JASON AND I COMPLETED THE SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA ROCK N ROLL MARATHON ON SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 2007!!!!!!
HERE IS A SHORT BLOG FOR NOW...MORE DETAILS TO COME!
TO SEE MORE PICTURES GO TO:
www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack
This past weekend has been a INCREDIBLY MEMORABLE ONE. It started with a group flight to San Diego from NYC. Each time I got up to use the washroom and stretch my legs every eye I met walking down the aisle was beaming with smiles and laughter, each of us excited and anxious of what was to come. We arrive in San Diego and take group ground transportation to the hotel, the Marriott Marina (GORGEOUS)! We settled in, a bit. Then we headed next door to the convention center to pick-up our numbers. Some of you probably know that we were told by a sports doctor to only do the half marathon (13.1 miles). Our campaign coordinator told us to tell the guys who hand out the "chips" that we were switching to the half. A chip is placed on your running shoe to track your time and to generally keep track as to whether you finish the race or not. We decided not to tell the "chip guys." (nervousness set in)
After picking up our numbers and chips we walked the sports expo. Basically they have these at all big marathons. It's an opportunity for all the running retailers to reach their target audience. We were starving because the airlines don't feed you anymore. So we ate a lot (more than I ever want to again) of scientifically designed food that was being sampled out. We watched as runners had their gait analyzed and examined all the running technology that leaves one with the question-what did they do back in the day?? Seriously!
Since we were near downtown San Diego we headed to Market street to find real food and ate at a place called Henry's Pub. It might not sound like the place for real food but it was!! Well, when you are as hungry as we were you think anything that isn't called protien bar or accelerade drink, real food. Shortly after eating we headed back to the hotel for sleep-something that wasn't hard considering the time change.
Saturday morning we got up to do a very little workout. They say you should do this just to lessen your nerves before a big race. Jason and I opted for the elliptical at the hotel gym. After 10 mins I was done! Gosh-how on earth could I run a marathon with this attitude, right? Apparently, with tapering and what not your body becomes hypersensitive to everything. I am, of course, skeptical. We headed back to the room to clean-up and met our team for breakfast. It was great. Peter, our mentor, got us all together and we had a really fun time together talking about our expectations for the race and the like. After breakfast we were on our own until 12:30PM when the whole NYC team would make their way to another convention center for the big pre-race pasta party. Jason and I just went for a walk around the hotel taking in the beautiful weather and sites. This weird thing happens in San Diego in June, called June Gloom. The sky is cloudy and the temps are in the mid 60s. It's pretty comfortable, but perhaps not so nice looking...it's great running weather, so it's beautiful to us!
The NYC team met in the lobby at 12:30PM dressed in our I Heart NYC t-shirts to show our team spirit, and we hopped in the buses to the pasta party. This party was an event in itself. Two thousand of us lined up outside this other convention center making our way in to eat AGAIN. I mean we just ate breakfast. As we make our way in, all of the TNT mentors, coaches and campaign managers are lined up whistling, clapping, screaming and ringing cowbells, cheering us on!!! It was overwhelming. We piled our plates with pasta and breadsticks and salads and brownies despite a lot of complaining about how we all feel like we just ate, and made our way to tables in a room the size of an airplane hanger. They festivities began with a welcome, and stats on our accomplishments for this race. They had TWO pasta parties. One at 1PM and another at 5:30PM, each with 2,000 TNT runners to feed and pep talk. The numbers are as such:4,000 TNT runners for the RnR Marathon, who collected 12.5 MILLION dollars in preparation for this race for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!!! Can you believe that? They honored the top fundraisers and then the survivors. The survivors stood up and our teammates clapped-it was an emotional experience to say the least.
That evening we met as a team to decorate our singlets (team tank tops). We used glitter and puffy pens and markers and tape to put our names on them and the names of those who we wanted to honor, remember and celebrate during the race. It was also an opportunity for each of us to share why we were in this and how we were feeling. There was a lot of gratitude. One young girl showed up late, apparently having just arrived in San Diego. She explained that her lateness was directly related to her connection to the cause. She had been with her Dad who is battling Leukemia and not having a lot of success. Before the night was out a number of us who had planned to do the 1/2 marathon SWITCHED. We simply had to.
Anxious and teary-eyed we all headed back to our rooms. Jason and I set up our gear and supplies for race day. We showered, got into bed and set up a wake-up call for 3:15AM. That's right: pre-crack of dawn time. The team was to meet in the lobby at 4:15AM. We slept---which was a small miracle. I blame the pasta. Next thing we know we are up again, wakened by the ringing phone. We ate our pre-long run snacks: I had a Daryl's All Natural Protien Granola Bar and a mouthful of coffee (no more...you never know) and Jason had pretzels and gatorade. We met our team in the lobby. Everyone was chatty, taking pictures (for before and after shots, I am sure) and peanut buttering their bagels. Coach Ramon gave us a pep talk and just as we were about the depart we did a salt lick. You know, a salt lick, like when you're doing a shot of tequila. The salt helps your body hold on to all water you take in so you have it for later. We licked our hands, poured the salt, licked on a count of three and swigged water, gatorade, or coffee (weird, I know.) We headed out to the buses and onto the race site. Once there we laid down our garbage bags and ran off to stand in line for the port-a-potties, to come out and get back in line just in case. Teammates shared suntan lotion, body glide (to avoid chaffing) and gu (that stuff I wrote about in my long run blog.) By 6:10am we hugged and packed it all in. We were all off to our corrals.
