Until there's a cure...there is no finish line!

A few days ago, when I had my TNT purple hair dyed back to a more normal dark auburn, I found out that again cancer had struck someone I knew. I hadn't seen this particular person, a nurse I used to work with when I first arrived in town, much over the years after I left the hospital. I'd bump into her occasionally at a doctor's office, in the mall or at WalMart. The last time I saw her was probably about, if not over, a year ago. She seemed well and we chatted briefly before going on our separate ways. When I went to get my hair colored I found out that she had been diagnosed with cancer back in October and was not expected to make it through the day. I have not heard anything yet but it really wasn't looking good as of early last week.

So, I'm going to take this post to ask you to please join me in the fight against cancer. Please support one of the following organizations that I have been fundraising for with a donation. Simply click on their logo to go to my fundraising page. Thank you!

Accepting donations until the end of February 2012

$5 minimum online donation, mail in form available

100 Days Challenge:

• Day 43
• 33 minutes strengthening PT exercises

What I Ate Today:

• French bread Pepperoni pizza on a Bolillo roll
• 60 oz G2
• ½ cup Mongolian beef
• 1½ cups white rice

Zumbathon...done!

So, I'm currently sitting here at the 4 Hour Zumbathon that I'm hosting for the American Cancer Society Relay for Life. The turnout is smaller than the last one I had in November but any fundraising is good fundraising. So far I've raised a total of $380 for this event. In addition to my virtual run (which raised $510) that brings me to $890, almost half of my goal of $2,000. I'm planning another Zumbathon and 5K Real Life & Virtual Run/Walk for March or April before Relay happens. Hopefully with those events and letter writing I'll be able to reach the $2,000 goal!

Monica Vigil teaching hour 1.

Brooke Hall & Ashley Pyle-Golbaum teaching hour 2.

Brienna Scott teaching hour 3.

Amy Szaloy teaching hour 4.

100 Days Challenge:

• 30+ minutes of Zumba while hosting the 4 Hour Zumbathon.

What I Ate Today:

• 1 slice whole wheat toast with 1 Tbsp Skippy Super Chunk peanut butter
• 12 oz non-fat, lactose free milk
• 8 oz Shrimp scampi
• 2 cups white rice
• 8 oz Gatorade
• 1 3/4 cup Texas style beef chili
• 2 Tbsp Fiesta blend shredded cheese
• 1 small piece of English Toffee (~ 1" x 1")
• ~1 cup Tostitos scoops
• 1/2 navel orange

Can you say Zumba?

Yes! It's finally happened!! After nearly 3 months of absolutely no Zumba I have been cleared by my physical therapist to go ahead and give it a gingerly try again. Of course, I'll have to wear my SI belt while doing so. I have been instructed to avoid anything that may jar my pelvis out of alignment again such as jumping on one leg. The timing couldn't have been better since I'm hosting a Zumbathon for the American Cancer Society tomorrow morning. Since the planning for this event was relatively short notice (less than a month), I'm hoping that we have at least half the turnout that I did for the last one in November. At least this time I'll be able to actually Zumba with the rest of the crowd. It was so sad last time because I had to stand or sit on the wings and either dance around in my chair or kinda semi-Zumba while standing up. I am definitely excited!! Maybe with the next one I'll finally be able to teach. I got my license to teach Zumba back in September, but with the injury and the training I haven't had a chance to practice except for a week or two.

I think I've got everything ready to go. Water and Gatorade are in the cooler in the car; mini donuts and bananas are in the car; oranges are in the house and need to be sliced; pens, tape, plates, cables boxed up; gym towels drying. Let's see, there are a couple of to do's left:

1. Print up more waivers
2. Print up more registration forms
3. Get ice
4. Print up some signs for the doors (one arrow pointing towards registration, two for entry way doors
5. Pack a cutting board and knife for the bananas

Let's see. I think that should be it. I think I'll call this post good for today. Wish me a fun and busy Zumbathon tomorrow! (And a 10 mile run afterwards!)

