Training update

Despite my best intentions, it has once again been awhile since I've been able to update my blog. I will keep trying to do better!

What a great Labor Day weekend! Since I worked at the KU football game on Saturday and celebrated my birthday with family & D (at a surprise BBQ!) on Sunday, my long run was delayed until Monday. The weather was almost perfect; although a little humid, it was pretty cool and the 18-mile run felt great! Best of all - no leg cramps afterward! :-) Maybe I am finally getting this hydration thing down. Also, I got to use my new Garmin Forerunner, which was a birthday gift from D. What a wonderful training tool and a much-appreciated gift!

The one bad spot in the weekend was walking out my front door to discover someone had stolen my son's bike from my patio. Evidently they used cable cutters to cut through the lock. On my long runs, D has been riding the bike and carrying the water and PowerAde for me. There is no way I could carry that amount of liquid with me, and obviously no way to run that far without it.

I ran along the trail next to the South Lawrence trafficway, which was perfect since it is about 9 miles one-way. Since we didn't have a bike for D to ride, he dropped me off at the starting point and then drove to several spots along the trail and left bottles for me then picked them up after I had gone back through the second time. He also checked in with me several times during the run, making sure I was doing okay and encouraging me like he always does, and then picked me up when I had finished. Keep in mind this run took me a little over 3 1/2 hours. How many people are gonna give up their morning for someone else like he did?

Two other people who have been helpful are my mother and my sister since they have stayed with my grandkids a couple of times so I could do my long run. My daughter-in-law is in the Navy Reserves and the children often stay with me at least part of the time while she is gone for drills each month since my son works alternating shifts. Not thinking the kiddos could have run that far :-)

This Tuesday evening, I had my 2-mile easy run, which was on the treadmill since it was raining. Once upon a time, 2 miles was a long run for me. Now it seems like I haven't even done a workout if that is all I do, but gotta follow what the training plan says.

Also, donations are really starting to pick up, which is wonderful since we are trying to meet our goal by September 15, so SK USA will help cover a portion of the travel and lodging costs. This will help keep put more of the funds toward the Safe Sleep initiative. We are so excited about the potential to share the video statewide and maybe even to a larger area! Everything I hear about how the video production is going is very exciting. It sounds like it is going to be wonderful and I can't wait to see it!

Now I've managed to catch some kind of a virus or something; not feeling well at all today and didn't go to work. Slept most of the morning. I almost never get sick, so am not very patient when I do. I have too much to do to be sick! Guessing I don't look so good either. I wanted OJ and of course don't have any, so went to Sonic to get one. The car-hop (who sees me on a regular basis) asked if I had a bad headache or something. I'm taking good care of myself though. Really don't want to mess up my plans for this weekend, so have to get feeling better.

I am planning to fly to Washington, DC tomorrow to spend the weekend with D, who is working there right now. This weekend's run is 20 miles and my plan is to run as much as I can on the USMC marathon course! I've so been looking forward to this, have to get feeling better.

The other thing that stinks about being sick is that I missed an opportunity to be on a local radio show with John D. this morning. John visited with Hank Booth on his show, "According to the Record" on KLWN about the Safe Kids Douglas County Safe Sleep (for babies) initiative. Since I was feeling so out of it, I slept right through the show and didn't even get to listen. No doubt John did fine without me and I'm sure he also mentioned the marathon fundraiser. I just feel really bad that I couldn't do my part. This was not an opportunity that comes along every day!

Well, I'm starting to feel pretty tired again, so think I will go take a nap. Gotta get better!