FINITO!!!

Hello everyone!

As most of you have heard...I finished my marathon! 5:33:39. Not bad for my first time. I had hoped for a bit faster but I am in no way disappointed!

There are so many people that need to be thanked for all that WE AS A TEAM accomplished for Rescue!

I'd like to thank Ms. Sanya for being her usual bombilicious self for making the blog look so great and for keeping the running total (like the pun?) of all of our donations. I hope she knows how much her efforts to make our site look fantastic are appreciated!

I'd like to thank all of the folks who either offered up their time to volunteer to work for the marathon so that we satisfied our obligation to them and to those who hung out at the Finish Line Festival with all of the beautiful Golden babies! It was wonderful to finish and be around people I like and respect so much and to be around the dogs who just loved giving me kisses! (I think it had something to do with sweat...)

Thank you to everyone who joined the GRCGLA Rescue team. We ended up with 40 participants! Hopefully we will get a lot more for next year (yes...I am planning on a next year!!!)

I would like to thank Barbara Davis and Denise Buczek for their tireless efforts to get this fundraiser out to everyone. WE ROCKED THIS THING!

I would like to thank everyone who generously contributed to the thermometer. Every little cent is appreciated and added to our PHENOMENAL total of $28,200.00!!!

I would like to thank my beautiful Baby Sums for flying next to me during my run. She brought many of her new friends and they gave me the boost I needed. All I had to do was think about them and I didn't feel quite so tired (well I did but it got my mind off of it). I love you, Pretty Girl.

I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to Mr. Marty Friedman, aka, The Marathon Guru, for all of his help and wisdom. He took a lot of time giving me tips and advice and I could not have finished without him. A couple of times during the race I heard his voice in my head saying: "come on, lead legs!!"... Of course he told me many times to think of him saying more positive things like "Go Golden runner girl" or "you are the most amazing, wonderful, super duper runner of all time" but all I could think of was "Lead Legs"...which they were! Thank you Guru, so very much, for everything! (Guru is the guy I'm hugging...getting him all sweaty!)

And last I would like to thank everyone who sent me good luck wishes and words of encouragement. I want you all to know how much those words meant and mean to me. And thanks to all who have read this blog and to all who've said they enjoyed it. It was fun.

Things I have learned from running a marathon:

• I can't run and drink water from a cup at the same time
• I can't run and have a coughing fit at the same time (I ran the marathon with a cold)
• I can't run, chew gum, eat GU, and hold water at the same time (are you noticing a pattern here???)
• GU is my friend. I love GU. I am going to carry a GU with me at all times. Bury me with a GU (They had run out of GU (energy gel) at the first station that it was offered. So I had to wait until mile 16.5 to get a darned GU! I thought I was gonna die! I was literally thinking of who I would have to kill, maim or bribe to get one. Good thing I was so weak I couldn't have squished a bug!)
• My nose runs faster than I do.
• Doggies think I am the yummiest after a run.
• Toenails ARE for sissies!! (One of my toenails is falling off.)
• Blisters are BAD!
• Cupcakes are GOOD! 

And, all kidding aside, I am one of the luckiest people to be surrounded by folks like you. It is my honor and privilege to be a member of this organization. I am so proud to be a part of the GRCGLA Rescue.

Be well everyone!
Peace out!

CONGRATULATIONS BETHANY!

She completed her very first marathon in 5:33:39!

IT'S HERE!

I can't believe that the marathon is tomorrow!

When I started this, I had 22 weeks to train. It seemed so far away. It went REALLY fast.

I am excited and nervous.

I am also VERY excited that my Chicago Bears have a bye this week. I asked them to not play on the day that I run my first marathon. So nice of them to not play on a day that I wouldn't be able to watch them. My people are so good!

My bib # is 958. You can see how I'm doing by going to this link: http://www.liveraceresults.com/liverc2/Default.aspx

Enter in my bib # and you will see how slowly I am getting along ;)

If any of you have nothing to do tomorrow...come on down to Long Beach with your beautiful doggies! This is a wonderful opportunity for the GRCGLA Rescue. We can use all the help and all the Golden Babies possible to make us the most popular area of the Finish Line Festival!!!

Be well everyone...and I will see you on the flip side!!!

SCCCOOOOOOOOOOOOOPS!!!!

Hello everyone!

It is October 1st. The day the ice cream challenge comes to an end. I hope that you have all eaten so much ice cream that you never want to see ice cream AGAIN....or at least until next weekend!

If you would like to project how much more ice cream you will eat this year and include it in the total...that is completely acceptable!!!

