2014 Relay For Life

I am officially signed up for the Whatcom County Relay For Life! It is a good cause and you donation is tax deductible! I won't be bothering you (for a while anyway) for donations since there are still 250 days until the relay but I wanted to let everyone know that I am signed up and I will run again (someday) and I am asking you to make me run for a good cause.

Click here to visit my Relay for Life page and donate~ Donate

Time For Crutches

I haven't posted in here for a few weeks because nothing has really changed. It has now been eight weeks since that horrible run that has had me limping around, whining and complaining to anyone who will listen. As I had said before my IT band healed up completely but my hip continues to be very painful and won't let me run at all. Up until today I have been going to the gym regularly. While there I lift weights at use the elliptical machine. I began thinking that since so much time had passed maybe it would be good for me to start trying to build muscle around the hip. Last Friday I tried this and I have been in much worse pain ever since. I am thinking that building muscle probably is not the answer. So...like anyone who has something wrong with them and access to google, I decided to try and figure out what is going on in my irritatingly painful hip injury. What I came across as a likely answer is a hip stress fracture. I am keeping this internet diagnoses loosely as what is possibly going on. I am aware that the internet is not the best doctor.

I came across a list of three symptoms that if a patient has them then it is pretty much for sure a stress fracture and I have two...maybe three. The one that surprised me the most was that I cannot lie on my back and lift my leg while it is straight. I had no idea that I couldn't do that until I tried yesterday. Ouch. So I have decided to stop using my hip as much as possible. I am going to walk around on crutches and not do anything that aggravates it. Hopefully this will help. It will heal...eventually.

I wanted to mention that Tish would have been 38 this Friday. I will be raising my glass to her memory and keeping her in my heart where she always is. 

Out For Now, Optimistic For Later

So here I am at five weeks of being unable to run. If I had broken a bone it would almost be healed by now! This healing process is taking forever! I have been sad, frustrated, disappointed, hopeful and optimistic through these weeks. I never would have thought that I would still be unable to run after all this time. Unfortunately that is the case. I am slowly getting better. My IT band is healed entirely which is nice but my hip...not so much. I have been able to get in some great (and some pretty long) cardio workouts on the elliptical and lately have added in walking fast uphill on the treadmill. I added this in with the hopes of building some muscle around my hip to aid in the healing process. I haven't decided if it is helping or not just yet. I still limp through the house every morning but the pain seems to be less and less. In the afternoons and evenings I can walk normal...almost. Running is still completely out of the question. The pain begins with the first step of any attempt to run that I have made. I just need to be patient and let my body have the time that it needs.

Because of my injury taking FOREVER to heal I had to let the Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon go. It is only 10 days away and I had to accept that this is not enough time to heal and train for a half marathon. It was very difficult to come to this decision. There was a piece of me that was holding on to the idea that maybe I could still do it. A voice in my head cheering me on telling me that maybe I could walk/run it. There are 4 hours to complete it, I could do that...I think. That voice in my head was so loud and persistent that I was starting to believe that I could complete the half marathon despite my injury simply because I really, really wanted to. Fortunately I have Travis to remind me to think reasonably and not risk injuring myself further. To remind me that I haven't run at all (not counting me limping through the 5k) in five weeks and that "people usually train for half marathons". I'm glad that he doesn't let me forget to take care of myself. I am lucky to have him in my corner telling me things that I don't want to hear just to keep me from hurting myself. So even though I feel a little bit like a kid who just found out that there will be no Christmas this year I am letting the race go. Fortunately the race director said that it would be fine to give my registration to another runner. This makes me feel a little better because someone else will be able to run in my place. Hopefully this will make another runner happy and maybe get me some good running karma! I could use it obviously!!

So with both of my half marathons cancelled I will be looking for new ones to sign up and train for. There are a couple that I have my eyes on including the Seattle Rock 'n Roll half in June and the Lake Samish Half Marathon in January. There are others that I am considering as well, it will really depend on when I heal and what races are possible for me! I will get back out there...eventually. For now I will take care of myself and be optimistic, enjoy the things that I am able to do and be excited about what life has in store for me. That is what Running For Tish is all about after all. She is so missed, always in our thoughts and carried with us in our hearts.