Corrals are set up according to the predicted amount of time it will take you to finish the race. Coach Ramon encouraged us to get up toward the front. This was especially important for those of us who are slow-it lessens the time you spend on the course in the sun, when it finally comes out. We stood there in a sea of strangers all dressed like pros, shorts pockets filled with running nutrition and visors up, sunglasses on, dancing around, trying to keep warm in the chill of morning and chatting away like we were all old friends. A few announcements were made and then the gun shot went off. We shuffled and walked until we reached the starting mat. As we crossed over it, I was holding Jason's hand. And then it occurred to me...I am running a marathon!!! I busted into tears. Man that caused a cramp! We were off...running our first marathon!!!
This was undeniably the 2nd hardest thing I have ever done. And in the same way I now view my experience with cancer it is the 2nd most amazing thing I have accomplished. There is joy and light and dark and at the end more joy and light than you thought you could withstand.
Jason and I were together up to mile 13. At mile 8 we stopped at a medical tent because Jason's IT band was torturing him. We were there for at least 15 min and they iced both his knees and medicated him with some Tylenol. He and I power walked to 13 where he said he was going to finish. Just as we reached mile 13 we were met by Coach Ramon with encouraging words. Jason told me to go on and he would follow behind! It was difficult thing to do. I ran for awhile until my RIGHT leg (not the one I was concerned with or dealing with in physical therapy) started screaming! MY IT band in my right leg was SOOO tight. So I power walked and alternated with a shuffling like run the remainder of the race. I stopped in the bathroom what seemed like 50 times (really only 3 times) and when I crossed the finish line (bawling like a baby) I went to retrieve my things and found out that-and you will probably not believe this either-that JASON FINISHED BEFORE ME!!!! 5 MINUTES BEFORE ME!!! UNBELIEVABLE!! We were laughing and crying and hobbling and made our way to check-in with TNT and immediately over the medical tent. Jason had both of his knees iced, and all of his blisters popped (6 in total) and I had one knee iced and my right foot wrapped as I had a sort of sock burn on the pad of my foot that felt worse than it looked.
One of the coaches found me at mile 25 and held my hand while pep talking me until I could the sign for mile 26. It was mile 20, however , that killed me. And by that I mean, I bawled when I crossed it. It's 20-the age I was diagnosed, and here it is JUNE 3rd, the week I began chemo 12 years ago! JUNE has a new meaning...one full of life and what it means and feels like to be alive. It is my reminder that this life is something to share with those in need. June is a new milestone.
Thank you for your support. Thank you for your prayers. Thank you for reading this blog. Thank you for donating to The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. Thank you for everything. If you feel inspired...look them up. You, too, can do this...any of us can. www.teamintraining.org. It will change your life.
This journey from Februray to June, this past weekend, this community that I joined-it has CHANGED MY LIFE and better yet, it may change some else's.
Love and gratitude,
Shannon
Thursday, June 7, 2007
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
Fundraiser Fever Phenomenon
Hi, Again:
If you have been reading emails and opening evite thank yous from Jason and I then you know by now that we had an incredible evening on Sunday, May 6th. We planned, organized and threw, as it turns out, a night to remember. Kevin St. James donated the space on the 2nd floor of their beautiful Irish pub and restaurant. We decorated with balloons donated from Janieca's Incredible Balloons, purple and green table clothes, TNT posters, candles and information brochures for the Society, TNT and other sponsors of the night's events. The auction table was set with: 8 Yankees and Mets Tickets, donated by Steve Kantor, a 16 year old bottle of Tomintoul Scotch, donated by Kessler's Wines, a $100 Gift certificate from Soon Beauty Lab, thanks to the owner Melissa, a one month unlimited pass to Levitate Yoga from owner Connie, a Saeco coffee maker from Jason's district at Starbucks, autographed posters from Julianne Moore, Bill Nighy, Bebe Neuwirth and more, one free Gyrotonics lesson donated by instructor Leslie Davenport, dinner for two at Bella Napoli from owner Tony, and so much more. Five close girlfriends helped with set up and such all night. Alex Berger and Angie Creighton organized the entertainment and we were off!
The party began at 7PM. Despite the New York rule to arrive fashionably late, there were early arrivals! The moment you walked up the stairs, Lil and Tara greeted you and collected the $20 donation, sold prize tickets and directed folks to the bar with a cup of my very own homemade olive oil popcorn. Lynette invited those who wished to do so, to write the name of a loved one or someone they knew who fought their battle with cancer on a heart, which we strung up along the stair well as a symbol of our unspoken solidarity to the cause. Many participated and it was a beautiful and heart wrenching site. Mindy personed the auction table and encouraged folks to bid for their coveted items. Rosoin and Gemma sold more prize tickets and handed out festive Mardi Gras beads in keeping with TNT colors and fun. By 8:20pm the entertainment portion began.
Jason and I took the mic. I updated everyone on why we had come together and what Jason and I were doing with TNT. I shared a little of my story with cancer and quickly turned over the mic to Angie who started the music off with "There Will Come A Day" by Faith Hill. Between each song, we gave away ticket prizes, calling out numbers and waiting to see who won a gym membership, comedy tickets and Gap gift certificate, donated by Camille. The other singers included: Kelli Maybank (AADA alum), Liz McKendry( The Producers), Amber Rubarth (check her out on ITUNES), Elizabeth Early, Robert Fuller(The Producers) and Alex Berger (the magic man himself, accompanist extraordinaire-who sang "Ordinary People" and I confessed that I may be in love with another man, what an incredible VOICE!)
