Only 3 weeks away!

I've pretty much been the worst blogger ever this season with Team Challenge. I started off okay, and did a good amount of blogging for the team blog, but obviously over the past month have been super slack. I've had a much harder time sticking to my training this season --- while I don't feel awful health-wise, I also don't feel amazing. I work 10-hour days now, and by the time I get home pretty much all I want to do is put on my pajamas and rest. I'm exhausted all the time it seems! And my weekends have been jam-packed since the summer .... which is a good thing but I'm definitely burning the candle at both ends!

In 3 short weeks, I will have finished my THIRD half-marathon! I am so excited for the Las Vegas trip and for another experience with Team Challenge. Our team is great this season, and we have so many really cool people and awesome mentors. I've really enjoyed being able to lead the run/walk group and take a leadership role within the organization. The run/walk folks are really great and it's been fun to get to know them all during our weekly runs! It's amazing how much you can share with people when you're running for a 2+ hour stretch of time! :)

This past weekend, we completed our 11 mile run! I remember this point last season and feeling completely overwhelmed, and I have to say that nothing has changed at all! I was still exhausted running 11 miles, I was still sore and tired afterwards, and I still feel nervous at having to run 13.1 miles in just a few short weeks! It is nice knowing that I have completed the distance 2 times before, and that I have completed this course in Vegas before. I have to keep reminding myself that it is flat in Las Vegas and hopefully the excitement of the day will keep me going!

I'm still busy fundraising, but continue to be humbled by the support of so many friends and family. Our team has raised over $107,000 .... all money that will go towards research in Crohn's and Colitis! I am SO ready for there to be a cure!

Playing catch up!

So, I realize that I've been a bad blogger this season. My mom tells me often that I need to update this thing, and of course I listen to everything she tells me (HA!).

Some pictures from the last few weeks .... some from Team Challenge, some from my life outside of Team Challenge!

This is Angel, our Team Challenge Georgia endurance manager! She is so spirited and fun! We dressed up on Halloween to do our 9-mile run! I was a "black-eyed pea" .... silly, but it was easy to actually run in and people thought I was real witty, hahah!

After our 9-mile run, I got in the car and drove down to Beaufort to Matt's house. He had a Halloween party/chili cookoff with work and it was so fun! His squadron's theme was "The Brig" .... and while I wasn't thrilled with wearing a prisoner costume, it was actually a really fun time! Matt and I didn't actually take any pictures together at the party ... oh well!

We carved pumpkins on Halloween for his front porch. They both came out pretty pitiful .... definitely not our forte. I cut my thumb (on the dull side of a knife, mind you .... that's talent) so Matt had to finish my pumpkin for me. So glad that he gave him ears ..... any good audiologist will put ears on her pumpkin!

The following weekend, I went down to Savannah with Matt for the Marine Corps Birthday Ball. It was a really nice evening, although it was freeeezing cold! Matt wouldn't dance with me at all, which was a crying shame!

I missed my group run that weekend, but we made up for it and ran in Beaufort! This was on Saturday morning on River Street. We walked around and there was a little street fair going on. It was really chilly, but we found a booth with fried snickers bars and it was nothing short of heaven!

That's been the gist of the past few weeks ..... busy busy busy! Vegas is only 3 weeks away and I can't believe it!

What I've been up to ...

So my blogging this season has been slack, but I blame it on the fact that I've been trying to blog for the Team Challenge Blog this season! I haven't quite figured out how to easily write blog posts and post pictures, because every time I do the pictures get in all crazy order (different than how I uploaded them) and it just takes twice as long to try and get everything formatted so it doesn't look ugly. I'm impressed by people who write successful blogs on a regular basis! It's draining!

Anyways, life in Atlanta has been busy lately! I've been trying my best to keep up with my training schedule, but I've just been soooo tired and not feeling 100% lately and have had trouble finding motivation during the weekdays. I hit this slump last season too, and I am still committed as ever to run in Vegas and not huff and puff through the whole race!

Exciting news is that Matt registered to run in Las Vegas with me! He runs fast, but swears that he wants to stay with me even though I run slow and take walk breaks! We're going to go to San Diego for a mini-vacation to see his friend Jared after our time in Las Vegas .... so excited!

Last weekend we ran 7 miles with the group, and then Matt and I went down to Perry, GA for the Georgia National Fair! We ate tons of crap food .... corn dogs, philly cheese steak, funnel cake, fried pickles ... which totally cancelled out any calories we burned by running 7 miles, but it was SO worth it!

This weekend we are running 8 miles, and then we're going to the Auditory Verbal Center gala with my work! It'll be so fun to dress up and eat good food, and all for a good cause!

I am at 27% of my fundraising goals, and I need your help to reach them! Check out my website and help me find a cure for Crohn's and Colitis!http://www.active.com/donate/lv10georgia/CADEL

6 Miles!

This morning we did 6 miles with the team, and I actually felt really good! I did a 2/2 run/walk and kept up really well and kept a 13 minute/mile pace .... ideally I'd like to be closer to 11.5 or 12 minute miles (not fast I know .... but I'm doing it and that's what I care about!), but I really need to step up with training during the week and I know I can get closer to that! I realize that I'll never be super fast, but I'm still proud of myself for doing 6 miles this morning and feeling good!

Today was also the first day in a looooong time that I haven't had to run in my glasses .... SO nice! I am loving this "new eyes" thing without glasses or contacts! YEA!

