My Big Disappointment

I just read the SFGate.com article about the Nike Marathon and am kicking myself. I was so close to one of my heroes, Brandi Chastain
So close yet so far. What a bummer.

Scroll down two posts for a recap in pictures of the big day!

Give Now

I'm still accepting donations.

Donating is easier than running, I promise. I ran... it was beautiful, awesome, inspiring. It was not easy.

What A Weekend

I'm still trying to wrap my brain around the weekend. Trying to find the right words to share the story. Until I can think of what to say here are some highlights (mostly in links & pictures.

At Saturday night's pasta party we got to hear honoree Amy Barlett tell the story of her experience as a cancer patient & participant of the Nike and Joan Benoit Samuelson wished us well. That was pretty cool. I remember watching her run in 1984.

The morning of the run began with a team cheer at 6.15AM (Coach is in the yellow hat)


I wished my mentees & friends good luck & a healthy race before heading off to find my pace group's corral...

Ray and I waiting in a dumpster for our group to begin.

By the time we reached the start line it had been at least 20 mins since the gun.

It was right about here that I heard a ruckus, looked up to witness a flyover by the wild parrots of Telegraph Hill WOW!

This is the first hill of the race at Fort Mason. I ran it like a champ, using my arms to help me blow past many others. If this was the only hill on the course I might at had an impressive finish time. I had no idea what was to come...

This is the lead up to THE HILL of 2-3 miles of slight incline to steep grades up up up. But as they say... what goes up, must come down!


Whoa... slow down!


























The end is near only 3 miles to the... My offical time was 3:00:40, a personal record. If you take into account about 10 minutes of waiting for bathroom breaks along the course I improved my time by about 15 minutes. Not bad if you ask me.

It's great to have their support at the end:








And of course the reason for this all: My personal honoree. The first name I yell out before a run & the first one I think of during our moments of silence

Now let the celebration begin...

I Ran For Life

I just got home & will get the post-race wrap-up & pictures before the night is over. In the mean time here are some lyrics that were played over the slideshow of honorees at our pre-race party. They sum up why I do this.
I Run For Life - Melissa Etheridge
It's been years since they told her about it
The darkness her body possessed
And the scars are still there in the mirror
Everyday that she gets herself dressed
Though the pain is miles and miles behind her
And the fear is now a docile beast
If you ask her why she is still running
She'll tell you it makes her complete

[Chorus:]
I run for hope
I run to feel
I run for the truth
For all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me, my friend
I run for life

It's a blur since they told me about it
How the darkness had taken its toll
And they cut into my skin and they cut into my body
But they will never get a piece of my soul
And now I'm still learning the lesson
To awake when I hear the call
And if you ask me why I am still running
I'll tell you I run for us all

[Chorus:]
I run for hope
I run to feel
I run for the truth
For all that is real
I run for your mother your sister your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for life

And someday if they tell you about it
If the darkness knocks on your door
Remember her remember me
We will be running as we have before
Running for answers
Running for more

I run for hope
I run to feel
I run for the truth
For all that is real
I run for your mother, your sister, your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for hope
I run to feel
I run for the truth
For all that is real
I run for your mother your sister, your wife
For you and me my friend
I run for life
Ohohohoh

I run for your mother your sister your wife
I run for you and me my friend
I run for life

Last Minute Post

I'm packing up to head to SF for the run tomorrow. Here are a few things you might be interested in:

- The East Bayside Marathon team has raised $407,109 for cancer reasearch & patient care.
- LLS has raised over $18.5 MILLION through the Nike Women's Marathon
- Honoree Cole would be 5 years old on the day of the race. Unfortunately he spent his entire life (less than 2 years) in the hospital fighting cancer. His life will help save another because his body has been used in research to develop a new drug. Keep his mom, Brandi, in your thoughts as she runs in his memory on his birthday.
- Honoree Brenda was cheering on the sideline of this race last year. Unfortunately she too passed away in the spring. I wear a bracelet with her name on it and know it will help push me through the hills.
- I still wear the friendship bracelet that honoree Vanessa made for me last season. It helped keep me focused on the finish line when my muscles wanted to stop moving. She won't be at the finish line this year because she's busy being a kid - playing soccer & having fun!
- I am less than 24 hours from the end of this journey.
- I am within $800 of my fundraising goal. You can help me cross that finish line with a donation

Thanks for following me on this crazy thing. I'm going to take the winter season off but I'll be back in the spring. I will run one last event - the Avenue of the Giants - and then I'm hanging up my 1/2 marathon shoes. Maybe I'll take up a triathlon or a century bike ride! Stay tuned.

