for a few last minute tips and inspiration. I'm going to tackle this thing one step at a time. This is a 17 mile "light training run" and a 9 mile race. I'm going to go out slow. If I don't feel like I'm running too slow ... I'm going too fast. This is not the final exam ... this is the graduation celebration. My goal is to finish and to have fun. I can always walk or get a ride if I really need to ... but I'm going to enjoy every moment ... because it's not every day that you get to run the Boston Marathon! Well ... here we go! :)

Gearing Up

2008-04-21T01:10:00.000-07:00

This weekend has been full of Marathon activities. I used to think that marathon runners just had to show up ... and run ... and run ... and run ... but there's so much more to it! On Saturday morning, I wrote down my "plan of attack" for the weekend. I planned my "snappy casual" marathon "look" by laying half of my running clothes out on the floor. I attended the DFMC check-in desk with Owen and dropped off a pile of goodies to leave at the 16 mile mark (green fleece, blister-free socks, fig newtons, pretzels, an inspirational quote from my Walk buddies, and a couple of gus). In exchange, I got some fantastic feet-shaped cookies, a packet of information, and a DFMC poncho! After checking-in with DFMC, we checked-in with the B.A.A.! I was amazed at how smooth everything went. Twenty-five thousand people are running the Boston Marathon and there wasn't a single line at bib pick-up! We stopped by the runners' expo at the Hynes Convention Center for a little while, but decided that it was ultimately safer not to brave the crowds. I got such a good night of sleep on Saturday afternoon, so I was well rested for the Sunday pasta party. In the morning, I woke up and continued with my carb loading. I feel like I've gained a solid thirty-four pounds this weekend, and I'm going to turn into a whole wheat bagel if I eat any more carbs this weekend. Some people carb-load. I think I might've carb over-loaded. The pasta party was truly inspirational! We took our seats (shortly after Patty's b-day party in my kitchen) and enjoyed a full pasta buffet. I was so glad that my entire family was able to join me at the pasta party. I've trained so hard for this moment ... so it felt really good to have everyone's support. The speakers at the event made me feel really good about this entire experience. We heard from Dr. Benz and Uta Pippig. Jan Ross spoke momentarily and there was an award ceremony for those who have been on the DFMC for five, ten and fifteen years. Jack Fultz gave us the usual rundown and really "pumped me up" for this marathon. My favorite bit of the evening was seeing all of the Patient Partners up on stage. My patient partner, Jasmine, was unable to attend the pasta party ... but she'll be on my mind every step of the way. I printed Jasmine's name on my singlet along with many others. Whenever I feel tired, I just have to look down and see "Run for Rita" ... and I will!

Trivia Question

2008-04-19T08:53:00.000-07:00

On Monday, April 21, 2008, Katy Counihan will:

a) Swim the English Channel
b) Run the 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber Cancer Institute
c) Climb Mt. Everest
d) All of the above

Haha-haaaa! Please comment if you know the correct answer!

Words Cannot Describe ...

2008-04-17T19:11:00.001-07:00

Readers! Oh, how I've missed you!! I'm so sorry that I've been temporarily "M.I.A.," but I have very good reasons for disappearing...

I'm tapering!!! I've been temporarily missing in action because it's "Katy time."
You see, when I decide to do something ... I give it my all ... I've given my heart and soul to Dana-Farber and the 2008 Boston Marathon. Now ... I need some time to reflect on this experience. It's time to focus on my goals. It's time to visualize myself running and crossing the finish line. It's time to give my fundraising one final push before the big day. It's time to rest ... and mentally ... and physically prepare for the 26.2 miles that are calling my name ...

I completed a fourteen miler last weekend and several shorter runs ranging from 3 to 7 miles. I've been working so hard on my fundraising! I sent out a TON of letters last week to my extended family ... asking my relatives to support my "Run for Rita." My Aunt Doris called me at work to tell me that she's sponsoring my run! She also told me that she took my grandmother's name some years ago, and told me that both she and her roommate will sponsor my run because her roommate is currently battling cancer. She told me, "Katy ... YOU RUN!" ... She said ... "Katy ... YOU RUN GIRL!" ... "YOU run for Debbie ... and everyone else..." ... and I promised her ... that I will RUN! I am going to run until I can run no longer ... and then I'm going to run some more ...

With the same attitude ... I'm still pressing ahead towards my $10,000 goal. I'm unofficially over the $5K mark! I'm excited to be able to raise all of this money for Dana-Farber ... because I know for a fact that it will be put to good use ... the best use ... I'm still sending out letters ... and I'm still working towards my goal ... THANK YOU ALL from the bottom of my heart for sponsoring my run for Dana-Farber!