And just for fun...a cat video. Makes me laugh every time. Poor kitty. 

Bellingham Bay 5k

So as most of you know I did not get to participate in the Bellingham Bay Half Marathon as I had planned. Race day showed up and I was still limping and favoring my injured hip. I had pretty much decided to sit the race out but that wasn't sitting well with me as I really, really wanted to run. The day before the race I went to the race expo with Kristy and Jo to pick up our race shirts and numbers. It was an awesome expo! There were so many people there discussing the upcoming race, selling adorable running clothing and educating you on supplements and hydration aids. There was also an opportunity to enter to win entry into the Whistler Half Marathon in June. Of course now I am entered and have my fingers crossed! I was feeling very emotional at the expo because there were so many people that were excited for their race and I was just limping through the room trying not to think about not being able to run. One thing that I love about the running community is how positive and supportive they are. At the expo when people asked what race I was running and I had to respond that my injury had removed me from my race. These strangers all reminded me that it is part of being a runner and that it happens to all of us eventually. They made me realize that I am just doing what all runners eventually have to do. Rest and recover. It's not fun but I am not the first and won't be the last injured runner. On our way out of the expo I stopped at the Lake Padden Trail Half Marathon table. I talked with the person at the table (who turned out to be the helpful person who had answered my questions on the race facebook page a couple months ago!) and felt like crying when I informed him that I was signed up for his race but would probably not be able to run it. He was very supportive and optimistic. Maybe he's right and I will be able to run it...we'll see. Before leaving he had Maria Dalzot (a sponsored trail runner) autograph a hat for me. Everyone we came across at the expo were very friendly and helpful. 

The night before the race we celebrated Kristy's birthday and did our very best not to over eat or drink! Such great luck that we got to celebrate and run a race in the very same weekend! 

While I had said that I wouldn't be running I was still hopeful (as I have been every single day since getting injured) that I would wake up feeling good and ready to run. I tossed and turned all night. I dreamt of running, of the excitement of the race and woke up over and over feeling anxious and hopeful. Finally 6 a.m. showed up and Kristy's crazy scary alarm went off. Before getting up I was SO hopeful. After I got up I ignored the pain and tried my best to pretend it wasn't hurting at all. I put on my running clothes and hoped that no one was going to try and tell me that I couldn't or shouldn't do it. No one said anything about it and before we knew it the time had come to head out the door. Of course there was time for one quick photo.

We Run For Tish

When we got to the race we were about a half an hour early. It was chilly and windy but after the downpour we had experienced the day before we felt pretty good about our luck. We stood in the cold, with all of the other runners, and waited. I had decided that I was going to give it my best try. I was going to run until it hurt (too much) and then I was going to walk. I wanted to run with Kristy, Jo and Bryce so, so badly! As race time approached we began making our way to the starting line. Trav snapped a few photos of us. 

I'm Ready!

Starting line here we come! (Kristy is very happy about this!)

The race started moments later and we were off. It began with a few blocks of hills...This was not what Kristy had expected but she powered through them like a champ! Pretty much right away the rain started coming down. It was just in time for the race and continued through the WHOLE race! We were soaked!! Deep down I had thought that I would likely not be able to run more than a block. Right away I altered my run. Every time my right foot (the same side as my injured hip) hit the ground I landed only on my toe. This made for an interesting 3.1 miles but it worked. My hip was irritated but never too painful. The run was an out and back course that followed the road on the way out and a trail next to the road on the way back. This was really helpful for keeping the scenery interesting. Different is always better. Jo pulled ahead of us early in the race and kept a short distance in front of us throughout the run. Bryce, Kristy and I ran together until we were a couple blocks from the finish line. Bryce had asked early on in the race if he could sprint to the finish line when he saw it and I told him that he could. As soon as he saw it he was off!!

