Here we go! On to Vancouver!!

I can't believe its been one week short of one year since I signed up to Run for Lew. Yes, on May 10th 2008 I signed on that dotted line and committed to being one of thousands who said I want to be part of the cure for blood cancers. It has been a roller coaster of a year and here we are packing to head to the starting line. It almost feels like a victory just making it to that starting line...almost. Not only did I start out going to Nike in San Fransisco but I have been on two different teams, raised money, experienced rain, sleet, snow and yet more rain, sleet and snow but I have had surgery that I would have given anything to avoid, learned how to interval train, been to PT for of all things a shoulder injury (for crying out loud, who hurts their shoulder running!!) and oh ya, not lost a pound in this entire process- go figure.

More importantly Lew has had an incredible year with his radiation, chemo, 2 stem cell transplants and now so close to being myeloma free! Yes, his brothers cells are taking over!! Wow! I am sure I would have not traveled his road with as much grace, strength and humor - I would have been a raving lunatic - wait.. .I already am a raving lunatic so never mind. And more exciting news is that my tiny little team raised almost $30,000 in the fight against blood cancers!! Wow! If you would have seen us out there every Saturday in the rain looking like drowned rats you would be so inspired right now!! Another interesting fact is that we collectively ran and walked over 4,ooo miles to train for this big event - that's like walking from here to Cleveland! I think we are as ready as we are ever going to be!

My pastor from church, who is also running Vancouver, (for his 60th birthday celebration- (seriously, I can think of about one hundred other ways to celebrate) had an incredible sermon on Sunday. He used the analogy of training for a marathon with our daily walk with Christ. I have to say there are some days during my training that I have felt so close to the holy spirit and some days farther away, so when Daniel made this comparison it was powerful for me. Daniel's sermon of connecting the daily choice of choosing to train with our daily choices of choosing a life with Christ hit the nail on the head. This has really stuck with me because there were many days that I just didn't want to make the hard choice to train and it was absolutely painful to make myself get out there and run. I had to alter many parts of my life and no, I wasn't perfect, there were days I could have done a better job. But ultimately here I am ready to face my marathon day after having to make some hard choices - just like making daily hard choices to cross that ultimate finish line! Wow, I have a lot more "training" to do but I feel a new sense of enlightenment.

I am very excited to report on a couple of things:
1. When the amazing Michelle came and trained with me on my 20 mile run she had me use her fuel belt for training (she wore it because her skinny belt would not fit around my, shall we say, voluptuous hips. It worked great so I ordered one with my fingers crossed that it would fit around those voluptuous hips. It fits!!!!!!
2. My cough/cold appears to be subsiding!!! I am so glad about this since I am going to be sucking some serious wind and John says I already sound like a smoker anyway.
3. I took my GRE yesterday so, whew, one more thing off my plate!

One new challenge to report:
1. The Vancouver course is a not ipod course!! What the ***! Haven't they read the research that shows music improves performance?! I need all the help I can get so send me your singing vibes and I will try and channel them!

Part of me is nervous, nervous, nervous! I want to taste success so badly but part of me just wants to be done with ever speaking the R word ever again!! Like I said before, marathon training has been just an incredible roller coaster ride. So, I have the pashmina packed and the tiara is ready! This has been a long road but I am determined to get across that finish line if I have to crawl, cartwheel or roll to do it! Thanks to all my wonderful friends and family who have gotten me this far, I truly hang on your every word of encouragement! Here is to my next post speaking of tasting the sweet success of crossing that elusive finish line!

Knowing is not enough; we must apply.
Willing is not enough; we must do.
Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The time is now to go out and be a do-er! Here I come Vancouver B.C.! GO TEAM!