Down but not Out!

Ok, so my Airrosti treatments have been helping but when I tried to run my 16 miles, my pain came back around mile 12. Because of this and other factors, Dr. Rios sent me in for an X-ray and I received the results back today. In addition to plantar facsiitis, I also have heel spurs and a stress fracture :-(

Dr. Rios said that I will need to rest my foot for a couple of weeks and then I can start low-impact exercises such as biking and swimming, etc. I also talked it over with one of my Team in Training coaches, Marissa, and she suggested that I take up cycling as well as aqua jogging. Aqua jogging involves wearing a special belt that allows you to float upright in a pool and then you "jog" in the deep end. It gives you all the benefits of running without the impact.

Dr. Rios and I discussed the plan of cycling and aqua jogging to maintain my endurance levels while my foot heals and then running the half-marathon in November. He seemed to think that it sounded reasonable - so I will try it out. He also agreed that it may be a good idea to consult with my regular doctor, Dr. Cannon, for additional treatment. I am thinking of seeing him to see if I should try cortisone injections or any other medications that may help speed my recovery time.

Anyway, I do not have a bike (I used to have one but I gave it away due to non-use....if only I knew then what I know now)... But my friend Debbie is going to lend me her bike. It is a men's bike, but I don't have a problem with that. I also just went onto Amazon.com and purchased bike shorts, a bike rack and the aqua jogger system.

In all honestly, I am feeling really down about this set back. In fact, I cried when Dr. Rios laid out the bad news...but as soon as I got off the phone, I had to make a decision. Did I want to play the victim, see this as a failure and feel sorry for myself? Or did I want to put on a brave face, make some lemonade and do my absolute best to reach my goal? Really what choice do I have? I will go out fighting. I have worked hard to train for the marathon and I am determined to see it through.

Funny how I thought the training would be the easier part....I have met my fundraising goal and am now struggling with the training!!

Please send me your comments. Despite my brave face, I really need some inspiration and encouragement!!!

Till Next Time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Sixteen:

• Mon, September 20: Ran 4.2 miles through Hardberger Park in 57 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Wed, September 22: Ran 3.5 miles through Tobin Park in 49 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Sat: September 18: Ran 12.5 miles through Olmos Basin. Finished in 3 Hours and 7 minutes (15 min/mile). I did a great job on this run until my foot became too painful...I fell out at about mile 12 or so...

My last Team in Training Run for a while....I was so proud of myself because I was able to keep up with these awesome ladies for about 4-5 miles! It was awesome!

Wine Tasting and Airrosti!!

Hi all, I hope everyone is well and I thank you for continuing to read my blog. Last week was so crazy!! I got maybe 4 hours of sleep each night due to both being extremely busy and due to anxiety. However, that is all past....and I had a successful event!

I worked the morning before the event and it was crazy - I could barely focus on work as all I could think about was what I still had to do to get ready. Plus, my friend who was going to help me with everything came down with a severe case of strep-throat...so I was on my own.

After I got off at 1pm, I went to get a pedicure, then picked up my programs from Office Depot (who did all of my printing), then got my hair straightened and other cosmetic adjustments, then loaded my car, picked up the cake, drove to Wine Styles, unloaded my car and set up for the silent auction. I got ready there at 5:30 pm and was ready to greet my guests by 6pm. From there it was non-stop excitement as I whirled around the room all night long ensuring all of my guests were happy and having a good time.

And, they all had a great time - the food was good, the music was great and the ambiance was perfect! Two of my friends helped me immensely during the event, and I am so grateful because I could not have done it all alone! All in all, I raised $2,200 and after expenses, $1,217 is the total proceeds.

I did learn a few things for the future - such as don't double the food order at the last minute, it would have been okay if we ran out of food at some point...don't print so many programs and don't make your plans so organized that it is hard to make changes without having to redo everything... Still, $1,200 is great and when that posts to my account, I will be $150 away from goal of $3,000!!

Now, regarding my running - you may recall that I mentioned that I had to fall out of the run last week because my foot hurt so much - well, I finally went to a doctor. However, instead of going to my regular doc, I went to Airrosti as they are known for rapid recovery (well known among athletes - especially runners). I saw Dr. Rios on Tuesday and his treatments have made a world of difference!

In fact, Dr. Rios and Dr. Wilson came to my wine tasting. It was nice for them to be there and a lot of my other guests enjoyed their company as well especially since so many of us were/are their patients! Anyway, I have seen Dr. Rios 3 times now and there has been dramatic improvement in my plantar fasciitis. The left side of my foot still hurts from time to time, but not as bad as it did.

The treatment is pretty painful but it seems to be getting better the more I see him. The pain the treatment inflicts is temporary and the ability to walk without pain afterwards is totally worth it!

Anyway, if you haven't heard of Airrosti, your should definitely check it out as it really does work! http://www.airrosti.com/

So, that is it for now. I am supposed to run 16 miles this Saturday which will be my longest distance ever and my first long run since I started Airrosti...wish me luck!!

Til Next Time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Fifteen:

• Wed, September 15: Ran 3.77 miles through Tobin Park in 53 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Sat: September 18: Ran 7.62 miles through Olmos Basin. Finished in 1 Hours and 42 minutes (14 min/mile). Only ran the half-marathon distance as I had to be somewhere at 9am..

What a week!

I am exhausted! My Wine Tasting is tomorrow. I have had so many last minute things happen! I have just been a little headless chicken. I have had anxiety attacks, deep senses of calm and extreme feelings of elation. I am so in awe over how everything has come together. People keep on asking me, how did you do all of this? I can honestly, say, I don't know!

