Goals. Thank You. Fundraising

I am currently in Pittsburgh Airport patiently waiting for my plane to take me back to Boston.  I want to take a moment to reflect on the past few days.  At my recent Team Go Far meeting, I found out I am in 2nd place for getting most donors, which means, I have been spreading the word to as many people as possible.  In part to receiving so many donations, I give a BIG SHOUT OUT TO JOE JOHNSON for being my Rush Chair in muscling support out of our friends :-)  I appreciate all the help I can get.  I want to say THANK YOU to Jen Hiller! The Hills donation pushed me closer to my fundraising goal :-)  Thank You John and Ann Miller for your wonderful contribution sent to The Bottom Line!! 

This has been a great week receiving all the help.  You all have no idea how much this means to me, esp. since I am about 5 weeks away from reaching the finish line of the Boston Marathon, being plagued with all sorts of injuries.  I rest, yet restless because my mind really wants to get a great workout, but my legs refuse to move faster than a slow walk. Sigh.  At times I can feel my muscles pulsate in pain, that I actually look forward to icing my lower half of my body in my bath tub when I get home.  Hope is what I have now, hope to finish well, and hope to raise a lot of money. 


On another note, my new personal goal is to get as many donors as possible to edge out the competition (Sara Cooney :-P).  The prize to get the most donors is to have my friends/family meet me at the best spot on the Boston Marathon finish line.  These are coveted spots that I really want to earn.  I am hoping to get my Dad to come up from Texas and be a part of the journey.   We'll see...


I am boarding in a moment, thanks for following along.

Quote of the Day: Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear.  ~Ambrose Redmoon

Thank You Mr Williams!

Thank you for your contribution to my cause!! All donations leading up to my fundraising event held at Pour House on 907 Boylston Street, Boston, on 3/23/2010, will be eligible for raffle tickets to any of the prizes below!!!!  

Hill Drills. 11 mile run

After work, the weather was so nice that I had to get outside and run.  My injuries are still around, but I fought through the pain to get a good workout.  I dropped my car off at the Newton YMCA and partially ran with a charity group that was on their way to do hill drills at Heart Break Hill.  I did about 6 drills on my own and they were tough.  My heart felt like it was going to burst or crawl up my throat and puke out of my mouth. My weight lifting is paying off as I felt pretty strong and upright sprinting up the hills. When I finished, I started to head back to the Y, which was 2 miles away, instead, I ran in the wrong direction.  Not sure if I was delirious, but I got disoriented and was blocks away from Rt 9, so I turned around to head in the right direction.  I added up my mileage, I was supposed to do a 7 mile run, I ended up with 11.  I hope my legs will not punish me tomorrow morning. Despite the injuries, my pain factor on a scale 1-10 (10 worst), I had about a 5. I only have 1 more month to go, I already feel spent. I'm glad I did the hills and long run, it will only have me be better prepared for the marathon.

Long May You Run

What was supposed to be an 18 mile run, ended at 14.99 miles, which were filled with excruciating pain and disappointment.  I ran in Barrington, RI early this morning along the East Bay Bike Path.  I know for awhile my legs were slowly breaking down and today, it was close to crippling.  My muscles and my heart could have continued on to reach 18 and my spirit wanted to overcome this physical obstacle. However, I know when to be realistic and to distinguish between the two different types of pain.  One type is the pain that is weakness leaving the body, in that building mental toughness to tolerate regular muscle fatigue.  That type heals.  The other is when there is an ailment that has not healed for quite some time. That ailment makes my other muscles or body parts to overcompensate for it, causing a rapid deterioration of physical fitness and limiting my physical capabilities.   What is most disheartening is having an injury when you should be at your peak physical fitness.

Despite the injury, I did my best to stay present and enjoyed the salty air from East Bay, the wind, the balmy 40 degree morning, complete solitude, hearing my feet hit the pavement, birds migrating back to New England, calm waters, seeing a bunny!, still accomplishing 15 miles and in pain, I felt so alive.  What is great running long distances is that I get to take my mind and spirit to a place that I rarely go to test its toughness, courage, and tenacity. 

Tonight is the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics 2010.  Neil Young sang Long May You Run, which I will end this post with the song lyrics as my quote of the day:

We've been through some things together

With trunks of memories still to come

We found things to do in stormy weather, 

Long may you run

Long may you run, long may you run, 

Although these changes have come

With your chrome heart shining in the sun

Long may you run...

Bottom's Up for the Bottom Line!

**RECESSION BUSTER EVENT**

Event Date: 3/23/2010

Location: Pour House, located at 907 Boylston Street, Boston MA.