Just today ... I recived a gift from my Uncle Elliot and Aunt Debbie ... and my dad is so wonderful! ... Just found out that he asked everyone at work to make a gift to my run ... and he raised over $212.00 towards my run!!! People are so loving ... and so generous ... and I've developed a new respect for people in general ... because I've learned through this experience ... that most people really want to help in any way that they can ...

My dad is really excited for my run!! He told me that he's going to rent a motorcycle and follow me with water. It'll be my own private pace car! My mom was yelling at him in the background ... "You had better not rent another motorcycle" ...!

Three weeks ago ... I was really anxious ... I finished my 18 miler ... and I wanted the marathon to hurry up and get here! Now it's here!! Boston is really gearing up! The signs are out ... and the big weekend is upon us! Last week ... I had knots (BIG ONES) in my stomach ... I wanted to puke every single day (twice) ... the nerves really got to me (just like they used to do in skating) ... Now ... with just a few days to go ... I AM EXCITED! I'M PUMPED! LET ME AT IT! JUST TRY TO HOLD ME BACK! ... I find myself smiling ... by accident ... just thinking about the marathon and Dana-Farber! ...

Today ... we took a group picture of all of the staff who are running the marathon for Dana-Farber! I wish the best of luck to Jan, Nancy, Keegan, Karla, Eric, Lauren, Hillary and Sarah! Everyone has worked so hard ... and we've all experienced our ups and downs ... highs and lows ... but this experience has made us all stronger people ... It is a privilege and an honor to be able to both work and run alongside so many wonderful people ...

I bought my GU! Owen took me to City Sports ... on Rt. 9 (about three miles from my house) ... and we got LOST driving home! How funny is that!! ... I would like to use this blurb to send a very special thank you to Owen Kellett because he has been SO supportive of my run for Dana-Farber! I really couldn't ask for a better best friend :) ... Owen ... and I know that you're reading this ... because you keep asking me where I've been! :) ... Thank you very, VERY much from the bottom of my heart for all of your support! ... and CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW JOB! ... <> ...

This weekend is going to be very busy for me! ... I'm going to pick up my number on Saturday ... and attend the runner's expo ... I'll be at a reception on Saturday evening ... followed by the biggest and best PASTA PARTY EVER! Today ... Abby Kussell stopped by my office to chat for a moment ... then she left because she was "off to finish planning the best weekend of my entire life!" ... THANK YOU ABBY and everyone else on the DFMC staff! :) ... My entire family (Mom, Dad, Patty and Anne) ... and Owen will be at the Pasta Party with me ... and I'm really looking forward to it because last year ... I sat at the back of the Pasta Party during my volunteer role ... and I cried ... The experience moved me to tears ... and I wasn't even running last year! :) ...

I'm keep getting choked up ... just thinking about crossing Kenmore Square on Monday ... I cannot wait to run past my mom and dad (location TBD) ... Katherine and Pete and Owen will be just before mile 22 ... and I'm going to think about them as I run up heartbreak hill ... because I'm going to get a big hug when I see them! ... Katy and Amy will be riding the route ... and meeting us here and there ... The roomies will be at Coolidge Corner ... and there will be plenty of people along the route ... helping me to the finish line ... and my Grandma will be cheering me on ... from Heaven ... :) ...

Thank you everyone for taking time out of your busy lives to read my silly blog (even though my blog posts have titles like "Gloves or No Gloves?" :) ... My marathon experience for Dana-Farber would not be the same without you! ... :) ...

Good luck to all of my DFMC teammates ... and thank you to the DFMC Board members who really go "the extra mile" to make each DFMC a huge success! ... It wouldn't be nearly as fun without you! :) ...

This is actually going to be one of my last posts (and perhaps my last post) before Marathon Monday ... Wish me luck! :)

Now that I got that out of my system ... I'm officially ready to go!

A DFMC "Moment"

2008-04-01T04:42:00.000-07:00

Last night, I posted the following message on the DFMC community board:

Just writing to say ... I really love you guys :) ... Am so glad to be on your team ... Am so proud to be able to fundraise/work/run for Dana-Farber!! :) ...

Just finished the slowest, greatest 18 miler EVER ... but I finished with strength and peace of mind ... and actually had a good time running in the rain! ...

I received some really great advice from an experienced marathoner a few days ago ... and wanted to share it because I'm usually told what to wear, what to eat, how to treat injuries, etc.... when I ask for advice ...

But this guy's advice was truly unique! He told me that he finished several marathons in his lifetime (including Boston) ... and the best advice that he had to offer was:

Just have fun! As hard as it is to hear this ... You can always get a ride home; You can always walk if you need to! It's absolutely okay! ... But whatever you do ... enjoy the moment! Just have fun!

