From marathon training and fundraising to personal growth and fun, this is me going from Good to Great.

Friday, June 29, 2007

Fundraising Update!

I have currently raised $1360. Which is awesome. I'm very excited about how well I've done so far! But... I need to be at $1900 in just a few days when "recommitment" rolls around and at $4000 in a couple months. So I need everyone's help!

Here's what you can do.
1. Send me a check.
2. Visit my fundraising website and donate online.
3. Come to "Red White and Cure" on Tuesday, July 3 at Wil Jenny's. Its going to be a great party for a great cause!
4. Tell your friends and family about my efforts.

As far as the running goes, this seems to be the easy part. I was more worried about the training, but 10 miles was pretty easy and this week we only run 6!

On another note, here's another great opportunity to help someone. Visit http://www.racecharities.org/ and learn about what family friend Jeromy Gensch and his family, especially his sister Glory, are going through. Here's a brief update....

Glory's only medical hope left is admittance to a special holistic healing
center at Santa Monica Cancer hospital. She is back in the Denver
hospital with liver failure and fluid is now even backing up into her
lungs. Her doctors feel that she'll have just enough energy next
week to make it onto a flight and get to the treatment
center. The center uses an "all natural" means of starving all
the glucose cells in the body (which Liver cancer feeds on), which is risky
in nature because it eliminates good cells, but in essence weakens the
cancer to the point where it becomes its most vulnerable after 2
weeks. Then, intensive chemo is re-introduced with a bit of
glucose and has a great chance of weakening the cancer even more at
that point.The cost of the treatment is $25,000 and unfortunately is not covered
by insurance. As such, my family is trying to raise the money as
soon as possible via RACE Charities' new GLORY GENSCH FUND. 100%
donations go directly to Glory's cause and she is in tremendous need of
getting there early next week. I started a foundation for Glory
called RACE Charities. Please visit http://www.racecharities.org/ and click on the 'SOS-Glory Needs Help' Menu to learn more as well as make a donation Online. Please spread the word about this to as many people as you can. Time is of the
essence!Note- In Glory's honor and in thanks of all the donations, I am
going to be running an endurance race of my own from Stillwater, OK to
Wichita Kansas over the next 14 days as I jog 125 miles up Highway
81. July 14th is the one year marker of the day Glory was
diagnosed and this July 14th there will be a couple
hundred runners joining me in the last few-mile leg up Highway 81 to Watson
Park, Wichita. Local media will be covering the event and the city
has already planned on blocking off streets and helping to make this event
memorable. Again, it is all in Glory's honor and to help spread
her story to as many people around the world as possible at the same time
raising the funds to get Glory the treatment she needs so much right
now.

My brother Ryan and I plan on running the last leg of Jeromy's race with him. If you are in Wichita, please come out and show your support!

Thursday, June 21, 2007

The week in review

This week's workouts have been very up and down. Monday, I swam for the first (real) time. I was very impressed at how well I did. 20 down and backs at the pool at Prairie Life. Not sure how much that really is, but I was huffin' and puffin' and my heart was getting a good workout. Running with Katie on Tuesday didn't go quite so well. Our 3 miles could have gone by faster for sure! Then swimming last night was still pretty good, but tougher than the first day. Hopefully tonight's 2 miles will motivate me going in to Saturday's 10 mile run!

Speaking of, I have to run my first double digits without the team. Scary! Luckily Andrea and I (and maybe Pete and Hank) will run together in Wichita before I head out to Vegas for "Laura's Last Stand"! This promises to be a great weekend with some great girls!

Monday, June 18, 2007

What a weekend....

It went by way too fast!

The team ran 8 miles again on Saturday. I'm most proud of Andrea's dog Hank, a little beagle who ran all 8 miles, and still had enough energy to wrestle with my dog afterwards! We worked out more details for Red White and Cure and its going to be great! Spread the word to all your friends. You don't want to miss this great party!

Friday, June 15, 2007

Red White & Cure

Well, I just got back from a wonderful vacation to Disneyland. I never thought vacation could be so exhausting! But chasing around a couple adorable toddlers in the happiest place on earth proved to be just as fun as I imagined.

Now that I'm back and trying to get in the swing of things again, I feel a bit guilty for not getting my training runs in this week. Although I'm sure I logged more miles walking around the park.

Things are off and running for the team's big fundraising event - RED WHITE & CURE. Mark your calendars for Tuesday, July 3, starting at 5 pm at Wil Jennys (next to Nick and Jake's) in Overland Park. Tickets are only $20 if you get them from me beforehand - as opposed to $40 at the door. All proceeds benefit the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society and Team in Training. We'll have some great stuff to raffle and even better stuff to auction off. Including golf lessons from one of the local country club's golf pro's, personal training sessions and a one-month gym membership. Its going to be a lot of fun and all for a great cause! Spread the word to all your friends!

Sunday, June 10, 2007

Hospital Hill photos are up!

Photos from the Hospital Hill run are now online! Visit www.actionsportsimages.com and click on the link for the 2007 Hospital Hill Run. Enter my bib number (5185) to view all the photos of me in the race. There are a few that make me look like a real runner!

Here's one of my favorites. Paul ran the 10k in about 45 minutes and got 72nd place overall. He was pretty excited and has since decided to run the Kansas City Marathon! Go Rizzo!

Monday, June 4, 2007

Celebrity Run In!

Update from Thursday night... Sara and I went to see the John Corbett Band at the Beaumont Club. John Corbett was Aidan in Sex and the City. He was also in Northern Exposure, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, Raising Helen and others. Let's suffice it to say he is better looking in person than on TV and we all know how gorgeous he is on the screen. This photo is from a post concert outing to Kelly's in Westport.


And there are more concerts to come... Sara and I went to Brooks & Dunn/Alan Jackson last night and coming up - Toby Keith, OAR, Kenny Chesney/Sugarland/Pat Green and Dierks Bentley to name a few.

Sunday, June 3, 2007

Sore...

I thought I was fine after the run. Thought I could have even gone further. But last night and today, my legs are tired and sore! Going up the steps to Erin's apartment last night was no easy task. Thank goodness for rest days! But I am getting so excited about the race and the training. I'm surprised to say it, but I'm actually starting to like running and I'm looking forward to the next training run. It's getting so much easier and that makes it more fun. Plus, I'm going to the doctor tomorrow to see what can be done about this exercise induced asthma. Being able to actually breathe when I run will be so great!

Looking forward to tonight's Alan Jackson/Brooks and Dunn concert at Sandstone. Live music is the best!

Saturday, June 2, 2007

Hospital Hill Run

Well, I ran my first 10k this morning. 5:30 am came way too soon, but before I knew it the race was over and now I have my whole day left!

I ran the first half of the race with Nicole Schumacher - whom I've convinced to do Nike with me! Then we split and she took off for the second half. She only ended up beating my by about 1 minute though. We really tryed to finish with a negative split and not get killed on the hills.

I felt good for the most part while I ran. I definitely need to ice my ankles as they gave me a bit of a problem throughout. Once I hit the last water stop, I dumped the cup on my head, trekked up the last (grueling) hill and then kicked it into high gear for the home stretch. I picked a guy up ahead that I wanted to pass and I did in plenty of time! Ended up running about 1:05. Its not going to win me a place, but I am so happy with how I did. I even felt like I could have kept going if I needed to....those days are coming soon though!

Photos from the run to come soon...