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Sunday, October 22nd, 2006
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4:20 am
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I know I've been neglecting this journal a bit - leave it to a busy life and lots of training to stop that sort of stuff!
The Nike Women's Marathon is this morning, and I'll post about it later... once I've done it! This is the one I fundraised for.
Cross your fingers!!
current mood:  excited
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| Tuesday, October 10th, 2006
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7:09 pm - Going down to the wire.....
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Just a short post as I'm running out the door....
Final fundraising deadline is October 19th (next Thursday).
We're still short.
So - anything you can donate, anyone you can tell, anything that can help - please do! now's the time!
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| Monday, October 9th, 2006
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2:03 pm - Due for an update
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So....
Yesterday was the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon. I signed up a year ago for this one, and was a bit nervous about it - there was a 4 hour time limit on it.
I was pacing to finish in 3:30 for a long time, but yesterday my right leg decided to not like me very much - my foot was cramping, my hamstring was irritated, and a muscle in my inner thigh was very sore. It slowed me down a LOT at the end but I finished in a clock time of 4:00:42. However... this is a bit deceptive, as you don't cross the start time immediately, so my "chip" time (accurate for when I crossed start and finish) was 3:52:39. Hooray, I beat the four hours!!
I'm very sore today. I need to stretch a lot and figure out why my foot hurts so much!!! I think part of the problem is that the streets of San Jose are not level, so my foot was constantly at a slight angle.
Next up is the Nike Women's Marathon - and if you can help with Mel and my fundraising, we're about 1000 short right now! Email me or comment if you can help, and please pass on information to people you know - you never know when someone can help!
current mood:  accomplished
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| Wednesday, September 27th, 2006
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5:25 pm
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| Sunday, September 10th, 2006
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5:16 pm - An update from the trails
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Hello everyone! I've been bugged to post on here (I've been busy) so I'll give a quick update on what's going on.
We've been training for just over a month now. I got in a car accident almost two weeks ago (hooray for being rearended!) so I'm a bit off, but still going MUCH faster than I was last year! Yesterday was a 2 hour walk and I'm estimating I did anywhere from 6 to 8 miles - it can be a little hard to tell.
The San Jose Rock N Roll half marathon is in less than a month now!! It's October 8th. I'm hoping to finish the 13.1 miles in 3 hours, 45 minutes... but we'll see. There is a time limit on it of four hours, so I'm a bit apprehensive, but I should be able to do it.
I did my first yardstick mile this past Wednesday (fyi, yardstick mile is a timed mile where you go all-out, as fast as you can, to see how you improve after doing track training). Last year, my first yardstick was 19:39 or so. This year, it was 15:12 (about 30-40 seconds off my FASTEST one last year). It's totally official - I can walk a mile faster than I could run it in high school.
So, I'm just walking a lot, stretching a lot, trying to keep myself limber and not worry about the fundraising! My boyfriend is doing this along with me, and his fundraising is going slowly - mine is almost done, so please consider donating to one (or both!) of us, and also feel free to pass this along to whoever you would like - this journal is always set to public.
Also - coming up soon, a quilt raffle! Let me know if you would like details.
Thanks!
Melody
My fundraising page: http://www.active.com/donate/tntsvmb/MelodyH
My boyfriend's page: http://www.active.com/donate/tntsvmb/MelB
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| Monday, August 21st, 2006
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10:46 pm - Help me reach my goals (again)!
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How do you follow up an amazing experience?
Be a part of another three amazing experiences.
About a year ago, I was signing up with Team In Training for my first marathon. A year later, and one Honolulu Marathon under my belt, I'm getting ready to do three marathons this fall.
The experience I had with TNT was so wonderful, I knew I would have to do it again. So, I've committed to walking in the Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco in mid-October. In addition to the Nike marathon, I will be participating on my own in the San Jose Rock N Roll half marathon in early October. I also have plans to complete the Honolulu Marathon again in December.
This year, I have met with many of my teammates from last year, but I am making more new friends. In addition, I'm training with people whose lives have been touched by leukemia, lymphoma and myeloma.
The money I raise goes to help people like the honorees I train with. At the season starting kick-off party, we were told about a program at Stanford that is developing a pill to treat a certain type of leukemia. This grant is entirely funded by the LLS. These programs are what I am helping to support.
This year, my fundraising is much more ambitious. After seeing the experiences I had as part of TNT, my boyfriend decided to join me on the fall walk team. So, we're both fundraising this time!
My dream is to be able to support TNT as they support me in both the Nike Women's Marathon & the Honolulu Marathon. However, that requires a lot of money! For the two of us, we would have to raise $12,400! At minimum, we will be participating in Nike with Team, and that requires us to raise $2,500 each.
Before you look at that number and think you can't possibly help with that, think of a few other things. I will be walking 52.4 miles of marathon this year. That's not including the approximately 500 miles of training.
