Progress - Look How Far You've Come

It's easy for me to get caught up in my next goal and forget how far I've come. This can be true for lots of areas in my life, but most of all it can be applied to my running life.  It's also easy for me to be disappointed in myself when I'm not where I want to be in relation to my goals.  It's harder for me to take a step back and appreciate the progress I've made.  But when I do, it's truly motivating. 

I began running 2 years ago this month with Fleet Feet's No Boundaries program.  On our first group run, we ran 1 minute and walked 2 minutes.  We did this for 30 minutes.  I was sure I would die from the effort.  We did this to train for my first 5k.  A 5k is 3.1 miles.  On the first night of training, I remember feeling like a 5k might as well be to the moon because it seemed just as impossible.

Today, I am training for my first full marathon. I've completed 10 half marathons.  I've ran in all sorts of other races from the Ragnar Relay to several local 5ks.  I've also always run intervals.  Every race I've ever run was as an interval runner. I'm training to run my first race (Franklin Classic 10k) without intervals.  On Monday night at Tin Roof 2, Gail and I ran 6 miles without intervals. 

It was an amazing feeling to complete that run.  There have been many days when I was absolutely sure I could never give up my intervals.  There also days I was sure I could never run more than 5 miles or 13.1 miles.  On Saturday, I will run my first ever 16 miler! 

I'm a slow runner - back of the packer.  I've consistently run my miles in the 12:30 time range.  Recently, I've been able to run in the 11s!  But it's easy for me to forget that I started at 14 minute mile. 

I have so many more goals as a runner.  I want to be faster.  I want to run a half in each state.  I want to run a half without intervals. I could go on and on.  But right now I think it's important that I pause and look back and appreciate the progress I've made.  When I think about the progress I've made, I'm excited.  I feel strong and capable.  If you find yourself struggling, take a step back and appreciate the journey that's brought you here.  It's helped me.

Mark and I will be running our first marathon this October in Dublin with Team in Training.  We have to raise $10,000 in order to participate.  All the money we raise benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which is a charity we've actively supported and volunteered with the last few years.  Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer.  Please help us find a cure.  Visit our website to make a donation and for more information.  http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/dublin11/emilymark 

Guest Post from my Sister - My Sister the Runner

*Unsolicited writing from my sister...you can see how lucky I am to have a fabulous sister!



Sisters are the best!



If you know Emily and myself you know we are pretty opposite.

Since she found her love for running I’ve had a lot of people ask me if I’m now running too. Well I’d hate to break the opposite trend we have going so no I’m not a runner. I have to say that Emily has found a focus and a discipline with her running that I can’t help but admire.

Admiration is a feeling I’ve know all my life growing up with a older sister like Emily.

No matter where life takes her, no matter what her busy schedule demands of her she has always kept one eye on me. She has always looked out for me and guided me through many of life’s troubles.

Two years ago when Emily was campaigning for Women of the Year I quickly realized it was not for the title or any perks that came with it. She was spending hours of her time planning events, networking and seeking donations for a much greater cause. When you see a sick child there is no reasoning that can make it make sense. And for Emily there was nothing that would stop her form helping in any way she could. Her continued support of the cause shows how deeply it touched her.

My fiancé often tells me I have a “bleeding heart.” I so quickly feel the pain and suffering of anyone around me and want to do whatever I can to help them. Well here is one characteristic where Emily and I couldn’t be more alike. I got my compassion from her and her “bleeding heart” is calling her to help children with leukemia and lymphoma.

I am happy to support Emily and Mark while they raise money for such an amazing selfless cause. We all have healthy children in our lives; let’s reach out our “bleeding hearts” to those that aren’t as healthy.
 
Please use this secure link to make a donation http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/dublin11/emilymark 
 

Longest and Hardest Run Ever and Why It Matters

Mark and I were planning on running 14 miles today.  We were going to run at River Park where Team in Training was meeting, but our plan was to start at 5:30, an hour before the rest of the group, to avoid the heat and because we were going a little farther. Seems like a great plan, right?  Well nothing went according to plan.

