Oranges 2 Oranges

Looking Back at 5K and Moving Forward…

So this was new…

Last week, I think it was, maybe longer…too busy…the days are blending together…hubby and I were on one of our evening brisk walks. We were approaching a fire hydrant on one of the streets in our neighborhood, and hubby says, “let’s run to the hydrant.” I was pleasantly caught off-guard and then agreed. We went past the hydrant to the end of the street. It was a quarter of a mile. Our streets are long and curvy, so each “block” is about a third of a mile. I was so happy that he’d want to join me in the running like that, even if it’s in short spurts.

Of course, we started out going too fast, as I had done a couple of weeks ago, so we talked about that as we continued our walking (and my deep breathing as if I were at 5,000 feet). About .2 of a mile away from home he suggested we run to the end of the block, and we did, starting off slower and then speeding up again. As we rounded the corner, hubby suggested we go to the stop sign and then our own street  — and the promise of home. Wow, even his encouragement to keep going didn’t help the fact that I felt like no oxygen was reaching my bloodstream, but we made it to that stop sign. Either way, I’m thrilled beyond words that hubby would do that with me. For a moment I had a running partner!

I’m not sure if I mentioned it before, but I had figured that since hubby’s knees are kind of shot from his work as an auto technician I wouldn’t ask him to try running with me, back in the fall when I was doing the C25K program. I had recently sensed that maybe he wanted to give it a try, but I never pushed it, even saying that it might be too hard on his knees. Well, he didn’t have any problems after that first try. I’m hoping we can do it again.

On the Overnight Walk front, I reached my goal a couple of week ago, and now my friend and teammate, Annette Hernandez, is gaining on her goal. She’s about 64% of the way, and I think she’ll make it. It’s been a real roller coaster ride with the fundraising. But you really see who supports you and/or the cause when you have to raise so much and they don’t hesistate to jump in and help. I’m so grateful to everyone who’s donated to mine and my friend’s goals. If you’re reading my blog for the first time, you can read the past few prior posts and watch the video that is in this post.

I’m off to work. Have a great week everyone! I hope it’s as pleasant where you are as it looks to be here this week: around 75-80 and sunny most of the time. I’m looking forward to more walking and running OUTSIDE!

Shan  🙂

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5-5-09

So yesterday, Monday, I went beyond my fundraising goal when two mail-in donations came through. It’s amazing to me that there are still people who are willing to help the cause, help me and understand my reasons for being a part of the walk.

Hubby and I walked after work again yesterday for 32 minutes (about 2 miles), around the neighborhood, after a weekend of doing other things. Hopefully soon, we’ll be going for longer periods of time and for longer distances. I do the occasional workout on the Wii My Fitness Coach or a DVD, but I’d prefer making it all brisk walking or running for a while, along with some weight training. That combination seems to work the best for me. Anyway, it’s been easier getting in the exercise, especially with the American Cancer Society’s Get Active Challenge hubby and I are doing as part of our city’s team. I just need to get in more minutes, since I set my goal at 60 minutes a day, 5 days a week. That means doing something during the day that’s going to supplement the walking.

Here are my numbers, starting on 5-4-09, not including today:

Total minutes walked & run: 32

Miles walked: 1.97

Miles run: 0

I’m pretty close to sucking it up and going outside to run. It may happen this week. I’m not going to say when or else I’ll talk myself out of it. I’m more of the just-get-up-and-do-it-or-you’ll-talk-yourself-out-of-it type. It’ll be on a whim, even though it’ll take 15 minutes to actually get dressed, stretch and get properly covered in gadgets. I’m wondering if I’ll be able to a) go around the block without walking and b) keep going past the house for another lap. It’s .7 mile around our block.

I also want to say to Thomas, I hope your first day at the new job went well.  🙂

Have a good day everyone,

Shannan

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I reached my goal! (But it’s not over, yet!)

