18 Mile Run!

Ok, so this was the big one... now it's down hill from here until 26.2 miles on June 6. We will actually decrease our mileage from here until the marathon to ensure our bodies are well-rested for the big run.

The 18 mile run actually seemed easier than the 16 mile run - and it only took me ten minutes longer. I would have actually probably beat my 16 mile time, except the last mile and a half of the 18 mile run was especially difficult. I started getting really nauseated, and had to walk for about 8 minutes. I'm very disappointed I walked at all, but I keep trying to tell myself that 8 minutes out of four hours isn't too bad! I need to figure out why my stomach was hurting, so I can try to eliminate what's the cause. I think I may have had too much gatorade during the run. It's a hard balance, because personally, I would rather drink water the entire time but you have to have some way to restore your electrolytes - especially sodium. I mentioned taking sodium pills to my dad instead of drinking gatorade, but he quickly vetoed that idea.

During the run, we ran all over Austin!! We started at the intramural fields (51st St. and Guadalupe) and ran two miles north, then ran south all the way through campus to Town Lake. We ran about 5 miles on Town Lake all the way to the Longhorn Dam and back. I was at 2nd and Trinity, had run 14 miles and knew I had to make it back to 51st and Guadalupe. It was horrible having to look at the street signs from 2nd to 3rd to 4th all the way to 51st. This was actually just the last four miles, but it seemed so much farther!

Since I had to run the 11 mile from last weekend on Monday, I ran a total of 41 miles in the last 6 days!!!! As I'm writing this I am icing my knees, although they feel much better than they did after the 16 mile. I think my knee problems may be over (knock on wood).

This afternoon, the kids I babysit and I are going to have a lemonade stand to raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society! I am still about $400 away from my goal, so please donate if you haven't already and wish to!!!! There are only three weeks left until the marathon, and technically our fundraising ends next Monday!! So please tell your friends!!!

Hope you're all having a wonderful weekend!!

Lisa

11 Mile Run

I ended up not running at ALL in New Orleans this weekend. I opted to walk around New Orleans and check out the city instead. Also, staying out late and drinking wine doesn't mix well with early morning runs. This was not a great weekend to appear to be slacking on my running, since I was around my aunts, uncles, and cousins who were all very generous to donate to the cause. Needless to say, I was called a slacker several times.

But don't worry guys! I made up my 11 mile run today! It's crazy how an 11 mile run doesn't seem like a big deal now - especially when I have an 18 miler coming up this weekend. This will be the highest mileage we reach before we start running shorter distances to prepare our bodies for race day.

Last week, I broke my iPOD and my sports watch, which are two staples of my exercise regimen, as well as my life. Thankfully, I have borrowed my old iPOD that I had given to my friend, Jackie. She probably won't know that I'm going to have to use it until the race until she reads this. Sorry!!!!! I will begin saving up for a new one... Buying a new watch was absolutely necessary, so I did that this morning before my run.

We only have two weeks until our fundraising closes (though I believe people can still donate after - this is just the deadline of when TNT members will be billed if they didn't raise the minimum donation). I'm going to have another lemonade stand with the kids I babysit this weekend (hoping they don't back out!) Hopefully, I can get about $100 from that. I will be sending out a final email and facebook message soon in efforts to get last minute donators. Thanks again to all those who have donated thus far!

Cheers!

Lisa

16 Mile Run

Hey everyone!!!

Ok, I'm not going to sugar coat this one - the 16 mile run was exponentially harder than any of the others up to date. About 14 miles in, my calves and hip flexors were hurting pretty badly, but I kept running and finished so that is all that counts...even though it took me 3 hours and forty minutes to finish! Please don't do that math to figure out how slow I am. I actually walk faster than I run at this point, which I think is pretty impressive. In my defense, I had a massage two days before the run and my muscles were so tight that I had to stop to stretch several times along the way. Still, that's a long time to be out there running. At least I passed the local Austin celebrity/tranny/mayor candidate Leslie. He/she looked gorgeous in his/her usual skirt and skimpy top.

I can't believe I have to add ten miles to that!!!!!!! I hope adrenaline is on my side the day of the race. This weekend we drop back down to 11 miles, so the run will be easier, but I'll be in New Orleans, so I'll have to figure out some way to run without being killed. I think I'm going to make my brother, David, run with me. Friday is his last day of his first year of law school, so he'll be good and hungover for a Saturday 11-mile jog at 7 in the morning. :)

Fundraising is going well, although I'm still about $400 short of my new goal of $5,000. I had a lemonade stand last week, but it was a bust. You'd think having it in rich neighborhoods in Austin would result in more money, but I used to make way more money in Longview as a kid. We'll have people in $80,000 cars straight up tell us they don't want to give even a dollar (and that's when we were raising money for the Animal Humane Society - who doesn't like animals?!). I'm going to try to find an event in Austin at which to sell water and I'm going to have another lemonade stand with the older kids I babysit (the one I had last week was with the three year-old I babysit, and it was extremely difficult to watch her and try to sell lemonade. She also became bored after about 2 and a half minutes).

Pleaseee tell anyone you know that might want to donate about this cause! Even a couple of dollars helps! The marathon is only a month and three days away (ahh), so my fundraising will soon come to a close. Give anyone you know my website address: http://pages.teamintraining.org/ctx/rnr10/lsawyereb6

Thanks for your support! Peace and love to all,

Lisa