Instead of getting up at 4:30, we turned the alarm off and slept until 5:30.  My stomach very much did not want to participate in the run.  After 2 bathroom stops, we finally made it in time to start after the group.  But it was overcast and not yet ridiculously hot, so there was hope. 

When we got to 2.5 miles we saw lightning and took cover just before the storm hit.  On the radar it looked like it was going to quickly pass, but then it appeared to move right on top of us for a long time.  We waited about 30 minutes and after the most severe weather was gone we took off.  Which, of course, was hard after not moving for so long.  It rained on us for the next 8 or so miles. 

I'm so familiar with routes at River Park that I didn't do much to prepare for this run.  Big mistake.  When we got to Ravenwood, we'd only been 4 miles.  So we went down Raintree and then back and then through Oakhall.  Then we came to Crockett Park. 

At mile 8.5, I realize we are only 1.5ish miles from our car.  What to do?  We both really wanted to get 14 in (ok maybe me a little more than Mark), but our car was so close.  And our conditions had been so bad for most of the run.  My shoes felt like they weighed 10 lbs each.  It seemed so easy to just go back then, but we decided we were committed to 14 so we, somewhat hesitantly, turned around and ran the opposite direction of our car.  

This was a big moment for me - it was a mental win.  It was a moment where I recommitted myself to the full the marathon in Dublin, to fundraising $10,000, to training on a set schedule no matter what, to eating properly to fuel my run and to my goals.  It's also the moment that reminded me why I signed up for this to begin with.  Because I have a choice to run, and people cancer have no choice.  They don't choose to be sick.  I choose to help them.

making silly faces with Tanner

For the next several miles I thought about sweet Tanner Page.  And how I would gladly run this far everyday if it meant she didn't have to have treatments for over 2 years and that she could just be a sweet, spunky little kid.  I also thought about my friend Jennifer Dunn who lost her son Chase to blood cancer.  I can't even imagine what she's been through.  When I wanted to quit today, thinking of Tanner and Chase and their families kept me going. 

When we got back to Ravenwood, we should only have had 4 miles to go.  However, with the detours we had taken it was really 5 miles.  At this point, my ipod was doing crazy things.  It had a mind all its own.  I couldn't turn the volume up or down or change songs.  This isn't tragic, but somehow it kept playing Christmas songs, which got really old when the sun came back out and it felt like it was a million degrees out.

The last few miles were by far my fastest - yes I'm surprised too.  I ran ahead of Mark with only about 4 miles to go.  Which was probably a smart thing to do, especially because I'm sure he wanted to kill me when he realized we were going to run 15 miles instead of 14. 

Since it's been a few hours since we finished, I can say it was a really good run.  It was hard, but empowering.

Our full marathon is just 3 months (holy crap) from tomorrow!  Our running only makes a difference if we also fundraise.  Please consider making a donation.  Visit our website at http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/dublin11/emilymark.  Thank you so much for cheering us on and supporting us!

Letting Go of the Security Blanket

It's been almost 2 years since I started this running journey.  I began with Fleet Feet's No Boundaries Couch to 5k program.  Training ended with us being able to run 4 minutes/ walk 1 minute.  I was an interval runner, which was just fine with me.  I loved my walk breaks. 

However, there was a tiny part of me that wanted to run without intervals.  Now to be clear, when my legs and lungs were burning and my watch beeped signaling a walk break, that tiny part of me was quick to shut up.  But there's still been this desire to move beyond intervals.

A while back I learned Fleet Feet would soon begin a 10k training with a goal of running it without walk breaks.  This is very exciting because, I know myself well enough to know my chances of success are greater in a group.  I also knew a few my friends would be doing the training too.  It's much easier to stop and walk when I'm alone than it is when I'm in a group.

