Okay! I get it.

Today I woke up sore and tight. Guess I need to really, actually rest my bod a bit. FINE!

Couldn't rest...

So, I didn't rest at all yesterday. Daemon was sick, so I was home all day and I pulled out my little trampoline and jogged for about an hour. Today, I did the same. Tomorrow is supposed to be a "take it easy" day before the big group session we do Saturday, this week it's 3-4 miles! I will take it easy tomorrow because I do not want to burn out on Saturday, that would mega-suck. I also did some light weight training yesterday. I must say, with all this exercise, my metabolism is cranking and I'm less cranky. I forgot I was such an endorphin addict! I remember I had a stairmaster in my MN apartent just to keep me from getting an energy build up that often turned to bitchy in the blink of an eye. I am really happy. I am hoping to go to my friend's house tomorrow and take the boys to swim. I will swim and lay out a little, sunblocked, of course. Easy peasy.

My fund raising is at a stand still. Like Amy, I need to get those letters done, maybe I'll do that tomorrow so I can bring them to the group session on Saturday to be mailed.

Amy: This week's training

So Monday I had the option to do cross-training, meaning something other than walking/running. I chose to cycle. I took my bike out and I was supposed to do only 20-30 minutes but because of a bunch of dead-end streets and back-tracking, I wound up doing more like 45 minutes. Oops. I was so exhausted when I got home.

Tuesday I was supposed to do my 2 miles but was so busy I ran out of time. I've come to realize that in order to get my miles in I have to do them early in the morning, otherwise I'm unlikely to do them at all. So I skipped Tuesday but swapped it with Wednesday, which was supposed to be a Rest day. Did them in my new shoes! Got new shoes at the Runner's Den after the shoe clinic - this was absolutely necessary as I did not have appropriate footwear (many people were quick to point out to me at the group practice last Saturday). Another 2 miles this morning and it really was easier today, I think I'm starting to get conditioned. Yay! Tomorrow is "10 Minutes Easy" - I'll have to ask my coach what that means again. I forgot.

Saturday I'm going to work a food concession stand at the big Univ. of Phx Stadium for the Kenney Chesney concert. My day will start with getting up at 5:15 a.m. to go to the group training to do my 2 miles there, then I have to be at the stadium at 12 noon to make sure I have enough time to check-in and get to my booth by 12:30, and Kenney Chesney doesn't even go on until 9:00 pm. It's going to be a really, really long and difficult day. I won't even have time to nap. But our group gets paid a commission based on our sales, and all of us working will split the money to our fundraising. I'm hoping to make like $400 or more. If I don't, I'll be very, very disinheartened.

So far Jo is kicking my butt in fundraising, which is ironic since it's the part she was most concerned about. She's got like 6x as much as I've raised. :: Sigh :: I need to get my letters out. I sent an email but no one (or hardly no one) has responded. It's a disappointment for sure, but hopefully people will realize I really am going to do this thing and they'll be willing to support me.

That's it. My rant for today. :)
-A

Today, we rest

It's actually on the training schedule, the last Wednesday of rest, next week begins core training on Wed. I will enjoy my rest day.

Yesterday went well, I will NEVER run without fuel again, it was rough going and I felt like crap all day after. Today I started with a belly full of quinoa and apple sauce, that sounds like good restin' fuel.

Tuesday Morning Run

It's Tuesday morning, 5:53 a.m., I am going to go do my 2-3 miles now. Alone, outside. I have never jogged in my neighborhood before, except on the way back from dropping Daemon at school, never just for exercise. Never just to run. Why do I feel nervous? First time jitters. I will be victorious!

They told us not to eat too much, just cuz we are running, but I am eating like a voracious wild dog who likes sugar. It's my running fuel. Crap, I just realized I was about to run on an empty stomach, well, coffee stomach. Maybe I will, just for the sake of the experiment. It's only 2 miles, not 10...

1st Group Training - Done!

Jo and I completed our 1st group training today - Yay! She was at my house early this morning, around 5:45 a.m. and we had coffee and talked about what we might expect. We did some voiceover work with the camera in the car on the way to the park, and then filmed some footage after practice was done. I woke up early this morning, like around 4:30 a.m., and couldn't fall back asleep. It was weird to go out, stretch, hear from our coaches, walk 2 miles, and then be home earlier than I usually even get up! I was home by around 8:00 a.m. Crazy. I'll hopefully sleep well tonight! Jo Anna got done with the 2 miles before I did, but I expected that. I think I was the slowest person there... Wait, there was one other person who kept pace with me (and thanks for that Michelle!) so I didn't feel like a total pathetic loser. I keep telling myself, I won't get any better by not trying - so what if I'm slow, I'm doing it! And that's better than not doing it! So yay me!!
-A

First Group Training Session Today

Up at 5am to be at Amy's at 5:45 to drink a coffee and be at the park at 6:30, ready to go. I am drinking a coffee now, too and making sprouted rye peanut butter toast to tide me. This Saturday it's 1-2 miles, next Saturday is 3-4 miles! Yikes! I suppose, I need to get in quick ready shape to do 26. What have I gotten into!?

I got my food handlers card yesterday so I can work a booth at a concert to earn more money for our goal! Amy's doing it to, it will be fun!