This advice seems so simple ... but it was something that I really needed to hear at the time ... So ... Enjoy! :)

It Must Be A Kathryn Thing

2008-04-01T04:03:00.000-07:00

Last week, I decided that I needed a little inspiration during my final weeks of training, so I started reading Marathon Woman. It's the story of Katherine Switzer, the first woman to officially register for the Boston Marathon!

As a child, Katherine wanted to become a cheerleader, but her dad told her that she shouldn't be cheering for people from the sidelines. People should be cheering for her instead! He suggested that she try out for the women's field hockey team, but she claimed that she wasn't fit enough. He told her that if she run one mile every single day around the yard, she'll definitely make the cut. Every day, she completed her laps. She referred to herself as "King of the Hill" after she finished her workouts. Keep in mind that women just didn't run back then! Eventually, she made the high school team and then the college team! By then, she was running three miles on a daily basis.

One day, she was out running on the track. The men's cross country coach saw her and asked her if she would consider running on the men's team during a couple of meets because he was down a few runners. She agreed to run the mile at the next meet, and the media really had a field day! Most of the school came out to see this woman compete against the men. She placed last, but she finished!

Katherine decided to transfer to another university later on in her college career. She approached the men's cross country coach about the possibility of running with the team at her new school. He told her that she couldn't compete with the men due to regulations, but that she could train with them! So ... she did!

She started training with the team on the nearby golf course. She was slower than the men, but they treated her as any other teammate nonetheless. Katherine started running with Arnie, the assistant coach. He was an elderly gentleman that had finished several Boston Marathons. Running was his passion! Together, Katherine and Arnie were "two peas in a pod." I suppose that Katherine enjoyed the company, and Arnie was just glad to be able to keep pace with someone.

Arnie told Katherine miles of stories about his marathon days. Eventually, Katherine got tired of his stories. She didn't want to live vicariously through Arnie; she wanted her own Boston Marathon experience. The problem was that women didn't run marathons in 1967! Female runners were "dogs." "It wasn't healthy for women to run marathons because their uteri could fall out."

Katherine convinced Arnie that she was capable of running the Boston Marathon. Arnie became Katherine's personal trainer. She registered for the marathon under the name, K. V. Switzer. Officials assumed that she was a male, so she received a bib number.

Katherine is currently waiting nervously at the starting line. She's the only female in a sea of males.....

(To Be Continued)

The Need for Speed

2008-03-28T19:33:00.000-07:00

Owen's Uncle Will showed me this video sometime around the holidays, and I've been meaning to add it to my blog for quite some time now! I mean ... watch a video of my last training run! Check it out at:

http://www.boston.com/sports/marathon/course/video/

Daily Kick in the Butt

2008-03-28T15:26:00.000-07:00

Now that the marathon is less than four weeks away, friends and family have been sending an overwhelming amount of motivational quotes and videos. My marathon buddies made me a chain of inspiration to officially kickoff the marathon countdown! Just wanted to share a couple of additional surprises that I found in my email today!

1. Kate sent me the following video to keep me motivated:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=xR0Rj9Dh-dM

2. Karla sent the following inspirational quote because the weather is a little unmotivating today:

"I have to race. I'm like a Ferrari. You can't keep it in the garage." - Regina Jacobs

Waitress!

2008-03-28T05:07:00.000-07:00

I've now conducted several events to raise money towards my run for Dana-Farber. I've offered skating lessons, organized a canister collection with the Wallace Figure Skating Club, and produced a skate-a-thon with Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour. Since Dana-Farber does not allow recognized events to mail cash or deposit proceeds into a personal bank account, I've made several trips to the post office for money orders.

The mailman at the post office that I frequent tends to be somewhat nosy. For example, I was mailing a box of Valentines Day goodies to my friend Chelsey. At the time, she toured on Disney Princess Classics, so I addressed the package to "Princess Chelsey." The mailman wanted to know every possible detail about this foreign princess.

Now, you can only imagine this mailman's reaction when I stopped in with over $700.00 in cash from one of my events!! He was just itching for the facts! He never did find out where I got all of that cash!

Yesterday, I walked into the post office with $359.25. I could tell that my mailman was ready with questions as I walked towards the counter. "Where did you get all this cash?" He asked. "Did you become a waitress in your spare time?" I told him very proudly that I am running the 2008 Boston Marathon to raise money for Dana-Farber in less than four weeks, and that the money came from a canister collection. There was a major sense of accomplishment on his face when he finally figured out the story behind the loot. Next time, I'm going to ask him to sponsor my run! I just need a cryptic package or a large sum of cash to do it!

