Three Weeks-$1,000-13.1 Miles to go. Astounding!!!!

$1,000 in three weeks. Astounding! Really. (no, Rilly) I can never thank all of you enough.  And as I head out for places far more beautiful that this idyllic setting I currently call home, I thought I’d remind us all of the darling girl who inspired us all!

This is Miss Delaney. 

 I'll wait while you coo and ahh- She's adorable. Yep, I know it. She's darn right irresistible, in fact. Miss Del recently turned 2 and she lives with her momma and poppa in a very cold place. Cold, by my rigid Southern Californian standards...

She is a buoyant loving child who delights in most everything she sees and brings immeasurable joy to her Momma Katrina, Poppa Ben, aunties and uncles, grandparents and her Oma Ursula and Dziadek Gary. She is the light of her family’s life and she has inspired and galvanized an entire community to work tirelessly in bringing AHC to the forefront of medical research and awareness. 

Motivated by Miss Del, Her Aunt Gara has single "footedly" raised over $5,000 for the Alternating Hemipeligia of Childhood Foundation. Del and Gara have inspired two marathoners and this half marathon runner to raise a combined $3,700 for the AHC Foundation.

Momma Trina, Oma Ursula and Auntie Gara have pleaded, begged, encouraged, cajoled and tirelessly worked to make AHCF a winner of the Chase Bank Community giving Project, earning the Foundation $20,000 and they are back at it to try and earn $250,000 from Pepsi in the Pespsi Refresh Charity Contest. (Please vote- see sidebar- Only 10 days left!!)

Oma Ursula her friends and family have held countless fundraisers in their communities and have really shown us all what it means to never stop trying.  

The entire family is a wonderful inspiration, which is why it was so easy for me to decide to raise funds by running Big Sur.

I head out this weekend bearing tremendous gratitude to all of the people (you) who have donated to AHCF on my behalf and in support of Del and my half marathon, and a special thanks to my Sister Mel for staying with our bad animals, while Tom and I truck up to Big Sur.

Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for your donations which will make such a wonderful and plentiful difference in the juggernaut that is AHCF, Miss Delaney and my family.  

ps- I know I owe you costume run photos- stay tuned after the Race I'll post one more time!

$1000 reached- Costume Training Run Thurs: No Crosby Jersey!

Wow. I honestly did not think we would so easily reach $1,000, even when some of you so desperately wanted to see me in a Pink Sidney Crosby jersey, but you did it and I thank you!.... SO! I will take my final training run Thursday in a costume- of my choice. (Unless by some crazy circumstance we reach $1,500 before Thursday.) its just as well though- There are no Pink Crosby Jerseys to be found. 2 websites advertise them, but do not have stock. I even posted a craig's list ad in Pittsburgh, with no dice.

Boy it really tore me up.  ...Thankfully I have THIS to wear during the race:

Ok, so running progress, 6 days until the race! Training is tapering/wrapping up and I am looking back on all the hard work. Oddly, its been more fun and easier than I expected. This experience reinforces one of my mantras: 

Work harder (and smarter) than you think you can, harder than you think you should have to and without the expectation of external reward.

Last week I panicked. I had not had a training run longer than 10 miles and I started to worry that I needed at least one 12 miler under my belt before the race. But It didn't happen. Once I resigned myself to the fact that it was not going to happen, I relaxed and things have been good!

I had my final 2 "hard" training runs this weekend, with some mixed results.

On Saturday I ran 4.5 miles, at a 7:45 to 8:45 minute per mile pace. Trust me, this is as fast as I have run since 2001. The idea was to do a speed workout, but I did not think I would hit a mile at 7:45. I certainly didn't mean to.

Sunday I ran 6.2 and tried to go out easy, but at the 4 mile point I was running 9:15 minute miles and getting tired quickly. I made myself slow down, but it looks like my comfort zone is 9:30. The question becomes whether I can possibly sustain that speed for 13.1 miles.

I plan to run a 10:00 pace for this half marathon and have not tried to push myself faster. In fact, the only reason I did speed workouts at all was to avoid injury. For me, the slower I run, the more messed up my bio-mechanics become. My natural running speed, where my stride and foot strike are bio mechanically correct is about an 8:45 mile. So I did the speed workouts to make sure I could easily run faster than my planned Half Marathon pace.The idea is to make your race pace comfortable. And to plan/prep for the mistake most rookies and even some vets make: letting the adrenaline of being in a race and energy of those around you push you to run faster than you normally would.

In a short race- 10k and under, being energized by the people around me is fine, because I can run 6 miles too fast and finish the race. Sure I might puke my brains out at mile 5, but I can finish. You cannot go into a half marathon and expect to finish if you run it too fast...but speed training helps in case you end up doing it anyway.

Trouble is, I've had too much success in my speed workouts and now what feel comfortable for me for 4-6 miles is faster than 10 minute miles, but I doubt I can keep that up for 13 miles.

There are worse problems to have eh?  

I'll stop by again to post some costume photos after Thursday's run, and then I am off to Monterey for the race!

Carry On all and thank you for your support!

Costume Challenge- $860 in Donations so far and 6 days to get to $1,000!

Ladies and Gentlemen, how is it I never get sick of telling you how much I adore you?  Its so fundamentally out of character for me to gush like this, but hey. Maybe its like in the reading from the Book of Elle, you know the one: Her sermon from Mt. Beverly Hills to the KappaKappaDeltas:

“Exercise gives you endorphins, endorphins make you happy. Happy people don't shoot their husbands, they just don't.”

In sum, no husbands were shot in the making of this half marathon runner, but I sure do feel tons of endorphin fueled appreciation for the people who love me enough to donate $860!!!!!!!!!!