I have always had a bit of an obsessive personality in that I cannot stop until I get the job done (one reason why I have a hard time with dating). Anyway, I just worked obsessively on the Wine Tasting and was unrelenting. I now have some amazing silent auction items from a signed photo of Spurs player, Antonio McDyess to a $840 gift certificate for a portrait with J Wilkinson Photography and so much more!

Not too mention, I just received word that the San Antonio Express News is sending a social photographer to take photos at the event! How amazing is that?!

I cannot wait for tomorrow - I have so many people expressing interest in coming that I doubled the food order. I hope that was not a mistake but I figured it is better to have too much food than not enough so I ordered enough to feed 100 people (I have 60 yes' on Facebook and 113 Maybe's).

In other news, I really hurt my foot this past Saturday. I actually had to fall out of the run at mile 6 or so. But I went to Airrosti (Sports Therapy Rehab). Dr. Rios worked on my foot and it feels much better. It still hurts and was a bit painful during my run today but it felt better overall.

So, it is late and I am so tired, so I am going to bid you goodnight. Please wish me luck tomorrow!

Til Next Time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Fourteen:

• Mon, September 5: Ran 5 miles in the SARR Whine Run in 1 hour and 14 minutes (15 min/mile).
• Wed, September 1: Run Cancelled due to bad weather :-(
• Sat: September 11: Ran 6.39 miles through Olmos Basin. Finished in 1 Hours and 47 minutes (17 min/mile). Did not finish as I hurt my foot and could not walk much less run :-(

Friends, Charity, Wine

What an amazing weekend!! I had the most productive, busy and fun weekend! I ran a total of 19 miles and raised $92.50 by standing in front of Wal-Mart and I both was both the giver and the receiver of incredible generosity!

I knew this weekend was going to be long. I don't think I mentioned it before, but I joined two choirs and I have started a Theology class at St. Mary's University. I knew that I had to do my TNT run on Saturday morning, sing the choir on Sunday Morning, attend a party Sunday evening and find time to do my readings for school....good thing it was a long weekend...

But then I added to it as I wanted to run in the San Antonio Road Runners' Whine Run and I had signed up to fundraise in front of the Wal-Mart at 410 and Rigsby. How was I going to do all of this? I didn't think it was possible, so I decided to back out of the Fundraiser.

I had thought of every excuse as to why to back out, but the most prevalent one was that I had no supplies. I had no table, signage, bucket - I had nothing! There was a part of me that wanted to do this fundraiser as I am worried about making my fundraising goal and I knew that I needed the money....but how would I raise anything without supplies?

That is where all my Team in Training friends came in as they lent me everything I needed to "beg" for money at Wal-Mart. In fact, my mentor had already planned to be there for the earlier shift so she said that she would leave her stuff there for me to use after her. I no longer had any excuse not to do it!

So I went and my friend, Amanda, came along to help me. Together we stood outside in the blazing heat and solicited money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. After about 10 minutes, I was feeling fried and I began to worry about being sunburned. I tried to get into the shade, but the employees said that we had to be at least 15 feet away from the entrance....

I decided to go into the store and buy some sun screen. As I got into the check out line, there was a lady with three small children in front of me. She was trying to purchase groceries but was informed her coupons were for H-E-B and not Wal-Mart. She was removing items from her cart, mostly baby food and nutrients for her children, trying to get her total down to something more affordable.

It is funny how one minute you are thinking, "I am so busy, I am so hot, I need this, I want that....I, I, I" and the next minute you see only others. I asked myself, "How could I stand there and let this woman walk out of the store without the baby food for her children?" So I said to her, "Please, let me buy these for you." I felt that I was supposed to be at that Wal-Mart for her. All the excuses I had to not go, all the people that helped me to be there - it was all so that I could be there for her. It was a powerful feeling.

After that, Amanda and I stood outside for a grueling 2 hours. We were supposed to be there for 4 hours, but it was too hot and we couldn't take it. So we left. All in all, we raised $92.60!

I did run 14 miles Saturday morning. My foot started to hurt around mile 10 again, but I noticed that it hurt more when I walked, so I decided to run the last 4 miles. I ran slowly, but I ran the whole time and finished. I am planning to see my doctor about my foot as I am concerned about it.

On Monday, I ran 5 Miles in the SARR Whine Run. It was five miles of nothing but hills and I ran it non-stop. Thank God for all that hill training last month as I was able to complete it in 1 hour and 14 minutes! The amazing part was as I ran in, my friend, Eileen, came out to run me in. She grabbed my hand and then I noticed the entire R.U.N. group cheering for me. I had an instant surge of adrenaline and ran faster than I have even run in my life! It was amazing!

After the run we went to the Dry Comal Creek Winery where we imbibed in some of the best Sangria ever. The after party was awesome and the winery even donated a wine tasting for 10 people to my silent auction!

So, I would definitely classify this weekend as one of the best! Now I just need another weekend to recover :-)

Till Next Time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Thirteen:

• Mon, August 30: Ran 2.43 miles at Hardberger Park in 38 minutes (15 min/mile).
• Wed, September 1: Ran 3.29 miles at Tobin Park in 46 minutes (14 min/mile).
• Sat: September 4: Ran 14.1 miles through Olmos Basin. Finished in 3 Hours and 37 minutes (15 min/mile).

Remembering Why...

For the past several weeks, I have been blogging about my fundraisers, my challenges and my successes. This week, I would like to take a moment to talk about why I am doing this. Of course, there is the reason why I got into running a marathon - to get into shape and to accomplish a goal...but there is another purpose, a purpose much more substantial that just trying to get into shape - beating cancer!

