Take it on the Run

Training: Day 6

Saturday was our first tapered group run.  We ran 3 miles and we will continue to alternate long-short-long for the rest of our training period.  It is an odd experience to think to myself, "Only 3 miles."

The short run worked out well for me.  I hadn't run since last Saturday due the pain in my left lower leg (that I am now fairly certain are shin splints).  I think it was a smart move to sit my maintenance runs out.  I checked in with my coach before practice and he said that I should stretch out and give it a try, but not to run if the pain was too bad.  Surprisingly, my leg felt better as the run went on.  I stretched out well after the run and iced it when I got home.  With intermittent icing this weekend, it has remained improved. 

I am going to try to run 3 miles tomorrow morning and perhaps 4.5 on Wednesday in order to prepare for the 6 miles this Saturday. 

I still haven't made any decisions regarding whether or not I should continue with the AIDS Marathon, but I will keep you posted.  I really appreciate the comments and personal emails that I received.

Total run: 3 miles

Feeling Down

I have to be honest.  I am thinking of dropping out of the AIDS Marathon portion of the race and signing up on my own to do the Chicago Half Marathon. 

I barely have a quarter of the $1,500 I need to raise as of today.  I know there are still 5 weeks to go until the July 15th deadline, but I really can't fathom how I will raise an additional $1,100 by then.  I've asked everyone I know that I am able to and I have had some very generous responses.  However, I haven't received the number of responses I was counting on. 

I'm rationalizing by imagining that I am in a unique situation:
1) I'm young and my peers don't have much expendable income, and perhaps more importantly..
2) I work in nonprofit development. 

My coworkers make the same sort of lousy wages that I do (as nonprofit work goes). And to top it off, it is my job to fundraise on behalf of my organization.  It would be tacky and unprofessional of me to approach any of my business contacts for a personal donation knowing that those funds could have possibly been rerouted to the organization.

I'm trying to sell a few things on ebay and etsy, but that won't lead to any major money. Other fundraising efforts that I can think of would only net me a few hundred dollars at the very most.  Personally, I am completely unable to take on any more of a financial burden than I am already dealing with, so making up any significant difference myself is out of the question.

I would be very sad to stop training with the AIDS Marathon group.  While I do know how to train now, I find it daunting to think about doing so completely on my own. It's also daunting to think about running the actual marathon alone, without my pace group and other new AIDS Marathon friends.  But at the end of the day, I don't really think I have too many options.

To make matters worse, my left hip and shin have been hurting since my 5 mile run last Saturday and as a result I have been resisting the urge to train, knowing it will just get worse.  I was hoping the pain would be gone by now, but it doesn't look like it will disappearing as rapidly as I had hoped.  The risk of not even being able to run the marathon makes it all the more difficult to consider my fundraising predicament.

If I were to drop out I would be very embarrassed, especially in light of those who have so generously donated.  While it certainly isn't a negative thing to have raised $400 for people living with HIV and AIDS, it is impossibly to deny that those donations were of a personal nature and that I am in some way letting donors down.

Additionally, if I do drop out, do I keep training until July 15th and run the risk of having more friends and family donate knowing that I may not run with the AIDS Marathon and run the risk of the Chicago Half Marathon filling up, or do I cut my losses and make the decision soon? 

If anyone is actually reading this blog, and especially if you have been in a similar situation, I would be eager to hear your advice.  I'm not feeling too optimisitic at the moment. 

Training Day 4

Due to an event on the south side this weekend, we moved our training to the north side.  We were set to run  4 miles on the new course.  Sherry and I were ahead of everyone, as our pace would dictate, when we noticed that the trial split several times.  There were  no markers, so we decided to follow the trails closest to the lake.  A mile or two later, we found ourselves at a ledge with steps heading into the water.  We turned around to find everyone following us and felt pretty bad.

We decided that we would run back to where we started and then run one additional mile.  I don't think everyone else did.  It ended up being fine, but I wish I knew how far I ran.  It would have been nice if they had marked the trail for us.

It was kind of a tough run. Sherry and I decided that we were running way too fast, over a minute per mile faster than we should have been.  If I can get my watch to work next week, we are going to work on keeping a better eye on our time.