We watched as Jo approached the finish line and were so excited for her!

Not far behind her we quickly approached the finish line. The announcer told us to get our victory high fives.

 All the high fives!

We did it! All of Kristy and Jo's hard work and training had finally paid off! Bellingham Bay 5k...DONE! Kristy's accomplishment was extra special as it was her very first 5k! I am so glad that we were all able to do this race together!! 

Happy faces after the race (that's a pretzel sticking out of Bryce's mouth...he was enjoying the post-race food!)

So we did it. We finished the 5k and for the next 2 days I hobbled around on very, very sore calves and feet. Now as I start to feel recovered from 3.1 miles of bad running form I am hopeful that I will be able to run without a limp again soon. Today marks one month since I injured myself. It has been a long, emotional month. I am not used to having no choice but to not run. Not only that, but to not be able to get any cardio exercise for most of this month was really hard. I am not going to lie, there were many times when I felt like breaking down and crying and a few times that I did just that. As I heal (very, very slowly) I am able to use the elliptical machine at the gym. 

My plan is to use this often and for longer and longer periods of time. Hopefully by doing this when I am finally able to run again my legs and lungs will be ready to jump right back in and endure longer runs. We'll see. The Lake Padden Trail Half that I am signed up for is only 17 days away. I am hopeful that I will be able to run it but I also realize that this may not be possible. 17 days isn't very much time and only running 3.1 miles (with a limp) in the past 30 days, and not currently being able to run (without a limp) isn't promising training. Unfortunately for me races do not refund your money if you are injured. I am beginning to feel very foolish to have signed up for 2 half marathons so close together. This injury is becoming quite expensive!! I have been researching other possible half marathons to sign up for (after my injury is completely healed!). I will decide on which when I am able to run again. 

For now I am just proud to say that we finished a 5k together, for Tish. 

Twelve Days

I did not realize how emotionally invested I was in running the Bellingham Bay half marathon until suffering through this injury. I am so depressed about not being able run and train like I had planned. It has been 12 days since my last real run and it is now only 12 days until race day! Neither of those numbers are good for me. It is extremely depressing to go to bed each night hoping that I will wake up with a leg that is no longer injured but instead get out of bed and limp through my morning. Over the past two weeks it feels like it has been endless Epsom salt baths, ice packs, stretching and massaging and I still feel like I am not healing fast enough. I try not to let it get to me but it is very difficult. I should be anxious and excited for the upcoming race and instead I am just wondering if I will be even be able to run by then. I attempted the elliptical machine and then the stationary bike in the hopes that maybe I could get some cardio in and remind my legs that I expect them to carry me a great distance. I failed. Both machines hurt my leg too much for me to continue. I had to use all of my strength to not break down and cry right there in the gym. I want to run again. I'm tired of resting.

On the bright side I rolled out my IT band on the foam roller today and there was very little pain. This is the first time since I hurt myself that this has happened. I am hopeful that this will mean that I am healing and I am grasping at what little hope I have left of participating in and (*fingers crossed*) completing my half marathon. I have been trying to figure out what will happen on race day. These are the possible outcomes that I see for me.

1. I am able to run soon and get in as many miles (without overdoing it) before the race and then give it my all on race day. This leaves an opening for a big fat blow to my ego as my injury may prevent me from completing the race. If it acts up I will not be able to complete the race...it is excruciatingly painful to run on it and I don't want to ruin my chances of running my next half marathon on October 19th. If it starts hurting I will have Travis (my hero) come and pick me up. Fingers crossed that I will be able to finish it!!

2. I am healed but not ready for the 13.1 miles I could join Kristy, Jo and Bryce on their 5k, cheering them on and probably taking far too many pictures!! 

3. I wake up in pain (wallow in self-pity for a little while) and head to the race to cheer on Kristy, Jo and Bryce as they complete their 5k.

I am very hopeful that I will be able to run and finish but I am preparing myself for the worst. If I am unable to run the race I will find another one to sign up for so that I am still running the two half marathons that I am committed to doing. There is still time. Think healing thoughts for me!!

