Half Marathon Update

From the 26.2 With Donna, Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer, website: of the 7753 finishers in the marathon and half marathon there were 57 finishers in the 65 - 69 age group for women. Of those 57, I came in 8th. My time last year was 2:47:02 and this year was 2:42:52. Even better results than I thought. The training was worth it. I'm surprised and pleased.

13.1 Because I'm Only Half Crazy

I ran in the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer today. I ran the half marathon with a goal to better my time of last year, and I did this by 2 1/2 minutes. That's despite the fact that it was 32 degrees when we started and only warmed to 36 by the time I finished, in Florida! We've had weather in the 60's since I came a few days ago and it will go back to the 60's tomorrow. But this morning in the 30's? Seems cruel. Ironically, I stayed in Trinidad an extra three weeks to train so I'd be training in warm weather to be ready for Florida! Instead, my muscles took a long time to warm up and the wind on the bridges and beach was brutal! My run wasn't elegant as my tutor, Marcello, would say, but I finished. My niece walked the half marathon and bettered her time from last year as well. Good for us!

This is us after the race. Notice the red noses, gloves, jackets, and warming blanket, but also, finishing medals. Whereas I usually love to run as I get into it, today I was just glad to finish.

This was the fifth annual marathon so the shirts' stripe and medal ribbons coordinated. I liked it. A long soak in a hot Jacuzzi was terrific way to warm up and soothe tired muscles.

Also, the presence of fives continues for me this year (remember, for two months my Dad was 95, I was 65, my daughter was 35 and my granddaughter was 5?) with a five on the medal and a bib number of 5535. I don't know what it means but it must be auspicious!

I'll stay in Florida a week extra, especially to visit with my sister-in-law since Italy remains in the grip of a deep freeze and serial snow storms that is unprecedented and unwelcome after so long.

13.1 on the 13th

Want to have a great time doing something fun and worthwhile? I found a way to do that- train for and run a half marathon with my daughter, whoop it up a lot while running, and cross the finish line hand in hand yelling in triumph! This was our first run together and it was in the National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer in Jacksonville, FL on February 13.

Since my sister-in-law and Kelly's aunt, Peg, died from breast cancer four years ago, I look for ways to honor her and help defeat this formidable foe. 10,000 runners participated, including 4046 runners in the half marathon, and raised money (and awareness) for this worthy cause.

The energy was electric! The whole city of Jacksonville gets involved and cheers the runners on as we run through neighborhoods and on the beach. They make outrageous signs, offer drinks and fruit and yell encouragement to the runners. great fun! Kelly and I finished in 2:44:01 hours, placed 7 out of 51 women in my age group, and felt good, deep down good.

Family members (nieces, grands, great niece and nephew, sister-in-law, cousins, aunts) converged in FL, also made fun signs, rang bells, yelled a lot and, just in general, cheered us on. Two of my nieces walked the half marathon and finished, a first for both of them, and made it a true family event this year.

What lights your fire these days? What are you doing to stoke the fire?

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Patti at Pattiken and the Muses- Home Away From Home has a wonderful post entitled: The Superhero to check out (please!). Besides her inspiring story of her daughter, she describes a collaboration between two other bloggers that they call the "Saving Second Base Project". What great idea and what a great title! Patti learned of this through yet another blogger, I learned about it through Patti and now I'm hoping you'll link on over and read and learn, too.

My dear sister-in-law, Peg, smart, loving, beautiful, an elegant dresser, who was crazy about my daughter and grandchildren, died 3 years ago from recurring breast cancer and anything I can do to promote awareness of the fight to end this disease does my heart good. I'm running in the National Breast Cancer Marathon in February in Jacksonville, Florida. My daughter and nieces are involved this time to make this a family event so I'm very excited. Check it out: 26.2 with Donna - The National Marathon to Finish Breast Cancer. (Say "yes" to that title!) 100% of the raised funds go to breast cancer research and care.

Thousands of runners show up for this race and it has amazing community support. Neighbors provide food, drinks, cheers, signs and general merriment all along the route. It's inspirational and an honor to run with breast cancer survivors and poignant to see the names of those who lost their fight listed on so many participants' shirts. There are just so many names.

I've seen ads for runs, walks and gatherings of all sorts to promote breast cancer awareness.  And, now, blogs! Spread the word- do breast self exams every month and intervene early with anything suspicious.

What are you doing or what have you heard about others doing in this worthy effort? Let's spread the word. Together.