Paying it forward....

Well, I finished my 3rd 1/2 marathon for the year a couple weeks ago - which means I raced 1 marathon, 3 1/2s and a 10k, a total of 71.5 something race miles with an unknown amount of miles on the pavement during training in between - rain, snow, heat, you name it. You might of found me on a treadmill less than 1/2 a dozen times in the last 17 months of training. No hamster wheels! My next adventure - is taking something that I have established a love-hate relationship with and helping others establish their own and achieve something that they probably thought not possible - finishing a marathon. I'm going to coach w/ a local program - Miles that Matter. Training will start in January for the Flying Pig. If you simply have never experienced The Pig - at least go watch. It's actually been named one of the top 10 marathons in the US - absolutely fun and while we can't necessarily be proud of our Bengals or Reds - the Flying Pig can be a claim to fame for sure. It's funny, people come to running for so many different reasons and usually the least of these is to get in shape. I've heard so many stories of people that come to that first training day broken and beat up from life and somehow hope, a renewed confidence, and belief in themselves in unveiled. People can find this in many ways - running isn't just it - but it's an avenue. I believe God uses many avenues. I feel blessed that God led me down this avenue and I hope I can be a conduit in some small way for others.

getting off the sidelines...

Well, just a short update (for anyone who actually checks this extremely outdated blog) - I'm still running. I completed the Flying Pig 1/2 Marathon in May. Sprained my ankle the following weekend and have just been released to start running again. So, off I go...I'm now training for the inaugural San Antonio Rock n Roll Marathon, which will be in November. I'll hit a few small races between now and then, but still running. Perhaps redefining what I've always thought was w/in the confines of "humanly possible". I'm getting off the sidelines.

The Big Dance

Wow, my final post. The final chapter in this book. I have danced the big dance. 26.2: It was fun. It was grueling. It was fabulous. I don't think I could have picked a more entertaining marathon to call my first. I met my ultimate goal: to finish. 6:13 later. My splits were:

• 5 miles: 1:05
• 10 miles: 2:13
• Half: 2:56
• 20 miles: 4:38
• Finish: 6:13

The temperatures were very warm. At the 6am start, it was 68 degrees with 93% humidity. Our coach told us to count on running slower than our usual pace due to the heat/humidity. The highest point it reached during my run was 75 degrees. We were drenched and there wasn't a water stop I dared to pass and I only stopped once to use the bathroom (at mile 4) - that kinda says how much we were all sweating. At mile 13 my feet started to feel like I was running on the blacktop without any shoes on. I think they had swelled up from the humidity maybe and my laces were tied too tight. By the time I stopped to loosen them it was too late - I felt like a car had run over the top of my feet.

But those are just the minor details. The rest of the details are the best. We had an awesome time. The crowds, the scenery, fellow runners - made it simply worth it. We ran through 4 parks (Magic Kingdom, Animal Kingdom, MGM, and Epcot). There were characters out everywhere, they even brought some of the animals out (lamas, sheep) to "cheer" us on. Here were the highlights for me:

• The guy who was a volunteer at a water stop holding a sign that read "Ladies Drink for Free".
• Her shirt: "I'm just here for the bling". His shirt: "I'm just here because she made me".
• Shirt: "I'm running because someone crazy is chasing me."
• Shirt: "One day I just decided to go for a little run... - Forrest Gump"
• Just before we came around the corner to the finish, there was a gospel choir decked out in robes signing a gospel song. That's when the goose bumps started.
• Shirt: "Slowly pace yourself for 6.2 miles and then taper."
• Shirt: "If you think doing an endurance race is tough, try chemo."
• The text message from Zach at around mile 22: "Keep going. Almost there. You can do it. You are the best. I am so proud of you."
• The text message from Stacey that followed: "There are angels all around you. You'll get there and you have a lot to look forward to for the rest of the day after you finish. Use your arms."

Along with the messages from Zach and Stacey, special highlights were seeing my parents and Cathy at miles 9 and 14. They were at the finish but unfortunately I didn't actually see them. They saw me - they cried. I think my mom was mostly relieved that I didn't look as bad as she thought I would. ;-) I took the whole thing in stride. I had fun with the crowds, putting my arms up in victory every chance I got, giving people high fives, pumping my arms up to get people to cheer louder, whatever I could do for my few seconds of fun and distraction here and there. I have to say that wearing the purple jersey (Team In Training) made it phenomenal. There were 18,000 participants, 1900 of which were Team In Training participants - they call us the "Purple People" - and any time you ran by anyone representing TNT (staff or family) from any chapter, they cheered for you like you were their own. I ran alone most of the time, but was never really alone. Our 1900 participants raised $5.6 million. Saving lives...one mile at a time. I think we get more from TNT than we give but I'm glad that what I did helped give better odds to the next person who finds out they have Leukemia.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had the phrase "Just Believe" put on the back of my shirt. At one point, I heard a guy behind me respond to a question from his friend with "I don't know...but I'm running w/ Debra because she says Just Believe". And, near the end of the race, a man ran up to me and said "I just have to thank you Debra because all day you have really helped me to believe", and then he was gone.

You Tube has videos posted by the disney world news and a local tv station.

Many, many thanks to all of you - for the support, prayers, and encouragement. We did a good thing...because we simply believed.

If you do not believe you can do it then you have no chance at all.

Just Believe

2.5 days. Is that truly possible? I know my nerves are telling me it's possible.

