Marathon Memories

Well....... I did it! Saturday, October 3, 2010 at 1:39 a.m. I crossed the finish line of my first half-marathon! As everyone knows that knows me, I have been training with the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team in Training (TNT) for the last four months or so in order train to run a half martahon in Orlando, Florida to raise money for the LLS. Those months have finally come to an end. I have been trying to summarize my training efforts throughout my process on this blog, when I had time. Now, I wanted to come here and try to put my thoughts down on how the marathon went. It is kind of all a blur but I am hoping I can remember some of the highlights.

9:00 p.m. Strolled over to our corrals with the other 11,000 or so people to get into position. The corrals were divided into 4 groups depending on your "speed". Of course I was supposed to be in the last corral "Corral D" but I slipped in "Corral C" with Kim, January and Melissa. Whew! I was not caught. As we were standing in the corrals we were making our "game plan". "OK ladies, when the starting gun goes off we will not run, we will simply do a brisk 3 minute walking warm-up to get our legs ready." - - - - - Well, the fireworks went off, Mickey and Minnie were at the start waving everybody on so we took off!!! "What happened to our walk?" January said. No can do - keep running!!! We ran for a few minutes then decided to make our way to the right side of the roadway to the "slower people lane" and start brisk walking. After all, we had 13.1 miles to go, didn't want to wear ourselves out before mile 1!

Mile 1 - felt good. Exciting, actually glad I was here. A band up on a stage playing music as we ran by. How Cool. - I made up my mind today that as long as I reached Mile 1, I would be happy and not disappointed if I did not finish. Goal met - check! January and Melissa had long left us, but me and Kim were there, right together.

Mile 2 - Oh look - Chip and Dale! Hello guys!!! (as I wave)......."Oh shit - I just twisted my ankle". This can't be happening already. Limp, limp, limp......I'm ok. But boy are my shins burning! I can't believe I am actually attempting to do this. I'll never finish......

Mile 3 - Oh look - there on the other side of the roadway the wheelchair racers and runners from Corral A are already circling back on their mile 6 and7. How do they do that?! Well, at least I am still on the track and getting my money's worth is what I say! :) Ankle still bothering a little.

Mile 4 - There's the first First Aid station and miraculously enough, I do not have to stop - I feel great. Woo Hoo - another goal met, check! Kim - "Oh my gosh, what is that smell?!" - Animal poo - we were getting close to the entrance of Animal Kingdom. That was OK - that meant we had almost made it to mile 4!!! And I actually feel really good....

Mile 5 - Running through Animal Kingdom, lots of pretty sights to see. People stopping taking photos - no time for that - got to keep up pace so the slow bus does not come yank me off course. Surprisingly enough we have maintained about a 15 minute pace up to this point. Oh look there is Bayne from LLS cheering us on. My gosh - where is that water/powerade station?!?!?

Mile 6 - Water!! Woo Hoo!!!! Those that know me probably did not think those words would ever come out of my mouth since I hate water. Grabbed cup of Water and Powerade - drank both completely - big mistake. Oh well, live and learn..... Going around a curb - "Kim, is that the end of the race participants across from us, have they already caught us?" Kim said no, not to worry - keep going.......I think she was fibbing............

Mile 7 - Oh look - hippos wearing tutus. Where's Mickey and Minnie??? Race course not as interesting as I thought it would be....time to start singing to myself to pass the time.......should have brought my ipod buds.......Oh look, a text from hubby urging me on.....I love him.

Mile 8 - A TNT coach joins us to make sure we are doing OK. We are still standing and not on the slow people bus, so doing OK. "No, the bus is 1/2 mile back." WHAT?!? It is only 1/2 mile behind us. Got to step up the pace. Second first aid station, and still no need to stop. WOO HOO!! More water - no time to drink - pick up the pace.

Mile 9 - Boring portion of course. No music, no Chip and Dale, no weird looking hippos in tutus. Oh look, a bridge. What happened to the flat course?!?!? OK, will run down the otherside to pick up speed. Our pace had slowed down quite a bit at this point. Kim not feeling really good but OK to continue on. (She is 9 weeks pregnant so keeping eye on here to make sure can continue forward.) Volunteers on side passing out Clif Bar power snacks - where are the doughnuts and cupcakes I say!!

Mile 10 - Running through Hollywood Studios at this point. I can't believe I made it to 10. I told the person next to me, if that slow bus even thinks they are grabbing me at this point, they are crazy. Came too far to cross the finish on a bus. They will not get me on that bus without thme suffering a black eye or some other disfigurment that I can fathom enough energy to give them. Two TNT walking coaches, both pregnant, join along side of me and Kim. Kim slowing down a bit. Coaches say bus can't fit on this narrow path so we are safe. Kim elects to slow down a bit with this tidbit of info. I'm still nervous so since she was in good hands with coaches, I starting increasing my pace a bit, still scared of the slow bus picking me up at this point.

Mile 11 - Still looking back over my shoulder and can still see Kim in the distance she is going OK and I can hear her talking. I'm plugging forward. Only a little over 2 miles to go - I can do this!

Mile 12 - Outside Hollywood Studios and heading towards the Epcot Hotel area. Hubby text again that I'm almost there and can finish this thing. I'm starting to get really tired. I can't give up now, too far. I'm also extremely hungry since have not ate since lunch. Good thing I brought peanut M&Ms for a snack along the way! Now athlete power bars or goos for me. Oh no - participant down on the side with medics, she is going to be unable to finish. OMG - so close, but yet so far. She was not a TNT member, but I felt so sorry for her having gotten this close and unable to finish. Tears were in her eyes. I must finish this.....


Mile 13 - Got to get to the end of this mile. But, what is that ahead - MIMES?!? Mimes usually aggravate me on a good day, I certainly dont want mimes "cheering me on" at 1:30 in the morning after running/walking the past 3 hours!!! I passed two of them only to come around the corner and there is another. He is holding up his hand for a "High Five" - - fine, there's your High Five so now leave me alone. No more mimes - WHEW!

Up ahead I see Kristy, one of the running coaches from Charleston. She immediately runs to me and asks where Kim is. As soon as I try to open my mouth to talk, I start hyperventilating. I keep moving. I told her Kim was with two other coaches walking in but close behind I was sure. Breath, breath, breath.......Kristy encourages me to the very end and said she was going to cross that finish line with me. I refuse to walk to the finish line so I pick up my pace and begin running again and want to run to the end. "Just around the corner Tina" she says. Up ahead I see my hubby in his TNT purple T shirt. He smiles at me. I wave. I see the finish line..... I hear my name announced across the loudspeaker.

I did it!!!

Disney and Race Bound!!

Well - it's about that time!!! Above you will see the back side of my race jersey for this weekend's Half Marthon being at Disney's complex during the "Disney Wine and Dine Festival". The ribbons have the names of my "heroes" that I am running for. They have all either lost their fight to Leukemia, Lymphoma and/or Hodgkins disease, are fighting now or are currently in remission. I hope to be able to get all these heroes to the finish line.