Race Day Weather

I woke up this AM to the sound of pouring rain. Oh no! I hope this storm doesn't plan to stick around through the weekend. A quick search on weather.com eases my mind. It's supposed to be clear & sunny with a high of 68. Perfect running weather.

Six Days On The Road

Well... six days before I hit the road. Nike is on Sunday. I'm resting.

If you want to see what your dollars are doing: read this article

tick tick tick... the clock is counting down.

63% of Goal

To date I have raised $1595.00 - that's 63% of my $2,500 goal. If you haven't had a chance to give to LLS please DONATE NOW

Sexy Legs

In one last attempt to run without leg pains I've invested in compression wraps for my shins. I think they work. I've worn them for the last two weeks and my shin splints aren't too bad. My calf cramping has also lessened. I am such a bad stretcher & my chiro tells me I've got genetically tight muscles. Perhaps I'm doomed to a life of stiff & sore legs. Alas.

It's the last week of real running before the week of rest leading up to race day. On saturday I was supposed to get in 10-12 miles but I was out of town celebrating my mom's 70th birthday. So I broke the mileage down to three 3 mile runs on Sat, Sun & Mon. My legs were really tired after last nights run but feel pretty good today.

I'm a little bit nervous about the race on 10/21 since the longest run I've done in training this season was 6 miles. Hopefully the adrenaline & my will-power will get me across the finish line!

Happy Runners

That's my mentee & soccer teammate, Kari, on the left. She looks pretty happy for just finishing a 20 mile training run, no?

See you at the finish line?

Check out the course map. The race starts at Union Square & finishes on The Great Highway near Lincoln Ave.

Unfortunately this map prints out so un-readable you'll have to view it online, zoom in, scroll around. Find a good spot to cheer.

I expect to finish between 10-10.30AM. If I were you I'd hit the Beach Chalet for a few breakfast beers then wander to the finish line in time to see me stumble across.

Make you plans now. See you on 21st.

Freakishly Strong

I wanted to share an excerpt from our Honoree Update Team Brenda...freakishly Strong
Week of Sept. 24, 2007

Hi Team!
I was overjoyed at receiving bags full of goodies from the team, and I put them to use immediately. The blanket, fuzzy socks, and pj's were such a welcome addition to my hospital life, and I loved my collection of creams and shower gels, not to mention the candy and other great gifts like a much-needed diary! I felt like a kid at Christmas! Thank you so much to everyone who contributed and also for all your best wishes. It not only means a lot to me, but my mother was so happy to see that there is such incredible support and warmth to draw on.

Right now, I am back in the hospital for a quick round, round number 3 (less than 5 days hospitalization). I am doing as well as can be hoped but dreading the upcoming rounds as they are long and, with respect to round 5, involve around 3 weeks in the hospital. I have been sleeping a lot--more than the average cat--and continue to criticize the food here. I am sorry I haven't been able to meet TNTers in my time away from the hospital but please know that I think of the team often, look forward to meeting you all, and that I wish the runners and walkers the best and love to hear how you are all doing. ~Suhani

Because of your financial support TNT was able to support Suhani during her time in the hospital receiving treatments. THANK YOU!

The rest of our honorees are doing quite well also.
- Adriana is the fastest runner in her class. She's cut her mile time to 7:06. She was also recently black belted!
- Vanessa is so busy her update was only one sentence long - apparently she's having too much fun playing soccer.
- Michael (age 60) is training for the Nike FULL marathon! Don't I feel like a chump only running 13.1.
- Kyle is now in the maintenance mode of chemo (daily oral chemo for a couple of years)& getting back into the routine of school.
- Cole's mom will be running Nike to celebrate what would be Cole's 5th birthday.

Today marks the countdown to the race. I have 20 days left to train! eeek.