The Corgis

   Yesterday, I posted a photo of my two Corgis asking for donations to my TNT campaign:

Because who can resist a corgi?

   Sure - they look all cute and what not in this photo, but for most of the shoot - Toby (the Cardi on the left) looked like this:

So pathetic. He wants a belly rub.

And Henry (the Pem on the right) looked like this:

What's up with the sign, Dad? I can't read!!

We finally got them to sit...though not together.  And Henry kept trying to run away, stepping on his sign every time.

Toby isn't too sure about this...

When we finally got them together - Toby was the ideal model.  Henry...well - not so much.

Henry - look up!

No - look over here!!  

And then this happened.

Of course - I finally get "the shot" and the signs are blurry.

Sigh...

How I do love those dogs though.  :-)  And they still want you to donate to my TNT campaign.  $10 is all they are asking for!  Won't you donate $10 to help fight blood cancer?  Don't make the Corgis sad - donate today!!  THANK YOU! http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls

Week 6 TNT and Conquering the 11.2!

   It's been a crazy week - nothing too bad...just a lot of work. But cancer doesn't rest, so neither do we. The TNT group met up at Lipscomb University early Saturday morning for our weekly run. The Mission Moment was given by Meg, whose mother is fighting non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. I can't imagine having to face a situation where a close family member is fighting cancer - especially my mother. Some friends know that my mother is currently fighting a blood disease that is related to leukemia. It's non-cancerous (Thank God), and she's able to be treated with medication. But listening to Meg made me think of my own mom. It really hit close to home.
   Now, on to fundraising. I had a winner for my J. Alexander's gift certificate - my friend Donnie, who I work with at the Titans. Congrats, Donnie!! And my new total is...$3,410 or 68%!!  WOO HOO!

Getting closer and closer...

   Again, I'm continually impressed with the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. They do everything they can to set the members of TNT up for success. After the run, there was a fundraising clinic and a nutrition clinic. They even had people there to help set up our websites. If you've never done it, fundraising is seriously intimidating. But TNT pretty much holds your hand the entire time so you never feel like you're out there alone. Plus, the other team members are very supportive and more than willing to help you out if needed. It's just a group of fantastic people, I tell ya!
   In non-TNT news, I tackled the 11.2 loop out at Percy Warner Park yesterday with Sarah and Sara from EN. Though I've ridden it before, it was the first time I've ever run it. Wow. It's pretty brutal. Over 1,500 feet of elevation gain and loss, with grades to 10-12%. It's extremely scenic and has actually been featured in Runner's World. But as I said - it's tough. Especially if you've been running on flat routes over the past few months, which we have. Knowing that, we took it very easy. No need to get injured, right?  I'm happy to say that at no time did any of us complain. In fact, we were all still smiling at the end of the run, which doesn't always happen on shorter, flatter runs. I think we were all so happy with finishing the famed 11.2 that we didn't care if we were in pain! It's kind of a badge of honor to run the 11.2 and I'm proud to say that I did it. Probably won't do it again for a while - but I'm glad I did it!
  The next two weeks, I won't be running as much because I'm tapering for the NOLA half marathon. I'm not so sure about the 2:00 goal now. Work has really interfered with my training. But it'll be a good time for sure! I'm really looking forward to it!
Click here to help my fight against blood cancers! http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls

TNT Week 5 Update! 63%!!

