Giving Back

If you are a regular reader of my blog you know that making a difference in the lives of others is something that I value highly. If it fits in my schedule (with a three year old it can be tricky) I am first in line to support causes that help others. Last weekend I was given the opportunity to participate in Walmart’s National Day of service. I visited the Capital area foodbank and with about 20 Walmart employees sorted food for the hungry.

 

We were only one group of several in DC and there were many more around country. Another group in DC was delivering prepared meals to people in treatment for cancer or HIV/AIDS.

Although this was the first nationwide volunteer event organized by Walmart, it is far from the only way that the organization provides for the hungry. I learned that Walmart will provide $2 Billion thru 2015 to feed the hungry in the United States. I loved hearing this statistic, especially when you consider a city like Washington, DC which has the highest child poverty rate in the nation. Walmart’s efforts are helping to feed the most vulnerable members of the population. In addition to volunteers for the day, each project in Washington, DC received $5000 from Walmart.

This was my first time working at a food bank and basically we had to sort through all of the donations to determine what was good, what was for the “hog” bin and separate everything into the appropriate bins. 

It was like reverse shopping, each of us grabbed a reusable shopping bag, placed groceries in them and put them in the bins. We each had our own methodology, I mostly stuck to looking for pasta, rice, soup and diet food.

I knew exactly where the bins were located and it made the process efficient because I didn’t have to wander in search of the bin.



The entire crew from Walmart was efficient. Some people were responsible for emptying the large boxes of donations into bins for sorting, others were packing the sorted foods in boxes for delivery. We were like a machine and everyone determined what they were comfortable doing and did it.

We completed the job in a couple of hours, the food bank actually saved some food for us during the week because they knew we were coming. Apparently, the summer months are the slowest for foodbanks - people generally think about food donations around the holidays but there are always mouths to feed. If you are ever considering holding a food drive, perhaps work with your child over the summer to organize one when the need for the food is the greatest!



Overall, I think everyone involved had a wonderful time. I am actually considering visiting my local foodbank to donate some of my time. I know that around the holidays they will be inundated with food and in serious need of volunteers. If you have a few hours to spare consider donating time to help out at a food bank too. 


The sense of accomplishment and joy in knowing that you are helping others is unmatchable!

Disclosure: My travel expenses to DC were provided by Walmart and I was compensated for photographing and documenting the event.

Race Day Essentials - Vol. 2

I am pretty sure I am headed to Shrinkvivor Exile Island today. Training for a half-marathon usually doesn’t equal weight loss but I’m good. I’m still running and preparing for my race in 17 days. Since I’m maintaining my weight loss,  I’m happy. In the meantime, I want to share Volume 2 of my race day essentials series.



This race day essential again may not be for everyone but it is a must for me. Make-up. I know, I know, who is thinking about make-up when preparing to run 13.1 miles? Me! I like to put my best face forward and I wear a little make-up to ensure that I am always camera ready. I’m not talking about wearing full-on false eye-lashes(although if that is what you want to do by all means do so) but I do mean a bit of coverage.

For me, wearing make-up serves two purposes. One, my face is picture perfect and two I protect my skin. I use two types of make-up for my foundation - on the places on my skin where I have blemishes or hyper-pigmentation(dark spots) I use a full coverage foundation called Cover FX. 
This stuff is AMAZING! When I wear it you cannot tell that I have scarring at all. I only dot it on my trouble areas and the way the foundation is made, it is a perfect match. There are three different shades to apply.I use the lightest as a concealer and layer it with the darker colors to reach my natural skin tone. A primer, application brush and powder was included in my kit. I only use the powder on evenings out I know I am going to have that sweaty glistening glow race day so I don’t bother with powder when I run.

I then follow up with a tinted moisturizer by Lancome that has SPF15. The tint is just enough coverage without being too heavy. This combination is great for my skin, it stays in place even after long miles and my skin is protected from the sun. I love both of these products. Another staple is my Maybelline Lash Stiletto Voluptous waterproof mascara. I wore it the other day and a friend asked me if I had false eyelashes! I swear by Lash Stiletto and at only $8 or $9 a pop I think it is a great alternative to the pricier brands and just as effective.

So there you have it, day 2 I’m sharing with you my “vanity” race day essentials. Just because a girl is sporty doesn’t mean she can’t look good too!



Oh, and I’m on the list of 50 most inspiring health folks on twitter, if I inspire you  please click here and vote for me!



