Friday, July 19, 2013

Running update:
7/19/13  7.4 miles in 1:15:55
SLOW today owing to a heat index over 100.  Ugh!  Makes me look forward to our upcoming trip to Heaven—otherwise known as Echo Bay, the Lake of the Woods, Northern Ontario, Canada—where the weather is currently mid-70s, dry, and sunny!
After seeing all the fun I’ve had in the past few years with training and racing, my husband Todd has started running!  Hockey and cycling have always been his sports, but it turns out he’s a pretty quick runner, too!  His tempo pace is a good minute faster than mine.  He’s hoping to run in our town’s 5 mile Thanksgiving race.  He promised to leave the marathons for me :)

Jane update: 
During the heat wave this week I took the kids out for ice cream one afternoon.  Jane had been feeling fine, but when we arrived at the Cold Stone Creamery, she threw up in the parking lot :(  I’m not sure if it was the Gleevec or the hot weather, but we hurried inside to cool off and get a drink of water.  She asked me, “If my tummy feels better now can I still get ice cream?”  How could I say no?  (She seemed better after that…)

NF update: 
I enlisted the kids' help with fundraising this afternoon.  We folded, stuffed, sealed, stamped, and put return addresses on 270 envelopes in 1-1/2 hours!  They didn't even ask for bribes!  They did it, as Helen said to Jane, "to help find medicine for your cheek!"  (It also helped that they were competing to see who could stuff the most...)

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Running update:
July to date:
7/3  5.1 miles in 46:10
7/5  5.6 miles in 56:30
7/7  6.0 miles in 1:05:07
7/10  5.0 miles in 47:39
7/13  9.7 miles in 1:35:09
7/15  3.1 miles in 30:58
7/17  4.2 miles in 41:09

The heat and humidity of the past two weeks have really put a dent in my training!  90+ degrees with 90+ percent humidity is just too brutal—I’m running much fewer miles at much slower pace.  Thankfully it’s still early in the training season…

Jane update: 
Just signed Jane up for fall soccer (already!)  Jane started playing soccer for the first time this spring and was so excited to be part of a team.   At the end of the season her coach gave out individualized medals for participation—Jane got hers for being “keenest player”.   (Thanks Coach Mark!)  Before the season started a well-meaning friend had told me she had reservations about Jane playing soccer, for fear of Jane getting hit in the jaw where her tumor is.  I confess, holding her back from any activity has never even occurred to me.   I don’t ever want to tell her that she can’t do something because of NF.  And knowing Jane’s personality, I don’t think she would even take “no” for an answer, anyway :) 
More firsts:  Jane caught her first wave while vacationing in Cape Cod and started piano lessons this summer!