26.2 Here I Come!

Only 2 days to go until the San Diego Marathon! I'm spending the day working from home, packing, and HYDRATING! You cannot imagine how much there is to remember in the packing process, and I still have to make another trip to the store tonight.

I took it easy this week...2.5 miles on Tuesday and about 3 on Wednesday. I am toying with a quick 1-2 miles tomorrow, but might pass. My left knee is not behaving, and I want to be as rested as possible for the big day.

Tomorrow morning I head down to SD in time for lunch, the expo and relaxation (hopefully!) Our check-in time for the shuttle to the start line is 4am--yes, 4am Sunday morning. If you pray for nothing else, pray that I get to bed early and that I sleep well!

Can't wait to update everyone on the experience!

Countdown

Last Saturday: a STRONG 12 miles
This Saturday: an easy 6 miles
Miles mid-week: a measly 3 while on business in Lubbock
Tonight: hoping to squeeze in 4 more before the Angels game
Next Sunday: MARATHON!
Panic: starting to set in :)

Great Strides!

The past 7 days were amazing! Last Saturday our team ran 20 miles...a major mental hurdle for me! I felt the most discouraged around mile 13 (because it was HOT and traffic was high on Palos Verdes drive). I finished feeling surprisingly strong (with the help of Coach Ed and a co-worker I happened to meet along the way). With a couple of brief walking breaks and many big hills along the way, I finished in a little over 4 hours. I certainly won't be breaking any records at the marathon, but my goal this first time around is to simply finish.

I also reached my fundraising goal this week of $2,500!! With the help of my amazing parents, (who held a garage sale Saturday morning as I ran) many generous friends and additional family members, we did it in just the nick of time! God bless Facebook and those special people who responded to my plea to raise that last $100 on the final day. :)

Tomorrow we taper to 12 miles for our long run, while maintaining steady mileage throughout the week. This week I slacked a bit on my daily runs, since I was traveling for work and putting in long hours. Hopefully I won't pay for it tomorrow morning...

Thanks again to all who have offered, and continue to offer any kind of support...I can't wait to fill you in on the big day! Meanwhile, I'll keep you updated on my progress over the next 2 weeks. Let the countdown begin!

If you are curious, here is a breakdown of how your donations to LLS are allocated:

Amazing Morning!

I ran 20 miles this morning...full update coming soon!!

18 Miles and $660.00

A hilly, 18 Mile route is what I ran successfully on Saturday...$660.00 is what I have to raise for cancer research by May 13th!

Blessed by a layer of fog and clouds during our run on Saturday, I finished feeling strong after 18 miles from Malaga Cove to the Trump Golf Course in PV. The Palos Verdes Marathon/Half was talking place at the same time, so it was interesting to encounter the racers along the way. I think the enthusiasm in the air gave me an added boost to keep going, and focus on my own race which is a mere 27 days away! I am definitely nervous, but probably more excited at this point. There are so many unknowns on a long run, and I just have to trust that all will work out.

This week my mission is to raise the final $660 to reach my goal of $2500. If you have been waiting to donate, now is the time! http://pages.teamintraining.org/los/rnr09/jennifershaw Thanks to all who have...you are amazing!

Here I am with some teammates, probably delirious at one of the aid stations on Saturday...