So dump that kitty and Count D' Money!!!!

If you will be attending Dogtoberfest this Saturday, please write a check for the number of scoops and bring it to the festivities!! I will be there with a HUGE envelope to take all those checks!!!

If you won't be attending Dogtoberfest, please write a check and send it to the PO Box ASAP (PO BOX 491209 Los Angeles, CA 90049). Please write "SCOOPS" in the memo. Send it soon as we would really like to add it to the total and make that thermometer go up, uP, UP!!!

Thank you all in advance for accepting this HORRIBLE challenge!!! I hope that you enjoyed it as much as I have missed the lusciousness of all that yummy, yummy chocolatey goodness!!

Be well everyone...YOU ROCK!!!!!!!

Random Musings

First, I would like to thank all of the people I know (and those that I don't) that have registered to participate in one (or two!!) of the marathon events. They are taking time out of their busy schedules to help our baby Goldens and I can't thank them enough. I was also just informed that a great friend of Carole's and a vet that we use often, Dr. Kelpe, the owner of Santa Margarita Animal Care Center has signed up to run the marathon as well. (This is also where I picked up my Baby Sums!) Thank you Dr. Kelpe for your generous offer to help us raise funds!! I'm told he is using this as "practice." Oh the day when I run 26.2 miles for PRACTICE!!!!! He will probably finish, go home, shower and be watching football by the time I finish! Marathon as practice....sheeesh!

I have seen some cool and wacky things while running:

There was the man I saw biking with one of those kiddie trailer stroller thingys. Though instead of having a kid back there, he had his beautiful senior border collie, along for a beach ride looking quite happy and relaxed.

There was the woman I saw running with a baby stroller. The kid inside was the exact opposite of the border collie...screaming bloody murder. I was thinking to myself that it should have been the mom screaming, not the kid. Totally reinforced my decision to have dogs...not babies.

There is the woman who I see a lot who looks anorexic. She has the weirdest gait I have ever seen. It looks like she is running without bending her knees. And her arms are at a 45 degree angle with her fists angled down. They just flap in the wind. She is so skinny that I want to feed her a cheeseburger.

There was this man I saw on Saturday who was probably one of the biggest men I have ever seen. Had to be close to 7 feet tall and was just a wall of muscle. He was wearing a running get up that was easily 3 sizes too small for him. I laughed to myself that no one would ever tell him that he looked ridiculous in that outfit because he would squish them like a bug.

I have been training now for about 20 weeks. I have gone from running 2 miles to 22 miles. I have been completely upfront about my slowness. I get passed every time I run by everyone going in my direction and I am ok with this. Since I am in taper mode, I don't have to run the distances that I have had to in the past few weeks so I have been working on my speed.

I am just beside myself BaSCHIZZLED to announce that this past week I have actually passed people! (And NO! I am not talking about the woman with the cane...although I lapped her TWICE!!!) YES! People who were RUNNING!

I play the "Rocky" anthem in my head and imagined myself doing the Rocky dance at the top of the Rocky steps. I stop the image in my head when I see myself jumping up and down and then slipping, spraining my ankle and falling down those steps. You see, I didn't get the memo about the day they were handing out elegance and grace. So I got awkward and klutzy instead.

Be well everyone!

Fear

About a year ago, I went bungee jumping. I'm gonna say that it is probably one of the most terrifying things that someone can willingly do. You have all these ropes attached to you and you are standing on a maybe 10" x 12" platform on the "bad" side of a bridge. You look down and you see the rocks that you will hit if the ropes don't work (they have always worked). They count down 3-2-1 and you jump! Holy Moly!

Here is a picture of my first jump in which I jumped off backward. You can see from my face that I am one scared Mamma Jamma! As scary as that first jump was, I jumped 2 more times. What a rush and what an accomplishment to face your fears and jump off of a bridge (3 TIMES)!

I will admit that I am feeling a bit of fear as the marathon grows close (3 WEEKS!). Fear is what has gotten me off the couch some days because I knew that if I didn't run, I would never be able to finish. I feared that I would let all of the doggies down if I didn't finish. Fear can be a great motivator.

The Guru (Marty) told me that this weekend would be my last long run before the marathon and he suggested I do 21 miles. So since I knew that this was my last long run and having that continuous nagging fear that I won't finish, I pushed myself just a little. I completed 22 miles. And now I am in what the Guru calls taper mode. I'm going to be letting my legs rest from now until the marathon (if you call ONLY running 12 or 14 miles in one day "REST"!)