   I know it's Monday and I'm a little late posting this update. But hey - the Super Bowl was on last night. I love y'all, but I'm not going to pass up the last football game of the season to blog! Though it was a great game - as someone who works in game-day sports production, I had empathetic anxiety for the crew trying to get the lights back on the stadium last night. WOW. I just knew how many people were FREAKING OUT over that situation. Makes my hands sweat just thinking about it. I would NOT have wanted to be in that control room last night. Anyway, back to the blog...  
   As I mentioned in my last post, the weather has been CRAZY here in Nashville recently. And Saturday was no exception. I had planned on meeting with the TNT crew at 7:00 am as usual, but not to run. I needed 11 miles, and the TNT crew was only running 5-6. Since I wanted my miles in one continuous chunk, I was going to meet with TNT, stay for the meeting and Mission Moment, and then head down to LP Field to meet FTP for their long run. Great plan, huh? Yeah, none of it happened.
   Oh - I got up at 5:30 on Saturday morning to head down to meet TNT. Around 6:30, I checked the weather and though it said "snow / sleet starting at 6am," nothing was happening yet. Plus, we've now had at least three false weather panics over the past week or two in Nashville, so I figured it'd be OK to head out. So at 6:50, I head on out to Fleet Feet, which is where TNT was meeting. Sure, it had started to snow a little, but the radar had the clouds moving on by this time. It wouldn't stick, right?
   Wrong. I didn't make it 5 minutes from the house before I realized I needed to turn my butt around and get back to the house ASAP. Two reasons - 1) the snow was sticking to the roads and my car has rear wheel drive. It is HORRIBLE in snow. Even a quarter of an inch is enough for me to get stuck (it's happened). And 2) the sidewalks were getting covered and I really don't need to fall and twist my ankle this close to the NOLA half-marathon. Considering I've fallen over nothing in the past, I didn't want to take any chances. So I went home. And pretty much just in time, because this was a freakin' blizzard for Nashville. I'd say that by 7:15, I wouldn't have been able to make it up the hill in my neighborhood.
   So I missed everything TNT on Saturday. No catching up on everyone's fundraising. No inspirational Mission Moment. There were a few brave souls who did make it out to the TNT and FTP runs and actually got some milage in during the storm. I, on the other hand, was back in the house, sitting on the sofa with my pups debating if I should try to go back to sleep or not (I did).
   But before you all start thinking I've turned into a big slacker, I DID get my 11 miles in yesterday with the fabulous ladies from East Nasty. Don't know what I'd do without those girls, I tell ya.
   Now - for the big reveal. I'm currently up to...63% of my goal or $3,145!! Booyah! I think last week was the best for me fundraising-wise since the campaign started. SO HAPPY! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU!

More purple than green now!! 

      Unfortunately, I lost my place as Tennessee's #1 fundraiser. Well, for now. ;-) But losing my ranking is actually great news, because that means more money raised for research and to help families fighting blood cancers!
   And a quick update on my giveaway. I had the drawing for the J. Alexander's gift certificate this morning, and my friend Dana (who is running the Nike Half Marathon with me) won. Since she doesn't live in an area with a J. Alexander's, she gave it back and told me to use it in another drawing. So I am! It will be Wednesday morning. Anyone who donates between now and then has a chance to win! THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls

My Support Team

   I receive a lot of comments from people about how disciplined and dedicated I am to running and athletics. And I am...to an extent. Yes, I've run a few 10-12 mile solo runs before. Yes, I'm the one getting out of bed at crazy hours to go run in 20-degree weather or ride in 95-degrees. However, about 85% of the time, I'm getting up at crazy hours to go meet the FTP crew, a group of East Nasties or, more recently, the Team from the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. Sometimes I'm lucky enough to run with Dudley, though not as much as I'd like (awwww...). It just makes it SO much easier to have at least one other person out there - especially when the weather is bad.
   Which brings me to last night. We've had a lot of crazy weather in Nashville recently. Freezing temperatures one day, 73-degrees the next, and then a round of tornadoes just for the heck of it.

Seriously...this is how it's been.  

 
   So last night was the regular EN night. The temperature wasn't bad for running - in the low 40's, but it was WINDY. Rumor had it there were wind-gusts of 63mph, which I technically think would have blown me over so I'm not sure if that's true. However, it sounds bad-ass, so I'm going with it. The route was hilly, it was supposed to rain AND we had to run over this...