You know, as I have started to talk more and more about my Wine Tasting, people are opening up to me about their loved ones who have either passed away from cancer or survived cancer. People, such as myself, who have never experienced cancer or a family member who had cancer, cannot really understand the suffering. Even as I try to explain it, I know that I cannot comprehend the full extent of what the patients and their families endure.

The other day, during one of our "Mission Moments" a man came to talk to us about bone marrow biopsies. As he said those three words, several of my teammates, who are cancer survivors, grimaced. As he began to explain the procedure, I quickly learned why.

A bone marrow biopsy involves a doctor taking a needle about the size of a meat thermometer and essentially driving it into your hip bone. This man demonstrated with a material which mimicked bone. He had to put all of his body weight into the 'procedure' and then he twisted the needle until it had sufficiently worked it into the bone. I just could not image that being done to a real person - it looked like torture!

All of the cancer survivors agreed that bone marrow biopsies are one of the most unpleasant parts of cancer treatment. This man then showed us a new technique developed by a company caled VidaCare which uses an electric drill. This drill changes the procedure to make it much easier, quicker and less painful for the patient. The biggest plus, however, is that it allows the doctor to obtain a much larger sample of bone marrow!

But could you imagine? Whether with a drill or by hand, having something the size of a meat thermometer piercing your skin and chiseling into your bone? Could you imagine the constant pain cancer patients endure? The radiation therapy, chemotherapy and all the terrible side effects - not to mention the cancer itself?!

I woke up for my run on Saturday and I just did not feel like running. For one brief second, I thought, "maybe I can just go back to bed...missing one week won't hurt..." Then I thought, "if you had cancer, you couldn't just say, 'I don't feel like having cancer today, maybe I'll go back to bed.'" I mean, these people suffer everyday. The suffering I go through during my long runs is truly nothing in comparison.

The one thing about it that strikes me the most is that leukemia and lymphoma are the number one cancer killer of children. I just can't image a child going through the radiation therapy, chemotherapy, bone marrow biopsy. And I mean little children - I have heard of leukemia patients as young as 2 years old (and I am sure some are even younger)!

But Team in Training is working to fight Cancer. To save lives and to beat cancer. I have learned that money Team in Training raised has been used to fund new drugs that have saved lives. In fact, I have heard first hand accounts of how the new drug, Gleevec, changed a terminally ill patient into a survivor! Research for Gleevec was 100% funded by money raised by Team in Training!

Speaking of money raised, I was informed today that Team in Training's South Central Texas Chapter has collectively raised $104,031 since we started fundraising in June! Personally, I have raised a little over $1,200. My personal goal is to raise $3,000 and hopefully my Wine Tasting will get me there! I am really just so proud and honored to be able to be a part of something that is really touching so many lives. If the money I raise saves one life, then it was definitely worth it!

Team In Training Cheer:

Raising Cash

For Every Mile

Beating Cancer

Team in Training Style!

Till Next Time,


Julia


To those who commented on my blog last week:

-Tammy: Congratulations on turning your life around! It can be a hard thing to redefine your self but definitely very rewarding! I love Painting with a Twist - I can't wait to go again!

-Grace: Yes, it is hard to believe that I was once a sad person. I am also happy my life has changed for the better! Thanks for being such an awesome inspiration for me!

-Jasmine: Thanks, I like the background too! Would have been nice for a cold beverage! But last week was our last week at la cantera :-(. Now we are running at the HEB at Basse.

Training Log for Week Twelve:

• Wed, August 25: Ran 4.57 miles at Brackenridge Park in 1 Hour and 6 minutes (14 min/mile).
• Sat: August 28: Ran 10.6 miles though La Cantera. Finished in 2 Hours and 37 minutes (14 min/mile). I actually was supposed to run 12 miles, but I hurt my foot and walked the last 2 miles.

Completely Redefined!

So, one thing I should say about myself is that I am generally horrible with keeping up with people. I find it so difficult to call friends, especailly those who live out of state. I am bad at returning emails and worse at regular snail mail. If I don't write the email right after I got the first one, I don't write it. In fact, there are probably 3-5 emails I need to respond to but haven't... I am just bad at keeping up with people...

So, why is this important? Well, being as I generally just graze through emails, skimming them and then forgetting about them, I failed to read a very important email that could have made a bit of a difference on Saturday. You see, I saw our training schedule and it read that we were falling back this week and running ten miles. A correction email was sent, but I failed to read it. So you can imagine my surprise when I arrived at the run on Saturday to learn that I was not running ten miles, but actually 14!!

14 Miles?! I mean, I have to psyche myself up to run long distances and I was not psyched at all! Ok, so 10 miles is a long distance, but it was one that I have done before, and so it did not seem so daunting - but 14? That is a whole four miles longer!!! Things change at 14. For example, I need extra fuel and an extra battery for my phone. I only brought one package of fuel and one battery...luckily the water stops had some power gel but my batter died at about mile 12. Part of that was my fault though as I was taking pictures during my run.

I pretty much ran by myself for most of the run, though my coach and friend, Ronda ran with me the last 2 miles. I was so grateful for her company as she really helped to bring me in. However, the first 12 miles were alone, but it wasn't as hard as it would seem. I actually felt like much of it was a meditation or a prayer. The hill country is just so beautiful and I get to see it in such an awesome way! Running up and down the hills, challenging my body to new limits and doing it all as the Sun is rising - it is just so beautiful! Every step is like a prayer, thanking God for His creation.

The only problem with running alone; however, was that I had no one to keep up with, which meant I ran a lot slower than usual. It took me 4 hours to finish! I can't run that slow on race day as that means it would take almost 8 hours to finish (if I decide to run the full marathon)!

