A chance to give

On October 9, I will be volunteering with Running for Soles.  You can help even if one of your best skills is shopping! If that is the case, please consider picking up a pair (or two) of NEW shoes and getting them to me by 10/9 - I would be happy to drop them off for you. The goal is 1,000 pairs of shoes.

If you are a runner, please consider running this 5k - you can also walk or crawl it!

Here is more information from the press release:

On

of Tanzania who are at high risk of being infected by parasites that enter through their feet. The goal of

this 5k is to build awareness and funds around this devastating issue and to gather at least

shoes

The shoes will be delivered by a missions team who is visiting Tanzania in October.theAlley.org), who has made it their mission to reach out to those who85% of the Villagers in the Mlangali area

GET INVOLVED >>>

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Tanzania 5k >

Run, Walk or Crawl the Tanzania 5k on Sunday, October 9th - By yourself or with friends & family.

Date:

Sunday - October, 9th, 2011

Cost:

$20/person or $40/family

Location:

Como Park

RSVP:

Before September 20th (or add $5)

5K Start:

2pm Registration

>

There will be food and drink provided after the 5K along with a band and other planned activities.

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Donations >>

www.running4soles.org

We welcome new shoes or funds that will be used to purchase shoes (see drop off locations on our

website). All funds will go to the people of Tanzania to purchase shoes. Our goal is to get at least 1,000

shoes.

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Volunteer >>>

We are in need of volunteer support in a variety of ways. If you are interested in supporting us in any

way please email Jennifer Petersen: Jennifer.Petersen10@gmail.com or call 612/636.0139

This project is lead by theAlley (

need love, support and in this case shoes! One of the team members who will be visiting Tanzania this

October is Peggy; this will be Peggy’s 4th time visiting Tanzania and seeing the need first hand. Below are

a few words from Peggy around why she is so passionate about this cause.

“On my first visit to Tanzania a local Pharmacist told me that

suffer from intestinal worms that enter through the people’s feet... I not only want to see the people in

Tanzania survive, I want to see them thrive! To have children be able to focus on education and not the

pain in their bellies and to have Mothers not be afraid to let their children play outside for fear of worms

invading their bodies... I want to see adults strong enough to work, not too weak to move because they are

filled with parasites.”

Sunday, October 9th 2011 local supporters will gather at Como Park for a 5k to support the people1,000 pairs of.

I did it...thoughts on the big day.

Although I consider myself mostly extroverted, I am still extremely shy when it comes to an audience of any kind.  So when I found out that neither Paul nor August would be able to come to my 5k due to a football tournament that same morning, I can't say that I felt let down. When any of my girlfriends offered to come, I begged them off.  This was about me; for me.

I didn't sleep much the night prior; I knew I wouldn't.  I woke up at 5:45am so that I could shower.  I knew I would need another, but showering is how I wake up so I reluctantly figured in time for it. I had set out my running gear and packed a bagged the night before.

I turned the a/c on in the car on the way and cooled myself to the point of goosebumps.  I kept thinking, what am I doing?  Are you crazy?  I had to keep reminding myself to breathe even before I started to run.  I said hello to all the other Moms I had met and even met some new ones this day. 

When it was time to line up, I lined up toward the back so that the more experienced runners wouldn't have to go around.  I heard the starting gun and turned on my ipod.  I ran.  As I rounded the first corner I saw Karissa, Founder of Moms on the Run, and she cheered me on by name.  Wow, that is cool I thought. 

The race took place at Long Lake Regional Park in New Brighton, my hometown.  I had been here before it was developed.  It is beautiful and peaceful.  I settled in.  I passed other runners and other runners passed me but it didn't matter.  At my age you realize that it really is the journey and not the destination.  At my age, you try to slow things down.

The route was hilly but the weather was absolutely perfect; cool and partly cloudy.  I didn't slow down until I rounded at the halfway point.  I probably walked (on and off) for a total of a minute or two but tried to keep an even pace as much as I could.

When I rounded the final corner to the finish line there was clapping and cheering and Karissa again, cheering me on by name.  I was close to tears at the amount of support I received from people I have not yet met. But I knew there could be no tears here, just another step, another step, another step. Things got a little blurry as they ripped off the bottom portion of my number so that they could input my time.  I headed to the nearest tree and held on until my breathing returned to normal. 