One Lazy Week

So it has been a long week of babying my injured IT band and honestly I am extremely tired of it. Resting it, massaging with a foam roller (which hurts A LOT by the way) and stretching it out are starting to become despised activities in my daily routine.

I just want to run. I want to put on my running shoes, pop in my headphones and head out the door. That should be as easy as it sounds. Unfortunately after a full week off of running my IT band is not completely healed yet. Every night I hope to wake up feeling good and ready to run but instead find myself in pain. Today has been the best day yet. I haven't had to limp around and I really feel like it is getting better. I even did a leg workout at the gym just to remind those muscles that I haven't forgotten about them! They do have to carry me for 13.1 miles in just 17 days from today!!

I am very hopeful that tomorrow will be the day that I can run again. Hopefully I will be able to put this injury behind me and move forward. I do not have much time left to get in the amount of training that I had wanted before my race but I know that I can do it. I am determined to run and finish this race, hopefully comfortably (reasonably so anyway) and without pain but I will complete it no matter what. I may have to adjust my pace expectations and go easy a little easier on myself but I will be there, ready to run  and excited to cross the finish line. My heart will motivate my legs to continue.

And just for fun...

23 Days To Go

Time goes by so, so quickly! There are only 23 more days until the Bellingham Bay Half Marathon or if you think about it like I do, 2 more long training runs and a taper week. I felt like this was a good time to update you all on my training progress. I have been running around 20-30 miles per week with one long run on Wednesdays. I have been adding on between 1-2 miles to my long run each week and Wednesday before last I was up to 10.3 miles. Not quite half marathon distance but I was feeling a little more confident! Yesterday was a little bit of a setback. I had been suffering from Illiotibial Band Syndrome , or IT band syndrome, for a few days and should have known better than to go for a long run. If you are lucky enough never have experienced this it is a very irritating and painful injury and is really good at halting your training run efforts. Because of this my long run yesterday only amounted to (a very uncomfortable and at the end downright painful) 8.25 miles. I should have rested but I am not always good at doing what I should do. I paid for it with an evening of excruciating pain any time I had to walk (hobble) anywhere in my house. Fortunately I have very understanding and supportive guys in my house. Bryce did the laundry for me so I didn't have to go up and down the stairs and Trav helped me massage out some of the tension that had built up in my leg and hip. I am lucky to have them! Today after using the foam roller to massage it and stretching it as much as possible I am feeling almost normal...will definitely be taking at least another day off to help it heal properly!

During my last long run (not yesterday's catastrophe) I was thinking about how training for a half marathon is so much more than just physical training. The mental training is just as important and on race day might prove to be even more important than the strength and endurance of my body. During every run, and numerous times during my long runs, I start to question what I have gotten myself into. Why am I out here exhausted, aching, sweaty, hot and thirsty but still running? This is when my mental strength gets a workout. This is where I remind myself what I am doing and why. For me Running For Tish is all about living life to the fullest, pushing myself to the limit and feeling alive. Tish taught me how precious life is and how short it can be. She taught me to keep my loved ones close and remind them how special and important they are to me. She also taught me to keep going, push forward and just keep running. I believe that it would be hard to find a moment that you feel more alive than you do at about 7 miles into a long run. Your sweating, aching body is questioning your sanity and wondering if you are serious about running "a few more miles". You feel every breeze and smell the world around you with intensity. This is usually wonderful as the most common smells during my runs are the ocean or the rain (I do love the northwest). Occasionally this can be not so wonderful like when you run by a group of smokers or have a giant truck drive past leaving behind a not so awesome trail of exhaust. It is a good feeling to know that you can (and will) keep running. The best part of any run is finishing. The sense accomplishment (paired with all of those endorphins you released) is a very wonderful thing and is often the drive to keep running or to get out there the next day and do it all over again! If you just keep going you will make it to the end of your run and enjoy your own little celebration of accomplishment. Often on long runs Dory from Finding Nemo pops into my head and repeats "just keep swimming, just keep swimming", I don't know why but it seems appropriate and motivating while I am struggling through the longer runs.