Disclosure: I received the Cover FX for review but this did not influence my opinion of the product if I didn’t like something about it you can be sure I’d tell ya!

Race Day Essentials - Vol. 1

I am going to do a series of race day essentials. At least the things that are essential for me. Some may work for you and others may not. I suggest you glean what you need from these posts and leave the rest alone. I’ll start with foot care.

Until I started running longer distances - 6 or more miles, I didn’t have a problem with blisters. However, I think the combination of running shoes that are a bit too wide with long distances wreaked havoc on my feet.

I have bunions and thought buying a wide running shoe would be a good idea - Not. In any event, I’ve had to rest my feet because my blisters were out of control. Luckily I am in pretty good condition so even though I’ve only been running once or twice a week, I am still feeling great. But it became obvious to me that I needed something for race day when even after a week of rest and trying different shoes my blisters flared up.

I got the recommendation to use 2nd Skin on twitter and I am extremely pleased with the results. I’ve run 8 miles and 4 miles with nary a blister raising its ugly head. I purchased the 2nd skin blister kit which includes moist squares to cover the sensitive blister, a knit topical covering that is similar to a bandage and most importantly for me, pressure padding. I used all three on my 8 mile run and had a ton of cushioning. I treated my blisters by draining them with a small pinprick made by a needle so I didn’t have any exposed sensitive skin (luckily). I think the moist squares are best for that but I put it on the first time out.  

I plan on wearing the entire three pieces when I run my half-marathon but on short runs the pressure pad is enough. I am probably going to have to purchase another pack before my race because with 2 blisters there are really only enough moist squares for three applications. I also have never seen this brand in stores so if you plan on using it you will have to order online. I found the best price on Amazon, about $6 or $7 and I have free shipping with Amazon Prime.

It is pricey but totally worth it! I’d like to be able to celebrate and enjoy the victory dinner without painful blisters and using 2nd Skin will enable me to do so. Now, I don’t suggest using 2nd skin on race day if you are not prone to blisters.  As a matter of fact, you shouldn’t try anything new on race day. I plan on running with my new runners, my arm sleeves and the top I plan on wearing before race day (I will be discussion all of these). This way I can identify any potential issues and not discover them on the day I can’t do anything about it.

Now, if you have been prone to blisters, I highly recommend 2nd Skin. They are totally worth the price and hopefully combined with my new shoes blisters will be a thing of the past!

The Countdown Begins

Unbelievably I have only 20 days until the Nike Women’s Half-Marathon in San Francisco. The race is less than 3 weeks away and I actually feel quite good. I have my race day essentials that I’m going to highlight in the upcoming weeks and my training is going well. Although because of my blisters I reduced my training to one long run on the weekends, my recent use of the 2nd skin blister kit has enabled me to run without blisters forming. So between now and race day I plan on running between 44-50 miles. I know I can do the full 13.1 but I want to get the running in so I don’t have any seriously sore muscles on race day.

The wonderful thing about running is that you can do it anywhere. There are really no excuses (other than injury) to keep you from running. This weekend I took an overnight trip to DC. The last long 12 mile run was scheduled for Saturday but I knew my schedule would not permit me to run that long. I debated about waiting until Sunday to run but figured I should try something new and run in DC.

My overnight bag was not much heavier with the addition of running shoes and my gear and as soon as I hit the hotel I went straight to my room and changed. It was fairly late when I arrived and I wanted to be able to run a decent length of time before the sun set. My hotel was right near Rock Creek Park where there is a running trail and I was off. I planned on running at least 6.5 miles to the Lincoln Memorial and back but really wanted to do more if time permited.

I started with a slow leisurely pace while carrying a bottle of water in one hand and my iPhone in the other. My tunes kept me going and having the water on hand was great for hydration (I left my water belt at home so I had to make do). My first stop was at the Potomac for a water break - both to drink and to view. It was so hot and humid that it was nice to be on the water and the view was lovely.

After running past the Kennedy Center I soon came upon the Lincoln Memorial. 

I had to stop for a picture of course and then kept going. I decided to run on the side of the reflecting pool toward the Washington Monument.

When I arrived at the end of the pool I viewed the display of states 

and a beautiful water show.

I started running faster because it was becoming dusk and I had four miles back to the hotel. By the time I got back to Rock Creek Park it was DARK! Not a good look - there are few lights on the parkway and sometimes I was running in the actual park away from the road.Scary. But I just said a little prayer and kept running. I ran so fast in fact that I caught a cramp in my left calf and had to walk the last half mile or so, in the dark.

