Running on Faith

Okay, I finally  have found the time to write about how my running and training sessions have been going since I decided to sign up for the St. Jude Children’s Hospital Marathon again this year.

I continued to train after I ran the Half-marathon for St. Jude Children’s Hospital last year because it was such an AWESOME experience and I knew that I was definitely going to participate again this year. I just wasn’t sure which event I was going to run. I have decided to run the FULL Marathon. I have had the wonderful opportunity to continue my training with Robin Schreiber, my son Connor’s  Running coach (and mine). Her love for running and for encouraging people to believe in themselves and strive for their best, is priceless!

Although the longest distance I have run (in a day) since last December has only been ten miles (in late March), I have been able to log in at least twelve miles a week. However, the heat has been terrible and I have had to walk or cut back on my mileage and pace drastically! Some days just to finish a workout can only be done with one long prayer just to get back to my house without passing out whether it be running, walking, or crawling! Thank God for my team mates, friends, family, and their words of encouragement and prayers!

I have run in several 5K’s and  local Fun Runs with Connor, his summer track team (Team Us (not Them)), and  Coach Robin from February through spring and now summer. The latest one was yesterday, The Freedom Run (one mile), in Downtown Baton Rouge. It was HOT, of course, but it was an easy run (with the benefit of some downward slopes!). I actually ran a PR of 8 minutes and 8 seconds taking first in my division which was the first time I have ever actually placed in a race. It was very uplifting and motivating as well as surprising. I  would have never thought I would have finished with that time because my weekly runs have been so depressing (run walk run walk – longest being barely 6.5 at an average pace of 10:50+ most of the time!).

I want to make sure that my teammates know that they need to stay positive and not worry about their pace,ability to finish, love/hate relationship with running, etc because as long as we are moving and we keep “Running on Faith”, we will be fine!  My goal for my FIRST Marathon is to raise money for St. Jude Hospital, rejoice and appreciate my health and ability to participate in such a wonderful race, and have fun!

Keeping the Faith,

Weesie

We are still working on the bio for Weesie. Right now we are trying to decide if we should discuss her varied and colorful past or not. It is a touchy subject, so stay tuned.

Last year this little team of 5 misfits raised over $7000.00 for St. Jude Children’s Hospital.  What will our hopefully much larger team do this year?  $10,000.00?  $15,000.00?  More?  Only time will tell.