One other thing that I would like to mention is that two of my very favorite ladies have signed up and are training for the Bellingham Bay 5k. Jo who would be my Aunt in law and Kristy who would be my sister in law if of course Trav and I were married. That is a whole different story and all that matters is that they are family and I love my family! It will be Kristy's first 5k ever and I am very excited for her! I was lucky enough to run Jo's first 5k with her a couple years ago and am super excited that she is making a running comeback!! They have been running and training and are going to rock the 5k! Bryce will be running with them as well. He is very excited! I am proud to add them to the Running For Tish roster!

Jo (left) and Kristy (right) 

Jo and I after her first 5k in 2010

Bryce after finishing a run

A Trail Half Marathon!

After raising $400 for Relay For Life I began searching for another half marathon to sign up for. I was seriously considering the Seattle Half Marathon but the starting time for it is 7:30 a.m.! That would mean I would have to wake up before 5, drive and hour and a half and then find the energy to run...no thanks. After some more searching I found a race that caught my attention. It was the Lake Padden Trail Half. Trail running has always been something I knew I would like to try but never have. After considering the pros and cons of signing up for a race like this I decided that it is definitely something that I can do and I will gain a new running perspective.

I am now signed up for my very first trail half marathon! Lake Padden is located just outside of Bellingham, Washington which is very close to where I live. This will make arriving there awake and ready rather than exhausted much easier! I am excited to train for it and to gain new running experience! The race is on October 19th which is about 3 weeks after my Bellingham Bay Half Marathon. This will be perfect timing as I will have enough time to recover and not enough time to lose all the hard work put in while training for it!

I am proud to say that my Relay for Life team raised over $7,000! Our final total will be higher as there are some employers that haven't put in their matching funds yet! People can also still donate to our 2013 team up until the end of august. Feel free to donate and make me run! $200 more and I will sign up for a third half marathon!

I want to thank all of my donors and supporters! Because of you we were able to help current and future cancer patients. We helped to give hope to those who need it more that anything and that is something you should all be proud of!

Four Miles

After a few weeks of getting back into the swing of running I am really kicking myself for taking such a long break from it! I have been trying to add more miles into my runs but so far my legs really don't feel like doing more than four miles. Running is hard but it is SO much harder after taking time off from it! It is starting to feel comforatable again aside from a pretty irritating injury. Out of nowhere an area the size of a quarter on the side of my calf hurts. A LOT. It is a strange hurt though, it seems to be seriously offended with running. The rest of the time it just quietly complains. Today during my 4 mile run it was the worst that it has been. I had planned on running six miles but four was the most that the injury would allow. The last mile was more of a "hobble run" than anything else. So compression sleeve, ice and epsom salt baths will definitely be in my near future! Hopefully I will get in a few more runs this week before Relay For Life and hopefully I will be able to add on some miles! Four is not very close to 13.1...definitely have my work cut out for me!

Please donate and support me in Running For Tish.

Running For Tish~ Bellingham Bay Half Marathon

I would like to take a minute to thank all of the people who have generously made a donation to Running For Tish~ Relay For Life fundraiser! I am happy to say that because of you I have been able to raise $265 in honor of Tish, for a cause that is so important and close to my heart.

Because I made it to the $200 mark I signed up for a half marathon just as I said I would! I spent quite a while going over all of the local (and some not so local) half marathons that take place between now and the end of September. It is harder than you would think to find a race that is appealing and works with your schedule!! I finally settled on the Bellingham Bay Half Marathon which takes place September 29th in Bellingham, Washington. I chose this race because of its location. I live less than an hour from here and Tish lived less than five minutes away. As I am running for her it seemed like an easy choice to run in her city. For the last month or so I have only been running about five miles a week so the idea of running 13.1 is a little scary. I have gotten in a few runs this week and am excited to start adding more and more miles as I train. I will get stronger and faster and I will be ready to take on the half marathon! I will run for Tish.