At one point toward the end of the music, we had tallied the amount collected with the amount to be collected on the auction items and found we were only $95 shy of having raised a total of $10,000 in all of our fundraising. I went to the mic to encourage people to bid on the auction items. Instead, Alder Ludvigsen, Jason's former District Manager at Starbucks, basically pulled out his wallet and handed me the money! Done, we had raised our goal. But wait!
Once the entertainment portion concluded, we announced our highest bidders for the auction items and then came the SURPRISE! I started to explain how we made this goal for ourselves $2,000 higher than our obligatory TNT goal. I continued to explain that I had pledged to do something a little crazy if in fact we hit our goal.
When I was diagnosed with cancer and began chemo, my hair started to fall out rapidly. I cut my hair, then eventually I shaved it. I looked for wigs. But with strawberry blonde hair, it's awfully hard to find a wig that won't make you look so obviously strange. Besides that ,they aren't that comfortable, especially if your skin is sensitive like mine was during chemo. So my Mom took me to The Bay (Canadian Dept Store) and we bought some cotton berets that I could wear.
Ok, so here it is. I pledged to cut off my pony tail to donate to Locks of Love. They are an organization based out of Florida, that creates and places wigs with children under the age of 18 who are suffering from baldness due to chemotherapy or disease. The best part about this moment during the fundraiser was that Lil, my best friend, who cut off my pony tail back in 1995, was there to cut it off again. WOW! The cut was so clean it looked like a professional hair cut. So we presented the pony tail, said our thank yous and called it a night. But we were the ones in for the surprise! We were swarmed by our friends with loving hugs and picture taking and the further emptying of wallets. No exaggeration. One very good friend gave me a big hug, and took my hand, placed a wad of cash in it and said to me, "I had no idea that you went through all of that. This all of the money I have in my wallet and want you to take it, please take it. Thank you for tonight. It's such an amazing thing you are doing."
That moment sums it all up! We raised over $2,000 that night with a grand total of $11,550 raised for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your support, your encouragement and your faith in us. Jason and I are preparing now, in the last two and a half weeks we have left. Pray for us. We need all the prayer and help from God now to do the challenging part. Keep checking in here. I will continue to offer slices of life up to and after the race.
With love and hope for a good marathon,
Shannon
If you have been reading emails and opening evite thank yous from Jason and I then you know by now that we had an incredible evening on Sunday, May 6th. We planned, organized and threw, as it turns out, a night to remember. Kevin St. James donated the space on the 2nd floor of their beautiful Irish pub and restaurant. We decorated with balloons donated from Janieca's Incredible Balloons, purple and green table clothes, TNT posters, candles and information brochures for the Society, TNT and other sponsors of the night's events. The auction table was set with: 8 Yankees and Mets Tickets, donated by Steve Kantor, a 16 year old bottle of Tomintoul Scotch, donated by Kessler's Wines, a $100 Gift certificate from Soon Beauty Lab, thanks to the owner Melissa, a one month unlimited pass to Levitate Yoga from owner Connie, a Saeco coffee maker from Jason's district at Starbucks, autographed posters from Julianne Moore, Bill Nighy, Bebe Neuwirth and more, one free Gyrotonics lesson donated by instructor Leslie Davenport, dinner for two at Bella Napoli from owner Tony, and so much more. Five close girlfriends helped with set up and such all night. Alex Berger and Angie Creighton organized the entertainment and we were off!
The party began at 7PM. Despite the New York rule to arrive fashionably late, there were early arrivals! The moment you walked up the stairs, Lil and Tara greeted you and collected the $20 donation, sold prize tickets and directed folks to the bar with a cup of my very own homemade olive oil popcorn. Lynette invited those who wished to do so, to write the name of a loved one or someone they knew who fought their battle with cancer on a heart, which we strung up along the stair well as a symbol of our unspoken solidarity to the cause. Many participated and it was a beautiful and heart wrenching site. Mindy personed the auction table and encouraged folks to bid for their coveted items. Rosoin and Gemma sold more prize tickets and handed out festive Mardi Gras beads in keeping with TNT colors and fun. By 8:20pm the entertainment portion began.
Jason and I took the mic. I updated everyone on why we had come together and what Jason and I were doing with TNT. I shared a little of my story with cancer and quickly turned over the mic to Angie who started the music off with "There Will Come A Day" by Faith Hill. Between each song, we gave away ticket prizes, calling out numbers and waiting to see who won a gym membership, comedy tickets and Gap gift certificate, donated by Camille. The other singers included: Kelli Maybank (AADA alum), Liz McKendry( The Producers), Amber Rubarth (check her out on ITUNES), Elizabeth Early, Robert Fuller(The Producers) and Alex Berger (the magic man himself, accompanist extraordinaire-who sang "Ordinary People" and I confessed that I may be in love with another man, what an incredible VOICE!)
At one point toward the end of the music, we had tallied the amount collected with the amount to be collected on the auction items and found we were only $95 shy of having raised a total of $10,000 in all of our fundraising. I went to the mic to encourage people to bid on the auction items. Instead, Alder Ludvigsen, Jason's former District Manager at Starbucks, basically pulled out his wallet and handed me the money! Done, we had raised our goal. But wait!
Once the entertainment portion concluded, we announced our highest bidders for the auction items and then came the SURPRISE! I started to explain how we made this goal for ourselves $2,000 higher than our obligatory TNT goal. I continued to explain that I had pledged to do something a little crazy if in fact we hit our goal.