22141 ... Not Just a Number

2008-03-25T20:19:00.000-07:00

I just got my bib number! I've never been so excited to be "just a number" in a sea of faces -- at least not since graduating from UMass Amherst. Keep a close eye on the face attached to bib number 22141 on race day because it might just be the most determined face of all!

Gifts of Bread and Water

2008-03-25T19:16:00.000-07:00

With less than a month to go until the marathon, running seems to be the last thing on my mind this week. My lovely grandmother passed away (ironically on the first day of spring) after battling both cancer and Alzheimer's disease. Calling hours took place on Monday and the funeral service was this morning. My family came across a previous blog post about my grandmother and asked me to spontaneously share some of my favorite memories during the prayer service. I was also asked to "bring the gifts" during the funeral service on Monday morning with the other grandchildren. In other words, the cousins were responsible for bringing the bread and water to the priest in preparation of Communion.

After I arrived home late this afternoon, my body felt physically and emotionally drained of all energy. I put on my pajamas sometime after five o'clock in anticipation of a nice, long nap. As I climbed into bed and pulled the covers over my head, I remembered Jack's comments about the importance of a good attitude. I've never seen my grandmother frown, so I decided to "turn my frown upside-down." I traded my comfy, green pants and fuzzy slippers for black running tights and blister-free socks. I laced up my running sneakers and went for a fourteen mile "jog." I guess I had some leftover energy after all! I didn't bother to wear a watch because I wanted to run for the "sake of finishing." I ran seven miles to Owen's house. When I arrived, he gave me the same "gifts" that I delivered to the priest earlier on in the day. I snacked on a quick slice of bread and Owen filled my water bottle before I ventured back outside to finish another seven miles.

I'm so glad that I decided to run this afternoon because the fresh air soothed some of my inner aches and pains. Today's run was both steady and slow, but I enjoyed reminiscing about some of my favorite "Grandma memories." My workout gave me a good kick in the butt and a hug at the same time. Now, it's time for a well-deserved nap.

The Lion and the Pace Car

2008-03-20T21:15:00.000-07:00

I ran 14 miles on Sunday! If I had to use two words to describe my long run, I'd use "slow" and "steady." I started my run in Worcester. It was only supposed to be a 12 mile run, but my body gave me the "go ahead" to push it a little bit further. I tagged the lion at my old high school before turning around to finish the second half of my run. There was a major hill at mile nine, but my parents decided to surprise me in their "pace car." They couldn't have visited at a better time! I was really huffing and puffing up that hill until I saw the old Mercury waiting for me at the top. I forgot about the hill and ran straight towards my mom and dad. I wasn't possibly going to fail them on that hill! I finished the run in two and a half hours without any knee or foot pain during the run.

King of the Hill

2008-03-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

One week ago, I ran an eight mile route along the Boston Marathon course and over Newton's "rolling hills." I legit laughed-out-loud when I recalled that one of my DFMC teammates named my three favorite hills, "Whine," "Bleep," and "Moan." I censored the name of the second hill because it is my responsibility as an Event Compliance Officer to ensure that Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is represented in a positive light.

I was in the mood for a slight change of pace last Thursday, so I completed most of my run on the soft, grassy area along the carriage path. My joints really thanked me after my workout.

Grandma Higgins was definitely in my thoughts during that run. I recalled this game that she used to play with us in her backyard. She called it, "King of the Hill." As children, we we rarely bored at Grandma's house. Her yard was located on a major hill in Worcester and it consisted of several different "levels." The front part of the yard near the gate contained a mammoth Oak tree and Forsythia bushes. Once inside the fence, there was a long row of Hostas followed by tomato plants on the left and room for the dog to run around on the right. The chair swing was located just next to the deck. We sat on that swing for hours, sipping lemonade and swapping stories. There was a picnic table with an umbrella on the deck, and a set of stairs brought you up to the next level consisting of a small grassy knoll and a stone wall. Petunias and impatients were scattered in flower pots along the wall. My grandmother used to ask us to cut the grass using her push lawnmower. Sometimes we'd use the pinching shears or the scissors. I never had a lawn at my own home in Worcester, so we were always thrilled to help Grandma with this task.