And maybe this is also endorphin fueled too, but I  do promise to make good on the Costume Challenge:

If we hit $1000 before 11/10, I will wear a costume of my choice on my last training run through Santa Monica.

If we hit the $1500 Mark- You kids can pick the costume. I have already had two brutal suggestions:

The first from my fellow Hockey Blogger and Buffalo Sabres Fan: Macksayev:

A Pink Sid Crosby Jersey with pink hot pants.  

The second suggested by my Sister: 

A deranged clown costume with half bald fro wig, preferably rainbow, big floppy shoes, red nose,  smeared deranged clown make up and a honky horn that must be utilized at regular intervals.  

Vote for your favorite in the poll to the right, and if we make it to $1500, I will wear one of these costumes. 

8 Halloween Miles to commemorate closing in on the $800 mark!

Traditional half marathon training programs tell you to taper off during your last two weeks of training. As I polish my lifetime achievement trophy awarded to honor the tireless dedication I have singularly devoted to the perfecting the art of long distance running avoidance, I have been eyeballing these last two weeks of shorter runs the way "some" might eyeball that pillow case of fun sized Halloween chocolate bars under their daughter's bed after she falls into a low blood sugar induced Halloween sleep-coma.

 (The gig is up Mom, I know you used to steal my Halloween Snickers. Everyone knows....) 

Not surprisingly, I gleefully woke on this gorgeous sunny California Sunday knowing that my training schedule only "required" a 6 mile run . As I  happily laced up my Saucony grid 3s  to head out for an "easy" run, I decided to check total contributions made by all you wonderful, kind people and learned that we are closing the gap on $800 in donations. 

In just 11 days we all have generously donated nearly $800.

Outstanding!!!! 

And so totally motivating. At first I thought that I might eat an entire bag of fun sized Snickers in your honor, or even in Mom's honor. Candy thievery aside,  Mom deserves it (The honor, not the sass). See, without Mom's inspiration I would never have gotten my chubby 4th grade behind off the couch and "run" that first 7/10ths of a mile.

But then I thought -perhaps- eating a bag of candy detracts from your amazing achievement. 

Instead I decided to run 8 miles in your honor, on Halloween even. 

No costume, sorry. I have to draw the line somewhere. Tell you what- if we get to $1000 by November 10th, I'll wear a costume on my last training run...  

Thank you all for the inspiration and the support!

It Takes a Village to make a Runner: We've passed the $600 Mark!

Happy Monday indeed! The sun is finally shining here in the coastal plain, and Checking the ACH facebook page I see that you all have been very busy this weekend! A very special thanks to Ms. Wendy Gantt, Miss Lisa Yeh, Kay Swikart, and Rodger Watkins; all my  wonderful co-workers here in Beverly Hills for their generous contributions!

The Race is less than 3 weeks away and I am mentally ready! 

Only those who know me will realize this is truly the most shocking revelation, because never in my life have I ever even wanted to think I could do this. Oh sure, while I have been a runner since the age of 10 (when I laced up my very first pair of Nike Waffle Trainers, neon yellow with the turquoise swoosh and asked my mom to teach me how to be a runner)-  while I am a life long runner, I have held one consistent opinion of marathons (and their spawn) since the beginning: 

That people who run marathons are cuckoo for koo koo puffs, Looney, goofy and batshixxx crazy. My theory has always been that people who run marathons, just don't realize that you don't need to run 26.2 to know its the hardest challenge most people will ever throw at themselves.

And other than during my high school CC team practices, when Coach Westover would drive his pick up truck behind the slackers on the girls CC team while we plodded along whining for the full 10 miles, I haven't run more than 5 miles at any one time since 1987. Nor have I wanted to. 3-4 miles is plenty far if you ask me. Nothin' to prove.  Until last March.

March 2010, San Vicente Blvd in Brentwood on a beautiful crisp sunny morning, Tom and I stood on the sidelines, waiting for my co-worker (and all star contributor to this AHC cause), Miss Lisa Yeh, to pass us with the thousands of others participating in the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon. 

What makes her run so special is that Lisa is a newbie. Her marathon was run in her rookie year. She had only begun to lace up her Asics and jog that first mile as a runner less than 9 months prior. Here she was completing a marathon. She trained and finished the 2010 Los Angeles Marathon like a CHAMP!

Tom and I stood on the race course sidelines cheering Lisa and 25,000 of her closest friends on, and we were completely inspired by their efforts. Lisa is an amazing story herself, but she was not alone. There were teams of high school kids, and groups of people running for causes. They all overwhelmed me with their commitment and determination. 

I toyed with the idea of the LA Marathon in 2011, but- you know- lifelong aversion, fundamental beliefs, etc... 

Still, my friend and the other runners were really inspiring. A little too inspiring.  Surprisingly, I found myself printing a marathon training schedule from the web, posting it on my fridge, and thinking "Well, maybe it would just be fun to complete the training..." 

See, I have neglected my running here in California, opting for more fun workouts like the 4th Street Stairs and Kettlebells:

Fact is, I could pull a 300 with a 12kg bell, but I didn't have the mental stamina to run 3 miles in less than 29 minutes. And those 3 miles HAD to be at the beach, on Ocean Avenue, some place picturesque, because I didn't want to be distracted by the actual workout. So I thought doing marathon training for fun would kickstart to get my focus back.

By July the training was going so-so. I had some successes, such as the first time completing a 5 mile run since 2003, surprising myself greatly. But I also had some health issues that got in the way, and well, the inspiration had faded. Then I heard about the lovely and fun Big Sur Half Marathon, and thought..well it was easier to run 5 miles than I thought, what's 8 more? 

I told Tom about it and we decided to run the BSH together. Since July, I have done pretty well with my training, the health issues only getting in the way occasionally, and last Sunday when I  ran 9.5, and thought I could mentally make it to 11, I knew I was ready!

