We're at it again!

Taking on the Country Music Half Marathon was a hilly and hot challenge, but it was also a cathartic experience. Knowing we raised more than $15,000 for the fight against cancer and putting monumental effort into celebrating our friend Mark helped to heal our hearts after his loss.

Since Mark worked at Disney for 15 years, it seems only appropriate that we come together again to run the Walt Disney World Half Marathon, so we can celebrate with Mark's friends and family there.

So here we go again!

Complete details on how you can join the team or support us with a donation are available on the Team Mark fundraising page.

Long Live the King!

We did it!

We came. We saw. We kicked some ass!

You'd never know we'd all been up since before 5am.

Mark would be so proud.

$15,000 raised to beat cancer. Totally worth it.

Stay in touch with the team

If you are planning to come to the race and want to keep up with what's going on, the easiest way to do that is to either join this blog or subscribe to posts via email. Both options are in the right rail. ------>

Planning ahead

It will be April before we know it! I can't believe how fast time is flying. Trying to think ahead about logistics, I'm wondering how many people are going to be staying at the hotel. According to my team's staff mentor, we're staying at the Doubletree downtown. I'm not sure if there's more than one LLS hotel, but I've been told I can arrange for all of us to be in the same hotel if I know ahead of time how many rooms we need. So let me know your plans.

Also from my staff mentor, I know I'm flying Thursday morning before the race and leaving the Sunday after. I may try to delay that to see family while I'm already in Tennessee, not sure. I'd assume other out of state schedules will be similar, but you can check with your team's mentor to get the details.

Friday night is the team dinner. I'm not sure where it is, though I think it's at the hotel. We're supposed to sit with our training teams, but I'm trying to see if we can somehow sit together. The evening after the race there's a party at the Wild Horse. That's more of a free-for-all. Would anyone be interested in getting together for breakfast/brunch on Sunday? Give me a headcount and suggestions for places, and I'll make some reservations if there's interest.

Finally on my list of planning ahead is the race itself. My coaches have been talking a lot about nutrition and hydration plans lately and want us all to have one we'll be using during training in the next couple of weeks. By the time we're running at least half our race distances, they want us doing what we'll be doing during the race every week. Please talk to your coaches or teammates if you don't have a plan yet.

Side note: I've tried just about every kind of water bottle, hydration pack, fuel belt out there it seems and finally found one I love. Thought I'd share in case anyone else is looking. This is the Nathan Trail Mix 2 Hydration Belt. It has a model with 4 bottles, too.

The odds that we're all going to be on the same pace, eating/drinking the same stuff or anything else are remote. Most of us have family and friends close by to help us out. I was hoping we could pool our people and spread them out over the course to help us all out along the way. Since we've got a couple of teammates who don't have local folks, we'd certainly be helping them out.

I'm not sure what the finish area is like at this race, but I know at Marine Corp, there's no way in hell you can find a runner at the actual finish. Should we pick a place to tell all our people to rendezvous after?Any suggestions where?

So what's your plan? Do you have a pace/finish goal yet? Who'll be at the race to cheer? Got questions?

(Yes, I am this neurotic. HA!)

Way to go, Rob and Kim!

Two more teammates have met their goals! So proud of everyone!

A hard day

Congratulations, Stephanie and Jennifer!!!

Everyone is doing a fantastic job with their fundraising, and hats off to Stephanie and Jennifer for reaching their goals! Way to go!

Welcome, Char!

In honor of Mark's birthday, Char Robertson has officially signed up for Team In Training to join us! Check out her fundraising page on the list at the right. Welcome aboard!

Stephanie, Kim and Bethany join the team!

The team is really taking shape now! Stephanie (Moates) Brown, Kim (Crane) Mallory and Bethany (Mitchell) Lambert have their fundraising pages set up. Be sure to check their links on the list to the right!

Go Team!!

Who doesn't love a discount?!

Runningwarehouse.com updated their discount code for Team in Training.  The new code is TNTRAININGD and they give TNT participants 15% all items including sale items.

Be sure to talk to your coaches about local discounts that may be available to you as well.

Happy running!

Article: Here's How to Run a Perfect Race From Runner's World.com

I'm looking for tips on reducing shin and calf cramps. Took a sec to read this. It's entertaining and helpful. For those of us running a race for the first time, it's got some great insights. Enjoy!

