Another 12 mile run today and much easier than last week, relatively speaking. Next weekend is only 6 miles - I don't know the logic but I just follow the regimen.

Anna's family got to go on their family vacation. Anna needs two naps per day to keep up with everything but apparently, she's having fun. She's awfully weak but so determined. I've never really seen anything like it and I had no idea someone so young could be THAT courageous. I'm so glad that they got to go.

I'm pretty confident that the law firm is going to make a donation, even if they don't do corporate sponsorship. I hope so, anyway.

12 miles on Saturday. My longest yet. I upped my pace last week so the 12 mile endurance run was actually pretty tough. It was the first time in a while that I have felt like I really had to push myself. Luckily, I did it. This weekend the endurance run is 12 miles again. The lengths of the endurance run get a little odd from this point forward.

I submitted all the information to the law firm that is considering being a corporate sponsor for Team in Training. I don’t know if they will go so far as corporate sponsorship, but I do think they’ll make a donation so we’ll see.

Work has kept me incredibly swamped this week so I haven't gotten to run until today. But it was a great run and the Divine Miss M did very well, too. Although, she got way ahead of me at one point, I have no idea what she was thinking. *sigh* I love running. I never, ever thought I would say that.

There is a large law firm in OKC that said to drop off the necessary information with regard to becoming a corporate sponsor. No promises or anything but at least they're interested. We'll see.

Anna is regularly in pain it seems. They know another family whose little boy recently passed away and when Anna was talking about how she always hurts, she and her Mom talked about the healthy body she was going to get when she gets to heaven and how her friend is there playing right now. I have what I consider difficult conversations with my daughter, and then I get hit with other people's reality. I'm so incredibly lucky.

Well, I spoke at the Rotary Meeting but it didn't go as well as I know most of you hoped. I have never, ever been a good public speaker and tonight was no exception. Please don't think that I didn't try b/c I did but I just ... it's just not something I can achieve it seems. I'll have to stick to the more manual parts of fundraising.

Even if I don't make it to the minimum on fundraising, the money that we have raised thus far and whatever we raise through the commitment date in August will still go to the same place and do the same work that we intended. My aunt Kim recently reminded me of one of my favorite quotes. She and I were discussing the fact that TNT Oklahoma raised $20K during the last two weeks of June alone. She said something that reminded me of Margaret Mead's quote, "Never doubt that a small, group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." Different context but the principle remains. When families affected by cancer are helped, when pain is lessened at least for while and someone's load, which has long since surpassed back-breaking, is just that much lighter, it is because of the work and the generosity of people like us, those that have donated here and other places, be it words of encouragement, support, time or monetary funds. It's what makes the difference at the end of the day. Occasionally you hear stories about a large corporation or a governmental body or something of that magnitude changing the every day lives of people, but the majority of the time, it's the small efforts of other every day people that add up to real alterations. If this taught me anything, it taught me that.

I did it - I did 10 miles!! It was a great run the whole time. It felt good, I was energized, I was enjoying it, I watched the sun come up over Lake Hefner. It was great. I'm completely confident that I can do this now.

As for this moment, it's time to go pay attention to my house and my daughter, both of which get neglected during training, unfortunately.

Have a great weekend, everyone. I'll post Monday night about how the Rotary meeting goes.

Second Wind

Great run tonight. I remember before I hurt my knee that there came a time when I could suddenly run easily - without it feeling like I was surely not going to make it. When I got that second wind and could just keep going. I have finally hit that again. I'm so happy about it. Good thing too considering this Saturday's endurance run is 10 miles. Oh, boy. I'm actually looking forward to it - to see if I can do it and to see how it feels. Pretty sure that makes me completely insane.

I am going to distribute brochures to five different businesses that will allow the brochures to lay out for people to take. That will earn $25 toward fund-raising. I wonder if I can get 10 businesses to do it, if I will earn $50, etc. I'll have to ask. I already have the okay from one business, so only four to go. I still don't know how much I earned from working the concession at the air show last month. I'm getting a little impatient about that. I'm going to be speaking at the Rotary Club meeting this Monday night. Public speaking is definitely no my forte but I'm determined to do this. We'll see where we are after that. And I started the follow-up letters. It was so late when I wrote it that I was fairly bleary-eyed. I'm going to review it this weekend and then mail them out.

