Half Marathon.

Well, 13.105 miles later, the race was complete in 2 hours 41 minutes and 20 seconds.  I had a flood of different emotions before the race, during the race and after the race.  Even right now I feel a sense of pride in myself.  This is something I haven’t felt in a long time and I can’t wait to try it again. 

I do want to take a minute to thank those of you who donated to the cause I was running for.  The research for the cure of SMA is crucial and I take it very seriously, especially after corresponding with Getty and Sophia’s mom.  I feel the need to fight for it; to fight for them and to fight for future babies.  Especially when researchers say the cure for this disease is so close.

I also want to write a special thanks to my husband and my sweet baby girl.  They selflessly gave me time to train and were right there at the finish line cheering me on in the cold rain.  My parents also came to the race and were a constant support during my training and my run.  G.P.S., Inc was also a financial sponsor for this race. 

The half marathon was something I don’t think you can mentally prepare for until you’ve ran your first one.  I went in as prepared as I could have been in spite of the circumstances.  I trained mileage, hills and speed but I was unable to prepare for the weather.  Nothing prepares you for the mind game of the actual race. 
Next race I will be sure to study the actual elevation of the course because to be quite honest, I don’t know that many people were prepared for the intensity of the hills we conquered.  They were all very steep and there were a lot of them.  The runners didn’t have a lot of flat ground to run in between the hills.  During the start of the race I was dead set on not walking until at least mile 9 because I’d trained to 8 miles in under 1 hr and 15 minutes and knew I could do that without walking.  That was without the hills…so, needless to say I did a little walking in the first 9 miles.  Overall I think I only walk a mile or so out of 13 so I see that as a triumph.  Around mile 11 my calves started to cramp.  I have never felt cramping like I did that day.  It felt better to run then it did to walk but my body was starting to get tired.  At that point the race became a mind game and I feel proud that I was able to overcome it.  The finish line was the best part of the race.  Not because it was the end but because when I came around the curve of the track (the last leg was on a track) I saw Josh and Teagan standing in the infield waving and yelling to me.  Then I came around the curve and saw my mom and knew she was crying and then I saw my dad with the camera.  I started to cry a little at that point but sped up because I was running to them.  I was running to be in the arms of four people who provide me with constant support, no questions asked.  As I crossed the finish line they called my name, gave me a bottle of water and slipped a medal over my head.  My first running medal.  I was swollen with a sense of pride.

After the race was a mix of adrenaline and exhaustion and paid and happiness.  I was cold and wet but I had my family around me and that kept my mind off things.  Teagan was very excited about the medal and played with it while I tried to stretch my hot/cold extremities.  After I tried to stretch and we took some pictures we made our way to get me a little food and more water.  I had to prepare for the 2 hour ride home.  We made it just fine!

Overall, I am pretty proud of myself.  Sure, there are a few things I will do differently next time like:

Make sure my Ipod is put on correctly (it was on upside down) so I can adjust it when I need to. 

Make sure to study the elevation of the course.

Make sure to eat enough the night before and the morning of.

Be prepared for the weather (I didn’t have “rain” apparel).   

Overall, I feel like the race was a success.  I honestly can’t wait to get my running shoes back on and train for my next one! 

This is why I run.

Will you help find a cure? Will you donate to my half marathon fundraiser?  The whole point of my training and running the race on December 11th is to raise money to help find a cure for SMA.  So, I am asking you to do what Josh and I have done.  We took $10 that would have gone to Teagan's Christmas and put it towards this.  We want to teach her that Christmas isn't about the presents.  We want to teach her that Christmas is a time to help those who need us.  What better way to explain giving to those in need then at Christmas time? What better way to show it then to help children who could die without a cure?  A cure that could come SOON with money to research the cure.  What will you do? Will you help and donate? Even if you don't donate to my run (which the money goes to Sophia's Cure, Inc) please donate to something this year.

Here is the website to donate. ( Crowdrise )  All it takes is $10.  My goal is to raise $1000 by December 10th.  My goal is to raise $1000 towards the research of a cure for SMA.  Will you help me?