You know, thinking about not being good at keeping up with people, I am just amazed that I have been keeping up with this blog. When I started it, I was nervous because I had started other blogs in the past with no success.

Running and fundraising has become such a large part of my life. I think that this expereince has really made an impact on who I am. It may sound overly dramatic, but everyday I see myself surpassing boundaries I had once deemed unobtainable. I see myself reaching goals and finding success in things that at least one person had said I could never do. Realizing that you have the ability to reach a once unobtainable goal is very powerful.

My dad put a comment on my facebook page the other day. He said, "You've come a long way, Julie! Not too many people could so completely redefine themselves as you have over the last 5 years. Keep your eyes on the prize...and keep running the good race! (2 Timothy 4:7)"

This reminded me of where I was five years ago. Some of you may be surprised to know that I was a very sad person. I spent many years in a dysfunctional marriage, had zero self esteem and the idea of walking one block was out of the question. I had a hard time getting out of bed every morning and had no concept of reaching goals.

Somehow, in the last five years, that all changed. Sure it was gradual and took time. It was certainly not easy, there was a lot of pain and I had to face several uncomfortable truths about myself. But I faced them, I conquered them and I moved on. Now, I am a different person. I am happy and confident. I set goals that others think are crazy and I obtain them!

Ok, this is getting a bit long, so I will just say a one more thing about my Wine Tasting. The planning is going well. I have been collecting my silent auction items. I am still working on others and I am getting a good response from people. I also made flyers which I am now distributing. I think I am on track for a great event!

On that note, I also want to give a shout out to Melissa Smiley with Painting with a Twist. This is an incredible place that offers classes which walk you through painting a masterpiece. I have done it and was amazed with the picture I painting (which I got to keep and is on my living room wall)! Melissa donated a gift certifcate for one class, wine glasses and two paintings. One painting, Cherry Blossoms, go with the gift set while the other, Starry Night, is a door prize. Anyway, this is an awesome place to go for a night out! http://www.paintingwithatwist.com/sanantonio/

Well, thank you for reading. I also received a lot of feedback last week which was great! I really loved to hear your thoughts about my posts and am just so happy that you are actually enjoying reading this. Have a great week!

Your Friend,

Julia

Training Log for Week Eleven:

• Mon, August 16: Ran 2.3 miles at the Phil Hardberger park in 35 minutes (15 min/mile).
• Tues, August 17: Cycled 4.95 miles at Brackenridge Park in 41 minutes (8 min/mile).
• Sat: August 21: Ran 14.1 miles though La Cantera. Finished in 4 Hours and 2 minutes (17 min/mile).

Simply Amazing....

So planning a silent auction is a lot of work! I spend practically every extra moment that is not spent working or training for the marathon trying to get silent auction donations. I call businesses during my lunch breaks, I email them at night before bed, and I visit them on the weekends.

Most companies have been very nice and supportive. Most of them are excited to help out. There were a few rude ones but I guess it was because they get so many requests. Still, don't take it out on me, I could be a future client...

Here are a few of the donations I got this week!!!

• Run On! San Antonio donated a $25.00 gift card http://www.runonsanantonio.com/
• Laser Legend donated an awesome Laser Tag package which includes 2 annual memberships, 4 laser games and a large pizza (worth $90) http://laserlegend.com/
• Canyon Springs Golf Club donated Golf for Four (valued over $300)! http://www.canyonspringsgc.com/
• Spectrum Athletic Clubs is giving a 3 month temporary membership and massage services! http://www.spectrumclubs.com/rogersranch
• The Emily Morgan Hotel is contributing a 2 Night Stay plus free parking and breakfast! http://www.emilymorganhotel.com/

I am also hoping to get another hotel stay, airline tickets, Spurs merchandise and some more unique items that will appeal to a wide demographic.

In return for the business' support, I am going to put an ad or press release in the San Antonio Express News, publically thanking them. The comapnies that donate do so to support a good cause but also to drive business. So please, if you are in San Antonio, patronize my donors!

As busy as it is making all these calls, etc - it has been a lot of fun. It is so empowering; in fact, at times it seems surreal. I often ask myself, "is this me? am I really doing this?" I mean, I am training for a marathon and I am putting together the biggest event I have ever planned. I am really amazed at what I am doing....

So, speaking of being amazed, I ran 12 miles this past Saturday. It was crazy! Just like last week, I got very stiff around mile 8 or 9. I kept on pushing and I made it but it was rough. We ran through the Texas Hill Country again. Man, those hills were killer. If anyone tries to tell me that Texas is all flat, well I have the leg muscles to prove them wrong!!

Regarding the run, I did not recover as quickly this weekend as I did last weekend. Mainly, I think it was because I was not able to take an ice bath. I went to my parent's house after the run as I had errands to run on their side of town so I didn't drive all the way back home. The problem is, they don't have a bathtub in the guest bathroom, just a really big shower, so I laid on the bottom of the shower and had the water running on me as cold as possible. It didn't help too much as I was sore the whole day and into Sunday. Doing ten miles again this Saturday - definately taking an Ice Bath.

I am also going to Austin this weekend with some of my single lady friends. I am very excited as I have never been to Austin and I hear that 6th street is awesome - so I am really looking forward to it.

Oh, well, that is all for now. Thanks for reading my blog and please, check out my donors :-)

Til next time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Ten:

• Mon, August 9: Ran 2.26 miles at the Phil Hardberger park in 32 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Thurs, August 12: Ran 4.02 miles at the San Antonio Riverwalk in 50 minutes (13 min/mile).
• Sat: August 14: Ran 12.1 miles though La Cantera. Finished in 3 Hours and 2 minutes (15 min/mile).