A big THANK YOU to everyone who contributed to my fundraising goal of $1,000 for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk! I reached my goal yesterday! Here is what I have written on my fundraising page, which includes a call for any further donations to go toward the goal of my friend, Annette Hernandez, so that she can walk with me in June. We are a team, afterall!  :^)

From my overnight.org page:

I want to thank everyone who contributed to my goal of reaching $1,000 in donations! You are all making a huge difference in the lives of many. I want to say to those who are still considering making a donation that my teammate, Annette Hernandez, is still working toward that goal. Please consider helping her reach her goal so that we may walk together as a team in June. Thank you all so much for your kind words of encouragement and for your part in what the AFSP is trying to accomplish.

If you’re interested…to make a donation to the AFSP through Annette’s page, please click here. Every dollar makes a huge difference, and every dollar is very much appreciated! You can also check on the overall status of our team on our team’s page: Resounding Grace.

Wow, a month ago the goal seemed really hard to get to, and there were doubts, but there are people out there – even some I’ve never met in person –  who really care about the cause, care about helping out a friend and care about the mission we’re trying to accomplish. We’ve together helped so many in giving the AFSP that much more to work with, but it’s only the beginning. Annette and I are walking not only in the memory of those we’ve lost to suicide or know who have to live with mood disorders, but we’re also walking in order to be with and show God’s love to those who are left behind and hurting. This is a walk for healing and remembering, and what better way to do that but surrounded by friends, new and old?

I’m walking!….and there’s still so much to prepare for!

That leads me to something I told a friend that I’d do. He’s been my motivation through a lot of challenging and celebratory days when I was going through the Couch to 5K program (you can see my journal, week-by-week, on this blog). He’s probably going to be what pushes me out the door that first time I get myself outside to do a real, non-treadmill, run – yes, I’m glued to my treadmill. I want to thank him for being there as one of my “mentors” in the process. Today is 8 weeks away from the Overnight walk. I will keep a running tally of my “training” time for the walk, which is bound to include some running, too. Hubby and I have been walking after work most days, and I’ve only been logging the time somewhere else. I owe it to my donors to keep them updated on how everything is going. You won’t be left in the dark.

Not including anything we’ve done to date, here is the tally – currently set at zero – which I will update often.

Total minutes walked & run: 0

Miles walked: 0

Miles run: 0

I’m sure that we will not have a stellar weekend, considering we’re pretty much homebound these two days, working around the house all weekend – with a birthday party for a niece somewhere in between – but we’ll be back at it on Monday. Besides, I need an excuse to use my new Garmin!  :^) Maybe I’ll even post maps of all the squiggly lines we’ve made on our walks.

Have a good rest of the weekend, everyone. Congrats on your new job, Mr. V, and don’t worry, you’ll do fine.  😉

Shannan

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Still raising support…I’m almost there! AFSP Overnight Walk on June 27th…and a New Toy, I mean, Tool! :)

Hi guys!

I’m almost at my goal of the minimum $1,000 that’s required to be raised in order to walk in the AFSP’s Out of the Darkness Overnight walk. Thanks to those who have donated and given kind words of encouragement. Hubby and I have been walking almost every day around the neighborhood, and we went to a 6-mile training walk yesterday, doing it in 1 hr 40 minutes. And, drumroll please…….

I used my brand new Garmin Forerunner 305!

It’s my new toy that I had been wishing for since last fall when I was doing the C25K program. I finally bit the bullet and got it. It’s working out great. Now, I just need to get myself OUTSIDE for once to do some RUNNING. I’m almost there mentally. I’m going to just go out and do it…one day soon. Ahem…I know what some of you are thinking, but you can go ahead and tell me anyway.  😉

If anyone’s interested in learning more about the walk or the work of the AFSP (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention), you can visit their main page for the walk HERE. You can also check out my previous post. Here’s the link to my fundraising page, as well: My Fundraising Page: Participant ID# 10013783.