I am just about packed and ready to head out the door to get down to Florida. I am arriving a day before the actual race so I can attend the Sports Expo and pick up my registration packet with my bib number, etc. It is all seeming a little overwhelming at this point but I am getting excited to attend this event with the 1000s of other people participating as well.

Thanks again to everyone that has supported me in this endeavor. Whether you supported me by making a donation to the Leukemia Society, with your thoughts and/or prayers to get me through this. I may or may not make it to that finish line before the end of the race, but I know I have done what I could do to this point and will give it my best shot on Saturday evening! This is Disney's first time "Night race". We actually dont even start the race until 10:00 p.m. and have until 1:30 a.m. to get to that finish line. Keep your fingers crossed - I know mine will be!!!

I'll keep you posted as to how it turns out.

Tina

5 Days until the big event!

Here I am! Less than one week away from my first (and last) half-marathon! For the last four days or so I have pretty much had a nervous breakdown over this upcoming event. I have cried, laughed, screamed, paced, cried some more and worried. So.....now that I have gotten all that out of the way, time to start getting packed and ready for this lifetime event.

Apparently not only did I have to train for the last several months for this endurance event, but apparently there is a LOT to do the week and day leading up to the event. Of course you have to pack, like you would any trip you go on. But there is all kinds of stuff you have to remember to pack. Lord knows you don't want to show up 7 hours away from home to get to the starting line and leave your running shoes at home!

Then, there are certain times throughout the weekend that you have to "do stuff". Check in to get your "bag and bib" at the Expo, Meet up team members as they arrive, meet up with everyone for Inspriational Brunch, nap, meet up with team members for photo ops, meet up with team to load the bus, get to your proper "Corral" on time and then lastly be ready to "Run" at 10:00 p.m. Did I mention I have to fit in a nap in there somewhere?

My training simply did not go as well as I was hoping. This past week I was told if I can't maintain a 16 minute pace per mile they would pull me off the race track and not let me finish. That about did me in. Here I am, I have raised all this money for the LLS (more than I was required to), gotten up pretty much every week at 4:30 a.m. to travel for 45 minutes to train with the team, spent quite a bit of money on "proper running gear", and everything I have done to try to do this event, and now I'm told they may not even let me finish!!! I was devastated. I have worried all week, if I don't finish how am I going to come back home and tell everyone I let them down. A few wise people (hopefully they are wise - anyway) told me, not to worry about everyone else. I have done more already than a lot of people ever attempt to do and all I can do is go down there and do my best. So......that is what I am going to do. Guess there are worse places to be pulled out of a race then "The Happiest Place on Earth" right?! Plus, I figured if someone dared tried to pull me off that track I would begin running with all my might and they would have to catch me and drag me on the "slow people bus" first. I'm not going down without a fight - I assure you!!! At least if I get some cuts and bruises along the way, I can say I was pulled out of the race due to injury!

So, Saturday, October 2nd please keep me in your thoughts as I will be down in Orlando doing my best for the LLS! The race does not start until 10:00 p.m. that night so with any luck I will be crossing that finish line by 1:25 a.m. (I have until 1:30 a.m. but I certainly don't want to the be the last one crossing that line!!!)

Thanks to everyone for your support throughout this entire endeavor!!!

Tina

I'm back.......

I did it again! Went over 6 weeks without updating this blog. I have no excuse other than the fact that there is simply not enough hours in my day.

Last time I posted here, I was getting ready to go on The Carnival Dream for mine and my husband's one year anniversary. We had a BLAST! It was so nice to be able to spend an entire week together with no day to day obligations.

I did take all my running clothes and shoes and had all intentions of continuing my training while on board - that lasted one night. It got rather boring running around a little lap which required you to run around it like 15 times to equal a mile. After one mile, I gave up.

Since I returned from the cruise, I have traveled a few times out of town over weekends which has cut into my training as well. However, as of today, I have less than 4 weeks to get ready for this race. Two weeks ago I did manage a 7 mile walk/run and lived to tell the tale! Since then though have only managed 2 miles here and there. This weekend we are set to walk/run 10 miles!!! Hopefully my legs will cooperate.

Will try my best to keep up with this and update you on these last few weeks of training and how the actual race day goes. It is Saturday, October 2nd down in Orlando. Getting excited, but nervous as well.

Hope everyone enjoyed their Labor Day weekend!

Tina

I'm Dreaming......

Yes - that is her in all her glory...Carnival Dream.....and in 7 short days my butt is going to be on there for 7 days with my hubby and a few friends! No children, no dogs, no boss, no phone.........Sounds like a dream!!! Can't wait!!

Quick Update!!

I just realized today that I have neglected my little blog on life's daily adventures! I am sorry, but between working, crafting, training and just life in general, I seem to have a lot of things slipping through the cracks lately!

However - I have not given up on this running yet. In the past two weeks since my last post, I have managed to continue getting in a few runs per week when the weather cooperated. However between 100 degree weather and lots of run, that has been tricky.

Last Saturday, which was DAY 53 of training, I met the team for our regular Saturday morning run and managed a 6 mile run at a 16 minute/mile pace. Even little J went with me and managed out the 6 miles! He now says he will go with me this coming weekend for an "easy 4 mile run". We shall see if he sticks to that plan...... I can say that on Saturday I was able to complete my 6 miles without too much pain and for the first time was able to say "I think I can actually do this!". So...I am looking forward to the next 10 weeks of training to get me to the Finish Line!


On Sunday, July 11, I hosted my First Annual "Get Tee'd Off at Leukemia" Golf Tournament and it was a huge success! I'll try to post some pictures later. Had 15 four-man teams come out for a great Captain's Choice tournament at Miler Country Club where they were given free beer, soda and water and even a cookout lunch following the tournament. Everyone seemed to have a great time and several asked "When are you doing this again?"

Thanks to everyone that came out and helped me run this tournament and especially for those that played the tournament and helps to support this great cause!

Tina

Thought this was supposed to get easier???

Here it is....day 40 of training for this half-marathon and it seems to be getting harder than easier. I know what you are thinking? "Tina - today is Sunday - which is always a "Day of Rest" on your training schedule - why is that hard?" Well, I'll tell you why. I did not feel good all day Friday and Friday evening, so I ended up sleeping in on Saturday and not going to the team run as usual. So, I figured since I technically had my "day of rest" on Saturday, I couldn't be lazy today and I really needed to get up and make up that 6 MILE RUN that I was supposed to have done yesterday.

So.....I woke up at 6:45 a.m., laced up my tennies and headed out. I had it all figured out - I would run out a mile from home and run back for a "water stop" at the end of my driveway (where I had set up a water bottle for a quick "run by" later). Then after my little water break, I would head back out and do another 2 miles and stop for another water break, and then wrap it up with another 2 miles. Sounds like a good plan, huh? Well I walked and walked ( just could not muster up the strength to run at this point) to what I thought was the "1 mile mark" and thought I was going to die by the time I got there. It took me 24 minutes, wherein usually a mile takes me about 15-17 minutes. So, I was like "Wow, that must have been more than a mile, I clearly miscalculated". I turned around and ran/walked back to the house and it took me 18 minutes to get back but I took a little detour through a cut road because I was dyeing of thirst. When I stopped to get water I thought my feet were going to bust right out of my shoes they hurt so bad.

