Vulnerability and Resiliency: Lessons from the Cancer Center

The windows in the room lined the upper reaches of the ceiling, enough to let plenty of light in the room, but not big enough or low enough to let us see anything below the blue sky line. My sister sat in an office-grade recliner with blue plastic covering, and I sat in a matching chair, without the reclining function. The machines beeped every so often as either my sister or one of the other patients finished their bags of drugs: benadryl, saline, dextrose, various concoctions of chemotherapy. At times, I could tell by the winces on my sister’s face …

Thanks for the Recent Donations to the Iron Scholarship!

Much thanks to my supporters Dan & Mary Shaw, Kim & Rick Cote, Franny & Paul Kircher, and Lynn Barbato. Their recent generous support has brought my fundraising total to $590.60! Since we started training for the Ironman in January, we’ve swum, biked,  ran or weight trained for 125 hours, which translates into anywhere from 9 to 15 hours of training per week, and about 620 miles. While we push the limits of our physical celebrex endurance, your support will help students whose academic endurance is helping them realize their dreams. If everyone who visits this site donates just $5, …

Welcome!

If you’ve found yourself here after reading the article in the Press of Atlantic City – welcome! If you are a regular visitor to RunningALife – welcome back! You can find information about the Iron Scholarship, which rewards academic endurance, on this page. Your contribution can make a big difference in the lives of students facing economic hardship. Any amount is greatly appreciated. I’m glad you stopped by today. Please browse my posts, and feel free to comment. I would love to hear from you.

What Shakespeare has to say about Twitter, training & racing

I love Twitter. Some, like my husband, might even say I have a Twitter “problem.”  I don’t think it’s a problem, really. I just don’t want to spend a day without being able to check my Twitter feed – even if it’s only a quick skim. I look forward to reading the ideas, the information and the experiences shared by my fellow tweeps. How is it that I get so much from a seemingly disjointed collection of 140-character musings? In Shakespeare’s Hamlet, Lord Polonius (in a rather funny and ironic twist in the dialogue) says to the King and Queen, …

From 2009 into 2010: Places, races & goals

In terms of my athletic goals and experiences, 2009 has been an excellent year. (It’s been a great year for other reasons as well, just not necessarily central to this blog :)). I have met some of the coolest runners and triathletes,  some of which I have been fortunate to develop relationships with, others who passed through my life for a day, as I did through theirs. So many smiles, so many words of encouragement. Peace, love and light to all of you in 2010! I’ve enjoyed interacting with all of you here on my blog, on twitter, at races …

My (Morning) Process

Morning is my favorite time to workout – just not first thing out of bed in the morning. Ideally, I like to wake up about an hour before I want to workout. So, if I want to start at 6 a.m., I will get up at 5 a.m., maybe 5:15 a.m. Why? Because I need to go through what I call “my process.” My husband John thinks I’m nuts. Last week as I was going through “my process,” he commented, “I don’t get it. How can you just sit there, relaxed, and not go?” I laughed and replied, “I need …

A quick fundraising update

I am blessed with a wonderful support system.  I’m raising money for the Iron Scholarship Fund, as part of my Ironman Lake Placid 2010 journey. I first posted about the charity just two short weeks ago, and I’ve already received contributions from several friends and family. Much thanks to Mary & Adam, Jeanne & John and John. Your support means so very much to me – and it will cymbalta also mean a lot to the lives of the students who receive the scholarship. If you would like information about how to donate to the Iron Scholarship, please visit the information page. And, by …

Giving Back: The Iron Scholarship Fund

College is a significant and life-changing accomplishment, with value for enhancing self-esteem and confidence, civic involvement and lifetime earnings. While some first decide to attend college for “a piece of paper,” upon graduation many students realize their lives have been enriched in ways they never imagined on their first day as a college freshman. Yet, for some students this accomplishment is either out of reach or made exceedingly difficult by the costs associated with a college education. Rising tuition costs have increased the sacrifices that many students must make, including attending only part-time, working full or part time jobs, sacrificing study …

In praise of spectators

You get up at 4:30 a.m., too. Sometimes, you are the one to wake the athlete, allowing her to sleep in just a little bit longer as you prepare a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for her breakfast, as you fill his water bottles with scoops of powdered sports drink, water and some ice cubes, as you pack the car with her transition bag, bicycle, and other various sundries. You just smile and make light small talk when the grumpy and nervous athlete fails to say thanks—or worse yet complains about your efforts to make his day a little easier. …

I think compression socks are sexy

Okay, maybe not sexy, but I do think they are effective. Even though the science on the use of compression socks leaves room for debate, my experience using them suggests that they are great tools for enhancing recovery – particularly from long distance running. When we were at the Lake Placid Ironman, we saw many of the athletes wearing compression socks – walking around in them the day before and after the race, as well as wearing the socks during the race. Oddly, I had forgotten about my socks, which I had purchased back in March. I hadn’t worn them in …