I do ask that if you are intending on donating any amount to the cause, I’d be very grateful if you’d donate it toward my goal, but if I have already reached my goal of $1000, as will show on my fundraising page when it happens, PLEASE please please consider donating it instead to my teammate and captain, Annette Hernandez, Participant ID# 10013441, so that she can make her goal and be able to walk with me, as she needs a bit more than I do right now. Our team is a small team — just the two of us — but we’re hoping that our efforts can make a big difference in someone’s life, and every dollar will help. (In fact, I just found out that in 2007, almost 85% of funds went directly to the work of the AFSP, which makes everyone’s support go that much further.) 

Thank you so much for visiting! Here’s a video from the site, to give you a visual of what goes on at these walks. The walk means something special to all involved — the donor, the walker, families/friends and those who need help.

Shan

 

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AFSP Out of the Darkness Walk

Okay, I’m SLOWLY getting back into the running scene. It’s more like walking and running, but I’m working at it. I was able to run a straight 30 minutes one day last week, so that’s something. Anywho…

I’m going to mention here now that I’ve registered as part of the Resounding Grace team for the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention’s Out of the Darkness Overnight Walk in Chicago on June 27th & 28th. A good friend of mine is the team captain, and she asked me to support or join her, of which I did both. The goal for each walker is $1,000, so I’m asking everyone to please support me in any way you can, even if it’s a word of encouragement (though the obvious cash donation is also welcome!). The walk is 18 miles long (or 20, depending on where you read it), and it goes from sunset to sunrise.

My personal page is HERE. Thanks for taking a look.

Personally, I had a friend from high school who died by suicide about 14 years ago, and I am doing this not only in his memory but in order to help the AFSP fund research into the factors that contribute to suicide. People just have to know that others DO care. Someone attempts suicide every minute, and someone dies by suicide every 16 minutes. I personally had no idea. I also think that just being a part of the thousands who will walk that day will show those there who have been affected by suicide that we’re all there to help and to care. It’s going to be an awesome experience.

So if you can help, thanks! If not, as long as some awareness is brought about by just the asking, I hope it helps in some way.

Have a good one,

Shannan 

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Now, that’s more like it!

I’ve posted my second report on Week 8. Today’s run was more like I’m used to. You can read about it on my Week 8 page

Also, here’s the link to the Go! 5K Walk/Run in Oak Brook, IL, that I posted about last week, for those of you who haven’t seen the post: Go! 5K Run in Fullersburg Woods.

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“GO! 5K Trail Run” in Oak Brook

I was asked to post information on an event happening this November in Illinois. It happens to be a drive away from me. For those of you living in the Chicago Metropolitan area, this may be something to which you’d like to take the family for a fun fall day out, as well as a way to help out those in the community. Here’s the info…Have a great day!

GO! 5K Trail Run

Fullersburg Woods • Oak Brook, IL

November 15, 2008

Race Begins at 9:00am

Registration Link: SignMeUp.com/62259

 

All funds raised will go towards:

• NEW “Art in the Park” program

• State-of-the-art classroom for teachers and students

• Program development for underserved communities

• Exhibit improvements

 

A cool place and a beautiful setting! Whether you just want to have some family fun on a brisk walk or you’re looking to beat your personal best time, Fullersburg Woods’ beautifully groomed trails over a fantastic fall setting for a 5K run/walk. Enjoy the great outdoors while supporting the Fullersburg Woods’ educational programming that generations of families to come will enjoy.

Pre-registration is $30. Registration will also be available 7:30 – 8:30am on race day ($35). Children 12 & under can participate for free with their parents, but will not be eligible for t-shirts or goodie bags unless registered. This event features winding wooded trails, creek side views, professional timing, top of the line goodie bags, and USATF certification. (IL-06096-JW)

 

For more Information:

Phone:   630-850-8110  

e-mail: cgutmann@dupageforest.com

Free child registration:   630-850-8112  

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