The infamous Shelby Street Pedestrian Bridge

I have to say I wasn't all that excited to run under those conditions - especially the bridge part. I kind of pictured a "Wizard of Oz" sort of scene where a gust of wind just picks me up and blows me over the edge of the bridge into the Cumberland River. And if I had been by myself, I probably wouldn't have gone. But the East Nasties were not deterred. (For the record, they have NEVER missed a Wednesday night run since their inception in 2006. Rain, sleet, tornadoes, ice - whatever. They're running in it.)

   So off we went. And the run was a crazy as I thought it would be, especially the bridge. I got hit with a pretty good gust of wind close to the top that almost took me off my feet. However, the wind was my friend on the way back as we had a tailwind. It was like someone was pushing me up the hills. Nice!

   Unfortunately, the route was only about 4 miles, and I, along with Alicia, Bernadette and Sara, needed 5 miles. This is where the true support comes in. Even though everyone else stopped running, what did we do? That's right - we kept going. In the cold, dark and crazy wind. And, of course, it had started raining by this time. The last half-mile was uphill and against the wind. The rain almost felt like little needles against my skin. It would have been SO EASY to just say "screw this." But I couldn't. Not with those three with me. End result? 5.01 miles in 48:50.

    The players might change from workout to workout, but the fact remains the same. I would not be doing what I'm doing without my "team." So to my husband, the group at FTP and to my East Nasty family. Thank you. And if you don't have a team. Call me. I'd love to run with you sometime.

   Only a few more days until I give away the Dinner for Two at J. Alexander's!! Click here to help my fight against blood cancers! http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls

TNT Week 4 Update!

   It's hard to believe I've been a part of TNT for a month now. WHERE did January go? Seriously. (Insert a moment of panic as I just realized that the NOLA Half Marathon is less than a month away. Yikes!)
   Anyway, back on to the point of THIS post - the TNT update. The Team met at Stones River Greenway in Donelson at 6:45 am on Saturday. Yes, VERY early on another cold morning. There were many of us there, but most decided to stay in our cars until the very last minute. It was only when Coach Carey appeared that we finally extricated ourselves from our warm cocoons and gathered at the trailhead to check-in. I don't think I've mentioned the check-in before. It's just a sheet with all of our names on it. We're supposed to check-in and out. I'm good with the checking-in...it's the checking-out that I seem to forget. I really need to remember that. I certainly don't want any search parties going out for me!
   Right before we started, Sammi (from LLS) stepped forward and told us about her race last weekend. It was a 100-mile ultra, y'all. Yes, you heard right - 100 MILES. And I think signing up for a marathon would be crazy - here she is running 100 miles. Ugh. She's a rock star.
   Sammi also gave the Mission Moment for the week. She told the story of her grandmother, who was Sammi's best friend, and her battle with lymphoma. While Sammi was talking, she passed around a photo of her grandmother, which is something that she carries at every race. I don't think there was a dry eye in the group. Sammi told about the monetary worries her grandmother had while battling the disease, which eventually took her life. I knew that LLS did many things, but I thought it was more on the research end, but I didn't think about them helping patients with insurance and other monetary concerns. But they do! And my fundraising helps that. Very cool.
   After the Mission Moment, we got started with the run. The route was a simple out and back. Remember how I mentioned Nashville has so many awesome places to run? Well, this is another one and I don't run it near enough. It's part of the Nashville Greenways system, and runs along, you guessed it, the Stones River. What's great about this particular greenway is how long it is. If you turn left, you'll eventually meet up with the Shelby Park Greenway, which is where I frequently run with the East Nasties. And if you turn right, you run to the Percy Priest Dam, which is a Nashville landmark.

Parthenons, dams... what else do you need in a city?