I have came to the conclusion that the reason I have such pain when I walk/run at home is because when they paved the roads in our neighborhood they paved them at a significant slant where the road actually "peaks" in the middle and then slants down to both edges of the road. So, when I walk, I feel like I am leaning. I swear this is putting strain on my legs that I should not be having. I could be wrong, but this is what I am thinking since I dont have the same issues when I walk/run downtown. (When I walk/run downtown, I simply have the "Oh my god, I am out of shape and too old to do this type pain.......not the oh, god, my feet are going to shoot off the bottom of my legs pain that I experience at home.....just to clarify).

Anyhoo, by this time, I had convinced myself if I tried to go back out for another 2 miles I would end up collapsing. This would not be good since by the time my family woke up around noon and realized I had not made it back home, I would have surely been left for dead on the side of the road from heat exhaustion and dehydration. Because of this thought, I only made it 2 miles today instead of the 6 I had so graciously planned the night before. There is always tomorrow I guess.

Today is your birthday! It's my birthday too!!!

Well, OK.....it may not exactly be your birthday - - but it is MINE!! I love birthdays! I am of the assumption you get to celebrate your birthday the entire WEEK of your birthday, and not just the one day. After all, you have to get in as many free lunches/dinners you can possibly get right?! :)




Anyhoo, to my surprise (and everyone else in my office) my boss decided he wanted to get me a birthday cake for my birthday. Doesn't it look yummy?

I know, the picture does not do it justice since I had to use my phone to take the pic. But, trust me.....it was a toasted Coconut cake and it was scrumptious!

Me and a coworker went to lunch today for my birthday and then came back to the office and pigged out on cake! :) Most of the others in our office "save their extra calories for wine" so they said, so needless to say me and Jillian had a lot of cake to share - but we didn't mind! We had breakfast and snack for the rest of the week!

Me and the family did not do anything special for my birthday today since we have planned to go out to eat tomorrow night since that day worked better for everyones schedule. I didn't mind, that gave me more time at home to eat some more cake tonight! My thought was - cake is carbs and carbs are good for running -right?! That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Happy Birthday to Me!

Tina

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to all the great dads out there!

Today, me and Jeff slept in as much as we possibly could with three dogs in the house. I swear every morning we are able to sleep in, it seems like the dogs need to go potty a lot earlier than normal. Lucky for me, Jeff let me sleep in and he took care of the early morning potty break today since he knew I was flat exhausted from yesterday.

Then, even though it was Father's Day, Jeff got up and treated us to some homemade pancakes. Guess I should have made them since it was Father's Day and all, but they taste so much better when someone else makes them, don't you think?!

Today, day 33 of training, was a "rest day" so I was not required to run, walk, ride a bicycle or anything, which was good since my legs were wobbly from yesterday's run. "Rest Days" have quickly became my favorite day of the week! :) However, today being "Grocery Day" as well, we did make our normal run to the grocery store and grabbed all the deals for the week. We did pretty good, spending about $80 for right at $140 worth of groceries, so not a bad trip after all.

Then, I was pleased as punch when he suggested we go to Outback for dinner!!!! Outback is not one of Jeff's favorite places - - in fact, we have never been since we met back in 2007!! So, when he suggested it, I jumped on the chance faster than white on rice!!

Of course since it was Father's Day we had to wait about 50 minutes, but it was SOOOOO worth it. The best part you ask?????? Was this...............

Sidney's Sinful Sundae!!!!! It has to be hands down the best dessert I have ever had. I was completely stuffed after eating the Bloomin' Onion, the salad, and dinner, but I was not leaving Outback without having this dessert since it may be another 3 years before he is willing to go back!

We have our "Nutrition Counseling" with the TNT members this week. I am sure they will tell me this should not be on my diet for marathon training, but guess what? TOO BAD! I cannot wait to go back and have another already! Hubby almost thought I was going to pick up the bowl and lick the melted ice cream off the bottom, but I did hold back. :) - - barely.

Have a great week!

Tina

Another "Normal" Saturday Morning!

Day 32 of training and now I guess I can say this is my "Normal" Saturday morning routine: Up at 4:45 a.m., Run at 6:00 a.m. and then breakfast at Brueggers Bagels with the team! Two weeks in a row I have been up for this challenge and also managed to keep a smile on my face throughout the day with the family. Anyone that knows me, knows that I am NOT a morning person at all so for me to get up this early and not bite everyone's head off that I come in contact with is really something to brag about!

This week we did another 4 mile run, (4.4 miles to be exact). Was able to do this in just over 1 hour 10 minutes again for an approximate 17 minutes per mile pace. At least I have now slowed down! Still having some pain in my shins, but it is getting better. Out of the hour or so I was walking/running, this time I was able to get in a solid 30 minutes of running so I was pleased with myself. I did experience some foot numbness about halfway through but they loosened my laces and I was good to go. Tonight my hubby very affectionately told me my feet were "fat" today (swollen) which I guess is why my laces started strangling my feet halfway through my run.

As we do every Saturday morning, some of the team members headed over to Brueggers for bagels after our run which is always a good time and a good way for us slow runners to actually get to chat with the fast and longer distance runners since we really don't get to see much of them on the run route after about the first 30 seconds.

Once I got home from the run, I had a children's class scheduled for the kids to come over and make Father's Day cards and a gift for dad. The girls made a cute card with a little "King of the Grill" picture on the front and then made a bank that was filled with candy with a few cute sayings attached them. Such as the tootsie roll had a note that said "because you make me roll with laughter"; the Pay Day candy bar said "because you work so hard for us" and the M&Ms packages said "because I love you More & More each day". The kids enjoyed making them and I am sure the dads enjoyed eating all the candy - which I am sure the girls helped with that too! Although I love to teaching the classes, not sure I can keep up this pace of getting up bright and early, running, and then coming home to teach a class. Got to fit in a nap somewhere in there!

Then, Saturday night my cousin Joe was in town from California so we all met up at my mom's and had a nice visit chatting and catching up. By the time we chatted for a couple of hours, I was flat out exhausted and hit the road to head back home for a well deserved full night of sleep!

This running thing seems to be getting a LITTLE easier, but I still have a long ways to go to be able to complete the 13.1 mile journey in October. But, I will do it!

Tina

Me and Arthur Ravenel

the Arthur Ravenel Bridge that is! Yes, here on Day 28 of my training, someone on the team - not mentioning any names - had the bright idea that was it was time to go run the bridge for our run tonight! Ok, you twisted my arm, it was Owen that came up with this bright idea and I let him know that he was not allowed to pick the running paths anymore!

Tonight we had a team meeting over at a physical therapy clinic in Mt. Pleasant to go over different injuries and injury prevention techniques to prepare everyone for their martahons and triathlons. It was interesting and I learned a few different things while there. There was no actual "team run" scheduled for this evening, however about 6 of us came ready to run and decided to head over to the bridge to see what we could do.

