Time to kick but!

Week #15, Its the final countdown!

This week was not what I ever expected it be. So it was two weeks ago that my body decided to crash on me. It was this week that I decided to do something about it. I have been to PT every day this week. I have been attached to an electrical stimulus and electrical impulse machine, ultra sounds, massages, ice, stretches and many other techniques to ease the pain of my IT band tendinitis and a pulled hamstring muscle. Never the less not running is not an option! I will make it to the start and finish line on Monday, April 21st. I will make it there for myself and for my grandparents that suffered with a lot more. The day can not come soon enough!

Usual marathon weekend/day rituals:
1. Watch the weather 24/7

2. Celebrate my birthday with family and friends, April 19th!!!

3. Decorate my shirt with Alzheimer's advertisement

4. Eat a large dinner -not to much pasta though, I'm not a big fan. Go figure.

5. Marathon expo with Darien! Jimmy as a new special guest this year.

6. Don't sleep the night before

7. Contemplate to run with my cell phone or not

8. Tie my shoes a good ten times

9. Tell myself I don't need to go the bathroom (when I really do)

10. Start!

11. Ask myself what am I doing

12. Curse the hills

13. Finish running heart break hill and look for a beer from one of the BC students

14. Finish and celebrate with family and friends!

15. Make sure to get on the last T home.

If you can not make it to the marathon but would like to track my progress please visit http://www.baa.org/ and "locate runner" on the home page by entering in bib # 14503.

It is not to late to donate:

https://www.kintera.org/faf/donorReg/donorPledge.asp?ievent=256529&lis=1&kntae256529=BFCDE54EA45B46B690B2EAEF4634B6BB&supId=161428280

Week #14, Bowling Battle of the Charities

This week I held my big fundraiser event. It was called "Bowling Battle of the Charities." This event involved four other charities who also had supporters running in the marathon. The four other charities were Need to Lead, Team Fox (Parkinson's Disease) and Healthworks charity. I have to say that the Alzheimer's Association really stood out at the event. Between Pa Cullen's dancing and A.J. Burnett's (Fox 25 Meterologist) bowling skills the Alz. team was unstoppable. Each cahrity had local celebrities come join in the fun. The following local celebrities appeared at the event (and had a blast): A.J. Burnett (Fox 25 Meterologist), Ayla Brown (American Idol Finalist), Scott Brown (State Senator), Gail Huff (Ch. 5 Broadcaster), Max Lane and Matt Cassle (former and current Patriot players) and Kelly McFarland (contestant on the Biggest Loser.)

It was great to see local celebrities come out to support the charities but it was even better seeing family and friends have such a good time while supporting a great cause. Everyone involved in the event on the Alzheimer's side was amazing and true supporters of the cause.

You can find articles about the event in the Monday, April 7th edition of the Boston Globe and the Herald. (It was also aired on Fox 25 News on Saturday and Sunday night)

Two weekends away till the big run!!!!!!!!!!!

Week #13

So sunlight is starting to show at the end of the tunnel (by sun I mean Key West sun which is where I will be one week after the marathon!!) The big days are starting to sneak up on me; Breakfast at Jim's house with the Run for the Memory Team (CEO of the Alzheimer's Association), "Bowling Battle of the Charities event", Banquet, Expo and Marathon. This is where all the training starts to pay off. I finished my last long training run this weekend with the Alz. team. Now for the next three weeks I get to rest my body and get ready for the big day! I am really looking forward to the day and celebrating the finish with my family and friends.

Bowling Battle of the Charities: for more information visit, https://owa.alz.org/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://boston.goin.com/bowlingbattle . This event has been featured in the Metro, Boston Magazine and has been e-mailed to over thousands and thousands of people.

Week #12

If you can't tell from the picture above I am glazing at the start line. 21.5 Miles is a long time to run - ohhhh man.
Mile 21 - I am looking a lot happier

This week went great. All that rest paid off. During the week I did some swimming, 2 spin classes, a little running and on Saturday I completed my second to last long training run. This weekend the Alz. team met at B.C. drove out in a van to Hopkinton (that is a long ride) and ran from the start line of the marathon course back to B.C. In the end I ran 21.5 miles in a time that I was not expecting. I did better than I planned but I am still not setting myself up for any goal time on race day. Finishing the marathon itself is still an accomplishment for me. Now I am preparing for my last long training run which will be next Saturday!

Week #11

So as you can see from my post below my thoughts and attention were not on running this week. I did manage to keep up with my running routine during the week but when it came down to the weekend and my long run I just couldn't pull it together. The events which occured during the week finally caught up to me and my body needed rest. I am hoping this will just leave me with more motivation to finish my last 2 long run which are coming up this weekend and next weekend.

Fundraising: I am up to $1,900. Feel free to be the one to push me over the $2,000 point. Keep posted for ticket details for the "Bowling Battle of the Charities" event.

Why We Really Run, "In Memory of Papa Sokolow"

I got word when I was on my way to work on Tuesday that my grandfather had passed away in his sleep. As many of you may recall I lost both my grandparents on my dad's side this past summer (my grandfather had Alzheimer's and my grandmother was his care taker) and now this is my grandfather on my mom's side. My grandfather was the caretaker of my grandmother, Elizabeth Sokolow who is in the middle stages of Alzheimer's. From this past year's experiences I have learned that Alzheimer's doesn't just destroy those that have the disease but also those that take upon the caretaker position. This year's Boston marathon certainly will be different. The past three years I stood at the start line with all four of my grandparents living, this year I will head to the start line with only one still alive. This horrible disease has taken a lot from my family this year and I plan on fighting back by attacking the Boston Marathon stronger than ever.