So if you see me between now and marathon day (October 11th), I may not LOOK as terrified as I am in this picture; but know that I am that scared on the inside! But as I did with the bungee jumping, I will overcome fear and I can only imagine the feeling of great accomplishment I will feel when I cross the finish line into the wonderful field of goldens that I envision will be waiting for me. I only wish that the marathon would be over as quickly as the jump was.

Be well everyone!

Beauty and the Beet

So I have made it clear that I look pretty when I run...pretty awful. I am a beet red, sweaty mess almost from the get go. I usually run around the country club near my apartment which conveniently has a dirt track around it's perimeter. By the time I'm finished running, my legs are covered with a thin film of dirt from having that dirt kicked up by passing runners. So to say I look a hot mess would be an understatement but I'm not supposed to look pretty...I'm running!

The other evening I was running around the CC and this woman runs past me. She is beautiful. Not a drop of sweat on her. Very stylish outfit. Her gorgeous, thick, chocolate brown hair is FLOWING behind her. I literally looked around for camera crew. I could see the commercial in my head:

(Shot of me running...)
Announcer: "Are you tired of looking terrible when you workout?"

(Shot of HER running...)
Announcer: "Now YOU can look amazing when you workout too! Just use LUSCIOUS LOCKS shampoo and conditioner. It not only makes your hair flow beautifully in the wind, it's patented formula actually STOPS you from sweating! Get LUSCIOUS LOCKS NOW and you will never look like this (camera pans back to me) EVER AGAIN!!!"

There was no camera crew. She was just one of those women that looks great no matter what. It's unnatural really. I'm not gonna say that I wanted to trip her and drip sweat onto her splayed body because that would make me sound mean and I am not mean. A bit envious maybe, but not mean. So instead I envisioned myself just HUGGING her! From the front. From the back. Mess up her perfect hair a bit. Yep...hugging her. Get her nice and sweaty...like me...the Beet.

Be well everyone.

A Fine Line

I have realized recently that I am just THIS SIDE of looney! People who know me may be saying "Well Duh! We've known this for quite some time". But now I know!

I have always been obsessive about some things, like checking my purse repeatedly to make sure my keys are there. I tell myself..."Don't have to look again, they're in there" and what do I do? Check again...twice.

Being a part of this rescue has fed into my tendency towards obsession.

I look every day at how many dogs we have.
I obsess about how many need foster homes.
I obsess even more about the seniors who need foster homes (ROCKO!!!)I obsess about how we can raise more money to help.

Jenna shares my obsession and although I think she beats me in the obsessive department, I am a VERY CLOSE second.

Thank goodness I can use my obsession toward good and not evil! If I were evil, I would be thinking in my diabolical mind about how I could abduct Moseby without Denise EVER knowing it was me!

I have also realized that I am quite the gifted stalker!

I find that I have absolutely no patience when it comes to getting answers; especially when it comes to helping the dogs. You can ask the charity coordinator for the marathon....she probably hides under her desk in fear whenever my number shows up on her caller id! I mean...I know this is the 4th time I'm calling, the last being only 3 minutes ago but really...I need answers NOW!

I checked the Marathon site every day to see if any new participants signed up. Up until Friday I was SERIOUSLY freaking out about whether we would get enough people (We needed 20). I was very excited on Saturday when I checked to see that we have TWENTY EIGHT!!! Woo HOO! I don't have to stalk people anymore. (NO! I am not the crazy woman who was seen chasing after people screaming: YOU WANT TO RUN A MARATHON TO HELP HOMELESS GOLDEN RETRIEVERS?!)

So I am ok with being considered looney when it comes to Goldens. It's good to be passionate, right? Just be very glad that I stay on this side of the looney line...otherwise you would all have to worry.

Now...back to figuring out how to airlift Moseby out of the yard using helium balloons........

Age

So I have been endlessly NAGGED...er, I mean asked constantly for pictures of me running. I finally found someone who would take some pictures and I owe a big thanks to Cindy for allowing me to get the nag...er, I mean blogmistress, Sanya, off my case. ;)

Unfortunately, my camara is a bit old and you have to hold the button down for about 10 seconds before the thing will take a picture. The zoom is a little ify so to actually get a motion shot I had to run really slow....(even slower than my normal pace!!) So if these pictures look a little posed....they aren't...they are just the best "action" shots my poor old camara could handle.

Speaking of old. A couple of weeks ago, the Guru asked me my age. I didn't mind but asked him first how old he thought I was. He completely lied and said he thought I was 21. All that running has obviously warped his vision...