Here's How to Run a Perfect Race From Runner's World.com

Cytomax

I found some Cytomax and thought I'd give it a try in my short run today. Two things to know about this stuff: It has Stevia in it and it has caffeine. The caffeine doesn't bother me, but I hate artificial sweeteners. This stuff has an after taste. The consistency is a little different, too. You can see from the pic that it's a bit frothy after you shake it up.
I definitely suggest trying it pre-race. I'm thinking I may end up wearing my Camelback with some other drink. The guy at the store showed me some other options he uses. I'll try those and let you know. If all else fails, it will be orange Gatorade, sugar content be damned.
As always if you guys have suggestions or try something new, let us all know.
One last thing, whatever you're taking in, be sure to look at the overall caffeine content. If you're sensitive to it, you'll be surprised how much is in all this stuff. There's as much caffeine in one shot blok as a half cup of coffee, and the package says to eat 3-6 bloks an hour. Just something to keeping mind.
Happy running!

Rob's registered!

Robert LaFlamme is ready to go. Rob was Mark's best friend and helped take care of him until the very end. The strength that he showed in standing by Mark is amazing, and we're so glad to have him running with us! You can check out Rob's fundraising page at the link on the right.

Jennifer's on board!

Jennifer (Riddle) Patterson is on board for the race! Her fundraising link has been added to the sidebar to the right. As you can see from this picture, she's another woman to be reckoned with!

Did you know ...

Mark in said letter jacket with Stephanie.

Mark had a letter jacket in high school. I didn't think about it at first, but once I did, I found this strange since Mark wasn't exactly athletic. He didn't even like to sweat. The incredulous look on his face when I asked him how in the world he got a letter jacket was pure Mark. Well, it turns out, Mark lettered as a Freshman (I think, maybe Sophomore) in track. Who would have guessed?! I can't imagine Mark running for anything except his life, but there you have it.

Shoes and stuff

The first group run in DC was a week ago Saturday, and a running specialist came in from one of the local running stores to give us the basics in shoes, gear, hydration and nutrition. It was pretty enlightening. Here are a few nuggets I thought I'd pass on:

1. Get fitted for a pair of shoes at an actual running store, not just any sporting goods store. They should have you run on a treadmill to check your gait to make sure you get the right shoes. I learned the hard way that putting on a pair of shoes because they match my sweater can lead to rather large blisters. The shoes I got are Asics and feel like they are hugging my feet. I guarantee I would have bought the wrong shoes if I hadn't gone to Potomac River Running. Team In Training has worked out discounts for our chapter at a few different stores. Check with your local chapter to see what they have. I only paid $80 for a really good pair. I picked up a second pair at Dick's Sporting Goods that were on sale since I knew what I needed.
2. Get new socks. Thread-bare, worn out socks can make blisters bigger than the wrong shoes. (Please learn from my mistakes!) Fleetfeet are my friends!
3. This one is for the ladies: If you are well-endowed, get fitted for a sports bra by someone who knows what they're doing. Your back will thank you.
4. There is a lot of "gear" out there for running in cold weather. Some of it is really helpful. Some is highly overrated. Here's what I was told. Dress as if it's 20 degrees warmer outside than it actually is,  layer and remove all cotton from your wardrobe. You'll be cold when you start, but it's amazing how fast you get hot. I wear a base layer (fitted but not tight) made of some kind of cold weather fabric. Above is a pick of my newest acquisition. I run at night mostly, so I have to make sure the crazy drivers around here don't hit me. I put a short-sleeve shirt on top of this (LLS will give you one when you sign up) and cover up with a light windbreaker that I can tie around my waist when I get hot. If you're brave, running tights are very popular for winter running. No one needs to see my back side jiggling down the road, so I have a pair I wear under a light pair of running pants or shorts. I'm pretty sure Mark would applaud this, even if he's cringing at that orange thing above. I don't like running in gloves, which is another reason I like this kind of top. It has really long sleeves with a hole for my thumb to go through. I do run in a toboggan most of the time. Use your short runs to figure out what makes you comfortable.
5. Hydration is something you will hear a lot about. Someone is always telling me to drink more water. I'm not doing very well with it. I'm not used to taking in a lot of water, and trying to run, drink water and not throw up is not as easy as one might think. It's necessary to drink while you run though. There are a million kind of water bottles, hydration packs and belts. I still have not worked the kinks out of this. A water bottle doesn't work for me, and I don't like anything around my waist. Next weekend, I'm going to wear my Camelbak to see if I can work with it. You can drink water, Gatorade, Powerade, whatever. It looks like some kind of Gatorade will be at the water stations at the race. I'm even told eventually they'll tell us what flavor, so you can get used to drinking that while running. I've been running while chewing gum to help keep my mouth and throat from getting dry. It's been a huge help with my asthma. Please share your solutions to staying hydrated.
6. Nutrition while running is something I didn't really think about, but running or walking 13.1 miles is going to require taking in some calories and fuel during the race. This is another thing I haven't figure out yet. Talk to someone at a running store or maybe an REI about the options here. I'm trying out the gummies and jelly beans in fruit flavors. I'm hoping if I can convince my body I'm eating candy, I'll be able to get it down. There are options with caffeine and without. Try stuff out on short runs to see how they sit with your stomach. Again, please share anything you figure out on this front. Learning how to run long distances is one thing. Trying to eat while doing so is another.
7. Once you're running more than 4 or 5 miles at a time, chaffing will become an issue. (When you're choosing running apparel, think about seams!) I throw this out as a heads up since I'm not running far enough to speak from experience. There is some stuff called Body Glide that will apparently become your best friend. On the recovery front, I have found something that's really helped my legs so far and that's Epsom Lotion. It's got all the benefits of taking a bath in epsom salts (which reduces soreness significantly). I ran 6 miles in two days this weekend, and my muscles weren't sore after I used the lotion. Now, if I can find something to work on my joints!