The stairs continued up the hill. I'd guess that there were probably fifteen or sixteen stairs to get to the "backyard." On the right, my grandmother kept a rock garden. Looking back, I'm not entirely sure why she would ask us to water the rock garden. I suppose it was because there was usually a stray piece of rhubarb growing there. The next level was our favorite part of Grandma's "secret garden." It contained a swingset and was once part of the Green Family Estate. We used to dig there hoping to find buried treasure. We once found a Roy Rogers cap gun and various other china pieces. My dad used to display our treasures in an antique case in his hardware store. At the top of the hill, there was another miniature hill. It was more like a big mound of dirt that was never used to level out the top of the garden. My grandmother used to time us to see how long it would take us to get from the bottom of her yard to the top of the hill. I'd race my sisters with the high hope of being dubbed "King of the Hill" by my grandmother, but the dog would always win.

I repeated the words "King of the Hill" over and over in my mind until I reached the top of Heartbreak Hill during my run last Thursday.

Adopt-a-Marathoner

2008-03-20T20:04:00.000-07:00

Alyssa recently contacted me to let me know about the Boston Daily Blog's Adopt-a-Marathoner program. The following email was sent to the Boston Daily Blog this evening:

Hi Amy,

I hope all is well. I'm writing to you with a heavy heart this evening because my grandmother just passed away, but I would really like to share my story. Almost two years ago, I took a position at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and The Jimmy Fund as an Event Compliance Officer because I wanted to gain experience in event management. Since becoming a Dana-Farber employee, I have become so very passionate about Dana-Farber's mission to eradicate cancer. At work, we receive phone calls on a daily basis from individuals looking to conduct events on behalf of Dana-Farber. Many of these volunteers have been deeply scarred by cancer, while others simply want to give back to the community. In an effort to a) understand my job better and b) connect to Dana-Farber's mission on a deeper level, I started volunteering at some of Dana-Farber's events. I've been to fashion shows, dog walks, road races and golf tournaments, but the event that impacted me the most was the Boston Marathon. Last year, I volunteered to assist the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge runners from the marathon finishline back to the Dana-Farber recovery zone. It was such a wonderful and emotional experience for not only the runners ... but for me as well. Many of the runners opened up their hearts and shared their stories with me: a perfect stranger. I was astonished when one of the runners admitted to me that he was a cancer survivor. He had been treated at Dana-Farber ... and he just conquered the Boston Marathon!!! Another runner finished his first marathon and skipped back to the recovery zone! Almost all of the runners that I spoke to were running in memory or in support of a loved one who battled cancer. It was then that I decided that I wanted to run my very first marathon for Dana-Farber in support of all of these runners! Talk about motivation!

My application to run the upcoming 2008 Boston Marathon for Dana-Farber was accepted back in October, and I've been training ever since! I used to skate professionally for Disney on Ice, so I assumed that my athletic background would carry me a long way in my training. I have, however, battled ITB syndrome, New England weather, and peroneal tendonitis with the best of them. This week, I seem to be facing a new kind of injury: a broken heart and a bruised spirit. My grandmother was suddenly diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer just a few days ago, and she passed away at 5:15pm today. Until now, I did not really know the feeling "to be touched by cancer." My grandma was my friend, my mentor, and my confidant. We were extremely close. She played an important role in my upbringing, and she will never be forgotten. When I first started my training almost thirty weeks ago, I was running in an attempt to connect to Dana-Farber's mission on a deeper level. Now, I am also running in memory and in honor of my lovely grandmother Rita V. Higgins.

My goal is to raise $10,000 for the Claudia Adams Barr Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, MA. I've raised almost $4,000 so far, and I'm hoping that the Boston Daily Blog can adopt me/start a rally to raise funds towards my run because cancer is the kind of disease that can hit absolutely anyone at anytime. It doesn't play "favorites." I'm totally convinced that Dana-Farber will develop a cure for this disease in my lifetime, but we really need your help to do it! If it makes any difference, I'm a Boston resident and a huge Red Sox fan. Thank you for listening, and I hope that you will consider "adopting me."

If you or your readers would like to make a gift, please go to my running blog at http://kcounihan.blogspot.com. Just click on the "sponsor me" image on the left side of the page. Feel free to track my progress towards my marathon as well! Your support is greatly appreciated!

Many thanks,
Katy Counihan

A Tribute to My Grandmother

2008-03-10T20:00:00.000-07:00

My 87-year-young grandmother was recently diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer. On Friday, I learned that she only has four or five more days to live.

My grandmother has been a true inspiration in my life. She's been my friend, my mentor, and my confidant. She always lived just around the block from my family, so I would spend every possible after-school hour and summer at her house and in her "secret garden."

I went to visit Grammy in the hospital on Saturday with Owen and the rest of my family. I did not recognize her from the side, and she didn't fully recognize me because she's also battling Alzheimer's Disease. Despite her memory lapses, she's still my witty grandmother. I remember telling her that she should become a stand-up comedian when she grows up. She quickly replied, "Only if I can sit down." When she took some awful tasting medicine at the hospital the other day, my aunt asked her if she wanted something to wash it down. She said, "Yes, whiskey." My grandmother is truly grand, and I'm so thankful for our special relationship.