In case any of you were wondering how old I will be when I run my first marathon, I turn 37 this weekend. I am telling all of you not to get birthday wishes but to suggest that EVERYONE eat a scoop of ice cream on Saturday...which I think should be the Official Rescue Eat Ice Cream Day. The challenge for everyone but me still applies because nothing has guilt, fat or calories on your birthday. So I will be indulging in a scoop (or 5) of chocolate malt ice cream!!! Yeeeee haaawwwwww!

Be well everyone!

The Most Precious Gift

I knew from the moment I saw her picture that Summer was my dog.

I can't tell you what it was about her...but I had to have her. I think the forces knew too because everything that needed to happen for me to get her, happened.

My landlord, who up until then would only allow dogs 30 lbs or less in the building, said I could get a dog Summer's size.

Summer needed a home with no stairs and a person with a low car because of her arthritis...done and done. (I have stairs but they only lead to my studio...not anywhere she would have to go).

I found out that Carole was going to entrust this beautiful baby to me on a Monday. I was not going to be able to pick her up until that Saturday, March 15th. Talk about a LONG week. My boyfriend and I were so excited. He found this website where you can put in a future time and it will give you hours, minutes and seconds until that time. He would send me random emails with just times in them ie: "345,600 SECONDS UNTIL DOGGY!"

On Saturday, I got up early because I couldn't sleep. I left early to get her and that's a good thing because I was so excited that I got lost a few times heading down to Orange County. (I'm sure Carole was doubting my intelligence at that time wondering how I could get lost in the 5 minutes since I last talked to her!!!) I was so nervous and shaking with excitement that I guess I couldn't quite see straight because those signs said something different the first time I passed them!!!

I finally made it and saw her for the first time in person and she was beautiful. A little scruffy and a bit overweight but she was beautiful. Technically, I was going to foster her first but I knew from that first second that I was going to be a failure. I threw her in the car (well...not throw exactly....heaved is more like it) and escaped before Carole came to her senses and decided that I was too dim witted to be a parent to this wonderful baby.

Summer was calm and reserved those first 2 weeks or so. She would follow me everywhere. I started taking her on short walks. She had trouble going through doors (we nicknamed her the "Doork") and would bark at herself in the mirror. At first she had no interest in toys and would always hesitate a few minutes before she would eat.

I adopted her officially 2 weeks later and its funny, I don't remember that specific date because I knew she was mine from March 15th...so that is the day I considered her adopted. It's also funny that the moment the paperwork was signed...she became the CWAZY DAWG! Denise brought her a toy bone and she FINALLY played with a toy. She loved her Harry Barker bones. She would toss them in the air and try to catch them. She would chase them down the hallway. We nicknamed her the Perk-o-lator.

We went on long walks and she would bust out a short run. If she saw another dog she would puff out her chest and trot like she was a show dog. Remember those stairs that she couldn't climb? She climbed them...arthritis smarthritis. She was amazing.

She showed her obsessive love for anything she could eat after that. She LOVED her food. The once reserved dog who would wait to eat would practically knock me over in an attempt to get her nose in the kibble can. She would literally do circles in the kitchen waiting for me to give her her food. "Hurry up Mom! I'm STARVIN"!! She would think that no matter what I was doing in the kitchen me being in there meant that SHE was gonna get food. She also thought that paper, socks, dish towels, bike gloves and kleenex were food. I became a much cleaner person with her in the house.

She became famous (or infamous?) in the neighborhood. I would leave the balcony door open for her and she loved just laying out there with her head resting on the bottom rung of the railing. She made herself known to everyone...especially those who walked their dogs past her because she would bark at them. For whatever reason, Sums was not great around other dogs. I nicknamed her Snarky Barker and told her that if she didn't want to sound like a game show host, she had to stop barking at other dogs!

I imagine her barking down to those other dogs as if to say "You are SO lucky you are down there and I I am up here because I AM the QUEEN of this neighborhood and YOU are only walking in it because I say so!"

People would come up to me while I was walking her squealing "Oh thats the doggy from up there! She sooooo cute, pretty, beautiful....I see her up there everyday" I nicknamed her the Neighborhood Watch.

She would play and be so funny. She would do a donut and dive into the floor then roll onto her back. She would cross her front paws and do her "back dance". She was so funny. I nicknamed her Kooky Magooky.

