One Man's Trash

...is another man's treasure. That's what they say. I'm very excited about tonight. My 3-Day team (the Mammary Musketeers) are meeting to talk about fundraisers that are in the works and maybe even come up with ideas for more. There are six of us on the team, but I know only three so it will be nice to finally meet the last two. We're planning a garage sale in April. I went through my house again one last time and pulled out a few more items for the sale. Thank goodness I have One Year to an Organized Life. That is truly the best book for organizing your home and if you don't have it, you should get it. Regina Leeds doesn't just tell you how to orgazine what you have, but she walks you through the entire process of sorting, eliminating, reorganizing, and maintaining week by week, month by month, and room by room. It will change the way you live. Really. Here, I'll even show you what it looks like:

Anyway, we're hoping for a successful garage sale. Maybe a lot of people will find a lot of treasures and we'll make a lot of money for the 3-Day!

As for my training, I just got back from a 4.25 mile walk that took an hour and ten minutes. Erika and I planned to walk in her neighborhood this morning, so instead of putting Matthew and the stroller in the car and driving to her house, we just walked. Now I know her house is .75 miles from my house. And now I know that walking to her house and back will add another mile and a half to our walks. Aren't I great at math?

I feel like a contestant on DWTS.

Erika and I walked 2.5 miles this morning. We also walked two miles on Thursday that I haven't posted about yet. I'm sure you missed that, right? It was a busy weekend that included two multi-cultural festivals (one at each kid's school), a kindergarten field trip to the zoo on Friday that nearly killed me (not really), and a carpentry project on the back patio (which I wasn't really part of except to keep the kids away from the action).

So, that's why there wasn't too much walking. Well that and because of an incident that happened a week ago. I was dusting, of all things, when I injured myself. I must admit that I can get a bit wild while doing my chores. I just want to get it done and sometimes I move a little too quickly, and last week I rammed my left knee right into the corner of the piano bench. The middle of my knee right into the corner of the bench. I mean, the center of my knee...into the corner of the bench! Did you get that? I fell to the floor in pain and it still feels a little funny. I put in a call to Doc. That's my dad. They called him Doc at work for 30 years because he was the trainer for the high school football team. He didn't have much of an opinion, but he did tell me once that the only thing he could deal with was a nosebleed. Maybe I should ask Christine; she's a physical therapist. Or perhaps I'm making too much of a bruised knee. I guess I should just power through like Steve-O and Holly Madison.

A Brand New Me

I got my hair cut yesterday. I really needed a change. I really wanted a change. I went to a new salon and told the stylist to cut my hair to compliment my features and face shape. My friend Erika says that was so brave, but I don't really think so. It's just hair. Every time I tell a stylist what I want, I'm never happy. And every time I show them a picture, it never looks the way I think it will. So, I just left it in the hands of the professional. I'm happy with the result and, unless everyone at preschool this morning was just being kind, my friends like it, too.
You're probably wondering what in the world this all has to do with the 3-Day. Well, let me tell you. I think this style is going to work well for the event. Since I read in the walker handbook that there is no electricity at camp, I've been worried about missing my hairdryer. Not for my vanity, but because I don't like to go to bed with a wet head and my hair takes forever to dry. Used to take forever to dry, that is.

(Plus this is a good picture of me and I wanted to post it. Any my hair will probably never look like this again because I'm no good at hairstyling.)

I did not.

Well, I didn't get up and walk. It was a chilly morning, I had a kid on each side of me in bed, and I realized this was the last day we could sleep in. Tomorrow, Elizabeth goes back to school and we'll be back in our routine. Thank goodness. I did manage to clean the entire house today, though. And vacuuming and mopping are grueling workouts.

Things got better this afternoon. A production assistant from 12 News called me and officially put in a request to have Kevin Hunt and/or Lin Sue Cooney MC the Cake Challenge for the Cure. She was sure to tell me there were no guarantees, but there's no harm in asking. As my father-in-law, who's managed several fundraisers, always says, "Think big and settle for small." I am very good at thinking big.

I Can. Will I?

It was such a beautiful morning! The sun was out, the air was cool, and I walked two miles around the neighborhood. I plan to do at least the same tomorrow morning, but Brian's leaving for work by 7 o'clock which means I must get up and go. Wish me luck.