Our schedule was to run 3 miles tonight and me and Kim did it - 3.1 actually so that qualified for a 5K! It was definitely a struggle for me to complete, but I did it. After all, once you go running up what seemed to be a 90 degree incline you had to come back down right?! We got yelled at only once for walking in the bike lane, but luckily I was not actually passed out in the bike lane and able to get back over in the proper running/walking lane! :)

Finished it in about 55 minutes for another 17 minute per mile pace. It felt more like 2 hours, so I was pleased as punch when Kim's snazzy little running watch said we did maintain 17 minutes per mile. She is still promising that in another two weeks this running will get easier. We shall see.......

Tomorrow is another cardio day for me so me and hubby will once again head out on the Sawmill Branch Trail to ride our bikes for at least 3 miles. For tonight though, my pillow is calling my name!

Have a great week!

Tina

First Saturday Morning Team Run!!

Saturday morning, day 25 of training, and I was up at 4:45 a.m. and on the interstate by 5:00 a.m. heading into downtown Charleston to meet our team at Colonial Lake for our first morning team run. We were supposed to be there and ready to run by 6:00 a.m. and I was. Everyone trickled in between 5:30 and 6:00 and we were off and running by about 6:15. Once again everyone split off into groups running either 4 miles, 6 miles, 8 miles and I think I heard perhaps 11 miles!?!? Seeing as I was in the first group of 4 milers, I really didn't have to listen to the rest of the information for the longer distance runners.

We headed out around 6:15ish and did a warm up lap around Colonial Lake and then proceeded on down Broad Street all the way to the Joe Riley Stadium once again. This time we were greeted at the stadium by a gorgeous looking bottle of Gatorade to quench our thirst. Just a quick sip of Gatorade and then back to Colonial Lake!

4.22 miles in right at an hour and 12 minutes, for an average of approximately 17 minutes per mile. On the date of the actual race, we have to pace ourselves at 16 minutes per mile, so I was glad to see I was not really too far off at the beginning of my training. Since I have a little over 3 months to go with training, surely I can get much faster than 16 minutes per mile.

Right now we are just worried about the heat. The temps have been in the high 90s and 100s already which is why we run so early. However, during the week I dont have time to run in the mornings so I run when I get home from work. But even then, it is still 90-95 degrees at 6:00 or 7:00 at night. Trying to convince myself to drink plenty of water throughout the day to help keep hydrated....very hard for me to do since a bottle of water would usually last me a day or two since I dont drink that much, but I'm trying my best!

Tomorrow, Sunday, is a day of complete rest for our training so, once again, I will be glad to oblige by that rule! Today was pretty rough since I am not a morning person at all. Not only did I get up at 4:45 a.m., but then I ran 4.22 miles only to come home to go to lunch and some shopping with hubby, then back out in the heat to do some clothes shopping with Jessica. Then we had a family anniversary party to go to which of course I had to make my famous mac n' cheese for. I did manage to squeeze in about a 30 minute nap between shopping and dinner, but not sure that even helped. By 10:00 p.m. I was pretty much exhausted and couldn't wait to lay my head down on the pillow!

Hope everyone had a great week/weekend!

Tina

Day 22 - Somethings you never forget.....

Like riding a bicycle! So true! I have probably not ridden a bicycle in 6+ years but today I got on mine and went for a little ride. For today's race training, I was supposed to do 30 minutes of "activity". That activity could be swimming, weight lifting, bicycle riding, walking, etc., etc. Well, when you have no pool and no weights, the next thing on the list is a bike, and I actually happened to have one. So, hubby loaded up our bicycles and we headed over to the Sawmill Branch Trail here in Summerville. I have never been on this trail, although I pass it numerous times a day. It was really nice being able to ride on a path and not worry about traffic. I think we may start coming over during day light hours to do our walking and running over here. Can't do much past 8:00 or so however, since there are no lights in this area. But it is definitely a nice, peaceful, quiet area.

This trail is actually 14 miles "round trip" if you take the entire trail, but obviously I did not do that. Little ole me managed to ride 3 miles total. Hubby was ready to keep on going, which I told him he was more than happy to do, but I would just wait at the truck. Being the sweetie that he is, he didn't want to show me up, so we loaded up the bikes and headed back home. That 3 mile ride took me 19 minutes. I will say that I did not "coast" but about 1 minute total since I did try to keep my legs pedaling and not "cheat".

Apparently when you run, you use totally different muscles than when you ride a bicycle. I say that because all the muscles that have not been bothering me since I took on this adventure are now sore. I also apparently had a death grip on my handlebars since even my arms are sore! I am so out of shape - I should not be able to say that though come the end of this adventure!

See you on the trails!

Tina

Day 21 of Training - First Team Run and I live to tell about it!

(Pretend photo inserted here - meant to take pic of the group and forgot camera......)

Tonight was the first "team run" I have experienced. I was nervous to go for several reasons........was i going to be the slowest person there.........does everyone else look as silly in running shorts as I do........was I going to be able to manage to at least run a mile, much less the 2 we were scheduled to do......was I going to be able to remain on my feet and not flat on my face..........the lists goes on. However, I actually enjoyed myself!

We first met for about an hour and went over tons of ideas for fundraising. (As you know, I have to raise $2,500 before July 20 to remain in this wonderful group and learn to run a half-marathaon by October! - so the ideas were great to have!) Afterwards everyone headed outside and split off into groups that were going to run 2 miles, 3 miles, 4 miles or even 5 miles for those "Oh great runners". (I am sure you can figure out which group I was in.........!)

We started off at the MUSC Wellness Center and ran aallllllll the way over to Joe Riley Stadium where the Charleston Riverdogs were actually having a home game that night. How exciting to run by hundreds of people in funny running clothes, breathing heavy, no makeup on and your hair sticking up everywhere. Luckily, there was that big tall wall separating the spectators and me so no harm done - I didn't scare anyone at least! I was with a group of four ladies and we decided that instead of stopping at the 1 mile mark and turning around, we would plug forward for another 1/2 mile so then by the end of the walk/run, we would complete 3 miles and not just 2. We were hesitant, but we plugged on.

We managed to all get back safely and soundly to the MUSC Wellness Center and we were all still standing tall and proud when we returned. After all - we did it - 3 miles! 1 mile more than we were expected to complete. We finished strong and I am actually looking forward to getting up at 5:00 a.m. on Saturday for our next team run which is supposed to be 4 miles!!!

The best part of tonight - no leg pain!!!! Woo Hoo!!!

Tina

Actually returned to scrapbooking today!

Since I started focusing my crafting on greeting cards the last year or so, I do not think I have scrapbooked at all other than throwing together my very simple wedding album last year. I really want to get back in to it and actually get pictures off of my camera. Pretty sad when a scrapbooker has to show people pictures by letting them skim through photos on her camera! LOL.