10 Miles and $1,000

Hey y'all! This past Saturday I both ran 10 miles and raised $1000 to fight Leukemia and Lymphoma!! I actually have $1,070 posted and another $184 to post for a total of $1,254!! That means only $1,746 to go!!

Ok, so $1,746 is a lot, but $1,254 seemed like a lot too... One thing that will help is the Wine Tasting and Silent Auction that I have planned on September 16, 2010.

I have included my inviation below:

Enjoy a night of food, fun, wine and a chance to support a great cause!

On September 16, I am hosting a Wine Tasting and Silent Auction to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. We will be serving food, have live music, door prizes and of course, Wine! If wine is not your thing, WineStyles also offers a selection of beer and Sangria.

Silent Auction items include Spurs Tickets, Teeth Whitening courtesy of Dr. Goss, DDS, Mary K...ay 'Pamper Me' Gift Basket, Hand-Crafted jewelry, Wine Basket, 30 Minute Massage and much more!

The cost is $25.00 per person if purchased in advanced or $30.00 at the door. **Also, if you bring five(5) people with you, your ticket will be free!

You can purchase online through my PayPal Account or you can pay me directly. All proceeds benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

Please click on the "Donate" button in the top right corner to purchase your ticket for the Wine Tasting.

I am hoping for at least 60-70 people, so please, bring a friend!!

So running ten miles was very exciting and painful...I did pretty well until mile 8 and then I started to get stiff. The last mile was not fun at all but I pushed through it because I knew I was almost done! When I got home, I took an ice bath, stretched deeply and rested. I actually wasn't very sore on Sunday. Anyway, I am running 12 miles this Saturday, so wish me luck!!

Till Next Time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Nine:

• Mon, August 2: Ran 2.62 miles at the Phil Hardberger park in 34 minutes (13 min/mile)
• Wed, August 4: Walked 2.24 miles at Brackenridge Park in 35 minutes (15 min/mile)
• Thurs, August 5: Ran 4.51 miles at Shavano Park in 1 hour and 8 minutes (15 min/mile).
• Sat: August 7: Ran 10.29 miles though La Cantera. Finished in 2 Hours and 25 minutes (14 min/mile).
  
  

This is me after running 10 miles :-)

Setting New Records!!!

Hey y'all, so this week I set a new record as I ran 8 miles on Saturday! Woo Hoo! 8 miles - woot woot! Anyway, I have been running intervals. According to a spreadsheet I received from my TNT coaches, my optimum interval (based on my pace) is 2/1 - run for two minutes and walk for one.

Its amazing because everything that they have been teaching has really been working. Running intervals is supposed to help because you allow your body to rest and slow down the build up of lactic acid in your muscles. So that means that you can run faster when you are running and you won't be so sore the next day. They also teach that low-fat chocolate milk is a good recovery drink after a run and they taught us to use what's called a foam roller after the run. So I did it, I ran intervals on the 8 mile run, then I drank low-fat chocolate milk and used the foam roller and guess what?! I was not even sore the next day!! It was quite amazing...

So this coming week, we will be hitting the double digits. I am running 10 miles this Saturday and I am curious to see if I am as successful.

Another thing that was excited about this week was that instead of running on Thursday, I went to a Zumba class at the McNay Museum of Art. They had three instructors from the Spectrum Athletic Club who alternated leading the dances. We did everything from Cumbia, Meringue, Greek style dancing, Bollywood dancing, Belly dancing and African style dancing. It was an awesome experience because of the atmosphere. Being in the museum and dancing so many cultural dances really made me feel like I was a part of the art that makes the Museum so beautiful.

I am also doing good in fundraising as well. I am planning my fundraiser, I have several items for the silent auction such as handmade jewelry, 100 cup commercial grade coffee maker, teeth whitening from my dentist and I am working on a lot more. I am trying to get a weekend getaway package at a local hotel, some restaurant gift certificates and maybe some Spurs items. We will see, but I am excited!

So that is about it for now. I am super busy in other ares of my life. I am currently working on a project at work that will be one of the determining factors to whether or not I am promoted, I went to a party at a friend's house on Saturday where we were up until 2 in the morning playing board games and laughing so hard it made my head hurt and I may be selected to be on the Pastoral Council at my Church...so I am a busy woman!!

But it is all a good busy. I am busy and have little time to myself anymore, but I feel so much more confident and self-reliant than I ever have in my entire life. I am so excited to see this new direction my life has taken and I hope I can continue to keep up with it because I like where it is going!

Anyway, for all of you that read my blog. I appreciate you so much. Please send me a note or comment and let me know who you are. Take care!

Lots of Love,

Julia

Training Log for Week Eight:

• Mon, July 26: Ran 2.45 miles at the Phil Hardberger park in 40 minutes (16 min/mile)
• Tues, July 27: Ran 3.25 miles at the San Antonio Riverwalk in 45 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Thurs, July 29: Danced Zumba at the McNay Museum for 1 Hour.
• Sat: July 31: Ran 8.1 miles at Brackenridge Park. Finished in 2 Hours and 5 minutes (15 min/mile).

Tacos, Cucumbers, Vodka and Wine....

Well this week was very exciting! On Saturday, July 24, I had my second fundraiser event at Taco Cabana off 410 and Nacogdoches Rd. I had hoped for a big turn out because this location was more centrally located in San Antonio. Unfortunately, it didn't seem like that was going to happen.