But I arrived back to the hotel safely and I was proud of myself for getting the running in. After a quick shower I walked to Adams Morgan and had Ethiopian food at my favorite Ethiopian restaurant Meskereem. It was so good! And with the mile walk to the restaurant and back added an addition 2 miles so I got a total of 10.3 miles in on Friday. Not too shabby!

Yesterday I toughed it out and ran 4.1 miles in the rain around my neighborhood. It was a good training exercise, as a friend on twitter said- what happens if it rains race day? Best to be prepared!

Well, that is my update, I still am struggling to get water in but other than that things have been pretty good. I’m maintaining my weight loss and that makes me happy.

Hill Harper - The Conversation

I am an avid reader and there is rarely a time that you can ask me "what are you reading?" and I don't have an answer for you. Recently, I've been checking out the latest book by Hill Harper. He is the Brown University and Harvard Law School graduate turned actor that you may know from CSI. He is also an author. His first book, Letters to a Young Brother: MANifest Your Destiny is aimed at young people and provides inspirational material on a number of different topics. His latest literary venture is "The Conversation: How Man and Women Can Build Loving and Trusting Relationships". Now, I must admit that I was a bit skeptical about this book. 


I mean, he is a single guy talking about relationships. But as I read the book I realized that although he is not married, he has a great deal of practical advice that can be applied to relationships. He also addressed the fact that he is still not in his ideal relationship by seeking input for the book from his friends that are married. 


I believe the main premise of the book is communication. I am in agreement with his supposition that communication is the foundation of positive relationships. And although this book does focus primarily on African-American relationships, I think the information found within it's pages are  applicable no matter what your ethnicity. 

GIVEAWAY

If you'd like a copy of The Conversation all you have to do is leave a comment telling me what words of advice you have for building loving relationships. The contest is over on October 8, 2010. Please be sure to leave your email address in your comment if it is not in your Blogger profile. Good Luck! 

Disclosure: I've been compensated for my time and effort to spread the word about this book. I also received a copy for review. As usual, all opinions are 100% my own. 

THANK YOU!

If you think something is impossible I am here to tell you - nothing is impossible! A year and a half ago I was on twitter speaking to my friend Maria Bailey and she was trying to convince me that I could run a marathon. The 200 pound me. The me that had let herself go and saw no way out of the depression and fat that had overtaken her body. That me simply laughed and said “I have no desire to ever run long distance, 6 miles is my max ever.” And today I find myself ready for the Nike Women’s Half Marathon that is just 23 days away and I have all confidence in myself that I will finish.

Not only will I finish but with your help, I have raised over $5000 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to help newly diagnosed patients and fund research for a cure. When I decided to do this back in June I was doubtful. I doubted my ability to run 13.1 miles but more importantly I doubted my ability to raise $3900.00, the minimum fundraising amount for me to attend the race with Team in Training.

But I set out on my quest, called up my good friend Jennae and told I was running for her daughter Ja’Naya and that was it. I HAD to meet my goal. If nothing else, I follow through on my promises to friends and a promise to a four year I certainly was going to keep. Within two months I met my goal of $3900 and decided to keep on going. By aiming for Rockstar status - raising $1000 over the fundraising minimum, I guaranteed over 75% of the funds raised were going to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. And admittedly, I am a bit competitive - even it if it is only with myself and I wanted the honor of being recognized as a Rockstar - with a pin, hat and certificate. Little things for a major accomplishment but worth it to me.

And today, I’m so proud to say not only am I ready to run the 13.1 miles but I’ve gone over my initial fundraising goal by $1220.00! See, nothing is impossible, nothing! Despite these difficult economic times people supported this effort. Every single donation mattered, from $5.00 to $500 and to you all I say THANK YOU! You have made a difference!

I’m not done. I still have a race to run but I am so thankful and grateful for all of the support that you have given to this wonderful cause. Of course, I will post photos from San Francisco and I gotta show off the firefighters and that Tiffany’s necklace that I’ll earn when I cross the finish line. See you there virtually! And again, THANK YOU!!

P.S. - like my stationary? It is so me and by Tiny Prints, check them out!