I intend to finish the 2008 Boston Marathon for my Grammy. I finished a ten miler on Sunday afternoon after visiting her in the hospital on Saturday. I thought about my Graham and her impact on my life during the entire run. It was just what I needed to do. Whenever my 4'10" tall grandmother looked into the mirror, she saw a 7'10" tall woman. I enjoyed the company of my 7'10" tall shadow during my run.

My relationship with Grandma has been so very special. She has been my mentor, my friend, and my confidant. Grandma has taught me so many of life's most important lessons, and I'd like to share a couple of them with you:

When life throws you a lemon ... make lemonade!
Improvise. If you've made hot dogs ... and you run out of ketchup ... use chocolate sauce!
Work hard ... then relax on your chair swing.
A little dab will do you.
I am small ... but mighty. Stretch every day!
Take care of things and people that are smaller than you.
God made a beatiful earth. Take in your surroundings because every snowflake and flower is truly unique.
Use it or lose it. Sing aloud every single day ... or you will lose your singing voice. Walk every day ... even if it just means walking to get the mail.
Plant a garden ... and help it grow.
Your cheating heart will cause you pain ... especially in checkers.
Read. Read. Read. Arm yourself with knowledge ... for the purpose of winning Boggle.
Be a "star." Be a "lady." Own many hats and scarves. You never know when you'll be asked to sip tea with the Queen of England or to go "yachting" with Clark Gable.
Put another nickel in. In the nickelodeon. All I want is lovin' you and music, music, music!
Do unto others ... and it's the thought that counts.
It isn't Christmas without molasses popcorn balls.
Don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and your feet wet. It's just a little dirt and water.
Cut, cut, cut, cut-a-dit says the little hen. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight. nine. ten.
Oh wa ta si lee-goo siam.
Never try to lift one of Uncle Elliot's bowling balls.
Spring is coming ... wake up little rosebud. Hold your head up high ... or you might miss the first signs of spring.
Simply remember your favorite things ... and then you won't feel so bad.
Share and share alike. Cookies taste much better when you share them.
Say a prayer every day for those less fortunate than you.
Keep an album and a journal. Someday ... you will want to share your memories with your grandchildren.
Use your imagination. Be an archaeologist in Egypt; a schoolteacher; an entrepreneur; a writer; a mother; or a grandmother.
Always stay young.

These are a just a few of my favorite memories with my Grandma. I cannot thank her enough for looking after me and my sisters when we were young. I'll never forget fish fridays or our franco spaghetti days. I'll never forget watering her rock garden or rocking on her chair swing ... next to Chancy. Her lessons and stories will forever be on my mind and in my heart.

I love you so very much Graham. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for being my one and only ... very special Grandma.

Tasty Treats

2008-03-07T04:31:00.000-08:00

There's a little ice cream shop along the marathon route called the White Mountain Creamery. I've run past it about one hundred times, always wanting to stop in for a sundae. On April 22, 2008, the day after the marathon, I'm going to celebrate my hard work at the White Mountain Creamery! Some runners will pamper themselves with a drink and a good massage, but I'm going to treat myself to ice cream! I'm going to park myself at one of the little tables with a banana split and watch as runners pass by the window. If you're in the area, please feel free to join me!

P.S. While we're on the topic of tasty treats, thank you so very much to my secret "marathon buddies" for leaving a surprise cupcake from Party Favors on my desk at work! Biting into that cupcake after my workout was a truly magical moment!

Up to Speed

2008-03-06T21:11:00.000-08:00

Tonight, I met the DFMC team at the Woodland stop. I completed eight miles along the marathon route without any pain! I can't say that this was my fastest run thus far, but I ran up Heartbreak Hill without stopping for the first time in some weeks! Lately, I've been allowing myself a full day off from running between each workout, and my muscles really seem to appreciate the recovery time. I haven't experienced an ounce of pain during any of my workouts this week! My days off are spent stretching and strengthening, crosstraining and deep water running.

Extreme DFMC Makeover

2008-03-06T20:30:00.000-08:00

After battling two injuries in two months, I've decided that it's time for a runner makeover. My mom taught me to operate under the philosophy that change is an important part of life, and I'm convinced that it's one of the first stops on the road to happiness. Whenever my mom finds herself in a rut, she takes drastic measures. I'll never forget when she dyed her hair platinum blonde in an attempt to "have more fun."