A few weeks ago on one of our Monday night runs, we decided to try it without intervals.  I ran 2 straight miles.  The most I'd ever run without a walk break.  Then on July 4th, I ran the firecracker 5k with someone who was finishing the no boundaries 5k training and wanted to run the whole thing.  It was my first 5k without intervals, though I did stop and walk a few times.  And in the interest of full disclosure, I had to let the person I was running with go ahead of me during the race.  She was so fast; I couldn't keep up!  But it was a giant step for me to run the race without the comfort of intervals.

Last Thursday at our group 10k training, I ran 3.5 miles without walking at all!  Drew Jones is leading the 10k training.  Before we started the run he said, it doesn't matter how slow we go just don't walk.  So I played that over and over in my head when I wanted to walk and kept pushing.  And amazingly, I was able to finish with a much faster time than my normal 3.5 miles.

I'm excited to be a part of this training and to be challenging myself.  I've known for a long time that I was physically able to run without intervals...but it's been a matter of convincing my mind.  I know it's going to get harder as we increase the mileage, but it will be worth it!  I'm planning on running my shorter weekly runs without intervals and keeping my intervals for our long runs and for the marathon.  My goal is to start the half marathon training next January in a non-interval group! 

* Mark and I will be running our first marathon this October in Dublin with Team in Training.  We have to raise $10,000 in order to participate.  All the money we raise benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which is a charity we've actively supported and volunteered with the last few years.  Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer.  Please help us find a cure.  Visit our website to make a donation and for more information.  http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/dublin11/emilymark 

Happy Birthday Mark!

The couple who runs together stays together, right? Well, Mark and I certainly hope so! Today is Mark’s birthday. I would tell you how old he is, but I’m pretty sure he would be unhappy with me sharing that fact. He made me promise and swear I wouldn’t buy him anything for his birthday, which I’m unhappily complying with. Of course, I don’t count the cards (one from me and one from the boys) as buying a gift.



Mark's first 5k



Since I can’t buy him anything for his birthday, this is his gift. A whole blog post about him. I’m sure most of you are thinking you would rather have a gift card on your birthday. But, hopefully, Mark will appreciate this. And since this is primarily a running blog. I will talk about Mark Sharp, the runner.



Often people ask us who was the runner in the relationship first. The next most popular question is if we have always been runners. The answer to the first question is me. The answer to the second one is absolutely not. Sometimes people then ask if I “make” Mark run. This is always comical to me. In a great relationship it’s strongly discouraged to “make” your partner do something. I never tried to talk him into or bully him into running. I just shared how much I loved it, and he could see all the positive changes it had made in my life.



The truth is I fell head over heels in love with running (ok, I fell in love with the feeling of accomplishment I get from running, not so much the act itself), and it was contagious. At first, Mark was my cheerleader. He came to every race and found places to spot me multiple times during each race. It was a huge help to me mentally and emotionally. And then one day he got the itch to run.

But starting a running plan wasn’t as easy for Mark as it had been for me. Just as I started running, Mark got sick. It took us a long time to figure out what was wrong. In the end, he was diagnosed with heart failure. Trust me when I say this is never something you want to hear about the person you love. It was a very scary time. Also, this is a very condensed version of the story. Ask him to tell you the whole story sometime, it’s amazing!

Mark's first half marathon



After getting his condition stable and talking to his heart doctor, he decided he would join Fleet Feet’s No Boundaries Couch to 5k Training (the same place I started). He often says running saved his life. Which is at least partially true. His heart condition has improved tremendously. I’m so proud of him. Most people would have used a heart condition as an excuse not to run. Instead, he used it as motivation to become healthier.

Sidenote: It's been almost exactly one year since Mark's first race.  The Firecracker 5k last year was his first.  Happy running anniversary! 



In the last year, Mark has completed 5 half marathons and several 5ks. And he's inspired tons of other people to reach their running potential. He’s mentored brand new couch to 5k runners and half marathoners. Additionally, we recently started training for our first full marathon with Team in Training. It will be October 31 in Dublin, Ireland. One of the many things I love about Mark, is his loving, giving and generous heart. When we first started talking about doing this full marathon as a fundraiser, he quickly agreed to do it too. He was anxious to use this race as a platform to help cure blood cancer and to make a difference.