Love Your Cereal Breakfast

On Tuesday I hosted a Kellogg’s Love Your Cereal breakfast at my home with nine of my friends and too many children to count! We had a great time. I prepared a lemon-blueberry coffee cake made with Rice Krispies











   I also served yogurt parfait made with mixed berries, vanilla yogurt and Kellogg’s low-fat granola. And of course I had an array of Kellogg’s cereal.

As we enjoyed our breakfast we were joined by Anne-Marie from Kellogg’s by Skype and she helped dispel some of our ideas about cereal and answered our questions.
One of the main things that we were surprised by was the amount of sugar that is actually in cereal. We guessed that between 25-35% of a child’s daily intake of sugar is derived from breakfast cereal. Anne-Marie informed us that only 5% of a child’s daily sugar intake is from cereal. We were all very surprised. Anne- Marie also reiterated the importance of breakfast and let us know that in this age of childhood obesity, having breakfast regularly helps to keep a child’s bmi in the normal range.


She opened the floor to questions and we had some tough ones. My friend Rai asked about the possibility of Kellogg’s producing organic cereals and we learned that Kashi is actually a Kellogg’s brand. We are fans of a Kashi in my household and many of the other moms are too - little did we know that Kellogg’s was the company behind this brand! I asked about sustainability efforts and Ann-Marie informed us that Kellogg’s boxes are made with recycled cardboard and that they are constantly looking for ways to make production “green”.


I also inquired about cereals without High Fructose Corn Syrup and was directed to Kashi and other low sugar Kellogg’s brands. Overall I think the breakfast was a success, we learned quite a bit about the cereal and also asked that they consider resealable bags for the cereal to keep it fresh.  Personally, I generally stick to giving my son the Kellogg's Granola and Raisin Bran but for a treat I do occasionally give him Frosted Flakes or Fruit Loops. This is a throwback to when I was growing up,  my mom only let me eat "healthy cereal".  I wonder if her view would change today if she realized how little sugar is actually in cereal......


I want to share the recipe for the coffee cake with you because there was only one small piece left when my friends departed and they ALL wanted the recipe. In my usual fashion I made adjustments, specifically I used wheat and gluten free flour and no one could tell the difference! If you try the recipe please let me know how you like it - I’m sure you won’t be disappointed! 

Blackberry Lemon Coffee Cake
Preparation Time: 25 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
Servings: 8 Ingredients
      3 cups Rice Krispies® (crushed to 3/4 cup)
      1 1/2 cup sall purpose flour
      3/4 cup sugar
      1/2 cup margarine or butter
      1/2 teaspoon baking powder
      1/2 teaspoon baking soda
      1/4 teaspoon  salt
      1egg
      3/4 cup buttermilk
      1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
      1/2 cupseedless, blackberry speadable fruit

Directions
1. In large mixing bowl, stir together KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal, flour and
sugar. Using pastry blender, cut in margarine. Remove 1/2 cup mixture and set
aside for topping. To remaining mixture, stir in baking powder, soda and salt.

2. Beat together egg, buttermilk and lemon peel. Add to cereal mixture, stirring
only until combined. Spread 2/3 batter evenly over bottom of 9 x 1 1/2-inch
round cake pan coated with cooking spray. Evenly spread fruit over batter to 1/2
inch of pan. Dot with remaining dough and carefully spread over fruit. (All of
fruit will not be covered) Sprinkle top completely with reserved topping
mixture.

3. Bake at 350° F about 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes
out clean. Cool 15 minutes. Cut into wedges to serve.


®, ™, © 2010 Kellogg NA Co. Kellogg Kitchens� recipes are the property of the
Kellogg Company.

For more information about cereal check out LoveYourCereal.com

Disclosure: I was compensated for my time to organize and host the breakfast but all opinions are my own.

A Success Story!

Earlier this year The Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans had a Monday Project that involved making a vision board. Although I never made one before, I used my barely existent crafty ways and kept it simple. I merely posted a quote for inspiration and placed a couple of my photos to show my progress. Sadly, I haven’t updated the board with new photos but I’ve always remembered my final vision - to see myself as a success story in a couple of different periodicals.


Well, today part of my vision has come true. I am featured in the Atlanta Journal Constitution Health and Fitness Section as a Success Story! Here is the link to the online version and I am on my way to the grocery store to pick up several hard copies of the paper. I guess it is time for me to update my vision board!