Running progress

I was down for the count a few days ago.  After completing cross training last Tuesday my left foot hurt so bad I could barely walk from the Wal Mart parking lot to my car.  I had a doctors appointment for the following week to check on it but I called and said I needed to be seen ASAP because I needed to know what I was up against and how far back it would set my training schedule.  They said they could see me the next morning so I jumped on the appointment.
The doctor told me my pain was due to my flat feet and running had basically strained the muscle but all I needed were insole inserts and I would be good to go.  He did tell me to lay off it for a few days but I wasn't going to listen.  If all I needed were insoles then we were golden.  Unfortunately the running universe had different plans and trying to find these insoles became nearly impossible.  I purchased a pair that were similar but didn't even get up the road before I was in so much pain I really thought I was going to have to call Josh to come down the street to come get me.  Needless to say those were apparently NOT the right insoles. I threw a bit of a fit, quietly because Teagan was in bed, when I got back to the house.  A lot of crying and throwing the insoles and a few kitchen towels and then I sat on the couch and ate a LOT of ice cream because at that point I wasn't in training mode.
After my hissy fit I found the insoles online and had them overnighted but they wouldn't be here until Monday (today).  On Sunday I had had enough of not running and so I decided to run anyway.  Without the insoles.  I figured my foot had enough time to rest and recoop so I should be able to run.   Luckily, I was right.  I ran 4 miles in 40 minutes.  HELLO 10 minute MILES!!! Now if I could just keep that pace for all 13 miles we'll be golden! haha! Also, if I did that without the insoles I hope to do better with the insoles in. I also went to the gym today and ran hills/sprints (it's supposed to be a hilly course, ) for 2 miles and my foot only hurt slightly.
As planned the insoles were waiting for me when I got home...not planned was the company SENDING ME THE WRONG KIND!!!!!
 I will probably still run tonight but it won't be as long as planned. I will not be defeated and I will not back down.  

Half marathon, I'm still coming to get you.


If you are interested in donating to this cause please go to my Crowdrise site and donate.  All donations are tax deductible.  The goal is only $1000.  If everybody can give $5 then we will be well on our way to the goal.  A big thanks to those who have already given!!


*If you are interested in the course you can go here to see it*
*Also, keep Baby Getty in your thoughts and prayers.  She has surgery tomorrow.  Keep up with Baby Getty on her blog*

Have you met Getty?

If you have noticed my blog lately you can see that I've streamlined the layout a little bit.  I've left up the necessary things and the items I feel are important.  If you look to the right of this blog post and see a button that says "Getty Owl, helping Baby Getty" I'd like for you to click on it after you're finished reading this post.  I want to you to not only read the blog but look up at the top and click on What is SMA and read it.  I did and I've decided to do something about it...or at least help.  I don't remember how I came to know about Getty's blog  (maybe I was drawn to the owl) but I do know that I keep up with it regularly and the strength of Getty and her parents never ceases to amaze me.  They recently got to go on a small vacation and sweet Getty, 7 mths, almost kicked her parents out of the hotel bed (read their latest post).  Getty's mom, Kate, introducded me to Sophia's parents.  Sophia's parents are raising money for the research of SMA1 (Spinal Muscular Atrophy) because Sophia, 20 mths, also has SMA1. 
Anyway, most of you know I have been saying for MONTHS that i was going to carve out some Mommy time, that I was going to get back into shape and that I was going to get back into running.  Well, as usual, life gets in the way...it tends to do that when you have a baby (NOT COMPLAINING).  I decided that if I were going to reach my goals then I needed to have a reason to reach them.  Something I felt was bigger and more important then my selfish reasons.  After reading that you could say, isn't staying healthy for Teagan a good enough reason? Yes, it is.  I am healthy. I can run around after her, I can carry her for hours and I take care of any need she has.  Teagan is also, Thank God, healthy. Getty is not. Sophia is not.  Babies with SMA1 are not.  And there is no cure.  Yet.
So, this is my challenge.  This is the thing I needed to light a fire under my rear end.  I am going to run for Getty and Sophia.  I want to help raise awareness for SMA1.  Josh and I have discussed wanting Teagan to know from an early age how important it is to help people.  How is she to learn that if we don't provide an example for her to follow?
My goal is to raise $1,000 by December 10th, obviously more would be great.  I will be racing a half marathon on December 12th.  Training is going to be difficult because
a) Teagan is still nursing and so I have to be back from my runs no later then 7:45pm in the evening.  Also, on the weekends I will have to schedule my runs around her eating schedule (I don't make enough extra for her to bottle feed during the weekends).
b) Running a half marathon is HARD. There is no question that the training is going to be grueling.

Even if I get to the race and I'm not completely ready I have already decide I will go through with it.  If I have to walk/run for 13.1 miles then so be it.  I will cross the finish line with my head held high. 

So, if you would like to donate to this cause I have set up an account on Crowdrise .  If you don't feel comfortable giving money online then you can contact me at RiciReid@gmail.com and we can figure out something. 


Here are some facts about SMA Kate sent me:

SMA is the #1 genetic killer of young children.
SMA is estimated to occur in nearly 1 out of every 6,000 births.
1 in every 40 people, or nearly 10 million Americans, UNKNOWINGLY carries the gene responsible for SMA. Few have any known family history.
SMA is a pan-ethnic disease and does not discriminate based on race, ethnicity, or gender.
There is currently no treatment and no cure, but the National Institutes of Health (NIH) selected SMA as the disease closest to treatment of more than 600 neurological disorders.
Researchers estimate that a viable treatment and/or cure is attainable in as little as 5 years – IF provided adequate resources.
The American College of Medical Genetics recommends that SMA carrier testing be made available to ALL couples planning a family, regardless of ethnicity or family history.
 
If you would like to know more about SMA1 here are some websites Kate suggested to me:
Families of SMA
Fight SMA