Somewhere in Livonia, Michigan Coach Westover probably just got a cold chill down his spine for no apparent reason...

From my Mom, to Coach Westie, to Lisa and Tom- well you can see it clearly takes a village to make a runner. 

Just like it takes a village to help deserving children fight for a cure to a disease we know so little about. So thank you again my Village- thank you so much!

Monterey Five-oh oh! $500 raised in 2 days.

Holy cow people. I mean, I knew I had surrounded myself with extraordinary characters- Brilliant gorgeous people with hearts of spun sugar and gleaming gold- before all of this- but you all are really proving yourselves to be more generous than a Beverly Hills magistrate in a Lohan probation hearing, and a HELLUVA lot smarter too!

We reached donation totals of $500 this morning thanks to several wonderful people:

Michael Chiconsky of Austin
Michael Roy of Ferndale by way of Montreal
JoAnna Sliwka of Florida
Virginia Tomongin of Los Angeles.

I am so overwhelmed by your generosity, I am trying to come up with some way to appropriately honor it. Sure sure running 13.1 miles is a good start, but I really need to come up with some sort of tribute to you all.

Now.  Despite my adoration for all things Halloween, I am not one of those runners who will dress like a thanksgiving turkey or even the Rally Monkey, to run a race, but this is 13.1 and I hear that tights can chafe after 6 miles, so silly costumes are out. (though I do love the Rally Monkey).

StillI have to come up with something that says thank you to you all.

Any suggestions that don't involve a chaffing costume?

 Bring it- the more outrageous yet non-constricting the better!

Thank you again to everyone who gives and supports me in this effort. The Rally Monkey applauds you too!

$350 raised in the first day- I am in utter awe.

I cannot believe, but am eternally grateful for, the absolute generosity of my friends and colleagues. In less than 18 hours, I have received donations totaling $350 from some of the most wonderful friends, co-workers and business colleagues ever. I especially want to thank the following amazing contributors:

• Grace Arneal of Los Angeles;
• Parissa Saed of Los Angeles;
• Sue Coon of First American Title Company; 
• Cathy Kyriakou of Casden Properties; 
• Michael Swafford of Plante Moran;
• Michael Roy of Ferndale Michigan, by way of Montreal

for their incredibly generous donations. 

I also want to let everyone who donates know that I will get tax deduction forms to you as soon as I get them from the AHC Foundation.***

I have to be honest, I have never tried to raise money for anything before, and I was feeling pretty guilty about asking people for money in this economy. Sure and OF COURSE, its for a great cause, but still. I know how hard it is out there.  And given the time constraints involved, I was not expecting nearly so much. 

Luckily, I was inspired and motivated by my cousin Gara and her fundraising efforts, and of course Miss Kristy, my predecessor to this challenge. It also helps that I don't feel all that guilty about asking parents from whom I have bought copious amounts of wrapping paper, cookies, popcorn and candy bars....

Still,  I figured if everyone I made aware of the cause/run would donate $5.00 then we'd have had a successful fundraiser. Having 245 Facebook friends to pester, and having already pestered about 50 of my colleagues and friends, I was thinking $1,500 would be a doable goal.

And now on Day 2, we are well on our way to meeting it, thanks in enormous part to the amazing generous people named above.

You are all wonderful! Its quite overwhelming. 

***Edit: I have learned from the foundation that they only issue tax deduction receipts for contributions over $100, so if you contribute, keep your canceled check, or copy of your credit card receipt, which will serve as your tax receipt. Thank you!!!!

A New Challenge to raise funds for Del and AHC!

Hello all, I am your new "[Half]MarathonforDel" blogger,  Justine Sliwka, or "Juice" as I am know in circles of people who like completeness, closure and pi. (and I ask you, who doesn't like pi?)  

I am here to commandeer this wonderful blog to raise funds for Delaney and the Alternating Hemiplegia Of Childhood Foundation Inc  as I run my very first half marathon this November 14, 2010 in Monterrey California.

I'd first and foremost, like to wholeheartedly congratulate MFD Blogess, Miss Kristy, not only for completing the Chicago Marathon last weekend, but for raising such a nice chunk of donation change! I must also thank her for letting me take over this blog site on such short notice. 

Bravo Miss Kristy!

Why have I chosen to get involved? Well, you see, Miss Del is my cousin and her momma, Katrina, is very dear to me, having been the very first baby to ever spit up on me. She claims not to remember, but lets face it, with those big blue Disney Princess eyes, 'Trina is pretty much capable of making anyone believe whatever she wants them to. (I would like to note that Miss Del has the same facial features, and to that I say "Good Luck Miss Trina, and lock your doors, She's gonna be a show stopper!").

The thing is, Del and Trina need our help. Del has been diagnosed with Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood. AHC is a rare neurological disorder that, among other things, causes paralysis of the body- in a fashion that alternates from one side to the other. AHC has only recently been discovered, and is considered a "new" disease. As it stands now, there is no cure, and the child does not grow out of it with age.You can read more about it here  or at the links on the sidebar.

The Big Sur Half takes place in a little less than 3 weeks, and so I have my fundraising work cut out for me.  I  am here to ask you to please make a donation to AHCFI on behalf of Myself and Miss Delaney.

To donate, just use the paypal button on the right and I will make sure all of the funds go to the AHC foundation. If you  prefer, you can also go here and make a donation or send a check to:

Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation (or AHCF)
31250 Plymouth Rd
Livonia, MI 48150 

Just note "Half Marathon for Del" on your check. 

And I know its short notice, so Thank you very much!  

And Just Like That....10/10/10 Is Over!!