Anyhoo, I have never done tear bears and have been wanting to take a class on them for the last few years. I finally found one that was held on a Sunday and that I could actually participate in! Sometimes I think the LSS forget that a lot of people actually WORK during weekday days and they tend to offer the "fun classes" during that time. :( So, off i went today to my LSS and made this layout:

Isn't it cute? Hard to tell from the photo but the bears are actually "fuzzy". They are VERY time consuming to make but I am sure as you make more of them and are home alone (and not in a room with 12 chatty women) it would actually not take too long. The paper you use to make the bears is called Mulberry paper and is kind of a "bumpy" type of paper. You take a little tool or wire brush and actually "pick" or "brush" at the paper to get the fluffy, fuzzy effect. I think it turned out cute for my first one. Not sure if you can see from the picture, but below the word "beach" in the lower left hand corner, there is actually "sand" on the page. I grumbled at the class and was whining and "ewwing" because it was gross and wet. (I don't like messing with gooey, wet things on my scrapbook pages.) Well........needless to say I have to go back to the LSS and now admit to Ivy that I love the effect and actually buy some of the stuff to do it! She is going to give me a hard time - I just know it. Maybe I'll go next week when she is on vacation and then it will be our little secret! :)

I can't wait to get back into my scrapbooking. Would love to be able to actually scrapbook our summer vacation this summer that we are taking next month in the same year that we go on it! LOL

Today was "Day 19" of marathon training. I was so happy to wake up, look at my "training schedule" and see that today is our first "day of rest". I was like woo hoo - finally a day I can meet goal!! LOL So, no running for me today!!!

Going to get rested up and wait for hubby to return home tonight since he has been gone all weekend, so my girlie scrapbooking, card making, chick flick watching weekend is now over.

Have a great week!

Tina

Day 17 & 18 - Cards finally made!

Well, Friday, June 4, was pretty uneventful and nothing too exciting. The doctor did call to say no leg fracture - yeah! But to "take it easy". I been "taking it easy" all week, no more time for taking it easy. However, I heeded his advice today and worked all day and then came home and had dinner out with Jess since the boys were off on a 4-wheeling weekend in the hills of Kentucky. Figured I would rest up since I had full packed weekend of card making, scrap making, cleaning and running to fit in.

But, Saturday, Day 18 of training' I was busy as a bee and loved every minute of it!

Here are some of the cards that we made in our card class this morning and one or two I made after the class while I was watching my "chick flicks" while hubby out of town:

I was waiting all week to watch Julie & Julia this weekend while hubby gone, but could not find it to rent, so I ended up settling for "Leap Year", "Bride Wars", and "Dear John". All pretty good.

Prior to settling down late this evening, I figured I better try out the old legs and see what they were going to let me do. Since the boys were out of town and Jessica was working, I was really worried to do too much since I didnt know if I would end up hurting on the other side of the block and have no one to come pick me up! LOL. So, I actualy only did .6 mile. I know - lame! However, I was able to alternate 1 minute running to 2 minutes of walking for a total of 9 minutes and no pain when I got home! Doctor said to TAKE IT SLOW and not to follow schedule by trainers but to do at my own pace. So.....here I go. Tomorrow morning the plan is to get up at at 6:30 so I can try to get in a mile or so. Figured in broad day light if I was laying on side of road perhaps someone would come along and pick me up! LOL

Tomorrow I get to look forward to going to take an actual scrapbook class. I have not gone and taken one myself in probably over 2 years so I am looking forward to actually being a student and not a teacher and to try and get back into my scrapbooking versus card making!

Have a great night!

Tina

Day 16 - What a day!

As I indicated yesterday, dad was having his gall bladder surgery today. He was scheduled for 2:30 so my boss said I could leave and head to the hospital to see him when he came out of surgery, which was my plan all day. Luckily I called dad to chat before surgery this morning and let him know I'd be there and check in on him later, because after that, my day just pretty much went downhill.

I have been struggling with a lingering cough the last couple of months and 3 weeks ago the doctor had put me on some medication that was supposed to "knock it out". Told me if it returned after 2 weeks to call him immediately. Well, I finally called him today - I know - a week late - and told him as soon as I went off the medication the coughing returned and has progressively got worse. Made an appointment with the nurse to go see him next week. Five minutes later got another call back and said I couldn't wait til next week and I needed to be at his office by 4:00 today. Well - - no biggy, that gave me time to at least pop in to see dad when he got out of surgery at 3:00 and then rush to Summerville - WRONG!

Left work to head to hospital but was told by mom that dad would go straight to recovery until probably 4:00 or later. So......no seeing dad.

Went to doctor, where I was put on more medication for next 5 days and if that don't cut it, have to go for some further pulmonary testing. What fun!! Then while I was there and having to pay my $30 co-pay, figured I could kill two birds with one stone and went ahead and mentioned my leg pain assuming the doctor would simply say "push on girlie - you are simply out of shape!" Well, that ain't what he said. Instead, he said "Oh, you might have a stress fracture, let's send you for xrays." WHAT?!?! REALLY?!! I dont have time to sit and "rest" any more doc. So....there I went and hobbled off to xray and now I am doing more sitting and waiting for results. Grrrrr.

Came home to "lay down for 5 minutes" then will go see dad. Well, 2 1/2 hours later at 8:10 p.m. woke up. Where did my day go?!? Called dad and chatted with him, he seemed to be a little doped up but otherwise said he was doing fine and would be released in the morning and they had already had him up and walking the halls. Good news!

Tonight however, my legs (even the one I didn't have xray'd) was really bothering me. Remember yesterday how I said I was supposed to rest but made cards instead? I guess standing up on my legs for 3 hours at my craft table has taken its toll and wasn't a very good idea. :( Then again, I told you before I didn't do this "rest" thing very good.

So, here's to hoping the doctor will call me in the morning with a "clean bill of health" to return to running/walking tomorrow and my legs will feel like new when I wake up.

Tina

Day 15 - Presented with a Straight Jacket

Yes, you read that right. I came home from work today for my husband to present me with a "Straight Jacket". Lucky for me it was the model name of a pair of brand new Oakley Sunglasses that he bought for me to run in. LOL! (Although I still think I am crazy for doing this whole marathon training so either type of straight jacket at this point would probably have been in order!)

Anyhoo - I am always the one that buys the $10.00 glasses off the rack at Walgreens when I need sunglasses since I am constantly losing or breaking them. He said I needed a "good pair" of glasses so he surprised me with these today. Needless to say, they are not $10.00 glasses so I guess I need to sew them to my head so I don't lose them!

This was another "day of rest" as far as walking/running goes. Hopefully by tomorrow will be back up and running. So, since I could not run, figured I better take this evening to design cards for my upcoming card class I am giving on Saturday. Nothing like waiting until the last minute!!

Thanks for everyone's support by providing fundraising for this event. Hope I can get back on my feet and make everyone proud.

Update on dad - got word this afternoon that dad met with the surgeon and they have scheduled him for gall bladder removal surgery tomorrow afternoon so off to the hospital I will head after lunch tomorrow! Stay tuned......


Tina

Day 14 - a "No Training Day"

Well, here it is, June 1st and the 14th day of training. Can't believe I been at this for two weeks today and still can't manage to run a complete mile. I apparently had high hopes! I was told today that unfortunately I was an "all or nothing type of gal" and apparently pushing myself too hard. Here I was thinking I was not pushing enough.