Admission: $10.00- guarantees 2 raffle tickets to any item up for raffle

Accessible by the T: Hynes Convention Center or Copley Plaza

After work, kick back with friends with some brew and free food while supporting a great cause, The Bottom Line!  6-7pm Free Appetizers  There will be raffle prizes! 

Raffle Items:

1.  2 Tickets to Boston Bruins Game on April 1, 2010!

Details: Four rows back from the ice rink-aisle seats!

2. Samuel Adams “Bucket of Cheer”.  The bucket includes a galvanized Samuel Adams beer bucket, 2 shirts, 2 hats, 2 key chains, and 2 perfect pint glasses with  6-assorted beers!  Cheers to that!

3. Don't give up on your New Year's Resolution on fitting into that swimsuit!! Summer will be here faster than you can eat a Dunkin Donut.  If you need extra motivation to get in great shape, WIN Healthworks Fitness 1 free month of membership to any of their Healthworks Fitness locations! ! !  There is no time like the present to get in shape!!

4. Just come back from vacation or traveling for work and you don't feel like doing laundry or just don't have the time? Give yourself a break and have someone else do it for you!  Life Without Laundry is giving a gift card toward their services!! 20 lbs. Wash. Dry. Fold. Pick up and Delivery for free!

5. Tired of Boston? Explore the beautiful rustic and charming town of Lincoln, MA, to DeCordova Museum and Sculpture Park!  Win guest passes to this contemporary art museum! DeCordova Museum surrounds 35 acres of beautiful woodlands and vast lawns, it is the largest park of its kind in New England.  Make it a day exploring artworks and picnic on the greens.  

6. Free movie. 3D. IMAX.  Take it all in at the IMAX Theater in Natick, MA!!!  There are some fantastic movies coming up in 3D; enhance your viewing experience at the IMAX theater!  Win guest passes to IMAX movies!

7. Break up your nightly monotony and come hang out at Jillian's of Boston They are donating a Pool Party! Valued at $250.00, this allows 25 of your friends to play pool for 2 hours free with free appetizers!!  Play pool, bowl and capture a Red Sox game at the bar.

 

8. Imbibe on $2.50 drinks while sharing laughs with friends at Boston's hottest comedy club,  Mottley's Comedy Club at Trinity, they are offering tickets, come out for a great time!  If you got laid off, bring your letter and you can get in for free-score!!

9. Score some tickets from the Boston Garden Sports Museum (TD Bank North) and take your Boston sports fanatic on a date! You can get stuffed in Larry Bird's or Ted William's Locker, try on Adam Vinatieri's shoes,  and see the memorabilia from the original Patriots-Boston Redskins!
 
10. Take home some movie tickets that can be used at any of these fine theaters: Cinema de Lux, Showcase Cinemas,  The Bridge, and Multiplex!

11.  Boston Local Company, BOLOCO, which prepares fresh, healthy burritos and wraps, are offering a gift card valued at $25-30!!

12.  Come to Boston's most interactive experience at TOMB, Participants get to play the role of hero in their own adventure, as they are confronted with puzzles, challenges, twists, and traps to test their bodies and minds. 4 complimentary guest passes! $80.00 value!

13. Win a gift card to the Award Winning Gourmet thin crust pizza company, Upper Crust Pizza! $50.00 value!  Take a foodie trip or your date to the original Upper Crust pizza parlor in historic Beacon Hill for some mouthwatering, savory pizza!  Gift card can be used at any of their fine locations. 

Additional tickets are $5.00 each.

THANK YOU To all the Boston businesses in donating these fantastic gifts!

Come out and win some fabulous prizes!  

All proceeds go directly to helping the students of the Bottom Line!

Thank you anonymous donor!!!!

Wahoo! Another awesome anonymous donor, thank you for donating to my cause.  My 46 contributor brought my total to $3063.00!!!!!!  Getting closer to $3250.00-hoping to reach that by the end of February!  Gymed it up in Philadelphia, PA.  

9 Weeks to Go!!!

Two months from now, my feet will cross the Boston Marathon finish line...in relative comfort.   I still have many more miles to go in my training.  I need to gain as much muscle as possible to handle the stress of the endurance run. Want to build more speed so I can clock in under 5 hours. In terms of diet, I must keep eating the right foods in check, measure the adequate amount of whey protein every morning and night, and portion control with supermodel prowess.   Must buy new running shoes as my current ones are moving into retirement.  Must fundraise as much as possible to reach my goal of $8,000.00.  So much to do with so little time.   

Quote of the Day: Illegitimi non carborundum