Marathon = Financial Investment

I decided to calculate how much money I have invested as a runner in the 2010 Bank of America Chicago Marathon. Here is the breakdown:

- Marathon Registration: $135.00

- Children's Memorial Marathon Team Participant Fee: $35.00

- iPod Armband: $20.00

- Nike Fit Running Shorts: $22.00

- Running Bra: $40.00

- Marathon Training Book by Hal Higdon: $20.00

So far, I've spent approximately $272.00 on the marathon and the official training has yet to even begin. It's amazing how training for a marathon is not only a physical and emotional investment, but you need to be willing to shell out some money in order to get to the finish line. I estimate that my total investment will be around $350 - $400 when it's all said and done. I still need to get some new socks (cotton = the devil), a running watch, sleeveless shirts and other miscellaneous items like power gel.

It's funny to think that I actually pay someone to run, because most people think that's crazy. However, knowing that I've already made a financial commitment is a great motivator! It helps keep me motivated and focused: two keys aspects of training for a marathon.

While I'm on the topic of money, l would like to give a shout out to my friends who have donated to Children's Memorial Hospital on my behalf. THANK YOU to Traci (& Harley), Ray, Julie and Marisa. Of the four people who donated, two of them are students that I work with or used to work with (Ray & Marisa). So far, I've raised $60 of my $600 goal. I am aiming to raise $120 by the end of May: double what I've raised to date.

Please consider donating to Children's Memorial on my behalf. Not only does it encourage me to keep training hard, but the children at the hospital are in need. In 2009, the hospital served children from every state and 36 foreign countries and it is the only hospital in Illinois dedicated to kids. Children's Memorial hospital served more than 140,000 children during 2009.

To learn more about Children's Memorial Hospital, please click think link.

If you would like to donate, please click this link to go to my fundraising website. Thank you for your love and support.

Putting the Pieces Together

I don't "officially" start training for the marathon until June 6... it's an 18-week program. For now, I've been running between 3-5 miles. I'm trying to get my body adjusted to running again (I went nearly 5-6 months without running on a regular basis). The good news is, I can run 3-5 miles. The bad news is, I'm not quite in running condition. I really have to push myself to keep running and to not give up. I know as soon as I allow myself to take a break and walk during these "short runs", I will continue to do so time after time. Eventually, it will effect my ability to complete long runs (ex. 18 miles in training week 13). My friend Sue ran the marathon a few years ago and has been giving me some advice. She told me as long as I can run 6 miles by the start of June, I should be okay with the real training. I have some serious work to do.

I've decided to follow Hal Higdon's Novice Marathon Training Program. He really explains the nature of the training program, especially for the rookies. I'll be doing short runs on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with a long run on Saturdays. Mondays and Fridays are reserved for rest; my muscles will need to to regenerate and get stronger. I will also be doing some sort of cross-training on Sundays (ex. swimming, cycling, walking). The training program is intense, but it will also help me build the endurance I need to complete 26.2 miles.

Due to the rainy weather in Chicago last week, I was only able to run once. It rained almost every day, with the exception of Saturday. It was 70 degrees and sunny! I went for a 4.4 mile run along the lake and I think I managed to get a little sun action! I'll have to remember to put sunscreen on next time. I'm so thankful for the water stations along the lake. The water is always cold and rehydrates me just when I need it.

Running for a charity is a great way to stay motivated. Here is a perfect example:

About two weeks ago I was on the last mile of my run and I was feeling really tired. I wanted to stop and walk, but I kept telling myself "only 1 more mile." As I was in the middle of this mantra, I saw a van for Children's Memorial Hospital drive by. As soon as I saw the words, "where kids come first", I knew I had to keep running. Seeing the Children's Memorial bus at that very moment was just the motivation I needed to continue running. I raised my head,

put on a smile and said, "I'm doing this for you".

Please, watch this video and learn more about why I decided to run for Children's Memorial Hospital. So far, I have raised $40 of my $600 goal. Thank you to Traci, Ray and Julie for donating! Please spread the word to your families and friends and help me achieve my fundraising goal!