After about 4 months of near steady running, I'm right at 6 miles for my long run and kicking in about 15-18 miles per week.....time to kick it up a bit and I'm signed up for the BAA Half, running for Dana Farber again. Giving myself until September to sort out the fundraising letter and strategy.
Now just have to make it through this next week - back at work after two weeks out, have a toddler in total mommy-mode (day care drop off tears, anyone?), interviewing candidates for our office manager position, and, yes, oh yes, I'm on my own parenting this week as Nate heads to San Diego for a conference for 5 days. No am running, getting it done and over with this week....need to actually make it a priority in the afternoons....hahahahahahahaha!
Did though order more sweet, non-bunching between my sweet thighs Patagonia running shorts and trying the zappos route for another set of new shoes....new trail shoes and some minimalist ones to check out...looking forward to dirt road running again after 2 wks on the island....although all I really had to do was get creative and run the middle of the island rather than go around and around. Next year.....:-)
Lovebug ran her longest race by far Sat am at the Peaks Island Road Race...and has the medal to prove it - just like her momma that thing was off her neck within 2 minutes, but she's pretty proud. Oh yes, Nate kicked butt too coming in just under 39 minutes (after walking up a hill too!) 7:47 pace.
Yup, it will be a bit before I catch him again....
To get my butt off this chair and make the time to run again....although I say that every year after the Boston Marathon. Why is that race so inspiring? Well, this years was for sure with US men and women giving the rest of the world a run for their money. Kara and Desiree, you kick butt! Ryan - you're there, keep going!
But I think it was my friend Mark - running his first marathon for DFMC after a year of slowly coming back after injury and this lovely lady (gotta love someone who loves to poop!) It's time to push this body and mind beyond an amazing life of watching two little ones grow and being supported throughout it all by a husband who I love more and more.
I've got twenty minutes - time to take out the calendar and count down the days and weeks...figure out if this adventure is possible this year...
Got myself started these last two weeks by walking, walking, and more walking around Peaks Island and also threw in two short runs - about 2-3 miles each. I think I'm ready to really start now and the weather is finally cooperating and has turned cooler so that I can actually run at 4pm, rather than melting on the hard top.
So time to kick myself out the office door at 4 today and do 2-3 miles. Maybe the same for tomorrow. It's also time to draft up a reasonable running plan for the next 4 weeks, get my letter drafted, and start this journey for real again.
Inspiration is coming from these ladies: www.runlikeamotherbook.com Can't beat having two rowers, now turned runners (OK, Sarah is still a rower!), who are taller than I am getting me out the door and on my way to running this half in October.
....oh yes, and that 10K in 4 wks too...as my DH nicely reminded me this morning. :-)
Phew, what a year and that's putting it lightly. More on that later, for now, the next goal: the BAA Half-Marathon October 10th, 2010. Running with the Dana Farber team, of course. Nothing spurs me on more than raising money for cancer research. You can find me on the BAA Half Marathon DF site here.
Until then enjoy the picture of the four of us after the DFMC....yes, four....little did we know, but Griffie was with us already, running a marathon at such an early age! LOL!
Twice now I have been touched by someone who has recently passed, their spirit telling me it was OK, that they were making their way around the world to touch and say good bye to those in this world. We are all eternally safe.
And even now, I get my hawk and heron visits, reminders of their love and presence in our hearts.
Less than two weeks until the big day – it truly stuns me how far this effort has come since I was accepted onto the Dana Farber Marathon Challenge team in September 2008 and began my training.Back then “long runs” were 4 mile walk/runs and my focus was mostly internal – remembering and celebrating the two incredible women that I had lost last summer and, as always, my brother, Brian too.
Today, I sit here at my computer nearly dumbfounded at the incredible support from family, friends, colleagues and more – In four short weeks you have shown amazing generosity with over $4000 in donations. I am over half-way to my goal of raising $7500 for the Claudia Adams Barr Program at Dana Farber and have been inspired to reach my own training goals by your stories of strength, courage, humor, generosity and just plain fun folks you are donating in the honor and memory of. Thank you so much again and again.
There is still plenty of time to make a donation – any amount is great and very much appreciated. Click here to make a donation on my DFMC webpage: http://www.runDFMC.org/kerrys2009or donations can be made by check (Payable to either “DFMC” or the “Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge”) and sent to me, Kerry Swift, at 11 Woodland Drive, Underhill, VT 05489. I then complete the necessary paperwork and send the checks along to the DFMC program.
Remember: 100% of any donation goes towards fostering scientific breakthroughs via the Barr Program in Innovative Basic Cancer Research at Dana Farber.Thank you again for any support you can give and for joining us in the fight against cancer.
Training-wise, I’m feeling more confident than I ever thought possible that I will be able to run the whole marathon. On March 28th, I completed the storied “20 mile” training run in about 3 hours and 20 minutes. At 19 miles, it just hit me, “I’m going to be able to do this,” and I think I will be able to if I just make sure I don’t go out too fast, slow myself down during those” fun” miles between 8 and 15 miles, and just keep going through the Newton hills and beyond! Experienced marathoners, please keep those helpful hints coming, I can use them all!
A good number of you have let me know that you will be down in Boston on April 20th on the course cheering folks on. Please let me know where you think you might be and I’ll try and say “Hi”, if I’m not breathing too hard! You can also track me online at the Boston Marathon website: http://www.baa.org/BostonMarathon/113thMarathon.asp . My bib number is 22436 and I will be starting with the second wave of runners at 10:30EST. On race day there will be a runner tracking function active on the site that will give you my progress every 5K. Alternatively, you can check out the AT&T Athlete Alert program, details are available here:http://www.baa.org/BostonMarathon/Att-Athlete-Alert.asp
Thank you again for all your support!
All the best, Kerry
A recovering competitive rower, who has rowed marathons before, but now does them on her own two feet. A scientist who believes that basic, innovative research, if given the chance and funds, can find the cure for cancer. A sister, niece, grand-niece, daughter-in-law, and friend to so many who have had one form or another of this disease. My inspiration will be their strength, courage and love.