So friends...I finished the Chicago Marathon on 10/10/10 and I did it for a great cause. We raised $1300.00 for the AHC Foundation. The marathon was not completed without quite a few challenges as to be expected when one sets out to run 26.2 miles. When I started the marathon, it was around 60 degress out, not bad at all. Over 1.5 million people came out in the city to cheer and support and that felt amazing. There were people of all ages, sizes and nationalities that were doing this race. And many were doing it for someone or something of value to them, a cause or in honor of a lost loved one. To be around such inspiration was overwhelming and emotional. I was surrounded by 45,000 of the most disciplined, inspirational and dedicated people that morning.

So now I'm running and I find myself sweating in the first mile and am more thirsty than normal. I made sure to drink water, gatorade, get hosed down and take my energy gel packs. At the half way point, I was at 2 hours, 5 minutes. Feeling pretty good. The course was so scenic and crowd support was awesome.

Each mile after 13 becaming more and more grueling. My body felt so depleted and I know I was getting dehydrated. It was getting hotter and hotter and I was nauseous. I kept reminding myself that the pain was temporary, this was not about me and that it was such a small struggle to endure, not a lifelong struggle like those that deal with AHC everyday. I also wanted to finish the race safely. I witnessed many people getting medical assistance and having to stop. So I took care of myself and finished in 4 hours and 36 minutes. It was 85 degrees when I crossed that wonderful line.

My marathon may be over, but my efforts to raise money and awareness for the AHC Foundation aren't. I will still be teaching yoga classes for this cause and telling everyone I know about it. Now that you know about it, please do the same and continue to support this cause just like you supported me through this life challenge.

With Such Love and Gratitude To All of You!!!!

Less Than 10 Days Until I Run 26.2 Miles For A Wonderful Cause

The Marathon is next Sunday. I honestly can't believe it. My long run for this weekend is only 8 miles (YAY!!!) and then next week is much resting and carb eating:) I wanted to take this opportunity to remind everyone where I received the inspiration to run this marathon for Del and AHC awareness. Please check out and subscribe to Runningfordel.com. Gara, Trina's sister, committed to running 1000 miles from January 1,2010 until October 21, 2010, Del's 2nd Birthday. That's quite a commitment and dedication to this cause, and its a lot of running!! Gara, Del, Trina and her whole family are such an inspiration to me. They have done so much for this cause and everyone that is affected with AHC, I'm honored to know them. I've included some pics of the lovely, lovely family. They continue to remind me that the main purpose of our lives is to support and serve others in anyway that we can, everyday. Gara and I have shown that when you do things for someone or something greater than yourself you can accomplish so much more then when you are just serving yourself. Knowing that I am running 26.2 miles next Sunday for such a worthy cause keeps me motivated, inspired and dedicated to giving it all that I have. With Gratitude and Love!!!!! Have a Great Weekend.

The Grand Finale of Training Runs This Saturday....20 Big Ones!!

So this Saturday will be my last long run before the big day. I will be running 20 miles. Running Fit has an organized training run along Hines Drive so I don't even have to plan my route which is awesome. I have to say that I think I will be a little disappointed when the long runs are over. Don't get me wrong, I won't miss the utter exhaustion after a long run or the muscle spasms and cramps or the anticipation and anxiety leading up to it. I will, however, miss the sense of accomplishment that comes with doing something that I really didn't think I was capable of doing each week. And while I may have thought before I started this marathon for a cause that I wouldn't be able to make a difference in Del's life or in the lives of others affected with AHC, we have because of all of your support. All of you are amazing and I am at this point of the training because of you. Specifically, Jonas you rock for running 16 and 18 miles with me and Jenny, I love you for agreeing to run the last 6 with me of the marathon. Stay tuned for a post 20 update! xoxo

Now Can You See Why I Am Running 18 Miles This Weekend?

Sure the runner's high is great. Pushing yourself beyond what you thought you were capable of is inspiring. Eating a lot on your long run days is fun. Post running massages are pretty amazing too. I'm not going to lie, I enjoy all of these things. But...thats not why I'm running this marathon. I'm running for this sweet little surfer girl Del and all of those like her that are affected with AHC. I'm running through the aches, pains and weaknesses so that theirs can be less. How can you not support that face? There is still time to donate. Every single dollar helps. Please continue providing your support!!! xoxoxo

Here Is Where I Will Be This Saturday Morning!!

In just one short month I will be running 26.2 miles in the Windy City! This Saturday I'm running about 16 miles in Royal Oak and Birmingham. A friend has volunteered to be my running partner. Thank you Jonas!! I was just thinking this week of how challenging it was going to be to get through the 16 miles solo and then I found out this morning I don't have to do it alone. It makes such a difference to know that I will have the support of a friend to get through the long run together. Just like it makes a difference to those families and friends that are affected by AHC to know that they have a community of support. Please continue to support me and AHC and donate to this cause, every little bit helps. It helps me to know that I am not training for this marathon alone and it helps Del and her wonderful family to know that they are not alone in living with AHC. I could never do this alone and I can only do this with your continued support.

Happy Labor Day Weekend!!