Also, a minimum of 75 cents of each dollar will be going to support the LLS in their quest to rid the world of leukemia, lymphoma, and myeloma. The research the LLS funds is primarily for blood cancers, but also helps with other cancers such as breast cancer, lung cancer, and any other cancer you can think of.
Doesn't that make it easier to write a check? No matter how much you can donate, every bit brings me closer to the goal! And who knows when one dollar will provide the breakthrough we need?
I'm having so much fun out there, and I hope you will be able to support me as I go out there and walk, walk, walk my way across the finish line three times!
Please feel free to pass this link to any friends or family you think of - you never know who has been touched by this disease, and who can help.
My secure donation site: http://www.active.com/donate/tntsvmb/MelodyH
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| Sunday, July 9th, 2006
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12:12 am - It's been a while
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Hello everyone,
it's been a while, hasn't it? I still owe you a Hawaii post, too! (It's still sitting on my desktop, half finished).
I will get to that - and also add to this journal more, as I signed up again with Team for the Fall season. I'll be doing three marathons this fall, one with Team (Nike Women's Half Marathon in San Francisco in October).
So, look for the updates, the information - and the shameless begging for donations!
More later (& soon).....
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| Wednesday, February 22nd, 2006
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6:55 am
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wow.
I still owe an entry about Hawaii.
I really am working on it (as well as a real-life scrapbook about it).
Stay tuned to this journal. Not only will there be a post about Hawaii, but an update on what I'm doing, and plans for the year.
current mood: ambitious
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| Monday, January 2nd, 2006
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8:39 pm
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I'm still working on my marathon update!
In the meantime, I totalled up my mileages from August to December.
I walked approximately 336.75 miles.
Nice. :)
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| Sunday, December 18th, 2005
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7:38 pm - Sorry for the delay
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I swear I'm going to do a long post about the marathon.
However, entertaining myself in Hawaii, getting home, and getting into the swing of things has taken more time than I thought. I'm about halfway through a monstrous post.
But I'm still moving pretty well! :) I've even half considered joining a half marathon in January.....
It's in Southern CA. Not too far :)
more soon.
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| Monday, December 12th, 2005
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12:20 pm
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| Sunday, December 11th, 2005
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6:17 pm
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26.2 miles.
9:45 to 10 hours (will check later).
More in a while.
current mood: victorious
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| Saturday, December 10th, 2005
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10:56 pm - Almost there....
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Sorry for the lack of entries. I've been busy with life, packing, and getting to Hawaii!
But I'm here now. Sitting in a room with a view of Waikiki beach (kind of :)). I'm waking up at THREE AM tomorrow for the marathon.
It's finally here.
I have carbs in me, I've been stretching and using "the stick" (it's a thing to stretch/massage muscles) and... just getting ready.
Keep me in mind tomorrow. Comment me with wishes if you'd like... I'll check email before and after the marathon.
It's only 26.2 miles. I can do this.
I'll give a big update on all of it when I'm done.
current mood:  determined
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| Saturday, December 3rd, 2005
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9:55 pm - Getting ready for the marathon
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So it's less than a week until the marathon. I'm starting to get ready.
Does anyone have any names they want me to wear the day of the marathon? It can be people who have been affected by blood cancers - by having them currently, by being in remission, by having died from them.
If so, let me know. Either comment, or email me. I leave on Friday, so I'd like all names by Thursday if you have any.
If you mailed/told me about them, I already have them. If you'd like to verify, that's fine.
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| Saturday, November 26th, 2005
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9:15 pm - Doing a bit better
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So not much walking was done this week. Between pain, holidays, and trying to get necessary shopping in BEFORE Black Friday, I just couldn't get much done. I was able to do 45 minutes at a brisk pace on Tuesday, but that was about it.
So I didn't hold much hope out today. My coach and I had decided that if I could do three and a half hours today, as scheduled, we'd still consider doing the 26.2 miles. If not, if I could do it in the next few days, it would still be an option.
I didn't really think it would happen. I didn't think my knee was strong enough.
I got in about 11 miles in 3 hours 20 minutes :) I said that was close enough!
The marathon is 2 weeks from tomorrow. I'm a bit apprehensive still, but now I know I can do at least 17 miles. I can do this.
current mood: determined
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| Saturday, November 19th, 2005
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9:45 pm - Another Saturday, another 12 miles
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So this is the fifth time I've done 12 miles! I'm a little disappointed that I couldn't make it through the full 22, but my knee is not doing very well.
So here's the short week update:
1) RAISED MY MINIMUM!! YAY!!! I'm still accepting money though, so don't feel that you don't need to donate because I'm past my minimum... I'm still actively fundraising!
2) Put my sore knee into a curb. Falling bad. Pretty scraped-and-purple knee now.
3) Have contingency plan for my knee if it's not better for the marathon.
It's only three weeks away now.... keep your fingers crossed for me.
