Tuesday, January 19, 2010

I Did IT!!!!!!

WOW what an amazing experience. I am home safe & sore from Phoenix. This is me & my new friend Tom. He is from the Team in Training Idaho/Montana team also. This was his 5th marathon & he set a pr at 4:16 WOW!!!!
Day 1 - Friday was a very very long day. The anticipation to get to the airport was killing me. Finally at 11:30, Andy takes me to the airport. We pick up Kyleigh & meet the rest of our team at the airport. Now Kyleigh is the only person I really know. I ran a few times with Tom and met the others briefly. BUT after the weekend I have some new amazing friends but I shall get to that....... So at the airport we check in and head to the gate. Excited and hungry we grab a bite to eat and then straight to boarding the plane. Flight was fantastic a quick 2 hours & we are in beautiful Sunny Phoenix. WOW 71 degrees out already.
We hope in the taxi and make it alive (crazy drivers in Phoenix) to the beautiful Hyatt. WOW this hotel is AMAZING!!!!!
We check in and then head straight over to the Expo to get our race numbers and timing chips. I was in runner's heaven!!! A ton of booths of all running stuff. It was overwhelming!!!! After we got our race numbers and toured the Expo we meet in the lobby and meet our National Team (since we only had 6 TNT from our chapter we merged with other chapters)! Heather & Coach Maureen & everyone else was amazing. We all walk to dinner & we end up at Cooperstown restaurant. For those of you who know me well you know what a HUGE baseball fan I am. So this was AWESOME!!! Dinner was great chatted & ate and had a ton of laughs. Back to hotel & I conk out I was exhausted!
Day 2 - Exhausted I was but tooo excited to sleep in. We meet in the lobby w/ our National Team for a beautiful 2.2 morning jog. This was to get our muscles loose and another chance to meet our teammates. I ran w/ Tom (pictured above) and an amazing coach. It was a BEAUTIFUL run. After our run, Tom, Erin, Darbie, Kyleigh & I all met up and went to the Hard Rock for lunch! YUMMMMMMYYYYY. When lunch was over we were suppose to rest our legs.... NOT again those who know me, know that I can't sit still for nothing. Darbie and I found a Catholic Church so we went & did some praying and this church was Breathtaking. After that we parted ways & I walked around downtown. I might add that I was in capris & a t-shirt in JANUARY!!! YEA!!! I got to see Chase Field home of the Arizona Diamondbacks; The Phoenix Sun's arena; and a ton of other beautiful sites. All this just walking a few miles. After my adventure, I stopped for a coke (hmmm) and pizza and back to the hotel. I got ready for the Inspiration Dinner with TNT. We all met in the lobby & headed over 2 blocks to the Sheraton for our dinner. O-M-G.... when we walked in & up the escalator it was the most amazing sound & site. At least 100-120 people TNT people were there cheering us on & hootin & hollaring and inviting us into our ballroom. Coaches, mentors, survivors, friends, families WOW!!!!! Dinner was fantastic & then came the tears. A father gave the mission moment. His beautiful daughter Kimberly Joy Costa died July 24, 2000. He touched my heart and I thought of all the parents who have lost their babies & knew that right there was why I was sitting in that seat. At that moment I knew that God lead me to this to help find the cure. After the tears were wiped away, Kyleigh and I head to some sites I did not see that afternoon. Beautiful is all I can say with the lights & moonlight it was amazing. Back to the hotel we get our race gear all set out, hydration belts backed & ready to hit the sack. BUT who the heck can sleep now???
Day 3- I was beyond excited...... after waking up almost every hour we get out of bed at 4 a.m. I hope in the shower & get ready. Shoved under our door was a message from our TNT Idaho people with a touching letter from Byron our TNT Captain and Survivor. On our doors was a message about us being heros. Now hero I don't think I am but it was amazing. We are up ate breakfast & meet in the lobby for the bus..... I am beyond anxious now.... It is finally hear I have been training for this day since August. And it is finally here. We load up on the bus and head to the starting line...... We have a bit to wait & the morning is clear & brisk. We find Corral #9 and the butterflies are fluttering in my stomach and then the elite start and then it happens we are starting. I ditch my jacket and we are off!!!!!!!!
The spectators and the bands were AMAZING we are pumped up and cruising along. I lose Kyleigh at mile #4 trying to get thru the crowds look back & can't see her. I back track a bit and still no Kyleigh so it is just me & the pavement with 22 more miles to go. I embrace it & do what Coach Brad, Kerri & Ann have trained me to do. I am feeling FANTASTIC pass mile marker #13.1 (1/2 marathon) at just a bit over 2 hours (my pr for a 1/2 I might add) I am feeling amazing I have stayed way ahead of the 5:00 pace group. Doing my food every 3 miles & drinking often. Then comes mile 17 OMG not sure what the heck happen but something from my lower back shot down my right leg and the pain began....... Me being stubborn I keep trucking along and then I finally have to stop to stretch (not wanting to stop at all) so I stretch for a good 2-3 minutes & start hobbling along. Now the TNT coaches from all chapters were AMAZING they would run along with me to make sure I was okay concerned about my gimping and holding my leg. But I REFUSED to quit. By mile 22 I see my "adoptive" coach Maureen. I am walking at this point she is worried about me but I told her I am saving the last bit of energy I have to run across that finish line. She stays with me for a bit talking telling me that I am almost there & that I am doing fantastic. Then I cross mile marker 24 & I know this is it 2.2 miles left & I know that I can do this. So I start a slow jog and the pain just shoots thru the leg but I ignore it. I run thru the last water stop get a drink walking while I drink & then I hear the band & the crowd at the finish line. Not sure what happen but that runners high FINALLY kicked in. I run mile marker 26~ .2 left I see the crowd & the stadium the crowd is cheering & I see the finish line in the distances.... I feel David, Ryleigh, Bryon and all of those people I am running for pushing me along I am giving it every last bit of energy I have left. I SPRINT across that finish line!!!!! I can't believe it 5:03 was the clock time. Now that is not my official time so I have to wait to find out what that is from my chip. Had to find the medic tent to get some ice for my leg and everyone is congratulating me and I am on cloud 9!!!!! I did it.
After a nice & long HOT shower I get myself ready & we head to the victory party. The food AMAZING and the company incredible. We all just accomplished our goals we did it!!!!! We danced the night away. Yup we danced after running 26.2 miles, I am out there dancing but it felt sooooo amazing. Back to the hotel and to bed.
Day -4 We all meet in the lobby to head to the airport we are all walking a bit slower!!!! :) I have met some life long friends and am soooo blessed to be apart of Team In Training. This is my first of MANY events with TNT. I want to be at that Inspiration dinner where they say...... I am sooo happy to say that this will be our LAST Team In Training event. We have found the cure for cancer!!!!!!!!! That day will come. For now, I will work hard to do my part and I thank God for the experience and bringing TNT into my life. I love to run but now I get to run for an amazing cause. I thank each and everyone of you who have prayed for me, supported me and who believed in me. Without you I would not have just completed my 1st marathon! Thank you!
My official finish time was 4 hours 59 minutes and 36 seconds. WOW under 5 hours!!! :)

