One Week!!!

In one week from now, I will be in the middle of completing my marathon! I can't believe it's almost here. We did our last walk yesterday for training, it was only 10 miles; so nothing major. However, I can't really take a break before we leave because I do have to walk Elfie everyday, twice a day. I think this has really gone really well, and I really cannot WAIT to get to the start line and accomplish this goal.

I am just a little short of my minimum fundraising goal, but I can still fund raise after, and I think I will try to do that. The semester will have calmed down a little, and I can try to do a little here and there. Either way, I'm still proud of myself for training all this time, coming through injury, and fundraising nearly all the money.

We fly out Friday morning at 9:30 out of Charlotte, and before then I have to get a doctors note in order to get the early start. Another woman, Cathy, has the same pace as I do so I really want to do the early start since she is - however, bc I didnt mark it on the registration, I have to bring a doctor's note to registration to get the early start then because they are really strict about giving it to people I guess. We will return Monday afternoon :)

Yesterday, we did our 20 mile walk!!! I made it! I did the whole thing with a few breaks that my team was taking - gatorade/water or stretching break - definitely needed. Cathy and I finished in 5.5 hours! I really am excited now for the marathon! The coach, also Cathy, but a different one - told me several helpful tips about what to expect and watch for and do on race day - it was super helpful. The rain held off for the whole morning, and let me tell you how glad I was for that. Walking in the rain would have sucked really bad, so yea, glad it held off until I drove home.

I just really can't believe that the marathon is almost here. Sometime this week we should be getting our race-day outfits in the mail - hopefully it fits like it should, cause I don't know what I will do if it doesn't.

Trying to do one last ditch fundraising this week at Wal-Mart, still have to get ahold of the manager dude in charge of the department that can give the ok. Don't mind having to pay a small amount for a flight and hotel to San Fran, but would have liked to actually reached my goal - I could have really used that boost. d I finished in 5.5 hours! I really am excited now for the marathon! The coach, also Cathy, but a different one - told me several helpful tips about what to expect and watch for and do on race day - it was super helpful. The rain held off for the whole morning, and let me tell you how glad I was for that. Walking in the rain would have sucked really bad, so yea, glad it held off until I drove home.

I just really can't believe that the marathon is almost here. Sometime this week we should be getting our race-day outfits in the mail - hopefully it fits like it should, cause I don't know what I will do if it doesn't.

Trying to do one last ditch fundraising this week at Wal-Mart, still have to get ahold of the manager dude in charge of the department that can give the ok. Don't mind having to pay a small amount for a flight and hotel to San Fran, but would have liked to actually reached my goal - I could have really used that boost.

Change in the Schedule.

So, this weekend will be another 15 mile walk, and then next weekend will be the 20 miler. I'm glad this changed happened. I have a wedding to go to tomorrow, and with 5 miles less, thats just over an hour of walk time shaved off in the morning. Now, I should have time for a nap before I have to go the wedding :)

I have gotten my heel lift replaced and will expect to have less hip/back pain now when I walk. Maybe even increase my pace a little - not needing to, but would be nice just to see how fast I really could finish. I am SO excited for the marathon now, just the thought of being there with so many people who support the same cause as I do and that we're all the there for the same reason. I am expecting to be overcome with emotion on that day. One of the women in my group has done a marathon before, she walked the Alaska one I believe last year. She said in the last few mile stretch, when she was so tired, there were several people on the side of the route - many cheering very loudly, others with signs that say simply said Thank You. I guess I haven't thought of how powerful it may be when I actually experience it - and I can't wait.

Fundraising - HOLY CRAP! I'm SO CLOSE PEOPLE!!!! I need $800 to reach the minimum...COME'ON! SUPPORT THE CAUSE! and my MANY THANKS GOES OUT TO MY FAMILY AND FRIENDS SO FAR FOR THE SUPPORT. Especially GUIN & JOE SKOVRONSKI (my cousin) AND T.J AND JOANIE COURNEYA (also cousin) FOR DONATING $250!!

Don't Forget about the drawing for the $100 Amazon.com gift card and the sterling silver pendant. For every $10 donated to my goal of $4100, which again is all for LLS, will get you an entry in the drawing. Don't miss out! Also, check out my post from a few weeks back...purchase the "Outside the Box" Pendant and 70% of the proceeds will go to Carin and I.

We got our flight information!! This made me realize a little more that this is just a month away!! We fly out of Charlotte Airport on Friday morning, which gives us a good day and a half of rest/sight seeing (dont worry - I dont plan on walking the entire city..haha) and then we race on Sunday morning, and will fly back to Charlotte on Monday afternoon. I am SO EXCITED!