The event was from 3-9pm and Taco Cabana was going to donate 10% to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I informed everyone that I invited that I would be there from 4-6 but that they would come any time. Well, it was ten minutes to 6pm and only my parents and two friends had come. I felt reminiscent of my preteen years when I was a social outcast and no one came to my parties, I almost wanted to cry - but I didn't. I said, "Well, I don't think anyone else is coming, we should just go." My dad replied, "No, you said you'd be here until 6pm. What is ten more minutes?" So I waited.

Well, within five minutes, nearly ten more people came. I actually ended up staying until 8pm as we were having so much fun! I went home where I changed quickly and then went out again to meet some colleagues at a local bar/lounge. We went to a place called The Green Lantern. it was a very nice and upscale lounge in the Stone Oak area. I asked for a unique drink and they served me my first cucumber martini. It really did taste like a cucumber! The vodka was obviously top shelf because it didn't burn at all; in fact, it was actually pretty refreshing!

Anyway, that is not why this week was great. Actually, my biggest accomplishment this week was that I finally booked the venue for my Fundraising Dinner and Silent Auction on September 18, 2010. It is going to be a Wine Tasting at a local store Winery called WineStyles, which is off of La Cantera in the RIM. I will have finger foods, wine, a silent auction and guest speakers. I am very much looking forward to it as this will be my first ever large scale fundraising event!

I am very nervous because I need at least 50-60 people to come. I am actually incurring a cost for the wine, food and possible entertainment, so I need to recover my expenses as well as generate money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma society. So, I will probably be charging around $30 per ticket.

I can say one thing, this has certainly been an incredible experience. Raising money for a cause is a noble thing to do but it really is outside of my comfort zone. I am not used to asking people for money. In fact, I was reflecting on a time when I sold Mary Kay products. I did not do very well, mainly because I was so moved by people who liked the product but could not afford it, so I sold it to them at cost. Yeah, I really did not do well.

But then again, I didn't have an MBA back then. Perhaps an education in Business and Marketing has helped me in my fundraising initiatives. I suppose the real test will be the turn out I get at my Wine Tasting/Silent Auction in September!

If you are in San Antonio, I hope you will consider coming out. If not, please pray that things go well! I will keep you informed as I have more information.

Thanks for reading this and God Bless.

For a Cure,

Julia

Training Log for Week Seven:

• Mon, July 19: Ran 2.28 miles at the Phil Hardberger park in 38 minutes (16 min/mile)
• Tues, July 20: Ran 3.0 miles at the San Antonio Riverwalk in 44 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Thurs, July 22: Ran 2.39 miles at Eisenhower Park in 36 minutes (15 min/mile)
• Sat: July 24: Ran 6.0 miles at Rogers Ranch. Finished in 1 Hour and 35 minutes (15 min/mile).
  
  

Was Blind, but Now I See

Please forgive my delay in updating this week. I had a very, very busy weekend! On Friday, July 16, 2010 - I had LASIK eye surgery! It was so amazing! I spent a long time trying to decide if I wanted to get it done, but I finally got tired of spending money year after year for glasses, contacts, etc...so I said, why not?!

I did a lot of searching around, TLC Laser Eye Center, LasikPlus, etc...but in the end, I went with a private practice. Dr. Edward Rashid, MD is the best opthamologist in San Antonio and he is the Spur's Doctor. When I researched him, I saw nothing but good reviews...when I researched the other companies, I saw that they had complaints on the Better Business Bureau as well as Consumer Reports. I couldn't find any physician stats on one of the doctors, in fact, it didn't even look like she was licensed to practice medicine in Texas. Also, one company had a class action law suit against them.

So I asked myself...do I want to go with the best doctor in San Antonio, the Doctor that the Spurs trust with their vision needs, the doctor that several people told me was awesome and that I was in good hands with him? Or did I want to go to the franchise one-stop shop, who have received many complaints, have questionable doctors and who have been know to renege on their "guarantees"? Well, I think the answer was obvious - Of course, Dr. Rashid hands down!

So, once I made that decision, I met with him and his staff. They were awesome! I could tell that he really cared about my eyesight and my results. He told me the truth and was not shy to say that I may not be a good candidate. In fact, he sent me in for additional testing to be sure that I would be a good candidate. In the end, he gave me his seal of approval and my date was set.

In Photo: Abigail, Amy, Dr. Rashid, Lisa and
Paula - the wonderful staff who restored my vision!

http://www.seeitclearly.com/

On July 16, 2010, I went in to the Alamo Laser Vision Center not able to see my hand in front of me without my glasses and minutes later I was able to walk out with 20/20 vision. There was some discomfort during the procedure; however, overall, it was an awesome experience. They explain to you many times what they will do and what to expect, which really helped because I was thinking, 'Oh, ok, now they are creating the flap.' It was almost like being on a medical show, except I was the show...

I like to describe the experience as riding the Space Mountain rollar coaster. When you walk in, you are terrified....but you decided to put on a brave face and just go into the operating room. There is some slight discomfort and pressure. You stare at a red light admist bright circular lights, then everything goes black except the red light. Suddenly, you see a neon purple light which lasted about 30 seconds per eye and then it was over.

I wasn't really able to keep my eyes open after the procedure. But I took a nap and when I woke up, I felt good. I even watched a movie! And the best part of this weekend, other than being able to see, was that I spent the entire weekend with my family. It was great! I stayed at my parent house, we shared all meals and spent a lot of time together - it felt really nice to spend so much time with my family.

So, I had my first follow-up appointment with my doctor on Saturday (where I could see 20/20) and so I missed the Team in Training Run. However, I did get in a 4 mile run/walk with my brother Saturday afternoon.

Finally, I am doing very well with my fundraising. I have $725 posted and another $125 to turn in. I have $850 and only $2150 to go!

