Running Update:

9/28/2014	13.5 mi	2:11:19
10/1/2014	4.9 mi	46:17
10/3/2014	5.1 mi	43:10
10/5/2014	7.6 mi	1:08:33
10/8/2014	3.2 mi	31:18
10/11/2014	26.2 mi	4:12:18

Another Hartford Marathon done!  It was 50 degrees and rained the entire morning, but I managed to finish the Hartford Marathon in 4 hrs 12 minutes.  Not my best time, but at least I have proven to myself that I can still run marathons!  The demons of Boston (and my sub-optimal finish there this spring) have been laid to rest.  Yay!

I’d never run a race in rain before.  Heat and humidity, yes.  Below freezing, yes.  And certainly I’ve trained in the rain before, but had never actually been unfortunate enough to run an entire 4+ hours in it.  The temperature actually would have been ideal for running, but it is remarkable how chilled I got from being wet that whole time.  Curiously, my legs weren’t the problem—it was my arms and hands that were distractingly, painfully cold.  (At least until I hit the wall at mile 24—then it was all about leg pain!)  Lesson learned—I’ll be wearing gloves next time.

My completed training plan (stains and all)

Approaching the finish

Crossing the finish line!

Greeting the girls after receiving my medal

Hartford Marathon 2014
For non-locals, this represents the State Capitol building (left) where the race starts, and the Soldiers and Sailor Memorial Arch in Bushnell Park (right) where the race finishes.

A few words of thanks:  to Neil, my virtual running partner, who qualified for Boston again yesterday; his wife, Marcia, who is our one-woman marathon support crew; my mother and aunt, who are my tireless cheerleaders; my kids, for putting up with spectating another road race, in the rain this time; and to my husband, Todd, who helped make it all possible <3

I’ll take a break from running for a week or two, but then hope to finish out the year with 1000 miles of running.  I’m at 863.9 for 2014 so far :)

NF Update:

With the marathon over, another fundraising season is coming to a close!  As I write we have $18981 in donations logged on our website for 2014.  I know of at least another $835 yet to be processed (the NFE offices have been closed for renovations), so altogether we’ve raised

$19,816

for the Children’s Tumor Foundation this year!!  Thank you, everyone!

PS  It’s never too late to donate!  I’d love to see us top $20,000 this year!  Here’s the link:

http://ctf.kintera.org/nfechooseyourownevent2014/krath4jane

Jane Update:

Back to Bethesda tomorrow!  Jane has been having monthly check-ups and blood work here at home since July, but this month we have to make an appearance at NIH.  Just a quick overnight trip to have blood drawn and to meet with our team of caregivers.  Hopefully uneventful!