Hills, Hills and More Hills

Went to my mom's house in Westchester this past weekend. She lives on a hill which has the reputation of being the highest point in this particular little town. I used the opportunity for some hill training. A six mile run up six significant hills and boy, is my butt sore! I have been feeling every step since Sunday morning. Today is officially the "second day soreness" day so I am hoping tomorrow is a better day. Truth to tell, my swim felt good and I am looser after. Well, I thought I was in pretty good shape but clearly, I am not hill-ready. Luckily I have two months before my first race. Humbling experience for sure. Stay tuned. Hopefully in another month, the hills will be a piece of cake.

A Weekend Away

Sometimes the best training is cross training and has nothing to do with the activity that you will compete in. Meaning, that training doesn't always have to be about swimming, biking and running. I was away this weekend for the Martin Luther King Jr holiday and traveled to the Berkshire Mountains of Massachusetts. If you know anything about where I currently live, you will know it is FLAT and can be quite boring. In fact, I often have to travel to get in any hill training. So it was a welcome treat to be in surroundings that involved ups and downs. I didn't work out per se but did three very solid walks that involved up and down hills. I know it was a solid workout because upon return, I can feel my shins and my gluts (aka: my butt) muscles. And all I thought I was doing was walking. I actually was feeling guilty for not officially working out this weekend. But when you feel new muscles that you otherwise ignore, you know that something good is happening. Lesson learned. Exercise comes in many forms and doesn't always have to be about the activity you plan to compete in. On my 5 am run tomorrow, I am sure my body will appreciate the time off and will be better for the cross training.

Good News Indeed!

In the January 6, 2010 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, researchers determined that three cancer biomarkers show up in blood tests long before symptoms occur. What that means in layman's terms is that a method of early detection is on the horizon. There is still much work to be done (and much fundraising necessary) but the discovery of these three important biomarkers is a huge step towards the ultimate goal. I am over-the-moon excited. THIS IS WHY I RACE. This year will be an important year. I am racing in 11 new states, aiming to bring in another $20,000 to put towards the research necessary to make this goal come to fruition. Please give if you can and pass this link along to everyone you know. Lots of $10 donations this year will make the difference. Feel free to follow the research on the Ovarian Cancer Research Fund website at www.ocrf. org and keep your fingers crossed that SOON, no one will have to die from this disease.

Set In Stone

Take a look at this 2010 schedule!!!! Totally kick ass if I do say so myself. It took weeks to solidify, logistics, scheduling, mapping it out and making it fit. But it's done and I like it. Now I need to get my butt in gear and train. The holidays are over, sweets are gone, work schedule is back intact and I can get to the task at hand.... train, sleep, book airline tickets, lodging, bike shipping arrangements, oh... and find some people to join me. Anyone interested in some road trips?

In case you are wondering where the money comes from (some folks have asked) to race around the country... the answer is simple. ME! This is my contribution. This is my way of giving back to a sport that saved my life. This is what I do to combat this awful disease that is claiming other women everyday. I pay to compete, I raise money to find a method of early detection, I want ovarian cancer to be diagnosed in early stages so no one needs to die. Please join me. Contribute if you can... even $5. Meet me in some town and cheer me on. Offer to house me for one of the races. Tell all your friends. Share this link with everyone you know. There are many ways to help. But it takes many hands to make this happen. I need all of you. The schedule is set... that's the easy part. Now the work begins.