When I was diagnosed with cancer and began chemo, my hair started to fall out rapidly. I cut my hair, then eventually I shaved it. I looked for wigs. But with strawberry blonde hair, it's awfully hard to find a wig that won't make you look so obviously strange. Besides that ,they aren't that comfortable, especially if your skin is sensitive like mine was during chemo. So my Mom took me to The Bay (Canadian Dept Store) and we bought some cotton berets that I could wear.
Ok, so here it is. I pledged to cut off my pony tail to donate to Locks of Love. They are an organization based out of Florida, that creates and places wigs with children under the age of 18 who are suffering from baldness due to chemotherapy or disease. The best part about this moment during the fundraiser was that Lil, my best friend, who cut off my pony tail back in 1995, was there to cut it off again. WOW! The cut was so clean it looked like a professional hair cut. So we presented the pony tail, said our thank yous and called it a night. But we were the ones in for the surprise! We were swarmed by our friends with loving hugs and picture taking and the further emptying of wallets. No exaggeration. One very good friend gave me a big hug, and took my hand, placed a wad of cash in it and said to me, "I had no idea that you went through all of that. This all of the money I have in my wallet and want you to take it, please take it. Thank you for tonight. It's such an amazing thing you are doing."
That moment sums it all up! We raised over $2,000 that night with a grand total of $11,550 raised for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for your support, your encouragement and your faith in us. Jason and I are preparing now, in the last two and a half weeks we have left. Pray for us. We need all the prayer and help from God now to do the challenging part. Keep checking in here. I will continue to offer slices of life up to and after the race.
With love and hope for a good marathon,
Shannon
Saturday, April 21, 2007
Bridges, Parks and 14 miles...OH MY!
Saturday, I joined the group training session for a LONG run. That is, we ran over the George Washington Bridge and through Palisades State Park. To date, I have officially run my "longest." That is I ran for 3 HOURS! For those who are interested in mileage, it was just over 14 miles-with like a-million hills. Never ending, swearing under your breath (when you can breathe) legs burning, gasping for air at the top and praying that we have been running for long enough to turn back now, hills... and that was the second mile in the park!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Actually, it was great fun. About 40 of us showed up and ran single file along the bridge, with an amazing view of the city and the surrounding area. Then we ran up a road and crossed a busy street to run into the park. We ran on two different levels of the park with beautiful views of the river and best of all? No bathrooms. No kidding. At one point a bunch of us ladies lined up in front of a tall fence to relieve ourselves on the run. It was a little like girl scout boot camp-that sounds weird...uh..anyway..
I was keeping a pace about 2 min slower per mile than I usually train, which I read is good to do on a long run. While running I met Lindsay, Megan and Christine. Turns out Christine is on my "team." There are 100 of us New Yorkers running the San Diego Marathon. We are broken then into groups of 10 with a mentor. Our team is aptly named the"San Diego Sadists."
This is the first time I have met a member of my team, though I have met and gotten to know our mentor, Peter, rather well. I am surprised every time I see him with how extraordinarily generous he is with his time. Meeting a teammate made my day and it was such a help to have some one to suffer with!
Besides the physical challenges there were spiritual ones as well. In fact, on the turn around heading back I was on my own quite a bit. Prayer became the motivator, particularly when my body was feeling heavy and my legs weak. And so it began, "God is good. God please come! God help me survive this run." I'm serious. The rhyme and rhythm are important when praying and running. It helps you keep pace!
While walking back over the bridge (something I chose to do, as my hips felt tight and my knees quite sore), Peter, who probably ran the long run twice, saddled up behind me and kept me company . He supported my choice to walk and we chatted about how we felt and what to do to speed my recovery from the physical trauma of such a long run. All the coaches and mentors seem to spend this kind of time and energy with as many teammates as they can-it's very inspiring and so incredibly helpful.
So now you're probably wondering how I feel. Maybe you are wondering what Peter had suggested for my speedy recovery... well it's NOT a warm bath and Swedish massage, I can tell you that. To ensure your body's quickest recovery from a long run, especially if you are not used to it, is simple and yet extremely torturous. However, it is also something that, after having experienced it myself (well sort of anyway), I will do it every time from here on out!
It's an ICE BATH! That's right. In fact, what you do is fill up your tub with as much as ice as you can. The pros put sweats and gloves on their upper body, and their tights on their lower body and lower themselves into the ice up to the waist, and stay there for 10 MINUTES!!!
On the way home from the run, I stopped at the local bodega-no ice. I headed home and filled up our tub with icy water. Here in NYC the cold water is FRIGID. This is undeniably a nicer way to introduce one's body to the trauma of an ice bath. I feel it will prepare me for the real thing. I forwent the clothing and simply wrapped my upper body in a towel, and with Jason's help(i.e. my strangling his neck) I lowered into the icy water, hyperventilating all the way in. There was a squeal or two...and then it happened, my legs became warm! It actually felt OK. I stayed in the frigid water for about 20 minutes. That's when I started to shiver. This is a good sign that you need to get out. I drained the tub and took the HOTTEST water shower of my life. I am sure I was in it for 30 minutes. It was WONDERFUL!
At this point, I figured I'd pass out. I had been up most of the night before, something I learned other runners experienced as well. It's psyche-yourself-out time the night before every long. It's as though your subconscious is preparing you for how you will feel the night before the marathon. This is just a guess, of course. Nonetheless, I decided to go out for a bit. I traveled with Jason on his way to work and stopped at Columbus Circle's Time Warner Building. I rewarded myself for the run with a new summer top from JCrew (big sale), and picked up some dinner at Whole Foods. I made it home, made dinner and eventually passed out at 9PM. Sunday was good and today I feel even better!