As far as working out goes, I have been pretty lazy. I ran 8 miles on Saturday and my poor feet are once again blistered. On Monday I was in Los Angeles and had the opportunity to work out with the EA SPORTS Active 2 and I have to say I cannot wait until the November release date! As most people know, I used EA SPORTS Active More Workouts to kick start my weight loss program and honestly I attribute much of my success to EA and their continued support of my efforts.


I only worked about for about 10 minutes with the game and yesterday and today I am still feeling it. Gerard, the fitness trainer for EA developed a customized workout for me that primarily focused on strength training for my lower body and clearly it worked! I have sore muscles (in a good way) and will be firing up my More Workouts so that I can work on building muscle that I’m sure will help prevent injury and keep my hip in shape. I know that I should be strength training but my experience with EA just drove the point home.


As far as checking in for Shrinkvivor, the scale is down from last week, I am at 152.4  - I knew that the water weight would be gone! So, I continue in maintenance mode this is a good place to be. I can hardly believe that the Nike Women’s Half Marathon is only 25 days away. Of course, I am planning my next event and I think it will be the Zooma Women’s Half Marathon the first week of November. After that the Disney Princess Half-Marathon the weekend of my birthday in February.

Keeping these goals in mind help me continue my exercise and training. I love having something to work for and of course the medals at the end of each race provide me with a sense of accomplishment!


P.S. I've been nominated for the Top 50 Most Inspirational People on Twitter and I'd love it if you'd vote for me here - http://bit.ly/cWUU2f

Eating healthy when on the road

I am typing this from my comfy bed in my hotel room. I am on a whirlwind trip to Los Angeles with EA SPORTS Active working on an upcoming campaign. The details are top secret but believe me, this is a good one! I am only here overnight - I arrived yesterday and am leaving this afternoon. I’m not venturing far from the hotel but I’ve certainly learned a great deal while I’ve been here.

First, flying Delta there are some good options for eating. In coach there are healthy choice snack packs that include dried apricots, sahale snacks, chocolate chip cookies made with organic wheat flour (okay, not exactly healthy but the bit sized cookies can be a treat), hummus and pita chips. My seatmate Adam had the snack pack and I did try one of the mini-cookies, it was pretty good - thanks Adam! And speaking of Adam, I had the most pleasant trip with him as a travel partner. I generally don’t talk to people when I’m flying but Adam started a conversation with me by admiring all of my tech gadgets(iPhone, iPad and laptop) and we soon discovered we have a lot in common.

Anyhow, instead of a snackpack, I had fruit slices - apples and grapes. Before leaving home I’d also made my own trail mix and I snacked on that during the flight. When I arrived at the hotel I had a very rich meal - lobster and flounder served over a butternut squash custard and steamed veggies.  


I also indulged in a roll with truffle butter. The portions were small and although the food was rich, I figure a splurge every now and then is okay. I am however now convinced that I have to stick to wheat and gluten free eating. My body does not respond well at all and I spent a good half-hour after eating walking to settle my stomach after my meal.

This morning I’m having a great breakfast of steel cut oats, with raisins and brown sugar, fresh fruit, an egg (for protein) and chamomile tea. I really didn’t eat the egg, I was too full after eating the delicious oats. When I am at the photo shoot today I will also make healthy choices, I’ll be looking for fruit and water to drink. since I’m going to be with a professional athlete I’m sure there will be great food choices.

This week I ran 8 miles on Saturday and since I was trail running I wore my Saucony runners (my new ones haven’t arrived yet). I was hopeful that after putting on body glide and wearing my think Thorlo socks my blisters wouldn’t act up. I was wrong. My blister on my left foot flared up and my right did too but I ran despite the pain. When I got home my feet looked a mess. On twitter someone recommended 2nd skin blister treatment so I am waiting on my kit to arrive. This weekend I have 12 miles scheduled and it is the last long run before the Nike Half Marathon so I’d like to get it in!

Well, I guess I better get ready for the rest of my day. I can’t wait until I can tell you all about it!

TwitChange

Although I am a native New Yorker, I’ve spent a considerable amount of time living in the bible belt, both during my college years and now as a mother and homeowner. During my formative years I was extremely active in the church but as a college student I fell off and spent countless evenings with friends making fun of the “healing” that you could find televangelists doing on a daily basis.  I’ve been back in Atlanta for close to five years now, and I left a church home in NY where I was a member of the choir, the step team and the young adult ministry. Although I tried to find a church home when I initially moved here I didn’t find one that “clicked” with me and I gave up. This is quite interesting considering there is literally a church on every corner.

