Setbacks and Lessons Learned

Hi all!

I haven't written in a couple of weeks, because... I haven't been running! Now, this may seem strange for someone training for a marathon to not run for two weeks. Well, two Sundays ago I developed a pain in my left knee that became worse as the night went on. After talking with a trainer at the gym (and a couple of doctors), I found out I had tendonitis in my left knee. Tendonitis is an overuse injury, so the way to get better is to underuse your knee. This was not good news to hear!

That first week, I still did my usual 6 day workout week, but I swam, strength trained, aqua ran, etc. On the following Monday, thinking I was healed, I jumped on the elliptical for an hour and 45 minutes and had a 50 minute session with my trainer and felt GREAT... until the next morning, when I again had shooting pains in my knee. So that meant another week off, during which I did NOTHING!!!!!

The good news is that I worked out tonight and ran a little and so far, so good. It is a very scary thing to not run for two weeks when you have committed to run 26.2 miles in less than 2 months, but that was the only way to get better. My step sister, Jennifer, told me about one of her friends who kept training (with the help of steroid shots in the knee) and ending up with a tear and unable to run for months and months. Two weeks off sounds a lot better than that.

Not being able to run really put a damper on my mood - especially regarding health, working out, fitness, etc. - but I am fully confident I will be able to get back on track with training. After all, I'm 23 and in good health, what do I have to complain about? I think that's the mindset that is important to have through-out this process and this race.

Every time I feel tired, lazy, a general hatred toward running, I remember that I should be THANKFUL that I can get out and run until my knees feel like they're falling off. That's what this is all about - helping others who can't be out there running today get better so that next time around they can be running with me. Having tendonitis in one of your knees doesn't even compare to the emotional, physical, and mental stress of battling cancer. And if the people I have heard about and learned about in the past two months battling Leukemia and other blood cancers (and their families) can be that brave, strong, and resilient, then I can run a lousy 26.2 miles.

With this new determination and mindset, I have raised my fundraising goal from $3,500 to $5,000. I had a very successful car wash - with the help of 9 of my wonderful friends - during which we raised $550 for the cause. My sister Abby, who has the biggest heart I have ever come across, set up a garage sale using donated items and raised $440 for the cause.

Let's keep doing it!! Tell your friends, family, coworkers. This is such a great organization and a great cause. It is becoming increasingly apparent to the general public with the health care debate in main focus that healthcare is largely unaffordable, especially when battling something as serious as cancer. It is important that we do what we can to help these people, because it could be us tomorrow. I didn't EARN my health, it was given to me, and I am so thankful for that, among many other things in my life, that I find it incredibly important to give back.. so I'm going to keep on running with my head held high and just ice my knees for hours and hours a week! :)

Thank you for your continued support,

Lisa