Everybody needs a fresh start every now and then. Remember how you felt at the start of each new school year when your teachers gave you the "clean slate" lecture? It's the same feeling that I get whenever I wear a new outfit or get a haircut.

Lately, I've been in a bit of a running rut, so I made a few changes:

1. I bought four new pairs of SIZE 5 running shoes on Zappos.com. I've had such poor luck with the local running stores because none of them seem to carry more than one shoe model in a size 5. All four pairs of shoes arrived the day after I ordered them. I'm keeping my Brooks and New Balance shoes and returning the other two pairs. The Saucony's arrived in two different colors!

2. I got a massage! I went to Boston Bodyworkers on Tuesday after work. This was my first clinical massage and it did wonders for my body. I told the massage therapist about my ITB injury and peroneal tendonitis, so he spent a half hour on my legs. I left the room feeling at least an inch taller than normal!

These small changes worked wonders for my confidence because I feel like a whole new runner!

Mud Therapy

2008-03-06T19:23:00.000-08:00

Six miler ... cChHeEeEcccK. Five miler ... cChHeEeEcccK. I've been coming up with some creative ways to get my running hours in without wreaking too much havoc on my body. Concrete offers no shock absorption, so it's best to run on soft, even surfaces whenever possible. I decided to revisit some of my summer running routes because many of them contain dirt paths. On Sunday morning, I ventured outdoors for my first run after battling peroneal tendonitis. I signed a contract with myself, however, stating that I, the undersigned, would take things slow and stop my workout if I felt any "bad pain." Keep in mind that there's "good pain" and "bad pain" in marathon training. Good pain feels like: WOW! I just finished eighteen miles and I can't move. Bad pain feels like: OUCH! Sharp, stabbing pains just shot up my leg and it's time for that amputation.

Let's change the subject: The weather was beautiful on Sunday morning. I completed six pain-free miles in the MUD! Yes, MUD! It was FANTASTIC! The feeling of stomping through the MUD was so invigorating and empowering that I decided to do it again on Tuesday! I followed a different MUD path early in the morning and experienced no pain in my knee or foot! Now I understand why some women pay good money to soak in a MUD bath. The MUD treatment comes highly recommended!

She Works Hard for the Money

2008-03-06T18:10:00.000-08:00

Have you ever spent two hours on an arc trainer or three hours on an elliptical machine? If so, were you ever tempted to quit? What kept you on the arc trainer?

Last week was an emotional week for me. I spent most of my after-work hours "resting" at the gym. Once I stopped limping from my peroneal tendonitis, I jumped right back into crosstraining.

Before my DFMC days, running would give me the opportunity to think about "me." It was a complete and total stress relief. I would reflect on my day and plan for new days ahead. In the last few months, however, my mind has too preoccupied to focus on "Katy." I actually found my eyes watering during one of my recent indoor workouts. I don't remember the name of the song that came on my Ipod, but the lyrics reminded me of my patient partner. The music moved me and I found myself pedaling as hard as I could possibly pedal on that machine -- for Jazmine.

I've still never met my little friend, but she is with me during every single run and every single workout. I've made several attempts to connect to her family over the telephone, but all have been unsuccessful. The most interaction that we've had together is through her photograph. Never has an image had so much meaning in my life. I take it with me whenever I go to work in the morning, and I see her picture whenever I'm on the arc trainer. Sometimes, I envision crossing the bridge just before Kenmore Square and meeting Jazmine for the very first time during the 2008 Boston Marathon. She is my strength and inspiration, and she is going to be with me on Marathon Monday -- every step of the way.

I was originally going to use this post to blog about another image that kept me motivated at the gym the other day. Some little hooligan decided to etch "She Works Hard for the Money" into the big picture window at my gym. Oh, the fundraising irony!

Super Steve

2008-02-24T09:29:00.000-08:00

Steve saved my life some months ago by offering the use of his blinking, red light at my first, long run from Crossroads. My friends, Chelsey and Julie, decided to join us from Crossroads this week, but neither of them had reflective clothing because they are not regular runners. Let's just say that Steve came to the rescue again! He dipped into his bag of reflective technology and offered them two neon leg-bands and a blinking light. Many thanks, Steve!

Possible Peroneal Tendonitis

2008-02-24T09:03:00.000-08:00

Today, I was supposed to run the Hyannis Half Marathon. Instead, I'm stuck in bed. I've been told that I've either a) sprained/strained my foot or b) developed a stress fracture. I was so angry at the doctor when he told me that there's a chance that I will be unable to run the marathon. I've been working altogether too hard to pull out now, and I'm not going to quit! If a doctor ever tells you something that you don't want to hear, the next step is to get another opinion. I emailed coach Jack for his feedback. He suggested that it may be peroneal tendonitis or plantar faciitis. I'm going to assume that it's peroneal tendonitis because this is a common problem for those recovering from ITB injuries. The pain is located on the outer ridge of my foot near the arch and on the underside of my foot. It's most severe in the morning after rest. There's some swelling and discoloration. I'm going to stay off my foot for a couple of days until I am able to walk to the pool without limping. Once I am able to walk, I'm going to dive back into my crosstraining because it's important that I maintain a "marathon fitness level."