I think I am beginning to enjoy this insanity called the runner's high, and I am actually looking forward to meeting each new challenge both physically and mentally.
Amen.
Actually, it was great fun. About 40 of us showed up and ran single file along the bridge, with an amazing view of the city and the surrounding area. Then we ran up a road and crossed a busy street to run into the park. We ran on two different levels of the park with beautiful views of the river and best of all? No bathrooms. No kidding. At one point a bunch of us ladies lined up in front of a tall fence to relieve ourselves on the run. It was a little like girl scout boot camp-that sounds weird...uh..anyway..
I was keeping a pace about 2 min slower per mile than I usually train, which I read is good to do on a long run. While running I met Lindsay, Megan and Christine. Turns out Christine is on my "team." There are 100 of us New Yorkers running the San Diego Marathon. We are broken then into groups of 10 with a mentor. Our team is aptly named the"San Diego Sadists."
This is the first time I have met a member of my team, though I have met and gotten to know our mentor, Peter, rather well. I am surprised every time I see him with how extraordinarily generous he is with his time. Meeting a teammate made my day and it was such a help to have some one to suffer with!
Besides the physical challenges there were spiritual ones as well. In fact, on the turn around heading back I was on my own quite a bit. Prayer became the motivator, particularly when my body was feeling heavy and my legs weak. And so it began, "God is good. God please come! God help me survive this run." I'm serious. The rhyme and rhythm are important when praying and running. It helps you keep pace!
While walking back over the bridge (something I chose to do, as my hips felt tight and my knees quite sore), Peter, who probably ran the long run twice, saddled up behind me and kept me company . He supported my choice to walk and we chatted about how we felt and what to do to speed my recovery from the physical trauma of such a long run. All the coaches and mentors seem to spend this kind of time and energy with as many teammates as they can-it's very inspiring and so incredibly helpful.
So now you're probably wondering how I feel. Maybe you are wondering what Peter had suggested for my speedy recovery... well it's NOT a warm bath and Swedish massage, I can tell you that. To ensure your body's quickest recovery from a long run, especially if you are not used to it, is simple and yet extremely torturous. However, it is also something that, after having experienced it myself (well sort of anyway), I will do it every time from here on out!
It's an ICE BATH! That's right. In fact, what you do is fill up your tub with as much as ice as you can. The pros put sweats and gloves on their upper body, and their tights on their lower body and lower themselves into the ice up to the waist, and stay there for 10 MINUTES!!!
On the way home from the run, I stopped at the local bodega-no ice. I headed home and filled up our tub with icy water. Here in NYC the cold water is FRIGID. This is undeniably a nicer way to introduce one's body to the trauma of an ice bath. I feel it will prepare me for the real thing. I forwent the clothing and simply wrapped my upper body in a towel, and with Jason's help(i.e. my strangling his neck) I lowered into the icy water, hyperventilating all the way in. There was a squeal or two...and then it happened, my legs became warm! It actually felt OK. I stayed in the frigid water for about 20 minutes. That's when I started to shiver. This is a good sign that you need to get out. I drained the tub and took the HOTTEST water shower of my life. I am sure I was in it for 30 minutes. It was WONDERFUL!
At this point, I figured I'd pass out. I had been up most of the night before, something I learned other runners experienced as well. It's psyche-yourself-out time the night before every long. It's as though your subconscious is preparing you for how you will feel the night before the marathon. This is just a guess, of course. Nonetheless, I decided to go out for a bit. I traveled with Jason on his way to work and stopped at Columbus Circle's Time Warner Building. I rewarded myself for the run with a new summer top from JCrew (big sale), and picked up some dinner at Whole Foods. I made it home, made dinner and eventually passed out at 9PM. Sunday was good and today I feel even better!
I think I am beginning to enjoy this insanity called the runner's high, and I am actually looking forward to meeting each new challenge both physically and mentally.
Amen.
Wednesday, April 11, 2007
Doctors who Care
Hi Everyone:
I want to share something very significant with you today. When I woke up this morning, Jason, my husband, insisted that I check out my fundraising website (www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack). I went to the kitchen for coffee first and he followed with his laptop. This is a first for the laptop! So I wait as the out-of-date half-n-half curdles in my coffee-ARGH!- and the computer comes on and the site is opened. I have no reached $3200 of my $4000 goal! How?
So we watch as the names of those who have chosen to show the world what they donated to the site...and it comes up: Dr. Michael Kovacs $250. Now three people have generously donated $250 each to my site, including Dr. Kovacs. This one, however, is extra special to me.
When I was first diagnosed, I was encouraged to get a journal to record my appointments in. When you go through any kind of cancer treatment this is a good idea as your appointments are numerous, each very important. So I did. Dr. Kovacs wins hands down for the person I visited the most during my treatment, 12 years ago, in London, Ontario, Canada at the London Regional Cancer Center. He was the head of my oncology team. And after all this time,I've not so much as sent a note or visited. But I send him a letter now, telling him how grateful I am for his efforts in my survival and explaining to him what I am finally doing to show the world how grateful I am...and he donates to my site!
This means so much to me. I can physically, emotionally, and spiritually feel a huge part of me healing like some kind of miracle. The feeling is similar to the one I experienced durning my last appoinment on April 23, 1996 when I was told that I was clear of cancer. With Dr. Kovac's help, and his team of doctors, nurses, radiologists, hematologists and my family and friends, I have not had to look back. And yet now, I feel like I am standing on a mountain and as I turn around to look at the path that I have tread to this moment, I feel so much love and honor for the life I have been given a second chance at.