$1000!

I have officially reached the $1000 mark in my fundraising .... yeah! I am so excited and thankful for such generous friends and family!

Training for me has been slow this season, I hate to admit. There have been so many days where I have come home from work and have been SO beyond exhausted that I just cannot make myself go out and run. I know I just need to suck it up and do it, but for some reason I've just had a hard time doing it. I am soooo good at making excuses, and I really hate that about myself, but at least I can admit it. I've really had to push myself to run outside and not on the treadmill, too. It's been a lot easier to take the comfort of the treadmill knowing that there are bathrooms nearby, but I do feel so much more accomplished when I actually run outside through my neighborhood.

Being a mentor with Team Challenge this season has been really awesome. I have a really wonderful group of mentees who have all really impressed me with their drive and motivation for finding a cure. It's so great to know that they have faith in my abilities as a mentor and come to me with questions, concerns, and praises! Way to go Lindsay, Catie, Amanda, Tiffany, and Ivette! I know you all can do it and I'm so glad to be a part of your Team Challenge experience!

I missed our group run last weekend at Stone Mountain because I was up in Virginia with Matt. Instead of running, I woke up early to tailgate and drink lots and lots for the UVA/VMI football game .... which can't really be considered football .... followed by lots of napping and drinking (and dancing ... HA). This weekend I'm so excited to be back with the group for a 6 mile run at the Chattahoochee River! I love this course (and love even more that Justin Bieber supposedly has a house right around there ... I'm such a good stalker!) and am excited to see my Team Challenge friends again!

My team is awesome!

Team Challenge Georgia has 54 participants this season .... which is SO awesome! Even more awesome is how much money we've raised so far as a team! Are you ready for it ..... remember that we are only in Week FOUR ..... we are working our boo-tays off training and fundraising!

Team Challenge Georgia has officially raised ........

$40,623!!!

That means that we are at 30% of our overall fundraising goal as a team! I am so impressed with my teammates and am proud to be a part of this team!

Just so you know how the money that we raise for the CCFA is spent, here's a little breakdown:

$30 provides a one year membership to the CCFA for a patient in need
$300 supports a Camp Oasis camper in need for one day
$500 covers six months of unlimited online chat support with a Patient Information Specialist
$2,500 sends a child with Crohn's or Colitis to Camp Oasis for one week

It's humbling to know how much we are helping the mission of the CCFA. Your money really does make a difference in the lives of patients!

Check out my fundraising page .... I need your help!
http://www.active.com/donate/lv10georgia/CADEL

Honoring ...

I have two good friends from college with sisters who have been diagnosed with Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis. I'm excited to be running in their honor this season, and will be so happy when there is a CURE for all of us!

Here's to you, Sara and Kristin .... we're running for a cure!

Starting from scratch

I'm a little embarassed to admit that I have been completely slack, lazy, unmotivated, UNINSPIRED to run or exercise over the past few months. After I completed the Las Vegas 1/2 marathon, I was so excited to keep running and train for another race. I took a month off of running, and then signed up for the Country Music 1/2 marathon in Nashville. I really thought I could just keep up with my training and do it on my own ..... wrong answer. The longest run I did before Nashville was 8 miles, and I felt totally unprepared going into that race. I finished the race (and actually 29 minutes faster than I did in Vegas), but did not feel good about my strength or endurance. I again took almost 2 months off of running, because it was starting to get hot and I had lots of things going on --- like graduation! I then ran the Peachtree Road Race 10K on the 4th of July after 2 weeks of training by myself .... once again, big mistake! And I decided that if I was truly going to run in Las Vegas again this year, I obviously NEEDED to do it with a group. I have proven to myself that when left on my own, I lack the inspiration and motivation to properly train and keep up with running.


Sooo .... here I am starting my second season with Team Challenge! I will be honest and say that I haven't run since about mid-July. I can feel it in the way my body feels, how my clothes fit, and the lack of energy I have. Our training officially starts this week, and I feel like I did exactly one year ago .... like I am starting completely from scratch! I'm a little nervous about getting back into shape, but with the support of my coaches and teammates (and the knowledge that I CAN successfully run 13.1 miles with proper training), I am excited about this season of Team Challenge and about starting my training again .... even if it is from scratch!

Round Two ...

I'm baaaaaack! I am officially signed up for another season with Team Challenge, but this time as a mentor! I will still be training and fundraising, but I will also be guiding other participants towards meeting their goals! I am so excited to be in this position and to help other people share in what I have known for the past year .... and that is that Team Challenge is amazing and so fun!

Stay tuned for another season with new friends, new goals, and a few more steps towards finding a cure for Crohn's and Colitis!

The most important part

I finally uploaded the rest of my Vegas pictures ... including the most important part of the weekend .... my decorated singlet! I got so many compliments on the course about my cute singlet, which is more than I can say about the compliments about my running :) haha

Notice the rhinestone guitar ... courtesy of Amanda! Loved it ... so cute and perfect for a rock 'n roll marathon!

There wasn't as much room for fun on the back, but I was a fan of having my name because people cheered me on by name the whole race. And the sticker at the bottom was a big hit ... and not even necessary because I felt great at the end of 13.1!

We used lots of glitter glue all over our race numbers, but unfortunately you couldn't really see it unless you were up close. For my next race, I'll have to find another way to decorate my number! haha ... I know, I'm so lame.