If you have been reading my blog and not just the headlines, you already know what I have to say today, but I officially am running my first marathon in Chicago on behalf of Susan G Komen and the Ford Warriors in Pink!
Also running with me is Tracie, a WIP Model of Courage, who was diagnosed with Breast Cancer at the age of 30. Six months after her final round of chemo, she volunteered to run her first marathon with me! Her story touched me from the moment I met her in Sedona, Arizona for the WIP summit. She is one of those people that shines with happiness, always giggling and smiling. You can read more about her story here.
I am actually already on week 7 of my training plan and only 12 more weeks to go! I knew I needed a good coach to train and asked my friend Jess from RacePaceWellness (formerly FitChickInTheCity) to help guide me along the way with a personalized plan that could be flexible with my travel and work schedules. Coincidentally, Jess also has been directly impacted by Breast Cancer, losing her aunt, grandmother and like me, a best friend’s mother to the disease.
When I saw the welcome email, I had a pit in my stomach. “So, I’m really doing this I guess…” I said to myself. Training in the summer for me is ideal because I prefer running in the heat verses cold New England. Chicago is also a very flat marathon. Still, I’m nervous about the time it takes for each long run and getting injured. So far, so good thanks to Jess’s plan. She coaches runners in NYC and online, so if you are interested, check out her site RacePaceWellness. We are working together via Google Docs and it is very helpful. It also helps that I can’t see what week 18 looks like I think! That would freak me out. Instead, week by week, she updates my training schedule and modifies for my schedule.
Each mile that I want to stop, I think of Tracie, Faryn’s Mom, my mother’s best friend Debbie who passed away just last year after battling the disease for almost 15 years off and the rest of the Models of Courage, and I am able to find the strength to keep going.
As a charity runner, I have set a goal of $1,500 to raise for the Susan G Komen foundation. Donations are tax deductible and if you are interested, you may donate here by visiting my fundraising page. I love the Warriors In Pink who work with the Susan G Komen foundation because they do not “Pink Wash” toxic products that have been linked to causing cancer. They sell clothing to raise awareness about breast health. The net proceeds then go to one of 4 charities of your choosing. SGK is one of them.
I’m thinking of doing a mini meet up on Saturday, so if you are running Chicago and want to meet up on Saturday before the race, let me know below in the comments.