If I tried doing anything on the computer she would come up and put her nose under my hand and lift it away from the keys. After I got my laptop she would ram her nose into the cover to close it as if to say. "those hands should be petting me!" When I was sleeping and she thought it was time for me to get up and feed her, she would come up to the bed and jab her nose into my face...or UNDER my face and lift...and continue to do that until I acknowledged her presence...and I could never get her to sleep past 6:30am! "Come ON, Mom!!! I'm STARVIN'!" I tried telling her that we got to sleep late on weekends but she wouldn't have it. I nicknamed her Demando.

My Summer was diagnosed with lung cancer after she had a seizure in April. Although I would not put her through the tests, they were quite sure that it had spread (or maybe started) in her brain and that tumor is what caused her seizures. It took us completely by surprise because she was doing so well. Mark had even nicknamed her Summer Button because she seemed to be getting younger everyday. We put her on phenobarbitol to hopefully stop the seizures but at her age (12), there was nothing to be done for the cancer. We were just gonna make her as happy as possible for as long as possible and after her body adjusted to the drug, she was back to her "normal" kooky self.

Last Thursday, my beautiful Baby Sums let me know that it was time to let her go. She went to sleep knowing that she was dearly loved by everyone who met her and especially by Mark and me.

People would always say to me that Summer was lucky that I rescued her. That may have been true but I think it was Mark and I who were the lucky ones...me especially because I got to be with her everyday for 2 days shy of 16 months. I got to see her blossom into the dog she was for almost the entire time she was in my life. Sums made me a better person. She made me happy when I was sad with just looking at me with those amazing eyes. She would watch over me when I slept, even if it was from the other room, and I would be comforted knowing she was near. She showed me what amazing things can be done when you just decide to do it (the stairs). Summer made me laugh with her craziness. We are the lucky ones to have been blessed with the most precious gift we could ever have been given...Summer's unconditional love. I am blessed and honored to be able to say that I was Summer's Mom. I miss her so very very much.

I also know that I am the lucky one because I am going to be running with my dog on marathon day. And everyday until then. And every day after. Because I know my beautiful angel Baby Sums, (the Cwazy, Doork, Perk-o-lator, Snarky Barker, Kooky Magooky, Summer Button, Neighborhood Watch, Demando, DAWG) will be by side, running next to me like she couldn't here...saying "HURRY UP MOM...I'M STARVIN'!

I will be running the marathon for all our Goldens but I will finish in loving memory of my most precious gift.

Happy days!

I had a nice weekend.

My 3rd niece was born on Saturday. After a day of being called Baby Girl by the hospital and 3N by Mark and I (No Name Niece) they finally decided on Melinda Grace. She is healthy and beautiful...in that smooshed red faced baby kind of way. I can't wait to see her...but it won't be until after the marathon as she lives in Michigan.

While I was running 15.5 miles Oscar arrived from Taiwan.

I had a nice Sunday. Slept in a bit. I have been pretty sore lately, especially in my shoulders. (You would think with all the training it would be my legs that are sore...but nope. Its my shoulders). So I went and got (in my opinion anyway) a much deserved massage. It was amazing!

And then when I got home I remembered...FOOTBALL season started! Yes its just preseason but its still football!!! Yes I am a HUGE football fan! I am not gonna say which team I am a fan of because I don't want to make anyone who might have wanted to donate not donate because of which team I root for! (ie "Well I was gonna donate a MILLION dollars but Bethany is a _______'s fan!!! I hate the ______s!!!!")

If any of you are football fans....this is ANOTHER way to possibly get donations for this worthy cause. Throw a football party!!!! Have people pay a "cover charge" to get in. Or...for every touchdown throw a dollar in a pot. If there are fans from both teams present have a friendly rivalry and have them throw money in the pot for every point your team scores and visa versa! Be creative! (Of course, I am in no way promoting gambling!)

Have a great week everyone....and GO _______s!!!!!!

More fundraising challenge ideas...

Skip Starbucks: If you work in an office, get with 4-5 coworkers who drink designer coffee and agree to skip it just one day; pool the money saved from passing on the latte and you'll easily have enough for a Baby Step. How about if you did this once a week until marathon time?

Brown bag it: Similar to the first idea, if you bring your lunch to work, or know people who do, encourage everyone to bring their lunch for a day (or a week!) instead of buying a meal. Combined the saved cash and donate to Team Bethany. Ditto the once a week thing!

Penny collections: Little kids can help by collecting pennies and other coins from relatives, friends and neighbors. Rinsed out soda cans make great collection devices. You'd be amazed at how quickly one dedicated kid can collect a Baby Step.

Dollar drives: Medium-sized kids with a pledge sheet collect $1 from 25 people to earn a baby step.

