What I Get From Team in Training

I just entered the Gap's contest for non-profits, which is to tell the story of how you get more then what you give to a charity. The winning entry gets a gift certificate to the Gap, and the charity gets $10,000! Here is what I wrote-

I have been involved with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society's Team in Training program for over 13 years now, and I am delighted to be training for the San Diego Rock n' Roll marathon with them! I became involved with TNT as a way to give back the love and support I got when my father died of Leukemia when I was 15. I coped with the death by running, so it seemed fitting to raise money in his memory through running.

Team in Training has been such an integral part of my life. It's wonderful to have a cause "bigger" then myself and spread the message of all that they are doing. I have met so many wonderful people through Team in Training, and it has always given me so much more then I give with each event I do...I even met my husband while training for the Westchester Triathlon with them!

What I was told at the pasta party for the Bermuda marathon, back in 1998, sums up the program for me. We were told the story of the warrior that ran from Sparta to Athens, 26.2 miles, to tell them the war was over. By being a member of Team in Training and running a marathon, we are acting as a messenger of HOPE- that there will be a cure for Leukemia.

Safety Tips for Women and Running

Just found this on the Hudson Mohawk Road Runner's club website, and in light of recent events thought I should share these safety tips-

Before the run:
· Try to get a running partner.
· Leave word with someone or write down where you plan to run and when you will return.
· Carry some I. D. and change for a phone call. Take a whistle with you.
· Do not wear a radio/headset/earphones or anything which distracts you so that you are completely aware of your environment.
· Avoid unpopular areas, deserted streets, lonely trails and especially avoid unlighted routes at night.
· Vary the route and the time of day that you run.
· Run in familiar areas. Be aware of emergency phones and how they work, note the
location of neighbors you trust along your route.
· Know where police are usually to be found and where businesses, stores, offices are
likely to be open and active.

During the Run:
· Always stay alert. The more aware you are, the less vulnerable you are. Think about
possible escape routes in case of a confrontation.
· Take notice of who is ahead of you and who is behind you.
· Know where the nearest public sites are with some general activity there is usually
safety in numbers.
· When in doubt, follow your intuition and avoid potential trouble. If something seems suspicious, do not panic, but run in a different direction.
· Run clear of parked cars, bushes, dark areas.
· Run against traffic so that you can observe the approach of automobiles.
· If the same car cruises past you more than once, take down even a partial license
number and make it obvious that you are aware of its presence (but keep your distance).

If Confronted:
· Run toward populated areas, busy streets, open businesses.
· Ignore jeers and verbal harassment. Keep moving.
· Use discretion in acknowledging strangers. Be friendly, but keep your distance and keep moving.
· Do not approach a car to give directions, or the time of day. Point toward the nearest police or information source, shrug your shoulders, but keep moving. If you feel you must respond, do it while moving.
· Do not panic. Do not run toward a more isolated area.

If Attacked:
· Keep as calm as possible. Try to fix a description of the attacker in your mind.
· Do not show fear or plead this intensifies aggression in most cases.
· Try to talk to the aggressor and look for an escape opportunity a moment of indecision or distraction on the attacker's part.
· Do not fight or struggle with the attacker unless there is clearly no other way out, especially if you are untrained in self defense.

Matching Gifts

What are Matching Gifts?

Many corporations and businesses offer a matching gift program, in which they agree to match the financial gift of a contributor to a nonprofit organization. The amount of the match, payment schedule, employee eligibility, and requirements may vary from company to company.

How do I know if my company offers a matching gift program?

Please contact your employer to find out if your company offers a matching gift program and if The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society is an eligible recipient. Then, obtain a copy of your companies matching gift form.

What if my company does not have a matching gift program?

Many small companies do not have official matching gift programs. However, when approached, many companies are willing to match contributions to charities by their employees. Please check with your employer to see if they would be willing to match your contribution, even if they do not have an official program.

Some of the companies with matching gifts include:

ADP
Aetna
Alliant Energy
Altria Group
AMD
Applied Materials
AT&T
Bank of America
Brinks Home Security
Caterpillar
Chevron
ConocoPhillips

Dell’s Direct Giving Campaign
Dell Foundation
Emerson
ExxonMobil
Freddie Mac
Freescale
Google
Hewlett-Packard
Hospira
IBM
Johnson & Johnson
KPMG

Microsoft
National Instruments
Oracle
Safeway
Silicon Labs
Spansion
Sprint Foundation
Sun Microsystems
UBS Financial
Verizon
Wachovia
Wells Fargo

Wednesday Treadmill Run

Today was an okay run, had a rough start...wanted to run at the Canyon for a soft surface because of my poor abused shins, but it was closed because of the rains. I was a little iffy to do it alone anyway because of the Chelsea King murder that happened just 20 minutes north of me. YIKES! I HATE that as a woman I can't run a trail alone in the middle of the day without worrying that some psycho might come and rape or murder me.