100 Days Challenge:

• Day 6: 50 minutes in PT (8 mins recumbent stepper, 10 minutes treadmill at 4-5 mph, Bosu ball, stretches, jumper machine, 

What I Ate Today:

• 4 small pieces of toffee (Honest! They were small, no more than an 1" x 1")
• 1 3/4 cups Texas Style Beef Chili
• ~1 cup Tostitos Scoops
• 2 Tbsp Fiesta Mix shredded cheese
• 24 oz non-fat lactose free milk
• 1 3/4 cups Skinny Rosemary Potato Soup
• 20 oz G2
• 2 small Clementine oranges

I really need to start hydrating more!

What a way to start 2012!

Happy New Year!

Well, today I chose to welcome in the new year with an 8 mile run! Never would I have ever thought I'd do something like that. I basically followed the same route that I did my 10 miler on last week but just cut it short at the 4 mile turnaround. I also did this as part of a virtual race that I hosted as a fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. This race raised $510 towards my $2,000 goal. If I am able to raise that goal, I'm so definitely going to be shaving my head at the May 11th Relay for Life here in town.

Just as an aside, I logged approximately 192 miles since September, not including the first two months when I wasn't recording my runs. Whoohoo!!

Additionally I started the second half of my month's worth of cooking. It was a very late start...not until 4pm but it did manage to get Orange Honey Tofu, Crock Pot Mongolian Beef and Skinny Chicken Zucchini Ziti done. I had planned to make Swedish Meatballs, wontons, Skinny Rosemary Soup and Skinny Broccoli Cheddar Soup but my legs were just so tired from the run that I just didn't have the energy to keep cooking plus I forgot to defrost shrimp for the wontons. So all those items are waiting to be done tomorrow...my two day cooking adventure is going to be a three day adventure instead! lol!

I've also joined John Bingham's 100 Days Challenge where members pledge to do 30 minutes of planned activity for 100 days straight. I had started a very similar challenge with some friends on Facebook that started back on October 24th and is to finish on February 1st. I'm not doing so well in that challenge so I'm hoping for a better result with this new challenge. This new challenges ends on April 10th...wow, that seems like a long way away! I'm looking at doing a Boot Camp on Monday, Wednesday & Fridays at 8am, plus restarting Zumba as soon as PT says I can and then I'll be starting yoga and aqua aerobics classes Monday through Thursdays at the community college on January 17th. Hopefully I'll be able to meet the challenge! :)

100 Days Challenge:

• Day 1:  8.1 Mile Long Run

What I Ate Today:

• 1 Whole Wheat Bagel Thin with 2 Tbsp Skippy's Super Chunky Peanut Butter
• Homemade French bread pizza on a white Bolillo roll with pepperoni (10 slices each half), Monterey Jack/Colby cheese (2 c total), pizza sauce (½ c)
• Orange juice from concentrate 3 - 12 oz glasses
• Lowfat chocolate milk - 12 oz
• Clif Shot Energy Gel - Chocolate
• G2 - 10 oz

Cancer...I hate it!

I got some terrible news from a friend this past week. This particular friend has been fighting cancer for the past nearly 3 years with periods of remission and recurrence. Right now, thankfully, a more peaceful time of year is coming up for her as she has to go through another round of chemo. While this break is short it will hopefully allow her time to get through the worst part of her treatment. It's a feeling of helplessness when someone you know and care about is going through such a terrible time. Please don't be surprised if you see me fundraising again after I finish with my commitment to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society/Team in Training. I have decided that I will be switching gears and going back to my roots with the American Cancer Society to lead a team for the Curry County Relay for Life in May 2012 in honor of my friend. I'm just giving fair warning...after May I'll definitely take a break from fundraising until probably a full marathon in 2013 again with Team in Training. Please keep my friend in your prayers/thoughts as well as any other patients and families that are having to deal with this disease in all it's forms. Thanks!