Party Proceeds: Some of our adopters have held Golden Retriever themed birthday parties for their kids. The kids forego gifts for themselves and the guest brings items or money to donate to rescue.

The Adventures of (Dut Dut Da Daaaahh) NIGHT RUNNER

I have been running in the late evenings for the last week or so. It is so much cooler (temperature wise...I'm so past the point of "being" cool). Since my distances are getting longer (13.5 miles on Friday, 9 miles last night), I end up finishing when it is dark; and there's a whole new realm of dangers after dark!!!

There are fiery spears that mighty giants throw into my path that I have to carefully run around or be singed (street and bus stop signs)

When they do not hit their target (me) with their fiery spears, it angers them so much that they try to SMASH me with their massive fists. I elude them again with my swiftness (more likely my slowness) but the blows leave mountains of crumbled Earth that I must deftly maneuver. (Tree roots growing under the path that lift the concrete)

There are massive boulders that come up from the ground, ever attempting to make me trip and fall (Just rocks about 3 inches long but they DO try to trip me)

There are grenades left in the middle of the path to blow me to smithereens (dog poop....COME ON people!!! Pick up after your pets!!!)

There are angry trees that jump in my way and try to grab me in their arms (I was trying to go around the tree but there was someone coming from the other direction. I cleared the tree but it JUMPED out at me....EVERYONE SAW!)

The evil night villains tried to gas me with noxious fumes (A man that passed me on the path was wearing THE most disgusting cologne I have ever smelled. And it LINGERED...I thought I was gonna DIE!!)

They tried to blind me with laser beams so that I can't see all the scary obstacles in my way (Headlights are SO bright nowadays)

And I was almost attacked by a dragon spitting FIRE (It was actually a chihuahua yip yip yipping constantly as I passed)

I don't wear tights and a cape (thank goodness) but I am out there FIGHTING EVIL! All for the doggies I love so much!

So be careful friends, if you are out after dark. Who knows what the forces of evil will throw in YOUR path...and if you are on Montana Ave near Bundy, be careful of the fire breathing chihuahua dragon!!!

Excuses and lies

When I got home from work last night, the LAST thing I wanted to do was go run.

Here are some of the excuses that ran through my head:

I worked late
I'm too tired
I'm so sore (I cross train once a week. On Tuesday, did nothing but various squats and push-ups for about 30 minutes straight...my butt is killing me!)
I'm hungry
I want to be with Summer
I have no clean running shorts
My blisters need one more day to heal
I should really vacuum

As those excuses were running through my head I started thinking about lies I could tell when someone asked me if I ran:

I DID run!
No...I had to work late and didn't get home 'til 9:30
I had to wash my hair
My car wouldn't start
I couldn't find my keys
I had to perform an emergency appendectomy on a goldfish
Summer ate my shoes

I know, I know! Only a terrible person would lie and say their senior Golden Baby did such a terrible thing.

So I ended up going for a run. No excuses. No lies. It sure would have been easy not to go but I did it for the doggies...and for the safety of goldfish everywhere (This may shock you...but I am NOT a goldfish surgeon)

Be well friends....I now have to go save the world! (lie)

Energy!

The Marathon Guru (Marty) has advised me to have energy bars or the like ready to keep me sustained during my long runs. I have figured to this point that I haven't run long enough to need food sustenance plus I really don't have anywhere to put it (no pockets).

I have been running my long runs on the bike path at the beach so I have been able to drink from the water fountains there since between my iPod and box of Kleenex, I don't really have enough hands to hold a bottle of water. (Up to this point I have REFUSED to wear one of those water bottle waist belts. Unfortunately, as I learned on my long run on Friday night (12 miles!!!), I'm gonna have to add that "hip" fashion adornment to my plethora of geekcessories...NICE!)

Anyway, on one of my shorter runs this week I just ran around the neighborhood. So no need for fuel. I usually start my runs pretty slow. First, to warm up and second because I usually feel like I am never gonna make it past a mile. Once I get to a half mile or so, I get used to it and am able to get into my groove. Groove being about a 12 minute mile.

So I'm running along and all of a sudden, a bug flies into my mouth and down my throat. (I later realized that I was just about to pass the local Cold Stone. I must have had my mouth open and my tongue hanging out without knowing it. Note to self...keep mouth closed when passing the Cold Stone).