I have a fund raising event this Saturday at Taco Cabana and I am still planning my Gala event/Silent Auction. I have found a caterer who will give me an awesome deal on an enchilada dinner...so all I need now is a venue and I am set!

Til next time!

Julia

Training Log for Week Six:

• Tue, July 13: Ran 2.17 miles at the University of Texas in San Antonio in 33 minutes (15 min/mile)
• Wed: July 14: Ran 3.4 miles on the University of Incarnate Word track in 49 minutes (15 min/mile)
• Sat: July 17: Ran 4.23 miles at Rogers Ranch. Finished in 1 Hour and 7 minutes (15 min/mile).

This will be the last running picture of me wearing glasses!!

Vital Stats of an Athlete

I made up for last week's laziness! I ran on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday. Ok, I did do my fair share of walking, but still - I got a lot of work outs in :-)

The best part of my week; however, was that I saw my doctor on Wednesday and he checked my blood pressure, heart rate, etc. He said that everything looked great and he even said that I have the "vital stats of an athlete."

I was so overjoyed - it was amazing. He also said that I have Plantar Fasciitis and Knee inflammation. Plantar Faciitis is basically when the plantar (in the heel) splits. It is very painful especially in the mornings and after you've been sitting for a while. Mine isn't so terrible so my doc said I should keep on training but he gave me stretches to do and told me to get knew shoes soon. I also need to get into the habit of icing my knees after I run to reduce the inflammation.

Anyway, I was so excited that I have reached this new point in my life where I can truly call myself a runner! Oh, and speaking of being a runner, I ran in the San Antonio Road Runner's Zoo Fun Run and I won first place in my division! Ok, so what if my division was just one person...I ran and I won... :-p

On Saturday, I skipped the Team in Training practice and instead went to Fredericksberg with my friends to run at the Enchanted Rock. We ran about 5 miles around the rock and then climbed up the rock. It was hard and grueling. About half way up the rock, I wanted to quit and turn back but Byron, in my run group did not let me. He encouraged me and motivated me and somehow, got me to the top of the rock. Once there it was so beautiful. Breathtaking views of the Texas Hill Country. Then we climbed down, which was easier but very scary as it seemed like if you missed a step, you'd plummet to your death - ah, well, I survived.


Anyway, I am about to go to Chilis for my first Fundraiser. They are donating 10% of our bill to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I hope to have a good turn out. Wish me luck!

Till Next Time,

Julia

Training Log for Week Five:

• Mon, July 5: Ran 4.7 miles at Phil Hardberger Park in 1 hour and 7 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Tue, July 6: Walked 2.9 miles at the Riverwalk in 46 minutes (16 min/mile)
• Wed: July 7: Ran 2 miles In the SARR Zoo Fun Run and won 1st place in my division. Did the run in 27 minutes (13.5 min/mile)
• Thurs, July 8: Walked 2.51 miles at Eisenhower Park in 46 minutes (18 min/mile)
• Sat: July 10: Ran 5.8 miles at the Enchanted Rock. Finished in 1 Hour and 25 minutes (14 min/mile).

Swiming or Running?

Well, this week was a bit different. So before it was so hot that the evening runs were just crazy hot....but this week we got rain all week. Which is weird because generally by this time of year in Texas we are a drought and having city-wide water restrictions.

I suppose it may be due to the hurricane that was heading this way, but we had a lot of rain this week....and I ran in most of it on Monday. It started out like any other day - hot. I arrived to the trail and it was still just another hot day and then, right before we started to run, it started to sprinkle. Right as we started to run, it began pouring and then it was a torrential downpour the rest of the way.

The water poured down so fast and intensely, I could barely see in front of me; actually, in many ways it felt like swimming....except that I was running. The one awesome thing was that I ran really well. I managed to keep a good pace for a longer period of time. I think that was due to the fact that I wasn't melting beneath my skin - I was actually very cold and ran the heater on the way home.

The worst part; however, was that my phone got soaked and would not work. I was very worried about that especially since I had to pick up my grandma from the airport at 10:30pm. Luckily, it all worked out. I was able to pick up my granny without any problems and I got my phone working again by blowdrying it and then letting it sit overnight.

After Monday, I was exhausted. I could not muster the strength or the energy to go running again and it seemed that no matter how much sleep I got, I did not feel rested. I did not run again until Saturday. I so did not want to wake up at 5am to go running, but I knew that I had too. I mean, I am training for a marathon and I can't train very well if I only run one time.

The Saturday run was very difficult for me. We only did four miles, but I was still so tired and had a hard time finding the strength to run. But I did it and was happy to go home to enjoy a nice long bath.

I am at $230 on my online donations. I still have checks and cash that I need to turn into the society. I will mail that in this week, which should bring me to about $420. I need to be at $500 by August 11, so I am hoping I will make it.

I am having a dinner at Chili's on Sunday, July 11 from 4-10pm. I am hoping for a nice turn out, but we will see.

Anyway, hope you are all having a great week. Take care.

Julia

Training Log for Week Four:

• Mon, Jun 28: Ran 3 miles at Phil Hardberger Park (n the pouring rain) in 40 minutes (13 min/mile)
• Sat: Jul 3: Ran 4 miles starting at Mission San Jose. Finished in 1 hour (15 min/mile).

New Record - 6 Miles

Wow- I ran six miles yesterday! I was pretty nervous about it, but since I am training to run a marathon...what's six miles right? Ha, well it was a lot of fun. Of course, I was one of the last runners again, but I am so proud of myself for doing it.

