Surprise!

I thought that our group training on Saturday was going to be a bike along the lakefront. However, once I arrived, I realized that it was a run along the lakefront. I froze once I put two and two together... I had barely just run for thirty minutes, and we were scheduled for a 60 minute jaunt! I have always been painfully annoyed at the 'injured person' at practice... no matter how legit their ailment is, their pansy presence is obnoxious. So, I refused to be that person... I went on the run. Here's the funny thing: I was leading the 'pack.' We went out to the Lakeshore trail and started just slowly moving as a giant blob. I knew that I had to just run at a pace I knew I could sustain for an hour because with my knee, I had to focus on dealing with whatever excitement that would bring up as opposed to pushing myself to be faster. So, my easy easy soccer-warmup-lap-pace ended up being faster than everyone else. That threw me off. There were some tough looking chicas and chicos out there... So on the way out I ran by myself not knowing how close anyone was behind me-- I really didn't care, I just didn't want my knee to kill me. I kept going, and before I knew it 30 minutes had gone by. I pulled over to stretch my quads (running outside is SO different than on a treadmill.. my quads get way tighter way faster) and within a minute, a couple of guys from the TNT group went by and I said "are you turning around?" and they said "just a couple more minutes..." so I decided to follow them. I had come to like my spot at the front... =) So we went a little farther then turned around. I don't like running with people. It is mostly because I mentally compete and then get frustrated when my own goals for the workout are interrupted by my reaction to the other person's presence. So the first half of the run was better than the second by far, but I don't know how much of it was due to genuine fatigue versus the fact I was running with other clowns. I'm still dumbfounded that I was leading all that time though... it was an INCREDIBLY slow pace. Very interesting. But honestly it was an encouraging day-- to know that even with a crazy bum knee I was still holding my own on a long group run. And the fact that I could finish the run without breaking my leg off is also a HUGE development that I feel good about.

Today I volunteered at a sprint triathlon in Naperville, IL. I wanted to go to see what a triathlon looks like, especially the transition area! Unfortunately, our job was to hand out water and Gatorade at an aid station, so I didn't get a glimpse at transition at all. But I still had a good time! I got a great TNT T-shirt and socks! Also, I met some other people who are training with TNT for a different triathlon and they were a fun group. I am particularly grateful for a kind woman named Jin who came to pick me up at 3:45am! Such generous people in this organization.

I wanted to share something that a donor wrote in an email:

"I am sending you a check for the LLS in support of you and in memory of Glenda who recently died of leukemia. Glenda was 53 years old with a beautiful smile and countenance. And she had a great sense of humor. I miss her. Glenda was very grateful for the platelets she received as part of her treatment. She requested that memorial gifts be sent to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society." --Ruth Johnson, Salem, OR

It's been amazing to hear the stories that people have about their friends or family members who have encountered a blood cancer. It both amazes and inspires me when people donate in their honor. One does not need to be diagnosed with cancer themselves to see the profound impact it has on the entirety of life. I am pleased that so many are able to transform the horror of watching a loved one endure the battle into an opportunity to take a stand and do something about it. Donating will directly fund an organization that is diligently pursuing cures with integrity. The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society is one that I so passionately support due to their absolutely fantastic and genuine work in this field.

So... surprise!! I can run for 60 minutes straight... and that is means for another wave of donations. =)