Thank you for reading this, I know it's been funny up until today. I promise to give you all the detailed antics of my continued training. But today I wanted to share with you the significance of this donation. There are others who have made my day brighter and brought me closer to my goal as well: my cousin Barb, whose father is my uncle who lost his battle to leukemia when he was twenty, my best friend Lil, whose mom lost her battle to breast cancer, my best friend Rachael whose mom lost her battle to lung cancer..the list goes on.
I want to thank everyone for their generosity, their opening of hearts and wallets alike. We are making it possible for those who cannot afford treatment to receive the financial aid they so desperately need, we are making it possible for researchers to make more and more sense out of what blood cancer is and how it works and how to stop it from taking more lives. We are making it possible for more people to have a second chance at life...and possibly creating an opportunity for more people to find their way to whatever marathon they have always dreamed of conquering.
The journal my mom gave me to record my appointments in is a journal I cherish. She picked it because of a poem it had on the front of it. Reading it now, is like a huge shining ray of light from heaven telling me that I have always been on the right path and it has led me to this very journey that I am on now:
Don't Quit- by Jill Wolf
Don't quit when the tide is lowest,
For it's just about to turn;
Don't quit over doubts and questions,
For there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest,
For it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try.
Weird, huh? More like Divine Intervention!
With love and gratitude for the morning sun everyday,
Shannon
I want to share something very significant with you today. When I woke up this morning, Jason, my husband, insisted that I check out my fundraising website (www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack). I went to the kitchen for coffee first and he followed with his laptop. This is a first for the laptop! So I wait as the out-of-date half-n-half curdles in my coffee-ARGH!- and the computer comes on and the site is opened. I have no reached $3200 of my $4000 goal! How?
So we watch as the names of those who have chosen to show the world what they donated to the site...and it comes up: Dr. Michael Kovacs $250. Now three people have generously donated $250 each to my site, including Dr. Kovacs. This one, however, is extra special to me.
When I was first diagnosed, I was encouraged to get a journal to record my appointments in. When you go through any kind of cancer treatment this is a good idea as your appointments are numerous, each very important. So I did. Dr. Kovacs wins hands down for the person I visited the most during my treatment, 12 years ago, in London, Ontario, Canada at the London Regional Cancer Center. He was the head of my oncology team. And after all this time,I've not so much as sent a note or visited. But I send him a letter now, telling him how grateful I am for his efforts in my survival and explaining to him what I am finally doing to show the world how grateful I am...and he donates to my site!
This means so much to me. I can physically, emotionally, and spiritually feel a huge part of me healing like some kind of miracle. The feeling is similar to the one I experienced durning my last appoinment on April 23, 1996 when I was told that I was clear of cancer. With Dr. Kovac's help, and his team of doctors, nurses, radiologists, hematologists and my family and friends, I have not had to look back. And yet now, I feel like I am standing on a mountain and as I turn around to look at the path that I have tread to this moment, I feel so much love and honor for the life I have been given a second chance at.
Thank you for reading this, I know it's been funny up until today. I promise to give you all the detailed antics of my continued training. But today I wanted to share with you the significance of this donation. There are others who have made my day brighter and brought me closer to my goal as well: my cousin Barb, whose father is my uncle who lost his battle to leukemia when he was twenty, my best friend Lil, whose mom lost her battle to breast cancer, my best friend Rachael whose mom lost her battle to lung cancer..the list goes on.
I want to thank everyone for their generosity, their opening of hearts and wallets alike. We are making it possible for those who cannot afford treatment to receive the financial aid they so desperately need, we are making it possible for researchers to make more and more sense out of what blood cancer is and how it works and how to stop it from taking more lives. We are making it possible for more people to have a second chance at life...and possibly creating an opportunity for more people to find their way to whatever marathon they have always dreamed of conquering.
The journal my mom gave me to record my appointments in is a journal I cherish. She picked it because of a poem it had on the front of it. Reading it now, is like a huge shining ray of light from heaven telling me that I have always been on the right path and it has led me to this very journey that I am on now:
Don't Quit- by Jill Wolf
Don't quit when the tide is lowest,
For it's just about to turn;
Don't quit over doubts and questions,
For there's something you may learn.
Don't quit when the night is darkest,
For it's just a while 'til dawn;
Don't quit when you've run the farthest,
For the race is almost won.
Don't quit when the hill is steepest,
For your goal is almost nigh;
Don't quit, for you're not a failure
Until you fail to try.
Weird, huh? More like Divine Intervention!
With love and gratitude for the morning sun everyday,
Shannon
Monday, April 2, 2007
Lunging Lunatic!
Why on earth does your body not scream at you half way through 90 lunges saying, " STOP ALREADY, you STUPID HUMAN?!" I was so excited, after doing some reading about my knee pain. My quad is weak and causing a "beginner injury or soreness." DUH, who said I was anything but a beginner! So I wanted to deal with the knee weakness and kick up my muscle strengthening exercises.