We were supposed to have our "Stretching/Exercise Training" Session with the Team in Training group tonight. I was so looking forward to it since I thought that perhaps I would learn something to help alleviate the pain and issues I was having with my right leg. Needless to say, they cancelled the training and they are doing a repeat of last weeks "Proper Shoes/Gear" Training since several people did not come last week. Poop!! I say, those people can learn shoes/gear another time - I need my stretching!!! Well, no one cares what I think so I didnt have a meeting tonight since I didn't need a repeat of last week.

Then to top that off, due to the pain I been having for two days, I was instructed I needed to take two days off of walking or running and "rest". I don't "rest" very well, but I guess I need to in order to prevent an unnecessary injury. Hopefully come Thursday I can get back out there and be better than ever. How am I supposed to manage a half-marathon when I am sitting on my butt?!

I was happy though that when I got home I got notice that someone gave a donation on my fundraising website that pushed me over the $500 mark!!!! Thanks Mr. Brooks!!! So, now I don't feel a total let down to the LLS today - at least I got a donation when I'm sitting on my butt! :)

Tina

Days 12 and 13 - Whose Idea Was This ?!?!

OK. After the last two days of "attempting" to train, all I can think is "Whose idea was this marathon training anyway?!?" I am not giving up, but I am getting frustrated. Usually I can do just about anything I put my mind to, but am having trouble this week.

Sunday morning, day 12 of training, and I - Tina the one who sleeps all day on Saturdays - sets her alarm for 6:45 to get up and run and I actually get up and moving before the alarm goes off! (Hubby was very proud of me and actually stunned I do believe.) Anyhoo, I got up, put my proper running gear on (are you aware you are not supposed to exercise in Cotton!?! - don't ask why - you just don't!), laced up my tennies, and against my better judgement, took Juliet (our golden retriever) out to try and walk/run 2 miles this morning. Needless to say, I circled the block one time and immediately threw Juliet back in the house. She had no "wanting" to get up early and run around the block. She thought it was stupid and continued to lay down on the pavement, try to run the opposite direction, etc. the entire time I was trying to make my way around the block. I am sure the neighbors didn't appreciate my yelling all the way around the block at 7:00 a.m. But I got her back home, and I didn't give up, I went right back out there.

Did you know lots of people are actually up and moving before 7:00 a.m. on a weekend for no apparent reason?!@! I was shocked! Anyhoo, my training did not do so well today. I did manage to finish 1.6 miles however the last .4 miles I was in severe pain. I noticed my right leg was actually twisting as I was attempting to run causing pain in my shin area and it seemed I had no control over the twisting action. So, with tears in my eyes, I managed to walk that last .4 miles and get to the couch where I remained for an hour. :( After an hour I felt fine. Managed the rest of my day of grocery shopping, laundry and regular ole Sunday stuff. After dinner tonight I even managed to walk with hubby for another 1.2 miles for a total of 2.8 miles today.

Monday, Day 13 of training actually fell on Memorial Day. I was not about to get up early on a Monday that I did not have to work so I slept in, and made up tremendously for yesterday's missing sleep. I won't say what time I finally rolled out of bed, but let's just suffice it to say that the sun was already up high and the temperature was almost at his peak high for the day. Needless to say, I was not about to attempt to run at this point. So, I tried to clean house today, etc. Then, got the call that dad was having some chest pain and was at the emergency room. Went over there to figure out what was going on and luckily it was not actually his chest, but pains caused from some gall stones. They gave him some pain meds and sent him on his way. He has to return to a surgeon later this week for a consult and most likely schedule a time to remove his gall bladder. Never a dull moment around here I tell you!

After a long day, I did cook dinner and then immediately went to see if I could manage a run and hoping like heck my leg would not hurt today. That hope was short lived when I got clear on the other side of the block and ended up in tears again after only attempting to run for 2 minutes. I managed to hobble back home for a total "walk" of .6 miles. By the time I got home, I could not even put pressure on my foot. I will be the first to tell you I do not tolerate pain very well, but this was hurting. All I could think is "How am I supposed to run 13 miles when I can't even run for 2 minutes?!?" I assume I am just doing something wrong and once I can get with my coach/trainer or a doctor, perhaps I can correct my issue and get on with training. One can only hope. I am not giving up at this point!!

Day 11 - Meet Charlie

OOPS - I posted Day 11's update mistakenly on my other blog! For today's update you will have to click here since I can't figure out how to easily move the link to this blog and I dont have time to retype the whole thing! Sorry!! (For those looking for "marathon update" for today - dont even bother clicking - no training done on Day 11. However, if you are family and just want to be amused on our families daily life, feel free to click on over, and meet the new addition to our family!

Day 10 - Moms Birthday Celebration

Well, after yesterday's fiasco of trying to run/walk wearing sweatpants in 90 degree weather, I made a point to go shopping on my lunch hour today and pick up some running shorts and another shirt. So, hopefully this weekend's run in the heat will go much smoother. :)

Tonight the family headed out to take mom out for her belated birthday dinner. We went to Firewater Grille and it was very yummy! Convinced mom and Jeffrey to try fried calamari and they both liked it. Kids finished the night off with root beer floats and then we all headed home with full bellies.

Got home after dinner and me and Jeff decided to take a leisurely walk. Ended up walking 2.4 miles with no running. Think it ended up taking about 45 minutes. At least I didn't just come home and lay my big butt on the bed though and veg in front of the TV.

Hitting the hay and getting ready for a busy weekend....dog grooming, card making, laundry, graduation party, home repairs, and of course training! Hope everyone has an enjoyable Memorial Day Weekend!

Tina

Day 9 - Who thought of this idea???

Well, day 9 of Training for TNT half-marathon and I'm thinking "Whose great idea was this?!" Training to run in the dead heat of summer, and summer really isn't even here yet. No worries - I'm still plugging away but today was a bit slow for me. Only fit in a .6 walk/run today. :( But, hey, at least I got out there and did something - right?!

I got home from work and figured I best get my walk/run in before I try to tackle laundry, cooking, etc. so I laced up my tennies, grabbed Romeo's leash and the two of us headed out for what I thought was a 1 mile run. Needless to say - running in sweatpants in 92 degree weather was not the thing to do. (Note to self: go buy some proper running wear this weekend!) Romeo, with his all black fur, was totally agreeing with me since he was heavily panting and telling me "MOM, it's HOT out here!" halfway around the block! So, needless to say we did a .6 mile walk in 10 minutes and ran about 2 minutes worth. Better some than nothing I guess!

Tomorrow the family is taking mom out for her birthday dinner so I most likely wont get a run/walk in tomorrow so I guess I have to pick up the pace for the long holiday weekend. Hope I can find a great deal on some running shorts because I think it is going to be a hot weekend!

Have a safe and enjoyable holiday weekend everyone!

Tina

Day 8 - Trying out the new shoes!