This weekend I'm headed up to Glen Arbor, located right on Lake Michigan to soak up the last bit of Summer here. Its suppose to be a little chilly but if there is one thing I'm absolutely certain we can't control its the weather. So rain or shine hot or cold I am going to enjoy the fresh air, family, relaxation and nature. I am also going to do some running. The fresh pollution free air will be such a treat for my lungs. My training schedule calls for 15 miles this weekend. I've been sick this week though with a kidney infection and am not going to push it. I'm on some strong antibiotics and am feeling much better. Its been a challenge for me to do....NOTHING. I haven't run since Monday and I know its what I need. So I might run 2 and I might run 12 miles this weekend. Right now, I have to listen to my body because its telling me to take a break. That is why now, more than ever, I am so thankful that this training and this marathon is for something so much more than me. I am doing this to raise money and make a difference for everyone that is affected by AHC. Please support me by donating and send me some healing thoughts and energy. Enjoy the long weekend and the last roses of summer:)

14 Miles Is a Breeze....With No Humidity

This weekend I ran 14 miles. The conditions were perfect. It was about 70 degrees, sunny, breezy and no humidity. I realized that the only good thing about running my other long runs in such humid, sticky and hot conditions is that when the weather is great for running, my long runs are enjoyable and so much easier. Its like a lot of things in life, the challenges make us strong and help us appreciate and enjoy when things are easier. I can tell that I am building endurance and all of the support I am receiving is keeping me going. Keep sending me your thoughts and love as I continue on, it makes a difference. I was staying with my parents this weekend, visiting with my niece and nephews so I ran through lower huron and willow metro park on the bike path. It was very scenic running along the river, through the woods and along the bike path. My birthday is tomorrow and the best gift you could give me would be to support this cause and continue to spread the word about AHC. Happy Sunday!!

Fun & Flying For a Great Cause!!

I will be teaching three 1.5 hour anti-gravity yoga workshops at the Grosse Pointe yoga shelter. A portion of the proceeds will go directly to the AHC foundation. In these workshops, each student will have their own silk hammock to help support them with backbending, inversions, hip openers and core strength poses. This is a perfect compliment to running or just a busy, active lifestyle. We will play, face fears, build strength, relax and get the opportunity to reflect. This is appropriate for all levels. Its a lovely yoga practice because the hammock works as an extra tool to deepen the poses. Check out yogashelter.com and click on the Upcoming Events button on the left hand side for more info and to sign up. Spaces are limited!! If you aren't in the area, show your support by donating directly to the AHC foundation.

13 Miler This Saturday!!

This Saturday I'm running 13 miles, almost half way! I've been running my long runs on Paint Creek trail in Rochester. I'm including a photo for your viewing pleasure. This trail goes from Rochester to Lake Orion. The surface is crushed limestone. Its scenic, shady and its saving my knees. I do get really jealous though of the bikers and horse riders as they leisurely cruise by. One day a biker stopped to inform me that I was running at a speed of 7 mph. (It was so humid that day:) I am really enjoying this challenge and because its supporting a bigger cause, its so worth it. Thanks for the continued support from everyone! Please send me some energy and patience on Saturday. Have a great day!

The 2nd Marathon For Del...in Chicago!

Anna did a fabulous job with this blog and with her marathon. Now, its my turn. On Sunday, October 10th I will be running in the Chicago Marathon. This will be my second marathon. After my first marathon, honestly I never thought I would run another one. I realized, however, that something was missing from the experience because I wasn't doing it for something greater than my small self. Running through the aches, pains and humidity can't just be about me. There is a very important intention behind this event and it will help make my struggles and discomforts minimal. The only way I know I will be able to make it through the training and the marathon this time is because I am doing it to raise money and awareness for a very important cause, Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC).

Briefly, AHC is a rare neurological disorder in which repeated, transient attacks of hemiplegia occur, affecting one side of the body or the other, or both sides of the body. The hemiplegia (paralysis of a portion of the body) ranges from simple numbness in an extremity to full loss of feeling and movement. The attacks may last for minutes, hours or even days and are normally relieved by sleep. The attacks of hemiplegia may alternate from one side of the body to another. This cause so desperately need our support because this is such a rare disease, the foundation has limited funds and knowledge about this disease is limited. More funds will lead to more knowledge and hopefully more peace for the families, the friends and the children affected with AHC.

One of my nearest and dearest friends Katrina and her husband Ben, have the sweetest daughter named Del. Del has AHC. Ben and Katrina are wonderful and giving people. Katrina is the most amazing friend, mother, teacher and woman that I truly look up to. I know that Del is going to grow up to be a lot like her. Support me, Del, this cause and all others impacted by AHC by donating and I will keep racking up the miles.

To donate, just use the paypal button on the right and I will make sure all of the funds go to the AHC foundation. If you would rather mail me a check I will give you my address.

Please be sure to also check out Gara's (Katrina's sister) blog, runningfordel.com. She is running 1000 miles for Del. What an inspiring family:)

All Done!

Phew!

I'm happy to report that I finished the Green Bay marathon this Sunday with a personal best! My time was 4:10.09, which is my best marathon time by quite a bit. Besides battling with some very sore quads, I couldn't be happier about it. My fellow runners did amazing-- Gara got her personal best on the half as well, coming in at 2:07, and my bro-in-law Brandon finished the marathon in 3:55!

Here's a recap of race weekend.

Gara, Julie (our self-proclaimed professional spectator), and I headed up to Green Bay on Saturday afternoon, arriving just in time to grab our race packets and partake in the race's official spaghetti dinner. As I've mentioned, this was my first trip to Lambeau Field, so I forced Julie and Gara to walk around the stadium and take many pictures.






Then we settled into the huge spaghetti buffet. We hadn't anticipated that race preparation in Green Bay involved beer drinking, so we were thrown off when we each received multiple beverage tickets for the marathon-specific brew "26.2." Recognizing that Gara and I weren't able to appreciate the 26.2 that night, Julie stepped up to the plate.

After Julie finished all of our beers and Gara and I finished many pasta plates and cookies, we hit the hay early for our 5:45 wake-up on Sunday morning. Luckily our hotel was across the street from the starting line outside Lambeau Field, so we pretty much rolled out of bed, smiled for a picture, and were at the starting line.

We had a gorgeous sunny morning for the run! It was about 55 and cloudless when we started, so Gara and I started out the first 4 miles at a quick 9-minute pace. After mile 4, Gara and I parted ways, but not before she handed me some inspiration.