The plan organically unfolded at the gym this past weekend after sucking down a gel pack of energy pudding like substance containing caffeine. I began with core work on the stability ball, in between those sets I did squats. After that I began the lunging lunacy. I read that when strengthening for running it's recommended to do 3 sets of 15 reps. When you do alternating lunges doing 15 reps means that ultimately you only do 7 lunges with one leg and 8 on the other. I can't do that! One pant leg of my pants will be tighter than the other. YUCK! In order to even it all out, I decide to do 3 sets of 30 alternating lunges!!!! It gets worse...I mean I feel GOOD! Keep going, girl! So I took care of the abductors, and even managed, though I could feel "spaghetti" legs beginning, quad extensions. At this point, I have only a slight sense that I may have over done it. So to counteract the aformentioned exercises I decide to hit the elliptical for 20 mins and then 15 mins on the moving stair machine (not sure of official name for this cardio equipment). I stretch, shower and head out for the day.
After seeing an Evening School performance of no less than 2 and 1/2 hours, I tell my husband that I would benefit from a short walk to keep my legs from seizing up completely. Spaghetti legs has now turned into a sensation similar to that prior to fainting, when your legs give out. The short walks turns into a mile..we are on our way to our friend Camille's for dinner. We finally opt for public transportation to find that the "weekend" service of the 1/2/3 line is quite different from weekday service. This leads to another mile of walking (or more, it certainly felt this way) to finally find her apt! And what do we do upon arrival? Drink wine! Hello! Dehydration!!
The ultimate conclusion to this over training, over walking, over indulgence? I now walk like an 90 year old woman. No amount of arniflora, asprecreme, Epsom salt bathing or drugs can change the gait I now have!! I hope to be good for a short run tonight, as long as my knee doesn't feel anything like my thighs and butt do right now. After that I can take on any pain!!! Feelin' the burn, feelin' the burn...
love, the lunging lunatic!
P.S. So far I have raised $2550.00 of my $4000.00 goal. Check out my fundraising website to help me closer to my goal!
http://www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack
The plan organically unfolded at the gym this past weekend after sucking down a gel pack of energy pudding like substance containing caffeine. I began with core work on the stability ball, in between those sets I did squats. After that I began the lunging lunacy. I read that when strengthening for running it's recommended to do 3 sets of 15 reps. When you do alternating lunges doing 15 reps means that ultimately you only do 7 lunges with one leg and 8 on the other. I can't do that! One pant leg of my pants will be tighter than the other. YUCK! In order to even it all out, I decide to do 3 sets of 30 alternating lunges!!!! It gets worse...I mean I feel GOOD! Keep going, girl! So I took care of the abductors, and even managed, though I could feel "spaghetti" legs beginning, quad extensions. At this point, I have only a slight sense that I may have over done it. So to counteract the aformentioned exercises I decide to hit the elliptical for 20 mins and then 15 mins on the moving stair machine (not sure of official name for this cardio equipment). I stretch, shower and head out for the day.
After seeing an Evening School performance of no less than 2 and 1/2 hours, I tell my husband that I would benefit from a short walk to keep my legs from seizing up completely. Spaghetti legs has now turned into a sensation similar to that prior to fainting, when your legs give out. The short walks turns into a mile..we are on our way to our friend Camille's for dinner. We finally opt for public transportation to find that the "weekend" service of the 1/2/3 line is quite different from weekday service. This leads to another mile of walking (or more, it certainly felt this way) to finally find her apt! And what do we do upon arrival? Drink wine! Hello! Dehydration!!
The ultimate conclusion to this over training, over walking, over indulgence? I now walk like an 90 year old woman. No amount of arniflora, asprecreme, Epsom salt bathing or drugs can change the gait I now have!! I hope to be good for a short run tonight, as long as my knee doesn't feel anything like my thighs and butt do right now. After that I can take on any pain!!! Feelin' the burn, feelin' the burn...
love, the lunging lunatic!
P.S. So far I have raised $2550.00 of my $4000.00 goal. Check out my fundraising website to help me closer to my goal!
http://www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack
Thursday, March 22, 2007
long time no post
Hi all:
Thanks for checking in on my progress. This past week I have had some soreness in my left knee. Some of you may not know this, but I had an accident (caused by mischieviousness) when I was young. I split open my right knee. Without quite the right medical care, I managed to hobble around on my left leg until the right knee healed. However, in doing this I created this insanely bad habit of standing (unconsciously) with all my weight on my left leg for close to 20 years. My AMAZING Alexander teacher Rebecca Poole has been diligently coaching into true alignment and full muscle coordination. Email me and I will send you her info, if you like. She is the BEST! (even Jason is seeing her !) In this process, which is a long one, a lot can happen. I think I am experiencing some psychological stress and physical stress that is making running a little rough at the moment.
So! I have spent the last couple of weeks really cross training: elliptical (on very challenging levels of difficulty, I might add) doing abs, and squats galore!!! I should be having some trouble getting my pants to fit soon, as my behind defies gravity and grows (in a good way!)
Fundraising wise we (Jason and I) are slowly but surely gaining strength. We have a huge fundraiser planned for the first weekend in May. Be sure to check your emails late April for your evite. If I don't have your email address please send it soon! (sjbrooklyn2002@aol.com)
We are also hosting Easter Sunday Hospitality at the 10AM service at St. Michael's (our church) and doing a little Starbucks for Bucks fundraiser there!!
Please be sure to check out our fundraising websites if you haven't already-and while you're there- please donate! Whether you give up one latte and donate $5 or you give up 10 lattes for $50 it all adds up and goes to making cancer survival a possiblity for more people everyday.
www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack
www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycjblack
Keep checking in, I promise to tell you all about how far I can run and what lovely blisters and pains I have added to the notch of my belt!!!!! Yeah!!!!!