This practice was special beacuse we were able to invite our friends and family to come and we had a pot luck breakfast afterwards. Also, all the Team in Training teams were there including the Hike Team and the Tri Team. One of the guys on the Tri team was a Marine and he really encouraged me. I was so proud of myself because I was actually able to keep up with him for a couple minutes.

My friend Amanda came with me. It was her first time to run six miles as well and she did great too! She and I have this little agreement - she wants to be my biggest donor, so she will donate $1 more than my biggest donor. Right now, my largest donation is $100 (Thanks Doc. C). It's not yet posted on my website as I have to mail it in to the LLS Corporate Office.

I am having a lot of fun with this. Running, fundraising, etc - its a lot of work but its also a great experience. This week I need to send out my fliers for the dinner at Chili's where they will be donating 10% of the bill to LLS. Also, I am still working on finding a place for my party. I have talked to Santikos to see if I can host it at their Palladium Theater at the RIM. We will see....but that place would be perfect!

The biggest highlight of my training this week was Saturday. Yes, running six miles was great but I also saw a few people from my running group, R.U.N. (www.meetup.com/runner). They are the greatest and nicest group of people. They always make you feel welcome and a part of the group. Its so amazing how far I have come - from barely running one minute to running six miles and more....and I really have them to thank. From day one, every person there has been so supportive and encouraging. They accept me for me and, at the same time, they challenge me to run longer, harder and faster. They are truly the reason I can now call my self a runner. They are my motivators, my coaches, my friends, they are my home.

I never imagined I would enjoy being an outdoor person so much. I also never imagined I would try to raise $3000 for Leukemia and Lymphoma. There are a lot of things in this world I had never imagined I could do - but I am doing them. It just goes to show that, truly, anything is possible.

Until Next Time....

Julia

Training Log for Week Three:

• Mon, Jun 21: Ran 2.43 miles at Phil Hardberger Park in 37 minutes (15 min/mile)
• Wed: Jun 23: Ran 4 miles at Brackenridge Park. Did the run in 55 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Thurs, Jun 24: Ran 2.84 miles at Eisenhower Park in 38 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Sat: Jun 26: Ran 6 miles starting at Mission San Jose. Finished in 1 Hour and 32 minutes (15 min/mile).

Feeling Hot Hot Hot!

Texas heat is here and its not even officially summer yet! This week was so hard because of how hot and humid it has been. Ok, so the mid to upper 90's won't feel so bad once the triple digit heat begins...but the humidity was crazy. It has been raining here a lot. This time last year, we were already on stage 2 water restrictions...this year our aquifer is at a record high....and so are the humidity levels!

So the Texas heat is bad regardless of humidity, but the humidity just makes the heat so much worse! I ran on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Saturday! I started running in the winter and I think that I like wearing gloves and thick clothing more than running in the heat...I mean, when its cold, just put more on...and your workout will warm you up too. Ugh!

But I just kept on reminding myself why I am doing this. For the kids, for all the people who have suffered and who are suffering from Leukemia and Lymphoma. What they endure - chemotherapy, radiation, etc...that is so much more painful and agonizing that running a few miles in the Texas Heat.

I did some research on Chemotherapy. Basically, it is a cocktail of chemicals designed to interfere with the growth of rapidly-multiplying cancer cells. The problem is that it cannot tell the difference between cancer cells and other cells.

The cells that are most often affected by the chemotherapy are the cells in the bone marrow which are responsible for forming blood, hair follicles, cells in the mouth, digestive tract and reproductive organs. Therefore, the most common chemotherapy side effects are nausea, vomiting, poor appetite, a feeling of lethargy and sickness, and abdominal discomfort. More disturbing side effects may be hair loss or thinning, which is usually temporary, mouth or gum ulcers or sores, anaemia, or sterility. The skin may become dry and discolored. (Source)

That is why the Mission of the Leukemia and Lymphoma society is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.

I never really thought about how terrible the cancer treatment can be - what the patient must go through to get cured and what the family endures in trying to support their loved one. It's like what's worse? The cancer itself or the side-effects of cancer treatment?

I recently met a gentleman named, Rocky Waller. He was diagnosed with Non-Hogkin Lymphoma in 2008. He is a survivor and he is also participating in Team in Training. I met him a few weeks ago and he told me about his treatment. About how he wasn't able to button his own shirts because his finger nails had come off. I never thought about how difficult it might be to button something without finger nails - I never thought about a lot of the things Cancer patients have to endure.

So what is running in 90 degree heat with a ton of humidity? The pain I feel in my feet, my knees, etc - it is all nothing compared to what they go through - and they are why I am doing this.

This Saturday I did not participate in the Team in Training run as I ran in the Carrabbas Half Marathon Relay. I ran with Joey, Jose and Gloria. We called ourselves 'The Mighty Joe Sandwich.' We had a good time. We ran 13.1 miles in a 4 person relay and we finished in 2 hours and 40 minutes. The run was tough because of the heat and humidity and because I wasn't feeling well. But it is just a matter of attitude and I kept my mind on my goal - saving lives.

"Attitude is a little think that makes a big difference." Winston Churchill.

Hope you have a great week!

Julia


Training Log for Week Two:

• Mon, Jun 14: Ran 1.78 miles at Phil Hardberger Park in 25 minutes (14 min/mile)
• Wed: Jun 16: Ran 3.0 miles at Brackenridge Park. Did the run in 40 minutes (13 min/mile)
• Thurs, Jun 17: Ran 4.02 miles on NW Military Highway in 54 minutes (13.5 min/mile)
• Sat: Jun 19: Ran 3.08 miles in the Carrabbas Half Marathon Relay. Finished in 47 minutes (15 min/mile).