From the trail I went to Lake Miramar and went less then a quarter mile on the pavement before my shins starting screaming at me- NO WAY! So, the treadmill it was. Ran 3 miles with another 1/2 mile walk (1/4 mile warm up, 1/4 mile cool down) with negative splits- ran 5 minutes, walked 1 minute and increased the speed each run interval. Started with 4.0 and ended with 4.6 (?) I think a 14 to a 12 minute mile pace. I've GOT to run a bit faster, this completely back of the pack thing is getting a bit old. I don't mind being slow, but I don't want to be left behind. While I was running I saw on TV live news coverage of charges that were brought to John Gardner and I applauded to see he would be held without bail until his trial in a couple of weeks.

Went to a launch party of the San Diego Rock n' Roll marathon and half marathon at the House of Blues where the race director went over the course and Steve Scott, who has run 136 sub 4:00 miles spoke. The person that won the NYC marathon last year, Meb Keflezighi, will be heading up the 1/2 marathon too! We were told how lucky we are as marathoners, because what other competition would we get to be in the same race as some of the top athletes in the world?

Monday Night Run- UCSD

Had a great 3 mile run this evening at the University of California, San Diego in La Jolla. Ran with a teammate who kept me talking and running much faster then I'm used to, I must have been going a 10- 12 minute mile? I was shocked at how easy it was, although we were going downhill for the majority of the first half of it. I'm also amazed at how good I felt during and after the run, because the arch on my right foot was acting up all day (that's new) and I figured I would just run until it was unbearable. The pain actually went away after the first 1/4 mile running with heel lifts in my sneakers- who knew running could actually help with a running injury? Bizarre!

I think I have finally become- gasp- a runner!

NTC Park- In the RAIN!

It does not rain very often in San Diego, and when it does, it is MISERABLE. The city isn't planned out well for rainfall so there is a lot of flooding, especially where we had our 7 am run in Point Loma which is below sea level. This photo below is from when I tried driving on Midway Drive in Point Loma about a month ago, but really I was floating...very nerve wracking!

Notice how the flooded street is all the way up to the car's bumper!

I was scheduled to do 7 miles today as part of the A marathon group, and as I drove through torrential rain I was really questioning my sanity in doing so. We met at a beautiful park and were all sporting umbrellas as the coach and coordinator gave announcements, laughing at how hard it was raining and how soaked we were becoming! The coach said that we were WARRIORS for being there and that when we gear up at the starting line we'll remember this day.

I gotta tell you, running through the rain was not a lot of fun. It was more like a hail rain that went right in my eyes, in addition to high winds (did I mention there was a tsunami warning?) although admittedly I was laughing at how miserable it was. I kept repeating the breathing mantra, "My" (breath 4) "Name" (breath 4) "Is" (breath 4) "Kelly" (breath 4) which did make me feel like a warrior or a battered soldier. Kept running through flooded sidewalks making my sneakers soaked through and about 5 pounds heavier. Went about a mile and a half (?) when my calves started screaming and my achilles started in with the weird rubberband feel and I thought, uh oh, I gotta stop. Stupidly I didn't wear the heel lifts because I felt so much better but it's like antibiotics, you have to take the full prescription before stopping. I walked back to the start slightly dejected but also really happy that I had the experience, and with the runner's happiness. I actually felt great. Plus the rain had let up a bit and it was so beautiful there.

Since I was determined to finish the mileage, I went to the gym where I put on a set of dry clothes and cranked out 5 miles on the treadmill. Well, more like 4 mile run, 1 mile walk, but I'm still absolutely amazed and proud of myself for doing it.

Total Distance: 7- 7 1/2 miles : )

Thursday Morning Run- Moonlight Beach

Okay, I admit it, I am lucky! Ran this morning with Team in Training teammates at Moonlight Beach again, with Dharma and her two friends that are also training for the marathon. All really nice people. Ran two miles on Neptune, which is parallel to the beach and oohed and ahhhed over the homes. Walked back 2 miles with them because one of them were hurting and even though I could have kept running, quite frankly I really enjoy the companionship. It's hard not really knowing people since moving here four months ago, so I cherish every minute I can chat with new friends. I also found out that one of them was the guitarist for Bryan Adams! What's funnier is that the week before when I found out he was a musician, I told him about my musician friends and that if he wanted to make a living in NYC as a musician, that bassists get a lot of work. Too funny.

One great thing about training for a marathon is that it gives you the opportunity, for a while, to see what it's really like to be an ATHLETE. I was thinking about it this morning as I was using my foam roller to roll out my aching shins- that right now, Olympians in Vancouver were doing the exact same thing. We're both drinking yellow sports drinks and injesting rubbery goo and stretching our bodies to the limit. How cool is that?