Thanks for checking in on my progress. This past week I have had some soreness in my left knee. Some of you may not know this, but I had an accident (caused by mischieviousness) when I was young. I split open my right knee. Without quite the right medical care, I managed to hobble around on my left leg until the right knee healed. However, in doing this I created this insanely bad habit of standing (unconsciously) with all my weight on my left leg for close to 20 years. My AMAZING Alexander teacher Rebecca Poole has been diligently coaching into true alignment and full muscle coordination. Email me and I will send you her info, if you like. She is the BEST! (even Jason is seeing her !) In this process, which is a long one, a lot can happen. I think I am experiencing some psychological stress and physical stress that is making running a little rough at the moment.
So! I have spent the last couple of weeks really cross training: elliptical (on very challenging levels of difficulty, I might add) doing abs, and squats galore!!! I should be having some trouble getting my pants to fit soon, as my behind defies gravity and grows (in a good way!)
Fundraising wise we (Jason and I) are slowly but surely gaining strength. We have a huge fundraiser planned for the first weekend in May. Be sure to check your emails late April for your evite. If I don't have your email address please send it soon! (sjbrooklyn2002@aol.com)
We are also hosting Easter Sunday Hospitality at the 10AM service at St. Michael's (our church) and doing a little Starbucks for Bucks fundraiser there!!
Please be sure to check out our fundraising websites if you haven't already-and while you're there- please donate! Whether you give up one latte and donate $5 or you give up 10 lattes for $50 it all adds up and goes to making cancer survival a possiblity for more people everyday.
www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycsblack
www.active.com/donate/tntnyc/tntnycjblack
Keep checking in, I promise to tell you all about how far I can run and what lovely blisters and pains I have added to the notch of my belt!!!!! Yeah!!!!!
Thursday, March 8, 2007
Ticki Ticki Torture
Holy Moly! I am exhausted! Last night I begged off work to attend a GTS (earlier referred to as Group Training Session-new name: Group Torture Session!!) What was I thinking asking off work on an evening meant to be no more than 18 degrees out? Geez. So we arrive at Urban Athletics, a store at 92nd and Madison (awsome for running gear, fyi) and find out our team has already taken off to the park a block and a half away. So we check-in, strip our gear and go out. It doesn't feel too cold. At least not yet. When we arrive at the Central Park meeting point there are at least 50 other people!!! Wow. As it turns out there are 190 people running either the San Diego marathon or one other marathon set for summer. Amazing! Even more amazing-50 freezing people prepared to train in the pitch dark! So Coach Ramone, who is from Spain and uses his favorite adjective "freaking" in front of everything, teaches us a move called "Ticki, Ticki." Tikki would have been better, that brings to mind warm weather, beaches and drinks with umbrellas in it. Needless to say that is not at all what "ticki, ticki" means. It entails running like a crazy person, tiny, bouncy steps and quickly swinging arms. We run this bizarre way, back and forth between lampposts. Ok. The lamposts are over 10 blocks apart!!!!!! There is snow on the ground and once you make the first lampost, you turn around into the gusting wind and continue to the opposite one. There is not set number of times you do this. You do it until Coach Ramone says you can, "freaking, stop!" Before I even made it to the first lampost my arches were screaming and my nose dripping down my face like a faucet, and yet, I enjoyed it. Uh oh...did I just say that out loud??? I must be delirious! But the truth is, I did enjoy it. Running with a group of people, talking when you can, and just thinking about where we are what we are doing and what it all means in the end is such an incredible feeling of joy.
After the run (about and hour and a half, mind you) we stretched and returned to Urban Athletics for our things. It was our mentor, Peter's birthday so we had our first official team social! Where do training wannabe athletes go to socialize after a long painful, cold run? You may be thinking, a juice bar, or health food restaurant...Not even close! Reif's Tavern, with $10 pitchers and pizza ordered from the pizza place next door! It was so great! We met Elise and Donna who are running the Alaska marathon and their friend Pete whom they are trying to coerce into swtiching from running the San Diego marathon to running the Alaska marathon! We also got a wonderful opportunity to stand around and really get to know our mentor Peter. He's quite an amazing guy, as are all the folks we are training with and have the amazing opportunity to meet. This journey with its pain, hyperventalations, joy, frustration, snot running, elation, anxiety, leg pain, and happiness has filled my heart with so much love and gratitude. God is good! Well, so is lot of Asprecreme, ibprofen and long hot baths!! Gosh, I hope I can put my heels on the ground before I leave for work. I guess I may have to consider wearing high heels today!
After the run (about and hour and a half, mind you) we stretched and returned to Urban Athletics for our things. It was our mentor, Peter's birthday so we had our first official team social! Where do training wannabe athletes go to socialize after a long painful, cold run? You may be thinking, a juice bar, or health food restaurant...Not even close! Reif's Tavern, with $10 pitchers and pizza ordered from the pizza place next door! It was so great! We met Elise and Donna who are running the Alaska marathon and their friend Pete whom they are trying to coerce into swtiching from running the San Diego marathon to running the Alaska marathon! We also got a wonderful opportunity to stand around and really get to know our mentor Peter. He's quite an amazing guy, as are all the folks we are training with and have the amazing opportunity to meet. This journey with its pain, hyperventalations, joy, frustration, snot running, elation, anxiety, leg pain, and happiness has filled my heart with so much love and gratitude. God is good! Well, so is lot of Asprecreme, ibprofen and long hot baths!! Gosh, I hope I can put my heels on the ground before I leave for work. I guess I may have to consider wearing high heels today!
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