Slow Pokes

Today I walked .95 miles in 25 minutes. Now don't judge. Elizabeth wanted to come with me and she literally made me stop and smell the flowers. It was a fun stroll through the neighborhood with my little girl.

Now that I have shoes, I have to get back in the groove of walking. I think when spring break is over, that will be easier. This morning I walked 2.8 miles in 45 minutes, and my feet felt great!

Mama Got a New Pair of Shoes

It's been a while since I've bought sneakers. Actually, it's been over a year and a half. These shoes were the best sneakers I've ever had. Ever. When I was training for the half-marathon, I went to Run AZ to find some good shoes. The salesman was very knowledgebale and clearly knew a little something about fitness. He watched me walk, asked me my shoe size, and then brought back two or three pairs. After I tried on the first shoe, he promptly took back all the shoes he chose initially and brought back the same shoes a whole size larger. Oops. Good thing I sought professional help. I must have tried on nearly ten pairs of shoes, and it was eye-opening how different each shoe felt. I should add that none of the shoes I tried had a price tag, so you could say that money was no object here. I was simply rating the shoes on how they felt. Which is probaby how you should buy shoes. I finally settled on a pair of Asics GEL-Nimbus 9s.

When I bought those shoes, he told me they'd probably be good for about six months. But, they were kind of pricey and I felt I should get my money's worth. As you can see, I wore them out. At first, I used them only for my training, then after the event I started wearing them all the time. Hey, they felt good! Now, they're just sad. So sad. Look at them. Maybe you can't see in the photo, but the stitching on the right toe is coming apart and they certainly don't feel like they used to. I needed a new pair.

Yesterday, I went back to Run AZ and tried on a new model of the same shoe (along with a few others). I stuck with the same shoe because they feel just like my old ones used to feel. It's like having little pillows all around my feet. I brought them home yesterday afternoon and wore them until it was time to go to sleep. I couldn't take them off. I love them. I'm planning on getting another pair (or two). Although they didn't have them in my size yesterday, they come in pink!

Out of Whack

I really hate coming here and telling you guys that I haven't exercised. I haven't in the last couple of days because our family is off our routine. This is spring break, Brian's home on his furlough, and the kids have been sick. Enough with the excuses, Sara! I think this blog will be good for me and really hold me accountable for my training. I'm going to tell you now, though, that my 24-week training doesn't officially begin until June 7th. Oh you know, when it's so hot you can fry an egg on the sidewalk here. I'm going to be an early riser for at least a few months.

Things are coming together for the cake challenge. I'm trying to nail down May 17th as the date. I hope it works for the four decorators who are interested so far. Oh, here's the newest one: Vali's Custom Cakes.

As soon as the date is set, we'll continue asking more decorators. The cake decorators suggested that they work in teams of two. I think that sounds like a really fun idea and works well for both them and us. It will cut their supply costs in half and double the amount of work that can be completed on each cake--making them even more impressive. We need to find more decorators, though, so we can have more cakes to auction. Thankfully, my 3-Day team is interested in this fundraiser so we can all work together to put on an amazing event! I'm very excited!

Video

You should watch this video. It's a snippet of the one they showed us at the Get Started meeting yesterday.

http://www.the3day.org/site/PageServer?pagename=end_bc

An Inspiring Day

Today I went to a 3-Day Get Started meeting. A seasoned walker (she's done it 4 times!) gave a presentation about the Komen Foundation and answered a lot of questions about the event. Not only do I feel like I have a better understanding of how things will be, or at least how they're supposed to be that weekend, but I am so inspired. Registering for this event is a bold commitment and walking 60 miles makes a bold statement. This is supposed to be a challenge.

So if you think I'm nuts, I am not. I know it will be a moving experience and I'm confident it will be a lot of fun. I'm part of a six-woman team that's gonna walk 20 miles a day and camp out in tents! I unexpectedly met one of my teammates at the presentation today. We weren't able to talk long, but she seems like a lot of fun and is extremely motivated. She was there with her mother, a breast cancer survivor. Nancy said it herself--she was made to do this. Her mother is so proud of her for accepting the challenge--and with such determination. She's already reached her minimum fundraising goal!

