TO MY RUNNING FRIENDS--GOOD LUCK

This is a big weekend for running with the Chicago Marathon and the Nike half marathon.

To my running buddy DeeDee : I know this hasn't been the year you had hoped it would be. But you always get through, look at the positive and learn. I feel so sad that your ITB is bad and you haven't been able to run. Last year, in Chicago you did your first marathon, and what an awesome experience that was. This year on your second marathon- you overcame a spine fracture to run again, put in alot of miles, and you will be at the starting line positive you will finish even if your knee hurts. You will not DNS.(Do Not Start). You will be among the crowd in the rain ,cold and possible snow to set out and overcome the 26.2 miles. I am so proud of you and how far you have come. Good luck!

To Dawn and Roger(cycling friends): Good luck- you guys have been great friends

To Lisa: Your outfit looks great-celebrate the day.

To 21st Century Mom: Good Luck at the Nike Half--you deserve the Bling!!

To Juls: Hope you are doing better and can do the half--but remember your goals.

To everyone running this weekend that I haven't mentioned- enjoy and celebrate life. It can be far to short and you need to grasp the moment!

SPRINTS UP A HILL

SPIN: 60 min. / AVE HR=156 / MAX HR 168

From start to finish, today was one of those hectic days. I did make it to spin class(1 minute late). Mary restarted the entire class of 25 people -so I wouldn't miss anything. It was a great workout! Alot of challenging hills with pickups in the middle. One hill lasted 17 min then we visualized passing other riders to the top. I don't think I passed too many other people ,I barely made it over the hill.

Back home in Ohio , my father-in-law will be starting brain radiation. My hubby is flying out to be there when he comes home from the hospital on Thurs.

ONE DAY AT A TIME

RUN:30min : TREADMILL
WEIGHTS: 10min

Today, I am back to work. I love working at a cancer care center but with the challenges in my life right now it's tough. My first patient this morning was 46 and due to get her first radiation treatment to her lung. We just got the report on her ct of the brain and it has spread. We changed course. Today we started treating her brain. How in a few minutes your life can change. I realize the importance of every moment and the legacy we leave behind. Looking to the future -I know also the importance of taking the challenges ahead in my family one day at a time.

I was late to the gym so I missed the BOSU class. I ran on the treadmill for 30 min. My body felt like it had never run before. I also did a little upper body at the weight machines. I felt alot better when I got back home.

NOT POSITIVE

The weekend went from bad to worse to ?worser. My father-n-law has very very advanced and wide spread lung cancer. I flew to Ohio yesterday and was the families point person to talk to doctors. By the afternoon -I had talked to them all(neurologist, pulmonologist, and oncologist). It was time to sit down with dad. I was the spokesperson. Options were limited. There is no cure. We will procede with radiation to the brain for local control. Chemotherapy would decrease quality of life and not gain much time. We are looking into hopsice for the future and are going to take one day at a time. Life is so precious. Grab every minute and hang on.

NOT MUCH BETTER

Today the news from Ohio was not good. My father-in-law has dyphasia and cannot use his rt arm. The oncologist called me the prognosis. There are always exceptions to the rules and Dad is a tough guy. I wanted to run but need to stay close to a phone. Tonight when things had settled down Bino and I went to the pool at the club. I can't swim but would like to, I got a swim board and kicked around for over 30min. I'm going to find an instructor when things settle down next week. Tomorrow I was hoping to swim but I'm going to catchh a plane to Ohio to see for myself how things are going.

FRIDAY THE 13TH

Today was one of those days that you hope don't happen often. At work we had a 39 y.o. come in with back pain and found that she had a compression fracture of her spine from the spread of lung cancer. What a wonderful lady. She has 3 kids. Then this evening we got a call from my mother-in-law that my father-in-law was admitted,they found 2 brain tumors, and 1 tumor in the lung. My hubby is flying back to Ohio in the AM. Hopefully things are better than they sound.

HUBBY TO THE RESCUE

SPIN: 60 MIN / AVE H.R.=150 / MAX H.R.= 171

When I left work at 4pm today, my plan was to get a few things done at home the spin from 6-7 with Mary. I got home at 430 and then it began. Bino was cutting the front yard ran out of gas in the middle. Hooch needed picked up from cheer. Supper needed to be made. It is going to be 30 tomorrow and Bino has no long pants that fit for school. I need to go to the drycleaners. It just kept going to the point that in my menopausal life -I just got pissed. I called Hubby at work and he listened patiently to my ranting. He called back told me to go to spin-he would deal with things. I changed my clothes and went. By the time I got home, everything was taken care of . I was in a much better mood and had White Castle waiting for me in the microwave. You can't get much better than that.

The spinning class was a great workout. I got my HR monitor in the mail so I was able to use it again. We did a mixed terrain workout which include some fast flts into hills.