I Will Run/Walk Five Hundred Miles

2008-02-24T08:24:00.000-08:00

So much has happened (good and bad) since my last blog post on February 18, 2008:

1. I recovered from my ITB injury! That's right folks! I've completed three or four long runs (alternating running for three minutes and walking for one minute) without any knee pain whatsoever!

2. I raised over $4,000.00 for cancer research at the 2008 Skate to Freeze Cancer!

3. I got married! (No mom, not really). My best friend from tour has been staying at my house for the last two weeks, and she has become my temporary housewife! She cooks dinner, cleans the dishes, and organizes my shelves. The sad news is that Chelsey will be leaving tomorrow for another state. Sigh. It was a short-lived marriage, but it was fun while it lasted!

4. I developed a new injury. BOOOOOoooOOOooo! The outer ridge and underside of my foot started hurting about a week ago. The pain wasn't very severe at the time, so I decided to run regardless. I completed a ten mile run, a four mile run, and a nine miler. The pain became progressively worse during my nine miler, so I pressed on towards Crossroads. I had just enough energy to limp to the North End for dinner after my run, but I woke up in excrutiating pain on Friday morning. It hurt to put any pressure on my foot. I decided to go to the doctor (something I never do) for a proper diagnosis. To make a long story longer, I've been told that I've either a) sprained/strained my foot or b) developed a stress fracture. I'm going to try to be as optimistic as possible and go with option A. I'm hoping that the pain will go away before the end of this week. In the meantime, I'm back on the program (e.g. crosstraining, stretching, vitamin-I, ice, and rest).

2008 Skate to Freeze Cancer

2008-02-24T07:37:00.000-08:00

The 2008 Skate to Freeze Cancer was a hit! The event received a ton of press, and even more importantly, Hillary, Sarah and I raised $4,093.00 for the Claudia Adams Barr Program at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute! I spent the morning of the event at the office, and the "Farber Girls" met me there at 3pm. They were armed with an "event kit," registration forms, signage, and enough homemade cupcakes to feed a small army (or a marathon runner in training). It turns out that the girls stayed up half the night baking cupcakes for the big day!

We brought everything down to the car and balanced twelve or so dishes of cupcakes on our laps while Hillary drove to the arena. We arrived around 4pm and immediately began setting up. I wrote numbers on all of the wrist bands until Lynnette showed up to discuss the format of the event. The Disney skaters arrived around 5:30pm to kickoff the event just past 6pm. Owen and Katy Barrett handled registration as participants came through the door. I was told to lace up my skates because the Disney skaters wanted to present me with a "Star Dazzle Award" for coordinating the event.

Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour took to the ice. I hobbled out there in my rental skates to thank them. Jade Esposito performed a routine to the music from the show, and the skaters welcomed everyone out onto the ice. I was thrilled with our turnout! While we were unable to "pack the place," I was quite pleased to see representatives from North Star Figure Skating Club, the Skating Club of Boston, the Wallace Figure Skating Club, Disney on Ice, and Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge!

I took questions from the press and distributed items from our drawing. Among some of the items that we gave away were Disney on Ice Goody Bags, a Ted Williams photograph, a Coco Krisp autographed baseball and a gift certificate to Cheers.

Hillary and Sarah laced up their skates at one point in the evening to take some photos for the newspapers. After the event, we gave two tickets to Disney's High School Musical: The Ice Tour (including a backstage Meet and Greet with the cast at the TD Banknorth Garden) to the top ten fundraisers. Our top fundraiser raised $2,100.00!! We also received a surprise performance by Manni and Daisy Hutter. Despite a couple of minor issues with the sound system, everyone seemed to have a wonderful time at the skate-a-thon! A very special thank you goes out to FMC Arenas for donating the cost of the ice and skate rentals, and to my friends at Disney on Ice. Hillary and Sarah deserve a special thank you for choosing to participate in one of my "crazy ideas," and I would also like to thank our volunteers because the event couldn't have happened without them! Feel free to check out a couple of articles about the event below:

http://www.wickedlocal.com/cambridge/homepage/x1973325948
http://www.boston.com/ae/events/articles/2008/02/18/a_cool_cause/