At the end of the meeting, they showed a video that only validated my decision to do this walk. I knew the video was coming; my friend Jennifer blogged about it the other day. (It's a good read. Go here.) So I didn't wear eye make-up and took plenty of tissues. And I'm glad I did. And I'm so glad I'm walking.

There was no exercise today, but it was still productive. I managed to find three cake decorators who are very excited to participate in what I am now calling the Cakes for the Cure Challenge. Or should it be Cake Challenge for the Cure? I think I like the latter. Anyway, the decorators offered a lot of information that will help to make this event a success. They even gave me names of other cake decorators who might be interested in participating, too. Very cool! I'm so happy this fundraiser is coming together! I was hoping to hold it in May, but it seems March through mid-June is wedding season in Arizona so their schedules are pretty packed on the weekends. The date of the event all depends on their availability so I'm hoping to work with the restaurant owner of the venue--Country Cottage Cafe--to pin down a date very soon and start spreading the word.

In the meantime, you may want to check out these competitors: Carol from Sugar Buzz Cakes, Grace from Graceful Cake Creations, and Christy from Vanlatte. They all do beautiful work and I'm anxious to see the cakes they create for the competition!

Fundraiser Ideas

This evening I did 30 minutes of aerobics, strength training, and yoga on Wii Fit. The kids and I haven't left the house in a few days so we're getting cabin fever. We're just taking it easy until Elizabeth gets rid of that cough. But cough or no cough, we have to go grocery shopping tomorrow!

All this downtime has allowed me to focus on coming up with some creative fundraisers. There are a few running through my brain and most have some kinks that need to be worked out. The first fundraiser, however, is moving right along. I contacted a local restaurant owner to see if she'd be willing to let us use her restaurant as a venue for a cake decorating contest, and she's really into it! Think Food Network Challenge. The plan is to have 3-5 professional cake decorators create a cake with a breast cancer theme. We'd charge admission to watch the decorators work their magic and see a panel of judges (that will include a breast cancer survivor) choose a winner. Afterwards, we'll hold a live auction for the cakes. I was also thinking of having friends and family members bake cakes and hold a silent auction for those cakes while the pros are doing their work. It would be a great way to raise more money but I have to check with the restaurant owner to make sure that wouldn't be a liabiliy for her. Laws, laws, laws.

Some more ideas are a wine and chocolate tasting at a local winery, selling Krispy Kreme donuts outside a grocery store or Wal-Mart, a 'ladies who lunch' party at my house, and a bunco night where the pot goes to the 3-Day. If you have more ideas, feel free to share!

A Day of Thought

No exercise today. Well not unless you count the usual picking up around the house and doing laundry.

Elizabeth has bronchitis so I slept in with her this morning. It was so cozy and then so funny when she sat up straight in bed and proclaimed, "Mommy, we overslept!" Thankfully, she's on spring break so she's not missing any school. And thank goodness she doesn't have pneumonia. As predicted, we spent yesterday morning at the doctor's office, an imaging center for a chest x-ray, and then the pharmacy. Fun, fun. She's already feeling better so we're all happier and more at ease than we were this weekend.

Although I didn't train, I spent a lot of time today thinking about fundraising. I think I came up with a few creative ideas. Raising the money is my biggest concern right now. Ideally, I would like to get the fundraising out of the way before May 10th--the official start of my 28-week training program. It would be so nice to only have to worry about walking 60 miles!

Up Early

I did it! I woke up early and walked before Brian left for work. Okay, so he's at a conference in town this week and he leaves an hour later, but I still did it! Even in spite of the painful kink in my neck this morning. What got me going is the fact that Elizabeth has a bad chest cold and I'm afraid it's only a matter of time before I get it, too. I better get my walks in while I can because even if I don't catch her cold, I'll get something else; everyone seems to be sick around here. We're headed to the doctor's office this morning so who knows what we'll all be exposed to in that waiting room. My goodness. I felt like I was trying to win a radio contest when I called the pediatrition at 8 am this morning! But, the point is that I got my walk in today--2.2 miles in 36 minutes.

Agh!