After giving up my quest for a church I maintained a personal relationship with God and much of the time I used to spend doing church activities became devoted to social networking.  I’d occasionally hint at my faith or drop tidbits about prayer but much like the government I kept a separation of “church” and “social media”.

That is until I met Shaun King. I use the word “met” loosely because our interaction was exclusively on twitter, our respective blogs and facebook.  I recall “meeting” him because he is local to Atlanta and after visiting his blog I realized he is a graduate of Morehouse and therefore my “brother”( I am a Spelman grad and the schools maintain a brother/sister relationship).  I followed Shaun’s journey as he planted a church in Atlanta while attending graduate school at Emory, being a husband and father to five children.

He not only successfully started the Courageous Church but he soon became known as the “Facebook Pastor” because his outreach is done utilizing social media. And if you are thinking his twitter stream is filled with messages of “come to Jesus” you are totally off the mark. From a toy drive for 500 children, to coming to the aid of the victims of the 2009 Atlanta flood, he has used his influence in social media to make a difference. And lives up to the vision of the church “Love God, Love People, Prove It”

He has a small congregation with a far reach. When the earthquakes hit Haiti he was among one of the first to visit and rally to get doctors and much needed supplies on the ground. He started the non-profit organization A Home in Haiti initially to provide much needed tents for the displaced. Actress Eva Longoria jumped on board and reached out to her friends - soon $1.4 million was raised to provide tents.

The newest endeavor is to provide a physical home for severely disabled children in Haiti by building the Miriam Center. Last month two groups accompanied Shaun to Haiti to break ground for the Miriam Center. Over $30,000 was raised for this effort but it falls short of the approximately $1M needed to finish the project.

To bridge this gap, Shaun utilized innovative thinking and on September 15th Twitchange.com was launched to benefit A Home in Haiti. Touted as the first celebrity charity auction of its kind, over 100 celebrities have signed on to participate. Fans can bid to have their favorite celebrity tweet, re/tweet or mention them on twitter. Most have various packages - some include personal phone calls from the celebrity or dinner with the celebrity. If bidding on a celebrity is not your cup of tea, donations can be given directly to A Home in Haiti. The auction continues until September 25th if you are a fan of Justin Bieber know that the bidding has already surpassed $2000!

Shaun’s merger of social media and good works is not the first of its kind but it certainly is among the most high profile. The organization has been featured on CNN, Ellen, Mashable, and a plethora of other places. In this day and age of so much negativity it is a pleasure to see the implementation of the simple concept - Love God, Love People, Prove It.  And certainly this small congregation with a Courageous leader is proving it daily.

I’ve watched Pastor Shaun and the good works of his church from behind my computer screen but I’ve been impressed by everything that he has done. I’ve finally been compelled to not only attend Courageous Church but to become a member. In typical fashion I’ve joined the tech team where I can merge my love of God and social media.


p.s. Happy Birthday Shaun!

Shrinkvivor!

One of the most important things for me on this journey to healthy living is having a support system. My support system continues to be all of the people that I interact with on the Internet from my friends on The Daily Mile, to YouTube subscribers, facebook and twitter (it goes without saying that all of my blog readers are my support system). 


One of my favorite places for support is the Sister of the Shrinking Jeans. The sisters(and a few brothers) have been with me since the beginning of my journey. Their fearless leader Christy and I met in California last October on the commercial shoot for EA SPORTS Active and after meeting her I joined the sisterhood. We have challenges ever 6 weeks and they keep me on my toes.

The current challenge is Shrinkvivor. We have been divided into teams with the hopes of becoming the ultimate Shrinkvivor. Prizes are on the line and there is even an exile island! I have no illusions of winning this friendly competition but just knowing that I can support my team, challenge myself with the physical and non-physical challenges is enough for me to keep going.

For today’s weigh-in I am coming in at 154.4 pounds. It is that TOM and in this instance it benefits me because at the very least I know I’ll be losing the 2.4 pounds of water weight in the next week or so. I am very excited to see what types of challenges are in store for me and am so comfortable with knowing that although I am basically in the maintenance phase, I still need support and have found it with the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans.


Speaking of support, I also want to note that the Nike Women's Half-Marathon is swiftly approaching. In just 32 short days I will be running 13.1 miles. And honestly, I have to thank the members of the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans for inspiring me to run this race. When I first joined the sisterhood they announced their plan to participate in the San Diego Rock n Roll Half Marathon with Team in Training to benefit the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. I was familiar with TNT - in 2003 I actually signed up to do a triathalon but backed out because the fundraising seemed daunting. The ladies of the Sisterhood not only met their fundraising goal but exceeded it and completed the race!