Then I stretched, grabbed a water bottle and headed to the bathroom to change for August's football game.

As I drove away I was thinking, this is not the end; it's only the beginning.

5k Princess on the home stretch...

Like:
Running alone
Running with music
Running on flat surfaces
The feeling when I am done

Don't Like:
Running in the sun or the heat
Running out of breath
Inclines of any kind

Discoveries:
Classical music is fun to run to
Running with your eyes closed feels good but you will probably leave the path
Running without music is possible and even enjoyable

Things I know:
Preserverance and Stubborness
Appreciation for the spirit and support of my friends & family (love)
I have grown
I will survive

Working on distance - not on speed?

Moms on the run intervals last week were 3:2 x 6, which means that we ran 3 minutes, followed by 2 minutes of walking and repeated 6 times. 

Last Tuesday I paired up with a mom out of Chaska.  She had missed the last few runs due to knee pains so we stayed at the back of the pack in an "easy" jog.  While her challenge was strength, mine is cardio; having smoked for so long.  Our trainer, Kristi, is in her 30's with a cute little hair cut, cute little shorts and a bubbly personality. God bless this woman!  She runs from the back to the front repeatedly, shouting words of encouragement and making sure everyone is okay while always wearing big smile.  She will try to pursuade us to run a little faster by promising chocolate cake around the next corner or reminding us that it is our last interval.  I told her last time that I am going for distance right now THEN I will work on speed. I am pretty sure that she will forget that I said that by the next time I see her (or at least she will pretend to).  At any rate, she said that I wouldn't die, and so far she has been right.

On Saturday there wasn't a group run (due to Memorial weekend) so I went to my Community Center's walking track by myself on Sunday morning.  There wasn't anyone else there when I got there.  My watch was set to alert me every 3:2.  After about my third lap, a little elderly man came in and started to walk on the inside track (I prefer the middle).  He was an angel to me; because of his gingerly pace, I was able to pass him twice every time I had a three minute run.  This did wonders for my psyche (no matter how slow his pace was).  On my very last interval I could hear Kristi and I pushed myself  to a little personal victory - I passed my angel three times!  I am still going for distance right now (well perhaps with secret speed increases - no cake needed). 

New Adventure; Mom's on the Run

Last Tuesday, I had my first meeting with a group of women.  Together we form, Moms on the Run. 

Recently, I did a course called, The year of no regrets.  During the course we had to create a life list. I put run a 5k as one of the 75 items on my life list.  I don’t even know why - it was more of a whim than anything.  Possibly because after smoking most of my life and quitting 2 ½ years ago – I believed that I finally COULD run 5k if I wanted and not die - LOL.

Of course, this was just one of many items on my life list but as I am well aware – what I bring to my awareness – I bring to my life. 

Shortly thereafter, I was just sitting on the couch reading the local paper when I saw the ad for Moms on the Run.  A group of women (mostly moms) who train with a  trainer all summer in various groups/in various cities and then run a 5k at the end of summer in MY HOMETOWN of New Brighton.  Coincidence?  I didn’t think so!  I signed up lightning fast and have officially started this crazy journey. 

Currently, I am busy gathering my cheerleaders!

We did our first interval run on Tuesday and  will do it again on Saturday (it’s twice a week from here on out - with other cardio/strength days and rest days mixed in). The muscle below my butt cheek and thigh is still sore – which I think is cool because I do Zumba usually three - four times a week and I thought I was using that muscle but I guess not!

I asked Paul for a professional shoe fitting for Mother’s Day and we went last night to The Running Gate in Lakeville.  I now have a "sparkly" pair of Brookes (and socks and compression pants). 

Now I am hoping for some sunshine!

Ask

I am trying a new experiment in which I ask directly for what I want and then see what I get.  This past Wednesday I had a wisdom tooth extracted.  I have a total of four bosses..yup four!  I am somewhat tethered to them 24/7 by my beloved company provided Droid.  On Tuesday night I sent them all a text that said something like, "Just a reminder, tomorrow is my tooth extraction - don't send me anything but flowers ($ is acceptable as well."


I returned to work on Friday and these beauts were on my desk and no related work requests texts were sent in the meantime:

Not a bad start!