Got my shoes today and headed out for my first run in them! Aren't they cute?!? Jeffrey had a ballgame tonight so I figured I'd let them drive up and I'd meet them there eventually. Once again, it was 1.8 miles and I made it in 30 minutes, 1 minute less than last week I believe. Not sure how that worked, since I actually ran 10 minutes of the 30 minutes when last week I only ran 4 minutes. My walking must be slowing down since I am increasing my running time perhaps....who knows. I am more interested in increasing the time frame that I can run and not my actual time of reaching my goal, so I guess I did accomplish that. I have only been able to run 3-4 minutes during each "run" this week so tonight being able to run for 10 minutes at 1 minute intervals was a huge accomplishment for me. I'm happy with it.

In addition to my training today, I was able to secure Sticky Fingers for a "Helping Hands" night. It is scheduled for Thursday, June 24 and anyone that goes to Sticky Fingers in Summerville on that day and tells them they are there in support of the Leukemia Society, I will get 10% of the total sale! So.....put on your calendars to plan on eating at Sticky Fingers that day - - lunch or dinner!!! That even works for take out so you can simply grab some grub on the way home and eat in the convenience of your own home and still support the cause. I'll be reminding everyone when the date gets closer!

Thanks for all your support!
Tina

Day 7 - First 5K!!!

Well.....technically I didn't run a 5K today, however in my mind I am telling myself I did!

A 5K is a total of 3.1 miles and I did walk/run 3.13 miles today. However, it was not at one time. Today was the official "one week point" of my training. Been training for 7 days straight. Woo Hoo!! Not sure I can tell a big difference in my training yet, but hoping that will improve shortly.

I had a Training Session with my TNT group tonight at a local bicycle/running shop where we learned about proper gear including shoes, clothing, and other runner information. Running is not a cheap sport - don't let anyone tell you otherwise!

Following the meeting, me and Kim headed out to do some training. We ended up completing 1.93 miles with a little running here and there. Since two women gab a lot while they are walking/running, I could not keep track of the actual time I spent running versus walking but I am pretty sure I ran longer intervals that I have been doing this past week. Then, when I got home I ended up taking a quick walk with the hubby and did another 1.2 miles so technically I completed 3.13 miles today which equals a 5K!!

Heading out this evening to buy "the" running shoes. I am using positive thinking that those shoes are going to make a world of difference and I'll be able to pick up pace with running and having no leg pain to allow me to go further. Keep your fingers crossed!!

Oh - on another note - lost 2 lbs this week - bonus!! Happy Birthday Mom!

Tina

Day 6 - Fundraising Day

No physical training was done today, Day 6 of my adventure. I spent a ton of time though working on my fundraising efforts. Got my fundraising letters ready to go. I secured a golf course for an upcoming Golf Tournament on July 11 to raise money for the Leukemia Society. Working on a dinner at Sticky Fingers whereby the restaurant will donate a percentage of their sales to the Leukemia Society. So, overall, got a lot accomplished today. Day 7 we have another TNT Meeting to learn about proper shoes, clothing, etc. to prepare us for the big race day event and then we are off for our very first "group run". Hope I can keep up! Wish me luck. I'll update you later how that goes!

Thanks to everyone for all your support!
Tina

Day 5 - Shoe Fitting Day

Enjoyed a peacful morning sleeping in and then had a nice brunch with my hubby. Afterwards we headed over to Mt. Pleasant to get me properly fitted for some running shoes. I settled on the Ascis Nimbus 11 as my shoe of choice - same shoe I chose yesterday but today was told that was actually a proper fit. :) Found out I have an extremely high arch so I am required to get some insoles to prevent injury. Surprise, Surprise, just more money to spend.

Had a relaxing afternoon with a nice nap and then hubby grilled dinner. By the time we finished that it was almost 10:00. I had not been feeling all to well today so I didn't try to run at all, but we did manage to go for a 1.8 mile walk after dinner and we completed that in 32 minutes. Not bad with no running but a pretty quick walking pace.

This week the goal is to get my 110 fundraising letters sent out along with securing the golf course for an upcoming golf tournament for a fundraiser.

Have a great week!

Day 4 - Busy Day.

Happy early Birthday Mom! Today was my monthly Stamp Camp where I teach local ladies how to make various greeting cards and notecards. Since my mom's birthday is coming up this Tuesday the ladies all brought handmade cards for her and we had pizza and ice cream cake and had a wonderful time.

After class I headed out to the local sports stores trying to find some appropriate running gear. Did you know that stuff is expensive??? Well, it is. However, some of it I can't do without if I am going to be able to run safely for long distance, so I guess I'll start saving up to buy a few things. Found the most comfy shoes today so I'll defintely be going back to get those soon!

Anyhoo - when I got back from shopping I figured I might as well get my training in for today. That was kind of a mistake since it was 4:30 and still pretty warm outside, but I managed pretty well. I actually ended up doing the exact same walk/run I did on Thursday and managed to get in 1.2 miles in exactly 21 minutes ago with running yet again for about 3 1/2 minutes. Calves still burning but the burn does not seem to last as long so I guess that is good news. Going to maintain 1.2 to 1.8 miles all week and simply try to increase the amount of time I can manage to run.

That's it for tonight. Getting ready to snuggle down and hopefully fit in a movie before I crash for the evening.

Thanks for checking in on me!

Day 3 - Look What I Got Today!

That's right - my new Dri-Fit training jersey! You know how much I love getting free stuff!! I had a meeting today with a representative of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and because of my hardwork putting together my fundraising plan, I was given this shirt today! Earned it two weeks ahead of schedule! Go me!!!!

Anyhoo - after putting together my fundraising plan and making tons of phone calls to implement those plans, I was mentally exhausted by this afternoon. By the time I got home, did laundry, cleaned up the house for my card class I am giving tomorrow, and took the family out to dinner, it was 10:30 p.m. So - -I am sad to report I didn't get to walk or run today. :( However, since I did collect a few donations today and worked hard on my fundraising plan, I feel I didn't let the LLS down too bad so I'm hitting the hay to get some rest so I can put in a good effort tomorrow on my training! Goal tomorrow is 2 miles and increase my actual running time. Wish me luck!

Days 1 and 2 of Training

Day 1 - 5/19/10

Well, yesterday I "officially" started my training for the half-marathon coming up on October 2. That sounds like a long ways a way when I say it, but when I realize I will have to run/walk 13 miles at that point, all at one time and in less than 4 hours, well.....it seems like it is right around the corner!

Last night the boys headed to the ballfield for game night while I was home doing whatever it is I always do when I am home. After a few minutes I realized the field was 1.8 miles away so I might as well start somewhere and head to the field. So, I laced up my tennies and headed out at 8:06 p.m. I was thinking I would walk for just a few minutes and then perhaps run for 30 seconds/walk for 30 seconds, run for 3o seconds/walk for 30 seconds, etc., etc., until I reached my destination. Well, needless to say that did not happen.