I couldn't fall asleep last night until 1 am. I kept wondering why I signed up for the 3-Day. Kind of a 'what have I done?' panic attack. To be fair, my fears become irrational at night. They always have. I could casually worry about something all day, but at night that same issue becomes so distressing that my breathing becomes shallow and my mind won't relax. It's not like I didn't give this a lot of thought. I've been mulling this over for months. But last night I kept focusing on the negatives: $2300!; 3 days!; 60 miles!; 4 days without my kids!; a tent!; port-a-potties!; fundraisers!; what if it rains?!; 20 miles is excessive!; what if I get hurt?!; how will I raise all that money?! I finally fell asleep after I resolved to tell Jennifer and my team that I've reconsidered. I'll help them raise the money so they can walk, but I just can't do it.

Then I woke up this morning and wondered what all the fuss was about. Sure there's a lot to be done and it won't be easy. But after it's all said and done, I'll be able to say I did it. We did it. And I gained a little perspective. I realized there are worse things than all those negatives I was thinking about last night. Things like chemotherapy, radiation, and death.

It's official!

I registered for the San Diego Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk today. I had a little technical difficulty with the online process two days ago, but I'm all set now! I'm officially a walker and a member of the Mammary Musketeers. That's our team name. I am off and walking! Please visit my participate page at right!

I walked by myself this afternoon and did 30 minutes of cross-training with Wii Fit. My walk was 1.8 miles, and I completed it in 28 minutes. I set off to do 2 miles but apparently my neighbhorhood loop is just short of that distance. Sure, I could have walked a tenth of a mile further and come back but I didn't think of that until later. Next time maybe.

Training: Day Two

Erika and I walked 2.3 miles this morning in 38 minutes. Why did we decide to start this walking thing right before spring break? Our kids have the next two and a half weeks off from school so we're not going to be able to walk. Well, not unless we have an entourage of four children trailing us. Somehow, I don't think we'd get very far.

Question: Do you think I can get up at 6:00 every morning and walk before my husband leaves at 7:00?

Answer: I'll let you know on Monday.

My First Day of Walking

The other day, my friend Erika called me and asked if I wanted to walk with her. She and a friend were supposed to start walking when their daughters are in school but it just wasn't happening. If you ever want to start a training program with a friend, I am that friend. If I'm training just for myself and by myself, it's so hard to get motivated. But if someone else is depending on me (and I use the word 'depending' pretty loosely here), I'll do all that I'm supposed to do. The prime example is when Jennifer and I trained for the half-marathon. I think it's safe to say that if each of us was training individually, we never would have lasted 5 months. We both walked our short walks throughout the week and then we met on Sunday mornings for our long walk. And then breakfast. But it was a smart breakfast, I assure you.

Anyway, talk about perfect timing. Erika and are planning on walking 3 mornings a week. Today was our first day out and we did 2.7 miles in 45 minutes. It's a good start. And it was during that walk that I finally decided to commit myself to the 3-Day Walk. These walks with Erika are a good precursor to my 28-week training schedule for the big weekend in November.

Yes I Can

It may be said that I can be talked into anything. Well, maybe I can. But I don't think so. Well, it depends on who's doing the talking. After much cajoling (with a little bit of guilt thrown in there, too), my friend has convinced me that I need to do the Breast Cancer 3-Day Walk in San Diego this November. I have plenty of time to train and plenty of time to raise the $2300 entrance fee. It will be an incredible experience. The scenery will be breathtaking. We'll make a difference and save lives. (This is all my friend Jennifer talking, by the way). I'm sure she's right. I'm just a little nervous and a lot excited.

This blog will serve as a therapeutic way to document my training both physically, mentally and emotionally. The physical part is pretty obvious. I know I can do it. I've already printed out my training schedule, and if there's one thing I can do well, it's stick to a schedule. Mentally, I'm going to have to get down to business and raise this money. Even though it will take a lot of time, I know I can do that, too. I've held successful fundraisers before. The emotional aspect is a new one and probably the one that will cause many eyes to roll. I'm going to have to be away from my family for about four days. Believe me, in some ways that sounds great but I think when it's lights out and time to sleep (in a tent!) I'm going to be very sad. And if that doesn't get to me, I can only imagine how I'm going to feel walking alongside other women who've lost loved ones to breast cancer. I don't think there's any way to prepare myself for the emotional impact this experience will have on me.

So, here I go. It's early March and I have just under 9 months to get this thing rolling. Wish me luck and I appreciate any support you can give.