Now don't be grossed out, it's just a bug...protein if you will. But I gotta tell you....it must have been a SUPER ENERGY PROTEIN BUG because I found myself speeding up. I had energy. Lightness of step. I was haulin'!!! I ended up running that night at a pace that averaged an 11 minute mile. Amazing since my first half mile is run at about a 13-14 minute pace and my normal pace after that is usually a 12 minute mile!

So there is something to that sustenance thing! Not that I ever doubted the Guru!

I wish I knew what kind of bug that was...

Peace out

Preparedness

Anyone who says that running is a cheap sport because you don't need any equipment obviously doesn't know what the heck they are talking about! Just throw on some shoes and go my eye!!!

• I had to go out and buy the most expensive shoes I have ever bought (really)
• I had to go out and buy running shorts
• I had to go out and buy shirts that are "technical" shirts so that they make me feel "dry" when I'm really a sweaty mess
• I had to go out and buy socks that have no cotton in them so that moisture can be wicked away so I don't get blisters
• I got a blister anyway (so much for the expensive shoes and wicking socks!) so now I have to tape my toe
• I have to put sunblock on
• I have to put body glide on because my new shorts rub me weird
• I went out and bought a watch that times me, measures my heart rate and infuriates me when it tells me my recovery rate is FAIR (I'll give you fair you stupid piece of...)
• I have this band thing that attaches to my sunglasses so they don't fall off my face
• I have this little pouch that attaches to my shoe so that I can carry my keys
• I wear the COOLEST hat that says GRCGLA Rescue on it
• I have my iPod
• And, about 10 Kleenex because my nose runs faster than I do.

Running... has turned me into a geek! Or as some who know me might say...has made me ADMIT that I am a geek!

Be well friends!

Geek out!

Temptation!

I completed my weekend challenge and I am not dead! Ten miles! The last 2 were hotter than the hinges of Hades, but I survived!

I ran on the path at the beach and it was very hot and crowded.

As I was heading back to my car, dripping wet and red as a beet (my face gets annoyingly red when I work out) a girl was standing outside of a frozen yogurt establishment. She asked me if I wanted to try a sample!

At first, I thought the heat had really gotten to me and I was hallucinating this wonderful vision...frozen yogurt? Free? So much like ice cream but not quite? Would I like a free sample of cold, hopefully yummy, coldness?

The personality to my left says, "Go ahead, eat the yogurt...technically it's NOT ice cream...no one would know that we ate it...GO AHEAD!"

The personality to my right says, "No, don't eat it...it might not taste good, then we will have ruined the challenge and we will feel horrible for cheating."

The personality that sits somewhere on the top of my head and usually gets me in trouble (that personality is in charge whenever I have to say to myself, "Did I say that out loud?") screams at the girl, "How dare you?! Offering me pseudo ice cream when we are trying to not eat sugar! Do you NOT know who we are? Don't you read our BLOG?"

Thankfully, this was all in my head and happened in a matter of seconds so that Me, the somewhat sane personality could just say, "No thanks."

Challenges!

First let me say Happy Belated 4th to everyone. I hope you were all happy and safe!

Second I would like to say 'thanks!' to Mr. Marty Friedman, aka, The Marathon Guru, for all of his advice so far. Marty has completed 17 marathons and has been kind enough to offer up his guruness to this rookie! His "ink blots" of wisdom have been so helpful! Thanks Marty!

Marty (The Marathon Guru) has challenged me to run 10 miles on my long run this weekend (last weekend I ran 8.5). Since I am a sucker for challenges, I have accepted.

I am also challenging myself by not indulging in my biggest downfall...SUGAR! I have an INSANE sweet tooth. I love the green, tropical fruit Starbursts, Now and Laters, cookies, ICE CREAM (chocolate malt crunch with those little nuggets of yummy malty goodness)...sigh...sorry can you tell I'm not handling this challenge very well?

So in light of these challenges I have either accepted or given myself, I have a challenge for all of YOU...

EAT MORE ICE CREAM!!!

I'm serious. I am not allowing myself sugar, so I want you guys to eat it for me...but THERE IS A CATCH!!!!

(This is also a way for me to know if anyone actually reads this blog since no one comments....I'm thinking I might have a couple of my personalities make some comments... ;))

For every scoop of ice cream you eat, throw a dollar into a kitty (a jar, not your pet). On October 1st, count the money in your kitty. Either bring it to Dogtoberfest or send it in to the PO Box (a check would be best...just put "scoops" in the memo). Make sure you send it before the marathon so we can add it to the total!

This is the best challenge! No more feeling guilty for that extra scoop! EAT MORE SCOOPS! If all of you eat 25 scoops of ice cream this summer...you will be sending me a baby step!!!! Baby Steps make miles!!! And miles make HAPPY GOLDENS!!!!