I figured if they could do it, I could do it - there was a point when I didn't think I could lose 50 pounds but I did that, why not raise $4000 for a cause that is near to my heart. Well, I not only met my $4000 goal but I've surpassed it and after running 12 miles on Saturday I KNOW I will be completing the half-marathon next month. Of course, I am still challenging myself, I want to raise an addition $400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. That is enough to cover the costs of one lab test for a leukemia/lymphoma patient. If you haven't already contributed I ask that you please do today by clicking HERE!

I ran 12 miles!

On Saturday I ran 12 miles. Yup, I sure did - 12 miles! The longest distance I've ever run in my life! I did the group run with other Team in Training runners that are doing the Nike. Since we are all traveling together and are a “team” we group up by running style or times. I joined the 11 minute mile crew. I am sometimes faster, sometimes slower in my runs but this is a good average for me. A group of about 7 of us ran together and I have to admit it was nice having people to talk to. I didn’t listen to my iPod at all during the run. We did 6 minute run, 2 minute walk intervals (mostly) and we stopped at the water stations set up along the way. 


At times I would walk hills and then catch up with the group by running during their walk interval. But the heat kicked in at about mile 9 and I was truly hot and wanting the run to be over at mile 11. With a half-mile to go I stayed back from the group and finished at my own pace coming in with a time of 2 hours and 17 minutes. The weather conditions certainly make a difference! When I ran 10 miles the weather was perfect and I trotted the entire time the combination of hills and heat made my time much slower but honestly, I wasn’t running a race. I just wanted to complete the task at hand and I did. Plus, I haven’t run (or done any exercise) since August 31st(because of pain in my hip)so I’m actually quite proud of myself. 


Before the run I took one of my anti-inflammatories and did not have any pain. When I arrived home and took off my socks I was surprised by the very large blisters on both of my feet. Although I used my bodyglide, I did not wear my usual blister cushions and my feet suffered. Remarkably they didn’t hurt - thanks naproxen but they look pretty bad. 

 

Today the one on my right foot was painful! I have blood blisters on both feet but the right one is under a callous and I guess the extra pressure makes it hurt. Needles to say, I had to drain it by sterilizing a needle and puncturing a small hole in the blister. Of course I cleaned the area with alcohol first and after it drained I covered it with antiseptic and a band-aid (courtesy of Avery from the Social Luxe lounge at BlogHer. They gave away emergency packs that were filled with things that you might need. Love it!)

Needless to say, I’ve realized a couple of things about running. 
 

One - stick with the tried and true.
In the past I’ve run in Saucony. NEVER had a problem with them, no blisters no nothing but comfort. I did purchase a pair earlier this year but unbeknownst to me they were trail shoes and since I mostly run on the road or pavement I started to feel it in my shins so I moved to a road shoe- Nike Air Pegasus.  Nikes are cute, all sorts of colors and things but my feet are blistered and I can’t have that on long runs. Function over form is my motto and I gave Nike a chance but I’m returning to Saucony. 


Two - Running Socks are essential!
I know this from past experience and purchased a new pair of Thorolos. I have a pair from about 9 years ago but figured I needed to have at least two I could rotate. You may be thinking why not fourteen? Um, those suckers are EXPENSIVE! One pair runs between $12-14. But they last forever (I did just say I have a pair from 9 years ago)! However, returning to point one - I have to purchase a particular type - Thorolo crew socks. They have the most padding and although they are not the cutest socks in the world they get the job done. I tried the micro socks and they are not nearly as cushioned as the crews. Today I ordered 6 pair. I had to do it - especially since among my unpacked things from BlogHer10 I found a mystery amount gift certificate worth $10,25 or $50. Lo and behold mine was for $50! so I got 6 pairs for $16.00 (on sale for $66.00) and free shipping! Thanks Zappos (and I think the Social Luxe lounge)!

Finally, I’ve learned that I can do anything that I put my mind to doing. Not on my own but through Christ who strengthens me. When I ran alone on the road Saturday the song “He Wants it All” by Forever Jones was on constant replay in my head. I believe that by taking care of my body - the temple given by God to me, by raising money to find a cure for cancer and by sharing my journey with you I am giving God my all. And this keeps me going.