I walked for 2 minutes, ran for 30 seconds, walked for 2 minutes, ran for 30 seconds and then I had to look at the back of my legs because I literally thought my calves were on fire! Luckily, I did not see any flames. Whew! I actually reached my destination in 32 minutes (my goal was 30 minutes since the ultimate goal is to eventually be able to run 4 miles in an hour). Out of that 32 minutes, I ran a total of about 4 minutes. So..... I felt that was decent for my first attempt at running since 9th grade PE class and I still lived to tell about it with my calves in tact.

Day 2 - 5/20/10

Today after work I met a friend of mine for dinner. These plans were made months ago, long before I knew I would be training for a marathon on a daily basis (LOL - I still laugh at the thought of me doing this)....anyhoo, I went to dinner and enjoyed myself catching up with my friend. Didn't get home until about 9:00 and was tired. However, being the trooper I am (after all, this is only day 2 of training - I can't already be quitting - right?) I laced up my tennies and off I went. I only ended up doing 1.2 miles tonight, however I did that in 21 minutes and ran 3 1/2 minutes total....so I am thinking that is a slight improvement to last night......... and my calves only burned about half the time of last night too! Woo Hoo.

Let the training begin!

As you may or may not have heard yet, I'm training to participate in a half-marathon as a member of The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Team In Training. If you know me at all, I know what you are thinking .......... "What has Tina gone and done now?"…. "That girl only knows how to run to the bathroom or to run to catch a great sale at the grocery store!"…… "Has she lost her mind?"

Well - I may have lost my mind, but at least it is for a good cause. Yes, I could have easily backed out when I learned a half marathon was actually 13 miles long! (I have never walked more than 3 or 4 miles at any given time – and never ran more than a mile and that was 20 years ago!) And sure, I could have snuck out the back of the meeting when they explained I had to collect $2,500.00 in donations all by my little ole’ self. And I certainly felt like running and hiding under a rock when they told me I would have to be in downtown Charleston every Saturday morning by 5:45 a.m. to run anywhere from 4 to 13 miles over the next five months!!! (This one almost sent me over the edge since Saturday is my day for beauty sleep!)

However, then I realized……..those patients that are suffering with Leukemia, Lymphoma and other blood cancers…..they do not have a choice to run from the problems they have to endure on a daily basis, so why should I be able to run away?

So, if you would like to make a donation to my cause and help me obtain my required donation amount of $2,500.00 it would be greatly appreciated! Hopefully I can get my fundraising achieved within the next 30 days so I can divert all my attention to figuring out how to go from running 20 feet to the bathroom to running 13 miles to the finish line!! So please, if you feel this is a great cause as I do, please don’t delay and send in your donation now! We will all appreciate it!

There are two ways you can make a donation to my cause. You can mail me your check made payable to The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (or simply LLS) to: Tina Rucker, 206 Jasmine Drive, Summerville, SC 29483. Or, feel free to go to my personal fundraising website where you can make a quick, secure, online payment.

Also – if you have a family member or loved one that has or is suffering from a blood cancer, I would be honored to write their name on my race day jersey and run in their honor! Simply make sure and put a note in with your donation of their name and even a little story about them if you would like and I will be sure to bring them along with me on my journey!

The individuals who are battling blood cancers are the real heroes on our team, and we need your support to cross the ultimate finish line - a cure!

Stay tuned here for daily updates on my training efforts!

Tina's New Adventure

This blog started out as just a place for me to write my daily happenings, thoughts, etc. and somehow evolved into more of a business blog promoting my Stampin' Up! business. Well - I was never really good at keeping up with it for a business perspective so I am going back to my old self and using this for a personal blog.

I just recently signed up to train to run a half-marathon in order to help raise money for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society so I am going to use this blog to maintain more or less a diary of how I am doing with my marathon training along with still fitting in my every day life.

I hope you will come along with me on my adventure. It is more than likely going to be a very long, interesting and probably embarrassing ride along the way.

Stay Tuned!

Amethyst Birthday Wishes

Here is a birthday card I made using the On A Pedastal Stampin' Up! Stamp Set for April's Stamp Camp. The words are from Fun Fast Notes stamp set. You can't tell from the picture, however the pedastal was heat embossed with silver so it looks like a sterling silver cake plate. Colors used were Almost Amethyst and So Saffron. My Stamp Camp girls do not like to venture off of the standard size cards and I get tired of making the same ole, same ole sizes, but this time I made this a top fold card on the shorter edge which was different than I had done in the past. I thought it turned out pretty cute, although very simple.

Thanks for looking.

Tina

Upsy Daisy Birthday Wishes

Here is a card I designed for one of my past Stamp Camp Card Classes. I, along with my "regular ladies" at camp, just LOVE the Tempting Turquoise cardstock so there is always at least one card every class that uses that color! This is a very simple and quick card to put together but yet I think is elegant.

It is a top fold card with a Tempting Turquoise card base and then white cardstock. That's it! I tied off the image with some white grossgrain ribbon to "fancy it up" a bit. Several ladies on my spring birthday list are getting this card! LOL It is just too quick and easy not to repeat. The stamps used are Upsy Daisy for the flower image along with "Happy Birthday" from the Teeny Tiny Wishes set, which is a definite "must have set" for card makers!

Happy Stamping!
Tina

Together Forever

Are these birds just not tooo cute?!?! These little birds are from Stampin' Up!'s "Cheep Talk" set. I saw a card like this online somewhere several weeks/months ago and it has been stuck in my head ever since. Unfortunately, I dont remember where I saw it. When I figure it out, I will certainly come back here and let you know! I just love how you can imagine the little birds just running up to each other for that little "peck" on the cheek. LOL

The colors I chose are this year's "In Color" Bermuda Bay and Sun Yellow with a hint of Melon Mambo. For the center birds I used a pop dot on the girl bird so it looks like she is literally standing in front snuggling with the boy bird.

I thought this card would be cute to use for an Anniversary Card or even a casual/fun wedding card.

That's all I got for today. Spring has certainly sprung here in the lowcountry of SC so I am planning enjoying a little bit of time outside in the nice weather this weekend, but mostly will be inside crafting away for my new Etsy shop!

Make it a great weekend whatever you do!

Tina

Pretty as Peacock

I'm baaacck!! I know - it has been MONTHS since I have been on here. First excuse was because I took off creating for the holidays, but then not sure what happened! I have totally been creating new stuff since January, I just let this little blog slip away when I took on piles and piles of more stuff to do on other ventures I started. But no fear! I am back and am loaded with photos of stuff I been doing so I can post away (hopefully....I know I have said this before.....LOL)




Anyhoo - below is a card I made using Stampin' Up!'s Very Thankful set. Stampin' Up! has a stamp set every year that they promote and part of the proceeds goes to The Ronald McDonald House and this is this year's stamp set. It has four different stamps and this little peacock is one of them.

Isn't she cute? This card has a Tempting Turquoise cardbase and scalloped circle along with a hint of Close to Cocoa. I embossed the white cardstock using The Big Shot!

I'll try to post the cards I made using the other stamps in this same set later this week. If you would like to purchase this stamp set and help support The Ronald McDonald House please visit my Stampin' Up! website. This stamp set is only available until the end of May since our new catalog will be coming out and it will then replaced with another stamp set!

Happy Creating!

Tina