Please consider making a contribution to our fundraising efforts. It would be a great birthday present for Mark! We have to raise a total of $10,000 so far we have raised just over $1,000.  Click here to go to our fundraising page.

My favorite picture of us
when we got engaged after
the Mardi Gras Half

Happy Birthday Mark! I love you.  I'm so proud of you. And I’m glad I get to spend the rest of my life with you!

I Hate Cancer

When we are little, we are taught not to use the word hate.  It's something I teach our boys.  Hate is word I don't use lightly.  Mostly, I'm a lover, not a hater.  But, I can't bring myself to use any other word in conjunction with cancer.  I don't dislike it or feel lukewarm about it. I simply hate it.

With that said, a lot of good and a lot of love come as a result of cancer, and for that, I'm thankful.  I think you see the best in people during hard and trying times.  However, if cancer ceased to exist, I'd be more than ok with it.

I can't list all the people I know who have battled cancer.  It would take too long, and you'd probably stop reading.  My heart is so full of love and prayer, for my friend, Sherry Ellis, who was just diagnosed with colon cancer a few days ago.  She's handling it with a positive attitude and peacefulness that can only come through God.  I'm in awe of her and proud to be her friend.

Everytime I hear of a friend having cancer or meet someone like Tanner Page and her mom Beth, I have the same feeling.  The feeling is hard to describe...but it's a desperate, helpless feeling.  I like to fix things and make them better.  But cancer is something, I can't easily fix.  I know I can pray and I do.  But I NEED something to physically do. 

So, I run.  It seems simple.  Running.  How does it help?  Beyond all the personal benefits, it gives me a platform to fundraise and create awareness.  As I'm sure you all already know, Mark and I are training for our first full marathon with Team in Training.  I'm immensely excited about the marathon and the trip.  But I'm even more excited to know what I'm doing is making a difference and changing lives.  Team in Training benefits the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society, which specifically provides funds for research and patient support to blood cancer patients.  But often the research reaches to other forms of cancer. 

If you are interested in supporting our efforts our website is http://pages.teamintraining.org/tn/dublin11/emilymark.

A Reason to Run

Here we are making silly faces with Tanner

Five months from today, Mark and I will be running our first marathon in Dublin.  We are training for this race as a part of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team in Training.  We have to raise $10,000 in order to participate.  At this point, I'm not sure which is scarier, running 26.2 miles or raising $10,000.  Of course as I say this, I immediately think however hard this is, it's nothing compared to having a child with Leukemia. 

Our inspiration for this race is a sassy, seven year old girl named Tanner Page.  Tanner was diagnosed with Leukemia (ALL) in June 2009.  She has a very good prognosis and is responding to treatment well.  She will finish her treatment this year (girls with Leukemia have treatments for 2 years.  it's 3 years for boys).  As you can imagine, it's been a very difficult thing for her to deal with on a socially.  But when you see her, she's so full of energy and life.  It makes me certain if this little girl (and her amazing family) can go through this, then surely we can run a marathon and raise $10,000.

Speaking of the $10,000, what does this money go to?  75% or more of the funds we raise will go directly to support the mission of The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).  The other 25% will go to cover costs associated with the race and training. LLS funds a lot of researchers.  Since they have been participating in research survival rates have dramatically increased.  They also use the funds for patient support.  This includes (but it's definitely not limited to) co-pay assistance, patient literature, support groups, staff and much more.

We have been involved with LLS for 3 years with the Man Woman of the Year campaign. In 2009, I was a Woman of the Year candidate. The next year I co-chaired the campaign and Mark was a very active campaign volunteer. This year I am serving as the campaign chair and Mark is mentoring a candidate. When we started as volunteers, we didn't have a personal connection. Since then we've met so many people who's lives have been changed because of a blood cancer.  It is an amazing organization. 

We ask that you please join us in our race to raise vital funds to wipe out blood cancers.  Please visit our fundraising site to make a donation. 

Thank you so much for all of your support!!