And I got the picture of Anna that will be on my race day shirt - she's such a cutie. Unfortunately, it's on my computer at work so I can't access it but I'll e-mail it home tomorrow and then post it on here Saturday when I report back about the endurance run.

That's all for now. I'll let you know how it goes on Saturday. We start at 6 a.m. in an attempt to beat the heat. Which means I'll have to eat no later than 5 a.m. Ouch. ; )

I finally had a good run - the first in a week. I've been running just, for some reason, they haven't felt like good runs. Until today. It's funny, I could tell during the first mile that today's run was going to be one of those that energize you and make you look forward to the next one. I was vigilant about drinking water today and ate a Power Bar about an hour/hour and a half before my run. That seems to work best for me. I remember one of our trainers talking about how funny runners are in that once they find something that works, they never try anything else. I can see that now.

Also, the most amazing thing happened after my run today and was the main reason I rushed to post. I was wearing my Team in Training shirt and a woman called to me and came over asking if I was running for TNT this year. I told her that I was and she told me about her experience running for TNT two years ago. She was so nice and told me all about her experience and how much it meant to her. Her words alone were such an inspiration that I already thought it a blessing to have met her and then, she gave me a $100 donation!! I thought that was so amazing. What an unbelievably nice person.

Our total now is $2365. We're getting there!! I'll be sending out update letters soon. Hopefully, this week.

Hi, all. I'm a little more amazed each time I found out just how many people read this blog on a regular basis. It's been a bit hectic around here. Major deadlines at work keep piling up and then we had to travel to our hometown for a funeral this weekend. I'm a little off kilter on my training but I did get two runs in while we were there so not too bad.

Anna told her Mom recently, "Mom, who knows... Jesus maybe better at playing than Dad.....You never know 'til you get there." It seems that God is helping take away her fear of the unknown and replacing it with confidence that heaven will be a marvelous place for her. Jesus talked about having the faith of a child. It's a beautiful thing to behold, even when it's painful.

Training is getting really hard since the Oklahoma summer has arrived, mercifully delayed but here now. I'm trying, though, really trying. I have to start paying more attention to everything I take in as far as eating and drinking and concentrate more on water throughout the day. I have been cognizant of it throughout but I'm going to have to start being truly vigilant.

I've got to make one big push this month on fundraising. I have to sign a commitment in August on whether I can reach my minimum amount - at that point, if I commit, I have to pay the difference at the end if I don't reach it. Looking at the fundraising as it currently stands, I think I can make it. And I have some specific things to do this month so we'll see. ; ) I think we can do it.

Have a great week!!

Wow

Lots of things to tell.

Most importantly - between June 15th and June 30th, Team Oklahoma (which I think basically encompasses teams in the OKC and Tulsa areas) raised $20,000!! That's so incredible!!

My total is at $2165 right now. More than halfway. We're getting there!!! Please feel free to e-mail this blog to anyone you'd like in an effort to reach more people.

I ran 7 miles Saturday and it was a good run. Shockingly, in the 18 straight days of raining, even though I wasn't missing runs, I managed to never run in the rain ... until Saturday. ; ) But actually, it wasn't too bad. Most of the time it just misted so it felt kind of good, really. The rest of the season, I do 4-6-4 during the week and then Saturdays are the endurance runs. This weekend I'll be doing 9. I'll be caught up with the team soon, that makes me feel good. At the beginning of this, I never thought I'd see the day when I said, "It's just a 4 mile run." The endurance runs are going to be tough, but well worth it.

Anna is lamenting the loss of her hair again (from the oral chemotherapy she's currently taking). She has been talking about how she's the only one in her family that is going to be bald - once again. As you can imagine, her mom is very tempted to have her own head shaved.

For those of you to whom I owe Thank You cards, please don't think I'm unappreciative!! I'm a little behind on those but they are going out soon!!