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Oh MY!!!! I have 5 days until I am on a plane to Arizona BABY!!!! I can't believe that it is already time!!!! I have trained for this & I am ready. I am pumped & ready!!!! BRING IT ON!

Thursday, December 31, 2009

OH yea 102% so far on my fundraising! I still have time to get some more in there! I am sooo pumped for Arizona. I got my packet and info for the race and am ready to go. I have 1 more 20 mile run on Saturday. I hope the weather cooperates. We have a ton of snow right now. BUT God has provided simply beautiful Saturday's for every run we have had so far so I know it will be a good run. I have been training this week so I am ready to kick the 20 miles butt! :)
More to come later.......

Monday, December 28, 2009

Made it!!!!! Thanks to my sweet daddy, I met my goal of $3850!!! I am so blessed for my parents. They are my rock and are always there for me. I have so many things in my life that are amazing and I am so thankful. I am glad to do my part & help others. I know I am not doing much but if I can help 1 person with blood cancer's all this hardwork was well worth it. I am 3 weeks away from heading to Arizona. I can't wait.

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Well I did it! 20 miles under my belt. It sure was a tough one but well worth it! I slacked majorly on my training & felt it. But I sucked it up and made it! What an amazing feeling. I can't wait until I cross that finish line next month. Also, I am below $400 mark on fundraising! YEA

Thursday, December 17, 2009

Wow it has been a bit since I have written. But I have been busy. I am $437 away from my goal! Yea I still have 2 weeks left to collect donations so it is on full force. I am sure you guys are probably tired of my emails but too bad! :) I am gonna keep sending them until I reach my goal. hahahhaa. Day after tomorrow will be our longest run & my personal longest run ever 20 miles! I am stocked. It is gonna be really amazing. This time next month I will have completed my 1st marathon. Wow hard to imagine that I am that close to doing something I have been training & fundraising for for so long. This experience has changed me & I am so blessed to be apart of this journey. I will post to let you know how my 20 miles goes! Pray for me!

Monday, December 7, 2009

What a fantastic night. The Be the Difference Benefit raised over $1300. WOW we had such a good time. The servers were amazing & we had every table full. A big Thank You to the Gonelli's; Loutzenhiser's; Lemke's; Father Jerry; St. Paul's Church; St. Paul's Boy Scouts; Jana; Jonny; Ryan; Missy; Tyler; Kyle; Cali & Miranda. They all worked so hard to make this such an amazing event. That puts me $800 away from my goal.