At about mile 1, Gara told me just how much easier running has become for her since she set her goal to run 1,000 miles for AHCF. That even though she might not feel like running 3 or 4 miles every day, what she feels like doing isn't relevant because it's not for her--it's for Del, her family, and everyone affected by AHC. And that after taking herself out of equation, all those little excuses to avoid running have simply gone away. She was so nonchalant describing the immense effort her goal requires that she'll probably be surprised that I was struck by her comment. It had never been clearer to me how deeply she cares about her family and this cause.

Invigorated by Gara, I did my best to keep up the pace, and it felt great! I'd been training at about a 9:30 to 9:45 pace, so I knew I might be pushing it, but I wanted to see what I could accomplish. I thought it would be a lonely 22 miles, but between Julie and Gara, my sister Lisa and her boyfriend Trey, and my sister Katie and her kids Olivia and Sammy, I always had someone pushing me along. And for those few lonely miles, I had the Proclaimers singing "500 miles" on repeat (a little shoutout for the HIMYM fans). Here are some pics of our fans. Thanks for the support guys!

Julie prepping for over 4 hours of serious spectating.





Lisa high-fiving me at mile 20.

Katie, Olivia, and Sammy cheering me on!

Admittedly, I hated everything in the world between miles 22 and 24, causing me to slow down. I decided at about mile 16 that I should be able to finish at around a 4:10, and at mile 24 I was getting very close to losing that time. Luckily, once Lambeau Field was in sight, I got a second wind (or third, or tenth, I'd lost count). The race ended by looping through the field and into the parking lot, where a huge tailgate was waiting, and the crowd pushed me to finish strong.

Thanks again to everyone who's donated, checked out Gara's blog, and took the time to learn about AHC.

A special thanks this week to:

Margo Bendewald (Uncle LEO!!)

Gara!

Jordan Ginsberg

Adam Herzog

Stephanie Koenig

In total, we've raised over $1,400 for AHC throughout my training! I might be done with the marathon, but AHC still needs attention. If you'd like to donate to this cause, check out Gara's website at http://www.runningfordel.com/, or the AHC website where you can donate online or through the mail. Gara will be continuing to update on her progress to 1,000 miles on her blog. So check her out!

Only 26 Miles to Go!

Almost there! The marathon is this Sunday, so it's time to taper my runs and rest. I've been doing my daily maintenance runs of 3.5-5 miles. I completed an 8 miler this weekend, and I've been happily taking it easy lately. Unfortunately I've been battling an annoying cold for the past two weeks, but I'm pretty sure I've kicked the cold out of me with plenty of sleep and some comfort food. It REALLY helped that I got a care package from Del's mama Katrina. She sent me Vermont's finest pancake mix and maple syrup, which I immediately whipped up. Thank you so much Katrina, it was so sweet of you to think of me!

Since this is my last entry before the run, I wanted to thank some folks. One of the more annoying aspects of my training is that at certain points, my running is ALL I talk about. And it's not interesting. At all.

For instance, my family has been wonderful about listening to me yammering about my increase in glucosamine intake. I'm guessing they'd also like to SEE me without being recruited to RUN with me.

And I find it improbable that my work colleagues actually care that my leg doesn't hurt QUITE as much this week as last. I've had more than one or two conversations with these patient people where I analyzed my relative levels of leg pain, and talked lovingly about my foam roller that helped my IT band issues.

Finally, I'm sure my friends liked me a lot more when I was willing to have a drink or three, eat a normal meal on a Friday night instead of requiring pasta, and discuss something other than what clothes are best to avoid chafing (although, I did recently learn about a product for men that helps with nipple chafing if anyone is interested!).

Despite my inability to talk like a normal person, EVERYONE has indulged me with an incredible amount of support since I've started training in February. Even though I sound like a broken record when I describe my runs, I LOVE chatting about my progress and it feels so much more rewarding when I can share it with you guys. So thank you, thank you, thank you to everyone that I live, work, and socialize with. I PROMISE that I'll be a much more interesting and pleasant person a week from now!

I'm very pleased to report that there's been a lot of action these past few weeks! Thank you so much to everyone that's donated to the AHCF lately:

Gary & Ursula Sliwka
Karen Sinz
Megan Bemis
Lynette & Gray Walter
Sara Rozansky
Melonie Gross
Julie Dombrosky

This week's donations have put me at $1085. I'm SO happy with this result, and would love it if we could get even closer to my $2,000 goal by this Sunday. Every little bit helps!

Gara, our cheerleader Julie, and I are heading up to Green Bay on Saturday afternoon. We'll be sure to take plenty of pics sporting our runningfordel.com t-shirts! I'll check in after the marathon to fill everyone in on the race and how much we've raised for the AHCF.

Thanks again!!!

Last Long Run!

I'm almost there! This weekend's 20 miler marks the last of my long runs, and it couldn't have gone better. The weather was fantastic--sunny with a little breeze--so I was thrilled to be out there for a little over 3 hours. I'm not so happy with my lobster-like complexion today, but I know better than to complain about a sunny day.

The 20 felt a little daunting during the week, so I enlisted some friends to meet up with along the way. My friend Kerry lives along the north part of my route, so she let me wake her up early to run about 4 miles. Usually my least favorite part of my run is the first 1.5 hours going north through some neighborhoods that can be a little sketchy, so having her join me for my toughest part of the run was a life-saver. Thanks Kerry!

After dodging a parade and cutting off some traffic on lakeshore drive, my roommate Denise and her boyfriend Edgar joined in the fun. They met up with me for the last four miles, going north from the loop. I was definitely a bit tired when I we met up, but I put on my tough face and they entertained me enough to forget about the two hours I'd already run. And Edgar, being about a foot taller than me and a guy, was a lot faster, which pushed me to speed up at the end. I'm not sure how, but we sprinted the final few blocks, leaving me with an average of around a 9:30 pace. And then Edgar treated Denise and I to Starbucks and brunch afterwards. FYI Edgar, you're welcome in Chicago any time :)

So I guess this is it folks! Next weekend I have a maintenance run of 10 miles, then Gara and I are off to Green Bay, WI for the May 16 race.



