Thank you supporters!

Week 1 of Boston Marathon training is done and in the books. Overall, not bad. Still many miles to go, but not bad at all.

But first, there has been a fantastic outpouring of support from my friends, virtual friends and family donating and helping out with this amazing cause. I love getting emails from Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund with the subject line: "Congratulations! You just received a donation on your personal page!"  Not only have people donated their money, but we have some exciting ideas people have offered up to help raise funds for Dana-Farber - including some one-of-a-kind original kickass artwork (more details to come!), rare dvds and other goodies. I will keep you posted on how you can get your hands on some sweet goods!  Thank you to all that have made that happen!

If we look at our $10,000 goal it in terms of miles, we are 1.3 miles into 26.2 miles of our marathon!  WOOT!  That means we are warmed up and ready to go, go, go!  And what better way to mark our progress than with this SAH-weet banner that the Dana-Farber Marathon Challenge team sent along. You know you wanna be on the banner!  Do it!  

Thank you supporters!  $505/$10,000 

I'll post the pic each week so you can see your name in print. (And next time I'll actually use my camera instead of my phone. Dang, the lens needs a cleaning!)

As for training, 18 miles down last week - A bit cut back from where I was this fall/summer, but I want to make sure my IT band holds up. David got me a book called ChiRunning and my mind has been blown. 

I have my highlighter in hand and you can find me on the commuter rail marking that sucker up. Seeing the pictures of my last race and seeing how my foot is WAY out in front of my center of mass and my front leg is essentially putting on the brakes while my back leg is putting on the gas made me realize just how much force I am channeling through my knees and hips and (con razón!) the weakest link, my knee (and IT band) hurts.

So we work on the muscles (Thank you Dr. Otto!) we channel the chi and fix the form (Thank you ChiRunning!)

This week the schedule is bumped up to 20 miles, 3 x 4mile runs and an 8 mile long run. Since I swapped out Sat/Sun last week, I might just do the same this week and run on the 26th. Have you ever seen a runner running on Christmas Day?  I used to see "those runners" and think, "Take a day off will ya?" (Whoa, there is an assumption....what if those runners DON'T celebrate Christmas.)  But let's just say they do.  And if they did, and were still running, I get it. I actually get why they do it. 

Who knows, maybe we'll see some runners out on the roads when we drive to our family's house later.  

If running in your peace and Christmas is the most peaceful day there is, then why wouldn't you spend it running? 

So are you a "Take a day off!"  kinda spectator/runner or a "My run IS the best present"? Or does Dec. 25th just *happen* to fall on a running day in your training schedule?