Off to eat!

More after the run.

-J

A Full Marathon

Gasp! I was originally going to do the half with B, but she assured me that she would be cool if I did the full. I really want to challenge myself, so I feel doing the whole 26.2, or whatever, is really really a challenge. I hope to meet up with her along the way, at some point. I hope to run/walk the thing. A jog here, a dash there with periods of recovery in between. I have my gym membership and my home gym (a mini-trampoline I roll infront of the TV, free weights and a mat) so I am staying on task. I was sick yesterday with some crazy stomach bug so I didn't work out, but I had been doing 2-3 miles a day for a couple of weeks prior, so I am not a huge slacker. I did jog for 40 minutes today so far. I just leave the trampoline out and jog while I watch TV. It works for me. My fundraising is going pretty well, but, like Amy, I am taking donations! http://pages.teamintraining.org/dm/nikesf08/jlarson.

I am really looking forward to the group training, I get up early anyway, this will give me something to do!

Kickoff & Training

This is Jo (Right), her handsome son, and I - pictured on a sailboat for when we were promoting the Leukemia Cup Regatta. Two sailboats raced in our honor and they came in 1st and 2nd place. How cool is that?

Well we had our big Kickoff meeting and it went pretty well. We each spoke to the attendees about our experiences being sick and got some laughs. That's always nice. :) Our first group training is this Saturday at (gasp!) 6:00 a.m. or something insane like that! And since it's about to get really hot, the next week will probably be more like 5:00 a.m. I'm not looking forward to it. I am not a morning person.

Jo is planning to do the full marathon and I'm still planning to do the 1/2. She was worried at first, since the plan is to do this together - but I knew we wouldn't be together the entire way. She's way more fit than I am and I figured she'd probably finish before me, even if we were doing the same distance. So it's fine. We still start in the same place and finish in the same place, our routes will be slightly different is all. I'll be there to cheer her on and vice versa.

Training schedule has 1-2 miles tonight, so I'm headed out of work now and will get on the treadmill when I get home. 1-2 miles is a piece of cake. It's the 13.1 that's daunting!

And I'm still taking donations! LOL! My webpage is:
http://pages.teamintraining.org/dm/nikesf08/astockinger

Thanks for the support!
-A

TNT Kick Off Today!

Today is the big pep rally, we get to meet our mentors and get super psyched about the event! It will also be the first day our crew gets involved. Two ladies from school are interestedin doing documentary films as their specialty and have volunteered to learn with us! One is bringing her son who is also in the film program at SCC, but farther ahead of us. Amy and I will be speaking at the event, I love speaking, but just had a wisdom tooth pulled so I am so worried I'll get too excited and talk the scab off of my gums and then and then and then my bones will be exposed and I'll catch rickets and and and...what are rickets?

Amy Post - Ideas, ideas, & good news

Jo and I met for lunch today and while it was actually a belated celebration of her Birthday (Happy Belated Bday, once again) we also discussed lots of really great ideas for our fundraising. We're very excited and there's some cool stuff to come. Stuff like creating some neat things we can sell, maybe selling glow-in-the-dark bracelets at a club or bar, there's a comedy show Jo is working on, which is sure to be incredible, and a wine party with fun stuff like tarot, massage and mini spa treatment, all in the works. Woo hoo!

And I just got a call from my husband, he's applying for a volunteer related grant through his work, American Express, in the amount of $500. He's volunteered enough hours in the last 12 mths for us here that he can ask for Amex to make this grant donation, and have the money go to my fundraising. Yay! $500 is a lot! That will go a long way towards helping me reach my goal. And I have a friend who works at Starbucks, and she might be able to apply for a grant through that organization (I need to look into it further) and we could put that towards Jo's goal.

It's all coming together. I'm so excited. :)
-A

Video

Amy suggested that we make a documentary of our Excellent Adventure. The first video was shot yesterday as I spoke to a group of potential marathon-ers. Amy will be speaking this weekend, and will tape her speech then. We are meeting on Monday to discuss particulars, so keep your eyes open and your ears to the ground. More to come.

Working it

To get ready for the treck, I have begun working out every day. I am trying to do an hour of cardio M-F and 2 miles of roller blading on the weekends. I am not pushing myself to be fast, but I am trying various levels of elevation, it is going to be in San Fran, for Pete's sake!

-J

1st Email sent!

Following A's lead, I sent my first email yesterday, I already have $25 raised! I can only go up from here! I share her concern about the amount of money necessary to compete, but figure that thousands of women raise these funds every year for this very event, so it is not out of our reach. I am excited to do this event with A, as we have been friends for so very long now, over half our lives now. She is an inspiration to me to "get moving and give back" to the cancer community. I have felt unfulfilled in a small way by being alive and not doing much to help others diagnosed with blood cancers to do the same. I had a stem cell transplant to cure my cancer, and while going through that saw 5 people, I had developed a bond with, pass on. They ranged in age from 19 to 60, three were mothers and two were teenage boys at what should have been the beginning of their lives as adults. I lived, now I am determined to make sure more people can. This marathon is a great way to raise awareness about something we know about and see everyday, but aren't sure how to help.

The next few months will be physically and mentally exhausting, but as A said, we already beat cancer, so how hard can this really be?

-J