And THANK YOU to everyone who helped me by donating! That's a huge weight off my shoulders, and my knee :)
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| Tuesday, November 15th, 2005
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6:59 am
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Sorry for the lag between entries! It's hard to post sometimes... lately, I just have no time, and when I am home and settled on the computer, I'm simply too tired to think.
Let's think.....
so when I last left you, intrepid reader, my knee was hurting. Well, it still hurts. I must have messed it up pretty well when I was on my bad shoes! I still was going to try to go walk the four and a half hours that I needed to walk last Saturday.
I went to Coyote Point in San Mateo (for those not familiar with bay area topography, it's right on the water - it's about... hm, 20 minutes? south of San Francisco, and I could see all the way there and to Berkeley) and started out - about a half hour, 45 minutes in, all of a sudden my knee popped, behind the knee.
Oh my goodness. Excruciating pain ensued for about 4 or 5 seconds, followed by really bad pain for another minute. After that - it was better. I think something was out, and now I'm just dealing with sore muscles. Actually, the day I hurt it, I remember it popping, so I bet something WAS out.
Anyway, I kept going, and got an hour into my walk. To make a long story short, I started feeling nauseous, and then threw up on the trail. I think it was a combination of having taken an Aleve on a too-empty stomach, taking a salt shot (about 1/8 tsp of salt, throw in your mouth, swallow and chase with water), and switching over to gatorade from plain water - too much for my stomach to handle.
At that point, I turned around and headed back. I knew I couldn't keep going with all that going on, and luckily my mentor was 15 minutes behind me. She met up with me and we walked back to the trail head, and at that point I felt better so I kept going. I didn't want to stop short of my four and a half hours after missing the 18 miles the week before.
I did manage to get in the four and a half hours. The trail's not marked all that well, so I'm not sure how long I went, mileage wise, but I think it's between 12 and 15 miles. I felt so elated afterwards. If I hadn't done it, I think I would have taken a serious confidence hit.
22 miles this Saturday, starting at 6:30 am. Hooray for waking up at 5! :P At least I only have to do that two more times, including this saturday. And the day of the marathon.
At 97% of my goal, and have a lot lined up, so in a day or so I'll be at my minimum! I'm still fundraising though - the more money I raise, the more money goes to research and support.... and also, for every $200 I'm over, I get entries into a team drawing.
Less than a month to go now.... I'm getting nervous, and excited too.
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| Monday, November 7th, 2005
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9:14 pm - eeeeeeep!
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I just did something.
I just signed up for the inaugural Rock N Roll San Jose Half Marathon ... 10/8/06.
I haven't even done my first event, and I signed up for my second.
eep :)
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| Sunday, November 6th, 2005
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3:05 pm - Bit of a setback
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On Saturday we were supposed to do 18 miles. I ended up only doing 12 miles.
At about mile 10-ish, I noticed my left knee was aching (my hamstring had been tense for about half the walk - I kept stretching it). At mile 11, it was downright hurting. I figured I'd get in to the start/finish line, and talk to one of the coaches - of course there were none there! Someone had one of the coaches' cell number though and called her, so she headed back.....
turns out that (long story short!) my shoes are blown, which I didn't know. And as the lady from the store where I got my shoes said .... if your shoes are blown, it's as if you're walking barefoot. So it was causing a major muscle cramp on the side of my knee, and my entire body is pretty messed up right now.
Luckily the volunteer massage therapist was on his way (this guy volunteers because his daughter survived leukemia, so he gives back by giving out massages at some of the trainings), so he took care of me first and really stretched out my hamstring/glutes (where the majority of the problem is).
Came home, iced a few times, took an aleve, fell asleep for a few hours, iced it and just been gentle with it. I'm limping around occasionally because it's still SUPER tender. My coach told me to walk an extra hour next weekend, to get me up to about 16 miles (luckily there's someone else on my team who needs to do that too, and she paces about my time too, so we're
doing it together). Then I'll do 22 with the team... IN MY NEW SHOES!! :P
The good news is that I shaved like... a LOT of time off my 12 mile! I finished it in something like... let's think, I was in at about 1040ish, so I did 12 in 3 and a half hours (last time, it was 4 flat for 12).
I know I should walk today, but I think today is just stretching a lot. I just feel a bit apprehensive today. I was really upset yesterday because I wanted to finish the 18 miles... but I just couldn't. It hurt to walk around a table... no way I could walk another 6 miles like that.
And I'm frustrated because my fundraising is so slow now. Y'know, I don't care if it's just a dollar or two - if you have it, or know someone who does, please donate! All I need is $606 dollars! And now time is getting short.....
current mood:  sore
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| Friday, November 4th, 2005
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7:18 am - Time's growing short
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I currently have $2769. I need to have $3400.
I only have until December 2, and I'm getting worried! If I don't have the $3400 by Dec 2, I have to donate the difference.
If you are planning to donate, please do it soon - and I need the help! Any way you can spread the word would be appreciated, too.
I'm off to do 18 miles tomorrow!
current mood:  nervous
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melathon