OK, I don't like even numbers so I'm going to stop now. Please share your nuggets of wisdom as we move along. Good luck and happy running!

Long live the King!
-R.

Training schedule posted

The Spring Season Kickoff for DC was Saturday, December 3, and it was an inspiring event. One of my coaches is a 13-year lymphoma survivor. He had his "boys" frozen before he started treatment all those years ago, before he even met his wife, and we got to meet his 7-week-old daughter Lilly. Unbelievable.

Other than being wildly out of place amongst all those morning people, the atmosphere is warm, supportive and enthusiastic about the spring season. I sat with a group doing the CCM. We are all newbies! None of us have ever done anything like this before. The coaches and mentors all introduced themselves, and they're an amazing group of people who do this because they love it and believe in the mission of curing cancer.

The national director for the TNT program said one thing I found especially comforting and wanted to share with everyone on Team Mark: "Congratulations on taking the first step to completing your goal. It's a big step, and let me assure you that it is the last step you will take alone on your journey." Having met these people, and knowing most of you, I really believe that.

Because I'm an OCD, over achiever, busy body, I put the entire training schedule in my day planner and created an online calendar for everyone, too. There is a tab in the main navigation for a new page with every minute and mile of training logged from today, Day 1, to Race Day. Be sure to read the message the top of that page for a few details.

As everyone who's running gets signed up, please send me your fundraising page link, so I can add it to the site. For the cheerleaders out there, feel free to send us messages on chilling mornings when you know we're probably fighting ourselves to get out of the house to group runs (that are at insanely early hours as far as I'm concerned!).

We're having an athletes' clinic next week after our group run, and I'll share any tips, tricks, etc. that I learn. I hope you all will, too.

Big love.
-R.

Get registered

If you are planning to race, you need to register with LLS. Everyone is Tennessee should call the state chapter at 615-331-2980. The Northern and Central Florida chapter can be reached at 407-898-0733. Be sure to tell them you are racing as part of a multi-state team that will be running the Country Music HALF Marathon. My contact here is contacting each of the chapters to give them a heads up on our plan.

For those of us who need hotel accommodations, they'll help get us in the same hotel. The dinner the night before is generally seated by chapter, but the nice woman in Nashville said she'd work with us to get us at one table. At the race, we can run together in our timed groups. People with faster times can start with a slower group, but not vice versa. There is a party the night after the race, and we can all go together to that without any arrangements needed.

Please contact me if you have questions or need anything. So excited to be doing this!

What would he say

We can all imagine what Mark would say if we told him we wanted to run 13.1 miles for him. Even funnier would be his reaction if we asked him to run it!

The Country Music Half Marathon is ironically a part of the Rock 'n' Roll Marathon Series. A couple of us thought we could do the race and raise money for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It's really just a reason to get together again, remember Mark and support each other.

Anyone who wants to join us is welcome. There are lots of ways to participate if you don't want to run or walk the actual race. Click on the tabs across the top for more information about the race and use the short form on the "Join Us!" page to tell us how you want to help.