My newest endeavor

I'm doing it again! I signed up for another half marathon. This time I'll be part of my church's Team World Vision team to raise funds and run the 13.1 Dallas race in October. I'm excited to do this, as my brother and his wife are heading this up...and my mom has joined the team!

Did you know that women and children in developing countries walk an average of 6 kilometers to get to water, and even then, it's often not clean or safe? Think about how many steps (steps, not kilometers) it takes you to have a nice clean, filtered glass of water...and how many of those we drink in a day. Won't you conisder helping me in this endeavor to help communities have safe drinking water nearby? If you would like to help, visit my page and donate! I'd love to raise at least $50 for each mile I run...that would be $655. We can totally do this!

A little about Team World Vision...

World Vision is a Christian humanitarian organization and has been fighting global poverty since 1950. It is one of the largest humanitarian organizations in the world with 40,000 staff in nearly 100 countries, all working to tackle the causes of poverty and injustice.

Team World Vision is a program of World Vision that enables YOU to help fight global poverty. When you join Team World Vision, you run and fundraise to help communities in need. The money you raise impacts real children by providing entire communities with things like clean water and sanitation.

This week's wrap-up and the Saturday Sound-off

I haven't posted this week, so this may be a little long. Stick with me...the weekly miles are at the end.

Let's start with this week's runs.

I started the week with 3.5 miles (if I remember correctly, 3 running and .5 warming up/cooling down). Good way to start the week. I was looking forward to being on a normal week...meaning not the "easy" week of last week but back to easy/speedwork/easy/long. And then by Tuesday, I was not feeling good. Ok. That's an understatement. By Tuesday night, my allergies had flared up horribly. It was awful. So obviously, I skipped Wednesday morning's speedwork. And then I didn't think there'd be any way schedule-wise to fit a run in Thursday even though I was feeling better. But I did! My hubby was able to come home earlier than normal because he'd been umpiring baseball, so we had an early dinner and he took our daughter to dance (and took our son with him) because I had a team mom meeting that would have kept me from staying at dance the whole time. But that left me with just a little time to myself. And I could not pass up that chance. The weather called to me. The sun setting called to me. The road called to me. I got an easy 3 in with my new shoes, and it felt fabulous (even after a dinner at Taco Casa). I don't know if it was awesome because it was unexpected, or if it was because I was finally feeling better, or if it was because of the new shoes, or the faster speed, or what...but it was wonderful! That gave me the much-needed boost in confidence for the weekend's long run. I was doubting I could do 10 since I'd missed a long run two weeks ago (only ran 3 on a scheduled 10) and last week had been an easy week. But....

I did it! I ran 10 miles this morning! It wasn't easy, but it wasn't as hard as I expected either.

Some things I learned:
-I need to figure out how to carry more water. I should have stashed some on my route, but I didn't really plan that far ahead.
-I do not like the Honey Stinger gels! Yuck. They gave me the boost I needed but I did not like the flavor.
-My energy chews do not like cold weather. They were really hard to get down.
-Running on biscuits, eggs and bacon isn't as bad as I thought it would be.
-I can do this!

So, 3 weeks from tomorrow, I will run my first half marathon! I'm excited, but now I'm realizing that I really, really, really have to get busy fundraising. I need at least $150 more, but would love to do more than the minimum. And thanks to my sister for donating after I mentioned it in last week's post! Just in case you missed that one, my website is: www.info-komen.org/goto/cmjohnson. Won't you consider donating?

This week's mileage:
Weekly: 16.5 miles
YTD: 137.1 miles

Saturday Sound-Off...on Sunday again...oops

I totally meant to post this yesterday, but then we did a rare thing...we were spontaneous :) We ended up on a double date with some friends of ours last night and had a great time!

So yesterday's run concludes my "easy" week. I ran 4.5 miles outdoors. It was a beautiful day, although I probably should have checked the temperature. I wore my long tights because when the kids and I had gotten out earlier it was jeans and a hoddie weather. But I quickly pushed down the arm warmers on my run and wished for shorts. Still, it was great weather for a run.

Right now, my sweet cousin is running her first half marathon (as is her husband, another cousin, that cousin's wife, a couple of friends from church, and a friend from college). I know she's going to rock it! And I can't wait to hear all of their stories.

It's hard to believe that in one month...yes, ONE MONTH! I'll be running my first half! Scary but exciting. Of course, I have to worry about the fundraising part now, for real. I need to raise at least $200 in the next four weeks. I've got an idea that didn't quite gel, but I think I can still make it work. Anyone wanting to run a "virtual run" next weekend (March 5) with me can go to my fundraising site www.info-komen.org/goto/cmjohnson and donate. Any amount would be appreciated...and then we'll all know we are out there running or walking (any distance, anywhere) for the same cause. Plus, you'll be supporting me as I run my first 10-miler. The sound of that alone scares me!

So, here's the weekly mileage report:
Weekly: 17.6 miles
YTD: 120.6 miles

10 p.m. already?

And I didn't get my long run in. Go figure. I am blaming it on having to work on a Saturday morning today. I would much rather have been running. Watching a bunch of students take a test was quite boring, although I did find out that I can read a 200-page book in about an hour and a half. I got home around lunch time, but after the first week back to school after the holidays and then working this morning, I didn't want to head back out the door. Plus, we still had a Christmas tree to put away...and gifts that needed homes...and a kitchen to clean. So, the run had to wait. I kept saying I'd run on the treadmill tonight, but 9 p.m. rolled around and I didn't want to start a run then. I'll run tomorrow, either after lunch (never a great idea, I've found) outside or in the evening on the treadmill.

Now that January is here, I've realized that not only do I have to get my training in for the half marathon, but I also have to raise my $250 for the Susan G. Komen Marathon for the Cure program. My idea is to get a business to sponsor me the whole amount and then air-brush tattoo their logo or a dedication they'd like on my upper shoulder (since I'm planning on wearing my tank and arm warmers) for the race. I figure $250 to a charitable organization and free advertising should work, right? I hope so...it sure is hard to nickel and dime it for the donations...but I can do it if I have to.

I'm at it again

I'm at it again...fundraising for Susan G. Komen, this time through the Marathon for the Cure program. In addition to running the Dallas Rock 'N' Roll Half, I'll be raising $250 for this worthy cause. You can find me here: http://www.info-komen.org/goto/cmjohnson. I hope you'll check it out.