Running For Tish

Donate to Relay For Life!

Tish Hurst was wonderful mother of three beautiful young girls, a cherished daughter, a very loved little sister and a great friend to so many people who loved her very much. Tish was an amazing woman with strength that was inspiring. She was diagnosed with stage 3 triple negative breast cancer in 2011. Less than a year later it had spread to her lungs. We as a family came together with such hope and love that it seemed pretty impossible for her to not survive. We joined the Whatcom County Relay For Life and created the team We Fight Cancer Together or WFCT. On July 13, 2012 our team walked all night long and raised over $10,000. After Relay For Life Tish continued to fight her cancer but it was just to aggressive. Despite all of the Chemotherapy and other available treatments her cancer continued to grow and spread. When she ran out of other options she participated in a clinical trial. We never lost hope. She was such a big part of our family. She was so important to us, there was no way we could lose her. In April 2013 it became apparent that the clinical trial was not working. Instead of shrinking her tumors were growing and spreading. Because of this she could no longer be a participant in the clinical trial. Despite all of this she planned a family Disneyland trip. Like I said, she was pretty amazing. 

Right before this trip her tumors were making it difficult for her to breathe. She had to bring oxygen tanks with her to help everywhere she went. This didn't stop her from enjoying her vacation. She created moments and memories that we will cherish forever. Soon after returning from this trip her breathing became more difficult and soon she was in a hospice. We lost her on May 3, 2013. We will miss her forever. We hurt because there is a hole in our family. We will keep her in our hearts and remember her forever.

In February I ran my first half marathon. Tish commented on one of my Facebook posts. I recently started really thinking about what she had said.

My first thought after reading her comment was -what a great idea. I already run and I want to raise money to help find a cure for cancer. My second thought was- I have no idea how to make that work. Almost three months have gone by and I keep coming back to that comment. So I have decided to try and make that work for her.

Click here to make your tax deductible donation!

Over the past few months when I was running and was tired, out of breath and wanting to quit, I thought of Tish. She has inspired me to be better, to enjoy my ability to be exhausted and to enjoy every moment no matter what. When I feel like quitting I tell myself that I am lucky, that I am fortunate enough to be able to suffer through a difficult run. After a while it became more of a way of thinking rather than something that I only thought of when I was struggling. Running for her became something I do. It became normal to say to myself this one is for Tish as I began a run. Since she has passed away I feel even stronger about the importance of appreciating every moment. You do not know how many moments you have so to waste a single one is unacceptable.

After giving this running for donations idea some time to roll around in my head this is what I came up with.

I am asking you, all of you, to support this cause that is so important to me. I am asking you for a donation to go towards finding a cure. A cure that will ensure that no one has to go through the horrible, toxic treatments that are currently used. A cure that will save our loved ones so that no one will have to go through the loss of someone to cancer ever again. Here is what I am offering for your donation. If I raise two hundred dollars I will sign up for a half marathon. Now you might be thinking, she runs all the time, that's nothing. I do run all the time...not 13.1 miles though. Despite having conquered my first half marathon it is still an intimidating beast to me. So this is what I will do. As donations come in (if they do *fingers crossed*) I will start training. You can see my donation progress here. If I reach $200 I will sign up for a half marathon and post about it in here. I will then sign up for another half marathon after another $200 is donated, and then another after an additional $200. To be clear I will sign up for my first half marathon after $200 is donated a second half marathon after $400 is donated and a third on after $600. If I make it to six hundred dollars in donations I will sign up for another for every additional $300 donated. If you guys go crazy with donations *fingers crossed* I may have to put a cap on how many races I will complete...like I said 13.1 miles is a giant scary intimidating beast! So come on people...make me run!! 

Please donate for my family and for yours!

This picture was taken the very last time I got to visit with Tish.

Donations can be made here~ Relay For Life
Just click on the "donate now" button and enter your info.
Donations are tax deductible!

If you are wondering what happens to the money donated here are some answers for you. Why We Fundraise