I've mentioned that Gara will be doing the half marathon portion of the marathon, so there'll be two ladies running for AHCF that day. I'm not sure how thrilled Gara (a Michigan native) is about entering Packerland, but I'm pretty darn excited. Seeing as we get to run through the field itself, and this race will be my first trip to Lambeau after 28 years of Cheeseheadedness, Gara may have to hold me back from doing a Lambeau Leep at the end of the race. Assuming I can still stand, that is!

As usual, thanks to everyone for their continued support! A special thanks to:

Martha & Nathan Linsley
Jake Babcock & Emily Detroy
Noel Collins
Mark Blocker

This week's donations put me just about halfway to my $2,000 goal. Let's make this happen!!!

19 Miles Around Chi

The Marathon for Del is less than a month away! It's crazy how quickly the time has passed, but I'm thrilled that it's finally warm enough out there for me to sport my runningfordel t-shirt and spread the word on AHC.

After finding routes in other cities for the past two long runs, this weekend I got to run 19 miles around good ol' Chicago! I was a little concerned about getting bored because I was running solo, but my friends Nathan and Martha let me borrow their nifty Garmin GPS watch. This little thing is amazing. I was able to check my pace at all times, chart my elevation, calculate the calories I burned, and--best of all--know EXACTLY when I had run 19 miles so I could stop! Despite some strong wind heading north, and a near collision with some pigeons in the loop (don't ask), the run felt pretty great. And I managed to average a pace of 9:41 (specificity brought to you compliments of the Garmin) throughout the run, leaving me feeling pretty optimistic.

My next, and final, long run will be next Saturday. I'll be doing 20 miles and then tapering before heading up to Green Bay with Gara on May 16. Anyone who wants to join me for a few miles is more than welcome! I can use all the help I can get.

Here's my route!



Right now I've received a little over $600 in contributions for AHC, which is about 1/3 of the way to my $2,000 goal. I'd love to reach this goal before the marathon, so please pass on the information about the AHCF to friends and family. Every contribution helps!

Shuffling Through 17 Miles

Happy April Everyone!

This past weekend I headed up to my hometown of Milwaukee to spend Easter with my family. This week's run was 17 miles, which put me at a little less than 3 hours of running. Sunday morning was a sunny 60 degrees, so I was feeling pretty optimistic. I headed out, thinking that I'd run cheerily through the nicest part of the sunny day along the tree-lined streets of my parents' suburb. Not so much. About 2 miles in, the tempurature dropped about 10 degrees, it started raining, and the wind started whipping at my face to the point where I felt my contacts drying out. Because I was only at about mile 3 when things got ugly, and I was running solo, music became my savior.

Now, those of you who have been in a car or (God forbid) ever sang karaoke with me, have experienced my completely random and admittedly cheesy music tastes. My shuffle's workout mix, about 150 songs collected since 2003, amplify this because, as the sole listener, I don't need to filter out of shame. I have no idea how to describe my overall style of music, so here's a list of the most recent 20 songs my shuffle played:

1. Minute by Minute-Girl Talk
2. I Believe in a Thing Called Love-The Darkness
3. Turn My Head-Live
4. Knock You Down-Keri Hilson, Kanye, and Ne-Yo
5. Wendy Clear-Blink 182
6. The Wind-Cat Stevens
7. Poker Face-Lady GaGa
8. Juicy-Better Than Ezra
9. Ice Cream Van-Glasvegas
10. Sober-Pink
11. Leavin'-Jesse McCartney (Probably my favorite guilty pleasure song)
12. Laid-Matt Nathanson
13. The Finer Things-Steve Winwood
14. Gold Digger-Kanye West (I promise, I'm really not that big of a Kanye fan!)
15. Never Gonna Give You Up-Rick Astley
16. A Little Respect-Erasure
17. Polmont on My Mind-Glasvegas
18. Faith-George Michael
19. Come And Get Your Love-Redbone (Don't ask me why, I have NO idea)
20. Surrender-Cheap Trick

Wow. Shameful. But it works for me because it keeps me guessing while I run, changes up my mood and pacing, and helps me focus my attention away from whatever conditions I have to deal with. So, thanks to my shuffle and a break from the bad weather after 10 miles, I successfully finished the 17 miles!

Now here's a little more about the reason I'm doing all this--AHCF! Last weekend I got together with Gara, her boyfriend Boris, and Gara's parents, Ursula and Gary. Gara and Boris are whizzes in the kitchen, so they whipped up an Indian feast, and then Ursula and Boris played some music for us--Boris playing the bass by ear and Ursula the accordian. It was a blast!

Besides getting dinner and a show, I got to chat with Del's proud grandparents about the work they've been doing for the AHCF. I was incredibly impressed with their commitment to the cause. In just a few weeks they'll be hosting a spaghetti dinner to benefit the AHCF. Around 600 people plan to attend! I was interested to hear about their experience so far working to raise AHC awareness, and was touched to hear the amount of support they've received from their community, especially in this difficult financial climate. Thanks again to everyone that's checked out the AHC information, sent their support, and continue to spread the word about AHC.

Also, a special thanks to my roommate and running buddy Denise Sinz for her donation!

15 Miler in Madtown!

Happy Belated St. Patty's Day! Last week's 9 miles went well. I decided to go solo on Sunday evening to take advantage of that extra daylight we got from springing ahead--and yes, also because I may have enjoyed a few green beers on Saturday. What can I say, I have to carbo-load, right?