Total run: 4 miles

Training: Day 3

Yesterday was my third Saturday morning run with the AIDS Marathon group.  Sam picked me up.  It sounds like our other driving partner, Bob, is unfortunately out of the marathon due to heel spurs. 

We ran 3 miles-- timed--to determine our pace groups.  The pace groups will practice together at their designated ability level from here on out, and are also expected to run the marathon together.

I ran the 3 miles in 26.54 minutes, which put me in the 10 minute mile pace group (they add about a minute to your time to determine an easy training pace).  Only two people ran the 3 miles faster than me, which was a surprise.  My pace group is made up of myself and another woman.  If I had been 6 seconds slower, I would have wound up in the next (larger) group and a 10 and a half minute mile training pace.  I'm thinking about just switching into this slower group as I'm not sure that I can keep up the current pace with longer distances.  We'll see.

Oh, I was also elected Pace Group Leader because I have a newer watch...

4 miles next week.  Yikes.  We will be starting the interval training next week (I'll be running 6 minutes and walking 1 minute), so that should make everything a bit easier.

Total run: 3 miles

Training: Day 2

This morning Sam picked me up and we went to our second day of training.  Bob didn't join us this week because he has heel spurs.  We ran 2 miles with the group, at a pace that was a little too slow for me.  I barely broke a sweat and never quite warmed up in my new shorts (which feel great). 

I was a little dehydrated, so I was glad to have my hydration belt.  I'm glad that I went with this particular brand and design.  It didn't feel as awkward to run with as I had expected.

When I came home I ran around the block, showered, and went back to bed.  I was so out of it last week, that I think a nap should be part of my routine.  A few hours later, Nick and I went to Argo Georgian Bakery for some delicious khachapuri.

Total run: 2.25 miles

Donation Information

Tomorrow is our first day of training.  I'm excited.  Especially now that I have a ride with another runner.  Leaving at 6:20 a.m.  sounds a lot better than heading to the train at 5:30 a.m.  We will be training near the 31st beach area.  Tomorrow is only a mile run -- so I anticipate being in fine shape.

I know that Nick sent me a donation the other day, and perhaps other people have as well.  I called the AIDS Marathon office this morning to see why it hasn't registered on my fundraising page yet.  They said it can take 3 - 4 business days to process online donations...  That seems kind of crazy to me, but at least I know what to expect now.

So, if anyone donates, make sure you receive a thank you email from the AIDS Marathon acknowledging your donation.  That is your confirmation that the donation went through successfully.  I will be notified of the donation 3 - 4 days later when it appears on my page.

Fundraising!

In order to participate in the half marathon as an AIDS marathon runner, I need to raise $1,500 by July 15. I'm a bit worried about this goal and I would be extremely grateful to anyone who would like to help me reach it. 

To donate, follow this link, or click on the fundraising thermometer on the sidebar.  This will take you to the AIDS marathon website where you can easily donate online.

I Signed Up!

Well, not that I'm surprised, but the presenters convinced me to sign-up through the AIDS Marathon at the meeting tonight.  I am runner number 0440. They suckered me in by telling us that we would receive $20-off the $95 registration fee if we signed-up that night. 

The $1500 that I will need to raise before July 15th is extremely daunting, as are the 7am training runs that begin May 3rd, but overall I am excited about my decision.  I think the fundraising aspect will help to keep me motivated and I will be proud to have raised money for such a great cause.

Total cost: $75

Choosing a Half Marathon

The Chicago Half Marathon is September 14th, 2008.  I am considering two ways to enter.  I could simply sign up for the Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon and their training program or I could sign up through the National AIDS Marathon and raise money for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago. 

Banco Popular Chicago Half Marathon
Entry: $55
Training: $90 (begins June 14th)
Total cost to me: $145
Total fundraising: $0

National AIDS Marathon
Entry: $95
Training: $0 (begins May 3rd)
Total cost to me: $95
Total fundraising: $1,500 (by July 15)

I am attending an informational session on the AIDS Marathon component tomorrow evening.  I would really like to participate through this group.  The training program seems more inclusive and supportive, and I would obviously love to raise money for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.  The only problem is, I don't think I have a large enough pool of people that I feel confident would be able to contribute to my fundraising goal.  Perhaps they will convince me otherwise tomorrow...