Our flight leaves at 7:40am tomorrow. Most of the team flew out today but I didn't think I wanted the extra day back in November when I booked my flight. Might have been a good idea considering I've been sitting at home all day with a low-grade fever and sore throat. I'm shooting Zicam up my nose every few hours - yes, this is an OTC drug in case anyone is not familiar with it. I remember early on worrying about our marathon being this time of year and coming off the holiday stress and in the throws of flu/cold season. Yes, I was thinking like the glass is hall empty. And...here I am. It's not that bad - I'll be fine by Sunday.

I've laid out all the necessities and am close to being packed. All my gear for Sunday will go w/ me in a carry-on - eliminate risks. Stacey took my race shirt and did my iron ons for me - everyone puts their name on the front (so spectators can cheer for you) and I had her put the phrase "Just Believe" along the back. I said this will be the encouragement I leave for the people that I pass - ha ha - it's more like these will be the words others will see as they pass me.

It's been a fun week leading up to this - people have been so encouraging and supportive - this will truly be a race I won't finish alone. Everyone that has gotten me to the start line will be getting me to the finish line.

I have to leave you with a quote that was passed along to me to yesterday:

"The difference between the mile and the marathon is the difference between

burning your fingers with a match and being slowly roasted over hot coals."

"Remember to Run YOUR Race"

These were the final words to me by one of my coaches on Saturday at the end of our last group run. These are words of wisdom for this first-timer. I'm used to being at the back of the pack, last or near last, so there's no one out there setting or influencing the pace for me but me. Now, when you add in 14,000 or so runners to the "group", it will be easy to let someone else determine my pace. My plan is to put myself in the "corral" where I'm used to being and least likely influenced - the back.

We had a 6 mile run on Saturday - my last stroll across the Purple People Bridge as a non-marathoner. Stacey joined me for the run and we laughed, got rained on a little, took pictures, and got lost. See pictures on the right.

Every game has a game plan, and I guess a marathon is really no different. I've studied the course map. I know where the water stops will be, I know where it will be nothing but stretches of highway (hopefully filled w/ lots of spectators), I know what mile we'll be at when we'll go through Cinderella's castle (will have camera ready!), I know at what points I need to be at with what times if I want to meet my time goal (enter lofty thoughts here) and where I need to eat my energy bloks and goo. I know what I'll be carrying: 2 packs of Clif Bloks, 2 chocolate rage Goo packs, disposable camera, ipod, chapstick, trash bag (i.e. rain coat or emergency"porta potty"), motrin, a couple band aids, watch, and pace band. I'm going to do one of my runs this week w/ all this stuff on - I'm trying eliminate as many unknowns as I can. It's part of the game plan. If you are interested in tracking my time, click here

Now, I totally realize that you can put together the best game plan possible but there will always be the unexpected and unknowns. That's just life. Oh, I've always had an idea of about this or that in my life - how I wanted things to be - but sometimes things turn out differently. So, if my pace doesn't match the numbers on my pace band, well...I'll still be out there, doing my thing, getting it done...running my race.

At last...

...I wasn't last. Yesterday we had our last double-digit (10) run before our marathon and I wasn't the last one to make it back. Actually, I was 4th from last! My niece also reminded me just how good that really is since I am the "oldest" of the group. She's definitely related to me - she just says whatever she thinks.

I always spend some part of my long runs imagining the feeling of crossing the finish line. Sometimes I have to take my thoughts there when I'm tired and don't feel like going on. I can only imagine the adrenaline that must run through a person's body to accomplish such a feat. I'm scared and excited but with less than 2 weeks to go, I'm starting to feel more scared. I still have to figure out what my mantra is going to be when I hit the infamous wall - which I hear is around mile 21 for most people. I just pray it's not at like mile 11 for me. More than anything I'm just grateful. I'm grateful for the support people have given, grateful that physically and mentally I am able to do this, and grateful for what I have learned about myself.

The first time we had a 10 mile run was on October 13th = 2:23. December 29 = 1:54. I was determined to finish in under 2 hours on Saturday - Zach had a basketball tournament game at 9am which I wanted to try to make before it was over. When I told one of my coaches this, he told me I'd never finish 10 miles in under 2 hours. Never tell me never.

"Few of us know what we are capable of doing... we have never pushed ourselves hard enough to find out." Alfred A. Montapert

Getting it right

Yesterday was a taper run - 12 miles, 2:17. We'll taper for the next 2 Saturdays as we get closer to the marathon. Next week will be my last double digit run before 1.13.08.

Finding inspiration throughout this journey has come from various places. I was out with some friends last night who, after a few martinis or two, were getting sentimental and telling me what an inspiration I had been for them during my training. These 2 friends don't realize what an inspiration they have been for me. They've helped me through a number of fundraising events (we collectively raised over $1500 working various events) and they have their own trials and tribulations that make me realize that shin splints and blisters are actually reminders of how blessed I am to be able to do what I am doing. My friend Kim has been out of work for a few months and as a single mom of 2 boys, the holidays are tough but she laughs and smiles more than a person with a million dollars. Cathy just recently found out that her breast cancer is back. She is traveling w/ me to Orlando and when we return she'll be facing surgery and 6 months of chemo. I'll cross that finish line in memory of my uncle and in honor of Cathy. This is where I get my inspiration.

Some days I find I run because I have to or I won't survive 26.2. Those are the days that it takes all I have to put one foot in front of the other and overcome the elements of my nature. Some days I find I run because I want to - because I find for a few miles or hours that my life is my own and I am who I want to be and don't have to worry about who I am to everyone else. Sometimes I'm running away, running to escape, and hoping life won't find me. But you can't really run away - it will still be there in the end and you realize that each day is simply an event, not a means to an end in this journey we call life. It's just a matter of figuring out how to get it right and do it again tomorrow.