Eat wisely my friends...and tell me how HORRIBLE it was so that I don't wimper at the thought of crunchy, malty yumminess!!!!

Inspiration

To the left is a picture of my Golden rescue, Summer and she is an inspiration. But she is not the only thing that inspires me to run.

I am inspired by the dogs that we have rescued who come to us broken and unloved. Who, with just a bit of affection and some wonderful vet care turn into amazingly beautiful, loving dogs. I am in awe of some of the most amazing transformations from scared and miserable to happy and loved.

I am inspired by the people in this Rescue who take time (a significant amount for some)out of their lives to help these wonderful dogs in the many ways that make this rescue what it is...THE BEST. I am in awe of all that you do.

I am inspired by the people in this Rescue who bring these dogs into their lives and homes who then send them on to their forever homes. We have some amazing fosters in this rescue and I am in awe of the gift you give these dogs in their transition.

Sorry if this sounds totally cheeseball but every person and every Golden (rescued or not) associated with this Rescue is my inspiration. Without all of you, we would be nothing and I am honored to be a part of this incredibly amazing organization.

Celebrity sighting in Santa Monica!

Dash from the Incredibles! I mean he wasn't wearing his mask or anything but it had to be him...otherwise I just had my butt handed to me by a 7 year old!

I was running at a high school in my area. There was a mother walking the track while her son was laying there reading a comic. We passed him at the same time and the boy got up and was running at the same pace as his mom. Of course I passed them (as I should have)! I run around about 3/4 of the track and he BLOWS past me. I literally thought to myself, "How the heck can he be passing me?" So he gets back to his area and stops. I pass him. I go about 50 yards and he blows past me again.

I insist to myself that he must have special shoes or something and I forget about him...until he blows past me for the THIRD TIME! He gets about 15 yards ahead of me and HE TURNS AROUND AND RUNS BACKWARD! He smirks at me, SMIRKS! TAUNTING ME IN MY SLOWNESS. I sooo wanted to give him a nuggie and I would have...if I could have caught him! Humiliation my friends! Painful, horrible, utter humiliation! By a 7 year old. I'm going to go cry now.

Running for Goldens

If you can't participate in the event or are unavailable to volunteer, you can definitely be a part of the GRCGLA Rescue team by helping us reach our fundraising goal. You can use the donate button to the left and help me reach my individual goal of $1000 per mile!!! You will be making a huge difference in the lives of sick, injured and/or homeless Golden Retrievers.

Hello!

I have been told on a few occasions that I am a bit cuckoo for Cocoa Puffs (in the nicest possible way, of course). I have bungee-jumped and para-sailed. I picked up and moved cross country without knowing a single person. I have EVEN roller-bladed WITHOUT protective gear (big mistake and I have the scar to prove it!)

So my next tad bit crazy event is running a marathon.

Crazy because, although I workout 3 or 4 times a week, this is the same girl who, the week before making this marathon-running decision was gasping for much needed oxygen after running around the parking lot of my neighborhood YMCA!!! I was literally thinking to myself, "Geez! You can't even run around the block, you slacker!" So after that realization, I started running. After a week, I was so full of myself, I mean come on, I was up to 2 MILES, I decided to run a marathon. And even crazier than that is I TOLD people I was gonna run a marathon!

So I looked up marathon information and found that the one that I could realistically train for and hopefully finish was the Long Beach Marathon on October 11th. In doing my research for registering to run I of course ran across the charity page. I thought, "Hey, maybe I can do this AND earn money for the doggies!" Guess what? I CAN do it for the doggies....but I'm not gonna do it alone!!!

I and anyone that wants to join the GRCGLA Rescue team will be earning money for our Goldens! Hopefully, our team will grow to include many of you! You can run the half or full marathon, bike the marathon or walk or run the 5k. If you join our team, you too can help to raise money for homeless Golden Retrievers!

If you can't participate in the actual event, no worries! We also need a minimum of 20 volunteers to work with us on Friday or Saturday at the Health and Fitness Expo or on Sunday during the race. The ICB provides training, t-shirt and meals for the volunteers. They will also provide community service hours for any of our volunteers that need to accumulate them.

If you know of ANYONE who would like to be a part of our team, let them know about team GRCGLA Rescue!!

Please go to the marathon website http://www.runlongbeach.com/ to get more info. And if you register, make sure that you join the GRCGLA Rescue team!!!

Thanks so much! Check back regularly, I will be updating my training progress!