   

   We went right. I had only been out this way on my bike, never as a runner. It's much hillier as a runner. There are also a lot of bridges on this greenway and we had to watch for ice. Fortunately, it wasn't too bad and we all got back in one piece. I did kind of wuss out on the way back going up the biggest hill on the greenway. I got about 1/2 way and just said "forget this" and started walking. My excuse was that I still had to run AFTER this run because I needed extra mileage for my NOLA race. But I was really just lazy. It happens sometimes. 

   And now the big news. Last week I said I wanted to break $2,000. Well - I did. And more. I'm now at $2,320! AMAZING! Seriously. I'm blown away. I'm also currently the #1 fundraiser for Tennessee Team in Training. So now I have THAT to defend. No pressure. Because if you know me at all, you'll know I'm not competitive. At all.  ;-) So here is the new Runner Girl Chart! Dun dun DUN! (That was supposed to be dramatic music, but it doesn't really come off like that in blogland, does it?)

Almost halfway!  WOO HOO!

      Remember - I'm still giving away the J. Alexander's Dinner for Two on February 4th. One more week to go! The more you donate, the more chances you have to win! Thank you everyone for your help! Click here to donate!  http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls

City Running

   Tonight I met up with my FTP group for a run. One thing that's great about Nashville is that there are so many really cool places to run. We have parks, greenways, neighborhoods and city sidewalks. We have hills, flats and in-between. Want to run along the river? You can do that. Want to run part of the one of the hardest marathon courses in the US? You can do that, too.
   So tonight we met up at Centennial Park, which is in central Nashville for those of you who don't live here. One random thing about Nashville is that we have full-size replica of the Parthenon at Centennial Park.

Because nothing says Nashville like the Parthenon.

  

   Anyway, from Centennial Park, we headed out for the "Vandy route." This route heads up West End Avenue and around the Vanderbilt University campus. It's a loop that, other than the brief time in the park, is completely on busy city streets. This particular route is different than most other routes I do because it passes through two of the most traveled streets in Nashville - West End Avenue and 21st Avenue. So you're dodging pedestrians, waiting at stoplights and other things we normally don't do on our runs. But one thing I noticed tonight was all of the different scents of Nashville. Strange, I know, but you have to think about something when you're running, right?

   The first thing you smell when you leave the park is J. Alexander's, which just happens to be my favorite restaurant. Smells SOOOO good. Of course, it made us want to stop in and eat a boatload of french fries, which could defeat the point of the run. So we just kept going. You actually pass a lot of restaurants on this route  - Stoney River, Ruth's Chris Steak House, PF Chang's, Mellow Mushroom... it's definitely not a route to run if you're hungry. The scents just follow you throughout the run. The worst part is that you pass Krispy Kreme right towards the end of the run. That's just torture.

Ummm...Krispy Kreme...You know you want one! 

   Of course, you also get the scents of truck exhaust and random cigarettes when running in the city. Those kind of make me sick - especially when running. But fortunately, before too long, you come across another restaurant scent and you're good to go again.  :-)

   GREAT news on the TNT front - I hit $2,000!  THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! Only $3,000 to go!! Click here to help!  http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls

   

   

   

      

   

TNT Update!

   Unfortunately, I couldn't make it out to the TNT training run this Saturday AM, so I don't have a recap this week. BUT - I do have a fun incentive program going right now for people who donate to my campaign.
   For every $5 someone donates, they will be entered into a drawing for a Dinner for Two at J. Alexander's! For those of you who aren't familiar with J. Alexander's, they are an awesome collection of restaurants with amazing food. And yes, those who have already donated will be included in the drawing. The winner of the gift certificate will be announced on February 4th.
  And here is the new updated Runner Girl chart!

That's 174 little runner girls!  

   My new total for fundraising is $1,745! WOO HOO! Still a way off from $5,000, but I'm getting there. I would LOVE to hit $2,000 this week, so tell your friends, neighbors and family members - if you donate, you might win a FABULOUS dinner!
   Thanks to all of you who are helping my fight against cancer! Click here to learn more!
http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/nikewhlf13/kmylls