P.S. I TOTALLY forgot to mention this in the post about our Yard Sale (or at least I think I did) One of the women who came to our Yard Sale was talking to us, and when we explained it was for LLS and thats where all the proceeds were going - she informed us that her niece? cousin?, not sure exactly, but a close relative had passed away the evening before from Leukemia at the local hospital. It things like that that make this whole experience so real; and just like the women who came to our silent auction to see her friend play - had no idea it was for LLS, and her mother has been fighting cancer for several years. THAT is why I am doing this - not just for my father, but there are SO MANY other stories out there.

whoops

I missed my long walk this weekend, and I am kind of disappointed in myself for skipping. Not that I didn't have other things I REALLY needed to get done (cleaning and two tests to study for), but also chose to do other things I may not have needed to do...like go adopt a dog and stay out super late friday night having fun with friends. ha. I think I am at the point, when I really want to get this done, so I can focus on other things in my life right now. Carin and I have been focusing on this so much since May, we're becoming a little worn down, and the fact that I'm still pretty far, well far enough, from my goal makes it frustrating. Also, I have so much with school to get done, I have pushed my fundraising to the side - it's getting really hard to focus on both. We really need to set up a time to go stand outside Walmart for a few days in hopes that will raise some extra money.

I'm just really hoping I can make it to my goal w/o getting my credit card charged on Oct. 5, and then complete my 26.2 miles on October 18.

here's hopin'

Just over a month to go!

So, we had our yard sale this weekend. It went really well! we sold most of the big stuff, and then donated the clothes/toys/dishes we had still had left to salvation army. It was a long weekend though since we were up late friday night, till midnight, pricing and organizing everything b/c we were picking stuff up last minute friday evening. Then, we got up at 5:15 am on saturday to set it all up and get ready for people by 7. Apparently, here in South Carolina Yard Sales opening at 7am is not uncommon - I don't get it. Anyway, we had a washer/dryer set (only 3 years old) to sell, a big screen TV and some bikes, toys, nice clothes, dishes, random things.... the good stuff went and we decided not to count anything until the end of the day.

At about 1, we left what was there and headed to campus with Jessie - again THANKS JESSIE!! YOU ARE A GREAT HELP! we set up shop on the library bridge with two coolers - one powerade, one water. asking for donations in exchange for hydration. yeeeea, didnt go as well as we thought. we ended up figring out that we only made about $80 there. we are better off going to Lowe's or Walmart to collect donations since that went so well.

Anyway, all in all we made somewhere just over $600 for the day and I have half that to deposit. So, I'm still happy.

Fundraising! WHOOOOO!

Hey Everyone! Carin's friend Lori Morrow (www.silverevolution.com) has generously donated a pendant and earring set to a drawing. For every $10 you donate you can be entered to win either the pendant/earring set (see photo) or a $100 Amazon Gift Card. Remember, this is all going to a great cause and we're all racing to the same finish - a cure for cancer!

Secondly - She has designed a special pendant for this event. Carin gave her the theme of the Nike Women's Marathon shirts - for Women who live outside the box. The pendant pictured below is for sale for $150, with the chain. It is sterling silver, CZ's and Emeralds. Lori will be donating 70% of the proceeds from the sale of this pendant directly to Carin and I for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. This memorable pendant can make a great present for yourself, or a loved one. Contact Lori through her website (www.silverevolution.com) or let me know!!

THANKS FOR EVERYONE'S SUPPORT!

Lowe's was a success!

We raised a good chunk of cash from customers @ Lowe's this afternoon. The weather was nice, a few of the employees donated and people were generous. All in all, a darn good day. And THANKS TO JESSIE PYE for coming out to help!! This cause also means a lot to her, as her grandmother passed away over the summer from a rare form of Leukemia. Her grandmothers church is doing their annual cancer benefit concert in honor of her this year.

We will be doing the same thing on the library bridge next saturday at the first football game. with as many people that are on campus for a game, we should do even better than we did today.

I was supposed to do 18 miles today, but my hamstring and calf did not want to finish. I got a pretty nasty charlie horse around mile 5.5, and i stopped to stretch and whatnot, but it didnt feel real good the rest of the way. When I got to 16, I was close to my house and was supposed to go around the block again. However, I knew what time it was and Carin and I also had to get ready to go to Lowe's and my hamstring/knee was not feeling so good, so I cut the walk a bit short. But, still happy with what I did.