This past weekend I headed up to my old stomping grounds, Madison, Wisconsin, to visit my good friend Lissa. Gara and I drove up there on Friday evening, giving me the opportunity to enjoy the healthiest pre-run meal possible: a shamrock shake and filet 'o fish sandwich. Dinner of champions? I think so.

Lissa, Gara, and I planned to get up somewhat early and run together, but when we woke up to 25 degrees and snow, it took us a little while to muster the motivation to get started. Thankfully it started to clear up and we headed out to the gorgeous Lake Monona path.



Despite an annoying amount of wind, we all met our running goals--Lissa ran 6, Gara ran 9, and I got in 15. It was a great chance for us to catch up, and for me to run around my old campus. After Gara and Lissa finished up, I ran towards campus, to Lake Mendota, and past my college dorm. That shamrock shake must have some magical powers, because the run felt fantastic and I managed to pull off a pace of around 9:30 again. Hopefully I can keep this up! Lissa, thank you so much for your comfy couch/bed, the scenic running route, the dancing, and the cheese :)

Here's a pic of my running buddies--one I think they'll appreciate more than a post-run photo.




This weekend I'm doing 9 miles again, so I'll get to recover a bit. Gara's parents will be town, so I'll get to meet them and learn all about the work they've been doing with the AHCF.

Thanks again to everyone who's been checking out the AHCF information. Gara will be passing up the 250 mile mark within the next week, so a big congrats to her for being a quarter way to her 100-mile goal!

A special thanks to:

Sara & Jeff Monnette
Kerry Krebs & Chris Onken
Minnie Lee
Mike Auda
Reena Jashnani
Kate Miller

Your support has brought me to $585, so I'm getting closer to my $2,000 goal. Thank you!

For my next long run--17 miles--I'll be heading to Milwaukee for Easter with my family. Enjoy the rest of March Madness everyone!

Great day for 13 miles!

Thank you, March, for breaking with tradition and coming in like a lamb!

When I signed up for this marathon, I knew my training would start in February, and that I had to stay in running shape over the winter. The treadmill and I don't like each other very much, so that meant I had to suck it up and run through the winter. I am very lucky that my roommate/running buddy, Denise, has been willing to do it with me. Almost every morning for the past 9 months, Denise and I have gotten up together at 6 a.m. to run before work. Over the winter, I've tried to stay positive, convincing myself that weather.com's temperature was off by five degrees, and saying things like "It's a fun workout when you have to run through the snow--it's like beach running" or "It sure feels warmer than 15 degrees!" But who are we kidding--winter running gets old fast.

So when I woke up on Saturday morning to sun and 35 degrees, I felt pretty darn lucky. For the first time in months I actually wore sunglasses and felt overdressed! The 13 miles went better than expected, I kept up a pace of a little slower than a 9 minute mile, which is right around my goal time. I haven't done a long run alone for a few years, so I was happy to run into some friends on the lakeshore path. Thanks Kerry, Chris, and Sparkle for breaking up the monotony! Next time I'm running up Sheridan I'm definitely picking you guys up.

I've been thrilled with the attention you guys have given this matter so far. I've already received $365 in donations, so I'm almost a quarter of the way to my goal! Thank you very much to everyone who's checked out the website and donated to the AHCF so far. A special thanks to:

Dan Poll
Brian Lohan
David Canales
Denise Woodside
Kate Miller
Erin, Mike, Sophie, Irene, and ??? Schumaker (thanks for the drawings too!)

For those of you keeping up with Gara's progress in her mission to run 1,000 miles for AHCF, she just decided to run the Green Bay Half Marathon. The half is the same day as the marathon so we'll get to run the first 11 miles of our races together. Now there'll be two ladies running for AHCF on May 16!

This coming weekend I'm scaling back the mileage to 9 miles. A few of my siblings are coming into town to celebrate St. Patty's Day Chicago-style. They don't know it yet, but part of the celebration will be getting up on Sunday to run with me...Lisa and Kelly, I'm talking to you!

Have a great week everyone!

Hello Everyone!

As many of you know, I'll be running the Green Bay marathon on May 16, 2010. This will be my third marathon, but I'm particularly excited about this one because I'll be running for an important cause that needs more attention.



Over the past year, my awesome friend and running buddy, Gara, learned that her adorable niece, Del, has been diagnosed with a disease known as Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood (AHC). AHC affects the neurological system and causes temporary paralysis in the limbs and "episodes" that mirror seizure activity. Only about 400 people in the world have been diagnosed with the disease, resulting in limited funding devoted to researching treatments and a possible cure. Families that face this diagnosis consequently have very little guidance about how they can expect AHC to affect their lives.

Gara, and many others are trying to change that. There is a team at the University of Utah and other U.S. and Canadian specialists dedicated to finding a treatment and cure. And Gara has pledged to run 1,000 miles (WOW!) between January 1, 2010 and October 21, 2010, passing all donations to the Alternating Hemiplegia of Childhood Foundation (AHCF).

To read more about Gara's inspiring journey and her amazing family, check out her website: www.runningfordel.com.

My goal, with your help, will be to raise $2,000 of donations to the AHCF by my May 16, 2010 marathon. If you'd like to donate, please click on the paypal button, and enter any amount you would like to donate to this worthy cause. I'll take care of forwarding your donations on to the AHCF. Also, feel free to email me, and I will give you my address if you would prefer to send a hard copy check.

I'll keep everyone posted with my running progress. I'm starting with 7 miles this weekend, but those of you in the midwest know that running these days involves dealing with what we know and love as the "wintery mix." So look for me wearing my runningfordel t-shirt (with a few added layers) on the Lakeshore Path!




Thank you very much for giving your attention to this important cause!